Sweet Sage Vintage

Stepping Away...

2011-09-19T00:10:00.024-07:00

An absentee blogger for quite some time now ..

but i dislike loose ends.

So it is with a very heavy heart that I find it necessary to formally

step away.

I'll be taking an indefinite break from this beautiful land of blogs.

Life has suddenly and undeniably shifted my focus.

My full and undivided focus.

Very serious and far more important matters are calling ...

... matters of the heart

of home ...

and, primarily, matters concerning my dear husband, Mark.

The one~and~only forever love of my life has fallen ill.

Very, very ill.

Suddenly. Seriously.

Heart~breakingly.

There is a part of "in sickness and in health"

that one simply cannot plan for ..

or prepare for ..

or comprehend.

It is purely in God's strength

that we must

~ each ~

endure

to the end.

I do sincerely hope to return here one day.

I just cannot know.

Yet what I can know ..

is that

nothing

in my world

will ever

be the same

again.

Please ... tell the ones that you Love

that

you Love them.

For me.

Thank You for the sweet memories.

My Heartfelt Best ~

Sweet Sage

Afton ...

2011-07-12T15:55:00.007-07:00

our newest cottage stray.

isn't she beautiful?

right at 'home'..

in her sweet (stray) chair

a ~~perfect~~ purr-fect pair.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-27T09:34:00.003-07:00

Sweet Spring .. what will you bring?!!!

2011-03-22T10:20:00.002-07:00

let the pinks begin .. !

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T08:50:00.004-07:00

oh .. hello Monday!...

2011-03-14T10:05:00.002-07:00

and what a Beautiful Monday it is!

how 'bout we get started on all that Pruning, Sweet Shye?!

Spring is Coming!!!

wordless wednesday

2011-02-23T06:40:00.004-07:00

Bring Spring ...

2011-02-22T08:55:00.001-07:00

for those of you that simply can't wait another minute ..

~ just click the pic ~

& then click/drag/click/drag/click, click & click!!!!

may this simple joy tide you over for just a few more weeks :)

(26 days & counting :)

wordless wednesday

2011-02-09T10:00:00.009-07:00

wordless wednesday

2011-01-19T07:20:00.001-07:00

sunday softness

2011-01-09T12:45:00.002-07:00

Yard Sale Up~Date

2011-01-04T21:00:00.005-07:00

poor me ..

no sweet talkin'

just keepin' it real ...

completely wore myself out.

FROZE my hiney on two of our coldest days of the year.

(25 & 27 degree mornings, respectively .. even the bird bath froze)

(and just between you & me .. the grown men were the bigger whiners .. sheesh)

sprained my foot.

and scored a whopping $86.60 (net profit)

(which i am totally, thoroughly, unimagineably grateful for, don't get me wrong)

(last yard sale, i pocketed around $500, so i guess i had high hopes .. )

i took a chance .. holiday weekend & all.

it was poor timing. :(

lesson learned.

one never knows.

sure kept me outta trouble though... :)

and because my foot still hurts .. all the way up to my chin,

i'm going to bed now.

to pout some more.

and continue thawing out.

(had i said something about 'Weather Wimps'?! ... )

*.*

i'll, hopefully, be back in a few days

to tell you how

these two

total strangers

completely stole my heart

were the bestest part of the whole silly affair.

till then..

nighty~night.

and be warm.

PS .. a HUGE shout~out to my sweet next door neighbor, Peg, for keeping me in Cappuccino!

you're the best!

out with the old ..

2010-12-30T12:22:00.001-07:00

~ making way for the NEW ~

YEAR~END CLEARANCE here at the Cottage!

~~GOOD~~ FABULOUS JUNK!!

come one, come all .. just come!

locals .. e-mail for directions .. kim@sweetsagevintage.com

leave it to me to pick the chilliest weekend of the year .. *.*

(nothing stops us die~hards, eh?!! :)

Don't be a Weather Wimp .. Bundle Up .. Bring Cocoa!!!

the fUn starts Fri ..

we're wheelin' & dealin' .. till it's gone ..

xo

wintertime

2010-12-22T09:46:00.004-07:00

we are bundling up ;-)

~ and bringing the roses inside ~

Sweet Shye is ready.

be warm.

be well.

only 89 days till Spring .. .

xo

sunday softness

2010-12-19T15:13:00.005-07:00

.. her collection of 'keepers' grows ..

