Tag Archives: thrifting

Weekend Wanderings

Posted in Weekend Wanderings by

Hello, dear Vixens!!!  How are all of you?  Happy Leap Day!!!

So now that we are practically in March, I am buckling down to get my apartment in order. Despite the fact that it is a studio, I am still a little overwhelmed by how much I have to do between unpacking, painting some recycled furniture and deciding what to display, pack away or purge.

To make it easier, I decided to use this month to focus on the sleeping area only.  I figure if I get one spot done, it will give me a sense of accomplishment and inspire me to continue decorating & organizing the rest of my place.

I spent a lot of time on Pinterest this weekend (no estate sales AGAIN 😦  ) and found some great inspiration, along with some pictures of my bed frame (below).  I have had it about 15 years now and still love it.  But, I no longer love the color.

Pinterest 1     Pinterest 2a

Sources (l to r):  Pinterest/Humbleabode.com & Pinterest/Hookedonhouses.net

Now I am more into the neutral, shabby chic look so I am going to attempt to paint it white.  Below is a different frame, but see how the white color gives the room a whole different feel?  That is the look I am going for.  Wish me luck that my paint job is successful!!!

Pinterest 3    Source:  Pinterest/Shabbyinlove.blogspot.com

Did you watch the Oscars last night?  You know I did.  I loved that the opening montage included a clip of “The Peanuts Movie” 🙂  .  Were you surprised by any of the winners?  And how about the dresses? Below are some of my favorites.  I thought Jennifer Garner’s shoes were gorgeous and Sylvester Stallone is still as handsome as ever (swoon).  I was sorry he did not win for Best Supporting Actor, but it was great to see him in a tux!!!

          

L-R:  Tina Fey, Kerry Washington & Jennifer Garner (All three pictures courtesy of Getty Images).

    

L-R:  Julianne Moore, Sylvester Stallone & wife Jennifer Flavin and Sofia Vergara (All three pictures courtesy of Getty Images).

          

L-R:  Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher & Reese Witherspoon (All three pictures courtesy of Getty Images).

I did not see any of the nominees for Best Picture yet, but I definitely want to watch three of them:  “Spotlight“, “Room” and “Brooklyn“.

How about you?  What did you do this weekend?

Until next time, fellow Vixens, happy digging!!!

Weekend Wanderings & Happy Birthday, Betty White!!!

Posted in Weekend Wanderings by

Hello, Vixens!!!  How are all of you doing?  Hope all is well.  How is it even possible that we are halfway through the first month of the year already???

I went to an estate sale on Saturday, but nothing really caught my eye or made my heart leap from joy.  So after I left there, I went exploring.  I ended up on a block named Lakeside for obvious reasons:  a lake is behind the houses on the block.

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Even driving to the estate sale the view was just so pretty.  I love to see water in the winter, especially when the sun is shining on it.  I see it as a reminder that some things are constant no matter what time of year it is.  I like that.

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You know how wood slice anythings are all the rage right now?  Well, take a look at this adorable little guy (or girl?) I came across.  Just too cute!!!

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Not far from the wood person, I saw a pretty little bird perched in a tree.  I guess he or she did not fly south for the winter.

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Please forgive the quality of the pictures, except the one of the bird.  They are all from my iPhone as my SLR camera is just refusing to work.  I am taking it in for an evaluation this week.  Fingers crossed that it is not completely dead.  I really do not need the expense of a new camera at the moment.

Sunday I spent trying to unpack since last month I got zero of that accomplished.  I previously mentioned that I had to move again at the end of last year.  Unbeknownst to me, the landlord of my last apartment had been trying to sell the place for over a year before he decided to rent it out.  Not long after I moved in, he received an offer and thanks to a legal glitch I knew nothing about, he was able to break our lease.  So I spent the month of November looking for a new place and moved on December 1st.

Because it all happened so fast, I completely forgot to take a picture of my new apartment before I moved in (sorry).  But I downsized from a roughly 750 square foot one bedroom place to a 400 square foot studio.  The one thing I learned from both living in my house and my last apartment is that I spend all my time in one room-my bedroom.  My TV is in there, and so is my laptop, my desk, etc.  So I sit at the desk to eat & watch TV, or lie in bed to use my laptop, read magazines or go through my mail.  And when I need to recharge my batteries, I curl up under the covers to read an old book or watch reruns of “The Golden Girls”.  On that note, happy 94th birthday to the sweetest, greatest friend any of us has ever had, Betty White!!!

