And So the Aqua Quest Continues...

I am so obsessed with my beachy colors these days.  

OBSESSED I tell you!

I was just innocently entering the shipping information for a recent etsy sale and I decided I needed to search for aqua/turquoise pottery while I was there.  

And, of course, I found something.

The real McCoy, you know.

Should be here in a few days!  Can't wait!

Wanna' see what else I found?

etsy

etsy

etsy

So, what random things do you search for on etsy?

Thanks for buzzing in!  Such a delight to see you!

P.S.  And thank you so much for your kind words from my last post.  That's one of the things I love about this community!
P.P.S.  I bought the basket weave McCoy planters, but the rest are available on etsy…….for now…..

Have You Ever?

Have you ever found an etsy shop where you LOVE everything the seller makes???

Well, my dear friends, I have found one!  I am in LOVE!  (Shhhh…..what Worker Bee doesn't know can't hurt him, right?)

So.  I have to share this with you.  

First things first.  The name of the shop is – Slippin' Southern.

I'm not sure I've mentioned before, but both my grannies were from the south, so I do feel like I have a few southern sensibilities, although I dare not claim to be a real southerner.  

Enough of that.  

Let's get down to business and look at the fun and whimsical pretties!

 Santa grabbed my attention first...

 and then there was another one….

 and another one….

 and another.

Then I started poking around the Halloween signs….

 and found a couple more signs there that I might not be able to live without.

And then I had to check out the beach department…

 and found more treasures to drool over.

And then I had to check out the kitschy department (cause I love me some kitsch)…

I have a thing for giant flatware.   

But no need to worry about me.  

I can't be the only one with a thing for giant flatware, right?  

Right???  

And then there was the Southern charm department….

 and how am I going to resist this jadeite hobnail cake plate???  

I can't even begin to add up how much all of these things would cost, 

but a bee can buzz, 

true?

Well, you'll be the first one to know when I do get one of these fun folk art pieces!

Thanks for buzzing along with me!  

Always a treat to see you!

Are You Doing Cyber Monday?

Well, I guess I'm going to give it a try!

You can get 25% off your total with a minimum $15 order.

Use the coupon code:

cybermon14

when you check out!

Thanks for buzzing by!

And enjoy your Cyber Monday!!!

Working My Etsy Fingers to the Bone

Okay.  You've caught me.  I'm not really working my fingers to the bone, but my etsy stash keeps growing and I have not been listing, so I had to have a photo shoot, a measuring & weighing session, and a TV marathon while I typed up descriptions and listed away!

Wanna' see some of my stash that will hopefully be leaving me soon???  (So I can buy more stuff for my stash, of course!  But shhhhh…..don't tell Worker Bee.  I don't think he's on to me yet!)

Have I mentioned that Worker Bee is a small collector?  Hmmm….what do I mean by that.  Well, when we were first married (and well before Baby Bee) he collected vices.  Now I don't mean the kind of vice you might find in a garage.  I mean vices - like drinking and gambling!  In the spirit of that collecting I bought this cordial decanter for him for a birthday.  He did not love it.  But he's a sentimental guy (and pretty sweet too) so he never wanted to get rid of it, but I finally convinced him I would not be hurt if it went bye-bye.  

So…up for sale….a French made, card suit decanter set is now for sale on etsy.

And then this fun piece!  I've had it for quite awhile, (and another similar one) but they just don't stand out and I never quite know what to do with them.  So these could be yours too!

I've got some gorgeous European glass ornaments and some Shiny Brites!

And sometimes I just find something so pretty I have to bring it home because I just know someone will  love it.  Right?  Some sweet granny crocheted all those roses and leaves and the doily and this pretty little gal was just calling out to me from the bin at the thrift store.  (I might be talking to stuff I see at thrift stores too much.  Do not be alarmed.)

 And this!  LOVED IT!  So wish I'd known about estate sales when Baby Bee was a baby and I was decorating her nursery.  I kept telling people I wanted to decorate it in a vintage style and no one got it. (This was waaaay back in 2001.)  This is what I meant!  (Sadly, this little cutie had some paint lift off when I took off the price tag from the estate sale, so she'll be going cheap.  Oh!  Don't let her hear that. I don't want to hurt her feelings.  And really, do not be alarmed.  It's really okay to chat your vintage items up.)

 You all know why I scooped these up.  How could I resist a pair of Hazel Atlas cereal bowls in white and turquoise?

 Ahh….something else from Worker Bee's "vice" collection.  Ask me if we've ever made any of the cocktails on this shaker.  Go ahead.  Ask me.  

 Found a great quilt top at another estate sale.  Wish I could do something with this myself, but I am just not a sewer (Worker Bee is concerned your going to think sewer like pipes & plumbing & toilets, but you all know I mean seamstress, right?  He worries too much.) at this point in my life.  Hope somebody else will fall in love!

 Cute, right?  Enough said about this vintage sewing basket.  

And finally, the piece I changed my mind about.  I was all set to sell this gorgeous aqua milk glass and I did some research (I believe it's a French piece - a Portieux Vallerysthal Compote - but if you know more, let me know) and I just can't say good-bye yet.  

Would you be able to say good-bye?  

What are you working your fingers to the bone on?  

