How FUN!!!! I've been tagged................

I so love blogging and bloggers and blog readers. Seems like all I do anymore on the computer is catch up on my fav blogs or pay bills! Today I discovered I have been tagged by Bebe. I discovered her blog on a post at Victoria magazine and she is so interesting and has beauteous pics. She likes to garden and learn about art just like me. Anyway, she tagged me and now I have to list seven weird or random things about me and tag seven others. So here goes;

1. I love beets. Pickled beets, harvard beets whatever. My mom makes the best beets in the world.
2. When traveling, I always have to have the hotel bed that is closest to the wall. I can not sleep if the bed is in the middle of the room. This applies to when I travel with the girls and the room is a double. If I am traveling with my husband, then I have to have the side of the bed that is closest to the wall.
3. Only white paper towel is allowed to enter this house. No colors, no patterns on white. Must be plain white.
4. I have a lead foot. (What speed limit sign?) I drive fast and have never had an accident and I know I am pressing my luck but that won't stop me. I have an internal radar and can spot a police car from miles away.
5. My husband starts a beard every Oct 1 and I absolutely hate it. He knows how I feel about it too. It is ugly, feels ugly, and ugly, ugly, ugly. He shaves it any time around Valentine's Day to basketball tournament time. As soon as I see his handsome face again, I melt because of his cute chin.
6. I love to smell my cats and rub their cold noses against my cheek. Sometimes they run when they see 'mom' coming as they know they are doomed for a snuggeling session.
7. I have a blankey. My beloved Grandma Smith knit me a beauteous afghan for my high school graduation and I still use it almost daily.....especially this time of year. It is there for my naps, when I'm reading, watching TV, sewing. Whenever there is a chill in the house (most of the time!) me and the afghan are inseparatable.

Now I have to tag seven other so I pick.......................
1. Sue at Vintage Rescue Squad
2. Mary at Across the Pond
3. Teresa at Plum Water Cottage
4. Corey at Tongue in Cheek
5. Vintage Pretties
6. Teresa at French Poppy
7. Tina at Cherry Hill Cottage

THE RULES:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person that tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3.Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

Book Club

I am going to sound like an advertisement here but don't you just love joining a book club? I recently re-joined one and got all these books for a total of $16 bucks. That is for five books and shipping......total!!!!! All I have to do is buy 2 more books in the next 2 years and believe me, that won't be difficult at all. I totally love decorating and gardening books. I am not at all the type to read a novel or gushy love story.....just give me a decorating or gardening book and I can get lost in the beauteous pictures for hours and I love getting new ideas for Calendula Court home and gardens.

The book delivery came Saturday and I have already read 'The French-Inspired Home' from cover to cover. Loved it!!!!! Right now I have moved on to 'Vintage Vavoom.' This book has shown up on a lot of the blogs I read and now I know why. It is awesome!!!!!!!Then I plan to check out Nell Hill's 'Feather Your Nest.' I am a huge fan of Nell Hill and love the ways she decorates with old and new things mixed together. She just oozes charm!

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Had an hour and a half lunch break to kill the other day so I went to two vintage flea market type stores in Muncie. Found all these treasures at one of them. I just love the big vintage tablecloth and is was only $5 bucks. The rose plate will either hold some candles or may get broken for a mosaic project I am saving plates for and the cute valance curtains will go in the B Hive (my craft/project room) eventually. First I must do some wall repair and painting so it will be a long time till eventually happens. Maybe later this summer as the master bedroom is first on the list.

Making Tags

Yesterday I tea-stained some paper to use for making tags. These tags will be the price tags for the items I sell at the upcoming Flea market and also for BLOOM~N~Bottles. This is something I just came up with and wanted to share how I do it.

First I make a pot of hot tea and use about 6 tea bags per pot. I use regular tea for the brownish color. Flavored teas can be used for color variation.......like chamomile for a lighter, yellowish color, chai for a reddish color, etc. I pour the tea in a cake pan and place one piece of computer paper at a time in the pan. Let the tea soak through and then take the paper out and lay it on a towel. (Note.......you will have a tea-dyed towel also so use an old one!)

