Here's the thing.....

So, here's the deal. I am not afraid of dying. Really, I'm not. I am mostly afraid of getting old. Getting old and looking old. As in, seersucker duster and Dearfoams ALL DAY LONG. As in, getting my hair "set" at the beauty shop once a week under one of those old lady hairdryers with the prickly rollers with pink plastic pins. Terrifying.

Let's get one thing straight. I am NOT a trendsetter nor am I a fashionista. Every now and then, I will go out on a limb and wear something that is not comfortable just so I don't feel like a big frumpy butterbean mama that just doesn't care. But, honestly, I just wear what I like and usually what is comfortable. Let's face it. If you aren't comfortable, you are going to fidget and pull at your clothes and then EVERYONE will know that that is not your usual get-up and your busted for trying to look something other than yourself.

Well, wouldn't you know it!!! They have a BLOG for just my quandry. It is all about fashionable women all over the world that are just so comfortable in their own skin that they wear whatever they want and they look FABULOUS! I am addicted. You guys can have your Pinterest. It's fun and all but this, THIS stuff is serious eye candy.

I'm not sure how old this lovely lady is but I love her silver hair and her red flower pin. This is pretty tame.

I love this sweet little girl's glasses and her khaki with the turquoise statement necklace. Just pure chic. She's Parisian, just so you know.

This here is Rose. She is (are you ready?) 99 years old! 99 years old. That is just CRAZY to me. Look at how utterly beautiful and classy she looks. When asked what she does differently this year, she replied, "Well, I no longer buy green bananas and I now buy the smallest tube of toothpaste." That's funny stuff.

I'm not sure WHY it is that we decorate our house in our preferred style. We dress our kids in our preferred style (until they WON'T let us dress them in our preferred style). Sometimes our partners let us dress them in OUR preferred styles. But then, when it comes to ourselves, we really do stick to the tried and true style we have kind of set ourselves in. "I don't think I could pull that off." Maybe it's just me that does that. All I know is that I love these ladies gutsiness and how they have come into their own sense of style as they age. Maybe age makes you braver. Maybe it is kind of a "if I don't do it now, I never will" attitude. I worry all the time if something is "too young" for me or if something is too weird for this WalMart town I live in.

Finally, we have Ilona. She lives on the beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Behind those big sunglasses you will find the most hysterical false eyelashes you have ever seen!

So, this blog I'm lovin' is called Advanced Style and it really is such an enjoyable read. There are interviews with some of the ladies that Ari features on his blog and they are just the sweetest things. Take a ride over there and see for yourself.

Hello, World... How've You Been?

Hiddy Ho, Neighbor! Wow. Remember when I confessed to being a serial procrastinator? Looking at the last post, need I SAY MORE?! Honestly, I have been in a rut like no other. I realize that you all are my family so I feel comfortable enough to let you all know that there have some pretty big changes going on over here at the Stigall house. First, our fearless leader (John) has had some major changes in his job, resulting in a recession of our own. Not that this is a huge deal since I am pretty frugal anyway. The thing is, WHY, when you DO have to watch what you spend, do you find a million things you want or need? I know that I have so much to be grateful for and I thank God everyday for the things that He has provided for me and my family. Anyway, I'm making some changes. Be ready.

So, I started making this dropcloth slipcover about 3 months ago. It got to be a little more than I could handle after a while so I put it away. Well, it is DONE! Can I just say that, aside from my little burp pads, that this was my first sewing project? Why, YES, yes I am an idiot. It turned out just fine for what I needed it for. My family room sofa was DIS-GUST-ING. The cats have clawed the legs and torn the bottom off of it. There are stains that God only knows what they are from. You get the picture. My husband vetoed my new sofa plan so here is my solution. $75 worth of dropcloths from Lowe's. $12 worth of cording for the trim. Pocket change for upholstery thread and needles. I figure I can get at least a good 6 months out of this sofa now. The first 2 days I had it on, the Johns got mud on it. Even though it can be washed, it still pissed me off pretty good. I thought I would get more than 2 days out of it.

