My Latest "FINDS" for FREE and ALMOST FREE!

This antique chair I found on the street for the trashman to pick up!!! It was FREE!

These wonderful brown transferware plates I found at the thrift shop for and unbelievable..........50 cents each!

I LOVE a BARGAIN!!! Who doesn't though?? But recently I found two that I just had to SHARE with you!.....The first one was not a mere bargain, but it was absolutely FREE! I would have missed it if I had not at the last minute jumped in the car with my HUSBAND to go get a take-out for dinner. There we were riding out of our neighborhood, when ole "eagle eye" me spotted this lovely chair sitting on the side of the street ready for the trash man the next morning! I screamed for my husband to back up (thank goodness we were in his truck!) and retrieve this JEWEL which he did very obediently , I might add! Wow! I couldn't believe it when we arrived back home and I got a good look at what I had gotten! Granted, it needs recovering, but it is now sitting in my livingroom .......notice the hand-carved wood on this baby! I just LOVE IT!

My next "almost free" FIND are the lovely transfer-ware plates that I found at a local THRIFT store. I have always admired the brown transferware and had not been able to find any that I could AFFORD! These beauties were made in ENGLAND and would have a nice little price tag on them at an ANTIQUE SHOP. They had a price tag on the bottom of 99cents but when I took them to the check-out , I found out they were half price that day , so I paid a whopping 50cents each for them! Why , I had to pay 4 times that for the HANGERS I purchased to display them with!

I would love any comments you have and would like to KNOW about some of your BARGAINS or FREEBIES too! <><

Frank Babb Randolph.....Washington DC Designer

Randolph's Georgetown townhouse.
His lovely diningroom (notice no rug)

The Livingroom in Randolph's Georgetown townhouse.
Frank Babb Randolph..... what a delightful person and talented designer.......

Mr. Frank Babb Randolph is a talented and very prominent DC designer who I have had the honor of meeting in person and entertaining as a GUEST in my home. A few years ago, I had engaged Mr. Randolph to speak at our ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY as I was program chairman that year and saw an article about him in Southern Accents. WHAT a DELIGHTFUL guest he turned out to be and now a FRIEND! Randolph was raised in Washington, DC as the son of a Congressman and as a Washington insider , so to speak. He has the NOTABLE distinction of meeting every First Lady since ELEANOR ROOSEVELT. He says his favorite would have to be LADY BIRD because of her graciousness and her program of WILDFLOWERS on the highways of AMERICA.

Frank was the DESIGNER in charge of the renovation of the Vice Presidential Home and worked very closely with the CHENEYS. He LOVED being an integral part of that project and found Mrs. Cheney to be lovely to work with. He had the honor of having lunch with her and the First Lady , LAURA BUSH (his latest meeting with a first lady!). Hmmmmm....wonder who the next will be!

The GEORGETOWN TOWNHOUSE where Frank resides has entertained many dignataries over the years, because it had previously been the residence of Henry Kissinger!
Frank absolutely loves living there and says it feels like HOME to him as he has a view of the HIGH SCHOOL where he and his brother attended.

I have featured a few pictures of the INTERIORS of his Lovely GEORGETOWN Townhome and I want you to notice how MININALISTIC his designs are and also the BARE floors. WHILE staying in my home, Frank was aghast , I am sure , at ALL MY STUFF! He made the comment after I said I had gotten something at an ESTATE SALE...."Lee, I think you need to quit going to those SALES and have ONE OF YOUR OWN!" In other words, GET RID OF SOME OF YOUR JUNK! He doesn't even care for window treatments and after he left I TOOK DOWN my draperies in my diningroom and have LOVED the CLEANESS of that!

I only wish that I could have found more photos to share with you of this wonderful DESIGNER'S work, but I hope I have given you a little insight into his WORK and when you see him in a publication (he has been featured in them all!) you will recognize him and appreciate his TALENT! One of his lay outs in SOUTHERN ACCENTS was titled , SIMPLY FRANK, and that so describes him and his work........always ELEGANT but done so with SIMPLICITY!

Fleur-de-lee's AUCTION!

Darling velvet and crepe two piece ensemble going on the auction block!
Another view of this simply divine frock!
The sterling silver fleur-de- lee necklace (not incl. in Auction)



I am trying something a little different on my blog...........just to see how it might work! I am AUCTIONING off this darling outfit to the highest BIDDER! The auction starts immediately and will end at 12 o'clock midnight on October 16th!

The fleur-de-lee necklace is not part of the auction, but I wanted to show it to you as it was a real find in that I got it for FREE when I bought the gorgeous bracelet that I showed you from an earlier blog! Isn't that fantastic??? I just love it and will enjoy it for many years to come!

Okay, now, get busy and bid on this cute FROCK.......cause the CLOCK is ticking!! I almost forgot......it is a small size between a 2-4........Surely you know someone who is little enough for it, if you are not!

Lizzie's Visit with Mimi and Mackey....FUN!

Elizabeth watching her favorite movie, ANNIE!

................................................Elizabeth Baker Moates!.............

What started out with difficulties, our visit with our granddaughter Elizabeth was delightful! The plan was that I was to pick Lizzie up at school and bring her home with me for an overnight stay. She had been looking so forward to some alone time with Mimi and I was looking so forward to it too. Part of the excitement was that I would check her out of school early! Well, on my way to Birmingham, my son called to say he had to go pick her up because while on the playground, a schoolmate had thrown a rock and had hit poor Elizabeth in the head! When I arrived at their house, E was snuggled in her mommy's arms and was running a fever, too. When she saw me, she jumped up and was ready to come with me, so off we went! Knot on her head and all! Upon our arrival in Gadsden, with her darling Pumpkin outfit on.....Precious!

