Rock City at Christmas

There was a woman named Barbara in a lot of my design classes in college. I didn't realize it then, but she was very influential to me and my love of kitsch. She was super great and I wish we had kept in touch. I do remember her telling me that I HAD to get down to Rock City. And I did, more than once: 2009 (for our first wedding anniversary!) and 2012 (with the pugs!). But she told me the best time to see it was at Christmas.  You can go any day of the week, but we had to go down on a Saturday because of Travis' job.

 The lines to get in where SO LONG! It sucked because we have a membership, but they have no membership line, and you still have to pay for the lights. Once you wait in a forever long line to get your tickets, you have to get into ANOTHER line to get into the place. So 45 minutes after getting there, we were finally let into Rock City. And into another line to get onto the trail. It was terribly organized, especially since they do it every year! Maybe it was because we went on a Saturday, I don't know.

 These lighted birds were pretty cool. 

 Every little sign seemed to be decorated. There werent that many lights out though, which is weird.

 It was mostly this kind of stuff. Rocky the elf is so weird with his muscular legs and fat cheeks.

 About halfway through the trail you get to Lover's Leap and you can see a beautiful view of Chattanooga at night. We listened to a boy's choir (so high pitched and awkward!) and decided to decorate a gingerbread man together. It wasn't very cute. Haha. I didn't start with a plan, and ended up with tooooo many things going on.

 So much of the decorating was just this kind of stuff. I really wasn't impressed, epecially for the price they were charging and the amount of people that were there! And parts of the trail were closed off, some of my favorites like the hall of the mountain kind and the swinging bridge.

 The line to get into fairy land caverns. Pretty cute.

 Waiting in another long, slow moving line. There was a sign that made it seem like they had redone all the scenes in fairyland caverns to look wintery! But they had just added a Santa or two.

 So all in all, I'm sad to report that the Christmas lights at Rock City did not lead up to my expectation. I really wanted some kitschy tacky fun, but it was mostly just tacky. At least I got to see Travis in a gnome hat. And now I know. We'll go back in the spring and see all the sights again in the light of day!

Chattanooga Finds

Here is what I came home with from that shop in Chattanooga. Not a whole lot. The mandrake bottle is for Travis' first aid collection. I kind of MADE him get it, because of the Harry Potter connotation. I haven't bought many salt and pepper shakers this year (I need another shelf for my display) but I couldn't resist these little cows! They are tiny, about an inch tall. And I love old figurines with the little pink flowers on their chests. I have a few dogs like that. I tried to research them before but came up empty handed. I think they are so sweet. 

 Here are the gnomes I come home with. I can't wait to see how many I actually have when I pull out all my decorations. It is really fun to go through all the Christmas stuff I've been tucking away throughout the year. I think the guy with the stand up base is extra sweet.

 I was stoked to find a few vintage Rock City postcards! They are so much cuter than the stuff they sell their now! I can't wait to frame these guys!

 And of course some photos for my collection. Someone asked me how I displayed this collection a little while ago, and I have a post in the works! Collecting vintage photos is so fun to me! And really inexpensive compared to lots of other collections!

 I absolutely love photos like this! So many vintage photos show people looking super serious. the back of this one says "Elizabeth Laycock and my Sammie at a Xmas Party". Look at what a great time they are having!

 You know I love a poodle!

 And this is one of my favorite finds ever! I should have scanned it so you could see it better. Do you see the little monkey? Here is what the back says: "Out US No. 1 south of Daytona at Ella's bar. The monkey stole the show by the way I look. He was untying a ribbon I had my hair tied with and he has just swiped his tail in my wide open mouth"

Pug Pajamas!

This year I decided to treat my ladies (and myself) to some custom made pajamas from the Pug Possessed shop! Debra also has a blog where she posts pictures of her six pugs! Her header right now is her gang in the same pajamas and seeing it a few times just drove me over the edge, look at Marty's face! (he is the black one) And look at how perfect they turned out!

 You must have noticed by now that I am a fan of dressing up my dogs. And they like it too, I swear! But nothing ever fits Phyllis right, on account of her missing limb. That is the main reason I decided to order these. They really couldn't be more adorable.

 Look at her posing for me!

 Phyllis' leg is killing me i this! I tried to get a picture of the back for you, but they wouldn't turn around. You would think I was beating them the way they carry on when I get more than a few feet from the couch without putting them down.

 Here you can kind of see. They look so precious running through the house with their pjs on. They seem to really like them too. You can see a little of my tree to the left. That is the only Christmas out in my house STILL. And Travis put that together. At least I wrapped presents today!

 Debra also sent me these guys! I couldn't be more thrilled! I NEVER find puggish vintage stuff and these little grumpy faces are so great! It is something I would have snapped up immediately if I had seen it in a shop! Thank you Debra! They have a good home with me!

 The only Christmas project I've tackled is finally cleaning this tree I got at an estate sale in the summer. I really like these, but didn't want to spend much. I think this one was about 5 dollars because it was FILTHY. It isn't glazed and shiny like you usually see. I had to empty my water bowl four times before it was clean.

