Thursday, December 19, 2013

CELEBRATING ALL THE GOOD STUFF

Hey, Y'all! Welcome to the...drum roll, please-- one hundredth post of Peace Love and All the Good Stuff! I began this blog three years ago with the intent of sharing my enjoyment of antiques and collectibles with other kindred spirits. I've included my first post here since Blogger notes that only 16 people read it. :)
My initial thoughts for this blog still ring true today. However, now more than 40,000 visitors have stopped by for a peek, FIRST MONDAY MURDER, the first in my Flea Market 
 Mystery series is available with the next book, VINTAGE MURDER, due to launch in Spring 2014 and we've taken Garden Cat Vintage on the road to more than eight different incredible, nationally recognized vintage markets totaling 20 shows! 
In addition, we're now back in the heart of TX antique country and have GARDEN CAT VINTAGE booths at two antique malls--more on that exciting news next time.


So here's to dreaming and dreaming big and continuing to dream BIGGER.
Here's to the road-trippin ' way of life. 
Here's to seeing aesthetic beauty in old stuff. 
And most of all, here's to meeting even more creative, talented, inspiring artists, junkers, gypsies, dreamers, and collectors down the blacktop roads everywhere!
If ya missed the first post of Peace, Love, and All the Good Stuff here it is--

Welcome to my blog!
You never know where the blacktop will lead. Over the past forty-something years the highways and byways have taken me from the prairies of Oklahoma and Texas to the Cascade mountain foothills in Washington and a whole lot of places in between.

I'm a gypsy spirit juggling motherhood and marriage to my high school sweetheart with my passion for writing, reading, and collecting most anything older than myself. I've been an antique dealer for the past 14 years. My business is called The Garden Cat since there always seems to be both a garden and cat somewhere in my life -- and each is a symbol to me of slowing down and enjoying the moment -- organic living.

I'm especially fanatical about rusty, worn, or handmade furniture and garden items. However, I also have a soulful connection to Victorian ephemera, vintage hardback books, old lace, brilliant bark cloth fabric from the 1930s and '40s, and always patterned, colorful quilts. I'm particularly drawn to imperfect, defective, or patched items often thrown aside as not worth keeping or using. I'm not perfect so why should the items in my home be?

I'm at a life-crossroads about as crazy as the Dallas mix-master at rush hour. Events are merging together -- sometimes gracefully and sometimes ending in a "fender-bender" or two. You see, our kids are growing up and all those dreams and goals I put on the shelf 18 years ago are begging to be dusted off and achieved. Some might call it a "mid-life crisis." I choose to call it "new life opportunities."

Enough about that. The purpose of this blog is to journal life's road trips and all the interesting destinations just waiting to be discovered along the way.

My passion for old stuff began at a young age following my parents to Spivey's Antiques in Oklahoma City or collecting stuff out of the city dump with my daddy. I got some pretty cool bicycles from parts he collected here and there and put together for me.

Now, my ideal day includes a tankful of gas, a few dollars in my pocket, a rough idea of a destination, and finding a piece of the past for my very own. (Although I've come to realize my possession of any given item is only temporary as it will surely find another home eventually.)

I love to imagine the stories the worn Depression era kitchen tool or the bold floral hat would tell if it could. That's where the writer in me just itches to put fingers to keyboard and tell the story.

I'm inspired by the great stuff I find at flea markets, garage sales, estate sales, tag sales, and thrift stores. But even better than the stuff are the people -- strange, quirky, friendly, mean, rude, funny, and everything in between -- an amazing collection of characters. Many whom I'm now blessed to call good friends.

You never know where the blacktop may lead, but I'd love to have you along for the ride -- so, hop on in, buckle up, and get ready for the next part of the journey. As my sweet grandma used to say, "Grab your head-rag and catch it!!"

Here's a few of the friends, vintage markets, and good stuff so far...



 

 

 






 











 



 


 
 












 







In 100 posts this is my most viewed post and here's one of my favoritesThank you for taking the time to come along for the ride...more adventures are sure to be just up ahead.
Until next time, 
Peace, Love, and All 
the Good Stuff to ya!

5 comments:

  1. Lisa, first of all Congratulations on your 100th post......... at the rate I write mine I'll be way past Medicare age when I write it (and that's pretty far away.. really!) lol I so enjoyed traveling with you down memory lane and viewing all the great pictures of your junkin' friends and beautiful spaces. Here's to many more!
    Betsy

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    1. Thank you for your wonderful friendship and awesome support, sweet Elaine and Betsy! You're too funny-- I've so enjoyed getting to know you both better and seeing you at vintage markets. May your 2014 be even more fabulous than the this last year!
      Peace, love, and all the best, Sisters Treasures!

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  2. 100 posts is wonderful!!! I read your blog and enjoy it so don't stop. I guess blogs are not as popular as they once were but I still love them. Now that I am not doing Andy's Attic I have my new blog that I use. I still love seeing all the fun that other junkers are having and I do enjoy your posts!! Congratulations.

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    1. Thank you Annette! :) I've enjoyed getting to know you and enjoy your new blog. I'll probably always blog just because I enjoy this format so much. It's fun to post your own pics and words and share it others. I'm so inspired by you and so many others. I'm hoping to be up your way soon and hope to see you at Funky Junk in Hillsboro.
      Happy New Year to you, sweet friend. Peace love, and all the good stuff to ya.

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  3. Wow....not sure how I missed this, but congratulations Lisa on your 100th post! We Rodeo Queens are honored to be counted as friends, and can't wait for that second book to come out!! Hope to see you again soon!

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