Just for Fun

I went and made myself a Cafe Press Shoppe

I have always wanted to sell some T-shirt Designs at the Shoppe, but it will be awhile till I can order in bulk the amount I would need for that... So for fun I thought I would just set up Shoppe at Cafe Press...


There are several other designs and goodies so feel free to go browse!

Still Grey

It's still grey outside...but I got a little thrifting done today at some Garage and Estate Sales and that made me feel are warm and sunny inside... A few items have gone up at Storia VINTAGE already. A few more are going to the local shoppe here, and a few more are to keep or already have homes in the works...

It never ceases to amaze me how much different things photograph in grey light versus warm sunny light... These are all grey light pictures, and I can't help it, but I want to take them all over again when it is sunny... But maybe it is just that most of my items were more neutral in tone and that is why they don't seem vibrant enough to me? Funny how I didn't notice that till they were all lined up here in their photo's...



Vintage Flower Frog


Top of Vintage Train Case (never could get a good shot of the whole thing)



Vintage Glasses with Green Pattern (Jeanetta are you drooling?)


Vintage Lamps, Necklace, Buttons


Sheet Music (don't you just love that type on the top one?)


Pale red ticking table cloth


OK, that is all for today. Wednesday I leave to go see Tracy for a week and celebrate her upcoming Special Delivery, so post may be scarce for awhile as I get ready to travel (always sooo many loose ends to tie up, and Things to Be Done!) But hopefully I will get the chance to post on the trip and stay in touch... Till then, ciao!

(as always if you saw anything in this post you are interested in but don't see listed at Storia VINTAGE, feel free to contact me!)

Fuzzy Brain

The skies are grey today and I have fuzzy brain. Do you ever have fuzzy brain? Fuzzy brain is when I have thoughts but I cannot complete them or get them out coherently. Fuzzy brain makes me squint, as if there is a perpetual glare everywhere I go and I find myself wandering around my house aimlessly, forgetting what I am looking for - or if I am looking for anything at all.

So today, with Fuzzy Brain and Grey Skies all around, I am going to forgo the post I had planned - full of coherent thoughts etc. and just post some pretty, non-grey pictures.

Sound good? OK, good, here we go:



Lunch time at my kitchen table



Dogwood In Bloom, Backyard


Some new (and old) papers for banners...notice the new scalloped edges?



Precious little hand, still with a little baby chub on it...so sweet, won't last much longer...sigh...

I am off to try and clean the cobwebs out of this Fuzzy Brain of mine...
Cheers!

Big Spender

I would like to think that I am thrifty. Some would argue, some would agree. I think it just depends on who you talk to. I mean I know some really serious penny pincher's... in fact when you look up "penny pinching" in the dictionary you might just see a picture of them pinching a penny so tight you can actually hear Lincoln screaming, so don't talk to them, they wouldn't be good character references for me...

But I also know some people who have never been to a Garage Sale or a Second-Hand Store (except to donate of course) and to them, I am pretty damn thrifty... so I guess it is all relative.
My sweet man says it should all be relative to how much I have in the bank, but that is a whole 'nother subject.

I am also the kind of person who is easily enchanted by the small things... I don't spend my money on big fancy things for the most part, and I am not the best at saving up for a big purchase. No, I am the kind who finds joy in a great bargain and having lovely little things for those items that have get everyday use.

Take for example my purse ensemble:


I have been searching for a new spring purse for weeks, but I could never find what I was looking for in my price range. Either I loved a bag and could not afford it OR I could afford a bag, but didn't really love it. So I held out and I held out, and I almost gave up and gave in. But just in time I found this beauty - a Robins Egg colored hobo style bag at a garage sale for $1 - and in almost perfect condition, hardly used! I was giddy with excitement I tell you. It absolutely made my day, (and it goes so well with my new shoes!)

Next is a few little goodies from Etsy.


The checkbook cover is from Designs by Jamie
and only cost $6 (with shipping.) The cover is for my work checkbook, and every time I grab it out of my purse it just brings a little smile to my face...


The Wristlet KeyChain by JimmyPickles is also so precious! I fell in love with the floral pattern and Cherie was so sweet to put it on a brown background for me so it wouldn't look too dirty too soon. I love being able to just slip my keys on my wrist when picking the boys up from school or taking a walk, it's just so darn handy! And all for $8 with shipping... (obviously a big splurge for me!)

So even though these are little everyday items that might not matter to some people, they matter to me, and they make me smile every time I reach for them, they are lovely and useful all at the same time...and they didn't break the bank to boot!

Let's Take a Walk

Around my neighborhood...Wanna join me?


A favorite tree




Some favorite houses

Our fire station & "Mayors Office of Volunteerism" (not really sure what that means, and I have NEVER seen anyone coming in or going out, or moving in this building, but it sure is pretty and old...)

