Bill Graham / The Meridian StarTerri Smith decorates many of her pieces of furniture for sale at Hidden Treasures Flea Market in Meridian.

Savvy shoppers looking to create something new from something old this holiday season might find a deal at Hidden Treasures Flea Market in Meridian.

The massive market, tucked away off Highway 39 at 2010 Old Marion Road, is full of everything from vintage furniture, clothing, collectibles, old vinyl records, antiques and music equipment.

Roughly 200 vendors offer a wide variety of merchandise as eclectic as customers’ tastes, said Keith Cullum, who runs the market.

“A lot of times, people don’t know what they’re looking for,” Cullum said of the typical shopper. “Some people want something that’s vintage, or older. I’ve got a few vendors that do the chalk-painted furniture, that’s really in right now.”

One of those vendors is Terri Smith, who has a large booth called “Rescued and Revamped” in the rear of the market. 

Smith offers 64 shades of Dixie Bell, a type of chalk paint with colorful names such as amethyst, pink champagne and buttercream.

Repurposing old furniture with the paint is a relatively easy process, Smith says: just clean it well, and go to work.

“It’s real-user friendly,” Cullum notes.

Smith, who sells furniture she’s decorated and rehabilitated, also teaches classes in chalk painting. Many of her students are teachers or people who work in the medical field.

“Painting relieves stress, believe it or not,” she says. “You get into something like this, and let your creativity come out…and you can make a little money on the side. It’s a good way to pass time and do something productive.”