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Source:  articlebio.com

So this time around when I went out to look for a new place to live, I realized I could save at least $200 per month if I rented a smaller place, not to mention my heating & cooling bills would be less, too.  Not too shabby.  Just think of all the vintage treasures I could buy with the money I save!!!  Even for a studio, my new place has a full kitchen (dishwasher included), a full bath, its own water heater and two big closets.  Here is how one of them looks right now:

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I know…..not pretty.  I am working on it.

So that was my weekend, Vixens.  How was yours?

Until next time, happy digging!!!

 

“And The Stars Look Very Different Today…”

Posted in Music by

Not even two weeks into the new year and we already have a devastating loss in the world of music.  David Bowie, the 1970’s rock icon who transformed himself over and over throughout his illustrious career, died after an 18 month battle with cancer on January 10.  He was 69 years old.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Richard Young/REX (100574d) David Bowie DAVID BOWIE AT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL - 1983

        Photo by Richard Young 1983

Born David Robert Jones in London on January 8, 1947, he changed his last name to avoid confusion with the other Davey Jones in The Monkees.  Bowie’s  musical career began with his break through album “Space Oddity” in 1969 and he spent the 1970’s establishing himself as a glam rock, art rock musician like no other with songs like “Changes“, “Golden Years“, “Rebel Rebel” and “Suffragette City“.  He easily segued from his Ziggy Stardust persona of the 70’s to the suave, well dressed gentleman in a string of 1980’s videos for hits like “Modern Love“, “Let’s Dance“, “China Girl” and “Blue Jean“.

Not only did Bowie do great work as a solo artist, but his collaborations were stunning as well.  Aside from his ground-breaking work with the likes of Lou Reed, Brian Eno and Iggy Pop, Bowie also worked with John Lennon on “Fame“,  covered the Motown classic “Dancing In The Streets” with Mick Jagger, joined Bing Crosby for a wonderful collaboration of “The Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth” and teamed up with rock group Queen for “Under Pressure“, to name a few.  These collaborations showed how innovative, versatile and truly unique Bowie’s musical genius was.

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Source:  ultimateclassicrock.com

Bowie also had several acting roles, most notably in the movies (he played Pontius Pilate in Martin Scorsese’s film “The Last Temptation Of Christ” as well as roles in “The Man Who Fell To Earth” and “The Linguini Incident“) and on the Broadway stage (he played the title role in “The Elephant Man” in 1980-1981).  He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 1996 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by David Byrne of The Talking Heads.  On January 8 2016, on what was Bowie’s 69th birthday, his last recording “Blackstar” was released.

My two best memories of Bowie after his collaborations are when the TV series “Without A Trace” used “Space Oddity” in Anthony LaPaglia’s signature episode entitled “John Michaels“.  The second was Bowie’s performance at the Concert For NYC in 2001.  He was humble and grateful to the men and women who kept his adopted home of Manhattan safe and showed that with a stand out performance of “Heroes”.  I cannot seem to find that performance online, so here is that song from his “Live By Request” show a year later in 2002.

Rest in peace, David Bowie.  “And may God’s love be with you”.

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Source:  livinglifeboomerstyle.com

Please note that I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing some of my favorite music with you.

The King And I

Posted in Music by

I can still remember the first time I saw Elvis Presley on TV.  (No, it was not his now infamous “Ed Sullivan” appearance.  I was too young for that.)  My mother was watching “Jailhouse Rock” one afternoon and I sat down to watch it with her.  I was not too happy the movie was in black and white, but when I remembered “The Addams Family” was also, along with certain reruns of “Bewitched” I rolled with it.

My mother began to explain the movie to me (“Elvis was not a bad man.  He just tried to help a woman stay safe from a man who was bad except the judge did not believe Elvis…”).  However, before I heard the rest of the story this beautiful but not bad man with the high hair and unbelievably great voice started to sing:  “The Warden threw a party in the county jail…”.   Sa-woon!!!  OK, I was only 6 or 7 so I did not know the meaning of that word then, but now that I do trust me, it fits!!!

