Estate Sale Finds

Thank you all for being so patient and sticking around in my absence!
The last few months, and weeks in particular,
have been a bit rough
but I promise,
I am back!

As I have mentioned before, I get email alerts
from Estatesale.net
letting me know
of upcoming estate sales in our area.

Imagine my delight when I received an email
recently that stated a sale that included
over 800 pieces of Candlewick glass!
Yes, you read that right....OVER  800 PIECES!

Even though it was across town, I HAD to go, right?
Even Mr. B was excited about this sale.

The sale started on a Friday but we weren't able to go
until Saturday morning.
I was so afraid they might of already sold it all
but Mr. B was pretty sure I am
the only Candlewick freak in a 1000 mile radius.

He was wrong!
There were other Candlewick collectors there.
Some with the resource "bible" of
Candlewick collecting in hand
(I had left mine in the car).

Luckily, there were still plenty of pieces left to drool ogle at.

There were glasses and sherbets of all sizes

 Countless amounts of the Hazel Atlas snack trays and cups

Plates and bowls

Salt and peppers, condiment dishes, serving pieces, the list goes on and on

It seems the lady of the house
had hoped to, one day, open a
bed and breakfast.
She was going to use only Candlewick pieces for all the meals and table decor.
I wish I could have met her.
I am sure we could have talked for hours
about our shared obsession hobby!

The pricing was very reasonable.
I had a budget in mind
and had already decided the pieces I really wanted to get
to add to my collection.
That's not to say there weren't pieces I really really wanted to get
(see the pair of vases?  The cake plate? The wavy tidbit plates? Swoon!).
But, just like on Ebay, they were out of my price range.

I was able to get 4 fruit bowls at $5.00 each

One of the bowls still has the original Imperial Candlewick label attached

I added 4 cups and saucers to my collection at $5.00 for each set

 The cups have the familiar question mark handle

I have been wanting to get some salad plates and was able to score 4 for $8.00 each

And lastly, 4 small dessert plates at $5.00 each

I don't believe any of the pieces have ever been used.
Not a scratch from forks or knifes on any of them.
Had I tried to pick these up from Ebay
I would have had to pay shipping charges
as well as hope they were in
as perfect condition as these.

So, you might ask, am I done collecting Candlewick?
Gosh, I don't know.
I mean, I am not even close to
being able to boast about
having over 800 pieces...yet!

The Warrior Has Gone Home

Just a quick post to thank you again for your kind thoughts, words and prayers. My father passed away the afternoon of Saturday February 18. He is free of pain and at peace.  I know he was greeted by my mother, an Old Milwaukee beer in her hand. I ask that you pray now for my sons as they loved their Gramps very much and are taking his passing very hard.

Churchill Valentine's Table

I had actually started to set this table several weeks ago, before my dad got so sick, but never got around to finishing it until this past weekend.

I had eyed this Churchill dinnerware, on clearance, for weeks at Ross several years ago.  Mr B, being the true enabler that he is, finally told me to, and I quote, "for the love of God, please just go buy it". So I did :)  I fell in love with the color most of all.  I had always wanted some transferware and to find it in this lovely pink was the icing on the cake to me since pink is one of my favorite colors and Valentine's Day is now one of my favorite days.

I also fell in love with the fact that each piece has a different scene on it.

The soup bowl has a quaint cottage on it.

 

The salad plate a farm scene.

The dinner plate a different cottage scene.

I layered them all on over-sized plates as a charger from Ikea.

A basketweave pattern, leaves and grapes line the rim of each piece.

My go-to vintage Rodgers silverplate flatware makes yet another appearance.  The design mimics the flowers on the dinnerware. I found the pink napkins months ago at a thrift store for .25 each.

The pitcher used for the centerpiece was another thrift store score.  I paid very little for it and then, weeks later, saw the exact one at Safeway, of all places, for much much more.

I found the flowers and the whispy feathers on clearance at Michaels.

The mercury glass heart ornaments were an after Christmas purchase from Pier 1.  I bought the mercury glass votives at Bed Bath & Beyond recently for only $1.49 each!  I am such a clearance aisle freak when I go there. The Godinger crystal candlesticks made it, once again, onto this table. The crochet runner was a gift from Mr. B's mother.  

The water goblets and pink stems are also thrift store scores. I didn't pay more than .50 each for them.

 I also did a bit of Valentine's Day decor on the buffet.

