This Belle Rocks

That's all she wrote!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 03:41:00 +0000

Well, my friends, the winds of change have blown once more and as you might have guessed, I have decided to move on from This Belle Rocks. This has been my longest blogging journey to date (four years), and if anyone is still reading, I am so happy you chose to be a part of this little adventure! I have a new blog now, with one post and an about page up, over at be ReInVintaged. I do hope you'll come visit me there, as I plan on picking back up on my favorite memes and blog hops ASAP, posting erratically throughout the rest of this year, and getting down to business in the coming year. I can't wait to come visit your blogs again soon! I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving and get to spend quality time with your loved ones. See you on the flip side!

Kim @ be ReInVintaged

::taps the mic:: Is this thing on?

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 01:01:00 +0000

If so, hello there! LOOOOOONG time, no see. I know. Just checking in, because I figured I could quickly let those that were wondering know that I'm still around. Just not quite around. There's still so much going on, and I really didn't expect my hiatus to last this long. But, well, life is.....life. And I'm still not in a position where I feel like I can update with any real content or consistency just yet. In fact, my inner debate of letting this site go in favor of starting a new one still rages on. I'm actually all for it, except that I have so much invested here, time-wise and such. But, all is well, and I hope those of you I used to visit are doing great as well! I will be back .... one of these days!

Hey there, good-looking!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 18:56:00 +0000

Yes, I'm still alive and kicking, though I am stressed beyond belief due to things way beyond my control. But....I'm getting things done, because that's what I do. I don't particularly like it, but what can I do? So far my best means of coping have been binging on Supernatural on Netflix and thrifting. But my thrifting means more awesome furniture and decor for my home, as well as potential for more money from the Etsy Shoppe.

Speaking of, I now hope to launch by Friday the ~~13th~~ 12th - there's no Friday the 13th this month, though there may be one a few months from now that I can be open by! - even if it's only with a few things. It is much, much harder to take good photographs of the items than I thought it would be, and after spending my two free days per week desperately trying to stage, photograph, get caught up on errands and housework - not to mention dealing with my home/living situation - I just gave up and decided to take it slow. I am currently (slowly) photographing what I can't use from Instagram, and working on a logo. Which will probably evolve - eventually - but we won't get into that yet. I am fortunate to be able to design my own logo, but I had not anticipated things such as the licensing of fonts for commercial use right off the bat. Ergo, I had to scrap what I came up with at first, and am putting the finishing touches on what will debut with the shop.

In the meantime, won't you take a gander at my #ThriftScoreThursday for this week? Behold this pair of absolutely gorgeous, stunning chalkware owls from the Miller Studio circa 1978:

I almost, almost passed these by. Literally. I didn't see them during my first sweep of the store, and they just happened to be the first thing my eyes landed on when I turned around on my way to exit the store. I originally snapped them up thinking they'd be a perfect addition to the Etsy Shoppe (they totally would!), but the more I look at them, the more I want them for myself. Since I may eventually sell, I'm refraining from listing the purchase price. However, know that they were a STEAL, and will still be a good deal at whatever price I sell them for should I ever let them go!

They're beautiful - you probably can't tell from the photo, but they're irridescent, ~~no chips or chunks missing~~, no cracks or scratches, and stamped with "1978 Miller Studios, Inc." (Edited to add: OOPSIE! The tip of the wing on the owl on the left is broken off. I'm just now noticing, and it doesn't bother me in the least! They've aged so beautifully.

Head over to Black and White Obsession, The Gathered Home, Primitive and Proper and For My Love Of to check out their Thrift Score Thursday features AS WELL AS their new feature, "Dear TST," where readers and fellow hashtag party-goers submit some of their thrifty finds and ask for advice on how to make them over.

As for me? I'm outta here again - I've still got (lots of) work to do!

#ThriftScoreThursday on Instagram
#DearTST on Instagram

Music for today: Simple Minds - "Alive and Kicking"

Ruh-roh.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Thu, 14 May 2015 17:19:00 +0000

It's been nearly two weeks since I last updated. I was forced into another unintentional hiatus (of which I'm still partaking for the most part) due to some things needing attention at home, but mostly due to coming down with a raging, nasty plague about a week ago. Don't worry, I am still fighting it off, but I shall live. I just wish I knew how many levels of abject misery I will have to go through to breathe again. There are fewer things more frustrating than having a lot to do and no time or health/energy to get them done, so you see things pile up and get worse while you're trying to get better. I know...we've all been there. Unfortunately, this has set me back a bit. Not only in blog posts, but housework, errands, and projects. The Etsy Shoppe has been pushed back till June. I am debating on a name, and it is going to be daunting to get stuff listed.

Despite a valiant effort by Northern Kings (and the few of you who liked them), Flight 409 won the most recent round of Battle of the Bands here. Many thanks to everyone who voted! Obviously, my blog will not be back to participate in tomorrow's battle, but I will do my best to get by and see some. And I hope to return June 1.

In the meantime, be sure to...

Visit Black and White Obsession, For My Love Of, The Gathered Home, and Primitive and Proper today for #ThriftScoreThursday.
Visit Battle of the Bands and the participants tomorrow.
Visit Dolly on Monday for Monday's Music Moves Me.
Visit Time Out For Mom for Coffee Chat and Stacy Uncorked for Random Rebel Thoughts on Tuesdays.

One of these days, I'll be back again.

Battle of the Bands for 5.1.15, and getting caught up on the rest of the week.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Fri, 01 May 2015 16:08:00 +0000

I apologize, yet again for my lack of response to comments in my Music Monday post, and lack of return visits. You know, sometimes I just doubt my commitment to ~~Sparkle Motion~~ blogging. But my internet has been extremely slow, spotty and intermittent for a while now and has only gotten worse, an issue which isn't being checked out by a Mediacom tech till this Monday. This week has also been otherwise absolutely crazy, what with leaving town today and having worked two back-to-back double shifts previous to this (the last one being particularly stressful). All I could do yesterday was de-stress and de-compress. And watch lots and lots of Friday Night Lights.

