Gratitude

It's been months since I've done a Gratitude post and it seems like it's time for a comeback. I know I could use a little more gratitude in my life- it's been too easy to focus on life's problems these past months, and forget about everything there is to be grateful for.

Lately I've been feeling pretty discouraged about Gather and Hunt. It seems like things just aren't gaining the momentum I'd like and I start to wonder if any of it really matters, or if it's even worth my time or yours. I'd like to say that I've moved past that discouragement, but that would be a lie. However, I haven't given up yet, and that is entirely due to you, dear readers. Today, I am grateful for all of you.

I wish there was a way to thank each of you personally, or that I could afford to send you all a token of my appreciation. Maybe someday. Until then, I thought I'd introduce you all to a few readers (who also blog) who consistently bring a little extra joy to my day with their comments and support.

One.
Katrina from Calikatrina. I met Katrina at the Oh Hello Friend holiday sale this past November- she bought one of my favorites from my deer collection. Since then, she has been just the sweetest- frequently stopping by the blog to comment. Her own blog is full of beautiful photography capturing her family life, as well as peeks at her amazing crochet work. She has an Etsy shop where she sells the cutest little crocheted bows and Buggs (those adorable booties in the photo above).

Two.
Meghan, from Sweet Pea and Beans. I'm not even sure how Meghan found G&H, but her comments always brighten my day. A wonderful writer, Meghan blogs about her sweet family and occasionally, their beautiful home, originally her grandparent's house. Her vintage business, The Postscript Society, has one of the most charming names- don't you think?

Three.
Emily from Peck Life. Now, I know I introduced you to Emily when I got back from Alt, but I just had to mention her again. She's one of the sweetest people I know and I always love getting a comment from her. A soon-to-be mom to two (she has an adorable 3 year old boy and another on the way!), her blog is full of inspiration, especially for those of you with little ones. She and her husband have also been living in the midst of a renovation to her Grandmother's 1971 rambler (it has a white fireplace- which I dream of having someday).

Four.
Brianne from The Ravenna Girls. Another blogger you might remember meeting here, Brianne is also a real life friend, but has been such a wonderful supporter from early on. Her site, which she co-edits with her best friend and housemate Danielle, covers everything from their beautiful home to their amazing garden, crafts, and more. They also run two Etsy shops- one for their vintage finds and another with their handmade goods (I love their nautical rope bracelets!). In addition to all that, Brianne is also an architect and is planning her upcoming wedding- I don't know how she does it!

Five.
Rebecca from We Are Large, People. Another one of my real life friends, Rebecca has always been one of my biggest cheerleaders. Though she hasn't been blogging lately, in the past, Rebecca has posted about fashion mainly as well as snippets of her life in general. She seeks to inspire others to love their bodies- no matter their size. She and her husband Bob have a cute dog, named Waffles, who they adore and recently bought the cutest little house in Seattle.

Six.
Melissa from Re.Stock. Of course, a post about the readers who encourage me most wouldn't be complete without mentioning my best friend, and biggest supporter, Melissa. Her own blog gives you a peek into her wonderful and creatively styled home, as well as her life with some of the cutest little girls in the world (yes, I might be a little biased), her husband (who was one of my first friends when I moved to Seattle), and their chickens. A clever decorator and maker, Melissa is always showcasing inventive ways to use vintage finds and is planning to open an Etsy store for her handmade goods this year.

I only wish every single one of you had a blog or website I could link to- because I really appreciate all of you, and treasure every comment you leave here, on FB or on Instagram. If you're a regular reader and have a blog- please leave your link in the comments here- I love to see what everyone else is up to.

Thank you again- all you lovely readers. I'm so grateful for you and the time you spend here every week.

