Monday, December 9, 2013

Candlelight Walk 2013

This poor little blog ~~ I am back to post follow up from my last post from March ~ ;)

Pictures from my humble house (1877 farm house) for the Candlelight Walk 2013 in cute Marshall, MI I will definitely post and journal here. ~~ So much fun and met wonderful guests. ~

Here we go, a home Christmas view in pics ~~  Welcome!
Front porch view ~

Lights and highlights ~~





Room by room ~ and such ~~





Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Candle Light Walk 2013

Hello!

A quick note ~~




Getting Spring fever, (sigh nowhere in sight as of right now) but have Christmas on my mind briefly to send a shout out that ~

My house and the Staab home will be on the Christmas 34th Annual Candle Light Walking Tour, Marshall, MI  Dec. 7-8 2013.  A wonderful festive walk of old and historic homes to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Exciting huh?  Planning for Christmas this year should be fun! :)

I will add a link to the event below and stay tuned for updates this year ~

http://www.marshallmi.org/events/152




Friday, January 18, 2013

Just One Of The Folks....

Hi there!

I just got a new publication in my inbox and couldn't wait to share it with you!  It is beautiful. :)
So inspirational to see young people with a passion for capturing everything American.  What does American mean and say to a young generation?   It is simple, charming and of course displaying a contemporary flair.

Introducing FOLK Magazine



Open publication - Free publishing - More beauty

This is their first published issue in digital form to share.  Consider subscribing and supporting if you truly love what you see.  The link here http://folk-magazine.myshopify.com/ will take you there and to their great blog too.

I am sure you will just love it ~~ I know I do! :) 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

New For 2013

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is settling into the swing of things.  It was a really good end of the year.  Fun, family, rest and good times.  It is nice feeling blessed going into 2013...

So what is on everyone's plate for the new year?  Do you ever have those times in your life where you feel you are either putting pieces of your life puzzle together or you are creating, scattering and looking for them? Well....with the passing on of my Dad late last year and the coming together of other circumstances, I feel like it is a time for putting the pieces together.  And so decided to share at the beginning of the year some personal projects to get underway.

The thing with loved ones passing on and leaving behind their whole lives (my Mother has also been gone for 2 years now...) is that it overwhelms your life with work, treasures, sorting, blessings and decisions.  Some good some melancholy but much filled with special graces and gifts I will always be thankful for.  Finding things you forgot or may never have known about, can be great too and a bit bittersweet.  Having said all that ~~ it is time to get to work. :)

I have two important things I would like to do.  I want to put together a family history.  There have been forms of this done by others in my family, but I need to put together this legacy gift for my kids, with my own touch to it.  You know what I mean. I also would like to put together a family recipe book of sorts....so many things you just never want to forget.  Memories are heavily tied to scents they say, and FOOD is #1 on the list. :)

I am still sorting out the decisions.  Do I do a family tree? Photo albums (both digital and hard bound) do I scrapbook?  Do I do a combination of all three?  Daunting, yet exciting.  :) As I get older I think one of the best things we can pass on to our kids is WHO they are and WHERE they come from.  On some level, in everyone's life, to feel fulfilled, we need to come to terms with this in our own lives.  Everyone.  It brings peace. Both the good and the bad.  I think it is one of the attractions to the show Downton Abbey.  Why would so many be drawn to a family, steeped in old tradition?  Because I think deep down we all know that one of the important rules of life is (and what the British has done so well for centuries) know thyself!  Especially in modern thinking, you may want to forget it, run from it, change it, but eventually  (if we desire)....it comes full circle and that is good.



I believe identity crisis' can lead to BAD decisions anyway...so, enough on that and back to work...

I love, love, love all of the old pictures we have gone through and found from my parents ~ grandparents.  Many I haven't seen in years or forgot were even taken....amazing. Technology has blessed us with preserving like no other time in history.

                                                             What fun ~ huh?

                                Mom ~ as bridesmaid.  Love the dress, love the colors.

