Polebridge, Montana

Have you ever started driving just to see where you'd end up?  Or to see what was at the "end of a rainbow?"  We did that this weekend.  Finally having a free moment, we filled up with gas and started driving. 

We also stopped for ice cream from Dairy Queen.  Mmmm.  I also had a laughing attack in the middle of telling Tanner what to order, and I'm sure it was really awkward for the gal at the window.  I still don't know what was so funny about saying Georgia Mud Pie Blizzard.  :)

We then proceeded to run into a sandstorm........

Yeah!  Random, right?  We had to stop because visibility was zilch.  It was crazy!

SO glad we didn't have the windows down.  It would have put a little too much reality to the whole 'Georgia MUD pie blizzard' situation.

After our run in with the desert, we drove on to find ourselves at the end of the rainbow.  It was 38 miles up a dirt road....

It was a town called Polebridge, Montana. Population less than 100.  A saloon, a mercantile, a smoothie shop in a cabin, and a few cabins for rent.  Thats it.  I love it!

The Merc, as the locals call it, is the best place to get an awesome homemade cinnamon roll before you drive a mile up the road to the Glacier Park Entrance.

Yeah, those are vintage typewriters up above, and vintage scales...ahhh

They also rent out cabins for 40.00 a night. 

That's the smoothie/ice cream parlour...it was still closed for the season, but soon it will be open, and I'll be there.  Taking pictures and hoping I don't have a laughing attack while ordering something. 

I need this bus.  I need to go to the Farm Chicks Show in this bus.  Not that I'm planning on coming back with that much stuff....ahem....

I loved this sign too...apparently its dusty everywhere around here in the summer!

Whats this next picture, you ask?  Is it really a stage?  Yes!  It is!  They have concerts and all kinds of fun stuff here in the summer.  I don't think I can imagine a better place to spend a weekend.  Campfire, stars, mountains, wolves howling in the distance, and an awesome band playing on a stage fenced in by tree limbs.  

 

I just love the sign! 

So whoever comes to the VWM this summer....make sure and schedule in some time for Polebridge!

Oh, and don't forget that this is the last day to enter my giveaway!  $50.00 to Anthropologie or Ruche, vintage french flashcards, some digital scrapbooking elements, and a surprise from me!

ENTER HERE!

(Enter by: commenting, blogging about it, following my blog, and more. :)  Ends tonight at midnight!)

The Farm Chicks Giveaway!!

well, if youre anything like me.....winning a giveaway that meant being a special guest at The Farm Chicks Show would be a dream come true!

im even posting this from my PHONE...and iHATE typing on this thing!!

anyway, go to www.thefarmchicks.typepad.com to enter!!

good luck and dont forget to enter my giveaway for the 50.00 anthro certificate and other goodies!!

im soooooo DONE typing on this phone....goodnight! :-)

Guest Post from Kristin of My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia!

Hi I’m Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, I am thrilled to be on Jana's blog today! I gave a lot of thought about what I would write about. My readers sure enjoyed the making of my french flared guestroom so I thought I would give a little more insight into our guestroom renovation and how it came to be. I hope you enjoy!

 

 

  I have to say I spend months thinking about a room, what I want the room to feel like, what the room needs to accomplish. I glance through magazines and tear out my favorites, I scour all the amazing blogs, Houzz and rate my space for inspiration, I study my favorite designers trends and styles and always keep a file handy to put all my ideas in.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would say the hardest part for me is picking the paint color! I could spend hours trying to figure out the perfect color! I have to remind myself it’s paint and I can always paint over it, it’s fixable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I start shopping the house, craigslist, garage sales, thrift stores and the big box stores but not without my coupons. I always try and spend a minimal amount of money by reusing what we already have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When designing the guestroom I knew I wanted it to be timeless, I didn’t want it to be dated. I wanted my guests to feel at home and comfortable. There is something about white, it's crisp, it's welcoming, it will forever be elegant and I knew it would match up seamlessly with the French flair I was going for. I love the blues and grays paired up with the whites, it gives it such a romantic feel yet so relaxing to the eye.

 

 

 

We needed a desk space in there for my husband so it was important for the room to still by calming for those hectic days at work! Many days he in there at 6am and I won’t see him pop back out till 6 at night. At least he’s in a relaxing environment! I was thrilled when I found the antique desk on craigslist, the hours spent refurbishing it was well worth it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accessorizing a room is so important, it's the little touches that can make or break a room!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because this was a traditional room with a french flair I knew molding would add to the character to the room, my husband really did a phenomenal job!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you have enjoyed how a room comes together at my house, how about you? Where does your inspiration come from?

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to read up more on the guesroom feel free to click here

 

 

 

I would love to have you come visit me at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia and see what else I've been up to! I’m hosting a giveaway for CSN worth $60, you have until Thursday to enter!

 

 

 

Thank you Jana for having me as your guest today, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you and find so much inspiration in your blog!

 

 

 

Have a great weekend everyone-

 

 

 

 

 

                                         

1 year anniversary giveaway!

It has just come to my attention that I've been blogging for over a year now!  Oops...I thought I was watching that more carefully!

How exciting!  With my personality, I usually tend to start a lot of things that make me excited, but then I lose steam over time and forget about it...

I think I figured out the difference in blogging though...the amazing friends I've made through it!  I love getting on to see who's commented.  There are a few people that have been with me since the beginning, and I might not know them personally but I feel like I do.  Such sweet women! 

I think I should do a giveaway...it's the cool thing to do, and I have some amazingly cute things to send off! 

