junkbonanza

Almost 5,000 Facebook Fans!

2012-02-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

You know the Junk Bonanza is awesome, and you've got company!

The number of Bonanza Facebook fans continues to multiply!

It's approaching 5,000!

What will it take to hit the magic number? (ably illustrated here by Daffadowndilly Bonanza vendor Cammie Metheny!)

We hope you'll remind your friends and family and those who are fans of vintage to stop by, spend some time and take a moment to share the "Like" !

And while you're at it, check out the Bonanza's sister blog, Flea Market Style! It just surpassed the 5,000-follower mark as well!

Kim

Calling all Early Birds!

2012-02-07T07:40:00.000-08:00

Yes! Early Bird tickets for the Junk Bonanza, Sept. 13-15, are on sale now!

Priced the same as last year at $25, they provide early entrance on the first day of the Bonanza two full hours ahead of the pack, plus admission for Friday and Saturday.

Let's review: A two-hour head start on all that fabulous junk, and more shopping each day (after the vendors have restocked!)

Sold!

The first 250 purchasers also get a rockin' canvas tote (in which to stash smalls from the hauls!)

You can order yours now, here.

Only 219 days until Junk Bonanza returns!

Kim

http://junkrevolution.myshopify.com/collections/junk-bonanza/products/junk-bonanza-early-bird-ticket

Hot Dog! Bonanza Planning in LA!

2012-02-02T04:35:00.000-08:00

The most important meal of the day is said to be breakfast, but that's all relative when you've been working hard on Junk Bonanza plans! On this day, Ki and Event Manger Emily found lunch to be of paramount importance!

Here they are at the renowned Pink's Hot Dogs in Hollywood on North LaBrea Avenue! Planning the Bonanza -- contracts, email blasts, budgets et. al. -- is hunger-inducing work!

Emily had the Martha Stewart Dog, distinguished by its relish, onions, bacon, tomatoes and sauerkraut. " Em's verdict: "Sounds wierd; it was good but hard to eat!" Ki opted for the pristine dog, but was cajoled into adding mustard (and at the last minute, onions) by the incredulous counter worker. (Apparently, a well-dressed dog is de rigueur, at least in Hollywood!)

They supplemented with fries, chili-cheese and regular!

Em noted that this meal probably wiped out their caloric burnoffs from the day before; her Hollywood hike (can you see the sign in the background?) and Ki's ride and workout at the horse barn.

Ki and Em have worked together for nine years, and in Ki's words, "we can fill in each other's sentences and usually work in our pajamas all day." Venturing out in real clothes came with a cost this time: Their meter expired five minutes before they finished their yummy hot dog repast! Added Em: "The parking guy gave the ticket to Ki personally!"

Emily is back in Minnesota, but she, Ki and the rest of the Bonanza team are planning away!

Stay tuned for updates on Early Bird tickets, which will be available soon!

Kim

Ki Up Close and Personal!

2012-01-23T04:51:00.000-08:00

Here's Junk Bonanza founder and impressario Ki Nassauer with her son, Tyson, above, and daughter, Taylor, below! These pictures are part of her profile, just posted on the Flea Market Style magazine blog! In addition to her Bonanza duties, Ki is the mag's executive editor!

With the Spring/Summer issue set to arrive sometime in February, the blog is profiling each of the magazine's team members! We thought you'd like to learn a few fun facts and revealing information about the dynamo behind the Bonanza!

Enjoy it here!

Kim

Coming Soon to a Mag Near You!

2012-01-16T04:30:00.000-08:00

The Junk Bonanza team is hard at work (I know we say that all the time, but truth is our business, and that's the truth) planning and organizing the 2012 meet!

We're spreading the word through every possible venue, including this fab ad that will appear in the Spring/Summer issue of Flea Market Style magazine, expected to be available sometime in February.

We thought you'd enjoy a taste of the Bonanza past while marking your calendar for this year: Sept. 13-15 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn.

See you there!

Kim

Happy New Year Plus a Video!

2012-01-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from the Junk Bonanza team!

We know you're as excited as we are for all the fun to come Sept. 13-15 at Canterbury Downs in Shakopee, Minn.

Seeing is believing! Here's a video of Junk Bonanza 2011 to remind you of the great time you had...and can have when you attend this year's gathering!

See you at the Bonanza!

Kim

Sock Monkeys on the Go!

2011-12-05T04:30:00.000-08:00

Do you remember the sock monkeys from the 2011 Junk Bonanza?

Deb Haupt of Haupt Antiek populated her booth with dozens and dozens of the these merry little marsupials! From humble beginnings as working class socks, these monkeys were eventually imbued with lots of personality (not to mention really rockin' accessories!)

Where did some of those monkey end up?

"Four went to Japan with a Japanese buyer," Deb said. "She loved them. She was a character, she had on jean shorts with suspenders and striped socks and a shirt that said – I love Junk."

Another had a pink scarf and a bald head and sported a note labeled 'Chemo Survivor.'

"I wrote on that tag, 'This monkey is free to someone who needs her'. A nurse from the Oncology Center of Iowa in Des Moines stopped in our booth and we asked her if she could take it and give it to someone," Deb said. "She was thrilled. Her name is Kristi Van Leeuwen and maybe she has the rest of the story."

That she did!

"That sock monkey sits in our chemotherapy room for all to enjoy," wrote back Kristi. "It is an inspiration for those who have battled cancer, completed chemotherapy and achieved a remission, but it is also loved by those suffering with no cure. I haven't found one person to give this treasure to because it is so well-loved by all!"

Whither the other monkeys? Some went to kids shopping with their parents, Deb said, and others to people who remembered them as childhood companions.

Junk Bonanza is all about good junk, good times and good memories!

Don't forget to mark your calendar for Sept. 13-15, 2012!

Kim

Gone, but Not Forgotten!

2011-11-06T04:30:00.000-08:00

Junk Bonanza 2011 is an almost-two-month memory at this point, but the team is hard at work making plans for 2012! Are you in need of a good Bonanza fix?!

Check out the sidebar on the right-hand side of the blog! We've been updating the blogroll with posts from happy attendees (and lots of fun pictures!)

Meanwhile, don't forget to mark your calendars for Sept. 13-15, 2012. Junk Bonanza, here we come!

Kim

Etsy at the Bonanza!

2011-10-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

We're still basking in a post-Junk Bonanza glow! Three glorious days of fun, friends and fabulous junk, artfully arrayed and stylishly staged. Half the fun of the Bonanza is reliving the memories for weeks afterward, when all of the posts by far-flung bloggers start turning up via Google alerts!

Here are a few links related to Etsy, which this year partnered with the Bonanza and sent some of its team members to Minnesota for the fun! Pictured are Nickey Skarstad and Michelle Delgado, who shared their expertise and answered a seemingly unending stream of questions from curious Bonanza attendees and vendors.

Enjoy these links and remembering the fun. The 2012 edition of the Junk Bonanza will be here before you know it!

* An Etsy photo album from the Bonanza!

*Pictures from the Vintage Etsy Society blog.

