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Thursday, April 30, 2009

{photo : Country Living}

Towels freshly laundered and hanging on the hooks....

let me have a moment to savor this picture......

I'm still savoring it.....

it's inspiring me....

fill free to stop by and interrupt the cleaning. I always have time for a chat!

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

to go!

It's a new day and I'm tackling it head on....

because of YOU....

each one of you.....

I have been lifted up...

I've become unstuck...

I feel unburdened..

because of YOU!

I bundled up every bit of advice I received yesterday, hugged it tight and ran with it....

oh yes I did!

all because of YOU...

I have the ideas because of YOU...

I feel like "we".... each and everyone of you are an unbeatable team!!!

I now have decoration items for the graduation being borrowed by the local nursery...

plants and arbors

For the shopping event, I have potted plants from neighbors that are letting me take them off their front porches for the afternoon ...

all because of YOU!!

And if that was not enough goodness in one day....

how about finding 13 vintage ball mason jars!!!

these 13 jars have made me absolutely giddy....

It is a good day after all!!!

thank you for making it so...

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

I'm stuck in the "homework" area.... the kids want me out of their area... but it has the only printer and scanner in the home.... so they are stuck with me till I get myself unstuck....

The ideas are not coming. Completely at a loss. I'm feeling flutters in my heart one may experience when you have too much caffeine... not the case here... it's happening without the caffeine... I'm fighting the "procrastination" mood.... I would rather clean out the garage, work in the yard.... you name it I want to flee.... but I can't I have a deadline.

The cause of this anxiety I'm feeling is 2 BIG events my childrens school have asked me to volunteer for.... the first event is this Saturday! Our school wanted me to coordinate a shopping event fundraiser. They gave me my instruction ... find as many in home party vendors as I can and ask them to set up a booth in our school gym to sell their products... and kindly ask them if they would be willing to give our school a percentage of their profits.

I cold called and emailed vendors... and asked everyone I knew if they knew someone who sold a home product. I did it! I have booked 14 vendors {Siplada, Longaberger Baskets, Tastefully Simple, Southern Living at Home, Usborne Books to name a few} and I'm still hoping for 2 more! If not I just have to be happy with 14 {actually the school has to be happy with that, I did all I could}

Now I need to figure out decoration, beverages and simple food to serve for an afternoon of shopping.... did I mention I have a budget of $100.... I need a moment to lay on the ground and cry...after this good meltdown I will shop my home for anything I can use. With the budget I need hit the wholesale club {Costco} for ice tea, lemonade, and cookies.

And when I get this accomplished I can panic about how many people will actually show up to shop! Without the shoppers we have no fundraiser! Why did they call me?

The second task is not till May 30 but feels more daunting.... let me set the scene of how I was asked.... phone call from the 7Th grade teacher at 4:30 PM { 4:30 is like being in a zoo at my home } I had 3 kids surrounding me with chatter homework and snacks etc... plus dinner in the works and the phone rings... She says, "Will you be the Chairperson for the decorating committee for the 8Th grade class of 2009 graduation luncheon?" One I don't have an 8Th grader, two why me? With a plea of help and my kids starring at me I was corned into a box and said "yes".... what do you need me to do?

She quickly rattled off my list and hung up before I could take back my yes... and not to mention my kids attend a Christian school so I had a moment of very strong guilt about the lie that came into my mind.

Now, that I vented, I need to shack off this burden I feel and move forward.... to the espresso machine. That always helps perk me up!

Style Dilemma...

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Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sweet and stylish Tara tagged me to choose one picture that best describes my style.

After seeing Tara's picks I'm ready to pack my bags for a little vacation to her home!

So what is my style?

I searched and searched and continued to search for such a picture...

And guess what?

I could not find one picture that had all the elements that described my style...

I'm thinking this says I'm a confused mess...

a little bit of this and little bit of that ...

blend in splashes of color... and

mix in vintage goodness....

with a bit of whimsy...

