Carousel Organ Association of American Coming to Waynesville, Ohio!

I just wanted to share this press release with you because it looks like this is going to be a lot of fun!

American Band Organs, European Fairground Organs & Monkey Organs Coming
to Waynesville in August

The weekend of Friday, August 14 –Sunday, August 16 the Carousel Organ Association of American will be coming to Waynesville. On Friday and Saturday, vintage and new organs will be on the grounds of Der Dutchmen Restaurant. Free admission for all would like to attend. During the entire weekend the Monkey Organs and their grinders will be performing along historic Main Street in Waynesville. Shows start at 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm on Friday, 10-5 on Saturday and 12-4 on Sunday. Come out and see these wonderful old and new instruments as they were performed in the early part of the 1900’s in such places as ice rinks, dance halls or carousels. The Carousel Organ Association of American is dedicated to the preservation and demonstration of the American Carousel Organs, large European Fairground Organs and all types of Monkey Organs. For more information on Waynesville and their events visit www.waynesvilleohio.com or call 513-897-8855.

Bits of Bliss: Come to a Garden Party!

From the sign across in this picture, we have Diana Knowlton, Marilyn Foskuhl, Nikki Taylor, Toni Bailey and Loretta Liesch giving you a preview of the hat show!

You're invited to a garden party!

Today we had wonderful lunch with some lovely ladies at the Hammel House here in Waynesville. These ladies are members of a women's group at the Greenmont-Oakpark Community Church in Kettering, OH called WINGS, short for Women in God's Service.

They have very graciously invited us to participate in their annual garden party, which will be held August 15, 2009. They will be having a fashion show with our vintage hats and their tables will be quite lovely covered in some of our vintage tablecloths.

If you attend this elegant affair, you will have the opportunity to purchase any of our items on display and 10% will go back to the ladies to help them raise money for their group. In addition to the fashion show, there will also be delicious food and drawings!

If you are interested in more information on this event please call Nikki Taylor at 1-937-427-1774.

Today's Bit of Bliss: Our First Blog Award!

StunningAnnaK (stop by her blog) has very sweetly awarded us the Lovely Blog Award, our very first award for our blog! We are terribly excited about this (thrilled really!) and will be passing this along to 10 other worthy bloggers! (These are in no particular order)

1. Fairy Dust Dreams


2. Anna's Trunk


3. Sugar Cookie Dolls


4. Vintage Roadside


5. Moondog Cottage


6. Black Feather Farm


7. Counting Your Blessings


8. A Field Journal


9. Pink Butter Creme


10. My So Called Junky Life

One Lovely Blog Award Rules of Blog Award Acceptance:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 10 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

My Favorite Thing in the Store

This vintage aqua wrought iron table and chairs set is my favorite thing in the store. Doesn't look like something that Doris Day would have in one of her movies? It is just so much fun. I just love everything about this set--the color, its unusual design. Wouldn't it be fun to set a small garden statue or something in the "cage" base of the table. Flowers or tiny lights could be twined in the "loops."

It sat in my garage for a long time before I brought it down to the store. I really wanted to move it into my breakfast room, but my husband doesn't love it like I do. I was a tough decision, but I decided that I keep the husband and bring the table set to the store so that someone else could love it as much as I do. In all fairness, we need five chairs if all of us are eating at home in the breakfast room and I have another set outside, but I really could picture this set in my beach house that I am going to have someday.

Aside from this table, I actually have been buying vintage goodies, when I run into them, that would be perfect for my future beach house. I figure if God put them in my path, then He will eventually provide the means to buy the beach house. I was a Girl Scout and the motto was Be Prepared. Am I the only one out there that is preparing for a future dream home that may or may not come about? If I never get the beach house, I still have some wonderful items that I can decorate with and remind me of the beach and make me smile. Decorating vintage is not only romantic but fun and happy too and is just another little beit of bliss.