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Publicity photo from the movie “Jailhouse Rock” (MGM Inc)

Before I knew it, the not bad man slid down the pole and was doing his hip-shaking, walk-dance amongst the other inmates.  I was mesmerized.  I remember saying to my mother, “Wow, what a great song” to which she replied, “Just wait until you hear him sing a slow song”.  And such was my introduction to Elvis Aaron Presley, not to mention the phenomenal songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.  Years later, I watched Presley’s film “Change of Habit” with my grandmother.  I could not believe his co-star was my beloved Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) as a nun!!!  But I digress.

Thanks to my mother’s love for Presley, I grew up listening to albums like “Elvis’ Christmas Album” (I still swoon over “Blue Christmas“), “A Date With Elvis”, “For LP Fans Only”, “Blue Hawaii”,  and the rest of the soundtracks.  As much as I love his rock & roll songs, my mother was right:  his ballads are beyond beautiful.  My personal favorite is “Can’t Help Falling In Love“, my mother’s favorite was “Love Me Tender“, but let’s not forget “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, “Crying In The Chapel“, “The Wonder Of You” or “In The Ghetto” just to name a few more.   I also love the version his daughter Lisa Marie Presley did in 2007 as a duet with her father.

I am profoundly sad to report that my mother’s records were lost when we moved into our house on Long Island.  Sigh.  But I have amassed my own collection of Elvis’ recordings with CD’s and vinyl whenever I am lucky enough to find the latter at garage and estate sales.  And on March 18, a limited edition 60 disc set of Presley’s recording will be released to honor the 60th anniversary of his first album release.  The box set will include three CD’s of rarity recordings and a 300 page book.   I am saving my pennies now.  If that is too much of an investment for your budget, try “Elvis 30 #1 Hits“.

In the meantime, enjoy the King’s performance from “Jailhouse Rock” as we remember him on what would have been his 81st birthday.

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Source:  vagalume.com

I do not own the rights to anything nor have I been sponsored in any way for this post.  I am just sharing some of my favorite music with you.

Until next time, fellow Vixens, happy digging!!!

 

“Another Year Over, A New One Just Begun…..”

Posted in Uncategorized by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, happy holiday or just time to yourself, depending on what or how you celebrated.  It is always mind boggling to me that with all the months and weeks of preparation, the festivities just fly by!!!

Like so many of us tend to do this time of year, I find myself looking back on the year we are about to say goodbye to as I plan and hope for the new one ahead.  But in looking back, my memories wander past 2015 to so many other years gone by and the precious pieces of time those years have taken with them.

I wonder how it is possible that I am now older than my mother was when she died at the young age of 36.  Or that even though my dad lived to be twice her age, these last four years without him have been the loneliest I have ever known.  And how much I miss calling my paternal grandmother every night despite the fact that she died 14 years ago.  Some habits just do not go quietly.

My parents at their engagement party in 1961 & on their wedding day in May 1962.

I know a lot of people who say they feel their loved ones around them and that is a comfort.  I long for that feeling.  For me, the pain of my losses is so real and present every single day I feel more like John Nash (who died this year) in “A Beautiful Mind”, minus the mental illness induced hallucinations, of course.  My family is real, they are just not here anymore.  But I feel as if they are following me around like Nash’s imagined college roommate Charles did.  I can talk to my family in my head and imagine what they would say, but they ignore me the way Nash had to ignore Charles for his own good.  But how heartbreaking was it when Nash confessed to his wife,  “sometimes I really miss talking to him.”

My family does not ignore me intentionally, it is just a result of the veil that separates our roads.  I may see them, or hear them, and I know they are there, yet there is no way to touch them or feel them.  And sometimes the need to do that is so overwhelming I cannot breathe, which almost makes me wish they would just disappear for a minute or two so I could catch my breath.

Idie's wedding picture

My paternal grandparents on their wedding day in April 1934.  Unfortunately I never knew my grandfather , but my grandmother (Idie) raised me after my mother died. 

But like Nash, I always see them and it is up to me to know that some days will be worse than others.  And on the really bad days, I have to close my eyes to my family just to get through.  But eventually I will have to open my eyes again and when I do, I see that veil that stands between us so clearly.  They may be my family but heartbreakingly, they are in my past and as Nash said about his hallucinations, “They are my past. Everyone is haunted by their past.”  Incredibly big sigh.

Thank you all for being a part of my past year on this blog.  Your support means so much to me and I sincerely hope you will continue with me in the future.  I wish you all love, blessings, luck, happiness, health, great music and great finds in the year ahead and beyond!!!