{All photos in this post are via the blogs mentioned.}

gratitude

i know it's friday, but instead of finds to fancy, i figured a fitting way to follow Thanksgiving would be a gratitude post.

this year was the first time since we've been married that we didn't have any guests for Thanksgiving dinner. even though it was just the two of us, i still wanted to make our traditional meal (yes, a lot of work for just two people, but i really do enjoy all the cooking). i was especially excited for this years meal preparations because for the first time ever i have a kitchen that looks good in photographs! with fun counters, plenty of space and great light from two windows it was a pretty great day for this blogging cook.

the food prep seemed particularly easy this year. i always start out the night before with the pies, then make the cranberry sauce and the stuffing first thing in the morning while the Macy's parade is on. the mister and i also enjoyed a little breakfast treat, complete with a glass of eggnog. 

since we eat at night i often end up with terrible photos of the table, but this year i actually had time to get the table set in the afternoon so i could get some nicer photos! i'm really pleased with how it turned out. i wanted something really simple and a bit rustic. i incorporated a variety of vintage goods- arrows, mason jars, japanese darts with feathers, and even some vintage papers. i picked up some simple napkins from a booth at a local antique mall (on sale for half off!), and a few more milk glass serving pieces to complete the minimal look.

another thing we rarely do- take time for photos of us! we put the tripod to work and got a few keepers (we always do a round of silly face pics- they're my favorite). we put our sunglasses on to rub it in that it was almost 75 degrees out (though in truth, i would have preferred snow and cold temps). 

a tradition from my childhood that we've continued- a little mid-day snack in lieu of lunch- summer sausage and a cheese ball. the mister enjoys this mini tradition.

when it was finally time to eat we set the table feast style (since it's such a big table, we figured why not), and enjoyed the fruits of our labors. after dinner we took some time to Skype with family and friends.

of course, no Thanksgiving in our house would be complete without pie! this year, for the first time ever, i made the crust from scratch (for some reason i've always hated making pie crusts, even when i worked in a bakery). it turned out really nicely and since we had extra dough, i asked the mister to cut out some arrows to decorate it with. he did a great job, don't you think?

we had such a wonderful day. it was nice to have some time with the mister (he's been so busy with his studies i feel like we hardly ever even see each other), and though we missed our friends and family (thank goodness for Skype), we really enjoyed every moment.

how was your Thanksgiving? i'd love to hear some of your favorite moments.

now, i'm off to work- today i'm a bit regretful that i took a retail job at the holiday's, but hopefully it won't be too bad (at least it'll go by quickly). i hope you all have a lovely weekend!

P.S.

This post is my entry into the Alt Summit Blog Contest sponsored by Wilsonart International, Inc.

Wilsonart is generously hosting a giveaway of a ticket to Alt Summit and kitchen counter makeover- isn't that nice of them? while i won't be able to use the new counters in our rental, i'm really hoping to win a ticket to Alt since it's sold out! keep your fingers crossed for me?

gratitude (the long overdue edition)

happy Wednesday everyone- i'm so excited to be back here blogging again! i hadn't intended to be absent for so long, but between the move to California, my sister-in-law's lovely wedding in Baltimore, and finally finding a place to live, i guess i should have figured it'd take some time to get back in the saddle.

i felt like a gratitude post would be the ideal way to kick off a new season here at Gather and Hunt, so today i am grateful for...

we're still settling in and have lots left to unpack, put away, fix, and update, plus i haven't even begun to decorate yet, but i thought i'd share a little instagramed sneak place of the new place and some features i'm grateful for...

amazing light in the kitchen. our last two apartments had terrible light in the kitchen, which makes taking photos in there difficult. i love the kitchen in our new place- it's charming and gets lots of natural light all day long.

outside space. when we decided to make the move to Pasadena i was hoping and praying we could find a place that had some outside space and somewhere to plant things. after living in a building surrounded by concrete and rock, it's such a nice change to have grass, trees, and even hummingbirds right outside! the front landscaping needs some help (that lavender has taken over), but the landlord offered to give us some funds to spruce it up. we even have a little space just outside the kitchen that we're going to turn into a patio for dining alfresco. 

hardwood floors! most of the places we looked at prior to this one listed hardwoods, but ended up only having cheap laminate floors. these floors are original, dating back to 1920, so they need a little TLC, but i'm so happy to have them. 

built in storage in the bathroom. i don't think i've ever had a bathroom with this much storage in it- there's more space than we even have stuff to put in it! 