* And check out all of the 2011 Junk Bonanza Etsy sellers!

Kim

Facebook and the JB Blog: Changes!

2011-09-29T02:00:00.000-07:00

After today, Facebook will eliminate direct feeds from individual blogs to their matching Facebook pages.

Here is what Facebook says:

"We want you to connect with your fans in the most effective ways possible. That's why as of September 30th you'll no longer be able to automatically import posts from your website to your page notes. The best way to get people to interact with your content is to give them insight into the links you share on your Wall by adding personal comments and responding to feedback from fans."

We thought that's what the blog posts did already! But, in the spirit of cooperation (a true junker attribute!), we will make sure you can stay connected by adding a photo and a link on our Facebook page each time we post on the blog!

We love our Facebook page followers and hope you'll sign on to follow the Junk Bonanza blog, here, too! You can request (check the right-hand sidebar) an email alert that lets you know each time a post goes up!

Count on us to help you handily navigate the seas of change!

Kim

Ugly Lamps Contest winner!

2011-09-23T06:51:00.001-07:00

Who-who-who doesn't love an ugly lamp?!!!

The winner of the Junk Bonanza's Ugly Lamp Contest (featuring the lamps from the spring issue of Flea Market Style magazine) was Mary Strack of Elk River, Minn.!

The owl won it by a 3-to-1 margin, and there were a lot of votes!

Mary received a $100 gift certificate to Home Depot! (where, we are certain, she won't be purchasing an ugly lamp!)

As part of the Bonanza fun, the lamps were sold by the Junk Revolution store, with proceeds benefitting Arc's Value Village, a Minneapolis nonprofit that operates thrift stores to benefit people with disabilities.

We're already thinking about next year's contest so you can once again exercise the franchise!

Kim

They Made it Happen! (And Aren't You Glad They Did?)

2011-09-21T04:30:00.000-07:00

That quiet efficiency you heard humming along at the Best Junk Round-up in the Midwest, 6th Edition, didn't happen by chance!

There was. a lot of heavy lifting!

The efforts of many talented and hard-working folks put the "boffo" in the Bonanza!

(Here's the staff in the Junk Revolution store: Karla, Susan Ashley and Taylor! Quite possibly the hardest-working team in the apparel business! For sure the grooviest!)

John and Kathie kept the microphone busy and the details handled deftly! Check out the wattage on those smiles. It never dims!

Irene policed everything else, from the blue lines to the U-hauls, and somebody had to do it!

Theresa was one of the myriad FOBs (Friends of the Bonanza!) who stamped hands and took tickets and distributed maps. Contributions came from all quarters!

It takes a village and it takes a building full! For all the hard work, expertise and good will, the Bonanza is grateful!

Kim

Tote That Barge! (And Other Great Finds!)

2011-09-20T04:30:00.000-07:00

You don't have to read between the lions to know that happy customers abound at the Bonanza!

It was strictly cash and carry...

Purchases with handles were a built-in bonus!

Frequently, customers are so swift in conveying their swag out the door that it's difficult to snap their pictures!

(File this under the why-I-would-never-make-it-as-a-professional-photog category!)

We hope you are edified by this small glance at those who found their treasure at the Junk Bonanza!

They found their prizes! Did you?

Kim

Pondering Product, aka, Should I or Shouldn't I?

2011-09-19T04:30:00.000-07:00

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that even at 7 posts a day, I couldn't get all of the pictures and info uploaded in time to bring you the total sights and sounds of the Bonanza experience!

To that end, I'm bringing you belatedly (but with no less fervor!) some pictures from the past days of Bonanza happenings!

We love that you paused to scrutinize and consider...

... big letters...

...a potentially just-perfect pillow...

...beguiling textiles, among other items!

And here is someone who got tired of browsing and decided it was time to sleep, despite the incredible swag that might have been just the ticket for the nursery!

Keep watching! More Bonanza pix are on the way!

Kim

The Bonanza Breaks it Down!

2011-09-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

It all happened so fast, relatively speaking. Good thing there was seating!

One moment, Canterbury Park was teeming with happy customers, toting their treasures toward the door.

Then, at the stroke of 5, vendors and the Bonanza team started the next leg of their journies: tearing down what they had so happily assembled just a few short days ago!

Away it went, with magical efficiency!

A spot near the loading dock was a coveted locale!

The stuff never seemed to end...

...though vendors were game to haul unrelentingly!

Pretty soon, the floors cleared out, save for the vaunted blue lines (the Fire Marshal's Best Friend...)

You could shoot a cannon off in there, or at least heave a hefty piece of junk without interference!

Even the Junk Revolution store was down to its hangers!

At the end, only the pile headed for Bonanza storage was left. That's all we wrote!

Luckily, there will be more pix coming this week of scenes from the Bonanza that we just couldn't cram in during the actual event!

So stay tuned for Bonanza redux!

Kim

5 Minutes and Counting...

2011-09-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

A few minutes to go before the official "end" of the 2011 Junk Bonanza!

Vets know, this is when the real work begins!

It's been one great ride!

Stay with us for updates; we've got plenty of pix and stories yet to share that we couldn't quite cram in before the close!

Happy Junking!

Kim

A Sweet Bonanza Story

2011-09-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

We love a good story, and Johnna Holmgren's first Junk Bonanza visit is a swell yarn.

Here is the tale of the Stillwater gal and her newfound shopping cart, in her words:

"I was out with my mother-in-law shopping away, barely getting started and we realized we definitely needed a cart for storing our stuff! Not to mention we had already bought a pretty heavy-duty rug that was wrapped in our backpack. We went on the prowl and couldn't find a thing. Sure enough, we enter a booth and see this adorable cart with a burlap sack inside, clipped with these amazing stainless steel clips. We say, 'perfect!' As we shimmy our way through other women chattering we finally reach what looks like the 'front' of the booth and ask the lady how much the cart costs. She, all business, but friendly, responds, 'That's not ours, darlin! That's a customer's!'

"My sweet mother-in-law and I say 'oopsies' as we begin our journey through more women to attempt the bring the cart back to where we found it.

"We get about halfway through the sea of women on the prowl and one says, 'Hey! I think that's my cart!' We tell her we are so sorry! She says, 'Would you want to buy it? I decided I'm not a pull-behind-you-type person' "

"We were so excited and said yes yes yes! I wrote her a personal check for $28 and we went our separate ways.

"Needless to say, it was one of my favorite purchases of the day!"

Needless to say, it was one of our favorite stories!

Kim

How Much is that Doggie in the Window?

2011-09-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

How much is that doggie in the window? Not sure, but the window sold! He's now sitting on a chair, surrounded by admirers, making a price check impossible!

We hope you can get close enough to the junk you want to make your very own!

Kim

Spiritous Libations for Thirsty Shoppers!

2011-09-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

If that Bloody Mary looks like a meal in a cup, then you are a trained observer!

Canterbury Park's efficient staff serves up a generous pour for thirsty shoppers, with a skewer full of delectables: Shrimp, a chunk of sharp Cheddar, a feta-stuffed olive, salami, a peppadew stuffed with a marinated garlic clove and pepperoncini, garnished with an oh-so-slender, oh-so-tender stick of celery.

