Tis the Season.........for Birthday Parties and Round Top, Texas!

You may wonder what birthday parties and Round Top, Texas have in common.

In my world, a lot.

My younger daughter was born on March 30, and each year I am faced with the dilemma of when to head over to Round Top and when to celebrate her birthday! Dealers begin setting up in the surrounding towns and at different shows around mid March, and then continue on into the first weekend of April. Each year I plan a little differently - sometimes to go early and "hit the fields",  as we say, and some years I go later, and go to Marburger Farm and the original Round Top Show. 

Both of these images were taken from a fabulous website with the best guide to this season in Texas.

The Cactus Creek Daily, edited by Texas native, Fancy Smith, is full of great tips on antiquing as well as other design and decorative info. Check out the website for a great read!

Did I mention that March 30 is also our anniversary? So, every spring it gets just a little touchy as to exactly when Mom heads out to go antiquing.

So, first things first - this weekend we celebrated my daughter's 16th birthday.....shhhh.... I know the 30th isn't until Tuesday, but we decided a Friday night was better for a party than a Tuesday anyway.

I set up tables and chairs on the back porch,  flung an assortment of cotton tablecloths over them, and finished them off with a few candles and Gerbera daisies in shallow, round pots.

With the help of my talented and creative friend,John Phelps, aka "JP", we had a true southern dinner for 30 teenagers - complete with a roaring outdoor fire and lots of tunes. We served fried chicken, twice baked potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, and drop biscuits with chives and bacon. As JP called the event, "Hannah's Carbo Load Birthday Dinner".

Oh, and carrot cake with cream cheese icing and a vanilla cake with chocolate mousse filling!

  In spite of a bit too much wind, we had a perfect evening for outdoor dining and it was just cool enough have a fire. Texas weather is unpredictable and often we go straight from freezing to death to positively burning up, so it is so nice to actually have some weather that is neither too hot or too cold.

Hannah and Dad try to light the candles in spite of the strong breeze - lots of hands to block the wind!

So, a wonderful time was had by all,  and now I can think about next week and my trek over to some  the best antiquing ever! 

After waking my precious baby girl up on Tuesday morning, wishing her a wonderful birthday and of course, wishing my husband a wonderful anniversary day as well, I will head east on Highway 290, through Austin and on into the next prettiest part of Texas (next to us, the actual hill country).....through the rolling hills and on to the the fields, of wildflowers and antique dealers!

First stop will be Marburger Farms, as the it opens on Tuesday morning. Last fall I found several treasures at this show and learned of a funny coincidence after writing my following blog post, as well.

I wrote about this dealer, Mary Jackson, and about several items I bought from her. Little did I know that Joni of Cote de Texas fame, bought the clock that is in this photo. Only later did she write to me that I had a picture of her clock! We did not see each other at the show, so I guess she came along after I shot this photo and bought her clock! There are so many dealers there, though, so it is funny that she and I would buy from the same one!

I don't remember whose booth this was, but I do remember thinking that big pink iron piece on the wall was so cool. Wonder who got it and where it is now?

Loved all the beautiful things in this booth. The show is too large and the variety too vast to possibly cover in one blog post.

I snagged this photo below from Fancy, too, because Richard Schmidt  is an amazing jewelry designer whose work I just love. I bought several pieces from him a year ago and look forward to visiting with him and his lovely wife again. 

You can find Richard on the square in the actual town of Round Top during the shows. He and his wife are delightful and so, so talented. I learned of his work originally from my sweet sister in law, Tanya!

Photo  Richard Schmidt Designs website.


As much as I love all of the venues during this antiquing season in Texas, I am sentimental about the original Round Top Antiques Show. I have shopped it for years, helped my dear friend and seasoned antique dealer, Barbara, with her booth for many years,  and sold at the show in the red barn a few times. I always love seeing the show and it never disappoints.

Photo by Tre Dunham in Texas Homes and Living

 My good friends, Randy Nicholson and Joe Dobbs, always set up a spectacular booth, and this one a few shows back was a showstopper. I wanted these wonderful horses, but they were already sold and going to Belgium!

There are those who believe that the only true treasures (aka bargains) to be found are in the fields and not in the organized shows. To them I say,  you really, really do not know what you are missing. There are so many dealers from so many places who set up in the various shows, and there are as many different styles and antiques as there are dealers. 

The Round Top show is no different. Yes, you will find the very early, very expensive, museum quality American antiques at this show, and those certainly have their place in the hearts and homes of many collectors, but you also find the vintage, the quirky, the trendy. There are some amazingly talented dealers who set up the most beautiful and creative booths and I love seeing every bit of it!


Two old friends, and one time Fredericksburg locals, Ed and Michael, have the fabulous shop, Leftovers in Brenham, Texas...just down the road from Round Top.

Photo from Leftovers Home and Mercantile, Brenham, Texas


They also set up in the big red barn, part of the original Round Top Antiques Show, and always have an amazing booth full of unusual and fabulous finds!

I could go on and on about all the great dealers and shows I am about to visit, but it is late and a girl must get her sleep to build up endurance for the antiquing journey.

Stay tuned for a report when I get back, and thank you to those who read this far and never give up on me when I don't post for days on end. Life gets in the way sometimes, but I do love this blog thing when I can get to it. 

Good night, but not good bye.