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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Estate Sale Finds

Well, I have started the hunt.  The hunt for vintage items that is.  I started out Saturday morning with a list of four estate sales/garage sales to attend.  The two garage sales said they had vintage items so I wanted to check them out.  My first stop was to midtown, which is an older section of town.  This was supposed to be a yard sale with some vintage.  I must have been their first customer because they were still setting things up. I found a couple of things, first was this heavy weight stainless steel omelet maker.


It probably dates back to the 1940's.  This has some normal wear and tear but still in great shape.  The wooden handles are still intact.  I find myself wondering who may have used this and was it in a home or a restaurant.  If only things could talk to you and tell its story.  I will be adding this to my Etsy shop.

I also found a box of miscellaneous silverware.  Most of it need to be polished but I did manage to find a couple of pieces that were in good shape.  I have some pictures but for some reason they would not download for this blog.  You can find them here.  I'm not sure of their value  but I have seen some really cool craft ideas out in blogland that use vintage silverware.  When I was ready to purchase my goods, the lady running the sale was not very well prepared because she had no change.  She asked me if I was going to the sale around the corner and if so she would go to the bank.  This was an unexpected surprise as this was a four family sale.  I bought one thing there but for the life of me I can't remember what it was!  I know, that's a sign of aging. *sigh*  Whatever it was, I was able to make change for the other lady.

My next stop was to an advertised Estate Sale that was obviously not taking place because as I drove by the house appeared to be empty and there were no cars in the driveway but the sprinkler was going!  However, when I was driving to my next stop, I happened upon a house with an "Estate Sale" sign in the front yard.  This one was being ran by family members.  They had it set up pretty well with things in every room of the house.  I found several things here. At this point I am very angry.  The only picture that will download was the omelet maker!  There is a server error on all my other pictures!  So, anyway, the typewriter is probably from the 1970's.  It is a Sears Best!  Oooh La La!  I am planning to add that to Etsy but I have to figure out the shipping charges for it first since it is rather heavy.  Next I found a stainless steel butter dish.  It needs to be cleaned before I can put it on Etsy. I found these lace collars.

  

They are really pretty.  I really like the cut work on them.  Am I the only one that remembers wearing these collars as a little girl?  These are already in my Etsy store.  Finally, some pictures downloaded.

My last stop was meant to be.  This was another yard sale that mentioned having vintage items.  As I looked around I inquired about several things and their age.  As it turns out this lady also sells vintage items on Etsy!  What a small world.  Her shop is here.  Please go visit her shop as she has quite a bit of very nice vintage jewelry.  I spent awhile asking her questions about starting an Etsy shop.  She really gave me some valuable information along with the best places to find vintage items.  I didn't buy anything here but her knowledge was priceless.

So, what did you find last weekend?


Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Whatcha' wearing Wednesday

Well, my photography skills leave a little something to be desired!  Anyway, what am I wearing?  A dress I haven't been able to wear in 2 years!  That's what I'm wearing!  I'm just sayin!  Yay me.

I am posting this to :
http://thepleatedpoppy.com/blog/
http://www.mommagoround.com/

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Ouch!

Hi, I hope everyone had a safe and fun Memorial Day. I sure did but it didn't last long enough. I was so not ready to get up and go to work today.  We had some friends over and we cooked out.  Our friends brought over the most awesome ribs!  The meat literally fell off the bone.  He said his recipe came from Paula Deen if that tells you anything. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures.  We also had corn roasted on the grill, baked beans and watermelon.  It was all so good.

After we ate we went to play some tennis on the courts behind my house.  How come it is always difficult to do what you plan just because you planned it?  There are two courts and they are never both being used at the same time.  Well, they were yesterday.  One court was being used by a husband and wife.  The other court was being used by a group of about six or seven teenage boys. They were taking turns playing two at a time and played for hours.  Even though we were waiting on a court they continued on. Hey teenagers, anyone ever teach you manners?  When there is someone waiting to play you are to play one set only. Finally the couple finished their game and we got their court.  OMG!  I could hardly get out of bed this morning!  I was hurting in places I didn't even know could hurt.  In my advanced age (HA) every muscle in my body let me know of my advanced age!  It was not pleased!

We had a great time though and really wished this weekend could last longer.  What did you do to celebrate Memorial Day?  Are you feeling it this morning?

