Five Minutes on the Soapbox

Okay this will be my five minutes on the soapbox. Here we go...

Tuesday I went to my local favorite flea and antique market. I won't mention the name. I love walking in the door and the gentleman who helps you carry the big stuff ALWAYS greets you with a smile and offers to help should you need it. The staff is just as nice. It was going well, I found two small painted prints for a collection that I'm working on. Feeling pretty awesome about my finds I happened upon a silver serving tray with a faux wood inlay. Cool! It was marked $15. Not too bad...I picked it up and looked it over closely. Then I flipped it over to the bottom and there I saw the grease pencil price from Goodwill!!!!! I was....hmm, should I say bad words right now? No, I'll remain calm. Anyway the price on the bottom was $4.25! $4.25!!!!! This booth owner wanted an additional $10.75 for something that she/he got at the Goodwill store located approximately five miles down the road.

Now I know that times are hard and every now and then we pay way more for something than its actually worth. However, an increase such as this was not right. Not everyone at the flea and antique market price their treasures this way. You can find some really good deals.

Okay, I'm done now and I left the market empty handed.

Spring Napkins

Here is my little project using the sweet speckled eggs graphic from the Graphics Fairy. I bought the linen napkins from Home Goods ($4.99 for 4) and then just transfered the graphic on to them. Yesterday I popped them in the mail and sent them to my mom for her birthday!

"Hi my name is Rene' and I shove stuff in drawers"

How many of you have closets and drawers filled with "things" that need to go? We all have those places where we shove stuff. I'll be the first to stand up and say, "Hi, my name is René and I shove stuff in drawers." Spring is that time of year for me when I can purge, organize, and donate without the guilt.

Just the other day I was on the phone and needed a pen. I couldn't even get the drawer open where I kept the pens because of all the junk (pencils, loose change, paper, rulers, phone chargers, etc.). Well one hour later and a trip to Pier 1, I have a beautiful junk drawer (sounds like an oxymoron). Here are a few good ones that I found on Martha Stewart. If you have any good ideas I would love to hear from you.

In the Bath:


I already have the roll-out drawers but what caught my eye is the hooks on the cabinet door for your hair styling equipment.

In the Kitchen:

Here are tension rods used as dividers for cookie pans, servers, etc. Not a bad idea for less than $2 a rod.



I already do this with my recipes. I actually have three (main meals, desserts, tabletop decorating).

For the closet:


If you do not have the cash right now for custom closet storage this is a great idea to get your boots off the floor and out of their boxes. It is wooden boot shapers with coffee cup rings screwed into the tops.