Category Archives: Antiquing

An Evening at the Arbor!

Good evening!

I am in the middle of a very lovely weekend, and instead of spending too much time telling you all about it so far, since I can tell you about my weekend in it’s entirety, with tomorrow’s post. I thought I would just share some pictures of this little shop that I visited today in downtown Salem. This place is called The Arbor.

When I walked in they were playing some of my favorite music that just makes you want to be all things Parisian!! After listening to the music for a few minutes, I finally realized why it sounded so familiar, it was the soundtrack to Somethings Gotta Give – I just love that movie!!

Anyway, this shop is a feast for the senses, and although I can’t share the scents, or sounds to you, I can share some of the beautifully imagery!

Enjoy!

I told you this place was FANTASTIC!!! If you are ever in the area, feel free to visit. You will be so glad you did!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 🙂

Wrapping Up a Delicious Day!!

Good evening!

I have had a VERY SWEET Friday hanging out with my sweetie! We stopped at the craft store so I could get some missing supplies. After which my car battery decided to conk out, and my mother-in-law very sweetly came to give us a jump, so in turn, as a way to say thank you, we took her out to lunch and had a very nice visit with her!!

Next Jason went to the pet store to get the dogs some treats, while I headed over to St Vincent’s to see if I could find anything that might help me organize my craft room – no luck today! BUT, Jason and I quickly met back up again, and we headed over to Borders to do some book perusing!! I bought a few books, one of which was a book on Uncluttering my life, which I will tell you about in another post, but was really ironic, because I have been going through some SERIOUS shopping issues right now!! I can’t say that I am a shop-a-holic, but when you have so much stuff that you are bringing it in faster than you can get it back out – that is a problem!!

I have psychoanalyzed myself and have decided that what is happening is that throughout the past 8 weeks, while working on uncovering my inner artist, I have discovered that there really was a different me inside than what I was letting show on the outside. So, what I think I have been doing now, is letting her shine a little more! My style is softening up and becoming more girly, my hobbies, and free-time activities have really changed, and I have been re-stocking supplies (so to speak) to support the new me, HOWEVER I haven’t let go of the old me and all of her trappings yet!! In all honesty I am a little scared! Old Christina has been around for such a long time that it almost feels kind of like a death, which is ok, I just have to get some support as I get my environment in new Christina shape, while getting rid of anything that doesn’t honor my authentic self, which includes all of this old clutter!!

My sweetie has told me that he would help support me/cheer me on, while I pack up boxes and make some serious headway in getting rid of all of the un-me things in this house, tomorrow morning!! Which is EXACTLY what I am needing. I think I am finally at a place where I am cool with letting go of those old disappointments, unfinished projects, unread books, unworn clothes, craft supplies, etc. etc. etc. You know, all of the miscellaneous stuff that I have been holding onto just because “I might need it someday!” So, I am hoping to be able to post some serious before, during, and after pics tomorrow of some of the areas I am going to tackle! I would like to see, by Sunday evening, some SERIOUS progress having been made!! I will keep you posted!! 😉

Where was I? Oh yes, back to today! After we left Borders, with new books in hand, we stopped at another craft store – I am in search of a mini crown rubber stamp, and for some reason am not finding any!! Anyway, next we stopped at the grocery store to pick up some deli sandwich, that we used  for a light dinner when we got home. YUM!! and finally, we watched Gnomio and Juliet, which was such a cute movie, but I must confess, I may never look at gnomes the same way again!!! LOL! 😉

I am excited to see what tomorrow brings, I know we have a date night with some good friends of ours tomorrow evening, so that will be fun!!

Until tomorrow…

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

The Farmhouse Show!

Good evening!

Jason and I had such a GREAT time today!!! 😉 We headed out to Turner, Oregon to check the Farmhouse Show! I was very excited!! and Jason was hesitantly going along for the ride, with his book in hand in case he got bored, HOWEVER he ended up getting MORE INSPIRED than even I was, and that is saying a lot!!! He is now talking about building furniture, which you HAVE TO KNOW I LOVE!!!

First thing I want built is some small bookshelves that can be used on top of a pair of matching dressers that I have in craft room! I could SOOOO TOTALLY use the extra storage space!! But, I digress! I wanted to share some pics of some of the FABULOUS merchandise that was at the Farmhouse show!

