Do Yourself A Favor and Click the Button

   I don't usually forward you from my little corner of the blog world to another, but I am making an exception this time. I hope you will trust me on this, because a blessing awaits you. You will also need to allow yourself some time. Probably about 10 minutes if you read quickly, but I would recommend adding a bit more so that you can soak it all in. So find a quiet corner and get yourself ready.
   This is a God story. A big God story. And I want you to share in the wonder of it all. So double-click on the link below, sit back and give my friend Lindsey your ear.

                  And They Say God Doesn't do Miracles, This Might Just Change Your Mind 

This is the banner for Lindsay's blog: Lifelivedfully.com

     I am thoroughly enjoying my new financial venture. After years of weighing the pros and cons, I have finally opened a booth in an antique mall. To stock my space, I have cleaned out closets and gotten rid of an odd assortment of things that have gathered dust and taken up space far too long in my own home. Some are even thirty-seven year old wedding presents that have never been used. Despite my inclination to hold onto things that were gifts once given with the best of intentions, I finally decided that if I haven't used the thing a single time in thirty-seven years, odds are that I won't be using it anytime soon. And since no one gave me a cane or a walker, I am safe in putting these items up for sale.
    I have also begun to venture outside my own four walls and search further afield for items to sell. Some days I feel like a pirate with a treasure map that is nothing but a deadend. And other days I find the booty almost immediately. This entire process has definitely been a learning curve. I have been hot, sweaty and bothered plenty of times, but I think I am still having fun. The Husband is convinced that I have gone off my rocker. He might be right.
   Oddly enough I feel a little like a storm chaser. Except that instead of storms,  I am chasing the elusive bargain. And not just any ole bargain, but a bargain that will sell! I am finding it's a little like gambling. Art Linkletter said that "People say the darndest things..." I would add that "They buy the darndest things, too..." Seriously, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to what people will buy.
   I recently purchased about 15 vintage handkerchiefs from the 1940's to put in my booth. I got very excited about them, but when I showed them to the sweet ladies at the front desk, they didn't share my excitement. They simply shrugged their shoulders and told me what they thought I should ask for them. I guess vintage handkerchiefs are pretty run of the mill in the antique business. But they are not run of the mill to me. Searching for validation, I spent some time on my favorite website, Pinterest, and of course, found all sorts of fun things that you could do with vintage handkerchiefs. I got so inspired that I am even having to argue with myself to leave them in the booth. So I am doing the next best thing, I am passing along some of that inspiration to you.
   First up is a lovely pillow made from a vintage handkerchief. I have one that looks almost exactly like this for sale in my booth!

Source: primrosedesign.blogspot.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Next up is this divine quilt. I am fascinated by it. I don't think I have quite enough handkerchiefs available to complete it, so you will have to find another source in addition to mine, if you are going to make this!

Source: None via Kathy on Pinterest

And this idea would allow you to use your little treasures again and again!

photo from The Mother Huddle blog

I also have some lovely pieces of milk glass in my booth. If you are planning a party, take a look at what you could do with some humble milk glass.

picture from Eddie Ross

inspiration board from Every Last Detail blog

    The next time you are in Franklin, come and see me at the Harpeth Antique Mall. I am Booth B-1 (Feather Your Nest!) If I am not there, I am probably at the Goodwill or shopping in one of my secret haunts that I cannot divulge because you just might get there first!

