vintagesue

need to lobby for my hobbies....

2011-10-18T14:41:00.001-07:00

hi all....the coffee is trying to work, so hang in there with me bloggers. i should be a fogger and not a blogger. i can fog all day...lol.
the wind is insane outside!! i remember texas now. oh yes....the state of wind and i don't mean gas. i mean the wind that blows down your pretty garden displays and messes up your hair. the wind that blows open your car door so hard, it blows all the pretty goodwill linens on your car seat into the parking lot. the wind that blows down all the cute orange porch ghosts into the middle of the highway. that is the state of wind in central texas. she is angry...this wind. what does she need? i don't have any trees for her, but i can give her some wind chimes and heavy garden statues. other than that, i guess i'll live with her wrath and hope she doesn't blow away any of my pretty garden plates. i can take the messy hair, but i don't want to lose a plate! howl!
so...i have to admit i haven't shopped a HOBBY LOBBY in over 3 years. hard to believe, i know...but it is true. i thought maybe i would forget how to navigate thru cute silk flowers and rows of hobby paint, so i took the plunge and went face first. when did HL get so expensive? it is hard to figure what is half price and what isn't. if you aren't careful, you will get a cart full of last week's 1/2 merchandise and have to put it all back. ugh. anyway....i bought a bunch of dresser pulls on sale for less than $2 and used them on our school work dresser. i spelled the word junk and just used random glass knobs for the rest.
i bought a bunch of other stuff i didn't need of course and now i need to lobby my spending. this is why i thrift!!!! i hardly ever go over $40 when i thrift and usually i keep it to around $20 and walk away with a bunch of stuff!!! oh well...sometimes ya gotta splurge and eat mac and cheese to make up the difference. i must admit....i blew the craft budget.
oh....and a hobby lobby find for $6 (1/2 price after the cashier told me they weren't and i SHOWED her the sign. then she tells me it is last week's sign. and??? it was still up!!!) i bought 2 and now don't know where to put them in my house. see....if they were only $1 a piece, i wouldn't stress so much. i'll figure it out though....right after i recover from the shock of retail prices!
but.....i DID NOT blow the craft budget with these cute hats!!! 50 cents each!!!! so sweet and hand made by someone that had way too many fake pearls and purple fabric flowers!!! these are cute!
and dresses galore!! look at the fabric on this!! so sweet!!!! all booth bound!!!
50 cent dotty purse that is just adorable!!!

how wonderful is this top?? only $1.25. so sweet. mac and cheese costs more than this shirt!!!!
that is all. just random blah, blah, blah. nothing important...no theme really. just that thrifting is so worth it when it comes to finding bargains!!! i love junking...hands down...for unique, cheap stuff. no need to lobby for that hobby.
now if only i could lobby for the wind to stop!!!
thanks for stopping by and hope you all are having fun thrifting at whatever lil haunt you love the most!!!
take care
lol

what's on the visual stove today!!!

2011-10-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

i'm having a mid afternoon slump....which means i could slide off my computer chair at any given second and slumber until the school calls to tell me i am WAY overdue for child pick-up. what is it about the afternoon and sleep? i'll blame texas for the dry air and mellow heat, but i think it goes much deeper than that. my brain is sending signals that i'm old and i need to rest....like a worn out dog at 14...on a big open rug in a cool corner of the living room.
it would be so easy to go walk a lap or turn up some music to snap out of my melatonin high, but i'm too far gone for that. therefore, i will take shallow afternoon breaths and blog.
WELL...i'm back at CRAFTER'S CORNER in copperas cove, TX for those of you that live near this area!!! i am SO EXCITED to be back!!! i have a small booth, 044, 3rd isle, and lots of funky vintage goodies all set up!!! i took the small booth route this move, and have decided to help out sweet diana with the shop a little. i will be working on visuals and displays and can't wait to be part of her team!!!! it really is an honor!
that said....what has been visually filling these days....and physically filling too...
i made a potato soup that was so easy, it almost made itself!!! the kiddos actually ate it!!
smooth and creamy potato soup!!
4 potatoes
chicken stock and water
onions, garlic fresh, butter all sauteed and dumped into the crock pot with the chicken stock
chunky taters
lil chopped carrots
chicken bullion cube
salt/pepper/dash nutmeg
tumeric and curry powder
CROCK IT FOR A FEW HOURS UNTIL SOFT
use one of those hand blenders and blend! add lil half/half, milk, grated organic cheese to a flower/butter rue!
blend together and salt to taste!!!!
FUN PART! croutons made from store bought sandwich bread....
toast, cut, toss with butter and salt/pepper and lil bit spices....BROIL ON HIGH for 4 minutes and top soup!!!
eat 2 bowls and wish you had a stout ale to accompany it!!!!

making signs out of discard boards....making silverware collages out of discard books....
tags made from scrap fabric.....
love to find these discard 25 cent frames!!! i printed out some clip art and used chalk and briwax to make look aged....
cut out...framed...embellished!!!
current magazines!!!!!!
loving my cheap contemp lampshades on a pair of $5 vintage lamps!!!
awesome top compliments of cindy rongey!!!!!
pinky display......25 cent roses with handmade necklace and cast off s/p shakers!
mill flowers!!!
the yummiest AVOCA dress for $15!!!!!!! score.
$5 flea mart bowl with vintage beaded fruit and the most scrumptious rose tablecloth from sara at MANTOFEV!!!
way pretty $7 rug from WINSTON BRAND collections at amazon. com!!!
pictorial kitchen fabric from cindy rongey!!! i love this so much, i think i will just stretch it on a canvas and hang it up as is!!!
baskets full of fluff!!!

the brightest cottage floral fabric!! i used it for tags, a pillow and have some left over for another project!!! so nice!
wall junk that has become sculptural....
and that is it!! i must go find a candy for my onion breath and walk around the block a couple of times!!! i can't believe how hot it is and it's almost the end of october!!! ugh.....where are the snow cone trucks????
thanks for stopping by and come on out to CRAFTER'S CORNER if you haven't visited for a while!!!!! lots to see and tons of shopping galore!
thanks for stopping by!!!
lol

up close and artful....

2011-10-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

i decided i needed a break from the boxes and plates i keep thinking about hanging on my wall. each time we move, i uncover collections that were once particularly important to me. when we lived in columbus, georgia years ago, i was smitten with folk art. if you've never discovered the lust of deep southern art culture, it is one that not only lodges itself in layers of self-taught freedom and expression, but one that consistently stays true to art as a narrative and a guide for lessons and human condition. I LOVED going to folk art festivals when i was an art student at college. what drove me wild about this untamed art was the freedom involved in putting it all down....raw, unpretentious and very expressive. i not only think that folk art is a driving force of american culture, but a necessity of our visual history and expressive heart.
i wish i would have collected more. i bought several pieces when i lived down south, but i've given some away over the years and hidden other because of the scrutiny i sometimes fear when i move into a house on a military post. i know i have eclectic taste and that warrants a certain mindset from viewers, but i don't mind when i blog. that is WHY i blog. i do it because people get it. i don't have to feel shame or embarrassment or even harassment when i blog. i know bloggers with the junking spirit have big open minds and see potential in visual chaos and reinvention.
i know not everyone gets it. i am feeling that a bit right now. each time i move, i feel i must explain myself....what i like...why i like it and why it drives my soul. i wish i could be conforming and not combative and expressive with my crazy collections and wild sense of style. it has been this way as long as i can remember. i trash picked my first good find when i was 6!
i enjoy the life i give to junk and i enjoy the life it gives me. i love to seek treasures and art that fills my spirit with imagination and a sense of playfulness. i enjoy finding something for nothing and using it to my advantage. i don't always have to have the best of the best. actually the pretty good does me just fine! do any of you have those same feelings from time to time that you question what drives your need for things that are different, inventive, fun and crazy instead of conforming, functional, new and expensive?
maybe i am just feeling those new neighbor jitters....the kind like my kids feel at a new school or my husband feels at a new job. maybe i need to fit in first and then slowly become myself.....or maybe i should change so i don't have to justify myself.....
or maybe i should just rejoice in the fact that i can be completely who i am....like it or not...just like self-taught folk artist who don't always follow the rules or make up their own to represent their story....so they can have fun, paint, create, imagine and be honest about what they believe, see and want....

i think i will choose to be me.....common folk.....up close and artful!!!!
like it or not, this is who i am.
lol

casa progress....

2011-10-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

i almost forgot how to load pictures with blogger. has it been that long since i've worked this blog? guess so....
just a quick post with random pics of the new digs....we never quite know how big, small, old or new our next military home will be. we got lucky this time!!! house is super fine...big, bright and new!!! first time we have ever lived in a new house. i know it is fleeting, so i will enjoy it while it lasts!!!
i've decorated some, but i can't really junk out the house since it isn't mine. i love decorating overkill, but i will have to keep it simple for a couple of years and that is okay. a little goes a long way.....
i plan to fill the pots with fake flowers......
been here a week and found my first yard sale dig.....cabinet above for $25!! i gave it a coat of briwax and put some glass knobs on it.....functional and cheap!! looks like $400 pottery barn furniture at the cost of a large pizza!
big den....i call this the grandma room....lots of florals and vintage linens!!

crap..i mean craft...room in progress.
pretty dining room with my trash picked chair. hey...whatever.

long hallways....

more of the grandma room....
living room area and my cowboy hat tip to texas.....the shelf below with lots of cream colors and rusty junk......

i even hung some art from my college days......lots of cool art for cheap or trade!!!! if you want cool art but can't afford it, check out your local art students at colleges in your town. great way to collect art for cheap!
awesome kitchen and big pantry....
better run....kids are fighting over my camera. i used to fight over the last piece of toast when i was kid and arek and zoey fight over iphones and home computers. they don't know how good they got it....
if you have any stories of moving lots of stuff and/or staging a new craft room, i'd love to hear them!!!
take care and thanks for stopping by....
lol

absense makes the blogger fonder....