Elizabeth's favorite movie is "ANNIE", so I had the video player all ready for her and she watched this delightful musical again for what she said was her "thousanth" time! Lizzie could go right to Broadway and get on the stage and recite every line and sing EVERY song because she knows them all! It was truly amazing to watch her as she sang each song and told me exactly what each character was going to say before they said it! One funny side note.......Lizzie told me she asked God if He would give her curly hair like Annie's and God told her " Of course you can have curly hair, Elizabeth!" and she said , "now I do!"......the faith of little children!

On Saturday, we went shopping, of course and Elizabeth found her Halloween costume. She will be Ariel as a Bride ..........she is so excited! She also picked out an adorable new doll that she named Rosella. The doll is animated and moves her arms and head. Lizzie was one happy shopper and hugged me and thanked me and thanked me!

Grandchildren, it is said, are God's apology for Parenthood! I believe that! What a delight these precious little creatures are and a JOY too!........Being a MIMI is sooooooooo much FUN!

My New Fall Frock!

Just had to show you my first purchase for FALL! It's a darling gray corduroy semi-swing coat with 3/4 length sleeves and rolled collar. I absolutely love the lining....TURQUOISE!.......I cannot wait to wear it with jeans or tweed trousers........a dress or skirt. I think it will be so VERSATILE!! I love it.........Don't you just LOVE it TOO??????????

What a FAB Weekend at the BEACH!

This is hard to see, but it is a bracelet I got for 75% off with pave diamonds and is a John Hardy look alike........I love it and I got it for a steal!
My hubby and me(on the right) with our friends at "Stinky's" ....
Our lovely room at the cottage with a gorgeous view of the ocean!

An Original oil painting I bought for 30.00 at the Sale at Seaside
ANother work of art I got for only 20.00 at the sale! The frame is worth much more than that!
Also got this old silver chafing dish to use for flower arrangements.....

This is me sitting in one of the Harem rooms at Alys Beach pool.... So COOL!
One of six Harem rooms(as I called them)with flat screened tvs
These "BEDS" were so neat overlooking the Pool
So lovely at Alys Beach pool area...

Alys Beach entry to Pool
Entry to pool area at Alys Beach
The unbelievable pool area at Alys Beach
Outdoor living area poolside at Alys Beach

Under Construction at ALYS BEACH...... A home being built by our friends...
Pool and Courtyard Area.........
Spiral Staircase with Fabulous window.......... A grand piano will be placed here.

WOW! We just got back from a wonderful time at the Beach with our friends, The Thornells, who graciously invited us to stay at their wonderful cottage right on the OCEAN! The weather was so fantastic and the FOOD was wonderful and the COMPANY so delightful! We really did not want to come home!

While there, we toured Alys Beach which is a fairly new development near Rosemary Beach. Our friends are in the process of building a home there along with 6 other investors. I took photos and will share them with you. It is really an extraordinary and beautiful community!

We also went to the SEASIDE community flea market which is held twice a year. We helped my friend's mother with the selling of her goods and it was so much FUN!! I found some really great DEALS that I will share with you also.

Well, that is about it for our trip to points in Florida. We did have so much FUN and laughed and ate and tromped on the beach and saw some gorgeous sunsets.

Some thoughts on FRIENDS:

A Friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things YOU can be.

A good FRIEND is cheaper than Therapy!

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can GROW separately without growing APART!

Our friends, the Thornells, have been our friends since we were young and just starting our families and after almost 40 years, we are still such close friends. That is amazing to me because we haven't had to really TRY to stay close..........it just came really easy!.....Thanks for a great time at the Beach, Nancy and Stanley.....We love ya!

Our Wonderful Family Reunion......PERFECT!

ALL six of US on the loggia.........having fun!

The Gals relaxing on the Loggia...........

TABLE set for the first night's dinner PARTY!!

On the front steps of our childhood home.....the 5 sisters... Myself with 3 of the sisters with our Brother.........

WELL, my big weekend is OVER and I think it was a GREAT success! All of my SWEET family were here and we had a GREAT time together! We LAUGHED, we ATE, we WATCHED FOOTBALL, and most important of all, WE SHOPPED!!! I decided for the first night they were here to have an elegant dinner in the diningroom with fine china and the whole bit. I cooked our mother's favorite meal which was Roast Beef, Green Beans, Slaw, Scalloped Potatoes and Yeast Rolls with plenty of real butter! We had the best time sitting around the table and talking and laughing. It was a good start to a BIG weekend!

Saturday for the GAME , my husband, Mackey , got the best RIBS in town and we had those with more Slaw and STUFFED EGGS! Delish!

My sisters were sweet to bring some lovely desserts......Ann, brought a delicious Butter Pecan Cake....so yummy!......Sue, brought some wonderful homemade cookies that were to die for! Jeanne, brought a delicious Kahlua brownie pie with chocolate covered strawberries......yummy, yum!.............Jeanne also brought marinated shrimp that was so divine! We had plenty of wine and that kept us in good SPIRITS!

On Friday, my brother, Lane , came and chauffeured us around Gadsden in his mini van. What a treat! We went to our childhood home and had our picture made on the front steps......very sentimental! We toured downtown and other spots of interest that we remembered from our childhood days. FUN, FUN!

I think EVERYONE took home some great souvenirs of our SHOPPING and got things they love. ALL in ALL, everyone seem to have a great time together !

HOLD YOUR FAMILY CLOSE WITH BOTH HANDS!!! and I plan to!..................Have a great week all and GOD BLESS!!