owl really

Big news... anyone still here?

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:18:00 +0000

Hello! Long time no talk.

A lot has happened in the past several years. We moved (thanks to being on HGTV's Listed Sisters!) and we started the biggest thing of our lives... we're adopting!

We've always known we would adopt - it has always been on our hearts. We started a little website where you can follow our adoption story - onemoremouseketeer.com. (In the past 3-4 years, our Disney obsession has kicked into major high gear!)

I just wanted to pop in and share our big news and say hello and see if anyone is still out there. :)

Vintage TV Clip: Edith Head on Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 01:31:00 +0000

Yikes! I haven't blogged in exactly one year and one day. That's really, really bad!

I'm not sure if anyone is still out there, so I'm not sure if I'll return to blogging but I wanted to share something that I found absolutely charming and delightful.

A few weeks ago, our local art museum showed Roman Holiday in honor of their Italian Style exhibit. I had actually never seen Roman Holiday and I loved it. It was so clever and funny!

Before the viewing, someone on staff at the museum gave a presentation about Italian style as it relates to Audrey Hepburn and Roman Holiday. They showed a clip of the costume designer, Edith Head, on a 1950s television show talking about working with Audrey Hepburn. Edith seems like such a character and the clip was fascinating.

I dug it up on youtube and wanted to share it here!

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Maira Kalman "Elements of Style" Exhibit at the Frist

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 11:00:00 +0000

I know I am a million years late to the game, but oh my goodness - Maira Kalman is amazing.

image source
Over the years, I had seen her illustrations online and loved them. In May, I finally put Elements of Style on my Amazon wishlist but never bought it. I went with my friend Michelle to the Frist on Sunday and was thrilled to see that there was a Maira Kalman Elements of Style exhibit!

Three bright, beautiful rooms featured her Elements of Style illustrations. (If you aren't familiar with the book, it's a book on how to write well from 1920. E.B. White updated it in 1959 and Maira Kalman's illustrations were published in 2005.)

The illustrations are incredibly clever and witty. The colors are vibrant and beautiful and the entire exhibit exudes joy. I was so inspired by it! I immediately ordered Elements of Style and bought another book she illustrated in the museum gift shop. She writes and illustrates children's books and whenever we get a kid in the future, you can bet I'll be collecting all of those!

The exhibit runs through September 1st and tonight there is a special event to discuss Maira's amazing work.

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New Comedy on USA: Playing House

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Best Friends Forever was one of my favorite shows that NBC has ever aired and sadly, they only aired 6 episodes. You can watch them still on NBC.com though - and they're definitely worth checking out!

The show starred real-life best friends Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham -- hilarious comedic actresses that you will probably recognize from various roles. (Lennon played Peggy's real estate agent on Mad Men and Jessica is the TJ Maxx spokesperson.) They are both extremely talented and I'm so excited that they have a brand new show premiering tonight on USA.

Playing House brings the friends together again as new characters - Maggie and Emma. When their lives are turned upside down, they turn to each other.

From the official website:

Childhood best friends Maggie Caruso (Lennon Parham, “Best Friends Forever”) and Emma Crawford (Jessica St. Clair, “Best Friends Forever”) have shared countless adventures growing up together in the charming town of Pinebrook, CT. Now, Maggie and Emma are in store for one of their biggest adventures—raising a baby. When Maggie discovers that her husband is having an online affair with a muscular German woman, Emma gives up her burgeoning business career in China to stay in their hometown and help Maggie raise her baby. Meanwhile, as Maggie prepares for the birth of her first child and the fallout of her marriage ending, Emma must confront the past that she abruptly left behind thirteen years ago -- her first love and local cop Mark, her prim-and-proper mother and a small town that she’s never felt comfortable in. Despite their differences – Emma is brash, bold, and assertive while Maggie is grounded, rational, and safe – the women complement each other the way only best friends can, by facing the challenges of their past, present and future--together.

Here's hoping USA gives these amazing women a chance to really thrive and succeed! I really want them to stick around on TV for a long time!

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New Music: Forlorn Strangers

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

I'm going to put on my hipster hat for just a moment because it's been so long since I've been ahead of the curve on a band - so I'm going to bask in this moment right now and tell you that I love a band that has less than 1000 listens on Spotify.

I can't really take the credit though, so my hipster cred is already out the window! I was listening to our local independent station (Lightning 100) and I instantly fell in love with the song that was on. I tried googling the lyrics and nothing came up, so I had to wait til I got home and looked up their schedule on their website. (I'm SO thankful they post what songs they played at what time so you can go back and look!)

