sweet european dreams

How to Rock Your School Fundraiser

2015-08-14T20:36:00.000-06:00

Ever since my monkeys first entered their school years, I’ve always been involved with the school.

This of course includes PTA/PTO or as it's known in Fiji, PTFA. I was never too excited about being part of the parents association, as my mom was super involved in our school’s group (back in the 70’s) and it was some major drama!

I can honestly say that both parent-teacher groups that I’ve been involved with have been fun, easy-going, and I’ve made some of my closest friends within these groups (when you’re a constantly-moving military family, this is a sweet deal!).

This month's PTFA Social Hour.

I highly recommend this.

So at our current school, there is no year-round fundraising.

Yes. NO YEAR ROUND FUNDRAISING.

This essentially means:

-no catalogs full of garbage to pander out to friends, neighbors and family.

-no silly selling contests complete with ridiculous cheap/garbage prizes for students.

-no writing a check to a company that will only be giving your school 40% of the proceeds, while you are stuck with 100% of those products that you never wanted in the first place.

-it’s Bliss!

I guarantee there is no true "value" in this book.

So now you ask, “but, how does your school raise money?”.

Answer: The Old Fashion Way. When I was a kid, those fundraising companies didn’t exist. We had the annual Pie & Cake sale (aka, a school bazaar!).

Our school does a one-day, ONCE-a-year “Fun Day”.

It’s a full-on school bazaar, hosted by students, teachers and parents. And guess what?
It’s actually FUN!

Our Fun Day consists of the following: Family Activities, Gift Basket Raffle, Food Stalls, the SecondHand Store & Used Book Store, Live Music/Entertainment and Corporate Sponsors.

Gift Baskets: Each grade level chooses a theme basket (Wine & Cheese Basket, Out to the Movies basket, etc), and contributes to building one massive basket for a raffle drawing. In the end you have 12 amazing gift baskets that are raffled off (last year we did a silent auction – choose which one you prefer).

Some of the massive gift baskets.

Family Activities: Each grade level hosts some sort of activity. The grade 6 students always host a haunted house, another grade always hosts a disco room, some grade levels host face painting, there’s the ever-popular dunk-the-teacher, you get the picture. In the end you have a dozen really great activities that cost @ $2 for families to participate in on Fun Day.

One class always hosts "The Jail" where you can

pay to lock your friends (& teachers!) up. Brilliant.

this photo is here because of the sheer-sweetness. Oh my.

The SecondHand Store & Used Book Stall are pure profit as families get to essentially clean out their closets and donate it all to the school to sell at Fun Day. Too easy, and you now have more closet space. You're welcome.

Food Stalls: our school is extremely international – we have students from over 40 different nations in attendance (maybe that’s why we’re the International School??). So, the food stall area consists of a great variety of international foods. Parents, families and co-workers from different nationalities come together to work on their stall’s menu for that year.

My favorites are always the Aussie/Kiwi beer garden (yes, we sell BEER at a school event – shocking!), the European Union Café (delicious pastries & coffee. Yes, please),

The lovely ladies of the Euro Cafe

and of course our stall – the American Food Stall.

'MERICA!!!

This year we sold smoked brisket (70lbs. in all!) with cornbread salad and home brewed beer.

(did I mention that we sold out in 2.5 hrs?!)

Yeeeeeeeeehawwwwwww!

Sorry, back to the point…Each food stall sells small portions of their international foods, so that people have tummy-room to try several different food stalls throughout the day.

(And when your work shift at your stall is over, you go have a glass of wine or brew and go hang out with your friends. Win-win.)

Live Entertainment & Music: all of the entertainment is provided for Free. The school doesn’t pay anyone to perform and it’s free for anyone stopping by Fun Day (there’s also no entrance fee for Fun Day!).

You’ll have a Tae Kwon Do school come and perform, a few local musicians, groups of students who have put together their own dance routines or bands.

Students from the Oceania Dance School

Corporate Sponsors: Fiji is sooooooooo not a corporate kindof place, but we do find a few businesses here who help us put Fun Day together, via their donations. A few companies donated in-kind gifts like bottles of water & soda for us to sell, while others contributed some funds.

Their pay-back in this is that their logo is plastered all over our Fun Day advertising and event day brochures. They like that.

So, how well does Fun Day pay off?

I think that last year’s total was $35,000 (pure profit) and they are still calculating this year’s totals (the 2015 Fun Day was last weekend).

Did I mention that this year's Fun Day was 0% Sunshine and 100% rain?

(some of y'all need to stop praying for rain! It's all coming to Fiji!)

Here’s the breakdown of what a community school bazaar accomplishes:

-you don’t dread the next barrage of school fliers, promoting yet-another dadgum ridiculous fundraiser.

-you’re not constantly getting robbed from some random catalog company.

-your family will have a spectacular day, hanging out with friends, teachers, and family.

-a school bazaar promotes COMMUNITY. (community? what's that??)

- @ $35K in ONE day, and every penny will go to Your School. (a few years ago, they made $55k on Fun Day. Either way – it’s good!)

Yes, a school-wide bazaar is work, but it is sooooooo worth it!

And here’s a little side note…we accomplish our annual school bazaar without the help of a Target, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Home Depot, or any of those spectacular stores that don’t exist here in Fiji. In other words, if we can do it, you can do it!

So as many of you are venturing into another school year, take a new look at the old way of supporting your local schools.

oh and, Have Fun!

Fashion In Paradise

2015-06-13T03:25:00.000-06:00

I’m finding that working all week in a structured environment (an embassy is pretty freakin’ structured) is making me crave my old life of creating, dreaming, thrifting, and yes, Blogging!