2011-10-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

i haven't left....i've just taken a break. a much break needed to move 1600 miles from maryland to texas. for those of you that move every 1-3 years, you know the stress and work it takes to gather and collect and move and reappoint all those belongings to another home....over and over...again and again.
i stopped blogging to focus on my family and step away from the minutia so i could see the big picture....
now we are settled and let's hope i have time to blog again!!! i miss it so!!
in the 2 months i haven't blogged, i've closed a business, downsized my stuff, taken kids out of schools, driven across the country (well ron did all the driving while i complained there were no good radio stations), slept in hotels, moved a cat, shipped a car, ate cheese doodles and slim jims, shared one plastic cup with ron and the kids, put kids back in new schools, signed a ton of paperwork, opened at least 35 boxes, moved furniture until my back burned, ate cold pizza, and will re-open a business before the end of october. my feet hurt and the back of my hamstrings ache every morning while i stumble out of bed...anticipating the last few boxes i need to unpack! how many plates do i move each time. i'm like the imelda marcos of plates!!!
i can say this....texas is a grand place for junkers! it is vast and stocked....open for business...ready to please!!!
i feel humble in a place this epic. it is poetry for the eyes!! i hope to meet up with folks i met last time i lived here and i can't wait to find my camera so i can start sharing my finds! i hope you will join me again with my new adventures and stories....i am an open book. here comes chapter one.
i can't promise much, but i hope to promise some.
it is good to be back....
lol

cheap is good....free is better!

2011-07-30T13:43:00.001-07:00

hey bloggers!! while escaping the chaos of the house to blog, i've been given a cicada, a gooey popsicle, been asked what semen is and been given a damp oversized, stretched out bathing suit by zoey in the attempt to hurry me along to the pool. i'll make it quick!!!
between debt ceilings and budget dilemmas, i'm so glad there is junk!!! maybe we should teach politicians how to shop curbside....brave the cheap bins....hit the yard sales and up-cycle what is worn-out but not yet expired. instead of a house divided, it would be a house decorated on a budget.
cheap is good, but really.....free is better!!! i found these chairs 2 days ago....total roadkill...and covered with spider webs and leaves. i think they look pretty cute for free!!! yes....they both have holes in the seat, but who cares. they still hold us if we sit lightly. i will tell my guests to sit lightly. what guests??? lol.
i also managed to find this sweet window box at goodwill. i'm not a huge g.will fan much anymore cuz i think they are way over-priced, but this was $3 and the retail tag on it was $20. cheap is good!
i've been so inspired by linens lately and pinks and whites with contrasting darker colors....black, blue, green...etc. this photo above from ROMANTIC COUNTRY really helped justify my linen hoards today.i love to mix and match linens, change them up and use ones that are kid friendly and clean up well. I LOVE this look. it truly is a vintage lover's dream.
cheap is good. i went to a local t.shop not too long ago and hit a bag sale i couldn't resist. 2 bags for $4!!! i love to buy clothes.....i can't sell them fast enough, but i still manage to drag them home. i found as many pink, white, romantic, floral inspired things as i could during my bag sale. one thing i found tons of were tee shirts and pink polos. i bought them and decided to try some iron on transfers for fun! luckily the tees were cheap. cheap is good. expensive not good and the transfers are expensive. ink for our printer is expensive too, but i love the way all these turned out!!!!

linen pillows with transfers.....
a little linen bag my neighbor GAVE me....free is better!
TIP: remember to flip your image so it will iron the correct way. note to self....did this wrong way too many times. ugh.
cheap drawstring shorts look amazing with lil transfer!
even found an 85 cent dress with a small transfer on that.

kid size tee shirts work really well.....so do prints!
blogger is crazy. i am tired of fixin the HTML to get my pics in the correct order. ugh. this is a pic of my $8 duvet. so pretty....
vignettes from around the house....this is my little dressing table by my bed.
50 cent tulips i found in lancaster, PA. cheap is good!

another duvet pic. this thing is gorgeous!
latest kitchen addictions.....LOVING tofu!!! been using it for everything. this stirfry was so easy to make. i toasted my couscous in olive oil and added broc, tomatoes, cashews, pumpkin seeds, red peppers, and TOFU!! lil olive oil, soy sauce and that is it. so yummy.....
SMOOTHIES WITH TOFU! easy to make and used spinach in them and nobody had to know!!!
our veggie stand haul today........BIG GIANT bounty!!! i love to buy local. the cucumbers were only 25 cents each....and no wax!
mmmmm....
better run. hot flash coming and i need to hit the pool!!!! hope y'all are having a great weekend. i'll leave you with some zoey art. too cute.....clip art from the computer....free!!! because it is better.
thanks for stopping by....
lol

and the winner is..................

2011-07-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

GOOD MORNING bloggers!! thanks so much for all your participation in my blogger ROMANTIC COUNTRY magazine giveaway!!!!!!!!!! you all made me feel more human with your stories. glad to see i'm not the only duplicator of merchandise. hee hee....
i picked a winner......drum roll..........
DANA!!!! you won!!! i know where you live, so that magazine is coming your way lady!!!!
thanks to you all....
enjoy your day and stay cool!!! it was over 108 degrees here yesterday with 100% humidity!!! i lived in georgia for 20 years and i don't ever remember it getting over 108 degrees. whoa....HOT!!! so i wonder why we don't use the sun for more energy than we already do? i wish i was a scientist and was smart enough to understand solar energy, but instead i collect junk and make collages. oh well....
gotta run...i hear crying. oh fun! must be the heat. it is making us all grouchy.
have a great weekend!!!!!
lol

hot...hot....hot....hot....hot....hot.

2011-07-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

whew...it is hot. hot like hot house hot!!! hot outside like a green house filled with flowers...spewing heat and humidity...ugh. it is the kind of hot here where i run from my house to my car and blast the ac in my face....from my car to my errand...back to my car with my blasted ac and back in the house as fast as i can....like i'll melt or become sucked up by solar flares or something if i stand in direct sunlight. i don't mess with the sun. it is big!! it wins.
but....i still managed to hit the local post thrift shop today for their 25 cent backroom sale!!! i got outta there with $3.5o worth of cute clothes and a heap of who knows what for zoey. i give her a limit and allow her a small pile. she did well today, but she wanted to buy a bathing suit that i donated to the t.store!!! she picked up a sweet lil bathing suit and said...."this is cute. is this mine? are there 2? can i have this one?" what? really? i have to pay a quarter to buy back a suit i donated? you know you might be addicted to thrift when you start buying back your donations. that said, i told zoey that she couldn't have the suit. we left the store with a pile of stuff. we had the suit. lol.
i know i can't be the only one that has bought back a donation. there must be a club.
with the hot days, i am spending more time inside. i had a little time to make a few projects yesterday. i trashed picked the boards...one from the beach and the other from a pile of random curbside nonsense. i am always on the lookout for cast off boards. yes....old boards make me happy. i bought a package of black markers and some cheap stencils and made a couple of signs. easy enough....and kinda fun!
couple of collages on book covers....

another sign in progress.......
hot day meals!! one good thing about summer is the lack of big dinners i need to cook. i can make a salad or sandwich or just hummus and bread or whatever snackie veggie thing i want or fruit and dip, frozen sweedish fish, a whole watermelon, blocks of ice....whatever...and everyone is happy!!! we can just eat chips and salsa and make toast and have an apple and i win!!!
easy summer eats......tuna and pita with cucumber chips and hummus......
yum yum plum sauce!!!! i bought a HUGE box of $5 seconds on plums and made a simple syrup. very ripe plums, 1/4 cup of sugar and vanilla. you could use any spice you want and more sugar to make this thicker, but i went light on the sweet stuff. i put the plum sauce over fat free frozen yogurt, added bananas and fat free whip and mmmmmm.
so easy breakfast!!! this time of the year veggies are cheap at every fruit/veggie stand all along the highways and orchard stands. i keep an endless supply of fruits/veggies from local farmers at reach. there are no waxes or coatings on the veggies and the carrots are always big enough i can cut them like chips to put in hummus. anyway......this egg mixture is great with leftover sauteed veggies. i saute mine in olive oil, lil butter, and lemon juice!! the trick is the lemon juice. make sure to keep a big bag on hand and squeeze over stuff instead of using salt. the smoothies are easy to make and the kids love them!! i put fresh spinach in my smoothies and the kids don't even know!
so i have a confession to make. i wanted to wait 5 months before i concluded that coupons don't work for me. i wasn't ever a coupon shoppper. i thought i'd jump on the coupon caboose go for the ride for more than a few months. i was clipping several a week; spending lots of hours doing it; putting them all neatly in a little folder; arranging them by categories; using as many as i could each shopping trip (every 2 weeks); and saving about $15 to $35 a trip!!! oh but.....and there is always a but.....i wasn't saving any money. i was spending more than usual each trip. my savings were good, but only if i bought that product. truth be told, i do better when i shop what i need...mostly the outside isles....and use coupons only if they are in our local commissary. i did not use coupons the last two grocery trips and spent $72 this last trip and $130 the one before that (i shop every 10 days or so). i was spending a lot more than that with coupons for sure and bringing home limited fresh produce. is there anyone out there that has tried doing both? i think i am better off just buying one kind of juice and drinking homemade lemonade or water than trying to buy lots of different juices because they are cheaper with a coupon. our commissary doesn't double coupons, but the prices where i shop are pretty good already. maybe my data is inconclusive because i didn't clip the right coupons, but i can't stockpile groceries and i try to buy what i want or what is healthy instead of what is on sale. i think the easiest way to save money is to buy fresh and make stuff homemade. it is a lot of work, but cheaper in the long run. now where did my maid go??? oh wait. that's me.
hope y'all are finding some time in the shade or pool if you've been hit with this crazy heat wave. stay cool....
where is my cabana boy???
oh still time for the GIVEAWAY. you can scroll down to the last blog post and enter your comment to win!!!!
lol

i'm a spaz!!!!!!! time for a GIVEAWAY!!!!!