Brenda Budin, who has been serving up this tasty concoction at Canterbury "for a lot of years,"

estimates 250 of these bodacious beverages are served daily to Bonanza attendees during the three-day confab.

Yet another incentive for bellying up to the Bonanza!

Kim

Stuff at the Bonanza, Part 2!

2011-09-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

More eye candy from today's Bonanza!

Concrete jockeys at Canterbury!...

...a Memory Keg with bling...

...a heap of hydrangeas...

...a bistro chair with crave-worthy patina...

...a paint-by-numbers canvas...

... and blankets with accessories!

More pix to come!

Kim

The Calm Before the Fun!

2011-09-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday morning at the Bonanza!

It won't look like this for long!

Vendors have refilled the empty spots, and the doors open in 5 minutes!

Check back shortly; we'll have some pix of the KARE-11 setup. They are spending some time today at the Bonanza!

Kim

KARE-11 in the House!

2011-09-16T19:58:00.001-07:00

Junk Bonanza had its 15 minutes -- actually, an hour -- of show biz fame this morning when KARE-11 hit Canterbury to spread junk love across the airwaves!

That's cameraman Craig Norkus and reporter Lee Valsvik; they filmed of teases, scenic views and an interview with Ki and vendor wrangler Jane Hall between 9 and 10 a.m. to broadcast the junking gospel to Saturday morning TV watchers!

The spot broadcast from the booth of Lee and Tracy Anderson of Histories in Prairie du Sac, Wis., with junk pulled in from several vendor's booths.

(That cupola is from Mustard Moon in Carver, Minn.!)

Now that's what we call quality programming!

Kim

Feet on the Street at the Bonanza!

2011-09-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Bonanza can be an endurance test of sorts. A

grueling test of one's shopping acumen and endurance.

Bonanza vets know that a good pair of shoes will go a long way in enhancing the JB experience!

With that, we give you a nod toward some of the well-shod feet treading the floor today!

We saw boots that were made for walking...

...and some that had walked a lot!

We saw a little glitz...

...a little glam...

...and shoes built for comfort with a large dash of panache!

We also noted the most easily recognized pair of shoes in the house!

We close out our posts for today with this thought:

Tread softly, and carry a big, big shopping cart!

See you tomorrow!

Kim

Sign, Not on the Dotted Line...

2011-09-16T12:47:00.001-07:00

Bonanza maven Ki Nassauer wears many hats: Junk Queen, ambassador of salvage and executive editrix of Flea Market Style magazine.

Her worlds collide at the Bonanza, where she holds a handful of mag-signing sessions!

This is from one of today's scheduled signings. She'll be signing again tomorrow, Saturday, at 11 a.m.

The fall issue of Flea Market Style is packed with how-tos, beautiful stories and wonderful homes that celebrate the re-imagined lifestyle, and you can purchase your copy at the Junk Revolution store at the Bonanza, or at many retail outlets.

Junk Bonanza and Flea Market Style. It's a dynamic duo!

Kim

It's Lucky Friday!

2011-09-16T09:28:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Winner's Circle! It's Lucky Friday at the Bonanza and the hourly giveaways of thousands of dollars worth of vouchers to redeem at the booths of donating vendors and sponsors is already under way!

More than 40 vendors and sponsors have donated the coupons (and some goods as well!), each worth $50 or more. And they can be used today and tomorrow!

So summon up Lady Luck and head to the Information Table outside the Junk Revolution store to sign up! And don't forget to grab your free box of Lucky Charms from General Mills on the way in -- or the way out -- today!

Kim

Overheard at the Bonanza...

2011-09-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Wondering if we had a great Bonanza sale day Thursday?

Check this out!

Two vendors, overheard Friday morning at the Bonanza:

Vendor 1:

"Have to pull stock from your other shows?"

Vendor 2:

"Nah, sold all that. Had to steal stock from my sister's house. She's out of town. Hope she doesn't notice."

Stuff was flying out of this house yesterday! Be sure not to miss all of the great, replenished booths at the Bonanza today and tomorrow! Because now you know it's true: Vendors DO restock daily!

Kim

Stuff at the Bonanza!

2011-09-16T07:21:00.001-07:00

Some snaps of stuff I loved yesterday! A lamp made from slideshow slides ...

A dress made from a vintage British transit sign...

Old silver arrayed in a rusty bedspring...

A gray glazed buffet with a fold-down front...

A baby with a global vibe (love the roller-wheel feet!)...

A tabletop used as a staging platform for a chair, a dog and some old boots!

...pix of today's bounty on the way!

Kim

Fox in the Junk House!

2011-09-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

Catching up on the first day at the Bonanza:

Fox's M.A. Roscoe interviewed Ki for the lowdown on the best junk at the Bonanza, and you can view it here.

Up next:

Scenes from the floor!

Kim

Friday at the Bonanza!

2011-09-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

Today at the Bonanza?

The sign says it all!

Pix to come!

Kim

The Earliest Early Birds, Part 2!

2011-09-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Remember Cathy and Laura from Des Moines, the EEBs patiently waiting "in line" this morning before it was light?

(EEB--Eager Early Bird)

A chance meeting late afternoon revealed they had found the Bonanza to be very fortuitous pickings indeed!

Keep watching for pix of more Bonanza bounty later today and early Friday!

Kim

The Bonanza Begins!

2011-09-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Check out that line of Early Birders!

Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of junk-loving treasure hunters braved this brrrr-worthy morning at Canterbury Park to get a two-hour head start on the fabulous shopping within!

(Given my point and shoot telephone camera and attendant shooting skills, I only captured a fraction!)

The Voice of the Bonanza, John Whaley, took the chill off

with hot mini-doughnuts for all intrepid linemates.

Which just goes to show that the Early Bird gets more than just the junk!

Check back later today for more photos of first-day fun!

Kim

The Earliest Early Birds!

2011-09-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

Look who was patiently waiting to purchase their Early Bird tickets first thing this morning (think 6 a.m.-ish!)?

Meet Laura and Cathy from Des Moines, Iowa, of the Rusty Pumpkin. They don't have a booth, just a powerful yen for junk!

Check back soon for an Early Bird update! (Your faithful scribe is seriously in need of coffee!)

Kim

Meet the Junk Bonanza Team!

2011-09-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Who's counting?

We are!

We're one day away from the start of the Bonanza and we can barely wait to share the bounty of beauteous, rusty, crusty, vintage, antique, repurposed, upcycled, salvaged and gorgeous goods galore!

To say nothing of the great fun with like-minded junking enthusiasts!

Here's our crew, front and back!

Front:

Emily Gabrelcik is the Bonanza's super-efficient Event Manager who juggles all with elan and elegance.

Em by the numbers: 2 laptops, 2 phones, 1 rare vintage seltzer bottle and she rarely travels without 9 pairs of shoes!

The unflappable Ki Nassauer flashes her signature smile. No one would guess she survived a canceled flight, a re-route through Indianapolis and several hours worth of bad airport music before this picture was taken. She's the consummate pro.

