Whenever I travel, I always like to visit the local farmers’ market. I go not for all the yummy fruits and vegetables, although they are tempting, but for the other local fare: the work of local artists. Public markets are a great place to pick up little one-of-a-kind souvenirs of your trip. I love that when I look around my apartment, a blue and white plate reminds me of a trip to California, a framed postcard takes me back to Paris, and a naive painting reminds me of travels in Connecticut. And now, with the help of a pretty 5-cent cherry blossom postage stamp, I’ll remember my past weekend in Washington D.C.

On Saturday, my friends and I visited the Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. A continuously operating public market since 1873, Eastern Market serves as a community gathering place and a source for all kinds of local foods and goods. On the weekends, the market hosts its Market 5 Gallery Arts & Crafts Fair and The Capitol Hill Flea Market.

While filled with a lot of expected pottery and jewelry, there were a few booths worth a stop.

The first was where I bought my little trinket. Fifteen-year-old D’Elia Chandler collects and frames vintage postage stamps. From Audrey Hepburn to Gee’s Bend Quilts, she gives these small works of art a charming new life. And at $7, what a bargain! She doesn’t sell online, but can be contacted at ptmdelia@hotmail.com. Let her work inspire you to frame something memorable, such as postcards, theater and concert tickets, and even matchbooks.

Framed vintage maps of places you have lived, traveled, or dreamed of exploring make great wall art. The Map Man has stacks and stacks of maps to peruse—the hunt is half the fun!

My favorite discovery was Erika Rubel and her Had Matter collection. Erika crafts whimsical key holders, shelves, and clocks with pieces of recycled and vintage materials. Each one is so clever and really makes you smile. These are definite conversation starters and a great way to add that fun factor to your home. I really loved the hula skirt!

Most of her pieces are under $100. You can see more on her website.

By Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: Washington D.C., Eastern Market, farmers’ market, arts & crafts, maps, postage stamps, D’Elia Chandler, The Map Man, Erika Rubel, Had Matter, recycle, vintage, hula

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