...SERENDIPITY !

~  'SERENDIPITY' ~

GRAND OPENENING 4-16-16

J and I are excited to have some of our 'STUFF' at this new Boutique!!

If you are from the Central New York State area - STOP IN!

...warm fuzzy for a COLD Thursday!

Some days it's just all about THE JOURNEY!

A couple of weeks ago I went to my Parents' for a visit.

They had a couple of trash bags sitting inside their entrance, waiting to be put out for the morning garbage pick-up.  Next to the pile was THIS box for disposal...

The Parents are starting to clean some 'junk' out of the basement.  This reel-to-reel had been my Grandfather's, purchased in the late 60's, and I don't think it has seen the light-of-day since shortly after purchase! (My parents now reside in my Grandparent's home!)

I'm NOT an electronics person, but I threw it in the Subaru to take home for J to inspect...

A couple of days later we pulled it out for inspection...

 EVERYTHING was pristine, albeit musty with a stash of Corroded batteries, that LUCKILY had been stored outside of the machine!

 Plugged it in.

It ran.

Though we could make it produce no sound.

 Even with the aide of the original instructions...

no luck.

J said 'toss it'!

I just couldn't do that, so we photographed it,

 and listed it 'FOR PARTS' on Ebay.

IT SOLD!

We included a note to the New Owner, that if he found anything legible on the tape, we would be VERY interested in paying him for a CD copy of it!

 After all fees, we netted less than $5 on this transaction.  BUT, it is one less thing in a LandFill and after receiving this note today, it was SO WORTHWHILE!!

Good morning,
I've had my eye on this model for years and now that I've added it to my collection, it doesn't disappoint. Sorry to say I did not find any voice recordings that might be of family value. The tape was set up on side 2 and was blank with nothing recorded on it. What you reported as the sound being illegible was actually print through from side 1 overlapping into side 2 and playing very indistinctly, backwards. I played it from end to end, and then flipped the reels over to side 1, which is where Sue's grandfather had recordings of Chicago, The Rolling Stones and other rock music for about a half hour which I don't plan to erase -- it took me back to my high school days. The sound was deep and rich and right on pitch. The machine is in gorgeous, like new condition, and even the tape reels are the vintage ones Aiwa included as part of the original package -- I greatly admire their design. I grew up with reel to reel, and am a very passionate collector. As you can tell, I feel I hit the mother lode. Pardon my geeking out, and thank you again for the great transaction. 

                          SCORE one more for 'LastChance'!!

...the OTHER WOMAN.

I'm sure you all remember SESAME SHIMMER. 

(For those who need a refresher: SS HISTORY.)

Recently, we decided it was time she 'earned her keep'!  

For not only have we given her a flawless complexion, a 'stunning, haute-couture wardrobe', and center stage in our home, but now she just taunts us by lounging with a martini glass (that her buddy 'Tweed-The-Elf' perches on the edge of!) in hand all-day-long!

So, as the days SUDDENLY get colder 

or rather, more Seasonable, here in the NE...

'CLEAN-OUT 2016' gets a Kick-Start...

Starting in ...The STAIRS??  who in their right minds Really has to 'purge their stairs'??   ...i do.

With my 'HAT COLLECTION'...

YES. Yet ANOTHER COLLECTION.

Wall going UP STAIRS - black hats.

ONE wall on stair Landing - Colorful hats.

One of MY 'earlier' collections.  Started in my first apt. out of college.  Displayed as a border around my bedroom on a thin rope with clothespins.  It has grown quite a bit since those days!  NOT precious hats - but LOVINGLY worn and played with at group gatherings!! 

This picture was taken the morning of our wedding (circa 2001). The peak of my 'Hat Collecting Days' -  I had requested that each of the girls in our Wedding Party select a 'Black Hat' of their liking from our wall to accessorize.

I still enjoy picking up the occasional hat, but the time has come to find some 'foster homes' for a few (you know ~ make room for MORE!)...

SOOOOO... Sesame to the rescue!

She put down her Cocktail glass.

...donned some beads...

I think that she 'WORKED~IT' quite nicely.

Yep. She's a 'KEEPER'!

Like them?  ALL of these GOODIES are included in our SALE too!!

Don't forget the - svelteSTUFFj

 etsy shop 50% off SALE for blog readers ONLY!!

Just enter the code: LastChance at checkout (exp:1-29-16)

Now - take Sesame's lead - go get decked out and have a

FABULOUS NEW YEAR!!!

...what's in a NAME??

       As the year winds down, I guess that it is just human to reflect.  It has been quite a journey - and I would have it no other way!  Oh, I will dearly miss the loved ones and friends that we have had to say Good-bye to this past year, but would not trade the good times that we had with them in lieu of the tears for anything!  Time to make new memories.

*We still have Green Grass and even a few hardy flowers here in Central NY, but I'm recycling Old photos for this blog post, so that it isn't all.just.rambles!! *

We've been reconsidering some 'Marketing Strategies' for 2016. 

 The 'UpSides' line of Cake Pedestals was a huge FLOP (which I'm sure doesn't surprise ANY of you!!) - Oh well, you never know unless you try - right?!?  We have started making some 'Covers' for the pedestals, which surprisingly enough, sell much better!

 We're also making a series of utensils (ie: cake servers, serving utensils, coffee scoops, etc..) - that are adorned in wire-wrap & beading.  They have been a fair success in sales.  The group in whole needs a 'name'...

I'm thinking since these pieces are an extension of us, the 'name' has to have some personal connection too.

FANCY 

"fun way to make everyday 'elegant' "

 (click to see previous blog post)

In keeping with  'Change' and 'Names' and 'Idle Ramble' I must relay an interesting conversation that transpired during our annual Cookie Baking weekend 2015...

It seems the 'Chateau svelteSTUFF' has been the recipient of SEVERAL truckloads of STUFF lately, from various DIFFERENT homes. (NOT that I am complaining!! - 'J' may be 'just-a-bit'...but he'll adjust!). 

 After us 'cookie-bakers' analyzing this over coffee/alcohol we have come to the conclusion that it is MUCH easier for people to part with things if they think that they may be getting a Good Home where they are appreciated.  $$ take a back seat to longevity. Odd, isn't it?

Apparently 'Chateau svelteSTUFF' has gained the reputation of having a deep respect and love for dusty relics, with a strong will to breathe life back into the forgotten, and a wide circle of friends who are willing to provide foster homes before 'throwing in the towel'...

'Chateau svelteSTUFF' has now been renamed...

'LastChance'. (*Not to worry, I don't foresee any Blog revisions in the near future!!)
Do you have the DONNA SUMMER 'LAST DANCE' song going through your head now though??? :-)
     Go here and play one NOW!!

(just come back, we'll wait!) :

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A0LEVzMQ_H9WT5cAdgtXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyYW05bXRzBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjEyNTNfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=Last+Chance+Donna+Summer+Song+Lyrics&fr=mcafee

To welcome any 'wanna be foster parents' - svelteSTUFFj

 etsy shop is having a 50% off SALE for blog readers ONLY!!

Just enter the code: LastChance at checkout (exp:1-29-16)

So, with this closing post for 2015,

 I'm looking forward to the New Year,

-Ready to make new Memories

-Keep loving this crazy Journey!!


HAPPIEST OF YEARS TO ALL YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE!!