i'm not dreaming of a white christmas....it's a reality!

is this a good dream, a nightmare, or a reality??? boy....welcome back to maryland!! i remember these storms when i grew up here! i remember being covered in snow when i was zoey's size...i remember frozen lakes and stalled out cars...i remember gaining weight as a teen and young adult during the winter cuz that was a way to stay warm and sleepy. now i realize what all the sleeping and eating is about these days with me. i believe it is a winter thing....a snowy thing....a hibernation thing......
this is early in the day....just a few inches of accumulation and happy kids dressed with their texas cold weather attire and no snow pants. i had a million pairs of snow pants for arek when we lived in germany (yes, it snowed almost EVERY winter day there!!), lots of good gloves, hats, boots, blah, blah, blah....but when we moved to texas, i gave arek's snow pants away.
not that it matters if arek and zoey aren't wearing snow pants. obviously...they don't care.
case in point....the photos below during the heavy part of our blizzard today.....visibility was pretty limited, but i totally remember way more snow than this growing up in montgomery county maryland. i remember those north eastern storms that dumped at leat 3 feet of snow from time to time....crazy driving...big giant snow banks....tons of snow days at work and school....my mom pushing a car in the middle of a highway....me getting stuck on the metro train for 8 HOURS w/out food or a smoke (i smoked back then) and dead batteries in my DON'T LAUGH..WALKMAN! and folks going NUTS at the grocery store buying more rolls of toilet paper than one person should be allowed to have!!!! why does everyone panic for toilet paper. how much do you plan to use? if you run out, just do your biz in the snow and let the cold do something dangerous to it so it will go away.....
arek and zoey would not come in the house. i tried to walk to see the water just 2 houses away, but couldn't get that far. i slid on the street 3 times and almost had a fall. who would have picked me up? i would have laid there until a big st. Bernard dog with a barrel of booze came for me. zoey and arek refused to move for the giant plow trucks...and i couldn't breathe with the snow blowing in my face!! it was crazy....
the kids were just really excited to play in the snow and not walk. guess i was too when i was little. it took my mom an hour to dress me....i played for 20 minutes and turned red...came inside....took an hour to undress and thaw out in the hot bath. my legs would itch from the numbness and warm water on my rosy red cold thighs.....20 minutes later, i would beg and cry to go back outside.
it took me an hour to dress us, 20 minutes of snow caused a very red cherry face for zoey, and then arek made tunnels all over the front yard and zoey followed him like some type of fuzzy yard animal looking for their den. they laid in snow...rolled in snow...threw snow at each other...threw snow at me....and cried when we had to go back in.
ron drove to walmart twice today.....even during the crazy, bad part of the storm and ron is from florida. with a 4 wheel drive monster truck, it is sort of easy to get thru even the thick, unplowed stuff, so he did okay!! of course he went to buy a shovel and what else....toilet paper. really...he did.
that, a pork butt, coleslaw, baked beans, pull ups so i don't have to wash anymore sheets from zoey, and apples and vinegar. oh...and milk.....now you know why we needed so much toilet paper.
we needed xtra milk to make snow ice cream of course!!!!
this was my favorite when i was little!!
mix snow, vanilla (pure extract onlly), sugar and milk in a bowl and stir together and eat. yummmmmm....just look out for that yellow snow and the houses where folks are out of toilet paper....
sorry to leave on a bad visual!!!!
you all have a great weekend and for you folks living in warm climates.....happy shopping!!! the malls were closed today!!! and for you folks stuck in this mess....thank goodness for charmin mega rolls!!!!!
take care and thanks for stopping by...
lol

to do......RELAX too much!!!