1. $50.00 Ruche or Anthropologie Gift Certificate (Your choice)

2.  A bundle of vintage French flashcards from Paperaeroplanes

3.  Digital Scrapbooking Sets

4.  My autograph...just kidding.  Actually number four will be a special surprise!

***

So now, a few ways to enter (comment for each that you do):

1.  Leave a comment (maybe some advice on what kind of posts you'd like to see this next year)

2. Blog/tweet/facebook about the giveaway (separate entries for each)

3.  Become a follower and grab our buttons (Twig and The Vintage Whites Market)

4.  Do a little dance....make a little love hmmm...ok there's no 4th rule, but the giveaway does end on April 29th..that's one week to tell all your friends and get some entries!

Have fun! And thank you for being such amazing readers!  I can't wait to see how Twig/The Vintage Whites Market will grow in the next year!

Tomorrow, I will have a very special guest blogger.  If you haven't met Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia,  you're missing out on the cutest little ray of sunshine!  She's got a house to die for, and seriously...go look at her kitchen.  Bring a drool rag. 

I'll be trading spaces, so to speak, with Kristin for Friday.  I encourage you all to add her to your daily reads if you haven't already!  She's also got a fabulous giveaway from CSN going on right now, so make sure and visit to enter before April 29th!

Good luck in both giveaways.. and seriously, from the tips of my toes to the hairs on my head...thank you for making blogging a part of my life that I don't think I could live without. 

Random thoughts...

So...I have some pictures on my camera that I edited, and I don't really have any reason for this post other than to show you all my leftover pictures that never made it to previous posts....

Leftovers are good, right?  Like leftover green bean casserole...mmmm...

This is a picture of Heaven, pretty much. 

Actually, it's a sampling of the foods made by Sandy Hohf of Sweet Notions.  She sews, she bakes, she will eventually make me fat.  :)

She's going to be at the Vintage Whites Market this year...

"I can almost HEAR you getting fatter"

hehe.

Oh, here's a picture of a really cute baby...

He'll be at the market too, stealing hearts.

My cute little clocks...I just can't get enough of them!

My cute husband! (I can't get enough of him, either..)

Next up, we have my insane dog.  He loves to hang out like this...

Sometimes he'll just crawl all over the living room like that using his front legs.  He's special...

My attempted Easter portrait...

Family time with Quelf, the game that sometimes makes you poke your forehead and wink everytime you ask a question. Or, the game that sometimes makes you wrap your head in toilet paper and stay like that for the rest of the game....oh yes, it's fun.  Comfort zone?  What's that?

Here's is my favorite part of my very favorite antique store.  Station 8.  This wall is amazing. 

I HEART the macro setting on my camera...

I also heart Picnik.  Mmhmm.

I met this guy while we were garage saling last weekend...he was sooooo hot. 

Am I right ladies?! haha...

More market pictures....

Alright, I feel better having known these pictures are off my memory card now.  I hope the week is being good to you guys!  I had to give it a stern talking to yesterday....I think we're still friends though. :)

Well, we're 63.66% sure that a cute duplex downtown will be ours by about 6:45 tonight.  We are going to ask if fixing it up would be okay, and if so, then we're in! If not, the search is still on.  I'll leave you with a picture of the outside.  If fixing it up is something that our potential landlord will allow, expect a steady flow of remodeling posts to ensue. 

Here's the thing...right now, there's red carpet and a nice... sound tile ceiling....but the original hardwood is underneath...and original planked ceiling on top.  Its like hunting for TREASURE....

I really hope she lets us remodel...

Vintage Whites Market website is up and running!

Well, I've been absent, but it's because I've been working on the website for our market.  I finally finished most of it today.  I still have to put up our 'about' page which will contain a little more information on us, the market, the area (lodging, restaurant recommendations, etc.) and a new picture for the front page.  I hope you like it! I'd love some feedback on what could be changed, or what doesn't work. 

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh post! Thanks everyone!

www.thevintagewhitesmarket.com

Happy Belated Easter!

My middle name should be Belated.  Just ask anyone who knows me...

Jana + On Time = ....they just cancel each other out. 

So Tanner and I really don't get into Easter decorations....bunnies and pink and eggs and foo foo just don't really cut it for us. 

I almost stopped by the thrift store to buy a bunch and surprise Tanner...but Jana 'Belated' Roach just didn't get it together in time. 

This year, I did use 2 eggs.  That was it.  The entirety of my Easter decorating consisted of two eggs, some flowers, and some craft paper. 

Pretty cute, I thought!  I looked all OVER Kalispell for those little eggs stands, you know, these:

They don't have them anywhere.  So I resorted to my craft paper.

You just crack open your egg and pour the yuck out.  Yes, YUCK.  And then put some water/flower food and voila!  Cute little festive vases! 

Well, in the search for a rental, we are pretty sure we found the one to call home for the next year or so.  I thought I would post a couple pictures of it for you to see!  It's very small, but it would be great for us to offload some stuff and live a little simpler.  Simple.  It's been the keyword of 2010 for me so far! haha. 

It's in Kalispell's Eastside which has all the charming old homes and the Conrad Mansion!  You need to see this place too:

I could go visit, and have tea...since they'd practically be my neighbors...and we could talk about the charm of our houses, even though the one we might rent would fit in their garage...

Perhaps I'll run a few blocks down to borrow a cup of sugar...

What's that?  Your neighbors need help decorating for Christmas this year?  Oh, by all means, I'd love to!

Ah...life on the Eastside.  I'm so excited for changes!