what?

I looked out the window and saw this!

Ummm...April Fool's!

Thank goodness it is April first. Because if I really saw this in our back yard....I'm afraid you would be seeing me at your front door with a packed suitcase!

Easter

                                                               Have a beautiful Easter day.

    I hope the abundance of spring love is as full as the branches of wisteria that are in bloom on our front patio.

our second sale

So, my friend Lori and I did another vintage sale in Colorado. This one was in a different location. Not The Barn this time, but a great old community building out in the country. There were many other vendors who were not new to the party like we were. But what a party it was!

I managed to snap only a handful of pictures and only of our booth area. It would have been nice if I had gotten some of the outside of the building and some of the other great stuff that was there, but you will have to trust me when I say...there was a lot of great old stuff. I took a few quick lookie looks and had to stay on our little side, for fear that I would be tempted to buy a goodie or two. It took a whole lot of restraint!

 Our set up came together quite well and we were pleased with how it turned out. It was a beautiful spring Colorado day and we were able to keep the side door open, letting in a bit of fresh air and warm sunshine.

This built in counter made a great little check out area for us.

 We had things tucked in everywhere, making good use of our little space. Here is one of my collage tables. My songbird theme continues on...which was really perfect for a spring event!

I put a little cardinal nest under this glass dome. The nest was from our yard here in Arizona. The woman who bought it was so excited! She collects nests and was thrilled to have one from another state. I painted a few acorn nuts (courtesy of my sister and brother-in law's tree in Texas) and stuck them in the little nest. Although not real eggs, nor completely egg shaped, they were a cute little addition to the display. (Oh-kay sister, now you know what to do with some of those acorns!)

 
Lori designed and painted the roman numerals on this old piece of rusty salvage.  I happen to think it is quite a nifty piece.

A  tangerine tango stool that I painted. It didn't sell, so for now it is sitting in our family room. It's a happy color!

Now that Easter is right around the corner, I put out some of my white milk glass dishes that I have recently started collecting. I'm wishing I had bought those two little white pieces on the shelf that Lori brought to the sale. I think they would be a great addition to the few pieces that I have. I especially love the little hen on the lid of that bowl.

We both love the old rusty salvage that she has found. Again, I'm wishing some of it would have come home with me for our yard. Isn't the x and o great? We randomly set the fan blade next to the round piece. Someone commented how clever we were with our x and o! (hugs and kisses you know)

And one last shot.

That about wraps up the tour of our little space. It was really busy the first couple of hours. People were  waiting in line an hour before the doors opened in the morning. It is a pretty popular sale out in a little spot called Pea Green. Cute name don't you think?

We enjoyed our time there and especially enjoyed each others company. I got to see some old friends that came because I invited them. And, I got to see some people I know that just happened to come in to the sale. It was great seeing so many familiar faces.

We've dubbed each other our "Vintage Sister". I love that I have a friend that I can call "vintage" !

On another note. When we first moved here I met a couple of women while my sister and I were out browsing around some antique stores. I've actually bumped into them here and there since then, which in a big city such as this, I thought was pretty coincidental. They have a blog and I have kept up with their adventure in "junking". I recently busted out of my comfort zone and contacted them. I asked them out to lunch. It was great to actually talk with them and get to know them more than just the friendly exchanges we have had. They are both very nice, talented and were certainly very warm in welcoming me into their homes. Imagine my surprise when I checked into their blog the other day.
http://mydeartrash.blogspot.com/2013/03/thank-heavens-for-nice-people.html Click on this link if you would like to see for yourself. I didn't know that the quick photo that they took would end up being in a blog post!  I'm hoping to get to know them better and spend a little more time with them some day.

And now...speaking of sisters... one of mine is flying in today with her family. They are spending their spring break here! Fun times ahead!!

snow in the desert

Another surprise in the desert.

A place where they say it rarely rains.

This is the third snowfall since we have lived here. That is once every winter for any one that is counting. 

I was tempted to lay down and make a snow angel, but I really didn't want to get wet.  That would have been an interesting juxtaposition next to the pool, wouldn't it?

It had been raining all day yesterday and I was in the garage working on some goodies for our next sale. I didn't even know it had turned to snow until I walked out to go into the house. Imagine my surprise! I knew there was a possibility when the cloud had lifted earlier in the day to reveal the snow on the mountain behind us. But, I was still surprised. I walked around a bit, just to leave a few footprints and to feel that familiar crunch under my shoe. This was slushy stuff I tell ya, so rather than find myself doing an unexpected messy snow angel, I went back in the house to start dinner instead.

