Going home is always sweet and this time I went solo and got in some girl time with some of my dearest friends. I always love driving up over this little rise near Six Flags and seeing downtown Atlanta all spread out in the distance. Then, it disappears.
My friend, Vicki, and I went to high school together, so we go way back. We have been there for each other, through thick and thin and I’ve watched her 2 boys grow up and become men. She got motivated from me to start hitting Goodwill and other thriftstores and has become quite the shopper herself. She will call me up with an especially good find to tell me all about her latest score.
So, we took the opportunity to go by the Goodwill in Woodstock to see what we could find. I didn’t find anything for myself, but found that white cremeware set for my sister. Ahhh, there’s just nothing like the smell of a thriftstore. 🙂
I also got to catch up with my dear friend, Debbie. We ‘ve known each other about 10 years and went to church together. Debbie is my creative buddy and she loves decorating and creative projects too and we used to spend a lot of time talking about it all. She has a neat craft/studio space in her basement that I’ll show you later and she is now a semi-retired teacher (after teaching drama for over 30 years) and has started an online business, which I’ll also share with you soon. We are going to do a giveaway and I think you’re gonna love what Debbie is doing now! We had a ball catching up in person again. Debbie is a LOT of fun and just a crazy girl to hang out with and we went to a birthday party together.
I was in town especially to go to a surprise 60th birthday party for another dear friend, Ruby. It turned out fabulous and we had a great time toasting her big day. She was totally surprised and was so happy I was there too. She and I go back over 10 years and Ruby has been a real influence in my life, as she was the Women’s Ministry Director at my old church and got me into Bible studies years ago. She is a true woman of God and a wonderful Bible study teacher and we have studied some Beth Moore together! She and I have had so much fun over the years too and I helped her decorate her house in Kennesaw.
This is the only pic I got at Ruby’s party, with her blowing out all 60 candles.
This is me and Ruby about 2 years ago, when we got the opportunity to catch up. We don’t get to see each other very often, but when we do, it’s just like old times. She is near and dear to me.
There’s just nothing like “old” friends. So, it was a fun weekend catching up with “my girls” and I loved every minute of it.
My sister and I did get in a little shopping time and we hit some of my favorite places, so come on along for a little tour of Marietta shopping.
Fabric and Fringe Warehouse is a place I’ve been going to since they opened and they finally moved into this nicer building a few years ago. Great prices and great selections on fabrics. This is where I go for all my fringe trim needs.
Row after row of beautiful fabrics.
So much to choose from.
We were looking for fabrics for my sister’s house.
Lots of silks too.
Plenty of fringe, this is my favorite store to buy fringe in. I think they have the best prices and a huge selection.
Right across the street is Rustique, a really pretty and rustic place to browse. Much more pricey than my pocketbook can afford, it’s still a fun place to look.
Huge doors going in.
Lots of beautiful pottery outside.
A treasure trove of beautiful things.
They have a gorgeous kitchen display and you can order custom cabinetry from them.
Going into a huge warehouse, they have antiques for sale too.
Lots of pretties displayed so nicely.
Antiques stacked in the back. Not a lot of bargains here, but again fun to look.
Next up is Outrageous Interiors (formerly known as Outrageous Bargains). I’ve been going in here since they were in a dusty old warehouse here in Marietta and have watched them grow and expand. Fun place for fabric, furniture, and accessories.
Love this cute slipcover on this traditional chair.
And these pretty pieces!
Next is Decorating Mart, another good place to shop for fabric, furniture and accessories. I’ve been shopping here for years too. All of these stores are within a couple of miles of each other, so easy to find, all in the Canton Road area of Marietta and Town Center area, near the mall.
Lots of fabrics.
Fringe
Furniture
And accessories
Back at my parent’s house, mom fixed a wonderful meal of soup, salad and cornbread for our dinner that night. I just love my mama! She has a beautiful soup tureen and actually uses it.
Nothing like her cornbread baked in an iron skillet.
