Tuesday, August 21, 2012

so many changes...



It has been a while since I have posted. A long while. Thank you for all the 'Mary, where are you emails!'. So very sweet of you. 

The truth is, it has been a sad summer for me. So many huge life changes have happened, and I feel a little wind has been knocked out of my sails. No totally...I still have moments where I feel like my 'normal' self...but I feel changes brewing and I don't like it. 

A couple weeks ago, my beloved dog Jake was diagnosed with bone cancer. I cried. And cried. And I cannot remember the last time I cried or what it was even about. I am tough that way. I am very good at being dealt a really bad hand in life and pulling myself up by the boot straps and carrying on. Attacking the problem one step at a time until it has resolved itself. I am a problem solver, not a problem dweller. Well, this was a biggie. And for a while I was sad. I am now in 'lets deal with it' mode so it is getting better. We did surgery, he is starting chemotherapy tomorrow and we will squeeze every moment life moment we can out of him until we have to say goodbye. He is very happy, you would never know he has a thing wrong with him and I will enjoy him until that changes. 


Well, I thought this was going to be my 'big event of the summer'. Until last week. Out of the blue, my sweet, beloved Dad wasn't feeling well and he was taken to the ER. He has been in the hospital ever since and a few days ago he was diagnosed with advanced cancer.




They cannot even pinpoint what kind of cancer because they cannot tell where it started. I am in total shock. To say we were blindsided by this was an understatement. He has never been in the hospital a day in his life. Rarely gets a cold. He is 79 but you would guess he was 15 years younger. I am coming to terms with it the best I can, but I still have those moments where I just want to curl up on my bathroom floor and cry. 

He is such a rare, incredible man with a beautiful soul. I cannot believe he is going through this. Selfless, patient and strong in his faith. He has been loving my mom for 56 years, they have raised 8 kids together and felt the joy of 22 grandchildren. He has given me the best memories a girl could have. I have learned so much from him. When my sisters were learning to sew and cook and clean, I was outside with my Dad. Learning to use the table saw and sanders. Refinishing furniture, building and painting things, trimming trees...all the traditional 'boy things'.  I remember him teaching me to mow our farm with the riding mower when I was barely able to reach the brake pedal. He always believe I could do it. Never doubted me. I wish every girl could experience a Dad with such a calm sweetness about him. This is the first time I am feeling sad to be the youngest in our family. 36 years with him is just not enough for me. 

I am heartbroken he has to experience this. He is starting chemo today. We know it won't cure him, but he just wanted a little more time. He wants to say goodbye, hug us all as much as he can and hope for that miracle. All I ask is that you remember him in your prayers. 

Please.

I am going to continue posting when I feel the urge, but I am going to spend every moment I can hanging on every word he has to say and just being with him. 

Monday, August 13, 2012

we have winners!! - UPDATE




One of the winners from the Creatively Made Home giveaway was lucky enough to win on another blog...so I had to visit my little friend random.org again and pick a replacement winner!! 

Sharon from Elizabeth & Co...you have won a spot...email me!!

Congratulations to 


and

Jennifer from Town & Country Living!




You won Jen Rizzo's giveaway for a spot in the Creatively Made Home e-course!

I wish you all could have one a spot...but if you would still like to register head over to Jen's blog and sign up! The e-course begins Oct. 22nd!

Congrats Di & Jennifer...email me to claim your spot!


Tuesday, August 7, 2012

a Creatively Made Home...GIVEAWAY!




Hey girls! Happy Tuesday to you...by the way, where did Monday go? Isn't that what comes after Sunday? I think I missed it somehow. Anyway, I had a fabulous time at the flea this weekend, and after a day of 'recovery' I have some exciting new to share with you all! 

The amazingly talented and stylish Jeanne Oliver recently introduced her new e-course called the "Creatively Made Home." She has joined forces with a few of the most incredible girls in blogland to help her along this journey...




I am so very excited about this, I have to admit! I could use a little boost in changing some things up around my house, and this is going to be the very thing to light that fire and get my happy about my home again! Like so many of us, I fall into the trap of obligations. Work, family...there just never seems to be enough time for it all. I find myself racing from one thing to the next, and things that make me happy always fall to last on the list. I know so many of you can relate to that! Sadly, I feel as though I have lost my zest for my home this summer. Between the super-hot summer we've had and trying to keep an unrealistic schedule, I found myself feeling uninspired and unmotivated to do everything I dreamed of getting done this summer. The moment when I first heard about Jeanne's e-course I felt the spark coming back again! I am excited to start a new season with fresh ideas and projects!

I could not have said it better than Jeanne said it herself:
"This course is about loving your home, loving your family and blessing those around you....and having fun doing it."

Want to read more about this class? Click here for all the details...

To share the love, and inspire you to make you home everything you have dreamed you wanted it to be... Jennifer Rizzo is offering TWO of my readers a spot in the e-course! How awesome is that? 



So here are the details...

1. All you need to do it leave a comment on this post telling me what room in your home needs a little 'inspiration'.

2. Want extra credit to increase your chance at being one of the two winners?
 Share on your blog, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest. 
(just be sure you leave me a SEPARATE comment for each one you do!)

{If you are as excited as I am about this, and just can't wait to see if you were the lucky winner of the giveaway, click on over to Jennifer's blog and get registered! The complete course is $58 and begins Oct. 22nd!}

(giveaway closes at midnight central time, August 12th...winner to be announced Monday morning!)

Good luck, girls! 



Wednesday, August 1, 2012

found: new loving homes



I love it when I hear from a customer that found a piece of furniture in my booth at the flea! There is something so sweet about hearing how much they loved it once they got it home and put it in place! It makes a girl feel good to know her hard work has made someone happy. 

The other day I received a note from Dori from Bell Jar Vintage, one of my very best and favorite customers! Last summer she had  purchased a little gray table and small cabinet from me, and I was thrilled when she sent me a note to let me know she started a blog and had posted about them!



She has shown my Etsy shop such great support, too! Nothing better than getting a big box of goodies ready to ship off...I always wonder what they are going to do with everything once they get it home. Well, finally I am able to see for myself the pieces I found adding a finishing touch to someone's home! 




Last month, we had a HUGE storm blow through the flea! Needless to say, 80mph winds made shopping come to a screeching halt, so I came home with a few things. I posted a few pics I took before the storm hit, and in one of them was a pair of twin beds. My inbox went crazy and the beds found a new home. The person that snagged them was none other than Carol from Redeemed Vintage!




If you have not heard yet, Carol is from the Chicago area and holds invitation-only vintage sales at her home! Hop over to her blog and have a peek at her last sale - there was some awesome stuff to be had! If you would like to be on the list for notification of her next sale, drop her an email!

It was great to hear from these two lovely ladies...it made my day! 

If you have a quick minute, pop over and tell them give them a quick Hello!  


(Dori has a brand new blog, so I would LOVE it if you would show her some love!)

Have a great day, girls! I am off to distress a big pile of furniture today!