This Is Halloween! This Is Halloween!

Halloween! Halloween!

I'll be having a relaxing night of pizza, scary movies and trick-or-treaters. Nothing big.

Wishing You a Safe and Fun Halloween Night Charming Readers!

Free?

Came across this photo from a fellow blogger and thought it was adorable!
And
at Starbucks, no less.


Makes me smile.... I wanted to make you smile too!

:)

Shoppe Update {finally}

A Mary Poppins Umbrella.

I didn't realize how long it's been since I've updated the shoppe!
Geez.... the days pass by so quickly!


Anyhow.... enclosed is a little peek of a few lovely things. I've spent the better part of the day updating, I was really behind. I think I listed something like 33 items.....PHEW!
That was too much to do all at one time and I will definitely work on not doing that again.

"Oh, my aching back!" {lol}
and fingers!

Now for your viewing pleasures:


1. Vintage Nativity Scene
2. Vintage Brass and Glass Case{sold}
3. Vintage Burberrys Wool Cloche
4. Set Of Vintage Brass Picture Frames

1. Clipboard With Bird Print
2. Lovely Group OF Giant Paper Clips
3. Vintage Mouse Planter
4. Vintage Glass Display Bubble {sold}

Very excited for the weekend! I'm going somewhere pretty special, in my book, on Sunday. I'll share more later ;)

It feels good having my shoppe more up-to-date though.

A good start to a weekend!

Silly Me.

I'm just laughing at myself this morning.

My attire consists of flannel Jammie bottoms.thermal long sleeve shirt.
Gap down filled vest. no socks?eating a warm Croissant.drinking iced coffee?....sitting in front of my fireplace!


What's wrong with me?
{lol}

Happy Wednesday.

10 Reasons Why I'm Smiling!

1. Windy-Cool today.
2. Homemade Turkey Black Bean Chili.
3. Hot Corn/Bread.
   
4. Fireplace a' Crackling.
5. Halloween/4 Days Away!
6. I Have A Four Day Weekend Coming!
7. New Cell/Phone-iPhone!
8. New Bag Coming In The Mail Via, Awesome Etsy Seller {I'll share later}.
9. A Clean House :)
10. Next-Sunday, A Favorite Swap Meet/Flea Market! Excited!

By Definition:

tax·i·der·my

n.

The art or operation of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of dead animals for exhibition in a lifelike state.

So yeah.... I couldn't wait another day to share what I found today while thrifting.

I usually go thrifting on my days off, from my day job. But today{after work}.... I felt the urge for some relaxation and headed to my favorite store!

So before I share my finds with you. I know, I like weird things.... I can't help it, I'm most intrigued by the most extraordinary and Out-Of-The-Ordinary. I LOVE animals, though I am not a vegetarian. But nonetheless, I have always been an animal lover!

I've also been quite interested in Taxidermy, vintage Taxidermy. SO when I came across this guy today while shopping I just about jumped out of my knee highs ;)


WOW!

but wait there's more:

HOORAY!

but wait there's two more:


A Gaggle Of Army Ants!

A Vampire Bat!
Aren't they Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!

The girls that work at the store asked, "Are you a Teacher?"

My thoughts.... as I snatched him up, doing that "suspicious-looking-around-frantically-thrift-store-score" thing {I do that alot!}..... "Nope, I'm just a crazy woman who wants her house to look like the Museum Of Natural History!"
I'm not sure if there is a style called Creepy Vintage?
But I'm thinking these days, this is what I've been "into". Is there such a style or did I just make that up?

I so badly want to keep them for myself! On the other hand I've been thinking how wonderful they would be listed in my shoppe!

Oh me, oh my!
To keep or not to keep..... that is the Question!!!!!!!!


10-23-09 Update:
{This Taxidermy collection has decided to stay and live with us. Mr. Friend returned home the night I purchased them and instantly stated and I quote," COOL, you are NOT selling them....right?"}

Stew'in On A Monday

Good evening my friends!

How are you?

I hope you are well!

