Summer is good for....

Cold treats from the mister's favorite spot..........

Having lunch with the mister, sister, and nephew...........even when the nephew is being a turkey.........

Going to the lake in the middle of the week...........

Preparing for the 5th Annual Garage Sale at Whit's house..........

Adding a new feature to the booth..........

And investigating local urban legends late at night......

*   *   *   *

Dear Summer, 

Slow down, please!  

 I'm not ready for July!

Love, Dana-v

It was like Christmas

I need to thank Jennifer for today's find.  If it weren't for her, this treasure would be home with someone else, and I just can't stomach the thought.  She introduced me to the luggage section of Red Rack a few days ago.  I didn't know it existed until then.

So today as I made my rounds, I decided to finish up my browsing with a sweep of the luggage area.  I have a soft spot for vintage pieces..

Immediately, I spotted this.......

I snatched it up and noticed it was very heavy.  I decided to have a peek inside.

And it took my breath away.........

Could it really be?  A matching smaller one nesting inside?  My heart was racing.  And singing.

So I decided to open that one also, and what to my wondering eyes should appear????  No, not a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.  It was better than that.......

Get out.

Shut UP!

NO WAY!

ANOTHER ONE?

At this point, I lost all sense of reality.  I think I might have done a little jig or jump of some sort.  And I was for sure talking to myself.  Out loud.

But it wasn't over yet.

The darn things weren't priced.  And I feared the worst.  How much was I willing to pay for these pristine beauties?  I kept thinking about it as I approached the counter.  I put on my best smile.  Took a deep breath.  And asked.

Oh great.  Manager had to be paged.  Another round of smiling and deep breathing when manager approaches.

Maybe some eyelash batting too. 

And then a Christmas miracle happened.  As if finding three matching vintage suitcases wasn't enough.  This angel of a manager uttered the most beautiful phrase I may ever hear...

"Oh, how about five bucks?"

And I fainted.

Not really, but almost.

I did hug him though.

Not awkward!

Now.......to keep or not to keep?  That is the question.

I just don't see how I could part with these beauties.

Paint, Relics, and Burritos

There's a war raging in this here household.  Over the thermostat.  I've recently had to dig out the Snuggie due to the mister's preference for Arctic temperatures.

Oh, and while we're at it, could we discuss the empty milk jug I found on the counter?

I did not put it there.  Or empty it for that matter.  I did, however, throw it away.

Sigh....

But one thing (of many) we do agree on?  Three little words:  gas station burritos. Nooo, not yuck.  Yum, yum, yum.  They are a rare, but welcome crispy treat.

And I think we also agree on the paint color for the special room....

But what do you think?  Top, middle, or bottom.....

*   *   *   *

In booth news, Relics is having an anniversary sale.  Each booth can opt to join in with percentages from 10 to 50% off.  So stop by, grab a treat and mimosa, and shop til you drop!  Our little corner of Relics will be on sale!!!

Michael Buble

I got my concert on last night!  Michael Buble was in town.

The dude is talented and f.u.n.n.y.  He even does great impersonations.  A little Michael Jackson anyone..........

Or how about one of his new hits?

Even the mister enjoyed him.  And although we could almost touch the ceiling of JQH, we loved every minute of it the concert.

Next up?  U2 in July!!!!

Wedding Week Recap

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity!  A fun whirlwind though.  Ashley and Chris are officially hitched, and the whole thing went off without, uh, um, a....hitch!

One event from this week was Ashley's bridal shower.  Lots of folks chipped in to make this a success:  Nancy's guacamole, Whit's house, Schlag's chips, Pullan's famous salsa, Amy and Wirth's excellent beverage choices, and Katie's fun game.  Oh, and did I mention that everyone got to be my guinea pig?  I tried my hand at a new concoction:  fruit tacos......

Cinnamon tortillas + cream cheese spread + fruit = tasty, sweet treat for a Mexican themed wedding shower!  Margarita flavored cupcakes from Alexandria's Cupcake Cottage weren't too bad either!

The very next day we hit up the venue for set up and then the rehearsal that night.  Ash got all the girls super cute gifts..........vintage aprons and silly sunglasses......