Anyway, I saw that the band was called Forlorn Strangers. I looked them up on Spotify and then listened on repeat all night long. I looked them up on Facebook and whaddayaknow, they live in Nashville and they were Lightning 100's local artist of the week the week before I heard them. So, I definitely can't take credit for finding them - but that doesn't mean I love them any less.

If you have Spotify, you can listen to them here. If you want to check out videos (so funny that Youtube has become a go-to music-experience for me lately), you can watch some below!!

The song I fell in love with on the radio (just 4 voices, a guitar, a banjo, and some knee-slapping - do songs get better than that?):

A sorta slow, kinda forlorn song:

I feel like they can do so much with so little. Here's their song "Cleveland" - live from their living room:

I love them a lot. We never go to shows but I just might have to go see them next time they play!

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Out Now: Finding Vivian Maier

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Last weekend, I saw Finding Vivian Maier and I was delighted by it. I had been waiting since February 2013 to see this movie and it was so fantastic!

If you're not familiar with it, check out the trailer below - you will be intrigued, I promise!

If you're new to Owl Really, welcome! Please check out my favorite posts and consider subscribing! :)

Vintage Caravan Style Book Review and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

For years, it was my dream to open up shop in a vintage camper. I had dreams of finding the perfect hidden gem on Craigslist, magically having a car that could tow it, magically having all the skill in the world to rehab it, then magically opening up shop and living a bohemian-vintage-shop-owner lifestyle with not a care in the world!

Well… that was definitely a big dream! I would still love to have a camper, but now my dreams are of taking our future family on adventures. Since it's just the 2 of us and we don't have the ability to travel right now, I can dream and drool over Lisa Mora's new book Vintage Caravan Style (available May 31 on Amazon.com) and imagine a future in which we're a bohemian family on the road. (Ok, so we both love security too much to do that…but it's fun to imagine!)

Vintage Caravan Style details "buying, restoring, decorating, and styling the small spaces of your dreams." Each chapter breaks down what you need to know and do in order to make the vintage camper of your dreams come true Along with the great information, the photos are incredible and will have your 50s-and-60s-loving-heart soaring. From the opening pages, you are transported to a magical land of campers and old pick-up trucks. As you flip through this book, beautiful teal campers, vibrant red trailers, and every color in between fill the pages and your heart!

Lisa describes the historical importance of caravans as a form of travel and later in time, as a means of adventure. She captures the allure that campers have on us - the dream of a simpler life full of beauty and exploration. Along with the whimsical, Lisa gives practical tips on finding and bringing home a camper - and even includes "before" photos that will boggle your mind. I'm so in awe of people who have a vision and the know-how to turn a falling apart trailer into something beautiful and useful! She addresses specific problems and how to approach obstacles such as water damage and wheel issues.

Every page is full of amazing photos of campers - a huge assortment of caravans ranging in style - each with its own unique flavor. It's amazing to see the transformations of these vintage trailers into cozy & comfy spaces.

As the editor of Vintage Caravan Magazine, Lisa is incredibly knowledgeable about all aspects of campers - not only refurbishing, but the practical matters of taking a trip with your trailer. This book is such a great resource for anyone who wants to take on the camper lifestyle - or anyone who dreams of being a caravan'er! Even if you never imagined having a life on the road, the charming photos of vintage styling are sure to please.

See more about the book from other bloggers - click here to see the full schedule of the Vintage Caravan Style bloghop!

If you'd like to win your very own copy of Vintage Caravan Style, leave a comment on this post saying what you'd do with a vintage camper if you had one! The contest will end Monday, April 21st at noon central time. The winner will be chosen at random. Good luck!

EDIT: The contest is now closed and Rae was randomly selected (via random.org) as the winner! Congrats, Rae!

If you're new to Owl Really, welcome! Please check out my favorite posts and consider subscribing! :)

Best Gardening Book EVER

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

The title might exaggerate a little - but this is the best gardening book I've ever read.

I never had an interest in gardening outdoors, but this year I am determined to have a flower garden so I can cut flowers and bring them in to enjoy as bouquets.

But, as a total novice, I haven't been sure where to start or what to do. That's why the below book has been so revolutionary for me!

Month by Month Gardening in Tennessee and Kentucky has everything you need to know if you live and garden in one of these wonderful states. The book is divided ingeniously by types of plants - houseplants, veggies, shrubs, roses, etc and then further divided by each month. The chapters detail what you should be doing each month for your plants - from fertilizing to dividing to mulching, etc. It's super easy to understand - there's even a glossary in the back. (The first time I read a gardening book and it talked about "deadheading" but didn't explain what it was...I was so confused!)

