Just Plain Country Walnut Cove, NC

Isn't Walnut Cove a pretty name for a tiny village. Always makes me think of the TV show "Murder She Wrote", what was the name of the cove there?

Walnut Cove is only about 30 minutes from Winston-Salem. There are produce stores, restaurants, grocery stores, a couple banks, library, park, gas stations and one huge 2 story antique and crafter's mall with over 150 vendors selling their treasures. I have 2 booths there plus 3 walls and 2 bookcases there. It is a wonderful place. Last night I was getting some creative insights and so this morning I headed over there with a plan.

Don't get in any woman's way when she has a mission, right? Right. I wanted to rearrange everything. I pulled out spring/summer stuff. I marked down anything that was in my way and I started adding 7 boxes, 2 huge shopping bags and everything else that I had carried in. It was work for the first couple hours and then I started seeing the light. It is fun when you get to the creative part, the fun part and leave the work and lifting and carrying behind. Did I tell you it was nearly 100 degrees and I was sweating like a lawn sprinkler carrying in all the junk (treasures)?

Now here is the fun part. I was done, I was tired, dripping and did I mention exhausted but I always find that last ounce of energy to shop from the other 149 vendors. It is only the polite thing to do, right? And I deserved to shop after all that hard work. That is how I see it anyway. So, I am heading down the aisle looking to the right and left at peoples goodies. I am oohing and ahhing and getting to that zen state of mind when I hear someone yelling my name. The manager tells me there is a woman up front that wants to know if I will give her a better price on the huge round glass canister jars (with tin lids I might add)? Will she take them both is my first question. Depends on the price is always the answer:)

I met the buyer and low and behold I recognized her from about 6 months ago when the same thing had happened. She knows I wheel and deal and she was tickled to catch me. I sold her the two canisters (cheap as in from $40 each to $15 each) and a huge doll and 2 rooster canisters (I guess she likes canisters), a huge bag of abc blocks, and blocks shaped liked houses that spelled "welcome". I thought when I put those out that they had gone out of style maybe 10 years ago but maybe not.

I am no longer tired, I am elated and it gets better. Another shopper is watching from the sideline because we have filled up the counter and it is kind of obvious that we are on a roll here. She kind of sneaks up to the ear and asked if I will give her deals like that. I nearly shouted in her ear....YOU BET! She bought 2 flower sprays, a Snowbaby, a Willowtree angel, 2 handmade Raggedy Ann pillows, a pottery bowl (made in NC...nice), a Fall dishcloth, a signed mug, a Lang box, a hand turned wood vase, a comforter set with shams and dust ruffle. The counter was full again. Both the women shoppers were laughing and talking with each other as they shopped and me, well I was trying to stay calm and sane but I was beyond elated.

I don't even remember the work now, not really. I am really tickled to make the money but you know most of the time I don't get to meet the people who buy the things I put out. That was the treat the thrill of it all to interact with them. To see which things made their eyes light up. To see their happiness at getting more for less. I loved it.

You know at an antique mall you aren't dealing with corporate buyers that buy by the truck load, you are dealing with little old women like me (well maybe some are men and most are younger) but we just love looking for things (you know, treasures) hoping that you will like them, buy them so we can go again. It is a strange life but an addictive one that provides us with therapy we don't have to lie down to receive. Keep shopping at your local antique malls or come on over to Just Plain Country. Ask for me, I'd love to meet you and if I'm not there? Ask them to call me for a better price:)

Disclaimer: This is not a paid for advertisement. I am just a real person, not an actress or anything. Just a happy blogger bubbling over on to the internet!