So recently, my creating & dreaming fancies were fulfilled via the South Pacific’s annual (and one-and-only) Fiji Fashion Week.

I believe this was the 8^th anniversary of Fiji Fashion Week.

It’s a week where our tiny little Suva gets turned upside down, as there is a frenzy to find your best dress, grab your best buds, and spend every night sitting along the sides of a fashion-filled runway.

It’s a tough assignment, but I’ll take it!

Last year was my first FFW experience, and I didn’t expect much going into it. I was so blown away at what an amazing event it actually is. Truly beautiful fashion, professional designers

and healthy, glowing models (yes, they do exist!).

The big kick-off was the annual charity luncheon. This year’s theme was the groovy 70’s.

We even made it into the local paper. Woohoo!

And then it was show time.

Here are a few of my favorites! (all logo photos are via local photographer, FotoFusion)

by Rako Designs

by Fiji Tall

by FNU design students!

by Pacific Island Arts

by Robert Kennedy

by Jennifer Jenkinson

by Rako Designs

by Moira Solvalu John

KuiViti by Epeli Tuibeqa

One of the most unique features of the week is the children’s show.

This isn’t just a show where they feature adorable clothing for children, it’s a show where they also feature young designers.

This pair of best buds designed together for this year's show - they are 9 years old!

My daughter’s classmate, Jade (age 10), has been a featured designer for FFW for a few years now. This year Jade presented another fun & funky line.

Her models are always her classmates, which makes it all the more fun.

Here they are!

and here is my wee one..

her dress was made of chicken wire & fabric scraps!

and the lovely designer herself, Ms. Jade

Last but not least, here are some after party pics!

(switching to Fiji water after lots of Bubbles!)

So that's my recap of this year's Fiji Fashion Week.

Here's hoping that my work schedule and life lend a little more time to more frequent blogging!

Cheers from little ol' Fiji!

A recap of our first year. In Fiji.

2015-02-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

I always thought that time flew by in the first-world States, but oh my. Island life is slow, but time here manages to sneak right by you.

We've been here in Fiji for a year?!

I had some great intentions to blog like a mad woman, about life in Fiji. As I walked through our first year here, I had ideas of potential blog posts rolling through my mind every single day...

-Buying 4 days worth of groceries requires trips to 11 different stores. Seriously.

-Taxi drivers need criminal charges.

-What to do in a cheese shortage? (answer: try not to lose your mind).

-Customer service hasn’t reached the south Pacific yet.

-Wearing flip flops 365 days a year does not get old. Ever.

-How to pull off groovy Pinterest projects with no access to Home Depot. (or Hobby Lobby, or JoAnn's, or Target, or Walmart). ..I think I just heard someone gasp...

But since I completely wasted my first year here with grocery shopping, yelling at taxi drivers, hunting for cheese, and painting my toenails, blogging never made it to the top of my to-do list.

So here are my thoughts on our first year here.

Everyday Life.

Fiji Water is for real, and it's on every shelf.

Paddling with an outrigger crew is just as fun as it looks!

Carnivals here are definitely old school. Especially the rides.

You have to be a huge fan of turkey to spend this for Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, we're huge fans.

Monkeyin' around at the market.

My fresh flower helper.

Need some scented oils for the home?
Here ya go.

Buying meat in Fiji is....different.

Sometimes they speak Texan here!

Good news. Coffee in Fiji is fabulous.

And there's not one single Starbucks. (hallelujah!!)

School.

Having your kids leave the most amazing school (on the planet) and move across the world to an international school in a developing country is scary. But we’re glad we did it. Although we may have to do some tutoring when we head back to the States, our kids are incredibly happy, more independent and balanced, than ever.

Learning about traditional Fijian culture.

Celebrating Diwali at school.

Little martial arts mama.

Always working with the PTA,
no matter where we are!

People.

I’m amazed that in such a short time I’ve been truly blessed to have met some really wonderful people, and from all over the world. I enjoy our different world views about life, politics, religion, foods, education, and raising kids.

An ABBA themed fundraising night.
Dancing queens...

A lovely evening out with some French culture.

Just a good ol' ladies night!

Fun Day at the International school.

Recipe club! I've found my fellow foodies!

Travel.

We live in Suva.

This is Suva. A port.

It’s not the beach, nor is there a beach nearby, but this is where we call “home” for now.

We’re not living in a bure over blue water, but we can definitely get to that blue water a whole lot faster than when we were Stateside.

Here are some of our favorite pics from our resort & beach time.

Yes, I've found my happy place.

A trampoline. On the ocean!!

Having a drink at the bar. With the kids?

Unidentified sea life.

Monkeys, doin' what monkeys do.

Home is far, far away!

You can have a whole lotta fun with pineapple and coconuts!

My snorkel buddy.

And because we’re on this side of the world these days, we’re taking a family vacation through Asia soon! This is something we most probably would have never done while living Stateside.

Island life has it's third-world challenges, but there are wonderful aspects of living down here.

We do miss home.

Our once a week "mail day" from the States is quite exciting!

And something completely new to us, is that I'm now working! For the first time in 10 years! But that's for another blog, another day.

Here's a day at the office:

That's about it for my first year update.

Thanks for tuning in!

If you're living where the temps are frigid, my best advice is to book a flight!

Opinions Wanted!

2014-08-13T14:56:00.003-06:00

Bula Vinaka!
I'm happy to say that in our short 7 months of living here in Fiji, I've met some of the most fantastic wives/moms/spouses/ladies/girlfriends, and from all parts of the world.
In fact, our kids' school hosts children from over 40 different nations.
That's some serious diversity!

