Window Shopping...

I was over at my moms house with the kids yesterday helping her de-clutter.We took a few boxes over to donate to one of the local thrift stores in her town and on the way back to her place Wayland fell asleep so she was sweet enough to pull into an antique mall off the side of the road and let Heidi and I run in to take a look around.

It was a nice blend of vintage with fun new pieces too.Depending on the booth things went from "hey that's a great deal" to when you looking at the price tag you can't help but mutter "pfffft,yeah freaking right" and everywhere in between.

Though I'll never have a pink kitchen I can still lust over pink depression glass.


I loved this bicycle built for 2 AND the aqua childs rocker behind it!


I have to give Heidi tons of credit for being a good kid and listening to me.She wanted to climb in this thing SO badly but I had to run that line every kid hates to hear "look with your eyes not your hands".You can see her little legs walking off a bit miffed at me here in the background.



Now this chair killed me.What I thought was this giant place was actually 2 and the lady working in the back where we started informed me that the lady that owned the front of the place was never on time and always left early!And here was this adorable childrens chair just left out in the open with no price tag.When I peaked inside there was even more great things just tempting me!I'll definitely be back and praying I catch that little old gal that owns the front.Also praying that chair is still there and not too pricey!

World Market & Lazy Days at the Ranch...

Oh hello internet connection!You're back!I can finally do the post I wanted to do 2 days ago now,hee hee.2 days ago I got to see my niece which was nice since I haven't seen her in about 5 years!My mom,her and my kids had a great day together.We stopped by Cost Plus World Market.I think that's such a fun store and I haven't been to one in a few years since they don't exist in Indiana,yet Ohio had 2!Way to be greedy Ohio!

I took them to the park and after wards we went to have lunch at my moms.My mom doesn't really live on a ranch but we call it the ranch as she has a ranch style home with a few horse corrals.I love it out there its so relaxing.I took an insane amount of photos so I thought it'd be best to use the photo-booth option on my phone and just pick 12 to make a collage with.

You can see some of the fun things they sell at Cost Plus in case you've never been to one.I love their packaging.I didn't get a snap of it but they have Chinese take out cartons that are pink with polka dots that I want to pick up for gift boxes,adorable!But you can see the Japanese and Russian doll gift bags they had amongst the other goodies.I only had $5.00 to my name and that got blown buying those cute wafer hippo cookies for the kids.




In other exciting news I made the front page of Etsy!After selling for over a year I'd yet to make it but now I can stop complaining about it,haha.Funny too that it ended up being a vintage tie of all things that made it.

I have to thank Nicole of Bombshell Bettie Vintage She has a great blog,fantastic Etsy shop AND makes THEE BEST Etsy treasuries,its about time one made it to the front page!I'm so excited that I was included when one of hers was finally noticed!

Autumn is Almost Here!

Autumn is my favorite season!I keep getting excited to think July is almost over and August will be the transition into the end of summer,start of fall...maybe September,we'll see.Being in southern California I don't think I'll get to appreciate it as much as back in Indiana.That is one thing I will always miss about Indy.Despite popular opinion I do not like Southern California.I know,I know.I must be insane.Oh wait!I am!*insert mad scientist laugh here*.

I just don't like the feeling of stagnation and that's what southern California feels like to me.The weather rarely changes,there is so cycle of seasons.I see so many of the same people doing the EXACT same thing as when I left.Heck,even the radio stations still play the same songs that I use to hear in high school.It is a beach town,my home town and that is what people like about it.For me..well,its not my cup of tea.Plus if you behold my pasty white glory you can see clearly I am not a beach bunny.The sun makes me sick and I don't do well in the heat!So Alaska I am ready for you!So ready!

My hubby has started his job up there which I am thankful for.After over a year of unemployment he's happy to be back to work.And working 12 + hour shifts,7 days a week at that!Its all in cycle with what needs to be done in order for us to all be together again.I've started saving the pennies my etsy shop makes too to help the move along faster.Things here at my dads aren't going very smoothly.Its a lot harder than I thought and to the point without boring you with all the family drama I know he needs to be in a 24 hr. care facility.I came here to help and my help isn't being used properly.If he wants to remain in denial about the severity of things I can't do much now can I?Nope,not so much.But hey A for effort I tried.That's all you can do sometimes with people.

I have to do whats best for my kids and myself and that is being a family again in Alaska.I've been back here a little over 2 months and it feels like so much longer!But a nice surprise today was awaiting me in the mail from my husband,it was a new cellphone.He'd gotten us our Alaska numbers and its an iPhone!I'm not one for technology usually but holy geekery I do adore this phone I really do!I've been having too much fun with the apps today and as you can see from these photos I had autumn attire on my mind!

The vintage red angora beret I got back in Indiana for $1.00 and the cost I got thrifting out here for $2.oo,it had a Pendleton feel to it and I do love me a Pendleton!


And now yes I can take my seat at the circle of iPhone users waxing poetic about the epic amounts of amazing this phone is.Its true.Even BluntCards know the deal.

Prayers For Vince...

