Silver Sunday at Fiona & Twig

Happy January 3rd, and welcome to the very first  

Silver Sunday Blog Party, hosted by Beth at Gypsy Fish Journal!

To quote Beth, on Sundays she invites us to "show off our glittered, glitzed, glammed, tarnished, shiny, treasured or freshly found silver treasures." Sounds good to me, so let's get started...

Nothing fancy, just a couple of my lovely, tarnished silver salt and pepper shakers. I've almost listed them in my Etsy Shop twice, only to reconsider and keep them all to myself. I know, I know, it's nice to share.  :-)

These are one of my most treasured silver serving pieces, my antique butter picks.

What's a butter pick, you say?

Well, they were used for lifting a pat of butter, and were most often used with...you guessed it...butter pats.

The picks usually matched the other pieces of silver in the place settings, and many times, the very wealthy would have each individual butter pick in their inventory monogrammed. Not being one of the very wealthy myself, mine are instead adorned with hearts, the drama masks of tragedy and comedy, Greek mythological figures and several other unique designs.

I'm only giving you a little teaser of what's to come in the weeks ahead...I have LOTS of silver, and this post just serves to whet your appetite for the Sundays to follow.

Be sure to click on the photo below to visit Beth at Gypsy Fish Journal...she has links to all the other Silver Sunday participants!

Gratuitous Animal Cuteness

Me and my buddy Deb from Common Ground had a nice long chat on the phone this afternoon, and the talk turned to our wee little furry children.

It's been a while since I posted some blatantly gratuitous pet pics, and this post exists for no other reason than to make you go "ooooh" and "aaaah" and to getcha all warm and fuzzy all over.

First, the cat.

 

You've already met Winnie. She's pretty and she knows it. Gets away with bloody murder on pretty much a daily basis.

Yes, you Winnie.

Meanwhile, back on the farm, it's a dog's life...

As seen through the back door...

11:54am

12:25pm

12:47pm.

And so it goes.

Havok and Belle generally get along pretty well. He's the looker on the left, and has the absolute sweetest disposition of any canine on the planet. Belle has jealousy issues, so she tends to act out when she thinks he's getting any extra attention, which is what happened the other day during our first snowfall of the year.

It was only a light dusting, but the dogs were super excited. After all, they're Huskies! These babies had never seen snow! Anyway, I rushed outside with my camera to snap a shot of my husband with the dogs, and....you guessed it. The combination of the excitement of the newness of snow mixed with Havok getting extra attention caused Belle to act out, and she picked a fight with her little brother. It ended the way it usually ends, with sweet Belle the bully getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop, and Havok reluctantly being forced to defend himself. She always comes out on the losing end, but bless her stubborn heart, she never learns!

This is the only pic I managed to get, and it's of Mr. Twig tending to Belle's ear after Havok nipped it in self-defense.

I know she asked for it, but just look at that sad little "Ouch dad, my ear hurts" face!

She's fine now, and has lived to pick on Havok yet another day.

Thanks for indulging my warm and fuzzy side this evening.

Now go give your fur babies a hug and a nuzzle!

Extolling the Virtues of Etsy...and a Wonderful Giveaway!

Shabby Floral Oil on Canvas, available via my Etsy Shop

So how's the New Year treating you thus far?

I've been working 12 hour shifts at the hospital the past two days, and thankfully, there's been a minimum of holiday hospital drama. Those of you in health care will know exactly what I'm talking about...an ER full of hunters shooting themselves or each other, drunken driving mishaps, people who ate too much at the holiday meal mistaking heartburn for The Big One, and just generally all manner of holiday induced weirdness. An hour left to go in my shift, so I'm starting to perk up a bit.

Where's My Nuts Trinket Box, available via my Etsy Shop

You may have noticed how I've subtly (hehehe) inserted pics of my Etsy listings here.

You haven't? Well, by all means, let me call them to your attention!

I've been an Etsy seller now for a couple of months, and truth be told, I'm enjoying that far more than having a booth. Which was actually a huge surprise to me, but on further reflection, not so much.

Things you may not know about me, but have long suspected...

I am a ginormous control freak.

I am a worry-wart.

I have an OCD streak a mile wide.

An Etsy Shop allows me to maintain greater control over my product and my brand, in how I market and choose to present myself and my wares, and actually provides me with a greater sense of creative expression via my photography and photo editing and my listing descriptions.

Pretty Posh Pitcher available via Fiona & Twig on Etsy

Don't get me wrong, I love having a booth, but let's get real....I live 25 miles away from the shop, so I don't just pop in several times a week just to foof ( © VRS ) my booth or to straighten up the mess created by those seemingly incapable of putting something back where they found it.

Ya see??? My control freak and OCD tendencies in full bloom!

But with Etsy? My pretties sit right there in my house until I lovingly package them up and ship 'em out. If I decide I don't like the listing photos, all I've gotta do is set up my photo station and shoot some more. I can tweak the wording on my listings to possibly appeal to a different demographic, or add more tags so that I can be discovered by a whole new audience.

But in my booth?

An item can sit and sit and then sit some more until I pop back into town to dust it off.

Just a Spot of Tea (strainer) available via my Etsy

So bottom line, I heart Etsy big-time, and if you're one of those folks who've always wanted a booth but just haven't gotten one for whatever reason, I would encourage you wholeheartedly to give Etsy a try. It's nothing like eBay, so I wouldn't let a sour experience there hold me back. And there are lots and lots of us bloggers here who are also Etsy sellers, and would be more than happy to help you out! I know I would!

