"Out With the Old, In With the New" Give-Away

Be sure to check out "Shabby Creations" blog at this link: http://www.shabbycreations.blogspot.com/

The above "Delilah" banner is the one that I am hoping to win =)

Merry, Merry Christmas! From Our Home to Yours

I hope everyone has a happy, safe and VERY Merry Christmas!

Welcome to Michigan - Winter Wonderland

We were hit with LOTS (inches and inches and inches) of snow yesterday and Ashy was havin' F*U*N!!! =) Brrr, cold!

Thrift Store - Mod Podge - Vintage Roses

Nothin' like a junk store make-over =) A couple of weeks ago I found this little chest at a thrift shop for $10.00 - it was the ugliest shade of green you've ever seen! I gave it a few coats of cottage white paint and then decided it still needed a little something... So, I found some vintage lavender rose cameo fabric and Mod Podged it to the dresser knobs and then for the final touch I Mod Podged a full cameo on the top drawer. Ashy was over today when I was finishing it up and he "needed" to help me =) He's too DARN C*U*T*E!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and ENJOYS the time with their families...

Musical Toots at Church on Sunday

An email friend just sent me this and I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. I just had to share... =)

B*e*s*t W*i*s*h*e*s

Charlie (my youngest) and Amber are ENGAGED! I know I say this frequently, but WHERE DO THE YEARS GO... I am so excited for Charlie and Amber. Amber is still in school, so they will probably wait a couple of years before they actually get married. Here's to their "Happily Ever After"...

Grandma's Apron

The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company arrived those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls. In the fall the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER THIS! "Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughter's set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

HaPpY HaLlOwEen!!!

FREE SHIPPING *** Sold! Thank You Cheryl

This lovely vintage hat has been marked down. It is now $19.99 with FREE shipping =) If you'd like to see more photos, there are a few more a couple of posts down.

On another note - I think fall has FINALLY reached the midwest. Yeah! It has been so warm and I am so ready for fall, it's my favorite time of the year. I love to open all the windows and doors and let the fresh fall smells drift through the curtains... One of Life's Simple Pleasures!

A Women Should Have...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…one old love
she can imagine
going back to…
and one who reminds
her how far she has come…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…enough money within her
control to move out and
rent a place of her own
even if she never wants or needs to…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…something to wear if
the employer or date of her dreams
wants to see her in an hour…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…a youth she’s content
to leave behind…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…a past juicy enough that
she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…a set of screwdrivers,
a cordless drill and a
black lace bra…

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…one friend who always makes
her laugh… and one who lets
her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…a good piece of furniture
not previously owned by anyone
else in her family..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…eight matching plates, wine
glasses with stems, and a recipe
for a meal that will make her
guests feel honored.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

…a feeling of control over
her destiny…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…how to fall in love without
losing herself…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend
without ruining the friendship…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…when to try harder …and
when to walk away…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…that she can’t change the
length of her calves, the width
of her hips or the nature of her
parents…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…that her childhood may not
have been perfect …but it’s
over…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…what she would and wouldn’t
do for love or more…

EVERY WOMAN SHOLD KNOW

…how to live alone …even if
she doesn’t like it…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t
take it personally…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…where to go
be it to her best friend’s kitchen
table…
or a charming inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

…what she can and can’t
accomplish in a day…
a month... and a year…

Shabby Vintage Hat for Sale

I haven't offered anything for sale in a bit, so I thought I'd post this gorgeous vintage hat. Sooo, here it is! This beauty is covered in oodles of beautiful vintage flowers. I especially love the cottage blue Forget Me Nots and the fabulous grosgrain bow. The tag states "Union Made". Hat is in wonderful vintage condition and is ready for it's new home... Click on photos to enlarge. Price: $22.00 + Shipping

Another Ashy Post... =)

Meggan just emailed me these photos of Ashton. They took him to the "Splash Pad" tonight. These photos are too darn cute! I can not get enough of this little bugger. He was so cute earlier today when I had him. I smacked my head on the corner of I don't even remember what now - LOL! But anyway, he rubs his head, says owie (sympathy pains???) and then came and gave me a hug and a kiss and patted my back. It was SO cute!!! I swear a kiss and a hug from him can fix just about anything =)

I LOVE Maxine...

