Inspiration and the Real Thing!

Recently as I was searching Google images for vintage kitchens I came across the picture that was my inspiration for decorating my kitchen here in Alabama! In fact, I still have it on my refrigerator held up by magnets! We originally were told that our house was built in the 40's, so I wanted to use a color theme that was popular back then. (we later learned from our neighbor that the house was in fact built in 1913!)
This picture was in Country Living I think and I loved the combination of color and style. I noticed many vintage tablecloths on ebay with turquoise and red fell in love with the look of it. I started by buying one tablecloth with those colors, and the cabinets were already red so I felt that I was well on my way to the look I wanted! The top picture is from the magazine and the bottom on is my kitchen!

The Cozy Nest (my little chickadee)

I thought I would use this post to shamelessly promote one of my daughter Christina's Etsy shops The Cozy Nest! Stina has been making some beautiful pillows lately, and I thought I would share these pics with you! I especially love the warm and lively colors! Check out her shop at thecozynest.etsy.com or coffeeandcream.etsy.com for her beautiful handmade jewelry

Vintage Etsy Tablecloths and Tins

While perusing through etsy tonight I found some awesome things that I have added to my favorites list! Hope you like them too!
I love vintage tablecloths in the red or jade green family and have collected several of them through the last few years, and I love all sorts of tins with vintage florals!

All of these items have come from www.thecherrychic.etsy.com

World's Longest Yard Sale August 6th-9th!

I just figured I'd give everyone a heads up for The World's Longest Yard Sale coming up next month. It starts in my town, Gadsden, Alabama and stretches 654 miles along US HWY 127 to West Unity , Ohio! This will be my third year in attendance, and I have always gotten some good buys along the route. The weather however is usually brutal as August is very steamy in these here parts! Thankfully, vendors are a plenty selling cold sodas and water! This year, the strategy is to drive a little over an hour by highway to Chattanooga, Tennessee and inch our way back. I noticed at the Antique Alley event a few months ago, that there was especially good deals and selection the closer we got to Tennessee! Hopefully the weather will be a little overcast but not rainy. Last year it was rainy, so a lot of vendors were closing up early, but we still managed to bring home some fun finds! Make sure you dress light, drink lots of water, and have room in your vehicle to carry home that under $35.00 easy chair you've been dreaming about!

Sit On It! The Search for the Elusive under $35.00 Thrift Store Chair!

OK, is it soooo unrealistic to think that such a thing exists in my world? I mean I constantly stop at thrift stores and neighborhood garage sales looking for little finds or big finds that simply cannot be passed up. You would think that ONE time I would come across a cozy stuffed chair that is in PERFECT condition AND covered in pretty fabric that just HAPPENS to match my house! Oh, and for under $35.00! ( seems to be my cut off price for a used chair!!) But NO.... not once have I had the pleasure! I have had success in the past with nice couches which I have referred to in a previous post, but not easy chairs!
Where are all the children and grandchildren who are cleaning out their loved ones homes and can't be bothered with moving or storing the stuff and just want to get rid of the things at rock bottom prices? Where are the people who had their furniture covered in plastic for 40 years, leaving their chairs in pristine condition? After all, when they move to Florida to retire, don't they want some nice sea foam green and peach furniture to match their new climate? Come on people, get with it! I have unfulfilled dreams yet to come true!
I imagine myself nonchalantly strolling through a Thrift Store, moments after a beautiful plump easy chair has been dropped off. It doesn't stink or even remotely smell like cigarette smoke, or have ANY stains or rips. I walk over to it with my heart racing to check the tag. Will it be one of those "boutique" prices many stores have utilized for apparent antiques ? Or will it be in my magic under $35.00 catergory! What??? Only $29.95? I'm calling Ray to come help me pick it up at once!
Well, fantasy over! I am still in search of my perfect chair that will look just like the expensive Anthropologie chairs in the smaller picture! (But for a fraction of the cost!) Hope you have happy hunts for your treasures!

A little ELF told me....

Several years ago I learned about an online cosmetic company that sold all of it's products for a dollar each and thought it was probably too good to be true. I tried a few of their things and they were nothing to write home about, but I kept receiving e-mail updates and offers from them through the last few years.
About a month ago I saw that they had expanded their line to include some well priced "studio" items for a more professional look and thought I would give them another try. I ordered a translucent face powder, eyeliner pen, and two lipsticks which only came to around $13.00 because of a discounted shipping offer!
Well, after I got them in the mail, I tried them and absolutely loved what I ordered! The eyeliner has stayed on all day even in 98 degree weather! The translucent powder gives a great finish over my foundation and the lipsticks have nice color and texture!

So... give them a try at www.eyeslipsface.com!

Some Pretty Ideas

I am absolutely addicted to decorating magazines like 100 Decorating Ideas under $100, Creative Home, Do it It Yourself, 100 Ideas Flea Market Style and Country Living. I have an ever growing pile of them on the side of my couch, originally in a basket, but now also stacked on the floor next to the basket! I have torn pages out of magazines for years for inspiration and have even made a "Look Book" with all the pictures that I love.
Today, I was searching online and found these images which give me a warm and fuzzy feeling! I hope you enjoy them as well!

