Accidental Flea Marketing

Yoruba Ceremonial Crowns

At the loaded trunk the most unexpected paths followed often lead me to finding some of my favorite collectible pieces. This pair of beaded Yoruba Crowns is but one example.

I was recently visiting my mother in Palm Springs and for years it was a ritual to head to the Sunday flea market. It used to be lined with merchants that made their seasonal pilgrimages around the USA with trucks filled with treasures from their countries. There was a time when you could go and find vendors from Mali, Nigeria, Morocco, Turkey and lots of cool and innovative artisans. That was then and now is now. It seems more and more of their vendors are selling mass produced products from sunglasses to golf shirts. Perhaps they have merely found their niche.

The last few times I have traveled to Palm Springs I have missed the flea market on purpose. This time my Mom and I really wanted to see an old friend and a jeweler who is still there. It was 100 degrees, we were hot and cranky and had 1/2 hour before closing. We found Nina..."kiss, kiss" and purchased some "real" pearl earrings from her and then we headed to the car. Looking left and right  while quickly moving closer to the parking area I rounded a corner and there sat these two beauties and their smiling owner Bakai. He is one of the vendors I spoke about earlier. He doesn't email, have a website or a store. He sells from his truck and follows the outdoor markets around the country. I miss these moments as it has become harder and harder to find these folks. Each time I do I make a friend for life. As they pass by my home on the way from coast to coast I become a stopping point.

As the weather warms and more traders hit the road...I look forward to a stop off and an opportunity to check out their wares! When I started The Loaded Trunk I had no idea it would be such an adventure. Each piece has its own story and its own journey to me. This pair of beaded Yoruba Crowns is but one example. 

find out more about these beautiful collectible pieces

My travels to Turkey and Morocco and countries that load you with wonderful tea and mouth watering small plates of food called mezze, have made me a convert to using any cool old or new bowls, baskets, trays or stools throughout my home that aid me in re-creating some of my memorable travel moments. Each piece has multiple uses. Use them in your bathroom, patios, and by all means to add dimension to your entertaining accouterments.

There are still towns where craftsmen using old techniques have not changed in 1000 years. This group mixes old and new pieces, all useful, re-purposed and functional.
From top left clock wise...

• Large Mezze tray with wrought iron stand
• Hand engraved tinned copper platter
• Deep tinned copper tea tray
• Ottoman tinned copper bowl with lid
• Tea tray with 3 handles
• Recycled tire and wrought iron stool
• Ottoman tinned copper bowls
• Zinc baskets

A Gift For Mom

In the States and in a majority of countries around the world, Mother's Day falls on the second Sunday in May, but did you know that around the world, mothers are celebrated at different times of the year? Here's a short list of when other countries do Mother's Day:

Nigeria, Ireland and the United Kingdom » Fourth Sunday in Lent and they call it Mothering Sunday

Slovenia » March 25

Paraguay » May 15

Mongolia » June 1 (the birthday of Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara)

Thailand » August 12

Malawi » Second Sunday in October

For a full list of countries and Mother's Day celebrations, check here.

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Shown above, a few pretties for all the wonderful mothers in our lives....

Things for Her
Infinite Wisdom Necklace // San Juan Marabella Clutch // Agate & Sterling Earrings // Kashmir Pashmina Wrap // Indigo Blue Sisal Market Bag // Gold Moroccan Market Bag // Moroccan Babouche

Things for Her Home
Thai Ceramic Vase // Copper Glazed Ceramic Dish // Hmong Wedding Quilt Pillow // Hill Tribe Natural Indigo Pillow // Burmese Staff // Silk Ikat Table Runner

Turkish Ceramic Platter

This platter, handmade and signed by the artist, was found in Selçuk, the main town outside Ephesus. Selçuk is roughly eight kilometers from the Aegean Sea on the east coast of Turkey and is where you can find an amazing collection of ceramics as well as many of the country's top ceramics artists. Made in the Iznik tradition, the quality of the work makes it one of the most sought-after folk art today. Hand Eye Magazine wrote a great article about the Iznik art form, its beginnings along with an artist interview, which you can read here. 

