Girl Friday: Oh To Be Japanese and Brilliant

A friend sent this link to me today with a simple observation attached:

"Oh to be Japanese and brilliant....."

And I couldn't agree more, Japanese designer, Tokujin Yoshioka, restructured a window display he first presented in 2004 for an installation at Maison Hermès. The installation will run from now until January 19th, 2010.



Yoshioka's window is designed with an image of a lovely Japanese actress on a monitor with a Hermès scarf hung in front of her. As the image plays the scarf sways on cue as the the projected woman softly blows into it. Watch the video below - it will "blow" your mind - Get it? "BLOW!" - Okay, so I'm a dork!



Window installation at Maison Hermès Japan and all images courtesy of Tokujin Yoshioka Design.

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Want It Wednesdays: Pearls of Wisdom

1stdibs, Vintage a la Mode, Atlanta Antique Gallery, Etsy, The Water Fairy

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Serendipi-licious Giveaway

"What is she doing?" I asked myself as I stared at my daughter this morning. She was brushing her teeth, standing in the hall outside of her bathroom, mouth full of toothpaste, her free hand pointing furiously toward my feet as if she were in the throes of a synchronized swimming routine.

There was no mistaking that she was trying to communicate an important bit of information to me. It's just that the series of complex, almost liturgical-dance-esque gestures were throwing me a little. I finally decided that she had either choreographed a charades symphony entitled "Those Boots Were Made For Walkin,'" or my feet had burst into flames and she was trying to alert me.

"My boots," she said, her finger still flailing toward my feet, ". . . . you're wearing them . . . AGAIN?"

"Yes. Were you gonna wear 'em?" I said.

"No, but Mama, its been 5 days straight - how 'bout a shoe change?!"

"What can I say - "I have a crush on 'em. They make my toes feel like 10 friends on a camping trip!" I said." (I totally swiped that line from Sandra Bullock's character in All About Steve!)

Here's where it gets kinda serendipi-licious! After taking she and her brother to school and plopping down in front of the computer to catch up on emails and read some blogs, I found that I had a message from Alicia from Whoogaboots out of Australia. She wanted me to know that everyone in every country could win a pair of their boots. And all it takes is 2 simple steps found here. Or, you can just click on the Whoogaboot badge to the right.

Good luck to everyone!

Want It Wednesdays: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

1stdibs, East Meets West, Trocadero, Auerbach & Maffia, Grasshopper510

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Want It Wednesdays: The Color Purple

Photos courtesy 1stdibs, Tony Duquette, Ruby Lane, Nancy's Niche, Sheehaven Glass & Porcelain

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The Hitchin' Post: Jessica & Lorien

Ever been invited to a "surprise wedding?" Well, if your name had graced the guest list of a celebration for Pingg CEO Lorien Gabel and artist Jessica Licthenstein, you would have recieved not only an invitation via Pingg; but a video, as well. In spite of the couple's aversion to . . . uhmmm . . . well . . . "commitment" in general, they were married recently in quite a unique ceremony. They were perfectly happy to remain a "commitment-phobic" couple . . . completely in love, while simultaneously in denial; that is, until "THE IDEA" hit 'em. Jessica's pat response to friends who asked the “when are you going to get married” question, was, “The only way you could get me to show up at my own wedding is if I didn’t know it was a wedding!” And there it was, the "AH HA! MOMENT." They would elope, throw a party afterward, and send invitations to everyone they knew, but their guests would be kept in the dark about their nuptials. They started from scratch and boiled down the party to its essentials and decided what they really wanted for their wedding. They knew they wanted their friends to see a part of their ceremony, but not necessarily have to sit through it in real-time. They knew they wanted to celebrate with people, but didn’t want the traditional first dances, toasts, and cutting and smearing of cakes to be part of the plan.

The final idea boiled down to this: a ceremony in Vegas in the middle of a desert, surrounded by sand, wind, rusted cans, and just 3 guests, namely some of their best friends, who just happened to be a director, a camera operator, and an editor, known as The Sibs. The couple invited everyone to their combined 30th/40th birthday parties using Pingg, they created what they thought was a unique invitation that symbolized their relationship. At the party they showed their friends the "David-Lynch-meets-Oliver-Stone" type movie of their private wedding ceremony and the place literally erupted. Lorien and Jessica were brought to tears by their friends' reactions while the video looped in the background at the celebration.