Now that we're (mostly) settled here, and we have a great group of friends to gather, I'm putting together a book study!

At the moment, I'm trying to choose between two of Jen Hatmaker's books.

I've just read "7", which is honestly one of the best books I've ever read.
It was very timely for me, and from what I hear, it's been very timely for most of my friends.
I haven't touched Interrupted yet, but it's just been released again and I've heard it's also a great read.

For those of you who are avid readers (or Bible-study-goers), which of these two books would you suggest that our little group should dive into as our first read?

Let me know what you think - opinions wanted!

And yes, I supposed I'll have to post a few pics of us chatting over our book as we're poolside or beachside...hee hee...life in the islands is rough!

Blessings & Cheers!

Those Crafty Fijian Mamas

2014-08-10T05:45:00.000-06:00

Hello my dear craft-loving friends.

This week marks a lovely milestone for women across Fiji, as we celebrate the first National Women’s Expo, here in Suva.

You see, for the first time ever, Suva is hosting a massive Fiji-wide handicraft (all things handmade) fair to celebrate the beautiful talents of the local women of these islands.

Fiji is such a beautiful country, but it still has a long way to go in appreciating its women.

There are not a lot of opportunities for women living in more rural parts of the country, so an opportunity to showcase and sell their handmade wares is rare and wonderful!

The expat community only heard about this fun event last night.

Thanks to Facebook, the word got out quickly and we were all there to shop and support these mamas today.

Here is what they had to offer!

Color, color, color... I can never get enough of fun colors!

Notice the shy-smiles?

I come from a land that's currently selfie-obsessed, while these ladies were very hesitant to have their picture taken at all. Sweet humility.

Is this the cutest thing ever?

I had to remind myself that we will be here for three years, so there was no need to buy every single thing that I instantly loved!

I did come home with a SaluSalu, which has been on my list since we arrived.

It's meaning is similar to the Hawaiian Lei, but instead of fresh flowers, these are carefully hand-made from coconut trees!
(No, I won't be sporting it daily to the local markets, it's going to be used for home decor!)

I also bought these fun beaded necklaces that are made from recycled materials.

On a green note, Fijian crafts are made almost entirely of natural or recycled goods.

We don't have access to a Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's or Walmart (go ahead and gasp), so you use whatever you can get your hands on.

It's true creativity!

I’m thrilled that an event such as this is happening here in Fiji.

With recent emerging concepts such as Noonday Collection and World Vision Micro, our eyes are being opened to ways that we can truly touch the world with our spending choices.

We can be responsible consumers.

Instead of shopping at your local mall, how about spending your cash in a way that directly puts food on someone else’s table?

That’s buying with a purpose, so I’m all in!

To read more about how your purchase choices can greatly affect wonderful women across the globe, read Jen Hatmaker’s recent blog post, “Women Hold Up Half the Sky”.

As always, thanks so much for tuning into my little glimpse of life.

Blessings!

Celebrating Easter. In Fiji!

2014-04-21T04:59:00.000-06:00

Yes, it looks like a lot of my blog titles will be something like “___________ in Fiji!”.

At least for a little while.

I’m hoping to get back on the blog regularly now that I've figured out the basics of living here – like what to eat for example!

I did want to post some fun pics of our first Easter here. Our household goods just arrived a few weeks ago, so I had to scramble to find all of our Easter décor.

This was such a big move for us, so I’m trying to make the house seem more like our “home” every day. (instead of taking my typical 6 months to get pictures hung on the walls...)

We've had this Easter tree forever, but this past fall I found these glass ornaments on clearance at Pier One for...66 cents a piece! I bought a slew of them!

A sweet friend gave us a few craft sets for these egg carton flower bouquets. My nine year old sweet pea made them all by herself.

Well, a very crafty French friend saw these bouquets and went on and on about how beautiful the colors came out when I dyed the cartons. I had to break it to her that I did not dye the egg cartons myself.

This was a boxed set. Pre-dyed. From Target.

I had to tell the truth before she asked me to share my technique!

My most favorite décor will always be the treasures that we picked up while living in Germany.

Whether it's Germany, Texas, Colorado, or Fiji, we always hang our German eggs from the trees!

Germany has the most decadent Easter decor. Sweet and simple.

If you can’t make it across the pond anytime soon, check out the clearance section at your local World Market. They had oodles of German Easter décor this year. (I have a really bad habit of ordering from World Market these days…definitely a weakness).

My favorite pic of the weekend is from our Easter party that we had last week. Not only had most of the kids never dyed eggs, but they had definitely never heard of Cascarones (confetti eggs)!

We had a massive fight with these and the kids absolutely loved it.

(thanks to Nana & PopPop for sending them over!)

And just in case you've spent some extra time on our beloved Pinterest, plotting out next years' Easter events, let me save you a little time...

If you saw the pin with the awesome little yarn egg that's made using a balloon, here's how ours turned out...

Ha! Thankfully my sweet girl wasn't too devastated with the outcome.

She still dug the treat out of the mess and ate it anyway.

That's all for now.

I have plenty to share about our adventures in Fiji, so stay tuned!

Blessings!

Ni Sa Bula! Yep, we're in Fiji!

2014-02-04T16:24:00.001-07:00

Hey Friends. We made it!

After almost a year of planning, plotting and downright (impatiently) waiting, we’re now in Fiji.

Because our last home was Colorado, we’ve had quite the adjustment to the heat and humidity here.

But I’m definitely not complaining! I’m no fan of cold weather and at this moment, most of the US is getting hammered with cruddy weather right now.

If you're chilly right now, I feel for ya!

Living on “island time” is a nice adjustment to the crazy schedule-filled lives that most Americans live. (trust me – you’re probably living a crazy schedule-filled life, whether you know it or not!).

