C'est temps de gombo...

 

That's right ... It's Gumbo Weather!!!!

As I was blogging this morning, almost everyone I know across the country was posting about the beautiful snowfalls in and around their hometown area. Some were fortunate enough to be under "house arrest" and forced to create or relax all day. Well, I sure was jealous and even though it's not snowing down here, it sure is cold, so I did the next best thing. I got off of work early this afternoon and gathered all my goods to cook a delightfully warm chicken and sausage gumbo (even though I don't eat it). But my family does so just to let everyone know, it'll be ready around 6:00 tonight...

Avancé plus de, nous laisser mangent!

(Come on over, let's eat!)

Get the picture?

 

While in Old Town in Orlando, I stumbled across this lovely shop. It was a photography studio where you can be in vintage photos. But that's not what got me inside because although I love taking photos, I hate to be photographed!

{I have a love/hate relationship with any camera}

What got me in was all of these pictures in the outside windows.

{I guess this is what you would call window shopping, right?} 

So I tried my best to capture all this through a glass window because there was no photography allowed inside...I'm sneaky!

**********

**********

**********

**********

So if the outside windows was full of this vintage love...check out the inside as you walked in. Don't you just want to go in there???

And I love the name of the studio too!

Edited:

For those who are asking...YES, that is the floor! Full of photos, bank notes, ephemera, posters, etc. with a heavy clear acrylic on top! To die for I tell ya!

An Everything Corvette Long Weekend...

 

I'm back from Florida and I couldn't have wished for a more wonderful week. We left Tuesday instead of Wednesday & drove to New Orleans to be near the airport for our flight the next morning. We had a smooth flight to Orlando thanks to my buddy Jack (& coca cola)...

We stayed at the Comfort Suites Maingate in "Old Town" Kissimmee. The weather was beautiful!

It's just across the street from old time shops...

rides...

and car cruise-ins...

This is second year we attend the Florida Chapter NCRS meet. A few years ago, our 1970 Corvette received it's Performance Verification Award here. This year we didn't bring a car which meant no stress and we had a wonderful relaxing time with friends we haven't seen in a while.

But I did miss the judging...

and the judges...

Above on the left is Stan, our team leader for 70-72. On the right is my dear husband Thad who one day wants to grow up and be just like Stan.

Since I wasn't judging nor having a car being judged, I was able to walk for blocks and enjoy the many Corvettes both young and old!

Here's peaks of some of my favorites...

And then there was the swap meet. I like to refer to it as a guy's flea market or garage sale. Funny how they joke about us girls getting up early on Saturday mornings...they were there before the gates opened and went back about 5 times a day just in case a vendor put out something new!

They had tons of parts...

Is it that hard to find a date code boys??????

cars that needed new homes & future restorations...

and pieces for your current restoration project!

We spent one afternoon at the Mecum Auction which was sort of exciting as I have never been to one in real life. I am a huge fan of Barrett-Jackson that airs on the Speed Channel. I love all cars from Chevrolet to Ford...my favorites being the Corvette (of course) but I love the Ford Thunder Birds and Mustangs! Thad cringes every time I say that. He's not a Ford fan.

I think this vintage racing Corvette went for over One Million Dollars! Wow!

For those of you who haven't seen our Corvettes...here are our two that we have now:

1970 Laguna Gray Convertible 454 manual transmission with all available options. It is an NCRS Duntov Car which means that it has reached it's highest award of originality in the National Corvette Restorers Society. Thad and I have restored this car ourselves with a frame off restoration lasting about 4 years.  Here's a sentimental picture of Thad placing the newly acquired Duntov award plate! A much desired but much deserved award!

2007 coupe 3LT below:

Plain and simple...I wanted this one to cruise around in without worrying if I got a rock in the windshield, or someone opened their door against it, driving it in the rain, etc.  There are plenty of these at every Chevrolet dealership so it's really NO big deal. People see ya in a Corvette and think wow, ya must be rich. Well heck no, at least I am NOT. It cost no more than that loaded Suburban with 2 DVD players, leather seats, nav, etc! It's only downfall is it only fits 2 people! (But I can beat it to the grocery store!) And another little tidbit of additional information, the "07 ain't even worth half of what the '70 is...go figure!

So for some of you, now you know me a little better... I love paper art, jewelry, & garage sales but I love me some cars too. Both vintage and new of course!

See ya later alligator...

 

I'm off to Florida until Sunday!

Have a great week!

Here's to us...

 

May God bless our Country, our People, and our Flag...

               

Today we see change...

There's no better time than now to pray for peace & strength.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

She's so Sweet...

My sister Karen who lives about 7 hours from me is always surprising me with the sweetest little things. . .

She loves vintage Victorian inspired things as much as I do so when we see them, we always think of each other. This is the latest little box I received this week full of sweet surprises to die for...

See those blue things above??? I love them...you'd never guess what they are. My brother in law (Karen's husband) is a nurse anesthetist. He uses these little blue sponge applicators to give epidurals to expecting mothers. They come three to a pack so there are usually 2 extra unused and brand new. He knows how I love to craft and sends me the extras instead of throwing them in the hospital trash (what a waste of our insurance money!). They are perfect for applying glue, glaze, ink, etc. So Karen stuffs my little boxes with them when she sends me my little surprises!

I am sooo lucky to have such a sweet sister. And Rose too! Rose was my Mom's best friend. Mom passed away 5 years ago and Rose has adopted us kids as her own. She spoils us so much so we try our hardest to spoil her like we spoiled Mom.

Karen had everything wrapped so cute in velvet beaded bags and vintage tissue paper with the sweetest little notes...

I didn't want to open them! However I did so ever so carefully so I could keep the tissues...perfect for Valentine's...don't ya think?

Here is everything unwrapped and I am so excited...like a little kid at Christmas time!

Up above, below the goodies above is a full apron in a cream, olive and red floral pattern with ruffles all along the bottom. Old papers from a poetry book titled A Sonnet for a Loved One. Two hard cover books...The Apron Book and Apronisms (I can't wait to sit and read these!)

Above is a metal vintage replica tin, 6 spools of scrumptious velvet and silk ribbon and a vintage inspired 2009 calendar. The spools of ribbon are so pretty, I don't want to undo them! What am I going to do???

Having Karen is almost like having a permanent swap sister on hand 24/7. I try to spoil her too. Matter of fact, the box I got last weekend at a garage sale is full of goodies and on it's way to her as we speak! They say it's better to give than to receive...receiving is good too! tee hee!

Could it be?

Could this picture really be where the "Milk Man" rumor started?

This photo reads:   "Much love from the milk man and his better half" signed C.H.H.

Honey Locust Milk Wagon at Nack Watering Trough, Ludlowville, NY

I wonder if I have any distant relatives in New York ... naah.

I'm pitiful...

 

                 

Yes. I am a charity case.

It's been six days since my last post. I promised to blog more this year. This is the worst I have ever done yet. Even through hurricanes and on & off electricity I have done better.

I apologize. I hate being sick. I hate catching up on things when I start to feel better and then I get sick all over again. I hate letting you down. I hate letting myself down. I can do better, even though I am sick. I have to...for me and for you.

         

Thanks to Geralyn for loving my ephemera collection, I will post some of my older collection to share with you. Hopefully that will help me to not feel so guilty about not posting.  I'll be leaving for Orlando Florida on Wednesday. I'll be gone until Sunday.

No, I'm not going fishing...I'm going to an NCRS meet with my husband and some good friends. And I'm going back to Disney maybe for one day.

Don't give up on me please ... I promise to do better when I come home!