58+ Old Fashioned Bargains and 3 Summer Vintage Markets

This summer has been a whirlwind with Thrifting with the Gals! There have been over 58 old-fashioned bargains, three summer vintage markets, a few yard sales, and 2 estate sales.

Let’s take a look back at a few highlights and then move on to new adventures.

I spied this little Book Nook cottage on the property of an antique shop I stopped at earlier this week in New Hampshire. Isn’t this just the cat’s meow?

Thrifting with the Gals

It’s the third Thursday of the month, so it’s time for our monthly Thrifting with the Gals blog series, where the gals and I share our monthly thrifting adventures along with a few tips and trips from around the country.

Bree is joining us as our guest host from My Little Black and White House this month. You are going to love Bree, friends! She is a champion thrifter for sure. And you won’t want to miss the other gals joining me today, too at the end of this post.

The Best Summer Vintage Markets in New England

Where do I vintage shop in the summer? As many of you know, we spend winters in Vermont and summers in Maine. So I am basically back and forth between these two places all year. This gives me the flexibility to attend a few of my favorite vintage markets throughout New England.

Check out my favorite second-hand shops too in the post, The Best Antique, Thrift, and Second-Hand Shops from Vermont to Maine.

• Vintage Market Days Vermont is always the first vintage market of the season, with this event being held in early May. You may read about this favored market in the post, The Best Vintage Market and An Antique Haul. It’s never to be missed in the fall too!
• Sage Farms Antiques is the second summer vintage market I attended in early June. These markets are seasonal pop-ups, themed-based, and always so much fun to shop. Read about this beloved antique market in the Best Vintage Garden Variety Market post. And I know you will enjoy the post from last year’s Sage Farm Antiques Early Evening Buy Event.
• Vintage Bazaar New England is always my third vintage market of the summer season, held in late June in Haverhill, MA. Read about this popular market event in the post, Vintage Bazaar New England, A Summer Visit.

What Summer Home Decor Accessories Should I Thrift For?

This is a personal choice, depending on your unique home decor style. Farmhouse, traditional, cottage style, vintage or antique, retro, shabby chic, grandmillenial, the list continues.

Thrift for simply what appeals to you. I shared a list and a few tips in the 17 Best Summer Home Decor Accessories to Thrift post.

Yard Sales, Garage Sales, Estate Sales, Oh My!

I found 3 old-fashioned bargains at 2 separate pop-up yard sales in Vermont this summer. See more in the post, Baby Adidas, Petite Cobbler Rack, & Watercolor Ski Drawings.

This bargain find cobbler rack is decorated in our breakfast nook today in the post, Store, Stack & Display Vintage Dishes in an Antique Cobblers Rack.

The little Adidas baby sneakers sit charmingly on our living room bookshelf. I’d love to start a collection of antique baby shoes. I think it would be so cute to display on a bookshelf or a bedroom dresser.

This watercolor ski drawing was a fantastic yard sale bargain, which now hangs in our ski lodge-style dining room over a collection of old breadboards.

And in case you missed it, check out the 15+ Simple Ways to Display Rustic Breadboards post.

I got fortunate this summer when a wonderful estate sale was happening around the corner from us in Vermont, where I scored these old-fashioned bargains, Johnson Brothers tureen and platter, and a matching kitchen towel.

You may also enjoy Irresistible New England Antique Barn Sale | Budget Friendly.

And a couple more bargain linens that work charmingly in our guest bathroom on a vintage towel rack.

You may also enjoy this Arts and Crafts Shows Near Me Inspired By People “Who Do” post.

I also attended another estate sale here in Maine with a girlfriend, which unfortunately turned out to be a big bust…

It was smelly and way overpriced…

You may also enjoy seeing this hobbit house estate sale I attended last summer at the bottom of the post, Thrifting for Treasures with the Gals. Wow was it unique!

Summer Thrift Shop Sales

And let’s not forget our local thrift shops! This is the time of the year when people are cleaning out their homes and making donations.

One of my most treasured old-fashioned bargains to date is this Timeless Classic Franciscan Desert Rose Table Setting I found at our local thrift shop this summer.

The shop hadn’t completely unboxed it all when I stopped in, saw it, and snagged it. You never know what you will find at your thrift stores, am I right?

This entire Franciscan Desert Rose table setting was a bargain at just $100.

And I returned and got the Desert Rose tea set for just $25.00.

Second-Hand Shop Old-Fashioned Bargains

I tend to find my best old-fashioned bargains at second-hand shops, though; how about you? I find myself more productive when I’m shopping at smaller venues. Although I adore the larger markets, I tend to get a bit overwhelmed.

I was just talking with a small shopkeeper this week about Brimfield. Have you been? The largest outdoor vintage market in the Northeast, probably by far.

We were both discussing what a project these large venues have become between parking, shopping, and transporting items. Brimfield has gotten pretty pricey too from what I hear, probably because it’s become such a popular antique market over the years.

Check out my friend Molly in Maine’s blog post all about her trip to Brimfield this year in the post, Let’s Go To The Brimfield Flea Market Together, to learn more about her experience.

I’ll stick with the smaller vintage markets myself, like the ones I mentioned above, and shop locally at second-hand shops this summer. Much less drama this way:)

Like this favorite, which I’ve mentioned here many times before, The Cottage by the Brook in Vermont, unfortunately recently closed. On my way between Maine and Vermont, I found a fabulous Millinery hat mold, a Holland Mold pitcher, dominoes, and a brass patina duck. Affordable and easy to in and out!

See more of this shopping experience and old-fashioned bargains in the Mother Nature And An Antique Millinery Hat Mold post.

Because also, you won’t want to miss the fury and beauty Mother Nature recently bestowed upon Vermont while I was there too.

Looking Ahead to Autumn’s Bargains

I can’t get over that it’s already mid-July! It’s been so foggy and rainy here this summer, we just haven’t gotten out to do as much as we would have liked to with Ella’s ACL surgery and all. So I’m really looking forward to my favorite time of the year, Autumn when the temperatures cool and the leaves change in beautiful Vermont.

See more in the post, Vermont Fall Foliage Home Tour.

Also, this time last year, I spent the majority of our summer getting our Maine home ready for a photo shoot with Country Sampler Magazine. See and read more in the post Behind the Scenes Photo Shoot with Country Sampler Magazine, which we should be seeing published sometime this spring in 2024.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer, and thanks so much for joining us all here today for Thrifting with the Gals.

More From Thrifting with the Gals

Next up on today’s “Thrifting with the Gals” blog series tour is Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest. Robyn is sharing her tips on How to Decorate Shelves in 7 Easy Steps.

Be sure to check out the other gals on today’s tour, too. You are sure to find insurmountable inspiration!