what a birthday!

What a way to start off my birthday week! The big day is not until Sunday, but my new Aunt in Law got me tickets to see the broadway show Avenue Q tonight. My mom is making my favorite dinner tomorrow night, fried cube steak with mash potatoes and gravy and fresh veggies! And I'll be in Oklahoma visiting my favorite aunt and cousins by noon on Friday! Not to mention hubby has something special planned for when I get back next week! What a lucky girl I am to have such an exciting and whirl wind birthday!! Check out the reviews for Avenue Q, here.

I'll blog from Oklahoma with all my great junquin finds!! I can't wait to get my fix, it has been months and months since my last junque adventure!!

Later ya'll

HAYHAY

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Hey Ya'll! I am officially back in action! I can not believe my last post was July 7th! Oh my how the time flies! My life has changed in many ways since then! I moved to a new place, got married and went honeymooning!Of course I have not changed one bit! It is funny, my new hubby (old bf) and I have been dating for 9 years before we got married back on October 3, 2008. I am not sure why I thought things should change or feel differently when we tied the knot, but nothing has changed and I don't feel any different! I mean for god's sakes I even had my last name changed, but no difference otherwise! People keep telling me that it is a good thing and that is the way it is supposed to be, but I am still not convinced! Well this is a short post, but nonetheless I should have a lot more exciting things to talk about coming soon! I promise to give more wedding and appropriate honeymoon details and photos later this week. AND I am taking two trips in the next 4 weeks and celebrating 2 holidays, So there will be lots of gabbing to come... STAY TUNED!


This is my one and only moving pic! Moonpie wanted to make sure that she would not be left behind in all the moving madness!

HAYHAY

phew!

Well today was the first day at my NEW JOB! I am exhausted! I should have taken it easier over the long weekend knowing that I had to get up bright and early today, but I had to celebrate America's Birthday with a BANG! Hope that you all had a Happy 4th! I am off to take a nap now, but just wanted to check in and let ya'll know about my first day! It was tiring, and I think that I am over qualified for the job, but the people are nice, the office is quiet and I think I am really going to like it there! Hang tight, I promise to have a more exciting post later this week!

HAYHAY

Newbies!

Okay, I have been really slacking on my posts lately, but I promise to try and get back in the groove of things this week!

I am currently in the process of acquiring vintage rooster junque for my kitchen, so you can imagine my excitement when my dear Auntie gave me these "vintage" rooster salt and pepper shakers! Aren't they too cute?!

Dontcha just love these candlesticks??? These were part of the "haystack" that Miss Liz found for me, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!! I "inherited": so much great stuff from Miss Liz, since she just moved to Kentucky and was simplifying her life! Check out her blog, here!
I picked up this beautiful bowl from the antiquing excursion mom and I had a few weeks ago, and it fits perfectly in this plate rack that I found a few months back! I can't wait to serve appetizers in it at my next gathering!!

My cousin MO, spied this beauty while we were out on our junking trip in Saint Cloud, and it is so pretty in the plate stand.
This is the rest of the haystack from my dear Auntie!Miss Roxy is however the best thing I brought home from my trip to Saint Cloud! Isn't she beautiful, she saw the camera and promptly posed to have her picture taken. I adopted her from Aunt Shanaenae, so now I will always have piece of her here in my home.

She wasn't too happy to share the lime light with my beloved Bella(below) at first, but now....

They are fast friends and Roxy even lets Bella sleep on her blankie! Roxy + Bella = BFF!

Now if I can just get Roxy to go outside without me, we'll all be happy! Well she'll be learning this week because next week it is back to work! THAT'S RIGHT PEOPLE, I am gainfully employed again! WOO HOO! It has been both nice and stressful being out of work these last three weeks, but I was happy to have an interview this morning with a local insurance company. I wasn't sure it went too well, but they called not an hour later to offer me the job!! WAA HOO!! I am excited to be going back to work in a new field, wish me luck!!

Ya'll have a great week, and don't forget to tune in for Here's your sign Friday.

I promise to post this week!!

HAYHAY

HayHay's gotta brand new bag!

