July Thus Far

So as you may have noticed, I haven't posted anything....since June.

Which is insane.

So here I am...and I am opening up my return to this here blog--with an update on all that I have been up to...including a few places that need to be added to your hit list for the Mid-west and St. Louis.

I've plundered. I've traveled. I've cooked. I've explored...

So this week will be dedicated to a few of these experiences, places, and persons.

I hope you enjoy.

Event #1:

I plundered an Estate Sale in Webster Grove---this awesome neighborhood/community loaded with historic homes, great restaurants, and some good shops.

The 2 things that spoke to my heart...

Exhibit A: A wonderfully old picture of a stranger

I sort of have a thing for old postcards or portraits. I love to imagine the stories behind these individuals-----who they are, where they are from, their struggles, their dreams, their flaws, their gifts...I can literally sit there and get lost in the life I give them.

This girl is smart. You can tell by her grin and how she naturally touches the book. She loves to disappear in her father's library and read for hours. She enjoys learning in any capacity whether it's through formal education or working with the cook in the kitchen. She is comfortable with her status but doesn't hold it over other people or use it as manipulation to get what she wants. She's great at playing spades and is unsure of dancing. She enjoys being outside...she also loves to sing. She hates bread pudding. She hopes to one day drive a car...

See, you can look at a picture and take it anywhere.

Exhibit B: A wonderfully stained and used Delta Gamma Cookbook

St. Louis has a good amount of DG representatives---and is also the site for one of Delta Gamma's school for the Blind. I was stoked when I stumbled upon this cook book from the 1960's. It has obviously been well loved--and as a fellow DG, it was heartwarming to make this connection---even if it's just with the cookbook not the actual cook. I have to believe that it was another DG who loved this book first...

I adore Estate sales because they connect you with the past...and if anything invite you to consider people who came before you...

I promise to provide many more updates this week---trust me you will be surprised to see all that has been happening.

Have a good one!

Dangling Beauties

I woke up early this morning to take my dear friend Vanessa to the airport...and, so I thought to myself, "I'm up early, might as well take advantage of this...and go garage saleing..."

I haven't had too many opportunities to use the fabulous garage sale apps on my phone...and so today was the day. (Thank you Garage Sale Rover and Craigslist).

I hit up a few duds....and then I came to the treasure trove. (These people had been planning to open a consignment store, and then it fell through...soooo they had some wonderful finds).

My treasure:

Don't be scared.

They are beautiful.

They are 4.5 inches long, and from the 1930's!!!

The woman at the garage sale explained that she has a picture of the original owner wearing them at a ball in the 1930's.

I was sold. Talked her down to $12...and felt that they were totally worth it.

They are unique and they have a story.

Doesn't get much sweeter than that, friends.

ha...and people wonder why I go garage saling...silly people.

Shopping Spree for Free

I have a friend. Her name is Amanda over at Part-time Homemaker.

She hosts fabulous themed parties every week for our community group...but the one I'm about to share with you is extraordinarily special.

Would you like to know why?

1. You get rid of things you don't need, like, use, (or wonder how it got into your house in the first place.)

2. You get to compete via paper-rock scissors.

3. You get new-to-you items for free.

Allow me to show you my treasure; and then I will tell you how you can host your own fab party.

1. A book that retells the Bible in a narrative style...fiction to make it come alive for you. 

2. A stack of Paula Deen and other cooking magazines...yay! 

3. A pair of awesome yellow wedge loafers. (I wore these to lunch yesterday and everybody was asking where I got them...they were shocked when I told them they were free....) 

4. A Limited waist cinching belt...I always need belts and never want to pay much for them.

As you can see, I racked up. 

I also walked away with 7 less items in my closet...which is a blessing.

Here is how you can host your own Shopping Spree for Free Party:

1.Gather friends.

2. Have them each bring 5+ items of good to great quality (ie. home goods, clothes, accessories, basically anything. We had everything from a set of dishes to a dvd of Tahitian hip-hop).

