Category: Collect

Save it for Later

February 17
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If you love to decorate for holidays and special occasions as much as I do, you know that it steals pennies from your bank no matter how economical you try to be!  But since it makes me happy to create those whimsical spaces in my home AND save money, I really try to find ways to keep my projects within a budget!  Luckily, I have three helpful suggestions on how to do this!  One of my favorite ways is to recycle!  reusing past party or holiday decor always helps to stretch the dollar!  Another is to scavenge all the after-holiday sales and clearance sections every time you visit your favorite shops…and not just the first day after the holiday!  Often times seasonal items will be priced up to 90% off at the very, very end of the sale!  Of course, at that point the shelves will be pretty picked over but you still might stumble upon just the right item at the perfect price…practically free!  My suggestion in shopping clearance is to only buy it if you REALLY love it or might ACTUALLY use it…not just because it’s cheap!  Because when the same holiday comes ’round the following year, you can be certain that you’ll find an entire new array of decorating goodies just begging you to buy…so you want to give your last year’s sale item a fighting chance!  And lastly, I find it helpful to stock up on certain supplies…like staples in a food pantry, you’re stocking your party pantry!  Over time you can collect an inventory of common items that you’ll use over and over again!   Now the only obstacle is finding easy storage.  We all have different storage situations…some have plenty of extra spaces and some of us, not so much.  So I really try to find cute storage options just in case it needs to sit out in the open!  And having storage that’s easy to access also helps you to not forget what you’ve got tucked away!  Today I’d like to share some of my favorite supplies and the ways I hide them until I’m ready to use them again!  This way I can buy what’s on sale and save it for later!  I hope you find some inspiration that will work for you!

tuck it away…recycle and reuse!

Tiny Vessels…

October 16
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While I was cleaning out my kitchen cupboards the other day I was inspired to turn some items I found crammed in the back of my spice drawer and catch-all cabinet into sweet little vases for the last tiny blooms of the season!  It’s funny how something almost forgotten can transform into a thing of beauty!  What got the ball rolling was an old spice tin…and I mean OLD!  Not just one that’s been in my spice drawer for a year or so past it’s expiration date–but a vintage one!  It was a tiny can of chili powder that must have been pretty spicy because on it was an image of the devil stirring a cauldron over fire…how cute for Halloween!  So I set it aside and then found another…an ity bity bottle of olive oil!  Then, a single salt shaker missing its pepper…ok, maybe I can do something with these?  Even though they’re small, they’re just right to make tiny containers for flowers…and since there’s hardly anything left in my garden, small is just perfect!

tiny vessel…big fun!

Fun at the Endless Yard Sale!

August 10
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I am happy to report that the Endless Yard Sale was certainly a success!  My mom and I headed out bright and early for a fun-filled day of treasure hunting on what couldn’t have been a more perfect weather forecast!  Last year it was so hot you’d practically melt in the sun…but I guess that doesn’t really matter much–unless it was a total wash-out a little rain, heat, or freezing temps wouldn’t stop me from going!  But this year we got lucky!  Cool enough for a sweater at daybreak is just about as good as a summer morning gets for me!  And it was breezy enough to keep it comfortable even in the heat of the afternoon…which was welcomed since climbing in and out of the truck all day was giving us an excellent lower body workout!  I swear it felt like we got in and out 100 times!  But a well spent day…shopping, eating, and chatting with new and familiar faces on our journey south on Highway 127!  As I mentioned last week, this was a particularly busy weekend for me…the sale, several commitments for the kids, and my younger son’s birthday–all falling within two days time!  Funny how that always seems to happen!  So my mom and I had to keep our yard sale adventure down to one full–and I mean FULL–day of fun!  Next year I hope to head to Tennessee and work my way back home!  But for now, I want to share a peek at our day…

following the road of endless sales…

One for the Road!

August 5
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I mentioned on Monday that I’d be getting ready to hit the road for one of my most favorite annual events…The Endless Garage sale!  This fabulous stretch of seemingly endless yard, garage, and barn sales–running on Highway 127 from Michigan to Alabama, winds through quaint towns filled with wonderful eateries, antique shops, and treasure galore!  The really fun thing about this day it that you often keep running into the same smiling faces of other treasure hunters following the same path!  So tomorrow is the big day! The official start to the long weekend of scavenging and racing to find that special thing that you just can’t live without!  This will be my third year shopping this great sale…and even though I’ve never gotten very far, and can’t even fathom traveling the entire distance (some people actually do!), I’m always looking forward to this first full weekend in August to arrive!  And since I’ve learned a thing or two from my last two trips, I’ll leave the house prepared with supplies and sustenance for a long day of fun!  Often times this trip is a family affair but too much on the calendar this year is leaving the truck with only two passengers…me and my mom!  So with this outing turning into a girl’s-day-out I decided to “fancy up” our supplies…something that boys don’t always fully appreciate!  So not only do I get to spend a day shopping with my mom…I get to pack up a little surprise for us both to share while we’re on the road!

ready for a road-trip!

