Located in Independence, MO, the 31 room Vaile mansion was built during the early 1880s by U.S. mail contractor Harvey Merrick Vaile and his wife. It was inspired by a large house they had visited in Normandy, France. The home was completed in 1881 at a cost of $100, 000.00 and is said to be one of the most costly and beautiful homes of its era.
The Vaile Society hosts three public events each year to help raise money for the furnishings of the mansion, which are in keeping with the splendor and style of the Victorian Era.
The Strawberry Festival, held the first or second Saturday in June, is one of The Society's fund raising events. It also happens to be one of my favorite local antique shows to attend.
We always arrive early so we can have loads of time to look and eat and look and eat!
This is the mansion when approached from the front sidewalk.
No, the mansion does not tilt--the photographer is the "guilty tilty"!
You can tell we were there very early, because the vendors were still setting up.
Visitors were greeted by the official "Ms Strawberry 2008". The strawberry outfit looks like it has been around a few festivals, but Ms Strawberry was a good sport and struck a cute pose!
We ran into these friends ---- they are always early birds like us! They also like to eat as much as we do.
I took a photo of them.
They took a photo of us!
Don't you just love our Junkmaster shirts? Bonnie gave me mine as a birthday gift a couple of years ago. The shirts tell it like it is----we love "junk" and we feel we are "masters" of it!
A little stroll down the first aisle and we see these sweet little dresses--hanging on the line!
This booth always does terrific business with their beautiful plants.
One of the great parts of local sales is that I always see so many folks I know. This vendor is Karen and I went to high school with her! She thinks she's pretty swell because I am OLDER than she is----by one whole year.
I always zero in on old funeral baskets---I happen to collect green ones, but I'm always looking at prices and if I find one really, really cheap--then I buy it. I like to use them as display pieces in my booths at local sales---of course, they will be for sale, too!
This lady is Dee. We served on PTA committees together when our daughters were in elementary school! Dee makes wonderful aprons and she is shown here demonstrating a "ditty bag". It's a tote that can be extended to hold more items! Clever.
I love vintage creamers and tea pots--so this display caught my eye.
This booth belongs to Diana, a vendor I have gotten to know over the years. She sells vintage and primitives and ALWAYS at great prices.
Wonderful linens beautifully displayed.
Great enamel pots and pans in a well-used wagon.
This beautiful mother-daughter team of Samantha (left) and Lesa sell wonderful vintage items as well as lovely and original hand made creations.
Along with Cassie, Lesa's other daughter, they have an on-line shop at ETSY.COM. Their user name is Sweet Peace(sweetxpeace). Among the items they offer on line are: needle felted creations, jewelry, purses and folk are pieces. They are a talented trio!
I also need to add that Lesa works with Renee Nanneman in creating beautiful items for her NEED'L LOVE DESIGNS publications.
Marian (holding the goods) waits as Bonnie (the one with the word "junk" on her back) pays for a cute wicker tray AND a GREEN FUNERAL BASKET!! She KNOWS I love green funeral baskets and she nabbed it right out from under me anyway!
To ease the pain of my green funeral basket loss, I searched out the booth selling (what else?) Strawberry Shortcakes.
Being the kind and forgiving and generous and loving person I am, I forgave Bonnie for nailing that funeral basket before me AND invited her and Marian to join me in a little morning snack of strawberry shortcake and ice cream! It was 9:30 a.m. at that time! The fellow in the background had already has his snack and was now taking his morning nap!!!
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We listened to some great fiddle and accordian music as we savored our strawberry delights.
We were soon on the prowl for treasures again. Marian was the first to score! She proudly shows her hammered aluminum Lazy Susan. I know it will look great in the middle of her dining room table piled high with fruit or perhaps it will hold a glass hurricane and a candle. She'll get lots of use out of that item.
The clear blue sky started to become cloudy, but the mansion still maintained its striking beauty.
For a second, I thought the gal in the white "I heart NYC " shirt was Pat from Mille Fiori Favoriti.
As I got closer and I called out: "Hey, Pat! You came all the way from Brooklyn for The Strawberry Festival"! She looked at me and grabbed the lady next to her and they moved away from those ferns (and me) as fast as their little feet would go!
Another view of the beauty.
OH, Bon Apetit! It's lunch time!
As we munched on lunch, we enjoyed the talent of the local symphony.
Our treasure hunt was over this time.
Bonnie and Marian loaded up their finds. (Which included one green funeral basket already tucked into her vehicle!)
Here I am with three (one is in the car)----and I said three vintage metal picnic baskets. Bonnie collects those. I got her back! Boy, oh boy, you don't mess with the collector of green funeral baskets without paying the price!
As we were leaving, Ms Strawberry and a very kind officer, told us how much they enjoyed our visit to the festival this year. They also hoped we would come back for The Strawberry Festival 2009. We assured them we would!
Before I left the house to go to the festival, a little "birdie" told me how much THE STONE RABBIT loves fresh strawberries- - - - - so when I saw Ms. Strawberry handing out souvenir baskets of strawberries, I was only too happy to bring one home for him.
He was thrilled.
Thank you Ms Strawberry Festival 2008---you made my rabbit so happy!
DANA
Glad to be the first to comment - another great one - you take us places we don't all get to go and how we love to live vicariously (sometimes it is the only way). By the way, I enjoyed the trip, albeit second hand. Sharleen ....... ps. too bad this thing doesn't do spell check - I had some ??? about some words in this comment.