So, I mentioned I'm doing another sale. I'll be in Colorado country again for a sale on the 2nd.
More details later.

it's february

Hello. I just wanted you to know I am still here. We have had some friends and a sister visiting us. It was a fun January! It rained like crazy for 5 days straight. Please, don't say it never rains in Arizona. It doesn't rain often, but when it does, it rains and rains and rains. Oh, and we had some freezing temperatures that nailed the yard greenery that had finally made its way back to life after the big freeze.

My sister, Karen, came here for some good ol' sunny weather. Oops. She was here for those 5 days of rain. But, we managed to have some super good times... despite the rain. Everyone we came in contact with guessed that we were sisters and we got a couple... "are you twins?" questions  too.

I'm always the first to laugh at myself and reveal goofy things that I do. So, I won't keep this gem from you. Soon after another "you look alike" sister comment, we were browzing in a shoe store. As we walked around a row of shoe racks, I caught a quick reflection in the mirrored wall across from us. Just as I was about to say "wow... we do look alike", I realized... it was my reflection in the mirror I was seeing, not hers!

People seem to love sisters.

Me too!!

Even when it rains.

november through january

I was browsing through my photos over the weekend, looking for something that might be of interest to feature here on this neglected blog of mine. There were a few that brought a smile to my face and so I thought I would share them with you, my faithful readers. 

My Mom. (Hi Mom-I know you are one of my faithful readers!) This photo was taken in November when I was visiting her. She is still proudly wearing the sweatshirt that the kiddos and I made her. A Christmas tree of painted hand prints made in 1994. Leah, the little hand on top, was 8 months old. Rachel, the middle hands, was 2 years old. Austin was 6.  

A hike with my favorite son while he was here for Christmas. He is tall. I am standing on a rock. My water bottle matched my vest, but I dropped it and now I don't have it anymore.

A Christmas tree lighting event in Anthem, Arizona. Rachel and I went so we could see Phillip Phillips (that is his real name) play. He was last season's American Idol winner. I rather like his music. I'm sure you will recognize this song from tv commercials. If I were 15, I would probably have a teen crush on him.

 This bird managed to squeeze itself through the small gap at the top of our outdoor fire pit. It was like a giant bird cage. We did open the door so he could happily fly away. The nice green bushes in the background are now frozen with the temperatures last week. We covered many things, but forgot about those. Darn.

 Leah and I spotted this cute little thing wanting a new family. I came very close to taking it home with me.

 We spotted this amazing sky during a rain storm. I had to pull over and get out of the car to snap a few photos. Wow.

While in Colorado, I went to visit a home that my friend's husband is building. The homeowners have a camel. A camel in Colorado!

 His name is Carlos.

While driving home from Colorado, I came upon this accident. We sat in a line of traffic for about 30 minutes. This is on a very remote stretch of highway and no emergency vehicles arrived during the time we sat and waited. The men that got out of their cars to help, eventually started to direct the traffic to do a little "off road" driving to go around the wreckage. Nobody was hurt.

 I found this girl in a comfortable spot playing her guitar one night. Yes, I like tulips on my table even in the winter. And yes, we like to hear her play and sing.

These less-than-cute creatures were the culprits that made a huge mess of our trash cans New Year's Eve day. We had gone to take some pictures for our holiday card and came home to a big, stinky, 

yuck-o mess. The Javelinas are really stinky. The trash was yuck-o. And they can be a little vicious.

This is why the most adorable little puppy that kinda captured my heart had to stay where it was.

And finally, an out-take from our holiday card photo shoot. 

Oh, what is that you ask? ... "Norma, have you not had any scary encounters of creepy things other than the trash eating Javelinas lately?" Other than the SIX INCH MILLIPEDE that was crawling across the floor in our bedroom last night when I was going to get in bed and had to calmly call the Reptile Wrangler in to find it after it crawled between some frames I had sitting on the floor thank you very much, why no...it's been a little quiet around here. I guess it has been too cold out for even the creepy creatures.

So wait...does that mean they are all doing like the half-foot-long millipede and coming indoors?

Now I feel that I am caught up and can get on with some regular posting.

these three

... made our holiday bright. started our New Year off in a good way. sure make us happy.

Two of the three are back at school. Insert sad face. But, we have a few more days with the youngest.

Although I usually don't make resolutions for the New Year, if I did, I have a few in mind.
I probably won't list them here, because then I won't have to be held to the idea of keeping them.
However, I feel as though I'm ready to conquer the list that is in my head.

We know that many of our friends and family are struggling with the A's and B's of colds and flu right now,  and cold weather and snow. We are all thankfully well and send our warm hugs out to everyone.
Don't forget to take some extra C.

Warm hugs,
~norma~