Frisk The Frigidaire!

This picture makes me smile.

2010-11-19T06:48:00.000-05:00

Joan and Pyrex. What more do I need to say?

Roller mama...

2010-09-17T11:56:00.000-04:00

is what my son now calls me. I finally fulfilled a life long dream and bought a damn pair of roller skates. It has always been a secret fantasy of mine to join roller derby. We have a league in my town, and they are always looking for members. Even when I was tiny ( I consider myself at 140 tiny) I was too scared to try out. I played field hockey in high school and loved it. But ever since roller derby 're-emerged' I have wanted to do it. I think I'd be good at it, and plus it looks like so much fun! So I took the first step and bought some skates. At least I am getting some really good cardio. You should see me on them - someone my size busting their ass every 5 seconds must be a sight. But I always get up and keep going. I hope to skate home from work when it cools off. It's a little under 2 miles away from my house, so I think that would be a fun way to exercise.

Oh Yeah....

Weight: 340
Pounds Lost: 25

Good start, eh?

I finally talked to my mother about losing weight. She and I have .... different opinions. She is a nurse and was overweight for about 15 years. When I was younger she just gained 80 pounds out of nowhere - and her doctors couldn't figure it out. She just kind of gave up after that. She ate very badly and set a poor example of emotional eating for my brother and I. When I was 19 she had gastric bypass done because her blood sugar levels where getting near the type 2 range. She went from 230 to 130. I am happy for her, but I don't agree with the way she's done it. She still doesn't eat very healthy - she uses protein powders and eats tiny amounts of high calorie foods instead of actually eating nutrient dense foods. She rarely exercises, but instead keeps her calories under 1000 a day so she won't 'get fat again'. She has gained back 10 pounds of the weight she lost so far, but I've heard it's normal to go really low and then come back up a bit after surgery. She really tries to push gastric bypass on me. I have absolutely nothing against anyone who has had it done - but I don't think it's for me. I'm 23 years old, I still can turn my life around. I'm not immobile or even out of breath from tying my shoes. I can bench press 60 pounds, and squat 100. I think I'm capable of exercising. I don't feel like I'm 'morbidly obese' just too damn fat. I feel, in my 'heart of hearts', that if I don't do everything within my power to lose weight on my own that gastric bypass would be a cop out for me. I understand it to be a major - life altering surgery for people who have no other options. I feel like I do have options. So anyways, she and I don't talk about weightloss. Now we do, and I think she understands where I'm coming from. She's even agreed to have a session with Peg, my nutritionist. I'm really happy - I feel like I have an ally instead of a naysayer now.

So how do you feel about gastric bypass? Have you been told to get it - or have you gotten it? I would love to hear thoughts or experiences.

Motivation.

2010-08-27T02:39:00.000-04:00

Bazinga!

2010-08-21T18:06:00.000-04:00

Weight : 350
Pounds Lost: 15

So I finally got on the scale again (the first time was hard enough!) and I've lost 15 pounds! I am sure that it is the diet change. I feel better - less sluggish throughout the day. I also have had something wonderful happen! My husband is a disabled veteran and he has to have surgery for the 3rd time in September. So I have decided to go back to work, and I got a dream job! You are looking at the newest General Manager of a Goodwill Store! I feel kinda crazy with all these exclamation points - but I am super happy! I am up and moving all day, I am around antiques and other assorted treasures, my husband finally gets a friggin' break, and my son started preschool. Wow, when you start changing one part of your life it seems like the others follow suit.

So I have started talking things out with one of my bestest friends ever, Liz. She is a therapist and has been trying to get me to open up for well, as long as we've known each other. We've talked about how sick I was through my pregnancy. We've talked about how when I gained weight, people changed. Suddenly my friends treated me differently. My family treated me differently. Everyone treated me differently. We've talked about how I stopped caring and kept eating. I stayed in when my husband left. He was gone for 6 months, and I was alone. There was no one to care what I looked liked - just me and a newborn baby who slept all day. I pushed it all down - the not knowing, the pain and the fear when he came back injured. The anger when he needed surgery for the second and then the third time. The humiliation when I went to the doctor and they told me to just look into gastric bypass, as if I was too far gone to help. The unbearable pain of being diagnosed with hidradenitis suppurativa, and then having to hide from the doctor because I wasn't losing weight. I felt like a failure - but even worse, like I was doomed to be fat. She asked me if I was tired. Of course being silly me - I said "but I get enough sleep". She laughed and asked me if I was tired of living this way. In fear of myself, and of facing what needed to be faced. And she's right. I have been trapped like this for 5 years - which in terms of a lifetime isn't long - but those are 5 years of MY life. 5 years that I have wasted being ashamed, and afraid. I refuse to act like some diseased person. Yes I am ill, no it's not terminal. I have to pick myself up and get over this. I haven't even been to the doctor in over a year. It's like I had given up on myself, on living, on being able to be happy again. No more.

On the Bright Side...

2010-07-23T01:27:00.002-04:00

Things are looking up! I was able to stick to the plan Peg and I worked out perfectly. I was surprised that I wasn't even hungry! At first I was worried about how my husband and son would deal with all of the vegetables in the house - but they seem to have taken to them. We are slowly making over our family meals to be more towards the "Mediterranean Diet" style of cooking. So I cook for myself once a week now and freeze all of my meals. Then I can just take them out when the time comes and heat them up. I make sure to have my meal at the table at the same time as the guys - so really I don't feel deprived. The support from my husband is amazing, he keeps saying he can already tell I've lost weight.

