A few weeks back hubby and I headed over to Fort Payne early Saturday morning. It was US 11 Antique Alley Yard Sale weekend. Yeah, I’ve never heard of it either and I can’t believe I talked Kevin into going. My only promise was he’d be back in time to mow the yard. My brother and his wife go to the World’s Longest Yard sale in August and find the best vintage and antique goods so I’m going to get a jump start and check this one out.

This US 11 Yard Sale runs from Virginia to Mississippi for 520 miles and is the weekend after Mother’s Day. Fort Payne is the closest to us on this trail. It is a little country town with mountains at it’s back. It is near the beautiful Little River Canyon National Preserve and DeSoto State Park. It is home to the country group Alabama and was once the largest sock capital of the world. But today it is home to lots of country folk out selling their goods.

There were people in their yards, parking lots and fields set up on tables, blankets, trucks, and sidewalks. We saw just about anything you can name. I got pretty good at just looking out the window and deciding whether it was worth a stop or not. The people were really friendly and they had a story to go along with their item. The doll head pictured at the top, his momma made it back in the 70’s, in the basement, she painted it and everything. He didn’t have any wrappings so he put it in a new vacuum cleaner bag. The bottle also at the top, this guy from Tuscumbia bought it from an estate from a bottle collector in Memphis who had been collecting bottles for 40 years. This is his first year at the Antique Alley Yard Sale. I bought a lot of things from him. He had good stuff and his prices were great.

I ended up with some pretty cool things that I will be listing in my Etsy shop like bottles, lace, headvases, pictures, rolling pins, tins, and pails. And a few things I will be keeping.

Making our way along the road, this sign caught my attention and we pulled in. “Vintage Green” The women outside the store were selling homemade biscuits with sausage or bacon and homemade banana bread and pound cake for $1 each. It seems it was a church sponsored yard sale. After buying a few things from them we made our way into the store that was calling my name. I was not disappointed.

Vintage Green is a gem! Their sign says Reclaim, Repurpose, Restore.  I wished I had my camera and not just my iphone. It was a small store, located in what looks like an old factory type building. It was very creatively decorated with unexpected touches that kept you looking for more. 

The front display they had taken a dresser mirror and made it into a bed headboard but better than that, it’s a burlap covered cork board! How neat is that!! Love that idea! 

I loved this old tin topped table! I would have taken it home right then and there but someone in my party wasn’t a fan. How can you not LOVE this?? 

Garment bag made with burlap coffee bag, lined with beautiful upholstery fabric.

Don’t you love finding a neat shop? Especially by accident! I will make it a point to visit here again. I really like the idea of repurposing, things. I have a board on pinterest called “Upcycle at It’s best”. Click here to see some of my favorites. It is amazing what creative people can do. Clever people out there!

So I really liked this yard sale thing but I can’t see Kevin doing the World’s Longest Yard Sale in the August heat, I can only keep him interested with food for so long you know.

Katey