Ki by the numbers: 130 vendors, 3 Flea Market Style issues, 6 Bonanzas, 2 fabulous kids and 1 really big heart!

Back:

That's me, Kim Yeager, your crazy-tressed yet mild-mannered blogger/slash/Bonanza marketer. Do I look blissed out to be in such august company? You bet I am!

Kim by the numbers: 1 teenager, 1 design business, 1 supportive husband, 2 geriatric rescue cats and too many leaky pens!

John Whaley, the Voice of the Bonanza and Midwest promoter, keeps things lively with his glib patter and sylvan tones!

John by the numbers: 1 microphone, countless stops to promote JB, hundreds of mini-doughnuts distributed to Early Birders and several inches of glorious mane!

Irene Standa is the official Bonanza glue. Without her deft touch, few of the operations, from organizing to before and after tasks to hiring for a myriad of jobs, would run as seamlessly. She's poetry amidst the commotion!

Irene by the numbers: 2 arms that dispense extra-strength hugs, 1 new grandchild, 1 lipstick in her pocket at all times and many, many hats!

Finally, Jane Hall, the Bonanza vendor wrangler. She is the go-to conduit for vendor needs, wants, hopes and dreams. It's a full-time job that she makes look easy!

Jane by the numbers:

1 occasional sale, 1 van converted into a traveling "junk office," 2 outbuildings crammed with stuff, 10 daily diet Cokes and 15 DC caps (because she'll scrounge yours if you throw them away.)

That's us by the numbers! With the addition of you, we're expecting this to add up to one fabulous Junk Bonanza!

Until tomorrow!

Kim

Blog Updates Live from the Bonanza!

2011-09-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Can't attend the Junk Bonanza?

Fear not!

Check this blog throughout the three-day event, starting tomorrow, Thursday!

Your humble Bonanza scribe will be penning posts and uploading photos to bring you all the fun and fooferall! (But don't worry, my typing is much better than my cursive!)

Sign on to be a follower if you haven't already; you'll get an alert each time a new post goes up!

It's the next best thing to being there!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Country Keepsakes

2011-09-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

Vendor Janis Archer of Country Keepsakes in Minnetonka, Minn., is back for year five!

Specialties of the house: Retro and color!

Find her on Etsy: Dime Store Vintage.

Her other "day job": A woodworking business she shares with her husband. "We make and sell wood Ampersands and signs online and at the General Store of Minnetonka and at art fairs and local boutiques."

Hooked on junking since: She bought an antique beaded bag at a church rummage sale when she was 12.

Best Bonanza piece: A six-foot tall concrete Totem pole.

Bringing to the Bonanza: Graphic textiles, litho game boards, vintage costume jewelry ("a girl can't have enough bracelets!"), restaurant china, globes and instant collections of kitschy trinkets.

Best junking find: A 1960s Bonnie Cashin Coach purse at the Arc Value Village Thrift Store in Richfield, Minn. I love it because it has a sweet little coin purse attached to the front.

Funniest Bonanza memory: The very wet year the vendors in the tent got plastic rain bonnets from Ki!

Can't junk without: Duct tape and Windex.

No one would guess: "I order Happy Meals for myself. I love the toys!"

And we love...all things Bonanza!

Thanks for spending these past months with us as we've highlighted a few of the fabulous vendors who help make the Bonanza the Best Junk Round-up in the Midwest!

Check back tomorrow when the Bonanza starts! That's when we'll start a series of posts documenting the fun under way at Canterbury Park! Who knows, you might just see yourself!

Happy junking! Let the treasure hunt begin!

Kim

Not empty for long...

2011-09-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

This is what the Junk Bonanza floor plan looked like earlier today, before the Early Bird vendors started to arrive!

Take a good look! Remember what this looks like!

In a few short days, all this will be gone...

...and filled with gobs of glorious junk...

... and fabulous friends!

Can't wait to see you at the Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Tamara/Sheer Addiction

2011-09-13T04:30:00.000-07:00

Full-time jewelry designer Tamara Schafhauser is transporting her Sheer Addiction studio from downtown Hudson, Wis., to the Bonanza as a fourth-year vendor.

Rare materials: Uses old brass stampings from New York, Paris and Belgium.

Brush with fame: "My pieces landed on American Idol (Kimberly Locke and Ryan Seacrest)."

Bringing to the Bonanza: Lots of vintage lockets!

Best find ever: " A rare stamping that my husband found while on a trip to Paris. I treasure that piece!"

Find her: TAMARA/ Sheer Addiction and on Facebook.

All Bonanza moments are funny:" We are laughing most of the time!"

No one would guess: "I wanted to be to be a news anchor but ended up living in Europe and designing" instead.

Bonus: Tamara is giving away a free pair of earrings Thursday to each purchaser of goods worth $40 or more!

Most indispensable staples: Wet wipes for my hands and a sense of humor.

A sense of humor is always useful! We'll have ours at the ready at the Junk Bonanza, which opens for business in two days. Will we see you there?!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Hastings Gift, Garden and Floral

2011-09-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

Christine Schaffer of Hastings (Minn.) Gift, Garden and Floral is making her first Junk Bonanza foray.

Find her store: on Facebook.

Specializes in: rural and garden finds with an "odds and ends" section in the store devoted to her passion.

Got her start: As a little girl, helping in her mom's antique store and attending auctions.

Bringing to the Bonanza: Treasures unearthed from the depths of her storage barn.

Best junking find: A kerosene can and crate cupboard in Australia. "It was really rustic and at the time no one even understood it. Later it sold to an Aussie aristocrat when the primitive Australiana look became popular."

You would never guess: She antiques on her motorcycle and if she wants something badly enough (that won't fit on the bike), she'll drive a car/truck/trailer back for it.

One thing we know about junkers, they are a resourceful lot. Have you found any Australian aristocrats lately?! Get ready to discover the mother lode of resources...in just three short days!

Kim

Vendor Profile: A Vintage Touch

2011-09-12T04:30:00.000-07:00

Returning vendor Maria Leary of A Vintage Touch knows that sew-sew is never so-so! Some info:

Find her: in her studio over the garage in Excelsior, Minn., on etsy.com and in Minnesota at Cottage Chicks in Deephaven, Very Vintage in Litchfield and Weeds & Reeds in New Ulm.

Her niche: Creates one-of-a-kind children's boutique clothing and bags/purses from vintage textiles.

She loves: The hunt for vintage feedsack fabric and old barkcloth.

Her other "day job": Mom to three kids.

What started it all: A dress for my daughter sewn from a vintage tablecloth.

Bringing to the Bonanza: A booth built around a nursery theme with old dressers repourposed as changing tables, baby room decor and new barkcloth bag styles.

Best Bonanza memory: "I had a beautiful pink quilt last year that I wasn't sure I wanted to sell. A young woman wanted to buy it but it was a little more than she could spend. Her husband told her that she could purchase it if she didn't find anything else and it was still there at the end of the day. I secretly put it on hold for her because I knew how much she wanted it. She came back at the end of the day and I gave her a good price because I knew she would treasure it."