The groom, Lorien and his brother started Pingg with the idea that people want to incorporate their own personal style into all aspects of their lives, including their invitations. "Pingg gives people a voice— a canvas to write whatever they want, send it however they’d like, and provides users with a web page to express themselves in words and pictures. It was this idea, taking something so firmly entrenched in tradition—a wedding invitation, or any invitation for that matter—and twisting it a bit, adding a bit of our own flavor and style, that allowed us to have the wedding invitation, wedding video, and ultimately, the wedding party we had always wanted, yet never could imagine." said Lorien.

I remember feeling like a rock star on my own wedding day, but these two are the real deal! And with that, I give you their invitation and their innovative “Surprise we already got married!” video.





If you would like to share your wedding with us, or are an event planner or photographer that was an integral part of a creative wedding celebration, please send lots of great photos, videos and the details to me, The Vintage Laundress, at lstephenson@austin.rr.com.

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Finding My "Happy Place"

The past few weeks I have felt like I was diagonally parked in a parallel universe. I have had a series of weeks in which everything has gone perfectly wrong. For instance, I am apparently incapable of operating the United States Postal Service - i.e. I sent birthday presents to a couple of friends . . . YAY! . . . . Sent both presents to one address . . . BOO! My soccer Mom van's check engine light came on, luckily I was right in front of a service station that could fix it . . . YAY and WHEW! . . . the repair clocked in somewhere around $1200 . . . . BOO! And, to make things completely unbearable, my "happy pill" Rx needed renewing, which meant I had to have an office visit, but didn't have the time or the inclination to show up for that gig. So, I decided to see if I could bypass that with a tragic sounding phone call explaining the lack of time and the broken ride, yada, yada, yada.

When I’m on the phone with my doctor, the pressure’s on to convince her that I’m not really a "happy pill" junky. To accomplish this, I decided to go with my “business-sounding-I'm really-not-a wack-job-voice” which is a cross between an impersonation of my Mom and the queen of England. It sounded a little something like this;

" . . . aaah Doc, here’s the deal . . . I’m not in my "happy place" right now . . . I don’t have any more medication, and I’m due for an office visit and, uhmm . . . I was thinkin' we could just bypass the office visit and maybe you could just call in the refill? . . . . cuz, rubbing my blanky against my cheek and sucking my thumb isn't really working anymore . . . . and my family is getting a bit afraid, they kinda have that 3 little pigs look about them and I'll give you 2 guesses who I'M CAST AS!"

My doctor heard my alarmingly “Joan-Crawford-no-wire-hangers” tone and knew she had to take action, thank goodness . . . . She called my pharmacy and renewed it without an office visit . . . YAY! . . . I pulled up to the pharmacy drive through and wouldn't ya know it . . . they were closed . . . BOO!

Luckily, the November issue of Coastal Living was waiting in the mail yesterday, serving as a delightful distraction. A glass of wine, a good long soak in the bath with my magazine, and I was all inspired and returned to my "just-a-bubble-and-a-half-above-anxiety" level. Coastal Living's 2009 Idea House in Seawatch at Sunset Harbor, a new development near Southport, North Carolina, is simply marvelous and was just the escape I was looking for! The greens and grays chosen by interior designer Phillip Sides for the master suite, are especially enticing, as are the rest of the rest of the design team's contributions including builder Mark Saunders Luxury Homes, and architect Sam Guidry. The Cape Cod-inspired look with its gambrel roofs and cedar-shake shingle siding has a gi-normous 5,800 sq. feet with three levels and 14 beds, a downstairs rec room, a top level sleeping porch, and outdoor kitchen and deck. All of which has views of native loblolly pines, live oaks, and marsh grasses that back up to Mercer Mill Creek and more than 20 miles of nature trails for walking, running, or biking. I think the words I'm looking for are YOOWZA! and SIGN ME UP! You can watch all of the video tours of the house here.

