Forever Cottage Tag Sale!

In preparation for my BIG plans for holiday decorating (read previous post to understand this sarcasm), I have been in major clean-out mode. I brought about 6 bags of clothes to Goodwill and have secretly edited the toy collections in each of my daughters' rooms (shhh, don't tell them).

I have some nice vintage/or not so vintage but nonetheless fabulous items that have been collecting dust in cabinets and cubbies and thought I would host a Tag Sale here at Forever Cottage.

The following items are for sale, I have listed prices along with a small description of the item. Please email me at jillbeth@aol.com with any questions and if you would like to purchase an item. I will accept payments through Paypal.

This first item is a wire 3-tier stand - I used it on the kitchen counter to hold fruit etc... $15 SOLD


This is a beautiful blue English platter. True Antique piece.....$25 SOLD


Small blue shelf/spice rack (not the plates)....$15 SOLD



Long wooden French baguette dough bowl.....$40



Pottery Barn Matine Toile quilted standard-sized pillow shams.....$20 each ($40 for both). SOLD


Vintage Grain Sack with slight yellow stains, monogrammed with "VL' in blue...$25


One more English blue platter, similar to one above although slightly more "aged" in colors....$25 SOLD


Again, please email me at jillbeth@aol.com if you are interested in any of the items. I will update the posting as items sell.

Have a wonderful day!

Oh, and by the way....I will give you a shipping quote when you decide to purchase - I will ship UPS ground and charge exactly what it costs to ship....

Holiday Preparations...........

I think we have gotten to know each other a bit over my last year of blogging....

Sometimes I am uncomfortable (ok, embarrassed) by the seemingly frivolous topics that I choose to blog about. Come on, feathering my nest and shopping for banged-up pieces of furniture to replace the already perfectly good banged-up pieces I already own seems a bit indulgent, unnecessary, spoiled even.

Today I will deviate from all frivolity and talk how I prepare for the holidays, and really how I wish to celebrate them. And honey, it may surprise you given what you have learned about me over this last year.



If I would be perfectly honest I would tell you that I really do not care for decorating my home for the holidays.

Really.

I feel like I like my home just the way it is and really don't like to muck it up with ornaments and such.

I refuse to have a fake tree in our home but really hate the mess of all the needles of the real one and how I have to rearrange the furniture to make room for the tree.

Really.

Now before you go thinking I am a Scrooge, let me tell you what I love about the holidays.

I love to bake, with my girls while cheesy Christmas music plays in the background and we sing along to all our favorite songs.

I love to get together with friends for a special meal and some holiday cheer. I also love when my book club does a special evening out at a restaurant instead of discussing a book at someone's house.

I love Sunday school Christmas programs where kids forget their lines and the kid standing in the front row picks their nose for all to see.

I love taking my girls to sit on Santa's lap - even though my oldest no longer believes, I like that she plays along for the benefit of her little sister.

I love watching Charlie Brown's Christmas with our family - when they sing "Hark the Hearld Angels Sing" I still get goose bumps.

I love getting Christmas cards from friends near and far.

I love taking my girls Christmas shopping to pick out a present for their daddy and for each other. At a time of year when they could be thinking of "getting" I really like to teach them about "giving".....

And in the spirit of giving, last year our family of four signed up to be Salvation Army Bell Ringers. It was a GREAT experience for all of us. We stood in front of our local grocery store for two hours and rang the bell and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. My children were so excited when someone chose to put money in the kettle! Having children decked out in their Santa hats definitely helped our cause. We made an evening out of it - taking the kids out for hot chocolate afterwards. I would encourage any of you reading this to consider making bell ringing on behalf of the Salvation Army part of you holiday preparations. Please check out your local Salvation Army website for information.

And while I would bet my kids can name only a few gifts they received last Christmas,both have asked when we will be ringing the bells again this year! You can find us at Lakewinds Natural Co-op on Black Friday!

How about you? What do you enjoy about this upcoming season?

Filling a 'Void'.........

I miss my magazines....

Do you hear that magazine publishing companies?

Why did you take my beloved Cottage Living, Domino and Country Home magazines away? I was loyal, always renewing my subscriptions, so much so that I had years left on many of them. Subscriptions I faithfully renewed, expecting to receive my beloved publications. Publishers just replaced my favorites with such unwanted titles as Coastal Living and Ladies Home Journal!

Pathetically, I settled in a few evenings ago with some issue of Cottage Living - my favorite. Yes, I have ALL the published issues of Cottage Living. While completely enjoyable to page through each issue, it was also sad too. I miss my fresh monthly issue full of Heather Chadduck styling that inspired me in my own home.

However, I just discovered a ray of hope for those of us who are magazine fans. A former editor of Domino (another fave) has established a web magazine www.lonnymag.com. While a really fine layout and concept, I am still undecided about the web format. Call me old fashioned but I like to sit in my favorite reading chair with a glass of wine and HOLD a magazine in my hand. Lonny Mag really fills a void however, I especially enjoyed seeing Eddie Ross' home in New York - reason enough for checking it out!

....Surprises....

Almost a year ago I started this little blog....

I did not know what I was doing (technology speaking) and still probably only know enough to be dangerous.....

I had no goals, nothing to sell, nothing to market and some would argue, not much to say....

I was however, inspired and suprised in many ways....

I was inspired by the many blogs I was reading on a regular basis. Blogs written by women who I thought "rocked"...creative women, honest women, fashionable women, and women who loved old crusty stuff as much as me!

I was surprised by the many friendships that have been made. I have been able to get to know many of you through our blogs...even have met lots of my favorites in person. I have been lucky to begin a friendship with Kasey of Lola B's.

Guess where I will be on December 5th?



How lucky am I right? I am excited to get in my mommy SUV (all by myself), crank some good tunes and drive south to Kasey's soiree!

I will definitely sit on this settee, with a BIG glass of red wine (careful not to spill).



I think Kasey has a couple spots available. If you are in the neighborhood.....

(reading this back, yes, I realize that I began virtually EVERY sentence with "I"...see I have a ways to go....thanks for bearing with me and my bad grammar.)