When you walk into my booth at Sugar Mill Mead, what you see isn’t random. It might look effortless and it might look like things haphazard. A mix of small treasures and larger statement pieces. But every item there earned its place. And not everything does.
→ It Has to Make Me Pause – it has to talk to me!
The first test is simple. Does it make me stop? Is it talking to me? If I walk past something in the barn or at a sale and don’t feel anything — it probably won’t come home with me.
I’m drawn to pieces that:
- Spark a memory
- Hold history
- Show honest wear
- Feel useful, not just decorative
If I can picture it in a home, it’s already halfway there.
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→ It Has to Tell a Story & Fit the Booth’s Personality
Vintage without story feels flat. A postcard with a handwritten note, and I LOVE to read the messages on the back of postcards. A linen with hand-stitched edges. An old advertising piece that hints at another era.
My booth isn’t a catch-all. It may look like, but
It leans:
- Nostalgic
- Warm
- A little farmhouse
- A little Americana
- Lived-in, not polished
If I can imagine who used it, where it sat, or what it witnessed — that’s a good sign. Those are the pieces that connect. If something feels too modern, too trendy, or too far outside that rhythm, it might be beautiful — but it won’t fit.
Curating means saying no sometimes.
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→ It Has to Make Sense Practically
Let’s be honest. Not every beautiful piece is practical.
I think about:
- Size
- How it will display
- Whether it competes visually with something else
- Whether it’s better suited for Etsy instead
The booth needs balance:
- Small treasures
- Mid-sized charm pieces
- One or two larger anchors
Too much of one category and it feels crowded.
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→ Every Spot Is Earned & Sometimes I’m Wrong
Space is limited. So when something makes it to the shelf, it’s because it:
- Stopped me
- Told a story
- Fit the feeling
- And felt right
That’s the difference between stocking a booth… and curating one. Here’s the part people don’t always see. Sometimes I’m sure something will sell immediately… and it sits. And sometimes the piece I hesitated on is the first thing to go. That’s part of the rhythm.
But I’d rather stock the booth with pieces I believe in than chase trends that don’t feel like me.
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If you’re local, stop by and see what’s earned its place this week.
And if you’re not, many of the smaller pieces make their way to my Etsy shop.
Until next time!
Nancie, Ziggy, Pumpkin & Peanut
If you’d like to browse more of my vintage finds, you can visit my Etsy shops here: Funky Vintiques and Lafayette Antiques. I’m adding new treasures every week, so feel free to check back often!
📍 Find us at:
📌 Sugar Mill Antiques & Vintage Depot
📍 13788 Pacific Circle, Mead, CO
🛍 Booth #58 – Center Aisle, 2nd on the Left
You can also browse our finds in our Etsy store!
