Enjoying Mr. Sun

Yesterday I spent the day soaking up the gorgeous sunny day that we had. There was a nice breeze so it made the time laying in the sun pleasant. I pretended that I was on a beach in Mexico just like my daughter, sister and parents are doing as I type. They were in Puerta Vallarta yesterday and today they are in Mazatlan. I wish I could say that today was a nice sunny day like yesterday, but alas we are in Oregon and it is cloudy once again. I guess it is a day to venture out antiquing again - today I think I will try my luck and head to Springfield to Ruthie B's. I have heard about this place and it's tea room, so I think Lola and I will take a look!

On Monday I spent a few hours in Spencers Alley craft and antique mall in Salem and picked up some great things. I will save the pictures for a later post, but am so excited about one of the items that I got. It is another black ladder, this one is full size and it has steps that are really wide so they can be used for shelves. I am going to display my quilts on it in the living room. I can hardly wait to get home to redecorate with all of my great finds! Then after Spencers Alley it was on to another antique store in the downtown area where I found some great red transferware, some more hummel like figurines for my mom, and some skeleton keys. A great mishap happened when I reached for a red transferware plate and caused a "domino" chain of events where all the other plates around the one I wanted started falling and crashing to the ground! The shop owner was a real nice lady and said that it wasn't my fault because this one particular booth owner had displayed the plates on these collapsible holders that she does not approve of and said that there was no way to prevent what happened. So, I did not have to pay for the broken damage I caused and we also had a nice long talk about Italy and its surrounding areas. She just recently had gone there and was giving me some tips on traveling there. So, after all that excitement it was time to meet my sister for dinner. We had time to "catch up" and enjoy a barbeque meal. She was in Vegas the past weekend for a bachelorette party. Boy things have changed since I got married!

Well, I'm off to Springfield! Talk to y'all later!

On The Hunt

Enjoying my time in Oregon....no agenda.....no timeline....no cleaning....no laundry....no responsibilities! Lovin' it! Just Rochelle time! Yesterday I ventured out to Portland again (yes, I've made the trip twice) and thought I would check out Monticello Antiques. I had expected more and was kind of let down because I didn't find anything I was on the hunt for. I did find a hummel figure for my mom, a princess tiara, and a little red nut grinder.

Now my day in Silverton was much more of a success. I found many treasures there, the Red Bench never lets me down! Here is a red stool and a black ladder. I plan on using the ladder in our bathroom as a towel rack and the stool will go in my kitchen.

Look at this great vintage picnic basket, some red transferware plates, a cute dutch girl, another hummel figurine for my mom, and a cute tulip bowl......

And, I was really happy to find some old chandelier crystals to bring with me to Italy to adorn the candelabra that I will be making. Also found the great vintage sprinkler that they are hanging from!

I think that most of the things I have adorning my home have come from Oregon from the many times that I have visited my parents house and gone antiquing. I just love more of the vintage look rather than the modern look that is in the department or furniture stores. Vintage just has more of a cozy, homey and warm feeling to it rather than the cold feeling I get when I am around modern things. Don't get me wrong, I love organization, but finding old vintage boxes to put things in to clear up clutter is more my style.

So, off I go to find some more treasures! 

Birthday Girls

The other night we had a nice birthday celebration at the Roadhouse Grill in Salem, Oregon. A couple of weeks ago it was my sisters' birthday and this coming Sunday is my birthday. As you can see there is a BIG age gap - oh to be 29 again! Those days have passed me by and now I am bringing in a new year of age 46! Yuk!!! I don't like the feeling of being closer to the age of 50 than to the age of 40. It's a feeling of "where the heck did all the years go?" They seem to have flown by without me knowing about it until I take a glance at myself in the mirror - then it all becomes so real! 

My little sis and I...

Us with our daddy...

Us with our mommy...

And us with the "younger" girl of the group, my daughter....

I am bound and determined to do lots in my future years to create memories to last a lifetime. One memory I will create is by going to Italy in September. I have always in the back of my mind wanted to visit there as my maternal grandparents came from there. It is a dream of a lifetime and it is a birthday gift to myself this year. I will be attending a workshop taught by this lady: http://www.sallyjean.com which is being held in the Tuscan area of Italy in the town of Cortona. We will be crafting a candelabra chandelier from some of the things we find at the antique markets of Cortona and also from some trinkets we will bring from home. I am looking forward to exploring the town of Cortona as well as Rome (this is where I fly into and stay for 3 days before and 2 days after Cortona). My son will be meeting me in Rome when I arrive as he is spending the summer touring Europe. I'm sure I will have many photos to share from this experience and probably many stories too. Italy, here I come!

Farm Chicks Finds

Yes, Farm Chicks happened a while ago, but I just now have had time to post and add pictures of what I found there. I am missing a few photos of the vintage wheelbarrow and junior spreader that I got for our garden, but I will post those when I get back home from Oregon. 

Right now I am dog-sitting for my parents as they have taken my oldest daughter and youngest sister on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. I am here for two weeks so I have a lot of time on my hands to read, relax, and do absolutely nothing. I am also enjoying some warm summer weather that they are having and visiting some of the great antique spots that they have in this area. Today I spent the day in Silverton and found some stuff at The Red Bench and another small antique store downtown. Tomorrow I think I will venture toward Portland and do some shopping at Bridgeport Village (love Anthropologie!) and also go to Monticello Antique Marketplace. If I find some great things tomorrow I will post those right away!

Here are some of the things I got at Farm Chicks....a really great shower curtain created from an old chenille bedspread and some vintage handkerchiefs and great pom pom fringe....

Here is a close-up of the fringe and lace...

Some more fun finds...a couple of vintage aprons, a rose tea set, a purse made out of chenille, an adorable small leather case with children and the May pole, a large syrup jar, an old red sprinkler, and an old wire blanket hitter....

Here's another close-up...

This Farm Chick Is Goin' Shoppin'

Today is the day!!! I can't wait to get to the fairgrounds.....I can hear many cute vintage items calling my name. Rochelle, Rochelle, Rochelle, come see me and take me home with you....I would look so cute in your house. I hope that my expectations are met when I get there and see the stuff. I'm sure it will and I'm sure there is lots to see and do. Farm Chicks look out, here I come!

Yesterday I spent the day in my most favorite store....Macy's. I love, love, love everything they have there. I bought a few things for my Italy trip in September. (Yes, I am going to Italy and can't wait. I will give more details on this trip later. It involves a workshop that is held in the northern region of Italy in a town called Cortona. It is a dream of a lifetime!) I always find neat things in Macy's and yesterday was no exception. I was only bummed because nothing was on sale, but the prices weren't too bad.

I'll see ya'll later after my day at The Farm Chicks Sale!