Weekend Trip & Good 'Ol America Heritage!

Just took a quick over night trip to San Antonio, Texas. 

Yes, Home of the Alamo!

We had a great room on the River Walk which I highly recommend. 

The food is wonderful and the people watching is better...

Just real Southern Charm.

Take a boat ride down the water way to your next destination...so much fun!

Very quaint!

Great Views just for your walk. 

19 miles of water ways to enjoy!

We visited a wonderful Historic Location

called the Guenther House; which is home to

the oldest flour mill still in production!

The family built their home just behind the Mill so they could

always remain close to their work. 

True American Pioneer & Dedication to Hard Work.

The home is a preserved historic location, some what like a museum

of what life was like for this family in the early 1900's.

Carved wood table top...

Right side of this wonderful living room.

Left side...

This was a photo of the Guenther Family Bowling Team.

Notice they won a trophy at the bottom of the image!

It was displayed along side the image behind a glass case.

Amazing!!!

All the original pay log books were still there for the mill.

Mr. & Mrs. Guenther

Their family china was on display as well.

The main kitchen and back of the home has been made

into a working cafe to support the upkeep and preservation of the home.

We enjoyed lunch amoungst the misters and ducks!

If you are ever in Southern Texas,

San Antonio is a great weekend get away!

I know Guenther Mill Flower is still sold in Texas, but unfortunately it

is no longer in those fabulous muslin bags.

Look for the name if you ever make some home made biscuits...you

just might see the Guenther name and remember this bit of history.

Cheers,

Vanessa

This is My Style...

please hop over to my new shop called

VINTAGE INFUSED

WHICH YOU WILL FIND HERE

it is filled with

 antique & vintage china & pottery

artisan creations

custom dog beds

organic & luxurious spa products

Imagine....

a circle in a spiral

can you imagine?

I'm A Little Bit Country.....

A Summer's Wedding......

don't you LOVE weddings....?

My Girly Side.....

do you guys love ruffles & flourishes?


I do.

The Vintage Infused Look.....

just a little example of one of the new things coming for Fall/Holiday

pillow covers, tea towels, guest towels, shopping bags

all with antique black/white transfer prints

unique & original

just what I promised when I began my web-site

what do you think?

A Committment

yes, I've discovered that blogging successfully is, indeed, a committment.

a committment I will enjoy.

there will be 

lifestyle

home & garden

a bit of fashion

DIY

entertaining

as it's Sunday I thought you might like to see some beautiful

vintage art

"Queen of the Night"

Leon Bakst

1922

much much more to come,

won't you please join me?

Negotiate with the Nusery at Lowes??? YES, YES, YES!

There comes a time when we girls have to share our secrets.

Here's one of my BIG ones!

Would you ever think you could negotiate with the Manager at your local Lowes Nursery?

YES you can! 

Here is how you do it.

Have you ever noticed the BIG rolling metal shelf racks they bring out when

you think they are about to restock?

Perhaps this is the case, but most times what they are doing is removing plants that have bloomed up so much that they are taking up so much real estate that Lowes just wants to get them out.

Classic example I am showing you here are these Beautiful Hydrangeas.

The nursery had shoved them carelessly onto the rolling racks and stopped pruning them or really caring for them.  They had marked them down from $24 or so dollars each to $19 each. 

Still expensive for flowers that needed some TLC.

The SECRET is to find out from the clerks or the Manager when their next shipment of flowers will be arriving.  They normally are very forthcoming and are happy to tell you because they need to move new merchandise.  Once you know that the new shipment will arrive...for example tomorrow...since they normally come in 1 time a week you return the next day.  They are still loaded down with in my case loads of Hydrangeas at the end of Spring and ready to move them out and display

new Summer Flowers or Fresh Hydrangeas.

Look, the ones on the for sale racks even had new blooms, just needed some love!

So I am here to tell you that when that new shipment arrived I was there.  The Manager and the GM of the nursery were there trying to determine where to place all their new merchandise.  Lots of landscapers may know this trick, but if you are willing to take on a load all at once you are in!  They simply needed to unload the merchandise and since to them it has a shelf life and they do not have the time or the staff to care for them or house them they will do these kinds of deals.  You just have to be able to NEGOTIATE!

Ladies I am here to tell you that all these WONDERFUL flowers you see here were

purchased for .75 cents each.  I bought about 30 Hydrangeas as you can see.  I spent an afternoon pruning, feeding and watering them and they were as good as new! 

All of my favorite neighbors received a plant just for fun so I could share the wealth.

I spent about $25 DOLLARS Total.

These images are when they were still in pots prior to my poor fiance having to dig me a new flower bed; however we have enjoyed cut flowers in the house for several weeks and

now they are beginning to rebloom in their new beds.

Next Spring I will have a lovely garden of Hydrangeas full of color for $25,

while some might have spent $750 to have a garden full.

They made quite the display in the neighborhood!

MY secret to YOU.  Be a Sharp and Savvy Shopper and don't be afraid to ask or negotiate.

They can not throw out the merchandise, they have to sell it even if it is for pennies on the dollar.

Even my baby girl "Prissy" who is a Rescue and is half Dalmatian and half Pitty loves Mommy's flowers!

She is very REGAL when around beauty.

Have a Great Day!

Vanessa