A lovely arch

A weird pattern on a screen porch - looks like a spider web to me...



The best yard in the 'hood. Miles calls this the "beautiful field" - the owners also own a landscape business... can ya tell?

The weather has been so beautiful this week, and with the kids on spring break and such, I have been taking advantage of our relaxed schedule to get some walkin' in. Maybe it will become a daily habit? Let's hope!

Thanks for coming along with me today!
(for a few other pictures of my hood click HERE)

Workin' Girl

(Storia EVERYDAY Sherbet Color Group)

One of my goals for the spring is to get a Wholesale Catalog together to send to small boutique stores who are interested in selling my Banners, Crowns and Candles. I have had some interest in expanding my business this way for awhile, and over the winter even had a few sweet gals with shops of their own, contact me about my wholesale prices etc. A couple of have even been sweet enough to share tips themselves on what they look for from wholesalers and what types of info are helpful etc.

(Storia EVERYDAY Circus Color Group)

This week I have begun in earnest to tackle this project, and besides all the list I am making on my pink legal pads, I have also begun taking pictures of the 13 "color groups" that the banners & crowns come in (that includes the Everyday Groups and the Holiday Groups.)


(Storia EVERYDAY Ocean Color Group)

I think this will be the easiest way to show potential buyers all the options, because each color grouping could be applied to almost any banner in the Storia HOME collection...

(Storia EVERYDAY Vintage Color Group)

I am hoping to have this project completed by the first of May and I would love any feedback that any of you Wholesalers or Shopkeepers out there have... What has worked for you in your wholesale packets? What lessons have you learned about wholesaling? Retailers, what are you looking for most from a wholesaler? What is the standard delivery time from order to receiving? If you could give me one piece of advice what would it be?

(Storia EVERYDAY Romantic Color Group)

I really would love to hear from anyone who has thoughts on this - it is going to be a learning process I am sure, but I am excited to give it a shot, and see where it takes me!

The Color of Easter

The weekend at my Grandparents was wonderful - lots of fun time spent with the family, all together.... Because Jemimah is home we crammed a lot in to 2 days - An Egg Hunt, a Mother Daughter Tea, Egg Dying, Shoe Shopping, Glitter Craftin, Church, Easter Dinner and a 3 Person Combo Birthday Party were just some of the highlights....

It's Not Really About the Clothes

But....



It is the one day all year where I choose what everyone wears and where we all coordinate.


The rest of the year they can be as mismatched and individualistic as they want, but on Easter, Momma picks the clothes....


This year, I am feeling a little preppy-ish (maybe it's the bangs?) a little Americana-ish and maybe channeling just a tad of Ralph Lauren? Just a tad, maybe?

Curly Q

OK, so as promised, here are some more pictures of myself making silly faces in the bathroom mirror, this time w/kinky curly hair...



OK, are you sick of me now? I am almost sick of myself. I don't know how Oprah does it month after month on the cover of O. I guess that is why she is Oprah and I am not! Ha!
I am going to do one more post of some "up-dos," because I am sure that is how I will mostly wear my hair most days.. Just can't help it...
But first I need to get my hands on some Trash Ties...

Hope everyone has a very Happy Easter Weekend!!!

Glitter Chicks

So where does the time fly? Some days just seem to drag on, and then others go by - whooosh! - so fast...
This week has absolutely been a Whooosh Week, as weeks in between Weekends Away tend to be. Jemimah is here visiting, I am having a group of girlfriends over for our monthly get together tonight, Nathan has had to work late all week, Easter is rapidly approaching - with basket treats and Sunday clothes to still be bought and bags to be packed for our trip to my grandmothers... And I haven't even mentioned work.
This is one of the weeks when there is so much I want to do that I feel full to overflowing with blessings.
One of the things that I haven't been able to get to lately has been finishing some of my own personal projects... Here is one I started a while back and have yet to finish, but I think you will get the idea...


Glitter Chicks:


First I started with a simple Styrofoam chick that I found at craft store.


Next I tore off his rather sad feather wings and tail and replaced them with wings I cut out of paper scraps, and a tail made out of a snip of paper fringe garland. I attached them both with hot glue.


For the finishing touch I lightly coated him with craft glue using a sponge brush and covered him with white glitter, shaking off the excess. I also covered his paper wings in white glitter and outlined them with silver glitter.



I have 4 chicks total (one for each of us) that I mean to finish and attach to the tops of some boxes that I have that also need to be covered and glittered... but alas that hasn't happened yet. I am contemplating taking them to finish at my grandmothers this weekend so that would at least be finished for next Easter...

Window Shopping Wednesday

Dream a little dream with me....

Cath's Oilcloth



Dash and Albert Rug

Keep Calm Poster



Pier 1 Lamp


Ikea Couch





Sundance Pillows