Just look at this gorgeous vintage hand bag that I found at one of the local thrift shops! Isn't it beautiful?? I have been collecting vintage purses for a while now, although I only have a few. I can never resist picking one up when I am out junking, as long as they are within my price range that it.

I also picked up this covered Pyrex dish with the silver holder and a footed vanity mirror! This is the only one I have come across so far that has feet! I also picked up a cut glass perfume bottle, and one other vanity mirror for my wedding centerpieces!


I am almost done hunting down the glassware and mirrors for my centerpieces, thanks mostly to Aunt Sharron. Check out this stack of mirrors of mirrors she sent home in the "haystack"!!

Hope you're all having a great week!

HAYHAY

Here's MY sign!

Today is here's your sign Friday, I am a lover of vintage signs and can never resist picking one up when I am out junking! So I decided to start Here's your sign Friday-a weekly blog to show of vintage signs that I absolutely love. But this week I decided to change it up a bit. As many of you know I have been out of work for a full week now and IT IS THE PITS!! I am afraid that I am going to be one of those people standing at the bottom of the interstate off ramp holding a will work for.. sign! However I think my sign will read:

There are a lot of these people standing on the corners of Jacksonville holdings signs, especially during rush hours. MY favorite guy stands on the off ramp of I295 and Blanding Blvd, his sign states: "I'm not gonna lie, I need a BEER!" At least he is original right? He admits what he will use the money for, if you are so kind as to hand it out to him. I have always been one of those people who thought "they can get a job if they really wanted to work", but now I am on the other side of that fence! I have been trying and trying all week to get a job, and nada, zilch, nothing. No phone calls, no emails, no interviews! THIS UNEMPLOYMENT THING SUCKS! I received my last paycheck from my old job today, so you'll have to tune in for more here's your sign Fridays to see what happens!

Wish me luck! Hope that you all have a fantastic weekend!

HAYHAY

Delicious Dogs!

It's that time again, Here's your sign Friday! I found this sign very fitting for today, here's why. Here in Jacksonville, the movie theatre has $5 movies Monday through Thursday, and we have a gift card left over from Easter. On Wednesday we were going to have a cheap date night, dinner and a movie out. Well our plans were drenched with the downpours, thunder and lighting that snuck up on us. So tonight is our postponed date night, although our plans have changed a little. Are any of you familiar with Orange Tree? It is an eatery in our mall and they have the BEST EVER HOT DOGS! I love their slaw dog with mustard and Honey always gets his loaded with slaw, chili, and cheese. They also have a yummilicious Orange Slush, all of which we can have, with a fountain coke, for under $10 TOTAL! I am a hot dog fanatic anyway, but usually won't eat them unless they're grilled at home or at a ball game. Orange Tree hot dogs take first prize over all the others! Not to mention they are Nathan's all beef hot dogs, which are my absolute FAVE! Honey and I are off tonight to the mall for an evening of hot dogs and shopping. I'll be in HEAVEN!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

HAYHAY

Bloggin Fiend!

I have been a blogging fiend this week! Mostly due to the lack of work I have left to do at my job. Tomorrow is my last day, I am actually relieved. I have been so bored this week, but it has allowed for lots of blogging and visiting of other blogs. You never realize how many wonderful and inspiring blogs are out there until you have absolutely nothing to do! I can honestly say that I have spent the majority of my 32 hours this week in BLOG LAND, and it has been absolutely perfecto! SHHH I am trying to get out of my last day,and hopefully set up some interviews for tomorrow!! Why sit here on a beautiful Friday when I can take a LOOONG weekend!! We'll see what happens.

In the meantime, this is a cute little table setting that I created. Not to long ago I moved my large dining room table into my scrap room so I would have more space and I moved this little round table to the dining room. It seats 4 people, but since there are only honey and myself I set two places (although we rarely sit at the table to eat dinner). This yellow charger is from my days as a Pier 1 Assistant Manger. I got to see the merch as it came in the back door and also create the wonderful displays that assault you when you walk in the front door. I was the lucky girl that got to do ALL the markdowns! So when I saw something I couldn't live without I would stash it in the store room until it went on sale or markdown and then I used my 30% manager discount on top of the discounted price to purchase amazing items for dirt cheap! Oh how I miss that job and it's advantages!

