Merry Christmas to all.....

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas... I hope to be a better blogger next year but until then, enjoy your holidays!!!   karen....

Cha-Cha-Changes

 
I know, I know, change is a good thing but in my little head it is always NOOOOoooooo! first and then I gradually become okay with the idea.   We made the decision to close our antique booth and it has been a hard transition for me to wrap my heart around.
First, we have made some great friends.  The family at Country Roads is awesome.
I LOOOVE vintage, I love the hunt, the story behind the finds, I love decorating my booth with them...
But the hunt became harder here in Calif. and when we originally thought we could do some travelling since our kids are now adults but it was just too difficult with day jobs and caring for my 84 yr. old mommy. 
Her is a photo of our sale table....

We packed the remains yesterday, fortunately there wasn't much left and now we are focusing on family and re-building my Etsy business......

Here are 3 thing I listed last week:

Wouldn't this 1960's jeep be cute with a colored or off white tree in it?

Here is a petite lock and key set...
And of course, I love my little frozen Charlotte dolls.....

I will be posting this paper Christmas platter set in the next couple of days. I am ready to start preparing for Christmas since I make many of my gifts and want to make some treasures for my shoppe.

So, even though it is a hard change for me...there are good things to come and I hope you will join me on my adventures!
Have a great Sunday! karen....

 

Halloween Vignettes Around the House and Etsy....

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 I finally put together some vignettes around the house. So sorry for some of the  horrible pictures, I couldn't get good light... The above picture is on our table. The egg cup was a gift from my friend Bonnie (Thanks Bonnie! ) and the tobacco tin was from my friend Robin (thanks Robbie!) , I am so lucky to have good friends!

This vignette is on the buffet (sorry for the poor picture)  And the smiling critters below are above the sink....

The tree below was given to me by Jenny and Aaron of Everyday is a Holiday, we were in a swap together...they are wonderful! They made the little cupcake candy cups, the card and boo tag....

I love this paper mache Boo Boy, the felt bucket and charlotte heads always make my heart happy!

Here is another gift from Jenny and Aaron, their wonderful art! Lucky me!  They have similar Halloween art in their shop  http://everydayisaholiday.bigcartel.com/  Die cuts and pictures...fun goodies...I love their Haunted House cake!  (The color is off again in the cupcake picture...it is much better in person)

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Now, I flipped this last picture, but when I downloaded it to the blog, it flipped back!  I am so techno-wrong! Sorry!  This is just a bowl of my favorite goodies....

I am sorry I have been away so long...We are closing our little Antique booth and life has been complicated lately, I often get quiet when I am figuring things out! But, I have been visiting all my favorite blogs and enjoying all the wonderful fall inspiration around blogland... So much eyecandy, how can anyone be dissappointed?

I will be back in a couple of days to post some of my new etsy listings. The little guy below (sideways, oh my!) is one of my tomorrow listings. Hope you stop by!
Hope life is good for all of you! Hugs! karen...

A Busy Weekend....

 Finally my hubby and I got motivated to do some projects that have needed sprucing for the booth! It was so nice (but so hot) to have a 4 day weekend!
Here is a wreath that my friend gave me that was minus the moss (forgot to take a before picture) and had broken leaves and lots of yellowed hot glue to be removed. 
I added moss, shells and coral, rhinestone jewelry and pearls to pretty it up.

Here is the finished wreath.... I am happy with the way it turned out!

We also turned this awesome old trunk into a side table. I dressed the inside with map pages and my husband added a stool base painted black for legs. I really love it!
 

My friend Robin and I went to a show last week and I got these two pretty crinolines.

Here is the detail of the white one....
 

This little hutch/shelf unit had wallpaper on 2 of the shelves that was peeling off. I worked hard on this baby and got all the paper off, it is really cute with the chicken wire in the back. We are putting it in the booth as is, chippy and charming...

Well, I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July and maybe got a project or two done also!!  karen.....

For the Birds.....

 I was downloading photos of my booth yesterday and realized how many bird related items we have added in the last few weeks.  Above is a large birdcage on legs...it makes a great terrarium.

 We didn't just add birdie things, here is a beautiful German set of canisters...

 Or how about this gorgeous garden planter...Hmmm...a nest could be made in this beauty....

 I love these chippy metal chairs and the beautiful hand forged candelabra....

 And I can never pass up a vintage Tonka truck, displayed with bird prints..of course!

 We added this awesome chippy birdcage....

 Here is a closeup of the chairs....

And how about this rusty birdcage? And that rustic mirror..makes my heart go pitter patter!

I spy a nest in a terrarium, and sweet vintage planters....

 

And a bakelite viewmaster and another bird print for good luck!
Hope you enjoyed the tour! 
I am joining two wonderful linky parties this week-  Coastal Charm's Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays 
And Knick of Time's - Tuesday Vintage Inspiration Party
Hope your Week is Wonderful!!!  karen... 

Around Country Roads Antiques and Gardens....

 I am home with the flu and a sinus infection and need to sit up awhile because I am coughing so much. My favorite thing to do is look at inspiring pictures so I thought I would bring some to you.  These are all vignettes from Country Roads Antiques and Gardens in Orange, CA...it is always inspiring.....

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 There is something for everyone....Shabby, Frenchy, Vintage Industrial, Crocodile with a crooked smile....

 Let's not forget Primitive, Mid Century Modern, Glam.....

The vendors work really hard to bring you great treasures and it shows.... Hope you enjoyed the tour! I will be crawling back into bed now...cough!cough!  
I am teaming up with Common Ground's Be Inspired Linky Party go visit, you won't be disappointed!

Traditions....

 When I was growing up, my mom was the one who always hosted our family get-togethers. She filled them with food and pretty tables and wonderful people.  We always had what I referred to as "Mom's strays" at the table. People who had nowhere to go and needed an adopted family for the holiday....

 When I was little, I always wondered who would show up...the excitement of the holiday was always bubbling up inside of me....
Food was the center of any celebration and it was always delicious.

 Eggs Benedict was our Christmas and Easter brunch tradition and still is... we always had just our little family for that, maybe one guest or two but traditionally, just us... We look forward to it each year.....

 I still give my kids (Marissa 19 yrs old and Ben 22 yrs old) baskets... When they were little they got very little candy...toys and books and little treasures filled their baskets... Now they want just candy and that's alright by me....

 

 We celebrated Easter this morning because Ben works tomorrow. We had our Eggs Benedict and my mom's pecan rolls...yum! This afternoon a young mom and her sweet toddler will be joining us and we will cook a ham for dinner...It is a quiet holiday this year but for me...it's perfect, my mom is 83 now and cannot handle big crowds so it is perfect for her also....

 Just a few last snippets of the booth....

Hope you have a wonderful Easter...enjoy your loved ones and maybe make a tradition or two!  karen....