Shop Love

Happy Thursday!

Retail, in it's simplest form, is buying something and reselling it. As we move onward with this little dream of mine, I've been spending hours glued to my computer searching, searching, and searching some more for the Holy Grail-which in this case, are the perfect items to stock the shelves of the Market.

A side note to Mrs. Possibility who thinks I don't share enough...I'm not ready to drink the "Hope" wine yet. It's got your name on it. After all, the alias, Mrs. "Possibility" isn't a random coincidence.

I ran across an Etsy shop that I must share. It's no secret that I love anything vintage. If it's vintage and it's french looking, french inspired, french fried, labeled as French, I'm done. It's in the cart. (Virtual or Actual).

Ladies, let me introduce you to the:

The $5 Dollar French Market

That's right, everything is just $5. And everything looks like you just traipsed through the markets in Paris.

This shop is fabulous on so many levels-I'm not sure I have the vocabulary to do it justice but think about it:

-The economy sucks. It's a dollar store for the chic.

-This style is "Oh so tres hot" right now (yeah that was bad, sorry) and they have captured it's very essence and made it ridiculously affordable.

-Their product pictures have this dreamy paris flat in the evening kind of look, you can almost see the lights of the Eiffel tower out the window.

-If you've spent more than $30 on a lot of vintage rhinestone buttons, you will love this shop.

I'll stop the chatter and just let you look:





(All Photos I swiped from their Etsy shop..hope they don't mind...)

Just had to share the love....

Have some shop love to give? Tell me your etsy faves!

Guess what? It's Friday now. Damn.

Commitment Phobic???

I missed my normal Sunday post-sorry those of you who may use this blog as a "break" on Monday morning.

(Reading my blogroll is my reward for focusing on a yucky task. I say to myself, "Just do this and then you can read one post...sheesh! The games I play to get work done. )

Last Thursday, I took (what I consider) a leap and visited some of the "open" retail spaces in this little town. My camera batteries were almost dead so I've no pictorials of this adventure. I did however, as I do, start to question. What am I thinking?

My head tells me, "This is crazy. We are in the midst of economic crisis and you want to cash in your savings and run a boutique?" You really think people who can't pay their mortagages have dollars just lying around to buy foofoo crap that you want to share with the world?"

My heart then answers, "This is crazy. When will it be the right time? Do you really think you can continue this way? There is something inside of you--dying to do this and you are ignoring your voice. Why can't you just listen??? You're the one who always says choose love.

You get the drift......this is when those of us who believe in karma, signs, and/or serendipity throw our hands up.


This was Thursday's horosope (a little weak but..):
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Here's a secret to let out right now: You have talent. You feel gloriously alive when you are being creative. Others will see you shine and they'll be inspired to follow the muses, too.

On Monday I went to Starbuck's for lunch. This was the quote on my coffee:

Starbucks - The Way I See It #76
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.
- Anne Morriss, Starbucks customer

After my mocha, I had a conversation with a person who has zero knowledge of my desires. He was telling me a story and all I can remember is this (or something like it..)

On mountain climbing-You need to make a decision. Either you need to reach the top or figure out how to get down. If you do nothing, you'll probably die.

Your life is only so long.

P.S. I promise pics next time and no personal musings. must get batteries. must make decision.

And the Winner Is.....

Number 14! (Illustrated by Leo Reynolds via Flickr)

Lucky number 14 just happens to be Miss Jennifer from Hope Studios. If you have a messy purse (who doesn't,I ask?) today's post on her blog has a cure.

She is now the lucky owner of "Bloom". I myself can't wait to see a tulip (not my favorite flower) or something else other than muddy snow. Hopefully this will brighten the winter "blecks" and add some girliness to her life.

Thank you all for your 5 letter words, your nice-ities, your participation....it's rewarding to a blogger when they know someone other than themselves actually reads their words.

Happy President's day..

What Do You Love?

Well if you can't decide, start with this lovely piece of art from Bird from a Wire, the Scribble Heart--she's giving it away so get on over to her blog, tell her what you love, and sign up---you've only got until the 15th.

Today, I'm loving:

-the Scribble Heart (see above)

-that it's Friday tomorrow

-Rhinestones

-Pink

-How the party store has many supplies for creating-who knew?

-A cheap, stylish purse

-finding someone that you have something in common with

-little miss and big and little mister

-possibilities

-laughter

Trader Joe's and Robot Love

I went on a "maiden voyage" to Trader Joe's on a special assignment for the job I do for money.

Little did I know, this little place also offers inspiration for the job I do for love.

As a self-proclaimed packaging fool (this means I will generally buy something if it is packaged beautifully), I purchased Kettle Korn (which I'm not that fond of) because of the graphics. Look at the pink and the vintage carnival graphics!

If the pink kettle korn wasn't enough, I looked up from all the fun going around me and see this:

A reusable shopping bag. But not just any "green" bag-A bag that screams "Buy Me!". The graphics, the colors. I've saved the planet and fed my addiction for anything graphic all for $1.99. If there is one in your neighborhood--go visit. You'll find something that delights, I promise.

As if all this grocery shopping wasn't enough excitement for one day, Little Mister's homework for this evening was to create himself a Valentine box.

He's getting older so this will probably be his last year of organized Valentine's celebration. He'll soon be on his own to figure out love...(she says with a sigh)

With help from his creative genetics (and his parents), this family had an impromptu "crafting" session this evening. I forgot how much fun it was to craft with your kids. It's not everyday that an 11 year old will sit down and glue bits of junk (junque) with you.

Some shoeboxes, tinfoil, pipecleaners, and junk drawer scraps and Mr. Robot was born. A door in his stomach ready to be fed with some little professions of love.

P.S. Thanks for all the kind words from your give-away comments...stay tuned on the 16th. Loving your 5 letter words.

Hotcakes, Anniversaries, and Banners

Where the heck have I been, you say? The trunk show I did yesterday has been consuming every free moment of any free time I had. There were so many ideas that I wanted to create and just not enough time in the day to do it all.

These "Pockets Full of Love" sold like hotcakes yesterday. (tutorial here..I edited mine a bit to use my vintage button stash and of course, some ribbon.) What I loved even more was the display board in the background.

See those gold pins? (and the bad dark photo) Love them..brads with little hooks-perfect for hanging the pockets full of love. Duebers believe it or not. Also loving the color combination of grey and this blue (is it carribean or pool?)

I realized, too, that as of February first-I have been blogging for ONE year. What? Another year has passed, another year that is now captured out here in blogland for whomever lands and starts to read.

I love banners and bunting and was inspired to create a few for the show. Either you love them or you don't-lets just say "lovers" were not in attendance at this particular event. They were my favorite thing to make so I'm secretly delighted to be able to keep them-except for this one.

Because this one, in celebration of One Year, will go to one of you. Leave me a comment with your favorite 5 letter word and I'll randomly select someone on Monday (try to make the day a little better) the 16th.

Remember my old teacup quest? I only have the "ugly ones" (which are still worthy) left and whipped this up to give to the woman hosting the trunk show. The satin ribbon covers up the "ugly" stuff and the result looks pretty cute.

A productive week but now I must clean up the disaster area I have been neglecting.