One Lovely Blog Award

I would like to pass on the "One Lovely Blog Award" to these lovely blogs that I have enjoyed reading! It is like having a magazine everyday that only has the things you are interested in with no annoying advertisements!
http://thriftshopannie.blogspot.com/ Public Settings
http://apeaceofbliss.blogspot.com/
http://potofrosetea.blogspot.com/
http://apronthriftgirl.typepad.com/apron_thrift...
http://belleandboo.blogspot.com/
http://bitterbettyindustries.blogspot.com/
http://considerthecoffee.blogspot.com/
http://etsyitemsunder20.blogspot.com/
http://sujstina.blogspot.com/
http://jessesgrandma.blogspot.com/
http://picklesonpizza.blogspot.com/
http://phinandlou.blogspot.com/

Colors of a Summer Sunset And One Lovely Blog Award

Thank you so much to Jocelyn from http://jocelynfriisart.blogspot.com for giving me One Lovely Blog Award! I am honored to have been considered for this!
I will be passing this award on to some fellow bloggers that I also enjoy in my next post!!



These lovely colored items make me feel as though I am looking at a gorgeous sunset over the mountains in late summer! The kind that looks like a giant artist had chosen the most vivid and warm colors to accentuate the beauty of the moment!

New Headbands In My Etsy Shop

I just finished working on these last night and have posted half of them in my etsy shop,
considerthelillies.etsy.com. I plan on eventually making that shop be for my "yarn only" items, and putting everything else on my new etsy shop, thelillyofthevalley.etsy.com. I have listed some new tote bags in that shop with cute vintage images transferred on. My daughter Christina, (considerthecoffee.blogspot.com) made my new banners for both shops and I LOVE them!!! She is my biggest business helper, my very own technical "call center" and has beautiful things in her two etsy shops; coffeeandcream.etsy.com and thecozynest.etsy.com. Thanks Christina for inspiring me and helping me!! Thanks a million to Jenny ( my other daughter who I forced to model my new hair accessories)!

In My Mind's Eye...Or...Fantasy and Farmer's Markets!

So.... in my mind's eye or in my own imagination that is, I have a romanticized view of myself as a farmer's market kind of girl, strolling with my eco -friendly bag, trying to decide what type of organically grown tomato to buy or smelling fresh peaches with the hope of making a delicious cobbler! The truth is....every local farmers market I've been to is extremely small with slim choices(always lots of zucchini, which I do love by the way!) . No fresh baked breads or artisanal cheeses, no homemade granola, no fresh flowers, just fruit flies.... and mostly zucchini! Not to mention the fact that I have NEVER made a homemade cobbler!
So... this morning my husband and I left our home rather early (for me) to head out to downtown Birmingham and the Pepper Place Farmer's Market. All the online pictures gave me hope of finding a real live, TV like, kind of market with all the bells and whistles. Now the weather didn't seem to care about our one hour drive, with pouring rain at times and dark clouds looming overhead! All along the drive there, we wondered if we should choose a more indoor type of destination, but seemingly clearer skies up ahead just egged us on.
Once we arrived, we found a cute Coffee Shop called O'Cafe where we got some pastries and coffee before strolling to the market area. Of course the clouds were like dark grey and looked as if they were about to burst forth, and we also noticed that many vendors were anxiously packing up, and muttering about more rain to come. We went forward anyway with just enough time to snap two photos and buy three whole items!! Beautiful sunflowers, swiss chard ( never had it before but it sure looked pretty!) and cherry tomatoes! That's it!!
Then a mad dash to the car just before the skies let loose! Thankfully, we found a nice antique store called "What's On Second" where I found a $3.00 old painting with birds, then had lunch at "Taj" one of our favorite Indian restaurants. The food there was just delicious!!
All that and we were back home by 1:30! We must be gettin' old!

SecondHand is the new Green Part3

Thanks for checking out my blog! I am happy to continue to share with you some secondhand finds that have helped to cozy up my nest! I find it amazing how it just seems like "Divine Destiny" to actually find in a thrift store or yard sale, etc. the very thing that you had been hoping to find one day! I know that they are trivial things,
but the Lord knows what makes our life a little sweeter so He just leads us to these small blessings and seems to smile down at us when we find them!
So.... in the bottom picture, everything except the lamp and flowers is old! ( And they were purchased from Walmart and Kirklands "as is "section!)The small plates are from a thrift store,my daughter bought them for less than a dollar, the ornate wooden frame was $5.00 from last months Antique Alley
that ran through my area,the little tree picture inside that frame was $2.00 from an antique store in Attala (town nearby), and the small table under the pictures was $4.00 from last years World's Longest Yard Sale that starts in Gadsden.
My round kitchen table was $10.00 at a yard sale in Florida, the ice cream parlor chairs were only $6.00 each, which you have to know is a STEAL as I just saw 4 of them for sale at a local Thrift Store for $150.00! The vintage red stool was $15.00 from an Antique shop in Florida.
The wall of picture frames was gathered from Thrift stores, all under $1.00 a piece.
Everything in the little built in cupboard was found for a steal from places like TJ Maxx, Ross, Thrift Stores and my absolute favorite yellow teacups and saucers from Anthropologie for only $2.99 each! (they were originally $12.99 each!)
And, finally, the fireplace mantel is filled with a $5.00 candelabra from last years Antique Alley, some frames from garage sales, candle sconces from a thrift store and $5.00 teapot from Urban Outfitters! The large mirror was a Christmas gift from my daughter Jenny two years ago and was from Ikea!
Well, until next time, happy thrifting!