So I finally went ahead and weighed myself. I was seriously putting it off. I kept thinking of reasons not to get on the scale, but in the end none of them were good enough. I had to know. So I got on my brand new scale that reads up to 500 lbs. Then I got off. Then I cried. Then I screamed. Then I think I threw something at it. I hated that damn thing. Then I started thinking it was broken. So I got out the manual to make sure everything was working properly. It said that you had to hold still to get a correct reading. Well, I must have moved hard or something to make it have that number. So I got on the scale again and held perfectly still. The same number came up in green. 365. I almost couldn't breathe after I read that. I sat on the toilet and stared at it for a long time. I didn't know whether I was going to laugh, cry, or go crazy. So I just sat there. Then, Ladies and Gentlemen, came my epiphany moment. Exatly 5 years ago I weighed 165. I had gained 200 pounds in 5 years! I was carrying around a high school linebacker! What the hell is wrong with me ?!?!@$# At that moment I knew if I didn't do something now I could end up like those people you see on TLC. The ones who are stuck in their houses and can't take care of themselves. I refuse to be a couch lady. I can't - I will not let that happen to me! So I am now hereby officially taking control of my life! I will not act like this is ok anymore. I refuse to give in to all the same sad excuses and tired old reasons. I am going to do this.

So...

2010-07-14T09:55:00.002-04:00

I went to my good friend who for bashful's sake we'll call Peg. Peg is a very good friend of mine who also happens to be a nutritionist. We both sat down together and went over some of the things I had eaten, the times I had eaten, and the reasons why I had eaten. She told me that the only way I would get through this is to confront the physical and emotional problems I have in my way.

So I'm just gonna lay it all out on the table - buffet style- and go from there. As of right now I have poly-cystic-ovarian syndrome, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and asthma. The asthma isn't curable, but it sure as hell would be less if I was less. So all the other physical health problems are weight related.

But the emotional side? That can of worms is too deep to open just yet. I think maybe I should go to a psychiatrist, but really... I just don't know.

D- Day.

2010-07-05T16:24:00.002-04:00

Well ya'll. It finally happened. I thought that I had years before I even approached this stage, but my time has come. As I was rolling over in bed the other night, I heard a loud crack, followed by a quick drop on the floor. An earthquake, you ask? I wish. Folks, I am ashamed to even type these words out loud - I broke my bed.

Now, I have always been a bigger person. I was never the type to shy away from dessert or lose an arm wrestling match. But how did this happen? I've always seen myself as middle of the road - overweight, but 'pleasantly plump'. When did I cross the state line into Fat-Land? How did I not notice the road signs screamin' out at me? Well - this blog is due for a change of pace. I think it's high time that I started losing some weight, and maybe backtracking to read some of those signs. Won't you join me?

Time Flies!

2009-07-24T11:11:00.002-04:00

My oh my! It has been AWHILE since I've posted. I'm sure you all thought I just dropped off the face of the planet! To make a very long and soap-opera-esque story short: my husband's old service injury came back full force and we've had to go back and forth between here and the Richmond Veteran's Hospital (3 hours round trip) quite often to get him help. He is looking at surgery and possibly having to go on disability. Needless to say, these past months have not been leisurely.

Anyways - I want updates on what everyone's been doing!! You know how nosy I am :) I won't be back to posting until after labor day - but I most certainly will be reading ya'lls blogs!

Be Back Soon!

Hello out there!

2008-12-18T14:56:00.003-05:00

I know I've been gone for a while and will probably be gone until closer to Valentines day.
Family stuff, and all that jazz. I hope every one enjoys their holidays as much I know I will!
Hunter is just tickled to finally understand who "that Christmas guy" is. Well anyways...
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Blah.

2008-10-27T13:42:00.003-04:00

There's not much to say about what's been going on lately. We finished unpacking
(and didn't find our camera!) and Hunter and I have mostly been hangin' out and
seeing the sites. I love our little town! Way too many cute shops.
The thrift stores here are a joke - they are horribly over priced,
and no pyrex worth even looking at. The antique stores are priced well,
but the selection is grim. Oh well, I guess it's better that my thrifting
slows down as I'm getting ready to go back to college next semester.
UVA should be exciting!

So what's everyone else been up too?

I hope your thrifting has been going better than mine!

So...

2008-09-12T14:01:00.002-04:00

would you believe that I lost my dang camera? Somewhere between packing and unpacking the gnomes must have gotten it. SO no pictures for a while. Things are great here. I haven't gotten a chance to do much thrifting or junking, but Derek did buy me a huge Pyrex Daisy casserole for our anniversary! Isn't that sweet??

Anyways, I got bored so I thought I'd do one of those Polyvore sets everyone's raging about. Mine is loaded with Chanel, because well, I would have tons of it if I could! Mine's called Same shoes, different look.

A Few Pictures...

2008-08-26T15:03:00.004-04:00

Well I'm a little late - but unpacking all that pyrex was tough!
I got most of it out. Here are a couple pictures of the place.
Sorry for the crappy cell picks - I haven't found the camera yet.
The first picture is of the dining area.

Here's more of the growing collection.