The Idea house is open for tours through November 29th and proceeds from the tour ticket will benefit The Boys and Girls Homes of North-Carolina. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the door or online here.






Another of the many pieces that transported me to a happier place was the piece on Emmy Award-winning, Sherry Bilsing's California bungalow. The TV writer of Friends and The New Adventures of Old Christine, asked designer Jackie Terrell to stage her real-life family home with vintage finds, and inject a little color, while still maintaining the kid-friendly style. The bungalow that she shares with her husband and son is new, but was built to look decades old. It is sandwiched between L.A. and the ocean in Santa Monica, California, with views of The Santa Monica pier from the master bedroom. Sherry’s penchant for vintage style and her sense of humor were interpreted quite well by Jackie by using schoolhouse-looking things, like the glass-shade pendant lamps, maps, and globes from different eras. More photos and info can be found here.





Aaaah . . . . Now that's better, my universe is making a little more sense . . .

Photos courtesy Coastal Living, photographers Tria Giovan, Dominique Vorillon and stylists Heather Chadduck and Char Hatch Langos

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Want It Wednesdays: Red Rover, Red Rover, Let it All Come Over

Photos courtesy 1stDibs, Etsy, Linda Horn, Calendar Girl Vintage and Period Collection

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Retro Redo: Vintage Octagonal Ottomans

Time for a little show and tell from our make over department. Today's subjects are a couple of vintage octagonal ottomans. I'm sucker for tufting, so I finished with 5 inch tufting and after painting the frames a satin ebony color. I chose a great turquoise linen fabric with a snazzy nail head treatment at the edge.

A staple gun, covered buttons, a yard and half of fabric, some paint and nail head and a couple of hours later, I have a pair of lovely re-worked vintage ottomans! I'll be listing them on the site later today - so, make sure and go check them out!







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Want It Wednesdays: Fearless Feline

Photos courtesy 1stdibs, Linda Horn, Longchamp Paris, Penny Long Antiques, Roger Vivier, Wallflower Vintage


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Shake It Up Baby!

Are you familiar with the John Hughes film Ferris Bueller's Day Off? Well, my son, Noah, is a cross between Matthew Broderick's character, Ferris, in that film and Mother Teresa. To illustrate the Ferris part of that statement I will sight the scene where Ferris has boarded a parade float manned by a lot of Bavarian milk-maid-looking lovelies and grabs the microphone and says to the crowd:

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are such a wonderful crowd, we'd like to play a little tune for you. It's one of my personal favorites and I'd like to dedicate it to a young man who doesn't think he's seen anything good today - Cameron Frye, this one's for you."

And then he proceeds to rock the crowd with "Shake It Up Baby," Beatles style. Take a look!



The riotous fun that you see and feel from that clip is what I have experienced every day since 6:07 am on November 2, 1995. The Mother Teresa part comes in after the parade is over - that's where Noah stays to help clean up.

You may have outgrown my lap, my darlin' boy, but never my heart. Happy 14th birthday Noah Stephenson!

This ones for you!

Video clip courtesy You Tube

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Want It Wednesdays: Black and White and Red All Over

Photos courtesy 1stdibs, Etsy, Liza Sherman Antiques, French Logic and Retro Repro Handmade

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Happy Sweet Sixteen

On October 25, 1993, my life was changed forever. On this day at 11:27 a.m. I became a Mommy. Nine months earlier my husband and I had gone out to celebrate our 6-month anniversary as newlyweds. Turns out that what comes right after a plate of green chili enchiladas and one too many frozen margaritas, followed by a Mambo around the dance floor in a pink velvet sombrero is . . . . A baby!

When I was preggers with my first child, I totally took advantage of my condition and played the "eat everything that doesn't move out of your way card." The final trimester of my pregnancy I weighed the rough estimate of a Cadillac Escalade. I began each of my remaining weeks dropping by my OBGYN's office pleading for an inducement because I felt that the baby was getting too big and if I bumped into a sharp object I might burst into flames, Hindenburg style. This request was met with the accusation that I had just gained too much weight and the baby weighed 7 lbs. at the most. So, needless to say, when my doctor handed me our 10 lb 5 oz. baby girl type-person I got the pleasure of an "I told you so" moment and I recall throwing in a "Bite Me!" just for funzzies. This was a period of my life where I felt that peppering in phrases like "bite me!", empowered me somehow. Okay, so I was on the wrong side of that argument, but at the time and given the situation, I felt justified.

