Hello, Bella Rosa? I need a job.

Not too long ago I was in the car with Dear Bebe about to leave for the grocery store.

My cell phone rang. I looked at the number and didn't recognize it...and the area code was from another state. (For some reason, I tend to get a lot of wrong number calls.)

Since it is the number I use for my website, I answered it anyway.

The young man's voice on the other end said: "Hello, Bella Rosa? Are you hiring?"

I giggled and said "I'm sorry but this is a one man band."

He sounded desperate ... as though he had been calling a long list of phone numbers and this had just become routine. He sort of laughed and said "OK!" And quickly remembered to ask my name before hanging up. I guess when collecting unemployment you need to show who you called.

I felt bad for him but I also remembered a time when I was fresh out of college and couldn't find a job in my field. I had to work two jobs in retail to pay my bills until the real thing came along. Which took awhile.

If he adopts the same "can do" attitude, he'll be okay too.

In the meantime I'm going to keep my "can do" attitude, as well!

Maybe someday I'll have a big enough business I can hire a caller who says "Hello, Bella Rosa? I need a job!"

Serenity

Often in life I find myself repeating these few lines as a reminder:



God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;


courage to change the things I can;


and wisdom to know the difference.


But I didn't know about the rest of the prayer until recently:

Living one day at a time;


Enjoying one moment at a time;


Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;


Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;


Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;


That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him


Forever in the next.


Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Combining the Blogs

Recently I wrote a post about feeling at a crossroads about blogging. After receiving many AWESOME comments from AWESOME bloggers I came to the conclusion the best scenario would be to combine my two blogs, Jillian's Pages and Bella Rosa Antiques.





Okay. This seems easy enough. But now I need to make a decision. Keep the title Jillian's Pages? This was my original blog.





In order to maintain following on my website I need to somehow keep Bella Rosa in the title as well.





Hmmmm. Bella Pages? Jillian's Bella Pages? Just go with Bella Rosa Antiques and let the readers find out who I am?





These are all possible...and I will be coming up with a plan. It just takes TIME. Maybe by the new year I will have it all figured out.





In the meantime, feel free to leave me your thoughts. I may or may not go with them but I'm up for ideas!





Thanks again for all of the wonderful support and encouraging words. It meant so much!

On Voting

Today was election day. I got up in anticipation, knowing I was going to go exercise my right as an American citizen.

And if felt good.

No. No, it didn't feel good. IT FELT GREAT!

I don't normally vote in "smaller" elections like deciding who our judges are going to be but I did this year. I'm going to make sure I vote in every election I possibly can from now on, too.

It is that important. Now that I have Dear Bebe everything has changed!

How exciting.

Mundane Mommy Tasks

A little more than a year ago I became a stay at home Mommy for the first time. I love my little baby girl and feel blessed I get to stay home and care for her. But some days I miss working. Not just a 9 - 5 job.... but my actual CAREER.

My career as a local TV producer gave me an identity. I was part of something that mattered.

There are days I find myself wondering what happened to that person. Where did she go?

Is the woman I hear saying "where is your blankie?" and "does Bebe want some milky?" the same woman who used to write scripts, draw storyboards, and edit on air promotions? It sure doesn't seem like it. These tasks seem so SIMPLE.

But one day a devotion I read really caught my attention. It was about how mundane tasks are the things that matter.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, Philippians 2:14

Since I have no idea what God's plans are for me, my family, and especially my little girl, who am I to complain about something which may seem mundane when actually this is the biggest, most important task of all!

So could you hand me a blankie and pass the milky? These are my new tools of the trade and I work for a very high authority.

I'd like to thank Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sunday.

What “mundane” things in your life may, in reality, be the “real thing”?

There's No Place Like...

The Theatre!

Last night we went out on a date to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz!

The ruby slippers sparkled...

And the actors were excellent!

I did not bring my camera for blog pictures but if I had, I would have taken photos of all the little girls dressed up as Dorothy. So cute!

Can't wait until I can bring Dear Bebe to see shows.

I'd give the show four popcorns ~

A great night out! (Which ultimately means Dear Hubs gets five popcorns just for getting us out on a date!)

Yay!

A Shaker and A Mover

Dear Bebe is at a wonderful stage. She's learning so many new things, absorbing like a sponge.

She already thinks a DVD box somehow goes in the machine with all of the buttons.... those little eyes are watching all the time! I couldn't believe it when she held up a Baby Einstein DVD last week and then tried to stick it in the slot.

Dear Bebe is also pointing AT EVERYTHING. We have been asking her to "show" us different items as we say them. This week we are working on colors.

She holds her own bottle now... no, not this kind ... but she likes to shake Mommy's water bottles and crinkle them to make a funny sound.

She's also moving very fast! Not yet walking ... but oh SO close. As soon as she does aaaakkkkkkk! I think I'm going to need an extra boost of energy. I'm tired as it is now.

But it is exciting! (I know, I won't be saying this at the end of each day)

I'm cherishing each milestone and embracing her achievements. Isn't that what Mommy and Daddy are for?

What are the chances?

Sunday was a gorgeous day... perfect weather and the leaves on the trees were at their peak of color.

I took a few hours of "me" time and went antiquing for my shop.

There were quite a few little goodies I found but this one made me smile:

Is that what I think it says on there?

It is just the sweetest old mug and I thought it perfectly BELLA!

I wonder who made painted it and for whom? What are the chances of me finding this one for my store...Bella Rosa Antiques. Wow! Neat.

It is also one of those....do I sell it ....do I keep it?

Spiritual Sunday ~ Who is in Control?

(This devotional was written by Jim Burns of Homeword Devotions)

When it comes to our life, we have nothing to say about our birth and little say about our death, but in between these two events most of the decisions are ours to be made. Are you letting life and circumstances control you, or are you controlling your own life and destiny with God’s help. Don't let life pass you by when you have the God-given ability to make things happen. I've heard it said:

You can't control the length of your life, but you can control its use.

You can't control your facial appearance, but you can control its expression.

You can't control the weather, but you can control the moral atmosphere that surrounds you.

You can't control the distance of your head above the ground, but you can control the height of the contents in your head.

You can't control the other fellow's annoying faults, but you can see to it that you do not develop similar faults.

Why worry about things you cannot control? Get busy controlling the things that depend on you.

For more uplifting words and thoughts click on Charlotte and Ginger's blog.

Behind the Scenes of an Antique Shop

The antique business may come across as so glitz and glam (ha!) with all of the hob nobbing we do with estate sale people and such...


The fancy furs we wear...





The bling of the vintage jewelry...



The elegant handbags ...

But here's a behind the scenes look at what I'm doing to get things ready for "photo shoots."



My latest vintage china mugs and cups are in the "soaking process" before washing. Just to get the top coat of dust or dirt from years of storage. Sometimes adhesive from a price tag is left behind. And it all takes time.

Linens are also time consuming. They need to be washed and then ironed.

And did I mention I do not like ironing?

But when you find little sweeties like these vintage Christmas hankies... you can't help but take good care of them. There may be items that need repair... vintage toys sometimes get a trip to the "hospital" before making it to our antique booth.

Most of the time vintage items we buy are best kept in their current agey look... the old genuine patina on something shouldn't be removed in many cases... as in furniture or vintage papers.... and old skeleton keys.

It is really up to the dealer how to present the antiques for sale.

Part of the fun for me is setting up scenes for picture taking before items are loaded onto the Bella Rosa website. It is really not a whole lot different than what I used to do as a TV producer. This time however it is still pictures I am working with, not video.

And glamorous or not, it's what goes on, "behind the scenes."