2010-12-06T22:28:00.001-07:00

hopelessly addicted to Vintage .. .

(and flowers .. :)

and the Sweetest 'Keeper' of them all ..

my Shye girl ..

aka: photo~shoot~by~lamplight coordinator ..

she's ready to call it a day :)

it was the sweetest of days ..

.. just too tired to edit the photos

.. or put it all into words.

except to say ..

i Love Vintage.

i've been thinking about how my keepers make me feel somehow closer to my Mom.

i've been missing her so.

it's been a long, lonely ten years without her.

((my inner child has been needing a hug... . ))

anyhoo .. just wanted to say Hello :)

and Goodnight.

sleep well.

be warm.
.. wherever you may be ..

sunday softness

2010-12-05T12:05:00.003-07:00

just work, work, workin' ...

2010-12-03T11:10:00.001-07:00

~ in the boothe, that is ~

(feels more like playing .. with big girl toys :) ...

~ the busy busy season is upon us ~

LOVING every moment :) ..

will be back soon.

XO

wordless wednesday

2010-12-01T07:40:00.003-07:00

winter fur

2010-11-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

sweet stormy .. patiently waiting for this morning's sun to round our little bend. his fur coat has been thickening these past few weeks. this feral~turned~lap~kitty chooses to stay outside, even though our desert temps of late have been on the unusually chilly side. no matter the weather, he & i still savour our morning coffee together on the back porch every day .. his sweet smiling face is always there to greet me as soon as i step out the door. he takes his half & half on the side :) .. then curls up in my lap for as long as i'll be still. our hearts definitely speak to one another .. his purr confirms .. and i wish i could linger with him all day. he asks little. but gives much.

a morning ritual i've come to cherish ..

nOt a fat cat at all... stormy is pretty svelte, actually, under all that fluff :)
i feel blessed that this sweet soul found his way to my world ..

"Time (like coffee :) spent with cats is never wasted."
~Colette

from the boothe ..

2010-11-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

the sweetest gesture ..

2010-11-23T10:40:00.005-07:00

kindred
— adj
1.   having similar or common qualities, origin, etc.
2.   (kindred spirit) a person with whom one has something in common
3.   having the same belief, attitude, or feeling
— n
4.   similarity in character
5.   a person's (blog :) relatives, collectively
6.   a group of related persons, such as a clan or tribe
7.   natural relationship; affinity

Come meet the lovely Sharon ..
a beauteous kindred spirit

.. yet one more reason why I LoVe this Beautiful Land of Blog ..

*and never EVER under~estimate the power of a kindness

a day in the boothe

2010-11-16T21:25:00.002-07:00

i fussed & froofed all day .. my very FAVorite place to be

lots more to share

but i'm a very tired girl :)

the mall stays open late into the evening on wednesdays

so i'll be back at it tomorrow too

locals .. come visit!

1509 N. Arizona Avenue in Chandler

you'll find me in space #83 ..

it's a vintagey,

cluttery :),

cozy little corner of my world ..

and i hope you'll love it as much as i do .. .

Special Thanks

today

to fellow dealers

Sue

Jackie

Lorna

Dixie

you are bright spots in my world

and Judy B.

my all~time~favorite dealer of vintage finery

and sweet friend

long before i was a 'dealer'

i shopped & swooned in her LOVELY boothe..

dreaming of one day being a 'dealer' *.*

you inspire me beyond words, Judy ..

and lastly ..

certainly nOt leastly ..

the sweetest ray of pure sunshine you'll ever meet ..

~Kathleen~

somewhat new to the gig here at Merchant Square

but a natural, none~the~less.

her spot is just around the corner from mine.

her wares & her style will knock you out!

and be sure to surf her site ..

she's running some (in her words) "bitchin" specials ..

go.. now.. !

soon ..

more little bottle love

2010-11-15T21:20:00.001-07:00

~ delivered to the boothe today ~

~ along with these ~

~ and these ~

and i'm working by vintage lamplight tonight ..

getting more Lovelies ready to go ..

photos forthcoming :)

have a very vintage week!

(a sweet) flashback moment ..

