What's Christmas Without A Little Bit Of Fun!

So the tree has been up for quite awhile already and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I have lots of pics to post and I will try to get them up on my Photo Gallery page on the web site soon! A few years back I started a little tradition, with myself, to find a funny or quirky ornament every year to put on my tree. I wanted to add a bit of whimsy and not just have the same boring, stodgy ornaments year after year.

The first year I spotted this hilarious "pink" lady ornament in a speciality Christmas store. She's quite the gal sipping on her drink with her pink mermaid tail and matching hair. I knew I had to have her! Now let me tell you, my Mom hates this ornament. She's so polite and doesn't say much, but I know when my Mom does not approve and she doesn't have the same sense of humor that I do for these sorts of things. I'm sure she thinks it's ghastly! (*_*) The next year I came across this cute pink pig at Target in the Christmas aisle. I have a few of these tucked in my branches. My "weird" ornaments are not front and center on the tree, but rather they are tucked in here and there so they give someone something to go back and look at as they are passing by.

I have not found my quirky ornament for this year yet. I did find a rather delightful toad ornament with a pink crown on his head at Steinmart, but I neglected to buy it and the only Steinmart here in Salt Lake is quite far from my home so I haven't been back. I should have bought him when I first saw him! So I say, add a bit of fun and whimsy to your tree! It will delight you and children alike...and maybe some adults too! ~Stacy~ xoxo

Merry Christmas To You All!

Dear Friends ~ Yes, to put it mildly it has been a long time since my last post...over a month to be exact! Time flies when you are having fun! I must admit that I am not a dedicated blogger! I marvel at the ladies out there who have time to post every day sharing all of the creative and interesting things they do. I guess that's just not for me! When I started my blog, the one thing I didn't want it to be was a burden. So, I post when I can and when I feel inspiration calling me!

My Mom was with us for five weeks so my blog was severely neglected while she was here...and that was just fine with me. We had so much fun together and even the little ritual of hanging out in the morning with our morning coffee and tea was extra special. The time spent with her seems all the more precious now that my Dad is gone. Mom lives in Canada, where I am from, and I don't get to see her very much. I am thankful that she likes to come and visit. Mom, you truly are a blast to hang out with. I am grateful for the time we spend together. (*_*)

This Christmas is going to be a low key one for Wade and me. We don't have any children around the house. Scott, my stepson, will be around for the holidays, but he will be staying at his Mom's. He works in Wyoming in the oilfields and tonight I just found out that he has put in his two weeks' notice. We are not very happy about it, but it's his life and his decision so that is that. When he moves back he will be living with his Mom...she is closer to his new girlfriend's house! LOL! Wade has to work on Christmas Eve so I will be spending it alone. He does have Christmas day off though so we will cook ourselves a small turkey and spend the day together.

The web site has been busy this month and I am thankful for that and for all of my dedicated and loyal customers and friends. Without you, this business of mine would not be possible and I enjoy it so much...so thank you one and all! May you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! ~Stacy~ xoxo

New Treasures In Lavish Lighting!

Hello Ladies ~ we've just finished listing these adorable vintage fixtures in our Lavish Lighting Boutique! This pair of antique sconces with sparkling prisms is just gorgeous! The pretty hand painted ceiling fixture above is so sweet too. It would be perfect for a romantic little bathroom, hallway or nursery. The candlestick lamps include the lovely Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic shades. So pretty! Be sure to have a browse through all of our lovely Boutiques. We have so many lovely treasures right now! ~Stacy~

Romantic Homes Magazine

Hello Ladies ~ we are back from our vacation to Canada! We will be listing new treasures all week long. We have tons of gorgeous new goodies to get on the site and just in time for your holiday shopping too!

We are also very pleased to be advertising in Romantic Homes Magazine. Be sure to see the new December issue with our lovely ad in the Market Center section in the back. We are very pleased with the professional advertising staff at Romantic Homes especially the very kind and helpful Donna Norris. Thank you Donna! We hope this is the beginning of a long relationship with Romantic Homes! We appreciate all of your help! ~Stacy~

We're On Vacation...

