dreams intertwined

yep, I went and did it...

2012-01-30T09:55:00.000-06:00

For the last two years, since replacing my sofa with this amazing antique daybed,

(before and after redo seen here) I have been saying that I would love to put

a gas fireplace insert with faux logs in our never used living room fireplace.

There was a gas starter in place already, so the addition was relatively easy,

although not inexpensive. In the end, I chose these cool faux drift wood logs,

I wanted faux birch, but the fireplace store owner talked me out of them.

He said they start looking really black after burning and it was not pretty.

We had the inside of our wood burning family room fireplace painted

black since it was stained with soot, and it didn't look very nice at all.

I moved my real birch logs from the living room to that fireplace

where they will reside when not burning a real fire.

This baby puts out a lot of heat, and makes this otherwise cold

northwest corner room nice and toasty. It makes me so happy

because it is where the computer is, and we all love to cuddle up

on the daybed ~ including one little puppy!

This is the view from the daybed...I love that I can just turn it on during the

day when I am here blogging, or reading and having coffee on the daybed!

Keeps me going on those cold winter days!

Have a great week!

to market, to market

2012-01-21T18:00:00.002-06:00

I had to re-do this entire post because somehow it got deleted...

I purchased this Baum's Horse & Stock box at an antique market.

It is a family name and I thought it might make a nice gift for my mother.

cool homemade leather hinges

Wheaton Antique Market

After trying it out in my white cabinet, I thought maybe I should keep it!

Looks good, eh? Well, I am sure if my mother likes it, I will still give it to her.

As I took down the Christmas decorations this year, I decided to

try to de-clutter the cabinet as well as the rest of the house.

How's that working for me, you might ask?

Ha! Well, about as good as this post worked...

argh.

I know the comments below may not match up

with this post, thanks to the fact that I can't really

remember what all I said the first time I wrote

it. Thanks for coming by ~

January Birthday Party for a girl who's 10!

2012-01-14T15:59:00.000-06:00

Family Dinner at The Melting Pot

Really, did my BABY, my youngest, have to turn 10?

If you still have toddlers or babies that probably sounds old.

If your children are in college or getting married, 10 is still

a baby! I can't believe all my children have hit double digits.

Today is the party with her friends ~

It was inspired by our trip to The Drake over the holidays for a High Tea.

It was a special "girl event" with my sisters, mom and my daughters.

(my sisters don't have children)

my sister and my 2 girls

inspiration yum

As you can tell, they didn't have any fun!

Back to today's party with 4 special friends.

The menu: petit fours, brownies, fruit parfaits, pink raspberry lemonade,

hot chocolate, pretzels, chicken salad sandwiches and roast beef sandwiches.

Who says January has to be blah?

I went for lots of color, even if it is 17 degrees outside!

There are also tea cookies, meringue cookies, tiny chocolate covered biscuits,

sparkling soda, and chocolate covered sesame seeds.

Lots of colorful straws, daisies, umbrellas, pinwheels...

I am off to make the sandwiches while my husband has taken the girls to see

The Muppet Movie ~ Have a great weekend!

Tale of a Lake House Christmas

2012-01-02T10:14:00.003-06:00

Twas the night before Christmas

when all thru the lake house...

This is the second year we spent the holiday at my parent's lake house.
We really love it there, only wish is was located a wee bit closer.

I took the first 2 photos the night we arrived, but I think you can see

by the stone fireplace, the lovely wood paneling (this is the good kind folks)

that it is a warm inviting place to be, anytime of year, but especially

in the winter with a roaring fire!

present overflow

My parents bought it from a couple, who had it built with the help of

an interior designer, and they had stayed there only a couple of times!

I love the plaid carpeting and wallpaper (seen in other rooms).

It goes without saying, much of the comfort comes from being able

to accommodate my parents, my sisters, our husbands, and

the grandchildren when we are all there together.

the tiny Santas

This year my Mother brought some of her Santa collection.

This one lights up.

The sled on the above niche was "won" by my Grandfather

for selling the most jello in his grade school.

Many of the Santas are antiques, some are new(er), some are handcrafted.

She said that she has more at home! Yikes!

They are cute, but this is why I try not to collect anything ;)

I will let you enjoy the rest of the mini-tour without rambling...

Like the banner above reads, it is peace-ful here!

Happy New Year!

Hope it is filled with love, laughter, and the kind of

peace that surpasses understanding.

Christmas Craftiness

2011-12-18T15:29:00.001-06:00

Made some little Christmas decorations from vintage materials.

So many fun vintage pieces to play with, so little time...

I started this grouping with the love and joy flags. They are made from

vintage napkins that had a lot of staining, so I repurposed them.

I taped the fabric to a piece of computer paper and ran it thru after

creating the template for the words. Unfortunately, after getting it to work

once, it kept getting caught in the printer. Watched a youtube video that

used freezer paper. Going to try that next time!

I cut out the fabric in a flag shape, attached each to wire stem, and twisted the

paper leaf wire around. Put the stems into an old spool that I wound with tinsel

and glued to a vintage light reflector. Last, I attached some ribbon and bells.

The mercury glass tree is my favorite. I shaved some florist foam into

a cone shape, glued loose balls all around, and stuck a wire into the bottom.

Next I made a hole in the block, covered the top with mica flakes,

added glue to the hole and stuck in the wire stem after placing

the block into this little paper wreath.

This angel I made a few years back out of a vintage head, a spool, some gauzy

fabric and pipe cleaners. I jazzed her up by redoing her wings, adding bells,

gluing her to a star light reflector and adding a bit of tinsel.

To give them height, I attached them all to stemmed glasses.

These are all variations on decorations I have seen made here and there.

I get a lot of inspiration from Stampington Publications,

ME's Home Companion, and other blogs.

Hope yours is Merry and Bright!

Christmas Tidbits

2011-12-18T13:02:00.000-06:00

New stockings were hung by the chimney with care

The Reason for The Season

Love the smell of Paper Whites

The Christmas Cookies don't last long in this house

Beautiful Holiday Cards

Tucked Everywhere

Small holiday tokens of friendship waiting to be delivered

Recipe for my family's favorite ~

Frosted Butterscotch Cookies:

{makes about 60 cookies}

preheat oven to 375 degrees

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

stir together, set aside

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c shortning

beat with mixer till combined

2 slightly beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla

add eggs & vanilla, beat until combined

8 oz. sour cream

alternate adding flour mixture & sour cream

beating after each addition

drop dough by round tsp

2" apart

bake for 10-12 minutes

cool and frost

Frosting

heat and stir 1/2 c butter over med-low heat till golden brown

remove from heat, stir in 3 1/2 c sifted powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla & 5-6 tsp hot water, beat till frosting is

easy to spread (I use a whisk)

sprinkle as desired

Holiday House Walk

2011-12-09T05:30:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my home ~ thank you Jennifer Rizzo for hosting this fun party!
If you have been touring the homes this week, then you must be feeling like me,

totally wowed by the amazing talent and imagination of the bloggers

on this house walk! I am very honored to be asked to participate!

You shall see, that in my home, it is all about vintage. I love to look at Christmas in shops, but it
is at the thrift stores, estate sales and antique markets that I am the most tempted to buy!

If it isn't vintage, it at least looks like it is. A good example is here in my Entry. Many of the treasures that sit atop this old black dresser (where I stash all our mittens, scarves, and hats) are truly vintage, but there are a few things that are not, like the Old St. Nick.

The first room off the entry is our living room/study, and a good bit of the Christmas decor is here.
I am lucky to have two mantles in my home to decorate. This one I call Christmas Au Natural.

I love that washed out natural white and cream look. I found this whole set of little buildings at a church rummage sale a few years back for a couple of dollars each. Do you know that each one opens at the top, like a little box?