2010-11-11T17:15:00.005-07:00

.. little pretties heading to the boothe ..

been working on some new old lovelies to take to the boothe this week ..

i have a serious passion for embellishing little old, orphaned bottles (who knows why?! :) ..   and i've been smiling today as i fussed over the bottles you see above, thinking back on the day my mom & dad drove me off to college (in Casper, Wyoming) at the oh~so~tender age of 17.       at least 10 miles out of town, i nearly gave my dad a heart attack when i gasped & pleaded that we HAD to turn around because i had forgotten my carefully-packed box of old bottles filled with my favorite drieds, hand-picked & savored "f.o.r.e.v.e.rrrrrrrrrr".......
oh me, oh my ..     "i neeeeeded them"!!         can't remember the exact exchange, but between his eyes rolling, my eyes watering, and my sweet mom in the middle ..   he turned the old impala around     *.*     what a guy!
i've loved these lovelies for as long as i can remember
my shabby dorm room felt, at least a little, like home ...   they comforted me then & they comfort me now ..
why ask why?!    some things never change.
today's afternoon light in my office was just so pretty, i wanted to share this (unedited) shot ..
the drieds were hand-picked in the high desert 2 weeks ago ..   we escaped the city for a little quietude ..   in remembrance of our 32nd wedding anniversary ..      the laces & buttons were found along the way, as well ..   in a lovely little town called Snowflake.
(if you're doing the math ..    i am now 52, and i was a child~bride, marrying just 10 days shy of turning 20)
(i still feel 19 ~in my head~     and i hope that never changes either :)
xo

one~word wednesday

2010-11-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

(new header courtesy of Sara over at Graphic Pretties :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-03T11:10:00.003-07:00

Finally ... !

2010-10-28T09:50:00.001-07:00

(Vintage) Sweater Weather!!

(& this girl couldn't be happier about it :)

Guardin' the (Junque) Garden ..

2010-10-27T11:52:00.001-07:00

my sweet shye girl

a faithful companion in this shabby~sweet life of mine..

by my side no matter where or what.

(feeling better little by little ..

thanks bunches for your very gracious blog love :)

.. and Speaking of Angels ..

2010-10-18T23:37:00.009-07:00

(hopefully you've been enjoying my sweet Shye's little angel~face :)
(my extended absence has not been fully intentional)

.. i thought i would share a few of the sweet 'angel faces' keeping me company lately ..

from the boothe ..

the prettiest girls

so easy to be with

most generally very comforting

usually smiling

truly .. the sweetest companions one could ask for

can't imagine life without them ..

.. my vintage angels ..

They touch my heart. They keep me going.

They watch over my soul.

Truly.

Thank Goodness.

No sugar~coating .. a not~so~heavenly summer here at Sweet Sage Cottage. One I'd just as soon forget .. but I'm sadly certain it will forever be a memory.

Wish I could say I'd been away .. in Paris maybe .. or Alaska. Or even just to the good old Grand Canyon, just up the highway from here. But I haven't. Nope. Haven't been anywhere. Just right here .. here in the thick of LiFe. The messy, muddy, mirky, ircky, scary thick~of~it. Hangin' on for dear life. One day at a time. One hour at a time. Sometimes just one minute at a time.

But still hangin'. Thank goodness.

This year has brought more heartache, drama, delay and disappointment than one could seemingly bear. Lessons. Refinement. Remembering that all things must wax & wane. Remembering my humble little place in the Universe. Finding a strength I didn't know I had.

Learning, too, that I don't like sharing the not-so-pretty stuff. (No doubt, the perfectionist in me.) Nope, not so good at that. I've tried. Just can't get the words out. They're stuck .. in my blogger.com dashboard. Just can't get them out. Maybe eventually.. . maybe not. The dashboard seems a pretty safe place. Perhaps this is not the venue. I admire those of you who share so well. So easily. So openly. Thank you.

So, mostly, I've been hangin' out at the mall this summer. The antique mall, that is. My very favorite place to be. Truly. The folks at Merchant Square are the greatest. It's cool inside on these hot HoT Arizona days, the music's great, and Pittsburgh Willy serves up one of the best rootbeer floats you'll ever eVeR savor. I have some 'regulars' now. So sweet. I'm feeling settled. Nestled. Sales have been good to me. An answer to prayer .. in many many ways. And, in many ways, my boothe has become pretty much the only pretty place in my world of late. One of the few areas of life I seem able to control...

Things may or may not get better .. they may or may not get worse. Each day brings a new hope. But, for a certainty, life only goes one direction. Onward. I choose to go with it, count it's blessings, do my utmost best to embrace it's changes .. and trust in my 'angels'. With faces like those to guide me .. who could resist?!

