First off before I get to my post I'd like to thank you for all the kind words, support, and prayer for our family. My grandmother had two small strokes and she tested positive for meningitis. She is in isolation and being treated. She still has some other issues and the swelling on her brain has affected her speech and ability to recognize people. No one is allowed in to see her so we did not go this weekend after all. Those who were in close contact while she had fever and was contagious have to take a series of shots to prevent getting it. My immediate family and I were not with her during this time so we are in the clear. My mother, stepfather, aunts, and uncle will have to have the shots. We have no idea how someone with such an isolated lifestyle could have come in contact with it. Her doctors say she is gravely ill and at this point our prayers are for grace, mercy, and His will to be done.I feel like I am out of things to post about so I thought I'd just have a little show and tell of my most recent flea market finds. Before I show you my shopping habits for the last few months, I'd like to tell you about a blog I recently visited. I found Counting Your Blessings through Ele at A Bit of Pink Heaven. I noticed Ele had a new banner and she said she got it over at Count Your Blessings, who has several free banners. (Some examples are peppered through this post.)
I decided to go over and have a look see and found a place I will return to again and again, not for the freebies, which by the way are awesome, but for the variety and sheer inspiration I found there. 
You can go to Social Graces , which is an extension of Count Your Blessings for a unique swapping experience of gifting and receiving. 
There are about forty or so free banners, plus some posts are peppered with links for more free banners. You can tweak them by adding your own text, etc. to customize them for your site. These are just a few that appealed to me , there are a wide variety of designs for you to choose from.
Besides regular posts there are all sorts of intriguing links on both sidebars from unique shopping to well, everything but the kitchen sink! Trust me, this is one site you will not want to miss so hurry on over but be prepared to stay awhile.
If you choose to use any of these, please go over and leave a thank you to this kind blogger for her wonderful generosity!Now, on to my flea market finds. I am collecting items for a miniature garden I plan to plant in a half barrel planter out by the tree swing. CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE FOR BETTER VIEWING.
This little house is really a tea light holder and was a bargain at $2.00.
A little dwarf sits on a tree swing, the tree trunk is a vase, two little blue birds are perched on the branches and two tiny pink bunnies rest at its base. He was a bit pricey but he was also a must have item at $7.50.
I found a trio of nests in small, medium, and large sizes. The large and medium ones were a $1.00 each and the small one 25 cents. The one with the eggs in it is made of iron twigs. The large one will more than likely be used as a sort of gift basket as it is a of a good size and depth. The iron one I will keep and am already using. The small one will probably be used in crafting. 
I got some sheets of vintage wrapping paper and some rolls of silk paper ribbon.
I love the sheen of this type of ribbon and the instructions for bow making on the end of the rolls.
The bottom roll of ribbon is cloth and the label say it is for knitting or crochet. I really liked the light weight of it. These will all be used in gift wrapping. Six rolls of ribbon and six double sheets of wrapping paper were $3.00 for all.I found a darling little doll face for $1.00. I have named her Nancy. She was in a rumpled old plastic bag and her face was quite soiled. She cleaned up quite nicely , her brilliant blue eyes shine and her darling little dimples are no longer dirty.
Right now Nancy is hanging out with a few other pretties. I really am not sure what I will do with her but for now she will oversee all the studio work. 
I also found a pretty birdie box and nine small glass jars with cork stoppers. The box was a bit more than I thought it was worth but I really liked it so $5.00 later it was mine. The jars were $1.00 each.
I plan to use this little box as a cupboard for all the little jars, which will be filled with buttons!
I picked up a pale green silk quilted glove box with a pretty peachy pink lining ($1.50). A big mirrored silver "S" (50 cents), and a blue shoe thing~a~ma~ bob ($1.00). 