Serving Silver

July 20
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One of my favorite things to collect is vintage silverware!  My collection is mostly made up of silver-plate…a much more inexpensive version than sterling and still equally as elegant!  I think I may have been in my late teens when I first became intrigued by silver and soon after started my little collection.  (a result of growing up with “antique fair” parents!)  To this day, I still love to pick up vintage silver for myself and for Giggle, so I always have an excuse for checking out the bins of silver stuff at antique stores and markets!  And since I’ve been collecting for so long, I do have a pretty nice array of interesting servers to add to my displays of nibbles and treats any time we have guests!  Not always sure what these old pieces were intended for–but I don’t really care, they can be substituted for just about anything on a buffet table and they look great doing their job!  The other benefit–vintage silver-plate is available at almost every antique store–even at garage sales!  Never mind that some of the tarnish doesn’t always polish off (the only down-side to silver plate)–but to me, that’s part of the unique patina of the piece!  Whether it’s bright and shiny or a tad bit tarnished…vintage silver always adds elegance!  And though I’m no expert, I’ll share with you some “silver 101” and what’s never hiding too long in my silver drawer…

serving up pretty…with silver!

Patio Pails

July 15
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During the summer we practically live on the patio!  I love to be outside and breathe in that fresh air filled with the scents of freshly cut grass and hot coals from the BBQ!  The sweet sounds of summer–kids playing, birds singing, and the occasional chimes of the ice cream truck–seem to soothe any encountered stress and whisper to me that “yes, it really is summer”!  And all those things I mentioned can instantly take me back to the wonderfully simple years of my childhood…so I always welcome an evening on the patio!  Since we spend so much time there I like to have some seasonal supplies at my fingertips so I’m not constantly running into the house for those little necessities!  You know by now that I love galvanized buckets and tubs…so I just grab a few and fill ’em up with all the goodies we might need while enjoying our outdoor spaces.  I leave them on the porch most of the time, but since they’re in convenient containers I can easily cart them wherever they’re needed!  So grab a pail or two and keep your summertime supplies at hand!  This is what I keep in mine…

simple organizing with patio pails…

Picking Peanuts

June 24
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Today’s post isn’t really about picking peanuts…but in fact, about a wonderful little shop I found in Ashburn, Georgia! Whenever I’m traveling it’s a requirement to pop into fascinating little establishments along the way! The bonus of this shop is that it’s in the same plaza as a huge sausage shop…so the boys all had something to do! While I was strolling around in this fabulous market, they were checking out deli counters and store shelves full of toppings and rubs for BBQs and all types of recipes calling for meat! Thankfully this gave me some extra time to nose around…wishing I had the room to bring home car-loads of treasures! Take a peek at this lovely shop…

i sure wish Pickin’ Peanuts was in
my neck of the woods!

Antiquing We Will Go…

May 6
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It’s almost time to hit the road for some antique flea markets and good old yard sales! I’m so excited that the weather has just begun to get warmer…and  I’m all geared up for the outdoor “junking”!  But on the days the rain drops are falling or the temps just aren’t “perfect”…there’s always the antique mall!  Packed with trinkets & treasures, furniture & collectibles, and almost everything you can imagine–the mall is available all year for the antique addict like me!  A stroll down the isles isn’t quite like an outdoor market…but it’s no less the fun and always full of wonder!

a little treasure hunting to soothe the soul…

Contain It Pretty!

April 15
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It seems as though my house is filled with “stuff”!  I try to eliminate clutter but no matter how hard I work there’s always little piles of miscellaneous things everywhere!  My dad once said “a house without messes is a house not lived in”…I think I’ll run with that one!  But even though I try to remember that wise phrase, the piles of “junk” still drive me crazy and I’m always searching for ways to contain my family’s clutter!  Because I enjoy collecting (part of my problem!) and recycling…I love to use found containers to hold our things and keep us as organized as possible!  Some of my favorites are old serving dishes, trays, and baskets–they not only store items but make even the most ordinary utensils look lovely while keeping them within arms reach.  If you don’t have lots of storage space in your home you might not be able to hide clutter in closets…my problem exactly since I hardly have any! (closets not clutter!)  Maybe these things should be kept out in the open…organizing them in fun, creative, and unique ways!  So go ahead and live it up in your home–just contain your clutter…pretty!

fun ideas for organizing “stuff”…

Yard Sale Mania!

August 11
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Once again the endless yard sale arrived on a beautiful summer weekend and certainly didn’t disappoint!  Held annually in August, these sales begin on the first Thursday and stretch from Michigan to Alabama–strewn along Highway 127 like a row of ants at a picnic!  This only being my second year to attend…though I’ve been wishing to squeeze this jaunt into my schedule for many years!  Now that I’ve caught the “127 sale fever” I believe that this is one new tradition that I’ll always try to keep!  Not only do you find amazing treasures but there’s always something new to see around every bend of the twisty road!  And since people come from all over the place there’s always new characters to meet along the way!  So take a peek at the yard sale mania and mark it on your calendar for next year…

a treasure hunter’s dream…