I will also attempt to blog-on. As best as I can. In spite of (or perhaps because of) the 'not-so-pretty stuff'. Bear with me. And my heartfelt thanks to those of you who've written to check in on me. You are my real~life angels... :)

2010-08-27T09:55:00.001-07:00

"All God's angels come to us disguised."

~James Russell Lowell

2010-08-22T15:30:00.001-07:00

We can choose to gather to our hearts

the thorns of disappointment,

failure, loneliness, and dismay

due to our present situation ..

we can gather the flowers

of God's grace,

abounding love

abiding presence

and unmatched joy.

~Barbara Johnson

A Fork In Your Road?

2010-08-18T22:10:00.007-07:00

.. may it be a pretty one ..

.. an interesting one ..

a fork full of wondrous possibilities ..

my advice?.

Take It!

And then pay a visit to Carol

and sign up for her Creative Genius Workshop
(hurry .. August 25th)

to make this fabulous altered journal ..

or purchase a Creatologie Kit HERE

(this will be Carol's last offering in a nearly 3-year-long and fabulous run of monthly Creatologie project kits .. don't miss out!) (and stay tuned for Carol's next creative adventure!)

You can read how Carol & I met, quite purely by chance, on her blog.

Yet one more reason why I LoVe this amazing place called

BlogLand!!

btw .. My love affair with aged & tarnished flatware began some years ago when I started collecting to create (a few .. lol!) keychains and windchimes, jewelry pieces and such, which I did (with hubby's help) for a time .. but life interrupts and my stash got stashed.

All 19 zillion pieces .. or so. *.*

Running into Carol has turned out to be a real blessing ..

de-stashing the stash has got me all jazzed up again.

I've blown off the dust, and dug out some tools ..

my flatware fetish lives on ..

stay tuned :)

"It's the 'forks' in the road which we least expect that bring us the sweetest opportunities .. ". ~me

(Thank You, Carol :)

2010-08-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

2010-08-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Summer's Sweet Gifts

2010-08-10T13:10:00.002-07:00

So soft & delicate ..

results of my first-ever attempt at growing Hollyhocks.

I had not~a~clue

last fall

as I planted the little seeds ..

that they'd turn out to be

pink! ;-)

Still climbing and blooming,

they seem to be handling our heat

with far more grace

than I.

The kitties and I visit them each day out back,

and we've collected enough seeds now to start our

very own

Hollyhock Farm!

And, the tiny little pitcher you see ..

was a gift from a fellow dealer at the mall.

She knows of my LoVe

of all things

floral!

So Sweet.

I truly adore it (and her :).

"It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it."

~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman

Restful Sunday

2010-08-08T10:07:00.001-07:00

(Sweet Vintage Nicola in my boothe at the mall)

Window To My World

2010-08-07T12:10:00.007-07:00

shabby old window frame

embellished with thrifted lace scraps

old roses

and

LoVe

hanging in my boothe

at THE MALL .. .

shabby sheet music added for extra sweetness :)

i'll be ~~re-purposing~~ creating a few more windows this weekend...

sincerely

hoping your 'view' from wherever you may be this weekend

is a pretty one!

Been Layin' Low ...

2010-08-05T11:20:00.002-07:00

Meet Lily, our newest cottage stray.

Silly Lily .. too SWEET for words.

L'il Girl has not let me pet her yet ..

.. but I am patient :) ..

Yes, I've been hiding out .. laying low ..

.. resting ..

Max, my woolly bear, rarely ventures out into the heat.

(except in the evenings to ~~chase~~ taunt the crickets & lizards .. )

resting

.. and nesting ..

lovin my boothe time ..

nothing better than sweet Vintage clutter

(amazed even myself at what i can fit into an 8X10 space :)

trying to de-stash my office of some of those

endless

'smalls'

the big stuff (can't wait to paint :) is on hold till it cools

a HOT HOT summer here

(49 days till Fall, and yes, I'm counting :)

forgive me for being away for far too long

life has been ~~testing~~ refining

in some strange & serious ways ..

not feeling terribly chatty *_*

i am so grateful, though

for all of you

your words

of love

and

encouragement

keep me going

~truly~

and your

beautiful blogs

keep me

inspired

when i feel

creative light

has gone out... .

Thank You.

precious few flowers in my garden for sharing ..