And she always makes dessert. This is an apple walnut cheesecake and yes, it was delish.
I took home my pretty brown and aqua houndstooth fabric and she finished sewing them up for me. I had tried to do them on my machine, but my zipper foot would not get close enough on the cording and her machine does it much better. She is much better at this than I am too. 🙂
And here are my pillows at home on the chocolate brown leather loveseat. Love them!
I bought some pretty brown and green polka-dot fabric for a new valance in my newly done bathroom, so I’ll show you that when I get to it. And my niece is going to monogram my white waffle shower curtain with a chocolate brown “M”, so that will be fun too.
Wheeewwwww, that was a whirlwind weekend, wasn’t it?! Are you worn out from all these pics? I had so much fun though and loved every minute of it.
REMINDER: The Recipe exchange party is tomorrow, Thursday, so hope you have your post ready and we can all get some new recipes to add to our collection.
And don’t forget, my yardsale is this Saturday, the 24th!! I’m going to have to get busy and get my stuff together, but I should be ready. If you’d like to come, just email me for directions. Hope to see some of you there.
Also, another decorator friend of mine, Cindi, is having a yardsale too on Saturday and she is in the Helena/Hoover area. They are downsizing and she has a TON of stuff that she is selling. I’m going over on Friday for a sneak preview. Ha-ha! I can’t resist a good sale, even if I’m having my own. So, if you live over that way, drop by and tell her I sent you.
Here’s her Craigslist ad:
YARD SALE – Helena/Hoover
Saturday 10/24/09 – 8 am to 3 pm – Rain or Shine
2750 Piedmont Drive, Helena, AL 35022 (Silver Lakes subdivision)
Directions: I-459 South, exit # 6, follow signs toward Helena, turn right at third traffic light (South Shades Crest Rd.), go one mile to entrance of Silver Lake subdivision on right.
CASH ONLY
Interior Designer’s Downsizing Yard Sale & Multi-Family
Furniture (antique three-quarter bed, vintage oak desk chair, club chair, lamps, tables, antique pendulum clock), Art Work (original & prints), Custom Designed Silk Flower Arrangements (many to choose from), Housewares (custom bedding, picture frames, china, serving pieces, silver plate, throw pillows), Automobile Memorabilia (posters, prints, models, books, vintage toys, helmets, trophies, antique oil cans), Vintage Costume Jewelry, TONS of Kids Clothes (Sizes 0 – 4T), Toys, Baby Furniture (changing table, crib, rocker), M&M Collectables (watches, brief cases, plus animals, display dump bin, men’s & ladies jackets), Books (cookbooks, jazz, blues, business, religious, kids, vintage), Sheet Music, Videos, CDs, Vintage Tools, Appliances ( food processor, mixers, percolator, Brother sewing machine, FREE fridge– needs work), Inkjet Printer, Stereo Tuner & Bose Speakers, Light Fixtures, Christmas Decorations, MORE!
Wow, what a great and fun day of shopping! You really fit a lot into your weekend. The fabric store is amazing!. I do love fabric and have a small stash of it(there’s always room of more)
I really enjoyed your post.
Have a wonderful day,
Elizabeth
Makes me want to drive all the way to GA!!!! The fabrics!!! You know in the movie Patch Adams when the older lady wishes to swim in a pool of noodles… I wish to swim in a pool of all that fabric!!!!!!!!!
First of all, I hope I look as good as your friend when I’m 60! These stores are great! Did you hit them all in one day? I saw many things that I would just love. Love the rows of fabrics and trim ~ that alone would be a day trip for me! The pillows came out lovely and your Mom’s apple walnut pie looks sooooo good.
I live about 2 hrs from Marietta…think I need to take a trip! Love those fabrics. I think it was too cute that the first two pics of fabric were of your signature b&w patterns & green! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
xoxo
It’s such a small world sometimes! Debbie was my drama teacher in high school years ago!
You didn’t have time to make it to the Classy Flea? My SIL moved to Carrollton 5 years ago and tempting her with a trip there and to Viva Mexico afterwards is the only way I can get her to drive over and see me! I also like that Decorating Mart has wallpaper….so hard to find these days. And they have the good stuff as well as more affordable lines. Outrageous Bargains/Interiors opened another store in East Cobb since that location is a lot smaller than the original. It’s always fun to see your posts about your old stomping grounds. I live off Kennesaw Ave, so I love how it’s easy to just run over and get something….I forget how spoiled I am in that respect. Glad you had a nice trip home!
Great post Rhoda….and Ruby is 60 never would have guessed !!!
Have a great week-end,
Kathy 🙂
Well that was a FULL weekend!!! … great stores … great friends … great family. Love your pillows.
Rhoda, I forgot to tell you where I live. I am in Gainesville, FL. I went to college and grew up near Chattanooga TN. I am interested in good thrift shops in Atlanta, so enjoyed looking at your post today. I drive through there on my way to TN and have often thought it would be fun to take a side trip. I have stopped at the outlet place just south of Atlanta on I-75, but their prices aren’t that great most of the time. Anyway, thanks for responding to my questions. Marla
what a great time!!! you look beautiful!!
Your mom’s soup has me hungry again & I just love that she actually uses her tureen. I make a lot of soup & would love a pretty white tureen like that!
xoxo,
lauren
What a fun weekend! I love those kind of fabric stores, we have one up here that is huge. If I lived closer, I’d be happy to help you sew your home dec projects. I’m sure it is special to have them done by you mom and other family though. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this all!
We moved from Marietta about a year ago – I lived about 2 miles from Fabric and Fringe and I loved going in there! Reading this post has made me so homesick that my eyes are actually welling up with tears! I think I need to visit soon. . . Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Looks like fun, Rhoda!
XO,
Sheila 🙂
I’ve been a follower for a while and I am not sure if I have ever commented before – but I had to when I saw the picture of you with the Drama teacher from my old highschool!!! I graduated highschool over 15years ago, but it was neat to see that common ground!! I am from Marietta so I love your references to that area. We live in Alpharetta now and had moved away from GA for several years, so I just get all smily when you talk about Marietta. And, I can’t believe a few of those places you mentioned and that I had never been before!! Another great place for your next visit- The Classy Flea, though I’m sure you know ALL about it!!!! Blessings!
My favorite was the kitchen cabinets. AND dinner at your moms! Those are great places to look.
Rhoda…what a fun day of shopping you had…those are some fun stores to hit! If I ever make it over Birmingham, you’ll have to tell me all the great places to shop.
Now, if you were going solo…who snapped that pic of Atlanta? 🙂
Susan
I love the Woodstock Goodwill! Didn’t know about the other stores, that fabric place looks awesome! Love your blog! 🙂
Fabric & Fringe is awesome. You really should check it out. From the front you would never know it is as big as it is.
I loved seeing all these wonderful shops and yes, the fringe & fabric is amazing! Your mom’s dinner looks like something I’d love to have right this minute. Do you think she would share her recipe for the apple walnut cheesecake? If I had a beautiful soup tureen, she would be the perfect person of encouragement to use it.
Thanks for sharing all the fun & beauty!
Oh my, Rhoda! I would’ve loved to follow you around on your shopping adventures! I could’ve gone crazy in every one of the stops! And oh how I would love to be able to come to the yard sale! If it just wasn’t for the distance thing…. sigh.
sweetjeanette.blogspot.com
Thanks for posting about your recent ATL tour! I’ve lived in Canton for 3 years and had not heard of Rusitque. It will definitely be on my list of new places to visit! We have a new furniture consignment shop that opened about 6 months ago in Canton on Marietta Hwy that has great finds at great prices. I just recently started following your blog thanks to a friend and look forward to seeing a new post each day. Thanks, Rhoda! Keep up the good work!