Why Should You Go To Market?

I know what you're thinking!

A vintage car full of glorious flowers?

Really?

That is not the reason to go to market!

Oh…but it is! To get inspired!

Especially when you and your husband have "debated" about it for weeks and finally he has the "vision" that you've always had. That the two of you really should go! Just go!

Even if it's just for the sake of "seeing what's out there!"

(of course I had been telling him that for weeks!)

There is so much to see!

some not so good….

 Some of it is a "step out" in my realm but I think this coral is truly beautiful! 
Can't you just see it in a gorgeous beach home? 
I certainly can! 

 And trust me…it is all the rage!

And some of it is definitely hard to part with! Like this gorgeous 19th Century French mirror for example! There are numerous places I have carried it around to in my own home already.

 But…it will be at the shop waiting on just the right buyer!

As will these antique Italian Olive Jars! I just love them!

Who could resist these antique carved wooden panels? 

I would give anything to have a shop full of them right now!

Like I said earlier…inspiration surrounded us! Even as we glanced out the window coming down the escalator! Who would've "thunk"! A ferris wheel in downtown Atlanta?

And Kalalou's showroom is always fun to see! 

It's a bit outlandish…but I guess that's why they are always packed to the brim with buyers! 

They know how to inspire!

Color attracts people just as all an all neutral pallete does. 
I've never understood how two such polar opposites could make me love them? But they do!
 I tend to gravitate toward the neutrals but the color in design sure does make me "feel" happy!

We basically just took our time and strolled ( actually, we ran! ) through market this time. It was just the right amount of time…gave me a chance to see it again and feel connected to the places and "things" that make my world go round so to speak in the design and retail field. 
It also gave us a brief chance to get away and have fun…and discuss life!

Market never ceases to amaze me with it's enormity! 

I can't wait to try out the Dallas market next year...

As you know, everything is bigger in Texas! 

I intend to explore it and enjoy it!

I was so glad that the High Design floor didn't disappoint!

 As usual, it is always the highlight of my trip!

They always have it decorated so well…and the flowers are always spectacular! 

It is such a fun place to meet new vendors as well as discover new sources.

I'm so excited about the new items they have replicated from the antiques. And I can assure you my sweet friend Tina from The Enchanted Home would've just loved this booth! 
Just look at that blue and white that she loves so much!

I can't wait to get our order in!

No detail was left unturned...

All of the High Design booths were just lovely!

I could've ordered one or two of everything if Jim would've let me!

All in all, it was a wonderful trip to Market! Short…very short…but very sweet, indeed! A quick stay at the Ritz, dinner out and time spent together is always worth the trip! Oh…and we watched a really good movie! I only had to nudge Jim to stay awake about 10 times! ( he was tired! ) 

No matter…I enjoyed it…and cried! That's always a good sign, isn't it? Anyway, thanks for looking at our speed trip through Market 2015! I barely remember it but made lots of notes!

Until next time…let us know what you are looking for these days in terms of design? Do you like color or neutral? Do you like antiques or modern? Or, are you like me and you like the simple mix of both. It's really not a complicated decision. My advice has always been to buy what you love and design according to your own lifestyle…after all…it's you that will be living in it!

I Hope You Know, This Has Nothing To Do With You...

It's personal, it's personal….and big girls don't cry…..

Ok…I am definitely not Fergie but I've always loved this song..not quite sure why, I guess I just like the "beat"! At least that's what I always told my parents!

But today, today I did the unthinkable for me! I left my husband in Buckhead, Atlanta…and drove my little self all around Atlanta and then some! And I even went to my favorite Pizza place EVER!! And I was ALONE!

I got my pizza and went on my merry way! If you don't really know me then you have no idea how huge this is! It was life changing! I promise!

If I were Jim, I might be a wee bit worried! ( I guess he's lived with me long enough to know that this new me can't possibly last for long!) But for now, I sure am basking in the joy of it and the freedom I felt! I'm not really sure why I've always been scared to do anything alone except for the fact that I've never BEEN alone! Seriously! Sometimes, I long for it! And then when I do get a day of it…I don't feel quite right! I don't love it like I think I should!

