tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77180869144013670572024-03-18T22:39:20.894-06:00Echo Echo - Used Furniture on Consignment in Missoula, MontanaConsignment furniture, used furniture furniture. Lamps, rugs and other second hand home furnishings. A green, sustainable and eco friendly indie business in Missoula MontanaEcho Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-16226656500867431312017-03-23T14:54:00.000-06:002017-03-23T15:46:06.272-06:00<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hey ... Whose got a passion ?</span></span></span></span> </span></h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After a LLllOooOnnNnGGgggggg, CCCOOOOLLLLDDDD winter .... </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">VerY LoNg and VeRy ColD MonTanA WinTer .. Known as the winter of 2017 ... I find myself a bit short ... no VerRY short .... on creativity, inspiration and energy. Essentially, I’m pretty happy just sitting here in the recliner watching hour after hour of Netflix and using my computer for an occasional game of solitaire. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now we’ve got Spring of 2017. Also quite LOnG and CoLd and equally uninspiring. <br /><br />Enter Facebook and an oddball post about finding your passion. It kind of caught my attention because actually, I don’t have a passion. But what the heck ... I could give it a shot. <br /><br />The article reports that a big percentage of us actually don’t have passion, but this can be overcome by experimenting on things. The idea is, make a list of things that you are curious about, start playing with them, and maybe something will stick. Then you will have a passion.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Simple enough ... Game on .... <br /><br />Here is my list:<br /><br />Get back to writing my blog ~ Thank you Hank, for the encouragement!<br />Painting on fabric with Chalkpaint - Check .... note, my flower tablecloth.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoxf-2gaqpOUmqV4ny7fEURB47A8hrfaWN4Wz3dxEPWD5k7Uo1oW1-rLmFu9PVT449sVBsHpJI_Pm_YuIROIWzreYMR5znsC_bJQIVCxlhet_fLKMxxe2gebQmnzrj56FgA3fV2h9HAn5/s1600/tablecloth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoxf-2gaqpOUmqV4ny7fEURB47A8hrfaWN4Wz3dxEPWD5k7Uo1oW1-rLmFu9PVT449sVBsHpJI_Pm_YuIROIWzreYMR5znsC_bJQIVCxlhet_fLKMxxe2gebQmnzrj56FgA3fV2h9HAn5/s320/tablecloth.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Make necklaces out of rocks and ribbons with the grandkids.<br />Lavender. I’m going to plant a few bundles on the lot and just see what happens.<br />Oh, and here’s one that actually is my passion ... It’s Echo and it’s time to get my Spring on at Echo!<br /><br />Stop by and lets see if we help each other gather some enthusiasm for a creative and inspired Spring. </span></span></span>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-86157457023180604902014-03-31T21:38:00.000-06:002014-03-31T21:38:03.610-06:00Life in a consignment furniture shop - Tip #2<br />
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Never Give Up!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Five Years! Pinch me! Today it’s been five years since I started Echo Home Furnishings. Time and time again, I’ve asked myself ... “Is this something?”. Time and time again I’ve heard the old adage “It takes five years to establish a business” and time and time again I wonder if I really found my special place.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well today I can clearly answer yes, yes and yes. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here’s a quick recap:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">year number one ....</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">{what we lacked in furniture, we made up for in hope and patience}</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">year number two ...</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">{a windfall! we acquired a house full of fantastic furniture ... and our hopes soared}</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">year number three ...</span></div>
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{we moved next door ... only six inches from our old place but we hoped it would be easier for people to find us}</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">year number four ...</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">{we sold our house to buy our shop ... hoping that downsizing was all it's cracked up to be.} </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">year number five ...</span></div>
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{the ladybugs arrived ... we hoped we could find good homes for all of them}</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">year number six ...</span></div>
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{looking toward the future and we are filled with even more hope!}</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Never give up on your dreams ... even if you're a bird dog working in a furniture shop. Things have a way of working out .... sometimes even better than expected!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To all our terrific consigners and customers ... THANK YOU!!</span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family: inherit;"></span></u><br />
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Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-30997630634370241572014-03-15T14:54:00.000-06:002014-03-15T14:56:25.416-06:00Life in a consignment furniture shop - Tip #1<br />
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old upholstery, good bones ... what to do.</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I like stuff. Especially old stuff. But when it comes to old upholstered stuff ... well, lets just say that sometimes it is good to exercise a bit of caution. All of this is a segway to introduce my latest and longest lasting furniture obsession ... vintage couches and chairs with fresh new upholstery and stuffing.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We take a piece with good solid bones and freshen it up. We add new foam,stuffing and springs to make it more comfortable, we cover it with new upholstery to make it stylish and we polish out the scratches to make it shine. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here are a few shots of our pieces before and after their makeover.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3jzsC23hyphenhyphenCn8snc7ahZMXTmLUf_YTih0ey-EydsPbLqqtxf2kf_dhvFYHybMqkRFyqv64C8j3HImFiYx5RSLFFFb30uSSIXsO26hz3KcH63p52XxgDHdY64xI9HOHuVad9-u84xYhmfA/s1600/Chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3jzsC23hyphenhyphenCn8snc7ahZMXTmLUf_YTih0ey-EydsPbLqqtxf2kf_dhvFYHybMqkRFyqv64C8j3HImFiYx5RSLFFFb30uSSIXsO26hz3KcH63p52XxgDHdY64xI9HOHuVad9-u84xYhmfA/s1600/Chair.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our Better than new furniture line. A collaboration between Echo Home Furnishings and Great Falls Upholstery.</span></div>
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Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-66025624637175904032014-02-13T16:31:00.001-07:002014-02-14T10:34:24.503-07:00Back in the saddle again!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Testing, testing .... one, two, three ...</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I know, I’ve been blog free for about a year now, but as I look around I have some pretty cool stuff to show so welcome back to my life in a consignment furniture shop!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">For starters, here are some clever hand made in Montana items passing through my store.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Colorful Beaded Bracelets by Little Song</span><br />
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Hand Made Tea Towels by Claire's Cottage<br />
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Some Clever, Whimsical Mosaics by Lois Warner<br />
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... and finally ... by Weathered Works</div>
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Letters ... that spell L O V E!</div>
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Happy Valentines Day Everyone!</div>
Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-3469755408831747432013-06-21T11:42:00.001-06:002013-06-21T11:42:07.059-06:00Oh Fork!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Oh Fork ! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Oops ... excuse me. I’m just obsessing over my new obsession ... vintage silverware. It started with a complete set in a fetching box that jumped into my cart when I was shopping in Helena. Thus began the hunt! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My thinking is to start collecting single pieces of different patterns, then mix and match them up to the point where they can all co-exist on a table. Easier said than done. It appears there IS a science to creating multi-pattern sets that complement each other. I am narrowing the field to florals and needlepoints to see if they can mind their table manners, then I will add new patterns one by one. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Anyway ... if you have any strays that sprouted in your silverware drawer ... consider adding to my cause!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Lets hope for a warm and natural Summer Solstice - and a delicious Strawberry Moon.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-24466669510813971942013-04-26T10:46:00.000-06:002013-04-26T10:46:09.186-06:00Boxes for all occasions!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it just me ... or does everyone think boxes are fun? Not just fun ... necessary. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I mean ... boxes, canisters, trunks ... what could be a more perfect member of the furniture family when it comes to style and functionality. Here are five ways to put these simple pieces to work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Use big boxes AS furniture. Coffee tables, end tables, benches and chairs. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the bathroom - open top crates and tins are perfect for storing and organizing bottles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hang vintage glass front medicine cabinets (essentially they are boxes too) on the wall and display pretty things inside. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One lady bought a box for a seven year old boy who was making a transition to come live with them. He needed a special place to put his treasures. She welcomed him with a box!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And as for me .... when my son moved into his own apartment, I carefully selected a favorite box from my shop. I placed a little heart rock inside and inconspicuously planted the box on a shelf in his apartment. Now I feel like there is a little piece of me hiding in the corner watching over him, while he feels that he has a cool place to hide his, ummm ... well ... let’s just leave it at that. We all win!</span></span></div>
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Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-61071106280285380332013-01-04T11:15:00.002-07:002013-01-04T11:15:30.098-07:00Fresh New Year ... Fresh New Ideas!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Welcome to our fresh, new year!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I love this time of year .... </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Out with the old, stale, un-met goals, in with the new opportunities! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Out with the old crispy, crunchy christmas trees and cookies, in with the hope of a new found love of vegetables!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In with new colors, inspirations and of course ... new ideas! I’ve got a few enterprising new ideas of my own that I’m going to be experimenting with this year. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For starters, during the month of January, I am going to abbreviate my hours. I’ll be open the usual 10:00 - 5:00 but my days will be Thursday through Saturday. It takes time to find interesting stuff for all my discriminating shoppers, so I am going hunting!! Four days a week ... nothing but furniture hunting. No good times will be had by all (or any) this is work ... I promise!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Also, I’m working on a new concept to bring into my shop which will take some good solid thinking time, so stay tuned, and when I get all the bugs worked out, be ready to be dazzled!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Until then, create a little room in your life for the hope and joy our new year promises to bring! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">By the way ... I just brought in four truck loads of lovable new - old stuff to help you ring in your 2013. </span>Here is a shot of my shop as all the new pieces are being welcomed and acclimated to their new environment!</div>
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Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-62461724380440943802012-06-29T10:46:00.001-06:002012-06-29T10:48:57.918-06:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">~ ~ ~ ! ! ! S * O * L * D ! ! ! ~ ~ ~ ~</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">For two and a half years, I've been waiting for those four little letters to appear in front of my house. Three realtors, 104 house cleanings, and 912.5 days of living in the shadow of a possible showing later ... in rode Curtis Semenza from Prudential Montana on his white horse. He single handedly save me from real estate hell. Curtis didn't really ride a white horse, but he might as well have.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">At this point, I thought I had the super ugliest, most undesirable, un-sellable two bedroom home in the world. My house, I’m sure, was feeling the same frustration. Curtis must have sensed this to be the case so he started by administering the tough love treatment to mend our house/owner relationship. I protested, but Curtis ordered that every corner of my home be touched, cleaned, reconditioned, spiffed, fluffed and shined. When I thought it was good enough, he inspected ... and we did it again. Just a little bit more polish was added until finally, Curtis was convinced that my house was the shiniest penny in state. I believed it too! It was beautiful, and I loved my house again.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I moved out (just so it stayed all nice and spiffy), and Curtis worked his magic. Well, once again, it wasn’t really magic, but rather it was Curtis’s professional, attentive and committed approach to his job that actually sold my house. Curtis believes that Real Estate is still a business best done face to face and his results are proof. Within three weeks, I had two offers - both above asking price. He found my house a real owner.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Don’t worry, this is a GREAT thing for Echo Home Furnishings and I’m not going anywhere ... ever ..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">but lets just leave this Friday note to say --- in this age of foreclosures, investors, renters, short sales, virtual tours and all the harshities of home sales -- we still need real people to sell our homes, buy our homes, cherish our homes and build our neighborhoods. I am so, so happy that I took the time to find and work with Curtis and that he found my house a new owner who will live in it, love it and care for it just as much as I have.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><br />
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AND ... It goes without saying, the same principles apply to furniture, but of course!!</div>
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<br /></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-69951432301523300082012-03-16T11:28:00.000-06:002012-03-16T11:28:57.530-06:00Top o’ the mornin’ to ya!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">And here we go ... rolling into another St. Patty’s Day. A bright green spot in the otherwise zillion day, gray month of March.<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My heritage is a blend of many things - not Irish. Regardless, I will probably drink a green beer and tip a cup to Tommy the Leprechaun. Remember him?</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In the early 80’s when I was in college I had a job working the box office for summer theater in Caras Park. Sometimes, a guy wearing green tights, a dirty green smock, pointy shoes and a makeshift top hat would dance through our turf. When I saw him coming, I would duck and hide. I figured that anyone wearing that kind of getup was probably up to no good. Besides, a smart, sporty, sophisticated college girl like me really had no business messing around with leprechauns.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Well, as it turns out ... no good was not a part of Tommy’s agenda. Oh what I would give to have just one more encounter with him. It seems that Tommy the Leprechaun was the guy with all the wishes and his deal was to grant a wish and a song to anyone who might need it on any particular day. