Portland Oregon Road Trip

Road Trip!

Have you ever been to a Queen of Tarte Sale?

I hadn’t either.  Until yesterday.

I had been to lots of sales where Ms. Thang (aka Queen of Tarte) had been at like:

Barn House

The Farm Chicks

Auntie Joy

but never at an actual barn burner of a sale at her actual beautiful castle/barn.

It was a full house right when the doors opened

King of Tarte’s mother had baked some of the most beautiful Valentine’s Day cookies.  On top of beautiful they were GOOOOOOOOOD!  I couldn’t stay out of them.

It’s possible I won’t be invited back unless I can prove that I have eaten first before attending.

 

Walk through the barn/castle with me! 

My pictures are never good and I promise if I ever go again I’ll drag Amber from Tres Birds Photography with me to do the photos.

My pictures just don’t do The Queen of Tarte justice, but you get a little bit of an idea of what is goin on here.

 

 

Chandeliers everywhere!

Crown of many different themes

  Funky mixed with vintage

                                 

   I loved these paper flowers that were hanging every where.

Lots of fun Valentine’s Day stuff.  Most of it was gone before I could even get pictures of it.

Ms. Thang has done gone and developed herself a signature scent of candles  that is TO DIE FOR!  It’s so springy that it makes you want to bust out the flip flops and go buy daffodils or tulips.

I loved these pleated pillows.  Beautiful!

This was a really fantastic sale.  It put me on sensory overload.

Queen of Tarte has it all goin on.

Visual

Smell

and

Taste

What more does a girl need?

On my way home from this sale I had lots of time (4 hours to be exact) to think and reflect on the past 2 years that got me to this sale.

When I first started going to these shows a couple years ago I knew nobody.

I only read the blogs.

Lisa at A Thing For Roses was the first person I met. Then it was was Isabel from Masion Douce, then Joy from Auntie Joy and the Boys of Barn House.

From there on ………I was greeted with open arms ( literally, a hug and a “I’m so happy to see you”) every time. 

Each time I went to a sale, a craft workshop, or a shopping excursion I always met someone new.  After awhile they were introducing me to new friends that were in my neighborhood.  Blogland is a small small world!

I was so attracted to how these talented people had met all through the love of junkin, decorating and crafting.   What even impressed me more was how they all helped each other.  They wanted everyone to be successful at what he or she was doing. If someone had some notoriety, and idea, or something fun going on they all were excited for that person and did whatever they could to help.

It got me all choked up every time I witnessed it.   I wanted to be part of it.  I wanted to help. 

When you can’t sew, you don’t have a eye for decorating, and a glue gun isn't’ your friend you’re pretty limited on what you can do. You’re not usually the first person they call to come help.

One day over cocktails a friend said “I really would love to go to some of these places you are always going to but I don’t have anyone to go with”

That’s when a big giant light bulb went off…….Why don’t I take  ladies just like you to sales they normally wouldn't’ go to?

Come Junk With Us was born!

They have all been so supportive in getting our first trips off to a great start.

Now with  my big Superbowl of all trips coming up, do you know what all these friends I have met over the last couple years have done for me?

Get the tissue!

They have circled the wagons and said “what can we do to help?”

They all rallied behind my idea for an antique show where people can find out about The Farm Chicks Junk Junket while shopping with some of their favorite vendors.

The Collection was organized

Who is attending you ask?

Luluz

The Queen of Tarte

Auntie Joy

Junkies- Sisterhood of Traveling Junk

Ma Graphics

Kathrine’s Folie

Mary Larsen (of Annies on First)

Cranberry Cottage

White House Antiques

Town Hall Antiques

Annie's on First

Mackenzie Press

Wild Whimsy

Dicey Jane’s Threads
Madden's Mélange: Jewelry for a Cause

Just to name a few.

This is going to be a great show!

Join  the Come Junk With Us fan page on Facebook

or

Become a follower on Come Junk With Us for all the

latest details about the upcoming show

and

The Junk Junket to Farm Chicks.

You don't want to miss any of these details!

I got some fantastic news last week straight from Farm Chicks.

I will soon be sharing this little bit of information with everyone.

In fact I would bet you can hear me screaming it from my rooftop!

Change Is In The Air

With the New Year it’s also brought some changes here at A Girl Named Timi Blog

#1  The Hubs will no longer be referred to as The Hubs.  From now on (by popular request) he will be referred to as PJ.  

I know, I know, your thinking “what” “NO!”  “He’s The Hubs!”

Well pretty much since the day PJ and I met… my entire family, family friends, and life long friends have always looked it him with sympathetic eyes and said “Ohhh…Poor Jay”

Over the holidays we had an official ceremony (it might have been over a couple beers and cocktails) and his name has been officially changed.

The Hubs…………….is now PJ…………….let’s hear a big Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah PJ!

#2  There is a new level of Fakebusy.  It will be called Networking.

