Fa La La La La...

Sometimes, you just want to change things up...

This year I really wanted to incorporate a lot of vintage into the mix...

So, most of my decorations remain nestled all snug in their (basement) bins...

Because the bulk of these are this year's pickings and finds...

  

  

  

merry... merry...

Decking the Halls...



I'm decking these halls with an eclectic mix of mostly old (and some new) this year. 

Hopefully it turns out.  Photographs to follow. 

Please Pass the Potato Purée...

Going to my little brother's house for Thanksgiving dinner.
He's doing the cooking this year.

God help us all...

A Stop at The Shop...

A few new views from my ever changing shop...  

 

cameras and trucks and art 

(festive red) phone 

 

 newly-finished canvas 

(holiday) hen 

 

and some fabulous five and dime.

Holiday Helpers...

Just found this sweet tutorial and am plunking it here to refer to over the Holidays. 

Some really innovative ideas for a gift in a jar. 
 



Shamelessly lifted from Tip Junkie ...
(which, from the little I've seen, is a site worth a loooong visit.)

I Fell Into Fall...

Even I am embarassed by my lackluster (non) attempt at Halloween decor this year, so I decided to hit a couple of local farmer's markets and fall head first into my favorite season...

amazing what some pumpkins, leaves and Indian corn can do for a (fire)place...

Happy Halloween...

Absolutely no Halloween in the house this year...

what little inspiration I had was put into the shop and also into shopping (of course)...

 

Shoe La La...

Okay... here's the deal... since I always seem to end up shopping in some form or fashion... I thought I might post some of my shoptastic finds here... that way you can see what I've found... and I can remember later where I found it... win... win... yes??

Alright then... let's begin... on the fabulous blog of the equally fabulous Susan Branch... just this morning... I run smack into two of my favorite things... vintage and shoes... or, in this instance, the awesome combination of vintage (inspired) shoes!!

oh thank you .... Chelsea Crew

Black Toast for Everyone...

Yesterday, I received an email from Emma Bridgewater with a lovely offer of 15% off... which was VERY nice... along with $20 dollars off international shipping... which was... well, let me put it this way, today I got their confirmation email that my order was being processed and would be shortly on its way... oh yes... you don't hesitate when deals like those are dangled...   



Somewhere in this blog's dusty archives is a post outlining my love of all things Emma...  but rather than dig, I am (hopefully) linking you directly...  total toast love  so, get over there and fall in love for yourself!

Repurposed Might Be An Understatement...

In researching a little DIY project for my shop space... I stumbled upon this... words absolutely fail me...  which matters not in the least, cuz this is a totally visual experience... 

Dishfunctional Designs: New Takes On Old Doors: Salvaged Doors Repurposed



 

Breakfast.. It's What's For Dinner...

If you've ever read this blog, you know I am fond of the egg (just a slight under statement that)... A greasy diner breakfast ranks up there right alongside the traditional Thanksgiving feast in my top ten all time best foods list... Toss the granola and jettison those smoothies my little honey pies... cuz these little lovelies have just come to town...  Really, I just needed an excuse to display this scrumptious picture (and over the fireplace seemed a little ostentatious.) 

Credit goes to attic24 for the original and most delicious post... 

and many thanks to my friend for the email heads up!!

By The Sea... Part Deux

This photo is by the lighthouse... I took it especially for my brothers... they're sentimental... although they pretend they're not... so, I decided to give them a more practical stroll down memory lane... 

 

Of course, their memories tend to be a little different than mine...  I seem to recall them having a blast when Grampa had them gut and filet (all those) fish...  the fish scales were a flying... 

Thank God I'm a gurrlllll!!

You Can Go Home Again...

By the sea... by the sea... by the beautiful sea...  Okay, it's a lake... but that song runs through my head all the way there... every time.  This place was such a large and happy chunk of my growing up years, that I still... each and every year... feel physically compelled to get these (now old) bones back up along the water's edge for a recharge. 

 

On this visit, the day was overcast... which mattered only as far as picture quality...

 

 

blue or gray... it's all food for the soul.

Inspiration...

Folders full of torn-out bits from magazines, hours spent perusing Pinterest and blog hopping... searching Google images for a little elusive inspiration... But no one thing has ever gotten the creative mojo flowing like this book...

I have exerted economic restraint and limited myself to two copies... 

Rural Junking... City Style...

Usually, my weekends include several estate sales... this weekend I upped my game... and hit the U.S. Heritage Trail's longest garage sale.  Uh, huh... on four hours of sleep, one multi-vitamin and a cup of java, baby...  and I think I did us junkers proud.  But, I'll let the pictures speak (mostly) for themselves...

very first stop... a salvage barn

 on a real, working farm...

