Fall into this weeks Feature Friday! (get it?!)

Well folks, I don't know if you've noticed, but it is no longer summer. Holy smokes, that happened fast. I feel like I was just wearing shorts and flip flops! Now I have to put socks on?! Socks?! I might have to resort to the infamous "socks and crocs." Did you cringe? Cause I cringed typing it. 

Anyway, with summer being gone in my neck of the woods, I figured I would bring a little pop of color, thoughts of sunshine, humidity, and barbecues, with this weeks: 

FEATUUUUURE FRIDAAAAAAY!  

This weeks feature is one of my best friends, Marissa! She is one of my best friends from high school! She purchased a super cool vintage Stanley Thermos from my Etsy shop. Now I know what you're thinking, 'A thermos. She must be using it for coffee, hot chocolate, soup and other hot, delicious liquids that every one drinks in the fall.' Well, you are wrong, my friends. She turned it into a beautiful vase! She was also my very first Etsy customer! Lets give her a round of applause! 

 Feel the cool summer breeze? Peeling your sunburned shoulders? Chasing down lightning bugs?  

Vintage thermos vase and mason jar candles = summer perfection.

Marissa has an awesome backyard/patio and she hosts one heck of a party! (Trust me, I know!) Hopefully I'll be able to visit soon so I can see this lovely vase in person! Thank you Marissa for supporting my dreams and purchasing from PGP! You rule!

You can all go back to putting your socks and crocs on now. Oh, thats just me? Talk about party poopers!

Smell ya later!

-Stephanie 

*Want to be featured? Buy something from me! Turn it into something new! Send me a before, during and after picture! Its as easy as that folks!

**Know someone that has a barn, attic, basement, chicken coop, secret room, garage, or any other space filled with stuff that needs to be picked over? Get atcha girl!! PoorGirlPicker@gmail.com and we can talk about what you got, what I want, and maybe eat some bbq chicken!

***Check out my Etsy page to see what kinds of cool things I have in store for ya! PGP Etsy Shop & you can like my page on FB, PGP Facebook for more updates, features, and giveaways! 

You Can't Rain on this Feature Friday!

Rain, Rain, go away...

...come again when I don't have a flea market.

It's Saturday! Woohoo, the weekend! That means I'm supposed to be at a the Peddler, peddlin my super awesome vintage stuff! Nope. Mother Nature has other plans. Maybe the plants and trees are really thirsty or the sun needed to sleep in. Whatever the case may be, I am here with the pups, not peddlin my stuff. Wait a second. It's Saturday. That means yesterday was Friday, which means there was supposed to be a feature, and I don't remember posting one.... OH FARTS! I done did it again! So, excuse my tardiness, but please allow me to introduce you to this weeks: 

FEATUUUUUURE FRIDAAAAAY! 

Carly came to the Peddler a few weeks ago and was interested in some vintage Pyrex test tubes I had out. She told me that she had just bought this wooden pipe rack from a thrift store and her creative juices were a flowin'. The test tubes would fit perfectly in the rack, so she bought a handful and off she went to craft her little heart out! Little did I know crafting is something that comes naturally to her! 

Carly got in touch with me recently and sent me the pictures of her test tube creation. I found out that she has an Instagram account and an Etsy shop too! So I did what every normal person does and I scoped it out. Her stuff is super cool and original. I wish that I had a crafty bone in my body, and sometimes I like to pretend it's there. But then I don't measure correctly, the hot glue gun hates me, and there are two animals -make that three (sorry Jordan,) - that shed so much that I need an army of brooms and vacuums. So my "crafts" turn into "well, at least I tried, right?"  In addition to Carly's Feature Friday, I threw in some pictures of her other crafts so you can get an idea of just how awesome they are! 

Before...

After! Gosh dangit it's so cute! 

Um, yes! Re-purposed belts turned cuffs?!

Can I get one that says "picker" & I'll just walk around with my finger in my nose?

IN LOVE.

Cool lamp, check. Mint paint, check. Awesomeness, check. 

So whatdya think? I wasn't lying! This girl can craft! She was thinking silk flowers for the tubes, and I suggested candy, cause I mean, who doesn't want a shooter of peanut butter M&M's? If you have any suggestions, please feel free! A lot of her items are made from vintage and re-purposed goods, which is exactly what I strive for with PGP and Feature Fridays. To give these items another purpose and new life so that another person can love it is what it's all about! We don't always have to have the next best or newest thing. Sometimes its already in your house, yard, garage or waiting to be found at a flea market. It just takes a little time, creativity, and elbow grease to make it yours. 

You can find Carly's Sweet Creations (appropriately named) for sale at her Etsy shop here: Carly's Sweet Creations and be sure to follow her on Instagram @Carlysweetjones. She also has some pieces up for sale with the proceeds going to charity! One of the many reasons why I love doing what I do is it gives me the opportunity to meet awesome people and spread a little vintage love! Carly is definitely one of those people, and unfortunately she doesn't live in Buffalo, but maybe the universe will have our paths cross again in the future. 