What would you call this style?

I have no idea....

I would love to know what you think my style is... I gave myself a headache...

I'm a little worried that I don't know what to call my style ....

I'm now starring at paint samples ready to redo the mess I've made...

oops, I think that's not likely to happen tonight.... I happened to tell my husband that I am a style mess and need to make some quick changes....

he took the paint samples away.....

darn.... I'm going to fall asleep tossing and turning about this dilemma...

{above photos from Country Living and Coastal Living}

A Girl & Her Chair Part 2

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

This is the chair I came across in December while vintaging. Screams of "I found it" were heard in my head.... I really want to release those screams for all to hear but this was the Christmas shopping season and I was afraid I would have to have my first squabble with a fellow shopper about who saw it first over this sweet chair! So I held them in and with shaking hands I quickly grabbed the tag. I may have bought this chair but it was not for me....

It was a gift to my oldest daughter for Christmas. I hid it at my neighbors house until Christmas Eve...

With all the gifts under the tree that morning I could not wait for my daughter to take the sheet off her chair {I had a white sheet draped over the chair with a big bow}

She loved her chair! I told her that I knew she may not be crazy over the fabric, but that I could have a slipcover made for it.... she told me she was just fine with the chair the way it was....

which made my heart melt because she is so easy going. If I never changed the fabric she would have never complained .... But I knew the fabric clashed with the colors in her room.

I loved the chair before but here it is now....

Slipcovered in my favorite duck cloth fabric.... every time I look at the chair the tiny pleats pull at my heart! I love them!! And the best part is my daughter does too. I walk by her room and take a peek and there she sits in her chair reading or sketching.... Who knows my daughter just may inherit my passion for vintage... time will tell.

Doing My Part....

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

happy earth day

"Bowl" Full Of Memories...

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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

I had no idea I would have such an emotional reaction when I saw this set of vintage Pyrex bowls! There they were sitting on an old dresser. It took a moment for it to register. My first reaction was how cute it's a set of three. But then it hit me. Right in the chest. And out of my mouth for all to hear was, "Oh my Mom has a set of these!!!" Like anyone within ear shot would care that my Mom has a set of vintage Pyrex bowls. I collected all three and clutched them to my heart. I was flooded with memories of my Mom....

I was in the kitchen of my childhood home. Barefoot standing on the cool tile floor. Watching my Mom cook. She is the best cook! She can make the simplest recipe taste out of this world. As she cooked I would chat endlessly just to be in the kitchen with her. She never asked for help with the preparations of dinner.

She is a messy cook though. The kind that needs to take everything out and not clean up till after her meal is complete. And after our stomach was full and we were totally happy it was time to clean up. She would wash and I would dry.

I remember picking up the flour sack dish cloths she always used and I would dry those Pyrex bowls. There was not a dinner that took place in our home that those Pyrex bowls were not used.

It's really the silliest thing. But I immediately bought the bowls and rushed home. I washed them really well and made a salad! Just so I could use them for dinner that night. I was so excited to tell my kids and my husband about the bowls and why I bought them. I called everyone to dinner. Placed the bowl down filled with mixed greens and veggies along with Shrimp Scampi and french bread.

Would you like to know the reaction I got after I told them about the bowls and how excited I was? All eyes were looking at me. With a stretch of silence followed by an oooookayyyyy!!! The long stretched out kind of okay! My husband had to step in and remind the kids, "This is why we love her! Right kids! Cause mom likes to get excited over a set of bowls!" giggles and more giggles erupted around the table!

Well since I didn't get the reaction that I wanted I called my older sister! I knew she would remember our childhood... and those bowls. She did!!!! And we chatted over drying them and what we remembered being in them.... I felt so much better!

And yesterday when I finally spoke to my Mom on the phone, I blurted out my special find of vintage Pyrex bowls! And that they made me think of her! She laughed and told me that she still has the set I remember and uses them just about everyday, but the large size broke a couple years ago. So she is down to two!

