Friday Tune-age

“If you must have motivation, think of your paycheck on Friday.” - Noel Coward

Jonsi - Go Do


Hem - Half Acre


Professor Green - I Need You Tonight


Antlers - Bear


Madeleine Peyroux - Between the Bars

A Madg-ical Sabbatical

It's confirmed peeps, I am the only internal employee still running for this promotion. By Tuesday I have to come up with power point presentation on my 1 year and 1-3 year goals for my specific job and also answer questions regarding my managerial skills infront of a firing squad. In other words--rock the house!

Needles to say...I will be taking a small break from the United Estates of Madge, it saddens me to my core; but I've got to get my nose in the books, re-familiarize myself with powerpoint (cause God knows it's been since Nam since I've used it), and get this FRICKIN' job!!!

I have a button that BCF gave me that in black and white large bold letters states: "We believe that we WILL win!" It's right next to my desk and it is my motivating factor.

Sooo...for all my faithful readers out there...pretty much Babs, BCF, and MP. Start saying Hail Mary's, blow the dust off your St. Expedite Shrine's, and start sending some good positive vibes my way.

To end this post on a positive note I would like to quote a great man of history, Thomas Jefferson. "I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more of it I have."

Parting is such sweet sorrow...

March of Dimes/Embarassing Neighbor Moments

Today I participated in the March of Dimes.

BCF's two children were both born prematurely and this is a charity that is near and dear to her heart...hence and therefore, it is near to my heart.

I am proud to announce that I tripled my goal--pat on the back Madge! However, the majority of my donations came in from fam back up north. So I had an absolutely scathingly brilliant idea this morning: I will document the whole day with pictures to send to them in appreciation of the contributions that they made.

The bad news: I woke up to thunder this morning.

So the first picture I decided to shoot was an off center picture of Sammy the Saab with one of my flower pots on the side, just to prove that I have developed a green thumb!

I take the picture.

And then I hear someone yelling at me.

"No Cameras!" I think to myself...is there a celebrity that has moved into our complex that seems to have confused me with a paparazzi?

I look up to see my neighbor across the small common drive we share standing in nothing but a robe retrieving her paper. I am SHOCKED!

If you notice across the street you will see a lady in a pink robe.

I try to explain that I didn't see her standing there--and that I was documenting my March of Dimes experience. I'm still up in the air if she was pissed or not.

So, I make it to the walk and half of our team has decided to bail due to the weather. Bummer.

We begin the walk, I'm freezing--wearing 3 shirts and a sweatshirt, getting wet from the sideways rain, and attempting to divert from large puddles.

The downtown area we were in was so charming, I couldn't help to take pictures of some of the beautiful houses along the way.

Roughly half way through our walk, BCF said screw it and decided to turn around.

Major deliberation whether we press on or give up. Notice the swag bag...we got hooked up!

While we were heading back to the starting point we passed a fricking stick family, and I couldn't resist.

I really think the butterfly sets it off!

Publix donated a LOAD of food--and it was agreed that BCF and I would take the left overs back to the non-profit organization that we work at. The weather turned from poor to Wizard of Oz style very quickly, but luckily we were able to load our cars before the deadly deluge hit.

I find it amazing we fit all these water bottles in my trunk!

My documentation of the day's events didn't go to plan, unfortunately. However, it was a wonderful day for a great cause! If you have the chance to participate with a charity, I would highly recommend it--it leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling!!

Elle Decor Meets Etsy

One of my favorite all time websites is etsy.com. It's an amazing website (in which you can spend hours) where you can buy and sell all things handmade.

I've purchased my fair share of product from etsy: personalized note cards/note pads, Christmas ornaments, car decals, jewelry, aprons, etc. I have never had a bad experience--and furthermore would recommend this site to everyone and anyone!

A few days ago I came across an article about intricate patterns in Elle Decor, how to decorate with them, how to wear them. Well at the bottom of the article a small clock caught my attention.

Could this adorable clock have caught my eye because a few nights prior, in a sleep aid stupor I accidentally knocked my alarm clock off my bedside table while setting it...leading to it no longer "beeping" at 6 AM?
Possibly.
I like to say that it was because I've had the clock since I lived in the Mitten, and its was just on it's way out.

So, I hopped on etsy.com and found an adorable clock, very similar to this one by a seller by the name of Spirit La La.

 Doesn't it have an immense amount of flair?

Only downfall..

Getting used to not having a snooze button! I typically hit that baby 3-4 time each morning!

Thursday Tune-age

Happy Thursday!

Does it not feel like it should be Saturday already? I will be crawling into Care-a-lot shortly to have some one on one blankie time.