2011-07-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

okay....the cat is out of the bag on this one.....I'M A SPAZ!!! it is NO secret anymore...lol. isn't that lil tag above precious!!! i did not make it. gosh...terry lee, i think it was you that sent it to me???? see...i'm a spaz.
OKAY....i ran into the book store to use the WC this weekend and i grabbed this magazine off the shelf and scurried to the register....paid...scurried home to read it and then realized....I ALREADY HAVE THIS!!!! spaz. am i the only one that has done this? it isn't the first time i've done this either. is there anyone that has done this more than once?
THIS MEANS ONLY ONE THING..
TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!
leave a comment and i'll send you the above
ROMANTIC COUNTRY
magazine that i own 2 of....argh.
i will pick a name on friday. i will throw a lil something extra in too!!
have fun!
okay....am i the only one having trouble with blogger lately? wha's up??? it is loading photos all wacky and out of order. it will probably upload a photo of someone i don't know shoveling snow or something. who knows?
this week's TRADER JOE'S picks!!!! i love their indian fare products...mmmmm good...and the paneer cheese in this pack is delicious. the spinach is wicked scary looking, but tastes okay. overall....there are too many good nutrients in this indian pack to not eat it. TJs raw almonds are so sweet and fresh. love the TJ's greek style yogurt...nonfat and feels like you are eating sour cream mixed with whipped cream....rich and sinful without the calories or fat....also without all those additives too. love the pearl couscous. kids think it is mac and cheese. we both win. haven't tried the spiced soybeans, but for 99 cents a pack....it beats cheetos. the hummus is insane!!! so much flavor....no additives....all natural ingredients just like i make it...mmmmmm. the granola bars look pretty good....not too much sugar and a good amount of fibre. the pumpkin seeds were only $4.50 a bag and the cashews weren't too much more than that. we are a bunch of squirrels in this house....we belong in the nut house, so we eat lots of nuts!!!

bought this big wood caddy a month ago and finally filled it with a variety of garden inspired things.....
i think it is pretty sweet....
lil wood kitty in my mint plant.....resting on a broken trashed picked old stool.
the best pink mirror i found not too long ago and a victorian vignette on my mantel.
look at this sweetness from WALMART. okay....for all you non walmart shoppers out there, i'm sorry. i shop at walmart about once a month. i missed it so much when i lived overseas. didn't think i would....but i did....
now i know why...
i love these little bangles....found late at night for $3.
and just a small grouping of some vintage ephemera.........good luck and best wishes on the giveaway!!!!!!!!!
thanks for stopping by........the sandman is here, so i'm going to disappear.......nightie night.
lol

boothie call...

2011-07-14T16:40:00.003-07:00

oh my gosh...between arek and zoey fighting and blogger getting crazy with my pictures....am i the only one???....i'm trying to escape the madness for a quickie....you know....a boothie call.
i've been fluttering around today like a lil bird working on this and that.....
i took a few photos of my booth today....
BOOTH 45
SENECA CANNERY
HAVRE DE GRACE, MD.
just for fun.
if you live close to maryland and you are cruising along highway 40 thru cecil county/harford county and need a quick boothie call....check out SENECA CANNERY!!! you will find an amazing amount of vendors with tons and tons of cool antiques, vintage, retro and nautical neat things!!!! the cannery overlooks the Chesapeake Bay and downtown Havre'De Grace is exploding with things to do and see!!!

my booth neighbors across from me are a pure delight and have so many awesome items in their booth, it will be worth the trip!!!
had to show the cards i purchased from our vacation. these are so beautiful.
okay....better run....i hear the animals in the living room.....
thanks for stopping by......hope y'all had a happy day.........
lol

doily days of summer....

2011-07-13T12:29:00.001-07:00

i refuse to believe in the dog days of summer....mostly because we don't own a dog and summer is too short to sleep all day, so why not get out and shop....right? oh my....
i'm trying to keep as busy as possible with the kids w/out making myself nuts! i am not much of one to hit the pool in the middle of the day. i wait until 4pm or later and make an evening of it. that leaves a main part of the day for relaxing (who am i kidding...yelling at kids..haha). i love to hang out in my air conditioning with too many dressers, competing computer screens, bags of clothes to price for the booth, kids trashing rooms and playing with the hose, not enough unhealthy snacks to keep the kids quiet and my new k-cup coffee maker. i'm pretty content. i don't start feeling like a slacker until i hit my errand stride and see all the federal employees milling about post looking for short lines at the post office and fast food drive thrus. that is when i start to question why i am at home all day and then i remember that i do work. i have a booth. it is hard work. those of you that have online stores and brick and mortar know what i am talking about!!! even while i'm mid stride thru the house with a vacuum and a bag of soggy laundry, i find time to walk about the craft room in between mom to dos to price, sort, clean, organize, work, or just stand and think of nothing at all. may not look like much on paper, but it is a job and i love it.
those of you that have been reading my blog for a while know i'm an army spouse....but a very non conventional one. i love my husband. i love what he stands for. i'm proud. i am patriotic, but....i also love to have my own thing too. i meet lots of spouses that are very traditional and i often feel too eclectic and way out there compared to the traditions they carry in their home and their life. i meet many that say, "wow, my husband would kill me if i decorated my house like this" or "you husband must love you so much for letting you have all this stuff" or my favorite....."what are the plates doing in your yard?". it has been many years since i've met another army spouse that likes lots of stuff....likes to flea...like to make art. i miss those of you that i've met.....YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE...lol. hat's off to that....i guess that is why i like blogging so much. it confirms that i'm not crazy. it confirms that it is okay to be me!
guess i had to get that out of my system....
NOW for eats!!!!!!!
y'all know how much of a pig i am. i love PIE!!! i saw this recipe on some food network for peanut butter pudding pie! i made a lower fat version and it was way too easy!!!
PIE CRUST (i use Jiffy)
ONE BANANA OR SO SLICED
FAT FREE PUDDING INSTANT
FAT FREE WHIPPED TOPPING
AND PEANUT BUTTER TOPPING (made mine with xtra crunchy p.butter and equal almost parts of powered sugar until crumbly and wonderful)
layer as in photo above....
chill...
eat until sick.
chill out!

wait til next day and use leftover crumbles on JIFFY corn mix hotcakes with flax seed and sunflower seeds.
make a big stack and enjoy!!! i top with p.butter, honey and bananas and whipped topping!!!

for those of you that read my blog, you know how much i LOOOOOVE to cook pancakes. there is something sweet and domestic about it that makes me feel secure and relaxed. arek is a hardcore carb freak, so i try to make stuff homemade and add as much whole grains as i can to it. i save money making pancakes from scratch. i can regulate how much sugar, flour, fat and starch goes into each batch, so i've been making these beauties at home for a long time now.
i use a basic mix....jiffy or bisquick heart healthy...and i add grains....flax seed, ground almond meal, oats and then i add my dairy.....non fat yogurt or cottage cheese. non fat milk, and egg and water. i also add vanilla and a dash of sugar.
the mix comes out a little soupy and lumpy and looks grainy, but cooks up fluffy and pancakes look normal and natural and your kids will never know what happened!!!
one of the easiest ways to cut up cakes .......
that said....my summer food staples..........the tofu is less than $1 a pack and i use it in smoothies. the kids have no clue. i love peaches and white nectarines this time of the year and they are cheap at local markets.
one more home run food for my pantry....oh my gosh....this chili is the best!! one can has like 26 grams of fiber and like 18 grams or more of protein!!! almost no fat....no cholesterol and mmmmmmmm good. you can even write to AMY's company online and they will send you a huge coupon pack for free!!
tags.......

new finds for the crib..........
salvage that i love....the best crocheted bedspread i found marked down from $145 to $15!!
sweet pansy paperweight for $2

weakness of course......tole trays and rugs. this tole tray is in poor condition, but i haven't seen one with this shade of yellow before, so i had to have it. you know my weakness for hooked rugs....some folks indulge in chocolate, shoes, bath items, vacations, designer bags and clothes.........i indulge in rusty trays and cheap hooked rugs!!!

love, love, love the spice salt and pepper shakers below. i have them displayed in my living room. i think they look like little books. a steal at $4!!!
and lastly.....potted plates. if one more person asks me what is up with the plates, i'm going to actually tell them i'm trying to grow more plates so i can feed and army..........
okay bloggers.....thanks for stopping by and hope your doily days of summer are relaxing and not so stressful. my kids have trashed the house in the 25 minutes it took me to post this. i'm scared. it may take me a doily day to recover!
lol

pause.....vacation....

2011-07-08T17:59:00.001-07:00

yes....a month has almost passed since i've blogged. pause....sometimes life imitates art. summer is busy. very busy. i've hardly time to junk. what a shame!!!! but summer is for crabs for sure in our neck of the woods!!!! between visiting with family, hanging out with the kiddos at the pool and passing time with one road trip after another, blogging is a fleeting thought these days at most! the junking part of my life is crazy busy when i have time. booth here is a lot of work and sometimes i wonder if it is worth the trouble. you all ever feel like that?? lots of paper work. lots of physical work. not much $$$$. but it is a labor of love for the most part, so i drive on because i love it so.
we all headed to the beach for a mini vacation this week.....chincoteague island....or as we like to call it....mosquito island. we were attacked by mosquitos the first hour we arrived and covered in bug bites the entire trip. zoey cried in her sleep and scratched her skin until she bled the first 2 days. we had to spray ourselves with bug spray the entire trip....even to ride in our vehicle and sleep in our hotel beds. nuts!
for those of you that have never visited this part of the atlantic, remind yourself to put it the map...it is such a fun place.. but PLEASE beware......waves, mosquitos, and sometimes bad service can put a damper on your weekly affair!!! we had a blast, but were blasted with a couple of unexpected snags along the way. chincoteague island is known for laid back beaches, beautiful wild ponies, wildlife galore and sweet smelling marsh land, but don't let all the sappy, happy life beach living fool ya!!!! yes...i may look happy here splashing about in the waves, but right after this glorious photo was taken (yes, my suit is from walmart and i've gained a few pounds over the last couple of years), i was boogie boarding with arek and my glasses were swallowed whole by the ocean. THEY CAME RIGHT OFF MY FACE!!! oh my gosh.....duh. surfing and glasses don't mix. i'm so dumb. i acted foolish trying to find them and finally just stood in the ocean and cried. cried. i spent over $500 for my glasses. i am now using the old pair that i can't see well with until i can scrape up some cash for new ones! argh. ron and arek were so sweet. arek gave me a big hug and ron kissed me on the mouth (as arek would say) and reassured me that isn't the only thing that the ocean has swallowed up. after sharing my story with the locals, i've learned i'm not alone and sea stealing.....sunglasses, earrings, hats....swallowed whole. gone is a second. it could have been worse. it could have been one of us instead.
i laugh now and picture a big ole great white wearing my glasses.....happy he can see what he's going to eat next. luckily that won't be me!
as beautiful as those wild ponies are, we only managed to take photos of the ones in captivity by the mcdonald's. shameful i know, but the mosquitos were sooooooo bad, we feared our life to get out of the vehicle and snap pics of the real deal. even covered with bug juice, those pesky bugs made their way into our car everytime we got out!!! ron slept with a fly swatter in his hand. yes....the hotel room had a big ole fly swatter waiting for us. that isn't a good sign.
the downtown historical part of the island is super charming and eclectic. i found a few shops that i just adored and a church thrift shop that was a block away from the tourism!!! we actually found this gorgeous sunflower at one of the shops and snapped a photo. i used my iphone for so many of these photos. it was so much easier than bringing my camera.
lil zoey at the beach with all her scary bites. i made the photo bw, so they are hard to see. poor thing.
we had a chance to almost see 2 rockets lauch. we went to wallops island and visited NASA. so fun. arek and zoey has such a good time, they forgot they weren't being burned alive by the hot sun at the beach.

