Christie's Antique Show Fall 2013

I was so excited to go to the biggest antique show in Southern Ontario!  I didn't get to go to any antique shows in the spring, so I was really looking forward to going...and we got there and started walking around...and it started spitting...then in started DOWNPOURING!!!!!

That was the fastest I'd been in and out of that show!  I was drenched by the time I got back to my car!  

However all was not lost.  I did manage to buy a couple of things before I got back to my car!  

Look at this beauty!

I don't know why I was drawn to her (in the pouring rain), but I saw her and I thought 'wow, she'd look great in my booth!'  

Now I don't sell too many hats, and I'm not allowed to sell costume jewellery because one booth has exclusive rights to that, but I just thought she would add a real vintage vibe to my refurbished antiques/furniture booth.  Sometimes I buy things just to give my space credibility...you know what I mean?

So, as I saw this beauty on a table, the pouring rain was blurring my vision a bit.  As I got closer I saw this:

The chipped chin, nose and chipped bits off the face didn't stop me...

Nor did the discolouration at the back of the base...

When I removed the hat the dealer was selling with her, there was some colour missing from her hair too...

It was raining and not a good day for the vendors, and she wasn't pristine, and also...most people (my friends) thought she was kind of creepy...so I asked what herbest price was.  The vendor went from $65 to $60 (including the hat).  So I says...'but I don't want the hat.  How much for just the head? I just want the head!'  Yeah...she wasn't budging from $60.  So I told her I'd pay $35 for the head if she was interested.  She sold it to me for $40 (icluding that hat!).

Home she came, and off to Home D I went and came back with two sample pots of paint/primer... 

 I pulled up a bottle of brown acrylic paint from my basement and got ready to fix her up.

First I gently tried to pull off her price tag from her neck...(WHY DO VENDORS STICK TAPE ON SOMETHING FRAGILE!?!?!?!?!!?!!????!!!!) and this is what happened:

Ok, so the tape removed the paint - PISS ME OFF!!!  Btw cover up DOESN'T WORK...see the beige on the white?  Yeah, not such a good idea. 

Anyway I cleaned her up with a damp cloth with soap and touched her up lightly with the paint, and mixed some of the brown craft paint with the beige, and fixed her hair as well...kind of like highlights!

So here she is with her newly applied make up, covering all her little chips and dings!  And her new high lights really suit her, huh?

Here is her white hickey all covered up!  You can still see the rough spot where the original paint was removed, but I just lightly painted, I didn't use spackle on her (like when I apply my own make up)!

Its not perfect, but its much much better!  I may go buy a slightly darker shade and sponge it on...if I get around to it!  

Doesn't she remind you of Lucille Ball?

And she's another reason I LOVE 'antiqueing, vintiquing, junking, thrifting, etc...'

I think I liked her because subconsciously she reminded me of the lovely mannequin head Vickie at Ranger 911 has in her blog header!  Except Vickie's is all sweet looking and mine looks a bit like the android from ... whats that futuristic movie from the early 1980s????

I also found this great crate:

I loved this tea crate, with the original lid!!  LOVE (sigh).  

Thats all I got at this show, everything was crazy overpriced!  I went for a few reasons:

1.  To see what new trends were out there in the 'antiquing' world.
2.  Pricing.  What should I be pricing at/near.
3.  What great thing would I find for ME, not for the booth (as buying from other venders usually makes it too expensive to sell).  

What I found was that there was NO WAY I or any of the other vendors at my antique mall would/could sell for these prices.  I guess Christie's gets antique hunters from Toronto or other bigger cities, and they will pay higher prices, as antique stores in the city will command them.

It was fun anyway...and maybe one day I'll try my hand at selling at Christie's!

Sharing:
The Scoop Blog party

The Dedicated House - Make it Pretty Monday

Coastal Charms - Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesdays Treasures

Elizabeth and Co - Be Inspired Link Party