But today, today was glorious because this reached a new level of aloneness! I mean, seriously…I tackled the 75/85 thing in Atlanta…

I drove myself to Antico Pizza because I've been waking up at night craving it! (and NO!!! I am NOT pregnant!) It's just the best pizza you will ever eat!

 I got there early, of course…but it was 11:20 and I didn't know it but they don't open until 11:30…I sat in my car staring at the line already forming thinking this was a good thing until the line began to grow…at that point I  hopped out realizing I was prolonging this journey by sitting in the car…and the nice businessman in front of me obviously could feel the tension…I guess of just me acting like I belonged! I'm not quite sure….he said, "You go ahead, you were here before me!" ( how did he notice, I was thinking!) Am I that obvious? Is it that obvious that I am not whole without my better half? Of course, being southern I replied, "It's ok..I'm fine!" To which he said, " I'm meeting someone here anyway, you go ahead!" Hmmm…no chances of me dating if anything happens to Jim! 

Irregardless, I was there in line with the locals, I thought I was looking like a local, and I was enjoying every minute of it! It gave me power! Power I haven't felt since I was in my late teens probably…because that's how long I've depended on Jim to take care of me! 

If I learned nothing else from today except that I can drive through Atlanta with the best of them…if I can find my way around enough to end up at Antico Pizza, stand in a line that only rivals the line at the 'Soup Kitchen' on Seinfeld, and then enjoy eating that pizza alone, shopping alone and driving alone all the way home to Birmingham…I will be ok! 

It was a great thing for me to do and not to rely on Jim so much for everything! (If I told you how I had to mix and mingle and make small talk all last night that might give you an even better picture since our day had been quite long already mixing and trying to mingle with new sources to buy from in Atlanta!) On top of that, I had to wear a name tag the size of piece of notebook paper! I almost cried when Jim gave it to me! The worst part, was that he KNEW I wouldn't like it! So we took a picture to capture the moment!

 I am truly exhausted!

The fun part was me picturing myself as 'Callie Webber', detective extraordinaire! ( Ok, I admit I am reading way too many of Mindy Starnes Clarke's books!) But it really helped! When I woke up 100 times last night feeling panicky that I couldn't do this…that I could not drive away from the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead…make my way downtown to Market and do some antiquing and then on to Antico Pizza…I just simply pictured myself as Callie…not Carolyn! I was on a mission…and when I found myself looking to see if I was being "tailed" once I got into Anniston…I knew I was taking this new freedom way too far! But it sure was fun while it lasted!

Just read Mindy's latest book,  The Buck Stops Here! I can't put it down…obviously! I've read ALL of her other books! I love them!

What I truly loved after re-reading this post was my very own declaration…."Am I that obvious? Is it that obvious that I am not whole without my better half?"

Here's to driving in Atlanta and my new found freedom!
( I for one am LIVING for Jim to get home!)

Monday, Morning….You Sure Look Fine!

Monday Morning….by Fleetwood Mac!

You have to love this song by Fleetwood Mac! This might be one of my all time favorites and is so much more upbeat for a Monday Song than most of them!!! Enjoy your Monday! I sure am!

I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am to be waking up in my own bed on this wonderful, sunny Monday morning!

I also can't even begin to tell you how hard this struggle has been about whether we should go to Market or not for the first time EVER in 13 years! Oh my!!

I knew I would miss out on the hustle and bustle of everything but it really was going to be ok!

 My sweet husband, who is behind me 100% in all that I do and vice versa really didn't want me to go…so…after much deliberation in "MY" mind…we canceled all reservations…to our usual stay at The Ritz…to dinners out in wonderful restaurants, etc….and then I pouted….

 Really, you say?

Yes…Yes, I did!!!