People would never guess: "I'm very shy. Junk Bonanza takes me out of my comfort zone but in a great way."

Can't work without: "My 1950's Husqvarna Viking Type 21 sewing machine. I actually have two! Greatest sewing machine ever and it's vintage so it looks great in my studio."

Here's what looks great: Preparations for the Junk Bonanza! We'll be seeing you (and we know you'll look great, too!) in just three days!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Studio CeCe

2011-09-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

Chris Engstrom and Carla Callies return to the Bonanza for the fourth year as Studio CeCe. Some things you should know about this team from La Crosse, Wis.:

They specialize in: "We’re color experts. Expect to see striking colors in unusual ways."

Their other "day jobs": Carla is an interior designer for 32 years. Chris is a free-lance event specialist.

Got their start: While doing a home consult for Chris, Carla asked her if she "wanted to sell any of her loot."

Best Bonanza piece: A collection of old Minneapolis Star paper route bags.

Bringing to the Bonanza: Decorative tassels made from vintage salt and pepper shakers.

Best find ever: "An Art Deco vanity that was converted to a bar, and hey, it’s for sale this year at Junk Bonanza!"

No time for Bonanza memories: We’ve been so busy helping customers that it’s all a blur!

No one would guess: Carla is fanatic about organizing and decorating her closets and Chris rides her own Harley.

They can't junk without: Open minds and willingness to dig through stashes of grimy treasures.

Luckily for us, the wonderful vendors of the Junk Bonanza have already done the digging!

All we have to do is show up and enjoy! See you there...in just 4 days!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Blue Star Collections

2011-09-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

Beth Bright is bringing Blue Star Collections to the Bonanza for the fourth year!

Formerly of Spencer, Iowa, now Superior, Beth would like you to know she "is a junker from way back!"

Some other facts to mull:

Special slice: "A bit of everything. Love putting it all together."

Spends her days: "Refurbishing The Church [opening this fall.] A full-time job."

Got her start: 9 years ago, by just collecting "until the shed was full!"

Best piece she brought to the Bonanza: An old printing table.

Even better this year: Industrial items.

Best finds: On the curb. Free, and you never know what you'll find.

Best Bonanza moment: "Hmmm, it's all funny trying to cram it all in to one spot."

No one would guess: she's skydived.

Can't work without: Paintbrush and a hammer, "and of course, my husband, the Junk Hunk."

No matter what your "go-to" tool is, we're glad to have you on board for the Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Storehouse Antiques

2011-09-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dawn Fellows of Storehouse Antiques in Blue Earth, Minn., does shows only, and is looking forward to her third Junk Bonanza appearance. Here's the 411 on her (and the stories, plural, about the green chair!):

Specializes in: Rough, primitive items. "I buy by feeling; what moves me I make mine to sell. I am drawn to items that were useful, like if they could speak they would have colorful tales to tell. I sometimes feel that I'm saving them to be appreciated again by the buyers at our booth!"

Her other "day job": Operations coordinator for Southern Minnesota Surgical Inc.

Bought her first item: At an auction, age 7 or 8. "I bought an old wood silverware box. I also credit Susie McConville, Ms. Mac's Antiques for making me see that I could do this! Ki, in Junk Market days, also made me believe that it was worth doing this!"

Best Bonanza piece: "A very '50s style, vintage, grass green upholstered chair. Perfect condition. Loved that chair, it was perfect!"

Best find ever: "When I purchased the green chair, the auctioneer picked up a storage bag of items and placed it with the chair to sell. I wanted that chair so badly, I didn't pay attention to the bag. Got home, opened the bag to find three beautiful, in perfect condition, handmade quilts. Gorgeous. It almost felt as though I should give them back."

She absolutely loves: Bonanza neighbor Cammie M!

No one would guess: "How I secretly yearn to figure out a way to only play with "junk" the remainder of my days and make it my only real job!"

Can't junk without: "Cash, baby!"

Ah, cash. Whether you call it the folding green, lettuce, lolly, lucre or moolah, we're sure of one thing: You'll want to bring plenty to finance your lovely Bonanza finds! Happy shopping to you!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Rhubarb Co. Store

2011-09-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

Judi Shackelford, sometimes called "Judi Rhubarb," is a six-time vendor. Her Rhubarb Company Store has had many venues over the years, but always comes "home" to the Bonanza in September. Some fun facts:

Lives in: Deephaven, Minn., but loves her cabin "up at the lake."

Junking is: Her day and night job.

Ditched an interior design job after many years: After getting into antiques with a friend. "It was so much fun that I never stopped junking!"

Best Bonanza item: "I did like those old rubber goose decoys last year. Serena from The Farm Chicks liked them, too, and took one home to Seattle to live on the farm!"

Bringing to the Bonanza: Something on wheels.

Favorite find: "A small display case I found up at the lake from a general store in a little town that doesn't exist any more. I really feel as if I have a piece of history."

Funniest Bonanza memory: "When we were all wandering around in the dark at Medina. Not funny for Ki, though!"

Doesn't go far without: An electric screwdriver!

In addition to power tools, we never go far without a game plan for which Bonanza booth to visit first! Have you picked yours yet?!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Seasons in Carver

2011-09-09T04:30:00.000-07:00

Sara Smith's Seasons in Carver (Minn.) occasional sale is making its fourth vendor appearance, but Smith's junking bona fides are older than that:

Got her start: "We lived on a farm in southwest Minnesota when I was growing up and I would scrounge around in our grove and junk pile for treasures."

What drives her: "I love to create. To take things apart and come up with a totally unique creation!" The bicycle seats, doll heads and tin cans pictured will all appear at this year's Bonanza in upcycled form!

Best piece she's brought to the Bonanza: Baseball flowers.

Bringing this year: "Can't tell you....then I would have to kill you! You'll have to show up to find out. But it is sweet!"

Best Bonanza memory: "Three of my sisters surprised me when they showed up at my house a couple of weeks before the show to help me with my Junk Bonanza creations!"

No one would guess: I think I'm funny.

Indispensable junking staple: "How my brain works!"

Sara's brain is one of several remarkably creative noggins that have been working overtime to bring you a spectacular Bonanza experience! We can't wait to see you...in 6 short days!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Relic Charm

2011-09-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

Newbie vendor Relic Charm's daughter-father duo, Jenny Kroeger and Lonny Piche, are full-time junkers, retailing from their space at J & E Antiques in St. Paul, Minn.

In the genes: "My dad, Lonny, has been doing this for almost 40 years so I have grown up surrounded by antiques."

Family affair: Lonny's brother Dave got started when Ely, their father, "thought it would be nice to have help moving all that big furniture!"

Bringing to the Bonanza: "Still getting our Bonanza pieces together so we will have to wait and see. Did find some fantastic things on our trip to the East Coast, though!"

Best junking find: Great metal flourishes with a yellow paint patina on them "that are just fabulous and such a fun color."

Can't junk without: A truck to get it all back to the shop in!

We hope you're arranging transport for all of the fun finds you'll be hauling home from the Junk Bonanza!