A before and after. I'm hoping to get the rest of my stuff out after work tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be motivated! I can't believe Christmas is only 5 days away! What the heck!

Chattanooga: What I Didn't Buy Edition

 Travis and I took a shop road trip down to Chattanooga on Saturday to check out the Christmas lights at Rock City. We got to town just in time to have a late lunch at Sluggo's. Beca told us about this place in the spring when we stopped here on our way to Atlanta for our 1000 pugs photoshoot (I'm hoping to someday see our pictures. Don't worry, I'll post them here for sure!)

 Little Travis waiting for our food. I wish this place was in Nashville.

 Though I would normally try something different on the menu, their vegan club is SO GOOD I had to get it again. Mmmm, I want another one right now! After we ate we decided to kill some time before Rock City opened by going to an antique shop. We went to a place called the Knitting Mill. It was in an old sewing factory and was pretty cool. Here is some of the stuff we saw...

 Almost nothing in this little locked case was priced. Which is ANNOYING after you have gone to get someone to open the case for you. They called the dealer for me about the little gnomes (I'm a little obsessed with them now) and I ended up bringing a few home.

 Lots of great Christmas in this booth.

 The owner was delusional with her pricing though. I found a cute, vintage, small Christmas photo I liked and she wanted 18 dollars! I didn't even ask about the putz houses. I still don't have any.

 There was a lot of cute vintage there.

 And also a lot of junk. See that poodle lurking in the background though?

 Santa heads! I wanted these, but I'm not letting myself buy more "projects" until I actually do a few.

 I wonder if those candles are actually old? They were cute and in perfect shape. I like the ribbon like tree the best.

 I loved that santa, he looks like one that you would put on your roof, but tiny! Travis didn't put my santa and reindeer on the roof yet. I guess it's too late now.

 Look at this great corsage! I love the little snowman head!

 More from that expensive booth. Look at those sweet pine cone gnomes. 

 We saw some amazing artwork. 

 And this cute dude with his chipmunk friend.

 I liked this picture but I'm really trying to stick to my few photo categories. Maybe I should add men in awkward swimsuits?

 Cute devil mask. 

I really loved this poodle bank! But it wasn't priced. What is the deal? Why would so many vendors have SO MUCH STUFF in their booths without prices on it! Blarg!

Estate Sale Finds!

Here is what I picked up at the sale I posted about a few days ago. I tried to hold myself back, but it was hard! So check out all this kid stuff!

Here is most of it. I got three plates like the one in the back in the middle. I'm trying to replace a set of 70's ones I have. They are green and yellow and make every thing I put on them look unappetizing. I don't know why I didn't get a close up of the baby's nest egg bank, or the rolly yellow seal! How cute!

A selection of vintage squeaky toys. My favorite is the bear. He reminds me of one I saw over at Magpie Ethel's. I might redo that little elephant with some vintage Christmas bits and put him on my tree! If I ever put it up this year.

I told myself no more planters until I used the ones I have. But this little lamb was just too sweet, and half off on the last day. I like the plastic flowers too. The little skunks under him are bone china I think.

Travis picked up these Junior Deluxe Editions on the first day of the sale. My collection is outgrowing my shelf now!

Another thing I really love are the wax animals that you get at the zoo. Those old machines are so cool, and the wax smell makes me very nostalgic. These two are from the Overton Park zoo, which is what the Memphis Zoo used to be called. I meant to look up some info and try to date them, but I was too lazy. Ha!

This poodle is awesome. It is one of the first things I picked up. I was happy enough with it, but when I got to the table to pay, they pointed out...

That it is a tape measure! Ahh! How cool! There was a thimble on the tail to apparently.

An Easter pic, a chalk wall dog, and two little rattles. 

I'm not a big Pooh fan, but I couldn't resist this sweet pink Pooh. He was made but gund, and I couldn't find another pink one online. I like his sweet face.

Apparently he belonged to Erin. You know I love little notes like this.

Cute keychain, and two tiny pins! I've been jealous of the Jimmy Carter peanut charm bracelet that Lisa found at a sale we went to together, so I was thrilled to find this tiny peanut pin! The owl is on a tiny cross section of a stick.

A few holiday items. The bunny and chicks were buried in a big bag of modern Easter grass. The mica bird has seen better days, but I'm hoping I can rehab it. The people running the sale laughed when I pulled the knee hugging elf out of my basket. I had found it in the back of a closet. Sue, one of the ladies who owns the company said "Well you WOULD find an elf!" Haha, they know me well.

Some velvety bows! Travis picked these up for me the first day too. 

A cute Pink Panther puppet by Gund. 

This little bucket hat reminds me of the hat Travis' uncle is wearing in the picture at the bottom of this post, which I am obsessed with! You pull the flap down and those are your sunglasses!

And last but not least, a little embriodery kit. It kind of reminds me of one of those coveted God Bless Our Pad kits, but not as great of course.