Thought for the Day

"You'll always stay young if you live honestly, eat slowly, sleep sufficiently, work industriously, and worship faithfully." - Author Unknown

Sugar Cookie Goodness

With coffee, with tea, with milk, with cocoa, or just because...I love sugar cookies! They are such an elegant and old fashioned cookie. Nothing fancy about them as far as ingredients or looks goes but take one bite and the melt in your mouth goodness will have you grabbing for a second...and a third...and quite possibly a fourth.

Now enough drooling over mine...go make some for yourself!

Per my favorite cookbook 'The Complete Book of Baking' by Pillsbury

No-Roll Sugar Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
4½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt

In large bowl, cream both sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add oil, vanilla and eggs; mix well. Stir in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt until well blended. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.* Heat oven to 375ºF. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until set, but not brown.
Makes 7 to 8 dozen cookies.

*Or if you're impatient like me stick your first batch in the oven and then refrigerate the rest of the dough while you're enjoying the first dozen! ;0)

Happy First Day of Fall

Well it has officially begun! The fire is going in the fireplace, I'm wearing my coziest sweater and slippers, a warm cup of coffee is waiting to be finished and the late morning sun is shining through the slight mist in the air. Fall has arrived!

I'm thinking of pumpkins, nostalgic old movies, hot cocoa, baking goodies, crafting, curling up with a good book, knee high boots, cozy sweaters and brightly colored scarves. After a long and trying summer I can't help but be excited for a change of season and all that it holds. I hope you are too!

Happy Fall to y'all!

Photo Courtesy of the Graphics Fairy

Million Dollar Monday

After using up a full tank of gas cruising the countryside...

Rustic Green Gas Can
$18 at CabinWindow

in my classic convertible and cozy little wrap...Faux Leopard Collar
$165 at BackThennishVintage

I arrived home to a crackling fire in the fireplace...Antique Wood Mantel
$700 at LookWhatIFound

grabbed a cozy blanket for my lap... Vintage Plaid Blanket
$25 at PaddyRidge

and sat down to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa.

Porcelain Chocolate Set
$45 at EmilyLynch

So while we are day dreaming...what would you buy if you had a Million Dollars?

The Funky Junk Sisters Are at it Again!

Mark your calendar, cuz I know I am, for October 23 & 24 this fall as the Funky Junk Sisters are at it again and have a fabulous fall show in the works. This past June I participated in their first ever Funky Junk Sister Antique Show and I had a blast! There is much talk already about the fall show being even more fabulous...as if that were possible.

To find out more about the fall show click on the above ad.

Or check out what other people had to say about the show in June:

Funky Junk Sisters

Shabby Scraps

Maison Douce

Amy's Vintage Cottage

Retreat Design

Tippy Stockton

Prim4Him

Labor Day Weekend Vintage BOGO 50% Sale

EVERYONE LOVES A SALE...me included! And Labor Day Weekend is as good a time as any to start shopping for some good deals for the holidays! This weekend from Saturday thru Monday I will be offering buy one, get one 50% off of equal or lesser value on everything in my shop!!! My shop is full up with all kinds of vintage and antique goodies just waiting to be snagged up. So what are you waiting for...get shopping!

The Signs of Fall

Dare I say it's beginning to feel a bit like fall? Here in the Northwest we've enjoyed a beautiful summer with even a few days of record breaking high temps but the last few days I've been setting aside the flip flops and pulling out the fuzzy socks. I know fall does not officially start until September 22nd so I haven't given up on summer completley but there is a slight nip in the air announcing that fall is fast approaching.

The weather is not the only thing that is turning my mind towards fall.

A few other signs it's on it's way is the desire to:

Bake Goodies
This recipe looks good and is shared by a very talented young lady!

Browse around her blog while you're there...you won't be disappointed.

Watch Black & White Movies

The Shop Around the Corner
Grab a cup of cocoa or a bowl of popcorn and click above to watch this 1940's romantic comedy in it's full version!

Light Candles

Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Rearrange Everything!
I'll share more about this in a future post.

So what things are making you think fall???

Tis Better to Give ~ Birthday Giveaway Update!!!

GIVEAWAY UPDATE:

Added a vintage 8" embossed blue and white cookie tin from holland to the birthday box...

...click here to find out how you can win this and more!

Million Dollar Monday

It's million dollar monday again and I've found some more vintage items on Etsy that would be completley unnecesary but oh so fun to have.

This sofa would look quite nice in my living room...

Red Fans Loveseat
$1250 at SpruceHome

on which I'd throw this darling floursack pillow...