We love music boxes and snow globes at Christmas time in this family.
The little wood one on the right is German and plays "O Christmas Tree".

I never can seem to decorate for any season without some silver.

Look who is watching us! A lovely friend gave me the Swedish Stars in the windows
many years ago. In each home, I have always found the perfect place for them!

Beneath the mantle, on the hearth sits one of my favorite thrift finds of 2011,
the vintage Swiss Army blanket.

These stockings are for my three angels ~ 18, 13 and turning 10 soon!
One of our family traditions is they receive an ornament every year.
This year I gave them these reproduction tin chocolate molds.

Ok ~ I admit, we have yet to use this fireplace, but the one in the family room gets plenty of use!

I try not to "collect" anything, but over the years I have picked up a few Santas...
and I do love mercury glass picks and garlands!

Sometimes I like to add just a little something to what is already there...

And nothing says Christmas better than a manger scene.

This one is perfectly battered and worn. It is one of several around my home at Christmas.

Well, there are other rooms to see...on through the kitchen.

Past the breakfast area...

Let's stop for a closer look at this Santa, because he is not really my style,
but I could not resist him at an estate sale ~ he is handmade of old quilts.

Mantle #2 in the family room is adorned with a few vintage putz houses ~ only blue ones.
Another thing I do. not. collect. These all needed TLC, and I have spruced up each one in some way.
I will let you look close up and see if you can figure out how.

In the family room, we also have vintage ornaments piled here and there.

By now you may be saying, so where is the Christmas Tree?
Alas, it is in the lower level, where there is lots of room to set it up without
moving furniture. DH says this year he is going to bring it up here.
But we have a 3rd fireplace (that we use!) and more Christmas decorations down there
and room to spread out! I would show you it all too, but our time together is short,
and the lighting down there is not as good ~

One last photo on the tour in our Family Room ~ this year's Christmas card.
{Photo card credit - Katie Dulap}

Hope you enjoyed some peeks into my home.

Next stop on the House Walk is Simple Thoughts.

Come back next week ~ I will post more Christmas decor!

Have a Blessed Christmas!

Home Stories A to Z

Holiday House Walk Sneak Peek!

2011-12-05T08:43:00.001-06:00

Come back on the 9th to see the whole tour and

be sure to stop by Jennifer's blog today to start your tour!

Thanksgiving Table

2011-11-23T11:02:00.001-06:00

The fresh flowers that I will buy today are missing...

two small arrangements of pale pink and white roses

will go between the candles and the pumpkins.

Had to take advantage of the morning light.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Sweet Finds

2011-11-14T13:05:00.001-06:00

Hi Folks~ My Mom came in town last week, and so

I took a break from blogging to hang with her.

Took her to my favorite spots. Found some cute stuff!

Some of which is listed in my Etsy shop!

I always think I can never have to many of these light reflectors...

But on further consultation, looking at my collection,

I think I have plenty!

When I saw these vintage trims, my heart started racing...

weird, I know. But look how cute the packaging is!

And the trims inside are pretty darn cute too!

A few Christmas colors and some pretty pinks and blue!

After Mom left, I had a great weekend with the family.

(But not because she left!)

In addition to attending a rousing Bears game

at Soldier Field , we worked in our garage cleaning

~ for hopefully the last time before winter.

Slash that! If we could have more of the mild weather

we had this weekend, I would be happy to work more in the garage!

(I did a wee project I will show you later this week.)

Have a Great Monday!

Walking the Neighborhood

2011-11-01T16:31:00.001-05:00

New Puppy and I went on a lovely walk this morning,
and I took some photos of my neighborhood with my cell phone.

Love this little stoop ~ and this is the side door!
(the front is twice as grand)

The red leaves popped off this white picket fence.

I love that every house in our neighborhood is different.

For the first of November, there are still quite a few trees with colorful leaves.

I love the color of this door ~ should have taken a close up.

This may be the last day of the year to get over 60 degrees!

Isn't this little gnome garden darling?

One of the more stately newer homes that was a tear down.
I should have taken a better photo ~ it is stunning.

Does anyone know what makes these knots in tree trunks?

I might have a thing for yellow houses with red doors.
The red geraniums still looked pretty and the line
of little orange pumpkins is just too cute!

Here is my home decked out for fall.

I found the cool pumpkins in Sandwich, when I went for the last
antique market (boy has it gotten small!)

Pulled this seat-less chair out of my garage (and added a stick wreath)
to hold the white pumpkin ~ it's a big one and heavy!

Used another stick wreath as a nest for over-sized pine cone "eggs".

This little concrete mushroom was an estate sale find.

Hope you have enjoyed my little neighborhood tour.

On another note, I have change my Etsy shop name to

hertofore market

Etsy finally gave us the chance to change our Etsy shop names.

Mine has been hbgordon since registering as a buyer.

Funny thing is I just changed the banner and the shop title,

but not the official shop name, since you only have one time to change

and well, I am not sure about it. So many of the ones I liked

were taken, and not by other shops, but often by people that as

far as I could tell haven't bought or sold using their name ~ yet.

So don't go there and take my name idea before I have the

chance to go back and make it official, PLEASE.

Monday Musings

2011-10-24T12:35:00.000-05:00

Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts.

Soren Kierkegaard

True or untrue?

Why start a this post with an existentialist quote? Let's see...

I have, over the past couple of weeks, started writing posts,
or taken photos with a post in mind,
but when I sat down to to write...
it just wasn't...satisfying.

Fall is always a little hard for me. There are things I love about it ~
the excitement of a new school year, scheduled activities, changes in
the environment ~ cooler weather, leaves changing, harvest...

But some of those same things can be jarring.
With three school age children ~ one in elementary, one in junior high
and one in high school ~ the rigor of new teachers, homework,
and scheduled activities can be stressful. At the same time we are
experiencing shorter days, cooler temps, allergies, and colds.
And a new puppy! All the while, my senior is working on college apps,
and taking really advanced classes, one in which he had to write a paper on...
you may have guessed it, Existentialism.

some things I bought at our church rummage sale

I didn't even explore that topic until college when I wrote a paper
on it for a freshman honors English class, after reading Camus and Sartre
in an honors Poli Sci class. He learned about existentialism
last year in his high school philosophy class, and was now reading
"No Exit" and "The Stranger" in his Senior English class. The assignment
included watching a movie (from a list) with existentialist themes
and comparing them with themes from the books. One movie from the list
"Up in the Air", I had recorded, but had not watched yet, so I viewed
the movie with him. I figured we could bounce ideas off each other
to help him with his paper. Yeah. {Sigh}

the backs of these are so pretty

Then when looking for a book to read on my kindle, I came across
"The Hunger Games" and remembered my daughter reading it in her
school book club last year in sixth grade. Knowing that by her account,
it was a disturbing thought-provoking read (she loved it!),
but not realizing it also had existential themes,
I decided to read it...and the two sequels,
finishing them all within a few days.......

Thankfully Monday morning has come, after last weeks all consuming rummage sale,
(I am involved in our church rummage sale which is a week in actual execution)
and a frantic weekend starting with the Fortnightly dance at the junior high
(big Friday night production), Saturday's basketball tournament,
a haunted house, a cookout, and all the other usual weekend activities...
I didn't have time to process all those movie and book trilogy
existential threads dangling in my head.

chair I bought for $10 at rummage

Decompression time.

love the curvy lines

Where have those threads lead me? I am still untangling and digesting,
and of course may be digressing beyond what either of those
two authors intended (Up in the Air and The Hunger Games Trilogy).


and the nail head trim

stripped of its upholstery

I have come to a few conclusions that make sense to me.
{they may or may not have anything to do with the aforementioned}

Live life intentionally, and understand yourself in an
authentic way ~ through choice andcommitment.