The Valentine teddy bear was gift from Mr. B last year. I took a divided frame from Dollar Tree and added letters I printed out.

The little teddy bear couple also came from Dollar Tree and makes me think of Mr. B and me when I look at it.
A cherub from Dollar tree lounges next to a cute mailbox from the dollar spot at Target. The runner is another gift from Mr. B's mother.  She knows I just love them.

Although Valentine's Day is technically over, I may just keep this table set up for a bit longer.  I mean really, does Valentine's Day have to be just one day?  Not in my mind it doesn't!

The Strongest Man

A family vote was taken and it is official.  My father has truly earned the title of "The Strongest Man".  One month ago he went into the hospital.  Two weeks ago he left the hospital knowing that there was no more that could be done for him.  The probability of him living more than days was low.  Another two weeks pass, today, he is here still with us. The infection and pain has weaken his body but not his spirit. It is still a daily task to keep the pain under control.

I go to work and try maintain some sort of normal. Mr. B takes me out for a wonderful dinner over the weekend for an early birthday surprise. I do laundry, I dust and sweep and mop. It's what I do when I am troubled. I clean.  Our home is very clean right now.

Then, the phone rings.  I want the call but, I don't want the call, if that makes sense.  I want his pain to be over but I don't want him to be gone.  I am told his stats have dropped.  It will be soon they say. I frantically drive to the nursing home to be by his side. I send out texts and post on facebook, asking for prayers to be sent his way that he find comfort. The day slowly passes.  His stats rise.  His condition stabilizes.  The crisis is over. 

Today I wished him a Happy Valentine's Day and tell him he is one of my favorite Valentine.  I tell him he seems better today and he sticks his tongue out at me! Now that's my daddy! I give him water. I hold his hand and caress his forehead.  I sit quietly with him while he sleeps.

Tomorrow, I will try going into work again.  I will call several times during the day to speak with his nurse to see how he is doing.  I will try not to jump when my phone rings.  The only peace I have is knowing "The Strongest Man" is my father. He will not beat this but, he will fight back with all he has.

Thank you all again for your heartfelt words and prayers.

Exciting New Products From Glade® Expressions™

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Life Goes On

My father is such a trooper!
He is hanging in there like a boss!
If you are a follower you saw this
post last week.
Both of my sons were able to fly in for a quick visit at the first of the week.
Between them and Mr. B I was able to
suck so much strength from them all.
Unfortunately, at that time, dad was not doing well.
He was in tremendous pain
and very uncomfortable.

The good news is, he did know they were there.
He does know how very much they love him.
He is their hero.

I am so proud of the men my sons have become.
They are the most caring and compassionate men I know.

They were able to see what an impact
their grandfather has made in the lives of the other residents
at the nursing home.

He made the decision not long after moving
into the nursing home several years ago
that he was going to make the best of his situation.
He became Chairman of the Welcoming Committee.
He made sure to attend every session of bingo and trivia.
He made so many dear friends,
not only amongst the residents but,
the staff too.

I have never been hugged so much by strangers.
Each of them telling me just how much they loved
my father. 

Today, his pain medication is under control.
He is stable and able to rest comfortably.
He is eating, drinking his water and joking with his buddies.

I'm not fooled into thinking
he is having some sort of miraculous recovery.
His condition is still terminal.
Arrangements have been made.
But, I am convinced of the power of prayer.
I cannot thank you all enough for your thoughts and prayers.
I truly believe that the positive vibes sent his way
have made a difference in his condition.

Being my father's daughter
I know, life must go on.
I know he would hate to think I am
sitting around crying
(although I have shed a river full believe me!).
So, I decided it was time to put out some of my Valentine's Day decor.
For now, I have just done the small buffet in the kitchen.

I purchased the rose heart shaped plates
several years ago from Home Goods

In the back I left the silver platters seen here
On the right side I layered
the plates and a small heart shaped
wreath I found at Michael's last year in front of them.
The little ceramic cherub is from Dollar Tree.

On the left side I have a red stick heart wreath I purchased
from Ikea at Christmas time this past
holiday season.
The cherub playing a lyre came from Goodwill.

Even setting up this little bit of decor
helped to take my mind off "things" for just a little while.
The little cherubs remind me that, at some point soon,
my daddy will be with the angels and my dear mother.
I have no doubt, knowing my dad, that he will
soon be elected
Chairman of the Welcoming Committee
there too!