Watch Out, Waco!

Hey Y’all!

The Girls were let loose on the streets of Waco this weekend. My shopping buddies (and dear, dear friends) and I went junkin’ on Saturday and Waco was our target destination.

Had it all planned out … I googled antique and thrift stores in Waco, complete with a map pinpointing the location of each one. We promptly got lost and ended up in a not-so-nice neighborhood. No worries. One of us spotted a yard sale sign and we soon forgot about the map.

I scored TONS of bling (pics below), including some way cool antique watches (for crafting projects). The prices weren’t bad, but I paid a much higher price for traipsing through their tall grass: chigger bites all over my lower legs. Hmmph!

Eventually we found two of the four GWs in Waco. The Girls scored some goodies and I stocked up on some dangly earrings (a girl can NEVER have too many dangly, blingy earrings!).

As planned, we swooped around The Circle and ate at The Elite … an historic landmark in Waco. Elvis frequented The Elite when he was stationed at Fort Hood in the 50s. Good food, good friends, good times.

We finally made it downtown to The Gossip Bench, a quaint little antique store. Treasure pics below.

Got home last night, exhausted but happy. Junkin’ with The Girls is always good medicine for me. And I got a full dose of it this weekend!

Enjoy the pics.

Love and hugs to all,

Terry Lee

chigger-infested yard sale

bling loot from the yard sale

ohmygosh! i LOVE these old watches!!! yard sale find!

more little doodads from the yard sale

who takes pictures of the goodwill sign? crazy ME!

the girls getting down and dirty at the goodwill. you GO girls!

terry lee playing dress up in the goodwill

who takes pics of the GW mannequins?! that would be moi. she looked so sad!

my new dangle earrings (ala goodwill)

the landmark elite

the girls, sitting in THE booth where elvis sat!

lovin' up on elvis at the elite cafe, elvis room

elvis at fort hood

my favorite elvis pic (yummy!)

jannetta in front of the gossip bench antique store

great little brown pyrex piece and turquoise plate from the gossip bench ... love them!

great old wire basket from the gossip bench antique store

the landmark alico building, downtown waco ... that thing is TALL!

county courthouse (yawn). where's the junk?!

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Viva the Virgos! (or something like that)

Hey y’all,

This past weekend was filled with birthday celebrations, presents, balloons and cakes. Saturday was my sweet hubby Ben’s birthday. Won’t say how old he is because he’s been known to read my blogs. ha! And Sunday was my daughter Tara’s 26th birthday.

Yes, it’s always a little crazy, having two birthdays back to back. But it’s all a labor of love.

As I was preparing (mentally) for their birthdays, birthing memories started washing over me … well, memories of Tara’s birth. Not Ben’s. However, there is a “birth story” for Ben, passed down from his mother Clara Lee (LOVE her middle name!!) which I’ll share in a minute.

Tara wasn’t crying when she was born and I asked if she was okay. The nurse said, “She’s fine; just sleeping.” (Probably something to do with the Demerol they gave me!!)

Then they placed her in my arms and I thought she was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. A perfectly round head, covered in the softest, silkiest golden hair imaginable. It looked like a halo … and she lay there, all cuddled in blankets, sleeping like an angel.

When I fed her for the first time, I was shocked at how much she drank. Without fanfare, she slugged down the entire 4 oz of formula in nothing flat and was sucking air, wanting more. Hmmm. A hungry little angel, I thought.

Tara and I were talking about this (as we always do on her birthday), and it wasn’t lost on either of us that she hasn’t changed much. She still loves to sleep and still has a healthy appetite! Happy Birthday, my 26 year old golden-haired angel!

Ben’s story is a much different tale. He was born at home, with two physicians in attendance. He claims his mother was on an ironing board while giving birth (and if so, SHAME on that doctor … even though he’s probably long dead by now). When Ben was born, the first doctor pronounced him dead and tossed him on the bed. But the second physician wasn’t giving up yet. He picked up baby Ben and successfully resuscitated him.

Thank God for second doctors!

Happy Birthday, Ben … honey o’ mine!

Gotta have pictures, especially for those who don’t like to read. haha! They’re a mish-mash of this’n’that. Some birthday, some of Sue’s magic (naturally!), etc.

Love and hugs to all!

Birthday Girl

Great old 'Baby Ben' clock ... in honor of MY Ben's birthday

Sweet cottage sign from Sue's

Adorable little Paris Lady picture, Sue's creation

An ordinary book, transformed (as if by MAGIC!) into a Paris lovely. Great work, Sue!

LOVELY crotcheted doily (from Sue's booth, natch)

A wannabe Vintage Queen (me) posing with the real deal. Talk about craziness!

Darling little 'sweet pea' ... Sue's magic

Mother and child (Is it possible for me to have a 26 year old?!?!)

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Chairs, Children and Cheetos

Hey y’all!

We (Central Texas) escaped the worst of Ike’s strike, thank God. But it breaks my heart to see the damage Ike wreaked on Galveston Island. I have so many wonderful childhood (and adult) memories of the island.

As promised, here are some photos of my new furniture. We recently put in new flooring (see previous blog) and so naturally, the old furniture looked even worse on the new floor … which meant new furniture!

Having raised three children (if you count my 15 year old, who technically isn’t totally raised), I should’ve known that my new furniture wouldn’t remain pristine for long. But I didn’t expect it to happen so frickin’ soon.

Last night, after a lovely dinner with my loving hubby, I put my jammies on and settled into MY chair (oversized, stuffy, comfy chair that I called dibs on before the furniture was even delivered) to watch Ike’s mischief on the Weather Channel.

