...Black Orchid Rehab.

So what do YOU do with the things that you purchase for resale, only to get them home and find out that you were completely OFF TARGET?!...such was the case with this wall clock...

kinda.

It had good lineage - Crabtree & Evelyn, Savannah Gardens, clockworks by Roger Lascelles of London... 'Cottage Chic' pattern... apparently 'NOT!' the 'in' thing right now... guess what? 'NOT' my taste / decor either, so into the GS (garage sale) box it went...

~BUT~

Wouldn't you know it, I knocked one of my beloved ceramic clocks off the wall one day (again, don't ask!!) - smashing it beyond repair, and out of necessity (before J & I could find a replacement that we BOTH liked)... voila' 'SAVANNAH GARDENS' reappeared - Ugh!

I decided that I could live with Savannah Gardens NO LONGER! My recent Sea Glassing expedition had inspired me! My recent FREE QUART of Randomly selected 'Black Orchid' paint from that ((OTHER)) hardware store (when you work for a small hardware, you aren't allowed to mention competitors) - selected purely for it's name, with no future purpose in mind, but I KNEW that I would find one!! They all had me Inspired and Motivated - I was on a mission!!

I sorted sea glass.

I painted 'The' Garden.

I adhered some seaglass.

OH. MUCH BETTER!

but, maybe, a little bit more...

Glue hasn't dried completely clear yet,

but I'm NOT missing THAT garden at all!

...blue and red chips!

Weather is beyond B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. in the NE!
I have my car back!
First rummage saleS of the season were lined up for Saturday!
Could Friday POSSIBLY have gotten any better??

OH YEH!

Friday I hit a couple of my usual Stuff Stops, but I just.wasn't.into.it. - that Big Golden Ball in the sky that I haven't seen for Oh-so-long was calling my name to be OUTSIDE!! I had the urge to go explore. I drove just a short ways, parked and took off on foot for a hike by a nearby lake. Right under my nose, all of these years, I hit the Jackpot! Blues AND a RED (T.H.E. most coveted!) - no, of course I'm not talking stocks or even Casino chips - you KNOW I'm talking about My beloved Seaglass...

Saturday... Saturday... Decisions. Decisions. Darned churches messed up. Two of them had their Season openers on The SAME DAY! What were they thinking? Which do I go to? They both have long waiting lines so the 'GOOD' stuff will be gone in the first half hour... hmmm... one I found the Tiffany bracelet at last year.... hmmm... the other I found a VERA top at last year... hmmm...

Okay, suspense is killing you, isn't it?

Tiffany Bracelet Sale. (local sale, and with gas at $3.89/GA...)

No 'Tiffany Bracelets' this year, but for just over $5.00 I came away with TONS of other goodies!!!

*HUGE stack of New colored tissue paper for packing & shipping (25¢),*'Thirst Extinguisher' vintage drink mixer (I thought it would be good for resale...DUD, into Garage Sale Box it goes.),*Vintage linen tablecloth (doesn't fit any of my tables, but cool graphics, so to the ETSY shop it went)...

*One of my treasured Bennington Tall trigger mugs (.25¢ already washed and in the cupboard), *Canon Camera Case (J put me on the lookout for one for his new 'little' camera - no fit- garage sale bound), *New Tommy Hilfiger wallet (intended for resale, again a DUD, -gs bound), *New Brighton LadyBug Wallet (YEH! resale bound), *New Italy Sterling charm bracelet (.50¢ why do these people get rid of this jewelry?? Oh well, looks nice on MY wrist!), *2 Rhinestone pins, *bronze bracelet.

and yes, then OF COURSE, I did drive over to the other rummage sale to see what was left - not much. I got a few little things. NOTHING photo worthy, so I'll leave you with this 8-)

...woriking my 'Bingo Wings' on the First Day-O-Spring!

I've shown this photo on my blog before, but I wanted to post it again - as this is where I spent my first day of SPRING working the old BINGO WINGS!!For those of you not familiar with the term 'BINGO WINGS', you can go to the URBAN DICTIONARY and look it up http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bingo+wing.

