We lost our Smokey today. Unexpectedly...he is gone. Liver failure...but no one knows for why sure. Sunday afternoon he was eating chicken pot pie with us, today he was buried in a corner of the front yard where I found this tiny gray kitten 6 years ago. He jumped out of the plumbago bushes as if to say "lady, today is your lucky day because I'm here!" and he was right. My son fell in love with him and the two were inseperable. After Randy moved out, he always looked for Smokey before he spent time with family when he came to visit. On Sunday, I had to tell him to "put that cat down and come eat." Today I had to tell him Smokey was dying. When the Manly Man asked me where I wanted to bury him, I said in the corner of the front yard where I found him....in the plumbago bushes...so he dug a hole and we wrapped him in the demin shirt I was wearing last night when Smokey and I cuddled on the sofa. This morning we rushed to the vet and I said to spare no expense...just save his life. But God has other plans. When Manly Man and I went to the vet's office today to have him put to sleep, they brought him to me and and laid him on the table. I said "hi Smokey" and he answered "mwow"...he was so happy to see us even though he was in great pain...he loved his family very much and we loved him....and always will. Until we meet again Smokey...sweet dreams.
05/22/2013
Good Night Sweet Prince
We lost our Smokey today. Unexpectedly...he is gone. Liver failure...but no one knows for why sure. Sunday afternoon he was eating chicken pot pie with us, today he was buried in a corner of the front yard where I found this tiny gray kitten 6 years ago. He jumped out of the plumbago bushes as if to say "lady, today is your lucky day because I'm here!" and he was right. My son fell in love with him and the two were inseperable. After Randy moved out, he always looked for Smokey before he spent time with family when he came to visit. On Sunday, I had to tell him to "put that cat down and come eat." Today I had to tell him Smokey was dying. When the Manly Man asked me where I wanted to bury him, I said in the corner of the front yard where I found him....in the plumbago bushes...so he dug a hole and we wrapped him in the demin shirt I was wearing last night when Smokey and I cuddled on the sofa. This morning we rushed to the vet and I said to spare no expense...just save his life. But God has other plans. When Manly Man and I went to the vet's office today to have him put to sleep, they brought him to me and and laid him on the table. I said "hi Smokey" and he answered "mwow"...he was so happy to see us even though he was in great pain...he loved his family very much and we loved him....and always will. Until we meet again Smokey...sweet dreams.
05/15/2013
My Glass Totem....
I have a vendor at the Fancy Flea, Shelly Underwood, of Shelly's Yard Art and she makes the most beautiful glass totems and other yard decor out of found glass objects. Anyway, I decided to try and make one...but on a simpler scale. I started with a 4x4 post and a punch bowl and super sticky marine glue.
Then I added a vase (this was an FTD Princess Diana commemorative vase). After that, part of an old lamp......the Manly Man took 3 lamps apart for this project.
Then a plate. I found this old green italian lamp at a yard sale in Plant City for $2.00.
Next came another old hurricane type lamp found in PC again at a thrift store.
It's a bit lopsided...but who cares. Too late..the glue is drying. Next came another little plate and yellow vase. The topper is a glass paperweight found at my parents home.
Now, since I don't think this way, I was appalled when the Manly Man said this looked like a great target for some kids to throw rocks at. Then he added that he hoped a branch from the tree didn't fall on it. I guess someone has to play devil's advocate. Anyway, the finished product turned out OK...I plan to add two more at various heights beside it.
Not bad, but it sure isn't anything Shelley would claim, and it looks SO pretty when the sun shines through it. Have you made anything for the garden lately? Next up....more pictures from Cedar Key.
05/13/2013
The Fancy Flea's New Home!
Although it just looks like an empty field.....
It's going to be beautiful. Imagine all the lovely tents with their gorgeous wares spread out across the property with the oaks trees allowing dappled light to shine down on them.
Live music...maybe bluegrass....maybe country....or acoustic guitar playing in the background as you wind your way through the rows and rows of gorgeous vendors.
