Blue Monday #1

Welcome to Blue Monday, hosted by Smiling Sally. If you read my blog, you know that I'm a collector! And I have a "small" collection of blue & white porcelain. So, here it is in honor of Blue Monday!

I think I've showed you this picture before (for the thrift store wire thingies), but just ignore them & look at the blue/white. ;O)

Did you see a few (3) rabbits? Thanks also to everyone one that wished us well in our new endeavor! I'm sure the new baby will be quite a blessing! LOL!

An Announcement...

As those of you that read my blog may know, I had a birthday last month. Several of you, asked in your comments, my age. Well, I turned 43 years old. I tell you that because 2 weeks ago today, I was called by my OB's office and told that my blood work indicated that I was PREGNANT! S.C.R.E.A.M.!!! I thought the nurse was going to tell me that I was starting menopause. Imagine my surprise. I haven't had a child in almost 10 years.

So, that explains why I haven't been feeling so swell. I hope that also tells you why I haven't been visiting or posting as much. I probably won't post as much as I once did, but I still hope to find time to visit. I never intended my blog to be about my family, although I include that from time to time. I started it more to be about my hobby (thrifting, home decorating, and antiquing). As you might imagine, after the shock wore off, we have had a lot to consider and for which to prepare...and not that long to do it! I'm due sometime in early to mid-September.

I hope you will understand, and still keep in touch, even though I may not be around quite as much as I once did. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, we could use it! :O)

And We Have a Winner!

Last week, I announced my Easter giveaway. I had orginally put that it would run through March 21, 2009, but I thought I had put through March 23rd, so I extended it through today, March 24, 2009, at 2 p.m. I received 62 comments to that post, and everyone was entered, regardless of whether or not you lived in the U.S. I truly wish I could give everyone a prize because you all left the sweetest comments.

So, I put 62 names in the basket...

And had Sweet Baby mix them up...

And she drew my winner...

And it looks like Penny @ The Comforts of Home/Lavender Hill Studios was my winner! Congratulations, Penny! Just send me your address, and I will send you your winnings! Thanks to everyone that entered!

Did I Tell You That I Heart My Peeps?

Well, I do, and we're going to celebrate!

Most people hold giveaways when they reach their 100th post, but because I have alot coming up this spring and summer, I thought I would do a giveaway when I achieved 100 followers instead, and that happened a week or so ago. I know that number can fluctuate, but I have to say, I am honored that EVEN ONE PERSON reads my blog and finds it interesting...REALLY, and to have over 100 followers is HARD.TO.BELIEVE!

So, to celebrate I'm going to give away some Easter items. I heart rabbits (not the real ones...they eat my hostas!), so I love the decor that goes along with this celebration. Let's see what you get, if you are interested in participating in my giveaway.

I have a taller version of this that I bought several years ago. When I saw it, I thought it would be cute for a giveaway. It's actually a vase.

Secondly, I've seen alot of you collect this pattern. I found the deviled egg plate, so it's a part of it too.
Then, there's this little rabbit spreader, and some Easter towels.

Some Spring note cards (sorry for the flash).

Some peeps for my peeps (great in a cup of hot chocolate).

And there will be a few extra items thrown in too, but you'll have to see what they are when the winner receives it. The items will arrive inside this hat box. (Apparently, I'm not too good at centering items when I take a picture!)

Because I'm not fancy, all you have to do is leave a comment on any post between today's post and 2 p.m. on March 24th. For every comment you leave (if I have more than 1 post), you get 1 entry. You do not need to post anything on your blogs advertising my giveaway, after all, that hurts your chances of winning. If you want to leave a comment, but not be considered for the giveaway, just leave a note to that effect.

Thanks for commenting and following! I always appreciate both...more than you'll ever know! Good luck!

******** I extended the entry date for entering my giveaway until 2 p.m. on the 24th. I will announce the winner after that. Thanks for playing.

Ashley's Giveaway & Purse Tag

Ashley from Ashley's Adventures tagged me, some time ago, with a What's In Your Bag Purse Tag. First, I apologize for being so slack about getting this posted, Ashley!

Here are the rules:

1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are today - not last weekend when you and your hubby went out to that fabulous restaurant. No cheating!!!

2. Tell us how much it cost. This is a no-judgment zone -- there will be no ridiculing or eye rolling here. And, if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, we'd love to hear it.

3. Now tag some fellow bloggers and link back to this post so people know why you are posting pictures of your bag.

So, I thought I'd show you the purse I'm currently carrying. Note the palm trees! :O) Yes, I'm wishing I were somewhere tropical!

