About 4 Seconds of Fame on Market Warriors

The DC Big Flea Episode of Market Warriors on PBS was televised this past Monday, February 11th and it was so fun to watch. The filming took place in July 2012. It's quite surreal to see on TV what you have seen in person and are familiar with and we recognized quite a few of our dealer friends and their wares. Although the Warriors didn't purchase anything from the Truffle Pigs they did stop in our booth looking for the target item: miniature furniture.

Here are some still shots showing our booth:

John Bruno checking out a little folk art chair.

You can just make out Debbie with her back to the Camera

All three of us love Market Warriors and often call each other to chat/recap after each episode. I have to say this is my favorite antiques related show because I feel it gives the most realistic view of antique buying and selling. Of course in the real world most dealers purchase from a variety of sources(auction, flea markets, estate sale, yard sale, shops and private collections) and likewise sell in a variety of similar ways based on the best market for a particular item. Antiques Roadshow seems to only highlight rare and highly valuable items for the wow factor and tends to focus on the same types of categories. How much more art glass, guns and Asian art do we have to see! Market Warriors appeals to my geek side, educating me about many categories and price ranges. 

We must confess, we were so busy waiting on customers that we hadn't even realized that we were being filmed so it was a thrilling surprise when we watched Monday's episode. If you missed it you can still catch it here: Market Warriors Episode Chantilly Virginia

Thanks Market Warriors and PBS, we hope you can make it back to the DC Flea again!

DC Big Flea January 2012

Truffle Pigs will be at the DC Big Flea again this January.We will be bringing some exciting new inventory- fabrics, trims, buttons, sewing items, dolls, toys and crafting supplies. All vintage and antique of course! In addition there will be some fun new pieces created by us.

Here are all the particulars:

Dulles Expo Center

Chantilly, Virginia

only 10 minutes from Dulles Airport

Free Parking

Admission $8 - good all weekend

We are in booth 212-213 in Aisle D

our location is noted below:

Click on the map for a larger view!

Some pictures from last July's show:

Click on this link for more information about directions and where to stay

Buttons Are In For Fall Fashion 2012

This season the oversized and bejeweled button are In for the fashionable. Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Thakoon and Oscar de la Renta included glittery buttons, bedazzled buttons and juicy round overly large buttons on their finery for fall/winter 2012.

Louis Vuitton

 

Chanel

 

Prada

 

All images courtesy of Style.com

Truffle Pigs at the DC Big Flea

We will once again be at the DC Big Flea this summer. After the show was downsized (reduced from 2 buildings to one) we had our own little show at the near-by Holiday Inn for two great events. We have now been invited back to the July DC Flea and we are thrilled!

DC Big Flea

Chantilly, Virginia

Saturday, July 21st 9 am to 6 pm

& Sunday, July 22nd 11 am to 5 pm

We are in booths 058-059 in Aisle A

As you enter the building, turn left and walk to the very first aisle. We are about half-way up that first aisle on a corner with a double booth.

We have spent the past 6 months seeking out fresh to the market antique and vintage sewing inventory and creating some

exciting new one-of-a-kind creations!

Parking is free and admission is just $8 for the weekend.

We hope to see you there!

Stacey, Deb and Kim



Mr. Button

With reportedly the largest collection of buttons in the world, Franco Jacassi, AKA Mr. Button loves the click clack sounds of hundreds of people sorting through buttons at conventions...I have to agree!

Sewing Automotons

With the release of the amazing movie Hugo, automotons have suddenly become a newly popular source of fascination so I thought it timely to share some sewing themed ones.

I did a previous post about a wonderful sailing ship etui here.

Video of an  Antique French Royal Palais Sewing Etui and Music Box with Original Mechanical Dolls, circa 1870's.

Vichy Sewing Lady Automoton via Skinner

Tin toy sewing Automota via Cowan

Girl with Needlwork and Mouse via Theriault

Roulet & Decamps Elderly Knitter via Antique helper

Roulet & Decamps Knitting Cat!

(via The Automota/Automoton blog)

January 7th Show Update

The darling acorn and strawberry emery necklaces above are the project for the first ever

Truffle Pigs Workshop taking place during our antique show and sale

on Saturday at the Holiday Inn in Chantilly, Virginia (see post below).

The workshop/project are by the lovely and talented Deborah Hartwick of Heartwells.

The class will be very informal, come any time between Noon and 5:00 pm

on Saturday. All materials will be provided and there is a small fee.

Remember our show is occuring concurrently with the DC Big Flea right

next door at the Expo Center

so you can shop with Truffle Pigs and the Flea.

Come and join the fun!!

January 2012 Antique Show

Saturday

January 7 2012

8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Holiday Inn Chantilly

Grand Duke Conference Room

(occurring right beside & simultaneously with the

DC Big Flea, Chantilly, Virginia)

Fresh to the market inventory including:

antique and vintage sewing items • textiles &

 fabrics • ribbon & trims • dolls & toys

crafting items • clothing • quilts & more.

New for this show:

“Make and Take” Class

Debbie will be putting together a fun project

to take place on Saturday afternoon...more details to come!

Additional Dealers

A few of our good friends and fellow artists/antique dealers

will be joining us with an amazing array of antique fabrics, 

trims, toys and more!

 Hope to see you there!

The Truffle Pigs: Stacey Bear, Deb Hartwick & Kim Stout

Our Show in West Virginia

Deb and I had a fabulous time at Paul Gordon's show in West Virginia. We were thrilled to catch up with old friends, hang out with our artist chums and even get in some antiquing. Unfortunately the photos I took on my phone are not the best but you can see a great article about our weekend over at my sweet friend Jody's Blog. She has posted some great pics of all of us with our work!

Girls Trip!

Even Truffle Pigs need to take a break once in awhile and get some inspiration. We are hoping to get together in the next month or so and visit this delicious exhibit "With Cunning Needle" at the Winterthur Museum. The touchstone of the exhibit features the Plimouth Jacket, pictured above. Recreated at Plimouth Plantation in 2006 it sheds new light on the tools and skills of 17th century embroidery masters.

Box with embroidery pattern stamps

The exhibit also focuses on the tools, techniques, and the story behind a completed piece--something I have always been fascinated by and a direction I wish more museums would take. I always think to myself, "How did they do that?"

Silk floss

Incomplete crewelwork chair cover

I am hoping there will be lots of Berlin Work (wool work) like that pictured above--it is my favorite kind of needlework.

The exhibit runs from September 8, 2011 to January 8, 2012.

You can make a whole day of it by also visiting the Brandywine Musuem,

Longwood Gardens and of course lots of antiquing and fabulous places to eat--this place is my favorite!