Whether it's raining or shining by you, make today great! Maybe you've been inspired to dig around your basement and give new life to an old piece. In that case, email me and let me know! And check back at the Poor Girl Picker Etsy shop, as I have been adding, and will continue to add, new things daily! 

Smell Ya Later!

-Stephanie 

*Want to be featured? Buy something from me! Turn it into something new! Send me a before, during and after picture! Its as easy as that folks!

**Know someone that has a barn, attic, basement, chicken coop, secret room, garage, or any other space filled with stuff that needs to be picked over? Get atcha girl!! PoorGirlPicker@gmail.com and we can talk about what you got, what I want, and maybe mow down on some gummy bears!

***Check out my Etsy page to see what kinds of cool things I have in store for ya! PGP Etsy Shop

The Venue Menu: Buffalo Edition

Cool New Buffalo Flea Market Venues, 

(Covered in Hot Sauce.) 

For the past few years, Buffalo has been growing as a city. There are numerous articles about how cool we are (literally and awesomely), how hot our residents and sauces are, how dedicated our fans are to the Bills and Sabres, and how people are really making new stuff happen. Being here for almost two years myself, I have definitely seen the growth. There is something to do every night. (Even in the winter!) There are so many concerts, festivals, markets, pop-up shops, free yoga, drumming in Delaware Park, kayaking, ice fishing, sight seeing, I mean I could list for hours all there is to do. A lot of neighborhoods and abandoned buildings that were originally given up on are also seeing new life. Events are being held, small businesses are moving to abandoned storefronts on the west side, and people are renovating houses that need a little TLC. Buffalo is expanding rapidly with creative minds and progressive people. 

One of those originally-given-up-on places is Larkin Square. It has been renovated in the past few years and it is spectacular. They were able to create an environment and space that is safe, fun and accessible. (They = the Zemsky family.)  Larkin Square is located downtown right off Seneca Street. There is TONS of free parking (yes, FREE,) events during the week, and awesome lounge chairs, hula hoops and beer! Tuesday night is Food Truck Tuesday, Wednesdays are live music from local musicians and Thursday is the Larkin Market. I was lucky enough to be selected as a vendor for the Larkin Market and I couldn't be happier! 

There are tons of vendors ranging from artists, leather goods, locally made Fudge, coffee, jewelry, clothes and vintage! Its such a cool market in a really up and coming neighborhood.  Keeping an inventory for three flea markets hasn't been a challenge either. I mean, who doesn't like to pick?! I have been out and about filling Peggy with tons of neat stuff to bring with me. Check out my stand and the banner I made! 

Book case? Check. Clothing Rack? Check. Handmade sign? Check.

Turquoise fo lyfe. 

Those flowers are not for sale. 

I will not be at Larkin this Thursday, but I will be on Thursday the 28th. Jordan is usually down there too with his awesome juice keg. (Yes, cold press juice on tap!) 

Another really cool venue is Silo City. It is a complex made up of three abandoned grain silos. The land was bought by a local guy (can't remember his name) and he lets people rent it out for different things. There are music festivals, art shows, historical guided tours, kayaking or stand up paddle boarding the canal, and even weddings! Scott, who runs the Peddler, also organizes the Silo City Flea. It is a flea market on specific Sundays in the summer. I wish they were every Sunday, but one can only dream. Being around the huge buildings all day is really eye opening. They have been there for 50+ years,  are close to or higher than 100ft tall, and they were once utilized to ship and store grain. I almost feel like the spirits of the workers are there peering down from the windows... ok, no more ghost talk. For my viewers who are not local to western ny, maybe these pictures will make you feel like you were there. If not, you should visit so you can actually be here. 

 Getting it all up in and on Peggster. 

Peggy is a beast. 

Don't mind if I do... 

Don't worry ma, this was taken through the window. 

Said window.

Is it trespassing if you paid to be there? 

Lovin the light. 

Cats love Silo City too!

Wide open spaces. 

Sell! Sell! SELL!

Its a really cool venue and we have another flea market on September 7th, so you should come buy some cool stuff, explore an abandoned silo and take a walk down to the canal to see a barge go by. 

Wherever you may live, I hope you are enjoying the rest of summer, and all the seasons for that matter. I know Buffalo isn't the only city to have cool stuff going on, so: get out, explore, and experience what your town has to offer! 

See ya at Silo! 

-Stephanie 

*Want to be featured? Buy something from us! Turn it into something new! Send us a before, during and after picture! Its as easy as that folks!

**Know someone that has a barn, attic, basement, chicken coop, secret room, garage, or any other space filled with stuff that needs to be picked over? Get atcha girl!! PoorGirlPicker@gmail.com and we can talk about what you got, what I want, and maybe have cranberry goat cheese.