Even though it’s been only two months now that I’ve been doing the blog, the response has been truly amazing! There are so many design enthusiasts out there creating, reading and responding to blogs who’ve welcomed me into the community and for that, I’m truly thankful. I feel like I’ve made so many new friends since I started the blog with my partner Jaithan, and although we haven’t been able to meet them all in person, it’s their kind words of encouragement that inspire us to create something new everyday! 

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One such friend who’s been especially sweet is Heather of the fantastic design blog Habitually Chic. Last week, she did a very kind post on how much I’ve inspired her to hit the flea markets here in New York as she rethinks her own digs on the Upper East Side. That got me thinking—how much fun would it be for Heather and I to do the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market together so we can both blog about it? I know she could teach me a thing or two about blogging, and I always love the chance to share my knowledge of the flea market with someone who loves it as much as I do. Lucky for me, Heather was totally into it, so when Sunday rolled around, still damp from the storm, I pulled on my Wellies and off we went!

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The first thing both of us were drawn to was this old wooden medicine cabinet. What great potential! I was telling Heather how great it could be if the inside were mirrored and the whole thing painted a pretty robin’s egg blue. Or, even better, swap out the wood shelves for glass, then wallpaper the inside!

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Do you remember that fantastic pair of marble lamps I spotted last Saturday at the flea market? They have such a great patina on them, and they’ve already been rewired. I wish we had room in our apartment, but Heather does…

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Check out these Heisey glass dessert plates! There’s a set of six, together with a giant cake plate. I love the etching on the bottom and the beautiful sterling silver overlay, just like one of the ice buckets in my collection! How great would these be for dessert at a New Year’s Eve dinner party? I’d do silver candlesticks, a crisp, gold damask table cloth, champagne in antique crystal flutes and a big white coconut cloud cake! Yum!

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I was so caught in the clouds, I almost missed this gorgeous 50s brass and Lucite bar cart! How Auntie Mame is this? "You musn’t shake it, Patrick. It bruises the gin!" I already turned an old column table into a mini-bar, so I hope people don’t think I’m a total lush if I pick up this bar cart too!

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It’s just so perfect for entertaining in a small apartment, especially when the tray pops right out! I’d do all my cheeses and hors d’oeuvres on top, and on the bottom, a big beautiful silverplate ice bucket filled with wine. 

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And for the cheeses, how cool would this retro knife look on the bar cart? Couldn’t you just see a beautiful block of gruyere (my favorite!) on a sterling silver platter?

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As a child and budding chef, I loved playing Kitchen. Even now, I still think all the little children’s utensils, like this wooden spoon, are so cute! I’d even use it to serve a small side dish at Thanksgiving.

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Speaking of Thanksgiving, how great would these Art Deco, brown Bakelite forks look at a table setting? Forks, I find, much harder to come by than knives.

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These are mother of pearl, a more formal material than Bakelite, but who’s to say you can’t use these Victorian fruit knives with morning cantaloupe or honeydew?

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This Sheffield silver plate cigarette box I thought was quite nice. Here, I was showing Heather how the inside is lined in blue plastic that is not original. The glass inside had definitely been replaced. In a grouping of, say, five, such boxes make the perfect accessory on a coffee table—simple and useful.

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Another thing that caught my eye was this this old, hand-stenciled, needlepoint pattern that was never used! At first, I thought I’d frame it, but since it’s canvas, an even better idea would be to use it for upholstery on, say, a bench at the foot of a bed. The colors I think are so pretty!

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This is a round, mirrored lazy susan that I can’t wait to get home and etch after my projects last weekend. For a centerpiece on a table, I’d do an etched scallop border and in the middle, I’d place a beautiful silver plate ice bucket filled with white, pale pink and green amaryllis.

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Here’s a pair of zinc cornice finials from an old building. I’d love to turn these into lamps with square string shades for a masculine bedroom.

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For my own bedroom, I’m looking for a chandelier and from a distance, this one caught my eye. I love its shape, but on closer look, it was a little too sweet for me. I still think it would be pretty in a woman’s dressing room, a formal powder room or even over a dining table.

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Heather and I on the hunt…

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…landing at a table of one of my favorite flea market finds–costume jewelry. There may not be any precious stones or metals here, but I always I find something interesting I can repurpose in a different way.

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Take these old leaf pins, for example. For a fall table setting, how great would they look attached to a napkin ring or even turned into place card holders?

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And how chic would these mother of pearl belt buckles be as napkin rings? I think I may have found my new favorite collection!

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Check out these vintage tortoise shell glasses from the 50s! Very Carrie Donovan. Who wore them better?

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One thing I like to do before I leave the flea market, especially at all my favorite booths, is one final spin around, just to make sure I didn’t miss anything. That’s when I found this great woven wicker bottle. I love that it feels modern and vintage at the same time. For a dinner party in the winter, I’m going to use it as a decanter for red wine. It would be perfect with one of my favorite cold-weather meals—wild mushroom and butternut squash lasagna with sage ricotta.

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Here’s my little pile, or rather cart, of things I’d been considering. It’s never too early (or too late) to think Christmas! The best deals on vintage ornaments happen in the off-season!

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This is Rich, one of my absolute favorite dealers. I envy his job—buying and selling belongings from old estates, barns and warehouses. He knows I’m a good client, so he always give me a deal!

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And check this out! Heather bought the marble lamps I posted about last week! I’m so happy they found a new home, and a habitually chic one at that!

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All in all, it was a fantastic day at the flea market with my new friend (and fellow blogger) Heather. She’s a sweet, talented designer with a real willingness to try new things when it comes to seeing the potential in a piece. Her tremendous support and feedback about the blogging world have been so useful to me, and in turn, I do hope I was able to help her in a few decorating endeavors as well. I can’t wait to read about it!

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