Hurry!

 

 

The Fall Antiques Week Ends on Sunday!

Texas History Carved on Leather
Marshall Smith, Craftsman at Rafter S Leather in Round Top

Only a few days remain for the Fall AntiqueWeekend.  Big Red Barn and Marburger Farms close at 4pm on Saturday.  Most of the Warrenton show sites will continue to be open on Sunday.  Check our Fall 2016 calendar for specifics.  Even after some shows close on Saturday, the fields in Warrenton will be busy.  Even on Sunday, the earlier the better, you'll find dealers selling right up until they load their trucks.



Olle Hotel in Flatonia

There is still time!

Its not too late to jump in the car and head for the shows.  You have plenty of time! Some of the lodging operators do have rooms available.  Our friends at the charming Olle Hotel in Flatonia let us know they have rooms available Friday and Saturday night. 


 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas Store field in Round Top





Nothing But Sunshine!

Last week's stormy weather has given way to nothing but sunshine.  No rain in sight for the remaining days. 
Afternoons will be warm, with cool mornings in the low 60's.  Zero percent chance of rain forecast through Sunday.

Perfect shopping weather!! 

 

 

 

Cotton wagon at Bombshell Betty at the Merry Christmas Store

High Cotton

There is something about fall decorating, pumpkins, mums, colorful dried corn.  This fall its all about cotton.  Wreaths, stems, in arrangements and buckets.  Bombshell Betty (aka Jodi Douglas) has a wonderful wagonload of real cotton branches (some still have the roots!) and the possibilities are endless.  Visit Bombshellbettyshop.com online or at her booth at The Merry Christmas Store.


Cotton and winter greens

Not all cotton is "real".  Some of the stems for sale online are faux cotton, which also gives a great effect.  You can use a few stems to embellish a wreath or planter of winter evergreens, or fill a bucket with just cotton.  I have a maple sap bucket I picked up in Warrenton years ago.  I have filled it with many different things over the years, but this year its going to be cotton stems, red berries and cedar branches.  It will look great hanging by my front door.


  

Two Funky Cousins in Warrenton

Shopping from the Road

Can't help but shop from the car window everywhere we drive during AntiqueWeekend.  From Burton to Carmine, to Round Top and Warrenton, and SH237 through Oldenburg and into La Grange, show sites and vendors line the highway. 






Flown the Coop in Burton

Don't Miss

Arbor Antiques, Round Top Hill and Chelsea's Meadow, three great show sites located on SH237 near Round Top.  They have organized themselves with officers directing traffic at the highway and crossing people safely from one side to the other.  Each has a wide variety of vendors make them unique shows.  They have great parking and food vendors.  Pandora De Balthazar holds court at Arbor, with her signature linens and air conditioned tent.  New, and impossible to miss, is the huge Paul Michael venue on SH237 near Round Top Hill.  They have amazing items and four independent vendors selling there, too!

Matt White's Recycling the Past has a new venue at SH237 and SH290, and his famous Round Top Ball Room on SH1291 is now home to the nearly ready Flop Houzes, creative lodging in repurposed containers.

Show Spotlight: Blue Hills

You cannot miss the signature witches hats of Blue Hills show site on SH237.  Wonderful long timber buildings with metal roofs are filled with beautifully staged antiques and collectibles.  You'll find Swedish modern furniture, French country, repurposed items at Reclaimed Relics, and vintage western wear for children.  The buildings are arranged around gravel courtyards some with parking, others just walk areas.  Methodist Men serve barbeque in the main courtyard with a covered patio area and an open plaza cooled by a lovely fountain.  I ran into a friend who had picked up a lovely orange vanilla scented candle in a mercury glass container.  The outdoor areas have lots of outdoor furniture and metal garden art.  Parking is located in the rear of the show site, in addition to some parking near the vendor area. 