But I digress, because I am here today with a brand new Battle of the Bands! First, I wanted to share the incredible news that last week's #ThriftScoreThursday - the retro flamingo barware set - was featured in Trisha's Thrift Score Thursday post over at Black and White Obsession. I was so, so happy!

Battle of the Bands: On the 1st and 15th of each month, I will present two different recordings of the same song, and ask readers to cast a vote for the song they like best (or dislike least). I will come back on the 7th and 21st to cast my own vote and announce the winner. To get in on this battle action yourself, all you have to do is go to the Battle of the Bands blog to read all about it!

So, for today's #BattleOfTheBands, I present to you two covers of Journey's iconic mega-hit "Don't Stop Believin'", NEITHER of which is the cover by the Glee cast...

First up, we have Finnish metal supergroup Northern Kings with their symphonic metal cover:

And next, we have the California punk sound of Flight 409:

So who's it going to be? As usual, I feel both bands did as good a job with this cover as a band can do. Both gave it their own distinctive sound, so I guess for some it may simply come down to preference. Do you prefer the version closer to the original, or the version with a definitely different sound? Cast your vote in the comments below, and feel free to let me know why you chose the song you chose - if you so choose.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Since my internet is unstable until at least Monday AND I am going out of town for the weekend, I may not be able to get around to comments and return visits until then. But I WILL get caught up ASAP and hopefully get to all the Battles before the voting cutoff! Thanks for understanding!

#MusicMonday: Music to get happy to.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 02:59:00 +0000

How has everybody been? I'm still in the holding pattern with the weight loss. Holding at a loss of eight pounds so far (the ten I lost, plus the three I put back on, minus another that I lost just in time for last weigh-in), and I had better see improvement this week. And that's all I've got to say about that! I've also potentially made my first Etsy sale, and I don't even have my Shoppe up and running yet! Isn't that great? It's NOT set in stone, but someone did inquire about the adorable flamingo barware set I showed off during last Thursday's Thrift Score Thursday post, and I gave them price and they want the items at that price! They can't get it just yet, but that's okay....I have a tentative launch date of May 15 for the Etsy Shoppe, and will be listing it there if the first potential buyer is unable to take it off my hands. Now, if only the rest of my vintage stuff could sell that quickly, I'd be doing great!

Today's "Monday's Music Moves Me" theme is "Music that picks you up when you're feeling down".

I admit, I have no rhyme or reason to anything I choose. The songs that make me happy aren't always "happy" songs, lyrically. And they change so much from time to time.

Making me happy here lately? Try not to laugh. Or judge. Oh, okay. Judge away!

Dwight Yoakam - "Guitars, Cadillacs"
Sometimes I really love my hillbilly music!

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "Here Comes My Girl"

The Cars - "Let's Go"

Billy Squier - "In the Dark"

Muse - "Madness"
(Yes, this is a repeat appearance by both the band AND this song, but - well, it makes me happy!)

There you have it - a small portion of the music that makes me happy. To see what others are sharing, head to Dolly's to check the other participants out, or to participate yourself. What music makes YOU happy?

On perpetually running behind, #ThriftScoreThursday, and other goings-on

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 14:22:00 +0000

Sure, this post should have been ready to go at midnight this morning, but as my title states, I am perpetually running behind. Always a few minutes behind in real life, and sometimes a half day or more around here. I wonder why that is? Especially when I strive to be punctual, if not early. Not to sound cliche, but some days it really seems like my get-up-and-go got up and left! Left me in the dust. And I'm running a bit behind to go get some lab work done so I can finish putting a last-minute thrift score post up because I just couldn't let this AMAZING find from late last week go another week without sharing!

Allow me to present to you the newest additions to my home barware collection, these fabulous Libbey flamingos from the weird and wonderful eighties! I currently don't know the pattern name, but I do know that it's not "Old Miami". But if you know, feel free to tell me in the comments! I am currently researching, and of course I will update if and when I come across the info.

(Click photo for larger. Click here for Instagram.)

The Collins glasses are in near-perfect shape for their age, and the white faux leather ice bucket is in very good condition as well. I got them for a steal, and can't decide whether these will have to be pried from my #ColdDeadFingers or if I'll be listing them in the upcoming Etsy Shoppe ("Shoppe" because it's fancier than "shop" and because I like the slightly vintage and frou-frou spelling :) ). Probably the latter, since I do already have completely different barware and of course this doesn't match it. Not to mention, these would be perfect for an intimate pool- or beach-side summertime soiree with the girls - pool/beach and hot cabana boy not included.

Decisions, decisions. Hmmm.

Speaking of decisions, I guess I need to get up and get to the lab. I really can't put that off any longer. And I CAN'T EAT until after I have the lab work done. But with any luck, I will be back around later today to get all caught up.

What are some of YOUR most recent thrift finds? For more #ThriftScoreThursday and general thrifty goodness, head to For My Love Of, The Gathered Home, Black and White Obsession, Primitive and Proper, and this week's guest host, Design It Vintage.

Oh, and if any of you know of any specific thrift score blog hops or linkups, please let me know! I love #ThriftScoreThursday, but I also want to participate in linkups with other thrift store addicts and vintage freaks like myself, instead of hoping they might wander over via Instagram or a blog comment. There have to be some out there, right?

Today I'm listening to...

...something awesome from the 80s...

INXS - "The One Thing"

Progress: I am making it. And Battle of the Bands winner for 4.21.15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 14:47:00 +0000

Good morning and good Tuesday to ya. It is sunny and bright (though cool), and I am hoping for the kind of productive day I've needed for months now. I am getting closer to figuring out what all to list on Etsy, and today is the first good light I've had on a day off since....I don't know when! I also hope we get the yard started, at least, and that maybe - just maybe - I can get outside and get caught up on some spray painting projects!

Progress...