Here is my last song recommendation for 2015.

Enjoy!!!

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Christmas Song Of The Day #16 & Some Holiday Decor

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Merry Christmas, my dear lovely Vixens!!!  Hope you are in the throes of the nicest holiday celebration you have ever known!!!  Before we get to the final Christmas Song Of The Day, I would like to share some of my holiday décor with you.

Around the time I moved into my house, Hallmark released a series of ornaments to celebrate “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.  A different keepsake was released each week or so until you collected the whole set.  To promote this line of collectibles, Hallmark had four foot tall cardboard cutouts of Charlie Brown in his winter attire in the store.  From the second I walked into the store, I knew one of those cutouts had to be mine.  Luckily, the store manager was agreeable and sold it to me at a very fair price (let’s face it, he could have price gauged me and I still would have bought it!!!)  Since then, that cut out has been part of my Christmas décor and celebration year after year.  🙂

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I am pretty traditional with my decorations-real wreath on the front door and real tree in the house.  I usually always have a white poinsettia, too which reminds me of my grandmother as she loved them so.  She preferred the red ones but since I do not care for that color I opt for the white version.  This year I am sorry to write that was a fail as it fell out of my car when I opened the door to get it and died at my feet.  Ugh.  Next year I will buy two.

This sweet vintage snowman sign sits on the back of my front door.  I found him at an antiques store in Cincinnati in 2011 when my cousin & I went there on our way to the 127 Sale (a/k/a the World’s Longest Yard Sale).  I fell in love with his sweet teddy bear-like face!!!  Don’t you just love the top hat!!!

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Because my apartment is small I thought little pops of color would go a long way.  I filled a hurricane vase with some vintage ornaments to give the bathroom a little sparkle of its own.  It looked lonely by itself so I added a candle and an ornament (yes, that is Pig Pen next to a snowman.  My Peanuts obsession is real and deep, people!!!  LOL!!!)

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The Christmas song of the day is a simple wish for joy and peace.  Whether it is global peace, inner peace or a way to get through a personal war you may be fighting, my wish is that we all find whatever we need by next Christmas.  I hope you enjoy “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” by John Lennon & the Plastic Ono Band.

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Source:  billboard.com

Merry Christmas, Vixens!!!

 

 

Christmas Songs of the Day 12 & 13

Posted in Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Sorry I missed all of you yesterday but unfortunately, technical difficulties prevailed.  Ugh.  So first, let me wish you a happy Winter Solstice!!!  Two, to make up for missing yesterday, I will share two favorite holiday tunes with you today!!!

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Source:  Heartfelt Finds 

Up first is a familiar song that has closed out two of the most famous Christmas specials out there:  “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “It’s A Wonderful Life“.  So many people have covered this tune so I have too many favorites to list here.  But this year I have been listening to Amy Grant’s version of “Hark! The Herald Angels” the most.  Not a lot of bells and whistles, just her voice strong and clear and in the same version I remember best from my childhood.  Sometimes simple says it best of all 🙂

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Source:  entertainment.caller.com

Next is a more modern song (despite the fact that it came out almost 40 years ag0) that almost instantly became a holiday staple from the minute it was first released, despite coming out in April not December.  For anyone who has ever been away from home for an extended period, from service men & women to college students to married couples who moved away from their families for various reasons, this song welcomes them all home and more.  It’s Kenny Loggins with “Celebrate Me Home“.

Please remember I do not own the rights to anything, I am just sharing my favorite music with you.

Enjoy!!!

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Source:  allmusic.com

 

 

Christmas Song Of The Day #11

Posted in Music by

Hello, Vixens & happy Sunday to all of you!!!  As we continue our countdown to Christmas, I hope you enjoy another one of my favorite holiday songs!!!

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Source:  worshiphousemedia.com

Every once in a while a singer comes along who changes the game and takes it up much more than a notch.  Sometimes its the timing that’s perfect, or the song, or the arrangement or the singer.  Sometimes, when the voice is really spectacular, it’s all of those things combined.  That was the certainly the case with Karen Carpenter.