The author is super relatable and very down-to-earth. I have a love/hate relationship with Martha because she is the queen of everything, but her gardening books go way over my head. Not so with this book - everything is explained so well.

If you don't live in KY or TN, I would recommend googling to see if a similar book exists for your area. It's so helpful to get specific advice for your zone - especially when it so clearly tells you what you should be doing based on the month!

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Songs of Heartbreak and Redemption: Jason Isbell on PBS Live at Lincoln Center Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Do you all love Jason Isbell? If you don't...you should! I mean, he's really really good and tonight PBS is showing his Live at Lincoln Center concert at 9 eastern.

Get a taste of his music below with a 15 min concert at Garden & Gun. (Speaking of G&G - this magazine keeps showing up everywhere - I feel like I need to read it but the name turns me off - but it's just so SOUTHERN and classy, I feel like I need it.)

Enjoy!

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Need to get film developed? (Plus - happy surprise!)

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

We found 20+ rolls of undeveloped film at Andy's dad's house. We had NO idea what was on them, but I knew I had to find out.

I started googling where to get film developed since you can no longer just walk into any store and get it done. (Side note: have you ever been to the Honey I Shrunk The Kids playground at Disneyworld? There's a giant roll of 35mm film and a few years ago I overheard a mom trying to explain what it was to her 4 year old. Kids are going to be increasingly confused by all our old technology!)

Anyhoo, I found a ton of places that will develop for $10 a roll - pretty steep when you have SO many to work through.

Then I found mpix.com - they offer lots of photo services but the one I'm most interested in, of course, is film development. Here's how it works:

You request mailers from them and an envelope of 3 mail-able bags show up at your house. You put one roll of film (or even a disposable camera) in each mailer and mail it back - postage is free both ways! Within 24 hours of receiving your film, they email you and let you know your photos have been scanned. You then pay 19 cents per photo to "unlock" your photos and see them.

At that point, you can browse through the gallery and order prints or you can do what we're going to do - wait til they're all scanned and order a DVD of photos.

So, I mailed my film on Friday and got an email Monday night that said my photos were ready. There were only 23 and I was disappointed that out of 3 rolls, only that many photos turned out. They were from the 90s when Andy's brother was a college cheerleader. Lots of photos of him being a boss and holding girls up!

I had been hoping for childhood photos, though, so I was a little disappointed. (No offense to Michael, I was impressed by his cheerleading photos! I just really wanted to see baby Michael and baby Andy!)

Then yesterday, I received another email- more photos were ready! WOO! I was so pleasantly surprised that more had turned out.

I was even MORE pleasantly surprised when I saw the photos were from a 1980s childhood trip to Disneyworld. This is like GOLD.

Andy holds on tight to Michael!

Andy meets Winnie the Pooh!

I was giddy all day. Vintage Disney is the best - and people you LOVE at Disney in the 80s? The absolute best.

I'm super pleased and ordered many more mailers so I can get these rolls of film developed even faster. I also was able to bring home his old Minolta SLR camera - I haven't shot on film in forever but I'd love to play around again - I took a few photography classes in high school and college and loved it.

So, one note - since the film is majorly expired - the development is off and the photos were tinted purple. My incredible friend Emily helped us out and restored these photos for us in Photoshop. She's the best and they make me super happy!

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Well..

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

I've been quiet.

There's no easy way to say it. Two months ago, we lost Andy's dad. It's still incredibly hard to believe and painful and it doesn't feel real.

I've been cocooning. I've been a hermit and I've been throwing myself into trying to create beauty around us. When things feel so hard and sad, I like the reminders that life can be beautiful.

I'm no uber-Pollyanna, but I do try to find the positives in most situations. Even in such a hard time, I try to focus on the good. We've been able to spend so much time with Andy's family and hear so many stories and go through so many old photos. I've found some favorite family photos that have really made me smile. My absolute favorite is one of Andy's dad when he was about 3 years old.

It's so joyful. I made a copy and had it printed and it's in our living room now. It makes me smile.

If you're new to Owl Really, welcome! Please check out my favorite posts and consider subscribing! :)

Movie Recommendation: Austenland

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 11:00:00 +0000

We've had a really hard month, so I've been on the lookout for things to make me smile - open windows, new plants, cute movies, and new books. I probably shouldn't be trying to fill the hole in my heart with these things, but it really does make me feel better to focus on beautiful things.

