The One That Got Away

I got to the auction late today 
(thanks to my husband - the dawdler) 
and this is what I missed:  

I'm in mourning because it was love at first sight.


You can't tell in the photo but the paint was the most perfect shade of vintage faded blue you've ever seen.
The color of the sky on a summer day! 

It had 32 drawers!   

(The two missing drawers didn't phase me.   I would have moved two of the top drawers to the empty spaces and replaced them with cool baskets.)

I will never find another one exactly like it!
It was fabulous!


I even tracked down the dealer who bought it thinking I'd buy it from him because I fell for it hard!   
Sadly, he had already sold it to another dealer who had no interest in re-selling it.


All I could do was walk away.
But not without turning around to glimpse it one more time....


Sigh.....

I'm in Love - Again

I've been wondering how a psychiatrist would analyze one of my obsessions.  

It's my latest love and I can't get enough!  

I'm drawn to apothecary chests, antique tool boxes and vintage cubbies.

You may remember it all started last fall when I first fell in love (here).
 But, sadly, like always, eventually my heart was broken.   
(Just seeing my love again makes my heart ache!)  

My new love is a clever combination of 20 antique boxes and a vintage dresser.  A truly unique, one of kind piece.   

Don't you just love it?   


What does my obsession say about me?   


A need to be contained?


Out of control life?


Craving order?   


All I know is when it's love, it's love, there's not much you can do about it!

(To any psychiatrists:   feel free to analyze me!)  


(To anyone interested in this fabulous piece:   e-mail me!)


It may also be available at my next Chartreuse and Co. show in August!

Ballerina Girl

When I was a child we didn't have birthday parties like kids do now.

No one had ponies, clowns, laser tag or moon bounces.

At least in my family, birthdays were typically much more low key and were usually spent quietly at home.    

And as the youngest of four I remember having exactly one party.

It was at our favorite park in Columbiana, a small Ohio town, and all of my relatives on my mom's side were there.

Grandma Ginny, Aunt Evelyn, Uncle Norman, my parents, siblings and assorted cousins.  

It was probably the best birthday I ever had because for just one great summer day it was all about me!

My cake was adorned with ballerinas, I got to drink my own bottle of Pepsi and my single present, a Barbie dream house was truly a dream come true!   

(Yes, I was still playing with Barbies at 9!)


It's one day from my childhood that when I close my eyes I can still see and feel all of the details of that special day.


It was one of those beautiful blue sky cloudless days!


The pavilion was all ours and we spent the day swimming, playing horseshoes and pushing each other on the swings.   

And most shocking of all, my siblings were actually nice to me!  

(Although my memory is probably fuzzy on that detail!)

It was my birthday and for one day I truly felt special.   

That day was 40 years ago today.   

Today's birthday has a decidedly different feel.  

I spent much of it at the DMV renewing my driver's license in the company of my children and 200 complete strangers.

After surviving that we ventured to Chipotle for my birthday lunch.  

At which I paid.   

Followed up by ice cream through the drive through of McDonald's.

Where I paid again.  

But you know what?

I may not have ballerinas, Barbies or my family's undivided attention today, but I wouldn't trade today's celebration for anything.

My priorities have changed since I was 9.

It doesn't have to be about me anymore.

The truth is, I'm happy to be alive!   


And every day is a gift!   

Happy birthday to me!

Photo of my oldest brother, Brian and I on my birthday.  
Circa 1970!

Obsessed!

Have I told you about my current obsessions?

Numbers

Cubbies

and

Galvanized

If you have the same love stop by Chartreuse this weekend!  

I have it all!

Today at the Auction

I woke up this morning to gray skies and sprinkles and debated whether to go to the auction.  

It's an outdoor event and you never know if it's worth the drive when the weather is iffy.  

It was definitely worth the trip.   

Check out today's finds:  

I love this little table because it's made from salvage materials - old porch posts and barn wood.

I loved this federal style mirror but will definitely be updating it a bit.   I'll paint it creamy white and distress it.   I might even pop the mirror out and turn it into a chalkboard.  

The gilded mirror will definitely get turned into a fabulous chalkboard.  

And my favorite find of the day is this cottage style sideboard!    

In fact, I love so much it's temporarily residing in my family room until I can get it up to the barn.

Or not!  

Don't you just love the chipped paint and trimwork?

Now, this one I actually found last week in one of my travels.

it's a fabulous 9 foot bakery table with butcher block top and galvanized legs that I found at an old Baltimore bakery that closed its door. 
It would be a really cool kitchen island!   

At Chartreuse - This Weekend

Chartreuse - June - 2010 - slideshows

This Month's Tag Sale

I'm heading up to Chartreuse this morning to get our space ready for next weekend's tag sale and I'll post some photos when I get back.

In the meantime, this is what's going on:

Stunning French chairs, settees, and ottomons.  

Cool industrial cubbies and accessories.

Soft, comfy cottage furnishings.   

Fabulous architectural salvage.

(I'm obsessed with stained glass windows this month and have several for sale!)

It's all there!   

Plan to stop by:

Chartreuse and Co.  

Buckeystown, Maryland

Where's He Going?

This is my life:

My husband and two sons are riveted to the television

Waiting.....

Waiting......

With bated breath......

Wondering where Lebron James is going?

Will he stay in Cleveland?

Will he go to Miami?

The Bulls?

Good God!

Who cares?

My boys do........

This just in....


He's going to Miami


"It's his best chance to win a championship."


Loser.


Seriously.


So he abandoned his home state, he grew up 30 miles from Cleveland just so he can possibly win a championship.


Why is the message always about winning?