The great view of the mountains from our balcony.

I'll be back with more and better pictures soon.

Jesus Murphy!

2008-08-20T12:29:00.009-04:00

I am so sorry guys and dolls, but I have left you in the dust. I know I said I would never do it - but I neglected my blog for a two whole months! Quite a bit has happened so I do hope you'll forgive me!

Here's the scoop:

Derek got a ton of job offers but we settled on Charlottesville, VA. We then had to deal with a mountain of paper work for him to get out of the service, and quite a bit to get our move set up. Now let me tell you - packing was no easy feat. Do you have any idea how much all the pyrex I have adopted weighs?! Derek almost threatened to throw it out!. From our small 2 bedroom apartment we filled a 26' Truck, a roomy hatchback, and an entire minivan.

So we set off early Saturday (the 9th) and the highway is completely backed up. The 2 1/2 hour trek ends up being doubled. Not to mention it's hotter that satan's butt outside. Thank the lawd we hired movers to unload. They waited patiently for us while we were stuck in traffic. Now, just so you can get the scope of this - it took us about 4-6 hours to load the whole truck. Packing was about 1 - 2 hours of that. We had a bottom floor apartment and our own entryway. Now these movers took an hour and a half to fully unload.

Did I mention we moved into a third floor apartment?

Yep, three whole flights of stairs.

Needless to say, we tipped those gentlemen well.

So here we are - almost fully unpacked and enjoying life. I wish you cats could see it! This town is swingin'! It's the biggest little city I've ever been to. With the fall semester of UVA starting right down the road, there are TONS of jobs for me to choose from. So, off to unpack more. I'll give ya'll a shout and maybe even some pictures this weekend.

Still...

2008-06-24T10:52:00.005-04:00

Busy as all hell and fixing up the stores. I've lost 20 pounds in the last month, so I figured it was time to splurge on a few of the things I wanted. Here's a few of the things I'm thinking of:

Getting Ready...

2008-06-16T14:52:00.003-04:00

We're all getting ready to move here. Funny how moves sneak up on you so quickly. I'm currently searching for a bedroom set for myself (our family likes to have their own rooms :) ). I'm searching for an Art Deco Waterfall set. They have one in decent shape at one of the local thrift stores. I'm hoping they still have it in August because we have absolutely no place to put it. It's a lot like the one in the picture. Isn't the waterfall wood just gorgeous?? It's got a full bed, a dresser, a wardrobe and a vanity with the giant circular mirror. The vanity seat would have to be reupholstered and the wood needs some TLC - but I hope I can snag it!

Killing Time.

2008-06-04T21:49:00.004-04:00

I , as I'm sure most of you have, have been extremely busy lately. I listed a ton on ebay and I'm now adjusting to mass sales and mass shipments. I'm still exploring more avenues because I really don't want to have to rely on a "ify" corporation for my income. I hope eventually to have enough stock to just have my own .com.

In other news, Derek is working on a job lead that would allow us to live in Vegas. He asked me if that was OK. Um, DUH! What glamour girl doesn't dream of living in Vegas or Hollywood? Keep your fingers crossed for us guys and dolls!

In vintage news, I've had to limit my collecting severely. With the move coming up in August, we really can't buy too much stuff; and as we all know my pyrex is taking over the house. I really have to talk myself out of pieces that I don't have space for or that I'm not avidly looking for. It stinks, 'cause I'm a shopaholic! So I'm just doing online fake shopping for now. Here's a couple of the things I've let myself buy.

yummy peanut butter bars!
awesome flame orange descoware pot.
Awesome belt buckle of Lucy& Desi!
more cool ones like it at http://devilish.etsy.com!

So finally we have the gorgeous belt buckle Stephanie sent me. I am a Lucille Ball fanatic!!! I am one of those crazy I Love Lucy people who have a Lucy purse, wallet, bathroom, painting, and soon to be tattoo. That was the best present ever! It honestly made my week!
Thank you so much baby cakes!

Well I'm off to fulfill housewife duties,
but I'll be back with more goodies soon!

My My My.

2008-05-24T05:45:00.003-04:00

Oh man, I was a Jenny who got treated like a Caroline. Parking in cars is all the rage, these days. How times have changed.

Have a great weekend,
and don't let me catch any of you parking in cars with boys!

"I Wanna Be Sedated".

2008-05-18T13:03:00.003-04:00

No, really - I do. I have been insanely busy lately. I just opened up our Ebay store, uploaded a bunch of new stuff to our Etsy, bought our new couch and a bunch of other new /old furniture, and I still have about 100 things to add to the Ebay store. Oh yeah, and chasing around a two year old crazy head. Ah, life is good. Busy as hell, but good. Felix instantly claimed the couch.

New stuff to be added to the stores.

New phone chair. It just needs a pink phone.
New sewing chair. Like my Elvis machine cover?

Matching set of hampers.
Super cute bowl I got for a quarter.
Evil himself :).

So....

2008-05-05T22:52:00.003-04:00

I think it's time to admit that I have a Pyrex problem.

In the 80s/90s I remember...

2008-04-27T23:14:00.005-04:00

Post inspired by the wonderful Amy!!

In the 80s I remember...Watching Rainbow Brite everyday and sitting wayyyy to close to the
TV without being afraid of cancer or eye damage.
Man I loved that show.
Playing NES with my brother eveyday, and finally beating Super Mario.
It was like winning the lottery.

