New Jersey Finds

So what's a gal to do when she has to furnish an entire new home on a limited budget?  Well if she's me then she hits thrift stores and estate sales every chance she gets aka when she's got the car.  LOL

Here's some of the newest additions that are patiently waiting on the home closing the end of the month.   I've been stashing in a storage unit because I hit a Mega Sale the first of December so I snatched up the blanket chest, lots and lots of smalls, crewel chairs, settee, red grain bin, dining room farm table and 6 chairs, a painted floor cloth room size and an extra long painted runner plus so much great stuff I can't even remember it all for less than $900

Coverlet was $5

Goodwill treasures butter crock was $6 and onion bottle was $2

One peek at the storage unit in Feb

Full 4 place settings of Johnson Brothers Watermill dishes for $10 because it was 1/2 day at GW so I couldn't walk away without them!  

Went to a very high end sale and picked up these goodies.  I don't collect dolls but this rope bed was just impossible to leave behind. 

My very first bread board for $15.  I have wanted one forever thanks to my enabling friend, Paula Brady introducing me to my newest collection.  She first told me about them when I lived in Germany because that's where she picked up several of hers but I never ran across one so I've been looking since 2012.  BTW, Paula's wonderful home is in Country Sampler Home Tours this year so check it out.

Yes this punched tin foot warmer has a small issue but I've never seen one before so I snatched it up for $15 including the snuffer

Here's some more shots of my storage unit

One of my more expensive samplers $75

Here's some of my treasures in the temp furnished apartment....I had to have a little bit of my style!

More thrifting goodes

Currier & Ives Old Grist Mill 8 place settings for $25 plus I've been gathering up serving platters, cake plates, serving bowls and even a pie pan for the last 5 years when I run across them.  I always hoped to get enough to use as my every day dishes and it's going to happen now.

I got these wonderful pieces on Thursday at a great sale and wish I could have nabbed several more things.  I was #5 to enter the sale because I had my ticket so I was standing in the back of the crowd just waiting.  Well the people running the sale opened the door and everyone just rushed in because she didn't check tickets so I lost out on a couple of things I really was interested in owning.  I learned my lesson the hard way, no more little, polite, southern gal patiently just waiting and thinking it would all work out like you'd expect.  LOL!

That Redware plate had my name all over it but someone else snatched it up before I got in the door. I would have loved to own the spice box but $275 was just too rich for my pocketbook.

Wanted this for Mark's office desk

The navy coverlet

Now even more upsetting was the fact a few weeks ago, I snagged this writing desk and paid for it.  Then as I was trying to get it out to my car the estate sale company realized that was something the owners pulled the night before the sale.  They refunded my money but dang I hated leaving it.  Y'all know the 5 year old me was saying "Finders Keepers" in my head but I understood why they pulled it especially since I only paid $75 for it.  I almost cried but since it was staying in the family I couldn't get too upset.

Not a very good picture but I've been looking for a mammy rocker since I got married 32 years ago when I spotted my first one ever at Pat's Antiques in Springdale, Arkansas.  Sadly Pat Baskin has passed away, the shop changed hands and has since closed which I still mourn every time I go home. Anyway Pat's home and shop were my first taste of country, primitive decorating and I've been hooked ever since.  For my wedding shower she gave me an apron and pot holder set that I still use today.  Mark wouldn't approve since this one needed so much work and I'm kicking myself still for not snatching it up.

Finally saw this table at the Habitat Restore thrift and I can just see this as my new kitchen table but Mark's disagrees.  I think I'm going to override him in this instance because I don't have much room for a table since the fireplace takes up most of the room along with 3 doorways so I only need something small for the 2 of us.  We've got a dining room so that's where we'll host friends and families when they come over.  Mark thinks the stretcher bar will be an issue for him but I think he can overcome it so let's just hope it's still there in the morning.

Family updates

So when I last posted about the family Zeva was a few months old and now she's a sassy 3 1/2  yr old that still steals the hearts of everyone that meets her.  And yes any time you have her out in public she makes sure to introduce herself and you to every person she sees.  So she says "Hi I Zeva and this is Donna so what's your name" to every one....it's a hoot!  She is in preschool now and just growing up so fast. but she'll always be my little Zeva Diva!

Best of all she's a big sister now to Iris Rogue!  Who will be a year next month and just loves everybody!  She's such a good baby and thinks her sister is the bomb so thank goodness Zeva feels the same way.

 Somebody was not impressed with her frst bite of green peas!

And here's the sweet family

Daddy's girls

Now for the next announcement:  Rachel is graduating college this year and we're so proud of her.  She has really overcome a lot during her journey but she kept her eye on the prize and now it's going to pay off.  

She's also making me a Great Aunt again in June.  She's just adorable and I can't wait to meet my great nephew or as I've been calling him, Baby Butterbean!

Kelton is working full time and seems to really enjoy his job. He is all grown up but still has that wonderful, caring heart that he had as a toddler.  He'll probably hate this picture but it's one of my faves

And here he is last month with John and Josi at Josi's 21st birthday celebration

So that takes me to the youngest lovely Josi

She's decided to take some time off school, gone to work full time and moved into her first apartment....damn where does the time go?

And finally Clarice is doing wonderful and excited to see her new home later this month.  She has lived in so many places now she adjusts really quickly.  She's still not crazy about car rides but flies a lot better than I do.  Last time we flew to NC they had me walk thru security screening then they swabbed her feet along with my hands.....she wasn't really thrilled with that but she was a trooper. And here she is just chilling in the apartment lobby supervising the maintenance crew and greeting neighbors.