the rest of the Texas road trip

As promised, this is the rest of the junking expedition on our Texas trip plus our time at the LBJ Ranch.  The Ranch is just outside in Johnson City and there is the school pictured which LBJ attended a while.  The home he lived in as an adult is there.  It is in the process of having the master suites readied for public viewing.  It is a beautiful setting and the people of Texas have much to be proud of.

We journeyed northwest from Austin out along 2-lane highways and hit a few more stores before swing east to Fort Worth.  One of these shops is called "Berneice's" in a town called Evant..  It is owned and operated by a very sweet lady who allowed me to photograph her.  I purchased several things from her - dishes, side tables, and the like.  If I'd had my truck with me I could have made a major haul.  Oh, and I almost forgot the 4 vintage cabinet doors with glass knobs and hinges intact! 

This trip was so fun!  I can't wait to go to Texas again...

Austin in July - Junkin' through all the Small Towns

When Mr. P told me he had business to attend to in Texas I jumped at the chance and said, "Take me to Austin!".  So..we drove, preferring 2-lane highways between Forth Worth and Austin.  We happened upon Stephensville, Hico, Granbury to name a few.  Some shops.  Notice the killer Italian tole chandelier I scored at one such place - keeping this one.  I had so much fun but so many of these darling town squares have shops open only on the weekend.  So we are going back the same direction on Saturday. 

While in Austin, we have been all over town.  We had dinner the first night in town at Perla on Congress, then went across the street to The Continental for late night music. 

For the evening, we had a party to attend outside of Austin, which is the reason we came here. 

Next on the agenda is the LBJ Ranch, Fredericksburg, then more junking on the way home tomorrow.  As they say, everything is bigger in Texas, and so is the fun!

Looking for good junkin' in Austin & my space at Vintage Market

I found this old potting bench, broken apart, and brought it home.  After rebuilding it, powerwashing it, sanding it, painting it, and re-sanding here it is.  I sewed a burlap skirt, complete with stay-stitching, and applied it with upholstery tacks.  I sorta like the hooks to open it.  It is, of course, for sale at Vintage Market.  I think it would make a great work station or even a kitchen island. 

Also, I am going to Austin, Texas soon and will be perusing shops for wares and good finds.  Do any of you have any recommendations for junking or anything else?

blackberry time...and waiting for 14 more followers!

Every year, about this time, the wild blackberries on our land are ripened for picking.  Some years I make preserves;  other years most are given away. 

Today brought only over a cup of berries.  And of course, it's always the hottest days of summer that they are ready to be picked.  I think I'll put some in vanilla yogurt and sprinkle some of my homemade granola  on top. 

Only 17 More Followers Needed!

When my followers on this blog number 25, this hat will be randomly given away through a drawing!  (Hat form not included.)

I embellish these hats with Amy Butler fabric.  Perfect for a bad hair day!

my screen porch...

I love my screen porch.  It is my favorite part of my home.  Mosquitos are in swarms at my house;  we live in the woods of the Missouri River bluffs and we have woods surrounding us. The patio and deck require me to use bug spray.  I just retire to the screen porch instead.

Our property is adjoined on the east by a camp.  During the day and well into the evenings, we can hear the beloved sounds of campers and all their regalia.  It is my favorite part of summer - hearing, distantly through acres of deeply wooded hills, the sound of kids enjoying what will become their favorite memories of a lifetime.

my new home

How wonderful it is to have a home - a home for my junk.  I have found this wonderful boutique in Kansas City's Zona Rosa, just a couple miles south of the airport.  It is called Vintage Market and I am a vendor there now. 

New Vintage Market Pics Coming!

I've missed blogging.  I knew I'd be swamped these past 2 weeks.

 Last Saturday, June 12, was Kansas City Convoy of Hope, of which I'm involved.  Meetings and set-up took up a chunk of the week.  Over 2,000 were served.  I'm so thankful for the chance to have been involved.

Then, Sunday started with preparations for moving into the Vintage Market at Zona Rosa.  I moved in Monday and have already sold my heart out!  In a couple of days should have pics on my blog - it takes awhile to get it all set up, especially when large pieces sell. 

A Gnome Memorial

While sweeping the porch one day, I knocked over my precious gnome.  He was older, even though I had only purchased him a couple of years ago at a yard sale for nearly nothing.  I loved him, but he has cracks on the front.  So, I decided to give him a proper burial beside the butterfly bush.

