Junking, Painting and Creating!

It is almost show time.  I'm so excited, I can't hardly wait.  I will post sneak peeks very soon.  For now, here is the information so you can come and see all the talented vendors that day!!!  I promise you will not go home emptied handed.  My booth will be filled with all things vintage. 

As always I can't thank you enough for stopping by!

"Show and Tell"

My dear readers, how can I ever thank you for all the comments about my daughter on my last post?   Your thoughts and experiences seemed sacred to me, and  I shed more than a few tears.   Then today just when I decided to put up a new post, well to my surprise my sister commented.  Now don't even get me started here, or teardrops might cloud up the screen. ( Did I ever tell you  that I'm really good at bringing on a crying fest?)  When I saw her name, well I knew right then 'Glenda do a new post or you will be crying another couple of weeks and lost in blogland.'   In my life, there is no one who has cheered me on more than my dear sister.   So thank you to each.  Your names and comments are engraved in my heart.

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 Now for the new post.  I'm going to be in a show y'all.  Been so long since I've done a show, but oh how I have missed the show vibe.  The saving back of my best junk, the thought of the display, buying(never forget buying), and the junkers you meet along the way.  Now enough about me.  I want to introduce you to Katie Femia.  She is the mastermind behind this whole idea.  Without her, well we vendors would just be without!  I sat down with Katie today and asked her a few questions, like how did this come to you?.  Was it out of the blue?   Here's what Katie had to say for herself.                                                                                                                       

Katie, have you ever participated or coordinated a show before?

    I have never coordinated, but I have been a vendor a dozen times or so.  I worked in a antique mall, while I attended college to generate extra income.  I have had the love of vintage for some time. I do know what I like to shop for, so the show will be set up along those lines.  And I love a show well organized and I hope to bring my organizational skills to this task.   The name of the show is 'All things Handmade and Vintage Bazaar.'

So how did you come up with the idea and name?

    Saturdays are my junk hunting days, though not limited too.  When I come home after one of these excursions, the first question my husband asks, "Did you get anything good?"  Next question, "Is it vintage?"   It just seemed like it all fell in place.  Like it sounded right.

Katie, what does vintage mean to you?

   Aged beautifully.  Somewhat fresh, not stuffy and uptight like antique.  Vintage is an item loved by someone through the years.  

How many vendors will display and sell, and what can shoppers expect on April 10th.

    The show is at capacity right now with 45 vendors setting up in 65 spaces.  But if you know someone really good at displaying and selling, I'll make room.  I want shoppers to expect a new experience in a show.  Not a craft bazaar (though nothing against that) but vendors who have a love for the items their selling and going out of their way to bring the best to the show.

Besides organizing the show, will you be displaying wares yourself?

   My entire family will be in on the action.  It's like a family affair.  Yes, I will be also selling my creations and wares.  It definitely has a spring theme, with flower pots and plant stands.  I also work with vintage fabrics, and I have a love for 50's kitchen items.  My space will be a blend.  I also can't wait for my father to showcase the shadow boxes he creates.

Katie, what inspires you?

    I enjoy taking  vintage finds and turning them into something beautiful.   As a teacher of 2nd graders, I see them doing this all the time.  They recreate and are always happy with the way it turned out.  They see their handmade items as beautiful.  I also must say my biggest inspiration is my family.  They encourage me in my junk collecting, though they would never call it that.  They have inspired  me to put this show together.  I couldn't do this without their support.  My husband and even my five year old daughter have been putting up with junk being collected for the show, and they are happy for me.  Yes, my family is my biggest inspiration.   One day I would love to visit the Farm Chicks Show.  To me, they are the Bee's Knee's.  Until that takes place, I want to have a show right here in my home town.  I want to take advantage of all the great talent that is right around us that otherwise people might never know about.  This is inspiration to me!

What is your hopes for this show?

    My first hope is that the dealers feel success.  They are taking as much of a risk as I am.  So I really want them to feel the day of the show, that it was a good day to be a vendor.  Next hope is the people who come to purchase will feel inspired.  That they will find items they wouldn't find anywhere else and walk away saying, "We have really needed a show like this in our area.  When will be the next one?"

Thank you Katie.  She was a delight to speak with.   She is married to the love of her life, is a terrific mom to a five year old and a one year old, also is a second grade teacher, and last but not least a show promoter.  I am also excited for her and wanted to post about this show for all who are involved.  Here in the blogging community a world has opened up for so many of us who might never have the chance to travel to our dream shop, shows, and destinations.  So Katie stepped up and said she will work to bring it here.  Yeah!  The next couple of posts, I will talk about some of the vendors and also give pics on what you will find in my booth.  I also have a special guest who will be displaying with me, and I can't wait to introduce you to him.  Off to visit with my grandsons, till then.

As always I just can't thank you enough for stopping by!

Matters of the Heart! And just a few tears on my part!