But I do know that there’s a good possibility that island time will get a bit boring for this formerly busy girl! That’s why my to-do spiral is chock-full of craft projects. (no, that’s not a typo. I’m old-school and my trusty 50 cent spiral is my rock!)

I want to do this table for the pool patio…

And these lanterns for the backyard…

And maybe this cute skirt? The ladies here do not wear shorts, so I need some cute skirts like, ASAP!

Getting away from the busy life hopefully means that my creativity will soar once again.

We’ll see!

In the meantime, here’s a few pics of our island time so far….

See you soon! Poolside?

Anyone out there? Bueller?

2013-08-03T10:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, where to start…

It looks like my last blog post was nearly a year ago. Ouch.

Of all of my hobbies, travel, and work things, there is one thing that I’ve always promised to put first, above everything else (yes, even above a great estate sale), and that’s Family.

Last summer, my husband returned home from another lengthy deployment, and let’s just say that we’ve enjoyed our family time together immensely.

I put off my scheduled trip ‘across the pond’,

got my littlest one in and out of his first year of kindergarten,

volunteered as PTO VP, ran our first 5K as a family,

and finished some much neglected home décor projects.

And of course, now that I’ve finished some home projects, it’s time for us to MOVE again!

Yes, that’s the BIG announcement.

Are you ready for this?

Video: The Move

Yep! Exciting, right??!!

So right now we're in the midst of our crazy transition.

Colorado to Texas, to DC, to Texas again, then onto FIJI!

As a matter of fact TODAY I'm selling off the remainder of "the shop".

Nope, I can't take it with me.

It's bitter-sweet!

So, if you’re reading, I’m happy (and shocked) to see you here!

I'll continue blogging about our crazy new life, and of course decorating a house in Fiji!

Whoop!

Family Camp Adventure

2012-08-20T22:33:00.001-06:00

I often keep my blog to writing about the world of vintage and kitsch, but every once in a blue moon I find the need to blog about life in general.

This past week, our family experienced the best vacation of our lives.

Literally.

Keep in mind that we used to live overseas, so some of our vacations have included Italy, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. Those now pale in comparison!

When I asked my husband if it was the best week of his life, he replied, “No, the best week of my life was the week we got married. This week was just second to that”.

Good answer.

Today’s entry isn’t to make you envious of our week, but to point out an amazing opportunity for families to truly get away and be restored. It’s an opportunity we knew nothing of a few months back, so I want to make sure and share it with others!

In April, we received an email via the Army, highlighting a family camp taking place here in Colorado during the summer. We applied, were placed on a wait list, and in late July were notified that we got a slot.

My husband then went onto the camp’s website to check it out a bit, and within a few minutes shouted, “Babe! This is a real camp!”.

Yep, Trail West is definitely a real camp.

We knew nothing about it before experiencing it, and we now have memories that will last each of us a lifetime. Evidently, Trail West has been hosting their camps out in Buena Vista, CO for many, many years.

When we arrived, we were escorted into camp via horseback Wranglers, there was singing and dancing, shouting and waving, photographers snapping pics, and name tags were slapped on each of us.

It felt as if we had just walked onto the set of a musical.

It was magical!

Our entire week was mapped out with amazing family adventures; horseback riding, white water rafting, a ropes course, a Jeep tour to a ghost town, family rodeo day, square dancing under the stars…and the list goes on!

Just the Fort would have kept our kids happy for an entire week!

Trail West had a large host of Kid Wranglers – high school and college volunteers who were there to insure that our children had the time of their lives, and so that parents were given adult or alone time throughout the week.

I have no idea where they found these Kid Wranglers, but they were amazing. Full of energy, silliness and lots of love and patience for every munchkin present!

Every meal was planned out, with every dish served family style (with portions unlimited), and the food was delicious.

No, that’s not a typo - camp food was delicious!

Now I love to cook, but just escaping the three meals a day drudgery in my own kitchen was a vacation in itself!

One of the volunteers at the camp told me that she and her family spent 14 summers in a row at Trail West.

14 years?!

Once they got a taste of it, her family never wanted anything else.

No Disney, no beach vacations, just Trail West.

She explained that it was the only vacation they had ever experienced as a family where each family member had an incredible week of adventure, but also left feeling rested and restored.

I couldn’t agree more.

You know what family vacations are typically like.

You spend more money than intended, the kids get crabby, and dirty clothes and attitudes start piling up. Moms are typically completely worn out and ready for a vacation from the vacation!

I can’t lie. This vacation did have its share of tears.

The kids cried the night before we left, and I cried on the drive home.

Bittersweet tears because of what we were leaving behind.

We have never experienced a vacation like this, and we hope to create many more adventures and memories at Trail West in our future.

So, as your summer is winding down and you find yourself editing vacation pics and reminiscing over the summer, put the possibility of a family camp in your future.

It was definitely a game changer in the way we look at vacation time.

And guess what our 7 year old and 5 year old are now saying?

No Disney, no beach, just Trail West!

blessings!

Here's who we're hanging out with this week. Join us!

Sweet Summer Finds

2012-08-01T15:58:00.001-06:00

I had grand plans of doing my yearly buying trip across the pond in June.

My mind was screaming, ‘Woohoo! Passport in hand, let’s fly!’, but my body was telling me otherwise.

For once I decided to listen to my body.

When I told my mom that I was postponing my Euro trip for some much needed R& R,

she knew that I was in serious need of rest.

So Europe will wait until early fall, and this summer has been very relaxing.

Just what I needed!