Kim

Early Bird Tickets Still Available!

2011-09-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

Calling all Junk Bonanza Early Birds!

It's not too late!

You can still get your tickets for early entrance Thursday, Sept. 15, the first day of the Bonanza!

Early Birders get in at 8 a.m., two hours before general admission, for first crack at all the fabulous swag! The $25 price also serves as your free admission for Friday and Saturday, too!

Want an Early Bird?

You can order them right up until the day before the Bonanza, Wednesday the 13th, and pick them up at the Bonanza's will call window.

And for all you procrastinators out there, you can purchase the Early Bird the day of, on site, at Canterbury Park!

Come join the fun! Order your tickets here! We can't wait to see you at the Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Just Claudia

2011-09-07T04:30:00.000-07:00

First-year vendor Claudia Gronniger is bringing her Just Claudia "urban metals, crusty rusty loot with dazzling chandeliers" to the Bonanza! Some things to know:

From: St. Joseph in the Kansas City, Mo., area.

Her other day job: "Who wants a day job? I am a high-style junker!"

Got her start: 9 years ago in a booth before buying and selling a furniture store, selling from a boutique and moving on to shows.

Sells at: Events and shows such as Warrenton/Roundtop, and the Kansas City Bottoms Up Antique Market the first weekend of each month.

Find her: On her blog.

Junking find of a lifetime: "Four tubs of antique French crystals from a mansion that was salvaged. I dazzled my store as I hung these huge crystals from bed springs and beams."

Most indispensable junking staple: "My husband! He hauls, hangs, fixes and loves my junk!"

We all love junk! Prepare to be dazzled at the Junk Bonanza, a mere eight days away!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Mustard Moon

2011-09-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Jane Hall, owner of the Mustard Moon occasional sale in Carver, Minn., has been with the Bonanza "since Day 1" in 2006. She is also the Bonanza's wrangler, serving the needs of the event's 130 vendors. Here's the 411 on irrepressible Jane!

Got her start: "I quit my job as a road rep in wholesale fashion to be home with my children. As they grew I needed a "creative" outlet and had some extra old stuff from my house that I had "traded up" for better old things." Rented a small spot in an antique shop in Plato, Minn....10 years ago!

She likes her junk: "As is. I love the way time and use have worn away and tattered things, so I don't alter my goods. They are, like me, as is."

Best Bonanza piece: My 2009 booth with a bank of old lockers. You can see it on my blog. All things gray. It was a fab look and a fab sale!"

Bringing to the Bonanza: "It's a secret," but it's all stuffed inside those two sheds pictured above.

Best find ever: "This sounds cliche, but all the wonderful friends and contacts

I have made doing this. And all of the cool old junk, no favorites!"

Funniest Bonanza moment: "Bringing something up to the front check out at the first show and not being able to get back to my booth because of all the people."

Most valuable junking staple: Husband, friends and family who help before, during and after the show.

Attendees and vendors are our most valuable find! We look forward to seeing you all, en masse, in just 9 short days at the Junk Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Daffadowndilly's

2011-09-05T04:30:00.000-07:00

Daffadowndilly's owner Cammie Metheny is a Junk Bonanza vet and Gal Friday, returning for a fifth year. Some fun facts about her and the stuff she stocks in her Coleridge, Neb., shop!

Her slice of the junking pie: "I like it all, but I would say the one-of-a-kinds and unusually special objects."

Got her start: Going to weekend auctions with her parents; influenced by grandmother's love of the old.

Best piece she's brought to the Bonanza: Merabella, the mermaid; she was pretty special.

Bringing this year: A religious statue that is pretty spectacular.

Best find ever: A blue and yellow creamery sign, double-sided, enamel with a maple leaf. Bought for $10 and sold for $750.

Best Bonanza memory: "One of Ki's friends, Jill, playing the accordian. Entertaining!"

PICTURED: Cammie's crew: Daughter Madison, helper Kathy, Cammie, husband David and sister Judy!

No one would guess: She has a 30-year-old son and two grandsons, 5 and 1/2 and 2.

Indispensable junking tools: Power washer, DeWalt orbital sander and Minwax satin poly.

If you've yet to visit the Junk Bonanza for the first time, you have yet to discover how indispensable you will find the ATM machines! We can't wait to meet you at the Bonanza!

Kim

The Bonanza goes Intercontinental!

2011-09-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

As part of our partnership with Etsy, the world's premier online marketplace for vintage and other handmade items also shares info about us with its members!

We thought you'd enjoy seeing them mention us on their blog listing of September events. There we are, right under their conferences in Holland and England!

We love being in such august and worldwide company, and look forward to hosting Etsy's team when the Bonanza arrives in fewer than two weeks!

Ciao, baby!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Junk Refunkery

2011-09-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

First-year vendor Dori Austin has her GPS set for the Bonanza from Boone, Iowa! Here's the 411 on Junk Refunkery!

Her specialty: The rustier and crustier the better. Also galvanized farm junk. "I have a hard time getting rid of these things, because I definitely would love them in my home!"

Her other "day job": Kindergarten and preschool teacher associate.

Holding occasional sales: For about 4 years.

Best junking find: A wire paper sack holder from a general store that keeps scrapbook paper organized.

Funniest memory as Bonanza customer: Seeing a friend who was with some other gals; they told us about their camper and described it as kind of a "hippy camper." Later, headed home on the interstate, we saw them there, too; I stuck my head out the window and we laughed and waved. "Coolest flower wheels I have ever seen on a camper! LOL!"

No one would guess: I have four kids and two are already in college.

Can't work without: Super glue.

We've got our eyes glued to the calendar as we count down to the Junk Bonanza, only 11 days away!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Wicked Stitches

2011-09-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Beth McIntyre's first-year vendor experience must have been swell, because Wicked Stitches is returning for another engagement! Some fun facts:

Her business: in Edina, Minn., specializing in custom upholstery and draperies.

Her passion: Vintage furnishings. "I am a chair and table fanatic (my husband wishes I was into jewelry!)."

The style: vintage/rustic country French "with a smattering of whatever catches my fancy."

Modus operandi: Reupholsters, paints, strips and fixes castoffs and distressed furniture.

She's a sucker for: Great legs and curvy shapes.

Favorite Bonanza piece: "The Union Jack chest I hand painted last year. People came from all over the show just to take a look."

Bringing this time: Chairs, settees upholstered in linen and tables and dressers painted in cream, green, gray, red and Swedish Blue. Plus vintage decorative smalls.

Happy that: Her Honda Odyssey is still going strong.

We hope your transportation to the Junk Bonanza is just as reliable! Whether arriving by plane, train or automobile, we look forward to meeting you at the Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Rescued Junk by Old Crow Farm

2011-09-02T04:30:00.000-07:00

Rescued Junk by Old Crow Farm is trekking to the Bonanza for the first time from its post north of Winterset, Iowa. Some bits and pieces about Kasey and Jordana, aka Jojo, Henke:

They met: Bidding against each other at a local auction.