charming french style windows. though they need a major cleaning (glass cleaner and paper towels just didn't cut it), i adore these swing arm windows on each side of the bay window at the front of the duplex. 

tons of built in storage. this rental was a bit more than we were hoping to spend, but was the only place we looked at that had enough room to store everything we had without having to rent other space. there's even room for the Gather and Hunt booth structure components and all the other stuff that comes with having a mobile business. 

original details. when we first looked at this place we had actually responded to an ad for another unit on the same property. that unit was amazingly charming with tons of built-in's and lots of the original details intact. unfortunately it was too small for us, but this larger unit was also available and though it didn't have quite as much charm, it is the perfect size and has many charming details as well. i love that the original mail slot is still functional (though i suspect the postman hates it)- it makes getting the mail so much fun. the former phone nook in the hallway may need to find a new purpose since we don't have a land line, or maybe i'll just find a vintage phone to display there. lastly, there's the old milk delivery door. back when milk bottles were delivered daily, the milkman would have opened the outside door and left the milk inside the cool compartment away from the sun's rays. the occupants would open the inside door and have their fresh milk for the day.

so that's our new place. i need to get back to unpacking, but i hope you enjoyed a little peak into our new life here in Pasadena. i'd love to know what you've been up to over the last month- leave me a comment so i can catch up!

gratitude

the last few months have been busy. really busy. sometimes in these busy seasons it's hard for me to find inspiration- either because i don't have time to look for it, or i'm too preoccupied to notice. over the past couple of days i've reconnected with inspiration, so today i am grateful for inspiration. 

here a few things that have been inspiring me lately...

pretty magazines. neither House Beautiful or Marie Claire Maison are ones i would usually buy, but they are both filled with beautifully styled interiors in these issues, that have me excited for the coming opportunity to style our new home (where ever it may be).

{photo via Yahoo Movies}

{poster by Laura Perm-Jardin via Apartment Therapy}

{still via Yahoo Movies}

{still via Yahoo Movies}

{interactive character poster via Movie Talk}

moonrise kingdom. have you seen this yet? oh my goodness. it's pure delight. as usual, Wes Anderson has created a film that is an enchanting visual treat. it also happens to be great timing for me because we've been planning 'camp birthday'- my birthday party- for this upcoming weekend. we've got camp style arts and crafts planned as well as a big bonfire complete with s'mores. i found all sorts of inspiration to add to my party planning boards in this movie.  if you haven't seen it- do it. you won't regret it.

{photo via The Farm Chicks}

great people. my friend (and fellow birthday girl) Serena, from The Farm Chicks, had a great post featured on BlogHer yesterday that's all about filling your 'circle' with great people (and being one yourself). such wisdom there- as i continue to build my own circles and gear up for building some brand new ones in California, i hope her advice will seep into my core and help me to both be part of, and build, circles filled with great people. i hope you'll take a minute to read Serena's post too.

what do you have gratitude for this week? i'd love to know- i think there's inspiration in that too!

gratitude

this may be the latest i have ever posted- today went by so fast i can scarcely believe it's already over. do you ever feel like life is just racing from one event to the next? i've been feeling that way lately. i hear myself say 'i'll get to that as soon as (event of the week or month) is over', but i rarely actually do get to it. with this move looming ever nearer, i've realized it's time to start getting to all of the tasks that have been placed on the back burner.

today i'm grateful for time to start tackling those tasks. my big project today and tomorrow? getting the state of our apartment back under control. between Farm chicks, going out of town shortly after, a holiday and then Urban Craft Uprising, it is a disaster around here...

eek! i almost can't believe i even showed you this. this is what Melissa would call an 'honesty hour'. i'm making progress though- today i got the living room back into shape and tonight i am tackling the bedroom. consider this a 'before' post- by this time tomorrow i hope to have everything back into it's proper place.

i'm especially eager to get things tidied up so that i can shoot our home tour before we have to start packing everything up! can you believe we have lived in this place over a year and i have yet to really share pics of it here?

so yes, today i am grateful for time. time to tidy, scrub, organize, plan and blog.

what do you have gratitude for this week?

gratitude

happy independence day! i know some of my readers are not in or from the US, but i hope everyone has a happy wednesday at least. many of my mister's non-US born coworkers refer to the 4th as 'blow stuff up day', which makes me laugh.