I recently rented Austenland from Redbox and watched it...then watched it again... and maybe again! I loved it. I'm a sucker for cheesy Jane Austen-y movies.

Watch the trailer:

It was adorable. Surprisingly funny and romantic. If you love Jane Austen things and cheesiness, you'll love it!

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Recipe Recommendation: Cake Mix Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 12:00:00 +0000

I wanted to bake something delicious to take to the Super Bowl party we went to, but I didn't feel like making something completely from scratch. In our cupboard, I had yellow cake mix but didn't think a cake or cupcakes would go over well - they're not easy finger food - cupcakes are too messy!

So, I googled "things to do with cake mix" and came across all kinds of cookie ideas. One in particular stood out to me - Betty Crocker's chocolate chip cookies made from a cake mix.

A box of yellow cake mix, some milk, butter, vanilla, eggs, chocolate chips, and voila - you have chocolate chip cookies. Oh - and salt. I always salt my chocolate chip cookies when they're fresh from the oven. It gives them a little something extra!

When we tasted these cookies straight out of the oven, we were both unimpressed. BUT, when I took them to the party hours later, they were delicious. I guess they needed to settle down some! Everyone raved over them and when they were gone, there were lots of sad faces.

I found that the recipe made about 4 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!!

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Online Book Shopping: Better World Books

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 03:52:00 +0000

I honestly feel completely unmotivated to take and edit photos for blogs, so I'm just going to keep sharing favorite websites with you, is that cool? I hope so!

Better World Books is THE best place to buy books online. I placed my first order with them in 2008 and I consistently turn to BWB any time I buy a book online. They sell both used and new books and the used books are sold at insanely great prices. You can often find books in the $3-$4 range and shipping is free. FREE shipping!

The only catch is that shipping does take QUITE a while, so if you're on a deadline, it's not the best option. However, if you're looking for books to leisurely arrive on your doorstep, it is the best option for online book shopping.

The coolest part? The money you pay for books goes to literacy programs around the world. They've raised over 15 million dollars for literacy programs and libraries around the world.

Love them and highly recommend them! This post is all on my own - no compensation whatsoever from BWB!

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Art Discovery: Minted.com

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 20:12:00 +0000

Last week when all the coolest bloggers were hanging out at Alt Summit, I noticed some of them posting about Minted.com on Instagram. I was super curious about the company, so I switched from phone to my laptop and looked it up. I was instantly stunned by the beauty of the designs and the range of the products! I sent the link to my friend Hilary, with whom I share all my best online finds, and we ooh'ed and ahh'ed over the designs.

Aside from art prints, Minted offers a huuuuge range of printed products like birth announcements, every kind of wedding paper product you would need (like save the dates, invitations, bridal shower invitations) stationery, journals, calendars, wrapping paper - I mean, the list goes on and on. The choices are endless - and so impressive!!

I'm extremely drawn to the art prints - I have been wanting to collect more art for our walls so I can switch out our small gallery wall above our couch and also add some more art to our dining room.

(I'm also pinning some of my favorite nursery prints for the future! They have the cutest ones and you can even customize them! A lot of the art comes in different colors AND you can add a frame for as little as $5. I know. I'm gushing, but I am in love!)

Here are some of my favorites (click the image to view them on Minted.com):

St. Paul's Cathedral in London - when I went to London in college, St. Paul's was my favorite place. I felt so at peace and so at home there. Then years later, I realized it was where the bird lady sings "Feed The Birds" in Mary Poppins. Destiny.

Speaking of Mary Poppins, I love anything umbrella related. :)

All girls love horses, right??

I want to fill our house with all peonies all the time, which isn't very realistic. BUT, I could hang this print and feel like I have a fresh bouquet year-round! And more favorites...

I love that you can order them framed. Sometimes it's so hard to find a frame and matte that work for your art - this takes all the hard work out of that!

Thanks so much to Minted.com for credit toward art! All opinions are my own - I really did fall in love with them last week before they reached out to me!

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My New Favorite Plant: Peperomia

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 00:23:00 +0000

I'm obsessed with houseplants. I love, love, love them. I have a really hard time passing them up at the store, but I've had to show some restraint lately because we have no good windows for plants except for our stairs. Have I shown you our stairs before?

Someone in the 90s finished our attic and built a staircase in front of a window. It's really strange but it makes a pretty nice perch for my plants!