Hello Everyone ~ from the notice above you can gather that we are going on vacation for a few days. Purchases can still be made, but they will not be shipped until our return after the 29th. Emails may be acknowledged while we are away, it just depends on how often I turn on the laptop! Thank you for understanding ~ we definitely need the break! We'll check in when we get home!

Why I'm Glad I'm Going Home...

Just a few reasons why I'm glad I'm going home...

A Few Simple Things...

I actually took it fairly easy today. I have been so busy lately with the web site and other things that even though I worked today and went out as well, it felt like a slower day to me. As I was walking by one of my china cupboards, I snapped a few photo's of some simple items that bring me joy. I love this pink fairy. I love adding whimsy to my decor and I have several of these pretty fairies in different styles around our house in unexpected places. I love this one because of the pink and the wild hairdo she has!

I love old china epecially old pieces from Bavaria and Germany and I love the old Limoges pieces as well. They alway seem to be so pretty and delicate and have the best looking pink roses around!

This is a favorite little teapot. I just love it! I believe I purchased it from Chris at Tutti Chic!

I purchased these lovely vintage shakers on Ebay. I don't really buy much on Ebay anymore. It seems like I am always unsatisfied with my purchases by descriptions that are not honest or accurate...but I love these! The seller was right on the money with this lovely pair ~ thank you! (*_*)

This was the end of day...the poor little devil! Bobo had to go in for his shots today so we can take him on our trip with us as we have to cross the Canadian border. I think the trip tuckered him out! The poor guy. He growled and tried to bite the vet when she tried to take his temperature (hey, who wouldn't!) and then they had to muzzle him to give him his shot. He is still adjusting to life without his companion Chewy. He has been a little bit "off" since Chewy has been gone. It's only been a week. Give him some time...he'll come around..and so will we!

A Very Sad Day

Here is a picture of Chewy our golden retriever, my black dog Bobo in the center and my Mom's dog Lacey on the left. This picture is about three years old. Chewy is just three months shy of being 17 years old now and I finally had to make an appointment to have him put down on Wednesday. I am heartbroken, but he is so old, especially for a large golden retriever, and not doing so well...it is time. If I don't answer your emails right away for a few days, you will know why. These animals just grab onto our hearts and don't let go, but ultimately their love and joy is totally worth it!

Fall Is Here!

Fall is definitely in the air in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it is in full swing in our home too! Be sure to visit our web site and click on the Photo Gallery tab at the top of the Home page. Take a peek at the new pics of our home all dressed up for the fall season!

The Good Earth ~ My Latest Read

Here is my latest read ~ The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I don't know why I haven't read this book until now. I used to be a voracious reader when I was young devouring tons and tons of books. I can remember walking home from school and my bag used to be so heavy because of all of the books I checked out out of the library. I still love to read, but I have not made time for it as I should. I am trying to read a few books per month now and this is one of my latest choices.

I remember my Dad reading this particular book years ago and telling me how good it was. The author Pearl S. Buck won a Nobel Prize for this piece of literary work. The book is set in pre-revoluntionary China and tells the story of Wang Lung, a humble Chinese farmer and his rise to a glorified land owner. It is full of triumphs and struggles including drought, starvation, floods, revolution and the rise of his wealth in troubled times.

This book was quite an easy read, but still captured my attention enough that I did not want to put it down. If you are interested in different cultures and different times, you will enjoy this book. There have been several movies made of it, although I have not seen any of them yet. I ordered one on Netflix that I should be receiving any day. I'll let you know how it turns out! Until next time...~Stacy~

Prettiest Antique Austrian Plates

If you love Austrian china, then you will love our latest romantic offerings! Gorgeous antique Austrian plates with roses, a pretty sparkling crystal cherub compote and a charming original vintage watercolor painting have just been listed.