I hope you enjoyed all of these pics!! These have really inspired me and have given me ideas on how I want my art studio/craft room to look!! I will keep you posted of my progress!!

As for tomorrow! I am off to my next craft class! I am going up to Tarte in Aurora to learn some metal smithing skills for making cuff bracelets and charms! I will post pics tomorrow! I can’t wait!!!

Until tomorrow,

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

A Monday of Positivity!

From Tiffany's "Happy Girls are the Prettiest Girls" Shoot

Good evening!

Work did get a little bumpy today, but I knew that it would, right? And it did, of course! There are a lot of changes going to be happening in the next few months, but that is alright. I know that everything is going to turn out alright, it always has and always will.

I have to tell you that all of this tapping into my creativity has given me hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel for my life! I feel like I am learning what my true purpose for being placed on this earth for. I can not yet articulate what I am thinking, but I am learning that it is ok to be creative, and to use my creativity to somehow make the world a better place. I honestly didn’t think that was possible before. I thought creativity was something that you stole moments of while your life takes a break from chewing you up! Sad, really!! I realize that I don’t have to be “chewed up any longer” that I am allowed to take time for myself, without guilt, to replenish and recoup what is the best of me, so that I am ready and able to better take care of others!! That, my friend, is called growth!!! LOL! 😉

I had quite the surprise right before I left the office today! Sometime last week, I had taken a leap of faith and had e-mailed a couple of my FAVORITE photographers/bloggers, not really thinking that any of them would EVER write me back. It was more for the action of stepping outside of my box, and doing something I wouldn’t think I could do. Well, today, quite unexpectedly, I got a return e-mail!!!! When I saw the name of the person sending it, I can not tell you how excited I was to see her name – I literally started jumping up and down inside of my own head!! YEAH!!! WHOO!!! HOO!! I can’t believe she wrote back!!! Anyway, it was Tiffany Kirchner Dixon of The Fancy Farmgirl, and she very graciously answered all of my questions, plus gave me some very lovely encouraging words of advice for getting myself started with photography!!! To say that I was jazzed, was a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT!! It gave me proof that I was on the right track. I am still not sure what my “art” is, or how it is going to manifest itself, but I KNOW that I am heading in the right direction!!!

Tiffany’s blog (I feel like we are at that place now, you know, first name basis!!) is ABSOLUTELY SCRUMTIOUS!! I love the ebb and flow of her postings, reading about her family, and perusing her DREAM-LIKE photography!! I KNOW that my sis, Alex would REALLY like her work too!! PERFECTION!! The photo above is one Tiffany’s and you can see more of her photography here!

I have to confess that even though that was the MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE to my day, I was soooo thankful to get home today! I had been hankering to get home the entire work day, kind of like a little kid pining for recess during an especially difficult math test!! My sweetie and I finally scheduled some time to have some quality time for right after work! It has been a while since we have both been able to get away from all of the work and distractions of life, and just spend some much needed time together! It is ALWAYS so much fun to spend time with him, sharing out laughter and dreams! He is just such a genuine human being, and he really had this way of bringing out the playful kid out of me!! He is my own personal gentle giant, and really makes my life so much better!! Thank you, Love! You mean the world to me!!!

Well, before I ramble on for the rest of the night, I am going to close up shop for the night so that I can go climb into bed with my love and do some reading before we slip off to la-la-land and have some SWEET DREAMS!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Aunt Bee’s House Part II!

Good evening!

As promised, I am going to share some more pictures of my super fun outing over at Aunt Bee’s House from Yesterday! But first, I wanted to say that Jason and my Easter supper went VERY well this afternoon, and although I was SURE that he would LOVE the ham the most, it was actually the deviled eggs that he went GA-GA for!!! LOL! It really is the little things in life that make one happy!!! I REALLY do LOVE that man!!!

Anyway, here are plenty more pics from my outing yesterday!! ENJOY!!!

I absolutely fell in LOVE with this cheery red cabinet! I can see this fitting into my place perfectly filled with either books in the living room, or tons of quilts and blankets in the guest room!

