Hi Friends!
There were just two antiques on my wish list this weekend ~ a small metal flower frog (to hold a handmade card as I photograph it) and a small table for our front porch (just big enough to hold a crock of garden flowers and a glass of iced tea). I knew it would take some searching! Would these timeworn treasures be there waiting to be discovered? We knew where we could search… and I was so excited!
We left very early on Saturday morning and drove through beautiful farm country to the quaint, little town of Morris, Illinois. It was time for the 3 French Hens French Country Market. It’s always a fun-filled day, enjoying antiques, handmade wares by talented artisans, repurposed treasures, flower markets, live acoustic music, tempting homemade foods, and the friendliest people anywhere!
A wonderful place to find treasures! The 3 French Hens French Country Market is one of the top-rated antique markets in the Midwest.
The 3 French Hens French Country Market is held on the second Saturday of the the month, May through October. It’s good to arrive early, as the little town quickly fills with visitors! Everyone is headed to Canalport Park, on the banks of the historic I&M Canal. We’ve been going for the past three years. It’s always a delightful place to spend the day antiquing, in the Spring, Summer, or Fall.
This pretty park sits along the the peaceful waterway. The footbridge is part of a shady walking trail.
There was so much to see on Saturday morning! Antiques of all kinds… I knew you would want to take a peek…
Antique tables, toolboxes, baskets and a beautiful trunk.
Treasures from the past filled with charm!
Hmmm! Do you like the white one…
Or… do you like the black one better? We stopped to help a friendly shopper decide. I think she was very lucky to buy either piece!
Repurposed planters made pretty container gardens.
The French Country Market was filled with les fleurs! There were bedding plants, hanging baskets, unique container gardens, and charming ways to display colorful flowers. (We’ve been through such a long, hard winter. We all need flowers!!)
Flowers galore, just in time for our Spring gardens!
Delightful for a front porch!
Vintage plates add a special touch to this flower basket.
It was definitely a perfect Spring day to hunt for treasures!
Talented musicians added the perfect accompaniment to our morning. Beautiful crabapple trees throughout the park added a festive touch of Springtime!
We made our way to the 3 French Hens’ lovely display. These talented women organize the event and offer unique wares. Vintage charm filled every nook and cranny of their display ~ chandeliers hanging from the trees and bunting, made of vintage lace, draped from tree to tree. Take a peek at some of their garden signs…
What a wonderful morning filled with inspiration! I came home with so many creative ideas to add a bit of vintage charm to our garden, front porch, and deck. The timing couldn’t be more perfect! It’s time to plant our Spring containers and turn the front porch into our Summer living room. Oh, remember the two antiques on my wish list? Halfway through the French Country Market, I found an old metal flower frog that will hold a handmade card just perfectly.
A bit later, I realized that I had made a big mistake by passing up the cutest pair of floral garden boots! They weren’t even my size, but they were perfect to stand by a big pot of flowers on the front porch. My sweet husband went back to find them. Imagine what the lady thought as he came to buy flowery garden boots! She smiled as he explained that his wife really needed these boots! Happily, my husband found a special treasure of his own ~ a very old Greek drachma coin. Treasures come in all sizes!
As I was walking back to our meeting place, guess what I spotted? There it was… a shabby, white table just large enough to hold a crock of garden flowers and a glass of iced tea! It was a perfect ending to a perfect day!
Happy Springtime!
♡ Dawn
P.S. What treasure have you been searching for? We’ll all keep our eyes open… Maybe we can find it!
Petals. Paper. Simple Thymes 