TREASURE HUNT

When Terry Munter looks around at the hundreds of recycled greeting cards, each ornamented with a pair of vintage earrings, a string of chunky beads or a bangle bracelet, she shrugs and laughs.

“It’s a hobby that just got out of control,” she says.

Munter’s “hobby” fills one of the most popular spaces at the spring and fall Custer’s antique shows at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center.

Last weekend, at the show, I stopped by Munter’s booth.

It’s a place you don’t just skim through.

Using the recycled greeting cards to display and separate the vintage jewelry, Munter fills boxes and baskets with her finds. You could spend hours flipping through the cards.

My 16-year-old daughter and I always stop for a while. And we never leave empty-handed.

When Munter, whose day job is sales director for Mary Kay, staffs her booth at the shows, she’s in full vintage regalia. Wearing vintage clothing and usually a hat, Munter greets shoppers by handing them a shopping bag to hold their finds as they browse.

Although she only sells twice a year, getting jewelry ready to sell is a full-time job. She cards jewelry, taking time to match the piece to the card, while watching television in the evenings.

She uses cards that have been sent to her by friends and family. Occasionally she supplements her stock with vintage cards picked up at garage and estate sales.

“It takes time, but I’m having a good time,” Munter says. “I look for just the right card and just the right piece so I might get 10 pieces done in an hour.”

But people notice her efforts. “Most people think it’s funny when I put earrings in the eye of a frog or use a pin on the nose of something on the card,” she says. “It’s therapy for me.”

The therapy has paid off. Munter has been a regular at the Custer shows for 10 years.

“It’s not particularly a big income-maker for me, but it’s recycling and it fits in with my Mary Kay business,” Munter says. “Ultimately my goal is to make a difference in the lives of women.”

She does.

I don’t just love to shop in Munter’s booth at the antique show, I love to people-watch there. Her space is always full of women of all ages having a good time without spending a lot of money. Her prices range from 25 cents to $50. The average is about $6.

“With all the hats we wear and the responsibilities we carry, we need some fun,” Munter says. “I invite women in to play, to have a good time.”

I can’t speak for other women, but I know that I get a kick out of shopping in Munter’s funky space. My vintage-clothing-loving daughter usually scores a new find and I add to my collection of brooches and beads.

I’ve had my spring fix, and I’ve got a new pin to wear on my lapel.

I don’t want to wish my summer away, but I’m already looking forward to the fall sale.