I found this fabric at Hancock's for $12.99/ yard plus 40% off. When I got to the counter, it was actually marked down to $2.00 A YARD! Shut UP! I really love a leopard print. I think of it as a neutral almost. This was perfect because I didn't want to have to paint my den which is a light gold/butter. I just stitched these up and put in some feather inserts from a couple of pillows I had in the window seat. Notice my fancy pleated trim/ruffle. I have really impressed myself with my talent. NOT!!! If you look at anything that I sew, you will see a myriad of "oops' and uh-oh's".
I'm fine with it.

I am going to actually START listing stuff on etsy this week. I have a buttload of stuff that I fell in love with years ago but have never used in my house. Oil paintings, lamps, bottles, all old and funky. Hoping that this might help me feel a little more "self-sufficient" during our recession.

What I've Been Up To

I have managed to break out of my procrastination shell and, MAN, I am ON FIRE! So far, I have made 7 burpie pads for a shower that I am giving and started my compost pile outside. I bought myself a new tool box AND a padlock to keep my husband out of it. I have cleaned out my storage room, the one in the garage with all my vases, serving dishes, etc. and cleaned out 1 very disgusting freezer that someone left open for all the Popscicles to melt. I have also been working on my DIY "vases" for the shower. I can't remember where I saw this idea but it is so easy and budget friendly!

I started with an empty veggie can that has been washed out and the label taken off. I bought different patterned scrapbook paper in the colors and patterns that I will be using for the shower. She has registered for a Safari type bedding for her baby boy with browns, greens, oranges, you get the picture. Then I went to Michael's because they have the best $1 rolls of ribbon and funky pipecleaners that I think are just perfect for this project. Hot glue that scrapbook paper around the can and decorate away! I plan on getting a palmetto frond for each can and also having orange, yellow and white Gerbera daisies to add the color. I will cut the tips of the palmetto frond down so it is not ginormous in the can. I will post the finished product when the time comes. Just wanted to share the beginning stages with you.

(Please forgive my photography! I am not even trying! I just wanted to get these up here so you could see them. They are not even pressed yet and these pics do not do them justice. They really are pretty cute and will be even cuter when they are monogrammed! The pink one was the first one I made a while back with no baby in mind. It has pink chenille on the back. Love it!)

The burpies pads are a tiny bit more complicated but not much. As you know, I got a new sewing machine for Christmas this year and it has seen alot of action recently. I am by NO MEANS a seamstress but it has been fun making up projects. I find myself going into stores, whether it is a baby store or a department store, and finding things I am sure that I can make for a lot cheaper than they are selling them. Like my burpie pads. The fabric was the most expensive thing about this and that is because I did not buy it on sale and I bought WAY too much of it. I priced the terry cloth at Hobby Lobby and figured out that I could buy Dollar General hand towels for $2 a piece as opposed to $7 a yard at the fabric store. No brainer!

I still have alot to learn about this sewing thing. My thread keeps breaking and so do my needles. So I bought thicker thread and upholstery needles and then the thread gets jammed and I end up making up cuss words and throwing my seam ripper at the cat! It is not for the faint at heart but it is very satisfying when what I had visioned comes out looking just the way I hoped it would.

S-L-O-O-O-W-W Moving...

Wow! I am shocked at how slow I am doing things these days. Not because I turned 39. It's just that I have become a serial procrastinator. The amount of work that needs to be put into my "To-Do" list is just ........there's no word for it.


(What?! I love her! She looks really happy!)

I also HATE everything in my house and my yard. I need something new and exciting to look forward to. SO , my plan is this; whine, complain, beg my husband to let me "redo" a few things in my house. Nothing major. Just maybe a new sofa for my den since our cats have shredded the legs on the red one so bad that they are beyond disgusting. And, maybe, if I quit cooking, he'll let me remove my wallpaper in my breakfast room and kitchen and let me paint it. Also, I've decided that the foofy shades in my dining room/living room are just not me anymore so I think they will be bidding "Adieu", as well. I think I am going to go with (brace yourselves!) with an all white/cream/khaki/browns scheme that I can add color to with dishes, flowers, pillows, etc.

