Thrilling Thrift Finds!

This past Saturday morning I was out on my usual thrifting adventures with my mama. Since it is winter here in Western PA, there aren't as many garage or estate sales going on so pickins are slim this time of year! :) We walked into an estate sale and on the first floor I had kind of already written it off as not that great of a sale. BUT THEN I walked upstairs into a room filled with shoes, purses, and clothing!! There were more shoes than anything and as you can see I walked away with quite a few pairs! Watch for them all in my Etsy Shop soon!

** This is going to be another one of my weekly features - Thrilling Thrift Finds!

I plan on sharing more of the amazing vintage items I find more often here!

Inspiring Illustrations

One of my goals for 2012 (see previous post) is to really spend more time on my blog, building it up, redesigning it, making it prettier and generally making it more a part of my everyday.

I plan on adding one or two weekly 'features'. I have a couple ideas that I am excited about and THIS (Yes! THIS POST! ;) ) is the first!! It is called Inspiring Illustrations and weekly (or at least pretty frequently) I plan on sharing some beautiful artwork from my vintage children's book collection and learning more about the artist.

I have been collecting vintage children's books for close to 3 years now and have amassed quite the collection! I am just so drawn to the illustrations and how beautiful most are. I had started collecting them (mostly books that had some damage to them) so that I could use them in projects, collages, etc... and it just became an obsession! I will have to share a photo of my collection sometime soon.... ANYWAY.. My first choice of books to share with you is BIRDS by Brian Wildsmith.

The pictures in this book are gorgeous. Each one illustrates a group of birds and a collective term for them - an unkindness of ravens, a colony of penguins, etc... The illustrations are just full of color and curiosity. Birds was published in 1967.

Brian Wildsmith was born in Yorkshire, England in 1930. He grew up in a small mining town that was always gray and colorless. He commented once that he always had to use his imagination and draw in his head. He has deservedly earned a reputation as one of the greatest living children’s illustrators. In 1962, he published his first children’s book, ABC, for which he was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal which is Britain’s equivalent to the Caldecott Medal.

He has also illustrated many other books including The Owl and the Woodpecker, The Little Wood Duck along with many other animal books. You can bet I will be looking for more of his books when I am out thrifting!!

Welcome 2012!!

Happy 2012, everyone!! There is always something so exciting and fresh about a new year! Have you made a resolution.... have you been sticking to it so far?

This year I decided to write down my MAJOR goals for the year instead of thinking of resolutions.

I started a fresh new journal (doesn't a fresh new journal just make you giddy!?) and also a notebook where I wrote down all my MAJOR goals for the year. These goals include (without going into detail) improvements to my finances, health, spirituality and of COURSE my blog & vintage shops!

I have found in the past that I normally get very overwhelmed at looking at the 'Big Picture' of these goals and normally don't get too far with them or am disappointed with my lack of improvement. I think most of the time I get overwhelmed with fear and doubt and just kind of quit. So THIS YEAR in my fresh new notebook (not to be confused with the fresh, lovely journal... ;)) I decided that I would write down my MAJOR goals on just about every page and each week I would just think of one or two simple, 'bite sized' things to do to advance that goal...So for health I am working on drinking 8 glasses of water a day for the week and for Hollie Would Vintage I am setting the attainable goal of posting 3 new things in the shop.

Each week I plan on writing out the bite size goals in the notebook and hopefully by the end of 2012 I will have made great progress!! I plan on 2012 being my BEST YEAR EVER ;)

What are your 'goals' for 2012 and how do you plan on keeping up with them??

Wheezy Wednesday

I haven't shared a photo of my amazing, hilarious bulldog in Way To Long! Sooooo...without further ado.....

HA! I can just never get enough of that face :)

Who ISN'T crazy busy this time of year???

So I have been MIA for the past few weeks....I have been crazy busy!! But really -- who hasn't been, right!?
I just thought I would pop in to share some Instagram photos from the past few weeks....

This is a wreath I made for the front door. Just bought a couple different items at Sam's Club and Wal-Mart and put them together to make this! I am pretty pleased with it.

The BF putting the finishing touches on the tree :)

Outside decorations.... never really decorated the outside of the house before.
And we have used the fireplace a couple times...which is always fun and cozy :)

Sadly, last weekend the BF and I both came down with the flu :( (he gave it to me!!) That was NOT FUN. There was alot of laying around with the animals being done for a few days.

But we are both doing fine now and are all caught up on shopping, decorating, etc...

So most of the stress is off and hopefully the next week will only be filled with family, fun and happiness!

I wish the same for you too!! ;)

~~Hollie

Tis the Season!!!

This is my most favorite time of year!! The decor, the shopping, the baking, the parties and OF COURSE spending extra special time with family and friends! I have the house already decorated inside and out but am ALWAYS looking for new DIY ideas to add to the mix! Here are a few recent finds on Pinterest that I am hoping to try this season.....

A wall of pretty wreaths of all different sizes

Source: bhg.com via Hollie on Pinterest

A wall hanging with spray paint and stencils...

Source: bhg.com via Hollie on Pinterest

Possible ornament to add to each wrapped gift??

Source: etsy.com via Hollie on Pinterest

I love this for Christmas and all year long!!

Source: junkgardengirl.blogspot.com via Hollie on Pinterest

Pretty paper snowflakes hanging in an empty corner

Source: vintagejunky.com via Hollie on Pinterest

What DIY decor are you working on for the Holidays????

Thanks!

Just a quick note to says thanks to all who stopped by from The Freckled Nest Blog and left sweet comments :) I was so happy to be a sponsor and hope you all enjoyed my Etsy Store and Blog! Hope you all come back and check things out! I plan on a lot more DIY, Design and Vintage posts in the near future :)