Hunters Alley is a new online shopping experience, a spin off of One Kings Lane. It is a highly curated vintage and resale site, a place for designers, home owners and collectors to hunt for the items that will make their home, or collection feel complete.
In the news -
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/one-kings-lane-launches-design-resale-site-hunters-alley-design-news-199431
http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/New-Hunters-Alley-offers-shopping-eclectic-mix-5170360.php
http://www.stylecaster.com/hunters-alley/
It was featured in a little style blurb this morning on the Today Show!
Here is my little slice of the Alley - because it is curated it takes a few days for items to show up, keep checking back as I have a lot of things in the queue.
http://www.huntersalley.com/profile/7508-patti-ridlon/shop
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Goals - not resolutions
I don't do resolutions - I am making goals for this year
Some of my goals are to start the process to become a foster parent. In order to do that I have to take a class, get certified in first aid and CPR, and do 30 hours of training. My goal is to get that all done by June.
I want to have articles and photos published in magazines. I am already on the way to that, I have been asked to be a contributing blogger on http://etsyvintage.blogspot.com/
I am thinking of doing some stylized shoots and writing a few articles to submit to a few places.
I want to move - for a number of reasons, I want to have room for storage, a proper place to take the photos for my stores, and I need at least 1 decent bedroom if not 2 for the foster children.
My stores have been doing better and better and my goal this year is to do triple what I did last year.
I know I can do that!
Some of my goals are to start the process to become a foster parent. In order to do that I have to take a class, get certified in first aid and CPR, and do 30 hours of training. My goal is to get that all done by June.
I want to have articles and photos published in magazines. I am already on the way to that, I have been asked to be a contributing blogger on http://etsyvintage.blogspot.com/
I am thinking of doing some stylized shoots and writing a few articles to submit to a few places.
I want to move - for a number of reasons, I want to have room for storage, a proper place to take the photos for my stores, and I need at least 1 decent bedroom if not 2 for the foster children.
My stores have been doing better and better and my goal this year is to do triple what I did last year.
I know I can do that!
Train Travel, the good, the bad, the smelly
If you have read any of my recent blogs, you will know I recently took the Amtrak Auto Train to Florida for a vacation. I wrote about the trip down HERE
After calling Amtrak to voice my concerns about the trip down, and being asked if my mother wanted any compensation for the issues. (For the record she didn't;she says she won't take a train ever again...)
I was offered an upgrade for my trip home.
Not just any upgrade but to a private bedroom with my own bathroom and shower. Oh and meals included. Awesome! As soon as I boarded I was told lunch was being and served and to head to the dining car, right next to where I was seated. (Noticed an Amish couple in the dining car, not sure where they were sitting for the entire ride, but that was different)
the position of the seats - I was traveling backwards most of the trip.
and the family in the room next to me, I think there were 4 of them in that bedroom, and it seemed that someone was going to the bathroom every 20 minutes - they sure did flush alot.
Sleeping was interesting, I went to dinner and when I came back the futon was pulled out into the bed, and a small flat mattress was placed on top of the seat cushions - seemed nice until I woke up in the middle of the night and the mattress had moved across the futon and my feet were up against the window, Felt like I had grown taller and the bed got smaller during the night.
After a while I got used to the rhythm of the train, which was only interrupted every hour by hitting some really rough tracks and the train swaying.
Way more comfortable than the ride down,
Since I hate flying more than I hated this trip on a train I would do it again, but I think for shorter trips, and only if I can get the bedroom.
Kinda spoiled now.
After calling Amtrak to voice my concerns about the trip down, and being asked if my mother wanted any compensation for the issues. (For the record she didn't;she says she won't take a train ever again...)
I was offered an upgrade for my trip home.
Not just any upgrade but to a private bedroom with my own bathroom and shower. Oh and meals included. Awesome! As soon as I boarded I was told lunch was being and served and to head to the dining car, right next to where I was seated. (Noticed an Amish couple in the dining car, not sure where they were sitting for the entire ride, but that was different)
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| Sink, mirror (can't see from here) and water |
There is an upper bunk, storage above, and a little ladder for climbing up into the bunk - I didn't use any of that
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| bathroom shower combo - the shower is in here |
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| Futon like double seat that comes down into the bed |
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| an extra seat near the bathroom everything is near the bathroom |
and the family in the room next to me, I think there were 4 of them in that bedroom, and it seemed that someone was going to the bathroom every 20 minutes - they sure did flush alot.
