We spent the day near DC yesterday, at the much hyped DC BIG FLEA. I wasn't really sure what to expect. When something is advertised as a Big Flea, one would imagine there'd be the typical lots of flea market junque, with a smattering of antiques. Reverse that. Lots of antiques, which generally I don't have a problem with, and some flea stuff thrown in. Two very large buildings full. There was lots of cool stuff, the vintage rhinestones were out of hand, lots and lots of them. I do like the sparkly, shiny stuff, but most were pretty spendy. I did not bring home any rhinestone jewelry.

If I had wads of cash to fling about, I would have been in heaven. For there was LOTS of stuff to fling cash at, however, while I did take (for me) a generous amount of cash, there was minimal flinging. I did buy some overpriced glass beads, some bottle caps from Moxie soda (originals) a small baggie of shredded cash, and some neat little keys. They're all for the pendants I've been making. There were several vendors selling 'paper'-meaning all sorts of plates/prints from old books, old magazines, newspapers, that kind of thing, but I didn't see anything that I really wanted. We got there at 10:15, and wait until the doors opened at 11:00, did most of the first building until about 1:30 or so, had lunch at a close by BBQ place (not bad for 'chain' BBQ) and went back for more. By the time we reached the second building, it all started to look alike, and we were both ready to go. I did see something that made both Obbie & I stop in our tracks and laugh like fools:


The vendor had an original of the poster, and it was 150 bucks. We both thought posting on my bulletin board at work would be a capital idea, since some people get off on gossiping and sniping (oh get over yourself already, geez) Tweaking that person isn't really worth 150 bucks. But it's a suitable poster, since we are at war...

Anyway, we left without the "Squawk Squawk" poster, darn it, but I did find it online this morning, as a repro for $20. Now THATS worth it for the tweak. I'll mull it over awhile, and see how I feel about it later.

There are several more Big Fleas coming up in the next couple months. I don't think we were that impressed with this one to seek the others out. All the vendors were bitching too, most were reading, talking on the phone or doing Suduko puzzles, and I feel for them. I've been at shows like that before. And the ones I asked "How's it going" mostly said, "SLOW" I did talk to a few who were having a good time, but they were in the minority. I guess when people are as freaked out about the economy as they are now, their antique/junkque buying is one of the first things to go. One other thing I noticed was that this was a White Person's antique/junque sale. Any other time I've been to DC or the surrounds, it's always be been a great melange of all sorts of people of all colors, shapes and sizes. Not yesterday. It was very weird. Mostly middle aged women, with short, chic haircuts, and fitted vests, charging about looking tense. Followed by the wives towing their bored husbands, the serious collectors (with their paperboy bags slung across their bodies like their on junkque safari) and the various undefinable people like Obbie and myself. Another sign of the economy, I suppose, not many people willing to shell out ten bucks (nine with the coupon from the paper) to look at (and buy) other people's things. I questioned that myself, but hey, chalk it up to an experience.