When we decided not to sell our house and to stay, I committed to making our house work for us and make it more enjoyable. We've been doing some updates to our kitchen, so I decided to find a way to add plants to our kitchen window. I started reading a lot about easy houseplants and discovered one called Peperomia. I had previously ordered a plant online from Hirt's Gardens, so I decided to go on and order a Peperomia plant from them.

How cute is that??

It's going to live in an Ikea Asker planter in our kitchen window, but I haven't potted it yet - the plastic pot is just sitting inside the Asker pot right now. I'm waiting until it warms up a bit!

We've been working on a few house things that have made me so happy! I'm working on getting the kitchen all finished up and then I hope to take photos to post!

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Inside Llewyn Davis: The Gorfeins' Apartment

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 05:08:00 +0000

We finally saw Inside Llewyn Davis and I loved it.

The movie is set in 1961 and follows a week in the life of fictional folk singer Llewyn Davis, who hops from couch to couch as he struggles to pursue his career. When he has run through his rotation of Greenwich Village friends, he turns to the Gorfeins, an Upper West Side couple that takes him under their wings.

I loved them. I was also completely smitten with their apartment and wanted to share some stills of their living room and dining room. I wish there was more footage online of their house - I took these screenshots from a trailer and a clip on IMDB.

Love, love, love. The light, the french doors, the dining room furniture, the books, the records, the cute chair... love it all!

I wish I could move right in!

I recommend Inside Llewyn Davis, but my favorite movie I've seen in 2014 is Philomena. (I saw Saving Mr. Banks in 2013. :)

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Merry Christmas from a future Mrs. Claus!

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 20:20:00 +0000

This year, I discovered the song "Mrs. Santa Claus" by Nat King Cole. I love the idea of honoring Mrs. Claus in song - I think her contributions are totally overlooked! I told Andy that if we don't have careers as Clauses in 30 years, I'm going to be very disappointed!!

Enjoy the song above and merry Christmas!

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Christmastime is (almost) here!

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 20:48:00 +0000

Yikes. Haven't blogged in awhile. I closed the booth 2 weeks ago - it was surreal. I gave away most of my stock to other vendors and I kept some things to re-price for 8th & Argyle. I will close my shelves there at the end of February, so expect some more deals in January and February!

I'm leaving in 20 minutes for the airport - I am going to Sacramento for work. Closing the booth was a great choice - my role at work is changing and I will be traveling more, which is exciting - and I'll be doing events - which I love. (I mean, I day-of-coordinate weddings on the side for FUN!)

And now - a mind-dump of the past few months!

Lucy turned 2, is sweeter than ever, and is just the best little friend. Andy's role at his job is changing, too - it's so funny - our jobs have always aligned. We both got promoted around the same time right after getting married and then we both had to find new jobs around the same time and now we're both moving into new areas in our job.

We started going back to our old church - and it's been hard to not be known, or to not know anyone, but last week was great and we got to eat lunch with old friends we hadn't seen in um...a couple years. I'm sad that I'll be out of town tomorrow and won't get to go.

I made some Christmas ornaments with the help of my mom that I'm really excited to post about - but I haven't taken photos. Womp womp. Hopefully soon!

I started watching Gilmore Girls for the first time ever and devoured seasons 1 and 2. I'm taking season 3 with me on my trip and hope to get a good chunk watched on the plane and at the hotel. :)

I made a plan to get rid of 100 things from our house in December. I have a decent-sized donation pile going, but I need to kick into gear and purge some more stuff. I should write a post about it!

Really, we've just been living life and the blog has fallen in priority since I no longer have the booth to support it. I hope to have some time for creative endeavors in the new year and hope to make time to post about them.

If you have the opportunity to see A Christmas Story on stage - GO! I'm kinda over the movie, but the stage production was amazing - so funny and innovative.

In case I don't post again before Christmas, I hope you have a very merry Christmas if you celebrate. And happy new year!

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Only 10 More Days To Shop! (Everything 75% off!)

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:00:00 +0000

It's coming to an end...there are only 10 more days to shop my booth at the Tennessee Antique Mall.

It's been such a fun journey, but I'm ready to wrap it up. SO, please come shop - everything in my booth is 75% off! If you've been thinking about coming by, now is the perfect time. The flea market will be in town this weekend and the mall is just up the street from the fairgrounds..and then next Saturday is Small Business Saturday - and the day I'll be packing up.

The China hutch pictured above is for sale for just $100. It cost me $150, so you're getting a deal. It has midcentury danish-style tapered legs and lots of storage. I love it but it can't come home with me - there's no room for it!