In his place popped up 3 new old gnomes.  Well, actually, I bought them at Good Juju last Friday and they are a different style - shorter, less childish-looking, and more expensive.  Now I have them until I sweep the porch one day or knock one over with a rake.   And I'll give them a proper burial. 

happy birthday to me

I celebrated my birthday yesterday.  My husband, Ron, grilled steaks and cedar plank salmon.  Delicious!  I told him not to buy a store-bought cake because my newly-discovered chocolate recipe is the best and it is so simple;  topped, of course, with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.  Then I opened gifts.

My sis and a couple girlfriends took me to lunch.  I came home with wonderful gifts!

The best gift is spending time with family and friends.  It was a wonderful day.  I feel loved.

Memorial Day

May your Memorial Day be blessed as you remember loved ones and those who fight for our freedom.

delphiniums and zinnias

Flowers catch my eye wherever I go.  We went to the Farmer's Market yesterday morning here in Kansas City.  Of course, that was only after eating breakfast at the counter in Cascone's Grill.  It's fab - you can actually watch them crack your egg!

Back to flowers, I bought wonderful zinnias for my deck, which I do most years.  But the gem was the delphinium in a powdery baby blue.  I hope it "takes" and spreads for generations.

the most current project piece...

While out junking one day, I hit upon a yard sale.  The homeowner had a desk buried in her garage.  "I'll pull this piece out soon."  Not one to waste junking time, I went on to other sales in the area and ran into a junking friend.  She asked, "Did you see that fabulous desk she had?" 

At that point, I knew I had to have that desk.  And here it is;  I really need to get into the habit of "before" shots. 

I went for a French-grey look.  It sits in my daughter's updated room.  And I am pleased with the results.  This is the first time I've used a sander.  It got away from me for a little bit, though. 

don't forget to water me...

While I love potting chairs, I often forget to water them.  I have good intentions, though.  I'm a wanna-be gardener.  I put out the oriole feeder late, but reason it's okay because this hummigbird loves it.  But I still consider myself a gardener.  I often blame my acidic soil.  But I love my yard and all the kitschy yard art in it.  I accumulate more each year as I scavenge garage sales. 

This year I vow to get more creative with found objects, what-nots, that I can put among the plants.  And I am going to get a couple of pink flamingos. 

Tomorrow I will post a project piece which I painted to put in my daughter's room.  I was going for the distressed-French-grey look.  First, I need to get help carrying it upstairs...

While on a quest to find the perfect bedskirt as I was re-decorating my daughter's room, I decided to make my own out of natural linen.  I love how it turned out.  Linen is a timeless look and it looks great like this - alone - and it would look great layered with a sheer fabric over it in a shorter bedskirt.  I wanted a floor-length drop.  So, making  my own was really the only option.  I couldn't find any pure linen bedskirts.  I will be listing custom bedskirts on my etsy, I think. 

why I like reading blogs...

This is why I like reading blogs.  Yesterday was a bummer day.  I was looking forward to the arrival of my oldest son, as he was coming into town for a job interview.  It just happened to be his birthday.  Great timing!  So...I made a cake from scratch, which I might add is very different texture from Betty Crocker, and I said, "It's your birthday and Cinco de Mayo so let's go out to eat!"

Unfortunately, he had to finish a term paper and he told me not to fix dinner, he'd just snack and drink coffee all night. 

Then, the house smelled like propane because there was a leak in the repair that the handyman had made earlier - hot water tank.  So...I shut off the gas to the tank.  Needless to say, no hot water and we're back to square one with the tank;  this probably means a new tank!  

I was DOWWWNNN....then this morning I read the first blog I came across and I forgot the disappointments of life,  the little things that don't go the way we want.  But really, isn't that what a blog is all about - putting life on paper, as imperfect as it is. 

pink pretty

Pretty pink dishes, such as these French plates, actually represent things I love and keep.  I think I tried selling them in the boutique, but priced them high, so I wouldn't regret the "sell" so much.  I know it sounds stupid.  But I priced items, all too often, based on my emotional attachment.  I didn't do it often, just items I absolutely adored.  I broke all the rules of Selling 101.  Currently, I'm an orphan junker:  I don't sell anywhere.  Well, except online.