I LOVE flea markets! Honestly, I get butterflies in my stomach and feel downright giddy at what I might find! In decorating our home, I have always taken my time and not rushed into making everything "picture perfect" from day one and don't like the "matchy matchy" look. Flea markets are one of the best places for people like me because they are so eclectic! As we are spending a few months in the L.A. area, I am committed to checking out as many of their flea markets as possible. A few weekends ago we headed to the Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax High School. This outdoor flea market is held every Sunday and the small $3 admission benefits Fairfax High School.
As soon as we walked in the gate I spotted something I just had to have! I am a HUGE reader and one of my favorite books is "Girl with a Pearl Earring" based on a painting by the famous Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer done around 1665. I also love the movie starring Scarlett Johansson which was nominated for three Academy Awards. This is the original painting by Vermeer:
This is the treasure I came home with painted by a local artist on a piece of birch.
I was drawn to not only the image, but the colors as it will look perfect in my house. I am so excited to get it home and find a place for it! The artist was asking $65 but I got it for $55, more than I usually like spending at a flea market but it was such a beautiful and timeless piece I thought it was well worth it. We'll see what Larry says! :)
I'm going to fast forward through my two fashion finds to my last purchase of the day for consistency sake since it was also an item for the home. For some reason, Walker, my 11 year old son, really wanted to buy a succulent. These plants were all over the flea market and potted in so many creative ways! With the drought in Southern California most yards are full of them as they don't require much water to thrive and can be kept alive by the brownest of thumbs. Because they have shallow root systems they can stay in the same container for years and the container possibilites for them are endless! We found this one and again, it is perfect for our home. I love the brass urn and for only $15 it was a steal!
Now, rewind back. Right before I spotted my painting, I found this great gold and crystal necklace for only $14. I love the length and am in a very GOLD phase right so I just couldn't pass it up.
I can so see it paired with a plain white top, simple gold earrings (these are the "Harper" from Towne & Reese), jeans (my favorite Diana skinnies from KUT) and gold sandals.
After walking around a bit more and letting Walker get an order of Tornado Fries, which were delicious...
I spotted a booth full of handbags crafted from fabric remnants with jute webbing straps traditionally used in upholstery projects. I have an usual relationship with fabric in that I DO NOT SEW but LOVE fabric and enjoy shopping for it and have bolts of it in a closet at home (shhhh, don't tell Larry). This particular designer had all kinds of great fabrics but I was automatically drawn to the camo (I know, right?). Now, let me say that like animal prints such as leopard, I think camo should be satisfied being a "background actor" in an outfit and not the "star" and like leopard, camo is a great neutral as it can be easily paired with both black and brown. Don't be afraid to dip your foot in the water by incorporating camo into your daily wardrobe with some of the options below.
LOVE this outfit! It's simple but the unexpected addition of the skull watch and the black Converse give it an edgy rock and roll feel.
The tailored silhouette of this camo blazer takes it from the "woods" to happy hour. It's chic but still casual thanks to the simple white tee and worn jeans (note the gold accessories).
Add just the right amount of camo with a clutch. The top right is from Valentino at a cool $1,245--bottom right is from Michael Kors at a more manageable $118 but make it even more budget friendly with this DIY version.
Here is the camo bag I snagged at the Melrose Trading Post for $30 and the artist was so sweet she threw in two of her sunglass cases, also crafted from fabric remnants.
My flea market tour of Southern California couldn't have started off any better. Next stop? The world famous Rose Bowl Flea Market coming up on Sunday, September 14th and seen in such shows as Flea Market Flip on HGTV.
Here's a sneak peek:
