HaPPy As Can Be To Be OLdEr Than DiRt!!!!

Hi There Sweet Chickies! I've really missed you....time is flying by isn't it?

Christmas is just around the corner and I'm trying to get all of those little projects done..........and at the same time remembering to take time to think about the Birth of my Savior and what that means to me.

Behind on my blogging and behind on catching up with all of you wonderful girlies.

Every year I think I'm going to finish early.......mmmmmmmm........NOT. :-)

So...........why am I thrilled to be older than dirt?

Well, several months ago that wonderful Sheila of The Quintessential Magpie had a birthday giveaway....now, bear in mind it was HER birthday, but was giving away a gift to someone............OLDER THAN DIRT....Well, by golly....that would be ME!

I entered and totally forgot about it until I started getting messages congratulating me on my win.

Now, Mrs. Magpie loves to shop........and wanted to pick out a gift for the winner based on what they loved so it took awhile for her to actually READ every word of my blather??? HOLY COW!.....and then pick out gifts for ME.....Now, honestly, have you ever heard of anything so sweet?

I had mentioned that I loved the little enamel nest sign that I have in my hallway ....and I'm crazy about black and white gingham so as a special surprise this little cutie was included in my HUGE package of goodies...

Perfect! Everyone always congregates in the kitchen.......rarely does our company sit around in the living room. I LOVE it....

See that adorable china bowl? I am CRAZY about it. It's exactly what I would have picked for myself.....isn't that color yummy???.........and I ADORE old postcards so she sent me SIX little vintage cuties........I LOVE them. Aren't they adorable?

Is this not the sweetest little hankie? I was tickled pink with these....my Mum always had a hankie tucked up her sleeve..........handy for noses and dirty faces... :-) With a little spit....did I really just say that? (Do alllll mothers spit on their kids?) ....anyway......I am going to use these in memory of my Mum....each time I take one out I'll think of her.....and Mrs Magpie's thoughtfulness too!

Soooooooo pretty, aren't they?

I would have made a beeline for this vintage lovlies in the antique store!

This little girl looks just like Dolly Dingle, doesn't she?

I just can't get over what a sweet and generous gift this was ...I'll treasure every bit of it....but mostly.......I'll treasure the friendship forged with this perfectly wonderful Christian woman. What a sweetheart.

Looooook at all of this deliciousness!

See that adorable little elephant bag?....That's the bag that held the names of all of the entries.......It couldn't have been more perfect. My little grandson is NUTS over animals.......I mean realllllly crazy about them and elephants are his favorite animal.

Mmmmmmmmm.......lots of PINK!

I truly adored everything......but this little fella? MY VERY FAVORITE THING.........because?????? It looks just like my little grandson.....I've called him Pumpkin Head since he was born....His head is big....it has to be to hold of of that brain!........And........I couldn't believe this...........but he's holding an ELEPHANT!!! I love my grandson more than I could ever say.......and now I have a little statue of my angel boy. How could it ever have been more perfect?

I can't wait for my little Brett to see it.......He's been sick (strep throat) so he hasn't been over yet.......

Now, I'm sure alllll of you wonderful Chickies know Mrs. Magpie....and Annie.....but just in case you haven't ever met her you must go see her. Here's her Older Than Dirt Winner blog....if you'd like to read it. What a lot of work and thought went into doing this for me.

http://thequintessentialmagpie.blogspot.com/2009/11/its-pink-saturday-and-i-spy-older-than.html

I am so grateful....

God is soooo good. He gifted me with Mrs. Magpie.....

Sheila........I love you........you're simply the BEST!


Ok my sweetie pies........I'm trying to re-train myself to get to bed at a decent hour....so off I go....

Thank you so much for coming and for spending your time with me.

It means the world to me. Really............it DOES!

Huggies and Lovies,
xoxoxoxo
Spence


Edited to add....

Holy Moly....it is COLD here in the Pacific Northwest....better get the long johns out..

It's TWELVE degrees!

