Update on The Vintage Laundress

Under the cover of night, The Vintage Laundress ran away from her shop in Austin and is now hold up under a circus-type tent at The Texas Rose Antique Show during Antiques Week.  She loves treasure hunting in overstuffed markets like this one and is under the impression that she has a lot of self-control when it comes to purchasing vintage goodies and that she looks good in skinny jeans (sadly, neither is true.)  Amazingly this is her tenth year to participate in this event.  The show began Saturday, September 24th, and will run through Saturday, October 1, 2011.


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Sometimes I Feel Like a Figment of My Own Imagination

Here I am last spring with two of my favorite bloggin' buddies, Adrienne, of  

The Flying Bee and Angelique, of  Six In One Hand . . . . at least I think that's me!

Hi everyone - I'm back, and I'm full of it - "IT" being up to your own personal interpretation.

After a long antique show like this fall's Antiques Week, a couple of quotes by Lily Tomlin always spring to mind. One goes something like this: "I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific."  And the other goes like this:  "Sometimes I feel like a figment of my own imagination."

When I get the opportunity to be immersed in my business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the better part of a month while preparing for, setting up for, and selling for this twice-a-year event, I always feel that I have a clearer, more specific grasp on the direction that I would like to take my business.  As I visit with friends and customers about what they are searching for or brainstorm with fellow dealers about the state of the vintage/antiques business in our present economy, or iron a dozen vintage napkins or polish a pile of silver flatware, my mind tumbles around with idea after idea of ways to expand, grow, and refine my business.

My posts for the rest of the week will consist of ideas and specifics about how The Vintage Laundry will be changing, growing, and expanding our scope and offerings.  I'm really excited and I can't wait to share - So, stay tuned!!

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Kankles, Karma and Kittens

Friends, there's something about me that you should know:  I'm a wussy, cry baby, whiney pants.

I'm talkin' cranky baby squared!  And to prove my point, I'd like to present you with some ex-post facto - which is Latin for "Lord, that girl can complain!"  So, pay attention, there will be a quiz later.

Fact #1:  I'm in a circus-type tent in the middle of a cow pasture for this Fall's Antiques Week.

Fact #2:  All of my vintage crap, I mean merchandise, is placed in and around said circus tent.

Fact #3:  It is hurricane season.

Fact #4:  It has been raining off and on for the past 4 days.

Fact #5:  I have taken up yoga to calm my over-caffeinated mind and slim my over-fed body.

Fact #6:  There are fire ants in my socks.

Fact #7:  I'm a teensy weensy bit allergic to said ants of the fire persuasion - I have "kankles," which the urban dictionary defines as calves that become feet without taking an ankle break.

Fact #8:  Flea markets and antique shows medical facilities usually have to shoulder other responsibilities.  For example, the First Aid slash Central Office slash concession booth that administered a dose of Benadryl to me came with a kettle corn chaser and a bar-b-que'd turkey leg - now that's health care reform!

Fact #9:  And before any of that happened, our new kitty decided today would be a good day to have violently explosive diarrhea . . . in my tennis shoe . . . 

So, here are the 2 questions on my little quiz:

How many downward-facing dogs will have to do to find my center?  And, how many hours will I have to sit and rub my blanky against my cheek to find my happy place again?

Photo courtesy Consumerfriendly

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Treasure Hunting at Antiques Week in Texas

Our Golden Retriever, AJ, does this little prancy-dancy thing when we go out to play with or feed him.  He wags his tail with such enthusiasm that I think sometimes he might take flight.  He's just so overwhelmed by his anticipation and excitement that often he jumps off of the deck and takes a couple of "turbo-rear-end-in-low-gear" laps around the backyard.  Well, I gotta tell ya, this is the way I feel about Antiques Week in Texas.  And, apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way.  Our man Stan Williams, author of The Find, has put Texas Antique Week at the top of his own personal list of favorite antiquing spots and Shelterpop has included it in its Top 5 Flea Markets in the Country.  Stan described it this way: "If you want big, expensive items, they're there. If you want junk, it's there. It really has everything."

So, if you find joy in treasure hunting in overstuffed flea markets and are planning on attending Antiques Week this fall, I would love it if you would come by and see me at my spaces at Vickie Davis' wonderful venue at The Texas Rose Antique Show, located across from Marburger Farms, 2075 South State Highway 237. You can find directions here. The show begins Saturday, September 25th, and runs through Saturday, October 2, 2010.

Hope to see you there and happy hunting!

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Antiques Week: I'm Off and I'm Leaving, too!

So, I'm off! And I'm not referring to mental state, although that phrase has been used to describe my demeanor on many occasions. In this case, however, I'm using it literally, I'm off to Round Top for the next 7 to 8 days to sell some vintage goodies.

If you are planning on attending Antiques Week this Fall, I would love it if you would come by and see me at my spaces at Vickie Davis' wonderful venue at "The Texas Rose Antique Show," located across from Marburger Farms, 2075 South State Highway 237. You can find directions here. The show begins Saturday, September 26th, and runs through Saturday, October 3, 2009. Stan Williams, author of The Find, will be in my space at the Texas Rose Antique Show signing copies of his book and swapping stories about favorite finds on Saturday, September 26th, and then again on Tuesday, September 29th. We will have all kinds of goodies to drink and eat on both days and lots of books for Stan to sign! Stan will also be signing copies of his book at the Blog Party at Theresa from Garden Antiques' space at Zapp Hall on Sunday beginning at 6 pm.

