That moment when....

That moment when you are going through closet containers and you had out some scissors earlier and you stumble across a mug tree that you keep sticking back in storage because you don't like it with your mugs but you hate to get rid of it and don't know what to do with it and inspiration hits. Next thing you know you finally have a use for the mug tree.....

The next day, you decide to see what other uses there are for mug trees since you were so brilliant in thinking this up. So you go to Pinterest only to find out you weren't so brilliant after all. Others have had the same idea...

And the ones you see have the scissors hanging better than yours and you realize brown isn't going to get it and now you know that you are going to need to paint yours. 

And then you stumble on this idea and realize how many bracelets you have and how much you really hate to paint. Then you think about how it would have to be painted for bracelets too and you remember once again that you hate to paint.  

So you decide maybe you will just get rid of the stupid mug tree and not have to make any decisions about what to do with.

Friday Foto Friends

I haven't had much time to take photos this week, nor has there been much to take photos of. So I thought I would go through my pictures and just post some of my faves from the past. So I went back to February 9th from the past 9 years I've been blogging and pulled a pic from some of my old posts to see what interested me on this day back then....

This was the day I found a use for my deviled egg tray that did not involve deviled eggs. Jello eggs. I loved the idea so much that I did make them for Sunday School for the kids' Easter party that year.

I just loved this so I posted it one year.

I had gotten a Thirty-One order in one year on this day. 

One year, I talked about daffodils and how we used to have them on our hillside. My brother lives in the old home place and my cousin still takes pictures of them every year. (This was just a stock photo I posted one year when I was talking about them).

I posted one year that I wanted to do this on my porch rail some spring.

And yet another year I wanted a Swedish ivy, which I finally found which FYI died later that year. I want to find another this coming spring.

And I posted the orange creams my hubby always bought me for Valentine's Day. I may treat myself to some this year because I have missed having them.

That's it for today. Have a great Friday.

A step back in time.....

One of my favorite things to do is to visit antique stores and look at all the treasures they behold. Sometimes it can be depressing because she see something and think "Oh, we had one of these when I was growing up." Then you look at the tag and it says "Very old". Not always a happy moment. Then you see they are asking like $300 for something you just took for granted when you were younger.

One of my favorite things to look at that I don't collect is Depression Glass. The blues, the pinks, the greens, the yellows, even the clears are all so beautiful. My friend collects it and we always look at it on our antique trips. Since I have changed the decor in my room, I am looking for a few pieces of the Depression glass for the bedroom. I especially love the pinks, but am going to look next week to see what I can find whether it is pink, blue, green or yellow. They all go with my new quilt and pillow shams. I know one thing I want is a candy dish. I really love the daintiness of this one.

I have never seen a tray like this but oh how I would love to find this for my dresser.

This vase is absolutely beautiful.

I always have a watch and my favorite earrings and rings that I like to just drop in a tray on my dresser. This would be really cute for that.

And I never knew that depression glass came in perfume bottles. Check these out. 

Yesterday I was at my friends house and told her I wanted to look at some of this when we go next week because I want a few pieces. She reached in her china cabinet and got a little saucer out and handed to me and said "Well, here is something to start your collection. You can put it on your dress for jewelry." I was so excited. It is the Cherry Blossom pattern. She said there is a tea cup to match it but she's not been able to find that.

When I got home, it reminded me I had bought a little saucer sometimes last year for just $2. I just thought it was cute. I got it out to look at it and decided to research it. Turns out it is original depression glass made somewhere from 1932-1939. I found a sight with the old and the reproductions on it and was able to confirm it's old. I am so thrilled. 

I also have this sherbet cup that I researched and it is depression glass. Now, whether it is the original old stuff or a 1970's Federal Glass reproduction is not known. I can't find anything to separate the two. But even if it is from the 1970's that is close to 50 years old so I am happy with that.

Well what do you know. I have three pieces of depression glass and wasn't even planning on collecting it. 

For such a time as this....

  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” - Esther 4:14 (NKJV)

I did a Beth Moore bible study several years ago on the book of Esther. One thing that stuck with me and still stays with me today, was the last part of chapter 4 verse 14. The words FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS are very powerful.

When you are filled with doubt and you want to question God, do you sometimes think why me? Why now? WHY WHY WHY?

Since I have learned the power of those simple words "for such a time as this", I have come to realize that He truly does have a plan for my life. He does know best despite what we may think at times. There are times of change that I end up thinking, "Well that worked out okay after all." But I still will never know WHY it had to happen in the first place. 

We may never know the reasons and we may never see results of changes He provides. But we can rest assured that He leads us where He leads for a reason and we need to understand that we don't always need to know why. Unquestionable faith should simply allow us to follow where He wants us to go and trust in Him to direct our paths. 

Is it always easy? No, it never seems to be. But if it is God leading you there, no matter how hard you fight Him or struggle with what He wants, it is right. 

You have to wonder how many more blessings we may receive and how much more contentment would we have if we simply accepted what He expects of us and realize that we are where we are, doing what we do "for such a time as this." Trust and Faith. They go hand in hand. If we could learn to simply follow those two words as our rule of life, we could make things easier on ourselves.

The Cat's Meow

I love cats to sit around the house. I especially like the tall skinny figurines. I have two tall ones and one sleeping kitty. But I would like to find more. Here are my Top 10 I would love to find "in the wild."

This one would be perfect for my bedroom. 

I would put this in the beach bathroom because of the color of blue it is.

I like this one simply because it is tall and skinny.

That's a unique pattern and would be cute in my craft/office room.

These aren't as skinny as I'm looking for but they were such a cute pair I had to add them to my list. 

If you are familiar with the Jim Shore angel collection, you may have seen his cat designs. I love these.

This set went on my list because they are by Fenton Glass. Beautiful.

This is my favorite of all of them. I just love the skinny bottom and the cute as can be face.

Would be so pretty in my kitchen.

Perfect for the living room.

I can't wait for yard sale time to get here.

Weekend wrap up...

Friday after work I got some new Thirty-One spring products in from the Facebook party I had. Got a new thermal, new wallet and new zipper pouch in coordinating patterns. These were all free for my hostess rewards. 

I should be getting this bag soon. It is the new Crossbody Organizing Tote and I can't wait to get it.

I have several milk glass pieces and my daughter asked me yesterday if I wanted this vase. Of course I said yes. The romantic, feminine elegance of the flowers would be perfect for my bedroom. 

So I brought it home and added some flowers I had on hand and found a few pieces to set with it.

I am very happy with the way my nightstand turned out.

Sunday's song