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Making Merry in Berry Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I'm hauling all my Christmas stuff back out - this time to Making Merry in Berry Hill. I have set up twice before and I really love this event. My mom is going to come down and set up also! Come see us Saturday on Bransford Avenue, probably near Designer Renaissance.

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Belated post: 8th & Argyle grand opening

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, we celebrated the grand opening of 8th & Argyle. Most of the vendors were there and it was so great to meet everyone!

I fell in love...I spied this beautiful paint-by-number in Sabrosa Vintage's space and fell head over heels. I bought it that night and could barely set her down - she's SO pretty and reminds me of Mary Poppins!

I manage to grab a couple photos of my customers! I was so surprised to run into my new friend, Nancy. Just two nights earlier, we met at a dinner we attended for this really great women's group I joined that meets once a month to discuss creativity and leadership. She was driving by and saw all the activity happening at 8th & Argyle and decided to check it out. She loves stationery and ended up buying some from my booth.

The below customer said this pillow reminded her of her grandparents. Amen, sister!! She was so happy to purchase it!

It was a fun night and I was happy that some of my items found new homes! The shop is worth stopping by if you're in town - there are SO many great items and vendors!

If you're new to Owl Really, welcome! Please check out my favorite posts and consider subscribing! :)

75% Off at Owl Really

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone for all the kind comments on my last post, both here and on Facebook and Instagram. I love this community of vintage bloggers!

So, yup! My booth is now 75% off. The thought of packing everything up and bring it home makes me CRINGE, so I'm attempting to sell everything in one month by marking it way down.

Here are some photos! (Excuse the poor quality of the photos - I did zero editing - this is all about simplifying my life right now!)

Come get stuff!! :) Booth 85 at the Tennessee Antique Mall - 654 Wedgewood Avenue, Nashville TN.

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Antique Mall Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I started my blog in June of 2011 to document my booth at the Tennessee Antique Mall. Over the past 2.5 years, I have had my ups and downs with the booth, but the experience has been mostly positive. Unfortunately, I find myself having no time to dedicate to the booth - I don't have time to shop for it and I don't have time to swing by and keep it looking good.

Today I called and told them that November will be my last month. My priorities have shifted and keeping up a whole booth is no longer at the top of my list. Andy is impressed that one of my "phases" lasted 2.5 years. :) I am known for being obsessive and flitting from hobby to hobby. I'm a dabbler! This was a hobby that stuck for quite awhile, but honestly it's not very fun anymore - it's mostly stressful...and since it is a hobby, it should be fun!

I will still have my shelves at 8th & Argyle but when my 6 month contract is up, I will move out of there as well.

A huge chapter of my life is wrapping up and it feels so weird. I'm really excited to simplify, though - and PURGE. I feel completely overwhelmed by STUFF and I can't wait to clearance items out and move them along to their new homes.

I still want to swing by estate sales and thrift stores, but I don't feel the need to set my alarm extra early to be FIRST IN LINE. (I actually haven't done THAT in a year, probably.) I still want to buy vintage for our home, but I won't feel the need to scoop up every cool piece I see even if it's not totally my style.

I'm also looking forward to getting rid of the tons of items I've held onto to fix "someday" - that's just not going to happen! I know myself. :)

I will do one more craft fair - Making Merry in Berry Hill on Nov 9. I will take my vintage Christmas items and when the festival is over, I will stock the TN Antique Mall with those items - CHEAP!

I'm so glad I had my booth and maybe someday I'll have another one. It was a great way to stay busy, it was fun, and I got to meet a lot of great people because of it. I got to start this blog and make blog friends and be involved in this community. I will still blog - probably not as often as I used to (as you can tell by my poor posting schedule lately) - and I will still buy vintage, of course. I'll just get to do all that with less pressure and stress. It will be a leisurely hobby, not a stressful one. I'm really looking forward to that!

New-To-Me Mary Poppins Books

noreply@blogger.com (Jamie@OwlReally.com) — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I now have the reputation among all my friends (and Facebook friends!) for being a Mary Poppins fanatic...which is fine by me! I have wonderful friends who indulge my obsession by giving me Mary Poppins books!

My friend Rachel found this book in a used bookstore and picked it up for me.

I love seeing inscriptions in books!

Very fun illustration inside:

A few weeks later, my friend Nathalie brought me this book that is a mixture of drawings, cartoons, and photos from the film. It's wonderful!

I am slowly building quite a nice Mary Poppins collection! I love it so much!

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