apparently i know this STATEMENT TOO WELL. i found a bunch of these shallow pie tins for a quarter a piece and decided to make some oversized fridge magnets w/chalkboard paint....
this one is a constant reminder to slow down. well....that is not a problem for me lately i guess....i have a formal ball to attend tomorrow night and when i tried my dress on this afternoon.....i was confronted with every woman's nightmare. it DID NOT FIT. TOO SMALL. ugh. such a pretty holiday dress.....all shiny and perfect....pefectly too small. can i take a rib out? is there a back fat removal company located close by? i guess the licorice bears, p.butter balls (not to be confused with the schweaty balls...lol), and large handfuls of almonds every late night have been more than my body can endure. i'm overwhelming my metabolism with stuff she loves but just doesn't have anywhere to put. kinda like my treasure room and well...the rest of my house. junk in....not so much junk out all the time. my metabolism feels the same way. her closet is full and her underbed storage won't fit anymore vintage suitcases full of potato chips.
so, what am i going to wear? do sweatpants, rhinestones and a hot glue gun constitute couture? can i write DIOR really big with sharpie marker on a nightgown and hope nobody will notice?
guess i'm going to hit the thrift shops tomorrow and hope for a size 10 dress that fits in all the right places. even my very favorite vintage 50's gown is TOO small for me now and i used to have room to eat in that one. ack!!!!!!!!!!! oh well....it is what it is. my friend amy told me once to enjoy eating...it's a sign of prosperity and wellness. amy was very sick about 10 years ago and lost a tremendous amount of weight. she couldn't eat. i remember that when i do have a chance to really enjoy my lunch. it's a treat. it's a gift. i'm thankful for chow. it's a beautiful thing!!! no meal worms, crickets, and edible flowers for me. i have greek salads, cheese cakes and thick, juicy italian meat subs if i want them. that is a gift. but the big giant CRACK in my bottom lip is NOT. when will that go away? fatback and lip crack.....chitterlings and pork rinds.....take me to the fair, not the ball.
okay...enough about blah, blah, blah....back to a junk report and project in works....i found the little sample tiles above at the mission store recently for $2 a box (about 50 in the box) and decided to turn them into magnets. i just glued one of those round magnets you find in craft stores to the back of each tile. i decided to make lil collages on each one and use my BEES WAX. i love bees wax so much. it seals, ages and adds so much depth and texture to collages. even little ones!!!! i heat up the wax and paint on just like paint. just don't burn the wax....
these are my lil collage magnets....they took forever to make for some reason. probably i had to have snacks between each one....who knows???? but they were fun!!


still loving my sew machine. she is a charmer. i stictched up this lil ditty....i don't know what it says...who knows??? something about if i had two choices....you or the rose? mine would be you or the diner.
and finally.... i am finding solutions to my storage issues. i am loving these shoe holders. this one was $6 and it's perfect for tons of little crap i have laying around that needs a place. my metabolism is probably in one of those pockets and that is why she stopped working for me.
okay....i'm going to bed. i have a big day ahead looking for the perfect second hand ball gown. i am optimistic!!!! i have to be. wish me luck....
you all have a great weekend and hope you are finding time in between shopping, cooking, visiting, and greeting the holiday spirit to just relax and enjoy the minutes......snacks and all.
thanks for stopping by.
lol

here comes santa claus right down thrift shop lane...

i spent this weekend at my mom's house and when i go to moms....i ALWAYS have to hit a thrift shop or 2 in the town (well more like a city) i grew up in.....SOOOO i had a thought...what if santa and his elves shopped thrift? what would they buy? what if they went dumpster diving or hit the good curbside junk piles....what would they make? what would be the hot ticket items of the season??? chenille? fragile, chipped rose china? pretty tablecloths? repurposed junk? statues painted white? vintage lamps? beat up pearls? pretty linens? or would santa sell out another year and fill everyones' stockings with WIIs, electronics and robotic hamsters?
it has been a very long time since i've made a christmas list....really....those days are gone, but if somebody hung the christmas list making mistletoe over my head, i'd have to add a stop at all the local thrift shops, junk store and really good trash piles i can think of....
i'd ask santa for cast off jars that his elves could paint chalkboard paint on and write the word junk on...
i'd also add to the list...cheap, cute plates!!!! WOW...these were only 25 cents a piece!!!
a pretty vintage candy tin for 50 cents is much cheaper than and iPHONE...although i really, really want an iPhone.
cheap strands of pearls.....NEVER too many of these for $1 a piece. santa's elves could string cheap pearls for little girls all day long and i'd ask for part-time work to help them!! they could pay me in candy canes and vintage gloves...
please bring vintage dresses....i love these and so do my dress forms....this one was only $5 and really....who is going to love this dusty blue girl again? i will.
my new favorite color.....light purple.....anything this color santa....this skirt was 20 cents....really....lace, purple, and my dress forms will love her.
i can't have too many plates and pearls....this compote was $4 and it will holds lots of pretty things....i found it this weekend too.
and my ladies love the pearls....
vintage lamps seem to always be on my list too....these were purchased in different places, but have the same pretty holiday colors that are so common...green and red.....
so santa.....don't forget about the second hand stores.....they have great kids' items too!!! if you are in a pickle for a nickle and your santa fiscal budget is running out, you can always shop thrift.
and i won't tell anyone....
lol