What about loyalty, integrity, commitment?


I hope he loses every game.


Not very nice, I know.


But it's how I feel.


Now, back to American Pickers.

Vintage Vavoom!

You know I love auctions, right?

I love them because you just never know what you're going to find!
 I've picked up all kinds of really great things for my home and my barn shows.

I've been to dozens of auctions up and down the east coast.

But not once have I had a chance to bid on something like this that I found on Auction Zip today:

Tue Jul 6 - 10:00AM   Washington , DC    R. L. Rasmus Auctioneers, Inc. Nude Dancing License Washington DC    [ View Full Listing ]

Yes, you read that right!  


A nude dancing license in Washington, D.C.! 


And since I don't live too far from D.C.  
it has me thinking of the possibilities!

I could hire my suburban housewife, seasonal sweater wearing, book club, and bunco playing friends and we could totally reinvent the whole nude dancing world!   


You know, real women! 
Some slightly chubby.
A little older than the typical stripper girl.  
Maybe even a little saggy.
But still fabulous in their own right!
It would bring a new "maturity" to the world of nude dancing.   


I've already thought up the decor!
Antique charm furnishings to reflect a more, ahem, vintage performer!   

Hmm....
on second thought, maybe, not!
Even I'm having trouble with the visual......!  


But if you're interested, it's up for grabs tomorrow morning at the auction!

The Home Stretch

My oldest son called from camp last night.

When I heard his voice I started to tear up.

I've missed him so much!   

I was emotional not because he's been gone too long, but because he sounded so amazingly happy!  

He's having a great time!

He's challenging himself.  

(It's a Boy Scout program run by the Navy Seals!)

He's absolutely loving it.  

The excitement in his voice made me cry!

And that brings me joy!

But, my heart is anxious about my younger son.   

We haven't heard from him.

His camp has a strict no calls home rule.

It's designed to reduce the chance of homesickness.

His troop does have a blog though and the leaders post snippets and photos every night.

He's been in several and I've studied them intently.

Looking at his facial expression captured at the moment trying to read how he's doing.

And I can't tell.

There's a slight smile, but is it a smirk, or a brave face he's putting on?

You'd think I'd know.

He's my baby!

Then there's the letter home I got in the mail yesterday.

I saw it in the mailbox and my heart leapt!

My youngest is a writer and has a way with words beyond his years.

He pens stories and creates jokes that are downright funny!  

So when I pulled the letter out of the envelope I just knew it would be a detailed chronicle of his time spent at camp, an interesting tale woven with adventure, achievements and silly stories.

But it wasn't.  

The pages were blank.

As in nothing.

Not a single. stinking. word!   

What does that mean?   

Does the blankness summarize his thoughts on the camp?

There's nothing to say?

Or is it the jokester in him having some fun with me?  

So, I go back to the blog.  

And search his face again.

Comforted in the thought that we're in the homestretch.

The kids will be home tomorrow....

Hmm, what do you think?

Does this sweet boy look happy?

Like Riding a Bike

Okay.

I can do this thing.

It's all coming back to me now.

I remember it from last year.

The kids were gone for a week then too,  and I survived.

Quite nicely, as I recall.

It just takes a while to get out of the "Mama" mode and into the "Me" mode!

I was a little rusty, but I think I have it now.

It's all coming back to me.  


The joy of alone time.  

I went to the auction today and for the first time in a year I didn't need to be back in time to pick up the kids.   

So, I lingered, and savored my "me" time doing what I love most.

(You know, after the wife and mother thing!)

I bid like crazy!

'Til my van was packed and the cash was gone!  

And it felt crazy good!   

Only three more days for "me".  

I better get to it.....


(Photo found here)

Day 2: Hmmm

I'm wrapping up day two of "My kids are at camp!" euphoria  with a little less enthusiasm than I started the day with.

Sure, I'm having a great time doing whatever I feel like and have already packed in some of favorite things:

A Sunday afternoon antique auction

Hunting for treasures in a dealer friend's garage

Hitting T.J. Maxx and Tuesday Morning without the kids

Napping during this afternoon's thunderstorm

(Definitely blissful!)  

Rearranging my living room (again)!   

But even without my stinkerdoodles here the mama bear in me keeps whispering to me.  

I hope the boys:

Slept well

Remembered to brush their teeth

Were safe in the storms that swept up the east coast

Are having a great time

Aren't homesick

but, maybe, they 

missed their mama just a teensy tiny bit!?   

I'm hoping day three will bring a little less worry.

I do however,  know it's going to bring:

breakfast with the barn girls

an afternoon auction in the country

And an evening curled up with three new decorating magazines that arrived in today's mail!

Hmm.......until then, 

Do you think they remembered to say their prayers?

I'm Going To Miss Them......

The kids left for Boy Scout camp this afternoon.

(For a week!)

The husband is off on a military trip.

(For five days!)

Which means I have the house to myself!   

Is it wrong to feel so giddy?!!!

Cooling Power

It's ghastly hot in Maryland this week, but it's super cool at The Barn! 

We're open again tomorrow, Friday, June 25th from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a summer sale!   

The a/c is on and all of our furniture is 20% off!

It's a super cool place to beat the heat!

3250 Bottner Road

Gambrills, MD  21054

410/903-1583

Photo Courtesy of Flickr

Port, For Sure

My boys and I figured it out!  

Port is the left side of a boat, starboard the right!   

We passed our tests and are now licensed to operate boats in the state of Maryland!   

Now, what kind of boat should we get?  

In other news, my sale is this weekend at Chartreuse and Co., in Buckeystown, MD.  

Stop by and check it out!