(and me, city girl that I am, wearing flip flops...) 

original old windows (petrified chicken poop included)...

(no prob... brought the Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer) 

primitive tables... feed sacks... hardware... 

 following the road...

stopping at farms... fields filled with sellers...

small towns... and quaint little shops...

 scoring a 1928 Montgomery Ward's catalogue... fresh from the field!

(along with a bag of just-picked corn)

dolls from church basements... 

 

old cookbooks and lard tins...

next to tables of bake sale goods...

piled with cookies as big as saucers...

just a day filled with sweet treats and treasures.

A Cup of Joe and a Movie to Go...

Mornings at my house are becoming increasingly crowded... thanks to Turner Classic Movies... stop by and you'll find all manner of heartthrobs and glamorous gals in my living room.  This morning, I was almost late for work... again!  Why TCM insists on airing the kind of movies that invariably suck me in and onto the couch first thing in the morning... oblivious to time... on a work day no less... is beyond me.   

Today's movie... "Double Harness" with William Powell.  Who could resist?  (Not me obviously.)  A witty script and well acted.  Just a total blast from the (1930's) past!  If you have a soft spot for old classics... this is a must see. 

   

A Leap of Faith...

Since last October, I have moved my little shop space four times in eight months... from downtown (across the river), to a small town 40 minutes down river, back to downtown (on my side of the river).  The early moves were prompted by the shopkeeper I used to lease space from.  In the midst of that chaos, I put myself on a waiting list for a dream space... a five minute STROLL from my office to a quaint brick shop on one of the oldest original downtown corners.  Sweet, original architecture... perfectly revamped inside and out...  When I got the call from those proprietors...  I moved again.  I was there for nearly three blissful months when my new landlords received one of those unexpected, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.  So, they took it and moved to a considerably larger shop across town...  and as much as I appreciated the ambiance and location of that downtown shop... I appreciated my wonderful new landlords more...

so I moved with them... and am still settling in...

but already daydreaming about Holiday displays...

reindeer and jack o' lanterns and all that jazz...

great treasures... great prices... great people

Great Finds in Maumee ...  1414 Reynolds... find it ALL there!

Don't Waste the Day...

random thoughts... 

on a gloriously sunny Friday morning.

Just a Slacker...

When I popped in and actually saw the last time I posted I was a little mortified...  I have had a "little shop around the corner" mini drama taking most of my focus these past few months... but still... really... February?  Ah, well, I'll share my shop saga later... but for now...  I'm...

currently reading...

 

 

LOVE... LOVE and LOVE  (comfort food, how could you not?)

 

currently trying...

 

just started using... so the jury's still out (I've always been a sudsy kinda girl)

 

currently rocking...

 

and while I don't love Summer... I do love me some metallic flip flops.

Happy Valentine's Day...



 

decorating shoeboxes with paper doilies and crepe paper hearts...

picking just the perfect valentine for that special crush...

and the sweet treats... can't forget those...

Only 314 More Shopping Days...

I've been doing a fair amount of online shopping these past weeks.  With the after-Holiday in store selection being so dismal... I hit Etsy with abandon.  So far, I've (don't groan) purchased a few Christmas (I know, I know) presents which I will inevitably stash away for safekeeping and be unable to find in time for Christmas giving (feel better?).  Amongst the gifts for others, have of course, been little presents to myself.  Quirky and odd... much like their buyer.  

 

 Etsy rocks... sigh...

And In This Drawer...

A spot for dropping exceptional, eccentric, unusual, funky, and/or funny things from online.

 

A Brief History of John Baldessari

Happy Birthday Dear Dad...

no, Elvis isn't my father. . . but he and my father both share the same birthday. . .  my father let me in on that little fact once in a last ditch effort to get me to remember the date. . . and today something in this foggy brain of mine clicked and I actually did. . . for years, he patiently celebrated his birthday a day late (my Dad -- not Elvis).    Well, today I finally remembered your day. . .  on your day. . .  

although I'm fairly certain next year things will return to status quo. . .

Not a Gift Receipt in Sight. . .

Two gifts that I never tire of. . . good food and good friends. . .  and when the universe aligns to combine the two, well, watch out!  Today was shaping up into a typical OMG Monday when I got a call from a friend who wondered if I might like dinner. . . freshly made and delivered. . .  after mulling it over for a nano second, we arranged a "meals on wheels" meeting in my driveway and I walked in my door loaded down with some out-of-this-world homemade tamales and refried beans. . .

What an unexpected and much appreciated gift at the end of a frazzled day at work. . .  and I have every intention of returning those dishes with something scrummy and homemade as well. . . (just like Grandma taught me!)