Silver Sunday....Two Hearts

 

Two vintage silver skeleton keys with heart openings....

My vintage inspired wedding / engagement set, not silver metal ( it's white gold ), but silver in color...

A perfect marriage!

Be sure to visit Beth at Gypsy Fish Journal for this final Silver Sunday!

Blogger Burnout

In my travels around blogland, as well as in my private conversations, I'm seeing more and more of what can only be termed as

Blogger Burnout.

Shoot, sometimes all I have to do is look in the mirror to get a good look at what a tired blogger looks like!

↑

Ever feel like this?
Like your cup's only half full?

To those who have opened up about their struggles to balance it all, to fit in blogging and family and work and everything else, I admire you more than I can say! You have truly spoken my heart and expressed much of what I myself have felt of late.

But what are the causes?

Is it an external or an internal pressure we place on ourselves to be....

Fabulous?

Funny?

Welcoming?

Polite?

Prolific?

Timely?

Buzz-worthy?

And in so doing, what do we sacrifice...

Family time?

Work obligations?

Prayer time?

Household chores?

Peace of mind?

I speak only for myself when I say that any and all pressure I feel related to blogging is entirely self-imposed. I got myself on this treadmill, and I'm the one that occasionally turns it waaaay up to full throttle! I'm the one that worries that perhaps others will view my occasional inability to make it over to their blogs to say "hey" as rudness, when what it really is is exhaustion, pure and simple.

Let me go on record right now as saying that blogging has never, ever felt like a chore or an obligation to me.

Far from it, it has been an unexpected joy, a source of delight and wonder and has revealed to me dear friends and kindred spirits the likes of which I never knew exisited!

But like so many others have expressed, I too have seen the effects that my blogging has had on my home life and  my relationships in the "real" world.

Dishes and clothes have gone unwashed.

Checkbooks have gone unbalanced.

Prayers have gone un-prayed.

Husbands (just one!) have been neglected.

Can I blame any  of this on blogging?

I think not.

The fault lies squarely with the woman talking to you right now, and there lies the solution as well.

This post doesn't have any answers or quick fixes, just a little honesty in the hopes that the more of us that speak up about this, the more forgiving we might feel towards ourselves.

You know, maybe give ourselves permission to miss a few days of blogging, safe in the knowledge that the world will keep on turning and no one will perish if I don't post pics of my latest crap from this weeks estate sale.

I've included a poll, so even if you don't post a comment, I hope you'll weigh in on whether you've been experiencing blogger burnout, too.

Thanks for "listening", and don't forget to do something nice for yourself today.  :-)

XO,

Anne

So I Was Mindin' My Own Business...

When I hear a loud "thunk, thunk, thunk" on the front door.

We live waaaaay out in the country, so I'm thinking "who the heck could this be?"

I crack the door just a smidge, and what do I see but....

 

What the?????

"Hey, y'all! It's Ruby! 

I'm here to help ya sell your hats and scarves and earrings and bling in your Etsy Shop!"

Oooooo-kay.....

"I mean, just LOOK! I can rock a cowboy hat! 

 "I can TOTALLY rock the winter look!"

 

"And just to show ya how well I'll fit in waaaaay out here in the sticks....

...Bass Pro Shops baby, don't you know it!"

"And see, I can even sit here on your laptop, all serene-like, while you study for ACLS..."

 

 Ha! Look at that coif and those lips! Do you see anything "all serene-like" about Ruby?  ;-)

Still, the gal does have a point.

I really have  needed a helper to showcase my fab vintage bling, and since she's already here...

I vote she stays! What say you?

In breaking news, I see that someway, somehow, I just this afternoon picked up my 500th Follower.

Wow.

I'm speechless and honored and completely thankful to everyone who has ever read a single word I've written! For sticking with me through good times and bad, I salute you!

Towards the end of the month, I'm planning a big giveaway to celebrate the event and to say thank you, so please be sure to check back!

But for now, hop on over to Donna at Brynwood Needleworks, she's having TWO absolutely wonderful giveaways!

First up, she's having a Sweetheart Valentine Giveaway!

Secondly, because she just hit 200 Followers (YAY Donna!), she's having a megapalooza

200th Follower Giveaway!

Hurry over to see Donna now!

And while you're making the rounds, don't forget to stop by  

My Romantic Home to share in Show & Tell Friday, hosted by Cindy! Always a blast!

Have a beautiful Thursday!

White Wednesday....From the Vaults

Because I'm being a good girl and studying my  
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
materials today, here's a little something from the vaults...
the very first White Wednesday I ever participated in!

I figure there's a whole bunch of new readers out there who didn't follow me way back when, 
so perhaps this will be new to you.

In the meantime, back to the books and wish me luck!

Please visit Kathleen at Faded Charm, our lovely WW Hostess!

I am pleased and honored to be contributing to White Wednesday for the very first time. Getting this one in a wee bit early as it's an early day tomorrow.

Many thanks to Kathleen at Faded Charm!

       

My creamy white vase with such lovely feminine curves....

St. Francis among the ivy....

A solemn Madonna encircled by my mother-of-pearl rosary.....

                             
           

 My fairy tale wedding dress.....

Happy White Wednesday...

~Anne

The Heart of the Matter...and an Impending Giveaway

It being February and all...

The month of romance,

of Valentine's,

and of these....

