I was outside for a good part of the holiday weekend, as I’m sure most everyone was.

The weather was just amazing.

And it was ideal for my first visit of the year to the Stormville Airport Antique Show & Flea Market.

The show is a regional institution, filling the fields of the old airport in Stormville (in Dutchess County) with some 600 dealers. The show is held seven times a year, and I normally hit at least four of them.

The ones I go to are the two-day editions — tied to holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Columbus Day). Traditionally, these are the strongest for antiques and collectibles.

I’ve never gone to the season-opening April edition, so I was rarin’ to kick off 2008 at Stormville on Saturday morning.

Getting up early is a given. I was on the road by 5:20, heading to one of my sisters in Orange County. We were in the car heading across the Newburgh-Beacon bridge by 6:30.

Yes, it’s kind of crazy… but even we hit a bit of a back-up at that hour. For some reason the “first” lot was not being used, and we were directed all the way round to an area behind the “new” section. Annoying!

But later in the morning, we were hearing of traffic backed all the way up to the Taconic exit, so I guess our little delay was nothing like what others were facing.

And besides, once you’re on site, you can just enjoy the day at your own pace.

Here’s just a glimpse of the offerings and atmosphere:

Can’t you tell how beautiful it was out… and how much was on offer?

I didn’t go crazy with the buying… but I did find something truly lovely — a Regency brooch, complete with matching earrings, that I picked up at the booth of my favorite jewelry dealers, Gary and Marge:

I was thrilled with the find.

If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you know how crazy I am for vintage costume jewelry — and for books related to these little treasures.

Well, as I walked the show, I knew that I would be spending some quality time over the rest of the weekend with a pair of books that have come my way in recent weeks.

Each is devoted to costume jewelry, though they are different in style and approach.

But if you’re a jewelry lover and/or collector, you’ll want to consider adding both of these titles to your collection.

I like nothing more than coming home from an antiques show or flea market and going over my reference books, looking for what I bought or what I saw. It’s a great way to keep up on the manufacturers (and get a feel for prices) or just to enjoy the beauty on display.

First up:

“Brooches: Timeless Adornment” (Rizzoli, $45) is out this month. It’s by Lori Ettlinger Gross, a writer and jewelry historian, with principal photography by David Behl.

I love the subtitle… “timeless adornment,” since I fully agree. I love pins, and this book is a treasure trove that I know I’ll be going back to again and again. It has a mix of both vintage and contemporary, hitting a nice balance.

It also has wonderful photographs, loads of history and commentary on everything from how to wear pins to options that you might find to care of the pieces themselves.

I was really pleased to see that Drucker Antiques in Mount Kisco — I’ve written several times about the company that specializes in Georg Jensen silver — was featured with several pretty pins.

And you get a real dose of glamour, from the pins featuring elegant swans to ballerinas to “simple” diamond-drop chokers. It doesn’t hurt that there are even some pictures featuring celebrities from Elizabeth Taylor to Marilyn Monroe wearing some stunning pieces.

Definitely a worthy edition to any jewelry-lover’s library!

This past week, I also received this book:

“20th Century Costume Jewelry 1900-1980, 2nd edition,” is by Katie Joe Aikins, with special collaboration by Ronna Lee Aikins, her mother and noted jewelry author. It’s from Collector Books and selling for $24.95.

Believe me, it’s another book you’ll want to spend time with.

I already have, scanning page after page of pins and earrings, necklaces and bracelets. There are colors for every taste, styles for every taste – and prices for every budget.

I have long been a fan of Collector Books. They offer comprehensive editions that are always filled with solid information and excellent art.

This book follows that pattern, giving a wealth of information on some pretty amazing jewelry.

So, until my next shopping excursion for vintage jewelry, I have these two new books to keep me company. I’ll be using them to gather more background on my collection, plan what I may like to be on the lookout for — and of course, just to fuel my daydreams.