Secondhand is the New Green part 2

OK, so here are some used treasures that have adorned my casa!
These two Sealy brand couches were a $140.00 purchase from a St. Vincent De Paul Thrift store in Florida which is one of my few "pricey" items! They are in excellent condition now, even four years after buying them! They have so far lasted longer than new couches I have bought in the past. The original marked price was $200.00 for the pair, but my husband talked them down to $140.00. Don't forget to dicker, it usually works!

In my front porch picture, everything you see except the plants was from thrift stores, yard
sales, or Antique Alley! The round wood table was only $4.00! The ladder-back chairs were $7.00 a piece, the large wicker chair, $10.00, and one chair was free! (my husband Ray found it on the side of the road!)

My amazing secretary desk was only $25.00! My husband snatched that up for me when he was helping a friend pick up estate items for our church thrift store about 15 years ago! It is one of my favorite things!

The white bench was $30.00 at a yard sale, originally brown, we painted it and I made a cushion for it to make it a comfy seating option in our dining room. It is loaded with some America's Thrift Store goodies that I picked up yesterday for a steal! I am always looking for inexpensive and unique frames!
Well, that's all for now, maybe I will share more on my next post!

Secondhand is the new Green!

I absolutely LOVE going to thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets! When you think about all the old and used things that are piling up all over the world it makes you realize that this type of shopping is very "earth friendly".
Most of my house is decorated from these places, but don't feel sorry for me whatever you do! I find it quite exhilarating to snatch up a hidden treasure that the previous owners saw as trash for a pittance of money. Sometimes a little paint can spruce it up or it looks good just the way it is.
When all your friends have the exact same stuff from Walmart or Target, you will stand out as the different one with eclectic taste! I am lucky to have kids and friends who also like this type of decorating and they inspire me as well. "What, you got that cool frame and mirror for 1.00 each? Man!!"
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Target and shop at Walmart all the time, but I add the spice to my home from the "used things venues"!
I found some pictures of rooms decorated Flea Market and Thrift Store style and I would like to share them with you! On my next post I will share some thrifty finds from my house!

Faith21 Clothing--Real Fit For Real Women!

So....Forever21 stores have just recently added a "plus size" section to their online store and in selective stores in the U.S. ! Finally, a chance for the realistic sized woman to get cute and well priced clothing! Forever 21 in particular has always had sizes that ran extremely small and I have always found it frustrating that they never offered anything above a size large which fit more like a normal small! They have the best selection of styles and colors that can't be found in any other store around. In May they began to offer plus size clothes up to 2X and I couldn't be happier!
These pictures are from their line and I have ordered two out of the three of them! Check them out online at forever21.com and click on faith21 to see what they have to offer! (If you don't have a preteen shaped body that is!)

Retro Kitchens; Reflections from my childhood

Yesterday, I found some really cute vintage kitchen pictures on Google and thought I would share them with you. For some reason I just love the colors and style of these old time kitchens and prefer their styles to modern ones. Of course, I do want modern appliances and convenience, but I love the cozy nature of the 40's and 50's. Perhaps I am trying to recapture a more pleasant version of my youth, since I was born in the late 50's and my mother's home had a pink and black bathroom and 50's style chrome dinette. I might also mention that back then money was short and my mom had some issues so the house was in dis-repair as was my Grandpa's house in Little Meadows Pennsylvania where I lived for three
years. His home was out in the country and had a big front porch with a beautiful view. Because of heating and cooling problems with the house, he had completely closed off the second floor. The funny thing was that there was where the nicer furniture and lamps and wallpaper was, while the downstairs had unfinished drywall in every room that had yellowed over the years, and rather sparse furnishings. So.....I guess Grandpa had some issues as well!

During that time I read a lot of kids books with those colorful illustrations of happy kitchens with delightful looking cakes and berries and overstuffed chairs with a momma bunny knitting and I guess I imagined myself in those pictures. When I was around 8 years old I got a hold of a "1001 Decorating Ideas" magazine and constantly flipped through the pages amazed at all the pretty rooms.

I am very thankful to God for giving me a wonderful husband and kids and grandson and a very happy life. I now live in a home that reflects my personality without having cost a fortune.
So....enjoy the pictures. (my kitchen is the bottom right picture!)