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Health & Fitness

Searching for hidden gems at flea markets

My sisters and I grew up watching the Antiques Roadshow. We watched as most of the guests would discuss some beautiful and not-so-beautiful pieces bought at flea markets and yard sales. The experts would then discuss details about the history, the artist, and the piece; I always marveled at the knowledge and fabulous finds. Lucky for us, flea markets and yard sales are abundant in our area and now that we are in the full swing of summer; there is no better time to try out this pastime. Spending a few hours exploring stall after stall filled with knick knacks and old treasures can be lots of fun on any weekend.

This past weekend, my sister and I went to three different spots: Miss Pixie on Saturday http://www.misspixies.com/ , Stylish Patina http://www.stylishpatina.com/tag/falls-church and the Georgetown Flea Market http://www.georgetownfleamarket.com/ on Sunday. We saw an array of interesting pieces, some antiques, some collectibles and some just out right brash. Miss Pixie hosts a large collection of old posters, furniture, household goods and the odd clothing items. Their collection is most diverse; we saw some beautiful and delicate port glasses. How wonderful to use those after a nice meal! They also have some small, kindergarten size, Virco 9000 4-leg plastic chairs in dark blue, for those who want to ensure their little ones are as uncomfortable as they were back in school.

On Sunday we headed to Stylish Patina, they offer some antiques and some new shabby chic pieces; I proudly walked out with two old books for my collection. Once a month, they host their goodies in a warehouse close to their shop, which is a much larger collection than in their shop.

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Next we found ourselves at the Georgetown flea market; there were a handful of vendors and a dozen pursuers, the fear of thunderstorms must have kept others indoor. The stands had all sorts of things from wood cabinets, mirrors, posters, clothing, and jewelry. Two couples were busy examining old cameras, discussing prices with the vendor while looking up model numbers and makers on their phones. Another man had a jeweler’s magnifying glass as he examined ring after ring in one large display case. The heat definitely cut our expedition short but not before my sister purchased a beautiful onyx ring and I managed to walk away with a small wooden table with elaborate carvings for $40. Great finds awaits.

 

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