(the sweet florist down at Whole Foods tells me

that this could be representative of my real life)

(to which i secretly tend to agree)

for now.

but there are many, many flowers in the boothe for sharing ..

this 'garden' is doing quite well :)

.. just a glimpse

.. much more to share .. .

soon

2010-07-21T08:10:00.001-07:00

Oh, Hello Summer ~

2010-06-26T22:55:00.014-07:00

You're BACK.

No offense .. but, please don't linger. You know how I feel about you.

I'm back, too.

Tucson was wonderful. Peaceful. Just what my heart needed.

But I caught a nAsTy cold. *_*

Summer colds are THE WORST.

Ick.

): Nothing like a fever when it's a hundred thousand degrees outside. :(

ok .. it was only 119.

But I didn't have my camera with me, so I can't actually PROVE it.

Where are the chills when you need them???

Sorry .. whining.

Anyway .. not feeling terribly inspired

          creative

                 or motivated

at the moment.

Melted, maybe.

Creative ..  no.

But I did want to say hello.

I've missed you.

Hope to be back to 'normal' (right)! soon.

I did meander out to the garden a bit this week.

The 'peaches' are in full bloom .. . creamsicle-ish. :)

.. unlike moi

the roses seem to adore the heat.

And for that ..

I am GLAD.

They are such good company. :)

"The wilderness and the waterless region will exult ..

.. and the desert plain will be joyful ..

and blossom .. "

~Isaiah 35:1

Photo Fun(ia)

2010-06-02T09:10:00.003-07:00

Meet Emmaline, circa 1910

Go.

Play.

Have Fun!

PhotoFunia.com

~Headin' outta Dodge for a bit .. on my way to Tucson. Hope to do a little junkin' while I'm away. ;-)

See you in a few weeks! xo

Restful Sunday

2010-05-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

"Don't underestimate the value of

Doing Nothing

of just going along ..

listening to all the things you can't hear ..

and not bothering."

~Winnie the Pooh

A Little Bird~Watching

2010-05-27T11:25:00.007-07:00

My sweet one in her favorite morning comfy spot.

What you can't see are the birds in the sprinkler ..

Shye is fascinated with them.

In her special poolside 'tent'. (1 shabby chair + 1 lace scrap :)

She, no doubt, thinks she's hidden.

She will nOt sit here if the lace is missing!

Ginormous smudge on my camera lens is giving this chair a 'halo'.

Quite fitting I thought .. Shye is truly my angel kitty!

You will see another kitty tent beyond Shye's ..

(1 shabby side table + 1 lace scrap ;) (Oh, the fun we junkers have!)

Max is in there.

Sleeping.

Oblivious to the birds.

*.*

'Hiding' in her fav afternoon shady spot.

Doesn't she look pretty in pink?!

Such a calm spirit.

She'll sit here for hours.

Love her to pieces.

So glad she's here.

I've been sooooo (too) busy at the mall these past several weeks. Huge event last weekend .. with much preparation. It was our final Flea Market/Storewide Sale for the season .. it's getting VeRy warm here now .. the Fleas will start up again in October.

I've decided I needed to simplify (as worded no nicely in my favorite Jewel song ~ to find my place 'just right') .. though it's been very good to me, I've let my garden space go. With triple-digit temps upon us, I felt the need to move inside .. where it is cool & comfy. As well .. I've proven to myself that I am not so good at 'multi-tasking'. *.* Sigh..

It has been a bit of a challenge to combine my two boothe spaces into one. But a joyful challenge. Will post pics as soon as I'm settled. I sooo want to settle.

To build.

To nest.

And rest.

And do a little bird~watching of my own. :)

Have a great weekend, everyone! If you're local and heading out to do a little junking .. you can find me HERE .. remembering that I am in, just not quite settled .. :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T09:20:00.002-07:00

One of Everything, Please ...

2010-05-16T21:30:00.005-07:00

Atelier des Ours

swoon .. .

deliciousness ~

2010-05-14T10:10:00.005-07:00

a few more yuMMy estate finds

and my new find in music ..
HERE

Sweet Sunshine

2010-05-11T09:15:00.002-07:00

... casting a lovely, lacy shadow on this

pretty platter

found recently on our Junque Jaunt.

the only thing I love more

than

old plates ..

old plates with roses on them ..

Yummyness!

(to keep or not to keep???!)

2010-05-09T08:08:00.006-07:00

"The baby is born, and your life is changed more than you ever dreamed.

You find you have sprouted invisible antennae ..

that pick up (her) every alteration in breathing,

every variation in temperature, every nuance of expression.