solar system, space, galaxy, rockets, lipstick, barbies.......

while visiting downtown chincoteague, i had the best time in this shop!!! GUINEVERS.....
the beautiful KATHERINE KISS was a charmer and such a talent!!! i was in awe and star struck to say the least.
her shop was AMAZING.....all faires, glitter, glitz.....her work is well known and just astounding. her shop is filled with her works, romantic upscale resale clothing, soaps, lotions, chandies, smalls, jewelry, and other countless romantic, enchanting and mesmerizing items that will make you swoon. alice in wonderland meets mermaids and fairies.....sooooo magical.
painted cabinets filled with candles, soaps, and other sweet smelling products.....collages and whimsy galore...originally made...hanging from the ceiling. i love it when a shop owner takes advantage of vertical space!!!!!
wall of green filled with a seaside painting theme......
clothing galore fit for a magical princess......mixed with upcycled furniture, home decor and original art....
goddess of the seas galore!!! yes, the paintings are original and the handmade dolls are captivating for sure.
original jewels upcycled with cast off pieces.....
more whismy............
and a shopper just like mom.....look at her arm. she is moving thru those clothes so fast, her hand is a blur.
just pure delight..........
that is all.....thanks for stopping by and i hope your summer is going well too. if you have any stories to share about things you have lost in the ocean's waves, please let me know i'm not the only fool who underestimated the power of the sea. still had such a blast!!!!!!!!
lol

easy A

2011-06-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

first and foremost....HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY ARMY! i would have dressed up for the occasion, but i was too busy trying to figure out 5th grade math. that said.....the flag is flying in honor of your special day!
i can't stop eating goldfish crackers. i don't know if it's the powerful addiction to the salt or a nonsense attraction to the treatment of stress and computer style munching. who knows?? i know one thing. i have 10 things on my to do list that did not get done this morning because i opted to make gifts for arek's teachers. i always seem to have a surplus of pretty things laying around...ya think....so i pick and choose from the pretty piles and find the right lil gifts to give. gift cards are great too, but i will spend 35-50 dollars by the time i'm finished with the teacher clan, so i opt for creativity over money.
gift bags are sooooooo easy to make....EASY A!!! old fabric scraps...cast off ribbons, ties, etc...finish out a simple straight stick bag. arek wants to make his teachers (yes, he has 6 or something like that) copies of music he's been making all year on garage band. i think these will make great cd cases and save money because we won't have to buy plastic ones.
i try to save boxes from candles to upcycle them as gift boxes.....and when i find 10 cent boxes at the mission store, i buy those to upcycle as well. will the teaches dig it? who knows, but it is fun for me and saves me some cash.

speaking of budget friendly....i am into red lately. i'm starting to slowly leave that all white look and opt for color lately. i have always loved red so i'm bringing it back into my home...slowly....comfortably. i found these cheap lamps about 2 years ago and put them on my $5 (for both) rose lamps. the shades are a small red gingham. so sweet. i also found the above red curtains at a local charity shop for $2 (for both). they are JC PENNY brand and i'm sure cost way more than $2. it really does pay to thrift.
but does it pay to create??? oh my gosh. see why i'm so scatter brain lately??? when i was a teenager, my room was insane. sooo many piles and a little trail to the bed. i hardly ever cleaned and i didn't mind the mess at all. now i'm all grown up and i still try to manage the piles, but they stress me out. still....will i really ever change? do i really need to? do i really want to? i think it is healthy to create, but i do get overwhelmed. i don't have buckets and buckets of stuff in the basement. pretty much what you see here is what you get. i have to have at least one room or half a room where the chips will fall so to speak. am i the only one??? please tell me there are others around me.
pillows....if i can't make a mess in the scary craft room above, then i can't get finished products like the ones below. i have been trying to make those simple stitch envelope pillow cases lately. they are sooooooo easy. i have a horrible time trying to sew. i don't have the patience or time to pin and baste and all that, so i make fun stuff that is easy. i still enjoy the sewing w/out all the stress of finishing a project. these pillows take about 25 minutes to make and they are just a simple straight stitch....i quilt pieces of fabric.....fold them into a envelope pattern....stitch....put old pillow inside them....and ............pillows!!
better go....zoey keeps screaming mom over and over and over again. where is my clone? she is never here.
thought i'd share some of arek's art. he may not get straight A's....EVER... and he isn't in a gifted/talent program or a magnet program or anything like that, but he is creative. i think this is super fun!!!! good job arek. you may not ever get an EASY A, but you make me laugh.....lol.....learning is hard sometimes....don't give up!
you all have a great week and i'm off to pick up dead bugs in the house. this place is FULL of them. i hate killing big spiders, but i don't want them crawling on my feet either, so i smash them with a big ole decorating book and then leave the book on top of them until ron gets home. what is my problem......
take care and thanks for stopping by....thanks for all the support from the last post. i'm so whiny.
lol

to blog or not to blog....that's what she said

2011-06-09T11:57:00.001-07:00

to blog or not to blog.....whew...that is where i've been lately. i'm in blogging limbo. i am somewhere between the need to fuel the creativity and the need to pay more attention to life without documenting every encounter. if i was paid to blog, i'd be fired. i'm also wondering where i am on the spectrum of blogging. i think of blogging as an activity for young moms under the age of 30....their children under the age of 5......not yet disappointed and jaded by heartbreak from their spouse or teen....not yet pulled down by the weight of menopause and the learning curve of an older demographic. i wonder why i can't believe in the power of the perfect blog.....kids dressed in clothing that never gets dirty....parties that dictate the perfect hand crafted accoutrement with singing, happy kids that play perfectly with their handmade toys....pleasing and inspiring their parents. how many have i offended just now? my intention is not to offend, but to compare.
i wonder what is wrong with me......lately overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood and feeling uninspired and too busy to grab a camera to document the frustration and hard work it takes to do it. maybe i'm just not doing it right, but i have had almost no time to hand make anything for the kids....no time to make any dresses or little stuffed toys....no time or will to host parties or make daisy chains. instead, i'm hanging by a thread trying to get my 5th grader out of school with passing grades and an introduction to puberty. instead, i'm hanging by a thread trying to direct 2 kids to clean their rooms, stop fighting, help me with laundry, stop fighting, stop screaming demands of i need this and that all day. i'm trying to inspire them to play outside in this crazy heat just to get out of the house for a while. i'm trying to keep them home and busy because i don't have the money to buy them something everytime we leave the house. i'm trying to encourage them to do something besides play on the computer and watch tv....all the while i'm blogging??? it is a paradox. i'm older than they are and i'm the mom so i get to blog and they have to find something to do and be perfect while i indulge. to make a long story short....i'm just not that hip and inspired to blog a picture perfect day. lol!!!!!
i keep thinking that most of these young hipsters with AWESOME blogs are home during the day w/dad coming home at night to help out. i don't have that luxury. by the time 8 pm rolls around, i'm ready to go to bed. so for all that, i'm out of the blogging loop lately. all of the sudden, life just got really busy. is there anyone else out there over the age of 45 with young kids that feels like an outdated mom??? how do you keep yourself feeling hip and trendy...young and fresh...or do you embrace your age and go with the flow. anyway....that is kind of where i am in in the blogging spectrum lately. really my audience is anyone that loves to junk, create, eat and hangs by a thread to deal with life and do it all with a smile while dealing with hot flashes, middle age obstacles, lifes' ups and downs, and crazy chocolate cravings....
i am not going to stop blogging, but i have really, really slowed down. if blogging was a trip to the gym, i'd never get fit...lol
that said....
i have a very, very dear friend from college. she lives in georgia and i met her years ago....back when we were hip and trendy....no kids....no worries.....just free spirits going to art school together....painting one narrative painting after another....designing flyers....making lithographs.....throwing pots.......and hanging out with the hip, trendy drama students.....sitting on benches at college contemplating life, the power of good art and how we could keep our yankee accents living in the deeply accented southern charm. it was a really fun time. i miss my friend very, very, very much. her mother was a very accomplished seamstress, knitter, crochet fanatic and all around wonderful person. i feel lucky. my friend sent me a portion of her mother's dear crochet magazine collection, a large portion of her mother's handmade doilies and a copy of our most FAVORITE NOVEL!!!!!!!!!!!
SKINNY LEGS AND ALL..............the best tom robbins in my opinion for sure!!!! i love the personification of items in this book that travel with the mail characters. it is a brilliant read. thanks michele!!!!!! you made my day.

i'm still on a quest for lowering my cholesterol and saving money too. i love greek style yogurt, but it is expensive. i buy only a few when i shop and then i buy a large container of $2 nonfat yogurt and add that to smoothies and fruit. it is a great way to save money. i can buy fresh/frozen berries and fruit and add it to my yogurt and milk/juice and make smoothies for a cost of pre-made ones. i choose papaya for this week's exotic fruit choice. because of it's bitterness, i added yogurt, honey, and salted sunflower seeds. mmmm
another heart healthy, low cost salad is RICE SALAD.................
so good......white or brown rice and a dressing of olive oil, vinegar, curry, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, poppy seeds, sugar and ginger....whisk together and add to rinsed rice. add walnuts, celery, onion, apples, cranberries, organic sesame seeds (black) and celery seeds. i used chopped, fresh mint on top and mmmmmmmm
eat 3 big piles and save room for a small chocolate bar.
books.....here are my favorites right now.......WOW....love these.
i can't stop reading them.....especially DECORATE. i love the mix of vintages in this book. such an escape when i need 10 minutes to myself....
i love the colors on these pages. i love the bright greens, aquas, pinks, fuchsias, blues, reds, yellows, greens.....lovely punches of colors that give a grown-up like me an excuse to decorate with whimsical cast offs.
the potholders in the above photo make me want to hit the thrift shop and seek immediate treasure digging. i love the pink walls, i love the glam wallpaper and those tea cup.....how very U.K. so awesome.

i managed to make a few pillow covers last week when zoey was sick and fell asleep earlier than her usual 10 pm. ugh.
i LOVE spray paint!!!! walmart had this color on sale for $2. this is my new favorite color. yum.
when i was in art school, a fellow friend and painter gave me this painting. I LOVE IT. i haven't had a place to display it for years. i finally pulled it out of a pile of art i still drag with us each time we move and placed it on a window ledge in our computer room. i want to put this in a big kitchen one day, but for now, it can live here so i can enjoy it. if you ever want really great art for your house, please remember that college students sell their works during their senior shows. it is great way to find original works for a good cost and cause.
a few pics from around the crib.
loving my cheap jewels from FOREVER 21.COM. awesome and cheap!!!!!!
$1 PRIM bench i picked up at a yard sale. i put a coat of briwax on it and it is waiting until i have room at my booth.
little birdie vignettes.....summer musings.....and cast off $6 painting i found a while back.

finally....the end of this post. i go on and on i know...blah, blah. thanks for stopping by. i need a glass of ice water after this post. thanks for stopping by......
lol

summer shakers....