I've met some really amazing people through social networking.I love to support my fellow Etsy friends but sometimes life isn't always fun and games,its not all promoting,giggles and gossip.Things happen sometimes and it can be ugly.It is easy enough to ignore people in their time of need if you don't know them in real life but that kind of indifference I think is where a lot of the problems of the world lay.Something shouldn't have to be happening RIGHT in front of you to care.

If you shop hair bows on Etsy there are tons!Very few stand out but one shop I always thought did even before I befriended her was Roxanne of Original Cenz.Now you'll notice in her shop announcements sadly her 3 year old Vince had a tumor removed from his brain and to date has been diagnosed with brain cancer.He is currently undergoing chemo and radiation.

Roxanne and her husband just welcomed into this world a new baby boy so you can imagine this is a time of mixed emotions for them.Joy over this new life their love brought into this world and the despair of your oldest child who is still just a baby himself struggling with such a serious disease.

The very talented Corissa of Wicked Minky has designed some necklaces for Vince that Roxanne's best friend is selling in her shop here.If you can I urge you to go buy a necklace.Roxanne will also be opening her Etsy shop back up soon to help cover the growing medical costs.

And more importantly do PLEASE pray for him!I don't care what your faith is.Whatever God,Gods,Goddesses,Higher Power or just light a candle or think good thoughts for this little kid fighting for his life right now.I had this cancer scare with my mother but as a mother I can't imagine having to deal with this with my child!Pray for Roxanne and her husband for the strength and courage needed to get through this and pray their new baby boy gets to have a HEALTHY big brother around to protect him growing up as it should be.


The power of positive thinking is so important and this family could use it right now so my dear blogger community please band together with me and Pray for Vince!He can beat this I'm sure!And to Roxanne should you ever get the chance to read this please know that so many of us though we may not have had the pleasure of meeting each other in person think so highly of you and your family.We're touched by your struggle and hope all the best for you and your family!

Ode to Bukowski....

“I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there”
-Charles Bukowski

Aw,Bukowski.Americas dirty poet.I do love him and I hope you do too.I've been reading a bit more of his writings lately.Reading is a lost art when you have 2 small children.Well...reading something other than the Cat in the Hat 10 times in a row that is.I often accept functioning off 3 hours of sleep to stay up until the wee small hours of the morning to get some adult literature in.By adult I mean non-nursery rhymes not like XXX rated!

I found some neat Bukowski items or Bukowski themed items on etsy that I thought I'd share with you all.

Card Holder
Love this!"There's a blue bird in my heart" necklace

Bukowski shirt

Painting
Quote Necklace

Button Set

Uninspired,Heres Some Ads....

Been a few days since my last blog.I've been feeling rather uninspired and busy.Not fun busy either where I get to show you fun things I've done but boring busy which causes stress,boo stress!Boo to no fun!But that is life sometimes.Can't have rainbows without rain.

I thought I'd sprinkle my readers day with a bit of pretty things though.Some bathing suit ads circa 1950 from Jantzen and Cole of California.Now if only this vintage magazine had a Catalina suit ad it would have been perfect!Ladies you can all swoon over the suits (and that hunky cartoon gent standing on his head,hee hee) and fellas you can all swoon over the cute little cartoon ladies in the ads,everyone wins!

Mandalians....

If you have a love for late 1800's to 1930's purses chances are you've seen and hopefully as I do adore a Mandalian purse.My grandmother had one that I couldn't wait to have,I don't mean that in a "hey grandma!Hurry up and die so I can have your stuff" way,just meant that I've wanted it for a while..My mother let me use it to my 8th grade dance and from then on I'd admire it behind glass where my mother kept it.Well,my mother gave it to me last week BUT it was to sell!Oh the humanity!I can't be too upset about it as I understand her situation.I thought I'd at least share its glory here before some lucky lady out there bought it and it went off to a new home.I also thought I'd feature some others.

Here is my grandmothers Mandalian now listed in my etsy shop:


Here is another on with birds also listed on Etsy and in my opinion is being undersold for what these usually go for so snag it up ladies!

You could slum it and go to Ebay looking for one.Chances are though if you're after a good one though you'll end up losing in a bidding war to someone willing to pay $800.00 for one.I also am not a fan of Ebay,they treat their sellers like garbage so they don't get press on my blog anymore,sorry Ebay!It was a hot,passionate love affair I had with you once upon a time but now like a lot of my ex's I have to look at you and go "what was I thinking?!"

This one is from Go Antique and already sold for $450.00 but I love the gold frame with the rich blue so here it is:
When it comes to user names chances are someone out there has the one you use too.Did you know there is an Art-DecoDame site?I didn't !But aw lawdy does she have some pretty things!For the record I am not her,she is not me,we are not affiliated with each-other,just both dames that share a love of art deco.Here are a few from that site!






*Le sigh* ok folks that's enough internet window shopping for one morning.My little girl spent the night at my mothers last night so I need to take full advantage of trying to get things done with only one kid!

Picture Fails Can Equal Picture Fun...