Kierkegaard may ask ~
Does life only have meaning when following the rational standard of morality?

I think not, since Christianity is not just based on knowing,
but on a way of being and becoming.
It seems to me that almost anyway you look at it,
it comes back to choice.

God's gift to us ~ freedom of choice ~ freewill.
Tied with a bow of Grace that accepts us even
when we fail in making the right choice.

Our choices matter.
Our thoughts matter.
{Our prayers matter.}
Intentionally becoming matters.

These are my "dominant thoughts" today.
And it is only Monday.
:)

Vintage Sale in the Chicago Suburbs

2011-10-11T11:42:00.001-05:00

So I was cleaning out my garage this last week and found that I had

quite a bit of nice vintage left over from my antique space.

Many things I found are larger or breakable ~

not my favorite things to ship, so instead of loading

up my etsy shop with them...

I decided to have a last minute sale, in my garage, nothing fancy.

Lots of home decor, vintage odds and ends, some crafting supplies.

This wicker bench pulls down to hold shoes.

These lovely framed pictures are rather large.

There is some outdoorsy stuff, an old metal ice cream crate,

Halloween and fall decorations, lots more not pictured.

I will be adding to it till Friday.

This cute little painted white antique desk/curio from

my daughter's room (all cleaned out) will be for sale.

She's growing up and no longer can sit comfortably

on this cute painted, chenille covered bench

~ pillow included! It will be for sale.

And if I can dig this dresser out of my craft room,

she will be out there as well!

If you are in the Chicago area and would like shop

my vintage sale ~ it is this Friday 10/14 from 9-1.

Email me if you need my address or check out the

Suburban Life ads, it will be there tomorrow (Wed 10/12)

Hopefully you will find some others in the area worth stopping at!

Speckled Egg Curiosity Swap

2011-10-05T09:39:00.002-05:00

Thought you might like to see the latest swap I participated in...

I haven't done one in a while, and Heather's Petite Inspiration Box

Swaps are always fun! For this one the theme is "Curiosities".

Everyone decorates a large matchbox and fills it full of little goodies...

well, two matchboxes, because you have two partners with which to swap.

I covered my boxes with black and white ads from a periodical from

the early 1900's, embellished the edges with tatting and the sliding ends

with black and white plaid ribbon. Each box got a tiny handmade prize

ribbon with the person's initial in the center.

The inside was stuffed with ribbon, millinery, and trinkets of all sorts.

And because I couldn't fit all that I wanted into the box, I

included a small muslin bag that I stamped with an owl filled with

ephemera as well.

The first of my two partners was the talented Sheila, who made this

gorgeous box embellished with a pocket of flowers and leaves.

So unique and inspired, I have never seen a little pocket like this one!

Of course it was filled with all kinds of little goodies and trinkets!

If you have never visited Sheila's blog, you must go, she has all

kinds of wonderful tutorials!

You can see why this is so much fun!

My second partner, the super generous Jill, did more of a Halloween theme.

It was watching like 20 clowns coming out of a tiny car opening her box!

I could not believe all that she fit in there!!!

And if that wasn't enough she included more fun Halloween

crafting goodness and a large burlap bag filled with more!!

This is what came out of the boo bag. So much fun I must schedule

a special night of Halloween crafting with my girls!

Jill and Sheila, you really outdid yourselves!

I feel so blessed to have gotten to know you and

your blogs, and swap with such

wonderfully generous and creative souls!

Thanks again Heather for hosting!

Now who's up for a pumpkin spice latte?!

Fall Halloween Mantel

2011-09-27T13:19:00.000-05:00

Well, I started to just do a fall mantel,

but all that Halloween stuff was just sitting there.

And I didn't know know if I would have time to add it later...

So I just went all out. Hopefully not too much so. I can always edit.

I did not change everything that was there, some pieces still fit.

What was added was a some vintage "fall/halloween" items like

the Old Crow bottle (crow atop embellished by this blogger).

And a few pieces that I have created like these two little witches.

I love the Edgar Allen Poe book.

I like to mix the old and rusty, like the pulleys and books, balanced

with shiny reflective ~ the silver trophies and mercury glass.

Just a few pops of orange, like the little pumpkin I made last year.

I also used a few natural elements like the feathers, wood

architectural pieces, and pressed flower picture.

(Hanging goblin made for me by Kari).

The banner is one my girls made (with a kit) and I think they will

happy to see it up ~ I may have to add a little burlap to the back of it.

Dressed up the dining room table as well.

Shoot, now my entry table is bare ~

The Lettered Cottage

See....already tweaked it!

My New Old Swiss Army Blanket

2011-09-18T14:10:00.002-05:00

The day after I shopped and thrifted with Lisa,

I went to Hobby Lobby to buy some artist canvases

which were half off....{or maybe it was 40%}

Anyway the Hob Lob is half way to my other

favorite thrift store...

Where I scored one of my favorite finds EVER!
This vintage Swiss army blanket!!!

looks grey in this photo but it is NOT

Perhaps you have read about these blankets, Apartment Therapy

featured them on her blog in 2007. Since then, I have noticed them
popping up all over the web, and in catalogs such as Sundance,
where they sell for $298.

Out of my price range for a lovely vintage wool blanket...

my swiss blanket photo shoot

Back in 2008, a couple of entrepreneurs in Switzerland discovered

them and founded a company based on these blankets, called Deken.

Deken

Love these, but not enough to cut up mine!

Deken

This is what they have to say about the blankets on their site:

Manufactured from the end of the 1900`s through the early sixties of the last century, their intended use was providing warmth if the Swiss would become involved in a war. Stored in caves in the Swiss Alps, they remained there for many years as fortunately that war never came.

Made of pure sheep's wool and in various shades of gray-brown, marked with a red and white cross-track, the blankets are hand made and indestructible, typical of genuine Swiss quality. The blankets are individually marked with the initials of the maker as well as the year of production. From the variation in colour of the band and the shape and way of construction of the crosses you can instantly recognize the hand of individual makers; sometimes the bands are more orange, sometimes they have a pretty, clear Swiss cross and sometimes they even have a stainless steel coin or seal.

This is the maker's initials and year on my blanket.

So now the quandary is keep or sell? I did not get it for a steal,

as the group at this thrift store are savvy and often look things

up on ebay to value them before pricing. But I think it is worth

more than I paid...I really like it.

So my dear readers...what would you do?

How you decide to part with finds you love,

to sell in your etsy shops or in your antique booths?

Linked to:

Out and About with Lisa

2011-09-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

After days of sick kids, a new puppy and isolation~

{feeling sorry for me yet}

I had a wonderful outing yesterday with my bloggy friend,

Lisa of Fern Creek Cottage.

Ever since (and I think even before) she moved to the Chicago

area we have been planning to meet in person.

Our original destination was Geneva, but after a couple of

failed attempts, we decided instead that Lisa would come

to my house with her adorable son, Levi, and we

would go to some of my favorite local spots.

We made it through three shops before heading back

to my house for some lunch and lots of chatting!

We were bad bloggers, and did not take any

photos of our little adventure ~

But, of course, I have now taken some of my finds which

came from the 2nd stop, one of my favorite thrift shops!

I am not really big on thrifted pillows, but I could

not pass up this pillow case, brand new with the tags.

I filled it with my own insert. It is even cooler in person.

Also picked up this cool fabric, some vintage aqua shoe forms,

and new packages of adhesive ribbons. The shoe forms will go

in my etsy shop soon!

Not sure what I will do with the fabric but I loved the colors.

There were more packs of different colors of this ribbon.