2011-05-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

wow....crazy busy....that is all i can say!! lots going on. lots and lots!! snakes in our yard eating baby birds...bugs in my house that look like cock roaches flying thru the air...tons of stink bugs...fruit flies...carpenter bees and deer flies....piles of laundry, too many dishes, crumbs on the floor, polly pockets all over the house, heat that came out of nowhere and so many yard sales it is hard to just hit one!!! lol!!! but all that said, i first want to thank all of you for being patient about my online shop. i had to close for a while. sometimes life is like that....just need to slow down some and not overdo it. i planned on keeping the shop closed a little longer, but ron MADE ...hahahaa..me stop at a yard sale close to YORK, PA and buy out a lady who wanted to get rid of 5 boxes of salt and pepper shakers!!!! by the time i was finished with the sale, the truck was full!!! oh my. what a haul!! i haven't bought this much stuff in a very, very long time!!!!! i bagged and bagged shakers for the booth, and put a few on my online shop in lots if you are interested!!!!!
VSUEBOXTREASURES ONLINE BLOG SHOP....
you all know the drill. you can email me if interested and i will be happy to combine shipping on orders!!!!!!
i will try to get some handmades on my blog shop too and also i can start filling box treasures again. the medium flat rate box for $32 is the best deal and i can fit a ton of stuff in there for you!!! those include shipping!
okay....better run. kids and hubby want me to go out in this heat and do something. i'm scared.....it is hot!!! too hot for the pool or outdoor walking. hope you all are having a relaxing memorial weekend. i know this is the somewhat official weekend to welcome summer....hence picnics, watermelon, pool, beach, and roller coaster, but to those who have fallen during our wars....you are the heros today!!! may you never be forgotten!
hope you all enjoy some sweet cottage cake and sweet tea....and have plenty of time to sit in your lawn chairs and relax!

thanks for stopping by.....lol

my big pink bush!

2011-05-19T11:56:00.001-07:00

i know, i know..ain't she sweet...and PINK!!!! my mind is not in the gutter...it is on my rosebush!!! i'm a wimpy gardner. i admit it. i am wimpy by default. military moving makes it challenging and expensive to decorate my yard each time we relocate. i don't plant much the 3rd spring i live somewhere.....but the third spring has sprung this amazing rosebush!!! i bought it 3 years ago and this is the result of lots and lots of love. the last time i had a rosebush this pretty, we lived in germany and i had to give the bush away. sob.
i love roses!!! if i could have tons of climbing roses, i would. roses are cheap to buy and easy to maintain and the production of flowers is ongoing!!! so nice. i admire the gardeners out there that keep us with the roses. who cares about keeping up with the jones....keep us with the roses instead!!!
my dad took care of our rosebushes when i was a child. he nurtured those roses like an hour on the couch. i remember how pretty those plants were each spring. roses remind me of my dad.....
i shot this pic with my iphone of zoey next to the yellow roses of the mexican cantina. yes....that is a particular rose. i'm kidding.
roses also remind me of summer and cottages....florals and light.....not the crazy rain we keep getting and cool temps that desolate my painting days....waaah....
so i took a few pics of some cottage inspired things about the house......zoey writing a letter about how many barbies she wants in her room or something....and i can't plant flowers around my tree because the deer much them for midnight snacks! that said....i LOVE these sweet wooden garden adornments. found them all for $6!!!!! found them at SENECA CANNERY ANTIQUE MALL....havre de grace maryland!!!!! CHECK it out if you are ever in town!!!!
the extent of my plantings this year......lol
and a lil house.....occupied....and heavy enough that the storms won't knock it down.
cottage....yes....decorating. can't stop rearranging stuff in my little corner cabinet.
brought my dress form off the windowsill so she could get in on the family action. i know...i personify my stuff. what does that make me?? hoarder. i hate that show.
i love these little journals!!! ME always make me think old school cottage!!! mary E. was and still is the queen of cottage if you ask me. these are all so cute and under $1 a piece....compliments of goodwill.

what says cottage like a pair of 50 cent butter yellow slip-ons and a FREE braided run.......
a new hanging basket for my closet door.....SO cottage. love it!!!!
and cottage means lots of sunshine and warm temps to get into the craft room and crank out some work.....
i made these 2 little collages today from 50 cent frames......
thanks for stopping by. i'm off for my afternoon coffee and a big ole cup of ice water to cure the cake cravings....
have a great weekend....
lol

empty bowl...empty head

2011-05-17T05:50:00.001-07:00

so bloggers...i am still here. not much time to blog lately and i don't really mind too much. i'm enjoying my sleep at night instead of late night blogging and project time. i am actually getting some much, much needed rest. i have simplified my life so much these last 3 months....empty head....i'm trying to get back to basics a little and cut some of the physical clutter out of my day. it isn't easy for me to do. i like to stay busy.....it is instinctive for me.
i hope to soon open my flea treasure blog again soon. i have projects that need completion and i might be ready in a month or so. i'm taking the easy street these days.....spending more time with the kids...reading more...watching tv...playing guitar....visiting with family....cooking.....simple stuff and not too much computer time. i'm on a techo hiatus so to speak.
that does NOT mean i'm on a eating hiatus. oh my gosh....really? NO....i made this apple cake below and ate it so fast i took a picture of the EMPTY plate. i couldn't find my camera fast enough and the cake was gettin cold...lol.
i bake, but i don't follow recipes well. i get too stressed out trying to find all the ingredients and get everything measured perfectly. i can't. instead i cheat. i know that i need butter for a cake. i need brown sugar. white sugar. flour. if i have those ingredient, i can embellish the rest. i did that with this cake.....
the secret......PANCAKE MIX!!!
APPLE CAKE.......
canned apple in the bottom of baking dish.....
tons of spice mixture (i used Cinnamon)
cake batter on top of apples.......
cake batter.....1/4 stick of butter
big ole handful of brown sugar
lil bit white sugar
1 egg
couple spoonfuls of sour cream
some applesauce....tablespoon or so
lil bit of condensed milk
tablespoon of instant pudding mix
touch of salt
about a cup or little more of pancake batter (works great!!!)
pour batter on top of apples....
brown topping crumble goes on top of batter
brown sugar....butter....pancake mix and sprinkle on top of uncooked batter....
into the oven at 375 for about 35 minutes.....
spoon nonfat frozen yogurt on top and serve with heated caramel sauce.....MMMMMMMMMMM.
cake should almost be like a bread pudding consistency......pretend it is nonfat yogurt and eat another helping.
eat it hot!!!
i've been shopping less and less these days for treasures. that said, i still frequent my favorite mission store at least once a week. i rarely spend over $15 and i seriously find some cool stuff for projects....like the cute glass jars above, the sweet lil eggs, and a block i decoupaged with old book pages. all the project stuff here cost 40 cents!!
i also tried my hand at these embroidered wall hangings. i've seen folks use the hoops to put sweet fabric in as a decoration. i found these 3 hoops for 75 cents, so i used a damaged tablecloth and made wall hangings....
these HUGE fridge magnets were super fun to make. i found the floral dishes for 10 cents a piece (mission store of course) and painted them out a bubble gum pink. i used a plate and traced a circle on craft paper for the center and decoupaged them. i hot glued 4 lil magnets on the back and now they take up the entire fridge front....whimsy.
all of these are mission store cast off frames....found for less than 50 cents. i add my own prints and and instant project!
books are always cheap at the mission store. i can't help myself with vintage children's books. i just can't. i watched an episode of nat. geographic TABOO last night about hoarding and this totally cool record collector said...."i can't stop. i don't want to stop. it is in my blood." i wish those shows would stop making collectors feel bad about collecting. stop making us feel like something is wrong. i want to see a reality show about psychiatrists that hoard. i would totally watch that one! twist.
anyway.....i have that weak spot for sweet vintage books.....especially when they are 25 cents!!!
my mom gave me one of my grandmother's mid century tablecloths not too long ago. it is stained, but i still think it is gorgeous. i thought about making pillows, but instead decided it was time to hide my shame........
shame......
hee hee....this is how i organize. i don't. i find a place to put stuff and hide it. my work files are organized. arek and zoey's school stuff is orgainized. arek and zoey's rooms are organized. my closet is organized. i have a wall of school stuff that helps me stay on track for the kids. i have a filing system for our mail, but the rest is a freak show!!! what is this???? when i was in college, i drove around with a plastic container of wheat paste in my car for months. i had an area where i would put my mints and gum that i'd already chewed in my console and eventually i had like jewelry in it and corn nuts and i had trash in my car and tons of art stuff. crazy foolish unorganized brain of my. anyway.....i have a come a long way, but i'm still all scatter brained and overwhelmed and not able to organize well. taking time away from facebook, taking on one project at a time, and not shopping so much has helped me the past couple of months.
anyway.....here comes trouble......i mean zoey. i can hear her waking up. she is here....she is hungry and she needs me to go vacuum up all the stink bugs in her room. that is the fun part of living in an old house.....no storage.....lots of bugs.....maybe the bugs will eat my clutter and i won't need storage.
okay.....thanks for stopping by. i'm off to deal with errands and endless chores and cries for a Popsicle from zoey (for breakfast....i'm a bad mom). i think that apple cake is calling me.....empty bowl again.
take care
lol

sunny daze....

