Grateful

I am a big fan of Brian Stokes Mitchell.  This is one of my favorite performances of his and it completely expresses how I feel – GRATEFUL!

I hope you all have a joyous Thanksgiving surrounded by people you love.  Happy Thanksgiving!!

Double Trouble

I got the Jack and White album a few weeks ago.  I LOVE it!  The track “Double Trouble” is my favorite track.  When I saw the music video, I love the song even more.  It’s just fun, the style is classic and MODEST!  Enjoy it here.

 

A Taste of Italy

We like art in our family.  We like art a LOT!  I particularly like water color paintings.  While looking for some art online, I stumbled on to Rita Zaudke’s gallery.  Immediately I was smitten and shared my amore with my hubs.  He fell even harder than I did.  We ended up with this print below – Santa Maria Maggiore Della Neve.

We gifted another print, Juliet’s Balcony, to a very dear person.

When we visit our recipient, I always ask permission to go look at the print.  Both of these prints immediately relax me and make me feel as if, even for only a minute, I am in Italy.

When you order one of Rita’s pieces, she sends it with a handwritten note giving you the story of her inspiration.  I LOVE that!  Rita’s work is worth it.  Please go look through her complete gallery here.  You won’t regret it!

This post is strictly my own personal opinion and I was not paid for it.

Do you want a Caribbean Holiday?

I have wanted a cork board for a while now but have not been able to find one I really liked.  So I made one.

Online you can find a recipe to make your own chalk board paint.   I used some Olympic latex paint in the shade of Caribbean Holiday to make mine.  The picture doesn’t do the color justice.  It’s quite lovely if I do say so myself 😉  I used two pieces of sheet metal for my magnetic chalk board and then used the same size of cork board to make the “checker board” pattern.  I also found some polka-dot napkins in a similar shade to the paint to modge podge the frame.  I love it!

If you want to take a Caribbean Holiday as well, let me know.  I have the supplies for a second one!

Greetings from Millie Motts

I am so excited to announce that I have partnered with Millie Motts to sell her fabulous cards.  Head over to the Cache store to check out the selection.  New designs will be added to the store regularly so keep coming back!

Things That Make Me Happy – The Sartorialist

A blog that I subscribe to is The Sartorialist. The vintage photo submissions are what turned me on to his blog originally.  His street fashion shots are what hooked me.  My all time favorite post, thus far, is this dress.  Vintage 50’s *sigh*. Isn’t the entire ensemble amazing?!

To see how different another shot of this woman is, go to the original post here.

For Love of Family and Country

The Civil War is one of the portions of our Nation’s history that I love to study.  This year marks the 150^th anniversary since the start of that war.  When Ken Burns documentary “The Civil War” first aired in 1990 it had quite an effect on me.  One of the most poignant moments was during the scene where a portion of Major Sullivan Ballou’s love letter to his wife Sarah was read.  I have read that letter over and over through the years since and feel like it is one of the most beautiful examples of devotion to family and country ever written.  It makes me tear up every time.  Below is the full letter.  I hope you enjoy the beauty in it as much as I do!

July the 14th, 1861

Washington DC

My very dear Sarah:

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days — perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.

Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure — and it may be one of severe conflict and death to me. Not my will, but thine O God, be done.   If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter.

I know how strongly American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing — perfectly willing — to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt.

But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows — when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little children — is it weak or dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country?

I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death — and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country, and thee.

I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of those I loved and I could not find one. A pure love of my country and of the principles I have often advocated before the people and “the name of honor that I love more than I fear death” have called upon me, and I have obeyed.

Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.

The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us.

I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me — perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar — that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.

Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have oftentimes been!

How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm. But I cannot. I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.

But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night — amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours — always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again.

As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father’s love and care. Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue-eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood.

Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care and your development of their characters.

Tell my two mothers his and hers I call God’s blessing upon them.

O Sarah, I wait for you there! Come to me, and lead thither my children.

Sullivan

Exciting Changes Coming to Cache!

We’ve been working this summer on making some changes that will diversify the Cache store.  There will be a clearance sale coming up soon to make room for new items.  What am I most excited to share – Millie Motts cards!!!  *cheering*  The first cards should be available very soon.  So stay tuned!

Things That Make Me Happy – Vespa’s

I am a major fan of the 40’s and early 50’s.  I love just about anything Streamline.  Seriously.  The hubs is entertained by the copious amounts of pictures I’ll take of anything I stumble onto that is streamline.  One of the things that I dream about owning is a Vespa.  I will stop and admire (ok drool) whenever I see one.  What a pleasant surprise as I was taking a break outside last week, to see this lovely parked on a neighboring companies patio.

The pictures aren’t fabulous since I took them on my phone, but I had to share.  This is a newer version so it’s not technically Streamline – more a Modern nod to Streamline.  It made that day oh so much brighter.

What designs do you enjoy?  Do you like Vespa’s?