It NEVER gets this cold here. Fortunately there is NO humidity....so no SNOW! I didn't plan for snow and I have NO TIME for snow....Let's just keep it like that, OK??

I am NOT dreaming of a WHITE CHRISTMAS....my car NEVER leaves the driveway in foul weather. :-) And, I'm NOT ready for Christmas yet!

University Of Puget Sound Flea Market Finds! Yippppeeee!!!

Once a year The University of Puget Sound has a flea market to raise money for scholarships........it's not a HUGE market, but fun none the less. I found some pretty great buys and came home pleased!

*****Remember, you can click on any picture for a larger shot****

I didn't get a very good picture of it, but on top of the bibles there is a vintage wedding picture I thought was sweet. Really beat up, but still cute.....50 cents.

I'm thinking I should take a photography class......but I did my best here........I know, isn't that lampshade the saddest thing you've ever seen??? But..... :-) I recently saw one done up on somebody's blog........I wish I could remember who's it was, but unfortunately I can't....anyway.......she had left the whole frame bare and had done it up like a chandelier with lots of prisms. It had the scalloped bottom too, so I was actually in search of one. I'm delighted! And, it was only a dollar! The little plaque was one of the last things I found and was only 75 cents! I'll take the nasty leather cord off and add a pretty ribbon.

Four lovely vintage hankies for 50 cents each. I've washed all the linens, but haven't pressed any of them yet. As I've said, I have collected vintage linens for years and one of the things you never want to do is to put your linens away having been pressed. First of all, when you get them out you have to press them again or they don't look nice, and secondly it's very hard on them to store them with starch in them. It's infinitely better to just pop them in the drawer as is.

It's hard to tell, but see those two little folded bits on top?? Those are the most adorable baby sized pillow shams. Two for a dollar! Yowza! Underneath is a lovely huck towel with a crocheted edge. Four dollars.
I can't resist a little vintage frame and this one was fifty cents. You just can't pass that up! It seems I always have something I want to frame and it's great to have an assortment ready.

These were an unbelievable deal......a set of PERFECT pillowcases for five dollars! Aren't they pretty? Just imagine how long these would have taken to make? God bless the little gal who did all this work!

I have china plates EVERYWHERE with tons left over, but I still can't pass them up when they're a great deal. These were all a dollar each. I love that one on the top! Isn't it sweet? I thought of St. Patrick's Day when I saw it, but it isn't really shamrocks. I love it.

I simply cannot pass up a bible............The top on is VERY old and was $4.50, the center one is perfect and wonderful, with a zipper and gold edged pages........perfect for popping into my purse........and was...........................FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It didn't have a price on it and when I asked the gal how much it was she told me I could have it! Now, honestly, does it get any better than that??? I LOVE it! Thank you sweet lady! The bottom one is also perfect and was two dollars. I have so many bibles, but it's nice to have different versions and I like seeing them everywhere. I have a few that are very old and other people have written in them. Isn't that so special??? :-)

Have you heard the fellow on TV advertising chamois? I couldn't believe it when I found these, they are the same thing, but white with a scalloped edge........now that is just too darn cute, isn't it? I don't think I want to get them dirty cleaning though! Next to them is a lovely hand crocheted doily.......a DOLLAR! I don't even think you could buy the yarn to make it for a dollar.

This little gal's frame is going to need some work, but it was just too cute to pass up. I love vintage frames and this one was so sweet, as you can see THREE dollars! YIKES!
****Big Smile****

A set of beautiful linen napkins for $4.50........they are in perfect condition too. Now, I'm telling you, I collect napkins and certainly didn't need these, but who knows....someday I might! At least that's what I was telling myself when I was paying for them. ;-)

A close up of that old frame and one of two frogs my darling daughter found for me. I was looking for some........they're getting a smidge high at the antique stores, but these were a dollar each. I was pretty tickled with this find!



Thank you so much for coming today and seeing what's going on here at Bellamere Cottage.

Happy Monday and I hope your week is wonderful!


Many, many blessings!
Spencer