There's Nothing Like A Good Road Trip!

There's nothing like a good road trip and I'll tell you ladies, I feel like I need it! We are leaving on Friday at midnight (don't ask...it's a story unto itself!) and will drive straight through back home to Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It's about 18 hours so it will be a long haul, but Wade will drive through the night as he's used to being up anyway and then I'll take over in the morning. The things we do to haul a complete new bedroom suite up to my Mom! Mom and I have been involved in some crazy shennanigans in our day, but this one completely takes the cake! (*_*)

We will be away from June 12 - June 25 so if you visit the web site and purchase anything, your purchase and emails will be acknowledged upon our return. We really need some time away to recharge, rewind and relax! This ought to do it...that is if we recover from the drive! Then again, we have to drive back! Oh well...when we get home we will need a vacation from our vacation! Have you ever felt like that?! Bye for now, ~Stacy~ xo **Photo From Flickr**

Cart Envy & Other Thrift Store Hilarities!

While talking to a good friend of mine the other day, we got on the topic of going to the thrift store. She is a very new friend, one that I met by chance during a luncheon put on by a great friend that I know who consigns antiques with me. We have since formed a little group, there are six of us, and we get together once every month or so for lunch. The fun thing about this group is that a common love of antiques and treasure hunting got us together. We don't go "out" for lunch, but rather rotate lunch at each other's homes. This way we get to ooh and ahh over our found treasures and share a wonderful afternoon together. Lots of laughs and creative decorating ideas come our way and I look forward to each afternoon we share.

While talking to Marci, one of the luncheon gals, (her house is all done up in French style and what style it is!), we got around to sharing our experiences of going to the thrift store. Boy, did we have a laugh or two! Here in Utah we have smaller thrift stores that are not chains, as well as Savers, but the most predominant chain of thrift stores in our area is Deseret Industries. There are numerous stores throughout Utah as well as a few in other surrounding states. The "D.I". as it is affectionately known here is owned by the LDS Church and they are my favorite stores to hit for new and vintage treasures. And no, just because I live in Utah doesn't mean I'm Mormon. LOL! I sure get asked that question alot it seems! (*_*)

After talking to Marci, I realized that many of my experiences at the D.I. were the same as hers. Does your heart get pumping the minute you pull into the parking lot? Mine does...I can't wait to get inside to see what I'm going to find. As all of the D.I.'s have the same basic layout, I have a route that I go. First I beetle on out to the "yard" area to see if there is anything out there. This is an outside section that is under a roof, but is still fenced in within the store. There are larger items out here such as desks, large pictures, lamps, stuffed animals, household and yard stuff...it's a mixed bag of goodies. Then I go back inside and head straight to the "Collectibles" section. This is a section where they have "nicer" items, sometimes antiques, and most of them are under lock and key inside a case. There is an employee there who opens the case and lets you see the item. If you buy something from this section, they write you a ticket and you have to pay for it, bring back the receipt and then collect your item. Abit of a pain, but they have a reason. They found that too many people were taking the items from this section, tearing off the price tags and replacing them with lower priced tags. Good grief! The funny thing about this section is that sometimes a lot of the items are pieces of junk...in my opinion. It makes me wonder who is in the back deciding what goes in this "higher end" section of the store. (*_*)

Then I wander through the books to see if there are any nice decorating books or magazines or new paperbacks. I get most of my reading material here. There are a lot of new books in these stores it seems and it sure saves on the Barnes & Nobles bill! Then it is up and down the aisles to see what treasures I might find and then finally, if I am brave enough and yes I will admit it, on to the clothing section. I have purchased a lot of my clothes here and I will tell you, I have gotten fab brand name clothing here for a fraction of the price sometimes with the tags still on. I know, some of you say yuck, but the stuff I've found is amazing and like I always say "once you wash it, it's yours!" Some things I steer clear of...underwear (that doesn't need explaining) and shoes...yeah, not really digging that either. If you saw the shoes that I have seen, you would understand! LOL!

