First Week of January!

My first post of the new year!

I've been fighting this awful cold and while I am finally doing a bit better it has taken it's toll on my energy.

I'm in the path of this winter storm and we may get some snow.  It's a good time to just stay warm inside and work a bit more on my spare room.

It was a project from last year that never got finished because of my house guest and other various things happening.  I did sell the day bed and got rid of some bookcases and a large (falling apart) dresser.  Some IKEA shelves were added and then I had surgery, so all of it came to a halt.

I now have a futon that will act as an extra bed when needed and take up much less room.  I make a huge mess when I re-arrange and purge items.  A small room doesn't leave much space to work in so it spills out into the living room.  I took a large load of things to the Habitat for Humanity yesterday.

Yay me!  AND...I didn't go in to shop.

I'm trying to stay out of the thrift shops for all of January.  I need to break the habit of just looking and buying small things because they are cute! 

Cute becomes clutter!

Take this purchase from Nov. of four Blue birds of Happiness.  So cute, only .25 ea how could I leave them there.  BUT, now I have a flock of glass blue birds and honestly what do I do with them? 

Time to downsize, and I think it's really reached into my heart and soul this time. 

I love my collections but they have once again gotten out of hand.  I want to edit them and keep the pieces I love the most and return the others to the wild for someone else to find. 

Where to start? 

First of all I must get my spare room arranged and cleaned of things I no longer use so I can have some space to make decisions.  It feels good to do this!

I want to own my things, not have them own me.  Now I will never be a minimalist.  It's not in my nature but the sheer number of things I own is overwhelming.  January has begun a change for the better!

  Anyone else feeling this way?

I had a few photos I wanted to share.

This one of Scout might be my favorite Christmas photo of 2017

The Grands were going to bed Christmas Eve and Scout headed back out to the living room alone.  There she found the cookies & milk for Santa that Tiger had left out and just helped herself.

Her Dad caught her in the act and thus this photo!  Makes me smile!

My girl and her girl!

Tiger, in tiger pj's brushing his teeth!

My Grands seeing a new baby lamb!

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Merry Christmas Eve!!

This has been a crazy December for me!

Busy with church activities and babysitting the Grands.  Helping my friend Carter move and trying to clean and rearrange my home.

All came to a halt when the dreaded Christmas Cold hit me.  Runny nose, sore throat and aches.  I'm a bit better but since Christmas waits for no man (or woman) I've been trying to power through.  I've not been able to get as much done as I had hoped but Christmas will arrive tomorrow and it will be perfectly imperfect!

My tree this year.  Set up on the dining room table and so far Miss Annie has not touched it.  I may try moving it back in front of a window next year but we will see.  I've enjoyed the bubble lights this year. 

A shopping mouse with an Eiffel Tower bottle of yummy cocoa sits under the tree also.

My newest Nativity is itty bitty but so cute!  

(I see the sheep fell over) 

Only filled one cubby this year with vintage Christmas but my Angels and Elfs are happy to be out and celebrating!

The Christmas birds joined by an Angel and a new Elf planter.  What a mish mash this year!

On the same shelf is a canvas the church choir director gave us with 'Then Sings My Soul' on it from the Christmas Music Program we presented.  NO I didn't sing, I narrated! 

(Believe me that's a good thing)

A little vignette to remember my brother this year.  I've kept the candle lit since Dec 23rd his flying away day.

This is the ornament I bought last year to add to my tree this year in remembrance of my brother Richard.

More little vignettes and I found my first hairpin flower frog at a thrift shop!

More things added to the new shelf!

Santa is holding my new Maileg Brother and Sister Mice...guess who they are?

Tiger & Scout of course!

Annie Belle got a new stocking for her first Christmas here.  It has toys in it already and her first 'nip'!

I found this cute little cat ornament at a thrift shop and it's perfect for Annie!

She is such a pretty girl.  I'm so glad she is here and living in her fur-ever home!

The Tabb Family 

Santa came by our Christmas lunch and visited the children!  We had such a great time with our church family.

Wishing you all a

 Very Merry Christmas!

I'll be going over in the morning to watch the Grands open presents.  Then return with my Mom later for a large family dinner.  Tonight is Christmas Eve candlelight service.  I am so blessed.

Thank you for being my readers and my friends.

Wishing you JOY

Linda

Adding to the collections!

When I can get my junkin fix AND add to my collections it's the best kind of shopping!

Here are some recent finds that 

I was thrilled to add to my existing collections.

It was an exciting day when I found two items for the Flamingo collection AND this pink creamer!

If you are new to this blog you might not know about my Flamingo obsession!

A small bit of the collection in the cubbies

And many that don't fit in the cubbies.

I have a shelf I'm going to paint and hang in the bedroom and fill with this collection....soon...as soon as I paint...and get the shelf hung...so soon :)

ANYWAY

I hadn't really added to this collection in awhile but when I saw this framed vintage postcard for .50 oh yes I snapped it up!  Also found this at the same thrift store

So cute and only .25!  I really love my Flamingos and this has fired up my need for that shelf to get painted, and hung...soon!

I'm always looking for pink pottery and this sweet LuRay creamer was a happy find

I also found this cute cup

Milk on one side, juice on the other...maybe Miss Rosemary will drink out of this one of these days.

A recent church rummage sale scored me these items and some additions to collections

This will be displayed soon as a bring out my amber glass collection for Fall.  Can you see the price?  I know church sales are the best! 

This purchase just made me so happy!  Many years ago when I lived in New Orleans I had a special birthday dinner at Antoine's and this was the pattern of dishes they used.  I have found a couple of pieces at thrift shops but to find these 3 pieces for .50 made me so happy.  A future post is in the works about New Orleans and Antoine's! 

$2 purchased all these pieces of pottery.  I hope to plant some herbs in the small pots.

Last but not least is this addition to my Waechtersbach mug collection for .10

These are hard to find at the thrifts and are often in really bad condition but this one is perfect and one of my favorites.

This is my collection minus a few and with a few additions.  I need to get it all out and display it again!  

So what have you found lately to add to your collections? 

Wishing you JOY,

Linda