As one half of the brother and sister duo, her voice became the sound of soft romantic music in the 1970’s.  Even if their music was not your particular favorite, there was no denying the beauty or subtle power of Karen Carpenter’s voice.  Her brother, Richard, knew exactly how to write and arrange music that perfectly suited her vocal range, which only added to the magic of the recordings they made together.  Add in the fact that she was also one of the first drummers in an all male setting made Karen Carpenter a real hero to so many women and little girls, me included.  In fact, I started to learn how to play the drums in fourth grade because of her, and stayed with it throughout elementary school as the only girl playing drums with the boys.

If I think about her life too closely, it is hard not to feel sorry for how things unfolded for her:  a rigorous touring schedule that left her little time for a personal or social life, a failed marriage when she just wanted to be happy and have a family like most women her age and a battle against a disease that would eventually claim her life at the age of 32.

So I’d rather focus on the beautiful music she left us, from “Superstar” (remember Chris Farley & David Spade singing this in “Tommy Boy“?), “Rainy Days and Mondays“, “Close To You” (also featured in the movie “Parenthood“), “Goodbye To Love“, “Yesterday Once More“, “We’ve Only Just Begun” and so many more.

The Carpenters also made several holiday recordings but my favorite one is The Christmas Song.  Karen’s voice is crystal clear, soft and completely mesmerizing.  She had an incredible gift.

Please remember I do not own the rights to anything, I am just sharing my favorite songs with you.

Enjoy!!!

la-re-place-carpenters18feb18-3[1]Source:  latimes.com

Christmas Song Of The Day #10

Posted in Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  How are all of you lovelies doing today?  How can it be that we have arrived at the final weekend before Christmas???  A week from today, it will be behind us and we will be at those fabulous after Christmas clearance sales!!!  But before I get too ahead of myself, let me share another fantastic holiday tune with all of you.

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Source:  noelladesigns.com

I told you in yesterday’s post how much I enjoy the big band sounds from the 1950’s.  Well I should have been clear:  I like big band music period.  The booming percussion, exploding brass sounds and piano combine with the rest of the instruments to make magic with every note.  And a fabulous singer only adds to the perfection.

Anthony Dominick Benedetto, better known as Tony Bennett, has sung with big bands since before he became a household name.  One of the bands he worked with on several occasions was Count Basie’s.  Even after Basie passed away in 1984, his band played on and collaborated with Bennett for the 2008 album, “A Swingin’ Christmas”.  Eleven Christmas classics are covered on this fantastic recording including my personal favorite, “Silver Bells“.  Coming in a very close second is “Christmas Time Is Here“, which just might be my favorite recording of this song, second only to the Peanuts version (read about that here).  Bennett recorded a few holiday albums, but “A Swingin’ Christmas” is definitely my favorite.

Please remember I do not own the rights to anything, I am just sharing my favorite music with you.

Enjoy!!!

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Source:  showbiz411.com

Christmas Song Of The Day #8

Posted in Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  How are all of today?  Hope you are all on (or as close to) schedule for Christmas as possible.  But even if you are not, take a moment for some Christmas cheer through song!

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Source:  “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer” TV movie 1964

Confession:  I watch Christmas specials and movies all year long.  I have my most loved ones on DVD because I enjoy watching them whenever I want.  In fact, in the height of summer, when I have had my fill of humidity and mosquito bites, I escape it all by turning the A/C as low as possible and climb under the covers with a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a holiday movie.  Don’t judge-I bet the person who came up with Christmas in July or Hallmark movies in October does the same thing lol!!!  So why didn’t I come up with those splendid ideas???  Ugh!!!

One of my favorite holiday specials features an adorable-singing-banjo-playing-snowman.  It also features I place I can whole-heartedly identify with-the Island of Misfit Toys.  Oh, and a red-nosed reindeer, some elves and Santa Claus.  But the moment I wait for the most?  When the snowman, with the voice of Burl Ives, sings “Holly Jolly Christmas“.

You do have to watch the whole special as that song does not make its appearance until the end.  But the show is great so the time flies by.  Plus there are other songs to enjoy along the way, especially Ives’ other singing performance of “Silver and Gold“.   I love the message:  “What’s a Christmas tree without tinsel and pretty silver and gold decorations?”  and “Think of all the fun and joy that would be lost on Christmas morning if all the young folks didn’t get to see that sparkling happy tree?”  Exactly.  Although I must admit I prefer only silver on my tree, but hey, to each his own, right?  🙂

Please remember I do not own the rights to anything, I am just sharing some of my favorite Christmas music with you.

Enjoy!!!

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Source:  culture.com