We returned last night from the most successful buying trip we’ve had at Brimfield, MA ( a town wide flea market/antique show comprised of 21 independent venue/field owners) in years. In two days we were able to shop all of the fields, plus a great multi-dealer shop, go
to The Seraph and Angel House Designs to look for a new sofa and visit with our oldest son.
I found some wonderful fabrics and trims that I will be turning into clothing for my Izannahs in the upcoming months. During the warmer months of the year I spend several hours each week searching through estate sales, tag sales, flea markets and antique shops for the fabrics that I use to make my dolls, augmented by a few longer buying trips, in the hopes that I can stock pile enough antique textiles to last me through the winter.
This year the weather was much better on Friday and Saturday than the day we went last May. 
Even if I hadn’t bought a single item, the trip would have been worthwhile because of all the interesting things I got to see and the inspiration that they provided!
Some of our best purchases were the three full hides of glove leather (that I will be turning into many, many doll shoes) and three antique canning jars – all for $10 total. Then there were our great $1 buys, a grain painted side chair from the first quarter of the 19th century for me, a vintage Pepsi bottle for my husband, and three T-shirts for my son. My best fabric deal was undoubtedly when I scored a full bolt of very fine antique cotton sheeting, which is destined to become chemises, pantalettes and petticoats. Since I was furniture shopping for myself, it was only fair that I did the same for my dolls. I bought some very nice doll size chairs and dressers, that I will be listing for sale in the future… and of course I did find just a few purple things for my house, seven transferware plates and a cache pot for the kitchen and an early lindsey-woolsey coverlet for our bedroom 🙂
Izannah Walker Journal 
Paula, I love your photos of the antique clothing, especially the cartridge pleating and piping on the fancy braid trimmed dress! My finds so far are mostly small clothes and whites. I did find an amazing armistice blouse (circa 1917) last summer at the Aurora, OR outdoor antique fair. I love the thrill of the hunt and find! ~Jennie
Thank you! It was a lovely dress, very worn, but lovingly patched, and the workmanship was spectacular. I didn’t buy it, as it was marked $297.00. I love this time of year when all of the outdoor markets are open. Happy hunting this summer!
Paula