The Stone Rabbit

Pink Saturday.....Reflections

 

In August of 1996, two friends and I went to New York City.  It was a dream I'd had for years .   Our three days there were magical.

We saw three Broadway shows, took an Uptown-Downtown-Ellis Island-Statue of Liberty Tour and even dined at Tavern on the Green...in the Crystal Room!!

It was a time I'll always cherish. . .those great experiences with  great friends.

Years later, as I revisit our pictures of the trip, my heart just hurts when I see the towers in the background as we made our way to Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty.  How proudly they stood. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary Ann and I purchased these souvenir sweatshirts. . .I think on the last day of our stay.  I used to wear mine all the time, but since the attack on our country on September 11, 2001, I can't bring myself to do that anymore.

Looking at those towers just tears a hole in my heart. . .as it does for all of us.  A Face Book friend of mine said it so perfectly yesterday. . .

 

"We will never forget 9/11. We don't even have to post memorial pictures. Just the sheer sound of the numbers 9/11 or hearing September 11 stirs up enormous emotions for all of us and always will."    Patti Serrano

 

 

 

 

Blessings to all of you on this 9/11 weekend and many thanks to our military and emergency responders who work so hard to keep us safe.    May we always keep the memories of this terrible event in our minds so this doesn't happen again to our country .

Please visit Beverly's at HOW SWEET THE SOUND for more blogs.

 

DANA   

 

PINKS FOUND ON OUR LITTLE 'DAYCATION'

 

Recently, I took a "Daycation", with a couple of my pals.   We headed to historic Leavenworth, Kansas, which is about an hour away from our town of Independence, Missouri

You've probably heard about a couple of places in that town already.....like Ft. LEAVENWORTH, which is the oldest active Army post West of the Mississippi and LEAVENWORTH FEDERAL PENITENTIARY, which is the largest maximum security institution in the United States, currently housing 2,000 inmates.

We did drive by those places. . . but our mission on that day was on the lighter side.  We were in that area for entertainment, exploration and fun. . . in other words for some serious shopping, antiquing, and dining!!

 

The downtown historic district is composed of several blocks of gorgeous old buildings that are the homes to many fine businesses.

 

We were in the downtown area from 9:30 a.m. until about 5:00 p.m. . . almost going at a break neck speed just to be sure we covered as much of the area as we could.

This was a great antique mall. . . and if I had my van that day I would have done a major impulse buy on a great old dining room table and chairs.  I did take pictures of it and re-looked at them many times, eventually talking myself out of a trip back to buy them.  Anyway....this place had tons of terrific items!

This was a very fine quilt shop.

While we hit several other antique shops, specialty stores and ate at a delightful spot called THE PEACOCK CAFE', our MAIN reason for heading to Leavenworth was to visit this wonderful shop!!

An antique vendor friend of ours highly recommended this store, so we decided to make a day trip out of it. . . .and we are so glad we did!

You can just tell by the amazing exterior of the store that it would be filled with spectacular and fun items!!!  Heck....that PINK awning was worth the trip from KC!!!  :)

We were promptly greeted by Stacy, the sweet owner, and given a quick overview of some the items she offers for sale. . . many of which are hand made by local artists!

 

 

There are so many darling displays and punches of PINKNESS in this shop. . . I have to say I was nearly drooling on myself!  I'm really wanting to find a chalkboard/easel and paint it PINK like Stacy did. . . isn't it the best?

 

Here we are for our "group shot".  L to R  Me (Dana), Bonnie, Marian and ?!!!  I'm so sorry I have forgotten this lovely lady's name!!  

Stacy didn't want to be in the photo, so she had her sales lady step in while she took the picture.   I don't recall her name,  but I do remember she was as sweet and helpful as she could be!!

Stacy makes candles. . . tons and tons of candles.  Sadly, I didn't  get a photo of her display wall, but you would be very impressed by the large variety of colors and scents she has to offer.

You can visit Stacy's shop via Face book simply by going to this link!  CANDLE QUEEN CANDLES.  You'll see lots of great store pictures and you can also shop on line!!

After  sniffing every scent she had to offer. . .  I came home  with this one and I LOVE IT!!!  It's the perfect smell for this time of year.  

 

THE STONE RABBIT is in agreement with me about how wonderful my new candle smells and how beautifully it burns!

Stacy has a few scents with some pretty shocking and catchy names.  You can see in this picture just how  shocked Bonnie was when she saw that label!!!

(Bonnie is so good about following my orders:  "look shocked", "look happy", "look sad".  She's a real blogger's asset !!  :)

 

Yep. . . here's the label on the candle she was holding.   Stacey says they fly off the shelves!  :)  

Bet that would make the perfect gift for someone in your life, huh?  

We had such fun visiting Leavenworth, Kansas.