My undying love for New Kids on the Block, especially Marky Mark!
(give me a break - I was 6!)

Wishing I was Cyndi Lauper - who needs Madonna?!

In the 90s I remember...

Teen Angst on tv, along with all the flannel you could put on.

The Spice Girls: when platforms came back
and celebrities still ate something.

All the bad rock/alternative/club music you could dance to, badly.

Well, I hope I've successfully made you feel old! :)

Alright Already...

2008-04-17T23:58:00.004-04:00

By public demand, here are some pictures (unapologetically stolen from Ronn's website) of our new-old sofa. It's early 1950s, and in the best color god put on this Earth - pink. Go ahead, bask in it's loveliness. It will look glorious next to my brand-new-old heywood wakefield china cabinet. Which will of course, be full of Pyrex.

This is almost the exact cabinet, only mine is more of a teak.

Thank you George W. !

What's the capital of Alaska?

2008-04-16T00:48:00.005-04:00

Have you seen the great movie Juno, starring Ellen Page?
It's basically the story of my life. Well, sort of.

Derek (my husband) and I met when I had just turned 18. We liked each other a lot, hung out all the time, and then I got pregnant. We didn't really know each other too well, but we fell in love. Can you imagine? My senior class is graduating - without me - and I'm out buying diapers.
It was hard. But sooo worth it. I have a wonderful husband and an awesome son. The movie was so touching; and by touching I mean I was crying like a crazy person. It really captured how people like she and I are forced to grow up, fast. I got the looks and the stares too. I still get them. Sometimes I even get an, "Aww, how nice of you to take out your little brother!". People think I'm 16 or something. Yes, 21 is young to have a 2 year old, but hey - who cares? Hunter is the coolest thing ever. How appropriate that I would watch that right around his birthday (the 17th). I swear too that if he is the only thing I have to show for my time on this earth,
that would be enough.

I'm sorry I've been neglecting you - oh sweet blog o'mine! We are ever so busy with the wee one's birthday and our upcoming Pow-Wow. I of course have been hoarding Pyrex and we're even buying a new (old) couch from Ronn at FUTURES. I will, of course, have much more to say after all these events have come to pass.
So, what are all of you up to?

Our Trip, in Pictures.

2008-04-12T15:59:00.007-04:00

So rather than write about all the antique stores we went to, I thought I would include pictures and let you see for yourself. These pictures are just HALF of the DOWNSTAIRS of ONE antique co-op.
I think you get the picture.

Crazy cookie-jar-lady's booth.

I'm Back!!!

2008-04-07T16:35:00.006-04:00

Did you miss me?? Of course you did!!
We had a great trip, but we are just plum tuckered out!!
I had a great haul - you wouldn't believe how much great stuff I found.
I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves...

(check out the little one's diaper butt in the background ^)

And you should have seen what I had to pass up due to lack of space in the van!
But our new kitchen table set is so worth it!
Next time I'll post some pictures of the great antique malls and co-ops.

So what was every one up to last week/end??

OK, OK, OK...

2008-03-30T16:05:00.005-04:00

So I know I said that the last post was my last one before the trip. But you can't expect me to stay quiet after a day like today can you? So first thing this morning we all packed in and went to a yard sale. We were a little, uh, early. So we helped the people carry some of their stuff out. I basically got to raid all of the boxes before anybody else got there.
Boy did I find some great stuff!

Then we went over to Ronn's wonderful store FUTURES
and I got to buy something I have wanted for years -
the full pink set of mixing bowls! Isn't it wonderful. My collection is still far from complete but it's definitely alot better now that these babies are resting in my china cabinet.

Well this is definitely my last blog before the trip. No really, I promise!
I shall return in a week bearing treasures from the North -
and all that jazz.

P.S. See Ronn, I did go home and blog about it!

Vintage Me.

2008-03-30T02:23:00.005-04:00

Well I thought it was time to travel back to the days
when I was cuter and gas was cheaper.

my mama as a baby circa 1963.
Me and my mama circa 1986.
Who's a cute kid? Oh, me!
My brother, confused as usual.

My mom and dad in the 80s.

I'll be back on April 8th.
Till then guys and gals!!

Before I Go...

2008-03-27T02:43:00.001-04:00

A while back I got tagged for a meme. I'm supposed to list seven weird or unusual facts about myself. Just seven huh? Well.... Here we go!

1. I've never been to Brooklyn; even though my name is Brooklynn.
I get asked that all the time, "Are you from Brooklyn?" Nope. Never been.

2. I was born in Hawaii and therefore thought I was Hawaiian until my
dear old Grandma set me straight. I'm actually Native American (Sioux),
Romanian (Gypsies, not Vampires), German, and a little African.
It's hard to tell the difference when you're seven.

3. I was raised by my Mother and her parents in Bismarck North Dakota. I can dance a mean polka, shovel a driveway like no-body's business, and I sure do say "dontchya know" and "yeah, you betchya".

4. When I was eight my Mother, Brother, Grandparents and I went down to Tennessee on vacation and went to the Grand Ole Opry. Now around that time there was this running character "Shot Gun Sam" or something like that - anyways he was this puppet, and I really wanted one. I begged and begged and begged to go to a show so I could get a puppet. So we ended up going on this showboat deal that was like the Grand Ole Opry on water. It was pretty fun - lots of lights, country's greatest belting out tunes. I still have that puppet too.