Why I must do that is beyond me! Because once I had gotten my way and gotten him to realize that I was pouting…it wasn't fun anymore! LOL! Seriously, though…I did pout because I was sad…it wasn't that I was being unsupportive or that I didn't agree with his decision..we had actually made it together! There is just something about the finality of being told "No" that will always cause me to rebel in my heart! I wish I could say it wasn't true but it is! And the I have to be extremely careful because of Jim's tender, loving and very giving heart…I simply cannot take advantage of it! He loves to make me happy! I will not ever take that for granted and thankfully my heart melted when I realized that and knew that he was right about us not needing much from market. I know he enjoys going just as much as I do! 
Once I had gotten that out of my system I was the one canceling things faster than HE could! (I really cannot be pleased and I don't know how Jim has stayed with me all of these years!) All of that to say…come Saturday night…when we realized we were really NOT going to market for the first time in 13 years…Jim was the one telling me we NEEDED to go! Go figure! I still wasn't convinced! I was still tired from New Orleans last week! Seriously! I'm too old for all of this! But I said we would sleep on it since Miller was out of town with his best friend and we didn't have anyone to hold us back…for the first time in 28 years! The one time we decide not to go….when usually we are lining up people to watch kids, etc…we were all alone and wrestling with this decision! Of course I woke up at 5:30…go figure! And I knew we should go! I prayed from 5:30 to 6:30 when I knew Jim had set his alarm, for guidance, reassurance, etc... and then we were up and at em! I packed my make-up bag, was flat ironing my hair and yet still yelling out to Jim, "Are you sure we should go?" "Yes", he said…and then I finally said…."I can't spend the night out any more for a long time!!! So we left…we left our packed bags…we left the dogs at the vet….we left without anyone knowing it! And headed to Market!! Foot loose and Fancy Free!

Until I finally gave in and texted our children in case we died in a horrible wreck or something which is always my stupid thought process!

But once we got there…after only a two hour drive which felt like nothing after a 5 hour drive to New Orleans last week…we had a very successful trip! ( Thank you, Lord!) 

These beautiful flowers greeted us first thing as we entered the "Temporary's" which I used to think were really exciting but they haven't changed much over the years! We were greeted with way too much recognition in my opinion! I thought a temporary would eventually move on to a be permanent show room…but not so…at least for now! Anyway, it was good to see sweet faces smiling at us and even a few very french voices speaking to us…and us nodding and bowing and acting like we understood! But, hey…we've been "temporary" friends for a LONG time!

sorry these pictures aren't the best! I was afraid they would think I was a spy from another vendor!

Then we simply looked at Christmas items

 and one other thing that I'm so excited about I can't stand it! I am not posting it yet because I really want to post it all at once! All in one big glorious grouping! I will say though, that we found out that our best selling candle, which is Lafco….
(that was featured on Oprah's Top Ten List two years ago)

 has now created soaps to go along with their incredible candles…I was told that all of Oprah's "people" or her staff…were in there as well and loved them even more than I did! I can't wait to see it on her Top Ten List again!

I must say though…I found it first! I really did! But, boy…I am very glad she loves them! She especially loved the soaps that you can see on the end of the table. They are fabulous! The owner, Jon Bressler was there for the first time and was so very kind and gave us free soaps because he believes in them so much! Take a minute and look at his success as a small business man! It's grown by leaps and bounds and he truly cares about what he is selling!

 Now theres an idea! Believe in yourself!! I can't wait to use it and it smells so incredibly good!!! You really must come by to get some for yourself or to give as gifts!

So, moving right along…here are just a few items we looked at and considered! I'm not saying exactly what we will be receiving in the next few weeks for fear of what  Pattie and Ellen will do when they realize how much we will be unpacking! ( wink, wink!)

After awhile you can only look at so much Christmas! So we ran downstairs so I could just "look" at a few normal items! Which we happen to carry these already but I never get tired of looking at Jamie's beautiful creations!

I must say I was really proud of myself and us in general! We left our house at 8:30 only because we had to drop the dogs off at the vet and they don't open until then on Sundays! We shopped till we dropped…I stayed well under budget and we left there at 5:15! Now that's really good, really fast and really efficient shopping if you ask me! I know what I like, I know what I want and I know when to stop! You just have to remind me every now and then!

And then there was that glorious moment when we once again looked out from the walkways that hang over the city and saw our car! I was so very glad we were going home!!!!

(you can barely see it to the left…the windows in the walkways were pretty dirty!)

This was the best sight of the day as we headed towards Birmingham!

It took me a while to get to that point…but once I'm there…I'm there! And there's no turning back! There's truly no place like home! And it's ok to be told "no" every once in a while! Especially with the way the economy is these days! I really want to be a good steward not only of my money, but of my talents as well! And that includes the talent of pouting and getting my way!