Book Review of The Khaki Girls of the Motor Corps

I just love children's books, especially vintage ones. So when we get new ones in I just have to read some of them. I want to share with you a great girl's series from WWI that I read.
"The Khaki Girls of the Motor Corps (of Finding Their Place in the Big War)" by Edna Brooks, copyright 1918
The book's heroine is a spirited teenager, named Joan Mason, who is the only child of a weathy widower. She loves cars and owns one, which she keeps running by performing all the mechanics on it. She wants to join the Ambulance Corps and drive her own ambulance in France. Her father, of course, is opposed to this; however, she manages to wiggle a promise from him that if she proves herself, he will let her go.
She joins the Motor Corps, a women's extension of the army, whose purpose to train for the Ambulance Corps. They are used to drive army officers around. In the meanwhile, they are given alot of training in first aid and mechanics. In order to be sent to France and made a member of the Ambulance Corp, a girl must first complete all the training and she must buy her own ambulance to take with her.
Joan is a lively girl, fighting the social expectations of the day in order to do something worthwhile. The book documents her adventures in her quest to become a responsible adult doing what she loves to do. She confronts terrorists and prejudice with perseverance and determination.
This is a great story with lots of little details of the social culture and everyday life during WWI for the people back home. There is a second book in the series which I don't have called "The Khaki Girls Behind the Lines (or Driving with the Ambulance Corps)."
If you would love to have this great book, contact us, as it is in our shop.

Pay It Forward Giveaway...

***Due to shipping this giveaway is open to US addresses only. It begins today, May 3rd and runs through Mother's Day, Sunday May 10th 11:59 p.m. EST***

Here are the Rules:
1. To automatically win, be one of the first three bloggers to "follow" my blog and leave a comment at the end of this post, which entitles you to a handmade tussie mussie (pictured above). If three or more people have beaten you to it don't worry. I am mixing things up a little. There will be a fourth winner who will be randomly picked from all the rest who have posted a comment and followed my blog.

2. Winners must post this challenge on their own blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first three bloggers who "follow" you and leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift you send can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love

5. If you are not one of the Top Three or the wild card 4th winner to comment on this post or win the drawing, you can still play along. Please start your own 'Pay It Forward chain', and encourage your blogging friends to do the same.

And, I would be most pleased if you could just join in the fun!!

Leave your comments now!! And remember to include your email address so that I will be able to contact you!!

Artist Spotlight: Southern Girl Florals

I was fortunate enough to win one of Southern Girl Floral's hair clips on her PIF giveaway on her blog. I just got it in a couple of days ago and it is just gorgeous. I wanted to share her creations with all of you and she has graciously agreed to share a little bit about herself and her creations below. Enjoy!

Kerry







My name is Lindsay and I live in South Texas. I design floral wreaths, arrangements and hair accessories. I love working with beautiful silk flowers and colorful ribbon. I find inspiration for my designs through many different venues – the flowers themselves, nature, and different color combinations tend to spark inspiration in me. Also, my Mom is a very crafty person; I get my creativity from her. She is probably my biggest influence and inspiration. I remember when we used to make Christmas wreaths with my Grandma. I loved helping Mom put all of the ornaments on the wreaths – that is where it all began. I started creating wreaths and arrangements for family and friends about six years ago and I started selling my creations last year. I have also started a new venture in floral hair accessories. They are quickly becoming some of my favorite pieces. I do have a “real” job in the “real” world, but I truly enjoy my little creative outlet! I absolutely love creating custom orders! They always turn out to be some of my favorite pieces!

My Bit of Bliss would have to be the Twilight series! I know, I know – I was fighting the fad for the longest time until my brother started reading the series and told me that they were the best books he had ever read! I thought if they appealed to a guy (and not just boy crazy teenage girls) then they must be good! I’m totally hooked!



Etsy shop: http://www.SouthernGirlFlorals.etsy.com

Blog: http://www.SouthernGirlFlorals.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SouthernFlorals