A grey January morn...

This has got to be one of the dreariest times of the year. Weather is crappy and a lot folks, counting this one, don't have two dimes to rub together. Low-down and pitiful.

On the other hand, i can kind of enjoy a feeling of hibernation and melancholia during the winter months. I do think melancholia is the best state for creating. I love sitting by my gas heater with the soft winter light coming through the windows, BBC4 on the radio and a sewing needle, pen or musical instrument in my hand. It's a good thing too that i've learned to love it... For Mississippi standards, it's winter here in Holland almost 3/4 of the year.

I hope that you too are finding some enjoyment in the winter. (Yes, i know, you Southern Hemisphere folks are woopin' up. I'm not talking to you.) If you're one of those kind that dies a little bit every time a leaf falls, this may cheer you up a bit. Put your woolies on, make some hot chocolate with big fluffy marshmallows in it (a shot of whiskey won't hurt a bit either) and listen to the wonderful Frederik Goossens & The Winin' Boys from Belgium performing 'The Magic Ukulele Waltz by Roy Smeck'. Much Love & Peace to you all.

Turning a new page...

Our new shop, The Jumping Flea Market, has it's own Facebook Page. We hope that you will 'Like' it.

Lady Luck has got my back

This would be the perfect jacket to wear to thwart evil spirits on this day, Friday the 13th. It is a WWII Personalized Bomber Jacket of 401st Bomb Group. I can't see it clearly enough, but i'd like to think that 'Lady Luck' is playing a Baritone Ukulele.

Image Courtesy of 'How To Be A Retronaut'

The Twelfth Night Of Christmas

And apparently this means that the Christmastide is over, which also means the little tree has got to go. But i really can't part with it yet. Actually, i'm seriously considering re-enacting our Christmas festivities this next weekend.

They consisted of Marko and i making a pallet in front of the gas heater where we unpacked our new pyjamas, played games, told our fortunes, strummed ukuleles and watched great movies. And of course we ate gorgeous stuff like warm camembert cheese covered in melted brown sugar and walnuts, BBQ meatlessballs with plenty of a cheap whiskey-like concoction called Maltky to wash it down. We were actually really really broke but i did splash out on this little 5,- euro tree. It may all seem very small and simple to those of you who go all out, but i just can't tell you how really wonderful it was. We laughed a lot too. It was just so cozy.
Click on the images and ZOOM IN on the Cozy-ness.!

There's nothing quite like a good rest and a bit of spoiling yourself after having worked really hard. We had really exhausted ourselves trying to get our shop up and running and this at the end of a pretty rough and tumble year in general. I'm not kidding. We were physically and mentally TIRED. It felt so awesome just to turn off the damn phone, the e-mail and the doorbell and just hang out with our cat in a huge mountain of cushions and quilts.

I hope you too have enjoyed the holidays. I know mine are ending too soon with lots of mail to sort out and, dare i say it, tax forms to fill in. That's why, i think i'm going to do it again. I'm going to put that pallet in front of the fire, cook something yummy and just hang out with my good lookin' dude and my cat and our little tree this weekend and decide for myself when the festivities are over.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Best Wishes & Much Love to You and Yours in the New Year
X, Shelley

'The Jumping Flea Market' In the Metro!

The Metro is a free newspaper in Holland which is mainly distributed at the Bus, Street Car & Subway stations. Today there was an awesome article in it about our shop, 'The Jumping Flea Market'....
Click on the image to ZOOM!

Dear Santa,

I've been a really good girl this year. For Christmas i would like a Silvertone Plastic Table-Top Radio & Record Player from Sears & Roebuck. Merry Christmas!