Well, I need more ribbon like I need a hole in my head, but

I don't have adhesive ribbon, so I thought I would just buy a

few packages to try it out.

Last, but not least, is this great big enameled slop bucket.

Have to work on whether I will part with it. I am imagining

not slop, but lots of wild flowers in here, or maybe puppy food

....that may count as slop, huh?

The best part of the day was not the finds, but the company!

Lisa is even younger looking and prettier than her photo on her

blog, and maybe even sweeter! We had much in common,

having both moved around a bit, both love vintage of course!
and seemed to favor the "distressed" type projects over the
ones that require patterns and exact measurements,
and funny enough, both enjoy reading Harry Potter with our kids
(OK, I guess that fits a few million others).
And OMG she brought me the yummiest

muffins wrapped up in a sweet tea towel that I can't

even show you because once my kids got home from

school, they helped me gobble them up!!!

2011-09-11T08:07:00.000-05:00

In Memory

Big Excitement in a Little Package

2011-08-29T11:14:00.002-05:00

Meet Luna.

We brought her home yesterday.

She is a cockapoo ~ half cocker spaniel, half mini poodle.

She has already stolen all of our hearts.

The girls didn't know where we were going yesterday

or what we would do when we got there.

Only that we were driving to WI for a BIG surprise.

These are the cuties that we couldn't take home.

{the puppies ~ the girls are mine!}

Big brother didn't come, but he approved of our choice

and helped with her name. Our family loves Harry Potter,

but we needed a girl name. Hermoine isn't really a

good dog name, so Luna it is! She is sweet!

Now what?

EEeek!

Catching Up

2011-08-26T17:41:00.001-05:00

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there ~

The kids went back to school this week.

Alas, I was not ready for break to be over.

We had a great summer.

Time for ME to get back on track too~

I have been very lax about my blog this summer. We have

been busy doing important things ~ living, loving, laughing,

and college shopping. If you read my summer posts, you

might have caught on to that fact.

I HAVE A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

First time. It feels weird, surreal and scary...

If I think too much about it, I start to tear up.

Silly, huh?

German bank for sale here

So my post wasn't going to be about that. But then it just takes

over my thinking, and it is hard to concentrate on anything else.

Shake it off, shake it off.

What I intended to share with you was my vintage finds

{the Darling German Gnome Bank above is one}

and some of my craftier moments from the past couple of

months. Being preoccupied, there weren't as many as usual,

of either. I didn't go to a single antique market all summer.

I did do some vintage hunting near my parents lake house ~

{same area I got the pulleys from this post }

my favorite find is this red vintage paper cutter.

It currently holds a roll of wax paper,

and I envision wrapping my kids sandwiches

in it and tying them off with string...

found at cstandsforcarrie

I bought it for resale, but it looks so cute on my counter...

I might have to keep it. For now.

Another favorite find is this cute skill-roll game.

I found this at one of our Best By Far estate sales

this summer, in the home of a old toy collector.

The graphics are so colorful and cute,

it fits in nicely with the other vintage games and

curiosities in our basement and the kids seem

like to actually play it!

My bloggy friend Stacey from A Sort of Fairytale inspired

this sewing project (and she doesn't even know it!) She had

been blogging about learning to sew, and it got me

thinking, I ought to be flexing that creative muscle a little

more. I saw a collage at a gift shop that had little flowers

sewn round and round, willy nilly, (just my kind of sewing)

and wanted to try it. This is my take in black and white.

The fabric is an old stained cotton table cloth, put to

a new use. The best part about this project is nothing has

to be perfect, not the stitching and not the circles.

The "flowers" could be used on headbands, cards,

to decorate pillows, in gift warp, or as I think I am going

to use them, to make a piece of collage art.

(I still haven't attached them to the canvas yet ~

keeping my options open)

That's kinda been a theme with me of late...

keeping my options open.

All this college stuff has me a little

overwhelmed. I wonder if my parents

felt this way? Somehow I doubt it.

Linking to:

Baker's Dozen of Winners!

2011-08-15T19:45:00.002-05:00

Thanks to those 13 lovely people that left comments

to enter my Vintage Cookbook Giveaway!

I have decided to not just give-away 10

cookbooks, but give away 13!!

All of those who entered won!!!

Sharon @Elizabeth & Co.

Ann

Tiffaney @ Evermore

Laurie @ Indulge your Shelf

Ruffles and Relics

Jody @The Smith Hotel

Peggy aplSEEDS

Janice @ Curtains in My Tree

Tess Challis

Joan

Spencer @Bellamere Cottage

ntsisterz

Mahrian@ Wishmade

Please email me (found on my profile) your mailing

address where I can send your Vintage Cookbook!

And thanks so much for your participation!

Vintage Cookbook Give-Away

2011-07-30T14:44:00.004-05:00

Having some technical difficulties.

My camera is missing...weird because

the case is sitting on my desk and the

memory card is in my computer.

But I can't find the camera!

I have looked everywhere.

Meant to put this post up yesterday,

I just knew it would show up!

But no. It is nowhere.

So here it is, w/o proper photos.

I am going to pick 10 names!

All you have to do is post a comment

on this post. If you would like to

invite others by posting on your blog,

that's great!

Oh, did you want to know

what I am giving- away? Hee hee.

Well, it is in the name of the post...

I have an abundance of great vintage

cookbooks, in fact there are some for

sale in my etsy shop. Basically I am too

lazy to list them all, so I will give 10 away!

To see an example, you could go there

and see what I am talking about, but it is not

required that you do so. Most of them are

published by a food or appliance company.

They range in age from the '20's to the '60's.

example from the etsy shop ~

When I find my camera, I will post some actual

pics of the ten, I promise.

Just a little summer thank you ~ for hanging in there.

For reading, for commenting, for grins.

I will announce the winners on Aug. 15th!

Linking up with Jennifer Rizzo's Give-Away Day!

Edit Aug. 11: Found my camera! Yeah! Photo with a small sampling
of the cookbooks I have to give- away ~
the winners' will be chosen at random!

comments are now closed!

Vignettes from my Home

2011-07-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

Most things you will see were found at estate sales, antique/flea/farm sales

and markets, rummage sales, or were a result of gifts and/or swaps!

Some of these you may have seen before if you've read my blog...
don't forget before the week is out I will be posting a Give-Away.
At least 10 will win!

Home Again, Home Again ~ Jiggity Jig

2011-07-25T18:18:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer ~

we have been gone more than home, which is unusual for us.

Summertime in Chicago is usually very enjoyable!

little mushroom in my yard popped up overnight

Despite the extreme weather we have been having, our

house has come through virtually unscathed, unlike so many others.

Not that we haven't had to live without power, but that pales in

comparison to the flooded basements, downed trees, and torn up roofs.


hot air balloon over the lake house

We were lucky to miss out on the last storm which

dropped a record 6+ inches and the Chicago heat wave.

But we got a taste of some hot weather of our own

while down in Texas visiting family and colleges.

SMU

I can't believe our oldest will be a senior this fall ~ how time flies!

We saw some beautiful campuses and were so impressed,

my husband and I decided we want to go back and do it all over again!

We would be very pleased to have our son attend any one of the

three fine schools we toured.

TCU

And the icing on the cake is that we have plenty of family in

Texas, all happy to lend their support! #1 son was born in Austin

and grew up aspiring to be a Longhorn, but really "felt at home"

on the SMU campus ~ which is funny since his aunt and uncle

live three blocks off campus in HP.

UT has a lot to offer, but I can't help feel he might be better off at

a smaller school. My husband and I both attended a large university

and know some of the pitfalls.

ice skating with the cousins

Have to say that my husband, our 2 girls and I would not

mind an increase in visits to Texas! Since our focus was

family and college tours, there was no time left for any

shopping for me! It took all the will power I had to

skip going to my favorite store in Austin, (we were

there for less than 24 hours) Uncommon Objects!

