Three Dog Night

 

 

 

 

 

Somebody pinch me! Feeling like a teen today since getting to see my all time favorite singing group perform last night.  Woo hoo!

 

 

Being a kid from the '70's, Three Dog Night was about as big of a name that you could get.  My dad, bless his heart, took myself and one of my girlfriends to see them for the first time at the Milwaukee Arena.  Their opening act was another of my faves, Sha Na Na.

 

Over the years, I was lucky enough to see them perform at several venues around the Milwaukee area and one year they were the entertainment at a New Year's Eve party Mr. Bluebird and I attended at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN.  Ah-may-zing!

 

 

It has been at least 20 years since the last time I saw them, but last night - ah last night - I was lucky enough to see them at the Crystal Grand in the Wisconsin Dells.

 

 

Mr. Bluebird & I went with a group of friends and we all had a blast being 15 again!

 

Take a listen to this old favorite.......



Out in the Country

How about you? What takes you back to those golden moments?

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

It All Started With a Little Soap

Not too long ago, Mr. Bluebird and I were shopping at Marshalls and I came across this gem.

 

 

Isn't it cute? I just love the old fashioned label and the amber glass looks so vintage.  It is also a     h-u-g-e bottle and on top of that, it is filled with a heavenly scented hand soap.  I especially liked that it was truly a glass bottle and not plastic.  For $7.99, it came home with me!

 

I knew I wanted to put it in our first floor powder room.

 

 

I have had this picture for several years now.  It was not expensive - a Kirkland's find, but it speaks to me for some reason.

 

 

 

So, after I placed the new soap, I moved and tweaked and tweaked some more.  Down came my red pin striped Pottery Barn ticking stripe towels, and out came my much more springy blue ones.

I added a sweet little bird and a "nest" plate to the back of the commode.

Here it is, all freshened up for spring.....a "faux" demijohn I picked up at Marshalls last year and a little potted plant to add some life to this windowless room.  Here you can see my stenciled ceiling I did in 2013.   Still love it!

So, changes to the powder room all started with just a little bit of soap......

 

 

I will be back later this week with a project Mr. Bluebird did for me over the weekend.  Hope you will come back to check it out!  Also, I would love it if you would "like" my Facebook page - just click on my Facebook button and it will take you there!

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Jane

 

Partying with:

 

The DIYers

Metamorphosis Monday

Amaze Me Monday

Make it Pretty Monday

Minette's Maze Sunday Showcase

Monday Funday

The Scoop

Inspire Me Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday

 

 

Dear John (Demijohn!),

Yes, I am writing a dear John letter today.  But don't worry, Mr. Bluebird isn't getting the boot, oh no.  I am hear to tell you about how two amazing demijohns - dear demijohns - came into my life over the weekend!  I know many of you folks love those demijohns and I am noooooo exception.  Problem is, there seems to be a severe shortage of them in Wisconsin - so severe in fact, that I have never seen a single one for sale  at a flea market, antique shop, or anywhere else for that matter.  I have a few wicker wrapped wine bottles, but not true demijohns.

 I did however have the chance to behold two beauties at an amazing Italian restaurant about 30 miles from my home.  It's a little restaurant that has been there for generations.  Located near a once bustling industrial area, it served up delicious Italian lunches to workmen and wonderful Italian specialties in the evenings back in the day.  My dad was a mail carrier in this city, and as a young man worked in a few of the area factories, and I have no doubt he partook in their fabulous meatball sandwiches and Italian bombers a time or two.

The factories have long since gone for the most part, but this little restaurant remains - run by the same family, with the same delicious and authentic recipes.  The décor has not changed over the years, there are decorative plates, advertisements, etc. It is truly a step back in time to the 40's, 50's, & 60's. A gem.  They have very limited hours these days and with crime a bit of a problem, are rarely open in the evening.  We have a group of about forty or so friends who reserve the entire restaurant once or twice a year for the night and we are served incredible helpings of lasagna and mostaciaolli. So yummy!