And, I'm suppose to show what's inside. I'll spare you from all the "junk", and show you a few of my necessities!
My wallet (I really need a new one of these, but I haven't found one that's big enough to hold ALL of my stuff!), tissues, keys, pens, lipstick, and a first aid kit.

Then, there's also my calendar, measuring tape and cell phone. Nothing really exciting. I'd show you my camera, because we bloggers always carry cameras, but I can't take a picture of it, now can I? ;O) I don't remember how much it cost, and it doesn't have a special story...boring, I know!

If anyone wants to take this tag, please feel free. Thanks Ashley, that was fun!

Ashley is also hosting a giveaway! Be sure to go over to her blog and enter by tomorrow! This is what she is giving away.
It's a hairbow holder for little girls - how cute! She made it too, so I'm really impressed.

Speaking of giveaways, I'm having one next week, so be sure to come back and enter! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

7TH I WONDER WEDNESDAY

Hi, and welcome to the 7TH I WONDER WEDNESDAY!

Today's post will be short and sweet. Ok, maybe not sweet.

I wonder what prevents me from finding my glasses when they're sitting

RIGHT. ON.TOP of my head???

I can't SEE OR FEEL....what's up with that?

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

P.S. I hope the music on my playlist doesn't offend anyone. Just please turn off your sound or my playlist, if you don't want to hear it. I've needed to add a little pep to my step lately! :O)

Thrifty Thursday

Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville is hosting Thrifty Thursday again, and since I can't seem to stay away from a bargain, I H-A-V-E to play along! ;O) Be sure to stop by her blog to see what other thrifty shoppers have found this week!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these two things. I'm thinking I might use this tray in my laundry room, but I don't know how yet. Any suggestions?

And then this tray was a little "toe up" bent, but I thought it would be nice in some kind of Fall display.
Now, I need to have a Pity Party for a minute, so bear with me. In 2006, we moved to SC for exactly one year. Our home there had only been lived in previously by a single male, who had all builder's beige walls. It was like a blank canvas, and I'm still sad, to this day, that I never got to decorate that house. But the thing I miss the most, other than the frieze carpet and the neighborhood amenities, is the sunroom. It was huge. I have always wanted one, and when I finally got it, I never even got to enjoy it because we had a ping pong table in there most of the time we were there. So, being the nut that I am, I still buy things for my "sunroom" THAT I DON'T HAVE, but hope to have again one day. I know it's crazy, but I just can't seem to help myself...This is my latest purchase for my imaginary sunroom.So, although this flower arrangement looks a little "tired", I really bought it for the birdhouses, and hope to freshen it up, one day,with spring flowers and put it in my future sunroom. For now, we'll just call it a project. ;O)

Finally, I'm going to show you a little peacock I bought that is old and was hand painted. I put him (or her?) on my great room's mantel.

Now, I need your advice. I think I've mentioned how much I dislike those TV caves (like this one). And I know that we need some ornate wrought iron sconces up there on both sides (badly), but our now defunct builder was too cheap to put them up when the house was built I haven't found any that I like. I also need to have the room painted, but haven't yet decided on the "right color". So, I think this display on my mantel needs something else. I'm thinking some burlap ribbon kind of draped around everything to soften the look. I'm talking more about what to do with the mantel than the TV cave (alot have provided suggestions for that). The mantel is only about 6 inches wide, so it's not very big to sit things on. While I would love to cover this "cave" with shutters, I don't think it's practical because the tv is used almost every day, and I don't think family members would make the effort to open and shut them. What do you think? I'd love to have some feedback on this. I know it's not Rate My Space, but suggestions are always appreciated. ;o) I may be changing it out soon for Easter anyway, but this will probably be what's up on a non-holiday time of year.

Thanks for coming by, and thanks in advance for any advice you may leave!

6TH I WONDER WEDNESDAY

Hi, and thanks for stopping by for my 6TH I WONDER WEDNESDAY! If you'd like to play along, just drop me a comment, and I'll link to your blog.

I know that I shouldn't be one to question God, but I guess I am just curious, one of those things to ask when I hopefully enter the Pearly Gates. I wonder how it could have been in the 60's here on Thursday of last week, and then we get 6-8 inches of snow on Sunday of.the.same.week.

Then, for the last two nights, down in the mid-teens, only to be in the 70's again by this coming weekend. Is this all so that the doctors health insurance companies can make alot of money?

I guess I'll just have to wonder about this because I don't know that I'll ever understand it.

And I got special permission to show you my Snow Angel!