Rambling on, so anyhow the yellow ceramic chargers came from Pier 1. Then when on an excursion to Orlando to visit my aunt and adopted junque aunt, I came across these cute little cups and saucers and knew they matched perfectly!! Ah what you can find in someone else's junque piles!! I brought them home washed them up and set the table.

In case you didn't know, green is my favorite , so when I saw this painted tray at my favorite antique shop, i just couldn't pass it up! It was the first thing to catch my eye when I walked in the front door. I didn't pick it up because it was a little too pricey for me. So after walking around and picking up a few other treasure I couldn't live without I went to check out and there was this tray, staring at me again. Well silly me didn't notice the BIG YELLOW sign before but it was on the 50% OFF shelf!! WOO HOO, I scooped it right up along with these two milk glass vases, also 50% OFF! I am telling you it was my lucky day!


When My Aunt gave back my first ever childhood dresser, I knew immediately that it had to be used as a sideboard in my dining room, but I wasn't sure what to do with all that decorating space. "Just pick a theme" my aunt said, and that's where all the milk glass comes into play. I just love the way the green and white mix together! And with picking up the two vases and tray on sale, I found some of the others at thrift stores for dirt cheap and of course one was contributed by my dear Aunt!

Hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend!

I pledge to be productive this weekend, and venture out of the house, and my pjs, at least once!

HAYHAY

Grateful

Just when I was feeling down, this lovely little gift came my way. A big thank you to Ms Liz at Bound 4 Kentucky for recognizing me with this great blog award. It is really she who should be recognized. I've only known her for a short time, but she has become my adopted Junque Auntie. She always has great advice for me, and I love the daily Lizisms that will make your sides hurt from laughing. My favorite happens to be "She is a dump truck and the world is her landfill," spoken of those who continue to take all the good things people and life have to offer and never giving back anything but trash. So Thank You Ms Liz for this lovely award, I am honored. If you are not familiar with Ms Liz, stop by her blog and read some of her daily musings. Be sure you are not holding a drink and do not have anything in your mouth, because she is sure to make you laugh! We wouldn't want you choking, spitting all over the computer, or alas having that drink squirting out of your nose! Enjoy ya'll! PS-her most recent post is not so funny, but very dear to my heart-

I am passing this along to my Favorite Auntie, Vintage Girl at Heart. She is the most wonderful woman in my life! She recently posted about her grand mama, my great grand mama Ruth, and what an inspiration she was for my Aunt. I feel that same way about her, she is an inspiration to me and and I am always finding little ways to be just like her! She is always thinking of me on her junque adventures and sending me little goodies through the mail. Not to mention she has given me some wonderful vintage heirlooms, that belonged to my great grand mama! What a lucky girl I am to have such an inspiring and wonderful woman to look up to!!

NaeNae, I just want to say thank you for always being there for me and treating me like one of your children. I am very lucky to have you in my life and I appreciate all the things that you do for me! I love you!!

Hope the rest of you have a FABULOUS DAY!!

HAYHAY

junque junque junque

Hello all! You'll be glad to hear that I am in much better spirits today! After a weekend of staying in my house, moping, laid up on the couch in my pajamas for 2 WHOLE DAYS, I am feeling much much better!

I have been wanting to share some pics of my "kitchen shelf", so here they are! There is 1-1/2 or 2 foot space between my kitchen cabinets and the ceiling. My Auntie, Vintage Girl At Heart, has the REAL ceiling inserts in her newer home, lined with all sorts of neat things, so when I moved into my place I used her home as inspiration. I decided to do a vintage kitchen theme on my "shelves", to which my fabulous Auntie generously contributed most of the items. Here are some pics below.

In this corner is a vintage teal ice grinder, old grease can and a more shabby than vintage cake stand, but not to be fooled, that is my great grand mama's very vintage gravy boat on top!

Also from my great grand mama's collection a cut glass brandy snifter, the vintage tole painted tray and milk glass cake stand all contributed by my dear Auntie!