Sleeping was interesting, I went to dinner and when I came back the futon was pulled out into the bed, and a small flat mattress was placed on top of the seat cushions - seemed nice until I woke up in the middle of the night and the mattress had moved across the futon and my feet were up against the window, Felt like I had grown taller and the bed got smaller during the night.
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| another view of the lower seat |
After a while I got used to the rhythm of the train, which was only interrupted every hour by hitting some really rough tracks and the train swaying.
Way more comfortable than the ride down,
Since I hate flying more than I hated this trip on a train I would do it again, but I think for shorter trips, and only if I can get the bedroom.
Kinda spoiled now.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Things I Learned Traveling with my mother
When my mother told me my Christmas gift this year was to go on vacation with her to Florida, I wasn't sure what to think. We hadn't traveled let alone stayed together in the same place for years, and by years I mean years and years and years.
The catch, she was going to pay for my Amtrak ticket down to Florida, and I had to get myself home. Oh, and it was on the auto train and coach, because you know how bad can that be? See previous blog about that - We were staying in Cedar Key Florida, which when you tell most people, even in Florida they are - HUH? Where? Cedar Key on the west coast about 2 hours past Gainseville, an old fishing village that has turned into a bit if an artists colony and weekend biker hangout.
The first thing I learned, is that when in the car, the driver gets the front cup holder. So when you have a bottle of water or a coffee and you are the passenger, your cup or bottle is behind the drivers. Always.
Then when you arrive at the place you are staying, hang your clothes up, you can see examples of how that worked out for me here.
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| My Closet |
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| Where the rest of my clothes stayed throughout the trip |
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| My Mothers Closet |
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| my bed |
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| My Mothers bed |
We were going to walk everywhere, and get 10,000 steps in a day. I think our best day was over 6.000 which I thought was pretty darn spectacular considering back home it is -10degrees out and I wouldn't have made 600 steps anywhere.
The first few days, we alternated the leather reclining chair as a place to watch t.v. Mom raved about how great the chair was, but I think because she had bought one of her own for her house, maybe she didn't care so much. Because by the 5th or 6th day she didn't seem to care if I got the chair and she settled for the couch. Not sure maybe she forgot who's day it was and I just didn't want to rock the boat by reminding her it was really her day.
I also learned that I am just as forgetful as my mom, when she asked me to remember something for her, for the life of me I couldn't even remember that she had asked let alone what it was. I still don't remember why we went to the store one afternoon. I know we needed something and I know we never got it.
I think her way of remembering things, T for toilet paper, L for locks, would be a great idea for anyone that can remember, 1 there is something to remember, 2 what the letters are so you can then try to remember what the letters were for.
Driving with my mom. For 2 weeks I did not drive at all. She drove us everywhere. When she said she was tired, I offered to drive, when I thought she was tired I offered to drive. Either my mother really likes to drive, or she is like me, or I am like her, and as long as I am conscience I prefer to drive thank you very much.
However, my mom prefers to drive the speed limit, which is in an of itself is not a bad thing, but when she didn't know what the speed limit was she erred on the side of OHMYGOD COULD YOU GO ANY SLOWER... It wouldn't have been so bad but where we were there was a 2 lane highway- really road that stretched for miles and miles with no stop signs, no traffic signals and no speed limit signs. When the locals who do 75-80 down the road got behind her they zoomed past as soon as they could. The funniest part was when she was behind a super slow old guy, driving at least 35 for 20 miles, and then he started to turn right, and slowed down for that she was "could you slow down anymore? C'mon!"
We left Cedar Key and went to Mt. Dora on Saturday since I was catching the train on Sunday afternoon, it would be easier for her to continue to her next place. We went to Renningers Flea Market - see that here Steampunk at Renningers and on the day we were there it was Steampunk madness. Now I know what steampunk is, my mom didn't. She kept saying " get a picture get a picture!" I did ask one guy if I could take his picture and I tried to get her to stand next to him, She wouldn't do it...