They'll always be stuff to buy,

and it is only stuff ~ doesn't hold

a candle to time with family!

The older my children get, the more

fundamental that idea gets to me.

Along those lines ~ check back later in

the week ~ I am planning a give-away!

Farmhouse or Industrial?

2011-07-12T12:21:00.000-05:00

Our power got knocked out yet again by another storm that took down

trees and limbs all over town...now that it is back, I thought I would write a quick

post and show you some treasures I picked up while at my parents' lake house

last week. One place we stopped was a "weekend antique shop" ~ really someone's

studio, in an old school house turned residence (very cool). She didn't have a

lot that I was interested in, but I did find two old pulleys.

I have bought several pulleys over the years, and in the past

have sold them in my antique booth. The one I found previous to this

pair, (back left side) has sat on my coffee table and I have grown

attached to it. So now that I have 3, does that make a collection?

So where would you categorize these vintage pulleys ~

Industrial or Farmhouse...or something else?

New in my Etsy Shop...Metals and Pastels

2011-07-10T16:51:00.001-05:00

Open for business...

Room with a View

2011-07-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday to you all!

I am so excited about what promises to be

a fabulous holiday vacation!

This week I come to you from a room with a view....

Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

Absolutely stunning, but no, not here.

Coastal Living - Galleons Point

Gorgeous, but we are not in California this time.


Southern Accents - Kiawah Island, SC

This room in SC boasts a 180 degree view

of a nearby marsh. It is so inviting,

almost don't care what the view is of...

I could show you oodles of beautiful photos that I found

just googling "room with a view", but since I am not

working from home, the internet is very slow. It is as it

should be on vacation, right? Lots of outdoor activity

and time with family, very little computer time.

So without further ado ~ here is our room with a view

this week while staying at my parents' lake house...

Here is where I am sitting and blogging this morning,

but I doubt very much I will be blogging much this week

~ unless it rains.

The room and view are not as spectacular as the ones above,

but it so peaceful, and the lake is like glass. I feel grateful

that my parents bought this place last fall and are sharing it.

This is the first time we have been here since

Easter, when we can really enjoy all there is to do.

the view from the screened porch

Today we will be putting up a little gazebo on our dock below,

as well as taking the boat out so the kids can tube.

My Dad has already gone fishing in the cove in one of the

little paddle boats you see.

screened porch last fall

There is a pool, tennis courts and a man made beach

for the kids if they get tired of fishing, tubing, and

water skiing. Can't wait to watch the fireworks here

over the lake!

I will share more photos and stories probably when we

return home. Until then ~ Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Hello, Garden...

2011-06-24T11:47:00.000-05:00

So, hello. Amazing how fast a week can fly by in the summertime.

We have had a busy time driving to to and from sleep away camp in MI ~

enjoying our new deck ~ going to the pool on sunny days ~ cleaning out closets

on the rainy days...but mostly dealing with yet another summer of

storms that knock out the power for days....YEP.

Not going to make you read about our adventures with flashlights and

candles...it certainly could have been so so much worse! I took some new

photos of our garden and the flowers that are popping up there both in the

front and backyard. I finally got the front window boxes planted, a couple

weeks later than usual (which is usually Mother's Day weekend) Even cut

a few flowers to bring inside. So here it is, no more banter, just pictures.

Hope you are having a relaxing summer!

Fun in the Summertime at Etsy

2011-06-15T11:26:00.000-05:00

Cool Drink Fun


thegetupvintage

Backyard Fun

MableDear

Beach Fun


RichardandRuthie

Critter Catching Fun

SweetLoveVintage

Cookie Fun


cricketcapers

Picnic Fun

Seed Spitting Fun

Lake House Fun

Gardening Fun

What do you do for Fun in the Summertime?

When your home really is your castle...

2011-06-13T09:19:00.001-05:00

14th Century Spanish Castle

After spending two weeks in Spain last summer, I have a new love

for Spanish style Medieval architecture. This castle is near Girona,

which is north of Barcelona and just an hour south of France.

It has been restored by its current owner over the last 4 years and

retains many original features such as the bread oven, stone

floors, chestnut beams, three fireplaces and open terraces.

This amazing property includes 158 hectares in the Gavarres

Natural Park. It has been reduced to 1,750,000 Euros.

Herrliche Bergwelt

Sprechen Sie Deutsche? Mine is a little rusty, so the best I can tell

you is that this Austrian Castle sells for 3,000,000 Euros and has

breathtaking (fernblick) views!

15th Century French Castle

90 minutes from Paris, in the Sologne area of France, you will find this 8,100

square foot castle just waiting for you and your family. For 4,950,000 Euros

negotiable much is included. To the left notice the large event barn,

there is also a 6 room caretaker's cottage, a 6 bedroom guest house

(originally the stables), a 20' by 40' pool, and of course, the French styled

garden, shown here, located on the backside of the 50 acre estate.

Castle Sjoskum

Commissioned by a wealthy sea captain, designed by British architects and crafted

by German builders, this "White Palace" set on the shores of Lake Vattern in

Southern Sweden can be yours for only $850,000US! I know, crazy, right?

Castle in Northern Hungary

In Pusztaradvany, 2 hours from Budapest, you could purchase this amazingly

understated 1855 castle manor house for 980,000 Euros. It is all set to

become a luxurious family home or boutique hotel with amenities such

as a Turkish Bath with bubble spa, scented steam room, and infrared

sauna. Also included are stables and other out-buildings, a pond,

a playground and heated pool. Inside find a billiard room, a

restaurant, a gym, 7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, and an assembly

hall with all the latest conference equipment. I love it!

Castle of Veulen

I can't tell you how much this stately castle in Belgium sells for, but I can tell you that

you won't pay property taxes or a capital gains tax when you buy it! An hours drive from

Brussels and Antwerp, the 8 year restoration on Castle Veulen was completed in 2009.

This 15th century abode has 25 rooms and is set on 21 hectares of beautiful parkland.

I am amazed at how many castles there are for sale and the wealth of information on the

Internet! Be sure to read this all important article brought to you by Medievalist.net

on "What to know when buying a castle". It is good to have aspirations, right?

Summer time fun at Jackson Square Antique Mall

2011-06-06T10:50:00.000-05:00

Had not been to the local antique mall (where I used to have a booth)

in a while, and decided to see what they had going for summer.

What comes to mind when you think of summer ~

travel ~ vacations!

Gardening

The Beach or The Shore

She sells seashells by the seashore.

And last, but not least, holidays like Memorial Day,

Flag day, Fourth of July and Labor Day!

Lots of Patriotic

RED

White

and BLUE!

I didn't buy much this trip...this hanger looked fun, and

I loved the color of these Lilies of the Vally.

If you live in the Chicago area, Jackson Square Antique Mall

is worth the trip ~ next weekend is their annual

Spring Outdoor Market ~

Saturday June 18th

9 am - 3pm

112 E. Burlington

La Grange, IL

School's out ~ summer has arrived!

2011-06-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

Feeling like a very proud Mama right now. All three of

my children achieved a 4.0 this last quarter in school,

and I couldn't be more pleased.

photo taken by Katie Dunlap

They worked hard, especially my 6th grader who is on

the straight A honor roll, and my Junior in high school

who is working hard to raise his GPA in preparation for

college applications. The little one is only in 3rd grade,

the first year for letter grades in our district.

And just in time for summer, our deck is done and

the new furniture is in place.

This last week we finally had enough sun that we were able to

get the deck painted. Well, the floor is trex, which I love (we

used it on the front porch last fall) and the balusters and railings

are wood, as well as the gate which I designed.