This side of the kitchen has a fabulous tole painted cake taker, cookie canister, a not so vintage yellow Tupperware canister(but I love it anyway) and an old cheese grater. That silver platter in the back is a pie plate that you would put on top of you pies when baking to keep them from cooking over. There is a hole in the middle so that the pie will still bake through and even brown a little on top.

I have a few interviews this week, so wish me luck!!

Here's hoping you all have a great week!

HayHay

Challenges

Well, it has been one of those weeks... I've been laid off. I work for a trucking company as the admin/catch all/payroll girl, and we just got news yesterday that our office will be closing down and 100 employees will be out of jobs. Lucky me I get to stay for an extra week to "help with termination paperwork and tie up any loose ends." They're going to let me come to work everyday for the next six days knowing that at 5pm on the 6th day I won't have a job. That is a real jump starter when you wake up in the morning. It is rough to be let go/FIRED without having done anything to deserve it. I know that this is a bad time for a lot of people and that this is not the only company closing/cutting back, but let me tell you it is the pits! Not to mention now I have to go through the searching/applying/testing/interviewing for a new job. SUCKO!

I can't decide if this is a blessing in disguise, since I have been miserable at my job for the last year, Or if it is a terrible event that I must endure and conquer. Is it a good thing that they are letting me know so I can look for a new job while I still have a paycheck coming in? Should I be angry and upset at being let go? Or grateful for the new opportunities? This is a very discouraging and confusing time for me.

I am thankful to be a strong, independent girl or else I might fall to pieces. Luckily I have a great man, who has already called everyone he knows to put out the feelers and call us if they hear/know of any openings around town. He is so sweet, and he has been trying so hard to keep my spirits up saying "you can mope as much as you want, but don't let this get you too far down." He is very encouraging, comforting, and understanding. At least I do not have to go through this alone. He makes it hard for me to mope, pout and be upset.

Well ya'll I just needed a little vent session! Thanks for listening and wish me luck on this new chapter in my life.

If you've got it, flaunt it...

This came along with my Gardening Magic book. The inside reads "If you dont got it, find someone with it, push them to the ground, take it, and run." HAHAHA I love it! This card and book did their job of brightening up my day. I hope you all chuckled a little with me!


Upon opening my package and cackling over this card, I promptly called my cousin to thank her. She said "I knew it was you, isn't it funny?" to which I replied "Sooo funny, but I already have it so I won't have to push anyone down!" SHE LAUGHED HYTERICALLY AT ME!! And after she caught her breath she said, "Ah somehow I knew you'd say that!"


HELLOOO of course I said that! I am a Southern Diva afterall!! Here's your sign..

So ladies, I know you're all got it! FLAUNT IT!

Gardening MAGIC!!

My wonderful cousin Mo, sent me this AMAZING book: Joey Green's Gardening Magic! She thought of me since I am budding gardener and also because the cover looks so retro! I love it! This is just the kind of gardening inspiration I needed! It gives you tons of gardening tips and tricks using household items. From ridding your garden of pests, deodorizing trash cans and keeping the raccoons out of your garbage. It has tricks for keeping you clothes clean and your pruning sheers sharp, how to make your cut flowers last longer, general maintenance on your lawn mower, and keeping the mosquitoes away!

It also has a several sections for tips on growing specific plants, flowers, fruits and veggies! I am telling you if you have any gardening questions this book has the answer! I am in love, I have only thumbed through it a couple of times but I always learn something new! I can't wait to sit down with it this weekend after an exhausiting day of junkin' and actually read it!

Happy Thursday to all! Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for HERE'S YOUR SIGN FRIDAY!! It is sure to be a hoot this week.

Bloomin Tuesday..

A little birdie told me that I should participate in "Bloomin Tuesday" hosted by Ms Green Thumb Jean. Well, my poor Gerber Daisy, Kalanchoe and Hibiscus have been eaten alive by these huge black and yellow grasshoppers that took over my lawn! So off to HD we went to get something to rid ourselves of these little suckers.

The guy swore up and down that the Seven Dust Concentrate, the one you hook up to the water hose, "will kill every living thing in your yard." Well, HE WAS WRONG!! It got rid of most of the little boogers, but not before they ate up everything in the ground! There are still a few lurking around, and they multiply like rabbits; so I am going to have to treat my yard AGAIN this weekend.