No-one tells you that the change is irreversible.

That you will feel in your heart

every pain,

every loss,

every disappointment,

every rebuff,

every cruelty

that she experiences

life long."

~Pamela Brown, 1928

from 'The Love Between Mothers & Daughters' by Helen Exley

photo found here

With Mom In Mind ...

2010-05-05T13:45:00.027-07:00

New vintage lovelies in the boothe ..

.. for those who will be celebrating Mom

on Sunday.

& never forgetting the 'flowers' ..

The Boothe ~ my little Home Away from Home these days.

A fabulous run of sales lately have really been keeping me hopping!

Love, love, LoVing it!

I don't love, however, that I've been neglecting my little blogette ..

I've not been able to catch my breath for weeks now.

It's all good!

In fact .. it's all great!

And if I had a maid

a laundress

a pool man

a landscaper

a personal assistant

and groceries delivered to my doorstep ..

it would all be even better!

Oh Yes.

~ Sigh ~

So it goes... .

But, I persist.

And do my best to stay focused on the pretty.

And my abundant blessings...

One of which was a wonderful day spent with my husband, Mark, two Saturdays ago. Our (quality) time together has become quite scant .. Mark is a hard-working contractor, currently doing double-time, hoping to make up for a very lean year in a very tough economy. He is booked solid for the next 8 weeks (and weekends), so our special day together will be a truly treasured memory .. he had the foresight enough to know that this would be his last free Saturday for awhile.

And the generosity of heart to spend it with me.

Mark did not take the entire day off .. he snuck out around 6-ish to attend to a job, but was home by 8 to gather me up .. and away we went. Our adventure began at Starbucks and ended 12 hours later with a yummy steak dinner .. pure bliss in between .. .

(In my utter excitement, I forgot my camera, darnit, darnit!)

We found ourselves some 65 miles from home .. in the retirement mecca of Sun City, Arizona. Many of the winter visitors here (snowbirds, as we call them) tend to clean out their Arizona residences with a yard sale before heading back to their summer homes this time of year ..

Oh, My My!

My, My, Oh My ... !

OMG!

Let's just say this ..

hubby drives a long-bed, cab & a-half, Chevy work truck.

WE . PACKED . IT

STUFFED

the

BRIM!

Had I purchased the LAMP .. the stunning, beyond-words beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous, perfect Victorian LAMP that I really really really wanted at the last stop of the day for the asking price of $7.50? !!! .. I would have had to wear the shade (the perfect shade) on my head! We were out-of-room .. totally .. maxed.

He was tired.

And hungry.

I didn't push it.

(Knowing me .. if it were just me ..

I would have worn it.)

*.*

Oh yes, the estate sales were sweet. The yard sales just amazing. Sale signs on nearly every corner. Treasures galore. Beyond compare. We even came upon a 'Free Sale', where I found some gorgeous red Carnival glass!! Yummy.

Then we stopped for re-fueling. (Sun City Starbucks :) Don't know if it was a good thing (or not ?!), but I approached a very pleasant looking woman there .. she was wearing faded denim and cream-colored lace, with a long, flowing, gray ponytail (not significant .. she just was soooo pleasant looking :) If I'd had my camera, I would've asked to photograph her. :) Anyway, I asked if she knew of any thrift stores in the area .. she stopped sipping her coffee, said yes and gave us step-by-step directions to a place about 10 minutes away .. she said there were 'a few'. Little did we know what we were in for that afternoon! .. Following her directions, we found ourselves at a nearby Plaza containing nothing but thrift stores & second-hand shops! At least a dozen or more! And .. it was a Plaza-wide half-price Saturday Extravaganza Event! Gasp! This girl died & went to heaven! This would be no quick task! Revved-up on our 2nd latte of the day, we pushed up our sleeves, hit the front lines .. . and came out for air about 4 hours later! TOO . MUCH . FUN!!

(Thank You, denim-clad lady at Starbucks .. I Love You :)

What is it about Treasure Hunting?!!!!!!!

The glorious goodies ran the gamut .. from vintage jewelry, antique postcards, and plates .. to old suitcases, side tables, and hats, faded sheet music, linens, and lovely old photographs. It was a fabulous-finds kind of day! One for the record books! Hubby found the sweetest things .. he always sees what I can't believe I would miss. Always. I sooo wish he could leave his day job (forever), and that we could become a full-time treasure-seeking team, travelling the ~~country~~ world in search of vintage goodness! Dreaming, dreaming .. . vintage dreaming. Well, at the very least .. I wish I could support him with my junque sales so he could take a break .. he's very weary.