{image via Vintage Antique Classics}

i don't have much of a post for you today, other than to say that today i am grateful for time to spend with friends and family. the mister, my dear friend Katie, and i are going mini-golfing today- one of my favorite activities! later we'll have a little BBQ picnic with my mom as well, then watch the wonderful fireworks they light off over Lake Union. 

what are you up to today? whatever you do, i hope it's wonderful! if you're watching fireworks and would like to capture good photos of them, head over to Nicole's Classes today- she's sharing some really helpful tips on how to get the best images of fireworks!

gratitude

today i'm feeling grateful for little moments of delight...

in the midst of chaos.

it's a bit wild around here lately- prepping for the Farm Chicks Show has completely taken over our apartment, and most of my waking moments. i'm so excited for the show this year, but i will be so glad when i get all the cleaning, sorting, pricing, wrapping and packing completed! until then, i'll strive to find gratitude in the simple things.

what are you grateful for today? i'd love it if you'd leave a comment and let me know!

gratitude

with Mother's Day just around the corner, what else could i be grateful for today other than, my own mother?

that's her there- circa 1985. isn't she pretty? i love her outfit in this photo too- pretty sure that was a pink skirt with an awesome blazer that had pastel vertical stripes.

my mom is an amazing lady. after my parents divorced when i was 7, she basically raised me largely by herself. she worked several jobs, but things were tight, so we would hit the estate sales, yard sales, and thrift stores frequently. my mom taught me how to spot a valuable antique in a pile of junk, and how to bargain for a better price. by the time i was 12 we would divide and conquer at estate sales- splitting up and searching for all the good stuff. i loved those Saturday mornings spent driving around town, newspaper in hand, looking for good sales, digging through boxes, and discovering new treasures!

i think kids who grow up around antiques, vintage, and thrifted items either grow to love it or hate it. i love it (obviously), and i owe much of that to my mama. she taught me the value of things with a history all their own, and that saving useful or beautiful items from being discarded is more rewarding than buying something brand new.

i am the person i am today thanks to my mom and i hope i can do her proud when i become a mom myself in the future!

what about your mom (or other mother figure) are you grateful for? how did she influence you? i'd love to hear- just leave a comment below!

gratitude

it seems a bit fitting that i'm posting this later in the day than i normally like to, because today i am grateful for...

time.

just a few short weeks ago, wednesday would find me scrambling to get a blog post up, get ready for work, prep some goods for the shop, and race downtown to put in a few hours at my bookkeeping job. rushing to the shop space afterwards to get it stocked before closing time, then back home to get a meal ready for the mister and i. now, i know this sounds a lot like everyday life to most of you, and i'm certainly not complaining about having work in this day and age when so many don't. but, days like that were wearing me down. (getting a little personal now) having fibromyalgia- a chronic pain and fatigue condition- makes normal tasks seem overwhelming at times, and juggling 3 jobs and a business could just push me over the edge into painful exhaustion.

fast forward to today. so much has changed in those few weeks. now, with one less job to juggle, i spend wednesday's working on blog posts, thrifting new goods, prepping inventory for the shop and Farm Chicks, re-stocking the shop, attending to issues in the apartment building (job #2), and taking care of normal life stuff. it is an unbelievable gift to have an extra day each week to get things done and i am so thankful for it.

i'm grateful for my mister, working a job he isn't enthused about, in order to provide some financial stability for us and allow me to take the last few months we have in Seattle to pursue my business more fully. i'm grateful for all my customers, whose purchases support this passion of mine and who motivate me to keep finding vintage treasures. i'm grateful for you, dear reader, and for your comments that remind me that i started this blog to inspire and build community around something we all enjoy. i'm grateful for all the blessings in my life, and for the provision of additional time to enjoy them all.

i know time can feel like an enemy some days, and even with that extra day, i still know that despairing feeling well- a never ending to-do list vs. days with never enough hours in them. i'm trying to let my gratitude strong arm that despair into motivation, but i'm curious- how do you find time for what you love to do and what you must do? what's your relationship with time like?