The last night before I left, she wanted me to remind her of something, and it threw her into a fit of giggles, (which in itself is really funny to see) but every time she said W, what was W for, problem was SHE knew what it was she wasn't supposed to forget and I was supposed to help her remember but I couldn't even remember the letter.
I am my mothers daughter, from the flea markets and thrift stores we couldn't pass just because they were there, to wide hips we have called the hug ass, after my great grandmothers family name, as they seem to all have the large backside. and sometimes when I open my mouth my mother comes out ...
Rennigers Flea Market at Mount Dora
Renningers Flea Market -
How do I start to tell you about this extravanza of a Flea Market and why had I not heard about it and seen it in any magazines anywhere? This place is huge, dwarfs Ocala Super Flea - it is under cover with almost mazelike buildings, and acres and acres of vendors spread out.
The day we were there it was Renningers Steampunk Industrial show. I was there with my mother. We hit the upper hill and the outside vendors first. One lady was trying so hard to sell me everything she had. When I told her I was a dealer and sold on Etsy, she started making a bundle for me. I only saw a few things I really liked, but by the time it was over I had a bag full of stuff and my total $10. Love dealers that are trying to get rid of stuff so they have nothing to take home at the end of the day.
We did the first go round, went to the car to put our goodies away and drove down the hill to the second area, antiques, and flea market vendors with a huge dose of steampunk.
The first costume we see is a young lady wearing a tail, not sure if she meant it to be a fox tail or maybe a cat tail. There were tall hats, googles, ladies in long victorian attire done up steampunk style and stall after stall selling finished steampunk art, supplies to do your own steampunk art and oddites for the steampunk home.
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I think my mom was most in awe of the older people dressed in steampunk. She kept telling me to take pictures. Take a picture of that guy, oohhh get those 2 and the guy walking a round with the stuffed life like squirrel on his should that he pulled a string to make it move; AND he was talking to it, like it was just doing it's own thing... I tried to get her to take a picture with this guy, but she wasn't having it.
Overall, you could make Renningers a 2 day stop. Go through it on Saturday get what you love and then head back to see more new stuff from the vendors who only open on Sunday. And maybe call or check out there website to see what the events are coming up. Next weekend (January 31st - February 2nd) is Civil War re-enactment weekend - I am sure there will be tons of awesome civil war stuff there too.
Some more pics from the day
The day we were there it was Renningers Steampunk Industrial show. I was there with my mother. We hit the upper hill and the outside vendors first. One lady was trying so hard to sell me everything she had. When I told her I was a dealer and sold on Etsy, she started making a bundle for me. I only saw a few things I really liked, but by the time it was over I had a bag full of stuff and my total $10. Love dealers that are trying to get rid of stuff so they have nothing to take home at the end of the day.
There are dealers here who set up week after week, some of the prices to me were high. if you are collector and are looking for those interesting one of kind items for you own home and collection, the prices are great.
The first costume we see is a young lady wearing a tail, not sure if she meant it to be a fox tail or maybe a cat tail. There were tall hats, googles, ladies in long victorian attire done up steampunk style and stall after stall selling finished steampunk art, supplies to do your own steampunk art and oddites for the steampunk home.
I think my mom was most in awe of the older people dressed in steampunk. She kept telling me to take pictures. Take a picture of that guy, oohhh get those 2 and the guy walking a round with the stuffed life like squirrel on his should that he pulled a string to make it move; AND he was talking to it, like it was just doing it's own thing... I tried to get her to take a picture with this guy, but she wasn't having it.
Overall, you could make Renningers a 2 day stop. Go through it on Saturday get what you love and then head back to see more new stuff from the vendors who only open on Sunday. And maybe call or check out there website to see what the events are coming up. Next weekend (January 31st - February 2nd) is Civil War re-enactment weekend - I am sure there will be tons of awesome civil war stuff there too.
Some more pics from the day
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| Ever want to get those large industrial letters - well here you go - plus some great salvage items too! |
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| Flowers Galaroe |
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| Produce |
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| Cool display of doctors items |
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| Need a Bike? |
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| How about a tiger? Who couldn't use a tiger? |
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| Like I said letters galore! |
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| Just one of the "streets" at Renningers |
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| Great idea to use a golf cart, but this is probably a vendor who knows |
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