I have never spoken with you about my daughter Emily.  Today is the day.  I promise not to go into great details, but only to tell you  that she was born mentally challenged.  Emily will be 28 in June.  One and half years ago,  I let her go.  She wanted so badly to be like any other child.  She wanted to leave home when she grew up.  I cried, I yelled, and I cried some more, but I knew in my heart it was the right time, and the right thing to do for her. 

As a mother I asked,  what would she do without me?  Who would brush her hair?   I knew she wouldn't.  It's scary to ask yourself, can you love your child with all your heart if she doesn't have her hair brushed?  I took pride in how she looked.  I dressed her, I did her hair, I put on her makeup.  I wanted her to appear to you that she was well rounded.  I am her mom.  Truth be told, I wanted you to believe I took good care of her.   So 18 months ago my parenting was put to the test,  Emily moved to a group home.  She lives with 8 other women and  she does very well.  She tells me she loves me, and then says,"mom I'm not ever moving back with you." 

She is never wearing what I would dress her in.  Her hair is seldom brushed to my liking.  She only wears make-up on holidays, and I never say a word.  Today I went to see her at her day program, and took pictures of all the adults she spends the day with.  So here is a corner of  life as we know it.

He always ask if I can stay and watch The Price is Right with him.  He reminds me repeatedly how much weight Drew Carey has lost!

I've known Donnie for years.  He only speaks a few words, but he is always smiling! Plus I don't think I've ever seen him without a suit coat on!

His eyes tell a story, but he cannot.  He has never spoken a word in his life!

Jack is one of Emily's dearest friends.  They volunteer together delivering Meals on Wheels.  She tells me they are a team.  When you speak with him, he never looks at you, he always turns away.

She has a laugh you would fall in love with.  I took pizza, she asked when would I be visiting again.  I said soon, she said not soon enough.  We both giggled!

I love this guy.  Many years at different events we have had to watch him have seizures.  He just keeps smiling through it all.   Lesson learned!

I had a conversation with her today on her beautiful pink hoodie.   I told her many people would see her picture and know she was very pretty.  That is the smile I received!

This gal I'm very close with.  I've known her many years. She has quite a personality, she is Emily.  She will be 28 in June.  She is my daughter, and I let her go live her life.  Love you girl, you know that I do.

Soooooo, (tears wiped away here)  I wanted to do this post for awhile.  Not that I don't trust you. There is just some matters of the heart I feel I need to protect.  I know, silly me.  Recently a friend and fellow blogger  was speaking with me on the phone.  We got on the topic of my life and raising Emily, which she didn't know about.  That was ok.  Next day she sent me an e-mail that said, "I knew you were pretty darn special, now I know you are golden."  Thank you Char.  You made this post possible.  These are the golden people in my life.

Last summer, Emily  asked if we could go to the car show.  I said do you really want to do that on such a beautiful a summer day.  Oh yes, she had heard about it on the news, and that was where we needed to be.

As always, I just can't thank you enough for stopping by.

One Small Corner of My Junkin World

Spring is starting to show up in small ways in my booth.  It's that time of year where I get a little antsy, and I just can't hold back.  I want to redo everything in my booth, redo everything in my home.  I need color and textures and the feeling that sunshiny days are just around the corner.  So here's a few pics of the changing that's going on in One Small Corner of My Junkin World.

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When I see a set of Kitchen Craft serving bowls, I have memories of my momma!

Chalkboard Buckets

Each bucket is filled with treasures. I wouldn't want you going home with just a bucket!

Pink seems to be the color at this moment!

Maps are always on hand in my booth.  I can't help myself, even if they don't sell. shhhh!  Please don't tell Bob the Builder that!

A little turquoise blue always makes me smile!

Who said a punch bowl was just for punch?

I even offer garden supplies to the early birds!

So, I have made a beginning. For whatever reason, farmhouse look is calling my name. I promise there is more to show you in the next few days. What would a farmhouse look be without rust? Speaking on farms, just to the side of this post is a new button for Verde Farms. Just click and you will be taken to Amy's beautiful homestead, I love it! My hope one day is to visit The Tipton Five.


As always, I just can't thank you enough for stopping by!

From the Bottom of My Heart!

Isn't it just like me to finally have all things in place to say hello once again to you, and not know what to type?  First, oh how I've missed each of you.  The weeks turned into months, then during those months time turned into moments. The weeks have brought  illness in this house, financial burdens, and then my husbands brother-in-law/best friend ended his life.  There are very few words to describe Dave's passing, but I will say I witnessed an enormous amount of Grace.  Humility was given and shown to my husbands family, and their courage and faith during this time has effected me forever.