i'd also love to know- what are you grateful for today? i enjoy getting glimpses into your lives through your comments!

p.s. all the clocks in these photos will be available for purchase at The Farm Chicks Show- just a short month away!

gratitude

after a few lovely, sunny days here in Seattle, it's back to being cold and rainy. weather like this makes me feel like making a cup of tea, putting a record on, and curling up under a soft blanket. ah, if only there wasn't so much work to be done! but hey, i can still put a record on while i work, which is why today i'm grateful for...

this cute little record player is one of my favorite things, especially because it reminds me a wonderful friend who now lives very far away. 

my friend Alison and i found this little charmer at the Fremont Sunday Market several years ago and she loved it and purchased it. i was a tiny bit jealous- i mean, it's so awesome how could i not be? 

then, about a year ago, Alison decided to downsize in preparation for an overseas move and asked me if i would like to have the record player. at first i thought it only played 45's which i have none of anymore, so i told her i would sell it for her and give her the money.

however, while i was cleaning it up, i realized it would also play LP's! i talked with the mister to make sure he was on board with me trading this in for the d.j. style turn table he had given me for my birthday a few years ago (i hated to make him feel like i didn't like his gift, but this record player was just so amazing!), he agreed, and we set this one up in it's new home! (not to worry, my fancy record player went to a good home with another friend). 

i just love all the fun little details- the cute cowboy and cowgirl graphics, the amazing colors, even the smokey the bear sticker left on the front of the cover by it's original owner. oh, and best of all? 

it lights up and flashes in time with the music that's playing! how cool is that? 

i also happen to think it looks pretty cool over in the corner with Johnny! if you'd like to have a similar one, i've seen several cute ones on Etsy, including this amazing rainbow one:

{photo and rainbow record player via ani. and. Rose Vintage}

what do you have gratitude for this week? leave a comment and let me know- i always love hearing from you!

gratitude

the other day my mister and i were talking about how much use i've gotten out of my iPhone. i waited a while before getting a smart phone, but boy- how much easier certain aspects of life have gotten since i made the jump! so, today, i'm grateful for something decidedly non-vintage- my phone!

the pretty side of my phone!

but what's a smart phone without apps? not much, that's what! so i thought i'd also share some of my favorite apps of late...

for photos:

Instagram.


i know, i know, Instagram is old news, but it has remained one of my favorites. i love that you can take a photo that might not be perfect and make it look a lot better with one of their signature filters. the social aspect of it is also a lot of fun! for you android users- if you haven't already heard, Instagram is now available for you too! free.

Phonto.


this is one of my new favorites. it's a typography app that allows you to create images with type on your phone and then save them or send them to social media sites, including Instagram. i had fun playing with some of the different fonts on this free app...

 

Photo Frame HD.


this is an easy to use app for combining multiple photos from your phone into one image. there are a range of layout options and you can save, email, tweet, or send to Instagram each image. free and paid versions available.

for home and work:

Zip List.


this is a great app for managing your shopping lists! you can make multiple lists, keep a recipe box, even add items to your list from recipes you find on tons of the best food websites online! you can also access it online, so my mister (who doesn't have a smart phone) can add things to the list from work, and they automatically sync to my phone. free.

Stylebook.

this one is great for fashionistas- load photos of your own clothes, create mood boards, keep track of your outfit inspirations, and more! i like it for the packing list- you can make outfit lists for each day of your trip and then create a packing list. $3.99. 

Red Laser. 

an easy to use app that lets you scan a product's barcode and then compare prices online. it also works as a QR code reader. free.

houzz.

an amazing app for anyone who likes to decorate (and even professionals like stylists and designers). you can browse thousands of interior photos, create idea books, and even shop, all from this one app! it's great for on the go inspiration and even syncs with their full website. free. 

