Not sure why but lately I've been drawn to bees - not the live ones, mind you, but bee-themed items. Below are some of the things that have caught my eye as of late and I hope it will inspire your gift-giving.
My first Olioboard!
Center: Noteworthy Paper Press tea towels from Etsy
Clockwise, from top right:
Did you make it out to Porter Flea's Summer Market this past weekend in Nashville? I did and, as usual, left with a bag full of goodies and a list of new artisans/makers to follow. My first Porter Flea was at Marathon Village several years ago and I was hooked. My favorite Porter Flea was at Cornelia Fort Airport - not that you asked. Some of my favorite things have been purchased at Porter Flea (like my Modern Arks record cabinet from the Cornelia Fort year). What I love most about this event is that my shopping moods are different at each one; thus, what I buy totally depends on my mood that particular day and there are so many FABULOUS vendors to choose from!
Usually, I drag my husband along to these events. At first he was a reluctant participant but a few years ago, he was zeroing in on cool items and started buying his own stuff. Last year, I got my friend, Jenna, to attend for the first time...I ran into her Friday night at the preview market and the next day she was texting me pictures of all her cool finds. This year, I introduced two more friends to the Porter Flea experience - I gotta admit I was worried. One friend lives in Nashville and is a choosy shopper - I love that she shares my cutthroat shopping approach when it comes to mall shopping, but Porter Flea...I wasn't sure how she would take to it. The moment we stepped through the doors it was if we stepped into Willy Wonka's candy factory and my worries melted away.
My friend got these beautiful leather coasters from Pantote. Image Courtney Faighes.
My other friend was visiting from out-of-town and also has a very refined shopping palate. She couldn't make the Friday preview market so I was nervous about her attending the frenzy on Saturday and advised her to get there as soon as possible after opening. I received a text 30 minutes in "I am loving Porter Flea!" and relief swept over me. She returned home with her own fabulous finds from Saturday's market.
So, on to my true mission for this blog post - what I bought at the Summer Market! I elected this method as opposed to clogging up everyone's Instagram feed, so I hope you enjoy a peek inside my shopping bag, so to speak...and get thee to Porter Flea's next market - you won't be disappointed!
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