For those of you who are unaware of what Fakebusy is, let me explain it to you.

It’s where I spend the whole day procrastinating, screwing off, running the rubber off the tires on my car, and spending PJ’s money.   

The Super Fakebusy will be referred to as Networking

It’s more professional and important sounding don’t you think?

Sounds like I accomplished something .

I’m currently looking for more friends so I can “network” everyday.

I’m thinking if I get more friends, I can become one of those “well-polished” ladies that lunch.  My goal is to lunch with a different friend each day of the week at different fabulous eating establishments. 

We hope the changes will not be too much of an inconvenience for you.  

Here at the House of B’s… we always wish for smooth sailing but I’m sure the mayhem and chaos will continue as usual.

*****TRIP ALERT*****

We are going to Reno for a few days.

Any suggestions for some junkin? Antiques? Flea Markets? Lunch? Afternoon Tea?

A good Bloody Mary???

  (Sounds more like this should be a ***FAKE BUSY ALERT***)

A Project

Copycat

Before Christmas I was lucky enough to attend a really fantastic Christmas sale at My Sweet Savannah’s house.  She and Kimberly from Mimi Charmante put together a great little show.

As I was snooping around Melaine’s beautiful house admiring her fabulous decorating choices I also noticed she had these wonderful numbered wine glasses.  They weren’t exactly like this but maybe a little more fabulous.

These are from Ballard Design

I’m not sure where Melaine got hers or if she made them but I really did admire them.

She probably made them because she’s all talented and shit ya know?

 I didn’t want to ask her where she got them or if she had made them, because at that point in the evening I was the one leaving finger prints on everything and that would have just been rude and embarrassing.

Being the thrifty (cheap) person I am, I found the need to set out the very next day to find these on the cheap. 

Ring Ring Ring…….

WSU Laura:  Hello

Me:  I need those glasses that Melaine had last night. I need to go to town right now and find some!  You want to go with?

WSU Laura: Ok

So Starbucks in hand we were off to town to find these glasses. 

Well about half way through our shopping quest we forgot what we were looking for and got all caught up in the fun Cupcake stuff at Crate and Barrel.

We both came home with this

instead of the wine glasses.

I did found some etched glasses that I really loved but a set of 6 of those glasses were $154.

Well guess what???

Too expensive for me! 

I just wanted them for the occasional party not for everyday

After leaving Crate and Barrel with our new fancy cupcake holder I said to WSU Laura “Why can’t we make those glasses?”

You all know I’m not so crafty.  Crafts usually mean some sort of emergency room visit, scaring or something very painful for me.

Oh yeah, there is the cussing and making up new bad words that comes with me crafting also.

Laura laughed and said “sure you can make your own”  

She’s supportive that way.

Because she’s such a good friend this is what she gave me for Christmas

12 very plain wine glasses

and a potential emergency room visit!

I trotted my crafty little self down to my local Ben Franklins Crafts  the other day

and got me some vinyl numbers made.

Then I commenced to put them on the glasses

First to find the very special tools for this project

The Pampered Chef Stoneware scraper

  Some scissors

Then lay they vinyl number on the glasses, and start rubbing away!

There they are!

I was so happy with how these turned out that there might just be a set of them turning on a Junk Junket for a door prize.

With no accidents on this project it’s encouraged me to perhaps try something else.

Cheers to crafting!

It's My Birthday!

Another Trip Around The Sun

I love this song and I make sure I listen to it every morning during  Timi week.  

“ one more candle and another trip around the sun”

With having a birthday right after Christmas and New Years you kind of end up doing a lot more reflecting on the past year and what you would like to do in the upcoming year… rather than celebrating your birthday.

I made a new years resolution years ago that I would NEVER make another resolution. My new way of doing the dreaded resolution would be to just think about what didn’t work out so well for me last year and maybe try to accomplish something productive to change it in the coming year.   Writing down resolutions was just setting myself up for failure.

Besides that my mom told me to NEVER make a list of what I was  gunna do because if someone finds them then they will be purvey to the fact that you accomplished NOTHING. 

So I’m not a list maker. I just try to remember. Which doesn't work out so well but hey! 

Friends and family who have to deal with me on a regular basis know this isn’t really such a hot idea either and are fully aware that me doing what I say I’m gunna do is a crap shoot.  50/50 chance that I’ll remember where I’m suppose to be, when I’m suppose to be there, or what I was suppose to do for you.

What I do like to do that makes me look like I have my shit somewhat together, is to make a list of what I have already done and leave it laying around. I usually add a couple things at the end of that list that I was hoping  The Hubs would do.  That way when he comes home and sees how busy I’ve been he feels a little guilty and jumps right in and helps.  

Yes! Please feel free to go ahead and use that helpful tip I’ve given you ladies. 

It works!

So no resolutions here, just trying something different and hoping it is time well spent.