They loved the hunt too much: "It resulted in lots and lots of junk! Too much for just us.When we purchased a small acreage just north of Winterset, Iowa. the beautiful country side & rolling hills made the perfect setting to have junk events. We started with a yard sale, it grew into three vintage markets a year, and now we have renovated an old building in our town where we host monthly vintage markets."

Side project: Raising two little junkers-in-training.

Shop them: on Etsy or at the monthly sales.

Read all about it: www.oldcrowfarmantiques.blogspot.com.

Specializing in: All things chippy, metal, wood, concrete and salvaged.

They only buy: Junk that makes their hearts skip a beat.

Your heart will, too, once you size up all the bounty the Bonanza has to offer. Are you counting down the days? Allow me: Only 13 days to go!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Lori Olson Creations

2011-09-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

What do you want to know about the eponymous Lori Olson, whose Lori Olson Creations is making its fifth vendor appearance?

Describes her Eden Prairie, Minn., business: "I am your basic one-stop shop for junk. A little bit of everything for everyone."

Favorite Bonanza piece: "A huge wood Donnay tennis racket probably 4 feet long that had been a salesman's store prop. Everything about it was real. And it was the exact duplicate of their line of rackets in the day, just bigger! The woman who bought it was so excited. Her husband was a tennis fanatic and the racket he learned to play on and played with in college had been a

wooden Donnay racket just like the one I had. She was going to hang it on a wall in their family room surrounded by old pictures and new pictures of her husband and the whole family enjoying tennis. Sigh!"

Bringing this year: A tall metal and wood case that someone built for their workshop but is going to morph into the perfect storage for some scrapbooker or creative type.

Best find ever: "I bought a built-in buffet style cupboard for $3 from the owners of a little old house that was being remodeled. It was missing one end and the back was pretty rough but the matching paned windowed doors on either side with drawers down the middle were all I needed to see and home it came. My handy carpenter husband went to work and replaced the back with old beadboard and fixed the missing end with oak boards, added a little molding to cover the patching, a couple coats of creamy white paint, some gorgeous glass knobs and a star was born! So much so that we re-designed the new built-ins we were in the process of installing in the living room to match the buffet down to the last detail. And the best part is the look on people's faces when I tell them I paid $3 for that beautiful buffet."

Best Bonanza moment: Being there during the sale is such a thrill. "The atmosphere is electric and the booths are literally eye candy. I feel so proud just being a part of it all."

Can't work without: Sandpaper. The more aged the better.

No one would guess: "I didn't eat mayonnaise until I was 40 years old. I was sure I wouldn't like it. Wrong."

Calling all lovers of mayo, picky eaters and gastronomes here and abroad! Food is served at the Junk Bonanza, though it is the vendors' goods that provide a feast for the senses!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Lisa Souers Designs

2011-08-31T03:50:00.000-07:00

Lisa Souers of Lisa Souers Designs wants everyone to know it doesn't rain all the time in Yakima, Wash. The jewelry artist is a newbie vendor. Some fun facts:

Blogs at: www.LisaSouers.typepad.com

An avid junker: "I end up in the filty garages fighting for the industrial, metal, scrappy pieces with the best of the men folk."

Loves: Waking up super early.

Hates: Being second in line at estate sales.

Her other day job: Clinical mental health therapist.

Bringing to the Bonanza: Soldered metal and paper pieces.

Best junking find: A pre-WWII pair of Red Line Levi's, never worn, for $5 bucks. Sold to a dealer for $1,800 who sold them to a dealer in Japan for $3,200. Found them in a "hoarder" estate sale "that I dug in for eight straight hours with a flashlight as there wasn't any power."

No one would guess: I can be quite shy and reserved.

Can't work without: Sharpie and roll of masking tape for marking items "sold."

With more than 130 fabulous vendors, we expect a lot of "sold" stickers before the Bonanza ends!

Kim

Oronoco Junk Bonanza tickets winner!

2011-08-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Danielle Herold of Apple Valley, Minn., the lucky winner of the drawing at the Bonanza booth at the Oronoco Gold Rush!

Danielle won two VIP tickets to the Junk Bonanza Sept. 15-17, a junking hat and tote plus a copy of the fresh-from-the-printer fall issue of Flea Market Style magazine!

Thanks to all who participated, and do not despair!

You can purchase Early Bird tickets to the Bonanza here, regular tickets at the door, and the new FMS mag is starting to appear on newsstands and in stores near you now!

See you at the Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Vintage Home Accents

2011-08-30T04:30:00.000-07:00

Todd Krueger is bringing Vintage Home Accents from Appleton, Wis., to the Bonanza for his first vendor visit. Some fun facts about our neighbor to the East:

His slice of the junking pie: Collects rare and unusual antiques.

This is his day job: "I was fortunate to quit my 'day job' in November 2010 and I now do this full time."

Bringing to the Bonanza: Unique home decor products made from architectural salvaged materials.

Best find ever: "Two rooms full of antique tin walls and ceiling. That first find started the process of our creations."

No one would guess: "My daughters can talk me into anything!"

Can't work without: Tin shears.

We are suffused with sheer pleasure as the Junk Bonanza draws nigh! Have you filed your flight plan yet?

Kim

Vendor Profile: Nancy Polacek Design

2011-08-29T04:30:00.000-07:00

Nancy Polacek of Nancy Polacek Design sews from several areas of her Southwest Minneapolis home. Some scraps of info about this third-time vendor:

Her first name: "I used to swap the Y with an I and then draw a little heart over it but then I graduated from sixth grade. Also, I caught my parents smirking."

That's not hoarding: "I have three sewing machines in use at any one time and six vintage machines waiting in the wings in case one breaks down and can't be fixed that very day."

20-year evolution: From fixing up finds to sewing furniture accessories to sewing with old fabrics.
The bonus: "Now my junking quarry can be carried home in my suitcase. I've been known to leave some of my clothes behind so I can fit newly purchased vintage fabric in my carry-on.''

Learned to thread a sewing machine: In junior high, but never listened to the beleaguered Home Ec teacher.

But in college: "I borrowed my Mom's Kenmore and went to town. She actually had to buy me a machine for Christmas so she could get hers back."

Had four children: As an "excuse to sew more cute outfits, I suspect."

Bringing to the Bonanza: Funky, odd pillows and accessories made from vintage and laser-jet printed fabrics. Among them: pot holders, featured in the fall issue of Flea Market Style mag.

Find her wares: in her Etsy shop.

Junk Bonanza is: "a rolling stone of inspiration for me every year and I can't wait to see what all the other vendors have gathered. 'Bring it!' takes on a whole new meaning!"

By all means, bring on the Bonanza! It's 17 days and counting!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Knick Knack Report

2011-08-28T04:30:00.001-07:00

The mother-daughter duo behind the Knick Knack Report, Pat and Kindra Murphy, are first-time Bonanza vendors! Here's the 411 on the two, who live in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Minneapolis, respectively:

Specialty of the house: Vintage textiles, buttons, millinery, signage, ephemera.

Their other jobs: Textile artist and graphic designer.

Got their start: In the 1970s. Pat would drag Kindra along. "It didn't take long for it to become a family affair."