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Today --- I ran across his Facebook page .... </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #000099; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/AKA.Tommy.The.Leprechaun">http://www.facebook.com/AKA.Tommy.The.Leprechaun</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Scroll down a bit and you will find his business card. There you go .... my gift to you this St. Pattys day .... an authentic wish from an authentic Leprechaun. Please only take one and enjoy the magic of one of Missoula's long lost characters. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Happy St. Patty’s weekend everyone!</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Jennifer and Duncan - Echo echo - Home Furnishings Worth Repeating</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK1OH0cMcckjp2KGN0hFXJd-Np7RqvMr6kfEUq7rg_mlH4nppFFxpdHaVPHf7_-XzO2ycg82Yktxq8uV7H5N-VJT1yYj3kN40stt_BQyrpwPL42h91E_Yxm3IGhwWqr6aooWRJvAdIqM7/s1600/P2010033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK1OH0cMcckjp2KGN0hFXJd-Np7RqvMr6kfEUq7rg_mlH4nppFFxpdHaVPHf7_-XzO2ycg82Yktxq8uV7H5N-VJT1yYj3kN40stt_BQyrpwPL42h91E_Yxm3IGhwWqr6aooWRJvAdIqM7/s320/P2010033.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Also --- 10% off all the green stuff in my shop on March 17th.</span></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-55829252297782493762012-02-17T12:17:00.002-07:002012-02-17T12:17:59.320-07:00Pinterest Interest!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">What’s with all this interest in Pintrest??</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">You know, Pintrest ... the new princess of social media.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">It’s kind of like sitting with your imaginary friend, looking through magazines and saying “look, I like this ... I like that ... let's tear out this idea and put it on our bulletin board for all our friends to see!” Then all your friends see it and say ... I “Like” it too, and they take it off your bulletin board and put it on theirs!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">What a great concept for a idea junkie girl like me!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I first heard about it from a couple of friends and customers ... then I found out that for this exclusive club, I needed an invite. I put on my nicest party dress, tried to act all designer / blogger - ish when I went to the “ask to be invited” button .... and then I waited. Okay ... I’ll admit ... while I was biding my time ... I kind of peeked at the site and even tip toed around a couple of peoples boards ... but I was very quiet and just watched nicely until I received my invitation to join .</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Finally, the e-mail came through that I was accepted! I got all signed up, got my bulletin boards all ready... then I FROZE. Can’t think of even one thing to pin to my bulletin boards. I mean ... the boards are out there in full sight for everyone to see and comment and critique and share. There sits mine ... at a loss for anything clever. Go look .... see for yourself </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/echohome/" target="_blank">http://pinterest.com/echohome/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Duncan thinks we should just go back to the old fashioned way of idea hunting, where we sit on the couch, I peruse and he sleeps ... but ... progress happens! Meanwhile ... it's Friday ... go sneak a peek at Pintrest for yourself! It's fun ... AND it will be just fine with your boss ...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
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</span>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-8401825660048076852012-01-28T12:03:00.000-07:002012-01-28T12:03:10.913-07:00Ma'am Caves!!<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When Duncan and I are in a pickle and all booked up with “other” obligations, we sometimes call in the third string and Dad takes a shift or two at the shop. His brand of customer service is to report the news, the facts, to know basic information and most importantly, to know who to call for what. With decisions regarding design, decorating, color, texture and “Does this go with that?” ... he is mostly non- committal and you’re pretty much on your own.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That’s why I was fairly non-plussed when he decided to get in on the action and be the first to announce the new thing in decorating. He had just reviewed the 2012 Old Farmers Almanac and learned that “women caves” are trending! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">While I gave Dad a dose of his own medicine and acted non-committal and uninterested .... I quickly ran to my trusty Mac to check out the facts. Indeed, we have a “Ma’am Cave Revolution” on our hands!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The idea (while still in it’s infancy) seems to be ... Take a room, any room ... make it bold, make it beautiful, make it fun, make it fancy and make it yours. Your special place where you are in charge ... where you don’t ask permission, you don’t seek advise or approval, and you don’t have to share or compromise on anything! Decorate it however you want ... as long as you follow your heart! Here is a fun site to check out and get a feel for how these woman cave deals work ... http://laurieraphaeldesign.com/2010/11/enter-the-woman-cave/</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is my contribution to this fun new trend ..... a 10% discount off of this leopard skin occasional desk (which clearly belongs in a ma’am cave) to the first woman who plunks down the money and says that she read it here first! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Also --- my contribution to the trend ... If you come into my shop and say “I have to ask my husband” .... you WILL be DINGED! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Oh and one more thing --- if you need a fun lamp - they are still 10% off! Every last one of them. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Happy “Cave Fever” ladies!!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdyyVRTeiuLetIdqEAkfo8cYT-yfF2RhxbP2KG1GxaiDgQ-uCPKM_q_JwKT1EP0D6Eb4XJhb-97Swg5ofAy6Pm5NGOTOfW5FgWpVw_KcMkX1HrjIuiBbkxykNY8qvSXj5CA1hmCaHRYLz/s1600/PC130022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdyyVRTeiuLetIdqEAkfo8cYT-yfF2RhxbP2KG1GxaiDgQ-uCPKM_q_JwKT1EP0D6Eb4XJhb-97Swg5ofAy6Pm5NGOTOfW5FgWpVw_KcMkX1HrjIuiBbkxykNY8qvSXj5CA1hmCaHRYLz/s320/PC130022.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-36359747873505304172011-12-23T11:32:00.000-07:002011-12-23T11:32:49.849-07:00Bird Dogs, Birds and Mom's incredible Christmas Tree!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I know ... it sounds like another scrambled Friday note - but hold on, in just a second it will all make sense.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Bird Dogs --- Mine --- (he is really more of a furniture dog, but his breed is a bird dog - so we’ll go with that). He turned four on Winter Solstice! Happy Birthday Duncan, my friend!</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Birds -- My grandmother passed over in September. One of Grandma's passions (aside from second hand stores), was birds. It is kind of weird, but lately, birds have been appearing in my family’s life in every way shape and form. Bird cages, a whole city worth of bird houses, and two little cut out birds recently appeared mysteriously in my shop. Dad’s six chickens started laying beautiful green eggs (five of them so far), and Mom’s bird theme Christmas tree is more lovely than ever this year.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The tree is kind of a collaborative effort.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Dad, being an ex- Forest Ranger has the job of securing the proper United States Forest Service permits and licenses, then journeying forth into the woods to choose the perfect tree configuration - one for real and remnants for back up. Not too many limbs, not too few. Not too young, not too old, about 1.75” in circumference and roughly 5.2 feet tall. Needles must be securely attached, a little bit soft, but held together on a strong steadfast branch. While Mom always orders - “Just pick up a Charlie Brown tree” .. we all know better. Tree selection is a science and lucky for Mom, she has a credentialed, permitted scientist on the job!</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Once in her possession ... the magic begins. An odd collection of ribbons, bells, lavender, wheat, grass and cat tails, puppets, bird cages, eggs, balls, lights and of course ... millions of birds ... all sit on the floor next to the tree ready to find their place. To the inexperienced onlooker, it might appear that mom is preparing to build a bird refuge. Hours ... Hours ... Hours ... of ribbon flying, lights blinking, bird, egg and grass ornaments perching here and there .... and finally ... the masterpiece is unveiled.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;">I am proud to present .... Mom’s magnificent “bird tree” ... inspired this year by grandma, (I think), Merry Christmas little birdies!</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