Now onto my next point...Cart Envy! Okay, you know who you are! How many of you have had it? I know that I certainly have, but I am slowing learning to "let it go"...you know, breathe in and out and count to 10! I have walked through the D.I. so many times and have seen something breathtaking in someone else's cart and thought "now why wasn't I here just 10 minutes earlier"! It used to make me so mad! I have since learned not to be so greedy. After all, there will be another treasure on another day and I know that the new owner of this or that treasure will probably be enjoying it just as much as I would!

This now brings me to my next point...Cart Stalking! Have you ever been a stalker? A thrift store stalker that is! I am raising my hand here, yes ladies, I am guilty! Have you ever followed someone around and around the store to see if they are really going to take that treasure in their cart?, especially if you see someone being wishy washy about it! They pick it up and examine it and think and think and put it back, then they pick it up and walk on and...ohhh....I am guilty! I have followed many a person around, just lingering a few steps behind trying to look nonchalant! Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't! But I'll tell you this, if they put it down and walk away, I swoop in for the kill! (*_*) Hey, all is fair in love and thrift store shopping!

One thing I have never done is gone up to a person and asked if they really want that treasure and if they wouldn't mind giving it up to me. I know people who have and the thing that I hear over and over again is this...they may not want it, but now that YOU want it, they REALLY want it and won't give it up for anything. After all, if you want it, it must be something really good right?

All in all, I love going to thrift stores! I have found some of the most amazing pieces in these places. What have you found in your travels that is your best find yet? Do tell! ~Stacy~

Fairytale Cottage ~ So Pretty In Pink!

I ask you this...just where has all the fun gone in building houses these days? As I drive past house after house in endless subdivisions in the city I live in, I wonder where all of the fun, whimsy and joy has gone when building a new home. Granted, you may not want to go as far as this absolutely darling house! After all, Minnie Mouse calls this cottage home in Orlando, Florida, and she may not take too kindly to being copied, but I think we could all learn a lesson from her sweet abode.


Just the colors on this house are pure fun, let alone the darling hearts everywhere and the rounded corners on the walls, shutters and window boxes. Even taking a few hints from this cottage would make your home more sweet and unique. Look at those pretty hearts on the roof line and on the gables. How cute are those!? I just love how everything on this house looks chubby and round. It has given me a few ideas for my own home and who cares what the neighbors think! I know I don't. They already think our home is abit different...a little bit of pink out in the front yard never hurt anyone and I seem to have my share of pink things hanging around. A friend just gave me a pink hose and sprayer yesterday. It sure looks cute on my hose reel. (*_*)


Some other adorable cottages of interest are the ones located in Carmel, Calfornia. If you go on Flickr.com and search for "carmel fairytale cottage" or similar, you will come up with numerous absolutely darling homes. They are perhaps a little more realistic than Minnie's house, but they still have a very fairytale quality about them. In the meantime, I hope Minnie gives you some inspiration to add some whimsy to your own cottage and yard. Do enjoy! ~Stacy~ xo

My Favorite "French" Find

Do you have a favorite find? Is there a treasure in your home that you would never part with? My favorite find is this lovely French style cabinet and matching sofa. There is also a small table that goes with it that is not pictured. I had mismatched pieces in my front room for a long time and was waiting for just the right thing to come along. Patience is definitely a virtue and not one of my strongest points, but I was determined to find exactly the right furniture for my room. One weekend about three or four years ago, I went to an auction at one of my favorite auction houses. This auction happened to be on site at the home of a doctor who was in the process of liquidating his entire estate. They had some of the most amazing furniture including this stunning three piece set.

