Good Life of Design

Sunday, July 4, 2010

While Thriftying I ran Across A Few Things!!

I know that there are sooooo many out in blog land that love to go thrifting. My friend Deb at Confessions of a Plate Addict is a master at this process. I like that she calls it, “Good-will Hunting.” She makes me laugh all the time with her wonderful sense of humor and darling Southern accent.

I love to go thrifting but I must admit I am a mood shopper and I have to be in the mood for the hunt. When I am in the mood I do have a good time. I have picked up a few treasures in the past and since I just did the post on Carolyne Roehm’s Tag sale I thought I would share a few of the treasures I have picked up.

The white ironstone platter is a medium size and I bought two of them. I use them all the time, they are the perfect size. The jade green bud vase which has a lot of blue in the green was originally from Gump’s in San Francisco, it still has the tag on it. I use this in my guest room, it is the perfect color for that room. The black candle holder is very old and I think it is actually part of a set. You remember how they use to have the clock and the two pieces on each side that matched the clock. I decided it would make a great candle holder for my winter look.

There is an affluent area in Northern Calif., Los Altos they call their Goodwill GW’s and that is exactly what is on the sign. I remember going in thinking it was a boutique and as I walked back further and saw some of the signage used inside I realized I was in an up-scale Goodwill so ever since I decided I would refer to it as GW’s.

I love this small little picture. The glass is domed and it has little brass balls around the glass. I just fell in love with it. I have placed it in a vignette on a wall next to my bathroom, you can see the bathroom here.

This last piece is a milk glass rose bowl that I purchased at a thrift store. I love the way it holds roses or in this case Alstomeria. It forms a perfect round bunch. It is sitting on a piece of Carrera marble circle that I use frequently when I serve cheese. These are just a few of my little treasures. I am usually pretty selective in my buying. I do enjoy the thrill of the hunt!! Do you?

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Treasure hunting at Thrift stores, Flea markets, Garage/Tag sales!!

Kathysue

I am linking to Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures at
Southern Hospitality

Saturday, July 3, 2010

The Day I Knew the Price of Freedom!

Sometimes I think we forget to celebrate our Freedom on the Fourth of July. You know we all get excited about family gatherings, fireworks and wonderful food and drink. I wonder how many of us ponder the idea of Freedom and how much has been sacrificed over the years so that we may enjoy our lifestyle in the United States.

I remember the first time I really felt the twinge of how important our Freedom is and how we often take it for granted.

We decided to visit the East coast right after 9/11. I know many were frightened to fly at that time, but Hubby and I were not. We all knew the price of freedom on that dreadful day but it really hit home when we got off of the plane late one night in Baltimore, the airport was fairly empty, but what I was about to see when we got off of our flight will forever remain in my memory.

As we de-boarded there were armed guards in full gear lining the halls of the terminal. I got big tears in my eyes because at that very moment I knew the meaning of freedom. A bit of ours had been taken away. No longer were we free to come and go. No longer were our concerns just about what food or movie we would see on the plane. We as citizens of this wonderful country were about to be scrutinized, guarded, our every move watched very closely. The carefree excitement of going to a new and exciting place had been taken from us. I had always been able to fly to whatever destination I wanted to fly too and there were never armed guards watching me but now there were. A piece of our freedom that I had never thought of as a freedom before had forever been changed.

I can think of one freedom I am doing right now!! Blogging and communicating to all of you, my wonderful readers. Oh how sad it would be if this freedom could be taken from me. You see how easy it is to take freedom for granted? We go about our daily business without much thought to activities that we just automatically partake in. After that day in the airport I don't think I will ever take my life here in the United States for granted ever again.

Now that I am older and wiser I look at life from a different perspective and I realize Life and its Freedoms in our beautiful country are precious and should be valued and honored.

On this 4th of July try to take a moment to think of the daily freedoms we take for granted and give thanks to God and those that are guarding our freedom here and abroad.

Happy 4th of July!! Let Freedom Ring!!

“ Enjoy the Process” Of:

“Enjoying our Freedom !”

Kathysue