And of course in whatever we do and wherever we go, I manage to pick up some fun vintage pieces along the way. That’s one of the perks of having a business that’s also somewhat of a hobby!

At an estate sale in Texas, I picked up these awesome (hospital green) mini tool cabinets.

They had several of these, but just two will do the trick for my crafting and business knick knacks.

(By the way, if anyone out there has a connection to the reality show Mom Caves, please put in a word for me…my 9x7’ miniscule craft space could use a big-time Hollywood makeover!)

These fire-y Anchor Hocking canisters were a great find.

You can find them in the shop here.

This vintage French table setting is crazy cute.

I was kinda bummed that I only found one set, but I do know some mix-match china collectors out there who will quickly scoop these right up! (in the shop soon…)

Here’s a little collection of milk glass saucers with dainty scalloped edges.

I don’t often run across milk glass that is truly iridescent like these. (sold)

I always grab chenille when I find it in good condition.

This piece is a sweet blue with a buttery chenille weave. Fun. (in the shop soon!)

I also collect vintage cookbooks and I couldn’t pass this one by for …a dollar!

The author is the former director of restaurants for Neiman’s.

If any of you have ever tried the famous Neiman’s chocolate chip cookie recipe – it’s unbelievable.

Before I end today, I want to give a shout-out to Autumn in Texas.

You see, on my annual summer Texas trek, I was sitting with family at the Grist Mill (put that on your Texas eat-list) and a sweet girl approached me and asked if I was the owner of Sweet European Dreams.

It turns out that Autumn was one of our customers that we met at the Country Living Fair back in April and she recognized me.

How fun is that?

So happy I could stop in to blog this week!

I'm off to see what you vintage lovin' mamas are up to!

Here's who we're hanging out with this week!

Debra @ Common Ground

Changing Table Re-Do!

2012-07-14T09:35:00.004-06:00

Love Pinterest?

Of course you do.

But if you’re anything like me, those Pinterest boards are overflowing with the most ahhh-mazing ideas in home décor, but getting any of them done?

Yeah, not so much.

This summer I’m determined to get some new décor done around the house.

Determined!

I’ve started in little dude’s room first.

Little dude did a great job purging, and now we need a storage solution for what we've decided to keep.

As much as I would (truly) love to run up to the Denver IKEA and load up the Suburban, the frugal part of me says to check the garage first for a re-purpose opportunity!

Voila! I found our old changing table.

(Tell me again why new moms think they need a changing table?)

This ended up being a super simple project!

Prime and paint.

Decoupage.

Finished!

Just what we needed!

1 can of primer, 2 cans of paint, and some fun scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby = $14

(I'm pretty sure I saved a minimum of $200 from just not going to my favorite Swedish store and filling my cart with random $5 and $10 knick knacks that we don't need!)

Here are some other fun re-do's for changing tables...

via Bonne Nouvelle, a super cute play kitchen!

via Family Fun, a wrapping paper station...

via Apartment Therapy, a groovy mod music table

via My Sister's Suitcase, a sweeet Ice Cream Parlor!

via B in Real Life, an amazing new kitchen corner!

Fun, right?

Who knew that so much new life could come out of an old changing table?

Now I'm off to another sunny Colorado Saturday.

Enjoy your weekend, and happy crafting!

Summer Sale is On!

2012-06-27T13:39:00.001-06:00

I'm back from our 'rita and fajita trip to the great state of Texas!

The shop is back up and we've just rolled out our first summer Sale!

All pieces of our vintage European enamelware are at steal-ish prices right now.

Here are some of the beauties in the shop right now...get one before they're gone!

As always, we're adding new inventory weekly, so stay tuned for more vintage treats!

Blogging later about vintage fun in Texas.

For you prayin' folks, please remember the state of Colorado in your prayers.

Our home is safe, but our hearts are saddened for so many who are

tragically losing their homes.

Pickin' in Texas

2012-06-13T21:52:00.003-06:00

Just a quick howdy from the hill country of Texas!

We're here on family vacay, but of course I'm diggin' through my favorite vintage stops along the way.

I will shamelessly admit that I'll dig through almost anything for a treasure.

Afterall, half of my home decor was picked off of cobblestone trash piles in Europe!

But...I do have my limits.
Like today.
I came across what appeared to be a thrift store, and this is what was inside...

Yeah...
I love being overwhelmed with opportunity, but this was borderline scary!

So, bottom line, no I didn't walk away with anything special.
I simply had to walk away!

So, my treasure hunt continues on our trek through Texas!

Off to bed for now.
SeaWorld is on the agenda for tomorrow!
Nite ya'll, from the friendliest place on earth!

The Country Living Fair, Part 2

2012-05-31T22:57:00.003-06:00

It's taken me a few weeks to get this blog together, so here goes!

This is my little collection of favorite vendors from Austin's first-ever Country Living Fair!

I've always wanted to merely shop at this mega show, so to sell there was literally a dream!

Not only did I sell, but I was so incredibly inspired by the talent there. Oh my!

First up is Happy Chair.
What can I say, Happy Chair makes you...happy?!
I was giddy when I ran past this little sofa.

And this pair of beauties are known as

the Bride and Groom chairs.

If you like ruffles, these will send you

over the edge...

What's cool, is their uber creative designer Shawna,

was formerly a Nascar driver.

Nice.

If you like some rodeo funk, you will love

Rodeo Royalty Road Show.

Check out this set-up!

Just across the way from us were the dreamiest custom frames

via Shea Ingram Frames.

You could seriously buy one of these frames

and design a room around it.

Mama mia...

This is La Casita...

Oodles of French country and cottage chic!

This is British Route Sign Designs.

