Well, I guess the ground hog saw it’s shadow.   Which means we might be in for another 6 weeks of cold weather.  This week, our project was painting in a garage.  It was cold!  I had two torpedo heaters going to try to keep us warm.  It was a delicate balance between warmth and proper ventilation.  The paint, heaters and keeping the garage open enough to let in the fresh air.  The project turned out great, once I finish the shelving, I will post pictures.

Now that my fingers have finally thawed out, I’ve been thinking about the warm weather.  This year, I’m really focused on growing my business.  I’m excited to get my wood working shop completed, so I can start using all of my tools to create and up-cycle unique pieces for my clients.  I love the smell of fresh cut wood and the sound of the circular saw making the perfect cut.

I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can resume our family tradition of treasure hunting for flea market and yard sale finds.  My grandparents spent every weekend going to flea markets, yard sales and auctions.  They passed the addiction on to my dad and his brothers.  So, it’s no surprise that I love it too!  I love finding a ladder or tool at bargain prices.  It’s a great way to get “like new” tools at 60% less than the actual cost to purchase new.  This year, I’m on the hunt for items that I can up-cycle in my shop, too.

I’ve put together a list of my favorite local flea markets for you to check out!

1. Lucasville Trade Days (Scioto County Fairgrounds)-We have many fond memories of this massive flea market. Although this flea market only takes place a few weekends out of the year, it is the King of Ohio Flea Markets. (Well, unofficially, anyway.) Camping is available on site, admission is $1 per person.  The first 2017 weekend is April 22 & 23! Plan Your Weekend
   

   

2.  Trader’s World Market (Lebanon) Every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., this popular flea market destination offers 11 acres of shopping– that’s a total of 16 buildings, 850 inside vendors and 400 outside vendors. This flea market has served as every treasure hunting bargain enthusiast’s dream since 1984.  Plan a trip today!
3. Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market (Clark County Fairgrounds) If Lucasville is King, than Springfield is Queen. You will be sure to find lot of great treasures here! March 18th and 19th kick off the 2017 season.   Dates
4.  The City Flea (Cincinnati) If a curated Urban Flea Market is more your speed, you don’t want to miss this.  Once a month at Washington Park, Cincinnati’s urban flea market takes place with more than 300 vendors. Check this out for the dates in 2017! City Flea Weekend Dates

There are several websites out there to help you plot out your weekend yard sale adventure.  My favorite is still Craig’s List or garagesalefinder.com or yardsalesearch.net.  And of course, Facebook has modernized the search all together.  Whatever you decide, it’s a great family outing and a tradition that can be passed on to your kids.

Make it a great weekend! Be sure to spend it with the ones you love.

Andrew Mitchell, Mitchell Home Solutions