Farm Chicks 2013 Part 1

Hi Everyone!

Well, I made it back from Farm Chicks but let me tell you, it was so hard to leave knowing that I wouldn't get to experience it again for a whole year.  But believe me when I tell you I will be counting down the months until then.

Rachel and I left bright and early Friday morning so that we could make it to Spokane by 5 in order to get our tickets for the next day.  We had about a 7 hour drive and we wanted to give ourselves time to stop and do a little thrifting along the way.  We made it to the Spokane Fairgrounds with about 20 minutes to spare!  The drive didn't seem that long though.  If you have ever spent any time around Rachel and I, then you know there isn't a moment that we aren't gabbing which definitely made the drive seem pretty quick.  Plus, I had to call Hanna about every 5 minutes to update her since she couldn't be there.  Oh Sister, how we missed you!

After getting our tickets, we checked into our motel room and did a little exploring around Spokane.  I love exploring new areas and seeing what different cities have to offer.  Then it was time to decide where to go for dinner and there was zero hesitation on Rachel's part when I suggested Chaps, which came highly recommended by my pal Laurie over at Magpie Ethel.  If you have never been there, you MUST add it to your must visit list.  We had dinner and drinks there Friday night and then breakfast Sunday morning.  The atmosphere is incredible and the food is to die for.  Plus, the owner Celeste is just about the sweetest lady I have ever met in my life.  I'm only halfway kidding when I say that I would consider taking the drive to Spokane just to go there again.  Be sure and check out the website!

Saturday morning finally arrived and it was time to head to the fairgrounds and get in line.  What are the odds that we pulled into the parking lot at the EXACT same time as Laurie?  As she mentioned in her Farm Chicks post, we ran into each other a lot during the course of the weekend.  Not only did we bump into each other several times at the event (which is crazy because of the INSANE amount of people there), we also saw each other at Chaps and a farm stand two hours from Spokane!  The last time I saw her, I joked that she must have planted a GPS device on me.  She even managed to take a photo of me happily digging through the massive table of linens.  I didn't even know she was there until I saw the photo on her blog.  Rachel and I had so much fun visiting with Laurie and her mom, Jan, while we waited in line.  It definitely made the 2 hour wait go by quickly! 

Here is where I tell you all what a horrible blogger I am.  I was so blissfully overwhelmed by everything inside the venue, that I didn't take one single picture.  There was no time!!  I didn't want to miss anything!  So if you want to see what the excitement and hype is all about, head over and visit Magpie Ethel.  Laurie took some great pictures plus she has a whole section of her blog dedicated to her past visits.

Now onto the goods!!

When you first walk inside, the middle room is dedicated to premier sellers so it was pretty crowded right away.  Rachel and I headed to the far room on the right and had about 15 minutes that we were actually able to maneuver our carts and not bump into people.  I knew that this was going to be a good show when I just about took Rachel out to get to these beauties

Yes folks, you  are looking at the Chip & Dip set of Pyrex Eyes.  I told myself a long time ago that if I ever came across these in person, they would be mine, no matter the price.  Imagine the euphoria I felt when I saw the price and found that the were only $30 for the set.  This purchase totally set the mood!

When I first saw this double sided turquoise enamel sink, I envisioned it as a hanging planter.  Up until yesterday, that was the plan.  Then I realized that I could use it as my laundry room sink.  Oh the joy!!

Hey, you gotta grab your souvenirs too!  I got the Sweet coffee mugs from Chaps.  They are the perfect shade of aqua and are heavy duty restaurant ware.  Plus, they are made in the USA.  And you can't leave Farm Chicks without some cute pink tractor stuff!  I bought a t-shirt and a tote bag too but Maddie claimed those and took off with them before I could take a picture.

I have been on the hunt for a new hamper for my laundry room for quite a while.  This pink beauty fits the bill perfectly.

I got Maddie this old blue jar of buttons.  I was super excited to find the donkey planter.  It's always fun to find things to add to your collections!

I love picking up little things like the faucet handles here and there.  You never know when a re purposing inspiration may strike.  I officially have 3 of the old sprinklers now.  Woo hoo!  An official collection!

 

There was a booth that had lots of chenille blankets.  If you have been keeping up on our blog, you know how much I love old chenille bed spreads.  But what I was drawn to in this booth was this gorgeous feedsack quilt.  I was told it was from the 1940's and if that is true, it has held up amazingly well.  It must have been very lovingly cared for.  Sarah over at Makin' Projicks gave me some great tips on how to properly clean it.  I just have to get brave enough.

My last find of the day came by way of this pretty chenille bath mat.  My cart was full and it was getting really, super crowded so Rachel and I decided to call it quits for the day.  I actually bumped into the table that this was on so I'm pretty sure it was fate that brought us together.  Laurie just so happened to be walking by at the same time and I was so excited I yelled out "Look what I found!".  She must think I'm crazy.

I will post the rest of my finds later on this week.  Thanks for listening to my rambling on but hey, I did reward you with some pretty great photos of finds, didn't I?

Linking up over at:

Sir Thrift-A-Lot
Apron Thrift Girl
A Living Space
Knick of Time
Coastal Charm
The Cottage Market

See you all there!

Erica