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With a week and a half to go until THE OLDE FARMHOUSE IN THE SPRING, I thought it would be a good idea to let you know about some market tips and the fun things planned for you on market day.

The first 50 people in line are going to be receiving a giveaway bag!!  If you are an early bird, this may mean you will have a little longer to wait in line…but don’t worry!  The Z Crew from Z95.3 is going to be here bright and early playing some music for you, handing out some prizes and keeping you energized!!

Now…it has been known to rain on our market days, so you may want to check the weather forecast and dress appropriately!  Don’t forget that umbrella!!

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I am so excited to say that there will be 91 amazing vendors at the market!  There will be a whole lot of junking and treasure hunting going on!!  The last few markets have been so busy,  so I have spread things out this time and hopefully this will help make the shopping more comfortable.  The barns will be full of vendors as usual, but so will the grassy fields and the covered picnic area!!

I think that means you need to bring a big enough vehicle to haul away all your treasures!!

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Don’t forget to grab your market map, with all the vendors and booth locations.  It is handy to have on market day, as well as for reference when you are back at home.  These maps will be available at the admission desk, as well as cards for other local markets going on in the near future.

This brings me to my next thought….make sure you bring some re-usable shopping bags (right from the start you have some important paperwork to tuck away!! lol) or a handy junking cart so you can keep those hands free for shopping!

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Don’t forget to stop at the bank machine and grab some cash!!  Most vendors are cash sales, however some do have the ability to take credit cards.  But don’t worry, if you run out of cash, there will be an ATM in Barn 1.

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So we have your map of the market, shopping cart or bags, cash safely tucked away…you are ready to shop!!  I will admit that this whole junking thing can get very exhausting!  You will need food…caffeine…treats… so don’t worry, we have you covered!!  The Runway Café, Gypsy Trunk Gourmet Fare and Cravings Kettle Corn will all be on site to help you make it through the day!!  The Runway Café will be located in the covered picnic area, and Gypsy Trunk and Cravings Kettle Corn will be on the grassy field.  Picnic tables will be spread about on the grass, as well as in the covered area so you can take a load off and enjoy your delicious snacks and lunch!

So the fun thing about Vintage Markets is not only finding a treasure to take home, but also finding IDEAS!  Perhaps you want a DIY project or inspiration for a piece you have at home.  Finding junk and transforming it into something special is what I love about markets.  Vendors love to chat with you, not only about their items…but also about yours!  Brainstorming and coming up with ideas together, is what the Vintage community is all about.  And who better to help us out with inspiration…the QUEEN of JUNKING herself!!

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Donna from Funky Junk Interiors will be joining The Olde Farmhouse for the whole day!!  She is going to have a booth set up outside (right across from the entrance) and will be on hand to answer all your junking questions.  Not only that…she is bringing a collection of her finds, creations and her newly launched stencil line!  Yikes!!  You know where to find me on market day!  Donna is a master at taking rusted, old, broken items and turning them into functional, pretty pieces for your home.  And here is the best part…she is going to teach YOU how to do it!!  Donna will have a workspace set up in her booth, where you can come and play.  At 11am and 2pm she will be hosting demonstrations so you can see her new stencil line in action and also learn how to build something really cool!

(www.funkyjunkinteriors.net)

So does this sound like a fun day or what??!!  I don’t know about you, but I am soooo excited for May 30th to arrive!! Don’t forget the market is for one day only…Saturday, May 30th from 9am-4pm.  There is lots of free parking at the Fairgrounds, and an overflow lot at the corner of Lougheed Hwy and 105 ave.  Just watch for the parking signs!!

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The barns get pretty congested, so if you are bringing a little one along,  you may want to think twice about bringing a stroller or wagon.  Pack those babies on your back, and leave your hands free for grabbing those treasures!