 I know YOU will have fun visiting the loads of bloggers waiting for you at HOW SWEET THE SOUND.  

Beverly has everyone organized for another fun weekend of PINK shares!

Thank you, Beverly!

Happy PINK SATURDAY to everyone!

DANA

OUR TEXAS TRIP Part 4. . . . . . .or We Brought Pink Memories Home With Us!

 

This is the fourth and final installment about the trip I took to Canton, Texas, with my friends Bonnie and Marian.

We drove from Independence, Missouri, to Terrell, Texas, on March 30.  Then, for the better part of three days,  we shopped  at Canton's HUGE "First Monday Trade Days" .  We also spent one rainy day visiting local antique shops and an outlet mall!

THEN, bright and early on Easter Sunday morning, we each pulled on our special PINK "cowgirl" socks that Bonnie had given us as a memento of this trip, then we. . . .

donned the rabbit ears I had brought for us and . . . .
 

loaded our car and prepared to leave the fine motel we had called home for five nights!
 

BUT before we left I FINALLY spotted the first real Texas wildflower I had seen on our trip . . . and it was growing right on the grounds of our motel!!! 

Yes, I had jabbered and jabbered about how we were certain to see lots of wonderful Texas wildflowers when we were visiting Canton, but we didn't see any- - -  until the day I saw this beauty! :)
 

 It was foggy on Easter Sunday morning as the Dallas skyline came into view.

Bonnie was driving on that leg of the trip and I was enjoying checking out the scenery in broad daylight.  When we came through that area six days earlier it was very late at night and I was driving. . . very white knuckled.. . . .fearful about being on that stretch of strange and confusing highway. . . and certainly not appreciating the beauty of the area.

Anyway, we were zipping along when all of a SUDDEN I realized we were seeing. . .
 

huge patches of TEXAS BLUE BELLS on the side of the highway!!  My little camera was able to capture the gorgeous carpet of that honored wildflower as we headed home!!

 

This part of Dallas has lots of over and over-over passes.  It didn't look as scary in the light of day as it did when we were driving it late at night.
 

The star of Texas proudly adorns the concrete supports of this highway. 

We soon found ourselves leaving Texas and driving North through Oklahoma. 

Around 1:30 p.m., we stopped in  Billings, OK, to gas up the car.  When we pulled up to the station, we were quickly tempted by the Dairy Queen that was conveniently attached to it.  

Within minutes we were enjoying our Easter Lunch of yummy chicken tenders and gravy and fries- - - vowing we would be back to our healthier eating habits after this meal!

A few  hours later, we had made it through the rest of Oklahoma and Kansas, then East into Missouri and HOME!!!

We had a great time on our road trip to Canton Texas Trade days.  However, I bought very few items!! For some reason, there was little that appealed to me.  Even Bonnie didn't find much.  I think Marian had more luck than either of us on this trip.  So while disappointing in the "the finds" we still loved "the hunt".

Both Bonnie and I hauled home door panels- - - vintage and new.  We paint signs on them to sell in shows.

Twiggy thought I had made a good choice with the panels.  However, . . . .

she didn't know what to make of the carton of ceramic eggs that I found.
 

Actually, Marian spotted them.  I'll use them for a Spring sale. . . possibly filling them will grass and a little chick and flowers.
 

Bonnie and I each bought some of this. . . it's oil cloth!  We both have totes we purchased several years ago made from oil cloth and thought we'd try to create some new ones. 

Actually, we have lots of projects that we are guilty of buying the supplies for, but not actually following through and completing.  I hope we really take the time to do this project!   If not, we can always use the fabric for tablecloths!  Of course, I picked some great PINK patterns!
 

I found this "vintage" Fisher Price camera for my grands to play with.  Their daddy and Aunt B had one when they were kiddos!  I'm pretty sure I sold it in a garage sale- - - probably for one dollar.  I paid two dollars for this one.   I knew I had to have it when I held it up and looked in the view finder, clicked the button and the faux flashbulb twirled around!  Lots of memories of my own "little ones" filled my head in that moment!

Last week, I mentioned the booth (THE JUNK EXCHANGE) where I found these great vintage prints made into cards. These are 5 X 7 and I will frame them to display.
 

However, a great touch the creators add to this product is a flap that can be attached to the back of the card, allowing it to stand by itself!


 

I shared on an earlier post (about our trip) this great oil cloth placemat and chalk board combo that I purchased for my Grand Girl!  Someone asked if I'd bought one for my Grand Boy.  I didn't cuz this was the only one the vendor had left.  However, I'm pretty sure I will be able to recreate one for him. . . I just have to locate where to buy the vinyl chalkboard fabric.  I have a little time. . . he's only 9 months old and isn't interested in writing yet!  We'll just have to watch the chalk. . . he likes to chew on stuff!  :)
 

THE STONE RABBIT was really glad my friends liked their rabbit ears.  I told him we got a lot of attention as we rode the elevator down to the lobby on Easter morning. . . .heading for one final continental breakfast at the motel.
 

