When in Texas....

Do what any junker/blogger would do. Cram two days of exploring into the two hours you have free!

This oh- so- romantic southern town

Boerne, TX. (pronounced Bernie- population 9,000) - sits just outside of San Antonio.

The quaint Main St. is lined with to- die- for shops... Texas Style.... Love the iron balcony at this upstairs boutique... That sits next to this restaurant-which was beautifully lit up at night and bustling with people sitting OUTDOORS- (temp. a spring like 65 degrees...)

Well, La Te Da....

Take a peek inside...

I Could have spent hours in this adorable boutique, I only had ten minutes..

Beautiful vignettes, eye candy everywhere...

Dear Santa, I could take much better pictures with a RLS...

They say everything is bigger in Texas...

Forget the Hilton, give me a Mom and Pop motel any day...

The courtyard that leads to the restaurant adjoined to the motel...

EVERYONE in Texas wears cowboy boots...

( building- circa 1908)

I promise next time I visit it will be for more then 48 hours!

Boerne, I heart you!

Has anyone seen this "china" pattern?

I found ONE plate at a estate sale and would LOVE to get more. I googled and binged and did not come up with any leads. It is labeled "Majestic Crown" and is by Montgomery Wards. (remember them?)

(still don't know how to operate my camera-like turn the flash off for instance)

Room Re-Do...A long time coming

Vintage style decor cannot be hurried. You cannot run out and "buy" in a day, a look that has to be "found." These are my excuses-I started taking my decor back to my original love: Shades of creamy white, many months ago. Here are some photos of my progress...

A little fall....

Still looking for the perfect coffee and end tables. Oh, and a "vintage" roses area rug. Very faded looking. The lamp shade on the left? Gotta go. Hmmm. Haven't found the right chairs for the kitchen table.

Lamp shade....Don't know how to turn the flash off my camera. Can't find the instruction book. No surprise considering my "studio." One day I will give you a good laugh and show you my garage. I envy all the beautiful, organized spaces I see out here in blog land...

P.S. I stopped at the ultimate estate sale last weekend. I got a TRUCKLOAD of stuff for the most incredible price. Sue, if you are reading this....You know the blue cabinet you saw last Saturday? I scored one like it- tell you how much later. And my husband thought I was going grocery shopping. That was my intention-you should have heard him when I called a hour and a half later and asked him to bring his truck. Sometime the best sales are the ones you didn't plan on going to. You can find some of my fabulous finds at the upcoming Christmas Emporium Sale and at Uncovered Ruby.

67 shopping days until Christmas....

To excited to wait...

He doesn't know what Halloween is, but he loves his little dragon costume! My GRANDbaby Emori has been entertaining us bouncing around singing "Dragon Tales."

(grandma's bragging rights....)

When life hands you lemons, Eat Chocolate...

Life has been tough lately...Kind of like a bad movie. Keeping (or finding...) a sense of humor in spite of it all is the key to survival. I found this pillow at Cracker Barrel a couple of years ago~Then it was just a whimsical quote...today it is more personal.

What a day it was....

Mostly sunny skies, friends and fun! Here are a few pictures from my booth at the flea market. I forgot my camera so these are via cell phone.

It's a bird, It's a plane......It's a fish tank!

A little this....

My adorable nephew Blake....

a little that....

Fabulous Flea Market This Saturday....

My Dear Girl... Circa 1912

Today I was going to be productive and get a bunch of projects done for the upcoming flea market at Uncovered Ruby. I pulled out my stuff and got lost in boxes of vintage empherma. I have a obsession for old papers, advertisements and such. (What am ever going to do with so much stuff? I decided to make little packets from my collection- all originals... to sell at the flea)

Anyhoooo, I want to share this forlorn love story with you. I doubt "Leo" ever dreamt his little 'ol letter would be fascinating (at least to me) nearly a hundred years later. Is it wrong to publish someones private thoughts? A hundred years from now, where will our Internet follies end up?

The envelope was torn but I know from other letters I have collected that all they did was put a name and the city and it was delivered!

(slightly edited due to length)

My Dear Girl, Blackfoot Idaho, June -26-1912

I received your letter the other day and have neglected to answer it, but hope you will forgive me. I have been looking for you every day and every evening and have made up my mind that you have quit coming to town at all. I also noticed you was not at the dance Sat. night. So I guess all that is left for me to do is write and tell you all about it.

I am strictly up against it in several ways and find that I have to give up all foolishness such as buggie rides and other pleasures. All of which I regret very much. That is until I get fixed up. Now perhaps you don't know the meaning of fixed up, but I will explain further.

You know that I am slightly hard of hearing which caused me much annoyance and I am getting much worse. Also that my eyes are bother me half the time- which makes me sit up and take notice. For the first thing I know, I won't know anything.

I am thinking about going to the lake. Now my dear little girl, I don't want you to pass up anything for me. I know it must be awe fully hard to stick out on the ranch, so go ahead and have all the fun you can.I have got to stick it out some way.

It seems a century since I saw you last. I wish you were near me tonight. That you might cheer me up. Well I must close for this time, it is way past my usual bedtime. Nearly 12 o'clock.

I hope I have cast a little light on the mystery. Now take my advice. Don't miss out on any chance to have a good time but be a good little girl all the time.

Hoping to see you soon,

Your old Pal

Leo.

awwww.

