Red, white, then blue: Don't mess up the order

It's the Fourth of July in just three days. You know what that means: It means today is the First of July.

And it means you better hurry up and break out your red, white and blue if you're going to be ready for the festivities.

Here are some folks who sell their wares on Etsy who can help:

Aren't these Fourth of July cupcake picks great? They're $2.50 for a set of six.

Fourth of July vintage glassware by George Briard. $29 for six. They'd look even better with lemonade in them.

If you are a size 7 you must, and I do mean must, buy these vintage 1950s De Liso red, white and blue pumps. Who'll be cuter than you if you wear these on the Fourth? Nobody, that's who. Only $45.

I'm loving this vintage style flag garland. It's $17.50 for 10.5 feet. Wouldn't that look great draped across a porch? Or your shoulders?

And finally...this bow and headband. It's $11.99. I don't think the kid is included, but you could always ask.

First the rain, now the cold

There's always an emphasis on the garden and on spring at the May Brimfield Antiques Show. Thought I'd share with you some photos I took while I was there last week - before the rain made picture-taking, though not shopping, impossible.

Now, I'm off to bed to recuperate from something else I picked up at Brimfield: a lousy cold.

NY Post headline: Naked people overrun Brimfield Antiques Show

I'm back from the Brimfield Antiques Show (the largest antiques show in New England with 5,000 dealers from all over the country). I had to keep my visit to one day this time, and it poured from lunchtime on, but it was, as usual, wonderful.

Also, as usual, I had good company: My closest friend for 30 years, Marianne, there in the pink boots standing next to me, and her Mom, who knows pretty much everything you need to know about antiques cause she's been buying and selling for years. How many years, I'm not going to say, but I will tell you one thing about Marianne's Mom: No matter how young you are, I dare you to try to keep up with her at Brimfield.

Things to love about Marianne and Brimfield: She's a speed shopper, and I don't like to dawdle either; she's got a great sense of direction, which means she remembers where we bought stuff and that comes in handy when it's time to pick it all up; she's not scared of a strong martini (which has nothing to do with Brimfield, but I do like that about her); and she's not afraid to wear pink boots.

Plus she knows what I mean when I say: "Where's that guy's booth, the one who had those things?" And she generally keeps me pointed in the right direction and wipes the drool off my chin...

We got a boat-load of stuff, which is to say two vans full. Full, as in we had to tie our little cart to the roof of one to get it all home. Marianne found a lot of fun stuff for her shop, a home furnishings consignment store in Wakefield, RI, called Consignments Ltd.

I didn't set any records for purchases, being there only one day, but I did what I could to stimulate the economy. I'll give you specifics later.

As you roam the many fields of Brimfield, you catch snippets of information from the dealers and you notice themes.

This year, topics of conversation included:

• The number of European buyers (up) thanks to the value of the dollar (down).
• The price of gas (up). Dealers come from all over the country, carrying heavy loads, so gas prices hurt.
• The price of gold and silver (up), which was good or bad, depending on whether you were buying or selling.

Another Brimfield phenomenon: Every year we notice an influx of a particular item. For instance, after the war started, a lot of dealers were selling vintage war posters, or reproductions of them.

In recent years, for whatever reason, lots of monkeys...statues, paintings, old stuffed ones. (How many times can you say: "Marianne, look, isn't this your aunt? I see the family resemblance" before she decides to let you try to find your way back to the van by yourself.)

This year, the theme was nudes. Paintings, sculptures, little ivory doo-dads, glass etchings...

Was going to take photos to show you what I mean. But I found myself standing there staring at the various nudes, trying to decide whether to take a photo, wondering how odd I would look doing that, and then realizing by then I was really standing there too long, and would definitely get noticed as the woman with drool on her chin who stares at nudes...and then takes photos of them. So I decided to pass.

Next time you get out of the shower, take a look in the mirror. You'll get the idea.

Take a seat; leave the table

Before I set off for Brimfield, I thought I'd show you one more example of something I love that I found there.

At least 6 or so years ago, I got this table. The lines are terrific and so is the hardware. It's an altar table or an incense table, only a lot simpler than you usually see. It's got some age to it (which is what people say when they have no idea how old something is.)

It was a great deal. I paid about $225 for it, just as a dealer was about to load it on his truck at the end of the day. (The wicker chairs were a wonderful find, too...but that's another story.) I've had the table in my family room, in the dining room and now in my kitchen. (I like to shake things up...hence the redesign business.)

One of the best things about this table is this: My sister Kat wants it bad. Been looking for one like it for her for years, and haven't come close. So, it's kind of my insurance policy. Someday I'll need something from her... like a cornea or for her to pay Jude's college education...and I'll be all set...

I'm headed to Brimfield! I'll report back this weekend.

Can't wait to use the Port-o-Potty!

If you read my blog yesterday, you'll already know this, but the Brimfield Antiques Show started today. It's the largest outdoor antiques show in New England and it lasts six days. Think the arrival of the Great Pumpkin, the start of baseball season (if you're my husband, not me), the receipt of your Economic Stimulus Payment (if it was a lot bigger and hadn't already been spent).

I can't get there until Friday. But, in case you beat me to it, I'm passing along 5 Tips for Shopping Brimfield:

Wear comfortable shoes. Not shoes that are comfortable at home or at the beach. Shoes that are comfortable at a construction site (read: ugly).

Bring cash. You’ll get a better deal because it’s more convenient for dealers (read: no need to get the IRS involved). Most dealers do not accept credit cards.

Negotiate: You know how you tell kids the TV goes off in 2 minutes, and they say 10 more minutes, and you say, 5, and they say 8 and you say forget it, the whole deal’s off, and you start to Google: Selling my child on black market, and then they say 3 and you are both happy (read: worn down). Same at Brimfield, just insert dollars for minutes.

Pack it: If you’ve done your job well, you’ll have lots of loot to take home. Plan to bring a backpack or a cart to lug smaller items around the fields. Bring blankets and rope to secure the bigger items. If you’ve got any room in your vehicle at the end of the day, come back the next day (read: the cost of the motel, dinner and drinks in no way counts toward total spending at Brimfield).

Prepare for it: Bring rain boots, umbrellas, gloves, hats, sunblock, water bottles, snacks, cell phone (for emergency measurement phone calls home), hand sanitizer, toilet paper (read: ever used a Port-o-Potty?)

A Snapshot: And now it's mine

Since the Brimfield Antiques Show is this week (signal the confetti!), I thought I’d share one of my favorite finds from last year. It’s an oil painting signed (can’t quite read the name) and dated 1927. I love the subject matter: the ocean (someone has written “The Gathering Storm” on the back); the size (it’s only 12 inches by 10 inches, and there’s something endearing about that); and the frame (I like the way the black contrasts against the apple green wall I have it hanging on). And I love the price: $30.