back to my junking roots.....a visual narrative to clear the blues....

oh boy....grab a cup of coffee and sit down. this is a LOOOONNNGGG pouring out of blah, blah, blah.....i am getting over my lack of motivation blues today by busting out the camera and shooting some happiness. i am so SICK of complaining how tired i am. i am not used to cold weather. i am not used to dark days at 4:35 pm. i am not used to living in a rural area. i grew up in maryland, but not THIS rural part of maryland. i complained last night to ron that i have to drive 16 miles to get to a BOOKSTORE. ugh. so i stay in... A LOT. i'm trying to save money. when i leave the house, i prospect....find stores.....find stuff......buy stuff. do i need THAT everyday? well, maybe i do, but not the spending part. i think junkers need antidotes everyday that help pour them into their creative buckets, so they can fill up with good ideas. if i forgot about the 'stuff' around me, i'd lose my visions and prospects for being back into the industry one day. I LOVE vintage goodies. i like a unique, creative and enchanting visual high. what can i say? i'm a junker. i think i've forgotten that lately. I NEED TO REMIND MYSELF IT IS OKAY to like junk. i will prove it to myself today. i will prove it to myself this post.
all stress aside. all holiday temptations aside. all cold weather aside. all moving boxes still unpacked aside. all adaptations of a new area and a husband home more than usual aside. all messes, kids, homework challenges, oodles of laundry, soul searching, career challenges, body changes, extra weight....ASIDE. it is time for a visual narrative to clear my head and put me back into a junking bliss.
my dear friend amy sent me the gorgeous bracelet above. you can find her jewels on ETSY and she is listed on my sidebar!!!! please check her out if you are in the mood for a accessory antidote. she can help. she makes incredible hand strung beads fit to perfection.....i am loving the piece above. i have a thing for purple lately. i think i will blog about all my purple collections soon.
what is it about little angels....i found the pair above for 20 cents or something like that. zoey helped me glitter a cast off tile underfoot with tons of glue, mess and silver glitter. it gave these well deserving vintage angels a place to fall in love.
these plaster angels are descending from a garden statue in my kitchen. cuz....everybody has a garden statue in their kitchen????
a bevy of balls....when is enough enough? when they are this fantastic.....never. i found the balls above for almost nothing at the mission store here and some in the trash and some in germany.
the balls above were a gift from a friend....chanah thanks so much. i will treasure these. they are handmade with sequins. i had to hide them from the kids....they would be handmade into something else if i didn't.
and of course i have a gumball machine filled with vintage strawberries, a post card and salt and pepper shakers. why not? who doesn't have one of these in their kitchen? kids....no gum for you. they keep asking when we can put real gum in there. who does that?
pretty powder room glam goodies. i mean....i always POWDER myself in the powder room. the closest thing to dusting powder i have for real, is all the dust sitting thickly on my tv stand.....who uses dusting powder anymore? if i really wanted some, i would just press my face into the top of my DVD player.
cute vintage bling magnets that hold photos of the kids....this one of arek to remind my not to strangle him when he says the word 'BI#@$' and then calls it a female dog or mad woman...according to WEBSTER'S. okay arek...you can live another day because you WERE SO CUTE WITHOUT YOUR TWO FRONT TEETH back in the day. aaaawweee. okay...say another bad word...it's okay.
postcards and a plastic angel...
fabric stacks that make the dust on the shelves....
the prettiest old oil painting from a mentor/friend/vendor i used to buy from back in the day. i paid ONE DOLLAR for this old painting. I ADORE it. also some handles from old mirrors are defining the composition....