I shared that story, to tell you this one - My baby girl type-person, Olivia, is celebrating her sweet 16th birthday on Sunday. This year we are using words like driving and college around our house. Those words used in the same sentence with my daughter's name make my brains want to start pouring out of my ears. It seems like just last week I was telling her to take her binky out of her mouth so that I could understand what she was saying and playing "Beath-ed" - which is how 'beast' sounds when one has a pacifier in one's mouth. "Beath-ed" was what Olivia called her favorite-est "moobie" in the "word" - Beauty and the Beast. Usually her Daddy played the part of the Beast and I was cast as Mrs. Potts or Lumiere. (If given the choice. I usually chose to be the slender candlestick with a great French accent instead of the Ruben-esque tea pot - I'm vain like that.)

I adore every thing about you, my darlin girl, and on that you can count, for the rest of your days! I will never care if you know someone who knows someone, if you are an A-list, a B-list or a "Never-heard-of-you" list. What I will always love and care about are each and every word, thought. and idea that flutters from your extraordinary mind. Ever since the first day that I'd known about you, I couldn't wait to meet you, and with each additional year, your beauty, your talents, and your aspirations grow. I am overwhelmed by the love I have for you.

Happy Birthday you precious jewel, I love you to pieces! (you meeces!)

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Want It Wednesdays: Pretty In Pink

Photos courtesy Etsy, The Paris Apartment, Ark's Endeavors, and Ebay

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Magical Girly Bits

When I'm trying to write a post for the blog or list some new things on my online shop, it just wouldn't seem normal around here unless my friendly tele-marketer didn't call repeatedly offering to sell me everything short of a new pancreas, or the Hubbs and the babes didn't need me to stop what I'm doing and activate my special "I-CAN-FIND-ANYTHING-BECAUSE-I-HAVE-A-UTERUS" powers to help locate their missing shoes, keys, or backpacks.

Unlike my years of working in publishing at an office, working at home in front of my own computer has had it's own set of distractions. Although I have learned a lot about the ins and outs of working from home, I confess that the whole "internet at my fingertips" thing continues to be a huge temptation. I see others handle the temptation with restraint while prioritizing work over reading the blogs or Google-ing how to lose a few "el-bees" without having to actually give up eating.

According to a survey I made up just for this post, Americans spend 30-40 hours a week online. Apparently my magical girly bits have the ability to find hidden goodies online, too, and being the altruistic soul that I am, I've decided to help you expand your online time and point you toward some simply intoxicating, inspiring, and (basically all the "in" descriptives that you can imagine) inventive sites I have come across over the last few days.


MAN SHOPS GLOBE

The first discovery I have to share is the Sundance Channel's original series, MAN SHOPS GLOBE. Keith Johnson openly admits the he has the greatest job in the world, and now we get to watch him work every Wednesday night while he digs around in out-of-the-way antique shops, private dealerships, and craft stalls looking for one-of-a-kind home furnishings and accessories for his employer Anthropologie. In each episode of MAN SHOPS GLOBE, Johnson travels to a new country in search of fantastic and unusual decorative objects, furniture, and textiles. He also seeks out the world's best artists and crafts people. The series follows Johnson, who travels six months of the year, from flea markets in Paris to remote villages in India, and obscure art studios in Turkey. Needless to say, I'm addicted! As if I needed another obsession?!

BELGIAN PEARLS

Greet Lefevre is a Belgian interior designer and runs a marvelous company called Lefevre Interiors. She's also a blogger friend and all around wonderful woman. If you don't know her, her blog, or her business, you should! Together with her brother, Greet runs their cabinetmakers business, continuing the fourth generation in the family business. Greet's house is in Flanders and is simply magnificent, you must see the images of her home and adjoining office/studio she has up on her blog Belgian Pearls.