Here is the the view onto the blue stone patio and

into the yard from the deck.

It's a small yard, but relatively easy to keep.

Can't have chickens or a vegetable garden, but other than that

we enjoy it and have maximized the space, I think.

And around the corner is the baker's rack turned potting table.

I am ready!

So let the summer begin!

Isn't she lovely?

2011-05-24T20:42:00.000-05:00

Isn't she lovely?

Isn't she wonderful?

Isn't she precious?

Less than 1 minute old...

I never thought through love we'd be...

Making one as lovely as she!

Lyrics by Stevie

Pair of 19th Century Italian Wood Carved Gild Sconces

All mine!

(bought at an estate sale, of course, and rewired)

Shopping Na-Da and Dekalb

2011-05-23T10:22:00.002-05:00

Part 2 of my Na-Da/Dekalb adventure is all about the goods!

This Gratitude Sign is an original by Jennifer Rizzo from her

spring line ~ technically I bought it from her etsy shop and

she brought it out to me at the barn sale, but she was selling

similar paintings and other things from that same line.

I have placed it right in my front foyer to remind me to have

gratitude every time I walk in my front door!

Also bought this beautiful clam shell from Jennifer

in the Na-Da Shop, which was mixed into one of the

many beautiful tablescapes.

I love it on my mantle, and positioned it differently

than how you usually see a clam shell,

(resting on its back) because I wanted to show the

wonderful texture rather than the sleek inside.

Enamelware flask and French wicker bottle (I had Spanish one already)

Many of the following photos are of treasures that I found

in the downtown shops, garage sales, and estate sales, as well

as from at Na-Da. ( had to hold back one item

that I love, handmade by Anne-Marie, because it is a gift)

On the other side of my mantle, I added to my tall wood

finial / dumb bell / architectural pieces...

New find is the black topped one on the far left.

Could not pass up these little mercury glass mushrooms!

Was especially excited to find this stamp set at a garage sale for

a fraction of what they sell new! These are the heavy duty kind

that work on anything from leather to steel!

These large ball jars were too tempting with their neat patterns.

Letter G ~ have them all over the house.

Extra large spool (12" x 8") and large locker basket.

Etched mirrors are a favorite of mine.

Haven't bought millinery in a while, but these were such pretty colors!

Cool old gauge.

Last, but not least ~ turtle shell.

Last two items were not bought on our Friday Dekalb/ Na-Da

trip, but at the Best By Far Estate Sale that I worked on Sat.

I took before photos of that sale, but never had the chance to post them.

This week brings somewhat of a break for me from work, but of

course with the upcoming holiday weekend and a soccer tournament,

well, no rest for the weary.

You guys are right there with me, I know.

End of the school year parties, graduations, recitals, picnics, etc.

After the past week of frenzy that the world would end, all we

can really do is live in the moment and try and soak it all in!

{Be sure to scroll down to see photos from the Barn Sale

in my last post!}

Na-Da Barn Sale

2011-05-22T09:33:00.003-05:00

My Friend Kathy

Perfect weather in a lovely setting for an amazing sale!

Kathy and I drove out Friday morning in great anticipation of

the fun that was ahead at the Na-Da Barn Sale and Boho Ball.

We planned the day to include estate sales and garage sales

in the Dekalb area, as well as the cute shops that dot the

downtown, before heading to Na-Da, which opened at 5 PM.

In the end we only went to one estate sale and one garage sale

(drove by quite a few more that we decided to skip), but we found

good stuff at both, and called time out for lunch and downtown

shopping. You will have to wait for the next post to see my finds!

Carrie from hot house market (and hubby Doug)

We got to the sale as it was opening, and started out in the outside
market ~ each vendor had colorful displays in a picture perfect setting!

Eclectique

All that color in the booths just popped off the farm landscape.
I love to see all the creativity of the vendors ~

After checking out handmade pillows, soaps and jewelry and

lots of vintage wares ~ we headed inside to see what Anne-Marie

and the inside "Shop" and "Market" had to offer.

The entrance into the Barn was so lovely, every detail so creative!

handbag by Jeanne Oliver

One thing that I loved and did not get a picture of was the light fixtures

that Anne-Marie made! They were huge cylinder shades made of

fabric lace (?) with enormous paper flowers like the one you see

above, only bigger, hanging at the bottom. Hopefully one

of the many talented photographers at the sale got a shot of them!

(check out Tracey and Traci)

And who has a barn sale without cute little chicks in a sweet

incubator made from old windows and architectural salvage?!

Jennifer Rizzo

I was so excited to see Jennifer's display of talents. (Wait till you

see the beautiful painting I bought from her!) Also included in

"Shop" with Anne-Marie and Jennifer were Jeanne Oliver,

Beth Quinn, Polly Hood, and Jill Harris.


Whimsy

Other vendors found in the inside market include Whimsy,

Chippy-Shabby, Verbena Nested Treasures,
and Home Adornments.

And not to be forgotten ~ the fabulous Fifi was there
signing books! Can you believe I forgot mine?! So I just
stopped to chat with her and tell her I loved the book.
Guess I should have gotten a photo with her ~
but I don't really roll that way.

From the look of things while I was there in the first hours
of the sale, I am sure the many talented vendors did well
and their customers left happy!

Hoped you enjoyed my little adventure to farm country.
Still to come next time ~ THE FINDS!

Thank you to Anne-Marie and her
AMAZING family for a great time!

PS- I wore my boots!

Latest Estate Sale Finds

2011-05-14T18:59:00.001-05:00

I have been a bad little blog girl for not sharing our latest estate

sale before it happened. I am sorry. The sale was in Yorkville

which is about an hour away from where I live, and there

was just so much there, we worked like crazy! In the end, I did

not purchase a lot...but what I did get, I am very excited about!

I could not pass up these genuine alligator cowboy boots ~ yew-haw!

I also bought this cowhide that I am going to use as a floor

covering. I have been hemming and hawing about what kind

of rug I wanted ~ DONE. Love it. My husband loves it too.

It continues the eclectic feel of the room while still neutral.

I got this great big cloche ~ and didn't have to pay that great big cloche price!

It fits perfectly into a clear cake plate with raised edges that I have.

It had a dome already, but it was very shallow. The cloche will give

me much more room to play with ~ and last, but not least, this very cool

authentic lid from a chardonnay oak barrel in Napa hand crafted

into a lazy susan. It has so much character ~ I think I will oil it

a bit with olive oil? Any one have one of these and have a

recommendation for cleaning and caring for it?

So fun stuff ~ I got craft supplies too, as our owner was an painter

and a jewelry artist and had 1000's of beads, gems, and gadgets

galore! In fact my mom drove in from Ohio to go to the sale.

Starting a new one next week in Hinsdale, I will let you know how

it is hopefully before the sale...:) you can always find out about

Best By Far Estate Sales (new name) by clicking on the link in my side bar.

Linking up with Debra for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Backyard Blooms

2011-05-11T16:29:00.000-05:00

I call these snowballs, forget their real name,

but their scent is wonderful!

The tiny buds are pink, but when they open they are white.

We planted this Crab Apple tree last year,

so this is the first year it bloomed.

This is the first of my backyard perennials to bloom.

On Mother's Day I planted many of my containers.

I bought this cement one at an estate sale of course.

I don't really have a cohesive look to my containers.

I buy anything I like, mixing up the styles and materials.

I always like to have at least one topiary.

I was excited to find this rosemary topiary at

Home Depot. It smells delicious!

In the background you can see a sneak peek

of the new deck, still needs some finishing touches

and to be painted...loving the Trex that we used

just for the floor, treads and risers already!

What's popping up in your garden?