ColorSnap. 

this app from Sherwin Williams lets you match a paint color to any photo on your phone! it'll also suggest coordinating colors and help you create a custom palette. free. 

iHandy level. 

this free app turns your phone into a level! it's great for hanging pictures, and can be calibrated so it maintains accuracy. 

iHandy flashlight.

another great iHandy app, this is one of the brightest phone flashlights available. i love it for estate sales when i don't feel like carrying my mini maglite around. free. 

MileTracker. 

i spend a lot of time driving for my business. i've tried notebooks, saving my GoogleMap print outs, emailing myself the directions to every estate sale and saving them to enter later, you name it. i just wasn't able to use any of those systems consistently, but MileTracker has changed that- it's so easy to use, and since it's on my phone it's with me everywhere i go! no more missed mileage deductions for me! $2.99 

Square. 

for those who aren't hip to Square yet- you've got to try it! an affordable payment processing service/free card reader device that has no contract required and runs off your phone or iPad, Square has changed the lives of many small business owners, myself included. i'm now able to take credit cards wherever i have a cell phone or wifi signal, and i don't have to set up an expensive long term contract with a bank! Square even lets your customers sign on the screen and then have the receipt emailed or text messaged to them. the fees are affordable, and the extra sales you gain from taking credit cards more than makes up for them. Square has even recently rolled out a register system and the ability to pay with Square. free (except for processing fees). 

for fun:

Country Living's Treemail.


this fun app let's you 'carve' a message in the tree of your choice and then send it to whoever you choose. it's sweet, silly, and a lot of fun too! $.99

what apps do you love or find useful? share them in the comments so we can all check them out!

gratitude

yesterday i finally managed to make it to the UW Surplus store on the one day a week they let the general public in! i didn't score as big as i was hoping to, mainly because i haven't been in a while and was not aware that people are now lining up an hour before they open, so a lot of folks beat me to things, but i did find some cool things like a whole box of bulldog clips! 

bulldog clips are one of my favorite utilitarian things and i always nab the old ones i find at estate sales. they're super useful in a variety of ways and i like their industrial style. they come in a range of sizes, and sometimes even with magnets attached so you can use them on the fridge or filing cabinet. 

one of my favorite ways to use them is for hanging art. framing things can be a bit spendy and since none of the art we have right now is super precious, i just use the clips to hang it all up! this method also offers the option to eventually frame things, since the clips don't damage the pieces. 

even when i use other methods to hang things, the small bulldog clips work nicely as a weight to help keep posters from curling.

the clips also work well on inspiration boards, again when you don't want to damage the item you're hanging up. i have several screen prints i keep above my desk that i would like to frame someday, so for now they hang out on my inspiration area (aka the back of my mister's desk).

it may be a small, silly thing, but gratitude is not just for the big things right? finding little things to be thankful for in everyday life is important too and that box of clips brought a little extra gratitude to my week. (oh, and don't worry, i'm not keeping the whole box to myself! you'll find some in my booth at the farm chicks show).

what do you have gratitude for this week?

gratitude

happy wednesday everyone! it's an extra happy day for me because the migraine i've been battling for the last two days has finally lifted so i can start getting caught up on life!

my first task of the day is washing a whole lot of dishes, and while i'm full of gratitude for just about everything today (spending days on end wishing you could remove your own head can put a lot into perspective), whenever i have to wash dishes i'm grateful for this view...

this horse hangs above our sink, and it always makes me smile. i think it was the front of some sort of ticket machine, possibly from a race track or circus. i found it in someone's back yard that was having a really weird (and super awesome) junk sale. my friend Abbi and i found a huge pile of good stuff at that sale, but this is probably my favorite piece. it was in rough shape when i found it, but with a little elbow grease and my husbands help removing a bunch of rusty, broken mechanical bits from the back so we could hang it, it looks pretty awesome now!

i love this piece because it brings some fun to a task that's necessary but boring, it's super unusual, and it reminds me of a lovely friend who i don't see very often these days.

what are you grateful for today?

gratitude

today, as i make some last minute preparations for our trip to what will be our future home, i am grateful for our present home- the lovely Seattle...

from our landmarks...

to the beauty of every season here...

yes it may rain, a lot...

but the sun always comes back...

and the days end in beauty...

leading to lovely nights. 

