A SEASON OF WAITING

Hey, y'all! I admit it. I'm a rebel. Despite the endless barrage of holiday commercials and advertisements, I don't shop in the mainstream places this time of year. I don't fall into the frantic search for the "perfect" gift. Instead, I enjoy going to small shops, antique malls, craft shows, and vintage markets to

 

buy unique, hand-crafted, and imperfect perfect old stuff for family and friends. 

I'm a rebel.

I don't hurry. I don't put all our Christmas decorations out as fast as I can.

I wait.

I wait and linger over the ornaments, remembering

who made them or what they represent. Sweet memories of friends, family, and strangers who shared their love and creativity with us.

I wait.

I usually get a rosemary tree or two. I like its scent and use it to cook. I light candles. I plant paper whites. They eventually peek up through the pebbles they are planted in. They grow just as I do.

The days get shorter and we make soup and eat by candlelight on the back porch. We share something you can't buy...precious time together.

 

We wait. 

In preparing for the Christmas season we make time to enjoy the quiet moments, the simple things, and to reach out to family and friends and to those who need family and friends.

 

Sharing ourselves.

 

Sharing peace, love, and all the good stuff.

 

Until next time,

Wishing y'all a blessed season.

 

BEACHY KEEN DAY

 Hey, Y'all! I love road-trippin' as you well know, but sometimes it's about the  journey. Ya know, getting away from stacks of moving boxes, holiday stress, and stacks of moving boxes. Taking in the sights and sounds of a different place. A purposeful EXCURSION! Now, don't get me wrong--junkin' road trips are awesome fun. I love the adventure of not knowing exactly what I'll find at the end of the day. (And if you read this blog on even a somewhat regular basis or know me, you KNOW I always do at least a little JUNKIN'!) :)
However, every once in a while a girl just needs a "get-away" to refresh her mind, body, and spirit if only for a day. We recently had one of those kind of days and headed to Galveston Island.



Our first stop was The Sunflower Bakery and Cafe. We've been going to this wonderful local place for years. We had a fabulous lunch and shared a piece of fantastic chocolate pie.  (It's my favorite chocolate pie!) Once we had fortified ourselves with a delicious kicked-back lunch we wandered across the hall to a conveniently located antique shop called, Bacon Farm Antiques & Oddities. We then headed to Hendley Market, located at 2010 The Strand in historic downtown Galveston. Hendley Market is a funky shop! It has a little bit of everything. Here's what I found. 

We also perused another shop, Vintage Galveston, 1708 23rd Street. It is part art gallery, part architectural salvage, and part antiques and vintage goodies of every kind. Upstairs was especially interesting as it was once used as a boarding house and hotel. It still has the original wood car-siding, wood ceiling, transom windows, and aqua paint. Quite a trip back to a time of no air conditioning or electricity and only the most basic plumbing. From there, we headed past the brand new Paradise Pier

(where the old Flagship Hotel used to be--another victim of Hurricane Ike.) It was bright and looked exciting, but we wanted something more laid back and serene.
A quick trip to the West End of the island took us to Galveston State Park.

When our children were younger, we took them to Galveston State Park in our RV trailer for a week each fall and summer. We spent endless hours grilling fresh shrimp, building sandcastles, and relaxing.
In 2008, Hurricane Ike literally swallowed a good part of the beach at and near the state park. In fact the former park offices are now about a half mile out in the Gulf. (Yes, sadly, many houses were also washed out to sea.) Much care is taken to protect the frail sand dunes at the park as sea turtles also call this beach home. 

We had a wonderful afternoon. We strolled. We dug our toes in the cool sand. We talked. As it was the end of November, there weren't many others on the beach, but those of us there got to watch a school of playful dolphins catch their dinner less than a quarter mile from where we stood. In all the years I've come to this place, I'd never seen the dolphins so close! It was amazing.

  

 

It was just what I needed

 

 

a day at the beach!

Until next time,

 

PEACE, LOVE, AND ALL

THE GOOD STUFF, Y'ALL!

THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

Hey, Y'all! Usually I'm on the road looking for great junk. However, today I'm at that other place I spend a lot of quality time...at my desk writing. I've been tagged by a fellow mystery writer,     Diane Vallere, to answer ten questions in a Blog Hop called The Next Big Thing. Diane has several new exciting books available and one novella coming out next month. Her book Pillow Stalk A Mad for Mod Mystery has a great vintage vibe with all things mid-century modern and a fun Doris Day twist. Please check her out!

So here goes...ten questions on my "next big thing."

Q. What is the working title for your next book?

A. VINTAGE MURDER A Jimmie Rae Flea Market Mystery.

Q. Where did the idea come from for the book? 
A. It is the second book in the Jimmie Rae Flea Market Mystery series. It's a continuation of the adventures of JR and her best friend, Maxine Bea Humphries.

Q. What genre does your book fall under? 
A. Cozy mystery.

Q. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? 
A. Sandra Bullock, as Jimmie Rae Murphy, Toby Keith, as Billy Jack Mitchell, Drew Barrymore as Maxine Humphries, and Matthew McConaughey as Thomas Williams.

Q. What is the one sentence synopsis of the book? 

A. With the wedding planner found dead in their vintage market booth, Jimmie Rae and Maxine must solve the murder so Max can put her past behind her and begin a new life with the man of her dreams.

Q. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? 
A. Self-published.

Q. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? 
A. The initial VERY rough draft was composed during Nation Novel Writing Month (NaNo--November) a few years ago.

Q. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? 
A. Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews.

Q. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
A.  It is the follow-up to First Monday Murder A Jimmie Rae Flea Market Mystery released earlier this year. 

