Together we can do so much

As Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Together, best friends Brandi Nollin and Erica Parker are empowering women entrepreneurs through Vintage Market Days vintagemarketdays.com/market/oklahoma-city, an upscale vintage-inspired market. The majority of the vendors at the market are women.

Co-owners and event coordinators, the duo have created a charming family atmosphere for shoppers to find unique items during the Vintage Market Days events.

“It means the world to me to be in business with my best friend,” Nollin said. “We have very different talents and are interested in different aspects of the business. It’s a perfect match because of the trust in one another that we share. Not only is she my business partner, she’s my best friend, human diary, listening ear, and personal stylist. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Vintage Market Days features original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home decor, outdoor furnishings, delicious food, seasonal plantings and more. About 80 high quality vendors and 200 booths will be on site along with live music, food trucks, and photo booths.

Parker said, “Vintage Market Days is not just a shopping event. We create a curated experience that the entire family will enjoy. Attention to detail is our specialty.”

“We delight in the idea that we are able to provide women, from all walks of life, a platform to sell their goods. Erica and I are strong women raised by strong women. We both love the idea of empowering and supporting other female entrepreneurs,” explained Nollin.

One Oklahoma vendor is owned by two sisters. Bea Barnes, co-owner of Granny’s Old Fashioned Jellies and Jams, said, “We like being a part of Vintage Market Days because they bring in a customer looking for unique items and that’s what we have in our product of Jalapeno Jam. Vintage Market Days is like one big family. We all look out for each other, and each and every venue feels like home.”

In addition to empowering women entrepreneurs through Vintage Market Days, Nollin and Parker donate to the Edmond Women’s Club 500 admission tickets that the club sells to its members. Nollin said the donations help raise about $5,000 to support grant making, scholarships, and other community-oriented activities of the club.

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.com​

Easter baskets

Easter baskets are synonymous with the annual holiday, but they’re much more than just chocolate, colorful eggs, and plastic blades of grass.

According to Southern Living, the origins of these displays can be traced back to the 17th century, when the Germans began to tell stories to their children about a hare who would lay eggs only for well-behaved children in a nest, made up in a basket or hat. In Easter lore, German Protestant parents referred to the magical egg-layer as the “Osterhase,” or “Easter Hare.” It was only appropriate that a hare was used in these tales since the animal is a symbol of the spring season.

Dutch immigrants brought the Osterhase tale with them to America, where the hare became more commonly known as the “Easter Bunny.” The Easter Bunny exploded in popularity during the Victorian Era, when its fluffy visage appeared on greeting cards, papier-mache eggs, and candy wrappers, among other items. The night before Easter, children were to set their Easter baskets out for the Easter Bunny to fill with goodies – much like the idea behind hanging a Christmas stocking out for Santa Claus to fill.

“They’re symbolic nests and are specifically used by children in modern Easter egg hunts to carry their prizes,” explains Krystal D’Costa in a 2017 article published in Scientific American. “Filled to the brim with eggs and other treasures, they are the epitome of birth and potential. The idea of the basket itself is also very old, so as a vehicle of transmission, it’s not hard to imagine that they were featured in Spring visitations throughout history; perhaps they were used to bear gifts or transport seedlings or simply to bring food to communal meals.”

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.com​