 
This is a picture my Dad had of his great grandfather (grandpa) Valentine Sobie.  My great~great grandfather, my kids great~great~great grandfather obviously ~~ and so on.  Love my Dads handwriting at the bottom of the pic.  If you haven't tried www.ancestry.com you should! I believe I found him listed, with name and birth (approx. 1853) with Detroit, MI listed ~~ how many Valentine Sobie's would there be? ;)

When looking for ideas for compiling recipes of course Pinterest almost never lets me down!  This handy dandy recipe binder download with printables, may come in handy.  http://pinterest.com/pin/231020655855613687/

I actually found this binder in the clearance @ my local Barnes & Noble.  Susan Branch thinks of everything! :)




                How about this sweet family record printable page found on Pinterest?

Many great ideas, glad to get started and I will make updates through the year on my progress.  YOU and my blog can help keep me on track.

Bye ~ bye for now ~~~ :)







Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Fur Babies

Wow ~~

I have needed to get to this blog for sooooo long.  I have really missed it.  :) With additional events and merchandising work along with family I have taken a much needed respite. 

I am glad to be opening up this blog and writing again. Ya!

How was your Thanksgiving?  Good I hope.  It is turning colder here and time for Winter.....

Since merchandising for me includes some fashion exposure and it has been keeping me busy, I decided to share one look this season that really has me excited.  Shut your eyes if you are a PETA person ~ (I am not), but I am hooked on the fur accessories and trends this season.

Now earlier this summer I was out and about at an estate sale and I could not pass up these adorbale and girlie mink collars I spotted for a modest amount.  What a steal!

Pretty colors and SO vintage!
 
Look how cute when topped on an Ann Taylor sweater. :)
 
There are some lovely looks out there this season in many stores as well. 
 
                           This sweet little faux collar sweater is from Banana Republic ~           http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=233674002

                      perfect for winter workdays?
                                       How about this cute little number?  Just lovely.
                          http://with.woman.excite.co.jp/coordinate/C20111122174952022/

I am just loving it all.  Now I was planning on putting those estate collars in my Etsy shop but somehow they have not landed there just yet.....you can look for them.  Maybe.......

So sorry for the long hiatus but it is almost the end of the year and I knew I needed to high~tail it back into the good graces of the blogging world. 

Thanks for being here. :)

xo Julie

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

There's A Summer Place For Music ~~


~All The Way~ Duet Frank Sinatra & Celine Dion 2001 ~ Not only is this song beautiful I get a charge out of the lovely subtleties of love in this song that I don't think many even understand or give a thought to these days. ~~

I love linky parties! I don't do enough of them and it is a good reason to update my blog ~ ha!

How about a little love song summer fun?  I am sharing my quick list of songs to add on www.bettybuigles.com ~ on her blog ~ check it out! How about a top 5?  I am going to indulge and add some of my favorite love songs here to share.  A couple of just personal favorites (like the one above) while others have sentimental strings. 

Moonlight Serenade ~ Sinatra  Another favorite ~ *sigh* ~~ :)


Any guy who *understands* (let alone sing this tune) is a WINNER! ~ Try A Little Tenderness~ Michael Buble ~ music my husband bought me. :)

Elton can do a love song for sure. More music given from the hubby. :)
Something About The Way You Look Tonight ~ 2007 


Bon Jovi ~ Thank You For Loving Me. Because...well...it is dripping with that wonderful combination of rocker sweet perfection and I am an 80's girl. :)


Nat King Cole ~ Unforgettable. In honor of my parents.  I remember this music as a child. :)


With a summer wedding to attend next month it is great *mood* setting stuff ~ enjoy! :)


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Bleachy ~ Beachy

More bleached/to~dye for stuff... Had to try my own version of dipping/dying denim in bleach....really neat! This was a pair of old Levi's maybe even from Goodwill ~~ I forget. :) I have been inpired by all of the dipping and dying going on.....fun!