i'm excited for the adventure ahead of the mister and i, but Seattle will always hold a special place in my heart. i have loved this city and the people in it for the last 9 years and i always will, no matter where life may take me. i ♥ Seattle!

what do you have gratitude for today? leave a comment and let me know!

tomorrow, look for a special curated life post- direct from sunny California! and if you want to follow along on our SoCal adventure, find me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram (my username is danaerolyn), or Instagrid for non-iPhone users)! 

gratitude

i'm confined to bed this morning, with what i hope doesn't turn out to be appendicitis (don't worry, i'll go to the doctor!). that said, today's post will be short and sweet (and instagram-ed).

today i'm grateful for something lovely to look at on these days when i'm stuck in bed.

with more of those days than i would like, between the migraines and the fibromyalgia, so it's nice to have this great map hanging on the wall across the room. the colors are so perfectly beautiful, especially in the morning light, and it helps me refresh my knowledge of (what little is still current) European geography to boot!

what do you have gratitude for today?

gratitude

this week's gratitude post is short and sweet (and late) because i had a longer than usual work day at one of my 'day jobs' (i really meant to get this posted this morning but ran out of time just after finishing up with the photos). the good news is- today will be one of my last days at this particular job, which means i'll have more time to focus on the site, the space at the vintage mall, and gathering goods for the farm chicks show booth! i suppose that could have been today's gratitude really- but i don't have any good photos for it. ;)

instead, today i'm grateful for this:

no, i'm not an archer or a bow hunter, i just love the way it looks (i'm sure my brother, the hunter, would be laughing at me if he was reading this)! it also has a bit of extra meaning for a few reasons...

one. the mister and i, along with some of our good friends from the church we met at, have little inside jokes regarding a fellow in the bible named Joash and 'dropping bows'- like i said, inside joke (that probably isn't funny to anyone but us)!

two. because of said inside joke, i think this is one of the first vintage pieces i've found that the mister was actually excited about (it's not that he's opposed, vintage just isn't his thing so he doesn't get excited). it was fun to bring it home from idaho knowing he would be happy i did.

three. i found this at the Funky Junk Show while Melissa and i were on our girl's weekend celebrating all our accomplishments with dear darling, and enjoying a few days together sans babies before her newest arrival made her debut. it was right around when i was working on launching Gather and Hunt and the bow and arrow imagery really jumped out at me as a potential logo. it would be nearly 4 months until that logo came to life thanks to my talented designer, but i think this bow, with it's arrows, will always remind me of the early, exciting, and slightly uncertain, days of Gather and Hunt.

i recently found some more colorful arrows to replace the hunting arrows that came with the bow (a little safer).

love the model name!

aren't they neat?

yes, that clamp light normally lives back there- i'm a fan of weird directional lighting!

what do you have gratitude for this week? i love seeing what you all have to say, so please leave a comment!

gratitude

today i am missing my bestie, which is weird because i just saw her over the weekend and i'll see her again in a few weeks, but i'm missing her nonetheless. we've been living two and half hours away from each other for years and have gotten used to it by now, but there are certain days where you just need your best friend, you know? instead of moping about something i can't change, i decided to be grateful instead!

today i am grateful for melissa- my dearest friend.

somehow these are some of the best photos that exist of the two of us! seriously- someone needs to take a good pic of us!

there are about a million things i'm grateful for when it comes to Melissa. she's kind and funny and a good mom to her little girls. she's thoughtful, super creative, and really talented at all sorts of things like crafty-ness, sewing, decorating, and gardening. visit her blog and you'll see what i mean! and, like any good bestie, she gets me. when i need help picking an outfit, can't make a design decision, need to geek out about vintage goodness, or just need to talk about life- she's the perfect person for the job! another thing she gets about me is that gifts are my love language- i love giving them and i definitely enjoy getting them! Melissa is an outrageously good gift giver and is as into vintage as i am, so everything is always awesomely vintage. for today's photos i thought i'd share some of the lovely things that have come to live in our home via Melissa (and her husband Aaron of course)...

a valentine's gift- Melissa made it!

love this awesome deer paint by number- an anniversary gift

more deer (Dear Darling, our old business together had a deer logo in the early days)- Melissa made this cute deer silhouette piece for a Christmas gift a few years ago.

she always gives us the best vintage cards...

