I've Got a Fever

...and it's not from Blogger.  Holy shazam was that a gong show or what?  Bloggers far and wide lose marbles over site being down for what seemed like an eternity.  Can someone give me the 411 on the miraculous upgrades we're supposed to be experiencing because all I've got is about 35 missing comments?  Uh, yeah.

Onward and upward to the weekend dear readers.  This has been the week from Friday the 13th and I, for one, am relieved to see it end.  On the agenda for this weekend is the local flea market.  Count back to a year ago and there is no way you would have heard me waxing on for a flea market find.  Every time I went all I could see was bobblehead Garfields and more dirty old cups than I'd care to count.  Then about 6 months ago I started meandering through without an agenda to see what I could see.  Low and behold it all began to make sense.  I began to actually see the goods that were there.  Somewhere out there my mother weeps with glory.  Her daughter has caught the frugal find bug.  But even more than that I began to see the value in the vintage treasure.  Just last month I choked up over missing out on a pair of vintage leather disco boots circa 1975.  Verklempt doesn't even begin to cover it.

I did however stroll out with a seriously old leather concho bracelet from an authentic dealer, a crazy maxi skirt to carry on the craze and an off.the.hook. detailed leather belt that the Chef swears came off the pants of some tiny man in Mexico.  I'll take the man's belt and give him $9.  Yes - $9.  I later saw a similar belt in a very "cool" hipster hangout for...wait for it...$140.

Can you imagine that little hint of tiger/leopard at bottom??

Ran off with this baby for about $10.  Coupled with a tank, mad beaded necklaces, 

belt, and my studded sandals (seen here) it'll be off the hippie chain on a hot summer night.

Check the sunrise detail - it's a horizon shot all around the belt, and the
 leather/concho bracelet came straight off a Native American reserve in New Mexico.

Cut to Sunday and you will find me with the concho bracelet dealer and his wife.  They are the absolute best of the best and have been scoping things out for me for the past month.  It's been too long and I can't wait to see them *insert flea market fever*.  My wallet is ready, I'm thoroughly stressed out from work and the mail stealing neighbor (see twitter), and it's time for a flea market find.  Wish me luck people!!  

If you have yet to take in a flea market or pull the trigger and make a purchase I couldn't encourage you more. Set a spending limit you won't regret and dive in.  I've worn this belt almost every day for the past month...best $9 I've ever spent.

Here's to a slow moving, relaxing weekend.  I think we could all use one of those.