Linking to: Little Round Table's "This Week in my Garden"

Etsy Favs

2011-05-07T15:39:00.001-05:00

Vintage in the Kitchen

2011-05-06T14:16:00.001-05:00

Spring has sprung and I am itching to get started this weekend

finally planting in the yard. Our new deck is almost finished,

so hopefully next week can be a backyard vintage garden post!

Today will have to be inside...

I have shown you my kitchen, but I haven't highlighted one of

my favorite elements which is this handcrafted table in my

breakfast nook. The top is recycled barn stairs with a brushed

chrome base that is sort of mod. I love the juxtaposition of the

old worn wood with the shiny new modern coming together.

I bought it at a shop located in the western suburbs of Chicago

that is no longer...Les Tissus Colbert. The reproduction chandelier

that hangs above it is also from that shop. Sad to see the shop go.

I also love my slip covered arm chairs that flank the ends of the

table. They were $10 each at an estate sale, and came from a

dining room set, so they sit up properly to the table. I had slip

covers made which of course pushed the price tag a lot higher.

Great place to have the morning coffee.

Another little spot in my kitchen I don't think I have shown you

is this wall that separates the butler's pantry and the family room.

I found these little trade cards a few years back

for about $5 a piece already framed.

They originally hung under my cabinets to decorate the back

splash area ~ but now I have new subway tiles there, so this

is the home I found for them.

Each frame is different and vintage.

Since finding this assortment I have acquired more of the cards,

but am on the look out for more little frames like these.

Linking up with Debra for VIF at Common Ground.

salle de bain

2011-04-28T16:30:00.002-05:00

Everything sounds better in French, no?

Today you get a mini-tour of my bathroom ~ the Master Bath.

Le Salle de Bain.

The rainy day makes it seem darker in here then it is.

The white cabinetry keep it clean and bright, balanced with

the natural slate that keeps it feeling warm and spa like.

(that's my story and I am sticking to it)

I like the little niche and shelves on both sides, which allows

me to display some of the little dressing table bottles and jars

that I collected as a child, as well as some apothecary bottles

and other vintage goodies that I have picked up as an adult.

Surprisingly our bathroom, a spec home we bought 5 years ago,

has only one sink on a large white vanity cabinet, but

lots of counter space ~ room enough for two sinks.

It has never been an issue for us, but we will one day,

replace the vanity area with two sinks,

and new lighting and replace the mirror...

and who knows what else. :)

country living

I like the look of this sink area, but I would like to have a long

trough sink with two faucets and different lighting ~

sconces on the sides of the mirrors I think.

Of course having that larger window would be nice!

This vintage metal rolling stand provides a bit of storage ~
it is where I would have liked to put a dental cabinet,
but they have become so popular and expensive
that I have all but given up on that idea.

The shower is large and tiled in slate. I like it,
but of course would do it differently if I designed it.
I did not realize how much I would still like to do in
this bathroom until I started to take photos.
I am thinking I would like some fabric on the windows now ~
was inspired by this gal's window "mistreatment" she called it.
And I have more to hang. Come back next week and I will
hopefully have made some progress here...

Linking to VIF.

Prize Ribbons

2011-04-27T11:04:00.001-05:00

These "prize ribbons" have been sitting on my studio table for

most of the winter waiting to be put together.

I hit a little funk about January, and so it took me until

last night when I finally started to clean up ~

check this post for clarification, to put these together.

Already had them laid out so the fun creative part was over, and

all I had to do was get out the glue gun. This ribbon has a removable

pin on the top ~ just pinned on there.

Honestly don't know if it is the right colors, but I thought

it looked kind of regal, what with the crown and crest and all.

Thought I could wear the whole ribbon the the Royal Wedding Party

that I was invited to at 4:30 AM. Maybe I can just pin it to my PJ's,

since that is what I will likely be wearing!

I like making these because I have plenty of the necessary

supplies and they can all be very different.

They look cute hanging on a purse, or in home decor

hanging from a lamp, lampshade or from a planter.

I started making "prize ribbons" after taking a class several years ago

from Teresa McFayden at Silver Bella. I am sad to say that SB has been

cancelled this year due to lack of registrations. I was not going,

but it is too bad that with the economy, higher costs and

all the other event choices, that there just wasn't as much interest

as previous years where is has sold out within a day!

Trying another new linky party today with Sugar and Dots

and What I Whipped Up Wednesday.

Just In Case...

2011-04-20T09:43:00.001-05:00

In my etsy shop, just in time for the Kentucky Derby...just in case.

And just in case you are wondering ~ what I will be doing with

ALL my free time ~

Now that our big church rummage sale is over...whew.

You needn't worry one bit that I will be bored!

Oh. no. sir. ree. bob.

I got me a big mess in my studio.

{it is just one room ~ one room doesn't make me a hoarder, right?}

And as soon as the holiday weekend is over,

oh yes, right after that, {head nodding}

I plan to get after it!

Please hold me to it!!!!

Vintage Finds Galore

2011-04-14T12:48:00.002-05:00

After a long hard week, has it only been a week?

I am doing a lot of this

and this today

even so I thought I could share some photos

silver trophy/urn and ceramic part from a heater grate

of the great stuff that I found at the Urban Barn

in Escondido, CA while we were there on break

metal embellishment

and some photos of the things I bought

vintage boy scout compasses

at our church rummage sale!

silver toast holder

It was my intention to take photos of the whole sale

metal faux bamboo bench

but it did not happen :(

vintage paper covered cardboard drawers

it was a crazy busy week

vintage metal kodak timer

all week while the news reported the start

ironstone pitcher - the one in back

of a horrible allergy season, the symptoms came...

little vintage plaid tin lunchbox

what I thought were allergies became something else

vintage spelling board

using all my stamina for this short and sweet show and tell

retro drink tray

some of my finds may end up in my etsy shop

vintage patriotic ribbon

there was so many great buys at the rummage sale

velvet fabric, string and tatting

as usual it was hard to contain myself

there was plenty of treasures and good buys to go around

The next couple of items I picked up at some

of my favorite haunts around town before rummage

the clock fit in perfectly in my white cabinet of curiosities

I am forever buying little vintage bottles

and I have a new passion for these Danish leather-bound books

this makes the second one I have bought

I would like to send out a little something to Rhonda

who was the first to guess correctly a couple of weeks ago

in the "what is it?" game.

But several of you got it right! Yay!

Thanks for playing!

Linking to:

unintentional break...

2011-04-07T22:48:00.000-05:00

Beach on Coronado Island

We are back from our week in San Diego and I have much to share ~ between working an estate sale and the church rummage sale, the girls back in outdoor soccer, my sister's big 4-0 birthday, the junior high musical, college night with my son...oh my the list is longer than ever and I can't keep up! We even missed on ortho appt. because my head is spinning! Sorry I have been absent ~ I will eventually have the time put up a decent post!

Here is a video about the rummage sale our church puts on twice a year. If you live in the Chicago area ~ it is a must see for bargain hunters and vintage fanatics alike! Follow the link to get all the details. And check back Monday when I will (hopefully) have some preview photos!

California Poppies

I also want to give a quick thanks to all the gals that came to our IL blog girls gathering ~ I have received many kind emails and cards from you all, and so appreciate the love! It was truly an honor to have you all here at my home! And of course to have Jennifer as a co-hostess! She did all the leg work really and is the *star*! Have a great weekend!

What Is It Game?

2011-04-01T12:07:00.001-05:00

Not back yet..but while the girls and DH are swimming this morning,

I thought I would offer a quick game of "What Is It?"

And play with Debra and all you VIF girls.

Now, I know what IT is, but the first person to answer correctly

on the comments will win a fun something {TBD later.}

IT was bought at this really cool shop in

Escondido called the Urban Barn.