These quilts and runners are so colorful, and I can see them changing up the feel of a room in an instant.

I am soooo drawn to the French vintage feel of all of these pieces, like you could have just stumbled upon them in your favorite auntie’s attic!

These eggs are just so charming! I love the idea of these having some words from my favorite books like Pride and Prejudice or Alice In Wonderland! HOW ROMANTIC!

This is a lesson that I am hearing over and over again, and honey – I am listening!!! 😉

This area rug has EVERY COLOR, reds/greens/blues from my home in it – I am SOOOO TEMPTED to go back and pick up this little TREASURE! I may swing by and pick that up after work tomorrow!!! I HOPE IT IS STILL THERE!!! 😉

EVERY girly-girl should have a vanity, and this is such a CHIC one!! BEAUTIFUL!! 😉

Sumptious green chair!! This would look soooo nice in my living room! and these bug print pillow – SO MUCH FUN!!! Firefly, and butterfly TOO CUTE!!!

I LOVE this whole little vignette! It is SERIOUSLY a FEAST for the EYES!!!

Everywhere I looked, there was just something else that just called to me! It might be a little hard to see, but this rubbed black farm table is JUST CALLING!! “CHRISTINA, YOU KNOW YOU WANT ME!!” Thankfully my place is just too small! So, sometimes logistics beats out  desire – at LEAST FOR NOW???

D-R-E-A-M! Need I say more?

This little wooden angel bird cage was SIMPLY HEAVENLY!!! 😉

This box was just a TREASURE TROVE of goodness!! 😉

Every single thing on this shelf, could move RIGHT INTO MY PLACE!!! My Sis, would say “THESE ARE SO YOU!!” 😉

WHEW!!! What a great way to wrap my FABULOUS visit to Aunt Bee’s House up!!!

The ULTIMATE goal!!

HAPPILY EVER AFTER!!!

I would like to send a quick shout out to the ladies at Aunt Bee’s House, and just say that I am still just so thankful that you let me enjoy and share your LOVELY shop with my readers!!! I know that I will be back many, many times!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!

Happy Easter!

Good morning, and Happy Easter!!

I have finished my morning pages this morning, and my sweetie is taking an early morning nap! I just LOVE quiet Sundays!! We are fortunate that we are able to get those every once in a while!! Seeing that Jason and I do not have any children, Easter is usually a day that just comes and goes for us, but today we are going to try something different. We are going to have a special Easter, just the two of us!

For lunch, Jason made sure we had a nice spiral cut ham, so I am going to cook him his favorite for supper – ham with my mamma’s special glaze baked on it. I am also going to make a few deviled eggs, and a small potato salad, just like we had every Easter growing up with my family!! Add to that a lovely green salad and some fresh steamed broccoli, and I think that we will have a VERY special Easter supper, just the two of us!!! 😉

While I was out yesterday I picked up the two most recent copies of Artful Blogger! This publication, put out by Somerset Studios is quickly becoming my FAVORITE publication!! Every page is a feast for the eyes, and I can spend a BLISSFUL day pouring over it’s pages!! Each issue is an addition to my ever growing library of creative and inspirational resources!! What a FIND!! I can only DREAM of being featured in this publication someday, when I am a real-live professional blogger!!! That is ok, baby steps – baby steps!! I will get there someday!! I CAN’T WAIT!!! 😉

My sweetie just came down from his nap, and he was singing “Happy Easter” from the movie Easter Parade to me! He knows I just LOVE watching that movie EVERY Easter, and he always watches it with me!! Isn’t that just DIVINE??? So between Easter with my love, a home cooked meal that reminds me of home, and my new copies of Artful Blogging, it’s gonna be a good day, a very good day indeed!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS Easter day!!! 😉

A Day At Aunt Bee’s!

Good evening!

I had a change of plans this morning, and decided that I was going to practice my photography, as a continuation of this weeks’ The Artist’s Way program assignment. I had originally planned to go out and take pictures of all of the places that I had been to today and share those pics with you. Well, at about my third stop out today, I had decided to go to one of my FAVORITE places in town, and that is Aunt Bee’s House!