As I drove the girls to school today it had me thinking.... I wonder when my children are all grown and have left the nest.... what will trigger this kind of reaction for them. I just pray really hard and try my hardest to parent them the way they need me to. I'm off to make something just so I can use my bowls.... and praying that I am making some memories for my children along the way.

I'm Dreaming Again....

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Friday was a very special day indeed! I was thrilled beyond words that Sandy Toes from shell in your pocket featured me on her blog. I am so humbled. Here words touched my heart deeply. Thank You Sandy Toes for the lovely words.
And if that was not enough excitement for the day I had to walk off all the lemonade, wine, beer, burgers, spiced nuts and California Guacamole that was consumed on Friday.... I hope you all had as much fun as I did sitting back and enjoying the day!

Did I hear you ask where I went for a walk?

The Vintage Source of course!

This was purely a "window shopping" kind of walk.... hard to believe, I know.

I even shocked my husband. But I really just wanted to see, touch, and think about the things that would catch my eye and "dream" of different ways I would use them!

Last month I was inspired by the bathtubs...

Remember the bathtub in my backyard dream I have?

Well, this month this caught my eye and made me smile.......

Yep, I'm not kidding. It made me stop, think and see the vision....

I know exactly where I would place this beauty....

in my "dream guest cottage".

I giggled over this conversation piece . I can picture it now... As we bid goodnight to the guests and they make there way to the "dream guest cottage" this bust would greet them on the old wood column I would having standing in the corner.

I would love to hear the conversation they would have over this bust!

The second item that made me wish I wasn't window shopping was this milk jug!

Talk about two extremely different pieces.... but that's what I love about vintage shopping.

You never know what you are going to find!

You may see a rusty old milk jug.

I see a milk jug that would look fantastic at the front door of the guest cottage.

{I'm having a major case remorse for not buying it now... just thinking about it has me swooning....}

I would tie a boxwood wreath around the neck with a burlap ribbon!

And add a monogrammed letter made of metal to hang in the middle of the wreath.

And do you see the numbers that are on the jug?

1103

Those numbers would be the address for the cottage....

and to my delight it ends in the number 3.... my favorite number!!!!

This is the "daydream" I am having, as I sip on my coffee, looking out the window on this rainny Monday morning!

I hope you take a moment to "daydream" today....

My Special Delivery....

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Friday, April 17, 2009

It has arrived by "special delivery"!

All the doubt I was beginning to have over my extremely spontaneous purchase that I was feeling do to my vintage crazed brain taking over all reasoning vanished the moment Kari, one of The Barn ladies, delivered my "find".

It was replaced by pure joy and a quick dance around her car. Which totally embarrassed the kids and made them flee to the backyard....

{by the way this post is the continuation from the post titled barn-trip}

I now know what it is a.... "desk" ....

which made me laugh because it really does show you that I had no idea what I bought!!

Would you care to join me for an ice cold glass of lemonade?

We can sit back and chat all afternoon.

Flip through a couple magazines. Plan our next vintage outing.... it is Friday after all!

Bring your kids of course! We can watch them play without having to leave the comfort of the deck.

And no worries when the husbands arrive home from work and find us "working so hard" we can offer them a cold beer.... Oh yes! It's chilling in the "metal drawer"!

I put a plastic liner inside the drawer to protect the metal from rusting.

By the way, be sure to wear your flip flops... the rain has finally stopped and we are finally hitting 70 degrees.
Here's to a sitting back and sipping on a tall glass of lemonade kind of Friday!

Tiny Treasures

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

photo from Country Home

My latest passion is old metal mold containers. There is just something about them that catches my eye and makes me think of different ways to use them.

This is how I am using mine at the moment. It's filled with candy from Easter. I created a "candy bar" for the kids and adults who we had over on Easter. Now I'm thinking of new ideas of what it can hold....