I have to say I am pretty excited by the progress I've made in different areas of my life lately: I have actually put furniture together, added more storage for the Etsy stuff, and am getting more done in the cataloging and inventorying process necessary to both declutter/downsize my home and get the Etsy shop off the ground. I've managed to get ten pounds off in three weeks (unfortunately, three came back. But I am still clinging to my ten pound loss as progress - I am not stress eating, so I figure it's stress causing me to hold onto it and put a bit back. No big deal. I will just be more diligent and do everything I can to ease my stress levels. Which brings me to today's Coffee Chat topic: "Tell me about a recent fear you faced."

Coffee Chat...

To be honest, aside from something bad happening to my family, I really am not afraid of much. So what is there? Just the upcoming move. Or not move. Yes, I know I decided to move, but am having second thoughts. I do still want to get back "home," but I am terrified of having to start over there. I left there for a reason and while I am confident that being a different person now I could live there more happily than before, part of me just doesn't want to go. Still, the call to outright own my home in a secluded patch of land is a strong call. But? Jobs. I'd need one; I can't transfer with my current company. And it is nigh to impossible to get hired somewhere out of state when you can't just abandon the job you currently have to go several hours away for interviews. Because all the places I could work would require that; I do not work in a specialized, professional field where I can schedule an interview at my convenience, where people want to look at my achievements and experience. I have to run when a potential employer calls because they have dozens of others waiting to interview for any given position. And unfortunately, my particular skill set isn't one that is just so amazing only I can do it. Sadly, experience doesn't go as far in my field as availability.

So, what am I doing? Well, since I have literally three months, tops, to finance this place or leave it, I am taking a two-pronged approach: I am getting my ducks in a row to try financing AND I am submitting applications to places back home, hoping that when the time comes I'll have the place here OR be more ready to start my life over there. Of course, where the house is concerned there is a whole new set of stresses whether I move or not. But I ask myself almost daily, "What more could I be doing to facilitate either a move or a stay and making either option a good choice and as stress-free as possible?" And I can honestly say that there isn't much more I can do other than research and direct planning. We all know that diligence and planning only get us so far; at some point we have to hope luck or karma or the universe or the Lord steps in and works in our favor. But one thing is for sure: I will not just lie down and let life roll over me.

What is a recent fear that you faced, or are facing? How are you coping? To participate in Coffee Chat, head to Time Out For Mom.

Battle of the Bands Winner...

As for Battle of the Bands, it is no surprise that Cake takes the cake! By a vote of 7-2, not including my own. Before I announce my vote, I just have a thing or two to say. I knew from the beginning that I was going to throw Cake's undeniably quirky cover, which they owned, by the way, into the mix. The trouble was finding another worthy cover to go head to head with it. I chose the Foo Fighters/Zac Brown because all the other potential contenders I looked at just basically stuck too close to the Black Sabbath original. Several (or maybe just one, I can't remember) of you commented that FF/ZB stuck close to the original - AND THEY DID - a reason I chose not to feature some other artists - however, the similarity to the original ended for me at the arrangement. ALL I heard when I heard their performance was FF's unique, sonic, energy-fueled sound and Zac's not-quite-twangy-southern vocals. So, while very similar, I also thought they owned their cover. In the end, I also gave my vote to Cake, though, because this is probably one of the only covers where an artist has so completely reinvented the musical sound as to be unrecognizable from the original, and did it so well.

To see who won all the other battles, head to Battle of the Bands to the master list of participants and have a look!

Today's music: Here's more quirky music from today's Battle of the Bands winner, Cake, with "Love You Madly":

This post also participating in Random Tuesday:

#Music#Monday and a little game of catch-up

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 03:43:00 +0000

What all has transpired since I last chatted with my Music Monday friends?

Well, on my end, it's been a good week for thrifting. I managed to come across a part of my own thrifting/home/design/decor holy grail just a little over a week ago, and revealed it in a blog post here (in case you missed it - but be forewarned, I'm so in love with this piece I'll probably be sharing this post for a while yet). I also picked up some really, REALLY cool retro items for the still-not-yet-up-and-running Etsy store. I'm still trying to do inventory on all the items I'm listing because I have literally YEARS' worth of vintage dishes & such that I'll be listing. But what I'm really waiting on is a day with decent natural light so I can get some hopefully decent photos.

And oh! the storms. We haven't been hit like Texas (thank goodness!), but we've had a few bouts of severe weather here and it's rained every day for several weeks. I do love the rain - and the storms - but my lawn is way overgrown, and since I've not had a day off when it HASN'T been raining, my yard is now that yard....the shame of the block. But what can I do?

The music world sadly lost another legendary talent on Tuesday when Percy Sledge passed away. For #MusicMonday, here is Percy Sledge with one of his best-known songs, "When A Man Loves A Woman".

Also, new music from Muse, "Psycho"

For more #MusicMonday, head to Dolly's to see what everyone else is listening to.

What music are YOU listening to this week?

Thrift Score Thursday - the thrift score to end all thrift scores!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 04:41:00 +0000

Here it is, for your viewing pleasure for one last time, a "sneak peek" at my Thrift Score Thursday submission for today! I've been spreading my excitement all week long on this blog and all over social media. In fact, you can probably feel my excitement through your computer screen (if you don't, check your computer because you should totally be feelin' it!), and although it might not be as exciting to you - or exciting at all - I will tell you about why it means so much to me. I love and get crazy-excited over all my thrift scores and treasures, as many of you already know. And this one? It is second in importance to me only to my vintage Steelcase industrial metal desk for $45 and $5 Steelchairs by Harter score from all the way back in 2006. So just what the heck is it, anyway? Read on...

Behold, in all its rustic, cabin-y, beach house-y, mod, Mid-Century glory a WORKING vintage wall-hanging electric fireplace. Complete with logs, screen and base:

(Yes, this is the picture of it taken in the thrift store because my house is a construction zone right now. And also note that it is not quite assembled correctly here. Almost, but not quite.)