We have so many new upcoming treasures to list! You won't want to miss any of them! Check back often for gorgeous tole trays, Limoges china, tole sconces, statues and more!

Until next time,

Stacy

Most Romantic Scrapbook CD ~ Vintage Rose Collection

Ladies ~ if you love to scrapbook, create gift tags and work with paper crafts, you are in for a real treat! Take a moment and drop by Vintage Rose Collection where my dear friend, Jo-Anne Coletti, has created a spectacular array of scrapbooking images for you all with a beautiful romantic theme. Gorgeous alphabets, lovely backgrounds as well as special images from Jo-Anne's personal artwork and collection will lend a romantic, feminine flair to your paper and online scrapbooking projects.

Visit Jo-Anne at http://www.vintagerosecollection.com/ for your copy of this stunning CD!

Hello Everyone ~ Our new Beautiful Books Boutique is now open for business! For those of you who love to read and especially who love decorating books and magazines, you will love our new Boutique as the books inside will be offered to you at a fraction of the retail price! Those decorating books can get expensive can't they! I sincerely hope you enjoy our new Boutique! We have absolutely TONS of books to list and we will try to get them all on as quickly as possible. All of our Boutiques are stocked to the brim ~ enjoy!

Beautiful Books!

I can't help it ~ I love books! Decorating books, craft books, inspirational books, cookbooks, antique novels, poetry books...I just love them all! To celebrate my love affair with books, we are working on opening our new Beautiful Books Boutique! All of the books in our Boutique will be new, gently used or offered to you from our own collection. To help on shipping costs, we will be shipping all books by Media Mail. It takes a few days longer, but shipping is much less expensive.

We should have our new Boutique open by early next week! I hope you will enjoy browsing through our collection of books and that you will find a good read for those cozy evenings ahead!

Lovely new Vintage Finds & Cottage Treasures have just been listed on Sunday evening. We have some of the sweetest treasures ever! Be sure to stop in and have a look at all of our latest pretties!

We have two fabulous antique auctions coming up this weekend so keep your fingers crossed for us as we continue to seek out the best goodies around for you! Have a great week everyone! (*_*)

Happy September!

Hello everyone and a very Happy September to you all! Whew ~ August is over and I must say that my blogging went downhill quite abit. We went on a vacation, my niece flew in from Canada for a two week stay, lots of things were going on. So, it's back to work for me! Some of you will be happy to know that I have started up regular Ebay auctions again. I will be listing several times per week on Ebay as well as stocking the web site with new treasures as usual. Thank you for your support during the summer months. I have the best customers around!

Take a look above at this gorgeous beauty I just listed! This is an incredible vintage 10 light chandelier that is just dripping with sparkling prisms ~ 80 in all. It's everything you want in a chandelier so have a look at it in our Lavish Lighting Boutique on our web site.

I hope you all had a wonderful summer! I know I did! I'm looking so forward to fall this year ~ my favorite season of them all! I love the pumpkins, the decor, the spicy candles, Halloween, just everything about it! I hope you all have a very Happy Fall ~ talk to you soon!

Beautiful Vintage Lord Nelson Chintz!

Beautiful vintage Lord Nelson chintz in the Marina pattern has just been added to our Ebay auctions. This is chintz from my own collection that I have decided to part with. There are matching plates, teacups and saucers and a sweet cream and sugar set. If you collect English chintzware, then be sure to have a peek at this very lovely collectible china!

Vintage Rose Collection

Let me take a moment to introduce you to my very dear friend, Jo-Anne Coletti of Vintage Rose Collection. Jo-Anne is a very talented artist who hails from Massachusetts. She is the most talented rose painter that I have ever seen and she magically transforms vintage and antique pieces into incredible works of art. From baskets to chairs to mirrors and more, Jo-Anne takes joy in creating stunning treasures for her customers and friends. If you are lucky enough to own a piece of art from Jo-Anne, you truly know how special her creations are.