Therefore I can only show you what's blooming on my porch!

I bought two new Hibiscus at HD last weekend too. The tag just said multi colored, so I was really surprised when this one bloomed in light pink

and this one is a reddish orange. This was the color of my other two before honey killed one and the grasshoppers ate the other.

Lastly, this geranium was an Easter present from my mother in law. She has really rubbed off on me, I am starting to inherit her green thumb!

Centerpieces

What a fabulous weekend I had, only to be ruined yesterday with a touch of that nasty little cold that is going around. My allergies have been in full swing lately, so I can not figure out if this sore throat and fatigue are a by product of the allergy medicine or if it is the cold that honey brought back from Cocoa Beach!! Either way it is not fun! I am going home to curl up with a bowl of soup and the movie "PS I Love you"! I have been dying to see it, and this is the perfect opportunity since I have the house to myself all week!!

These are my wedding centerpieces. I am doing all different vintage cut glass desert cups and goblets, and displaying them on vintage vanity trays! Aren't they gorgeous?! I love them! The hall we rented was built in 1830, and is very vintage chic inside so these will go perfectly. I am very excited, I'm not sure I will be able to wait until October!!!!

Happy Monday!

Here's your sign..

Vintage Girl at Heart and I have decided to do a Friday, "Here's your sign" post each week. Being that we both love vintage signs we though it would be a perfect way to link our blogs. So here is today's sign..

As women, we all spend so much time dieting, hating our bodies, and picking at ourselves that we forget that FULL FIGURED is in! In fact every time I go shopping the only sizes on the rack are 0-4 or extra small/small, there are never any clothes in my size which must mean I am not the only full figured gal in town! I vote we all "EAT MORE" be happy with who we are and appreciate ourselves. I always thought that I was fat and needed to loose weight, but in fact I am "BEEutiFULL" to quote a wise woman. The fact of the matter is, no one is going to love us if we don't love ourselves first, so join me in being happy with my full figured self and EAT MORE!!

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

Do you ever have one of those day when you just want to rip out your hair or someone else's for that matter???? Well today was my day! The Funny thing is when I got home and logged on, I received a chain letter that stated "If you do not re-send this you will have the worst day of your life tomorrow." HAH! Little do they know, it can't get much worse than this day. If it does PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PUT MY OUT OF MY MISERY!!

I would have much rather been here....

doing this today!!
At my scrap weekend, I overheard/saw a lady show a picture like this of herself and say "this is the only pic of me you will ever see at the beach!"
I thought it was too funny, and had to steal her idea last weekend!

Alas only one more day and then I am spending my WHOLE ENTIRE Saturday at the beach! Presuming, I can keep my sanity that long!! If you do not hear from me in a week's time, assume I have been hauled off to the loony bin. I left instructions for feeding honey and the cats...any volunteers??


Until then, here's hoping you all had a much better day than I!

Ribbons of Pink Antiques

I am in love!!! Jacksonville is not the best place for junkin, at least I didn't think so, but now I know why! The dealers at Ribbons of Pink are buying up all the good junque! No wonder I can't find anything. This beautiful store is located just 5 seconds from my office, can we say TROUBLE?? I usually end up getting lost in itand loosing track of time! They always have a great variety of junque; I like it because there are 15+ dealers with prices varying from cheap to reasonable to outrageous!

I love these old phones, and they were sitting on one of those old phone tables! This is the second one that I have seen and I want one, although I have no where to put it!

And just look at all this depression glassware-I absolutley love the green!

This is the dealer I usually buy from, he doesn't mark anything up. (At least that is what the lady told me)

Being a beer lover, I bought us a new Budweiser tea pitcher from this dealer.

I bought a bunch of cut glass goblets from this lady to use in my wedding centerpieces.

And this is my absolute favorite booth!!! I always end up spending most of my lunch break and money in this spot!!

I always visit this dealer last. I can't afford anything in this room, but she display's it all so elegantly!!

Well that's my little slice of heaven! I am off to visit a new thrift store that I spotted on my way in this morning, WISH ME LUCK!