Dorothy Shoes

So I posted about finding these beauties last weekend with my brother.  They are so Dorothy of Wizard of Oz.  Such a whimsical find.  They are vintage, leather, red, and they have these adorable bows.  But they don't quit fit me.

I wear size 7 1/2 these are a tad too big.  Wasn't sure if I was gonna keep 'em or not.  Not, is the decision. I posted them today on my Etsy shop.  I think they are super cute and unique.

Today has been a weird day. Normally Saturdays are my Sabbaths, think sleep in and be lazy/on the computar all day, maybe watch a movie.  Today I cleaned our bathroom, did the dishes, swept the kitchen floor. Took pictures of my "Dorothy Shoes." Edited them and posted them on Etsy.  Sometimes just being lazy is less fun then doing some work :)  Silly me huh? :)

I did stay in my pjs all day though. About to go and take a shower! :) 

on track

So I mixed neutrals, (well almost neutrals) with this spring skirt. I'm wearing blue jean and teal as a neutral. Wouldn't you say blue jeans are practically a neutral?  Today I actually wore 2 PAIR of tights.  One pair in teal layered under a pair of grey nylons.  (I have a confession to make. I "cheat" with my pictures. I have to wear glasses to see, but I look a lot better without them, so I take them off for pics. Shhh, don't tell ;)  I want to get new glasses for my birthday, which is in 21 days!!

I went with my mom to bring the garbage but both places were closed. I asked her to stop at the railroad crossing and she took these shots. I'm impressed with my brother and my mom with the pics they both take!  

Look I ONLY posted 6 pics... I'm picture happy (think "trigger happy"), so normally I post 8 pics or more.

Today I posted 6 new pairs of earrings in my Etsy shop!  Check 'em out. I guess I'm all about 6 today.  Better not do another thing in 6...jk! :) There's still a New Year's Eve coupon up in one of my blog posts if you want to get a discount.

boots: $1 or $2 thrifted

teal tights: Gabriel brother's

grey nylons: from Grammie

skirt: free

grey thermal: Gabriel Brother's

jean jacket: Old Navy $25

feather earrings: gift from my brother, 

probably from Peru

shell ring: from Grammie

necklace: star of David from Israel, 

sparrow from thrift store, chain from another necklace

New Year's Eve-Main Street

-

black booties-gifted sister

skinny jeans-$2 thrifted, Salvation Army

blue button down shirt-Gabrial Brothers

vintage granny necklace-thrifted?

vintage b & w belt-thrifted

earrings-$1 jewelry store in Tx. 

hair bling-gifted from my Grandma

 New Year's Eve I went with my mom, dad and brother Adam to my parent's churche's New Years Eve party.  Then after, some of us were planning on going to a N.Y.E. party at a family's house from my church. That didn't work out. 

So I asked my brother if he could take pics of me at the gazebo in town. (Every brother's favorite thing to do.)  It ended up that he took pics of me and I took pics of him.  We did a lil' photo shoot.  Blogging world here is the "Next Top Model" Adam!!!  (Just kidding. Over his dead body ;)  He is a handsome dude though, I must say.

So Adam and I stopped by our local grocery store Martin's to buy sparkling cider. It was closed! But Food Lion wasn't. I hardly ever go into that store!  Adam bought Apple and Grape Sparkling Cider.  Our beverage of choice to make some toasts. (don't have to have alchohol to have fun:)  He was wicked nice and bought me my Burt's Bees Chap Stick and Cough Drops.

At home at Midnight we had a little special time with our family, a  goal setting and prayer time. We spoke out what we want to see God do in our lives this next year, what we desire.  I'm the family stenographer, so I wrote down what everyone said.  Here is what I said:

(Ok this is me being open with some of my most cherished dreams and desires)

-enter a courtship to the man I will marry

-Intimacy with Jesus

-To walk in the path God has for me

-to get my own place

-find my niche in work/ministry

-deeper relationships with my family

-My Etsy-provide nice chunk of income

I'm not a big resolutions person. I like to write down my dreams and desires and then we will see what God does.  He promises to give me a "hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Then we gathered in a circle holding hands and took turns praying for the next year.  

It doesn't feel as BIG this time for a new year to start.  But hey it's another year.  And I know God has some plans.  Yeah, I'm excited! And I have hope.  

Oh!!

P.S. My sister got engaged New Year's Eve!!! Wowzers!

End of Year Sale Coupon

I just added two new pairs of earrings to my Etsy shop.  I also retook the pictures for two of my more recent listings.