3. Give each person stickers with their initials on them (# determined by how many items they brought...around 5-7 per person)...go around and place the stickers on the items you want.

4. If you really want an item, place 2 stickers on it.

5. If more than one person wants an item, you play rock paper scissors to decide who wins. If one person placed 2 stickers on an item they get 2 lives in rock paper scissors.

6. Have round 2. If anything is leftover, donate it to Goodwill.

This is an easy way to update your life with out spending money! It's also a lot of fun to see how people's competitive side comes out...

We had some high-demand items. (ie. galoshes)

Amanda is in the process of changing over her blog, but be sure to check her out...she will provide some awesome ideas for you home-making mavens...and for us other folk too.

Part 2: Cherokee Antique Row

So, I know it's been a little slow in coming, but here is the 2nd part of our wonderful adventure on Cherokee Row...and really to a few other places as well.

It was awesome having the rents in town and sharing with them our life here in St. Louis.  It's a different experience having your parents come visit you in your world. Loved it.

My dad is a minister of worship and appreciates all things music. 

My mom's dad played the sax.

Mix those things with an antique district and you get:

A very cool, oh so unique, probably very sought out (by all sax enthusiasts) store/repair shop.

The following picture is of a local St. Louis music instrument factory, circa. early 1900's. Pretty sweet.

As we continued down the street we visited 2 more memorable stores.

(Many of the stores are closed on Mondays FYI...so perhaps look the row up on-line before making the trip to make sure all the stores you are seeking out, are open).

One of these memorable stores is:

Remember Captain Kitty? Yeah, this is his place.

The beauty of Lady Jane's, is that it has every type of stain-glass window, door-knob, or fireplace mantle you can imagine.

So, if you are looking to re-do that awesome row house down in Tower Grove or you need some Victorian accents for that fixer-upper in Kirkwood, this is the place for you.

The last high-lighted store of Cherokee Row is one who's name I missed. That's sad. I'm sorry.


BUT, you can't miss it. Because this:

Is in the storefront window.

Yep, this is an old Victorian coal stove.

My mom's grandmother had one of these in her farm house. She said that she was always deathly afraid of going near that stove because her grandmother, aka. "Big Mama" scared all of the grandkids with stories of getting burned...it's so pretty that, that seems like a mistake.

But no, really, it will burn you.

This is a 1940's stove. Completely refurbished. The rockin husband and wife duo who runs this shop, are very picky about which stoves they take and refurbish, resulting in some awesome products.

They have stoves ranging from  the early 1800's to the 1970's.

They had some crazy ideas of a stove back in the day! (including a retractable one... sounds a little unsafe to me.)

I'm telling you, Cherokee Row really has some great stores with fair prices.

And, as my parents pointed out, they have different antiques...you won't find the same things you might in the South or on the East coast.

It offers a great picture of what the Midwest offered years ago. Antiques always tell a story.

Part 1: Cherokee Antique Row

Yesterday marked the first full day of my parents' lovely visit to us here in the Louis.

Remember how I mentioned I was trying not to plan every little detail of the trip?

Well, it turned out that we may or may not have crammed any idea of a plan into one day...and so I'm hoping that today is just as fun filled...even if we've already completed much of my plan...

Neither here nor there...This is what we did yesterday:

Ok. Not really. But we did see this lovely cat outside one of the stores yesterday.

Hello Captain Kitty!! (Yes. that is it's real name... think I'd make that up?)

Moving along.

So, there is this really cool area of St. Louis called the Cherokee-Lemp neighborhood to which I was introduced just last week. (Remember that Retro 101 store? Yeah...same area)

Cherokee Antique Row really went well with the Rents. They adore antiquing...it's all about the hunt...and so this was a hit.

The first store we tackled was Elder's Ltd. This place was packed. They had a particularly good selection of dining and bedroom furniture...beautiful sideboards...so if you're looking for some gorgeous and reasonably priced antiques...this is a great place to go.