I'm going to be a little scarce for the next 2 or so weeks while I study up to get re-certified in this....

ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is a protocol for handling patients who are experiencing serious medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest. ACLS also refers to the skills and training necessary to use the protocol safely and properly. Because ACLS involves advanced medical skills, certification and training in ACLS is only offered to medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and paramedics. Several organizations offer ACLS training and certification, which is required in many hospitals and health care environments.

This will be a re-cert for me, so it's stuff I already know, but I still need to devote more time to studying than blogging, so I hope y'all won't forget me between now and around the 21st.

I'll try to pop in a couple of times a week, so you won't really get much of a break from me at all.  ;-)

But back to this....

It's actually connected to this....

Which is currently available in my Etsy Shop!

Isn't it darling?

The perfect vintage charm bracelet, and just in time for Valentine's Day!

Super duper cute, this little piece of bling has charms in the shape of a vintage glove, purse/clutch, high heel shoe, hat, heart, and two faux diamonds.

Sooooo cute. I've worn it a few times, and I always get such great compliments on it!

I'm sure you will too, as it's the perfect accessory for a day out hitting the garage and estate sales, yet looks equally chic for a night out on the town.
Available via my Etsy Shop HERE.

Also, because I'm sneaking up on hitting my

500th Follower!!!

I'm planning a little giveaway sometime after I hit the magic number, so be sure to check back. I have a few ideas rolling around as to what the prizes will be, but nothing is certain yet. One however, is gonna be pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!

So, I'll be a wee bit scarce the next two weeks, but it's really for the greater good.

Passing my ACLS course = job security = more money = more cool junk = more blogging!

Send lotsa good thoughts and prayers my way that I breeze through it, and I'll see y'all soon!

XO,

Anne

The Hoarders Report

Fresh from the Hoarders Estate Sale I attended yesterday, here's what made the trip back home with me...

Oh, and I didn't snap any pics at the sale, I was there to shop, not shoot! The time spent setting up a shot could make the difference between you and another OPPORTUNISTIC SHOPPER (hehehe) grabbing a certain treasure, so it was all hands free and on deck to the task at hand.

One more bit of pertinent info before we begin...as it was Day 2 of the sale, everything was HALF PRICE, so I pretty much STOLE everything you see below!

 

  

Bust of child reading. Headed to my booth or Warrenton in the Spring.

 

Shabby, romantic floral.

 

Another Frozen Charlotte bisque doll (and parts) for my growing collection. She'll be incorporated into an art project.

 

A quintet of cheeky bisque babies.

Big love on these...old pocket watch parts, pretty much grabbed for a steal.

 

Lamp parts galore could be found at this sale....floor lamps, table lamps, hanging lamps...

Really unique little trinket cases, headed to my Etsy Shop.

 

  

A circa 1860 dictionary, destined to be incorporated into many an art project!

They had HUGE standing filing cabinets just CRAMMED with dozens if not hundreds of each style of greeting card. All completely amazing, and I surely grabbed more than my fair share!

 

  

  

Can't you just see all these in one art project after another ?!?!

 

 I was also really pleased to find a little reminder of why we were all there at the sale in the first place...

Meet Mrs. Provance ot Provance Antiques.

This was her store, and we were all guests in her home, rummaging through all her glorious, junky stuff!

 

Thank you Mrs. Provance, and thanks to all of you for patiently waiting for this post.

I'm still recuperating from my recent illness and foot injury, so I apologize for not being quicker on the draw when it comes to getting things posted. I crashed pretty much as soon as we got home last night and slept well into the late morning today.

Also, I want to extend an apology to all my wonderful bloggy friends for not being able to make it over to each of your blogs to say hello this past week. God willing, when I get back to normal (whatever THAT is) health-wise, I'll be able to drop by and say "hey" to each of you personally. I miss y'all!

Have a wonderful Sunday and see ya next week!

Just a little tease...

And it's only because I'm catatonic-tired and need a nap in the worst way.

But I promise you, the Hoarders Estate Sale did not disappoint.

I didn't buy a lot, but I got exactly what I needed. Mostly smalls, as I primarily buy for my Etsy Shop these days ( my poor, sad, neglected little booth! ). More pics will be posted tomorrow, but for now, say hello to one of my spectacular finds...the three lovely ladies gracing this gorgeous, heavy, BIG, Greco-Roman lamp, coming soon to the fields of Warrenton during 
Antique Week ( March 25-April 4 ).

Please head back over this way sometime tomorrow...I plan to combine my Silver Sunday post with the follow-up to this one, so bonus! You get a two-fer. 

And just a quick shout out to my brand new junkin' buddy that I met at the sale....

 

Say hi to Jan of The Polka Dot Barn!

I came across her purely by accident, she was not a reader of this blog, but is a regular at the same estate sales I frequent, so it's WEIRD that we hadn't met before.

Jan is a local mixed-media artist, and is just an all-around nice gal. Go sneak a peek at her Etsy Shop, she's super talented. 

And oh my gosh, she's like another Effie, my rockin' Bar W Buddy I'll be selling with in the Spring.

Jan and I plan on getting together next week for lunch and will surely be wreaking general mischief and mayhem in the weeks and months ahead.  ;-)

Off now to take a quick nap with my sweet husband, who accompanied me today and tirelessly carried all my crap as always, LOL!

See y'all tomorrow!