I personally was unfamiliar with it, until my dear niece made reference - being in my midforties, and ever self-concious about wearing sleeveless tops in public... just picturing those old ladies, waving their arms, yelling BINGO.... oh, I ((shudder))...

~~anyways~~

back to the photo

This photo is of our herb bed. Surrounding the herb bed is a border of wine bottles - don't ask. Just don't ask.

Every Spring they look like this from the past Winter's freezing and thawing of the ground. So, while the ground is still soggy, I go out with my rubber mallet, straighten them all back up, and pound them back in, nice-n-neat...but let me tell you...
Who needs a gym, when you have a yard and a garden??
(and that lounger calling my name is REALLY annoying on this 80deg day!!)


AND, in HAPPY news ~ I have my car home again!!!
which means...

VERA 2012 #6 .52¢

Sweater Clip 2012 #2

SWEET SPRING!!

...let me introduce you to...

FEBRUARY is G.O.N.E., and I can't say that I am at all sorry to see the end of it! It entailed very little 'svelteSTUFFING', and just a LOT of 'big-girl-real world' JUNK! My dad was in for surgery so I went home for a few days to hang with Mom and transport her to/fro the hospital...One afternoon, while Dad was napping, I kidnapped Mom for some much needed fresh air and we went to explore a couple of the 'old downtown shops'. One was an antique co-op. We found a booth in which the owner made these Great rings out of old buttons. Most of them were made of bakelite/plastic buttons, but I found this metal Nouveau button w/ shank that I couldn't resist. I've read about people making these button or earring rings - but never seen it done like this before. The creator used three strands of heavy gauge matching wire (in this case brass) and incorporated the shank, so the button is completely intact and unharmed. It is VERY sturdy, well-made with no sharp or loose ends - and only $5!!
This is what the backside of the ring looks like:
http://newyork.timeout.com/shopping-style/shopping/24779/make-a-wire-ring
I was thinking, This is WAY COOL ~ I'm sure I could do it, but would I? What are the chances I would get around to it? Do I NEED MORE PROJECTS? It would cost more than $5 for supplies! and I really liked it!


Just to add a little more excitement to the day, on the way home that night, I knocked a couple of things off of my Mom's 'Bucket list'...At almost 80, she had Never been in a car accident before...
...and she had never been deer hunting before
(well, for that matter, 'I' had never been deer hunting before either!)

Yes, I can joke about it now. No HUMANS were injured. Subaru is S.T.I.L.L. in the shop get repaired ~SERIOUSLY cramping my stuffing habits... We didn't get any steaks out of the whole ordeal. I'm only half joking on this... I do feel bad, because even though three VERY GOOD hunters spent hours tracking her (~YES, I can testify it was a Doe, despite the 'CITY CHIC' appearance!~), she was never found and put out of her misery...

~Anyways~

Dad is out of the hospital and on the mend.

I DO get to take the new FORD on occassion, and have made a 'few' tiny finds...

Found a HUGE bag of metal buttons!! I generally don't find buttons, and if I do, I don't pay any attention, but it just seemed So Ironic, I couldn't leave them behind 8-). I kept just 4 in case I should ever become inspired to make my own rings (Loving on the Zodiac -front left and flowers -front right). The rest are in the ETSY shop if anybody else wants to try the rings!

AND NOW....
LET
ME
INTRODUCE YOU TO...
...
...
...
MISS PEABODY!

Have you ever seen a hanger like this?
I never have!
It was love at FIRST SIGHT!!!!!
She has moved into the house to stay - and model - and have - and hold - and oh, you WILL be seeing a LOT more of her in the future...
though her head is a bit 'tiny' ('pea') for clothes that she might model, so I think that she might have to be a 'Scarf Model'. That's okay... PLENTY of those around here ;-)
I think she was worth everyone of those twenty-five pennies they charged for her!

I also scored a vintage bowling bag tote (American Tourister $2.99). Don't ask me why, but I've been wanting one of these for personal use - NO, I DON'T bowl, and have no intention of starting. Just a 'bag-lady' at heart. Yes. I had to take the bowling ball too, but I'll find a use... someday... someway...

and

WOULD A POST BE COMPLETE WITHOUT....