The New Neighbors

   I'm no rootin' tootin' cowgirl (don't own a gun), but I sure can scream like a banshee.I guess it's a good thing. If you are in the neighborhood and hear blood curdling screams emanating from our home, there's a good reason. And Scout's honor, it has absolutely nothing to do with The Husband. Let me explain. Heretofore, we have led a relatively pleasant life in suburbia -- our home sits on slightly over an acre of land in an older subdivision that was once part of a larger farm. I fell in love with this house twenty-five years ago primarily because of the mature trees that beautifully frame the front of the house. The broad, flat, expansive backyard was a paradise just waiting for our children. It was perfectly designed for just about any type of game you could think of, from football to baseball to softball to relay races to golf, and most days I just sent the kids outside to play and never thought twice about it. Those were the days. Sigh.
  Time has marched on. Our children are now bona fide adults, and even the neighbors' kids are mostly grown and going their own way. So it's none too exciting around here. In fact it is so quiet that a few new neighbors have taken up residence nearby. They are large dog-like creatures that howl and yip and yell at night to their hearts' content. Coyotes. Yep. But no worries. I can be at peace with nature, and I can handle a coyote or two. I have seen them in the neighborhood before. Once there was one walking down the middle of the street about dusk. But five coyotes? And all at once? That's a pack and that's another matter altogether. It's just a few too many coyotes. It's scary. Besides, we have a small fenced-in enclosure in the back yard where our Cavalier spaniel runs around to his heart's content. But after this weekend, not so much. Five coyotes came out in broad daylight and sauntered around in our backyard just like they owned it. They stared at my son and me as we sat on the porch. I waved my arms. They stared back. I stood up and waved some more. They ignored me and went about their own business. Even when the son and I stood up and started making noise. It was eerie. I was scared. The coyotes obviously were not fazed one little bit. I went to bed wondering if coyotes can jump a three foot fence.
   The next day the husband was riding on his John Deere riding lawn mower that he likes to pretend is a tractor when the pack of coyotes decided to pay him a visit. They moved into the yard about 10 yards from where he was methodically going back and forth, back and forth. (That's what you do when you cut a big lawn.)  The Husband saw the coyotes and hollered. They moved back out of sight into the tree line. He thought he had set them straight. Then they came back. All five of them. At that point The Husband decided it was time to get out of Dodge. He moved away from their territory. I guess he decided to forego mowing the back of the lot until next week or the week after that.  He obviously made about as serious an impression on the coyotes as the son and I had. And to think, The Husband had the benefit of that shiny green and black tractor. I guess the coyotes have never heard of John Deere.
   I called the police. I know. I know. But I did call the non-emergency number. Later that day they sent a patrol officer out to talk to The Husband and me. Then just like overgrown boys, the officer and my husband decided to go on a coyote-hunting expedition. The officer went first with The Husband following behind. But before the officer went into the tree line, he put on his gloves and took out his gun. I guess they were both worried about a possible encounter with five full-grown coyotes. The coyotes must have been taking a nap somewhere else because they were no where to be found.
    The policeman left me the number of the Wildlife Commission. I called and talked to a really nice guy named Tony. Tony is the one who recommended that I scream like a banshee. He also told me to wave my arms, grab a pot and pan and a metal spoon and bang the *&^% out of it at the same time that I was advancing and screaming. I have the screaming part down. I can also beat those pots and pans like nobody's business, but I don't know about the advancing part. I might be The Mom and have more than a few years under my belt, but I am also a CHICKEN. And the last time I checked, coyotes like to eat CHICKENS. So I will scream, I will wave, I will beat the pot with the spoon, but I will stay behind the fence, and I will, under no circumstances, advance into the coyotes' territory. In fact, I just gave the coyotes the deed to the upper back yard. They can have it. Did I mention that they can also jump a three foot fence? I am still thinking about that one. I somehow don't think the neighborhood association will go for barb-wire rolls on top of my fence...

Menacing look from the coyote on the left

  photo courtesy of flicker.com

   It's The Husband's birthday. It always comes at the same time every year (smile) and usually falls during the last blistering gasp of summer, but wonder of wonders, yesterday we woke up to cooler temperatures. I am thankful. At least we won't be sweating to death on the porch tonight as we gather for dinner to celebrate and bless this good man.
  While there are many things I like and love about the man I married thirty-seven years ago, these are my top ten tonight.

1. His loyalty and integrity are paramount.

2. He is totally committed to me and to our family.

3. His faith in the Lord has grown by leaps and bounds during the course of our lives together.

4. If he has your back, he has your back.

5. He is willing and open to change.

6. He stands by, up, and for what he believes.

7. He works hard and has learned to play hard, too!

8. He has an adventurous spirit.

9. Stability and strength are hallmarks of his character.

10. He is always seeking the opportunity to encourage, minister to, and bless others.

I am glad that we still have fun together!

Happy Birthday! I love you!

Finding the Fabulous on Etsy

 If you are a girl who likes to have the one of a kind, then look no further than this artist who screens and prints her own linen. She can work with you to design your fabric, then she will construct the pillows, tea towels, napkins, coasters, or wall hangings or give you the option of purchasing the fabric  itself so that you can recover your chairs or have your curtains made. The possibilities are literally endless!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/46124259/medieval-rose-linen-pillow?ref=tre-628805441-3

I wish I were smart enough to come up with some of these things. I love the sleek look of the stainless steel and think that this would save The Husband from asking me nearly every day, "Now, where did you put the mail?" 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73904615/soda-retro-modern-mail-letter-holder

My dear grandmother, Lou Lou, had a train case from the 40's that looked a lot like this. It went with her wherever she went. It was the perfect size for all of her toiletries, jewelry, make-up, and a change of underclothes. I think I want to bring the train case back; it's time has come...again!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79496544/vintage-train-case-royal-traveller-warm?ref=sr_gallery_4&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=Vintage+train+case&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=1&ga_language_carousel=no&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=

  Who ever knew that old fans could be so chic? Or old cameras? Or your grandfather's binoculars? Or your great-grandmother's opera glasses?  I really don't need an excuse to keep anything else, but again, all I can say is WHO KNEW? I guess my grandmother was right when she said, "Don't throw that away...someone will want it one day." The problem was she said that about EVERYTHING!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77855938/vintage-1930s-gilbert-fan?ref=tre-630461122-2

                      Hope you will be inspired to do your own happy hunting on Etsy.com. 

