Poppy and Ivy

Coming Soon to an Antique Mall Near Me

And you too if you are in the Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA Area!

Not sure which items pictured are going to Camas Antiques and which will go to Stars & Splendid....but everything I purchased this weekend is cleaned, tallied and ready to go to shops tomorrow!

Tomorrow I have piles of vintage vacation photo packets to sort through, about 5-6 vintage metal English toffee & chocolate tins, some miniatures (miniatures will go onto my Etsy shop) and some great aprons and linens.

I love a weekend full of great finds followed by a productive Monday!

 

 

Estate Sale

Sometimes you just enter a house and know you'd have enjoyed being a part of that family in that home.

Today I went into an estate sale a mere 2 blocks from my childhood/adult home of 36 years.

I walked by it on my way to school in the 70's--walked out contractions past it in the 90's, pushed strollers past it, taught my kids to walk in front of it, walked my dogs in front of it, passed it on our weekly walk to the library ....and the house always interested me.

I didn't score mind boggling, money making treasures....just walked through a well loved home that I have always wondered about and took it all in. Sometimes THAT is a greater moment than the "finds".

I bought a photo of the family in front of their Christmas tree....not sure I can part with it and it's not even my family!

One of the best parts of raising your children in the same area you grew up is little moments like this. Although....bittersweet in that I know by next weekend some contractor will set up a dumpster, tear up walls, yank the wood floors and add 1,000 square feet even though CLEARLY...5-7 people lived here comfortably and happily for years.

Cheers to bittersweet!

 

Operational Computer: Better Than a Dozen Roses

Shortly after my last post, my computer seemed to freeze up a lot, shut down randomly, post bright blue screens with scary words like "reboot", "error zz191", please try again"...all sorts of confusing words to my non-electronic brain. 

I got ONE more posting to Etsy on December 18, then my computer world went blank. I remained calm. Somehow. Someway. (We call it an iPhone). But...not posting on Etsy, craigslist, the blog, my shop Facebookpage....that was MADDENING. 

But right before Valentine's Day, the mister finally admitted defeat and brought it to the computer doctor. And the call came on February 14th that my baby was back. Photos are saved! Documents/designs not lost! LUCKY ME!!

Job #1....My Etsy shop is back up and running. Keeping up with my goals and getting it done!

I filled my space back up at Camas Antiques. Pretty much an out with the old, in with the new. Filled with with aqua, pinks and creams for the new year. My iPhone is not yet speaking to my computer...I have the cutest pictures of the space. DRAT!

Camas Antiques started carrying Annie Sloan paint...so I picked up a few little jars. I came home, watched this YouTube video and will certainly be going back for CANS of it now! I have been interested for years...but I am sold!

I am so happy to be back to the blogging world.  

This week the plan is: I will paint everything I own in Annie Sloan paint, post 10-15 more items on Etsy, keep junking OF COURSE, try to view Argo before Sunday, paint more things in Annie Sloan paint.

You know...the usual. Cheers to computers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the Heart is Heavy...

What terrible news to wake up to today.

A mass shooting in Connecticut at an elementary school. A majority of the victims aged 5-9.

It was after out President spoke that I had to turn off the T.V and regroup a bit. When the President sheds a tear...it hits you.

I immediately put on Christmas music.

I wrapped some presents (it felt SO frivolous), I walked the house and really LOOKED at our ornaments that we have collected through the years. We are lucky. We have had the YEARS to collect ornaments and memories with our children.

My heart goes out to ALL of the community in Newtown, Connecticut. I cannot begin to wrap my head around being the parent in the parking lot just waiting for your child to come out...each minute would feel like an hour.

To all of the angels who left us today.....our thoughts and love are with you.

 

 

 

November Rush

Portland, OR has experienced a very unusually warm fall. Tomato plants were still producing and tasting GOOD until Halloween! 

But the chill has hit. Turkeys have cooked, gravy has been poured and it is as if this is what the skies were waiting for....December is tip-toeing up on us.

