Hey Craftsters!

I am looking for "brick & mortar" flea markets, swap meets, junk shops, etc, etc.  I have looked on-line for locations and have only found a couple.  I've been to sooo many thrift stores, and really they just aren't the kind of thing I'm looking for.  I know we are not in the best climate for swap meets, which are usually outside, but maybe you guys know of some good ones that are held inside?  I know the Fremont Sunday Market, and have been there a few times.  I'm looking for less complete crafts and more... stuff.  You know, salvage, antique, vintage, junk, equipment.  Anyone have any good places?  I'm in Mountlake Terrace and would be willing to go throughout Snohomish and King Counties.  I dream of a huge warehouse filled with vendors in booths selling everything big to small under the sun.  I guess it would be better if I lived in Los Angeles or New York, huh?

If anyone has any experience with these kinds of places around here, I would love your help!   

Hi all!  I searched and searched, and couldn't find anything that helped me.  Here's the deal:  for Christmas I made these netted snowflake ornaments out of seed beads.  I got the project from Bead and Button, Oct. '04.




They are pretty and delicate looking, and I enjoyed making them.  The problem was finding a way to make them hang straight instead of all floppy.  The magazine said to dip them in floor wax, so I tried that.  It might have worked if I dipped them 15 times!  Dipping them twice, like the article said, only resulted in a hardness that loosened up upon handling.  I have no experience with products like this, so then I tried shellac spray.  It kind of worked, but again the beads loosened up upon handling.  And, the shellac made some of my beads "bleed".  This pic is poor, but you can kind of see the pink areas where the red beads bled.  And this was my favorite ornament!



I called bead stores and asked about this to no avail.  They only talked about ornaments using bigger beads and wire.  I stood in Michaels for an hour reading different bottles of sealer, etc., but I have never used any of them, and I didn't want to spend lots of money (and time) trying different kinds.  I would love to make more of these, but only if I can get them to be hard.  Please help!  Has anyone done this successfully before?  Any opinions on what kind of product to use?

Thanks, Molly