My new earring listings: "rose sonnet" and "render unto Caesar."  The rose beads in "rose sonnet" are re purposed from a vintage necklace my grandmother gave to me.  I re purposed the fake coins from possibly vintage earrings for the "render unto Caesar" earrings.  I enjoy re purposing!

These two pieces were re shot.  My sister modeled "Vintage Ethnic" as she was about to head out the door to work.  The lighting on "3 pearls" was better than before! Can you tell I'm enjoying my new camera? :)

I am offering a 20 % off "End of Year Sale Coupon." Just put this code in when you check out: ENDOFYEARSALE

Vintage Ethnic earring and necklace set

I found this lovely maybe a year ago.  I knew it was special.  I finally took it to an antiques dealer in town.  She deals with a lot of furniture, glassware and jewelery. She'd never seen a set like this.  

This is how she labeled it:

" Bronzed Necklace and Earrings

Bone Inserts

Possibly Middle Eastern"

She said it is vintage.

I finally finished photographing it today and posted it in my etsy shop.  It would be a great gift for a lady who loves unique ethnic vintage pieces. Or if you like it enough you could even get yourself a Christmas present. I won't tell anyone, except maybe Santa.  

the updated version

I took some pics of this vintage dress and had them posted on my etsy. (Yes I "self took" these pictures. Just give me a kitchen stool and a self timer setting on a camera!)

I got advice from a very active vintage seller. She suggested I shorten the dress to a more modern length. So I did and re-shot it. I think it's so much cuter this length. I still don't have a buyer for it.

I started shortening another dress, black with white polka dots to sell in my Etsy shop. I need to hem it, photograph it and post it also.

This is my version of a not so mini "Mini dress." :) If you look at the previous blog you will see this dress before it was shortened.

Here's the updated version of the "Eva Girl Dress."

Add a little plaid

Soo I found this "Leslie Kay Sportswear" vest the other day. It was kinda crazy because when I shopped at where I shop for my vintage finds I ended up buying all blue items. It was crazy!

I got a blue long wool (VINTAGE) Herman Kay coat, a pair of crazy cobalt blue swede boots, blue heels and this blue vest:) My "blue day..." I look good in cobalt blue;) I do like the shock of blue that some of these pieces bring.

I've admired blue glass for years. The vibrancy and aliveness of this color. It's very rich.

So I named this vest, "add a little plaid"... and I have it paired with my "million hearts" women's blouse.

I picked up from lookin' at a blog on vintage stlye to match 2 different patterns together. The way to do it is to have one pattern "quieter" than the other pattern. With the "million hearts" blouse it picks up on the red in the vest with the tiny understated bright red hearts.

I've also been checking out this one store, "Mod Cloth" click on the link: http://www.modcloth.com/store

It's super cool! And the clothes are either vintage or vintage feel by new designers. Someday I may splurge and buy something from that shop.

(this is some of my late night ramblings to the empty void of virtual land.... I'm home alone tonight and kinda lonely, but excited about fashion, and vintage and my etsy shop etc...)

These are a pair of boots I want to buy sometime. I saw them on a girl at the local Maurices and I told her, "this is kinda random but I love your boots, where did you get them?" And she said they were from right there. They were Maurice boots. Soo when I have some money saved up, or for christmas I want to get these boots! You'll haveta click on the link to see 'em... and I like 'em in "cognac!!" http://www.maurices.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3754529

This is definately late night ramblings...it's 2:34am... I don't stay up this late often. But everyone from the "fam" is gone tonight. I'm loving my alone time...

Some thoughts for you. Do not try to manipulate your life, or control it... trust God with it...with every step. If he seems to "take" something from you view it through the eyes of eternity, or the bigger picture. There are times where he may keep you from a relationship/ or remove you from a relationship because HE knows that person is not good for you or His best. (I learned that from Corrie Ten Boom in her book "Tramp for the Lord" (buy it here: http://product.half.ebay.com/Tramp-for-the-Lord_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ269256) Of course this doesn't apply across the board to everything. For example divorce. I believe once you are married it is God's will for you to stay with that person, etc...

We get hurt and disappointed when God removes things from our lives, especially relationships. Relize everything God does is with a touch of love. He allows things to happen, the good and the bad... realize He will work ALL THINGS for your good if you love and follow Him.