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</div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-10938851442334403452011-11-11T11:20:00.000-07:002011-11-11T11:20:35.497-07:00Bits and Pieces and Random Updates<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Okay, okay, okay .... NOW!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">NOW we can start to make our lists and begin to start thinking about the holidays ...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Duncan and I decided that this years “biggest shopping day of the year” drawing give away is going to be a lamp! Surprise!!! We’ve been working to customize this one, but it still needs a little something. We keep applying coats and coats of red paint, and eventually it will look just great!</span></span><br />
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Our “40% off small stuff to make room for fall stuff” sale continues - but it can’t go on forever. Fall is almost over - so technically, it is our Fall vendibles that should be wrapping up to make room for holiday fashion. Regardless, hurry in and look over our sale room. At very least, you are bound to find a special stocking stuffer, a great white elephant gift or that little pick me up for yourself.<br />
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We are shaking, moving and pushing stuff around in preparation for a new “pretty big” shipment of really cool stuff due in sometime this month. We’re not sure when, but we are ready!!<br />
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And finally, this year we acquired three artificial Christmas trees in our consignment line so we're busy trying to figure out how to decorate three trees using nothing but items from our 40% off room! Wow!<br />
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Happy Friday Everyone!<br />
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P.S. You may not have noticed, but for the past several months, our model Duncan has been out of commission. This summer, he sat on a bee during one of his shoots, filed a big workmans’ comp claim and sat it out for a few months ... but now he’s back! FINALLY! Great to have you back Duncan!</span></div><div><br />
</div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-75297639561160030902011-09-24T12:46:00.000-06:002011-09-24T12:46:02.575-06:00Grandma Esther<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Last weekend was the debut of the Prairie Sisters Vintage Party and everyone who went reported that it was a smashing good time. I’m guessing that it was the memories of the simplicity of our past and of all our charming Grandmas that helped inspire such a sweet event. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Also, last weekend my Grandma Esther passed over at the age of 95. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As is our family tradition, tomorrow we will plant a tree and we will memorialize Grandma Esther. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I will remember her for her strength and her drive and her resourcefulness. For being stylish with fashionable hats beyond her time. For being smart and determined and for leading the way as a business woman when she was handed the responsibility of a day care in the mid 40’s. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I will remember the spritz - spritz - spritz of her perfume bottle and suddenly, the whole room was engulfed with the smell of a powdery rose garden as she sat at her vanity applying the finishing touches in her morning ritual. Her light blue hair was perfect (well kind of), and now we were off to the garage sales, thrift stores and the Five and Dime. A typical Saturday morning in Lincoln, Nebraska with Grandma.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I will remember her fondness for ice cream, her care taking of birds and her indulgence in afternoon beauty baths. A fresh day dress, the evening paper on the porch swing and always time for neighbors. For decorating her oak tree with seasonal plastic ornaments back when plastic was novel. And oh yes, the candy dish was always full. For keeping a tidy house and raising respectful children. For drinking grandpa’s home-made beer and letting him use her washing machine to make it. For agreeing with me that passing second grade math and learning my multiplication tables was the hardest thing I would ever have to do and for inspiring me to use those second grade math skills to start my own consignment furniture shop. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As my mother wrote in her anthology of Apple Street Stories regarding Grandma’s day care when a stranger entrusted her with his child for a month .... </span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">"On a humid April day the bearish looking stranger came back. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Mother pushed the door open wide this time.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">"Come in."</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">A crowd of mild mustached youngsters stared as hands gestured. The stranger nodded his head; Mother shook hers. No money exchanged pockets. Trust and benevolence prevailed between my mother and a total stranger in his new world.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Charity began at home, we learned, and we watched it spread way way past our Apple Street boundaries."</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsrr5Qu8qlSaxkiIz5crWU9sfIek7_V8Rhpw9KGSZElFzFxX0CvztMv_rmMt33PajRnNSrT6M29VPXDpWqKmP7P1rUjG7PRlTmIsraTzupvrIBdtuiYiPNl15fUPgFjwo9dZeK-zrtoYT/s1600/P8120021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsrr5Qu8qlSaxkiIz5crWU9sfIek7_V8Rhpw9KGSZElFzFxX0CvztMv_rmMt33PajRnNSrT6M29VPXDpWqKmP7P1rUjG7PRlTmIsraTzupvrIBdtuiYiPNl15fUPgFjwo9dZeK-zrtoYT/s320/P8120021.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This was my Grandmas super special "Tweety" phone .... now, I keep it in my shop ... just in case!</span></div></span></span></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-20871971246120275032011-07-29T10:24:00.000-06:002011-07-29T10:24:30.003-06:00CONTEST TIME!<blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;" type="cite"><div style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; word-wrap: break-word;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></span></div></div></blockquote><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Happy Friday!</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m still here! ... But like everyone else, I’ve been busy running around just trying to keep up with summer. One of my super summer fun things to do is garage sale-ing, and while I was out I had an idea for another super summer fun thing I love to do ... contest participation!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m going to combine my two fun summer things and starting on Tuesday August 2nd, I'm running a first annual “GARAGE SALE FIND OF THE YEAR” contest.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So how do you enter and join in all this fun? ... It's easy. Just follow these four steps!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> 1. E-mail me a photo of your BEST garage sale find from THIS year. <a href="mailto:Jennifer@echoechomt.com"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Jennifer@echoechomt.com</span></a></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">2. “Like” me on my Facebook page - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/missoulausedfurniture">http://www.facebook.com/missoulausedfurniture</a></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">3. Every day next week (Tuesday through Saturday) - or whenever the photo’s start rolling in ... I will post your photos on Facebook and it is up to the fans to like or comment on the posted entry. </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">4. On Tuesday, August 9th we'll tally all the likes and announce the winner.