"[Sleep is] the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together."


--Thomas Dekker


Mystery Jets - Half in Love With Elizabeth


Cults - Go Outside


Cold Cave - Life Magazine


Passion Pit - Sleepy Head


Caribou - Odessa

Appreciate-cha

A wise man by the name of Theodor Seuss Geisel has a passel of quotes. You may know him as Dr. Seuss, and one of my favorite quotes of his goes a little like this:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

This quote could be used in daily life. But today, it meant much much more.

I've stated prior that I'm a lucky gal that has the opportunity to work with upwards to 30 individuals on a weekly basis that donate their time, effort, and charisma to enhance the life of children. And today was our small way to thank them for what they do...a luncheon at Maggianos!

There may or may not have been a lot of fun had by all!

I appreciate all my co-workers and volunteers! Couldn't ask for a better group of gals!!

Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week!!

A+ Interview Wardrobe

After spending a long weekend with Babs in Flo-rida (great stories and pics to come), I am now preparing for an interview for a promotion.

While being knowledgeable in the subject matter of the interview, I also find that having an above par ensemble also helps with the mojo.

Here's a brief look at what Babs (who should quit her job and become a stylist) put together for the big day:

I've borrowed a few of the accessories, including the Gucci watch.

My Granny's pearls.

Forever 21 bangles: $5.80 - Cannot beat that!

A small bit of flair for the hair.

"Bonfire"

And finally...

Young, chic, vintage, business-like, and vintage all rolled into one!

Send me some positive vibes tomorrow morning, peeps!!

United Estates of Madge (Officer...I Don't Know What to Say Edition)

It all started with a text message to BCF's Husband.

Madge: "Would it be possible to strap a queen size mattress and box spring to the top of the Saab?"
BCF Hub: "Uhhh no. I will help you pick them up tomorrow."

So, in an old school Bronco, with the top removed, and the slight shadow of Lumpkin County Sheriff imprinted on the side; we made our way bright and early to the sale determined to get a frickin' mattress.

"It's kinda' like being in a convertible."

Flash back to the day before...

After leaving Scottie's house on Saturday--I had to feed my addiction and hit up a sale. They had lovely pieces and very reasonable prices...the catch, CASH only.

Cash? What is that? Is that even a currency people carry anymore?

Lucky for Madge, I did have $30 big ones one on me.

After a bit of digging in the basement, I came across this amazing old steamer trunk. I immediately thought it would look absolutely fabulous in front of windows in the living room. After confirming the measurements with Mr. MTM the deal was sealed and I left with a trunk.

While loading the trunk in my car, one of the guys running the sale told me everything was going to be half off tomorrow. "Ooooo half off," I thought to myself. "What did I see that I need? OH MY GOD--that queen size mattress and box springs!" It would solve my epic bedroom problem!

By the time I ended my chit chat, it was closing time. All I could think about was making it back to the sale tomorrow at 10 AM to get the mattress and box springs.

Flash forward to BCF's Husband and I traveling en route to the sale....

Madge: "You're going to be turning at the next street."
BCF Hub: "Where?"
Madge: "This next street on the left."
BCF Hub: "Which one."
Madge: "The one you just passed."

BCF's Hub being an American bad ass puts the car in reverse (on a one way street) and backs up!! Shortly after we started our reverse motion, sirens and lights could be heard and seen. Shit--how did we not see that police officer sitting in that parking lot?

I'll spare the details, we got off easy...and I didn't even have to cry. But we are now 16 minutes behind schedule.

Made it to the sale--high tailed it up stairs, and the mattress and box springs are still there. OH JOY! BCF's hub and I did a wee bit more shopping, picked up some lovely planters for $1.50 a piece.

Flanking either side of the garage door.

As I'm about to hand the estate sale lady my money, BCF's husband comes running up to me and exclaims that the bed is a full not a queen. The loud cry that I let out startled everyone in the checkout line. My heart sunk.

Estate sale lady came through--she explained they had a bed that they weren't advertising and she believed it was a queen. We checked it out, it was in good shape, and indeed a queen. I pay. BCF's hub loads the mattress; I grab the planters.

As I approached the Bronco, BCF's hub whispers to me that we just "robbed them." I looked at him inquisitively, and he directed me to look at the tag.

Friends, I purchased a Sealy Posterpedic Pillowtop Back RX mattress that retails for $699 for $40...including the box springs!

And I'm no longer sleeping on the floor..

Complete with Anthro quilt.

Complete with an adorable pillow from Natural Life.

Big shout out to BCF's Hubby--thanks for all your heavy lifting!!