When he doest start writing a story, or writing you towards your destiny it will blow your mind. He wants to give us beyond what we ask or think. A big key to having that story written for you is WAITING for His timing. That means if you get impatient you better not try and make something happen, especially what YOU think should happen. Because you will get less than you really want. He is the "author and finisher" of our faith. Ultimately that will lead us to the "ending" of "they lived happily ever after" in heaven if you know Jesus but I also think it applies to our lives here and now. Let Him, Let Jesus write the faith journey of your life. When you are NOT in control you don't know what will happen. When the ultimate outcome is left in your saviors hands, you're not calling the shots. That is scary, that means there are alot of unknowns. The best atitude to take is "thy will be done." He knows best, so let Him do best. He WILL make "ALL things beautiful in its time." But the key is timing.

I think for us singles it's especially hard. May I venture to say more hard for women?... Which I could easily see the case that it's just as hard for guys, but in a different way. Us women want to be married and alot of us have waited for a LONG time. Some of us LONGER than we ever wanted to or expected.

I've wanted to get married since I was 17 years old!! That is 10 years, going on 11 years! I didn't expect to be the one in my family to get married older than most in my family. Ok my parents were 23 and 24 I think. My grandparents on both sides were younger than I am now. Both my brothers were younger than me when they got married.

I am tired of hearing "you're still young." Ok that is the truth... but I'm not as young as I expected to be and to be married. And too if you haven't been an "older single" you can't understand the pain, heartache, frustration, broken dreams... deferred dreams that we go through. I know people are trying to encourage us when they tell us that, "you're still young."

I've learned that it's really encouraging for older people, older women to come alongside us and tell us "this must be hard for you." And not try to put a band aid on it. To be allowed to hurt as we wait... and not be cuffed in the chin with the encouragement to "keep your chin" up is showing understanding that we don't always get from people. I've know I've had some encouragement along that lines and it meant alot to me. It was a balm to my heart, because I could feel her love. And my heart was safe to feel pain. Not questioned and encouraged to hide the feelings even deeper, almost as if you shouldn't be feeling this way. Which as a single I know many of you do feel this way.

I know God has timing. And for some reason He has kept me single and not married until the "ripe age" of 27. I don't know when the "fufillment of time" for me will be. God does!! (Well wine gets better with age, so I guess I must too.)

I am more at peace now with my singleness than I used to be. There are many guys that I cared for... and kinda tried to get to know....but I am thankful that God closed every one of those doors. He's got better for me.

I think to get into a relationship at this point would take more courage for me than to just say "no." I have been disappointed over and over again. There are lies in my head that tell me, "you're not good enough" "you're not pretty enough" "why would someone want me?" I think these lies or thoughts can be compounded into our minds sometimes if we are a bit older and single. "what's wrong with me, why hasn't anyone pursued me? Why have I been single soo long, or "why did it never work out"

When it does happen for some of us it will be more of a leap of faith than for others. I know for me it will. Since I've never been in a relationship I will have to trust God to lead that guy to pursue me. And trust that God will give me someone I can trust my heart with. That's scary to think about. That there is some man somewhere with whom I will be vulnerable with. Guys for us girls there's a fear of rejection too. A fear that what we feel and who we are deep inside isn't something you want to know. That we're too emotional, too soft, too sensitive that you won't know how to handle us. Especially initially as we get to know you. We do put walls up because we don't want to be hurt. (Ok this may not apply to all women, but I'm talkin' from my own heart hear.) There's a reason that God spoke of women as the weaker vessel. Part of it is that who we are inside... the vulnerable side of us is delicate.

I got a picture when I was with YWAM in NYC. Ok God is our father right. And he knows when "christmas" will come. "Christmas", you know when the time is right to bring that guy into our lives. But He won't give us christmas in July.... and He knows when it's coming... why are we worried and wringing our hands. Thinking "God's holding out on me!" When actually the time is just not right. It'd be weird to get a Christmas present on Easter right?! There is a time and a day and a season for everything that God has for us. Also I got the picture that He is excited about giving us this gift! He's got something special up his sleeve! "Every good and perfect gift comes down from the father of lights..." It may just be the planning, preparation time for God right now. He does work behind the scenes. He's setting things up... for the right time.

I've heard it all about Marriage isn't the ultimate goal... and you won't find complete fufillment in your spouse. I know and I understand all of that. Ultimately Jesus is the only one that can fill our deepest emotional needs.

But I also know what it's like to have a young women's heart. With all those longings and desires... desires that many of us keep locked way down inside. Throbing desires that we don't even want to look at because it hurts to much. The desire to marry and the desire to have children. God has wired us for marriage. God has wired us to be mothers. For most women I believe it is God's heart to have us married. I've heard it said if you don't desire marriage than you have the gift of celibacy.