FOOD REPORT: 

Round Top: Bodega at the RT triangle is selling box lunch.  Our taste testers sampled chicken salad and tuna salad and gave them huge thumbs up.  The pasta salad is delish, too.  At the Farmhouse booth they are selling what will surely become legendary fried pies, worth the stop!  Stubs Brick oven pizza at Round Top Vintage Market, very good, and fairly fast..they used really fresh ingredients and the taste was great.  Covered seating area. 
At La Bahia you'll find excellent barbeque sandwiches, bbq plates, baked potatoes.  There are also great baked goods for dessert and dew berry jelly to take home as a gift.
Warrenton:  Country Chic Catering returns again (yay!) at Dillards field, they are on a raised deck with covered area, hand washing station provided (how nice!) bbq baked potatoes are amazing.  Self serve tea and lemonade means you can mix your own Arnold Palmer.   Of course Royers at Zapp Hall is fantastic (love the shrimp BLT) and Lone Star BBQ in Warrenton smells so good it will pull you over and make you eat!  Vicki Davis at Texas Rose near Florida Chapel Road on SH237 has great chicken salad, pimento cheese, green salad, giant cookies, all delish. 

Neighborhood restaurants:
On the square in Fayetteville its Joes and Orsaks, in Rutersville on SH 237, The Oaks serves the best bb back ribs, in Round Top, of course Royers if you are lucky enough to have reservations, Los Patrones serves great Mexican food and margaritas, and newcomers are Teagues Tavern and Bistro Napoletana.  End up in Carmine and try JW's Steakhouse, real angus beef and a great wine list.

 

Come Shop!

 

Spring is in the air, the wildflowers are in bloom and the Antique Weekend spring show fields are open!

 

We visited dozens of shows sites over the last few days.  We have seen everything from tractor parts to fine jewelry, vintage linens, kitchenware, antique and vintage furniture, new rust and old rust.  If you remember it from your childhood, no matter how old you are, you'll find it in Warrenton or Fayetteville; Burton or Round Top; Carmine or Oldenburg; Shelby or Rutersville!  Be sure to visit our website AntiqueWeekend for the maps and the calendar to be sure you can find your favorite show.

 

What to Bring.....



The all important
shopping cart
 



An AntiqueWeekend shopper's best friends are comfortable shoes, cash, and one of these great shopping baskets with wheels and cup holders!  Many vendors in the heart of Warrenton (Zapp, Renck, Sommerfield, Tin Star) are selling these carts.  They come in a variety of sizes, sturdiness and color.  Some have liners for an additional cost. They are a great place to stash your umbrella (important this week since we may have a little rain) and treasures.

 

This one is a hit because it has four wheels and will stand on its own.  It also has room for two water bottles in its cup holder...

  

 Where to Start?

Visit our website and find show sites, the calendar to tell you who is open and when, and the map to see the area.  All the show sites have food, bathrooms (many of the portable variety!) and some even have ATM machines.  All have some kind of parking.  Some parking is free, some charge a nominal fee which often goes to area churches and organizations.  There will be traffic, so arrive as early as possible.  In Warrenton the parking behind Northgate Field, Bar W, Tin Star, etc., connect, and so do the shows, so you can park at one and walk through many, many booths. With Marburger Farm opening on Tuesday, all the show sites will be officially open.  Be sure to check the calendar for open and close hours, entry fees, etc. 

 

What do I look for? Of course, chairs!

Found at Fayetteville on the
Square, March 25

  

I am always drawn to chairs.  Old chairs with rust, new chairs, or restored chairs.  I like the simplicity of vintage styling.  As we wander through the shows sites I often see first hand examples of "before and after".     The show sites are filled with old rusty chairs waiting for a new home and a can of spray paint, or restored/refurbished chairs that have already had a coat of paint, but need new cushions. I love the rusty chair in Fayetteville, and then I saw one very similar to it, painted blue, in Warrenton.  During the months between the Fall and Spring antique shows I wander the magazines and internet finding new versions of the classics, shiny and colorful. If you're not ready to repaint or refinish, chair cushions created from vintage fabric will give your new chair charm. Enjoy!! 

