hometown tourist: the vintage industry

Okay! So. That was an unexpected hiatus. Have I mentioned I was on the board of directors at my kiddo's preschool this year? I volunteered to be the publicity lead, which was great. And also a lot of work. I made some great stuff this year, and I want to share it all with you, but I'm going to take it easy as I make my reentry into blogging.

Having dropped the kiddo off at day camp for a couple of hours, I went on an errand binge. The last place I stopped wasn't on my list, but it's one of those places I always want to stop until I do some mental math and calculate the cost of imaginary damages my offspring might commit.

The Vintage Industry is kind of an antique mall, with separate stalls set up for different vendors. It's just floor to ceiling packed (two floors), and many of the vendors have an amazing ability to style their spaces. A few, not so much, but in every corner there's good stuff to find: mother-of-pearl buttons, embroidered handkerchiefs, library drawers, locker baskets . . . Okay, I'll shut up now and disgorge the cell phone pics (it's true; I'll never learn).

Located on 21st + Main in Springfield, Oregon.

it's not you, it's me

Very short "Dear John" letters to the things I didn't bring home this week:

Dear Pink Trunk / Toolbox:
I promise, if I had a place for you . . .

. . . and I wasn't so afraid of your adorable-but-lead-filled pink paint . . .

. . . I'd take you home with me. You have that look everyone's trying to copy with chalk paint and faux rust, but baby, you're the real deal. 

Sadly, my kiddo might decide those paint chips look like candy and so, for us, this must be good-bye.

Dear Giant Letters with Neon Tubing Inside:

I would try to tell you how awesome I think you are, but I was never as good with words as you. 

Dear Orange Metal Tool Organizer:

Your orange paint is gorgeous; you are gorgeous. But I admit I find the fact you pack heat (even if it is only a sander) to be the teensiest bit off-puting.

Dear Thingamabob:
I love a little mystery and I think you'd make a great lamp, but I just don't feel like I really know you.

Are you a pressure cooker? A boiler? I just can't gauge.

Dear Cabinets That Would Make the Perfect Play Kitchen:

Stay alive; I will find you.

Linking up to:

Junkin' Joe at the Cottage Market

hometown tourist: the oregon country fair

"Hometown Tourist" is an occasional series in which I tell tales about our adventures around town, and actually, the whole state of Oregon. Take a peek and come exploring with us!

Phew! It was actually a little bit of a challenge narrowing our photos of this year's Oregon Country Fair in Veneta.

1) wizard and flamingo costumes on a break under some trees

2) "sexy" recycling bins (the fair aims to be 100% waste free)

3) energy park beyond the crowd

4) the famous condom rose booth has been there forever

5) tree costumes sans occupants

6) drums for sale on a vendor cart

7) totem pole costume made of recyclables (mostly corrugated cardboard)

8) vendor booth with costumes and leather flower clips

9) sign at the entrance to "Ark Park" (Archaeology Park)

10) fire-starting demonstration at Ark Park

11) northwest tipi

12) utilikilts; one of the fair's fashion trends

13) musicians performing a set in the shade

14) mosaic sculpture dragon bench

15) more musicians on the banjo

16) newman's commedia mask company booth (one of our favorites every year)

17) the trumbly designs booth

18) the kids' art booth

19) a nifty papier mache shark costume and an incongruous man in a suit and bowler

20) puppet theater, with large puppets

21) entrance to the hoarse chorale stage area

22) twig dragon hide-out and young musicians

23) metal flower sculptures and a Leave it to Beaver-ish sign

24) painted hawk (or falcon?) outside the baths and sauna at the ritz

25) etched glaze pottery from yogagoat pottery

26) large kaleidoscope sculpture near the entrance to the fair

27) the kaleidoscope shows through to the person on the other side

28) the shape of this gigantic globe vexes him

29) walking towards the car and the setting sun

Everyone who lives here should go once, or at least that's how the saying goes. :)

Thanks for reading! Does your hometown or the surrounding area celebrate a large, three-day hippie festival in the middle of summer? Do tell!

p.s. you can make these photos larger just by clicking on them, but you probably already knew that.