When you enter this small restaurant, you are greeted with the coat rack/shelf.  On top of this shelf you find two gorgeous, gallon sized demijohns collecting dust! Oh, it was love at first sight.  I became obsessed with those beautiful things! I especially loved that one of them had most of it's label intact and the other had some it's label still on.

The next time our group was there, I asked the owner to think of me if he ever decided to sell one of them as I would be glad to take it off his hands! He kind of laughed and said those bottles have been on that shelf for as long as he could remember......at least forty years.  But, alas, they did not come home with me that night. I don't think he believed any one would really want one of those old, dusty things.

This past Saturday we, again, were there with our friends and it was my lucky night apparently as he said he would sell me one for $20 (whattttt?????) and after thinking on it, he decided to give me the extra for free!  I thought I would cry or pass out or both!  I cannot get over his generosity.  I love those darned demijohns and they are so special to me, knowing they are from a place we love to go to and knowing the owners themselves.  The history alone is priceless.

I don't know if I will ever find another demijohn, you know how those collections go - you always seem to want more, but I do know that none will ever be as a special to me as the two I received Saturday night.

How about you? Any collections with great stories?

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

Partying at:

The Scoop
Wow Us Wednesday

Mantel Changes

 

Hi Everyone!  Sharing a mantel change in our living room today.  I have been wanting to change up the mantel for a long, long, l-o-n-g time, but just hadn't been able to find the right thing.  I know you know what I am saying, right?

 

Here, I have stripped the mantel down to the three key pieces that don't change in my mantelscape.  I did like the picture at one time, but it started to feel a little heavy and did not quite have the "look" I wanted to achieve in here. Once I added any other accessories, the dark frame and the dark sconces were just too much.  The print is also a little too contemporary for my farmhouse home.

 



 

 

 I had been looking for something vintage to take place of the picture and I am still.  However, I came across a really nice print at Kirkland's, and at a really great price - so for now, this is the centerpiece of my mantel:

It's got a farm-y feel (probably because it depicts a farm, lol!) and it also reminds me of the farm I grew up on.  In fact, my parents had a big old red barn like that where they sold antiques - so it was a perfect find!!!

I wanted to keep all the accessories fairly spare for spring - just want a breather after all the "fluff" from winter.  I am sure I will tweak it and fill it up in the future, but right now I like this more peaceful setting.

 

All you demijohn lovers out there (and I know there are many) may have noticed the two awesome demijohns on my mantel.  They are a recent lucky windfall and I will share their incredible history and how they came to be mine in an upcoming post. 

I rounded out the simple arrangement with a few roosters I had from Hobby Lobby years ago and a vintage yellow ware bowl with an airy fern inside.

Someday, I will have to share with you how the stain in front of my fireplace got there.....uggghhhh!!!! But it is what is.......

Anyway folks, that's it for today. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Jane

Partying with:

Amaze Me Monday
The DIYers
Make it Pretty Monday
Metamorphosis Monday
Inspire Me Tuesday

Another Wal-Mart Find: PB Knockoff

 



Last week, I shared with you my cute Wal-Mart steal - this $2.97 vintage looking Easter picture:

 



 

 

(You can read the entire post here.)

 

 

I also came across a very Pottery Barn-esque egg cup, also for $2.97.  Simple, but detailed at the same time.  

 



 

 

Isn't he cute? I love that he is a solid color.  After I got home, I decided one wasn't enough, but when I went back to my local Wal-Mart a few days later they were long gone! I have been to five other area Wal-Marts and their bunnies have hopped off also.  Drat!

Here he is in a little breakfast table setting, looking all  kinds of cute! They had these bunnies in the yellow see here, plus  pink, blue, and white. 

Pottery Barn has cute Easter egg cups in their catalog right now and they actually are very inexpensive too.  At $8.50 each, they are still a great bargain! I think they are quite similar to my Wal-Mart knock off, although the egg cup is in the back rather than the front.