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The winner will receive a FABULOUS prize. We haven’t really decided what that prize will be yet but Duncan is coming up with really good ideas every day.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>GOOD LUCK!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Here it is in all it's glory -- a sneak peek at my entry for the "GARAGE SALE FIND OF THE YEAR" contest. And before anyone asks ... no ... this is not the fabulous prize. My mom already took it!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF3VhzYE_fTMBwrrnWpTh5Pfq5UW6KNT82Ms6pTw9Pb4y3mvfT9Q5UNdFaOf33W0qjzy8PIu9vlywHtYdxE2GBzQo-R_7xr-VmMSSbnQ3iKyJ6Vwfr87YiY84f-45z5DCiQ3H1rOfq4aK/s1600/2011-07-16_09-57-55_698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF3VhzYE_fTMBwrrnWpTh5Pfq5UW6KNT82Ms6pTw9Pb4y3mvfT9Q5UNdFaOf33W0qjzy8PIu9vlywHtYdxE2GBzQo-R_7xr-VmMSSbnQ3iKyJ6Vwfr87YiY84f-45z5DCiQ3H1rOfq4aK/s320/2011-07-16_09-57-55_698.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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</span></span></div></span></div></div></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-55093210515506652402011-07-07T11:59:00.000-06:002011-07-07T11:59:27.535-06:00Mid Centure Birthday<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This week it happens ... like it or not, here it comes ... can’t stop it now, it’s here, it’s a done deal and it’s coming at me like a run-away train.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What? What? What?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well ... I’ll tell you once and then we’ll let it go.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This week --- I turn “Mid-Century” ... like a lot of my furniture.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">There. Confession made. Nothing more needs to be said.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Except ... just one thing. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To help me swallow my mid century pill, I found a new friend. This Heywood - Wakefield Mid- Century Modern Rotating Coffee Table jumped in my car while I was in Helena so I took her home. At first glance she appears a little rough around the edges. Scratches here and there resulting from a party or two, a crayon mark on her bottom from when she babysat some naughty kids, her rotator has been over-worked and is a bit slow and her finish is dull.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">She reminds me of someone ... </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For a split second, I considered giving her a facelift and selling her in my shop, but once I got her home, I decided that I liked her just the way she is. Her classic lines are still beautiful and somehow, at this age her flaws suggest character rather than something that needs to be hidden and fixed. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So .. lets tip a glass to mid-century and scratches and flaws and less than perfect hips and me and my new coffee table .... just the way we are!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Journey forward Jennifer Pinto and Heywood Wakefield Mid-Century Modern Rotating Coffee Table. The next 50 years awaits you!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDmh4W2T6F6-mMxPClHxORfsD8FUTh6M_3M196YzBLcI4Gj0dslGK0bLakqfrcBz_zLqOXj2Z9Lo8wK6ycu-TUzQnrtQeYfJbkAEmq0BTDwhd7_dg3eDlxSvyk5JYwz8R8sun4BJkOfen/s1600/P5220018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDmh4W2T6F6-mMxPClHxORfsD8FUTh6M_3M196YzBLcI4Gj0dslGK0bLakqfrcBz_zLqOXj2Z9Lo8wK6ycu-TUzQnrtQeYfJbkAEmq0BTDwhd7_dg3eDlxSvyk5JYwz8R8sun4BJkOfen/s320/P5220018.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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</span></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-36304289696640450432011-06-09T15:05:00.000-06:002011-06-09T15:05:37.781-06:00Gifts!<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">June is just around the corner and I don’t know why, but June makes me think of gifts. So many birthdays, Fathers Day, Flag Day and Weddings on the docket ... it seems like a good time to put some thought into gift giving.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Unlike Christmas, special occasions like birthdays give us an opportunity that the hustle and bustle of the winter holiday does not. It allows us the luxury of time to individually consider the recipient and ponder their perfect gift. Sometimes a special card or bottle of wine is a superb choice, but then there are times when the gift must come from the heart. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A friend of mine forwarded me an article full of tips from Phoebe Cates (you may remember her from the old 80’s TV program, “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”). Apparently, after she retired from Tinseltown, she opened a little gift shop in New York City and has become well known for her ability to select that just right terrific gift for all kinds of people.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here are some of the highlights from the article along with my own interpretation and side notes!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Phoebe: </b> “Gifts should be given out of a genuine desire to bring happiness and benefit the recipient ... - Don't push your own agenda - but focus on their habits and what is important in their life”.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>My Interpretation: </b> What do you think of when you think of your person. What do they like, what do they do and what would add a little sparkle to their day.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Phoebe: </b> “Be Practical. Many people think gifts need to be luxurious and extravagant. Cates said practical gifts did just as well sometimes.”</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>My Interpretation: </b>Don’t think you ALWAYS have to give the PERFECT gift. That’s a lot of pressure. If you are just stumped about what to give, consider<b> </b>something that is simply useful. When I’m in that situation, I like to give lamps! They brighten up my persons day every single time!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Phoebe:</b> “Unique gifts can be found if people think creatively about where they shop ... “You’d be surprised how inspired you’ll be when you go into a different store than the one you normally go to for gifts.” </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> <b>My Interpretation:</b> Sometimes a shiny new expensive gift isn’t the answer. An “experienced” gift, whether it be from your own collection or a one of a kind little something that you found in the shop around the corner, (in other words ... a shop called Echo Home Furnishings) can be fresh and fun and meaningful. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is a little gift for you, my friend Laura ... Happy Birthday!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoK9eUNONCbNT8KdLK22983OGbF6jeqJobVcgAgbkByRRONBZ7HsQvTgunleE_yLQo_RSOgBIAdgsBHPpcECyt1yI3VO2c7tsVJchnEzZcqrvKsX4_adCoZ8RB8f7-9auDc6ZJSsvSDApD/s1600/P4240026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoK9eUNONCbNT8KdLK22983OGbF6jeqJobVcgAgbkByRRONBZ7HsQvTgunleE_yLQo_RSOgBIAdgsBHPpcECyt1yI3VO2c7tsVJchnEzZcqrvKsX4_adCoZ8RB8f7-9auDc6ZJSsvSDApD/s400/P4240026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
