What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Saturday, February 04, 2017

Valentine's Day Decorations

In my funk and the process of "pulling my head out (Thank you for all the nice comments.  I see that I am not alone in this funk.  We'll get through it together!) - I decided to put out the Valentine's Day decorations.  I usually only put minor holiday stuff out for two weeks.  But, I needed some happy. So, I happy-ed up the joint.  I live with two guys, so I am always in fear that I will overdo it and they won't be happy.  But, you know what?  IF MAMA AIN'T HAPPY, AIN'T NOBODY HAPPY. Besides, The Breadman literally would not notice anything new in the house.  Ever.  Like, he missed noticing the Christmas tree was up for TWO DAYS. All my seasonal decorations go up on the walls or on shelves, so nothing is in the way. Football viewing and XBox playing are still able to go on uninterrupted.  

I think I have told this story before, but here it comes again.  When we were newly married, we lived in a tiny house in another town.  I was a department manager at a grocery store.  When I was clocking out, I noticed that the guys were taking down all the Valentines Day decorations in the store.  (Do you remember when grocery stores decorated the aisles with big signs, streamers and honeycomb balls and hearts?)  Anyway, they were pulling down these huge 6 foot long signs that said I LOVE YOU. (They were made at the sign shop and matched the window signs that read Eggs 38¢.)  I asked if I could have one and they gave it to me.  (I wish I still had it.  It was awesome). I took it home and hung it in the doorway between the living room and the dining room.  The husband came in the front door, walked through the living room, pushed the I LOVE YOU sign aside and kept on walking. "Hey!"  I said. "Did you even read that?"  "Yeah, I saw it." That was the day I knew that I had married a guy that did not like for care about the holidays.  It was also the day I realized that I could do virtually anything in the house and he wouldn't really give a crap.  BRING ON THE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS!!!!!

Years ago I bought this ugly little painted hutch.  I slapped some white paint on it, and wa-lah, it's one of my favorite little decorating spots.


For years I participated in a handmade swap for Valentines Day.  I have over 150 handmade Valentines from crafters all over the internet.  I love displaying the smaller ones here.  


I love making things of out felt, but I don't do it as often as I would like since it's just for me to keep and not something I can sell.  So, I generally concentrate on listing, pricing or making for profit.  But, making things for me is fun too! 


Display over the couch.  Lots more handmade Valentines.  The red love bug is from my gal Chanelle (AmberRose in the comments).  The chalkboard LOVE sign is from Dollar Tree.  It bothers me that you can buy a knock off sign for $1.00 when people are making them and selling them at the booths.  But, I usually have a dollar and not always $20 to buy local and handmade.  The honeycomb heart is new this year.


Candy tins and some other cute stuff.  I still think getting a box of chocolates is such a fun gift.  But, to get one in a TIN would have been such an elegant gift!  


More handmade Valentines and the obligatory vintage truck and a rubber squeak.  


One of my favorites.  



LOVE letter banner.  I sell a lot of these in the booths and at The Junk Ranch.  It's time to make a new batch.


Huge oversize flash card.  I had the whole A-Z set and sold all but the H for Halloween, W for Witch and V for Valentine.  The C for Camel is in my booth and it will NOT sell.  What the heck?  I thought Hump Day would make it a seller for sure.  


Why, yes.  I do live in a cave.  Bad lamp placement makes this shelf a bugger to photograph.  All my super cute favorites are on this shelf including my Chocolate covered Cherry boxes which is one of my favorite collections.   My grandmother loved them, my husband loves them.  I do not love them.  But the old boxes make me swoon.  They are hard to find, so when I do come across one (or my buddy Chanelle sends me one.....) I am very happy!  


More cherry boxes.  Love that lovebird planet in the middle.  Vintage Valentines stuff is hard to find, other than cards.  


More cherry boxes, handmade Valentines and some vintage hankies.  


The whole enchilada.  


Another photo from the cave.  I want a nice collection of old heart shaped candy boxes, but they elude me.  The ones on either side were from The Bean and my Mom last year.  The other two are older ones that I gussied up with old millinery flowers.  Throw in some cuteness and old Marquee letters and that's all folks!

Do you decorate for Valentines Day?



9 comments:

  1. That is funny that the heart shaped candy boxes elude you. I find them everywhere. I don't even buy them anymore since I have so many. I will send some of my mojo for them your way.

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  2. I saw a vintage metal heart shaped candy box at an antique mall today and I thought of you immediately. But it was $20.00!!! I thought that was just a little high. It was vintage but not really old vintage.

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  3. That hutch is just adorable. And it looks light pink to me even though I know it's white. Thanks for showing your Valentine's Day collection. Eeeek - it's only 10 days away! I have to throw some Valentine's Day decorations on the Christmas tree in my office to justify why it's still there.

    I think it's great that the bread man gives you free reign on the holiday decorations! You have freedom to do whatever you want without the stress of anyone else's approval - woot!

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  4. I love your cupboard and shelves and how you decorate for holidays. I have cut way back in the decorating but do have a few little things out for Valentine's Day! Hugs.

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  5. I'm with you on the chocolate covered cherries. Bleh! The boxes are awfully cute though :)

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  6. I love your decorations and have some of the same displayed. One of my favorite Valentines I received was the hand stitched be mine bird also, but guess what? I can't find mine :( I do have the Valentine flash cards and pinwheels you made for Makin Projicks Valentine Swap. I have the same difficulty finding any Valentine heart shaped candy boxes near me also though I do have one vintage candy box that dominos came in. I hope you have a Happy Valentines Day!

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  7. Hi Shara!
    I just wanted to say I love your blog and I love seeing your decorating posts! They always make me smile and if I happen to be down they always cheer me up. Thank you! And I am glad you are coming out of your funk too.
    Robin

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  8. Anonymous1:32 AM

    Where, oh where, has my sweet Shara gone? Oh where is my Shara Lee?? Hope you are fine!

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    Replies
    1. HOly MOley! Who is this? Grandma???? You used my middle name!!!!!!

      Delete

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