Dang,I hate when I take photos for something I'm listing and I know its not a good idea due to the time of day casting shadows but I went ahead and did it anyway.Unfortunately,the photos ended up too dark to use,I'll have to re-shoot another day BUT that didn't stop me from playing around with the photo a little because frankly I have nothing better to do at almost 1am.

Lazy Sundays and Hand Me Downs...

Sundays are my lazy days.Normally I catch up with the laundry for the week,sometimes I don't get dressed and lounge around in my pj's all day.Today wasn't one of those days though.I've yet to start a load of laundry and around noon not only were the kids getting a little stir crazy buy so was I.

A brisk walk on this beautiful day was in order so I threw on a house dress,my grandmothers hat and a pair of cute 70's wedges I had thrifted for $2.00,dressed the kids and grabbed a leash and off we went.




About a block away from my dads is a yard filled with beautiful roses.I managed to snap a photo of this one before the person came out and stood there,surely wondering what this strange woman with 2 small children and a boston terrier were doing.


And of course you can't think of southern California without palm trees...its true we have a lot.Its been over a month now since I last saw my husband and I'm missing him tons.Ready to trade in these palm trees for some moose!


I've managed to exhaust the dog who is happily snoring besides me,my daughter is content counting pennies right now and the boy is tossing some blocks around.We're back into lazy mode.I should probably get some laundry started and I'd like to fast forward to tonight already when the kids are asleep and True Blood comes on!

A Horse of Course ...

Today the kids and I went over to my moms to help her go through some of her horse and vintage items she was ready to let go of.There are a few items I still have in my moms garage that I can't wait to come across,like my Ewok stuffed animal!However,today was not the day to find that....Yes,I am a Star Wars nerd.I proudly admit it.

Instead we came across a box of my old Breyer horses that kept Heidi and Wayland entertained while my mom and I worked.When I first opened the box I saw my moms old horse from the 50's and had to pull it out so Heidi wouldn't try to play with it.My mom said I could use it for Wayland's room decor so just another reason I can't wait to get to Alaska and set up his cowboy room!





Ollie got to come out and play too which was nice.I always feel bad about leaving him.He never did this before when I would left him but ever since I moved into my dads to help him out he cries and makes the most god awful sounds when I walk out the door(he much like my daughter I think are equally unhappy here and I'm working as hard as I can to get us up north asap).He could be happily snoring on the couch but the moment I go out to say get the mail he runs to the back yard and sits at the gate and makes this chattering dolphin-esque noise which I'm sure the neighbors think I'm torturing the poor guy!We didn't want to bring him over to my moms before because of this guy right here:


That is Fox Livingston and don't let his size fool you he is a stone face killa!Seriously he has killed a few dogs that have come onto the property.I think its because his dad,my old Corgi Bandit was attacked and killed by dogs that had come up to the ranch 10 years ago and Fox takes no chances now.Poor guy,he has issues.Fortunately him and Ollie got along splendidly and no blood or fur was shed.

Today also marks the 10 year anniversary of my fathers death.I can't believe its been that long already.I really wanted to share some fun photos I have of him as a kid from the 40s and 50s but they're packed away so I thought I'd just leave it as an honorable mention on my blog.I could probably ramble on some more but I promised myself I'd get some listings done tonight and its almost midnight!Yikes!Eh,who needs sleep anyway?

Funny How Things Change...

I have a small collection of vintage magazines I adore and would never dream of cutting up but I do take the ones that are damaged and use them for scrapbooking or decorating my Etsy packages with.I was wrapping up an order to ship off to England this morning when I noticed this ad from one of my 1950 Life magazines featuring Ann Sheridan and just about died!Because apparently you TOO can lose weight with AYDS!If you say that now a days people DEFINITELY don't think of AYDS vitamin candy I can tell you that much right now *face palm*.

Happy Birthday Frida...

I am a little late in posting this,I wanted to blog earlier today BUT it is still 10:30pm here on the west coast so I am not too late.Today in case you couldn't tell by the title of the blog,is the birthday of the late great artist Frida Kahlo.I find her art beautiful,beauty is in the eye of the beholder though truly so even if her art isn't your cup of tea you can't deny that her life isn't very interesting!If you can read a book on her or watch the movie.So Frida I raise a glass to you.Gone but not forgotten you'll live on forever in your art.

An Error in My Favor...

When I made the move back here to California I perhaps got a little too smug about nothing breaking or getting lost.I had unpacked my Etsy inventory and thought I was good to go.Then I sold a 2 lots of vintage swizzle sticks I had to one of my fabulous twitter followers Carl.He should have been getting 35 swizzle sticks.I searched high and low and could only come up with 34!How did just 1 go missing?!Why!?I felt AWFUL!

I refunded him the shipping cost and sent a little something extra as a "sorry for sucking" apology and kept my fingers crossed that would be ok.Not only did he still leave me positive but he sent ME a gift as a thank you for refunding the shipping!A lovely art deco needle book!I was so touched and adore it so that I just had to share it with you all!








Also a fun find that has nothing to do with the other is this cute vintage glass Listerine jar I thrifted recently!Besides the fact that this color indicates that is the heinous death flavor also that fact that is really old equals display purposes only but display well it does!