Brand new chairs with vintage style,
from Hayneedle.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spirit and Soul, Bonedust and Richard Schmidt Jewelry

Vendor spotlight: Bonedust, OK at the Triangle in Round Top, Richard Schmidt Jewelry on Mill Street opposite the square in Round Top

Bonedust Oklahoma is the mythical hometown of carver James Stephens and his Bonedust Cowgirl Jayme.  Living and working in Oklahoma City, their store “The Bonedust Cowgirl” got its name when Jayme remarked that when James was working she “was always cleaning up bone dust.”  Jayme’s mother said the name was biblical, that bone dust is a sacred element described in Ezekial 13.   That is appropriate because James is a very spiritual, religious man.  After a long life of challenges and often very difficult times, James and Jayme were born again in 2005 changing their lives.  As James put it: “they are just kickin’ up dust on their journey down this spiritual path”.  And so it is a true blessing to James that he found this outlet for his lifelong skill at “whittling” and “carving”.  Working with ancient Mammoth

 

 

Bonedust by James Stephens

Tusk and moose antler, James lets the material speak to him, carving images of Indian chiefs, and birds.  The birds are especially elegant in their simplicity and pure form.

 

James was born in OK, at the edge of the Osage reservation, and at the age of four his father’s job with Kerr-McGee took them to Idaho.  As a young teenager he hiked the foothills in the snow picking up shed antlers which he and other boys sold to a man who came twice a year to the grocery store parking lot to pay them for what they had gathered.  Timing was everything in collecting “sheds”.  After the moose have shed their antlers annually, and late enough so the snow would be melted revealing the antlers.  Too early and the snow would hide them.  During the summers of his childhood , James would stay with his Osage grandmother who was a renowned cook at the Indian Dances.  He says those Indian Dances are the source of inspiration for the intricate Indian Chief heads he carves.  The birds are born out of the triangle in the moose antler where the long horizontal beam of the antler meets the spreading palm, forming a triangle.  Each bird is different, as each antler is different.  The colors vary, too.  The antler can be very pale, greyish white, or a deeper warmer tan.  Some have the “bark” on the back giving them additional character.  The long beam of the antler is sliced into rounds which James inlays with turquoise pieces, a complicated process, and then polishes to a soft luster.   The turquoise, in its many color variations creates a beautiful contrast to the neutral tones of the antler.

As a true whittler, James will carve anything, wood, antler, tooth.  Even vintage Mahjong tiles became a raw material for his tools.  Removing the bamboo back, leaving the ivory with its colorful game markings.  James leaves the markings, carving the ivory into crosses, and skulls, which he embellishes with folk-art faces. He strings his carvings on repurposes leather strips to make necklaces.   Jayme is never without a much coveted horse head James considers one of his best.  Filled with movement, the natural edge of the antler creates the flowing main. 

Bracelets by Richard Schmidt

James and Jayme always dreamed a silver smith would incorporate James’ Bonedust pieces into jewelry.  Looking through a copy of Cowboys and Indians magazine, Jayme saw an advertisement for Richard Schmidt’s jewelry and was thrilled to see the store location was La Grange, Texas.  They had been setting up in Warrenton for a few years and knew La Grange well.  They imagined themselves walking into Schmidt’s Jewelry wearing lots of bone dust.  When they did visit the store (not festooned in bonedust as they had imagined) Richard wasn’t there.  But Richard had seen other people wearing bonedust, and had been trying to find them, too.  He too saw the natural fit with his jewelry style.  Jayme and a friend wandered past Schmidt’s booth in Round Top.  This time Richard was there.  He said “you’re wearing bonedust!”, just as Janet Schmidt, his wife, returned to the booth carrying a handful of pieces she had just purchased from James.   James and Jayme moved their booth from Warrenton into the Triangle in Round Top, to be closer to Richard’s booth on Mill Street, at Knutzen Square.  It is a perfect fit, the soft, lustrous bonedust creations inlaid with turquoise and the hard, shiny silver which Richard hammers and embellishes with arrows and buffalo heads, making magical cuffs and pendants incorporating James’s work.

And to James and Jayme, it is an answer to a prayer. 

AntiqueWeekend is a sprawling, sparkling multi-week event located across Fayette county and spilling over into adjoining counties.  Tucked into the many showsites are incredible artists like these two men who create with their spirit and soul.