And as you can see, by yesterday afternoon, it had started to melt, but re-freezing has been a problem with black ice. Being the true Southerner that we are (with the exception of "Devil"), we stocked up on bread and milk after church on Sunday, so we didn't have to leave home! We never got to finish making a Diva out of our snowwoman. She fell over and got muddy, so we never finished.
Thanks for coming by! Please also go over & visit Bo from Blinks 'N Winks from Brown-Eyes , Funky Bag Freak, and Mrs. B. Silly @ My Silly Blog to see what they're wondering. I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

Did You Know That Blogging Changes Your Life?

Well, if you didn't, I'm hear to tell you that it DOES. I know I'm a ALOT little cuckoo, but my virtual blogging friends seem to come along shopping with me every where I go! And no, I don't still have imaginary friends. Not long ago, I was in Michael's and saw some pink heart candle wrapper thingies and had to tell Stephanie at Angelic Accents about them (she got them BTW, and says that trip cost her alot of money!). Or the time, not long ago, that I was in Cracker Barrel, and saw this bird display that reminded me of Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

Or the Spode dishes at Tuesday Morning that she and Gollum both have.

So, when my new NC friend, Joanna at Artsy Fartsy, who lives in the Charlotte area, told me about an antique store that she thought I might like, called Oak Street Mill, located in an old mill, in a nearby town called Cornelius (just minutes off I-77, for those that may travel through Charlotte, and just down the road from the Ashley Carol (the store I showed you before Christmas), I had to go and take a look. This is how I spent my birthday! ;O)

Rooty, toot, toot, let's just say it was time for another Happy Dance! All I can say, is it's a good thing I only had an hour in there! I could have heard lots of Ka-Ching!

So, let's go inside, and take a look, shall we?

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this display near the entrance! I wish I had captured the willowy branches above the fireplace.

These next 2 displays reminded me of Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict, and Rose at A Santamaker's Journey. You'll see why...

And this lamp reminded me of something Penny at Lavender Hill Studios would make...

This display reminded me of Shelia at Note Songs, and the rest of you rooster lovers out there.
And this one reminded me of Rhoda at Southern Hospitality, Alisa at Carolina Panache, and Nancy at Home is the Heart's Nesting Place f/k/a Southern Lady.

And Cami at Creating Myself, this one was for you!

Well, all of this Valentine's display reminded me of you really.

Now, I have to tell you that this picture made me laugh. Is he not just the cutest little thing?
Can't you just hear that "WAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!?????"

Speaking of cherubs, liked these...

And these curtain tie-back things were kind of cool.

Those red rhinestone earrings were $9, and they made it to the counter, but I left them there. (Boo Hoo!) I would NEVER have worn them...they would have just been for decoration.

This friends picture was sweet. You can probably enlarge it to read it.

And I took these photos for Melissa Miller at Melissa's Heart and Home. She's the Topper Queen! This one appeared to be old and cost $65.

I liked the detail on this one, but I can't remember the price.

Loved this porch railing. Would make a great headboard in the right house. I don't remember the exact price but I think it was around $149.

And look at this architectural salvage. Oh, the possibilities....

A cute little Easter display...

It's a small wonder this little rabbit picture didn't come home with me.

And this little vintage rabbit was precious.

As was this kid's kitchen set complete with baking pans. Can't you just see it in a playhouse?

I love the color of this trunk, and would love to have it for my house. But, I have an aqua one in the garage that I got for $3 at a garage sale, so I couldn't justify the price. So LOVE the color.

Like this plate. It reminded me of Majolica, but it was Made in Chinaca.

I like this botanical, but I couldn't remember what months I have, so it stayed at the store. This was January. (That's a light blocking the upper right corner.)

I think this was the lamp...although the photo was intended to show the cool piece beside it.

Love these needlepoints.

Some furniture I liked. They would make great kitchen islands.

Being that green is my favorite color, you can see why I liked this. Like that blue piece too!

This appealed to my beachy side.

Sorry this photo is blurry. I was trying to get a picture of the cool piece in the upper right hand side of the cabinet.

This chess set reminded me of my husband because it was awfully close to puke Duke blue.

And a few other odds & ends that I thought were nice.

I don't think I ever remember seeing a wheelchair like this...it must be really old!

This reminded me of Norm from Cheers..."sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name..."

I imagine that you can see why I don't need to spend more than an hour in this place.

Do you see what you have done to me?! I can't go anywhere without you! And I wouldn't have it any other way, really! Is there a recovery program for this? If so, someone, please leave me the link....I think I need it! In the coming week, I'll show you what did make it home with me, so stay tuned! Thanks for sticking with me! I know this was a long post! :O)