I know, I know. I was making such a fuss over THAT? But Y'ALL! I have been coveting one of these for many years now, and actively looking for about two. I had originally wanted the iconic Malm Preway Cone Fireplace, but, as you'll see if you follow that link, they are quite expensive and many are offered via local pickup only. I found an orange one on Craigslist in my home state for only $400, but couldn't quite bring myself to get it despite it obviously being a FABULOUS deal. Naturally, it didn't last long. I don't know anything about the model or manufacturer of my heater, but it is very similar in style to the vintage Dyna Flame heater, which is also a bit pricey.

But here's the funny thing about thrift stores: you just never know what you will find! I let a good one get away (I really didn't need to spend *that* much money right now anyway, with a probable move coming up), and a few weeks later I walked into A New Leash on Life's Marketplace for the first time, and there this gem was! I nearly (or maybe DID) squeal and do a little happy jig before running off to purchase it IMMEDIATELY since the sign said it worked. I made my happy purchase literally fifteen minutes before closing time. And this is the best part: guess how much I paid for it?

Get ready...

I PAID ONLY $25!!!! for a working, Mid-Century hanging wall fireplace. An item I'd been wanting for years, but could never justify purchasing because of the expense. Even if it hadn't been working (and it probably doesn't put out much heat even at full blast), at that price I'd have taken it anyway and just let it adorn my wall. Or used it as a giant candle holder. You'd actually pay that or more for a large candle holder from some retailers. But I digress.

I really wish I had gotten a photo of it stuffed into the back of my little '02 Beetle. In the rain. That was quite a sight! But it fit, and made the trip home. I heard it rattling over bumps (nothing I could do about that), and my son and I got it out of the car and mostly reassembled in my bedroom, where it will stay until I get my feature wall in my living room done and can hang it. And hopefully I can show it off again this fall :)

And I know I said what I paid for it was the best part, but it's not. The very best part is knowing that my purchase helps support A New Leash on Life, a local group of amazing volunteers who rescue and care for animals, especially those who are out of time at the kill shelters. I've personally met several of their volunteers and seen them working tirelessly at adoption events every weekend, no matter the weather, to get them all fostered and/or adopted. I will definitely be shopping there in the future!

So....what are some of YOUR favorite recent thrift finds?

Fore more Thrift Score Thursday, be sure to head to For My Love Of, The Gathered Home, Primitive and Proper, and Black and White Obsession! And to participate (also this is your chance at the possibility of being featured), check out #ThriftScoreThursday and hashtag your own thrifty finds!

Hashtags: ThriftScoreThursday, ThriftyFindsThursday, ColdDeadFingers

What I'm listening to today...

Led Zeppelin - Black Country Woman

Battle of the Bands for April 15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 00:06:00 +0000

On tax deadline day, no less! Not much (superficially, at least) makes people feel more ragey and battle-worn than that annual rush to get taxes done. Hopefully, you've already done yours by now! If not, best of luck to you. But I doubt you're out perusing blogs if that task is still in the works. I may be a master procrastinator (HEY! I rhymed! Sort of.) about many, many things. Just about everything. But not taxes. Taxes and FAFSA paperwork are two things not even I will put off till later.

So yeah. It's time for another Battle. What is Battle of the Bands? I am so glad you asked. Every month on the 1st and 15th, I will put two covers of a song up on the blog for you to listen to (or listen to enough of to get a "feel" for the song). I will also ask that you cast a vote for your favorite version, or least disliked as some of them have gone. Six days later, on the 7th and 21st, I will come back to cast my own vote and declare a winner.

I was MIA for the last battle due to a raging case of not having enough time to sit still, so I am really excited to be back! This week I am pitting a collaboration between rockers Foo Fighters with (mostly) country artist Zac Brown against legendary alternative rockers Cake. Both have absolutely fantastic covers of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs". But don't take my word for it; have a listen for yourself:

Well, what do you think? Who did it better? Be sure to let me know in the comments and if you feel like it, tell me why you voted the way you did. I love both versions, but I have a very clear favorite. I can't wait to see how everyone else votes!

Want to participate in the next Battle of the Bands? Then head to the link above and let Stephen T. know! He can hook you up!

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Thrift Score Thursday - the one I've been relentlessly pimping out all week long. I will reveal the rest of that super-zoomed black sneak peek photo so you can actually see what it is! And of course, I'll be blogging all about it. Oh, I do hope you'll come back for that!

Oh...just a few favorite things!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 05:46:00 +0000

Today over at Time Out For Mom, the Coffee Chat theme is "Favourite things. What are you loving these days?"

Well, for starters I am pretty excited about my recent seven pound weight loss. I have plateaued at the end of my second week, which I am NOT loving, but I'm trying to find creative ways to get the pounds falling off once again, because I really loved stepping on the scale and seeing the number move in a favorable direction. And I do NOT want to be caught at the same (or greater) number at the end of week three.

But that's not all!

I love all this rain we've been having. Really, I do. I just wish there were more thunderstorms, and I do wish I could get a break from it for a day or two so that I can get the lawn mowed. But still - yes, I love.

TV. Oh boy, the deliciousness on tv (and Netflix): Criminal Minds. Secrets and Lies. Black Sails. Outlander. Bloodline. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Vikings. And Justified. In fact, tonight is the SERIES FINALE of Justified, and I am really sad to see my years-long tradition of Tuesday night dates with Raylan Givens come to a close. But...it is the way of things, no? I will definitely miss Raylan, but we can revisit from time to time. And for the time being? There's still Morgan, Reid, Ragnar and Jamie...

The THRIFTING/treasure-hunting....always, ALWAYS with the thrifting. I have a serious addiction! But before I become a Buried Alive-worthy hoarder, I plan on passing my thrifty finds on to others via an Etsy Shoppe I have in the works. (By "in the works" I mean, I'm in the thinking stages right now. And waiting on a day off where I don't have a million chores and errands to get caught up on, which also has to be somewhat sunny. I need natural light to successfully photograph the things I'm selling - staging only goes so far!)

So this is the part where I ~~whore out~~ post another blurb about this coming Thursday's Thrift Score Thursday. My best score of the year, and probably my second-best in all my years of treasure hunting! I posted a sneak peek yesterday if you're interested in trying to figure out what it is beforehand - but be sure to come back Thursday to see what it is and read all about it!