The splotchy old look comes from squeezing the tag bags on the paper and also pouring more tea on. I just ladle more and more on throughout the day..............................................................After the paper dries, it looks like it is 100 years old. Now you can run it through your printer.

After that I glue old book pages to the light side of the paper (so the old, darker side shows) and cut out individual tags.

Then I use my Bee stamp with sparkly gold ink. Don't they look old? These I cut but if the edges were simply torn that would be cute too. Today I will be pricing all the items for the flea market next Saturday. It will be fun to go through all the boxes of stuff I have acquired and see what all is there.

Frenchy Chair

Finally got one of the many projects done. This chair was aquired free (one of my fav words!) from my Dad who got it free from a neighbor's estate. Since it was manwood, I decided to paint it black and then I found this beauteous french script fabric for the seat. I think it turned out really cute!!

BEFORE

I plan to sell it at my booth in an upcoming flea market on Feb. 2. I don't have high hopes for the flea market as it is in my very small town and I may be the only one there with vintage decor amongst men with tools and farm implements! We will see. Maybe I can make a buck or two for 'Destination Paris.' I will keep you posted on that.

First coat of primer

Finished Project

Beautiful Auction Finds

Wow! I didn't realize it has been so long since I posted. My goal is to post at least three times a week so from now on I will do my best to do that. I have been acting like a bear and hibernating since it has been sooooo cold. Let's catch up...............


Here is a 'good thing' I found on another blog. Just by clicking and watching this video you can help in the fight against autism.The video is also one of my favorite songs lately so listen, sing along, and all for a great purpose.
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This past weekend I went to two auctions. The one on Saturday was a bust for me but hubby got some coins (he collects) so it was worth the seven degree temp. We only stayed about an hour as it was outside in a garage. Thanks to the auction gods that the coins were among the first to be sold. By the time we left the temp had doubled to a whopping 14!



Sunday's auction was mucho better. It was in a heated building for one thing and also I got a box full of old old sheet music and some more silver.

This is only a small sampling of the sheet music. Don't you love the graphics and colors?

No one bid on the silver but me so I got it for 5 bucks!!!!!!I love it when that happens.

In the box was the most beautiful ornate bowl with lion heads and grapes, a type of server cup of some kind that is tilted and has a baby ladle hanging from the handle. Does anyone know what this would have been used for? Also some iced tea spoons and some handles cut from silverware that had holds drilled in the ends. I have seen wind-chimes made of silverware and wonder if the previous owner had that intention for these. Maybe one of these days I will make a wind-chime and be able to use them. Also some salt and pepper shakers. I think they will make adorable little bud vases (without the tops, of course). The small..and very heavy....pitcher has Hilton stamped on it so it is old hotel silver. SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the sideways cup thingy. What would the purpose of this been? I know in the Victorian era, they had a server or utensil for almost everything. I am so curious as to what this would have been used for. Please leave a comment it you know.

WOO-HOO

I just have a quick second to share my good news.......................................(drum roll)......................I made my first sale on Etsy!!!!!! I was so excited to see that e-mail come through with the subject; Esty Sale. Ok, I know I am getting way to ebullient about this but that means I am a few dollars closer to 'Destination Paris.' Since I am confidently sure the buyer will show off her beauteous BLOOM~N~Bottle to everyone she knows I must get busy and create some more. In order to do that I need more vintage rhinestone jewelry so last night I went ebay shopping and won the 2 lots I bid on. Here they are.......................................................................

I am very anxious to get these so I can craft away an afternoon as my mind wanders off dreaming of the treasures to be found in Paris at the flea markets there.

First of all I want to share a blog that is having a give-away! For me having a mention of it on my blog I get an additional entry so please go to visit Housepeepers and mention you saw it here. I really need to win as I have been wanting the prize, the book, Vintage Vavoom. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moving on.............after getting The Waldorf Astoria silver finger bowl, I have been reminiscing about the sweet trip this past May to NYC. Here are some pics I took while hanging out at The Waldorf with my cousin Vickie. We just sat in the lobby for awhile hoping to see someone really famous or important. (Never happened)

The lobby was really cool art deco. To bad this pic is kinda dark

This is the 'Lady's Room' at The Waldorf. Couldn't resist taking a pic.