A girl can dream!

I've not yet had the time to photograph my new 'toys' .. in fact I've been so busy with my boothe(s) that some things are still not unpacked .. looking forward to that fun. It's a beautiful mess!! I ~~hope to~~ will post some pics. Soon.

For today .. it feels good to be still. (Though the laundry calls.)

I've promised myself a deep-conditioning and a pedicure.

Shye is, as I type, stretched out on my pretty pink quilt .. thinking I just may join her for a little kitty-nap first! ..

.. breathe ..

ps ~ THANK YOU, My Sweet .. it was a BEAUTIFUL day! .. Pure Vintage Joy! A 'Dream Date', indeed!

pps ~ Wonder if the LAMP is still there ... !?! ;-)

ppps ~ If your Mom is still with you .. hug her tight .. can't even tell you how much I miss mine ~

Change of Heart

2010-04-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

The cup and I just couldn't part... .

She's 'home'.

And all tucked-in.

By my bedside.

Which is where I'm going ..

I have a VeRy early 'date' tomorrow...

DH is taking me Estate Sailing!!

We haven't had an

entire day

together

since

Thanksgiving!

Can't wait!

Dream Date!!

Get ready, treasures ..

here I we come!!

Happy Weekend!

2010-04-19T23:50:00.003-07:00

~ photo taken by lamplight this early morning ~

(couldn't sleep & the scent of roses wafting through the window called me out to the garden)

this garden gate sits inside my back door ..

a recent estate find that i don't think i'll be parting with anytime soon ..

hard to come by, 'round here.

i know it could be sold in a heartbeat from my garden spot at the mall ..

but i just love it.

LOVE it!

the other door pictured is also a LoVeLy vintage find ..

thank you, Paris Cowgirl!

i was getting it ready to go, dolled it up with some lace, and ..

.. now i'm not so sure i can part with this, either!

DH doesn't know it just yet, but i've been measuring every doorway in the house to see where it can fit!

am i the only vintage girl out there that wants to keep all her sweet finds??!!!!!

sigh...

i have decided, however ...

gulp

that these..

can go.

Oh.

tough call.

but, my cupboards are jammed.

packed.

jam-packed.

not saying I don't LOVE them.

Because I DO.

Truly.

but .. I also know they will all find new, very special homes.

where they will be just as loved...

just sharing the love ..

so, today they all got a nice bath. and a really pretty tag...

and tomorrow's their big debut at the mall.

sigh... .

~ parting is such sweet sorrow ~

;-)

Flowers, Flowers ...

2010-04-17T11:55:00.004-07:00

In spite of my neglect this Spring ..

my garden has still blessed me with countless sweet~smelling pretties.

My gift in this, as I reflected on her shabby/gorgeous beauty this morning ~

never doubt

the force that is working everyday ~~good~~ miracles in my life ..

.. even when I forget to do my part.

Even when I forget to 'look'.

The prettiness is there.

Always there.

And so I confess .. the wide shot of my garden is not so pretty.

But, as in everyday life,

the whole picture

is very seldom

'perfectly groomed'.

*I did notice, however ..

that even my weeds

have the

LoVeLiest little buds!

Some, in fact, even have flowers on them!

Sweet.

I think I'll let them stay for awhile.

Alas .. very little time spent in my flower gardens yet this Spring. *.*

Thank goodness the plants are forgiving.

(And patient :)

And, as pictured above .. the yield is still magnificent!

Lots of time, however, spent in my 'vintage' gardens .. .

.. at the Antique Mall ..

many pink roses to be found there! ..

flowers, flowers, all sorts of flowers in this garden ..

just can't seem to get enough 'flowers'!

My Garden Boothe has been a pure joy for me.

And I continue to be blessed with a great yield here, as well ..

Fabulous sales this Spring have enabled me to take on yet another space!..

I've traded my showcase for a floor space inside the mall ...

Still setting up, but here's a little peek ~

Oh .. plenty of flowers in there, too!

I LOVE having more room to 'play'!

And furniture sales this past week have totally surprised me!

Sorta forgot how much ~~work~~ fun this could be!

Busy ~ Busy

But a good busy!

(refer to my post of March 22 :)

A little too busy to be doing much blog~visiting of late.