This post is revised from an article written by Linda Stall, Special to the Fayette County Record, which originally appeared in October, 2012.  For more information about the AntiqueWeekend shows visit www.antiqueweekend.com   you can find Bonedust on facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/BonedustOklahoma/91128274393  and Schmidt Jewelry online: http://www.richardschmidtjewelry.com

Follow us on Instagram (@antiqueweekend.com) Facebook and Twitter

Show Spotlight on Shelby, Obsessed with Glass and a Great Idea

Shelby Antique Show, 2nd oldest venue in the Round Top shows

On FM 1457 at FM 389, 8 miles from Round Top in the historic Harmonie Hall

Not to be missed, the Shelby Antique show is tucked away in the small community of Shelby away

from the heavy traffic of Warrenton .  Housed in charming Harmonie Hall, one of the great historic halls that Fayette County is known for.  Covered outdoor space and air conditioned indoor space plus easy free parking adjacent to the hall makes a great shopping experience.  The vendors are personally selected by show promoter Victoria Pierce,
owner with her husband Tim, of Victoria's House.  Victoria took over management of the Shelby show about three years ago, bringing in local and out-of-state vendors.  Victoria's beautiful displays of fine jewelry fill the center of the hall. Each case is organized by type and period, spanning early Victorian through the 1980s, all elegant high end pieces. The show is open 9-5 daily until the last Saturday, April 4th when they close at 3pm.  We have always loved the Shelby show.  The hall is open and bright and the vendors have their pieces beautifully staged.  We saw everything from gorgeous silver, vintage "mantiques", all types of furniture, vintage kitchen ware and handmade quilts.  In the foyer, the local ladies are selling homemade baked goods

and serving up home cooked meals.  The outdoor space is covered and on concrete, a breeze keeps it cool.  The vendors outside have a great variety of items.  I spotted some great vintage hats (Prom?!), cobalt blue bottles, and some great furniture pieces by Larry's Reclaimed Wood Furniture which he makes from salvaged wood out of Galveston.  If you missed it this Spring, put Shelby on your show plan for Fall, they will be open September 26th through October 3rd.  For more information:  www.antiqueshowshelbytx.com  or www.AntiqueWeekend.com for dates and a map to the show.

 

Gorgeous Glass

Bar W

Clutter

The early rains have given way to bright sunshine during the Spring Antique Weekend shows.  It really seemed to make the vintage glass bottles and demijohns sparkle and shimmer.  The shows this Spring have an abundance of brilliantly colored glass.  I have seen vintage glass insulators in cool sea water blues and greens.  Even though American Pickers call insulators "hillbilly stained glass," I don't care I still love them. There are several things you can do with old insulators, line your flower beds with them and let them bring color to your garden, or turn them upside down fill them with flowers and hang them on the fence with a piece of wire. 

Ex-Cess

At Ex-cess one of the

Demijohns, North Gate, Warrenton

dealers had huge stacked glass industrial insulators.  At Clutter they have several more refined displays with antique bottles in soft greens and clear glass.  Some are medicine bottles, others old vanilla bottles.  They are great for creating a table-scape on a spring table, with individual stems in multiples of bottles, or just tuck one onto a window sill or bathroom counter with a single stem.   I have seen small collections of bottles, big wine jugs, throughout the show sites, plus an amazing collection of blue Ball jars at Jimmie Johns booth in Bar W.  Easy to carry, a small, vintage glass bottle could be your AntiqueWeekend treasure this spring.

 You Can So Do This!

As seen on HGTV Blog: Design Happens



Photo from Under the Sycamore blog,
Ashleyannphotography.com

I love gardening, although sometimes the extreme heat of a Texas summer makes it a little hard.  I love having fresh herbs outside my kitchen door, in big pots which I can cover if the grasshoppers get a little out of control.  The plastic pots most nurseries use get tossed away, but the traditional terra cotta pot just has to be saved.  It has so much potential!  I have lots of them around the place, tiny to oversized, and can't imaging getting rid of any of them.  I am always attracted to a new idea and this one just jumped off my computer screen on the HGTV blog, Design Happens by Chelsea Faulkner.  I immediately thought of the basket of small terra cotta pots I saw at Texas Rose Antique Show last week.  They would look so cute wrapped in fabric like these.  Although this project is not designed for outdoors, think how cute they would look in the center of your table, or lining your kitchen window sill or on a desk holding paperclips and rubber bands.  Ashley got her idea from www.christinechitnis.com.  Christine provides the following directions: "This works better in description form, rather than step-by-step: Start by cutting a length of fabric that will wrap once around your pot. Leave extra room for

Tiny terra cotta pots at
Texas Rose Antique Show, Round Top

folding it over on the top and bottom. Cut slits in the fabric around the top, to avoid puckering as you make your way around. Begin by coating a small section of the pot with Mod Podge. Stick the beginning of your fabric length to the pot and once it is in place, coat the fabric with Mod Podge. Continue doing this all the way around, without worrying about the top or bottom of the pot. When the outside of the pot is finished, trim your fabric so that less than an inch hangs over the top and bottom. Begin at the top, folding the fabric into the pot in pleats so that it lays nice and flat around the rim. Coat in Mod Podge. Do the same for the bottom, folding the fabric in pleats so that the bottom edge of the pot remains smooth. Coat any loose flaps of fabric with Mod Podge. Now let your pot dry." 