2011-05-04T21:52:00.001-07:00

between tendinitis flair ups (from playing the guitar..ugh), stink bug raids, foot soaks and heartburn, i should march up to the bed and extinguish myself...i am a candle burning too long....black wick....too much melting wax....no more smell. that is me....but i need a quick blog fix.
with the weather outside so cold, windy, rainy....i'm in a daze lately. the sun makes me happy and the sun hasn't been out much lately, so i'm fooling myself with the colors of summer. i'm so into bright pink and fuchsia right now. so into florals. so into texture. i can't seem to get my head out of the rose duvet. i am stuck in a vintage floral rut, but i don't really care. i love it.
i am also the queen of a good bargain. couple the love between vintage florals and all my thrifting hunts lately and i'm stockpiling some super cute summer clothes and linens!!
are these in my spring budget???? not really, but the heart knows what the heart loves.....and mine loves faded blue jeans and lots of florals!
and this sweet $3 tablecloth....
and this sweet tablecloth for 85 cents (and i found an awesome chenille bedspread for 85 cents too)....with those ubiquitous summer pinks....mmmmmm.....
hit the local EDGEWOOD, MARYLAND thrift shop the other day and found over 6 vintage purses....none more than $3.
curtains for $1 a panel....roses galore.....and the pillow in the chair was made with barkcloth scrap and burlap. it was so easy to make. took me like 15 minutes and cost under $6!.
mantel redo with shells and beach pic to help me think of warm days.....
window redo with my $10 boudoir doll......
cabinet redo.....creams and silver........
sweetest victorian scrap i found on etsy....i decoupaged it to a small blue primitive chair i found at goodwill. i love this scrap. this is booth bound for sure.
had some time in the craft room for signs made from antique story pages............
all headed to the booth!!!
AWESOMENESS right here!!! i am so burned out on cooking lately. i spent over 6 hours total in my kitchen on sunday...seriously!!! i added up the time spent all day there and realized if i got paid, i'd make over $100 in the corporate world!!! man....housework is serious. for those people that think stay at home moms don't work....NOT EVEN. hard work....no pay......
so i am always on the lookout for good snacks that will fill us up in case we just have a snack for dinner instead of a real meal. these are soooooooo good. small bagels that are super soft on the inside with a chewy outside shell. major snack attack!!
cup of milk and these bagels with butter and SEA Salt....mmmmmm.....
not the best summer food, but good enough to brighten my day......
okay....time to get out of my daze and get some zzzzzz's.
cindy....i need to email you!!! you brightened my day the other day and i will email soon!!!!!!
thanks for stopping by.....
lol

bliss....

2011-04-30T20:14:00.001-07:00

i'm still here. i'm busy....time is a criminal. she steals my blogging time darn it.
but....
dreams really do come true....but do they last??? only for a picture. haha.
spring break was a whirlwind of travel for us....and a big break in the bank, but i'm so grateful for hot weather, way too long lines, screaming kids, meltdowns, credit card debts, $6 hotdogs and motion sickness. i'll take all of it any day if it means no storms and a another day with my house intact and my family safe. i was on vacation when alabama got hit and didn't even know it happened. to my friends in the south....i hope you are all safe. i remember those storms. i know the fear of that weather, but i don't know the sting of the devastation it can leave. my heart breaks. pure sadness.
i also had no idea what was happening with the royal wedding either. i was too busy spinning on rides....dizzy with sickness from scary roller coasters. i do believe the definition of old is someone who can't ride roller coasters or planes without feeling sickness of 4 bad meals. ugh. i thought i was going to faint after EXPEDITION EVEREST and EXPEDITION SOUTHWEST AIRLINES. lol. i used to fly all the time years ago and always had a touch of motion sickness then, but now it is horrid. that said....2 dramamine on the plane ride home eased my weary stomach. i slept and couldn't move my arms, but i didn't feel sick! i stood in long lines shared with people from all over the world. the fun folks from the U.K. came to disney to escape the royal wedding crowds. i thought that was cheeky.
i love watching folks when we visit disney. it truly is a human zoo. all the crowds of people.....circumstantial conversations with complete strangers that end up being your best friends by the end of a 90 minute wait for a ride. people in large theme parks like disney are forced to work together as humans...waiting patiently in line for almost everything....from the bathroom to a drink from the water fountain. we have to manage our way thru large crowds without being rude, disrespectful or harmful to one another.....especially at disney. everyone seems so cheerful....absolute bliss....
but i know in any other crowded situation, we would fight, nudge, punch, cuss, and probably not fetch or share a smile from anyone we pass. i like to watch the human choreography of large disney crowds....and crowded it was!!!!! oh my. HOT, HOT, HOT and very crowded!!! every language, every country.....young, old, babies, folks in wheelchairs, folks with walkers, folks pushing strollers.....kids, moms, dads, aunts, cousins, students, siblings....all managing their way around the park...one dream at a time....one ride at a time....one princess at a time. so much fun!!!!
we got lucky this trip and really managed some character chasing....pure paparazzi......

arek and zoey having way too much fun....a rare moment when they weren't fighting....
queen of the castle......
goofy is as goofy does....
making memories.....
bliss........
now tell that to our wallet!!!
hope y'all had a great spring break wherever you went or whatever you did. hopefully lots of junking. i had a chance to do that a little today in LANCASTER, PA. we took a quick trip to the BIG G.W. there and i spent a whopping $28 on 2 HUGE bags of clothes for the summer/spring....plus linens, a chenille blanket, books and a couple of toys for the kids. can't beat that!!! if you haven't been to lancaster, pa before, it is so worth the trip!!!!! seriously a very interesting melting pot of people, cultures, sights, history tons of shopping, awesome antiques, and some of the best amish food.
okay...off to watch SNL.
thanks for stopping by.
lol

lost in life.....

2011-04-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

oh my....has it really been almost 2 weeks since i've posted to my blog???? yes it has. those of you that follow my blog know my love/hate relationship with technology. the woes of too much time spent in front of my computer make me stray from things i should be doing and things i miss......lately...LOTS of things!!! i've been hibernating from blogland and truth told...i don't actually miss it that much. spring cleaning has given me the opportunity to purge, purge, purge.
NETFLIX has given me the opportunity to lose myself in hours of late night GHOST ADVENTURES and ALLY MCBEAL episodes (say it ain't so!!!!!!!!!!!! 5 SEAONS!!!!) late night time away from the computer has given me the opportunity to catch up on some reading, cleaning, well overdue time soaking my feet and hanging out with the family. i'm in limbo right now with lots of things.....a move in the future, busy school schedules for the kids, spring break, visits with my mom on the weekends and i wonder how i ever found time to blog when i did it everyday??? suddenly i feel very busy....lost in life
that said....i still lurk here and there on my favorite blogs, but mostly i really need a break from the computer. i don't have an etsy account. i don't go to shows. i don't have my online shop anymore. my booth has been so slow and i don't live where it is warm year round, so the crafting is slower here than it was in texas. that said, my blog feels boring and vacuous lately. i plan to only blog about once a week and prioritize my time doing other things. i will miss my lovely distraction, but i just don't have the dedication i used to have and i get way too tired late at night to blog anymore.
that said....i have a couple of things to share. i found this awesome old bear in a free pile at one of my frequented thrift shops and he was missing his eyes...poor thing. of all people to participate in fixin up this chap...ron was there with the tacky glue and a pile of vintage buttons!!!! we found the old chenille buttons for his face and three lil matching buttons for his chest. he will reside in our crazy house with the rest of the junk and live among the dust and chaos!!
i've been downsizing like crazy (something tells me we will move w/in the next 6 months) and trying to sell as much as i can at the booth. it is a slow time for me right now, but i have managed to get rid of lots of stuff lately. i hate moving and dragging tons and tons of stuff. it sucks....so i purge christmas stuff, easter things, spring decor, halloween decor, and other seasonal stuff first. this is the extent of my spring decor this year! mill flowers in bowls around the house. i have 2 urns with flowers in the front of the house and that is it. no flowers planted this year. no new decor on the screened in porch. i go minimal before a move.....like trimming down for a big race. crazy. if we dont' move, then i consider it spring cleaning and that is okay with me.
i love this chiffon hat. it is so pretty and perfectly spring!!! the temps are cold, cold, cold here lately, but i'm optimistic!! spring will turn to summer soon, so i am patient and thankful that it isn't super hot yet.
i had the smallest table for the longest time and finally decided to UPGRADE. i found this cute dining table for $20 the other day and jumped on it!! well...i didn't jump on the table. i'm too big for that, but i did jump on the offer. you can't buy toilet paper and laundry detergent for $20.....so the table was a cheap splurge for me. i painted it pink. go figure. i didn't want to, but i didn't have any white or cream, so pink is it. i can always repaint it. i think a cottage aqua or green would be awesome!
talk about awesome.....i love this. zoey with my $1 granny blanket .... cuddled with angus and his glowing eyes.
TRADER JOES....i love you. my latest haul....
yum lavender oil spray for $4.99, honey apple butter for $2.50 and the best p.butter w/hardly any fat grams for $3.50. i also bought some tea tree oil for under $5 and i am using it on my feet. yes...overshare...but i have some foot problems i've been ignoring for a VERY, VERY long time. i will leave it at that and let you know if my feet will EVER return to normal. am i the only one with bad feet? why is it such a secret to have bad feet?? not only do i have scary, ugly feet, i also have bad circulation in my feet, so they heal very slowly. i have tonics all over the house of vinegar, tea tree oil, hydrogen peroxide, mouthwash, sprays, powders, lotions.....sooo annoying for my poor family to watch my hygiene OCD. i think my blog time has been replaced obsessing about homeopathic foot tinctures that hopefully won't blow up the house or cause a chemical reaction so bad that have to wear masks.
okay....my feet have been pickling in a solution of white vinegar, peroxide and dawn soap. ron keeps telling me i'd be better off taking medication to poison my liver than waste another 25 minutes with my feet burning in a pan of acid.
who knows....i'm lost in life. what can i say.
y'all take care and pardon my away time. i miss my bleary eyed night blog probing, but i really do need a break.
take care......have a great easter!!!!!!!! here comes peter cottontail.
lol

all work and no play makes it hard to junk!