Aunt Bee’s House is the home decor, furnishings, gift, consignment shop that is located on 2679 Commercial St SE, here in my hometown of Salem, Oregon. There motto is “A place to shop, be inspired and get away from it all” and man, they ARE NOT KIDDING!!! I can while an entire day away in this FABULOUS store!! I walked in, and very hesitantly asked one of the ladies there if she minded if I were to take some pictures for my Artist’s Way assignment to post on my blog, and she very nicely said, yes! I was soooo JAZZED!! Anyway, I proceeded to go throughout the store and took almost 300 pictures, which is so easy to do because they have soooo many DECEDANTLY DELICIOUS displays, and all sorts of decor that I would totally LOVE in my home!! WHEW!! I really had fun!!

Before I get too far into my post for this evening, I wanted to say thank you to the Aunt Bee’s House staff! You ladies were VERY helpful, and VERY friendly!! You helped make today soooo much fun, and I was able to complete my Artist’s Way assignment this week!! I will be back many times in the future for sure, if not for taking more pictures, then for shopping my little heart out!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! 😉

So, without further ado, here are some of the treasures that I found on my trip to Aunt Bee’s House today!!

This is what you are greeted with when you first walk in – it is just so cheery and Springtime!! You’ll know right off the bat that you are going find some LOVELY treasures to take home!!! Do you see all of these FABULOUS quilts!!! Because of my outing today, I am now dreaming of one for our bed! I think it will really lighten the mood in the room for the Spring and Summertime.

Apron? Check. Pearls? Check. FABULOUS Large floral broach? Check. Now I am OFFICIALLY ready to clean!! 😉

What an INGENIOUS way to display some TRULY BEAUTIFUL silver wear!!

OH, and Honey, you have to know that I am SUCH A SUCKER for embroidered handkerchiefs!!! Why that EVER fell out of fashion, I will just NEVER know!!! and displayed on this silver platter? That is PERFECTION!

This chic white vanity is SIMPLY DIVINE! and I just LOVE the idea of having a sooooo many lovely jeweled trinkets ready to accessorize your favorite outfit at your disposal!!!

Don’t you just LOVE these little hoot owls???? They SOOOO remind me of my grandmother (she loved owls)!! They were tucked away in various locations of the store, and I caught myself smiling EVERY TIME I SAW THEM!!! Too cute!! 😉

If I could have thought of a place to display this set in my little place, these would have gone home with me today!!! I LOVE this soft shade of green!!

I have always LOVED fancy soaps and these are such a perfect shade of soft pink, any lucky lady receiving these as a gift couldn’t help but feel LUXURIOUSLY FEMININE with these at a special bath time!!!!!

This little sign just says it all!!!

OH-EM-GEE!!! Can you imagine anything more SCRUM-DIDDLY-UMPTIOUS on your bed than this ruffled quilt???? HEAVEN!! I wonder what my hubby would think?? HEE! HEE! 😉

I have GOT to GET ME ONE OF THESE! I have always wanted one!!! and look at how the sunlight just SPARKLES through these crystals! SIGH!! 😉

Here are two more of our little friends again!! 😉

I just ADORE the simple details on these pillows. Details like this are what transforms your house into a home!! AND I am practically drooling over the lovely soft golden wainscoating behind these pillows!! Hmmm…I am sure I can find a place for both these pillows, and that wainscoating in my place!!! 😉

DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN???

Aunt Bee’s House is just an all around JOYFUL STORE!!! With something for everyone’s tastes and styles!!! I have taken sooo many pictures, and I know I have shared a lot now, but I am inspired to share more with you tomorrow too!! I hope you don’t mind!! I would highly  recommend this store to anyone looking for a little something to personalize their home, or for a gift for that special someone in your life!! Oh, and as always, I am in no way affiliated with Aunt Bee’s House, I just LOVE this store, and I JUST HAD TO SHARE with you!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

The Chocolatier Is In!

Good evening!