ROOM 17

It is through Greet's blog that I stumbled upon Room 17. Marvelous moody greys, earthy charcoals and linen whites effervesce off the computer screen! Their blog is a treat, as well!


AURELIE ALVAREZ

The charming, whimsical, over-sized paintings of French artist, Aurelie Alvarez catches Anthropolgie's, Keith Johnson's, imagination in this online clip which is part of MAN SHOPS GLOBE series. Johnson suggests that if one were to look up "romantic French artists house" in the dictionary, Auralie's home would be pictured - and quite rightly, the romantic bohemian mood in her studio is palpable!

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Want It Wednesdays: Moody Blues

Photos courtesy 1stdibs, Elise Abrams Antiques, Designers Guild and Paris Hotel Boutique

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Round Top Coma

Wednesday of last week was my first official day back from Antiques Week in Round Top, Texas. My return home marked a period of recuperation that I like to call "if-you-value-your-life-let-me-be-in-a-coma-for-at-least-a-week!" Today I awoke from my "Round Top-induced" state, and I've been replaying all the fun times that I had with my newest family member, Stan Williams, and I've been pouring over the gazillion vintage goodies that he and I found. He has a really fun video from one of our days at the show on his blog, The Elegant Thrifter, that can be seen here. I'm also reveling in the fact that I have not had any food containing the words "fingers", "leg" or "on a stick" in their title for an entire week!

A few of the many things that I most enjoy about this show is all the great stories I get hear and the many new friends I get to make. Tuning out the fact that our economy is still sluggish and my booth proved to be a little "squish-ish," my time at the show was just marvelous! (Round Top Texas received something like 6 inches of rain in a matter of a few hours over the last several days of the show, making shopping and selling quite challenging to say the very least!) However, I have decided that the next time I decide to brave the elements and show my vintage linens in a tent out in a cow pasture when there is even the slightest chance for rain, I might want to re-think it and just stab myself in the eye with a sharp stick or repeatedly slam my thumb in the car door, instead!!

The happy, fun times most certainly out-weighed the soggy and the challenging, however, and I'm anxious to share my photos, vintage finds, and as always a little sarcasm with you. I think it is best to just make a list and check it off as I go.


1. I got to hang out with my buddy and newest family member, Stan Williams, also known as The Elegant Thrifter. Stan is truly adored by our family! Please come back to Texas Stan, you are missed terribly!!

2. I had the privilege of meeting an angel posing as a little girl. Her name is Indie Gus and she was hangin out with her Mommy, Aime Sikes, of the Junk Gypsies.


3. My talented son serenaded the crowds at the Texas Rose Show and he even made some tips!!

4. These vintage beauties belong on the silver screen (doncha' think?), but I'm slightly biased. One is my beautiful daughter and the other is my dear friend Casey. My daughter's prowess and confidence as a photographer grew exponentially; she gave her new camera a real work out during this show!



5. It was such great fun meeting Amy of Gypsy Chix and her Mom,Terri, is such great lady, too!

6. My beautiful niece Morgan had her first taste of becoming an entrepreneur. Her goodies at Vintage Gal Rings on Etsy are a must see!

7. Another pair of blog buddies, The Other Theresa of Cottage Gardens and Gina of Peacock Park Designs, were having fun at the blog party. It was so great to meet you both in person!

8. Amy of Whisper Wood Cottage and Junkologie, and Deb of Trash Talking and I are muggin' for the camera here. It was so great to meet you both, finally!



9. Joseph, you are indeed missed! I hope they have gi-normous grapefruit in heaven!

10. It was great to see Becky of Gypsy Rose - I'm lovin' that rose on your shoulder!

11. Sherry Parks of Sea Stars Cottage and Retreat is missing her sweet home in Alabama - I'm sure. It was great seeing you!



12. Annie of The Bunny Bungalow and Corey mug for the cameras at the blog party. Say cheeez . . . pleeeze! So great meeting both of you - I had a blast visiting with you and your tall husband, Annie!