oh how i love this old hat. i bought it from the same man i bought the painting from above. i think i paid a dollar for this hat too. it has moved 5 times with me. i can't let it go. i know....call hoarders right now, but i will be damned if i throw it into the back of 1-800 got junk truck. sorry.
more hats..........and more.....why are they so hard to find these days??? i could find them for next to nothing just 10 years ago and now they are displayed in antique stores instead of thrift shops.
i love these....the blue one is made from tissue paper. i found it in texas for $12 or so. i love it. if you wore it to something sad back in the day, you could just pluck out some paper to wipe the tears and blow your nose.
mosaic table made by my booth buddy back in texas...miss anne. i love this. it is so beautiful. i found the heart box for a dime at a yard sale back in texas as well. it was on of those crazy, side of the road, too many things in the front yard, do you have more junk i can sort thru in your shed kind of yard sales. yum.
my figurines (i know...thomas jefferson is staring at the victorian lady's butt and that trio of kitties is oblivious to it all) i found for pennies taking a stand on my WONDEFUL, BIG windowsills i have all thru this old house. the sills are about a foot wide and i have them ALL covered with some treasure or another. they are splendid....
i love this lamp. i found it for $2 at goodwill and painted it. it came with a bunch if green prisms that i have used for other projects.......what a way to upcycle.....
this lil darling....given to me by my friend cheryl at pink obsessions (on my blogroll) and this lil girl has moved with me 5 times as well. she never asks for anything to eat. she does not pee on the floor in the morning and she is certainly well behaved ALL the time. lol. but she is boring, no? she sits on the sill in my craft room and scares me from time to time, but i still love her.
lace and roses.....YES. can there be too much? NO.
what in the name of junk is this???? some type of attempt at christmas decorating mixed in with my adoration for vintage cream pitchers.....
vintagesue box treasure displays in the craft room....
plates that stand a better chance living on the wall than sitting on a counter.
my latest pottery find....THAT DELICIOUS MINTY GREEN VASE!!!! $5. sure, one of these things is not like the other because she is green and she is a standout in her crowd of cream, but she has confidence.
i have moved this rose picture 5 times too. i love it. i found it on sale for next to nothing at an antique store in georgia and had an attachment to it the second i saw it.
what is this junking mess???? the trash picked bookend holder with the lady (yes...in the trash in georgia...no shame...call somebody. go ahead. i know there is an organizer specializing in people with compulsive trash digging disorders ready to haul me to the minimal living camp on the line right now).....a pretty pink box, old clocks....books.....wallpaper boxes. aaahhh. i feel better already.
birds, knobs, pearls....plates.....pancakes.....peanutes....poppies....picnics....poo platters....what else can i put in here?
silver muse....she was also a cast off from cheryl and she stands on a vintage ironstone cake compote that i bought for almost nothing in germany. she protects the cast off silver shakers that i bought from my man montgomery in georgia years ago. i found about 30 tarnished silver shakers from him and i think he charged me $10 or something for them all....what a gift.
a shutter i painted and distressed and this little ivory wreath for 50 cents i recently found at goodwill. she has a twin. even better.
and this little treasure. what could be better.....vintage treasures, this treasure and homemade PIZZA. when life pulls me one way, i have to remember my vintage treasures, my junking roots, the goodness of homemade pizza and of course the little voice that says....all this stuff is sooo beautiful mom....let's go shopping.....and i am movitated and inspired and back on the junking track.
thanks for taking the trip with me.......
now i'm going to pretend all the laundry is finished....
lol

out of the loop....