Posted by: Sharleen | July 30, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Hi Dana :)
I would have loved to go to this! I really need to see picture of the inside of that house :)
Congratulations on your awards. You deserve everyone of them!
hugs,
rue
Posted by: rue | July 30, 2008 at 09:40 AM
It looks like you all had a wonderful day out - thank you for sharing it :)
Posted by: Laura | July 30, 2008 at 10:08 AM
LOL DANA!! I wish I could have come to the strawberry festival and met you and Bonnie, and bought some of that pretty pottery! I don't own a "I hear NY T shirt" though ...lol! Only tourists buy them! LOL!
That mansion is so beautiful! I'm glad that is it being taken care of as an historical treasure.
It looked like you found a lot of nice things "Ms. Junkmaster"! :-)
Hugs, Pat
Posted by: Pat | July 30, 2008 at 10:34 AM
I would love to go to that strawberry festival. Looks like a lot of fun stuff to browse through. That basket of strawberries looks YUMMY!!!
Posted by: Darlene | July 30, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Hi Dana! Thanks for taking us along! Your photos are great! I would love to go to this festival! Food, entertainment, antiques and friends...YAY!
Have a great day!
Kim
Posted by: Kim V | July 30, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Dana, can I be one of your girlfriends? You all have so much fun.
I told Jeanne that I think we need to go visit you all.
We'll decorate pink flip-flops if you want us to. ;-)
Posted by: Beverly | July 30, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Dana,
I love your posts. I feel like I went along. I love your shirts - you go girls! What great things there and it's beautiful too. Glad you got there early, the strawberry shortcake looks yummy. Hey, how can that man nap with all the good vintage items just waiting to be picked up? Too bad about the green funeral basket (I had no idea that's what they were called, thanks for the lesson), I will keep my finger's crossed for you next time. The festival strawberry is such a good sport and I love you began and ended with her and the officer. This post made me happy.
See 'ya Dana & The Stone Rabbit - any strawberries left?
xo~Tracie
Posted by: Tracie~My Petite Maison | July 30, 2008 at 02:53 PM
Ya I'd like to be one of your girlfriends also. What a great day and so much to see. I'm a HUGE fan of Need'l love and I bet I would have found lots in that area, LOL. Thanks for taking us along.
Hugs - Karen
Posted by: Karen | July 30, 2008 at 08:13 PM
Looks like oodles of fun!
Jill xoo
Posted by: Jill | July 31, 2008 at 08:03 AM
You tell a great story! I always enjoy my visits here and this post gave me some giggles.
Michelle
Posted by: Michelle | July 31, 2008 at 08:19 AM
Dana, You can imagine my surprise when I saw the
Vaile Mansion on you post. My dh and I visited the mansion some time ago. We were in Independence, Mo. just looking around when we spotted the mansion. My sister-in-law lives in Gladstone, MO. We are visiting them next summer. It would be great fun to meet each other for lunch or something.
I have never been to a strawberry festival, but I always wanted to go. Mmmmmm strawberry shortcake. I think the terrific thing about your visit is seeing your friends from high school etc.
About those funeral baskets, I have always been in love with them in any color. I used to buy them to sell when I was in the antique business. I wish I had kept some of them now.
I wish I was the stone rabbit just long enough to eat his strawberries. Smile.
Love your post today,
Jeanne
Posted by: Jeanne | July 31, 2008 at 08:26 AM
Dana! I feel like I was right there with you. Well, except that I don't have any vintage picnic baskets around me...you lucky girl. Maybe you and your friend can trade..you've got 3 bargaining chips to her one funeral basket :) I love the pic of the ladies at the strawberry shortcake tent with all of their pink aprons. Have a great weekend! Warmly, Cathy in NY ^..^
Posted by: Cathy Santarsiero | July 31, 2008 at 09:18 AM
I love the Strawberry Festival...next year I am going for sure! Now you need to go on a picnic and use all those wonderful baskets!
~Jill
Posted by: Jill | July 31, 2008 at 09:37 AM
Hi Dana,
You are too funny. I will stay out of Hobby Lobby, I didn't go yesterday and I will not go today. Thank you for my reminder!!!!
Posted by: Darlene | July 31, 2008 at 09:46 AM
Dana, what a fun day! I loved it all. The mansion is beautiful and your finds magnifique!
Becky
PS, If I weren't so peach crazy right now, I'd die for a strawberry shortcake!
Posted by: Wonders Never Cease | July 31, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Good afternoon, Dana.
I wish there were more festivals around here like there. I seen so many things that I'd love to have in my home. And Hey...I wanna be Miss Strawberry! ;-)
*hugs*
Posted by: Alexandra | July 31, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Wow! A gorgeous mansion, a flea market AND a strawberry festival all rolled up in one? How cool is that? Loved your tour and especially your "finds."
~Jean
Posted by: Jean | July 31, 2008 at 06:36 PM
Hi Dana, I've been enjoying your blog tonight...you are very creative. I think I've visited you before on Pink Saturday!
Question: do you do anything special with the funeral baskets? Just put flower in them? Silly question maybe, but you never know!
I'm going to add you to my list. Have a great day,
Diane
Posted by: Diane@A Picture is Worth | July 31, 2008 at 07:45 PM