5. I have 1 1/4" stretched holes in my ears. I get a lot of stares, but most people that know me are used to it by now. It's kind of a love it or hate it deal. I usually get asked if it hurts, or why I did it. For me it was sort of a 'meant to be' thing. I saw it, liked it, and then started doing it. It just felt right - I can't imagine myself without them now.

6. I was a pretty crazy teenager - drugs & rock-n-roll kinda stuff. So when I was 16 I got sent to reform school until I was 18. First it was in Costa Rica, and then Jamaica. They call it a "behavior modification program". Basically I was away from my family, and given minimal possessions and maximum rules. It was very strict, very hard, and very unforgiving. I won't go too much into it - but it really changed my outlook on life.

7. While I was in Jamaica in the before mentioned reform school Hurricane Ivan hit us directly. It was insane. Our school was evacuated to a hotel that could barely hold all of us, but it was mainland and high ground. For Four days and five nights I shared 1 hotel room with 14 other girls. We had no water, no AC, no power, and all we had to eat was bread and canned corned beef. I slept on a bed with 3 other girls. I was lucky - most had to sleep on the floor. When the storm hit we were scared shitless. Trees were being thrown around and the metal roof of the hotel even ripped off. But we were alive. When we made our way back to the school we got to see the devastation it was terrible. Think Katrina times five. It was amazing to see how resilient the people of Jamaica were though. If you had food to spare you gave it, shelter to spare you gave it. I feel like I was made a better person after I went through that. Petty things don't bother me as much as they used to.

Well there's a little look into my weird and unusual life.
So I'll leave you with this video.

What $10 gets you...

2008-03-22T15:56:00.002-04:00

On an awesome thrifting day.

Vintage KitchenAid Mixer (Model 4-C)
Pyrex Pink Scroll Dish (w/lid!)
Butterfly Gold Baking Dish
Fire King Peach Lustre Pie Plate (free)
Fire King Jadite Scalloped Cup (free)
2 Fire King Soup Ramekins

Hrmm...

2008-03-17T19:39:00.002-04:00

Did you ever read Spiderman when you were little? Well, if you did you might remember his "spidey senses" used to 'tingle' when there was crime around. I think I have "thrifting senses"! I just knew I had to get out tonite because a lot of stores restock on Sunday - and look at all I found! 5 great tiki cups, 2 terra bowls, 1 sunflower pyrex casserole, 1975 Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book, and two Fire King jadite bowls. Yipee!

Now I have a BH&G DB from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I want them all!

Haulin' in the Goods.

2008-03-16T16:33:00.003-04:00

A nice set of Pyrex/Corelle dishes in Spring Blossom.
A great toy box for $10; which Hunter promptly scribbled upon.
A super cute 60s portable hairdryer.

And a few other various things. All in all we had a pretty good weekend. From April 1st - 10th we'll be visiting my inlaw's so I'll have the pleasure of raiding new thrift/antiques turf. The best thing about Rochester is most of the people who live there are older, and want antiques circa 1900, not 1950. The stuff I want is prevelant and cheap! So rub off some of your thrifting mojo on me gals!!

What Baby Wants, Baby Gets.

2008-03-13T23:52:00.004-04:00

Guess who just won this beauty on Ebay? And for $15.50 no less!
Now I need a new pink chair to match it...

Nosy, Nosy, Nosy.

2008-03-12T17:15:00.005-04:00

Well, seems like I've been getting tagged for a lot of things lately. First I got asked to share pictures of the inside of my favorite kitchen cabinet. Silly, huh? Well here you are guys and dolls! It's got nothing on Lisa's Fiestaware cabinet, but it's the stuff we use everyday.
The next pictures are of my new fridge set I found. Isn't it the cutest?! It just needs to be cleaned up. I really love the Butterprint pattern. I collect this, Gooseberry, and also solid pink and solid aqua Pyrex. I also take Snowflake, Pink Daisy, or pink Desert Dawn if the price is right. Once those collections are done I want to pick up the Friendship line.
What pattern do you collect?

P.S. Now you can find us @ http://friskthefrigidaire.com/ darlings!

FUTURES.

2008-03-09T21:06:00.004-04:00

So I realized I've never done a whole post on the greatness that is FUTURES Antiques. First off the owner, Ronn Ives, is amazing. He really knows about the stuff he sells, and isn't in it for the buck. Also, his store is mostly 30s thru 70s. Come on, how great is that. His store is packed full of treasures, you could spend hours there and still miss half of what he's got. Plus Ronn is just an all around great guy. That store is probably the only thing I'll miss around here when we move. My husband has a love hate relationship with the place. He loves the great stuff Ronn's got, he hates how much I spend there. So get your but over to the FUTURES website, you won't be dissappointed.

It's Finally Happened.

2008-03-08T19:19:00.004-05:00

My thrifting has finally taken over the house. It's taken over the kitchen,

even the freezer wasn't safe,
the living room was a goner,

not even the hubs toy shelf was safe.
So, I'm going to be doing some 'power listing' on Etsy. If you see anything you like here leave a comment and I'll let you know when it'll be listed. (The pink Pyrex and the 40s yellow Glasbake casserole aren't going to be listed.)

P.S. Do you like the store's new logo?