Roses Flour Sack Pillow
$38.50 at CatNapCottage

...talk on this crazy bright yellow phone, Vintage Princess French Style Phone
$64 at Domestikate


...eat snacks from one of these darling cup and tray sets

Red Roses Milk Glass Snack Set

$40 at JustSmashingDarling

...and watch the dishes dry in this amazing old dish dryer.

Old Farmhouse Kitchen Tin Dish Dryer
$58.50 at PrairieAntiques

So while we're dreaming...what would you buy?

A New Chapter

It's official...I'm moving! It's been a little up in the air up until a few weeks ago but my lovely little home that I rent is being sold and I have to be out in the next couple weeks. It's been a hard adjustment as this house has truly come to feel like home to me.

I was here while it was being built and had the opportunity to hand pick almost everything about it...exterior and interior colors, front door, kitchen cabinets, hardware, flooring, lighting fixtures, bathroom layout, fireplace surround and on and on. I became very attached to every little nook and cranny of this place.

I was so excited when I first moved in and started decorating. It was a little sparse and the walls looked so bare but it was the first month...

...and I was in love with everything about my new space. Funny though I don't see a single item in those pictures that I still own. lol! My style choices have obviously been upgraded and refined since then.

Alright enough of my reminiscing. So what's next?

Well the situation's not ideal, especially with running a business from home and the space being much smaller, but all the same I am very grateful for the generous offer my parents made of me moving back in with them for the time being. The whole upper floor is not being used and really is a charming space in their 1910 Dutch Colonial home. Granted living in the same house as my parents again may be a bit of an adjustment (for them as well as me) but I guess it's a good thing that we get along really well and for a while at least I will take advantage of this opportunity and enjoy it for what it is.

So after a number of shed tears and at least a few "Why God?" prayers I'm learning to accept the reality of the move and am trying to look forward to this new chapter in life. I don't know why some things happen the way they do. It is too hard to make sense of life sometimes. But I do know that God is leading and I will follow...even if that leads me home.

'But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;

I say, “You are my God.”

My times are in Your hand...'

'Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart,

All you who hope in the LORD.'

Psalm 34: 14-15, 24

Tis Better to Give then to Receive ~ Birthday Giveaway!!!

Happy Birthday to me...oh wait sorry that's not what I meant. Ok (clears throat) let me try that again...

I've heard it said that it's better to give then to receive so I'm going to test out this theory for my birthday and have my first ever blog giveaway! Mark your calendars for July 6th when I will draw the winner!

So I know you're wondering...'what do I win?' Well I don't want to spoil the adventure and intrigue of it all so I will be revealing little by little over the next couple weeks as I start packing a box full of vintage goodies, fun finds, tidbits of frivolity and more to send to the lucky winner! Here's just a couple fun little items to start:


Sensing a theme? My birthday is quite close to the 4th of July and I am partial to red, white and blue ;0)

Ok so now how to enter:

1. You can leave a comment below.

2. Blog about the giveaway on your blog
(be sure to let me know and feel free to borrow the image above for use).

3. Twitter about the giveaway
(of course let me know this too).


Do just one or all three...but remember the more you do, the more chances you have to win! You have until end of day July 5th to enter so don't delay. That's only 12 days away hurry along now and enter to win!!!

PS. That birthday cake on the table above was a real cake someone bought me and I swear it was the best one I ever had!!! Drooling even now. I think it was from a bakery in Renton, WA...I only wish I knew which one.

Million Dollar Monday

Now I know Etsy is a great marketplace for handcrafted items but I often find myself getting lost in the vintage section browsing through all the fabulous items and wishing I had the space and the money to buy them all. So if I had a million dollars what would I buy? Here's a few things I've had my eye on:

30s Hollywood Regency Table Lamps
$495 at FabulousMess.etsy.com

Vintage Beehive Measuring Cups

$25 at BeggarsandChoosers.etsy.com

Gothic Style Letterpress Alphabet 107 Pieces
$189 at Pogotown.etsy.com
Vintage Ransburg Yellow Canister Set
$60 at UnDestination.etsy.com
Shabby Aqua Mini Armoire/China Cabinet
$425 at RoyalOakCottage.etsy.com

So what would you buy with a million dollars?

Funky Junk Sisters Antique & Flea Market

Just when you thought I had totally abandoned my blog...I'm back! I had been devoting every spare moment to prepping for the Funky Junk Sisters Antique & Flea Market show but I've taken a couple days to recover from all the wonderful mayhem and now I've returned to share all the excitement!

