While I Linger: Vintage Bazaar Trip

As I have previously stated, change is not something that comes easy for me....unless we are talking about decorating! I was raised as a 'military brat' and with that came several moves. Typically, a military family moves every three years or so. With it comes the opportunity to reinvent yourself and your home. You walk into a fresh new canvas for the decorating! As a 'dependent' (the military's term for family members of the soldier) you learn to make fast and strong friends... friends that stay with you in some form or another for your whole life even though they passed through for only that short period. Most times their families had there own rotations so chances are you were ships passing in the night and only got a fraction of the three years. You learned to make your new quarters "home" and you did it quickly.

While I am no longer a part of a military community I believe that it is something that never leaves you entirely. My eyes still well up when I see soldiers come home to their families- either walking, in a wheel chair, or in a flag draped coffin. Pride still swells my heart as I hear our national anthem, see fighter planes fly overhead or see the veteran carry Old Glory in our town parade. And, the urge to shake things up every couple three years or so creeps in.

While I don't move across country or across an ocean anymore I can move furniture! My husband knows the look as it crawls across my face. My eyes dart around looking at something that suddenly seems it could be better utilized as something completely different than what it was intended for. As quickly as that look crosses my face another crosses his face. I can almost hear him thinking "oh...no." And, the conversation begins. "What if we........" Notice, I say WE. Psychology- make him feel a part of it.

I love taking old things and finding new ways to use them or just giving them another chance to be enjoyed by someone else. Remember my bathroom vanity? I like when paint is chipped or the wood is discolored from old age. I like scratches, dings, and things that have come unglued. They remind me of me. No need for comments about me coming unglued!

Brimfield Antique Show is a great place to satisfy the wandering eye but this year I never got there. We were a little busy with things around the house. Ha-ha. So, this weekend we headed to the Vintage Bazaar in Salisbury, Massachusetts. I love seeing the creativity and ingenuity of other people who have a love for the unlovely. Talented men and women take old things and make them beautiful-giving them another life and purpose; kind of like what God is doing with me. (Don't ya just love it when those things come clear in your mind!)

It is New England, after all!

Glass garden flowers!

Loved her work!!!

Don't you just love all the colors!

I loved the whisk pendant light! C-L-E-V-E-R!

Mr. FixIt is a good sport. Most guys would rather have their finger nails pulled off with pliers than attend such a thing. At one point he did remark that everyone was dressed so shabby chic. I am shocked he knew what that was but his inner guy took over when he found a few things that he liked, too!

The smoker was not for sale but ya gotta love the yankee
ingenuity! An old oil tank (home heating kind) cut in two,
insert a grate and pipe that leads to an old wood stove!
Yes, he had envy written all over him!

While I walked away without buying anything for our home I did enjoy the autumn-like weather. I put my boots on for the first time this season! Spending the day bouncing ideas off Mr. and just enjoying the time together-priceless. I got to see lots of lovely things and walked away with some projects to be stored in the memory banks for another day.