This is going to be a nice and quick post! My sweetie is busy in the kitchen filling our home with the smell of chocolatey goodness! I took a quick peek, and what I saw made my mouth water!!! 😉 Our counters are covered with chocolate covered strawberries, haystacks galore, and a new invention that he dreamed up tonight, which doesn’t have a name yet. They look like haystacks, but they are dollops of crushed pretzels, chopped walnuts, and rich dark chocolate in the cutest little white paper cups – very creative, my love!! I can’t wait to taste one of your delectable homemade treats!! 😉

Anyway, just to give you an update on what I did today…well, nothing too exciting! I spent most of the day by myself, which was kind of a nice change from the norm! I hit St Vincent de Paul’s to check out their book selection, and of course I walked away with 3 books, but one of them is a gift, so I don’t feel too badly about that! Besides they totalled exactly $3.50 – so there you go!!

Next, I headed over to the craft store, which was ABSOLUTELY SWAMPED!!! There were people doing craft classes, and demos in almost every department, but I still managed to spend at least an hour toodling around, looking for inspiration and ideas, and I am very proud to say that I got out of there empty handed – thank you very much – that took the will of a saint!!! 😉

Afterwards, I met Jason for a very late lunch at one of our favorite little restaurants, and have spent the rest of the afternoon at home, watching a couple episodes of Bones, and spending time together just the two of us and our two little girls hanging out! Now he is busy creating all kinds of goodies out in the kitchen! Well, I am going to have to do some extra working out to keep on track with my fitness plan, but don’t you worry! I will behave!!

As for you…

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

Note to Chunky Dunkers: This is a good time to say that you don’t have to give up all of your favorites to get fit and healthy. Just remember to enjoy your favorites in moderation. It is all about balance!! GO CHUNKY DUNKERS!!! 😉

A Thought Provoking Quote!

Good morning!

I stumbled upon this quote this morning…

“The one piece of advice I can give you is, do what turns you on. Do something that if you had all the money in the world,you’d still be doing it. You’ve got to have a reason to jump out of bed in the morning.”
~Warren Buffett

This quote has got me really thinking! What would I be doing if I had all the money in the world? Gosh, I think I KNOW who I am, but why is this such a hard question for me to answer?? 

I love:
∙         Blogging
∙         Antiquing/Treasure Hunting/Shopping
∙         Decorating
∙         All things photography
∙         Fashion
∙         Magazines – but this might tie back into my love of photographs???
∙         The idea of traveling

I would be in ABSOLUTE HEAVEN if there was a way that I could combine all of these things into my life/career!! DIVINE!!! Let me know if this triggers any ideas!! 😉

What would your answer be? What would you do if you had all the money in the world??? I am curious!

Have a FABULOUS morning!
~Christina

A Taxing Kind of Morning!

Good morning!

Having meditated before bed last night, which in turn caused me to fall asleep faster, I woke up early this morning raring to go!! I’ve decided that I needed to gather my tax papers so that I can file my taxes! I was sure I had a fail-safe plan when I chose a location to “stash” all of the random incoming papers, so as not to lose them, but unfortunately there must have been some kind of a hiccup in my plan, because I am missing two very important papers! Dang! It is going to cause me to have to serious spend some time this evening looking for them!! Oh well, that will teach me!

As I continue to think about where I could have placed those tax papers, I look around and see a couple of stacks of things that just need to be donated, or even tossed in this room! I am sitting in our spare room, which has kinda become a craft room/office/mini library. As you may already know, I go through phases of cleaning/purging/using this room, and other times this room stays completely closed up and unused all together! Sad, really! and what a waste of square footage!! My office is talking about having us telecommute on a more permanent basis, since desk space is becoming a rarity at work right now, which means that this would be the room that I would have to work out of. In it’s current state, I am not sure that would be possible! Not to mention, this chair is not meant to be sat on for long periods of time!!! I think what I am trying to say, is that I have got to keep making this room more of a priority to get FINISHED!!! This room could be such a SWEET spot!! I will get on that!! 😉

As for work today??? Well, I am going to have to be a little more focused in my tasks otherwise I will have a repeat of yesterday, where I had gotten a lot of work done, but they may not have been the BEST use of my time! I have some big assignments that a lot of people are waiting for! I am hoping to knock one of those out of the ballpark today and into the hands of one of my customers!!! That would make for a GREAT day!! 😉

I am going to run and set myself up for a LEVEL 10 day!!! as for you…

Have a FABULOUS day!! 😉