Make sure to check out The Olde Farmhouse on Facebook and Instagram!  It is a great way to stay connected and to find out about upcoming events.

www.facebook.com/theoldefarmhouse.ca

www.instagram.com/theoldefarmhouse/

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I hope to see you at The Olde Farmhouse in the Spring!  It’s going to be a great day for JUNKING!!

xo Leah xo

 

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The Olde Farmhouse in The Spring

February 27th, 2015 | Posted by Leah in Vintage Market - (2 Comments)

TOF_postcard_Spring2015_FRONT_webTOF_postcard_Spring2015_BACK_webI am already so excited for May 30th to arrive!!  This spring, The Olde Farmhouse will have over 75 vendors with booths FULL of treasures for you.  You will have plenty of time to browse through all the booths, both inside the barns and out on the grassy field.  Take some time to grab some lunch, refreshments, and snacks so you are fueled up and ready to carry around all those amazing finds!!  And remember the rule…if you hesitate, the next shopper may grab that one of a kind item!! lol

(The vendor links will be up on the blog very soon so you can start your wish lists!!)

I hope you can make it out to the 6th Olde Farmhouse Vintage Market!!  It’s going to be a great day to go JUNKING!!

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The Countdown is On!!

November 8th, 2014 | Posted by Leah in Junking Journey | Vintage Market - (2 Comments)

 It is only a few days until THE OLDE FARMHOUSE VINTAGE MARKET!!!

I thought it would be a good idea to suggest some helpful tips for market day!  This may be your very first market or perhaps you are a market hopper…either way you need to be prepared for a fun day of JUNKING!!!

1.  Load up your family and friends!!  There is something for everyone at the market…and it’s always fun to shop with someone!!

View More: http://rozedge.pass.us/the-vintage-verandah

2.  For all of you early birds…dress warmly! These winter days are chilly!  It doesn’t hurt to pack an umbrella, The Olde Farmhouse and rain seem to go hand in hand!!  Let’s hope for sunshine…but I know the junker’s mind….rain or shine you are coming for the treasures!!

3.  A large enough vehicle so you don’t have to leave a treasure or friend behind!!

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4.  A measuring tape to make sure your item is a perfect fit!

5.  Re-usable shopping bags or a cart.  You need your hands free to shop (or to hold your morning coffee) !!

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6.  CASH!!  Most vendors are cash sales only.  However, some vendors are now able to accept a credit card.

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There will be an ATM on site in Barn #1 in case you need it!!

The Runway Café will once again be on site to help keep you going!!  They will be serving a variety of snacks and lunches &  hot and cold beverages.  Save your appetites so you have room for some of Eileen’s delicious food!!

For all of you non-shoppers, there is a covered picnic table area with some activities to pass the time while your loved one shops till they drop!!

Parking…it’s free and there is lots of it!!!  There will be some wonderful volunteers out there helping you to find a parking spot.  There is also an overflow parking lot at the corner of 105th Ave and Lougheed Hwy.  Just watch for the signs!!

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So… Are you ready??

I am so excited to see you all at the market!!  It is going to be a wonderful day of JUNKING!!

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The Olde Farmhouse at Christmas is getting closer!!  November 15th will be here before you know it. 

Over 60 vendors will be gathered to bring you a wonderful day of Junking….Christmas style!!

Antiques, Farmhouse, Vintage, Handmade, Refinished, Repurposed, Home Décor, Jewelry….what more could you want?

Grab a friend, a vehicle big enough to hold your treasures, and get ready for  a fun filled day of shopping.  You never know what you will find!!  And for a sneak peek, I have started posting Vendor links on my blog…scroll down the right hand side for The Olde Farmhouse at Christmas Vendors.  More links are still being added, so check back often!

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A few months ago, my sister Tanya,  from The Vintage Verandah, called me up and asked if I wanted to go on a Junking road trip.  My first reaction was of course …YES!!

A little history here…we grew up on the prairies, in a small town north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.  Today, I live in Maple Ridge, BC and my wonderful sister lives one province over in Cochrane, Alberta.  So when she mentioned a road trip, my first thought was maybe we would meet in the middle and go on the hunt for treasures.  Then I thought, maybe she wants to head back to the prairies….a perfect place for us to find some farmhouse treasures.  But no…she had somewhere else in mind!!  “Let’s go to Junk Bonanza in Minneapolis, Minnesota!!!”  she said.  Well, that’s not far at all!! LOL!!  I don’t shy away from a good old road trip, so before I even considered how long it would take us, I said “buy us those early bird tickets!!”