I couldn't resist a set of six vintage mint condition cocktail napkins and matching coasters with their dainty daisy design ($3.00 for the set) 
Or this sweet velvet rose appliqué for 25 cents. The shoe thing~a~ma~ bob I have plans for as a nature inspired craft project or I may do it with an Easter theme and put it up for next season. I plan to us the appliqué on a special card I making. The napkins and coasters will be handy for entertaining and the big silver "S" will be a fun touch in my studio space. The green silk box will go into my gift box bin and someone will receive a lovely gift in it someday.
I also bought a bevy of bottles ($1.99 for all), a nice bunch of old ratty books (ranging from 50 cents to $1.00 each, the ledger is unwritten in), and an old BINGO game ($2.00). I liked the shape and size of these bottles. I plan to soak off the labels, decorate them a bit, then taking a cue from the cover of the latest issue of Somerset, filling them with glitter, sequins, small beads, etc. for pretty yet practical supply storage. The bottles in the current Somerset Life issue were designed by Marilyn Healey. You can visit her blog , Outside the Lines, here. 
I seriously have trouble tearing up books to craft with, these I will not feel bad about as they are falling apart and many pages are already missing. The top book is an old McGuffey Sixth Reader with a copyright date of 1886, the red one is a Latin lesson book, the other two smaller ones are French lesson books, and the Ledger on the bottom has a beautiful leather and suede cover. These will be used in collage work or to share with friends. 
The old BINGO game and pieces will be used in collage projects and a few of them went to live at Rosa's house. 
I also found some bits of baby items that were must haves! A sweet barely there pink dress with two teeny buttons at the shoulder and a dainty scalloped hem and sweet stitching on the front of the dress hem.
A pair of irresistible ceramic baby shoes, one a little walker with hand painted flowers and a bitsy baby perched on the toe, the other a pretty rose embellished bootie. 
The baby on the walker is missing one arm, I plan to glue on a few vintage velvet posies to cover the blemish and if I can figure out how, I'd like to use some crazy quilt velvet scraps I have and turn them into pin cushions. I have some mini frames I'd like to put on decorative pin heads and put my children's baby pictures in them. The little rose bootie was evidently a gift to a baby girl, on the bottom is her name and birth date. 
I also picked up some children's books and a pair of the sweetest little mittens! The shoes and mittens were $1.00 each and the books were 50 cents each. They are resting on more vintage wrapping paper. Here is how I have already used some of the storybook images and bits of the wrapping paper:
These little cuties went to live with Lori as part of her hostess gift for hosting the Doll Challenge.I snagged this message board for my kitchen. It was $4.00.
I plan to glue heavy duty magnets to the back and place it on the side of my refrigerator for all those little appointment cards and such. I like the fabric and the frame detail. 
If I decide to I can switch out the fabric or use the frame part for a mirror, very versatile.Last but not least are some boudoirs beauties!
A hand mirror that will give your wrist a workout as it weighs about five pounds, a pretty silver powder box with a ceramic lid,
a pretty little picture frame, and another powder box in pink! It has a silk outer covering with a plastic molded intricately detailed lid, and the original powder puff wit pink silk bow was tucked inside.
The frame, mirror, and silver powder box were all $1.00 each and the White Shoulders powder box was $3.00.In case you are wondering about the incredible dollar days here in flea market heaven, they were almost all from the same booth. Three bookcases of stuff had just been marked down to $1.00 each and I happened to be in the right place at the right time to cash in on the sale. These are not common prices for our area. I just know which booths have sales when and try to watch for items I might like to have or will be useful.
I have shown you all my best bargains of the past few months save the four large zip bags of buttons! I am still sorting and identifying them and they need to be photographed. I found some real gems in there and will give them their own post later on with some great button information.
I hope you are inspired to scour your area for fun finds and do show and tell!
Happy Hunting,
Miss Sandy
P.S. My handy hubby must have hit his head! He just came in for lunch, handed me some money and said, "Have fun flea marketing." Well, you don't have to tell me twice, I'd better git to gittin'. I am feeling greatly motivated for another show and tell!