I also found this:

It is an old library table. My idea for modern day usage is to build a platform and bolt the desk to it, and then use it as a kitchen island....or, I mean, you could use it as a desk...

I also found these awesomely beautiful and detailed summer fireplace screens:

At $125 a piece these were at the best price and in the best shape of all of the screens I found yesterday.

My Dad pointed out that they would be beautiful as a piece of art on a wall...so no worries, you don't have to have a fireplace to appreciate these.

And though these may not be practical for today's travels, they sure would be a perfect accent for a corner in your house... really.

They even have initials!! So personal. So cool.

As you can see, this store was the perfect way to start our shopping adventure yesterday....I will be letting ya'll know about the other places we visited (and will visit) as the week goes on...

...so keep your eyes peels

Today we are visiting downtown St. Charles, MO and later going to Kirkwood, MO for some more shopping.

Can you tell what we like to do together?

Cheers to good finds and good family!

Contact Information
Elder's Ltd.
2124 Cherokee Street
St. Louis, MO 63118
eldersltd@charter.net
314.772.1436
314.703.4216

Reward thy self...

As a reward for using up the last of my magnetic notepad...and for braving Super-Walmart to stock up on the weeks groceries...

I stopped at Move it On & More Consignment in St. Charles, MO.

I have been more than ecstatic to discover the plethora of consignment/resale shops in the St. Louis area. 

Not only does it provide inexpensive ways to brighten your home/closet, it also, as Doug at Move it On & More pointed out, is a great way to cut down on waste and to re-use. 

Here is a shot of some of the house-wares they offer:

Like most re-sale shops, Move it On & More, offers a variety of goods; a majority of which are home-goods. I particularly loved their collection of area rugs. (Sorry no picture!)

Here is a set of china that I absolutely adored:

Visiting Move it On & More has proven that consignment stores always hold more treasure than you imagine.

I think I might be embarking on a journey to and through all area consignment stores.

I will need your prayers a) to resist all the fabulous bargains I will come across and b) to write honest and thoughtful reviews of them.

Move it On & More is up and coming. Born only 2 months ago, it's goods are still being built up. One pleasant surprise was their locally/handmade soaps available. A very nice touch to set them apart from the crowd.

Don't be afraid to go on a treasure hunt. If you have a particular item in mind, consignment shops are a great place to start.

Cheers to good finds!

Contact Information:
Move it On & More
2031 S Old Highway 94 St. Charles, MO 63303
636.724.3600

I am so grateful for the YMCA

I was rummaging through Goodwill a few days ago and stumbled upon this:

What do you think it is?

Let me tell you.


It is a an antique Vibratone exercise machine...does that rev you up?

 Haha--well all you have to do is wrap the strap around you, lean back, and let the vibrations shed those pounds. (And, if you're near me, it'll cost you only $25! For real.)

I'm not so sure that vibrating exercise is effective, or for everyone...but I had a good time looking up some old school exercise videos...and appreciating the evolution of exercise.

Here is a 1930's exercise promo video...  be glad that we move the machines now-a-days instead of the machines moving (on) us. (you'll see the Vibratone being used in the upper left corner in the beginning of the video!)



 whew! I'm in pain just watching it!

Let us all be grateful that the YMCA provides a safe and normal place to work out.

Let us also be grateful to Goodwill for providing interesting items that impact our daily lives. ie. the Vibratone.

It's a whole neeeeew world!!

Yes. That is a snippet from the famously romantic Disney's Aladdin. And, yes, I did sing it while I typed it. But the point is, this is a whole new world.

Having recently moved, I have truly realized how small each person's world is. And though there are millions of people out there who get some sort of high from traveling and exploring, there are ten's of millions of people who have no motivation to leave their neighborhood.

Dude. This is the place for you. My hope is that through this blog, you will be inspired to stop at that corner cafe you have always wondered about; that you will try a new food you have never heard of; read a book that challenges you; or find a good deal you didn't know existed.

Tap into your world like no one else can.