2011-04-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

i tip my cup to spring today and now i'm tipping and sipping a cup of international coffee just to get thru this blog post!!! i am that tired. you know me...ALWAYS tired. yawn. i can't believe how warm it was today. beautiful. perfect. to honor spring, i walked, cleaned, mopped all my floors, swept my front porch, took zoey on a nature walk to the bay and even had a soybean picnic on the porch with the kids. that is right...soybean picnic....
i had pizza rolls, grapes and thawed, raw soybeans to eat. arek laughed right in my face and then i had to laugh too....who has a soybean picnic. i didn't feel like cooking.
i did manage to squeeze in some mission store action in between errands and booth restocking. i heart my mission store. notice i call it my mission store. it is ya know....haha. i always manage to find at least 1 thing that sings to me louder than anything else in the store. i had that song today....
BOOKS!!! so many cute books that made me laugh and think of spring. 4 books for $1! can't beat that.
this one about doing work was so funny, i had to get it just alter it later with my face on the girl's body and ron's face on the boy. that is the division of labor in our house for sure....me DOING WORK...yes...all of it and ron just resting on the back of the wagon. that little kid isn't pushing at all. he is resting. i know it. the little girl is doing work and the little boy is making work for her. hahahaha.
these pics are so fun and spring like.
love these friends books and this poor sad bunny. poor pitiful tortured bunny. why so sad? they colored in the lines.
birdies outside living in a cage in a tree or it is a rescue...
more birds.......
and these remind me of our backyard, only we have the mountain bluebirds and not the canaries. we have a huge eagle's nest behind our house. it is enormous and i keep hoping i will see a momma eagle soon.
more sweetness.....mother goose....so cute.
the FIND OF THE DAY....these roses! so perfectly vintage and way beautiful.
super awesome piece of hull pottery!!! only $1, but broken. hey....wha is a little wear and tear...right?
i have been downsizing like crazy!! i keep thinking we may move sooner that i was expecting.....and i don't want to drage stuff with me this movel i have bare spots now and don't worry....the white tablecloth on the table will be gone in a couple of days....gone to the washer after zoey smears strawberry shortcake lipstick on it....
i have started making cream colored collages here and there. i have so many old photos and lace.....need to use them!

arek being silly....he was in the cherry blossom parade, but cared more about his NINTENDO dsi than seeing the wash. monument.

zoey hammin it up for ron's camera. ron takes some really awesome shots. he really is quite the photographer!

the look below is the one she gives me all day long while secretly manipulating my brain to get anything she wants....ugh.

that is about it. i can't stop yawning. i need some sleep.
thanks for stopping by...
lol

led head...

2011-04-07T19:58:00.001-07:00

i am escaping CSPAN and am convinced that nothing will get accomplished until all political members involved in solving government crisis watch AMERICAN IDOL...hee hee...am i going to jail for writing that???
i am keeping it arty this post and remembering why i LOVE junk/vintage delight/beautiful imagery/cascading cottage essentials/led zeppelin/super wonderful artists/decor books that led me down the path of vintage display and collecting/showcasing/sharing and buying. i've watched too much t.v. lately that is conflicting and distracting for real life and i'm starting to take back my creative side. i'm accepting it. it is essential.
i have led head latley....which means my head has been smashed up against a speaker of some sort... saturated with tons of music! for those that read my blog, you know my love affair with rock and roll. before i became a middle aged mom and Pollyanna blogger, i was a ROCKER...saturated with music from a very early age (got my first QUEEN album when i was 8 years old) and driven by its powerful force thru so many different genres. from the early age of 5, i can remember my brothers cranking up the beatles, pink floyd, jim croche, led zeppelin, jimi hendrix, crosby stills and nash...and the list goes on! my brother would jam w/his buds in our very small and crowded living room after school when i was very young. i would walk thru the door and vibrate all the way across the floor and into my room. it was safety for me....it became my skin. my brother played guitar for years in a bluegrass band after that, so we went to festivals all the time as a family....music was all around.
music and art drive me. they live inside of me. when i need inspiration and motivation, i turn to music the way some people turn to religion and physical exercise. there is an exuberance i get from music to push boundaries, reflect, create, internalize, externalize, think, feel and mostly....remember. music stirs memories for me....creates visuals and narratives that allow me cope and imagine....reflect and escape. i'm in that place these days and i love it! i'm rambling i know....but i'm wondering if you too have a certain love for music that allows you complete saturation....
for me it is LED ZEPPELIN. i become transcendent. i think about my early teenage years and the absolute commitment i had to 70s rock and roll...guitar in hand....playing song after song.....singly so poorly and off key. anyway....i am again reclaiming my love for music. it is guiding me these days.
i let arek and zoey know there is more than pop music out there! arek is completely into electronica....chemical brothers, aphex twin, the ORB, moby, BECK, and the list goes on and arek is only 11. zoey loves opera and the black eyed peas......lady gaga and tom petty.....the clash and beyonce. my kids need to know who iggy pop is (yes, on idol!!), who X was, REM, the dream syndicate, and jane's addiction....muddy waters...bb king....smashing pumpkins and the pixies....they can listen to the pop channel, but they also have to listen to member supported radio for awesome music that is obscure and amazing. i'm ready to pass that on. i'm not a scholar. i can't pass that on, but i can pass on my love of music. i hope that takes them to amazing places when the real world is not.
blah, blah....okay...back to junk....i finally ordered INTERIOR ALCHEMY and i'm trying to figure out why the book is so expensive. i totally didn't pay that much for it, but why is it still selling for $150???? really. sorry, but i don't understand why. am i missing something? i thought it would be like 600 pages or something. i don't get it.
okay...i am totally in love...IN LOVE.. with this living room in the new issue of COTTAGE STYLE. so cute. old school....pure, adorable vintage!!! this is the look i love!!! i decorate like this and feel guilty about because ron lives in this house too. i always joke and say that it looks like a 3 year old little girl decorated my house.
i LOVE this.
this too....
finished collage....
sweet pillows i found that are totally on the shabby side....$5 for both.
found this needlepoint in a $10 BIG bag of scrap linens!!! i was so happy to find it!!! i stapled it to a small stool....reclaimed.
beatle's book i used to pour over when i was about 11 years old. i read this book and memorized all the songs! i still have it and i just adore it.

ARTY, ARTY.... speaking of being inspired....i came across these images in my BETYE SAAR book. i look at this book from time to time. years ago, this artist had a show in columbus, georgia when i was attending art school and i remember being BLOWN away her collages!!! LARGE scale collages.....life size...amazing from old dresses, cast off bits, vintage pieces, mixed together with paint and drawings that completely defined a struggle of race and freedom. amazing narratives from collages!!! you can google this artist and find out about her work if you'd like. she really has stories to tell. i wish i had 1/100th of her talent.

speaking of art.... another self portrait with my camera. not a led head....more like a BIG head.
okay...off to watch the news until it puts me to sleep!!!! thanks for stopping by....
lol

feeding frenzy...

2011-04-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

today is rambling day.....
i had a friend once in georgia that made up his own words.....i like that. it is art....so here goes...SMOREGASBOARD.....a feeding frenzy of junk and stuff and work and food and home. it is all around me today if you know what i mean!!! i am staring at the fingerprints on my computer screen...as well as the lipstick kisses on all my shabby mirrors in the house and the nail polish on my pretty faded linens....and i keep wondering where my priorities are??? do i get up from this chair and clean the dust....wash the smudges....polish the stains...pick up the piles....or do i take a moment to enjoy a break from the revolving cycle of chaos and surrender to the housework...flag in hand...sinking into my computer chair....listening to the windchimes outside and the birds chirp while blogging....getting inspired and leaving all my smoregasboard of clutter and work for later....
ron and zoey are shopping. arek is with friends. i am alone in this crazy house. it is quiet. i don't dare disturb that with rustling of cleaning and scurrying of busy housework, right?
i have been so overboard lately in my piles of stuff....wondering what to sell...what to work on...what to discard. it is another revolving cycle that leads to a frenzy of work all it's own....a buffet of craft piles, stashes of material, linens, buttons, little bits in the craft room that leave me full if i try to tackle it all at once!!!! am i the only one??? overwhelmed by the house that is supposed to bring me joy and comfort, but stressed by the thought of making it that way...so i take comfort in the life that it gives...messy or not..leaving me full and happy i have enough to choose from!
i am baffled by the homes removed of dust, clutter, toys, discard, laundry, and pots and pans in the kitchen. i cook all the time and when i leaf thru magazines, i wonder who owns those gorgeous kitchens 5 times the size of mine....cleanly lined shelves, sparkling sinks, decorated and displayed lovelies void of spills and crockpots....crumbs and clutter....pans and bowls???? as soon as i cook and clear, i am ready to cook and clear again.....lock and load....here comes the frenzy!! fast and furioius....with spills on the floor and smears on the fridge....trash can full. recycle can full. sink full......where is the beauty? SMOREGASBOARD. haha.
so what is a girl to do???? MAKE SMORES!!!! broil them...but try not to burn them. don't worry if they get burned. kids will eat anything sweet burned or not......as will i.
i've been tackling a few projects and finishing up a couple of collages when i get that occasional 15 or 20 minutes to work here and there. ron is home for the weekend, so i feel a little more relaxed and the frenzy has spots of calm when he is home. even if i don't get caught up on work, it is nice having dad home for a while! the division of labor is a little better and at least the laundry gets done!
i bought these crusty pins in a junk shop not long ago for $1. i was so happy to find them. the lady at the counter told me they might clean up nicely. okay. i will think about that as i stab one of those rusty pins thru a cute little tag or lace bow.....
i love altering bottles. it is easy to find bottles for next to nothing and they sell well......victorian scrap and old lace.....
i have a smoregasboard of those in the craftroom!!!!!
smoregasboard of curtains???? don't you know it....i change them every few months. am i the only one that can't stare at the same little valence for more than a couple of months? i don't have big, pretty rods in this house. i use what the government gave us.....those cheap rods and scary plastic shades....but don't let it stop me from hanging up what i like.
i love hooked rugs....smoregasboard of those for sure!!! this one $15....YUM..i go back for seconds and thirds when it comes to hooked rugs!......just can't stop the frenzy.....feed me more.
as fast as i downsize and finish projects, i'm starting another and finding another good deal...stuffing myself with awesome junk....and relaxing a bit more and trying not to sweat the small stuff.

too much or i might get frenzied and go SMOREGASBOARD...haha. so dumb...i know.
thanks for stopping by and i hope your piles are getting tackled and your clutter isn't overwhelming too much today.
if so...take some time for some sweet smores and worry about it later....
lol

there is going to be one less lonely chair....