There are a lot of artists who are making vinyl

signs like these but these guys have collected

original vintage British bus signs

to create these unique collections.

I was thrilled when I found American Art & Industrial's booth!

If you've never shopped a European flea market,

this is pretty much exactly

what one looks like! Very fun!

All I had time to capture were these six vendors...

and there were 150 vendors present at the show!

I can tell you that a Country Living Show
isn't just for

the vintage-loving kind.

It's for decor-lovers in general.

Sooo inspiring.

It's like all your favorite blogs, live in one spot!

The next few Country Living shows of 2012 will be in the Fall - be there!

Until next time, here's little ol' me signing off from the show!

blessings!

Here's where I'm playing this weekend!

335 Days. Done!

2012-05-25T09:42:00.002-06:00

A year ago today, I took this picture.

Yep. My sweet soldier was deploying. Again.

I had all these great intentions to use our time apart as blog-time.
Right...

Being both mom and dad to two sweet monkeys, keeping up a house, paying bills, and dealing with two very stubborn (but paid-off) cars, took up most of my time.

But...there's always a light at the end of every tunnel.

You see,
He's HOME!

After 335 days apart (yes, I counted...),
We're a complete family again!

I rarely post pictures of myself or our family, but I thought these were post-worthy.
There's nothing quite like an Army welcome home ceremony, so I thought I would share.

Here we go...

Smellin' sweet and looking good!

Little dude's been waiting for almost a year.

The 2 hour wait for daddy's arrival almost sent him over the edge!

Doing the 'Wave!

And here's what we've been waiting for!

Open the floodgates!

Trying to find each other!

Woohoo!

(or as my daughter says, "ewwwwww...")

Together again!

I have to give major props to my friend Amy (another awesome Army wife) for taking our pictures.

Amy is starting her own photography business (hello? she's good!),

and I'll post her link as soon as she has it ready to fly!

Last night we attended a welcome home bash, known as Denim & Diamonds.

We had a great time!

So now that life has returned to a more normal state, I do have so much to share!

I still have to get down with the details of the Country Living Fair,
share some Euro travel tips,
and so much more!

Headed off to link-up with some other fun-lovin' blog mamas!
blessings!

Join us!

Amy's Just for Fun Friday hop!

Country Living Fair (part 1)

2012-05-02T21:52:00.001-06:00

I’ve been hoping to hop on here for days, but time (and energy…) did not permit!

To top it off, my desktop died a few weeks ago, so all photo editing and blogging is being done via my sweet pink 9” netbook. Woohoo! I love a good challenge.

So…onto the good stuff!

Yep. This past weekend was the first-ever Country Living Fair in Austin, Texas.

It was crazy fun.

Crazy fun!

I have to give major props to my sweet father-in-law for packing The Beast for me. I honestly couldn’t have fit even half of what he fit into it.

He is truly amazing!

I had to take a before pic of our booth space as well.

Sparce. Blank. Sad.

(although I do have to say that we were pleased about our neighbors hosting that groovy green shutter wall just next to us. Nice!)

And here’s what we did to it!

I have to say that some of the vendors there were insanely talented when it came to set-up.

(I have 2 separate blogs coming that feature all my favorites!)

I’ve also included a few pics of our newest treasures that arrived just in time for the market.

Cherries Pottery from West Germany. (Sold)

Enamelware Coffee Pots from Switzerland, Germany and France!

(some will be online shortly. After laundry...)

Groovy Placemats with mini napkins.

Oma's Laundry Shelf. (Sold)

For those of you who know me well, Austin is my old stompin’ grounds, so this Fair was uber special to me.

Not only did I sell like a mad-woman, but I also had the blessing of seeing tons of old friends, and I loaded up on TexMex and ‘Ritas (all weekend long!).

Now that’s a fantastic weekend!

I’m hoping (and praying!) that Country Living will host this show in Austin again and again.

Like I've said before, Austin is the best for vintage, food, and fun!

Stay tuned for some awesome pics and intros to other amazingly talented vendors who were at the show.

Blessings!

Paris, Anyone?

2012-04-12T22:57:00.001-06:00

Passport? Check.
Comfy shoes? Check.
Camera ready? Check.
Paris, anyone?

I realize that many of you are starting your spring & summer plans, so each spring I re-post my mini little travel series on "hopping the pond" (aka traveling to Europe!).

Here's the order!

Week 1: YOU can go to Paris too!
Week 2: Get Yer Transportation On!
Week 3: Where to Sleep?
Week 4 : Eating your way through Europe...yummo.

Ready for this week? Part 1: You can go to Paris too!

I’ve been hopping “across the pond” for many years now - the first trip when I was just seventeen years old. (thanks grandma!)

As I return from each trip, I love sharing my various experiences, but I always come across the same comment from so many lovely ladies.

Most of the time, it goes something like this, “Oh, I would love to go to Europe someday, but I could never afford a trip like that”.

And to that, I say,"Boo honky!" (that's Texan for "whatever")
Start packing yer bags, sister!.

First let’s do a quick cost comparison. Let’s compare a stateside trip to the Coast versus a trip to Europe – this way you can see the cost difference on paper…

Oh, and I did these numbers, assuming that 2 were traveling...

So, for $910 dollars more, you can accomplish your dream of traveling to Europe. Trust me, that $910 is worth it!
(since I first published this post in 2010, flights pricing has increased some, both for Stateside flights and Europe. In the end, the price comparison remains the same!)

Wanna be frugal? Then do your homework!

Book your own flights…I go both to individual airlines sites, as well as the big dogs like Expedia and Travelocity…it takes time, but you need to be your own travel agent.

Forget hotels – stay in an Apartment!
Our family finally caught on to the blessing of renting apartments all over Europe. It's much cheaper and you get to live like a local!