I hate to say this, but I'm a bit of a procrastinator.  I've had all summer to clean up my guest room and I'm running out of time.  I wanted to clean out my closets too and I didn't do that.  The problem is I always think I can do it tomorrow and I'm running out of tomorrows.  There was just always a book calling me or maybe a movie.  Or (deep confession here) one of my summer shows.  I confess. 

Just two weeks before I have to report back for duty and about three weeks before my new third graders come!

Oh. And this should probably be more than a by the way, but Worker Bee and I just got cast in a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  

(yes, we are crazy)

Okay.  Enough rambling.  

Off with you.

Go drink a latte or tea or something.  

See you soon!

Buzzingly,

P.S.  If you've hung in there this long you might want to know……I'm having a coupon sale on my etsy shop through Labor Day…..15% off anything over $10 with the code goodbyesummer.

Estate Saling with Worker Bee

Worker Bee and I did a bit of estate saling this weekend.  I can probably only talk him into going with me every 6-8 weeks so I was feeling lucky.

We went on the second day and most of the gorgeous vintage linens I coveted were gone.  In fact, they were all gone, so I didn't buy any linens.

Now I did find these –

a set of four vintage metal Christmas trays,  

a fabulously illustrated vintage chocolate box - I've tried finding information about this candy company and I can't find a thing - I'm pretty sure it is from the1920s though.  

Any thoughts?  

I also found this wine coaster - I already have a couple similar to this.  It's so pretty I might keep this one for myself (especially since I only paid $1 for it). 

I also found this pretty glass bowl.  It's such a sweet shade of blue.  I know nothing about this piece either.   I'll probably put it up on etsy, but I would love to know more about it.  

And here's something I can almost never resist - vintage baby clothes.  

Could it be part of a layette?  I couldn't get a nice picture of the whole thing.  It's like a jacket, but it's quite long - as long as a baby.  Do you know what it is?

Isn't the embroidery so sweet?  Pretty sure it's hand done 'cause I think I can see bits of the pattern.  Do you remember getting ready for that first baby?  I can just imagine the new mom who made this being so proud to show off her adorable baby in something she made.  

But what made this a spectacular trip was that Worker Bee found something he had wanted for a long, long, long time.

See, I'm not sure if I've told you that Worker Bee has a degree in geography.  (I know....what does he do with that? Not a lot - but it's what he loved, hence the degree.)

Part of what developed that love of maps and places and people and populations and regions and climates and weather is a book.

A book that Worker Bee's mother donated right before they moved from California to Texas.  A book that he has looked for for years.  (They moved in 1988 so you can see how long he has been hunting.)

The only bad thing about finding this book is now I can't play the

 "Hey, you might find that book you've been looking for" card any more.

That Worker Bee of mine was so cute.  As soon as we got home he pulled out that book and started sharing with us the things he remembered and learned from that book.  His enthusiasm was contagious and I could almost see the little towhead with glasses he was,  sharing what he learned with his parents and his older brothers.  

(yes, my heart got all melty)  

I was so thrilled he found something that made HIM happy!

So what have you found that had you buzzing like my Worker Bee?

Whew! Etsy Buzziness!

I LOVE having my etsy shop!  I love hunting for things that I think others will like or finding things and keeping them for awhile and then listing them or even sending them off with one of our family's favorite recipes.  

However I don't always have time to take nice pictures, measure and describe, and weigh all those items for how much they would cost to ship to Maine.  (Okay, my one gripe about etsy is that you have to estimate the most expensive shipping because it doesn't adjust the shipping for different locations like ebay does.  At least I get to surprise people with a nice little refund.)  

But for the past couple mornings I have cataloged and photographed and weighed and measured several items.  

Wanna' see a sneak peek?  (I always want to spell that peak - always.  I have to make a special effort to NOT write sneak peak.  Worker Bee - my own grammar cop - would be proud.)

These flashcards are from the 50s!  Glad to see time hasn't changed in 60+ years.  

Love the style of this bread box and I'm tempted to keep it, but I really don't have a spot to put it.  

My mom had tons of this moon and stars stuff when I was a kid and I didn't appreciate it then and now I just like to find it for you but I'm not tempted to keep it, even though this is in one of my favorite colors.  Lucky you!  

A friend of mine recently retired from teaching and she gave me three paper boxes full of great vintage educational aids.  Love them but I can only keep so many.  These sets are from the 1960s.  They are in great shape.  Imagine all the little hands that used them to learn their addition and subtraction facts.

I was never a Brownie myself, but I was a Junior Girl Scout for a brief amount of time.  Adorable vintage uniform and beanie.  Troop 305?  Are you out there still?

Got this at the same sale I got the bread box.  I can't bring myself to take the sugar and scoop out.  I just think it looks right this way.  Is that crazy?  Does it gross you out?  I don't think I would use the sugar but it just would look - gasp - naked without it. (so hope that one word does not lead to a bunch of strange spam)

My retired friend said they used to have to trace and make their own borders for the bulletin boards.  I CAN NOT imagine doing that!  I'm so bad that I am not careful about saving my current bulletin board borders. (Try saying that ten times really fast!)

 My biggest problem?  I keep buying and then squirreling my finds away so it's not cluttered and I forget about some of them!  Really need to get a handle on that!  Does anyone else have the same problem?

my etsy shop