Both THE STONE RABBIT and little Twiggy spend a lot of time at my feet when I am sitting at the computer.  They LOVE it when I wear my "cowgirl" socks.
 

As I typed away on this post, Twiggy kept pawing at me.  When I didn't pay attention to her gentle taps, she finally yelled out, "I want to see those rabbit ears!"
 
 

Hmmmmmmm. . . . . what can I say!

Well. . . .I do know of ONE thing I can say and that would be. . . .

 

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY !!!

For many more blogs full of PINKS to share, just visit Beverly of HOW SWEET THE SOUND!  She will have a long list all ready for you! 

DANA

OUR TEXAS TRIP Part 3 . . . . . . ..or The Pink Keeps Coming!

Hope you're not getting too tired of reading about our trip to Canton, Texas. . . there's just SO much to see when you visit there.  Bonnie told me she had read that the sale is spread over FORTY THREE ACRES!  No wonder it took us three days to roam around that place. . . and, as I said before, we're pretty certain we didn't see all of it!

I told you in a previous post that THE ARBORS are part of the Canton Trade Days site.  That area is composed of several buildings where many great vendors set up shop each month during Trade Days.

The buildings are MASSIVE and they were FULL of vendors and shoppers!
 

This is one of the many booths I loved.  This vendor had great furniture she had painted and/or recovered.....plus lots of fantastic chandeliers and floral accents!
 

Another booth that I LOVED was The JUNK EXCHANGE!  They offer a terrific variety of items  they create. . . .like those wonderful vintage cards you see in this photo.  If you click (HERE) you will find their blog!!

 

We found that many, many, many, many shoppers (and vendors!) brought their pooches to the sale!!  Of course, I thought most of them were pretty danged cute.....like this sweet baby in her PINK stroller!!

 

When we located this next booth, we knew we had found some wonderful PINKS.

The vendor decoupaged lots of items in darling paper patchwork style.....like this cute travel case and the mirror next to it which is reflecting a bit of ME ! :)

 

She had this in her booth, too!!!

 

Our favorite part of the booth was the cute hairdryer she had painted PINK and embellished with flowers!!

First, I sat down and took a few minutes to rest my tootsies, then. . . .

 

Bonnie took a seat and added her special flourish! :)

 

Outdoors, the flea market area is overwhelming.  There are booths EVERYWHERE. . . . and shoppers EVERYWHERE.

 

Oh, and there are SCOOTERS everywhere, too!! 

There are places to rent them.  Folks who are not handicapped rent them, cuz this place is ENORMOUS and it WEARS YOU OUT to traipse around for hours and hours!

Oh, and they SELL them, too.  These scooters were for sale! 
 

I told you on an earlier post how we were going to eat healthy on our trip.  Well, we did sometimes and SOMETIMES we just had to cave in and get really good food.....like CHEESEBURGERS....and CHIPS!

More great PINKS for sale. . . .
 

and golf carts that looked like vintage cars. . . .
 

 and, EEEEEEEEWWW,. . stuffed snakes!

Then, there were MORE cute little dogs. . . .

and shops on "the mountain" and . . .

MARIAN'S special birthday !!!! 

Yep, she celebrated her birthday on our road-trip to Canton, Texas.  Bonnie made and transported the cake in secrecy.   She also added the cute candles.  Me, well, I tossed in a few hats and  some horns AND balloons, of course!

Thank you, Marian, for sharing your special day with us!!
 

THE STONE RABBIT wanted to wish you a happy birthday, too, Marian.  So, in your honor, I let him put one of my favorite (and hoarded) ice-cream cone candles in a piece of angel food cake.

Then he sang to you!!

That rabbit has such a fine voice!

Oh, and then he and I ate the cake in your honor! :)  It was delicious.

 

For more bloggers with PINKS to share, please visit Beverly at HOW SWEET THE SOUND!!! 

Happy Pink Saturday!!

DANA

PS  Thanks again to Beverly who, so consistently, makes our weekly Pink Saturdays such a special event!

OUR TEXAS TRIP Part 2 or. . . . Still Finding Pink in Texas!!

Last Pink Saturday, I shared the first part of the trip my friends and I took to Canton, Texas, to visit the First Monday Trade Days.  While the trip from Independence, Missouri, to our destination seemed ENDLESS, the four days we spent in that area flew by!

On Wednesday,  our first  morning in Texas, we headed to Canton .  

We were actually there a day before the sale officially opened,  because we wanted to find the location of the sale  and figure out other important things such as. . . .where we could park and where the bathrooms were  before the HUGE crowds of shoppers came through the gates.