Eat with ease via bakeries and local grocery markets – that crusty bread and cheese is dreamier than you could imagine!

Forget the rental car…while in Europe, travel like a local via Trains!

Get your Europe fund rolling now.
A yard sale is a great place to start!

Don’t touch your Europe fund – no matter what!

You will have memories to last a lifetime…and hopefully some over-stuffed shopping bags to take home with you as well!

So...are you intrigued?
If a trip across the pond seems appealing to you, stay tuned for next week’s detailed version of The Frugal Mama Takes On Europe!

Keep Calm And...

2012-03-29T23:10:00.000-06:00

So I'm sure by now, most of you have seen more than enough of the Keep Calm posters. They're plastered all over Pinterest, Facebook, Google, you name it. It started off like this...

And they've evolved into these...

I thought I had seen them all, until yesterday. The UPS truck stopped outside (that's always nice), and I couldn't think of a thing that I had ordered. That's because the shipment wasn't for me. It was for my husband. And here's what was delivered...

See the little army men? Those came in the packaging. Once again, I'm convinced that my soldier is really a paid boyscout! Just something funny to lighten up your week!

A Word About Linens Junkies...

2012-03-26T00:13:00.030-06:00

It’s well known that I’m a linens junkie.
(In nicer terms a “collector”.)

In honor of all my fellow linens junkies out there, I’m posting on the green-ability of collecting vintage linens.

Yes, there is validity in what we do!

You see, anyone can run to the nearest JoAnn’s, Hancock’s, or Ballard’s for some fun fabrics to play with.

But we linens collectors go the extra mile.
We search high and low for the unique pieces of the past, and in turn, we give these retired pieces new life again!

Yep. You could say we’re “green”!

Want to be green with us?

Here are some ahhh-mazing ways that you can upcycle fabulous vintage textiles that you may come across...

The easiest way to dress up a basic couch?
Just add a vintage quilt loaded with colors and, voila!

Today I came across this little snippet from Blonde and Co.
The mix of these linens makes me giddy.

Even better, they are simply placed together and you get a screaming fun retro look. Nice.

I often run across linens that are just loaded with stains. If the piece is uber cheap, I’ll buy it to use as a cutter. Here’s an idea I hadn’t thought of... cut and paste sweet pieces for scrap booking?!

Yes, indeed!

My favorite upcycle mama is obviously Poor Pitiful Pearl.
Yes, Ms. Shauna is a friend of mine, but I give her props not only because she’s an awesome person, but also because she is great at what she does.

This past fall my birthday present was a custom apron dress via PPP.
I sent her my favorite scraps, and she created this fab apron top for me to wear to my markets.

My daughter and I each have one now, and I can pretty much tell you where each and every square came from. That's cool!

Next up, check out these baby shoes I found via Etsy.
Handmade from a vintage tablecloth!

I do realize that pillowcase dresses have been done for some time now, but they are still such a favorite of mine.

Can’t you just picture a teeney little carefree girl, skipping through a field in one of these? Sweet.

So now, when someone pokes you for your extreme collecting abilities, you can easily defend your cause.
You’re not only collecting, you’re actually saving something else from ending up in yet another landfill.

You’re quite the hero.

I hope this Spring finds you well.
Easter is just around the corner...my favorite!
Blessings!

Here's who we're hanging out with this week!

Apron Thrift Girl

Knick of Time Tuesday

My, Oh My!

2012-02-02T21:24:00.011-07:00

Elation!
Excitement!
Grinning ear to ear for hours now!
Breathe.
Here goes....

When you were flipping through your latest issue of Country Living magazine, did you happen to see this ad?

I know that as soon as I saw it, I was crazy excited.
For any of you who have been sharing blog-time with me for a while now, you know that Austin is my stompin' grounds (although we don't have the pleasure of living there anymore), and Country Living is such an inspiration both to myself and my business.

I've been following the Country Living Fair (from afar!) for years now!

And now I can share with you that (drumroll...)
today I received confirmation that Sweet European Dreams will be participating as a vendor at the Country Living Fair in Austin!

If it weren't the end of a very long day, I would post a picture of the perma-grin that I'm wearing right now!

So that's my exciting news!
Can't wait to share this adventure with you all and I especially hope to finally meet some of your sweet faces in Austin, in April!

Until next time...So much time and so little to do. Strike that. Reverse.

Out with the New, in with the Old

2012-01-27T08:54:00.043-07:00

Dearest vintage-loving friends,
I hope that 2012 is finding you well!

We are finally back in routine from the holiday madness!
I always look forward to a new year.
Not sure why, but it’s like a breath of fresh air.

And speaking of fresh, I’ve started a pre-spring purge throughout the house. Amidst the great purge, I’ve been noticing a trend in my giveaway piles.

I clearly remember registering for sparkly new must-haves at department stores for our wedding, and now I find those formerly treasured items slowly exiting the premises.

And what’s replacing them?
Secondhand treasures that I’ve picked up at thrift stores, estate sales and auctions.

Yep. Out with the new, and in with the old.

Not only do I love the nostalgia of these sweet picks, but I love the quality of the materials they’re made of. Odd things of the past, such as wood and glass!

And with my recent discovery of the dangers of many household plastics,
I feel good about going back to the basics that I grew up with.

So now I’m playing around online and thought I’d share some fun swaps (old for new!), that could easily make your place a little greener this year.

Here they are!

I have a thing for deviled eggs, so egg platters are always a must.
(I'm actually still kicking myself for selling a precious Italian one a few years back!)
If you want to buy something new, here's one from Tupperware.