i've been a neglectful blogger lately. i have been very busy. i've been HO HO HOing...and not that type of hoING. i'm too old and nobody honks at me anymore.....the other santa ho ho ho. with the holidays knocking at the door, i'm in constant Christmas mode. we were SOOOO fortunate this year to get a FREE tree!!! i found shiny brites for pennies almost to put on it and some vintage post cards. i've been cooking constantly. i've been dealing with very, very excited children that need lots of attention right now. i've been spending time with family. i've been sleeping instead of blogging at night.....and it's okay. it will be like this for the rest of the month.....lots going on and lots of food going into my mouth!!!! anybody else eating everything in sight???? ugh.
but i have managed to knock out a few projects lately....i did get very inspired by Rachel's stars on her blog.....thanks rachel for the inspiration....and found these stars for $1 at the mission store. i glued pearls and buttons in them and will glue a round magnet to the back. cute, easy, total way to recycle.....i've sent one out alread with my box treasures, so they are a good addition to that too.
found this 1980's dress/romper thingy for 50 cents. what to do??? love the fabric.....love the ruffles.....so i sewed the bottom together and the straps together and added bows. now it is a tote! totally easy....and a good addition to the studio for scrap fabric and what nots....
what is this....mom came to visit w/me this weekend and we all craved popcorn. i spazzed and spilled it all over the floor. i make my p.c. from scratch.....old school....in a pan with butter and oil. i just finished popping some and spilled it EVERYWHERE. who needs a bowl when you have zoey.
she wouldn't stop. i think she tried to get it out of the trash even.
oh....some little holiday figurines......i am growing yet another collection of something....yikes.
and the find of the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!! i love this book. it is fab, fab, tres chic....






so cute...................look for this and others coming january on the treasure blog. i will start a FRIDAY FLEA TREASURES.....i will list about 5 items at first and prices. i can send a pay pal invoice and include shipping. i have some goodies stored up and some handmades too......that will kick the new year off!!!!!!!
too much dirty popcorn makes a girl look wild!!!!!!!!!!!
hope you all had a great weekend!!!!!
oh....PLEASE go check out my friend CINDY'S new blog
CHIPPED TO PERFECTION...
what a great name. what a great blog. what a great friend.
for you texans, she will be opening her booth soon in NELLIE'S in temple. be sure to stop by if you are in the area and a searching for the very special, perfect vintage item that is chipped to perfection...lol

sort of a white late wednesday king of thing....

i need to hurry. ron is waiting for me to watch american chopper or something masculine and angry like that. i would spray paint all those choppers pink, add rhinestones and put little french silk tassels hanging from the handle bars if that was my show. but to the point....this is sort of a white wednesday....goodwill finds....start of christmas clutter decorating post. i also posted some photos on my box treasure blog too.....ABOVE....LOVE the inside of a suitcase i found for $2.50. the red is gorgeous and ethereal and provocative and above all....perfect for christmas. i plan to fill it up with a bunch of weirdness so ron can complain about it and i can obsess about it. how much stuff do i have???? ugh.
but...these beauties. some are bisque and i just think they are darling.
i hit the jackpot and found a box lot of these pretty ladies....so cute. and below....doll clothes and a pretty postcard. i am in love...
been working on some quick collages too.....using those cheap dollar store plastic frames. they were headed for the garbage (i know....me and the people on HOARDERS) and i had to save them and paint them creamy white and glue a bunch of crap to them.....i know....should have scrubbed walls today or formed order in the spice cabinet, but i'll wait until we move again and do it then. lol.
just some cut up doilies and a button. quick and easy and irresistible. well...some can resist it....okay lots can, but for those of us who are addicted to lace and creamy paint.....it a slice of doily cream pie.
dollar store....yes.....these little goodies for wreaths. go from this for a $1....
to these........quick.....easy........and a great way to showcase those cast offs.......

little holiday decor mixed with the daily vintage clutter.....i have a affinity for those dang pretty plates. i store them like the spider's egg sac. they live all around me in this house like my babies. i would wear them all on my back in a clear sack for the world to see if i could. then i would bite the head off of ron so he couldn't complain about all my plates (i am kidding about that). that is how much i love plates.....but.....what to do with them all???? this is so easy. i find old boards....paint them and glue the plates to them. i attach wire, ribbon or chains to hang and i have an instant plate collage.

