Wolff's Flea Market Blog

April 26, 2016 Today is  World Intellectual Property Day , one of our favorite holidays. Actually, at Wolff's we are concerned with  ‪#‎ counterfeits‬   ‪#‎ fakes‬  and other ‪#‎ intellectualproperty‬  every day. It's ok to talk about it. Research is ongoing!  http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/ Have you visited our Haul of Shame Counterfeit Museum in Palatine? (now closed) We take this task seriously! Prevention-Intervention-Education = PIE! A COLLAGE OF COUNTERFEITS THAT WE USE FOR EDUCATION!

This article  by Meaghan Brophy was published  in Flea Market Zone on March 21, 2016.   Balancing the Safety of your Business and the Demand for Trendy Goods March 21, 2016  by  mbrophy        Filed under  Flea Market & Swap Meet News http://fleamarketzone.com/2016/03/balancing-the-safety-of-your-business-and-the-demand-for-trendy-goods/ By Meaghan Brophy As a vendor, staying on top of the trends and providing in-demand products for your customers is the name of your game. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that just because an item is popular, does not mean it is safe. There have been rising reports of hoverboards catching fire and exploding. There have also been recent reports of United States Customs and Border Protection seizing entire shipments and warehouses full of hoverboards because of their fake trademarks and unauthorized batteries. In addition to larger retailers such as Amazon and Target pulling hover...

Although it's December and we are in Chicago, we can still dream and plan for our future flea market garden. Check back as we continue to find awesome gardening ideas and links by the original creators! Number 1: FLEA MARKET FAIRY GARDEN This adorable flea market fairy garden was made by Wolff's Crafty Kids at Wolff's Flea Market Palatine . About 12 vendor and customer children 11 years old and under added their own personal touches. They had so many ideas! I just put out miscellaneous found supplies and let them have at it. I spy. What do you see? On display HERE . HOW CUTE IS THIS! Number 2: TREE LOG PLANTER For 2 weeks I noticed 3 partially carved log bowls. I thinks they were rejects from a wood carver. A vendor won the at an auction and sold me this one for $5. I shoulda bought the others. This easy project involved just a few steps: Drill a couple holes for drainage Line with gardening cloth Fill with compost or your favorite soil blend Since this w...

This old, tired "curbside" butcher block ended up at the flea market. A little TLC transformed it into this serving cart. First I removed the yucky loose and useless shelf  A good sanding removed most of the dark stain, but I left some to show through the final finish Bottom half of cart was painted with 2 coats of dilutes Barn Red paint. Dark blue, forest green and creamy beige were also blotted on and then wiped off to add a slight weathered look. Top and painted areas were covered in 2 coats of Varathane Golden Oak semi-gloss Stain & Poly (water based). Hardware: shut off valve knob (front left), bottle opener (front right), craft fair stone hook (side right), 4 caster wheels. Shelf: I added a sanded plank of recycled cedar fencing as a removable bottom shelf Accessories: Handmade wine caddy on top and wineglass box on bottom shelf are made from recycled fencing and pallets by me (Impatient Pallets)

BY SHARON WOLFF (Photos Sharon Wolff You found your cool vintage drawer pull, but it's covered in nasty, chipping paint. Here is an easy, safe, chemical free way to remove the paint and bring out the beautiful patina of your old hardware. I COLLECT RUSTY HARDWARE. DON'T ASK ME WHY. THIS $1 FLEA MARKET FIND HAD  SEVERAL COATS OF PAINT RESIDUE. NOT THE MOST, BUT ENOUGH TO REQUIRE THIS   EASY PAINT REMOVAL METHOD. Y OU NEED: OLD POT, 1/4 C BAKING SODA, TONGS AND A  SCREWDRIVER OR OLD TOOTHBRUSH Place your item in boiling water & baking soda. Boil for 20-30 minutes, depending upon how much paint is on the item.  USE TONGS IF PAINT PEELS OF EASILY, YOU ARE DONE, OTHERWISE RETURN TO POT CAREFULLY USE A SMALL TOOL OR  TOOTHBRUSH TO GENTLY REMOVE RESIDUE BEAUTIFUL! BOTTOM LEFT, ON THE RUSTY HARDWARE WALL

Our Bottom Line:  Counterfeits are Illegal and  Banned at our Markets.  Even if they are cheap, used, cute, etc. Over the years, I have had many discussions about counterfeit purses with both vendors and customers. REAL QUOTES: "I like the purse because it is cute" "I would never buy the real thing" "I can't afford the real thing" "I don't care if it falls apart in a month" "It was so cheap" "It's not hurting anyone" "I want to wear that brand, but won't buy a real one" "Everyone knows it's not real, so it's ok" "It might be real" "No one will notice that it is fake" "It looks really good for a fake" "I know it is real and I got it at a great price" I can argue each point, but for now will focus on the "Cute Factor". Over the years I have amassed a large selection of new and used counterfeit items. Many wer...

One of the cheapest ways to make a counterfeit purse is to simply take a no-name "blank" purse and add a designer sticker or metal emblem. So obvious, so fake, so illegal. We don't allow counterfeit purses of any level at Wolff's Flea Market, and this educational post should not be construed as instructions on how to make a counterfeit purse. Don't do it. Images and links shown for purposes of discussion and education. People are arrested and imprisoned for this crime! This happened at flea markets and supports our policy of not allowing certain brands of merchandise at our markets F ive Busted for Selling Counterfeit Merchandise at Flea Market : http://wreg.com/2015/03/22/five-busted-for-selling-counterfeit-merchandise-at-flea-market/ Prosecutors Say Pagedale Flea market Owner Trafficked in Counterfeit Goods : "Purses were delivered either with counterfeit labels attached or with a generic label that a vendor replaced, again in the market’s open...