13. Theresa of Garden Antiques threw one wonderful Blog Party - you are the consummate hostess - Thanks for everything!


14. Stan found me a Dr. Pepper - the lovely woman standing between Stan and me is a physician . . . and her last name is Pepper . . . . get it . . . . . . Dr. Pepper . . . . nothin' . . . . It's just me, huh?!

And then there were friends that I didn't get a chance to photograph, but got to hug their necks and visit for a while.



15. I got the chance to hug up on Charlene Abbott of Second Hand Charm and empathize with her broken foot - I hope it's all better!

16. One of my newest friends was made right under my own tent at The Texas Rose show. Melissa Moze of Melissa Moze Designs makes the cutest belts using vintage enameled pins for the buckles - you've got to check her Etsy store out!

17. My old friend Debbie Carroll of Debbie Carroll Designs and I had a few occasions to catch up each on what is going on with the other's husbands, kids and such, but mostly we just oohed and aahed over each other's stuff, as usual! Her Etsy shop is to die for, as well.

18. I met another marvelous woman named Lisa Robison, she is the Executive Director of an amazing non-profit called Dwell With Dignity.



19. My darlin' friend Cheryl Schulke of Stash Couture and Stash Studios stopped by the booth a couple of times to say Hi and visit. Her newly launched design house, Stash Couture, is just fantastic and of course, her blog Stash Studios remains a daily read. Thanks for the Jalepaneo Margaritas - they were delici-ous-ooo!!

20. It was great seeing Linda and Ludmil of Willow Nest Farm, too! I hope you have great fun at Silver Bella in November!

21. Natalie of Two Be Wed stopped by with her Mom and her babe to say Hi and catch me up on her business. You are one busy "chick-a-dee!"

22. And as usual, I was mesmerized by my buddy, Maggie, of The Veranda at Canton. The woman is like McGyver with ephemera!



23. I made a new friend, again right under my nose, at The Texas Rose Show. Debbie Freeman of Duchess d has simply impeccable taste! I was coveting all of her vintage furniture and paintings. I can't wait for her website to up and running!

24. Susie Skinner and Hector Vasquez of Fundustrial had their usual amazing finds! Thanks for the great price on the industrial stools, they are going to perfect at my bar! See you at City Wide on the 24th and 25th.

25. Angelique of Six in One Hand . . . Madness in the Other, it was a blast to visit with you - so glad I had the opportunity to meet you in person!

26. It was such fun meeting Adrienne of The Flying Bee and her husband - they showed me the cutest photos of the B & B they stayed in while in Texas.

27. And last, but never least, The Hubbs - my biggest fan and supporter came through again - you're the best-est and I love your face off!!!

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Want It Wednesday: Ebony and Ivory

Photos courtesy 1stdibs, Voila!, Bride and Wolfe, Jayson Home and Garden

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Antiques Week: I'm Off and I'm Leaving, too!

So, I'm off! And I'm not referring to mental state, although that phrase has been used to describe my demeanor on many occasions. In this case, however, I'm using it literally, I'm off to Round Top for the next 7 to 8 days to sell some vintage goodies.

If you are planning on attending Antiques Week this Fall, I would love it if you would come by and see me at my spaces at Vickie Davis' wonderful venue at "The Texas Rose Antique Show," located across from Marburger Farms, 2075 South State Highway 237. You can find directions here. The show begins Saturday, September 26th, and runs through Saturday, October 3, 2009. Stan Williams, author of The Find, will be in my space at the Texas Rose Antique Show signing copies of his book and swapping stories about favorite finds on Saturday, September 26th, and then again on Tuesday, September 29th. We will have all kinds of goodies to drink and eat on both days and lots of books for Stan to sign! Stan will also be signing copies of his book at the Blog Party at Theresa from Garden Antiques' space at Zapp Hall on Sunday beginning at 6 pm.

I can't wait for Stan to see the fields and fields and dealer after dealer, offering vintage treasures! Don't forget that we will have all kinds of goodies to drink and eat on both days.

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Want It Wednesdays: The Doctor Will See You Now

Photos courtesy Etsy, 1stdibs, Great Stuff, Tipple & Snack and Heir

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