Jo-Anne also has an exclusive line of original canvas prints, notecards, stickers and labels that have been available to her customers for several years now. Many have imitated her art form, but none have mastered the quality and magic that comes to life on her canvas prints through her beautiful artwork and exceptional photography.

If you would like to read more about Jo-Anne or to purchase one of her stunning pieces of artwork, visit www.vintagerosecollection.com. It will be a romantic shopping experience that you will not forget!

New Pretties In Vintage Finds!

These very pretty vintage china pieces by Lefton have just been listed in our Vintage Finds Boutique.They are so gorgeous ~ be sure to have a look!

It's The Weekend Again!

It's Friday and I don't know where this week has gone! I guess I've been busy! Today is a busy day too...running errands. It's off to the gym to work out, then down to Fedex to drop off a package, then I need to fill up my car and wash it, go to Debby's to drop off her latest treasures, and then finally...drum roll...grocery shopping! I despise grocery shopping, but then again who loves it right?!

Tomorrow morning we are going to an estate auction at 9:00 a.m. up in Clearfield which is about one hour or so away. That means getting up at 6:00, leaving by 7:00, getting there by 8:00 or so and then previewing until 9:00 when the sale starts! It is going to be 102 out tomorrow and the auction is outside, but I guess that's what you have to do to get those treasures! I hope you all have a lovely weekend ~ do something fun! (*_*)

A Few Garden Pretties!

Here are a few snaps from the garden today...isn't this a sweet Portulaca plant!

I love these and this one looks like tiny pink roses. They do so well in the Utah heat!

Here are some peach David Austen roses in the front yard. I thought that this bush was going to die, but after three years it is finally thriving and it is always loaded with blooms. It is now about five feet high and sits as a backdrop behind my birdbath.

I love this ornamental Kale stuff! I have never bought any before so I thought I'd try just one in case it didn't like me! This puppy is getting huge even though you can't tell by the pictures.

Here is a picture of my rose hedge out front...26 roses in all...all the way across the front walk and out to the road. They are staggered pink and yellow and are Simplicity roses from Jackson and Perkins. This is the second year for it and it's doing very well. My other Simplicity rose hedge on the side of the house has been planted for four years and it is over 6 feet tall! If you want a gorgeous hedge with no maintenance and blooms that will last all summer and well into the fall this is the right hedge for you! Anyone can grow it!

My Love Affair With Planes

Take a look at this ~ is there honestly anything better in the world than this view? Not to me there isn't! This is truly a lovely sight. There is nothing better than being in the air on your way to some exotic destination or to even some non-exotic destination. I just love everything about air travel; airports, the smell of jet fuel (yes, I'm weird!), the exhilaration of blasting down the runway with the rumble of the engines all around you, the takeoff and the floating feeling as the plane is climbing, just being on board, and of course, landing...love the feeling of seeing the earth rise up to meet you and cruising down over buildings, countryside or the ocean as you are descending into an airport. There is nothing better ~ well, at least nothing that I can write about! (*_*)

My love affair with air travel and planes began in 1987 when I took my first trip to the South Pacific. It was a year of bliss traveling to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti and Bora Bora in French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Hawaii...those destinations bring back many fond memories. I backpacked for an entire year "down under" and in 1989 and 1991 I was off again to the same locations for another year each to see the things I missed before. What an amazing time it was!

Look at this bad boy waiting to take off ~ my favorite, a 747-400!

I love Qantas Airlines ~ "Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd"! They have the best flights and the best service around. The cabin crews are always fantastic especially when you are on the long haul flights. My longest nonstop flight was 21 hours from LAX to Sydney, Australia.

You've gotta love this Qantas 747 all decked out in an Aboriginal Dreamtime theme!

A very cool Hello Kitty jet pulling onto the tarmack.

And finally...this is NOT what you want to see when you are peering out your window midflight. Thank goodness I was not on this flight! I would have been a basket case!!