I can't wait for Stan to see the fields and fields and dealer after dealer, offering vintage treasures! Don't forget that we will have all kinds of goodies to drink and eat on both days.

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A Pressing Conversation

My darlin' friend Stan Williams, author of The Find, and I had a little Q & A session awhile ago. Today he has featured that interview over at his blog The Elegant Thrifter.

I'm so flattered by the feature on his blog! The other great news is that, as of yesterday, it's official, Stan is coming with me to Antiques Week at the end of September. Stan will be in my spaces at Vickie Davis' wonderful venue at "The Texas Rose Antique Show," located across from Marburger Farms, 2075 South State Highway 237. Your can find directions here. The show begins Saturday, September 26th and runs through Saturday, October 3, 2009. Stan will be in my space at the Texas Rose Antique Show signing copies of his book, The Find, and swapping stories about favorite finds on Saturday, September 26th and then again on Tuesday, September 29th.

To be honest, I feel a little bit like a drug dealer introducing Stan to this event. As I have said before, this event is just an "antiques freak's" Mecca. There are fields and fields and dealer after dealer, offering vintage treasures and it's my own little slice of Prozac!

Okay, so, this is how it goes every 6 months at my house. To thin my personal and professional collection of vintage textiles and other vintage goodies, I participate in "Antiques Week" in the Round Top/Warrenton area as a dealer/merchant - wink, wink, nudge, nudge. This is the equivalent to taking a compulsive gambler to Vegas or similar to 'make your own pipe night' at the crack house.

If you are planning on attending this Fall, please come by and meet Stan and get an autographed copy of his fabulous book. We will have all kinds of goodies to drink and eat on both days.

Perhaps you could even provide a little diversion, so that Stan and I can steal away for some shopping, because my family has already warned Stan and me that they may have to stage some sort of intervention to get us away from there!

Images courtesy Olivia Stephenson

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I'm Back . . . well, kinda

My friend Jeanie's doll head collection - she illuminated the heads at night - she's a riot!

I'm almost fully recovered from my Warrenton/Round Top coma. I've been relishing the fact that I am not out in a field with 45 to 50 MPH sustained winds, hoards of rain and rotating 40 degree to 80 degree temperatures! I'm presently about a 20 oz. bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper away from having the "National Soft Drink Council of America" sponsor the remaining years of my life on this planet - can you say - OVER CAFFEINATED???!!! I have spent most of the past 2 weeks sitting on the sofa surfing the most excellent daytime programming available to me - please note the dripping sarcasm intended here. I've watched "I Love the 80s" marathon on VH1, I miss big hair and shoulder pads so much! And just so I can get a little exercise by proxy, I stopped on some yoga instructor telling me how important my "core" is on the "I No Longer have Self Esteem Channel", and turns out my pelvis has a floor - who knew? I've also taken it upon myself to test all the items in the pantry and refrigerator containing chocolate, high fat or ingredient contents that sounds unhealthy - Christian service work, don't you know? I don't want my husband or children to eat a bad Ding Dong or Dorito. I don't mean to get all religious on you here, but I'm fairly sure Dark Chocolate Dove Bars are proof that Jesus loves me. To be completely honest the only thing missing from this full force "lazy-fair" has been booze!



My neighbor and friend at the show, Maggie from The Veranda nails the Vintage Garden-Paris Chic-Rmantic Cottage look everytime!

Well, I have to get back to WHAM and Boy George, but I thought I'd leave you with some great images I snapped while out wandering the fields during Antiques Weekend.


And of course "Large Marge" from the Junk Gypsys has to make her appearance.

I'll return tomorrow with something wonderfully inspirational and "calorie-free."


Carolyn from Carolyn Westbrook Home was there with here usual amazing set up.

I'm Off . . . and I'm Leaving, too!

For years , I've fooled myself into believing that I could quit collecting vintage textiles whenever I wanted. I promote the myth that I am in control. Even as my burgeoning collection of linens colonizes on the lounge, the dining table, my desk, and every inch of space in both my linen closet and coat closet, I refuse to admit I have a problem - it's for my business, I keep rationalizing. I feel a little bit like Markie Post or Meredith Baxter Birney in one of those Lifetime movies about the perils of addiction - "Unraveled: The LeAnn Stephenson Story"- in which I rob from the kids chore money fund and pawn my pancreas to get one more shopping fix.

Well, to thin my personal and professional collection of vintage textiles and other vintage goodies, every 6 months I participate in "Antiques Week" in the Round Top/Warrenton area as a dealer/merchant - wink, wink, nudge, nudge. This is the equivalent to taking a compulsive gambler to Vegas or similar to 'make your own pipe night' at the crack house. As I have said before, this event is just an "antique freak's" Mecca. There are fields and fields and dealer after dealer, offering vintage treasures and it's my own little slice of Prozac!

This Spring I will return to Vickie Davis' wonderful venue at "The Texas Rose Antique Show," located across from Marburger Farms, 2075 South State Highway 237. Your can find directions here. The show begins Saturday, March 28th and runs through April 4, 2009.

Perhaps you, some friends, my family, and maybe my accountant could come out and threaten some sort of intervention and help me accept the sobering reality that . . . I actually am a very sick woman!