A Look Back to “At Home With Petals & Porch Posts”

Having and attending Harvest themed vintage fairs and antique shows are a favorite activity during the Autumn season!

I am going to my first vintage “fair” in Florida today!  Not as a vendor but as a spectator!  I am excited to see what they have to offer but I have to remember that I really don’t need anything! After all , how long did it take me to downsize/move from Illinois to Florida?

I have a shopping list for today’s event.  Can you guess what might be on it?  If you guessed dough bowls 

wooden carriers

and celadon green items,  you would be right!

And the folks from Mad Dash Mixes will be there , too!  I can’t wait to pick up some more mixes for my Mix It Up Monday with Mad Dash Mixes blog series! I have made several dips, a soup, two pasta salads and a cheesecake so far.

I love going to vintage fairs & antique shows, especially in the fall.  The fall season holds special memories for me due to my agricultural roots.  Celebrating Harvest Thyme was always a part of my fall activities.

At Home With Petals & Porch Posts

The pictures below are from an event at the farm in 2012, “At Home With Petals & Porch Posts”.  At that thyme, I owned & operated a full service flower shop & gift shop in a rural community in Central Illinois. After being turned down for a juried show,  I decided to have my own fall festival at the farm.  Several of my friends helped me put the event together.  I rented a tent, had mums and pumpkins delivered and we had a wonderful weekend!  Unfortunately , my Mom ended up in the hospital with what turned out to be a fractured knee.  She ended up spending a couple of months in the nursing home for rehab.

Grow, Sprout, Bloom

I actually started doing craft shows when I first started my herb business.  I did a lot of different shows over the years.  My husband finally got tired of helping me with the set up.  He said it was like moving every weekend!

In the early years of my herb business, I did several events out of state.  My Dad would sometimes go with me.  He loved to drive and it was great to spend the time with him!  To learn more about the early days of my entrepreneurial journey, please check out this post!  

My favorite annual event was actually held in January of each year.  The University of Illinois in conjunction with the Illinois Specialty Growers would hold Herb Day in Urbana , Il.  I loved, loved, loved Herb Day!  I would start planning my display in October and I would pick a color theme for the display.  It was a great way to start off the year!  It was usually snowing and often times icy but people came out in droves to get started on the Spring gardening ideas!