I am getting SO lazy.... lately.... these cool, overcast mornings make me all warm and fuzzy inside I just wanna be in my Jammie's all day!
Do you get that way?

I have SO, so, so much to do!
I have months and months of treasures just waiting to make their debut in the shoppe. I have some lovely, lovely things to list too. I need some motivation, any suggestions? {lol}

I made a wonderful Chicken Stew this evening. I'm not BIG on cooking, I'm not really good at it, but I try. I am a stew and soup kinda gal...so when the weather permits, soup is all I crave!
Not sure if you visit the lovely and skillful cook , Alicia over at Posie Gets Cozy, I frequent her blog when I'm in the mood for some good ole home cookin'.

I can always count on her ;)


Surprisingly it came out great! And actually much easier than I thought. Of course I substituted Grand Biscuits for making and rolling my own dough {who has that kind of time!-lol}.



Here's the recipe, {YUMMY}!



Happy Monday!

All Is Calm...After A Storm.

hi!

So we had this crazy storm come through my little spot on the California State Map!
I love it though, dark clouds.howling winds.wonderful smells of rain.

My neighbor's 50 year old tree fell OVER! I was sitting on my sofa when it happened. Mr. Friend had climbed into our attic to inspect a possible roof leak, when I heard a ::THUNK::, worried he fell through the roof, as I always think when he gets in there.

Amazing size tree that could have made so much more damage than caused.... it's funny how things work out. Her car is always parked in her driveway, and wasn't at that moment AND it could have fell ON her house! She was very lucky!

Cleaning crew came out this morning and there must have been 30 city working men busy cleaning and cutting and hauling and I think they did it all in like 25 minutes......
amazing!

The scene depicted between my front window shutters.

On a lighter note:

I think my favorite part of selling on Etsy will always be packing/ wrapping sold orders!

:)

~michelle

Thank you. Thank you so, so much!

A happy day here in my little cottage!

300

Sales in my shoppe!

I'm so very fortunate to do what I do, something I'm very proud to say is my job!

Thank you Etsy.

Thank you Readers.

Thank you to my lovely customers, for all the kind and encouraging emails about my shoppe!


My Boo is quite ecstatic as well, can't you tell?

Well.... it may not look like it but when mum is happy, Boo is happy too!

I'm off to a wonderful Antique Show & Sale tomorrow, in one of my favorite quaint Bay Area towns! Off to stroll through their historic downtown.... hoping to find treasures for you & for me ;)

Happy Weekend Y'all!
See ya soon.

Charming Quote {cute}

“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” —Winnie the Pooh

Happy Wednesday!

An Afternoon

I'm so very, very happy I can begin to wear my most favorite footwear.

Very pretty outdoors today!

So this is what I'm wearing.

Cardigan~Target
Slip/Dress~Thrifted
Socks~Target
Boots~Anthropologie
Brooch~Vintage

I was invited today by one of the sweetest blogger's and incredibly pretty, Miss.Becky of Sweet Cottage Dreams. Invited to come to a SALE, she and a few of her friends were hosting. I'm usually not really into yard sales, because they're usually so disappointing. But Becky and her friends sale was FABULOUS! Definitely my kind of yard sale ;)


We enjoyed walking through the yard, and found these two Italian Flip-Top Glass Bottles. Mr. Friend and I had a charming dinner last week at a local cafe, walking distance from our home. We don't usually order drinks when eating out, rather just order H2O. Well, this little cafe delivered the most charming way of serving water. They served a chilled glass bottle just like these.... I was quite intrigued by the idea... though I'm sure many of you have seen before?
Felt like I was being served in Italy. As we sat enjoying our H2O, I happened to read the bottom of the bottle, stamped IKEA. So with a little research I found out that those bottles can only be purchased overseas :(

I don't know maybe they've been around awhile @ the IKEA's in the USA and I missed 'em.
Anyhoo..... here they are and I'm thrilled to find them. It will be so nice and fancy to store my chilled filtered water in them! {I get excited with the small things in life, as you can see}.
Originally Mr. Friend wanted them for his Home Brew, but I talked him out of it, isn't he sweet ;)