Hello all! I am back from 2 long hot days in the fields of Round Top. For those of you new to the blog (welcome!) Round Top is a big, fat flea market that takes place about an hour outside of Austin twice a year. It’s hot as hell and, despite the fact that I always make it a 2 day affair, I’ve never seen the whole thing. I always return with a car full of war prizes obtained at bargain basement prices, but don’t be fooled: Round Top is not the Shangri La of mid century modern finds one might hope.
First, there’s the heat. As in, drink 4 large ice tea slushies, a bottle of water, and a diet coke and don’t visit the porta potty once. Second, there’s miles and miles of “antiques,” shabby chic decor, and waayy too many country crafts. But, with Jen and Freda by my side on Friday and Erin co-piloting on Saturday, I managed to make some awesome scores. First, a few pics of goodies I saw but declined:
Erin spent the better part of Saturday trying to convince me to get these for my bedroom. 6 months ago I would have jumped at the chance for this $130 pair, but I have since decided that I want table lamps so I had to go with my gut. I, of course, appreciate having a buddy that has my home’s best interest at heart, especially when she has such a good eye. Who could ask for more?
I know it’s kinda hard to tell what’s happening here, but a few obsessed readers will recognize this welded chain table base. I’ve posted this room twice and we swoon over the custom table every time. While this base is obviously for a smaller, round table, it’s just as delightful and if it hadn’t been $650 it would be in my house right now.
Erin and I spotted this glorious industrial floor lamp in a booth that was well out of our budget. Rather than haggling over this out-of-reach gem, I snapped a picture and gave it a crappy photoshop treatment. Well, if I hadn’t, you wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from the background. It was pretty stunning in person.
Equally amazing and expensive were these crystal(??) lights. At $1950 Erin and I had to wonder if the vendors had heard about this pesky little recession we’re in.
(BTW, i forgot my camera on Day 1, so you’re only getting pics from the trip I took with Erin)
Normally the homemade crap at Round Top makes me want to stab my eyes out, but this giant planter tugged at my heart strings. I can’t remember how much it cost, but it was too rich for my blood so we get pictures instead.
OMG Ribs & Brisket!!! There’s lots and lots and lots of BBQ at Round Top so choosing a vendor can be hard, having a hilarious sign helps to tip the scales. The ribs were amazing, fyi.
What are these assholes thinking?
$700 for a 4 foot golf ball and tee? Almost worth it.
OK, now for the items that I did bring home:
Pair of lucite and gold table lamps with gold shades: $50. As in, $50 for the PAIR. Here’s how they look now:
What do you think? I love them in person much more than the in the photo, but should I have gone with the hanging lights?
1 cantilevered floor lamp for my office $10. Yes, $10.
Giant rattan hanging lamp to be cleaned and repainted white and hung in my office to replace the ceiling fan: $20. Let me stress that this thing is HUGE. $20 was a steal.
And finally, la piece de resistance:
Female Nude, Creepy Rock Man looks on, giant original painting signed & dated 1960, $40. That frame is getting painted black and it will be hung in my dining room. Appetizing, isn’t it?
Side note: the vendor actually said “it will be a mighty fine painting if you just paint over that guy on the rock, I don’t know what idiot put him there.” Are you kidding?! That guy rulz. He stays.
I think Erin is bringing part 2 of the round up tomorrow, so tune in. But then again, maybe she’s not, in which case you’ll have to wait until April for more. But Erin will be here tomorrow none the less so, stop on by now, ya hear?
Related posts:
I think I would’ve begged borrowed or stolen for that chain link base table. I’ve wanted one ever sense I saw Julia Buckingham’s: http://tinyurl.com/cclool. { It was also used in this Flor shoot. } But your lamps are superb! And I love how they look in your bedroom. And your floor lamp is killer. For $10? No way!
How did Ike hold up while you were away?
lovelove the floor lamp. but creepy rock guy would turn me off my food. or possibly levitate out of the photo and steal it off my plate when I was distracted.
Every time you guys do one of these posts, I curse the fates that be that I am so far away from Round Top. Those gold lamps were a steal, and the crystal ones would make me feel like She-ra, princess of power, so i can almost understand the pricing.
great lighting finds! I’m jealous, I need something like this in Philly.
the floor lamp is to die for!
i’m green with envy every time you post about round top
Lucky you!
The table lamps look rad — so glad you turned the hanging pair down!
Hope pointed out that the man living in the rocky mountain looks a whole lot like James Franco. Maybe he painted it. Good scores on Saturday. Can’t wait for you to come over and help me choose paint to match my cafeteria chairs, pinball glass, Danish table – dining room combo I scored.
That creepy rock guy looks like James Franco…or maybe more like his character Daniel Desario from Freaks and Geeks. Hot.
Great finds!
I dig the lamps, I even dug the gold shades, but I think that is b/c you have brainwashed me about gold.
Great finds – I think the lamps you got where definitely the right choice! Although you really should have gotten the golf ball too…
This is an overwhelmingly good post. So much meat!
Love the lamps. Hanging lights are awesome but are not so good for bedtime reading. I support your decision. They are gold and lucite – enough said.
The giant golf ball is so awesome. Our neighbors would hate us, so I am glad I did not take my husband to Round Top this weekend.
I am using “OMG” as my next genius marketing campiagn.
If we ever meet and become the kind of friends where you invite me to dinner, may I please sit with my back to the oh-so-awesome painting?! Between the unrelenting eyes of Creepy Rock dude/Cat Stevens lookalike and the view of reclining babe’s hoo-ha, I might go off my meal.
Barchbo, I’m not sure who you are but I’m pretty sure you’re always welcome to dinner. Keep the hilarity coming!!
Awesome stuff K-pants! NICE score on the lamps. You know they have a million things at Orange in LA that look just like those, only they cost 1200 clams. Which is actually 60 more TIMES the clams of yours. Suckers.
As always, you’ve returned with good Round Top booty!
As long as you keep telling me that I have hilarity, I will keep coming!
I’m cheap that way.
No way that floor lamp was $10. It’s awesome. I would have had a hard time resisting the hanging ones, especially at that price. But I love the lamps you got – the perfect addition to the bedroom.
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