</span></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-89333593219188389172011-05-26T10:46:00.000-06:002011-05-26T10:46:37.850-06:00CHANGE! MORPH! PAINT! ... IT’S SPRING!<div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">For those of you who have recently buzzed through my shop ... you may have noticed the messy “workshop” I’ve carved out for myself. Right now, it kind of resembles cluttered and congested bric-a-brac gone wild. But, in my mind, this space is a new division of Echo called The Paint and Lamp Making Center.</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">That’s right! When Spring finally made it’s way to our corner of the planet, it worked like a decongestant in my brain and out rushed a plethora of new ideas. This time ... my creative juices told me to paint ... so paint it is! Some items that come through the “back door” may be subject to a little sanding, a little more scrutiny regarding their color and perhaps, a fresh coat of paint and/or a new lampshade. (Let this be a warning -- wear good colors and a nice lampshade when you visit Echo!)<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Don’t worry --- I still specialize in selling fine quality second hand home embellishments as I always have. It’s just that now, some pieces may be morphed into an even brighter version of their former selves! So ... swing by Echo, and if you should happen to find a little something that could use a custom paint job, my custom paint and lamp shade division is ready, willing, able, up and running and at your service!</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiY1wjW5DqyRTPGoT8X7h6gCLIUNwLaIvB6jj2ciAamR_qJ8p0ZNaYqoPMPckegmo9b7cq_NzPwqqjNK1ZFJtUO2NZRu9di4cRc1VhRQmtfULLOHh8EjGqqeaJ5gvsqW-uelA-S9piWAc/s1600/P4100021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiY1wjW5DqyRTPGoT8X7h6gCLIUNwLaIvB6jj2ciAamR_qJ8p0ZNaYqoPMPckegmo9b7cq_NzPwqqjNK1ZFJtUO2NZRu9di4cRc1VhRQmtfULLOHh8EjGqqeaJ5gvsqW-uelA-S9piWAc/s320/P4100021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-58159687434901879992011-04-28T15:01:00.001-06:002011-04-28T15:03:34.685-06:00Royal Wedding Gift Ideas at Ec<div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“Look look Duncan, ... someone’s coming!”</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“Is that a Royal Coach I see, circling the North Reserve Business Center searching for Echo Home Furnishings?” Duncan assumes his usual “someone’s coming position” ... curiously peeking out from the corner of my sales desk.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">But of course, Kate and William sent their people with their official Royal Wedding Gift Registry list. I know, I know ... it seems odd to me too, that of all places they would choose my little shop for their Montana Wedding headquarters - but I guess that even Royalty is growing to appreciate the trendy, eclectic decorating style that second hand furniture offers. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here are a sampling of items they chose.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This chicken cutting board came all the way from their Dad, Prince Charles’s gift shop over in Highgrove. I don’t know if it is for sentimental reasons or if they ran out of them in their own shop - but they want it back.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpHw7CqK4sPKQURH9GKNDrXjqBAp_qoS9bSIeDwwLaLDeoa413A_VTmIhQf_2U-1xEAKvksH15t4-KPCc1T7InG9LNXkvAiz4dAj1RUTjGgOtbTQc1jpWuWC0AjnNBgCjqo-Gici1CFcw/s1600/P3190017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpHw7CqK4sPKQURH9GKNDrXjqBAp_qoS9bSIeDwwLaLDeoa413A_VTmIhQf_2U-1xEAKvksH15t4-KPCc1T7InG9LNXkvAiz4dAj1RUTjGgOtbTQc1jpWuWC0AjnNBgCjqo-Gici1CFcw/s200/P3190017.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">The glass cookie jar wedding cake. Well ... I’ve offered and offered to all you brides out there, but now it’s on Kate’s wish list, need I say more? ... Except, I think our English Springer model is looking for an invite!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLmC-nqS2KE3YlhpAjG28fyAMyKgpydGn7S2N0L43qn4ZmKA_73BgwoHGKRy46NAqm8Oxk1KNEs8lbjxl70g-bzz4f94i4QA3MAEmIDcjCAb3lTo778P8xzZMIYiK0Z1fti-MbOpxB5qM/s1600/P7010024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLmC-nqS2KE3YlhpAjG28fyAMyKgpydGn7S2N0L43qn4ZmKA_73BgwoHGKRy46NAqm8Oxk1KNEs8lbjxl70g-bzz4f94i4QA3MAEmIDcjCAb3lTo778P8xzZMIYiK0Z1fti-MbOpxB5qM/s200/P7010024.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Every well appointed palace needs a little bit of rustic, so they chose one of our barbed wire “Heartware” hearts to place near the moat of their new digs. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">Of course I've decided to give them one of my handmade lamp shades, so the lighting department is already taken care of, but there’s still a little bit of time (April 29th is the big day) and plenty of gifts left on their list. So, swing by and let Duncan and I give you a hand. Also, this week only, I am offering free gift wrap and shipping (by ship) for the Royal occasion.</div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The only remaining question .... Who in the world plans their wedding on a Friday ??? Hummmmm.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Happy Royal Wedding Week!</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-18669626275680091222011-04-08T13:13:00.000-06:002011-04-08T13:13:14.848-06:00My Latest New Hobby<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<blockquote style="font-size: medium;" type="cite"><div style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; word-wrap: break-word;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: x-small;">Lamps, Lamps, Lamps!</span></div></span></div></div></blockquote><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I think I may have mentioned my weakness for lamps in past Friday notes. I’ve never met a lamp I didn’t like, and there is not a homeless lamp in the county that isn’t welcome in my shop.</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Our grey skies have made me crave a little fun, a little fancy, a lot of color, and a tad bit of whimsey, so I’ve taken my affection for lamps to a whole new level and added lamp SHADES to my repertoire! I am learning to re-cover lamp shades and it seems that dotting a few of these little critters throughout my shop has brightened up the corners! I have a new hobby and I love it!</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">All I needed was an investor in my lamp department, a hot line to a journeyman electrician, unlimited access to dads wood shop (screws, bolts, drills, etc for the finials), unlimited access to moms quilt room (for obvious reasons), a good Dr. (for when I have glue accidents) and off I went, into the world of manufacturing new lamp shades to dress up my old lamps. </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">It seems to me that lamps are making great strides in the interior design industry. In many circles they are the definition of functional art! An uncommon lamp cheerfully announces the flavor of a room and it does so with a relatively small price tag and level of commitment. Unlike the stars in the furniture world, a lamp can be changed in and out to match the times, the season and your decor. </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">When I have an old (yet stylish) base, a tired shade and bunches of fresh colorful fabric, I can’t help but want to measure, cut, glue, trim, and finally, pull together an eye catching conversation piece. In my own little way, I feel like I’m a contributer in the world of home decorating. My lamps are vintage, they are green and most of all, they’re unique and interesting!</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">If you want to join this fashionable journey into the twinkling world of refurbished lamps, well, you know where to find me!</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1y_yL0zQTOF7KwFpkUlGp2HYeDDp1j8mOpZNerow_8HtkwNGZo07k-QHg4Dqv4ZatT7_ZGzqihnqAgdYLtWTYhNQrnUFH13b34MntYskcC7CuBvubymmQ_o0lOP6bnX4VV7NHC1iiG_Oi/s1600/P3050020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1y_yL0zQTOF7KwFpkUlGp2HYeDDp1j8mOpZNerow_8HtkwNGZo07k-QHg4Dqv4ZatT7_ZGzqihnqAgdYLtWTYhNQrnUFH13b34MntYskcC7CuBvubymmQ_o0lOP6bnX4VV7NHC1iiG_Oi/s200/P3050020.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pieces and parts - waiting to become something special!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aqUEAuwL4mSnCrvojwGhxE6G4fdgGpEsva52OuP4VxyEPbltZfHtnVfIXD1GLb3dX9qnd0ZXyU4xxX0fmZ2UexrjRwzNbVz8b5u2Z2uIpAdM3gzcAep7YjXmAUYQa1T7D9EAVsYCSYd_/s1600/P3050034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aqUEAuwL4mSnCrvojwGhxE6G4fdgGpEsva52OuP4VxyEPbltZfHtnVfIXD1GLb3dX9qnd0ZXyU4xxX0fmZ2UexrjRwzNbVz8b5u2Z2uIpAdM3gzcAep7YjXmAUYQa1T7D9EAVsYCSYd_/s200/P3050034.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pieces and parts that became something special!</td></tr>
