Baubles: Thrift Adventures

I spent a Saturday last month thrift store shopping with my friends.  It took a while because it’s my first try, but I put together a little video about our adventure.

Butterflies: Things That Make My Heart Flutter

Random Bits of Happy

Credit: Phillustrations via Flickr

* Finding that one exercise that you can do endlessly.  I hate to exercise but found out recently that with my podcasts, not music, but podcasts that I can walk, walk, walk and want to keep walking until the podcast is over.   The LOST podcast with Jay &  Jack that I currently love to listen to, they go on for over an hour as do most of the other podcasts I listen to.  It’s euphoric to find that one exercise that you don’t mind doing.  Listening to the podcasts I find that I am focusing on the conversation instead of my internal dialog which is usually “oh gosh how much longer is this exercise going to last?!” where as with music my internal dialog can usually be louder than the music and I quit too easily.

Credit: ME! via Flickr

* Seeing live bands is something that we love to do but it had been a while and finally we saw a band coming our way that we wanted to see.  Manchester Orchestra was great!  Full of energy and sounded great even if Freebird had the bass turned up too much.  The funny thing is that we went home liking the band that was opening for them almost as much as the band we went to see and so we downloaded the album for The Features and find ourselves listening to them a lot now as well.

Credit via Flickr: sTyLo0o ♥ صوره جديده

* I love Sephora.  I love just walking through and buying not one item.  Of course buying a new lipstick or eyeshadow is awesome but I love walking through the isles of goodies.  I love that they give you samples of the perfumes you like or samples of face wash or creme.  They have me hook, line and sinker because of their wonderful customer service, who doesn’t love getting pampered for just shopping!

Quick Mentions:

* IM’ing back and forth with my honey song lyrics to Biggie & Warlock Pincher songs.  * Watching 5 girls dressed like gossip girl share 1 single cup of frozen yogurt. * Mmm going out for Mochi Frozen Yogurt!  * Lions * Going out for drinks and posting it to Facebook so my girl would meet me out and having her show up but say she didn’t see my Facebook post….she just KNOWS!  Mad ❤ for my girl H!  * Finding the perfect summer sandals – hello black cage gladiators on sale that will look perfect with summer dresses!  * While shopping having boys dressed as grapes bump past you!?!  * Yes, shopping makes me happy whether I come home with anything or not! 🙂

Butterflies: Things That Make My Heart Flutter

Random Bits of Happy 

Credit: CCNY Libraries via Flickr

* Spending a Saturday wandering through tables of junk at the Flea Market with my happy to shop with me husband.  It makes me so happy to have a built-in shopping partner.  He is always willing to go to a Flea Market, a mall, an antique store, a thrift store, Target.  It makes me want to kiss all over him!  Saturday we left the Flea Market empty-handed, nothing but junk and crisp cold air.  We had fun though and had been in the outdoors, shaking out the winter legs and enjoying the sun even if it was cold out.  We were pleased that we had gone.  We made a trip to the Army/Navy Surplus on a whim on our return back home and he made out like a bandit, he got a really neat digital camo case for his gun and a witty t-shirt.  I think this weekend should be my weekend to make out like a bandit shopping wise!  What do you think? 🙂  

Credit: ABC

* LOST!  No spoilers…I promise.  It’s the final season and it’s amazing.  The 2 hour season première came on and I watched and twittered simultaneously.  What a treat.  It answered a question or two but created even more questions.  I hold no real want for the ending to be something special so that I am not let down but just hope they end it answering some of the big big questions.  Are you watching it too? 

 

Credit: Urban Jacksonville via Flickr

* The Underbelly.  A quaint little speakeasy bar hidden in the back of one of my favorite stores.  Get this, you enter behind a bookcase and there you have a bar with a few bar stools, a table, some leather wing back chairs and a set in bench that seats about 6.  If you go out the back door there is seating outdoors, a small stage, a treehouse for the DJ and fairy lights to twinkle through out the night.  Friday night we met a friend for a few drinks.  You can easily talk to one another (and the small space makes you end up talking to those around you as well) but there is music playing that is loud enough to hear, but not too loud that you have to speak up to hear your friends.  Mellow tunes and a great list of beer and wine make it a good place to meet friends for a quiet night out.   