Care to brainstorm with me? Any suggestions? I would love to hear them.... cause I'm ready for the candy to go..... I keep finding candy wrappers at 7:00 in the morning.... hmmmm I wonder who it could be!

Genuine Thoughtfulness!!!

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Wednesday, April 15, 2009

A major case of goosebumps and a huge amount {the oh my gosh kind} of shock!!! Followed by hugs and a million and one thank yous!!!! and still feeling the thank yous were not enough.
All these feeling were the result of an incredible gift I received on Friday from..... The Barn Ladies!!!!!

Their gift to me was this Burlap pillow...... that they gave me when my "special find" was delivered. I was still reeling from the excitement of the delivery when she whipped out my package... I then became a speechless fool. I became an emotional mess for a few reasons. One being I have been admiring, drooling and dreaming of such a pillow for quite a while now. And the second, and most important reason, was the genuine act of kindness and utter thoughtfulness from these ladies! She told me that some burlap pillows were put out for sale during The barn show after I had left. And when they looked at them they thought of me {which also shocked me because they were jam packed with shoppers on that rainy day. It could have been the impression I made standing in the rain without a care in the world that I was getting soaked because I was so excited to be there. It could have been my vocal, with hand gestures enthusiasm I show when I shop for "finds"} Whatever the reason was they just knew I would have "absolutely loved" them up.... of course I would have!!! I would have gobbled them up... I never even told them I was on the hunt for such a pillow!!! But I was!!! Talk about the instant connections you make with people without spending a lot of time with them.

The pillow is on my favorite vintage slipcovered chair in my family room. And when I look at it a million times a day, I don't see the burlap first. I see the story behind the pillow.... I see new friends who showed me great kindness and a lasting impression on how wonderful people are!

thank you a million and two times.... and still not enough.....

forever grateful,

Dog Party....

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Monday, April 13, 2009

Happy 9Th Birthday "C"

Pretty in pink and so sweet!!

She has a huge heart....

tender and kind and very thoughtful to all.

we love you so!!!

Welcome to my girl and her dog party...

She wanted flowers like her sisters party....

and I hung some dog bones!

{poor Lily, our dog, she was circling the table wondering why her bones were hanging from the light fixture}

Every dog needs a bandanna.

Added a bunch of paw prints to the table....

and dogs get very thirsty at a dog park... a water bowl was provided.

Every park needs some grass and buried bones... this is not any old grass... how about some candy grass!

The girls where very excited that they were able to sample the grass.

Party Favors:

Doggy Box "to go" { homemade brownies}

made just for you from, C and Woof

there very own dog companion

bandannas

Hope you all had a tail wagging good time!

I was not kidding when I told you it's "party season" all at once!

I have a 5 week break till the next one! And boy is he excited!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebration.

Puppy Pound Cupcakes!

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Friday, April 10, 2009

Welcome to the kennel club!

What do you give a girl asking for another dog for her birthday?

You give her a dog party and

Pupcakes!!!

"A Girl and Her Dog" Birthday Party

for "C" !!!

It's all about dogs...
dog bowls
dog treats
dog bones
dog quizzes
dog tricks
and
the movie Bolt!!!

Before the guests arrive we are going for a walk to burn off a little energy....

We're back from our walk and the guest are arriving...
Better go greet them with a lot of tail wagging for extra treats!!

{party post highlights to follow}

Soothing and Orderly....

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Thursday, April 9, 2009

photo from Coastal Living

Shutters and baskets. Books, flowers and benches.... everything I absolutely love.

Fresh and orderly is my goal for the day.

When everything is in it's place I feel calm.

It's one of those day's that is jam packed with activity and lists to accomplish.

I need to fluff and shine my home.

Hit the store for food and Easter supplies...

bake and finish the "dog treats" for the dog party tomorrow

and

be ready to attend a military retirement ceremony tonight.

Here's to a wonderful take it all in kind of day,