What are YOU loving these days?

For more Coffee Chat, head to Time Out For Mom. This post is also participating in this week's Random Tuesday Thoughts, so head over there for more link-up fun!

Tuesday's song:

Smashing Pumpkins - "Being Beige"

Back in the saddle again - I think

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 04:12:00 +0000

It seems like every time I think I'm ready to ride again, more stuff comes up and I end up on an unintentional hiatus for a while. That's what happened these past few weeks, and is bound to happen again. But at the moment? I'm just happy to have a few free minutes to type a few paragraphs out, share some music, and a sneak peek of something else that I'm really, REALLY excited about. Like....SO excited! You don't even know. But you will Thursday, if you come back for my #ThriftScoreThursday post.

In the meantime, it's #MusicMonday!

Today I'll be sharing the latest release from Breaking Benjamin, their first since 2009, "Failure". Breaking Benjamin will be performing at this year's Beale Street Music Festival, and I plan on attending that night with one of my longtime friends. I can not wait! I haven't lived near Memphis in nearly 15 years, and the last BSMF I attended was way back in 2000. It's time to go back! I really hate that I can't go for the entire fest, but am happy to be able to see (in addition to Breaking Benjamin) Lenny Kravitz, The Flaming Lips, Slash, Spin Doctors, Pixies, Ryan Adams, Five Finger Death Punch and Awolnation.

It appears that this week's Monday's Music Moves Me theme is "Songs about cars or mentions a particular type of car and/or truck”. Here is Everclear with "Volvo Driving Soccer Mom":

And...I promised a sneak peek at this coming week's Thrift Score Thursday, so here it is:

I seriously can't wait to share the rest of it Thursday! I haven't been THIS excited about a thrift score since I purchased my vintage industrial desk about eight years ago. And believe me, I get excited over all of my thrift scores!

For more Music Monday, head to X-Mas Dolly to participate or just hop around.

Let's all endeavor to have a great week!

#ThriftScoreThursday, brought to you by the color orange.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 05:01:00 +0000

My orange obsession and my thrifting obsession have collided. And let me tell you, it is fabulous! But I won't be unloading all my awesome orange in just one post; instead, I'll be breaking it down over time. That way, if there's ever a dud week at the thrift stores, I'll have something to fall back on. Wait...is that cheating? I hope not, because a thrifted deal is a thrifted deal, no matter when you scored it. Right?

So here lately, I've been all about orange. It just makes me happy! And when I saw this little guy for only $2.99, I HAD to have him.

He's orange, and I just love the scene painted on him! And he's an owl, which is pretty awesome, too. I have a small collection of owls - jewelry, a candle, a wax melt warmer, and now this - though I don't collect them intentionally. He is my first owl that doesn't serve a purpose other than to look pretty:

And I didn't notice until I was cleaning him up that he hails from Cozumel, a place I long to visit someday.

Thrifting has been really good to me lately. I've picked up a lot of amazing things for my home as well as some really cool vintage stuff to go in my soon-to-be-live Etsy Shoppe! Well, it'll seem soon to me, but it may still be a while for most folks. I seem to be operating on an entirely different plane of existence than everyone else, and I'm not sure why. Time just really does get away from me. Probably because I spend so much of it in thrift stores!

What amazing thrift finds have you come across recently? I'd love to read all about them!

For more #ThriftScoreThursday, be sure to head to Primitive and Proper, Black and White Obsession, For My Love Of, and The Gathered Home.

Now, for my unfortunate news...womp...womp...womp...

The Mix Tape Shuffle has gone on hiatus, so there won't be any more of those for a while. I, however, plan to keep the party going by posting random shuffles about once a month until the MTS gets back up and rolling with themes again.

And now it's off to bed for me. After a double shift, then a refreshing Oculto after work, I am ready to kick back and try to watch an episode of Scandal before passing out. Have a great Thursday!

We've gotta stop meeting like this

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 01:54:00 +0000

You may (or may not, depending on how often you come by here) have noticed that I haven't been around much lately. That hasn't been intentional, and won't be forever. It's the same old excuse: no time. Things have been crazy-busy around here, with me forging ahead with plans to slightly rehab my home for sale. I'm also getting things ready to launch an Etsy shop soon. Yay! And there is work. Yay! for money! And....I am restructuring things on the blog slightly. It won't even be (all that) noticable, but I feel it is a necessary step towards this blog's future.

Regretfully, I've missed a few Music Mondays, Coffee Chat Tuesdays, Thriftscore Thursdays, and now the first half of the Battle of the Bands month. But I will be back soon! Be sure to come by Thursday for Thriftscore Thursday and April's Mix Tape Shuffle :)

And in the meantime, I am trying to still keep visiting all my favorite blogs. See you soon!

Time is on my side

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:52:00 +0000

I know (like everyone else, I assume) I sometimes get wistful for days gone by, and yes, I sometimes even wish I could go back to the days of my youth. Really, who doesn't? Most of us grew up in a time where things were much simpler - for example, I grew up in the weird and wonderful 80s. Even though that was an extremely excessive decade, things were still simpler - at least for kids. At least for me.

Today's Tuesday Coffee Chat subject is " 17 Again! If you could be any age again, for one week, what age would you be?"

This question has always been a hard one for me to answer. On the surface, of course I want to go back to a time when the weight of the world wasn't on my shoulders, when I looked the best I've ever looked, when literally my biggest worry was wondering what was wrong with me because I never got asked out. I guess I'd go back to about ages 15-16. I kind of hated life then, but I also kind of enjoyed it. I was just starting to figure out who I am as a person, pretty much setting the tone for the rest of my life. Also, I'm really jealous of that girl. She had a kick-ass figure, got attention everywhere she went, and had some stunning hair (for the time).

And then there are a slew of other ages I'd love to be again. Really, any age when I didn't feel completely defeated and hopeless and jaded would be nice! And although I have found much to celebrate even in my current situation, I still panic if I stop and think about things too much, you know? It's a scary time. So even though I wouldn't change anything other than maybe the always "try to eat better and stay fit" advice I'd give my any-age self, I'd like to go back to some of the better times knowing what I know now and just see if I couldn't try to enjoy those happier times a bit more.