But, here's an upcycle option that I found on Etsy.

I could have bought this cheery bed set at Dillards...

But then I found this vintage chenille coverlet instead!

You can save your pennies (a lot of them) and get this cute owl canister at Anthropologie...

Or, you can adopt this little guy off of Etsy...

If you have a thing for linens (like I do!), then you could add some poppies to your kitchen via Williams-Sonoma,

or you could follow Oma's lead and go vintage!

Cute stuff and the prices are right as well!

I love that thrifting is fanatical right now. You can pretty much decorate your entire home off of fun finds from the past, while saving money as well.

If you plan on thrifting or picking this weekend, I wish you much fun in finding just the right pieces (and prices!).

Until next time...be blessed!

Diggin' Vintage. In Austin!

2011-07-21T21:12:00.021-06:00

I hope you’re all in the midst of a fabulous summer.
We’ve just unloaded from our Austin market this past weekend.

It. Was. Bliss.

If you’re a lover of vintage, and you haven’t been to Austin?
Oh my.

My husband and I lived in Austin for a good 10 years before we began traveling with Uncle Sam and Co.

Austin doesn’t just have some great spots for vintage shopping, but the city itself will give you some immense vintage inspiration!

I wish I could have taken pics over the weekend, but I was so busy at the market that my camera never stood a chance.

So…once again I’ll be relying on some awesome bloggers out there who have some noteworthy blogs that I can promote.

First up on Austin’s vintage list is Austin’s City Wide Garage Sale, which is where we were selling this past weekend.

99% of what you’ll find there is pure vintage.

Old-school clothes, furniture, linens, knick knacks, toys, you name it.
The biggest vendors are there for the October, November and January markets, so those are the best months to stop and shop.

This next little tip on vintage picking in Austin is going to get me in big trouble with fellow antique dealers, but here goes...

Burnet Road is a tried-and-true spot where dealers do some of their picking.

There are several places to sift through, so I think a stop here is definitely worth your time.

Here are some places to look out for on Burnet...

Top Drawer Thrift
Assistance League of Austin
Bethesda Resale
Antiques Marketplace (pricier but a fun stop anyway…)

Here’s a nice little write-up on Austin thrift that was just recently posted.
Good stuff!

When you’re done with Burnet Road, you may want to give the Austin Antique Mall a shot as well.

It’s a mere 5 minute drive (if that) from good ol’ Burnet Road and I’ve found some really fun stuff in there.

The place has been there basically forever and it seems like their prices are still very reasonable.

If the thought of vintage food doesn't sit well, bare with me.
For all you foodies out there (I’m definitely one…), Austin has a plethora of food trailers.

Groovy little roadside trailers that host some spectacular eats.

No, the food isn’t vintage, but the whole roadside dining concept certainly is.

I just love roadside spots and I’m thrilled that Denver is finally catching on to this. (now, If only I actually lived in Denver…)

So when you do plan your vintage outing in Austin, here’s a link that will guide you to some tasty trailer-style eats…

Food Trailers Austin

You may want to schedule a trek to Austin on October 22nd for the Austin’s annual Gypsy Picnic.

It’s a fabulous food fest featuring the best in food trailer fun.

Yummo.
Wish I could be there…

I could say sooooooooo much more about vintage and Austin, but I'll save it for another time.

For now, I hope this has inspired you to get your vintage-fix in Austin someday.

Signing off from the toasty Texas hill country for now...back in CO shortly!

Stop by & play!

A European Sweet Spot

2011-06-09T19:48:00.031-06:00

He’s off to foreign lands for a while,

And now that things on the homefront have settled some,
I’m back!

Thanks so much to so many of you who wrote the sweetest comments to me while we were in the midst of his departure!

I’m back to blogging, and thrilled to be here!

So…here we go!

For you travel bugs out there, I need to share with you one of my favorite Euro spots to check out.

See if you can imagine a place such as this…

Blissfully clean streets,

fabulous shops galore (including an Italian outlet mall!!!),

cobblestone paths adorned with fresh fruit and vegetable markets,

your choice of Swiss delicacies or an Italian menu,

and all surrounding a true-blue gigantic lake.

Any clue where this may be?

On the south end of Switzerland, just on the Italian border, is a dreamy little spot known as Lugano.

My American-Swiss friend Brenda took me there just after college graduation, and my senses have never been the same!

Lugano is truly the best of both worlds.

Here are a few websites that will help you plan your trip to Lugano.

Wiki's Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugano

Lugano's Official Tourist Site

And one of my favorite bloggers, Expat with Kids.

I had to miss Switzerland on this year’s buying trip, but I’m planning on hitting good ol' Schweiz next Spring!

And...you can bet that Lugano will be on the map!

My apologies as these pics are borrowed from other fabulous sites, but it appears that my sweet soldier borrowed my thumb drive…containing all my travel pics.

That thumb drive is now stationed somewhere in the middle east!
Oh well…

As always, thanks so much for tuning in!

Come on over!

There He Goes (again...)

2011-05-24T23:52:00.011-06:00

hi friends.
Just a quick hello and a little explanation as to why I've been absent.
You see, our family is walking into this again...

For those of you who aren't military, this little pic says it all.

He's deploying.

12 long months where I will cram-in as much antiquing, rat-packing, and crafting as possible. (These are the things that get me through!)

So, please excuse my absence these past few weeks.

Family time has been a major priority for us, and I will return to blogville shortly.

Until then, blessings to each of you!

Checkin' In

2011-05-07T20:55:00.007-06:00

We're back from a big market day in Denver.

All showered-up, pj'd and ready to read your posts!

Hope you've all had a great weekend!

Happy Mother's Day!