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