The heavenly smells of food trucks offering everything from fried chicken, fish tacos, barbeque, strawberry shortcake, fresh coffee and chocolate cupcakes....mmmmmmmmmmm....I can't wait!
Each row will have its own little name on its own little sign ....Strawberry Lane....Fancy Avenue....the possibilities are endless...but it will make vendors easy to locate.
Plant City here we come!!! Next up this week....my attempt at glass yard art....it's not as easy as it looks!
05/11/2013
Weekend Treasures
A quicky post of some goodies found this weekend between Lakeland & Plant City. Nothing spectacular...just fun.
Aren't these canisters cute? Can't decide whether to keep them or put them in the La Petit Fancy Flea on July 20th.
Love, love , love this old globe. It will join the inventory of Chic & Shabby Vintage Rentals...my other "like you need something else to do" project.
Odds & ends...cute magazine rack and tea cup; ball jar for flowers; enamel pot for scooping dog food...it's the perfect size!!
Now this is a hand mirror. And for those of you who know me, me and my big ole hair are going to love using this!!
I found this old chair at Helping Hands in Plant City. I bought the farmhouse table from Josh Pillar with Shabby Sheap...a Fancy Flea vendor at the April show. I'm mixing up the chairs around the table and painting them different colors...to the Manly Man's horror. The chair in the foreground was found in an alley a few days ago and will be Duck Egg Blue (ASCP). Since they are going to be outside all the time, I can't invest too much in them...right? I think I paint the newest one creamy white and the one behind the globe palest yellow. How do you like my painted floor?
Isn't this the cutest fabric? It's a little handmade quilt that I bought for.....
Miss Evelynn...in one of her four 25 cent chapeaus. By the way...that's a dress from the Fancy Flea she's wearing and she said it's her favorite. Have a happy Mother's Day everyone!
05/09/2013
Finishing "The Wall''
Back in 2004 my oldest daughter called to say she was engaged. And, to let me know she wanted to hold a brunch at my home the morning after the wedding. Great!!! I said as I wondered what I could possibly do to get the back courtyard ready in just a few months.
So....since I have a garage with a 10x30 wall that faces the courtyard, I decided to paint a lovely garden scene. But no, I was making a lot of mosaic birdbaths at that time, so I decided to create a butterfly mosaic on this wall....no problem!! I'm sure I can get this done in time for the wedding! Since my daughter lived in Atlanta then and I live in Lakeland where the wedding would take place, guess what? The wedding became my project.....
And no...the wall wasn't finished by the wedding date...about half of it was. And, after the wedding, my mother and father's health began to decline and my role as caregiver to them kicked in. I also have a full time job. And 5 children. My father had emphysema (sp) and my mother suffered with dementia. Splitting my time between their home in Tampa and mine in Lakeland left no time for "the wall."
In 2006, my mother suffered a stroke while I was in Louiseville, KY for a conference. After she left the hospital, she was admitted into a rehab facility, and then placed in a nursing home since prior to her stroke she had been running down the street in her undies and my father could no longer care for her. So, we moved her to a facility in Lakeland so I could see her each day. Now, really no time for "the wall."
In May 2007, my father died of a heart attack, one year after my mother left in an ambulance never to return to their home. He left in an abulance too....but did not survive. The grief of losing a parent can be overwhelming and unreal. I slipped into a bit of depression unknown to my family. I really had no interest in "the wall" anymore...or the garden...or decorating my bungalow that I love so. In November 2007, at a trade show in Austin, TX, I fell down a flight of stairs and broke my left foot and detached the retina in my left eye. Couldn't see to finish "the wall."
Recovery took a couple of years due to subsequent eye surgeries and "the wall" remained abandoned. In 2009 I began to feel like myself again and I started the Fancy Flea Vintage Home & Garden Market with 12 vendors. Still caring for my mom and working full time. I lost interest in "the wall" but was beginning to feel embarrassed that it wasn't finished. But there was no time for it. The Flea continued to grow with each show.....28 vendors.......60....vendors.....100 vendors. Certainly no time now for "the wall."