Miss it.

I've been wanting to thank you all for your loving, kind comments.

They touch my heart.

Each and every one.

Sincerely.

Well .. I have dishes to wash.

Laundry to wash.

Papers to file.

Weeds to pull.

Kitties to brush. Shedding, shedding .. oh my!

Chairs to paint ..... .. .

but

I'm going instead

to meet a few

Vintage Friends.

For coffee.

~ six weeks without was all i could take! ~

And coffee-talk.

And a craft fair.

And fUn!

sweet Vintage fun!

Never sure where my vintage journey may end up taking me ~

but I'm definitely enjoying this sweet, sweet

dance!..

can you see the pretty flowers on her dress!

flowers, flowers .. . !

Hope your weekend is full of sweet~smelling blossoms!

wordless wednesday

2010-04-14T12:30:00.002-07:00

Soft Whispers of Spring

2010-04-08T20:05:00.003-07:00

'K' is for Keepers

2010-04-06T23:44:00.003-07:00

a quiet little corner of my world

as a 'dealer' of Vintage wares

many many old & beautiful treasures find their way to me

~ i don't know how or why ~

stay for a short time

and are passed on to new loving hands

there seems a kind of comfort

that each item brings

it's very hard to put into words

there must be an old soul

somewhere in my soul ..

there are those certain treasures, though

that for some reason

or another

just can't seem to find their way

past my heart

and on to their next home

i've begun to fill a small special place

in a quiet little spot

with

my 'Keepers'

the special little lovelies

that will stay ..

.. much more to come .. !

More Boothe Pretties

2010-04-02T22:10:00.016-07:00

"There are always flowers for those that want to see them". ~Matisse

2010-03-31T08:00:00.003-07:00

Sweet Shye

'Wordless Wednesday'

2010-03-26T16:40:00.004-07:00

Still Dancing ...

.. fixing & painting ..

(bare-footed, of course :) (is there any other way?!)

froofing the boothe a bit ..

~ forever tweaking things ~

but

I've made my peace with the

chain link .. :)

Hope your week has been

half as much

FUN!!

VINTAGE!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T06:06:00.001-07:00

Little Did I Know ...

2010-03-22T23:50:00.015-07:00

.. . that when i put out the plea for doors . ..

~Shabby Vintage Doors~

a few posts back

that

(yes .. i said NiNeTeeN :)

of them

would come my way.

Sweet.

Ask.

And you will receive.

Only trouble is ..

they are selling

as fast as i can

haul them in & put them up.

Not to worry.

I can think of worse problems to have.

Keeping me ~~busy~~ very busy, though. :)

My mission this week ..

the chain link .. .

We are at odds.

Terrible odds.

But I have a plan...

my pretty Rachel Ashwell fabric

(a $5 Goodwill find)

is in the washing machine

as we speak.. .

Chain link is

outta here.

History.

Oh yeah.

Can't wait!

Big Sale this weekend.

I feel an urgency.

Lots to do in the next few days.

Lots of painting, fixing, tagging.

And the like.

Bliss.

Pics forthcoming.

LOTS to show & tell.

Life has been quite full lately.

Very full.

My Dad once told me

shortly before he died

to keep busy.

Better to have too much to do, he said.

"Live while you can."

He was at a point in his life

where he was unable to 'do'

much of anything at all.

And, interestingly,

I was at a funeral on Saturday.

Something so ironic

about attending a funeral

on the first day of Spring.

It was profound.

But in her eulogy ..

we were urged

not to dwell in the sadness of the occasion.

But to quickly move on.

To keep living.

To the full.

She would have wanted that for each of us.

'I Hope You Dance'

was played

along with photos of her hAppY, smiling face.

Living her life.

Beaming with joy.

Living each moment.

Right up till the end.

It was profound.

And so

today

as I hurry-scurried about ..

fixing

and painting

and dreaming Rachel Ashwell dreams

in my bare feet

in the back yard

pulling shabby treasures

from their hiding spots

and

deep breathing

the beautiful perfume

of an Arizona

Spring in full bloom .. .

My thoughts turned to my Dad

and to Rosalyn.

I said a prayer in their honor.

And I thanked God

for my precious

shabby~sweet

busy

life.

And

danced.

today's (very appropriate) Junque Garden find

Welcoming Spring

2010-03-22T08:08:00.005-07:00

My very favorite time of year!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-17T07:52:00.006-07:00