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Another highlight of the trip was finding this vintage chandelier at the Chelsea Flea Market. It came from an estate on Long Island. Had it shipped back home and it is still in the box waiting to be hung in my bedroom. Hopefully in the next few months I will have a pic of the redone bedroom complete with chandelier!!!!

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Tavern on the Green in Central Park

One day we had lunch at Tavern on the Green. It is awesomely beauteous as the pics here will show. The above mirror was in one of the several dining rooms. Only a couple of the rooms were open to diners but I had to see it all and found myself opening closed doors and having a look.

The ceiling looks like a wedding cake.

We lunched in the courtyard. This is my Mother on the right and my Auntie B on the left.

Tiffany cut glass lamps.

The cozy bar upstairs.

This must be a private party room. Let's party!!!!!

Got silver

I am getting so fond of vintage silver. Never really had any before I started blogging and seeing all the beauteous silver in pics of other peoples homes and decor. This weekend I was perusing ebay and was the only bidder on a vintage hotel silver finger bowl from The Waldorf Astoria in NYC. There was only 2 minutes left on the auction so I bid the $2.99 minimum and won!!!!!
I just got it and loooooove it!!!

I am so curious as to just whose fingers were in this finger bowl. What were they eating that they had to use a finger bowl, etc. Was it Marilyn Monroe eating peel and eat shrimp? Was it a past president eating sticky buns for breakfast in the presidential suite?

The bottom of the bowl is engraved with The Waldorf Astoria so I know this to be a true piece and am so glad to now own it

Not Much Going On

Not much going on around here..............no auction today, no flea markets so no new treasures to share. I did finally get the old window hung in the kitchen. I posted back in November that I wasn't sure what I would do with it. I like it just hanging out on the wall so it will stay there for awhile. I also want to share some vintage jewelry I have aquired recently. I found the "M" (for Mandy)necklace at a flea market last month for only $3.00. I have worn it to death since! The pink wreath pin was found in a vintage shop in Upland for $1.00 and the glasses pin was given to me by my Aunt Chyrell during one of our Wednesday lunches. She had been going through her jewelry and thought of me since I work in Optometry and I really love it!! (The pin that is....Ok also my job)Yesterday I tea-dyed some white lace I had so I can decorate some more BLOOM~N~Bottles. Have you checked them out? I listed some on Etsy and am waiting on the first sale. What do you think of them? Would you buy one? Is it the price? The seed selection? Would love some comments on them.

Today I plan to work on the upstairs of this old house. There are just two bedrooms up there. One is a guest room and the other is currently a junk/storage room that I want to redo and organize into my studio, the B Hive (yes, I've already named my studio). It is a major project that I perpetually procrastinate as I don't know where to move the decluttered stuff to. Maybe I will free-cycle some, craigs-list some more....it is going to take awhile regardless. I will take pics throughout this ordeal so the little progress at a time will help motivate me.

It's 2008

Happy New Year!!!!!!! We had a great time at Wilstem Ranch which is just outside of French Lick and West Baden Indiana. There were nine of us sharing a big house at the ranch for the New Year's weekend. On Sunday, the girls went to French Lick to some antique shops and to check out the newly restored French Lick Springs Resort and the new casino.

Here are some pics of the lovely restored French Lick Resort which was originally built in 1845. It is so beauteous and I love that it has been restored. (Americans are so wasteful with our beautiful, historic architecture....that is another topic!)

The lobby as you look up at the art on the ceiling and the details on the balcony.

The famous French Lick Spa.........................................................which pampered many celebrities in it's heyday.............Here is a picture of Lana Turner on the steps to the Resort.

Gorgeous marble columns with gold details. You just don't see this kind of craftsmanship anymore.

This is s close-up of the detail on the 'windows' at the registration desk.

A cozy fireplace in the lobby.

On Monday our plan was to check out the newly restored West Baden Springs Resort but this is what happened instead.............

car would not start and 5 of our men and 2 ranch dudes could not figure it out so one thing lead to another and the next 2 pics speak for themselves (It was New Year's Eve ya know!!!!!!)

Pat and Dan enjoyed the hot tub which was outside ....... the temp was around 35 or so which explains the steam.

Herbal Blessings for a brand new year......................Mandy