(In case I haven't mentioned this blog, it is awesome! Go take a look at her chicken house.)

I am a HUGE collector of stuff. Dishes - love'em. Linens - love'em. Weirdities - uh, LOOOVVE'em! Right now I have a triangular glass "thing" that is filled with dried hydrangea blooms and the bird nest that I found in my Christmas tree. And can I just tell you that every time I pass by it, I smile! It is just my favorite little something right now. That kind of stuff.

So, let's review, shall we? #1 I am old. I am slow. Working on doing better............

#2 Need something new. New sofa, new walls, new window treatments. I have already started this process. Started the subtle nagging this week.

#3. I like weird stuff. Admit it. You do, too. You were just waiting for somebody to admit it first!

Etsy Shop

It has come to my attention that I have accumulated a lot ( A-L-O-T!) of stuff in recent years. It has also come to my attention that Ebay is sooo last century. What's a girl to do with all of her stuff? Open an Etsy store, DUH!

Vintage antique primitive

relic

classic heirloom time-worn

So, here's the dilemma. As I have said before, I really dislike the use of the word "vintage". I think has been overused and I really wish someone would come up with a new word for it. ANYWAY, in order to sell stuff on Etsy, you must make something or have something "vintage." That's the word they use. Anything over 20 years old. Not a problem. All my stuff is genuinely OLD. I just don't want to use that word in my descriptions! So, if anybody would like to assist me in finding new words for "vintage", please let me know! All suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Farmhouses

So, I want a farmhouse. I want a farmhouse with a big barn, a pasture, and a pretty cottage for my guests to stay in.I want LOTS of land to roam and have big bon-fires and a place to ride horses. I haven't found it yet but here's some ideas of what I'm looking for. Let me know if you know where I can find one!



I want to be able to have ALL of my family with me and still have room for them to have their own space to escape to. I want old farm tables, rickety chairs and fresh flowers for our picnics outside.

Love the daffodils, the upstairs porch, EVERYTHING about this one. It would be best if it were set way back in the woods so as not to be disturbed by the paparazzi. That's a problem for us. ; )

Johnny's Trading Post

My Saturday began with a little trip to the junk yard, just like I promised. I am so glad I went! I couldn't wait to take some pics of the good crap they had. Crap, as in, little treasures just waiting to find someone to love them and give them a new life.

My first and favorite item is this HUGE, very sturdy trunk. If I had a place for it, it would have come home with me, but I have no where to put it. It would be a perfect place to store blankets, pillows, books, magazines, toys, anything you can imagine. It just needs a little TLC and a creative owner to give it a good home! Any takers? Let me know and I'll snatch it up for you. $55 but I am sure I can get it for cheaper.

Here are a few more trunks that were stacked outside.

What can I say, I love me some trunks!

This little primitive box just gets me absolutely giddy! It needs a little cleaning and probably a swipe or two of some gel stain and BAM! Good stuff.

Lastly, this really pretty chippy paint "thingy" is a cypress bannister from a house in New Orleans. I have tried for a couple of years to buy just pieces of it since I obviously do not need an entire bannister. Some of the pieces are architectural and the green and white paint just make it interesting. This thing is huge and somebody with a good imagination and creativity could do something with it. I'll keep working on Dianne to sell the pieces separately.

In the end, I bought an old frame, a crocheted tabletopper for my friend, Cathy, and a couple of old hardback books. I took ALOT more pictures of things I liked but do not want to bore you with them. They really have just about anything you can imagine. Linens, albums, clothes, dishes, doors, windows, literally ANYTHING! I encourage you to take a trip down there if you have the time.

If any of these things interest you or you are looking for something in particular and you can't make it to Johnny's, let me know and I'll look for it the next trip!

Have a happy Monday!