Hello, Vixens!!!  How are you?  Did you have a nice weekend?  I hope so.  How was mine?  It was great, thank you for asking.  Why?  Two reasons.  First, I went to an incredible estate sale (read about that here).  Second, I went to the 2015 Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY.

This is the second year in a row that I attended (read about last year’s trip here) and this year was even better than last,  in my very humble opinion (mostly because this time I scored two-count ’em, TWO-great finds-more about that later).  If you are in the vicinity of the next CL fairs (Columbus, OH this September & Atlanta, GA this October) you should buy tickets NOW.  If you are not nearby, plan a road trip with your fellow avid antiquers or jaunty junkettes.  I promise you it will be worth the trip.  Besides, road trips are the best anyway, especially in the fall.  Am I right???  🙂

There were so many beautiful things to look at and admire, like these funky license plate signs…..

to signs in general…..

to cool old bicycles (perfect for riding to farmers markets for yummy fresh produce this time of year)…..

and chippy ceiling tin squares & precious little statues (how did I not take this little darling home with me???)…..

to furniture and wall art.

Or visit Cari Cucksey’s booth (trom HGTV’s “Cash & Cari“) and see what she “repurposed“.

You can also leave in tears after having to pass on a chair that you have been dreaming of since you were sucking your thumb in the womb (OK, maybe that is just me).  I appreciate the work that went into it but I could not justify the nearly $300 price tag.  Take a look at this beauty and say it with me:  SA-WOON!!!

I am going to look for a chair like that and try to transform it myself.  I also passed on these great lockers & file cabinets because of their prices, despite the fact they were totally cool & industrial looking…..

I passed on this old laundry tub because I bought one  in Vermont two years ago (although mine is not as rusted as this one…..sigh).  And the olive buckets follow me wherever I go.  Some day soon I will give one a home.

I thought these dolls were pretty kitschy and oval frames are my favorites!!!

But then I saw the piece I had to have…..and could afford to buy…..a French laundry wire basket (that folds down flat, which I never knew but sent me even more over the moon for this piece when I found out!!!)

I am thinking of adding a burlap liner inside to hide off season clothes in or holiday decorations and then popping a glass top on it to use it as a side table in my living room.  What do you think?

I also bought a ceiling tile tin box that I guess was made to be a planter (see the holes inside?) but I think it will look great on my kitchen counter holding my olive oil & vinegar bottles.

Once I satisfied my shopping urges, it was time to celebrate with a good meal.  Someone recommended a local  barbeque place, Max’s Memphis BBQ, in the next town over-Red Hook, NY.  I have never had real Memphis BBQ (YET-I plan to when I visit Graceland one day soon) but this food was delicious.

I must admit BBQ is something I don’t always enjoy because of the various flavors involved, but the sauce on the chicken was the perfect balance of sweet and smoky.  And the ambiance…..how could I not enjoy a meal where the candles were in mason jars and the table covering was brown craft paper???!!!

Until next time, fellow Vixens, happy digging!!!