Till next time guys and dolls!

Thriftday.

2008-03-02T20:00:00.012-05:00

A couple great cook books, including the
1961 Good Houskeeping Cookbook,
and one all about ground beef!
Here are the great pictures inside the Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

A 60s electrical can opener. It's a little dingy and needs a good cleaning,
but it still has the original stickers on it.

I found a devine set of Fire King dishes at the Habitat General Store. They are in the less common Fleurette pattern. I found dinner plates, salad plates, dessert dishes with saucers, a platter, a serving bowl, and a cream and sugar set.
These were a steal at 30% off their already low price.

So now comes the debate... do I keep them or sell them?
What is a girl to do??

Yard Sales and the Like.

2008-03-01T20:48:00.004-05:00

Just a few of the things we found today at yard sales. Here we have a set of Early American pyrex for Stephanie, a 50s cocktail shaker with a mixing glass, a green Verde casserole (2 1/2 quart, Two cute early 60s bathroom mermaids, a 50s glass snack set (mint in box), a 60s green percolator, a sunbeam mixer replacement bowl (5 ¢!), and a 40s paper-craft book. It's just darling with step by step instructions and great illustrations. I should be listing alot more to my store's blog and my Etsy tonite. So I'll leave you with a wonderfully weird ad!

Overflow!

2008-02-26T16:01:00.005-05:00

To avoid my blog becoming more about my store than my daily escapades, I've created a blog for my store. How do ya like that? I'll have pre-listing promos and other deals over there,
so swing on by.
http://niceandsweetvintage.blogspot.com

In other words, I've been thinking of joining/creating a nick-nack swap. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't resist buying something, but then have no place for it. Just little things, the unsellable- but too good to resist deals. Do any of you gals know of such a swap? Or would you be willing to participate? I'm starting to lose room,
but I would hate to go on a 'thrifting diet'.

Free at Last!

2008-02-23T20:36:00.007-05:00

My parents are watching Hunter overnight, so Derek and I went to a couple antique malls and thrift stores that we can't go to with the baby. I found a cheap pyrex bowl, two melmac dish sets, and a couple other things.

As promised, here are a couple scans from my Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book (1956). The First three I am going to show you are my favorite rooms in the book. Notice the wonderful usage of my three favorite colors: pink, white, and red. I love how they accent each other, and make any room look a little sweeter. Don't you just love that pink tile??

Estate Sales and Thrifting Galore.

2008-02-22T21:06:00.007-05:00

Well the estate sale didn't have much. Instead of 'avid collector' they should have said 'pack rat'. It was really crappy out today - raining like crazy. There was also a TON of people there. Some people showed up to wait at 7. What the hell? It was really picked over by the time I got in there - but there wasn't much to begin with. I did score a pretty cool enamel top table that was hiding under a whole bunch of old tools and building supplies. I got it for next to nothing because the people who were running the sale were pretty desperate. I really had to clean it , but it'll make for a nice craft table. I really like the leaf design on the top.

Here's some more things I found while I was thrifting. The casseroles were really cheap, and so was the toaster. In the small package are cedar - scented garment bags. It is from '63 and still sealed. I think I'll give those to my dad. The book is the Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book (1968). It was free!! I already have the 1956 issue, so this rounds out our decorating collection perfectly! I'll scan some of the pictures from both of the books later this weekend.

Agenda for this weekend:
Sweeny Todd at the discount theatre, and key lime pie.
Ahh. Life is good.

My Oh My.

2008-02-20T00:04:00.012-05:00

Here are the spoils from a quick afternoon of thrifting. I found more of the cute green tiki cups everyone keeps asking for on Etsy. A small pyrex dish for 10 cents, and a very cool bar set. This set I believe is from the 60s, and has instructions for all kinds of popular drinks all over it. It still has the ice tongs too, which is great. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna keep this one for myself. I've cut way down on thrifting this week, I'm geting myself geared up for the estate sale this weekend - yes!

I know this has nothing to do with Retro, but I am first and foremost a mama. I was watching my son play the other day and I can not get over how much he has grown in less than 2 years. I thought it would be kinda cool to make a mini timeline of the cuteness.
(If you lean back the pictures make a #2!)

How can the simple act of just having a child make you into a better person than you ever thought you could be?

Oh My, What a Day!

2008-02-16T23:35:00.009-05:00

My mother took Hunter for the afternoon, and Derek and I took off like giddy school children!
We got a chance to shop at some of our favorite stores undisturbed. One of or favorites is a local antique store Futures. They specialize in 40s - 70s. Can you guess why we love it so?

Well here are a few pictures of our loot. No dolls, your eyes do not decieve you. That is a vintage primary color Fire King mixing bowl set! It was a steal! I just can't decide if I should resell it, or keep it all to myself. Hmmm...

We also found some more blue melmac cups for my collection. I collect pink and blue 50s melmac and ceramic teacups. I also found a matching sugar and creamer set. Isn't this set just darling?

Now for a one of my favorite finds of the week - a 60s Sunbeam 'party grill' sandwich maker. It makes 3 sandwiches at once! So fab!

Last, but not least, I found some more cute poodles. Boy, do I love poodles. Did you happen to notice more of my son's beautiful artwork? More next time guys and gals!

Who Me? Gee Thanks!