Total Spent by Madge: $78.00

United Estates of Madge (Breaking and Entering Edition)

For some odd reason, this weekend consisted of two separate "law breaking" related situations, with two members of the same family, on completely different days.

BCF had a root canal and was a wee bit loopy--what a better opportunity to go an estate sale! En route to the sale we had a MAJOR rainstorm. I'm talking can't see 5 feet in front of us, sides of the road flooding, and Sammy the Saab hyrdoplaning.

Some how a doped up BCF was able to communicate what the navigation system was saying and we made it to the sale--and then we saw the "Estate Sale" signs...we made it!

"I'm melting..."

These photos do not do it justice, but it literary was flood and we were hauling ass to get inside out of the deadly deluge.

Love BCF's face in this pic.

So we get into the house and start looking around. From behind us we hear a snotty voice, "Can I help you girls?" A drugged up BCF replies, "Yeah, you can get me a towel so I can dry off." "The sale doesn't start until tomorrow girls," says snotty man.

So its official, we have committed a B&E...just wish I had the opportunity to kick the door open! The question remains: Why would you have signs up if the sale didn't start to the next day??

Anywho...we went back to the B&E sale the next day. The estate owner has a daughter who is roughly around our age and had A LOT of designer clothes (many of which had tags still attached) for dirt cheap.

The purchase of the day came when Jenny was digging through another closet of clothes.

Notice the random manniquein hand on the top shelf...

I came across something that I have been pinning for, for close to a year...Anthroplogie has the most eccentric style of bedding I have ever seen. I've been looking on ebay for some time now for a quilt with no luck.

Shortly after snapping the photo of Jenny and the mannequin hand, I looked on the floor and to my surprise there was an Anthrolpolgie quite--for $45. They are typically $250! (More of pics of the bed to come).

The next sale we went to we immediately felt good karma due to this poster hanging oh so prominently...

Not only is this my favorite all time movie, it is also BCF's. We occasionally quote it for significant time periods. "Turn out from the hips, Jodi!"

This sale had the largest spooky doll/troll collections I have ever seen...

BCF snagged a great Free People cardigan and a fabulous necklace, in which she accidentally stole from another shopper. When she was checking out I commented on how cute the necklace was and how I didn't see her grab it. She then proceeded to explained that she had to crumple it up in her hand the entire time we were there in fear that the lady would find out of that she had it! She also made off with the hangers...and felt guilty about it.

Total Spent by Madge: $50

Coffee With my Mature Lady Friends

I'm a very priviledged gal who has the opportunity to work with more than 25 volunteers on a weekly basis. They are all very compassionate, gracious, and kind-hearted individuals.

I've grown especially close to quite a few of my volunteers, one in particular--Scottie. She's been volunteering with our organzation for close to 20 years...20 YEARS people!

She's been like an adoptive Grandmother to me, referring to me as the granddaughter she's never had. She's taken me to doctor's appointments when I've been really ill and even watched my cat while I was on vacation.

Scottie's very VERY Southern, she was born and raised in Tennesee (or as she puts it "God's Country").

I love hearing her stories about growing up, she lived on a farm--and it's amazing the difference in life when she was a child and now, i.e. washing clothes by hand, churning butter...things I cannot fathom!

This morning a bunch of her lady friends and I were invited to Scotties house for coffee and tasty snacks. I hung out for a few hours after everyone left and I got an amazing tour of some of her treasured items from throughout her life.

This is Scottie's mother as a child--I just love the dress, I wish children's pictures looked like this now.

In the middle is a young Scottie playing football on her family farm with her brother and his friends.

This is the key to the front door of the farm she grew up in.

A young Scottie on the right during a freak snow storm in Atlanta circa 1940's.

Her and her brother's Christmas stockings as children. "We would get an orange or an apple in the stocking."

I've been keeping Scottie up-to-date with all my estate sale purchases...especially the more fashionable finds. A few days ago she came into to volunteer with a bag of goodies for me.

"I cleaned out some of my drawers from back in the day and thought you may like these." She said.

As I opened the bag, my mouth hit the floor. In it was about 2 dozen vintage scarves and about a half a dozen beautiful gloves.

We have scarves for every occasion possibly imaginable, with designers like: Ray Strauss, Scarves by Vera, Emily Wetherby, and Bill Blass.

There are leather and cotton gloves. The smaller ones have great detail like small pearl buttons and lovely lace cut outs.

Scottie and I.

I had such an amazing time spending the afternoon with her. I am truly one lucky gal to have such a wonderful lady, like Scottie, in my life!