Best find ever: A box of calico buttons from old store stock. So rare!

Can't junk without: Good shoes.

So right. Be sure you are sensibly shod for your foray through miles of aisles at the Junk Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Donna's Daughters

2011-08-27T04:30:00.000-07:00

Things to know about Karla Lewison and Ann Stakston, making their second vendor appearance at the Junk Bonanza!

Karla's store: Donna's Daughters, Coon Valley, Wis., specializing in vintage upcycled and crafts.

Ann's annual sale: The Barnyard Sale in Cashton, Wis., specializing in chippy painted furniture, architectural pieces, pottery.

Their other lives: Ann: Newly retired from 41 yrs of nursing. Karla: Works part time in a floral shop.

Karla makes: Note holders from unusual items.

Ann's favorite junking accessory: Her husband, because he can repair anything!

Their best Bonanza memory: "All the creative back drops that the vendors had. And our funniest memory had to be almost taking out a fire hydrant with our trailer!"

We can promise you excitement at the Junk Bonanza, and we can't rule out whether any near-misses will be involved!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Good Junk Garage

2011-08-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

Third-year vendor Tom Meidl of the Good Junk Garage, an occasional shop in Carver, Minn., said he got his start junking "on a bicycle, about 40 years ago." Some Meidl musings:

Besides the bike, he: Hauled treasures home with his mother's "taxi" service.

His niche: "I'm kind of a raw materials guy, and much more rust than ruffles."

Best Bonanza piece: "The first year I had a cool metal dental cabinet painted turquoise. Last year I brought a 100-year-old pharmacist’s pill-labeling cabinet, still filled with rolls of labels. The same customer bought both pieces for her craft room."

Funniest Bonanza moment: "Well, it took me all day [Lucky] Friday to figure out whythere was a Leprechaun walking around giving out Lucky Charms last year.''

Best find: "Back at the dump, 40 years ago, on my bicycle, I found a bunch of building materials. My mom had to drive me back there and we filled her trunk. Then she needed a platform for the dryer to keep it from getting wet when the washer tubs overflowed. I built the platform out of my scrap lumber and that was my first 'justification' for my newfound hobby. Many of you out there know what I’m talking about."

No one would guess: "I was once a musician in a Keystone Kop band at Valleyfair theme park."

Find him: on Facebook.

Can't junk without: my truck and my imagination!

You don't have to be too imaginative to think about all the fun you'll have once you get to the Junk Bonanza! Have you put your Googlemap together yet?!!

Kim

Vendor Profile: XO Handworks

2011-08-25T04:30:00.000-07:00

Fourth-year vendor Tam Helmin creates her XO Handworks goods from a home studio in Osseo, Minn. The junking gospel according to Tam:

Her metier: Employs vintage maps, dictionaries, game pieces and other ephemera to make jewelry and accessories.

She loves: To make stuff, to be her own boss and set her own schedule.

Best piece she brings to the Bonanza: Something, usually a map pendant or keychain, that speaks to the memories of a special time. "I love to hear people tell about how their heart is connected to a specific place and share the enjoyment of having a piece that is so satisfying to them."

Bringing this year: More Nancy Drew pendants.

Best junking find: "My wedding ring, at an antique show 24 years ago."

Funniest Bonanza memory: Ki and Jane passing out candles when power was lost in Medina.

Indispensible tool: Fiskars scissors.

No one would guess: "I used to help on my Dad's car racing crew and once drove 100 mph down an empty Texas road. Now I almost always use cruise control to make sure I don't drive too fast."

We hope you obey all pertinent traffic laws in your sprint to get to the Junk Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Gracie's Cottage/Down Lilac Lane

2011-08-24T04:30:00.000-07:00

Wisconsinites Jan Groen of Gracie's Cottage in Waterford and Kathy Gill of Down Lilac Lane in Milwaukee are returning vendors, year two. Some things to know about this vintage-loving duo:

Their slice of the junking pie: Jan: Letters, numbers, ephemera, "schnibbles and bits."Kathy: The funky, offbeat and eclectic.

Find them: Kathy's and Jan's etsy shops; Gracie's Cottage blog and Facebook page.

Best piece they brought last year: Jan's large ice cream cone sign and Kathy's vintage pharmacy prescription storage boxes.

Best Bonanza memory: Meeting Tamarah from Australia last year, after having "met" her in the blogosphere.

They can't work without: Jan: "Wet wipes. I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but I can't stand having them dirty for long! Kathy surprised me with a 'junking kit' for my birthday. It's a small tote loaded with everything a girl might possibly need while in search of great junk!" Kathy: Agrees with wipes, would "have to rank work gloves, flashlight and GPS right up there."

Also indispensable? The Junk Bonanza! Have you decided what bag is best for tucking away all of those tiny treasures you are sure to find?

Kim

Vendor Profile: Haupt Antiek Market

2011-08-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

The ever-humorous Deb Haupt of Haupt Antiek Market in Apple Valley, Minn., likes to call this "getting a leg up on sales." More fun facts:

Her slice of the junking pie: "My husband and I travel to Europe to shop the flea markets of France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands and ship home one-of-a-kind finds."

Related sidelight: They take groups of shoppers along for European shopping trips. Next up: Oct. 10-19, to Provence, France.

Best piece she's hauled to the Bonanza: Metal washstands from Europe.

Best junking find: An iron piece that covered a window in an old barn in Germany.

Been with the Bonanza: "Since the beginning! I was involved when it was just 18 extra vendors at the Long Lake Junk Market."

She loves: The camaraderie among vendors.

Funniest Bonanza memory: "When the lights went off in Medina and we had to scramble around in the dark."

Can't junk without: GPS.

No one would guess: She would love to get her Christmas cards out on time.

We're all about being on time! For your planning purposes, it is only 23 days until the Junk Bonanza!

Kim

Vendor Profile: Mimi-Toria's Jewelry Designs

2011-08-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

Gretchen Schaumann of Mimi-Toria's Jewelry Designs creates vintage redesigned one-of-a-kind jewelry using antique and unusual found elements. More about her and the work she does in her Champlin, Minn., studio:

Vintage elements: Compasses, watch fobs, bus tokens, hardware, keys, glass beads and jewelry, brass tags, tiny porcelain dolls, pocket watch parts and silverware, among others.

Got her start: With vintage found elements from childhood. "These pieces were family items found in our attic as a kid, and were from my Grandmother's stashes." Started 17 years ago and established it as a business in 1995 "and I've never looked back."

Best junking find: "A large stash of awesome hardware elements with wonderful patina at a fabulous price. That is a rare occurrence."

Grateful for: A few fabulous pickers.

Vendor for: 3 years.

Best Bonanza memory: Picking one doesn't work! Too many to pick, "but the awesome customers, shoppers and vendors are always wrapped into the incredible memories I treasure each and every year."

No one would guess: I used to hide behind my parents out of shyness.

Indispensible tool: Round nose plier. A jewelry designer's details would look quite shabby and shoddy without this tool.

The only shabby you'll find at the Junk Bonanza is the chic and the desirable! Have you made your travel plans yet?! See you there!

Kim