Friday, May 27, 2011

Wardrobe Basics

Let me start by saying that, Fashion Guru, I am not.  I do like to learn about fashion and read fashion magazines but in no way am I saying that I am a Stacy London.

Anywhoo, I thought I would share some of my findings in wardrobe basics.  Now wardrobe basics is clothing that everyone needs in their closet so they can easily build an outfit for any occasion. Now a basic wardrobe may be different to different people.  Here is what I classify as a basic wardrobe for myself.

LBD (Little Black Dress)
Pair of black pants
Pair of dark wash denim
Black jacket
White Tee
Black Tee
White long sleeve shirt (not tee)
Black skirt
Trench coat
opaque tights
lightweight sweater
black flats
black heels
scarves
accessories

Now with these items you can create several different looks.

Casual



Work

I am having a hard time finding pictures so I will just say that you can mix and match all of these things and change up accessories to create many many different outfits.  So, you get the idea.

Let me turn you onto this wonderful little secret.  At least it is my little secret, you all may already know about her.  Her name is Missus Smartypants.  You know her? Her website is full of great information and even some before and after stories.  You can even subscribe to e-mails where she shows you what kind of clothes work for your body type.  It is a great resource and I encourage you to check it out.




Thursday, May 26, 2011

Quick Crescent Taco Pie

Today, I wanted to share a wonderful recipe with you.  My family gives this a 5 star as there are usually no leftovers.  I got this picture off the web so I wanted to note that I do not put tomatoes or lettuce on mine but feel free to if you wish.


Ingredients:
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning)
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup water
1 (8 oz) package refrigerated crescent rolls
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large pan brown your ground beef.  Drain of the grease and stir in the seasoning mix and water.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles.  Place the triangles in a ungreased 10 inch pie pan, pressing to form a crust.  Sprinkle 1 cup tortilla chips over the bottom of the crust,  Spoon meat mixture over crust and chips.  Spread sour cream over meat mixture and cover with cheese. Sprinkle the remaining chips over the top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crust is brown.

ENJOY!!

Edited to add:

I linked to the following party:

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Hines Ward wins Dancing with the Stars

I was a little disappointed last night with Dancing with the Stars.  To me, Chelsea Kane was clearly the best dancer.  Kirstie Alley should not have even been in the top three.  She can obviously dance, but come on, she is not as good as Chelsea Kane OR Hines Ward.  So, what do you think caused this voting debacle?  Do you think Hines Ward and Kym Johnson got the sympathy vote because of her fall during rehearsal that sent her to the hospital?  I'm thinking that is it and Chelsea should have won followed by Hines and Kirstie.

Apparently this is professional dancer, Kym Johnson's second mirror ball trophy.  Hines claimed that he worked really hard to help her achieve that goal.  He admits that dancing is very grueling but hopes to show some of his moves on the end zone.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Drip Beef Recipe

Do you like French Dip sandwiches?  Boy I do!  They are so good and very filling.  One of my favorite recipes for this comes from the Pioneer Woman.  Have you ever read her blog?  You definitely should.  She writes about everything including recipes, photography, homeschooling and more.  Anyway, her recipe is called Drip Beef.  It is wonderful.  We have served this when we have had company and it is a favorite!  Without further ado, here is the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole 2.5 To 4 Pound Chuck Roast
  • ¼ cups Butter
  • 1 whole Large Onion, Sliced Thick
  • 3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
  • ½ cups Soy Sauce
  • 1 cup Sherry (cooking Sherry Is Fine)
  • ½ teaspoons Salt
  • 4 cups Water
  • Toasted, Buttered Deli Rolls
  • OPTIONAL: Rosemary, Thyme, Other Spices

Preparation Instructions

Heat butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, or until starting to get brown.
Set chuck roast on top of the onions. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover pot and simmer (very low heat) on the stove for 6 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!** Shred meat with two forks until all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or continue to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
*Mixture can be refrigerated overnight. Remove hardened fat from top of pan before reheating.
Serve on top of toasted, buttered deli rolls. Top with cheese and place under the broiler if desired.

Yum!  It is to die for.  ENJOY!

I added this recipe to this blog for the Summer link up party.

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Spring_Summer_Link_Party_Rhoda.jpg
http://tidymom.net/
http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/2011/05/full-plate-thursday-5-26-11.html
http://beautyandbedlam.com/category/food/balancing-meal-time-mountain/tasty-tuesday/
http://thischickcooks.blogspot.com/