this lil beauty is atop a clear hatbox full of ornies that will stay out of the reach of zoey.... she will throw them across the floor and watch them break. thanks girl.
and lastly....a long collage that i created from a board i found while walking the other day. yes....i'm going to be on HOARDERS. i know it. the lady that had too many old boards. really...somebody please get my board sponsor on the phone and let's discuss step number 5 or whatever will help me...
i saw a board laying in the grass close to a helicopter launch pad where i live and i brought it home. it's probably some secret board that the GOV. needs to protect wildlife or something. now it's covered in lace and tacky old dress parts. sorry. if i put it back, it just won't have the same effect. really. i'm sure it was cast off. trash. abandonment. now it's hanging in my kitchen.
for those of you that love to read.....tom robbins.....SKINNY LEGS AND ALL....the painted stick and the conch shell. that is me with my traveling junk.
okay....i'm rambling and i'm going to watch who knows what with ron. i think he has moved on to america's most wanted. even more depressing than watching guys put choppers together.
i'm such a girl.
oh....and this standing lamp that i found for $5. it didn't work, so i just upcycled it into a little hanging rack. painted it creamy ivory, glued some china to it and i'm in the process of hanging little doll dresses, pearls, and hats from it. i can see ron's eyes rolling in the back of his head now. poor guy.
okay....now i think ron is watching a war documentary or a police hunt or something. oh fun. i will complain i have to get a glass of water and get up a million times so i don't really have to watch it. put it on the FOOD channel already so i can feel bad about my cooking skills. don't you love the way nobody has to clean the kitchen mess on those programs? really. do all the shopping, fixing, cleaning, cooking and preparation while a 3 year old is scooting on her behind across the kitchen counter asking for orange juice and a 9 year old is begging for chocolate kisses and a glass of milk.....THEN cook a gourmet meal in under 30 minutes and clean it up. try it. ready, set.....GO.
you all have a great night and thanks for stopping by!!!!
lol