Ok, so now onto the details...I was slightly nervous but super excited about doing this show and after many late nights of sanding, painting, pricing, wrapping, loading and more I arrived Friday the 12th for setup. After meeting the Funky Junk Sisters Dixie and Linda all fears went away and total excitement took over! Dixie and Linda are the bestest gals ever and know how to put on a great show! I am so bummed I didn't get more pictures but I will post some links to some other blogs throughout this post...stay tuned.

First off I have to show you my booth. Granted I'm still new at this but I am super excited at how it turned out. This is what it looked like before the long line of customers started browsing.

This set of 4 yellow wrought iron chairs were the first thing to go and then within the hour I sold my second set of burlap covered vintage chairs that I had stenciled black numbers onto...I so wish I could have captured a picture of those but I had only pulled out 2 of the 4 when the happy buyer swooped down on them and purchased them...maybe I'll get lucky and she'll see this post and send me a pic :0)There's a few things I wished I'd done better but once the customers started arriving it become just plain fun as people discovered fun treasures and I began to meet and talk with so many great folks...it was really a blast!
Of course as things sold it took on a different look as I continually scurried around filling in holes and rearranging to keep it looking fresh.
Sunday was a little slower then Saturday but it gave me a little time to regroup from the day before. Still had some great customers and people were more inclined to stand around and chat which was great.

I also was able to spend some time getting to know a number of the vendors which I had formally only known through blogs. Of course the Funky Junk Sisters were awesome and I can't wait to do another show with them! They even were kind enough to include a pic of me and my booth in their blog.

One of my neighbors was the super talented Patrica of Tippy Stockton she made amazing things out of old stuff like her amazing candle holders. Stop by her blog to see more pics of her fabulous booth and other creations!Two booths down was Today's Country Store and Susan Wheeler. They seemed to be having such a great time both days and I was continually curious about all the funny things being said as there was so much laughter coming from that direction...wish I'd been closer to hear what was so hilarious! ;0) They had some amazing stuff and it was great meeting Susan Wheeler and Kris as well as chatting with Amy some more!


Such a beautiful setup they had(I wish I had a place for those chairs!)...check out more here. You can also visit there store in Sumner, WA. Their were other great Sumner vendors there too.

So many other fabulous booths and great gals that I met! It couldn't have been more fun! Thanks again Funky Junk Sisters for all your hard work and commitment to making this a success. Here's to next years show...if not sooner!

I also have to send out a great thanks to my dear friend Charity who not only was a huge support to me but put in a number of hours setting up and even showed up for tear down at the end...you are awesome girl and I couldn't have done it without you!!! As well as my parents and brother and sis-in-law for all the support and helping hands during the preparation of this show...you are the best and I know I owe you!

If you missed out on the show this year be sure to keep an eye out for next years show which I'm sure will even be greater then this one...if that's even possible.

Now back to reality but with such wonderful memories and new friends!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

It seems like this may be one of the most beautiful memorial day weekends we have had in the Northwest. The sun has been shining at almost every waking moment and I've been out enjoying it while hitting up every garage, yard and estate sale I can find in preparation for the Funky Junk Sisters Antique Show, June 13th & 14th. I know I keep bringing it up but that is really where I've been this last few weeks as I've been neglecting my blog. I will be back in the swing of things in a few weeks with more exciting blog posts. In the meantime I wanted to wish you all a Happy Memorial Day!!!

Also, if you are looking for some vintage and antique finds at a discount price then stop by my etsy store where you can take an extra 20% everything!!! The sale is only good for Memorial Day so stop by and browse for a bargain today.

Garage Sale Success

Instead of having a sale the week or so ago that I had planned I became overwhelmed and then postponed it to this past weekend. I'm actually quite glad I did as it gave me another week to purge through closets and even pushed my mom and dad to go through some of their long neglected cubbies of stuff. It eneded up making for a pretty large garage sale and we were all very satisfied with the amount stuff we sold.

You can't tell how much stuff is here based on this picture but it was dripping items all the way out into the driveway.

Of all the items that sold at the garage though I was suprised that not a single person was interested in this darling antique cane back couch of my moms. Wishing I had a space for it myself...anyone interested? :0)

It was also gorgeous both Friday and Saturday and it felt so good to be outside without a jacket. I half wished I was out hitting up the garage sales myself. In fact within moments of closing my garage sale on Saturday I found the most awesome cabinet on Craigslist that I went to get and also plan on taking to the Funky Junk Sisters show...stay tuned.

Off to Jury Duty tomorrow! Wish me luck!