VERA DRESS!!!!
Yes,
MY FIRST!
MY ONLY!
LONG SOUGHT AFTER...
FITS LIKE IT WAS MADE FOR ME!!!
READY TO BE WORN TO A WEDDING THIS SUMMER!!
VINTAGE VERA!
2012 #4
(ETSY $30)

...wow!

I am just SOO crazy impressed with this blog... collection... flickr set of photos...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sllab/sets/72157612739589311/

...and lately I have been realizing that I must stop living through other people's blogs, and stop writing about the life I love, and start

100% L.I.V.I.N.G. IT!!

So, if I seem to be M.I.A. a little more than usual this SPRING...

that is a GOOD THING 8-)!

Catch you on the 'flip side'!

...lesson learned:

YOU SHOULD NEVER SET YOUR SMALL, PORTABLE CAMERA ON A HORIZONTAL SURFACE WHERE SOMEONE MAY SIT . EVEN IF IT IS ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES & IN PLAIN SIGHT. SOMEONE MAY COME AND SIT ~ TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS TO IT'S PRESENCE, AND SQUISHING IT BETWEEN THE CUSHIONS... LEAVING YOU TO SEARCH FOR 'SAID CAMERA' FOR DAYS, ...AND DAYS, ...and days, ...and days...

Oh well, it is was found ~~YIPPEE~~ (I AM COMPLETE AGAIN!)

Now, onto last weeks Thrift finds that I promised to show you...

Stack of what looks to be interesting SPRING / FEB 2012 reading the local Thrift magazine swap. How can you go wrong with George, Matt & Daniel staring at you from the front cover of VF?? (The 'over the door hook' was an impromptu .50¢ purchase that I haven't decided on a home for yet...)

VERAsheer feather pattern in shades of blue

2012#3 50¢
A Valentines Day Stop by one of my Fav Thrifts produced my first Sweater Clip of 2012 8-)
It's a silvertoned Beauty, so I splurged a bit at $1.50, but I think it was worth it.
SwCl 2012#1

Same thrift on V-day I found this VERA - could the coloration be any more appropriate?
VERA 2012#4 $1

...SALTWATER ZEN

NO, I'm NOT 'Tray-Dreaming'!!I have been A.W.O.L. 'for REAL'... to one of the.most.layed.back places I have evah been (this is our second visit) - Turks & Caicos Islands... Why was Gilligan trying to get rescued from his deserted island?????
'Nothing' to do, except enjoy the sun, the company and the surroundings... oh and I did actually get a book read ~ YEH ME!! (- for anyone who knows me, this is a MAJOR accomplishment!!). **My book opinions tend to be totally warped and out of the 'norm', so you can take this with a grain of 'sand'... ~BUT~ if you are looking for a 'somewhat' tranquil beach read I HIGHLY recommend Jaimail Yogis: SALTWATER BUDDHA; A SURFER'S QUEST TO FIND ZEN ON THE SEA. It's a quick read, and you can make as much or as little as you want out of it 8-).

TCI has not been disturbed by any mass chain-stores ~yet~! No Mass drugstores, WalMarts, Grocery Stores, Fast-foods....

About the only products native to the islands are Fish, conch, rum & beer... E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. else is imported!! Thus EVERYTHING = expensive = little waste/excess = no thrifts/junk stores(!?!!)

Yes, since we have returned I have been hitting some of my old thrift haunts... but with a 'slightly' different eye of just what I want to bring home and into our life. I have a few finds I'd LOVE to show you, but at present, my camera is AWOL (YES! - this IS stressing me MAJORLY!!!!), so you are left viewing 'serene photos of TCI'....

Can you believe THIS is their 'TOURIST SEASON??'

"The Supreme Way by nature is all embracing, not easy, not difficult. But quibbling and hesitating, the more you hurry, the slower you go." ~SENG-TSAN

"Whether you believe in God or not does not matter so much, whether you believe in Buddha or not does not matter so much. You must lead a good life." ~THE DALAI LAMA

"True religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness." ~ALBERT EINSTEIN