As an antique dealer I’m seeing a lot of interest in vintage weddings these days. It seemed a natural direction for Maxine to be planning one too. Only hers comes with murder and a dark secret.

Q. What else about your book might pique the reader's interest? 
A. Anyone interested in vintage markets, vintage travel trailers, regional wineries, vintage weddings, or who enjoys a good mystery with romantic overtones may enjoy VINTAGE MURDER A Jimmie Rae Flea Market Mystery due out early 2013. 

Thanks again to Diane Vallere for tagging me. 

Until next time, 

PEACE, LOVE, and ALL THE GOOD STUFF, Y'ALL!

SHOPPIN' AT RUSTED GINGHAM'S BARN SALE

Love this old rusty truck Rusted Gingham use for their BARN SHOW.

Hey Y'all! Sometimes the blacktop throws ya a curve or two and ya just have to hang on to the steering wheel and take the change of directions a little slower. That's what recently happened to me. 

Since before last summer I was on board to attend the awesome Rusted Gingham BARN SALE as a vendor setting up my Garden Cat treasures. However, whenever it came down to it, that was just not to be this time. Instead, I was able to make my way to the BARN SALE as a customer and happy JUNK supporter! 

I've a thing for old Ford trucks (so does my
 protag, Jimmie Rae Murphy!) This one is gorgeous!

I couldn't wait to see what all the wonderful buzz was about and to see my dear friends the masterminds of the BARN SALE, Suzanne and Tracy. 

Left to right-Rusted Gingham's,Tracy, Sweet Girl, Moi, and
Rusted Gingham's Suzanne at the Blog Party a few years ago.

I met these sisters-in-law and awesome vintage sale organizers at Sweet T's Blog Party a few years ago at Round Top Antiques Week. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Suzanne and Tracy are women with kind hearts the size of Texas!

At Petticoats on the Prairie in Waxahachie this
past spring. Janie, Tracy, Tracy's auntie, and myself.

Fortunately we've been able to catch up with each other many times down the blacktop.

Amy of Amy  Boland Photography, Suzanne of Rusted Gingham, Kristi of
Checkered Past and moi catching up in San Antonio.

This was the fifth year of the Rusted Gingham Barn Sale, and the first time Suzanne and Tracy have filled the big old show barn FULL of incredible vendors with stacks of great JUNK, vintage treasures, handmade wonderfulness, and tasty treats. There were more than 70 vendors which means lots of GREAT finds!

Lisa of Lisa's Adornments with her beautiful 
 hand-crafted  keepsakes, journals, totes and  smile!

Pretty clutches by Lisa of Lisa's Adornments.

Fun finds!

Some of the treasures from sisters,
 Elaine and Betsy of Sister's Treasures.

Lovely sisters, Elaine and Betsy of Sister's Treasures.

More fun stuff!

Here's a few of the fantastic things I found at the BARN SALE. (I can't show y'all everything because I bought lots of Christmas gifts too!) ;)

Love this cool turquoise Victorian door from Lucky 1300. 

I bought this fantastic primitive cupboard from Suzanne's
booth at the BARN SALE!  It's perfect for my
Victorian  Cowgirl inspired bedroom! 

Until next time, dear friends, take the road less traveled, be thankful, and fill your life with 

PEACE, LOVE, and 

ALL THE GOOD STUFF!

FROM PORTLAND TO THE PRAIRIE

 

 

Hey, y'all! Portland to the Prairie? Surely, I've lost it for real this time! Well, that may be true too, but here's how I met the Rodeo Queens and ended up as a vendor at their great vintage market on the Texas prairie.

It all began a few years ago at Funky Junk Sisters Junk Salvation Vintage Market just outside of Portland, OR where I met the Rodeo Queens of Petticoats on the Prairie--Texas boot-wearin' girls meeting for the first time in Oregon. What a hoot! 

This past March I was fortunate enough to be a vendor at Petticoats on the Prairie Vintage Market in Waxahachie, TX. And this past weekend, I finally got to see why Flea Market Style magazine rated POTP one of the "Best Vintage Sales."

 

In between the wonderful hospitality of the Rodeo Queens and good folks of Colorado City, there was also a round-up of decked out vintage trailers belonging to the awesome Sisters on the Fly, as well as more than 70 incredible vendors from all over the southwest. I even got to meet SOTF author, Irene Rawlings who has a new Sisters on the Fly Book coming out--Cooking in Cast Iron with Sisters on the Fly. 

Author Irene Rawlings and I at the POTP book
 signing of her new Sisters on the Fly book.

A fun painted Sisters on the Fly vintage trailer.

Sisters on the Fly vintage pinky trailer named Jezebel.

Meet Fifi, a gorgeous 1955 Ford
F-100 belonging to Rodeo Queen Cecilia Scott.

Rodeo Queen Cecilia Scott at her POTP booth.

Lovely Charlotte of Shabby Roxannes.

Lots and lots of beautiful cowboy and
cowgirl boots at the Old Sole Boot Company.

 

Awesome, cool repurposed bicycle parts into
re-cyclist light fixtures by Brian Mayfield.

Lacy wonderfulness from Sweet Baby Jane.

Baseball cuffs from Sweet Baby Jane.

A sweet vignette from Mulberry
 Hill--just love her wallpaper!

 

Victorian beauty at Sparkle &Spurs.

So fun to meet new vendors--Vintage Lulabelle had lots of great stuff.

Here's a peek at our POTP Garden Cat booth.

Next up, we're super excited to be vendors at the 5th annual Rusted Gingham Barn Sale, Friday, November 2 from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday, November 3 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 

 

Peace, love, and

all the good stuff to y'all!