i wish for make up

i can't believe i am up this late posting this instead of sleeping. am i nuts? i think i've had too much cabbage soup or something. i'm not sure. my eyes are burning and my heels hurt from this afternoon's hike, but i'm still driving on into the wee hours of the night typing about a bunch of blah, blah, blah......zoey obsessing over those dandlion puffs as arek calls them.
zoey will blow those little seeds everywhere all day long so she can wish for make-up.
it is number one on the santa wish list.
we had such a fun time today going on a hike with the kids. ron took me and the kids to a very old colonial area with working blacksmith, gunshop, museum and muddy trails....oh my...and a covered bridge and gorgeous rushing creek. nature, nature, nature. hope we aren't infested with small ticks and don't know it...hmmmm. i'm scratching my head thinking about it.
well....if it's not ticks, then it is a competition with the very, very sparse and tacky christmas decorations. i didn't win. i try to get into the spirit of the season, but honestly.....i know....this may come as a surprise....i hate decorating for the holidays. it's too stressful for me because i hoard. if i had a cleaner house, i could just decorate and be done with it.....but no...i have too many things that coexist...painfully and willingly only because they aren't alive. what do flower frogs, bad spring floral slipcovers, pink chenille, old junk and christmas decorations have in common? nothing. it is worse inside. i have so many things that the holiday things have no credibility...they have to live next to clutter that overshadows their charm. who wants a vintage santa next to a vase of vintage roses? mini evergreens next to stacks of rose china? pink mccoy next to rudolph? it makes no visual sense. i just have too much junk.
oh well....when the decorating dilemmas get me down, it is good to turn to a hike in the woods.....nothing says fall and you can forget about all that junk in your house like a hike in the woods....and a red covered bridge. not of madison county and there was no hot, old man to meet me there. just ron. hot, but i won't call him old...lol.
arek and zoey walked so close to the edge of the hill on the trail that plummeted 25 feet down. say that 10 times. ugh....kids....pay attention. yikes.
zoey chopping wood? what is she doing?
walking sticks in tow. zoey kept slapping the brier bushes with her walking stick and running thru them. tough girl. until we had to walk another trail and then she told me she couldn't walk anymore because her legs didn't work. mine wouldn't have either had i carried her a mile.
gun factory....took the kids in and of course arek had to touch EVERYTHING. all the dead animal skins, gun parts, and the peanuts on the table that i think were actually from 1700's. put them down. he didn't. he ate them.
zoey thought the colonial mannequin in the corner was a pirate. close enough. has she been watching too much wiggles? not really. she does not like that show. creeps me out a little too....the pirate and his big feather. i don't get it. i want to glue it to a vintage hat.
i am using them as my walking stick....
tribal family rituals.....or maybe just me being silly on a bench while the kids beat me senseless with sticks.
more arek photos....if the ticks couldn't find their way in his big hair here, i don't know when they would?
and what weekend isn't complete without a bunch of cookies.....YUMMY....
i've been attempting to eat healthier, but so far.....i'm doing about as well with that as i do NOT buying junk....get the picture? i do a little too much.
WONDERFUL HOMEMADE C.CHIP COOKIES.....
i followed the recipe on the back of the bag, but i substitued one cup flour with one cup of whole wheat flower (because wheat has flowers...don't ya know!!!) whoops...flour.
i added walnuts.
i added honey and organic brown sugar instead of white sugar.
i used only 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
i used cage free eggs for this recipe.
everything else was the regular recipe.
oh...i added choc. kisses to the tops of the cookies after baking...YUMMMMMM!!!
each cookie has about 3 grams of fiber!!!! and more protein as well. about 4 grams!!!
yes, i ate 3 today!!
cookie batter above....nice and rich browns!!
another favorite this weekend.....CABBAGE SOUP!!!!
a friend of mine in germany turned me on to a variation of this delicious, easy, CHEAP soup.
with our wallets not so fat this time of year, i have to cook more at home and not eat out so much. oh joy. my cooking is not the greatest, but this soup is super (no pun intended) easy to make!!!! quick too.
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can beans (i used light kidney)
1/2 head cabbage
1 large carrot diced
cup organic chicken stock
crushed red pepper pinch
salt/pepper
pinch paprika
pinch thyme

put all in pot (except cook noodles in separate pan) and boil about 2 minutes....simmer after that for about 15 minutes and THAT IS IT. add pasta after pasta cooks.
THE BEST with fresh grated Parmesan cheese!!! serve with crusty bread. listen to husband complain and then watch him gobble up 2 bowls full.
freeze leftovers.....
oodles of noodles (half whole wheat)
i'm finished....to bed i go.
cabbage head and make up wishes....i'm tired.
thanks for stopping by....
lol

family time, salmon cakes and lil projects....

salmon cakes....a cheap alternative to turkey with the trimmins....
1 CAN wild caught pink salmon (with the bones...i know...gross, but i love them)
2 eggs
tons of bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, herb muffins (in this recipe) or whatever works as a binder
soy sauce/worchestershire (sp) sauce/tons of dill/fresh cracked pepper/pinch thyme
seafood seasoning/lemmon pepper/pinch salt/galic powder
juice of 1 lemon
fresh parsley
whole pecans
minced onion or fresh chopped onion
mix it all up with hands and then complain that something stinks all day like fish....blame it on the trash can. know that it's your hands.
pour olive oil into hot skillet and put patties in pan and cook very hot on both side about 4 minutes or so.
complain the entire house stinks like fish for 2 days.
eat with more lemon or make sauce.....(flour,chicken stock and make rue....add minced onion, soy sauce, more chick stock and thicken to right consistency).
enjoy and tell the kids they are eating cake....

