Flea Marketing in Kendall Park

There's nothing like a community flea market right in your neighborhood! Willows Swim Club in Kendall Park, NJ hosted a flea market this past Saturday, and I had a lot of fun meeting the very friendly vendors. Some are my neighbors, some are artists, some are local business people...ALL are terrific people who got up early on a chilly, over-cast weekend morning to haul their treasures from their vehicles to a spot in the Willows parking lot.








Brushill Nursery and Landscaping had a spot with information on their services and plants to kick off the gardening season. My booth neighbor bought some gorgeous pepper plants that made me want to start a garden of my own.



Another booth run by Cyd Webster, author of Struck by Lightning and other bolts of reality



If like me, you grew up in Kendall Park, the Willows Swim Club is an institution, its seasonal opening signaling the end of school and the beginning of lazy summer days. It boasts a 6 lane 25 meter pool, 2 diving boards, shallow section, separate kiddie pool, volleyball and basketball courts, and 2 tennis courts. They are located at 22 Sand Hills Road in Kendall Park, and membership is currently available.

It's great to have flea market and garage sale season in full swing!! I'll see you all out there. Fair warning...I brake for vintage dressers!!


Mona Kay

Junking Karma

Like any rookie, I am still learning my way around the "junking world". I'm starting to know where to find the best stuff, what is timeless and what is trendy - who knew there were trends in "junk"? I'm learning where I can haggle, and where I can't (fundraisers, Goodwill shops). I learned early that junking people are nice, and that good manners can pay off in spades.

So this weekend when someone running an estate sale was a bit on the nasty side, I was taken aback, but I kept my temper (not an easy thing for me), and moved on. I hated to miss the cute little chair that I had spotted, but it was not meant to be. When the pursuit of an item stops being fun, sometimes even if I win the thing, I just never have a good feeling about it; it's so much nicer to enjoy the experience as well as the piece you fall in love with!

So I was surprised and delighted when I spotted a darling old chair at a garage sale in my neighborhood on the way home!! No Victorian tufted velvet, padded armed delicate piece.... I instantly fell in love with its character, its almost ugliness.


Imagine my astonishment when I saw the price!


The people selling it couldn't have been nicer; I stayed chatting after I made the purchase. They put it aside for me so that I could fetch my CR-V to load it up.

I don't even care how hideous the upholstery is...it is so delightfully vintage, and VERY COMFY!! I curled up in it this morning with my coffee and nearly went back to sleep.

I believe in garage sale/thrift shop/junking karma, now more than ever. I try to be patient and polite, which is usually pretty easy, because like I said, "junking" people are nice! I'm amazed at how many times I have to forgo an item which has stolen my heart, only to find a different, sometimes better one around the corner....junking is just funny that way.

What has Junking Karma sent your way??

Mona Kay