Thirty Seconds To Mars' "R-Evolve" popped up on random sometime during my road trip this weekend (and also made it onto my #MusicMonday post) and particular bits and pieces of the lyrics really jumped out at me more than ever, especially this one:

"To find yourself just look inside the wreckage of your past
To lose it all you have to do is lie"

and this part of the chorus:

"Does it feel like we've never been alive?
Does it seem like it's only just begun?"

I guess it hit me so hard because I have worked my entire life to get away, for various reasons, from where I grew up. Yet now I plan to go back there. And the reasons for going back are good ones, but it still seems like a counterproductive step even though it's not. Also, I'm always looking for myself, never feeling like I truly belong, and like I haven't really been alive. But I am trying to learn that life isn't a destination, it's a journey. To enjoy the good things a bit more as they come along :) Thus far, time has been on my side, and I've been learning and growing into what and whoever it is I'm supposed to be. With any luck time stays on all our sides, right?

What age would YOU be again for a week?

The Rolling Stones - "Time is on My Side"

Road Trip Random #MusicMonday + BotB Winner for 3.21.15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 15:40:00 +0000

As is my usual custom here of late, I am off to a bit of a late start on Music Monday, and certainly off to a late start on announcing a winner for the Battle of the Bands for 3.15.15. But I just got back from a quick trip back home to visit the folks and hopefully start getting a feel for my future home (more on that another time), and prior to that worked seven days in a row, the last two of which were doubles. I am beginning to think my schedule may always be something like this, but I'm not going to complain. I need every cent I can earn from my job! So first up will be the BotB winner...

As for me and my vote, I ultimately preferred Grateful Dead's laid-back, jam band version of Iko Iko to Dr. John's jazz, but ONLY by a slight margin. Unfortunately, my vote wasn't enough to even tie my favorite with the other contender, so Dr. John won by a wider margin of 4-6 including my vote. Don't forget to come back for another Battle of the Bands on April 1!

Moving on to today's Music Monday...you might have already guessed, but this is just some random music heard during the drive over and back...some of it on my iPhone set to random, and some of it from radio. This should go without saying, but no need to listen to them all unless you just want to and have the time to do so. But if something new intrigues you, by all means go for it!

Van Halen - "Ice Cream Man"

Shinedown - "Unity"

Slipknot - "Custer" (Warning: Language)

Thirty Seconds To Mars - "R-Evolve"

Sublime - "Caress Me Down"

For more Music Monday, be sure to join the 'hop at Dolly's and check out the other bloggers participating. Have a great week!

Change of plans, #ThriftScoreThursday, and other stuff, too

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 16:18:00 +0000

In my attempts at building this little blog into what I hope it will become - which is a kick-ass, eclectic lifestyle blog - of sorts (or, after reading the smartly-written "Better Homes and Bloggers", maybe I don't want to be a lifestyle blogger at all? All I know is that I am passionate about family, music, learning, DIY, fashion, design, thrifting, and vintage, and I am TRYING like hell to get myself equally as passionate about fitness and healthy eating. And I want to roll it all up and present it in a nice little blog that might have a slightly different angle than other lifestyle blogs), I have been literally devouring blogs devoted to the things I am passionate about for inspiration and motivation.

Well, I guess that covers my "change of plans." Which isn't really a change of plans to me, because I've been planning on branching out for ~~years~~ a while now, and just haven't been able to make it happen yet.

Now, for #thriftscorethursday:

Branching out naturally means I'll be trying some different link-ups and social media hashtagging in different areas of interest, and today I am going with #thriftscorethursday on Instagram. (Geez, I hope I spelled it right when I hashtagged on my phone!) Now, you all know I love me some thrift store treasure hunting (and if you didn't, well, now you do!), so #thriftscorethursday seemed like a great fit! As far as I can tell, it isn't a linkup, but rather several bloggers who host the meme featuring their thrifted finds as well as some hashtagged items they've chosen to spotlight on their blogs. My goal isn't to get featured so much as to put my pretties out there and see what everyone else is picking up (and I am right on point with some recent brass finds that have not been photographed yet), as all of the things I'll hashtag with #thriftscorethursday are worthy of showing off to me, and will be featured here on my own blog every Thursday :)

Obviously, today I chose to hashtag my beautiful little Mid Century Modern basketweave desk lamp at the top of this post. I've seen these going for a pretty penny on eBay and Etsy, and I can't believe I found one for only $7 at my local Salvation Army. It does need a little TLC, but nothing major.

What are some of YOUR most recent thrifted finds? Be sure to tell me in the comments below!

Today's music: Rage Against the Machine - "Renegades of Funk"
It's my first day off in forever, and I have a ton of things to get done. I need some upbeat music to help get me going!

Battle of the Bands for 3.15.15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 03:44:00 +0000

Hello, good folks! Did we all survive last Sunday's Daylight Savings Time? I have to say it's been a great week full of lots of work, lots of thrifting (which means lots of vintage treasures, yay!), warmer temps, and binge-watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which you should totally be watching if you're a Netflix subscriber! It's also time for another Battle of the Bands, and I am pretty excited about this one!

So, first things first: on the 1st and 15th of every month, a group of bloggers (including myself) present different versions of the same song for our readers to listen to, and then vote for their favorite (or least disliked, because there *have* been some of those!). On the 7th and 21st, I will come back, place my own vote, add 'em up, and announce the winner. Would you like to participate? Just head over to the link, listen and vote on Stephen T. McC's current battle, and let him know in the comments you'd like to participate. Easy-peasy!