2008-02-15T11:24:00.003-05:00

The Lovely Mary-Frances, over at Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, has so kindly nominated me for the "You've Made my Day Award" - what a doll!!! If you haven't checked out her blog yet you must go read it!
So now for my nominations; which by the way, was hard as heck!

Sweetheartville
One of the sweetest gals around!
Just check out her cute little house, and her pantry is to die for!

Black Olives on my Fingertips
Monica has a great sense of humor in her posts, and has pyrexia too!

The Domesticated Dame
I simply envy her knitting skills!

Vintage Indie
A wonderfully interactive blog all about Vintage!

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman
One of the best looking blogs I've seen! Very well written.

Here are the obligatory “rules” that go with these sorts of posts…
The ‘you make my day award’ works like this:

1) Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make me think and/or make my day
2) Acknowledge the post of the award giver
3) Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news!

How Swell!

2008-02-14T01:33:00.003-05:00

GREAT NECK AREA ESTATE SALE
804 Five Point Road, Virginia Beach
Feb 22 , 23, 24 - Fri, Sat, Sun
9 to 4
Owner was avid collector. Sale inside House and Gar. Lots of vintage and odd items: cedar chest, farm tools, 50s kit. table, toys, game sys/access, sports equip, modular sofa w/queen bed, chairs, tools, hardware, yd items, books, glassware, boat motors, vintage metal lawn chairs, collectibles, fishing tackle, Xmas stuff, rugs, and more.

That is what the newest post under "garage sales" read on my craigslist.

You can rest assured I will be there 9am Friday pounding on the door!!!

Pyrex SCORE!

2008-02-12T18:13:00.001-05:00

I scored ALL these great pieces at an awesome thrift store I just found. She had all kinds of great stuff. It looked like someone unloaded a whole set of dishes in the butterfly gold pattern. I even got a eames stool and 3 50s black spaghetti poodles. She had amazing prices too. I've been doing great thrifting this week!

More Etsy.

2008-02-12T13:16:00.001-05:00

Here's my wonderfully old an worn down china cabinet. Might I bring your attention to the artwork (also known as crayon) that's adorning the glass.

Here's the guilty party. Yes, he made that hole in the wall as well.

Here are just a few of the things I'm going to add to my Etsy tonite. I've got tons of pyrex (at good prices) a couple mixers and some other pretty cool stuff. Make sure to stop by!

http://niceandsweet.etsy.com

P.S. Sorry for the faded looking pictures dolls.
Somebody licked my camera lens. Can you guess who?

Saturday Score.

2008-02-09T17:13:00.001-05:00

Today our local Antique Mall had a great pre - holiday sale. We went and got lots of good snacks and some good finds. Some things were over priced, but I did get some good deals. Then we checked out a new thrift store that just had a grand opening - talk about jackpot! we got some great stuff.

I'm also adding more to my Etsy tonite. Here's a group shot of all the items.

here we have:

1950s melmac cream&sugar set (pink)
1940s lamb shaker set (orange)
1960s pyrex bowl (green)
1960s pyrex bowl (brown)
1970s pyrex bowl (woodland pattern)
1960s rainbow glass dish set
1960s tiki glass pair (green)
1950s pyrex ice bucket (clear with gold crackle)
1950s Fire King bowl (yellow)
1950s Kromex canister set (just like mine!)

Be sure to check out my store later tonite if you see something you like!
http://niceandsweet.etsy.com/

Craigslist Finds.

2008-02-08T11:38:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been looking for things on Craigslist where my family lives and talking them into getting them for us. I pay them back right away, but storage is a bit of a problem. Anyways, I found these great things up in New York - hopefully I can snag 'em.

Awesome 1961 waiting room chairs - 30$ for the pair.

Enameled sink and cabinets - 100$.

Still works...25$!!!

Great little table (looks like hey-wake) 20$.

A great Heywood Wakefield set from the 50s; he only wants 50$!

60s stools in great colors!

Valentine's Wish List.

2008-02-04T06:20:00.000-05:00

Cute set of therm-o-ware bowls.
Really cool 50s serving set.
I love these pitchers!
I've had my eye on this, it's pretty low priced.

I want this to put in our bathroom.

Shameless Plug.

2008-02-03T02:25:00.001-05:00

I decided to start an Etsy store to sell some of my surplus and all the great stuff I find but can't use here. It's called nice&sweet vintage. I'll probably be selling baked goods and homemade things too, but for now I'm just putting up extra stuff. I have two vintage StarWars model kits up - they're pretty cool. We found the kits at the thrift store of all places. Anyways, check it out sometime - I might have something you like. Mention my blog and I'll hook you up :)
http://niceandsweet.etsy.com/

Steel Cabinets!

2008-02-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

I found these AWESOME steel cabinets on Craigslist! For only 250$!!!!!! I would SO buy these if we had the room to store them until we moved. Oh cruel world :)

Great pink Kitchen.

2008-01-30T15:30:00.000-05:00

I scanned this from my copy of Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book (1956). I am so in love with this kitchen! I (of course) am a huge lover of pink. I love the pink and yellow together. I'm not one for steel cabinets, but they are very cute in this kitchen.

On another note, we are still house hunting in Smithville. We've narrowed it down to 4, but I'm going to show you my favorite 2. The first one is a 3 bedroom that was built in 1939. It's got awesome wood floors and a detached 2 car garage with a workshop. The second one is much more kitschy, with the original metal roof and an eat - in kitchen. It has 4 bedrooms and was built in 1950. Wish us luck dolls!