Finally, the big day rolled around.  I got to fill the car with Farmer's Market flowers that morning......

Then by noon, we were off and running........getting ready for pictures and the ceremony.  The day flew by, and before I knew it, I was walking down the aisle, dancing at the reception, and posing for fun photos.........

I'll leave the wedding details and photos up to the bride and photographer.  But I will give you one little tidbit.  Probably my favorite feature of the reception........a photobooth with silly props........

Congratuations Ash and Chris!  You are a perfect match!  Thank you for choosing to have me be a part of your special day.

Sneak Peeks

The pillows are all here.  And perfectly glorious.

Here's a sneak peek for you........

Here's another sneak peek of something equally glorious for my master bedroom.........

There's two of these babies.  I can't wait to hang them.

I fell in love the moment I spotted them in Relics.  There were four of them.  I really wanted one.

Or two.

Or all of them.

Soooo one day when Whit and I were roaming the store and she admitted to loving them too, we decided we needed them.  Two went home with her.  And two are mine.

That's how we roll.

Werd.

Looking in two directions

Last week.........

I'm glad I only spent $3.00 on a sample of paint because the one I chose was way too dark........
 

This frustrated me, so the special room got no more attention after the mishap.  But it was also a good thing.  I now know I need to go way lighter.

Another good thing?  Finding a trifle dish for $3.98, so I could get my domestic escapades on......

And filling this cute green shelf ($4) with fun yard sale finds.......

Mostly for the booth, of course!

*    *    *    *

This week.........

All my pillow purchases should arrive no later than Tuesday.  This makes me giddy.

More domestic escapades will be attempted...........a blueberry coffee cake for our weekly Bachelorette gathering.............and some tasty treats for a bridal shower I'm helping out with.

Then, the biggest and best event of them all?  The Arnold and Boschen wedding!!!!  Can't wait to be involved in all the festivities surrounding this joyous occasion!

I'm practicing the robot so that Sarah can capture all of my hot moves.

Don't worry Ash, Sarah will probably take some pictures of you too.

Dreaming of Paint

I woke up today and could think of nothing other than paint swatches.

Probably because I went on a pillow buying frenzy last night right before bedtime.

I sort of bought four pillows for the special room.............

U. O.

U. O.

Etsy

Etsy

I didn't want to stop there, but I figured I should at least let them arrive before I do more pillow damage.

That led me to think about what else I could do.  Instead of buying pillows.

How about figure out my paint color? 

Here's what I'm working with.........

Gray, turquoise, creamy white, and a little soft coral....

I'm thinking a silvery gray for the walls?  To tie in the gray from the curtains and rug??

Maybe something along these lines or a shade lighter??

We all know I'm not afraid of color (bathroom, entryway, living room) but I really want the bedding and curtains to be the standouts in this room. 

I considered a lighter coral or even a softer turquoise.....

Too much like my kitchen and entry?

Too close to my bathroom color?

And now I'm just plain old confused.

Leaning towards gray......teetering on the edge though.

Your opinion, please?

Will you accept this rose?

Monday nights are the best.

Why?

The Bachelorette is on.

And since the premiere, some friends have been gathering to watch it together........rotating houses..........bringing fun food.........and handing out roses.

Here are some pics from the first night at my house...........

It was the most dramatic rose ceremony ever.

School's Out!

The last day was Friday, May 27th.  I'm almost a week into my summer vacation.

Believe it or not, I have a very hard time transitioning from the school year to summer break.

It's like going from ninety to nothing.  There's no slow down period.  It's not gradual.  One day you're working.  Next thing you know, you have weeks of vacation staring you in the face.

Don't get me wrong.  I am not complaining.

I'm just stating that, initially, it kind of feels surreal.  It takes some time to get into a groove.

At first, I feel manic.  Like I have so many things to pack in and I want to accomplish them!  But when that fades, I get really lazy.

Right now, I'm in the middle of manic.

Next week, I might be in the middle of lazy.

Let's hope I find my balance soon.

Nevertheless, summer is here, and I have lots to look forward to........weddings, concerts, camping trips, swimming.  And I've already called Bob the Builder for another house project!  It's a small one, but stay tuned anyway.  You might even get a peek of my special room.