I bought this tray table at the Hell's Kitchen flea market about two years ago for $30.  I negotiated the price down from $40 because the trays were in a little bit of disrepair.  It was an easy enough fix since they have dovetail joints that needed to be reglued.  I really liked the simple lines and functionality. 
The frame was originally wood and the bottom of the trays a fairly awful laminate.  I'm sorry I didn't get a before shot because this gal really needed some makeup to look so pretty.  I spray painted the frame a satin black from Rustoleum and lined the trays with some textured grasscloth wallpaper that has tones of black blended in with the tan to tie in the frame.  I could cover the bottom of the trays with plexiglass but I'll probably just paint on a coat of sealer to keep the grasscloth looking sharp.
Despite my procrastination, this was a really easy project to pull off and now I've got a great place for keys, mail and other small items when I walk in the door.

Sunday I took a trip to the Brooklyn Flea Market at the former Williamsburg Savings Bank to check out their wares.  Brooklyn Flea runs 2 markets-one on Saturday in DUMBO and the indoor one at One Hanson Place on Sunday (and both days during the winter).  First off, the space is amazing.  It reminded me of Grand Central Station in that it was such a lovely space to have such a common sort of activity.  Second, the layout made it a little complicated to browse as you incongruously flowed from one set of wares to the next.

There's an interesting article in the Times today about the growing (pardon the pun) popularity of terrarium gardens.  They're an easy and inexpensive way for us apartment dwellers to have a tidy little garden.  But see, I've been cursed with the black thumb of death (RIP herb garden....) and would like to avoid an arrest for herbicide.  Could this supposedly self-sufficient set up be the answer?

This weekend I hit up the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market again--the outdoor one on Saturday (where I picked up an adorable tray table that will need some TLC but was a solid bargain) and the indoor annex known as "The Garage" on sunday with my sister.  The indoor flea market is actually not in Hell's Kitchen at all but further south on 25th St. and was much more pleasant for browsing on a cold, rainy sunday. 

I had to do a second entry on the flea market because there was just too much good stuff to share.  Like these lamps, for instance.  They would great with a simple round shade (no trims) in a room painted a deep color (maybe a peacock blue?) so the white base really pops.  One note, matching lamps work best on end tables that are the same height to create a more cohesive look.  These would also work on a console or dresser, too.

I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday and took a trip over to the outdoor flea market in Hell's Kitchen to do a bit of browsing.  I was pleasantly surprised by all the treasures I found there.  First off, ladies, if you are looking for jewelry (costume)--this is the spot!  But I was looking for some things for the home.  These antique keys here could be framed in shadowboxes, for a less expensive version of what you can find at Ballard Design.