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Here are a couple maps to give you an idea of where we went.

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My husband, our two kids and I went from BC to Manitoba and my sister and her husband went from AB to Manitoba.  I left Tom and the kids at his parents house and I hopped in the truck with my sister and brother in law.  We headed 8hrs south to Shakopee, Minnesota…the home of Junk Bonanza!

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We had a great time exploring a new market.  Junk Bonanza had about 150 vendors and is hosted by Ki Nassauer, the editor of Flea Market Style Magazine.  Our first day was Thursday, and we had early bird tickets, which got us in 2 hours early and a shopping bag.  Our anticipation was building….we couldn’t wait to see what was inside!!

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Doors opened and off we went.  Kids in a candy store I tell ya!!!  Here are some pictures of some booths, to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

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Check out these cute carts that the ladies behind us in the line up made!!  They added bling, and cup holders!!  Super cute…

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Something new to me was actually taking a mid-day break, to have an afternoon ‘beverage’.  Minnesota loves it’s Bloody Mary’s and beer!!  They opened the stand first thing in the morning!  We found a comfy stool and enjoyed sitting and chatting about our finds, favorite booths and gathering some energy to haul out everything we bought!!   Thank goodness for the buffet of snacks on my sister’s drink!! A pick me up snack!!

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Day two was just as exciting as the first!!  Vendors added new items to their booths, and it was fun going around and visiting with them again.

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By the end of the second day, we had a trailer full of fantastic treasures and tired bodies!!

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On Saturday we headed back to Manitoba, where my family anxiously waited for me to arrive.  I spent the next few days hanging out with the family and  visiting with some of the friends that I grew up with.  It had been 5 years since I had been “home”, so it was fun taking a tour of the 3 houses that I grew up in, showing the kids my old schools, taking them tobogganing on my old sledding hill, eating at the restaurants that I used to visit.  It was a trip down memory lane, and I had to keep reminding myself how long it has been since I lived there.  It seems like only yesterday.  Flashbacks of walking home from school with my friends, back to our homes where we would spend the rest of the day playing a neighbourhood game of hide and seek.  Driving the “main street” where I took my drivers test….I am not even going to think about how long ago that was!! LOL!!  We even drove up the lane of the last house I lived in with my parents, and I snuck a quick picture.

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  I didn’t have the nerve to go to the door and say….”could I please come into your house and look around”….It didn’t quite seem like the right thing to do!! LOL!!

There is something to be said about life long friends… friends whom you have pictures of at every birthday party you ever had!!  Starting kindergarten together and graduating high school with, celebrating milestones with and finally seeing them being  parents… and their children playing with my own.  Nothing beats those kinds of friends.  Where you can sit down at their kitchen table and share a cup of tea and stories from past and present.  Like no time has past since the last time you were together.  I am grateful to have these friends in my life, and to have the wonderful memories of growing up with them.  I can only wish the same for my children, that they will know true friendship like I have.

I guess that is part of the reason that I love hunting for old treasures.  Everything has a story, and I get nostalgic thinking about who it was that used an item that I just bought.  I love hearing the stories from vendors, when they know the history of a particular item.  I think the majority of the wonderful people that I have met through The Olde Farmhouse feel the same way.  All the vendors that gather together to put on The Olde Farmhouse Vintage Market are amazing, wonderful individuals and we have all connected through the love of everything old!  Excitement builds for the vendors as the date of the market approaches….not only to meet all the wonderful shoppers and help them to find what they are looking for…but also because we truly enjoy being with each other and developing a wonderful friendship within the vintage community.   New friends in an old world…..that is something special and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to have met so many wonderful friends through the markets.   I am so excited that this year we will have some new friends to welcome into The Olde Farmhouse family.

 I can’t wait for June 14th…and whether you are a newbie or a return shopper, I look forward to seeing you there!!  So we can all surround ourselves with a little bit of history and wonderful friends.

Happy Junking!!!

Leah

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