...this is one of my all time favorites- love the little chain for his leash!

fun rooster mug that matches the colors of my pyrex collection

a christmas gift this year- napkins Melissa made from a vintage table cloth. they match our dishes perfectly!

another super awesome photo of us- unloading our trailer at farm chicks last year. even when we're working hard, we have fun!

how about you? what (or who) do you have gratitude for this week?

gratitude

there was a time when i worked in a cubicle. a grey cubicle. i was surrounded with perfectly lovely people, people whose voices i could hear over the walls of my cubicle, but who i couldn't see. this made me a very sad girl. then one day, i left this land of cubicles and ventured out on my own. i miss the people i met in those cubicles (and the ones who were lucky enough to have offices), but i greatly prefer the life i have now.

if you didn't already guess- today i am grateful for the opportunity to have a business. and this business wouldn't be what it is without a place to display and sell all the vintage goodness i gather each week- the Fremont Vintage Mall.

{photo via Reware Vintage}

the FVM is a collection of vendors who lease spaces and then fill those spaces with whatever sorts of vintage goods appeal to them. the FVM provides an awesome staff so as a vendor all i have to do is restock my inventory, tag my goods, reset displays, and tidy a few times a week (in an ideal world). it's a great, low-risk way to start a brick and mortar vintage business. this made it a great choice when Melissa and i were starting our first vintage business, Dear Darling, since we were living in different cities and had no idea if we'd make any money!

a bunch of our friends, Melissa, and i at the Dear Darling grand opening.

 the space at the FVM has definitely changed over the last few years...

at the Dear Darling grand opening

the last few months of Dear Darling

right after the transition from Dear Darling to Gather and Hunt

after trading out some grey shelving for white cabinets

...but every day i'm filled with gratitude for a place where i can bring vintage treasures to find new life with others who love vintage.

what are you grateful for this week?

P.S.

if you're in the Seattle area i hope you'll visit the Fremont Vintage Mall to see all the vintage goodness for yourself. starting tonight you also have the chance to get some great deals at the grand opening of FVM owner Jamie Hoffman's newest project, Auction House. for those of you outside Seattle you can shop for great vintage clothing and accessories at their sister company- Atlas Clothing- on Etsy.

gratitude

we're having a few friends over for dinner tonight and it got me to thinking about how much i enjoy preparing and gathering over a meal with people i care about. today i'm thankful for a place to gather- our charmingly beat up, 1950's chrome and formica table with pocket leaves and 1960's school house chairs rescued from Holy Names Academy here in Seattle ...

it's not in perfect shape...

but it has such charming details!

it can seat a crowd...

or just the two of us!

i can hardly wait for our dinner tonight!

what do you have gratitude for today?

gratitude

with Valentine's Day happening this week, i thought it was the perfect time to share my gratitude for...

Bill on the day of our wedding

that's my mister. his name is Bill and i love him even more than i love vintage! he is an amazing husband and i'm so thankful for him and all he does. for instance, he...

makes me awesome cards, by hand...

surprises me with treats and gifts...

has fun with me...

plays along when i throw parties with silly themes...

lifts heavy vintage objects for long periods of time and rarely takes breaks (i don't know how we could have done Farm Chicks without the husbands last year!)...

puts up with all my cheesy photo shoot ideas...

tolerates enormous piles of vintage stuff sitting in the middle of our apartment...

and even stands in the rain while we get the perfect photo next to a cool old truck! 

see? he's pretty awesome right? beyond all that fun stuff above, he works hard to provide for us, is passionate and not afraid to follow his dreams, is kind to others (especially people that many would ignore), is patient and secretly funny, has an awesome beard, and he's handsome to boot! for all those reasons, and so many more, i am grateful for him.  

what are you grateful for this week? i'd love to know- just leave a comment! 

(p.s. if you're interested in theology or the bible, Bill has a new blog of his own that i think you'll like! take a look and let him know i told you all about him!)