My feet were the first to notice something amiss. The ottoman was covered with something that felt very uncomfortable to my tootsies.

“What’s on this thing?” I asked aloud while hubby sat quietly on the loveseat, tracking Ike.

On closer inspection, I started to notice orange crumbs all over the ottoman AND chair. Oh.My.Gawd. There were CHEETO crumbs everywhere.

That’s when I remembered that my son (yes, the 15 year old whom I haven’t fully raised) told me that he ate Cheetos and Poptarts for lunch that day (we believe in well-balanced, nutritious diets). He was home alone and apparently decided to have himself a little picnic ON. MY. NEW. FURNITURE. And of course, he chose MY CHAIR.

Sheesh!! The furniture salesman said my new furniture was stain resistant and had the “best in the business” scotchguard. So I tried not to panic and began wiping, shaking, sifting, shifting and lifting a trillion damn Cheeto crumbs and orange stains off my brand spanking new chair and ottoman.

I was sick. SICK. I think I got them all, finally, but at the cost of a near stroke and nervous breakdown.

Hubby, still watching Ike from the new loveseat, gave little moral support. “I use the TV tray when I eat in here”, he offered. “Besides, it’s only furniture, honey.”

Okay, I KNOW it’s only furniture (and there’s a huge hurricane slamming Texas) but it’s BRAND NEW FURNITURE. I’d hoped that we could be civilized enough to keep it clean for at LEAST a week or two. Especially since there are no toddlers or a certain long-haired chihuahua (hello, Domino … I still love you!) in the house.

Sigh.

When my son returns home from his father’s this weekend, we’re going to sit down together and have us a little “come to Jesus” chat: No eating on the new furniture! Here’s a novel idea … eat at the flipping DINING TABLE. We have two to chose from.

Okay, enough ranting. Enjoy the pics. I’m also including a few of some great pieces that Sue (vintagesue) made that I picked up at her booth last week. I love them all, but I think my favorite is the “Vintage Queen” collage. Oh how I wish I had a fraction of her creativity and talent! Love, love, LOVE her work. Thanks, Sue.

Vintage Queen, by Sue. Gosh, I love this piece!

Close up

Old hand mirror, blinged up. Sue's the best!

Sue's pillow art

Sweet collage ... I call it Sophie's Boot (Sue's creation, of course!)

Charming box, blinged

The little dresser is Sue's magic. The picture and frame are from Sue as well

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What You Can Buy for $5.83!

Hello All!

Sorry for my blogging hiatus … life gets mighty busy once school starts back.

But on to more important matters … like my weekend LOOT report!

Oh. My. Gawd. Today I hit the mother lode (it should be mother LOAD!) of all that is JUNK and the love thereof!!

First stop: The Yard Sale (which, by God’s tender mercies, was an INSIDE affair!) at the Killeen Community Center, benefiting the Public Library. God knows I’m all for literacy (never mind GREAT bargains!).

Came upon a young man named John who was one of many responsible for pricing items (as you go). Well, when he suggested I pay 10 cents for a bag of (really good!) goodies, I latched on to him like stink on a dog.

He followed me around for awhile, putting obscene price tags on my items (like 25 cents for a working set of old-fashioned big bulbed Christmas lights … WITH a baggie full of replacement bulbs!!) until I lost him to some other junker with no conscience.

Some of the other treasures I gleaned: a wooden shoe made in Holland that is a frickin’ LAMP!, gobs of flowers and greenery, lots of other crafting items, and some bling. Oh my.

Grand total at that sale: $3.25!!!!

Second stop: A vendor-type sale on 2410 at a daycare center. I think it was a fundraiser as well. Picked up two lovely curtain panels and a gorgeous rose colored lace piece.

I DID have a pretty ivory lace piece picked out, but was stupid enough to lay it down in front of me while I perused the table. A little Hispanic lady picked it up and clutched it to her bosom.

Yes, I told her that it was actually mine. Fortunately, for her, she didn’t understand a lick of English (or perhaps she feigned ignorance … we’ll never know), so I grudgingly let her keep it. I mean, it wouldn’t have made a pretty picture, me yanking it from her and creating a scene.

Total spent there: $1.50!!

Third stop: The Harker Heights GW Bargain Barn. My fellow junkers Bonnie and Diane were already there and had discovered some turquoise melamine, which I’m collecting for my retro-look kitchen. Sadly, just one cup, but several saucers/little plates. Also uncovered a little beauty of a tin and an old pillbox hat. It’s navy, but I’ll dress it up with some PINK.

GW total: $1.08!! Score!!

Lastly, but not least, I received a beautiful cup and saucer with a little matching plate from a dear lady named Diane. I would say she’s a friend of a friend, but truly she is a friend of mine now. 🙂 Thank you SO much Diane. They are lovely!!

Pictures of my treasures below!! Whew! I’m tired, but happy. And I haven’t even MENTIONED my new furniture yet … that’ll be my next blog!

Flowers!

Flowers!

And MORE flowers!

Some of these flowers are really very nice ...

Long shot of them

Love these!

My Melmac! LOVE that turquoise!!

Ah ... reminds me of my mother

We need a little Christmas ... right this very minute!

Santa will be pleased ... they work!

Wooden shoe like to have a lamp like this?!

Navy pillbox hat (wonder what little old lady used to wear it??)

Sweet rose tin with grrreat flowers!

Crafting supplies ... 2 boards, fall veggies, paint, ribbon, etc.

Acquired bling

Pretty rose lace and white panels

Thanks again, Diane! These are beautiful!

Till next time! Thanks for visiting! 🙂

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