so i have taken a blogging hiatus for a week....what can i say? i've read blogs like crazy this week, only i haven't done very much about mine...lol. this is that limbo time of the year for me. i'm all over the place.....and my diet....well....let's just say my stomach is saying thanks for giving me yet another cookie that you DON'T need.
i had a chance to spend thanksgiving at my mom's house. thanks mom!!! i didn't have to cook anything...YES. that is such a treat. no cooking. not just for me, but for all parties directly affected by my cooking. thanksgiving day no exception.
on our way back home from mom's house, we saw tons of folks with their tents pitched in front of best buy in baltimore. ron said we should have rented a wiener cart and toted some chips and soda for black market dog day combo meals.....that or a crock pot filled with pulled pork and some old bay seasoning or something.....granola bars will only get you SO far when you are trying to pounce on $400 flat screen tvs and ward off the competitive shopping mobs...
but back to the point of this....and i don't know what that is...oh...salmon cakes
a cheap alternative to turkey with the trimmings.....
i had a chance to make a few altered signs out of cast offs.....
and i had these blocks that were that 80s country blue that said welcome.....i painted them cream colored and put little sayings on them.....quick project for like 50cents.
and this lil project.....those cute pigtails lasted about as long as she believed those salmon patties were actual cakes....haha.
hope you all had a great thanksgiving!!!!!! hope you didn't get trampled in a mob scene black friday. hope you still manage time to get some junkin in during all the hustle bustle of the 'normal' shopping season. the entire shopping world is running for department stores and i'm scurrying to find a good yard sale....what does that say? oh...i need more lil projects...
take care
lol

BLACK FRIDAY funnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!

kids....I'M SO EXCITED. if you have time, please go check out miss SHERI'S blog. she is cute as pie and has something special to share with you all that she's spearheaded for BLACK FRIDAY. instead of fighting the crowd, you can shop from the happiness of your computer.....no traffic....no crowds...lol. well, if not during the day, then at the end of the day after you've fought the crowds and traffic and still want to shop and unwind at the same time!!
sheri has featured several bloggers for this BLACK FRIDAY FLEA MARKET that are ready to kick off the holiday season with plenty of unique items that will inspire you and hopefully give you that special something you are looking for...
i'm on my way now!!
lol

feeling better.....

i've embraced my fatigue and taken into consideration all the helpful comments from last post. THANKS YOU ALL....i have been taking little breaks and trying to rest more over the last couple of days. i took a nap with zoey today instead of cleaning like a maniac or mowing the grass. i figure it can all wait. really...the grass knows not if i cut....
ron is home this weekend too...which helps tremendously....even if nothing gets done, at least there is another adult in the house to give me the look when i need it. he gets it. and what is going on in the photo above??? i'm not sure. zoey is still not wearing clothes most of the time and i'm in a summer shirt???? what gives? zoey says she doesn't get cold because she has fur on her back. i know how she feels? only mine seems to thicken on my upper lip. see what you young ladies have to look forward too??? yikes.
thanks though....really......i had to vent. i just did. my mom told me years ago....'when you feel something, you just let it all out'. she's right. that's how i'm wired.
okay...blah, blah, blah. whatever. i'm ready to go sit with ron and watch something on tv totally boring and completely not relevant to anything creative or fun. i'll pretend i'm interested. i'll probably fall asleep.
just thought i'd share this cute nativity scene with you. zoey arranged it all. i asked her to find me baby jesus and she brought me one of the little sheep. okay. not quite, but we won't tell jesus.
i love these old plaster figures from germany. these were 6 pieces for $1, so the set cost me about $2. what a find. i don't have a little barn for them and i don't think a fisher price doll house will set the right mood, so i think they will just hang out in the living room for zoey to play with mostly. she even gave baby jesus a little blanket. i think he needed one. everyone else has something wrapped around them and poor baby jesus is laying in hay with none on top. brrrr. i think the angels are praying that it won't snow.
i also found this stocking and altered it with some lace. ron asked me if i used glue. duh...of course. he said i should actually sew stuff to it. why? i love tacky glue....cuz i'm tacky....
guess i'm off to watch something about making ferris wheels cavity motor processors??? or something. what is he watching. urgh. oh fun....lol.
thanks for stopping by and really....really....i appreciate all the comments from last post.
OH...new postings on my VINTAGESUE BOX TREASURES BLOG....
lol