... Verve + Vigor = 2011

One of my favorite gifts the past couple of months was this vintage COPPER cuff bracelet bestowed upon me by a dear friend for my birthday. No designer markings, but from the moment I tried it on, it won my heart! Don't you just love it when somebody really 'get's' your style?!! Even when YOU may not know it's your style?!
I've never worn COPPER much, or had any interest in it, but I perused the depths of my jewelry boxes to see what I could find that might complement my newfound 'love'...
hmmm.. some NECKLACES
...a heart (an Xmas gift in '79 from 3 little boys I used to babysit), a retro enamel (Home Bureau project of Mom's) and a funky quarter 25¢ Rummage Sale pick-up a couple of summers ago...
...a few PINS
(no clue as to their history!)

...and a couple of pair of clip EARRINGS
by 'Renoir', from my Great Aunt's amazing collection of 'Moderne' jewelry

Wow. I guess I only 'thought' I never had any 'interest' in COPPER jewelry! I think that is one of my favorite parts of thrifting/rummaging/saling ~ when you find that 'special something' that really makes you reflect. Helps you open your eyes and makes you just a little bit more aware of who you are and what your style really is deep down inside. I foresee a LOT of wear out of this cuff in the coming year 8-) !

On a similar note... Have you seen PANTONES color predictions for 2011?? In my previous 'life' I was a commercial Interior Designer, so I'm always curious as to what Pantone has to say. For the coming year it is HONEYSUCKLE. "Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor...". Hey, I am all for 'V' nouns and nothing says Fall like Honeysuckle ~ but take the rest of it for what it's worth! I'm a Sagitarius, so of course I am going to adore this color, and it is in the same color range as my newfound COPPER, so I think I shall jump on the honeysuckle #18-2120 bandwagon!

Okay, enough of that.

We can't leave 2010 without one last Christmas Sweater Clip addition...

Sweater Clip 2010 #38, #39, #40, #41, #42, #43.

The FINAL tally for 2010:

Sweater Clips: 43

HAEGER: 40

VERA: 35

Now I'm trying to decide, do I do another running tally for these same three categories for 2011, or are you sick of hearing about them and seeing them? Should I pick different categories? Should I discontinue it all together? Opinions? Anyone??

Just remember...

Enjoy your journey - wherever it may take you in 2011!

...is it REALLY??!

This week I have been COMPLETELY disillusioned... Is there a Santa? Is there a Tooth Fairy?
I have continued to look at this set of napkin rings from every direction in hopes of redemption...

They. Are. What. They. Are.

An example of what happens when VERA goes TAIWAN - 'IT AIN'T PRETTY!!' (but it does make you raise your eyebrows and laugh!!)

(VERA 2010 #35)

THE VERY HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE...

MAY YOU ALL FIND SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU SMILE (or at least laugh)!

...((sigh)) all went as planned, and NO BIG BOXES were entered!!

8am DENTIST
8:30 Drop packages at Post Office
9am Get RX filled at best local pharmacy where the same 3 pharmacists/owners are ALWAYS working, know my name, my prescription, etc... RX is always filled within 4min of drop-off... They are THE BEST (and 1/2 the price of chain pharmacies!!)

OKAY... Time. To. CHRISTMAS. SHOP. Now or never. It is going to happen TODAY! I had a plan. It was a week day. Decent weather. Early Start. Doing this solo. No distractions. I was staying in town. NO MALLS. NO BIG BOX STORES. I had my list.

OOPS! The TrailBlazer had other plans... I was cruising along, everything going according to plan. Making good progress. Then that darn thrift sign... Okay, just a quickie... The second I walked in, what did I spy from across the room? (VERA 2010 #32)

(I think I was particularly atuned to the butterflies because just the night before I had been looking at these pages in my VERA BOOK!!)

That was it. Then I was back on my scheduled rounds. I must say I did a 'kick-butt' job on my shopping today - I actually enjoyed it... didn't 'buy things', just to 'buy things' (do you know what I mean??!). Just a few SPECIALTY things left to pick-up 'out of town' this weekend... ~ ~ ~ Happy Dance ~ ~ ~

Oh, and as a reward for a 'job well done', I did allow the TrailBlazer to veer off course into another thrift on the way home...

VERA 2010 #33

VERA 2010 #34

Hope everyone is finding a little time for some 'stuffing / junking' amidst this hectic holiday season 8-) !!

...it's beginning to look a 'little' like Christmas...

The tree is UP and decorated...

it is snowing... and snowing... and snowing...

(ever wonder why I get so excited in the Spring when it is time to set up the porch? It's because this is what it looks like for about 6 months of the year!!)

Cookies are baked...
(2010 Stats: 28 Kinds, 65 Batches; approx. 3120 cookies total!)
~and I stand corrected, this was year 21!~

This year's 'newest' cookie baking aide was thanks to my brother salvaging this tiered rack from a warehouse that was being demo'ed, and my Dad's handiwork custom-welding it to hold the green trays!! A massive space and time saver - a

GREAT BIG THANK YOU GUYS!!

I haven't been out to do any 'stuffing' - but the goodness that I have been receiving in my 'early' stocking exchanges is beyond belief!!! Here is just a glimpse of a TINY portion of some of my goodies...

(Sweater Clips 2010 #21,#22,#23,#24,#25,#26)

HAEGER 2010 #40
(oops! somebody didn't get the memo on 'NO MORE HAEGER'... ;-) )

ROYAL HAEGER 2010 #41
Green Agate glaze

An AMAZING vintage enamel sign my Dad found, unused, in a friend's rafter's (an old farm machinery dealer) - part of DH's stocking. Supposed to be a 'joke' reminder of where he found 'me' (my hometown name is 'KENDALL') that he could put out in the garage, or something... but we both LOVED it, and it now has a place of honor in our Red/White kitchen!! ('Pickers' eat your heart out!!!! )

Sweater Clip 2010 #27, #28, #29

Sweater Clip 2010 #30, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #36, #37

Okay, now it is time for me to begin the Christmas Shopping for real! Wish me luck!!

...S.A.L.T.

Wish I had Wonderfully Festive & Decorative photos to show you... but this is all I've got... I hate to say it, but it is the Fourth of December and I've got Nothing!

The only 'lovelies' paying homage to this twelfth month holiday to be found scattered around our house are those items somewhere in the Ebay / ETSY stages (photo to pack-n-ship)! I have been 'informed' that is all to change THIS MORNING!... I have a date. DH and I are going to pick out our tree.

This Wed. 'The Crew' (for any newbies: bunch of college gal bestest buddies!!) is gathering for our Annual Cookie Baking Weekend (Could this Really be the 20th year that we have done this???). We exchange little 'stocking' gift bags with each other, consisting of mostly garage sale finds or craft experiments gone wrong or Winery finds!!!

For a change of pace, after I had finished making the Holiday Candy, I decided to get out my soldering iron (I know, I know... I had said 'NOT until after the Holidays!!'), and make 'The Crew 'Personalized Pendants'. Well, my soldering 'still' needs a LOT of practice ~ so they are each getting 'Personalized Ornaments' (ie: craft exp. gone wrong) in their stockings, and maybe, if I whittle out a little more time they will each get a piece from my Skeleton key collection 8-)!

CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE A LONG WEEKEND WITH THE GIRLS!! 8-)