My mother died in April 2011. She had been at home with us since October 2010. I knew she was dying and I did not want her spend her final months with strangers. She was bed ridden and helpless, but she knew she was with loved ones. Another parents dies....and depression sets in....even though it was a blessing for her....and for me...you grieve. But life goes on and grandchildren are born.....
Life gets in the way of "the wall." Tile is loose and pieces are dropping off. I collect them all in a basket and promise to finish it soon. Marriages go through phases....some good, some bad. Stressful times make you take into account what really matters. Turns out, "the wall" was my solace through the past few months. I forgot how much I love to work on it. I've pulled some tile off and replaced it with other colors. I'm excited again. It's going to be finished soon. And I'm going to throw a party...
And you're invited to the unveiling. Stay tuned.....
05/07/2013
A new beginning.....
Just a sneaky peak at the site of the new Fancy Flea location....lots of trees....it will be just beautiful! More details soon.
Madison Trip Finds
When the Manly Man and I set out for Madison, FL last Friday morning, he said to me "we'll stop at every yard sale, thrift store and junk place you want to"...and we did!
I alotted my self $100.00 in small bills for the trip...figuring that would be enough, and if not, there's always an atm somewhere. I found this triple dresser, by Dixie, at a church yard sale for $25.00. It will go along with the little twin french provencial beds I'll have for sale at the La Petit Fancy Flea on July 20th. There's also a mirror with it....it's like brand new.
This little gal was at a yard sale in Webster...along with big jars of snakes in formaldehyde, King Charles puppies and pigs for sale. I also bought this little lamp for a $1.00. The Manly Man said this gal looked like she had freckles...but it was mildew...lots of mildew. Clorox bleach spray took care of that. The boxes are for my dressing room...$1.00 each. The little tea pot was $1.00 and has the electrical cord in tact....works great.
This picture was at a thrift store in Inverness for $3.00 and the basket was from the church yard sale in Chiefland for $1.00. I'll fill it up with Mother's Day goodies for one of my daughters. She also gets the little tea pot.
This adorable bed was also in Webster at a tiny over priced thrift store. They were really proud of their stuff. I couldn't talk them down from $40.00...but I bought it anyway...how could I pass it up? I'm going to make a plant stand/chalk board for the flea out of it. The basket, soon to be a hanging lamp, was $2.00 at the same thrift store as the little painting. The frame was $1.00 in Webster at the "snakes in a jar" yard sale. Yes, that's my awful garage in the background....Manly Man can barely fit his Harley in there.
This is where we stayed when we got to Cedar Key on Friday night....more to come on that.
05/05/2013
Madison, FL....Home of a future Fancy Flea!!
The Manly Man and I set out for Madison, Florida last Friday in hopes of finding a north Florida location for the FF....and boy did we ever!
This town is absolutely beautiful and the perfect setting for an additional Fancy Flea.
We stayed at the Unity House which is owned & operated by a lovely lady by the nameof Linda. If you're ever in the area, look her up. The rooms are beautiful and the breakfast is to die for!
Here is the Manly Man hard at work laying out the street. Honestly, The Fancy Flea would not exist without him....he's the powerhouse behind the scenes.
Can't you just see all the booths set up here?
This is for the guys...yes there IS something to do when you're not setting up a booth!
The owner of this amazing store, Madison Design & Interiors (I think I got it right), Cindy Poire (I think that's right too) contacted me right before the April show and asked if I would be interested in bringing a show to Madison. She had been to the Lakeland show and knew it would be a good fit. If you haven't visited her store, you MUST go. It's absolutely amazing. I'll share the adorable vintage coat I bought from her later this week....along with all my other treasures I gathered along the way. The Manly Man stopped at every yard sale and junk store between here & Madison for me!!!!
More tomorrow!