Last week, I presented two wildly different versions of "House of the Rising Sun" (Leadbelly won over Muse). For this battle, I am using two versions of the same song, very similar in many ways (structure, composition, length, and both were recorded live), but, to my ears at least, they each have a very different sound distinct to the artists showcased. Another note about this battle: the songs are both LONG. I do not expect anyone to listen to them both all the way through (though I do highly recommend it, as they are both great and worthy of a listen), but if you will listen to the first two verses or so, you should get a pretty good feel for each version! That song is "Iko Iko". Recorded by many, made famous by a few, and according to the verdicts of several legal battles, belongs to The Dixie Cups (with James Crawford,this time according to Wikipedia, being credited 25% for public performances). The Dixie Cups version with the drumsticks is perhaps one of the most unique songs I've ever heard, and it stuck with me.

First up is the iconic, ultimate jam band Grateful Dead with a steady-rollin' rendition done as only they can! If you listen to at least the 3:45 mark, you'll hear a pretty awesome keyboard solo from Brent Mydland, which, in my opinion, takes the song to a whole other level. Can you imagine this coming through their Wall of Sound? I do recommend being careful while you watch, though, because it is impossible to un-see a 1980s-era Bob Weir clad in short, short, shorty-shorts:

Or perhaps a genuine N'Awlins-flavored jazzy, funky, upbeat version by the one and only Dr. John (featuring some amazing backing musicians) will be more to your liking? Again, about 3-3.5 minutes will be a good amount to listen to for the purposes of this post. This is a largely instrumental version after the 4:00 mark, but if you keep listening you get a sax solo starting at about the 4:00 mark, followed at around the 5:00 mark by brief baritone sax, trumpet, and guitar solos. This version also features Dr. John's impressive piano talents, of course.

Well, what do you think? Who did it better? Honestly, I'm not sure who I'll be voting for, or if I'll even vote. I love them both so much. The Dead's version makes me want to close my eyes and sway, but Dr. John's version makes me want to get up and shake my booty!

#MusicMonday for 3.9.15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 04:17:00 +0000

Ah....if only I had time to turn music on and the world off...

Let's just say in that case, I'd probably still have the world turned off. It's been kind of a stressful week. We had our ice storm Thursday, I had to be late to work because of it Friday, then worked a longer day than I had expected Saturday and it was SO BUSY! I am grateful, but tired. I was so stressed out I thrift shopped on the way home, and did not come out of the store empty-handed. I found the most perfect little beaded vintage evening bags from the 60s. So far, I haven't managed to get a good photo of them, but as soon as I do, it will be up here and on IG!

And to top it all off, I've been really stressing over not being able to find a good high speed internet option where I'll be moving. (I know, right? Who expects, in this day and age, to have no decent internet options? I mean, I will be moving to a very rural area, a cabin in the woods! - but I still expected 20 years after the internet came to small towns and hamlets everywhere in the world, that you could get high speed internet five miles from an interstate highway and a dozen miles from a major college campus. Guess I was wrong! But I am a master at working with what I have and making what I have work for me. Tim Gunn would be proud!

(This awesome t-shirt can be purchased right here.)

So today's theme over at Dolly's is "freebie." And I guess I shouldn't do another Marilyn Manson freebie so soon, so....

....in honor of our recent ice storm, here is a hilarious-but-accurate parody video by The Holderman Family called "We SUCK in Colder Weather". I posted this on my Facebook - twice, even! - but my readers either didn't see it or just didn't like it much. Maybe you guys will get a kick out of it!

Have a fantastic week, and head over to Dolly's to check out all the other Monday's Music Moves Me participants. And while you're there, why not participate yourself?

Battle of the Bands Winner for 3.7.15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 04:31:00 +0000

In March 1's installment of Battle of the Bands, I put two versions of "House of the Rising Sun" up for your consideration (and for your vote for your favorite, or least-disliked); a blues version by Leadbelly and an electro-alt/rock version by Muse.

So.....who won? Well, by my count, the winner won 7-3 (so it actually doesn't matter if I counted correctly or not, as I know the artist with the least votes definitely only got 3. And the winner is...

Leadbelly!

I didn't even bother casting my vote because I liked both versions a lot and really thought BOTH artists did the song justice in their own way. Congrats, Leadbelly! Sorry, Muse.

Be sure to come back on March 15 for another Battle of the Bands! Have a great rest-of-the-weekend, and don't forget to set your clocks forward! (I hope my phone will do as it has always done and just set itself forward for me; I have work tomorrow morning!) And with that, I'm off to enjoy an episode or two of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt before hopefully getting a decent night's sleep.

March Mix Tape Shuffle: Drinking Songs Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 07:30:00 +0000

It's time for another Mix Tape Shuffle, and I would like to take this opportunity to cordially invite YOU to participate in (this or) future Mix Tape Shuffles. They're a LOT of fun, I promise! And since this is the "drinking songs" edition, this can be like our first mixer - or with St. Patty's Day coming up later in the month, it can be our first pub crawl if that's more your speed!

Okay, confession time (yes, AGAIN.). I had a lot of trouble with this one. At first I picked only songs about drinking - then scrapped it because that was more of a "theme" than a mix tape suggestion. See, I love music, and I love music when I drink....which isn't often, but you get the picture, I'm sure. But y'all. You guys. All yous....I culled SO MUCH from this list! Oh my.

I do love to get a good buzz going - and KEEP it going - and back off a bit (gotta pace myself, you know) - and then start up again. So my "mix tape" may come across as all over the place. And it is, but I promise there is a method to my madness (the getting started, having fun, pacing, etc)! Without further ado, I present to you my drinking-inspired playlist, based entirely on my mood at the time this post was composed - which apparently wasn't mellow. I do enjoy mellow drinking, too, but maybe that will be another post for another time. Okay, the playlist, for real this time:

Setting the mood; getting the party started.

Poison - "Nothing But A Good Time"
Buckcherry - "All Lit Up" (I feel the need to add the disclaimer that I do NOT do coke. But I sure do love this song!

Time to mellow out for a few.

Zac Brown Band - "Toes"
Van Halen - "Cabo Wabo" - please forgive the use of Van Hagar. This is such a good song, though!

Are we feeling pretty good yet? Good! Now we can just dance and sing along for the next little while.