I think this is a great project for my granddaughters to try with leftover fabric in my scrapbag and those extra pots out on my screen porch, just in time for Mother's Day.  If you hurry, Vicki Davis may have some left at Texas Rose Antiques! 

See more about the Spring and Fall shows at www.AntiqueWeekend.com follow us on instagram (@antiqueweekend), Twitter and Facebook



Let There Be Light - Ideas, Favorite Things, and Show Spotlight

Show Spotlight

La Bahia

One of the oldest of the Round Top area shows, La Bahia is located on SH 237, in and around the charming 1897 Turn Verien dance hall. When you enter the hall, be sure to look up and see the old ceiling fans designed to look like airplanes. This show site has easy parking under spreading oak trees, providing shade and keeping the outdoor booths cool. On the grounds surrounding the hall are booths filled with everything from French style antiques to vintage Corning Glass bake ware.
 



Inside visitors will always find wonderful displays of crystal (look for Rex and Janet Andrews' beautiful cut glass), silver, flow blue, vintage linens and Jeff Weller's trunk full of silver plate tempting you to dig through and take home a treasure. At a dollar a piece you can't go wrong. Jeff also has an impressive collection of old restaurant ware individual creamers in a variety of sizes, shapes and decoration, all reasonably priced. 

The self-described Flow Blue King holds court in the rear of the hall with an impressive display of the popular and highly collected dishware. In the front corner as you enter there are several vintage linen dealers.  They carry European square pillow cases in immaculate white embroidered cotton and linen.  Shoppers will find a variety of vintage linens with their original monograms.  Find your initials, or bring a gift-giving list of family names! Barbeque lunch is served in the "new" section of the hall.  There are also lots of jewelry dealers set up there. 


I've included a photograph of a very sleek, light colored wood and metal chair to demonstrate that even though these shows are located in the beautiful rural country-side of Fayette County, many vendors bring contemporary mid-century pieces.  And there is plenty of man-cave décor at every show site. For more information about this and all the other show sites visit www.antiqueweekend.com You can also find us on twitter, instagram: @antiqueweekend and facebook








 Let There Be Light

DIY or BUY?



Farm and Factory Hay Trolley Light at Bar W

Wandering the show sites we have seen the most amazing lighting.  The creativity of the show vendors is amazing.  They prove that almost anything can become a light fixture, and the more rust the better! Chicken feeders, hay trolleys; simple buckets and exotic chicken wire lanterns from the Far East have all been re-purposed into fantastic light fixtures. Some of my favorite pieces come from Robert at Farm and Factory, set up in Bar W in Warrenton. He has taken chicken feeders and warmers and turned them into extraordinary light fixtures. The hay trolleys are really amazing and unusual.  Robert's reasonable prices on his chicken feeder lamps make me question if its better to DIY, or buy from a vendor with experience and all the parts needed!

Farm and Factory,
Bar W

Junk Farmer in Oldenburg

At Junk Farmer in Oldenburg you'll find buckets turned into lighting ready-to-go, and buckets waiting in her field ready-to-buy. Your choice, DIY or BUY!  Robert assembles his fixtures with UIL parts, extra safe cords, setting his apart.  Take a look at some of these examples of antique weekend  dealers' creativity. At La Bahia, in a booth filled with beautifully staged treasures, a corner was lit by a very unusual light fixture.  Greg and Rebecca Brown said they had gotten the piece unsure of what it was intended for, but loved the shape.  They have since learned they come from Southeast Asia, and originally had rice paper over the chicken wire creating the lantern. This one has already been stripped to reveal its rusty chicken wire.


Lantern to Lamp at La Bahia

I can so do that!