No Words Necessary

Sigh.

Ode to a Vacuum Cleaner

     No, I am not being paid to say this. Even though I wish I were. However, I am not savvy enough to figure out how to get people to pay me to say the truth about the products or the things I really use. I always wonder about those celebrity endorsements, don't you? But I guess if someone was paying me the big bucks to tote around a Louis Vuitton bag, I guess I could force myself to do it. Otherwise, Louis V. and I will not be making one another's acquaintance any time soon.
     Back to the subject at hand. Vacuum cleaners. This post was inspired by a comment I made on a another blog. Does that mean that I am out of blog material? Probably. Except for the fact that I have serious opinions about vacuum cleaners. If you have a home or an apartment, you know what I am talking about. Forget the more pedestrian broom and mop, we are talking about one of those appliances you usually have a love-hate relationship with...the lowly vacuum cleaner.
    Since I am probably the oldest blogger on the planet, I have had the pleasure of living through several inventions of the vacuum cleaner. You name it, I have probably used it. I grew up with an Electrolux, but gimme a break, seriously, who can afford it?! Besides, they are too labor intensive. You are exhausted by the time you get it all out of the closet and select the correct attachment. And it has so many attachments that it almost warrants its own closet, which it was fortunate to have at my mother's house. (That would be an impossibility at my house, by the way.) When I was kid, I was totally fascinated by the automatic cord return, but with the hefty Electrolux pricetag, it's a fascination I can live without. And the Kirby, forget that one. It's like the Humvee of vacuum cleaners. TOO HEAVY. I am assuming you will eventually want your children to vacuum and the Kirby is like lifting weights. They are going to whine and cry and you will end up doing it 'cause the Kirby is a monster to handle.
  I have also used something called the self-propelled Hoover (vastly overrated) because you still have to push it and truth be told, I was attracted to a vaccuum that said self-propelled because I basically wanted it to do the work for me. What a pipedream!
   Then lo and behold, the bagless vacuums became the rage. So I bought a bagless Hoover Wind Tunnel at a garage sale, and it still works most of the time.  However, it has been demoted from duty and has been relegated to life in the playroom which is where old vacuums go to die in my house. My biggest issue with the bagless Hoover is that I don't want to actually look at how much dog hair I live with---and the see-through viewing window makes this something you simply cannot avoid. Am I the only one who finds that there is absolutely nothing attractive about all those dust bunnies and their dog hair friends spinning around in the front of your vacuum cleaner for all to see. It's totally gross. This is precisely why trash receptacles are opaque. Who really wants to see the detritus of life? And then, to boot, you have to clean it out yourself. Yuk. Double yuk. I cannot believe how successfully the vacuum cleaner industry has transferred the role of trash disposal to us. And we didn't even whine about it. They convinced us that the bags are too dirty, and so emptying your own cannister is somehow not? What suckers we are. Besides if you are any sort of germaphobe, in addition to a hazmat suit, you would want to wear gloves and a mask, use a heavy disinfectant, and take a shower every time you undertake this task.
   Now we move on to a discussion of the New Kid on the Block: The Dyson. I call it the King of Hype. My daughter-in-law has a Dyson, but I just can't get my head around spending that much for something that keeps changing it's design concept every year. I think going with tried and true has some validity when it comes to buying an appliance that could (note, I say could) be used at my house every single day. So...drum roll. If you are looking for something that will never disappoint you or leave you out in the cold (or neck deep in the dog hair), you need to look no further than an ORECK. I have owned two Orecks and am still having an intense love affair with this little lightweight and carry it anywhere with only one hand gem of a vacuum cleaner. And if you think I actually might know what I am talking about, then march your little fanny right out and buy yourself an Oreck. The folks at Oreck also run really good sales a couple of times a year, so if you are not in desperate straits, call and find out when these are.
     Here's my bona fide endorsement: I owned a refurbished Oreck for 12 years that needed servicing a grand total of 2 times, and that was because it ingested something that should have never been on the floor to begin with. When my adult children heard that I was thinking about getting a new Oreck, they actually argued over who might be able to walk away with the old one (which probably could have qualified as an antique at that point.) But it still worked. I got some money for Christmas so I upgraded to the model that has the setting for wood floors, and I use it everywhere, even in my kitchen. I am still in love with it. It is light, compact, and totally dependable. I am telling you, these things never die. And the best part is that if you have to take your Oreck in to be serviced, the Oreck dealership will give you loaner model. That's because they understand that people who drive Orecks (they are like little cars) are totally addicted to them. So Oreck it is. Don't adulterate yourself and look at anything else. There is a reason that hotel housekeepers love these suckers. One they are indestructible, and two, they are worth every penny you pay for them. That's my two cents, for what it's worth! And like I said, I wasn't paid a dime! Too bad.