Brimfield Finds 2012: Part I

I didn't buy much at Brimfield this year, but wanted to show you two of my three finds. They are nothing crazy or ground breaking, just stuff I was looking for or couldn't resist.

I have a soft spot for old prints, so I always check out any of the paper booths when I'm there (in 2010 I bought antique botanicals for Maura's room and last year I scored fish prints for either side of the front door in our hallway). This year as I was flipping through all the easels and racks I had picked out these GORGEOUS butterfly prints (you know, the scientific kind where it shows how they grow from caterpillars and the different types and their names, etc.)..the colors on them were so beautiful. Then I found out they were $75 each! Doh! So I put them back:( And moved on. Later on in the day I came to a ephemera booth where everything was on sale for 50% off and instead snagged these two fern prints for $4.00 each! They are just pages taken out of an old publication (from 1938) instead of hand-colored antique lithographs like the butterflies were, which is why they were so cheap. In contrast to the beautifully colored butterflies, I love how these are only black and white. I love the line work, they're just very sketchy and sweet. Like a quick field study.

I'm thinking I might hang them here (one on top of the other) in between these two dining room windows:

I went to the show this year looking for one or two of those old school locker wire baskets. Specifically to put under my night stand to house all my magazines, catalogs, books that I pick up and read for a few minutes right before bed. This one fit the bill perfectly (the right measurements and everything). It is currently being used just how I planned but I was in no way going to take a picture of my bedroom floor for you guys. Not until its been cleaned up, vacuumed, baseboards dusted, nightstand styled, etc.! So I just took some photos of it here on our foyer bookcase so that you could see it. (I think it also looks pretty good here, so that means it was a good buy - versatile!)

You guys, I was kinda in a rush when I bought this....I didn't realize the number on the basket tag was 667 until I got home! Yikes! Do you think I'm in for some bad luck or something?!

I am super stoked about my third find though! I bought a huge (like 6ft wide) pull down/chart type map!!  It's of the United States, but was used in a classroom in Germany in the 1950s. So cool! It's very colorful and even has some scribbles/notes from either the teacher or the kids on it. It's like so big that it will be better if I just take some pics of it once its actually hanging up. Hmmm...haven't quite figured out yet where I'm going to put it. I'll get back to you on it. But for now just be happy that I went totally out on a limb with this one!!

Anybody else score any great finds recently at flea markets/antique shows/garage sales?

Ps. Don't forget to enter the Print Runner giveaway if you could use 250 free business cards! It'll be open until this tomorrow night, the 24th, at 11:59pm EST.