WHOOOOAAAA!!!   BACK UP DA BUS!!  It was her birthday you ask?

Yes it was!

As most of you know Timi Week starts the week before my actual birthday. This year I snuck in a few more days but we aren’t talking about those. I’m thinkin, if I slowly add them in, pretty soon The Hubs won’t know that we are celebrating Timi Month!

In case this is your first time reading my blog this is how it works. I highly suggest you adopt this way of thinking because it’s really a concept.

Pick the week before or after your birthday for your week.  Your choice.

Then you let your friends and family know that you’re taking reservations for doing only FUN things. Going where you want to go, doing what you want to do, buying what you want to buy. 

Remember this is a guilt free week for you so don’t be shy!

Then you inform your friends and family that if you have to do ANYTHING that YOU don’t want to do……….it tacks another day on to your week.

I have found that people usually start catching on after my week has gone on for about 2 or 3 weeks.  Then, the next time your birthday comes around they start doing what you want, when you want, where you want…. just to wrap it up!

Well this last week  was Timi Week and it was BUSY BUSY BUSY!

It started out with a trip to Bravern in Bellevue.  Now they don’t call this a shopping mall but……IT IS!  A high priced mall at that.

Michele (The Worlds Best Nurse) took a day off from helping those in need to help her good friend Timi out with a little celebrating.

We went to the new Niemen Marcus, walked through and touched things, gasped at prices, left finger prints on all the cases, talked to all the sales associates, and left.

Then we were off to grace some more of the over-priced- boutiques with out presence.

We did hit Anthropolgie where we enjoyed ourselves very much, and Michele purchased this very cute little tea towel for me for my birthday.

How darn cute is that?

I love love love it!

It could be yours too by clicking here

After drooling over fabulousness in Anthropologie we stopped in at

Trophy Cupcakes

Yes!

I indulged in 4 of their fancy cupcakes

Chocolate Peanut butter

Triple Chocolate

Vanilla Chocolate

and

Red Velvet

Ooooh yes, you guessed correctly

I do love me some chocolate!

Then Michele and I were off to Molbak’s  Home and Garden for a little more shopping and some lunch with………………

Dum dum dum………….drum roll please……….

Miss Charity and Miss Amber

Loves these creative ladies.

Then I came home and The Hubs took me out to dinner and presented  me with……………….

A new pair of shinny red patient leather Dansko clogs!

I love them!

That was a good day!

The very next day I met my

Therapy Group

at

Frost

 

Anne, Jennifer, me, Laura

Now I know your wondering “what therapy group?”  What problem does she have now?

Well actually it’s laughter therapy.  When the 4 of us get together we start laughing so hard that people stare.

After a little session with this group anything that was ail’n ya is gone!

So the girls met me for a little doughnut and Diet Coke

and then much to my surprise…….

Anne had contacted the creative folks at Frost and let them know it was my birthday.

Them kids down there at Frost done out did themselves!

I also got all kinds of gifts from my friends that were just lovely!

Look at those lovelies!

I love all the pinks. It was so spring like, I was wishing the rain would stop for just a little while.

Then it was off for a little more shopping

Another good day!

The next day………………

I went to lunch with Donna at

Wendy’s Country Cafe in Everett.

This is a tiny little place that I love love love.

The flowers in the spring and summer are beautiful

This is Wendy

She does everything.  People think she is short answered, abrasive, and sometimes down right rude. She’s not……………she’s stinkin busy!

Stop in and see her one day. Tell her Timi sent you. You won’t get a discount but I bet you get a smile out of her.

This is the man that makes the magic happen on the plate

Sorry I was thinking about my Swiss Dip with homemade fries I had there. 

Sorry…….back to the update.

After lunch with Donna I had to rush home and get ready for

 

Meeting with our attorney and our neighbor’s attorney.
During the holidays we got slapped with a letter from our neighbor’s attorney that we were encroaching on his property.

Well you know we are lazy around here so there hasn’t been any encroaching going on with us. We haven’t done a thing to the property line since we moved in. 

So………we had to get an attorney.

That’s all I can tell you until it’s settled but BELIEVE ME, I will have a lot to say when this is settled!

Right now it’s totally cutting in to my fun money!

Timi Week was wrapped up with

nails getting done

Toes getting done

Brunch with the family

and………………….

Some camping reservations made with friends.

The Gotthiershittogether’s hosted the “Make the Reservations Party.”
What a fine job they did!!

Because they have their shit together we let them host whatever they want!

Lots of really nummy food and drink

A place for us all to spread out with lap tops and calendars

What more could you want?

The Camping Divas will be sporting velour sweat suites with a lot of bling on them this year.

As well as some cute aprons.

What a great Timi Week!

Upon reflection of this years somewhat land mark birthday, I do believe I’m going to need to get some more friends so I can have lunch out EVERYDAY! 

Have a great day!