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</span></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-48550201398805470312011-03-25T13:15:00.000-06:002011-03-25T13:15:53.017-06:00Transition<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">It's Friday!!</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As you might recall, in my last Friday Note we explored some clever, alternative cleaning options. I promised that this week, we would recruit my overachieving cousin Megan for some tips on how she does her deep speedy spring cleaning! I contacted her and apparently, this is all she’s got. Thank you Megan. Really, not very helpful in the cleaning department - but it does give me some inspiration for my topic this week .... Transition.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Transition, and our changing world, and globes and vintage globes and how to date old globes.</div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Once again, I turn to my trendy Dad for advice. Dad has always been a fan of geography, maps, globes, topography and most recently, his I pads Google Maps function. I, on the other hand am not very good at directions so I’ve never really been interested in maps. If I get lost, I stop and ask someone for directions, it’s that simple. However ... recently I’ve noticed a variety of globes showing up in decorating magazines and furniture catalogs so now, of course, I’m interested in maps and globes and directions.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’ve found out that some of these old globes are making their way into “collectors item” status and can or soon will sport some handsome price tags. With that in mind, I wanted to know some simple quick tips that I could remember for on the spot old globe dating. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here is what Dad suggested:</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If there is an East and West Germany, your globe is 1949 to 1989 </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If there is only one Korea instead of a North and South Korea - your globe is pre 1953</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you look off the tip of India and there is a little country named Ceylon, your globe is pre-70’s because in 1972 Ceylon became Sri Lanka</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you suspect a really old globe --- take a look at Iran. If it says Persia - your globe is really old --- pre 1935 and should probably be wrapped in tissue and driven to the antique road show for appraisal. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As far as assigning a dollar value to these little gems, I am still relying on e-bay for my information, but if anyone out there has another idea, I’m all ears. Meanwhile, I think I’ll just enjoy collecting a few here and there, because they are fun, they’re smart, they are interesting ... and they are featured in the designer magazines!!</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Here are my two 1949ish (I'm guessing) desk globes - if you're looking for an antique GPS, drop by Echo before you get your passport!</div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpahrQGo9rPA0lOh8egZcL3aM9t7OM08XW-J_pqc31eUBzgLXqkYYVHAghTnJL0BMVHwQXOpP2szaekEDZ2OpnQ8F9UJsvOqJp2dqye_jfz0-vXui04vsYOVRJHHgiOOum0MPSgZKJtua/s1600/P2200014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpahrQGo9rPA0lOh8egZcL3aM9t7OM08XW-J_pqc31eUBzgLXqkYYVHAghTnJL0BMVHwQXOpP2szaekEDZ2OpnQ8F9UJsvOqJp2dqye_jfz0-vXui04vsYOVRJHHgiOOum0MPSgZKJtua/s320/P2200014.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-64873304855814160332011-03-11T11:42:00.002-07:002011-03-11T11:51:05.520-07:00Spring Cleaning<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000099; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000099; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000099; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Are you feeling a bit crusty around the edges? You know ... the way a long winter tends to leave you feeling ... Duncan and I feel that way too.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">But ... as luck would have it, into my shop walked Mr. Ray Moe, a fellow entrepreneur from out here in the North Reserve end of town and owner of “Rods-N- Dogs" car wash. </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">As you can imagine, it didn’t take long for Duncan and I to grab our bubble bath and towels, hop into our dirty bug and tear down to 4620 Expressway to check out his operation. With a simple swipe of our credit card and the low price of $9.00, Duncan AND the bug enjoyed heated floors, a generous assortment of cleaning agents and a variety of blow dry options. </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: medium; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Before </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: medium; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kzkx98kaf-yWNRRxwClejAAu_wxmoNLwxTU5CPvTQ8RKNDB_LuFHQfD16DMVGCKfvwsgk9dFMokMkRtLUOTTscw-VLHtMJKla7VymAm-q2msxmNRzbWZREvSAo3T1O3E2Vnz3ilViXc1/s1600/P2060032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kzkx98kaf-yWNRRxwClejAAu_wxmoNLwxTU5CPvTQ8RKNDB_LuFHQfD16DMVGCKfvwsgk9dFMokMkRtLUOTTscw-VLHtMJKla7VymAm-q2msxmNRzbWZREvSAo3T1O3E2Vnz3ilViXc1/s200/P2060032.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw62VnS6iw8Hec4Hc4frqr2zm5c1rke_qeDMdD1kRWVgyudDD2sqbgSuJ6_5FAQp-0P6S8f9p5E1eAQstaXLJc4UADTO5zcdWlCKEJsQ30X_awjT545CweMrGS2cCERFoRubD11krreV_/s1600/P2060043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw62VnS6iw8Hec4Hc4frqr2zm5c1rke_qeDMdD1kRWVgyudDD2sqbgSuJ6_5FAQp-0P6S8f9p5E1eAQstaXLJc4UADTO5zcdWlCKEJsQ30X_awjT545CweMrGS2cCERFoRubD11krreV_/s200/P2060043.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Indeed ... it felt just great to scrub off all the winter scum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">We told Dad about our field trip and he decided it would be a good opportunity to get jump start on yard clean up, so he loaded his truck with lawn furniture and last years flower pots and joined us for the fun. When we invited Mom on our excursion, her exact quote was “I don’t have a dog in this circus”, and she headed down the Bitterroot to her quilting consortium.</span></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Everything worked great until Dad tried to use Rays super duper polish on the furniture. But .. the good news is .. that’s now Ray Moe’s problem - not ours! Thanks Ray for the fun day at the car / dog wash. And thanks Dad for the great time saving spring cleaning tip. Next week, we will explore how my overachieving cousin Megan does her deep speedy spring cleaning!</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Happy Friday ..... Go wash your car!! Visit </span><a href="http://www.rodsndogs.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">www.rodsndogs.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> for valuable coupons and directions. </span></span></div></span></span></div><br />
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</span></div></span></span></span></span></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-35331555879675269922011-02-11T13:39:00.000-07:002011-02-11T13:39:36.795-07:00Happy Valentines Weekend!<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“ ... but, remember I said, when I get old I want to learn to HAND quilt,” quarreled my mom.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Her long time friend, neighbor and connoisseur of fine crafts urged on ....</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">"But we are old, and I found someone who teaches the old Appalachian way of hand quilting, it is a woman to woman art learned only by passing it down through word of mouth and you're going to love it!"</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">After a little more convincing, off they went down the Bitterroot to the land of the Stevensville Promise Stitchers ... and that is how it started. That is how my family lost mom to her quilting addiction.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Through her newfound love, she found a common interest of women who LOVE color, textiles, creativity, and I think, most of all, the long lost art of making time, once a week to gather. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">These are the ladies who still celebrate birthdays with cake and tea, They get together to cackle and cluck, share patterns and patches, talk about their week, their kids, their diets, late breaking news and to celebrate each others pretty quilts.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What quilts? Outside of their secret circle, these gems are rarely seen. They aren’t flaunted at shows, photographed for magazines, or sold in stores. They get used for ... quilts! They stay as secret, as sweet and as un-assuming as their gentle creators. Until now! I acquired (don't ask) one of their treasures to share with you just in time for Valentines Day. I want to introduce this little promise stitch pillow. It is stitched with ladder patches, a heart applique and finger patches. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Here it is --- ever so sweet and one of a kind! (the colors really are much more vivid than my camera can capture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgcMapg0b7TG51hIvP21sZJ9kAPKzhJ5BHz85uulEbNzY9v0yAWA4sHrenm3kbEWlCuXUKJIIh58ChGgoBdnU50uWgopVr_wIuwIipm0EXFG2hAjMCwNw6e3FBSMoRBhY7TYG4cXvU30k/s1600/P1100020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgcMapg0b7TG51hIvP21sZJ9kAPKzhJ5BHz85uulEbNzY9v0yAWA4sHrenm3kbEWlCuXUKJIIh58ChGgoBdnU50uWgopVr_wIuwIipm0EXFG2hAjMCwNw6e3FBSMoRBhY7TYG4cXvU30k/s320/P1100020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-53394318602311114532011-01-26T10:32:00.000-07:002011-01-26T10:32:30.101-07:00January Projects!<div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Here we are, mid January and this morning I finally had my epiphany regarding what we do in January.</div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">This is the month for organizing and planning ahead! Not a real favorite for the procrastinators among us - but none the less, planning, organizing and spiffy-ing up for the upcoming year is really what January is all about.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My calendar is all up to date with birthdays properly noted, my closets are cleaned out with all the outfits I’ve “outgrown” being distributed to their proper charities - which leaves me free to move on to the more advanced stages of organizing and planning - painting things and rearranging the furniture.</span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In regards to painting things ... I’ve asked my assistant, Duncan, to demonstrate for us how the simple act of changing the color of a piece of furniture can change it’s whole personality.</span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is an end table in green.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfnuVHHM39IF5HU7HXh5Du752tg6eAsNywMdCASuNDWsraFi8XIr49snmaYGHLFGUUss-z3mgsSN8-8aQngzMFDkgHpt5DOY1k1OsbEMF1FiKtbWXRkRwC2VKQ8fNxTs5z9ec4DuAk730/s1600/PB100045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfnuVHHM39IF5HU7HXh5Du752tg6eAsNywMdCASuNDWsraFi8XIr49snmaYGHLFGUUss-z3mgsSN8-8aQngzMFDkgHpt5DOY1k1OsbEMF1FiKtbWXRkRwC2VKQ8fNxTs5z9ec4DuAk730/s200/PB100045.JPG" width="150" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001445; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is the same end table in black. It's kind of astonishing what a difference it makes, isn't it? Much richer I think.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If painting isn't your thing, try switching up the furniture a bit. I don't know why, but I always look forward to re-arrange the furniture day. I guess it's probably because as a kid we would go through this drill about every other month and it was always fun to watch the family bump into stuff and stub our toes as we learned to re-negotiate our route through the living room. Regardless, re-arranging is a great way to change things up and give you a new perspective on life - or at least on your living room.</span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="color: #001445; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Finally, if none of these fun January activities appeal to you - I have one more suggestion. Commit to having a green year and start with a smart, roomy new shopping tote from Echo! Duncan just loves his and has decided to use it for all the stuff he used to haul around in plastic garbage bags. Well --- almost all the stuff .. he still takes his plastic garbage bags with us on our walks because the Echo bags are far too nice for that. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2S9-7zp7xrhprg4-0-jyGDduz71j78an7QRT75KbkJcDdoBW-1JZBARg1mi93F48FBaDClzIeHt4_uLlGpxm8SHaQTuLno6QrKiCOlEjhNijWO3ZXZrsq_GpmY0KuPqt70I2VjTjTif4/s1600/PC200020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2S9-7zp7xrhprg4-0-jyGDduz71j78an7QRT75KbkJcDdoBW-1JZBARg1mi93F48FBaDClzIeHt4_uLlGpxm8SHaQTuLno6QrKiCOlEjhNijWO3ZXZrsq_GpmY0KuPqt70I2VjTjTif4/s200/PC200020.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>Echo Echohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18243580556962637977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718086914401367057.post-43949432968831751932011-01-07T15:55:00.000-07:002011-01-07T15:55:51.740-07:00January Inspiration!<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Every January, I want to start off the new year fresh and perfect. For some reason - this year, my need for fresh and perfect has me paralyzed. I’ve been wandering around my shop trying to take down the Christmas decorations and find something interesting to put together for this long gray month. A fresh, perfect, inspirational January decorating theme is what I crave. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I pop a couple of crunchy dried out pine needles in my mouth, pretending they taste like Rosemary and convincing myself they are a yummy addition to my fresh new January diet plan .... but still ... nothing.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sure enough - I’m starting off my new year .... un-inspired.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I stare at my computer and consult with Facebook, trying to decide if it’s just me, or if everyone is experiencing the same creative standstill and just like that - up pops my overachieving cousin Megan. Megan is the one who had Halloween completed in July, Christmas packages were wrapped in September and she is currently working on Easter. “Snap out of it”, she proclaims. Just start!!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For anyone else out there who might be looking for some direction, here are some easy - do it yourself ideas from Megan (an accomplished re-purposer) that might help you jump start your creative juices for a fresh, decorative and purposeful 2011!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">An old milk can, Her daughter Sophie's red scarf, last year's snow flake lights and sticks from their tree make up this January centerpiece. BTW - Megan tells me that the bench belongs to our Grandmother Esther- who turns 95 TODAY! Here's to Grandma - an original thrifter before thrifting was cool!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yAvanyW7o5IDOwoqr4gRo53fYs5HZlMnkX_rD7lyyGVfWIyKuKlhXCqGFRGD7zO4JrttxNVmnUsCfZxVE7cNVO_79JOseEiUd2l_Cuu_SOTNzTd1k7WNif4463BXlD4_bTRMJAjcqVL7/s1600/0106111345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yAvanyW7o5IDOwoqr4gRo53fYs5HZlMnkX_rD7lyyGVfWIyKuKlhXCqGFRGD7zO4JrttxNVmnUsCfZxVE7cNVO_79JOseEiUd2l_Cuu_SOTNzTd1k7WNif4463BXlD4_bTRMJAjcqVL7/s320/0106111345.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Megan's new "crafty room" . She started this (transform a corner of the basement) project yesterday, so she'll keep us posted as she moves along. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYV_CWggroYymVuM67UFDKjdOsizeBqP8gNj_2BYy6iNyz92QNKc3xH66eHuBCMuc_QIGiYLknXev2KXebE0UtiKxTgeeyDu5D2GUj1-XdSyVxBewCSLmnd_jRNA-OZrMMnDnfaGpnX-Mz/s1600/0106111017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYV_CWggroYymVuM67UFDKjdOsizeBqP8gNj_2BYy6iNyz92QNKc3xH66eHuBCMuc_QIGiYLknXev2KXebE0UtiKxTgeeyDu5D2GUj1-XdSyVxBewCSLmnd_jRNA-OZrMMnDnfaGpnX-Mz/s320/0106111017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Ever wonder how to marry a kind of ordinary clock and an old picture frame ... here you go.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFWkH1tIelqNVpL8gJUQhAxvLR5-CxSk0MEUyF38mR6CQpyZRqQZX0fjuV28UyXs2jheh7z9xG5VN_IybFzek8FXYDfLixUoMinC2oaaRpxIFqlkYmYMe8s7ZKBjq2Mf7FKqgH6gelHZf/s1600/0106111355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFWkH1tIelqNVpL8gJUQhAxvLR5-CxSk0MEUyF38mR6CQpyZRqQZX0fjuV28UyXs2jheh7z9xG5VN_IybFzek8FXYDfLixUoMinC2oaaRpxIFqlkYmYMe8s7ZKBjq2Mf7FKqgH6gelHZf/s320/0106111355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And finally ... an old window re-purposes into a message center for her four kids.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY67_0RJHd2sNEhFeAcpk5xBQzHmXe2HXuoBLtdPeyUyQyAWkG3yqXPRkzxonBVNw3a41-3e41zfgMV7rtBmCnko40kh3MoF1NAKP6RfjZF5ggJjWpw8n8KzuuZHy6nnlEpuY2deLwOOd/s1600/0106111356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY67_0RJHd2sNEhFeAcpk5xBQzHmXe2HXuoBLtdPeyUyQyAWkG3yqXPRkzxonBVNw3a41-3e41zfgMV7rtBmCnko40kh3MoF1NAKP6RfjZF5ggJjWpw8n8KzuuZHy6nnlEpuY2deLwOOd/s320/0106111356.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks Megan ... I think I'll go paint something red now! And here's my contribution - for anyone wondering how to re-purpose all those dried up pine needles from your tree ... try them in soup!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Happy 2011!!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><br />
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