ROUND TOP, CARMINE, WARRENTON ANTIQUE EXTRAVAGANZA

Continuing on our 3000-mile, 10-day road trip, we headed to our main destination of the semi-annual Antique Week in Round Top, Texas. We arrived on Monday afternoon and started to scout out our plans for Tuesday. We discovered several tents along the highway that were set up and ready with great merchandise for customers.

Our plans for Tuesday were to spend the whole day at Marburger Farm, which has 9 tents, 12 buildings with 350+ antique dealers on 43 acres.

Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have of Marburger and I took it on Wednesday. Let's just say: one car locked-box malfunction PLUS big bucks to retrieve camera from said malfunction EQUALS one unhappy shopper/blogger/Honda owner!! All that didn't dampen our resolve to see as much as we could in the 104 degree heat. We had been to Marburger in 2006, but it has really grown into everything imaginable that could be considered vintage/antique. Thank goodness they had golf-cart shuttles, friendly people, lots of fans blowing, and huge glasses of ice available. We are at the point in our lives after collecting antiques for over 50 years that we don't need a thing, so we didn't intend to purchase much - just enjoy looking and checking out trends. But, what did we buy at Marburger? You know I can't resist brown transferware, so my treat from Marburger was this terrine. I bought it from some friendly gals from Pennsylvania who were suffering from the heat and willing to bargain.

Bob is a sucker for hand-made tool boxes with interesting details and purchased this one.

It has lots of fun cubby-holes and original paint.

On Wednesday, we were meeting an old antiquing/quilting friend (Hi Tam!) from Beaumont, Texas at the Big Red Barn venue. It covers 30,000 sq. ft. in the barn, plus 2 tents and an off-site venue at the Carmine Dance Hall.

I loved this place, not only because it was air-conditioned, but it is loaded with Americana/primitive/really nice stuff.

I was happy to see that natural, wood patina is alive and well. Not everything is being painted.

We were in Texas, after all, so there were great western things.

My purchase on Wednesday was at the Carmine Dance Hall - a brown transferware chamber pot. I know it is A CHAMBER POT, but just look at all of that transferware lusciousness!

We finished the afternoon checking out other venues along the highway.

There are thousands and thousands (I'm sure?) of vendors.

Everything you could ever want, plus inspiration and bargains galore!!

On my next post, we'll leave Texas and head to Kansas City and a visit to the famous Nell Hill's store.

This week I'm joining the following parties. Please check them out - you won't be disappointed.

Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Very Merry Vintage Style for Share the Love Wednesday

A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

HOME AGAIN AND A FUN BIRTHDAY

We are back from our 3000-mile, 10-day road trip just in time to celebrate our granddaughter's 15th birthday. She was so excited when she was 4 (picture on the left) as I made her a Dorothy dress, that she sat on my lap practically the whole time that I was sewing it. The picture on the left was taken this Fall as she started high school. She still loves to dress up, and will be going to her first homecoming dance this next weekend. She has a new dress, but this time with HIGH-heeled sparkly shoes.

Happy Birthday, sweet Caitlin!

We had a great trip heading south out of Colorado into New Mexico, then east into Texas. Our first stop was a visit with Bob's cousin and wife in Bandera, Texas. Now, I know what they mean when they say west Texas is dry this year. The cotton plants are struggling, and everything is brown. My heart goes out to all of those farmers and ranchers.

We made a quick stop in Fredericksburg at the German bakery for a sweet German pretzel. Yum - it was every bit as good as the ones I had in Germany this summer.

The next destination was Bastrop, Texas, the home of the horrible wild fires this summer. It is so sad to see homes with just the rock fireplaces left standing. I believe 1700 homes were burned. I talked with one mother whose family of five had been displaced and was living at the same motel we were in. She was upbeat, thankful they had jobs, and excited about the new home they are designing.

Bastrop would be our home for three nights, as we traveled back and forth each day to Round Top and Warrenton for the huge antique extravaganza.

Five years ago, we had been to the antique week, but it has grown even more. Next post will be about what we saw and the things we bought. Stay tuned!