The new guard of plate collectors are grouping more than just floral, ornate, vintage plates together. They're mixing modern designs, remixes of vintage plates with typography and overprinted art and original plate art. Our Turkish Ceramic Platter would make a excellent focus piece in a grouping. I also use them to serve in but they are delicate and need to be hand washed gently.

I only have one of these left in the shop. You can see more details here.

Living Outdoors

I tend to leave my things out year-round even though the snow and rain can be brutal to outdoor furnishings. Every spring my balcony is in a bit of disarray with faded tables and chairs, broken pots and just the dreary remnants of winter. I just give everything a good cleaning, move things around so it feels new and add a couple of pillows to brighten things up. That's usually more than enough to get me in the mood. But sometimes, just sometimes, I just want to start with a fresh slate and get all new stuff. So I did a bit of on-line daydreaming and gave my outdoor space an indoor-inspired makeover.

Vintage Herki Tribal Rug // Hmong Pillows // Vintage Bolivian Frazada

Casbah Love Seat (CB2) // Huron Side Table (West Elm) // Ficus (Home Depot)

Bolga Market Basket // Orange Broom Chairs // Bend Dining Table (West Elm)

Handblown Water Glass & Carafe // Burmese Nat Figure

Plus, here are a few Pinterest finds that are inspiring me to live outdoors 24-7 from some of my favorite blogs/bloggers:

From Garden & Gun, a fantastic lifestyle magazine about the finer aspects of the South. This is the second time in a week I've seen that outdoor bar made of pallets. Love the rustic qualities of this garage turned into event space. See all the images here.

I follow The Glamourai for her fantastic fashion, but her shots of The Surf Lodge in Montauk are right up my alley too. So colorful and inviting.

As a kid, I would absolutely die for a loft tree house like this. As an adult, yeah, I'm still over the moon for this space. Can't you imagine being under the tree tops with a good book and some wine?

Photo by Maxwell Ryan. Full step-by-step directions can be found on Apartment Therapy.

I'm also a total sucker for swings. You just never grow out of that.

Left, image via Garden & Gun, but unfortunately, I couldn't trace down the link!

Right, Asset Soup via Apartment Therapy.

image via Joanna Goddard of Cup of Jo, one of mine favorite bloggers. I'm not alone in my adoration of Joanna, she has a huge fan base. Follow her Home board on Pinterest.

Finally, my dream space. As much as I love the idea of being outdoors, the bugs often keep me IN. This is a perfect compromise. Image via Justina Blakeney who I adore on both Pinterest and twitter. This image is from her Welcome to the Jungalow board. For more outdoor inspiration, you should also check out her The Great Outdoors board.

Dress It Up

 

The best thing about warmer weather is....no more pants!

All joking aside, dresses really are so easy.

Add a necklace and like magic, you're done.

And you look amazing.

Light + Dark

Loup Charmont Triangle Tunic // Ute Gold Leaf Offering Necklace

Classic + Modern

Oasis Chambray Skater Dress // Cultural Blend Necklace

Shape It Up

Chaos Theory Dress // Gypsy Necklace

Spring into Silver

 After the holiday partying and a long spell of cold weather, many of us locked ourselves in nice and tight. With spring weather just around the corner (although it's proven to be elusive for some of us), entertaining, especially outdoors, is high on my priority list.

Naturally, decorating The Loaded Trunk style, we like to add lots of shimmering metallics to our table top. Silver and tinned copper are the perfect partners to showcase spring's big blooms like peonies, tulips and hydrangeas, don't you think?

I love, love, love using trays to entertain. Whether they're loaded up with icy cold drinks, fruit and cheese, appetizers or dessert, trays just help make service easier. The nice thing about doing one "metal" is that you can mix and match a variety of styles and designs and still have a really cohesive look.

Other silver accents you can add to your table: a tinned copper pitcher (for drinks or flowers), fun ocean-inspired napkin rings, elegant silver serving spoons, a Moroccan sugar pot filled with cubed sugar a large handful of mint for your tea drinker.

Here's to hoping spring weather catches up to all of us soon!