Most good space owners were ready for Christmas in August. Not me. I was gardening. And taking my kids to the beach. And drinking coffee in morning sunshine. I am not very good at keeping on top of the holidays!

So for the last 2 weeks I have been out gathering during the day and in the basement painting shelves, trunks and desks until my fingers crack at night!

There IS a gingerbread man book tucked in there!

I have a great blow mold light, red pom-pom trimmed tablecloth, old felt stockings...oh my! Headed to Camas Antiques tomorrow!

A little bit of playing with paper, mica and glitter...the trifecta!

I should be ready for Christmas by March at the rate I am going....teeheehee.

It's all good....

 

The Calm Before the Storm

I had the urge for change. I knew the answer was paint.

Now, I have to admit the urge hit in July and I have had my living room slathered with paint chips and photos. I don't think you should rush into a big color change.

After hours on Pinterest getting ideas, the pictures went back up, new collections were added and furniture was flipped around.

I absolutely LOVE it. It went from a deep, dark mustard ale color to a cool sage --Ancient Marble to be exact.

It's calming, soothing, lovely in the sun and equally as attractive in the rain which is a good feature for a home in the Pacific Northwest.

I love how it compliments our mercury glass collection....

I come down my stairs every morning and walk down the hallway towards the newly painted living area and I feel as if I am in a new home. It never ceases to amaze me how a can of paint can change an entire feeling in a room. I probably haven't spent more than an 2 to 3 hours in my living room for the last 2 years. Since the paint job....we gather there every day.

And now that everything is in its place, cleaned up, walls patched, pictures hung and dust bunnies scared away....the Christmas tubs have bumped their way out of the attic and down the stairs.

The calm was good while it lasted!

 

C'est magnifique!

Or something along those lines....

I only took French for 6 years because THE CUTEST GUY IN THE WORLD did. A football player no less. His French name was Jaques (originality was not his thing). My french name was Elisabet because there were five Amy's in the class. Thanks Mom.

Last I heard he was somehow caught up in the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan scandal back in the day, so clearly I made a poor choice in who to stalk. But I DID walk away with just enough basic language skills to be dangerous or end up with something REALLY terrible on my plate at a French restaurant.

No matter....France is on my radar...always has been.

I have been on fire on Etsy and I sold THESES cute patooties:

to this cutie patootie blogger. From France!

I tried to read her blog, but again...I am rusty. There was a really cute picture of her (there are many because she's cutie patottie folks!) and once I translated one of the captions as "I ate my best friend's dog with silk, high heels and a chenille blanket" I decided I might need a Rosetta Stone crash course before I went any further.

Continuing on my love all things French...great estate sale finds for yesterday were:

If they keep the Metro exactly the same for another 20 years...I have a chance.

This image is from a half used 1932 German calendar. The images (125 of them! all different...all lush) and print and fonts are spectacular. I am not sure what to do with it exactly. I might just stare at it a bit longer.

Au Revoir! Off to some estate sales!

 

 

'Tis my season......

These are last year's crows....but I am busy decorating a new batch for my spaces at Splendid and Camas Antiques.

So many jewels. Copious amounts of glue. Such a grand amount of glitter.

Everything you need to know you DID learn in kindergarten.

Jewelry BONANZA

I have little boxes everywhere. EVERY. WHERE.

I finally faced that I needed to find a way to sell these. It was easy in my own shop, but it's quite a task (to me) selling jewelry in an antique mall. I find it difficult to creatively merchandise my pieces. I have tried tags, clipping them on cards, putting them in acrylic pillow boxes....nothing "works" better than Etsy. I think jewelry finds a better audience that way.

So...VOILA!

5 pieces up...79 to go...Cheers!

 

August Delights

A few visits to Cannon Beach and The Gorge

Estate Sale Finds

 Three days of birthday celebrations! Dinners out, drive to the coast, pretty cocktails AND a surprise party!

I love August:)