Speaking of Etsy, take a look at three of my most recent purchases...

Is that not the sweetest thing? I haven't received it yet, but I already have a primo spot already picked out!

I purchased it from fellow blogger and Etsy-ian Cathy at Treasured Heirlooms. Be sure to visit her wonderful Etsy Shop, New England Vintage.

I'm also waiting on this ridiculously cute little change purse to arrive...

Made from a beef flavor ramen noodle package covered in vinyl and lined with felt. Zipper closure to hold everything inside.

100% Made of Win as far as I'm concerned!

And then this...

I've been looking for a stamp set forever, and this one fit the bill perfectly!

So I'm not only an Esty seller, I'm also a customer, too!

Wanna know who else is an Etsy seller?

Why, that would Michelle of Vintage Junky, you can visit her awesome shop right HERE.

She is celebrating her 100th Post, and is having an incredible giveaway to celebrate!

One of these two fabulously lovely Grain Sack Pillows can be yours just for dropping by Michelle's blog and following her easy breezy steps to win! Click HERE to enter, and be sure to tell her Anne sent ya!

One more from the Etsy Files, then I'm outta here...

All you Texas Longhorn fans, be sure to visit my friend Stephanie's brand new Etsy shop,

Spoiled Lil' Princess.

She creates gorgeous hand crafted bows and beanies for the wee lil' girly girl in your life!

Those are her two daughters, aren't they precious?

She has sold TONS of bows and beanies locally, and even though she only has the UT bow listed as of now, she will be adding many more of her wonderfully crafted creations in the days to come.

In conclusion, let me take this opportunity to once again wish each and every one of you the Happiest of New Year's!

Stay safe and warm, and have a great weekend!

One Short Year Ago Today....

I didn't know any of you.

(now I have hundreds of awesome friends)

I didn't have a blog.

(now you can't shut me up)

I'd never used a camera other than a disposable.

(now I absolutely love shooting and editing my own photos)

I didn't have a booth in an antique mall.

(now I have a booth at Sunrise Antique Mall in Kerrville, Texas)

I didn't have an Etsy shop. (I didn't even know what Etsy was.

Now I have joined the ranks of online sellers with my very own shop)

I had never heard of, nor been to Warrenton, for Antiques Week.

(now I'm scheduled to be there with my friend Effie in the Spring, helping her sell in her space)

What a difference a year makes!!!

It hasn't all been sunshine and roses, but it's been pretty darn good!

Looking forward to sharing my misadventures with all of you in the coming year...and wishing all of you the very best!

And The Winner of "Make Me Laugh" Is....

 (Me, courtesy of yearbookyourself.com)

It was genuinely close, there were several real contenders, but the one that tickled me the most was this one, from Amy at Ligonier Living...

So a lady was driving through the desert on her way home from a business trip and she passes an old Navajo woman walking along the road. She backed up and asked her if she would like a ride. The old woman gladly got in the front seat. Driving along in silence, the old woman nodded askingly at a brown paper bag on the seat between them. The lady said, "That's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband." The old woman nodded knowingly and said, "Ah, good trade."

I can't resist a good husband joke! ;-)

Amy, if you'll mail me your snail mail address, I'll send you a little something to make you smile for making me smile.

Thanks again to everyone who, in the spirit of the season, reached out to lend a hand.

I love you all.

The "Make Me Laugh" Giveaway...

If you've persevered and trudged through my past two days worth of posts, you'll know that I need a little levity in the worst way possible. In short, I need a good laugh.

This is where you come in.

In my comments section, post your very best jokes. Long or short, corny or erudite, it doesn't matter a lick, just help me to crack a grin, emit a chuckle, blow milk outta my nose...

To make it fun, I'll select the one that tickles my funny bone the most, and at the end of the day (12/28/09), will select a winner.

I'll send ya a little sumpin' sumpin' via the USPS for your trouble if I choose you! Nothing grand, just fun.

Nope, no names drawn out of a hat, no random number generator, this is one contest where you have to earn your spoils!

The past few days has been either laugh or cry, and I choose to laugh.

Help me pulverize these lemons here into somethin' drinkable!

Please Pray....

This is an incredibly difficult post to write.

My friend Mark, who I met through my booth at the antique mall, was brutally murdered on Christmas day. Shot and killed, along with a friend who remains in critical condition. This was not a random act...the killer knew at least one of the victims. Out of resepct for Mark's family, I will not go into further detail here, but would ask that you pray for all involved, including the murderer.

Although Mark didn't officially work at the antique mall, he was a close and dear friend to both of the owners. Indeed, he was a dear friend to anyone who had the privilege of knowing him. On any given day, you could find him there helping out, lending a hand in any capacity needed. On more than one occasion, he could be counted on to help me load or unload new pieces I'd bring into my booth, or to lend an objective eye about one of my booth vignettes.

He was a bit of a renaissance man, but was a preacher by trade. I find comfort in this, but feel little comfort otherwise.

You see this smiling photo of myself below?

It was taken by Mark just prior to the open house we had back in October. That was Mark for ya, friend, helper, preacher, furniture mover, mall security, teller of tall and entertaining tales, and even photographer when called upon!

You will be missed, sweet friend.

God willing, I'll see you on the other side.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.