Sept 12th - Palisado Ave, Windsor, CT - Mile(s) Long Tag Sale

Yup. We're doing it. So far I have about 12 families who are committed to Tag Sale Heaven to be held on Palisado Ave, mostly near the Historic District. This is going to be filled with glassware, toys, furniture, knicknacks, linens, housewares, books, antiques stuff, and other gems.

Rant time: my wonderful husband has been adding more and more items to the tag sale boxes we have in our garage, just waiting to be placed on a tag sale table. However, some of those items or beloved. By me. I've had to sneak them back into the house. I just don't get why he'd try to sell the kids' boxing gloves, an antique bed that I promise I will restore one of these days, the hanging cauliflower wall art I purchased at another tag sale, and other of my treasures. This just plain annoys me. I'm sure some of these items will find their way outside on the BIG DAY, but for now I'm holding onto them as much as I can for now. HMPF!

Confession time. I'm not happy about getting my neighbors together in rampant enthusiam for selling their wares. This is simply because I really just want to GO to their tag sales and buy buy buy. And I want to be the first person there. To be honest, I want their discarded items even before I've seen them. I know, I know, it's an issue with me. Heck, I just don't want to miss out on say, a great bargain on a rice cooker, another mannequin (male this time), antique Christmas ornaments or really cool frames for my artwork.

Check out the Palisado Avenue Tag Sale Heaven. But please save the good stuff for me:
DATE: Sept 12, 2009
TIME: 8am-1pm (or later)
ADDRESS: Palisado Avenue, Windsor, CT (cross street Poquonock Ave) - follow the fluorescent signs.
PLEASE FEEL FREE to post questions.

May 23rd Town Wide Tag Sale in Chester, Connecticut

Spend your Saturday in beautiful and quaint Chester, Connecticut. It starts early, so get there about an hour before, find a good place to park and be sure to wear sneakers. Don’t forget to wear a hat, sunblock, bring cash and a good-sized car to tote your wares in. You’ll be wonderfully surprised at the amazing and cool things for sale in Chester. So New England!

From the Chester Historical Society website:
Visitors flock to Chester from all over Connecticut and New York, and even as far away as New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Vermont, to partake in the concentration of fabulous tag sales that happen here in Chester that day. Each year more than 500 maps, listing usually over 60 sales, are distributed.

Date: Saturday, May 23, 2009
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Chester is located on the Connecticut River about 10 miles North of Old Saybrook. If traveling from the North or North West, take Route 9 South from I-91 south of Hartford. If traveling from the South West or East, take Route 9 North from I-95.
Parking: The Mill has limited parking. When parking is available, it is usually restricted for handicap use. When we have a large event, we sometimes use our small parking lot for a tent. In this case, there is NO parking on the premises. Please note that parking is not permitted in the driveway to our building. This is a shared driveway that does not belong to us. It must be kept clear at all times for the residents who live further down the drive. Public parking is available:

• in the Town Center
• just up West Main Street at the Public Library
• when available, just next door to the Library at the United Church
• at 4 Water Street behind the stone building
• farther down Water street across from the bank off Maple Street

Happy Saling!

Top 15 Flea Markets To Check Out (In Connecticut)

Need something fun to do on the weekends? Looking for a reamer, a sombrero, a kitty tree, ironing board, rice cooker, old new clothes, games, ginzu knives, flower brooch? (Or maybe one of these toxic plastic creative sets of which I wonder if it was responsible for rampant Adult ADD.) Spend a day at one of these flea markets here in Connecticut:

1. SUNDAY: Clinton Village Antique & Collectible Flea Market. Clinton Village. 327 E. Main Street. Route 1. 10 am - 5 pm. New market new market featuring quality collectibles, junque and antiques. (860) 669-3839.
2. SUNDAY: Coventry Flea Market. 44 Lake Street. Junction of Route 31 and Route 275. Hours 9am-4pm. Ample parking. Indoor/outdoor market with approximately 75 dealers. New merchandise, furniture, jewelry, advertising items, antiques, collectibles, crafts, pottery, and used merchandise. (860) 742-1993 or 742-9362. Market open year around.
3. SUNDAY: College Mart Flea Market, Jewett City. Wedgewood Drive. Market open 9am-4pm year round. Plenty of parking. Approx. 150 dealers. Antique to miscellaneous merchandise, crafts. Inside and outside, year round. (860) 376-3935 or 672-6248.
4. SUNDAY: Eastern Connecticut Flea Market, Mansfield. Junction 31 and 32. Mansfield Drive In Theater. Hours 8am - 3pm. Ample parking. Approx. 200 dealers. Antiques, collectibles, new and used items, toys, sportswear, bric-a-brac. tables available. (860) 456-2578. Seasonal market open from early spring through Thanksgiving.
5. SUNDAY: Peddlers Market, Naugatuck. 1106 New Haven Road. Hours dawn to dusk. Ample parking. Outdoor market with an average of 100 dealers. Antiques, collectibles, new and used merchandise, furniture, housewares, sporting goods. Market open May-October. (203) 729-6339 or 729-7762.
6. SUNDAY: Elephants Trunk Flea Market, New Milford. Route 7. I-84, Exit 7. Hours: 6am to 2:30pm. Adm. $1. Ample parking. Approx. 200 dealers, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, new and used merchandise, sportswear, electronics, housewares. (860) 355-1448.
7. SUNDAY: Old Mystic Outdoor Antique Flea Market. Route 27 and I-95. Hours 8am-5pm. Ample parking. Approx. 40 dealers. Crafts, art, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, glassware. Seasonal market. Open March-December. (860) 536-0646.
8. SUNDAY: Southington Swap and Shop. 1281 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Southington , Ct 06489. Showcase CINEMAS. Next to Truck Stop. Open May through November. Sundays 7AM - 3PM. (860) 628-0077.
9. SUNDAY: NEW Indoor Flea Market in Moosup. Main St., 395 exit 89, take left go to stop take left, we are 100ft on right behind BofA. 1000's of items new & used fine antiques, toys, collectables, household items & many other things. (860) 428-2681.
10. SAT & SUN: Boulevard Flea Market, New Haven. 500 E. T. Grasso Blvd. I-95 Exit 44 or 45. Hours: 7am to 4pm. Free adm, paid parking. Outdoor market with approx. 100 dealers. Market is strong on new merchandise at severely discounted prices. Some collectibles, used merchandise, closeout goods. (203) 772-1447 or (877) 228-7554.
11. SAT & SUN: Maplewood Indoor Flea Market. Danbury Road, New Milford. Route 7. I-84, Exit 7, 4 miles north. Hours: 8:30am to 4pm. Free adm, ample parking. Approx 75 dealers. Antiques, collectibles, new and used merchandise. (860) 350-0454.
12. SAT & SUN: Wrights Flea Market, Torrington. Route 4. Hours 10am-4:30pm. Ample parking. Indoor market with approximately 40 dealers. Market is mainly antiques and collectibles, some secondhand items and some bric-a-brac. Nice place to find good quality smalls at very attractive prices. (860) 482-1186 or 482-0095.
13. SAT & SUN: Redwood Country Flea Market, Wallingford. 170 South Turnpike Road. Every Sat. & Sun. year round! Approx. 60-90 dealers, Ample Free parking, Free admission, Antiques, Collectibles, New & Used items, Sports Items, Tools, Music, DVDs, Produce, Flowers, Clothing, Jewelry, Coins. Hours: 6 AM to 2:30 PM. (203) 269-3500.
14. Middletown Flea Market, 835 Washington St., Middletown, Ct 06457. (860) 346-8877.
15. Historic Risom Mill Flea Market at 43 Connecticut Mills Ave, Danielson, CT, 06239. Easy access from 395, then just follow Route 12 directly to Lewis Blvd, proceeding 2 blocks directly to Risom Mill main gate. We are a well established market that began back in 1980. (860) 779-7866 or (860) 888-6900.