There were alot of people at this auction and I never thought that I would actually win this furniture, but I hung in there. When I want something, I go for it, within limits and I had a limit in mind. The sofa was put up first and it was kind of disheartening that they were going to break up the set and sell it in pieces. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes it's not so good! It can go either way. So I set my sights on the sofa first and won it for $150! Yes, amazing, and it is in exceptional condition. After winning the sofa I knew I had to get the cabinet! This cabinet is so gorgeous with carvings, soft pastel carved roses, curved glass, rope trim on the inside edges and a drawer in the bottom that looks invisible when it is closed. I think that I paid $275.00 for the cabinet! I saw one that was a similar style, but not nearly as nice, in an antique mall and they wanted $1,200 for it! I definitely got a bargain! The last piece was the small matching table and it sold for $20! So for under $500 I got the entire set! I have never been more thrilled to win something at an auction and believe me, I have purchased a lot of auction goodies over the years. I enjoy this furniture every time I look at it. It's just so pretty and just the style I was looking for. And the price, it couldn't be any better. I guess it pays to wait! ~Stacy~ xo

In Love With Jacarandas

With it being spring and planting season, I am completely inspired by the breathtaking beauty of all the flowering trees on the market today. I am looking for a pretty tree for my front yard and looking at all the trees out there brought a special memory back to me of a wonderful place with the most spectacular flowering trees that I have ever seen. One of the most beautiful places that I have ever visited is Grafton, NSW, Australia, where they have the Jacaranda Festival every year during the end of October and the first week of November. These gorgeous trees grow in subtropic and tropical climates and are originally from Brazil. They now grow in several tropical climes in the world including Africa and Australia.

I have been fortunate enough to visit Australia numerous times and attending the Jacaranda Festival in Grafton was a fabulous time that I will never forget. The entire small city of Grafton is surrounded in a sea of purple for weeks and when the blossoms start to fall an entire carpet of beautiful blooms surround your feet in a haze of lavender.

I only wish that living in Utah could afford me the pleasure of planting these striking trees in my yard. So many lovely things exist in other parts of the world that we can only visit from time to time or see in photographs, books or on television. I only know that if they could be planted here, my back yard would covered in purple from head to toe. ~Stacy~ *Photos Courtesy of Grafton Jacaranda Festival, Grafton, NSW, Australia*

This N That...

This has been a busy week, although I don't really know what I've been doing! What I do know is that I haven't been blogging! On Tuesday I blogged just before heading out to the Celtic Woman concert here in Salt Lake City. I have to tell you that it was absolutely amazing! I would definitely go and see these lovely ladies again. They put on an incredible performance that was not a disappointment in any way. In fact it far exceeded my expectations. Boy, can they ever sing and perform and the blonde violin player is really incredible. She literally ran up and down the stage doing high Irish kicks on and off the platform during most of the numbers and this was while playing her violin. Crazy! She reminded us of a whimsical Tinkerbell! The concert was almost three hours long too so it was really worth it.

Today I spent all day out in the front yard. It is the first time I've been out weeding, etc. since winter! It has been so cold here, but today it was beautiful. I cleaned off my statues, filled up my birdbaths, brought out the wicker chairs onto the porch, decorated my front window with my swags of tulle and flower garlands...all sorts of fun things! I just love getting ready for summer!

This week I hope to clean out my office and give it a bit of a makeover. I actually want to paint it, but I have a huge rack of shelving on one wall that houses all of my merchandise for sale and to paint would mean taking everything off four large shelves, unscrewing all of the metal from the walls...just the thought of it makes me shudder! But, I hate the color of green I painted my office about five or six years ago and I really want to change it. It is hideous, I have no idea what I was thinking when I painted it. Do you ever do that? (*_*) We'll see how it turns out!

The beautiful picture on this post is of my Mom's flowering almond bush. My niece took it last year, she's quite the budding photographer. Until next time, enjoy! ~Stacy~

Celtic Woman ~ Isle Of Hope Tour

Have you ever watched these lovely ladies on PBS? I love the "Celtic Woman" programs and watch them whenever they are on tv. Their voices are like angels and the girl who plays the violin is absolutely amazing! The beat of the Irish music is so intoxicating and energetic! I am so excited to be going to their concert tonight at the E-Center here in Salt Lake City! I booked the tickets months ago and almost forgot about it, but now it's here and it's going to be a fun time. I'm going with my sis-in-law and her daughter, my brother-in-law and my Mom-in-law. Lots of "in-laws" tonight! I'll let you know how the show turns out, but for now, I'd better make tracks! ~Stacy~