 While I was away from my blog, I pleaded and begged that all our electronics would magically appear again.  Nothing was happening fast enough for me.  What would my few followers do?  They might pack up and leave.  Would they accept me back?  Oh the crazy thoughts I have thought.  Then when I got the chance, I would sneak around blog land.  Yes you read that right, sneaked.  Every once in-a-while I would stop by and comment on your blog, but not often.  I just couldn't find any words to type. I wouldn't want you to stop by mine, and see that I wasn't there.   I couldn't find my way back. Then tragedy hit and I understood timing.  My family needed me, and I was not distracted.  I could give, I could pray, and I could stop feeling sorry for myself.  Isn't life just like that?


Where do each of you fit in?  Your kindness.  Even when I was absent, there were notes sent to me via e-mail.  Notes saying, "Hey, is everything ok?  Haven't seen you around the screen much."  You will never know how much I needed those notes and as silly as this might sound, I have needed each of my followers.  I look at your little boxes, and think, "They care Glenda."  That's why they hit the button to follow.  I'm just hopeful like that.   And now here I am, back with you my new found friends.  I have missed you.  From the Bottom of My Heart,  hello and thank you!  I'll be seeing you around the screen soon enough.
As always, I can't thank you enough for stopping by!

Could I ask?

I always want to pray for others, but often feel awkward asking for prayer just for myself.  It makes me feel vulnerable, or that maybe I haven't done enough and have found myself in a situation that I shouldn't be in.  I know these are only lies that I tell myself, yet I would be withholding the truth from you if I said I never felt that way.  So here it goes.   Today our home was burglarized.  I arrived home to find our door completely kicked off the hinges.  I ran into the house to look for my little Westie.  I was at that moment not concerned about my safety or the condition I found our home in only that my little dog was ok.  When I found the little guy upstairs hiding, that is when I noticed what had happened. 

Sir Winston

Those who broke in came for electronics, it wasn't a big heist.  We just don't own very many electronics.  But what we have they took.  We can get by without these items.  It's just a certain feeling of safety I find hard to live without.  It has jarred me.  I'm not angry, resentful, frustrated, but I am sad.  My husband and I have so little, we know that and we're ok with that, but we always felt safe.  Not at this moment.  I know in the days ahead we will shake this off, and go on with our day to day  happenings.  Till then, "could I ask?"  Could I ask, if tonight you would send a prayer up for us?   Would you send a prayer up for them?   I will not ask you to pray for specifics.  I trust your thoughts.  But that only you would think of everyone involved.  I thank you in advance, you have always been so kind in this little short time I have blogged.  As always, I can't thank you enough for stopping by. 
~G~xo

"It's Been a Long Time Since I Did the Stroll"...

The blog stroll I should say!  Where have I been?  I wish I had this whirlwind story to tell you, but since arriving back from seeing my newest grandson, I have been no where but here in my home. I  have wanted to post. I even went so far as sitting at the keyboard to do so, but the words I had none. I have not been myself, and my heart and I are not on speaking terms right now. You ask why?  Take a lookie.

I arrived home only to realize my heart was left behind during this moment.  It can be hard to get much  accomplished when your thoughts are somewhere else. But work must be done, and I'm tired of stalking my favorite sites and not leaving a note behind.  Then I went through this whole other emotion that felt bloggity, cloggity.  I started to think, "Maybe I have nothing to contribute or type for that matter to this blogging world."  After several weeks enough is enough, this junking girl must get back to work.  This time of year is a great time to show and sell and I don't want to miss out. So here are a few pictures from my booth delivered to you. 

The Reason For The Season Hiding Behind A Snowflake.

The colors on these Sunday School teaching guides never disappoint.

A lady recently stepped into my booth, and we struck up a conversation about buying and selling.  She was so kind and said  my booth always had amazing finds, and she had purchased many for herself.  But she wondered and asked how I could part with some of the items?  I told her I had been buying and selling for many years so I kind of, yes, kind of gotten used to it.  My thoughts as we were speaking though were, "back away from the industrial mail tote, lady".  Kind of gotten used to it!!!

Please oh please, come home with me.

Vintage metal trucks can at times be out of this world pricey. Then every once in awhile, I'll find one that is not a collectible but has been used, and abused with lots of playing time love.  These are perfect for adorning.

Vintage register drawer.  I buy what I love, and I love this.

Couldn't you see this bank banner hanging up at a Christmas party.

I love vintage Christmas, the colors of it all. This time of year also allows me to show off the beautiful religious prints that are always available in the booth.  My sister has such a great eye for prints, and this next piece she found has never sold.  Must be a reason.  I don't believe either of us ever mind. 

  The buyers are out and I never want to disappoint.  I love these items as much as making them available to you.  And making gifts, wow, is one of my favorite past times.  For the last couple of years, paperweights have been my delight to make, and they have just found their way to the mall in time for Christmas.

 I promise, I really do, to be back soon and show the furniture that has been primed and painted for my small spot.  So good to be back with you and thanks to those who checked to see if everything was alright.  I'm here and as always "I can't thank you enough for stopping by".