I can't say enough about this cute little bunny - for about $3.00 I just couldn't pass him up!

How about you? Any great finds in surprising places lately?

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

Partying with:

The Scoop
Tablescape Thursday

Gearing Up for Spring, One Step at a Time

With what has seemed like the winter that lasts forever still upon us, I haven't felt much like adding any spring décor.  It has been so dang cold!!! But, warmer temps are here - it was in the thirties today, so I decided to add a few spring touches to my green living room shelf. (To see how I made this shelf, check out this post.)

 

This shelf hangs above our sofa.  I added the bird prints last year - a Home Goods buy.  The colors in these prints are just perfect with my living room furniture and I just love the floral and bird combo.

 

 

I shopped the house and added a tin & wicker long basket, along with an old kitchen scale that I picked up a few weeks ago when we went to Oshkosh to visit our daughter at school.  There is the best antique mall in Oshkosh - and it seems like I always find a neat, old, chippy scale when I go. Not bad for $15.00!

 

**Edited to add:  I've had several Wisconsin gals ask where this mall is. Here is the web link for more information.  It is huge and right off the freeway!!!



The plates are three of my faves - they have hung here for a few years now.  I always think about changing them out, but I just can't....not yet!  The picture in the basket is burlap wrapped and depicts eggs and another sweet bird.  I usually have it hanging in the den, but I wanted a little burlap texture to complete this arrangement.

The bird was a Dollar Store purchase years ago, and I just grabbed one of my book bundles to give the arrangement a little height.



The depression glass cake stand holds a yummy fragranced candle which also offers a pop of red to the grouping.

 

A closer look at one of the prints - the colors are just so vibrant and cheery.  They work for winter and spring, at least I think so!



 

 

That is pretty much it for spring décor around here at the moment, except for the Easter picture I bought at Wal-Mart you all loved last week in this post. Thank you all for coming over for that post - it was incredibly popular!

Now that the weekend is here, maybe I will putter around the house and add a few more spring touches.  How about you? Any spring like plans?

Thanks for stopping by,

Jane
Partying with:

Metamorphosis Monday
Make it Pretty Monday
Amaze Me Monday
Anything Goes at Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo
Inspire Me Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesday

I Fell in Love at Wal-Mart! (My Easter Steal)

 

 

Happy Saturday greetings to you all! I am "hopping" in with a cute, little Easter buy I picked up at Wal-Mart yesterday.  I had to run in to pick up some cat food and a few other necessities yesterday afternoon, and got sidetracked in their Easter aisle.

 

I saw this cute framed  print and fell in love! (Yes, I fell in love in Wal-Mart!) The picture makes the frame look shiny, but it has a flat, almost chalky finish.  Perfect for my downstairs powder room.  I didn't really need it, but when I took a look at the pricetag, I had to say, "oh, yes I DO need it!"

 

$2.97 - yep, you've read correctly - $2.97!!! Cheap-0-Rama!

 



Here it is hanging from the  rustic cabinet in the powder room.

 

 

Wal-Mart doesn't have much else in the Easter décor that appeals to me this year, but I was sure happy to find this little gem. I did pick up one other cute item there, but I am waiting to share because I am searching for 3 more, as they only had one at the WM I usually go to.  I will say it was verrrryyyy cute and rivaled PB who has a similar item in their catalog at a much high price.  Hope to score what I need (ok, want) soon!

 

Hope you all are having a terrific weekend - we have a little bit of snowstorm in the works right now, another 3 to 4 inches - as if we haven't had enough already! Oh well, let it snow - I've got some spring going on inside.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Jane

 

 

Joining in with these fun parties:

 

Amaze Me Monday

 

Masterpiece Monday

 

Metamorphosis Monday

 

Make it Pretty Monday

 

Les Chateau des Fleurs

 

Anything Goes at Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo

 

The Scoop

 

Inspire Me Tuesday

 

Wow Us Wednesday