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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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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When LeAnn Met Mr. Holmes

I have two words for this past week - OY VEY!!!

I've been washing, ironing, pressing, painting and upholstering everything that doesn't move out of my way - such a glamorous life I lead, I know!  Da Hubbs and I leave today for the spring Antiques Week in Round Top, Texas.  I'm not ready - not gonna be ready - never ready -  I've been contemplating faking some sort of psychosomatic episode - one of those curl up in bed and suck my thumb and rub my blanky against my cheek, kinda deals.  But, alas - the junkers and antique-ers call, so I must press forward . . . .  Get it, "press" - I slay me!

So, instead of continuing the "Yikes -I'm-freakin'-out-cuz-I'm-a-chronic-procrastinator-dance," I have a story . . . .

Ready?

Last week I made a new friend.  I elected to change her name in this story for various reasons.  This is mainly out of respect for the fact that most people don't make new acquaintances in order to appear later in a blog post.  I've made only one exception to this self-imposed policy of anonymity.  Mr. Holmes really is named Mr. Holmes.  I wanted to use his real name because it is integral to the story.

This friendship was formed during . . . . Wait for it . . . . . . BINGO NIGHT!!! . . .  I new it was only a matter of time before I was wheeled down to the senior center to play "the bingo", but I suspected I had a few more years before this happened.  I've decided to call my new friend Jo Betsy Greenberg - she's one of those lilting southern ladies - only with quite a colorful vocabulary and a really quirky sense of humor.

Any-who, we arrived at BINGO NIGHT and were being taken around to meet the other folks at the party.  Within a matter of seconds, she was there - her hand held out and ready to shake.  She introduced herself as Jo Betsy Greenberg and then said, "My husband's the Jew - I just converted for the jokes." 

You love her yet, or what?  Wait, it gets better . . .

She, motions toward the sofa where her little yip-yip dog is perched and says, "That little horn-bone over there is Mr. Holmes."  I didn't get it until later, when it hit me that she was referring to John Holmes, the 1970s porn star.  It hit because Mr. Holmes proceeded to sexually assault my left leg for the next 30 minutes.  Finally, Jo Betsy said, "Just fake an orgasm and he'll quit."  So, I did - all Meg Ryan-like from When Harry Met Sally fame and he stopped and went over to his little dog bed and shot me "call me later" glances, punctuated occasionally by little squeaking noises that sounded like air being released from a balloon little by little, to which Jo Betsy would say, "Poor Mr. Holmes - he's got "the gas."  By the end of the evening, the air in her apartment was visible and smelled of rotten eggs, dead body and a tinge of Ben-Gay, which dilated ye old olfactory nerve, making the stench summon tears and my gag reflex repeatedly!

Okay, so that was gross, but I had to share and continue my lot in life as the "Too Much Information Giver." 

So, now I must be off to Round Top for the next 8 days to sell some vintage goodies - so wish me luck!  Keep checking in though, cuz I'll occasionally post updates, pics and more stories.  And unlike Vegas - What happens in Round Top does not necessarily stay in Round Top!

If you are planning on attending Antiques Week this spring, I would love it if you would come by and see me at my spaces at Vickie Davis' wonderful venue, The Texas Rose Antiques Show, located across from Marburger Farms, 2075 South State Highway 237.  You can find directions here.  The show begins Saturday, March 27th, and runs through Saturday, April 3, 2010.

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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!

Mama Shelter

I've stopped my 'full-tilt-flail' to prepare for my upcoming antique show in Round Top/Warrenton, to check out a link sent to me by a favorite friend - and I'd like to share!

My existential hero, Philippe Starck, has done it again! The new hotel Mama Shelter, designed by Philippe Starck, is the latest favorite address for usually spendthrift travelers having to watch their expenses. While not exactly an exercise in deprivation, Mama Shelter comes with all the embellishments and Lucite you’d expect from Starck. It received the most avant-garde and innovative projects award by Travel & Leisure magazine. The hotel was also voted Best Large Hotel 2009, only six months after opening.

Created by the Trigano family, co-founders of Club Med, and French philosopher, Cyril Aouizerate, Mama Shelter was designed by Mr. STARCK and offers an eclectic and electric ambiance thanks to its friendly, warm and casual common areas.

Located in Paris, in the neighborhood of Saint Blaise, Mama Shelter reflects the rebel character and city life at a country pace.

According to it's website, the hotel welcomes travelers to its 172 rooms with many different style options. All rooms offer a sensual refuge with their five star bedding of 100% cotton satiny smooth sheets, a microwave oven, minibar, 24 inch IMAC, TV, radio, cd/dvd, Internet with free wi-fi, an office where you can work or write a love letter, and an elegant and functional bathroom. Some rooms have a large terrace and a view of the cosmopolitan districts of Ménilmontant and Belleville. Tragically hip? Yes, but comfy and welcoming to all at the same time.


Aaaah . . . . my tender constitution is all better, now - so, I can cancel the trip to the psycho-pharmacologist, because now I'm too blissed out to acknowledge the sobering reality that I'm 1 day away from packing up all my vintage goodies and leaving civilization for 14 days of the equivalent of a 'junkin-antiqueing' rave.