Queen of Klutz

Yesterday after a great day of junking, my mind whirling with fresh ideas, I realized my gas tank was below E. I pulled in to the gas station and started pumping my gas. As I waited I decided I was awfully thirsty. What luck! I spied a soda machine just a few steps away so I grabbed some change....I had to step over the hose now attached to my gas tank, a easy task for most. With my eyes on the soda machine I stepped low and tripped. I fell forward,change flying and landed in a heap on the ground. I looked up to see if anyone had seen my mishap. Yep. I stared into the eyes of a guy in the car next to me. He didn't flinch. But I did. Somehow I twisted my ankle, and it HURT. I hobbled over and bought that darn water. (it's the water's fault, right?) I woke up a couple of times last night aware of achy, throbbing in my ankle. I limped out of bed this morning and sit enjoying my second cup off coffee-swollen ankle propped up. None the worse for the wear I guess. Except maybe my pride.

I am in LOVE!

Is it area rug or a wall hanging? I was shopping at Monticello (my favorite antique haunt) When I spied a curious looking rolled up bundle. It appeared to be made out of thin wood slats...I could see it had a image on it. I unrolled it with a little flip and my heart skipped a beat. The moment I saw the precocious women posing in shades of cream and browns....with just a hint of color, I knew it was mine. It was a rug! I have never really seen anything like it. Could I really walk on it?

See the cream fabric border?

If I wasn't such a lousy photographer and I had a better camera (listening honey?) you could better understand my excitement. Take my word for it- It is a piece of art. So, what would you do? Wall decor or dirty shoes?

Freedom is Not Free...

The day that changed how we live forever. We lost thousands of lives and our sense of security was shaken. We began to do things once unheard of in the land of the free. Taking our shoes off before boarding a plane and having our purses checked before events. Our values were questioned with racial profiling and war took on a whole new meaning. We must never forget the lost lives and always remember our soldiers serving- so that we may sleep in peace at night. Thank you to their families who sacrifice so much and To our son Ivan serving in the U.S. Air Force, we love you and are so proud of you! God Bless America!

Interview with France's Corey Amaro of TONGUE IN CHEEK...

For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of meeting blog Author Corey Amaro, you're in for a special treat! She is a gifted writer and photographer- At times direct, but always filled with Witt and charm. Grab a cup of tea and sink into a comfy chair. I promise you'll be enchanted as we discuss her blog, her FH and living life in France.

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Junque Couture Home:

When did you start blogging and what inspired you to do so?

Corey:

A friend of mine started a blog before blogging was a word. One day over lunch she encouraged me to do the same she said, "Now that you have free time you should put your brocante stories down, you won't regret it, do it for your children. Go to TYPEPAD and start a blog." I had not a clue as to what she was talking about. My friend dared me and well I am a sucker for dares.The day I started I was hooked.

JCH:

"Tongue in Cheek...." What is the back story behind your blog name?

Corey:

The same friend who told me about Blogging, said I needed a name for my blog. I was clueless as to what she meant. Since she called my type of antiques, "Tongue in Cheek" because most of my home is full of broken bits and charming yesterday, but peeling today sort of things, I thought I would go with that.Though in retrospect, Tongue in Cheek doesn't say much about France, or French or Antiques. I am amazed that anyone finds my blog online. Tongue in Cheek sounds more like comedy than antiquing and living in France.

JCH:

I dearly love my husband, but American Husband doesn't have the same romantic appeal as French Husband! (FH) Is it a loving moniker or is there something more behind it?

Corey:

Loving Moniker

JCH:

I have often wondered why so many people in France have the same name. Tell us about getting permission to name your son....

Corey:

Up until 15 years ago, if you had a baby in France you had to pick a name, that was on a list at the city hall. Each region had "its" names. A child named Yann for example meant that the child was born in Brittiany. Because Yann is a name from Brittany. If you had a child and lived in Provence, the name Yann wasn't going to be on the list. Sacha is a name from Russia, it also has been on the list of approved names in France for over a hundred years.Times have changed and now you can name your baby any name you like.

JCH: As we speak you are on holiday, Traveling by motorcycle on a amazing journey- traveling along the French Riviera, Genova, Milan- Lake Como....Did you see George Clooney? (I had to ask)

Corey: No, we did not cross paths. Though recently I saw Brad and Angie at the brocante in France. We rode 4600km in three weeks, we rode onward to Austria, Prague, Budapest, through Hungray to Croatia. I am hooked and can hardly wait to get back on the bike again.

JCH:

Brocante...

Corey:

My Passion

JCH:

Reading your blog is like a good book you can't put down. On a recent post you said if " I were to write a book I would call it Park Bagatelle." would "Forever in France" be suitable?( Do you see moving back to the states at some point?)

Corey:

First, if I were to write a book I would want to write about the lives of four women I know and what happened to them in the course of 20 years. The four women are women I met when Chelsea was three months old at a park in France. It is about our lives, and the amazing, strange, fearsome turns that have happened... I would want to write the story in honor of my friends who has suffered bravely at the hand of injustice.Regarding whether I foresee myself moving back to the USA. I highly doubt it, but then I never believed or thought I would live in Europe... Nevertheless I seriously doubt we would move back to live full time.

JCH:

You work has been featured in several magazines. A honor I am sure, which is your favorite piece?

Corey: The story in Romantic Homes about my Godmother's home.

JCH:

Photography or writing?

Corey:

Oh! That is a toss up. I can say I would rather go antiquing than dancing and I love to dance. That is like saying who do I like better my daughter or my son. I cannot decide.I wish I had a teacher, who could teach me more about writing and photography. JCH: When I finally make it France, will you show me the ropes? (as I write that, I think how American phrases could be taken literally..)

Corey:

If you mean a few good brocantes, the best bakery, a favorite place to soak it all in, how to say Oh la la both as a positive and as a negative...yes no problem!

All Photos By Corey Amaro

Corey posts daily on her blog, Tongue in Cheek. Caution: You will be hooked. It will become a obsession to follow the magical life of Corey Amaro. It's a love story with her FH, her children, Her adopted country and passion for brocante. Complete with noisy (obnoxious- do they read her blog?) neighbors.