Remember God does give us the desires of our hearts. I believe when we follow him He places in us desires for things he wants to fufill. But we can't hold them soo tightly and give God orders of how He will do it. Tell God what you want, but also hold loosely to "the list" that you expect your man to fufill. God has bigger and better plans for you than you can imagine. I've picked that up from some wiser older women in my life recently. If you hold sooo tightly to your own expectations you may miss or not see "THE BEST" God is wanting to give you.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

As a mentor of mine said "You can't mess it up when you're trusting God. And even if you do mess it up, He knows how to fix it."

Relax in the process and let the "author of your faith" write your life story. He knows what he is doing!

Orange Sherbet

I think this necklace is super neat! I found it the other day. It's soo funky and cool. It's a 46 inch chain of chunky white with orange sherbet tassels with gold chain.


You can wear it as a long necklace as a short necklace... wrapped around your wrist. However! I just posted it tonight to my etsy shop. I have a pic here that I didn't use in my etsy shop, so if you visit my blog you may see some "unseen" shots!!


Recently I found many more really neat vintage pieces. I just need to get around to photographing them and editing the pictures. There's this one grecian sea foam 70's gown... I don't know if I can part with it. It's just amazing... and it's totally VINTAGE!!!


Oh my word I found some amazing things. Even found a pair of "bug eye" sunglasses (BIG LENSES) with red rims...!!


Keep comin' back to the blog for new updates and go to my shop to see what I have for sale. I also posted a number of vintage blouses!! Great for that classy secretary/artsy look!


Update about my life. My car is road worthy and I will be leaving either at the end of this week for my LONNNGGG trip back to VA or I will leave sometime next week. I've had a bad cold and hope I'm not gettin' sick again... I've been gettin' over the cold, but than had a low grade fever tonight and havent' felt right.


I want to be feeling good when I drive 16 or so hours to the south!!


Soo come on by my shop and see what's new (ok VINTAGE ain't new, but you get the point) and if you're from the south, VA around let's do coffee or somethin'! It's will be hard to leave Michigan, even though it's gettin' cold and we've already had a touch of snow AND some hail I'll miss people here. It's about the people right!!?

50 sales before my 1 year anniversary!!

I have hit 52 sales and it's not even my one year anniversary on Etsy yet. I wanted to hit 50 sales by Oct. 5th. I broke the goal and am beyond it! God has really been blessing my sales at my etsy shop recently.


Thank you to all my customers and repeat customers!! It's been a blessing. I've told some people that right now this is one of the ways that I support myself.


I have been up in Michigan since May 20th as a mother's helper to the founders family of Christian Freedom International. They are in the process of adopting 8 Karen kids, while still having 2 of heir biological children at home. So they have had 10 children here at some point while I've been here. At the beginning of Sept. we took the 5 oldest karen kids to Bible School in NH.


Soon I will be goin' back to VA. I'll be movin' back in with my parents for awhile. Hopefully for not very very long... :) My thoughts of what I'll do next is maybe get my CNA license and look for work maybe. I could still use the sales on my etsy... especially as I transistion back into "regular" life where I'm not living as a "missionary" the same way.


I have just expanded my business to include vintage. I have 2 pairs of vintage shoes listed. Here are some pics of my finds! Enjoy....


Shabbat Shalom!!

been Etsing all day long!!

You can see I've been busy!! I made 3 new shirts today (one I plan on keeping), another one was a reserved listing... a special order... and the third was the blue shirt you see here with all the dragonflies!


Pictures
1. and 2. the reserved listing
3. Pretty in Pink
4. Red Love (women's tunic jersey shirt)
5. The Messenger (man's black shirt)
6. I Believe (in gray)
7. Dragonfly sky


Some of the other shirts I had made but had never photographed or had photographed. I took pics of my shirts being modeled... I modeled shirts... than I uploaded the shirts and did editing... and I also washed alot of the shirts. After they're made they MUST be washed... the bleaching process smells strong on the shirts.


Right now Etsy is one of the ways I support myself financially. I am in Michigan volunteering with the family that started Christian Freedom International. The husband and wife are adopting 8 Karen kids. So I live with the rather LARGE family and help the mom out. Like today I did dinner, delegated some cleaning/dishes, worked on laundry and drove with one of the girls as she practiced driving with her permit!!


www.mariesmiracles.etsy.com