Rosie Knies, one of the La Bahia vendors had the neatest chicken wire-picture frame display piece to hold her postcards.  This is something that could be easily done with inexpensive materials.  If you are crafty, you may even have them around the house or garage.  Take an old wooden picture frame, jazz up the color as you like.  Cut a piece of chicken wire the same size as the back, enough to overlap the back of the frame for stapling.  Staple gun the chicken wire to the back of the frame.  If the chicken wire is too scratchy you could cover the edges with masking tape. Hang the frame so it hangs away from the wall.  A small ball of blue-tack at each corner will hold the frame away from the wall, and keep it steady. Use everyday clothes pins, painted a bright color if you like, to attach keepsakes, movie tickets, postcards or photographs to the chicken wire.  

For more information about the Round Top - Warrenton Antique Shows including our calendar, map and FAQs visit www.antiqueweekend.com
we also post timely photos on instagram (@antiqueweekend) and facebook, twitter and flickr










 





Furnishing Your Great Outdoors!!

One of our readers asked if the Round Top - Warrenton antique shows are a good place to find patio furniture.

Shell back loveseat, North Gate Field

The answer is Yes!  Wandering nearly every show site you will find a huge variety of tables and chairs, metal and glass, wicker, and rattan.While I refer to it as "outdoor" or "patio" furniture, the fact is that a lot of it can easily be incorporated into your home's indoor decor.  Everything from 40s era gliders, classic 50s motel style chairs with shell backs, and 60s era styles, with more modern clean lines. We've also seen plenty of classic wicker and teak.

North Gate Field

Condition is an important variable, and will definitely impact the price.  Some pieces have been restored and repainted, some retain their original paint with the patina of time, and sadly some have been painted with reckless abandon and need some love!  The prices vary from dealer to dealer, depending on age and condition. Don't be afraid to bargain a little.

I saw several vintage gliders some with matching arm chairs, original paint, and appropriately worn condition at North Gate Field along the fence line separating North Gate from Clutter.  That dealer had several others similar pieces in varying condition.

60s or 70s era patio set

At Ex-Cess we found some really interesting choices, including wonderful cast concerete faux bois.  (If you are not sure, "faux bois" is the very chic French way of saying fake wood!)

Faux Bois at Ex-Cess

Before coming on a hunt for outdoor furniture do your research, measure your space, know what you should be paying, and if you don't bring a truck with you, factor in the cost of shipping it home. These unique outdoor accents will add character to your home.  

 For more information about the Round Top-Warrenton antique shows, and FAQs visit our website:  www.AntiqueWeekend.com  We post pictures and timely show news on facebook, twitter and instagram!





 













 

Fixer Upper and AntiqueWeekend at the Shows!

 

 

Chip and Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper at the shows!

During the Fall 2014 Show AntiqueWeekend was excited to assist the Fixer Upper production company team when Chip and Joanna Gaines visited the shows. Joanna has mentioned the Round Top - Warrenton antique shows in past episodes and we were really excited when they contacted us to help! 

Joanna Gaines selecting light fixtures for an upcoming episode

The Gaines visited Marburger Farm in Round Top and Ex-cess in Warrenton picking treasures.  They brought their entire family and were just as terrific as they appear on television.  Chip tossed a football around with the kids, they tried out a French horn they found in one booth and ate pizza for lunch on the picnic benches.  Great kids.  Joanna found some really great red light fixtures at Ex-cess, which were featured in one of this season's episodes. 

This red light fixture caught my eye!

 SHOW SPOTLIGHT:  FAYETTEVILLE "ANTIQUES ON THE SQUARE"

One of the early opening shows is the Antiques on the Square in Fayetteville.  Antiques on the Square opens on March 21st and ends March 31st.  They stay open later in the evening, selling until 9:00pm.  The show fills the community center building and two huge tents spilling over with treasures and fabulous finds.  On the corner Wayne Burnette has great stuff he calls "mantiques", metal wheels, signs, and in the middle of it all a bright red light fixture which immediately made me think of the ones Joanna Gaines picked up for Fixer Upper!  Emil is inside the community center building and he has a little bit of everything, chairs, books, yardsticks, furniture, windmill parts...He's super friendly so if you are looking for something special just ask!



Great glider and other treasures at the Fayetteville Square