Quick Mentions: 

* Imbolic was on Tuesday, I lit some candles and meditated a little on the meaning of the day.  * Breakfast for dinner.  * Finding a top at Target when I went in for toothpaste, on mega 75% off sale hello $8.97 and then getting complimented all day when I wear it!  * Massive Attack leaking on YouTube and being just as awesome as you hope it would be.  *Being on a friend’s twitter group list called “I’d Hit That” it still makes me blush a little and giggle, I love it!  *  

Credit: Elspeth Diederix Title: Unknown - 2005

 * I am loving this photograph it’s so mysterious, but also this one too!  

What has you blushing this week? 

   

 

 

Buttons: Shake the Blues Away!

I am noticing that everyone around me has a little case of the blues.  It’s been much colder than it normally is for a Florida winter.  We’ve been inside trying to stay warm.  It’s warmed up a bit and it seems like we all need that extra push.  Here are some buttons to click through to give you that little push you need.

*::Push::*

You can’t watch this video and NOT smile!

* The lovely and inspirational Miss Sarah Von wrote this: The Prescription for Happy forgive me for saying so, but you’ll be happy you read it!

photograph by NEGS26

* Throw an indoor picnic!  Invite a few friends over make finger sandwiches, lay out a blanket, have little nibbly things and talk by a sun filled window or if it’s a gray day light a fire in the fireplace and bask in the warmth with friends.

*Do a little bit of shopping.  Lift your spirits with a new dress that you can pair with tights and a sweater now but come spring time you have a flirty little frock.  Mod Cloth is having a cabin fever sale!  Here’s a cute dress, move fast the items are selling out quickly.

* Chocolate in moderation!  When we were having our coldest weeks ever it was time for my book club to meet.  We always bring food but with people dieting I was at a loss of what to bring.  Then it hit me.  I picked up some Skim Milk, some expensive hot cocoa mix, and fat free whipped topping.  Smiles on everyone’s face!

* Dance!  This is the best time to throw on some super indulgent pop music such as….oh I don’t know Lady Gaga, turn up the heat a little, put on ruffle panties a tank top, a moisturizing face mask and dance your butt off until the mask is dry and ready to come off.  While your at it rub on some body butter all over all this dry heat from our heating units is terrible for the skin!

* Have you done all of these things and more and are still feeling blue?  You might have actual seasonal depression.  Health.com has some important information and 8 mood boosters. Remember that it’s always ok to talk it over with your Doctor, winter blues are real, and sometimes the Doctor has the best information.

Keep Warm, Stay Happy and share if you have something special that you do to chase away the blues!

My favorite local links

I love that Jacksonville has all these small companies that start with an idea and end up with a great store!

Here are my current favorites:

Emily – Anomaly which isn’t up to date but will tell you how to find the most amazing store.  With local brands, and also the cool and hip fashion of the now, and of course handmade wares from her own two hands.  She also keeps a blog that updates her Tuesday night craft night and thrifty finds.

Burro Bags – I’m told the owner is a Jack Diablo.  I haven’t met him yet…or maybe I have and just don’t know it.  I go to Jacksonville events a lot and fail to get names of people I talk to!  But anyway…the bags and wallets are made from recycled billboard materials and I visited the store/place of creation the other day and as soon as I have a job again I will be purchasing one of the bags.

Arturo Clothing Co. has a great spot on Etsy and I just found a blog as well thanks to google.  They hand print tshirts in fun interesting designs and I keep running into them at stores, art walk and at the Riverside Arts Market.  Their shirts are high quality American Apparel and if you can’t find them at the locations I mentioned they ship out from purchases online as well.

I know there are more.  Tell me about what you have found in town.