Appreciating Our Parents.

2008-01-25T13:56:00.000-05:00

I just adore this silly old classroom educational.
I love the pink living room though;
I wish Derek forked over cash at the end of the week!

Small tour of the Apartment...

2008-01-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

The I Love Lucy Bathroom!

Here are a couple pictures of the apartment. It's a nice size 2/1 - but we can't change the paint and the appliances are bland. But it works for us.

Our main living room
The Eames credenza we found at a thrift store for 35$
My craft table and our 50s port-a-crib (Hunter's time-out)
The Velvet Elvis (trailer fabulous!)
My 3 favorite paintings and the evil spawn
My canisters I scored for 10$ (Steal!)
The oven
The fridge
My 'elvisized' Beautyware breadbox
My pie area and toastmaster!
My I love Lucy mixer!
I LOVE my toastmaster coffee pot.
My humping bunny salt-n-pepper shakers (Derek go them overseas)

Obviously I'm going for red and pink 50s. My dream is a pink formica kitchen with red countertops and pink applainces. Probably a pink, red and white lanolieum floor and white wallpaper with pink and red hearts. And yes, my husband HAS agreed to this :)

Rochester Craigslist Find

2008-01-23T22:16:00.001-05:00

I was searching craigslist in Rochester (were my inlaws live) and came across these awesome fiberglass shaded lamps! I'm desperately trying to get my MIL to go pick them up for me.

2008-01-22T01:11:00.001-05:00

So, while scheming about how to fully pink my kitchen I came across this lovely set! That is the exact stove I want, but not the fridge. I would prefer one of GE's combination fridges with the Lazy Susan shelves. I do love the pink exterior with turquoise on the interior. Heres the link.

These would be mine...

2008-01-18T18:26:00.000-05:00

If my kitchen were aqua!! What a great Ebay find. Click here .

P.S.

2008-01-15T14:59:00.001-05:00

Here's the table!

New Table.

2008-01-15T14:48:00.000-05:00

'Window shopping' online for table cloths and such for our new table. It's a white 50s formica set. We're going up to Derek's Parent's to get it. They kindly stored it for us. I wish I could just go to Sears and get the kind of stuff I'm looking for. Where's my time machine when I need it?

Mission: Destroy

2008-01-13T17:54:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel like kids are pre-programmed to cause as much chaos and mayhem as possible in small amounts of time?

Hunter colors all over the house with his "washable" crayons (which he has dubbed his colors), destroys his room, dumps over the laundry basket, and gets crumbs all over the floor. Thank got we thought to put that puzzle mat on the floor in the living room - the stains that thing has saved me from. Anyways - beef strogo tonite and lemon meringue pie for dessert. Now to get a copy of the original Hairspray from Blockbuster.

Oh mother.

2008-01-12T21:42:00.001-05:00

This is what my cake is going to look like. Haven't gotten around to making it yet - I was supposed to make it to take to my parents house but my mom got awful sick at the last minute. No, that was not sarcasm. Well, here's the recipe!

The Ingredients:

(makes one 9-inch cake)

8 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
1¼ cups sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice
1 tbsp. Meyer lemon zest
2 cups cake flour
1¼ tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

For the glaze:
1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice
1 2/3; cups confectioners' sugar

For the candied Meyer lemon slices:
2 Meyer lemons
2 cups sugar

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Melt butter in saucepan. Cool and set aside. In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks with 1 cup of the sugar until thick and light in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in buttermilk, Meyer lemon juice and zest. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Then add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold half the flour mixture into egg-yolk mixture, followed by half the egg white mixture—so you don't deflate the batter. Repeat with remaining flour and egg white mixtures. Take about 1 cup of the batter and stir it into melted butter. Gently fold butter mixture into the rest of the cake batter. Pour into a buttered and floured 9-inch cake pan or Bundt pan, and bake for about 50 to 60 minutes until cake is lightly brown and pulling slightly away from the edge of the pan.

While cake is baking, make glaze and candied Meyer lemon slices. For glaze, combine Meyer lemon juice and the confectioners' sugar in a saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Set aside. For the candied slices, cut Meyer lemons width wise, in ¼ inch slices, and discard end pieces. Remove seeds. In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of water with 2 cups of sugar. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer five minutes. Add lemon slices and simmer about five more minutes, until fruit is soft but not falling apart. With a slotted spoon, remove slices and place on waxed or parchment paper.

When the cake is baked, cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then invert onto a cooling rack. With a long toothpick, poke the top of the cake to make about two dozen small deep holes. Slowly spoon the warm glaze over the cake, allowing to sink in before adding more. Poke extra holes if needed, eventually using all the glaze. Arrange the candied lemon slices in a random pattern on top. Cool the cake completely and serve.

Too bad!

2008-01-11T15:12:00.000-05:00

I really want this ebay lot, it would complete my service for 8, but she wants too much for it. i HATE when people overprice things, urgh. As if my pattern isn't hard enough to find. Hopefully they'll relist. I can't wait to have my full set. Pictures of my lemon cake later tonite!

Let's see...

2008-01-11T01:09:00.000-05:00

If I can get this thing the way I want it, I should be posting this afternoon!
After I make my lemon drizzle cake - of course!