The Clash - "Should I Stay Or Should I Go"
Snoop Dogg - "Gin and Juice"
DMX - "Party Up"
The Rolling Stones - "Honky Tonk Woman" - Oh, hell yeah!

Did someone ask for some country music? Why yes, they did! Here ya go.

Merle Haggard (with Waylon Jennings and Charley Pride) - "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" - Don't be ashamed now, sing along with me!

That was fun! Let's go grab some shots and our last drinks and finish the night off!

Drivin N Cryin - "Straight To Hell"
Beck - "Time Bomb"
The Doors - "L.A. Woman" - this is the time of night where I like to let Jim Morrison's voice wash over me and the song that makes me feel like I'm a gorgeous go-go dancer and I at least give it my best shot. No shadow box? No go-go cage? No problem. Tabletops work just fine!

And now it's the end of the night.

REM - "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - Aw, the memories! This was my first real "drinking song." My college friends and I loved drinking and singing this at the top of our lungs at parties. And you better believe we took a giant breath and belted out EVERY. SINGLE. WORD.

Mix Tape Shuffle, Drinking Songs Edition by This Belle Rocks on Grooveshark

An InLinkz Link-up

I hope you had as much fun as me with this Mix Tape Shuffle!

Coffee Chat - Confessional Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 05:55:00 +0000

I missed last week's Coffee Chat, but am so happy to be back today! And what an exciting theme for the week: Random Confession. It's good for the soul!

This is so true. I used to be the one who couldn't wait to vent and share. But believe me, I've gotten a LOT better at not sharing over the years (a few different experiences where I thought I was welcome as a friend to vent or share ended up biting me you know where, so now I am VERY selective with whom I share and what I share when I do.), but if it's among genuine friends, sharing, confessing, is indeed good for the soul!

And on that note, here's where I step up with a random (or maybe not so random) confession: I am sooooo jealous of all of you who can actually commit to, plan, start, and finish a project. ANY project! I read through the lifestyle blogs and the home and style blogs and pore over the pics of awesome DIY stuff with envy because, that, too, could be me and my blog if only my Virgo characteristics would step up and demand it of me.

Maybe one of these days I will finish the rescues I brought home to do. But now the time is nigh for getting my house ready for sale, and that is definitely going to require some hired-out help, some DIY, and all sorts of other tasks for which I am ill-prepared. At the first of the year, it seemed like spring was a million days away and that I still had plenty of time. But time has a way of getting away from us when we're not watching, and that's exactly what has happened here. Between getting sick, work, and having to do things around several different schedules here at home, I now believe it will take me every bit of time from now until the time I list to see to everything.

Well, that's just one of my MANY issues at the moment. Of course, no one has time for the entire confessional, but this was the most important one to me because it's one that has bothered me for years - yet I never really pushed myself to do any better. I am just a classic self-sabotager and it drives me up the wall!

So what are you owning up to these days? What's your random confession? Let me know in the comments! And if you want to play along, be sure to follow the link above to Time Out For Mom and add yourself to the blog hop!

Battle of the Bands and #MusicMonday for 3.1.15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 05:02:00 +0000

Howdy, folks! I'm terribly sorry to be combining posts like this again, but hopefully life levels out some and I get a bit of down time to prepare things a bit better in the next month. (No promises for this one yet-it's getting real up in here and I have to start doing things like pricing electricians, contractors and storage units, and taking care of some personal business to be sure I'm doing the right thing with this house.) So far, work and being sick seem to have sucked February right out of my life. But here's to getting better! And music...

First up is Battle of the Bands. From the BotB website:

"This is 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB') where you listen to different recordings of the same song and vote for the one you like best. Two "Battles" per month, on the 1st and 15th. Six days later (the 7th and 21st), I place my own vote, tally 'em all up and announce the winner."

The song I've chosen for the first of March is House of the Rising Sun. I always thought The Animals did the original, but according to Wikipedia, it's actually a folk song that's been around for quite some time and thusly, covered by quite a few notable artists as well as some lesser-knowns. I grew up listening to The Animals' version, and always found it eerie and creepy, but incredibly aurally delightful! (well, you do know I like the creepy things!) I will not be putting that version up for the battle, since it's the most well-known and I generally won't put the original and/or the most popular version of a song up for BotB consideration.

First up is one of two versions recroded by Louisiana native and legendary bluesman Leadbelly:

Next up is a version by alt/prog band Muse:

I'm really intersted to see where this vote goes, because the two selections couldn't be more different. And I love (and probably equally) the haunting simplicity of Leadbelly's blues version as well as the big, spacey, modern sound of Muse's cover.

The theme for this week's Monday's Music Moves Me is "Caribbean Music". I like! I think my favorite of the Caribbean music genres is definitely reggae, and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Peter Tosh/The Wailers - "Go Tell It On The Mountain"

What music moves YOU today?

Friday Favorites for 2.27.15

noreply@blogger.com (Kim @ This Belle Rocks) — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 01:07:00 +0000

This is a trio of Harkerware stoneware cups, most likely from the 40s-60s. They are adorable in cool gray with other speckled colors! These were all thrifted over the years for about fifty cents each; maybe even less. The blue one is "Blue Mist", the white one is "White Cap", and the pink one is "Shell Pink". There is another color in this particular line of dishes, a yellow one called "Golden Dawn" which I have not come across yet in any of my thrift hunts, but am on the lookout for. Yes, I have seen plenty on eBay and Etsy and the like, but I enjoy the thrill of the hunt! Plus, the hunt is much less expensive AND I don't actively collect this pattern.

Since I have a downsize and a move coming up, I have considered selling these. But honestly, I rather like their versatility. They are a bit heavier in weight than most of my dinnerware patterns, but the colors go so well together. And they make such adorable dip/sauce bowls in addition to being great for hot beverages!
Pattern identification resource: HillHousewares.com.

Favorite music for the week: Foo Fighters featuring Zac Brown - "Congregation"

What are some of your favorite things this week? Music? Product? TV Show? Book? Recipe? Blog post? Feel free to link to any of your favorite things in the comments, and I will check them out!