Unfortunately I was so excited about all the lovely vintage

wares for sale, I totally forgot that my camera was just sitting

in my purse ~ aching to take some shots of the goodness.

The rest of my purchases from there

(ignore the Nordstroms bag)

will be revealed when I arrive home,

as will the answer to my query ~

view from our condo patio

Now back to my scheduled vacation.

Blogged for VIF.

Hanging out in So Cal

2011-03-28T22:40:00.000-05:00

That's right ~ the girls and I are in Southern California on break,

enjoying wearing flip flops and climbing trees!

Well, the girls are climbing trees!

And strolling on the beach, shopping, eating,

and enjoying the warm sun.

We have a lot planned, but will be home soon

and will share more of our adventure then!

Blog Gathering ~ Collective Connectedness

2011-03-23T12:57:00.002-05:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of co-hosting at my home with Jennifer Rizzo,

a Gathering of a dozen women from around the Chicago area,

who blog and/or wish to blog and who read blogs. I think

the intimate gathering of 12 was a success ~ there

seemed to be opportunity to get to know one another a bit

and ask pertinent blogging questions. A few were even able to spend

sometime afterward perusing the quaint area shops!

While the reasons that draw a person to blogging are varied,

I have always thought that the underlying motive to all blogging

is connection. According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs,

relational and belonging needs are superseded in importance

only by survival and safety needs. And the motivation to form and

maintain close social bonds is as potent as the drive to satisfy

hunger or thirst. (Psychology Today)

So as human beings, we are basically wired to need and seek

out relationships ~ bonds that connect us to one another.

For many, blogging fosters those networks.

Where do we meet and make friends?

~ at our jobs, where the main thing we have in common may

be the company we work for; our children's schools, where the

only similitude may be that our children are friends.

With blogging you tend to choose to connect with others that

have the same passions, and that may include things

outside of your children and work. Blogging provides an

opportunity to "meet" people that you may not otherwise ever

get the chance to know ~ whether they live near or far!

Some of the women at our gathering have been blogging for a

number of years with 1000 followers+, others are just starting out,

and asking all the right questions to get them started blogging

or help them on their way to understanding the sometimes

complex technical world of blogging.

It was so wonderful to have such a diverse group in terms of

blog subject ~ each one creative in their own way ~ some make

things, some find things, some find things and then remake them,

others share their talent for design, teaching, photography, writing

and art. I found all of it very inspirational. Each one, in some way

I think, wanting to participate in a collective connectedness.

Sometimes it is hard to put yourself and your talents out there

~ blogging let's you dip your toe in, or immerse yourself completely.

You can tell as much or as little as you want about yourself personally,

but still share in a collective connection with others of similar interests.

Blogging allows you to showcase your passions.

How often do you invite others over (your non-cyber acquaintances,

friends and family) just to see something you've made,

something you've found, something you've remade or your new wall color?

Of course, there are art shows, quilting bees and other creative collective

associations out there to join. Blogging allows me make those

connections is a more casual way. As busy as life is, you can do

it anytime of day or night!

So to get back to the Gathering ~ besides the food and the chit chat,

we gave out little gift bags that Jennifer painted (pictured above)

and had a swap raffle. Several sweet gals brought lovely

hostess gifts as well. Thank you!

Thank you to the many who added a little something to the bag as well!

This is a photo of everything in the bag and below find some

of the wonderful items up close!

Jeannie

Suzanne

Penny

Monika

I apologize for not having ANY photos of the girls who gathered

~ all my photos were taken before or after the event happened,

and while everyone was there ~ well, let's just say that I was

living in the moment!

Here are the links to ALL who were able to attend the gathering.

I know some have posted about our gathering and have more photos ~

and perhaps a different perspective.

Jennifer - Jennifer Rizzo

Penny - At home in English Valley
Carrie - Hot House Market
Elizabath - Fabby Felt
Jeannie - The Gilded Junque Yard
Joy - Savvy City Farmer
Kathy - Charm Bracelet Diva
Monika - Chasing Butterflies
Suzanne - At home with the Farmer's Wife
Tracey - French Larkspur

Allison - Polohouse

PS: When my husband got home after the gathering was over,

he said the house smelled funny ~ turns out it was the Camembert cheese.

Jenn and I noticed it when we put it out, but did not realize how strong

the smell was in the house ~ I apologize! I hope no one was gagging

over the smell (as he was!)

FYI: Don't serve stinky French cheese at a blog gathering

(or any gathering!) ~ lesson learned, check!

Blog Girls Get Together

2011-03-19T15:11:00.007-05:00

Jennifer and I had a great time reuniting with old blog friends and making new ones as well!

Penny - At home in English Valley
Carrie - Hot House Market
Elizabeth - Fabby Felt
Jeannie - The Gilded Junque Yard
Joy - Savvy City Farmer
Kathy - Charm Bracelet Diva
Monika - Chasing Butterflies
Suzanne - At home with the Farmer's Wife
Tracey - French Larkspur

Allison - Polohouse

Missed you Traci, Stacey, and Anne Marie!

Tell you all about it ~~tomorrow~~ asap.

New color to brighten up the place...

2011-03-12T10:30:00.002-06:00

Desperately Seeking: Lots of natural light and Vitamin D

Entry hall got a new color and a new rug from Ballard.

Love those indoor/outdoor rugs for the entry area ~ if they

get too dirty, just hose them off and let them dry in the sun.

Of course that works best when it is warm and sunny!

before photo ~ from Thanksgiving with 17 people

{Struggled to find a before photo, I did not like taking photos

in my dining room since the pictures always turned out so dark}

Morning overcast skies is not the best light,

but I couldn't wait to show you.
(both rooms got the same color)

17 year old son says it is baby blue ~ it is NOT,

it is a custom color I blended myself with Wedgewood Gray

and Palladian Blue (Penny, that is one lighter than your

suggestion of Wyeth Blue - which I liked)

9 year old daughter says it makes the room look bigger.

Yes, she is the budding decorator that commented on the

kitchen looking cleaner with the new subway tile back splash

Darling husband has been in TX all week on business and

won't see it (with the exception of emailed photos) until tonight.

Thanks for checking in ~ have a great weekend!

Spring Forth Egg~ceptional

2011-03-09T13:21:00.000-06:00

{edited from the original}

BAKER'S DOZEN

This is an etsy treasury that includes crepe paper eggs from my shop ~

it was edited due in part to the fact that I do not know how to move

an etsy treasury to my blog, so I copied and pasted, and then drug

things around in the blogger editor until I got something that

looked half decent ~ sorry for those that got lost in my bungle

of an edit ~you can see the original here.

Looking at all those eggs made me think of spring,

even if the weather outside today is cold, wet, and dreary.

Eggs remind us of renewal.

Which is what spring is...

a time for rebirth or a fresh start.

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow ~ Proverb

I think birds and nests are popular for the same reason.

Birds chirping and making nests remind us

that spring is finally here!

The Day the Lord created hope was probably

the same day he created Spring ~ Bern Williams

I like making collage and mixed media pieces

themed with birds, eggs, and nests.

Some are in my home.

Some have sold.

Some are still for sale!

Some have quotes on them.

Faith is the bird that that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.

~Rabindranath Tagore

Here's to hearing lots of birds singing, nests being made,

and eggs lain very soon!

Do you have Tiger Blood ?!?

2011-03-08T00:55:00.001-06:00

Thinking I need these for our spring break trip

to a warm locale.

anthropologie

But I was just wondering...

do you think they say,

I have Tiger Blood?!

No? Good, cause no one in their

right mind says things like that!

Right????

What spring time fashion

can't you do without?