Souvenirs from the French Flea Market

I always take a million pictures at our French Flea Markets (here in Bend, at Pomegranate, just as good as a true French flea, but far less expensive!). I just snap away, knowing that some of them will turn out well (law of averages method). Funny, sometimes I don't really even look at the goodies for sale while I'm photographing: just looking for shapes and pleasing images and texture. Later, when downloading all the pix, I'll often gasp at something and wonder why in the world I didn't buy that piece!!

There were SO many great items at our last market. And it was SO busy. It might have been one of the busiest days we've ever had at Pomegranate, for the shop and the vendors. During peak times, the whole place was jam-packed with shoppers (and their dogs). It was amazing.

Our next market is coming up quick (Saturday, August 4), and we have another great round of vendors coming, so you do not want to miss it. More on that later. Meanwhile, here are some pictures of the July 7 French Flea Market, just to get you thinking... starting with an adorable Deux Chevaux for sale, upon which I was drooling.

Impromptu Garden Party Saturday at Pomegranate

This is the fun of having your own small shop: we just decided yesterday to have a little garden party at Pomegranate on Saturday (July 14). For our impromptu gathering, we'll be serving lavender lemonade, perhaps a little nip of pastis for those who wish, and some treats to nibble on. Athena, who did such a marvelous job at our last flea market with her wonderful planters, will be on hand with more glorious, blooming plants for sale. We love how she sources vintage containers and then plants them up with perfectly balanced and unusual flowers and greens. She'll only be at Pomegranate on Saturday for her garden trunk show, so make a little space in the back of your car for one of her lovely creations.

Just in, in time for our little party: lots more wonderful metal garden art pieces from The Rustic Garden, local artists who design and produce the most charming distressed metal silhouettes of quail, owls, rabbits, etc. We normally do not like a lot of artsy stuff in the garden, but one or two well-placed pieces are really fun. A couple of the pictures below are from our own backyard, where we put some quail peeking through grasses, and the owl family (also tucked into tall grasses), which also holds one of our solar lanterns on its rebar branch. In winter, they're our sole garden decorations and we love to look out the window at them. The quail are also sweet lined up at the edge of a lawn, or walking across a berm.

On Friday (7/13), our latest shipment of Soji solar lanterns arrives, so we'll have lots more of those available to choose from. Have I mentioned how obsessed we are with these lanterns? We just love them: they're made of a super strong outdoor nylon, and are completely solar powered. Let the sun do its job during the day, and at night you'll have lovely glowing lanterns in your garden (evening shot from Sunset Magazine). No cords, no electricity. Included in this shipment are the fab string lanterns in white, great for winding around tree branches, or strung along an arbor or pergola. Our lanterns are suited for all weather conditions: we've had most of ours out for more than a year, through snowstorms, hail, pelting rain... they can take whatever nature dishes up. Also, they make a terrific gift, especially for a housewarming or hostess thank you. We've even wrapped up bunches of them as wedding gifts!

And don't forget that we have so many other wonderful goodies for your garden, from shepard's hooks and trellis bells, to porcelain garden stools and teak mushrooms. We are just brimming with good garden finds.

Last, not least, Saturday is also Bastille Day, so we'll be offering some fun French things on sale (also see Pastis above). Yes, we will eat cake (mini cupcakes, yum!).  Join us Saturday, July 14, from 10-5 at Pomegranate. Au revoir!