We weren't  certain if we could get into the sale area a day early, but once we entered the gates,  EVERYONE seemed happy to see us!  We later found out it was because sales had been REALLY slow in previous months---and not because we had just driven HUNDREDS of miles to visit them!!!

Anyway, in the photo below (sorry it's so light, but it was super sunny on that day!) a very nice lady was telling us where we might locate the actual "flea market" area situated in the open, grassy parts of First Monday.  The area marked "THE ARBORS" contains several structures on concrete pads where  some great vendors set up. 

 

We arrived before many of the vendors were completely finished with their displays, but several were all ready for early shoppers!

Folks were definitely hauling in the wares in hopes of a great  sale !

You can't believe how ENORMOUS this sale is until you start walking the grounds.  It's spread out over ACRES.  We were there for the better part of three days and I'm positive we did not see everything. . . . but we sure tried.

 We located some booths set in a pavilion area. . . . out of the sun.  Bonnie inspected an item that caught her eye!
 

 

The selection of wares was extensive. . . there were cowboy boots in the booth behind the one in which we were looking at vintage kitchen items. . .  and once we were out side again, we even found the . . .

 

 kitchen sink. . . and some bicycles!!  The place was mind-boggling!
 

And speaking of MIND-BOGGLING!!  :)  How do you like Bonnie in a helmet- - - with horns? 

Pretty spiffy, huh,. . . and it was HEAVY! :)  It was so heavy, that she didn't have the strength to smile cuz she was using every bit she had just to hold her head up !!!  Really! :)
 

MORE boots. . . after all, we were in Texas!

I told you we located the bathrooms.  Because it was Easter weekend, they even decorated some of them for us!!!  "LOOK, Marian, I HAVE to get a photo of the PINK Easter grass!"
 

We ran into very tempting food EVERYWHERE. . . check out that menu!!!
 

However, instead of a corn dog or fried Snickers, we opted for a yummy "Pork-Kabob" located in another booth.   At that point, it was still early in the trip and we were trying to "control" ourselves, but it was  getting harder by the moment. . .  and we were softening.

This little pooch grabbed my attention. . . not only because she had the cutest little face and PINK scarf and PINK sparkly collar, but she also was sporting. . . .
 

a little touch of PINK on top of her head!!!

Many of the outdoor vendors brought their little trailers with them for the duration of the sale. 

Lots of salvaged items ready for new homes and . . . .

lots of clever creations made with vintage finds.

I have to say that those Texans are danged proud of their state. . we saw Texas stuff EVERYWHERE!   Actually, I don't blame them. . . . "The Lone Star State" sounds so much better than "The Show Me State".  I'm sure there was a good reason our Missouri forefathers chose that handle, but I can't quite figure it out.  It has always sounded pretty antagonistic to me!

 
Besides loads of Texas memorabilia, there was something there for EVERYONE at this event.  

There were items for the person who wanted the "lodge look"  . .

 or for the collector of inanimate felines or old sewing machines. . . 

 

or for the folks who just love to catch little glimpses of themselves,  kinda like. . . .

we did when we found the booth that had the "LEG LAMPS" perched on each side of a dresser with a mirror. 

We just HAD to add our little touch to the scene! :)

Sadly,  the look was  just not the same in our denim capris and sensible shoes.

Then we found the remains of this poor gal who had two right feet. . . .probably because the left feet were used in the above lamps. 
 

Always on the hunt for PINK, Bonnie and I made a bee-line for our initials when we saw this glittery display!!
 

Whew!  I'm tired just reliving this much of our trip today, so I'm certain you may be yawning and scratching, however, I did want to share one of my finds with you before I close. 

A vendor in THE ARBORS had lots of items made from oil cloth. . . .totes, table covers, diaper bags, etc..  I love oil cloth items, so I mosied  into her spot (did you catch that "mosied" word?  Texas jargon just gets into your BLOOD!)  Anyway,  I quickly spotted this little doo-dad and untied the bow.

Do you know what this is?  I didn't until the vendor explained what I had picked up.
 

What a SMART idea!!  It's the perfect item to take along when you're dining with a child. . . or immature friend or bored loved-one.

On one side, it's a place-mat and on the OTHER. . . .

it's a vinyl chalkboard, complete with a little pocket to hold the chalk and cloth for erasing!!!
 

Little Twiggy loved my find and sat perfectly still while THE STONE RABBIT. . .

sketched her likeness!!!  

Then Twiggy took her turn with the chalk . . . .
 

to send you a message this week!! 

She's such smart kitty! 


 

I hope you will add to your Saturday fun by visiting Beverly of HOW SWEET THE SOUND.  She has worked SOOOO hard to have a long list of bloggers who also have fun PINKS to share!! 

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY! 

DANA