I hate it when I have days like that - LOL!

Gotta Love Little Boys... This is too darn CUTE!

Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter. The man at the counter asked the older boy, "Son , how old are you?." "Eight", the boy replied. The man continued, "Do you know what these are used for?" The boy replied, "Not exactly, but they aren't for me. They're for him. He's my brother. He's four. We saw on TV that if you use these you would be able to swim and ride a bike. Right now, he can't do either one."

Lavender & Pink Strawberries

Are these cute or what? I love 'em! These sweet lil' hand crocheted lavender and pink strawberries just arrived at my house today (photo courtesy of Jannet) all the way from Denmark. Jannet (you can reach her via email: shabby-chic@webspeed.dk) was sweet enough to make up this batch just for me. She had the pink strawberries already made, but of course I needed a couple of lavender ones too, and she graciously agreed to make them for me. The best part is, they didn't break the bank -- they were only $1.00 each - can you believe it? I'm a HaPpY CaMpeR =)

Finally! The PERFECT Spot

The pretty basket cover that I purchased from Niki at "Nostalgia At The Stone House" (please see a few Posts ago) has finally found it's p*e*r*f*e*c*t spot. I love it here next to my favorite chair and ottoman in the living room. The beautiful box you see sitting on top of the basket was made by Marja at "A Home From The Heart" Excuse the green carpet (ugh!) that is on my "Wish List" to have removed. There is lovely old oak floor underneath and I would love to have the carpet ripped up and the floor refinished... Some day! I'd also like the ceiling fan removed and an old chandelier installed, this too is on my "Wish List". This "List" is getting quite long - LOL! It seems our home is a constant work in progress. By the time I think I almost have everything the way I want it (over the course of the last 22 years) another room needs to be updated/redone. Am I the only one who feels like this??? =)

I had to share this...

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain!

Shabby Vintage Pink & White Bird Cage - SALE

Please see my "Bird Cage" post (just a few posts below...) as it is now on SALE - $25.00

Mackinac Island

I just had to share a few photos... Meggan, Dan and Ashy just got back from a mini vacation to Mackinac Island. I absolutely LOVE it up there. I used to go almost every year but haven't the last few years. These photos make me want to go again =) The island is SO pretty! If you have never been, you REALLY need to - it is a breathtakingly beautiful island. I loved going up there for Lilac Festival. The whole island smells fabulous!!! Some of the homes (Summer Mansions - Built in the 1800's) sit high up on a bluff and the view from them is like a little piece of heaven... Anyway, here's a few photos of Ashton and his Dad...

I'm Lovin' It!!!

Yeah! Look what just arrived at my house. This vintage pretty came all the way from the U.K., from the lovely Niki at "Nostalgia at The Stone House". I love it! Niki used a gorgeous vintage fabric from Sanderson (I especially love that fabric as I don't have anything made from old Sanderson fabric(s) and I think they are gorgeous!) and the finishing touch is the two 1930's hand painted buttons that she added to each side of the handle. I've been wandering around the house trying it out in different rooms and different spots, as I tend to do with all of my new (old) treasures. Usually within a couple of days it finds it's "p*e*r*f*e*c*t" spot =) Thanks again Niki!

Shabby Vintage Bird Cage

In addition to my ebay listings, I thought I would offer a few vintage treasures here on my blog from time to time and this fabulous old bird cage is my first offering. I absolutely fell in love with this vintage pink and cottage white bird cage when I found it! This sweet lil' cage measures approximately 18" by 9 1/3". It appears at some point in time this was pink, but is now a shabby, chippy cottage white with just the right amount of pink paint showing. Price: $35 - If you are interested please send me your zip code and email address and I will PayPal you an invoice. Thank You! I hope everyones' weekend is off to a great start...

Wow! Wow! Wow!

I am SO excited! I was browsing (lurking -LOL!) around in Blogland the other day and stumbled upon a woman who does commissioned paintings of homes. I sent her an email and a few photos and she just emailed me this today - I love it! She said that the colors are a little softer in the actual painting, but this gives me/you an idea of what it will look like. I should have it in a few days and I can't wait. I have wanted a drawing or painting of our home for as long as I can remember but they are usually SO expensive, so I was super excited when I found Teresa. Thank you again Teresa!