Goodwill Has A Tag Sale! (sorta)

Did you know Goodwill has an "auction site"? Sometimes there's some pretty awesome used stuff here. Right now I'm looking at a Dooney & Burke purse ($121), a Jazzy ($99 - not that I need one), a ventriloquist doll (I need this), an accordion, kitchen wares, electronic gizmos, musical instruments, furniture...just plain loads of stuff. Not as sophisticated as Ebay, but well worth the perusal: http://www.shopgoodwill.com

Books I'm Not Reading

I can't tell you why I'm always picking up books at tag sales. Tell you what, if you want me to buy your old books you've been trying to get rid of for decades, put a price like "10 for a Buck" or even "5 for a Buck" -- and then you'd have me cleaning up your book table. It doesn't make sense really. I hand my cash to you, I take my new literature collection home and then say to myself, "why why why?" Eventually I donate the books, full well knowing that no one else is ever going to purchase these books from me.

Here's a paperback I bought last season, "Wilt. Just like any other 7-foot black millionaire who lives next door." I did not make up that book title. This little literary gem was printed in 1975 (smells like it), and has many boring photos inside. On the back cover:

Wilt. On court or in bed, can't stand coming in second.

Look what I found...an interesting pic of Mr. C, a very tall man with very short shorts. Frankly, I'm a little worried about the shorts here. You know why.

If you are interested in this book, please email me and I'd do my best to part with it for a buck or less, much less.

Elephant's Trunk

Thanks to Brett for this good lead. There is a heavenly-sounding tag saler's dream in New Milford, Connecticut called "Elephant's Trunk Country Flea Market." Opening day is Sunday, April 5th. I've never been there but you can bet I will be checking this out!

What IS That?!? (Or cute things my husband says)

"What does it look like?" I reply.
"Geez, I dunno. Some weird plant," says my husband.
"Well, yes, it's a cauliflower, of course!"
"What's it for?" he asks with a puzzled look.
"You hang it on your wall. It's a wall thing," I say knowingly.
"You aren't really gonna hang that on our wall are you?"
Silly boy. He should know me by now after more than 16 years together. Of course I'm gonna hang it on our wall. This ceramic cauliflower thingy is perfect for the kitchen. We squabble a bit about the cauliflower. The "whys" or "how much did it cost" (again, just a buck), there's a mention how it looks eerily like a cross...and such...the usual. It's now hanging on my kitchen wall. Where it belongs.

$1 Italian-made cheese tray

You can't just wake up on Saturday morning and say to yourself, "I'm gonna look for a ceramic Italian-made cheese tray." If you do, you won't find it. That's the rule. (Now if you say, "I'm gonna find a never-used-before Thighmaster," then yes, you will find those by the dozens.) But Ital-made cheese trays? No. You'll need some dumb luck. Pictured here is one of my fav finds, for which I paid $1. It's ceramic except for the small wooden plank that sits in a rectangular indentation. The cheese spreader handles are also ceramic and made to look like apple slices. Under the tray it says Made in Italy. It's small, almost not worth using...but I do use it and I love it. (By the way, I've never bought a Thighmaster which would likely do me some good if I did own one AND use it).

Sleepless in Tag Sale Heaven

Unable to sleep. I noticed this past weekend the crocus have sprung up. Purple and white leaves of hope for warmer days. But this morning it was in the low 30s (F). Cold. Teasing us with a beautiful weekend. I had my Michael Kors bag ready to take out on its maiden tag sale voyage last weekend...but what the heck, there wasn't a single sale going on. I tried to tell myself that Goodwill was only a town away and maybe I'd find some glass mixing bowls or McDonald's Batman glasses there. I didn't go. I stayed home and worked in the garden a bit, gathering dried leaves and withered plants. "Next weekend," I thought to myself, "there'll be tag sales next weekend." I'm gonna try to sleep now, knowing the cold will eventually change to warmth and tag sales are bound to happen. Soon.

It Smells Like Tag Sale Season

It's already March 23rd, a day after my father's birthday, and the beginning of tag sale season in New England. I already see signs, though not in my own community. I'm already "on the ready" -- poised to take action and whip my car around to wherever the tag sale sign points. What am I looking for? Something. It doesn't matter. Maybe the Barbie doll I had wanted when I was a tot.

I hear Adele singing "Hometown Glory" and it makes me think of my town. Where are the treasures?

TAG SALE RULE: Plan your route on Friday night.
TAG SALE RULE: Bring dollar bills and coins.