2011-03-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

justin bieber might sing about one less lonely girl, but my swan song would be one less lonely chair. would i sing about boys or clubs or love??? maybe the love of chairs....junk...stuff.
my heart will beat for this........only $15!!! vintage broyhill....crammed into my ever so small BMWX3....sorry ron....and into the corner she went!!!
sooooo cute!!!!!
so....how long in between blog posts???? wow. i'm just THAT busy. how did i get so busy that i can't find time to blog?????? yikes!!! arek and zoey are arguing as i type this. zoey has finally reached that 4 year old manipulative child level that defines challenge. i will leave it at that. i feel outnumbered most of the days and it is wearing me out. if i get downtime, i spend it in the craft room and not on the blogs. what can i say....too much to do and not enough time. i love blogging, but it can take hours from my day if i let it.....lol (yes....now an official word!!)
do i have time to sit in this sweet chair???? my cat does and that is good enough!

so.....craft room is bustling with life these days!!! i have shifted the focus to working more on my booth here. it is doing pretty well and i'm starting to make some contacts....repeat customers...etc. that said, i'm starting to sell quite a bit of my upcycled funky junk which is fun for me! i love to spend almost nothing and make something!!! so fun.
i found these horrid 1980s pasta bottles and altered them to use as storage in a bathroom or craft room. i find those single s/pepper shakers and little knick knacks that are so cute from time to time. yes....they are clutter if they just sit in a big pile at the flea market, but glued to stuff....they make great bottle toppers or lamp finials or whatever!!!
how cute is the vintage stroller these are in???? zoey uses it to push one of my boudoir dolls around the house. so funny...old crap and it wins over the strawberry shortcake doll and the little tikes.

insanely gorgeous hat!!!!!!!! i love you mom, but i have to sell this.....sorry. it is amazing!!!!! i am ashamed of what i paid....criminal.....

zoey's new pastime.....PHOTOS. part of the other reason i haven't blogged much! i can't ever seem to find my camera?????? when i finally do, i download photos of obscure stuff like frozen corn spilled on the floor, the back of my head, and the inside of cat ears??? poor ron. he has to live in fluff. where is the brown leather chair for him to spill into to???? i left it at the thrift store and opted for that rose covered one instead. he will have a personal vendetta against me one day and replace everything cute with brown vinyl easy chairs...cup holders intact....milk crates, gun racks, duck cutouts and deer heads. i feel it.....and i probably deserve it.
arek on the wedgie couch.....
oh....the face of innocence.....NOT. don't let the sugar coated lips fool you....and yes, that is a cold sore. poor zoey. she got that gene from me, but she did get her dad's sweet face.

THE BEEESSSSSSSSTTTTTTT HOMEMADE BREAKFAST BARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh my gosh....these are like scrumptious, make your mouth a happy place bars.
OATMEAL/PEANUT BUTTER BARS.
i found a recipe for these online, but i embellished of course. i can't follow a recipe. i end up doing my own thing.....
ingredients....
PEANUT BUTTER (approx 1 cup)
CORN SYRUP (i used half that and honey...1/2 cup total)
BROWN SUGAR (about 1/4 cup)
VANILLA
POWDERED SUGAR (1/8 cup or so)
TONS OF OATMEAL (3 small handfuls)
FLAX SEED (handful)
BLACK SESAME SEADS (handful)
COCONUT (handful)
CHOC CHIPS (handful)
maybe something else but i can't really remember....
ANYWAY...oven on 375 and put all your ingredients in a pan and smash down and cook for about 25 minutes.
put on cooling rack and let this cool down pretty well before cutting, but still not totally so those chips will melt in your mouth!!!!!!!! ooooohhhh la la....so good. the kids will love it and think it's pie!
TELL them it is pie.
have seconds!
pie..pie face...either way it is a okay!
y'all have a great day and i'm off to clean my kitchen for like the millionth time in 2 days!! i don't think i can cook anything else. as soon as i finish one thing, everyone is hungry again and dishes are still in my sink....and my tiny 2-butt kitchen is surrounded by the sounds of everyone opening doors and pulling some strings.....angel....
now i know why mom and dad would say...."close that fridge door. don't just stand there. get what you need and close the door".
okay....better run and get that last slice of PIE....there will be one less lonely one of those for sure!
lol

absence makes the heart grow fonder....

2011-03-18T06:52:00.001-07:00

dear bloggers: please excuse me from blogland lately. i have been doing so many other things. i know i have so much catching up to do on your blogs, but i have other responsibilities right now. when i finally have a chance to settle down some...coffee in hand....morning hair and blurry eyes....i will surf and read.
thank you.......
me
WOW...where does the time go? i have been amazingly busy doing so many tasks these days that don't include the computer. i've been watching the news, cooking dinner, cleaning, schlepping kids around, hanging out with ron at night, getting taxes done, eye appts., dental appts, THE BOOTH, zoey's school, arek's school, and most importantly...SLEEP. yes...that is a good thing when the big M hits!!! i embrace slumber when i can and lately....i can!
that said....i think things happen in cycles. blogging can be very productive for me sometimes, and sometimes i find it is way more work than i have time for. i totally cut FACEBOOK out of my life. sad...i know, but i'm a bit of a Renaissance and like to just rest....the old fashion way....feet up on a stool and late night t.v. hanging with my peeps. that takes me away from all the world around me and helps me focus just on us. sometimes my brain needs that and i'm going thru that cycle right now. the less distracted i am by information overload....the better. call me old fashion...or just call me old, but i have so much going on right now, i am transcendent on just what is in front of me.....blinders on.
maybe it is my subconscious menopausal mind working hard to cut stress.....who knows....but it is the medicine i need for the moment.
i'm finding that my booth here is SO MUCH work!! it is way harder than any booth i've had before. every state requires different laws and blah, blah.....and maryland is a state of laws.....like my house of dressers.....there are way too many!! if i was a kid and maryland was my parent, i would run away from home!!! my goodness....why so many rules???? they say rules are good to break once you know them, but i'm afraid i might get the paddle from this crazy state...or detention or ALL my cute junk taken away until i can behave!!! soooo....i've been ever so diligent about keep good books and that takes time!!! still trying to get some quick projects knocked out.....SO EASY!!!! frames!!!!
i love cast off frames.....small, big, ugly, vintage, new, old, broken....WHATEVER....if the price is right (less than $1), then it is right for me.
i paint them out....sand them....fill each with a COLOR COPY of a vintage litho, card, book page, etc....and then i glue a little rhinestone to the frame and INSTANT cuteness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so easy and quick.
these frames were all 25 cents or less!!!!!!!! lovin it!!!!
okay......WHO PUT THE CUTE IN CUTENESS???? oh my gosh. these are scrumptious!!!!!! my friend cindy from texas put the cute in cuteness with these handmade hankie flowers!!!!!! they each have a safety pin sewn to the back, so i pinned them to my old lace pillow.....soooooo cute!!!!!!!! thanks cindy. these are wonderful. i could never make them....i can't figure out how you did it! you are a crafting genius!!!
i find these big wooden salad bowls all the time at my mission store. 50 cents or less.....perfect price to pick them up and shabby them out with pink/white paint!!! i also love to find cheap lace i can coffee stain and use to make rag balls for these salad bowls!!! here is a bowl of lace that i will make rag balls with soon. i will show them to you when i finish them out.
i use cast off paper/plastic bags or packing material for the middle of my rag balls. it is a great way to upcycle those waste items that are free!!!! i use straight pins and a little hot glue to keep the balls together and then glue lil pearls on the balls when i am finished. easy and cheap!!!
i needed a cover for my very, very blah and ugly....imposing and obtrusive....outdated and uncomfortable loveseat. i had a GIANT curtain i found for $2 and 2 cast off white sheets. this is what i came up with.....super easy......tacky....but less tacky than its skin underneath. i know....looks like the seat has a wedgie....lol....butt (haha) it helps keep crumbs out of the couch.
okay.....this is my product review portion of this post......
hmmmmm....herbal coffee. thought i'd give it a try. ron keeps complaining about my late night coffee binges (late night means around 6pm), so i opted for a healthy coffee alternative. OKAY....NOT. don't let the packaging fool you. if you aren't into carob or chicory....DON'T try this. i would almost rather drink my own urine, and that is gross....so i will just stick with coffee and get over it. if you LLLLOOOOOVE carob, these aren't too bad....i'd give them 2 stars.
THE EASIEST meal ever!!!! i am trying to stay on the health track since i love to eat cake late at night. i have been making fish more and beef less. i LOVE SEAPACK brand flounder and perch!!! coupons are easy to get and the fish is cheaper than salmon. i can feed the family for $3!!! i made this flounder in the broiler!!!
BROILED FLOUNDER...... spray with cooking butter then salt, pepper, seafood seasoning, tons of fresh lemon juice....broil on one side for 7 minutes. i use foil for easy clean up too!!!
SPINACH SALAD....spinach tossed with peppers, corn, cukes, fresh navel oranges with peels gone, and walnuts....TOSS with balsamic vinegar, oil, and a lil lite sesame dressing.
POT. SALAD.....CUT BIG tater pieces (cuts down on prep time)...cook....(i don't even let mine cool all the way)...cool and toss with lite mayo, celery, eggs (only 2 for those cholesterol watching folks), and here is the fun part...APPLES!! instead of onions, i use apples. the kids will eat this if i have something tart and sweet to crunch in it!!! i toss with celery seed, sea salt, cracked pepper and mmmmmm good!!!!
okay....zoey is totally jumping on me...and screaming and being very fully aware that i am NOT paying attention to her!!!! on that note....i'm excusing myself once more!!
thanks for stopping by!!!
lol

pinned down....

2011-03-11T16:26:00.001-08:00

i almost feel bad blogging these days....between really scary earthquakes, big tsunamis, coastal flooding, fires, and all the eruption of terror that's been going on, my crazy lil busy life isn't really that bad. ron has been traveling....a lot...and i've been pinned down a bit and quite busy. i haven't had much time to blog, but it happens in cycles like that.
zoey is on my lap begging for my assistance for who knows what as i type.
just felt the need to blog the latest project though.....
i found these drab pins for nickles during my BAG SALE jaunt and i knew i could do something fun with them. i took them from the below to the above!! i think they are really cute....SO EASY...cheap, and a great way to use up some scrap. i coated them with dollar store glitter glue and stick on gems....
okay....that is it. short and sweet. i better get back to my domestic duties.......but seriously....is there a coach and pretty horses outside to steal me away???
i will try not to stay away so long next time, but life w/out the hubby is hard. i'm a wuss....and i have to prioritize what i work on when he is gone. i gave up FACEBOOK. yup...gave it up. that and FLICKR, and even reality TV. more time to work on my booth and in the craft room. more time with the kids. more time to sleep. more time to LOVE what i do instead of trying to do too much and spread myself too thin. it is still hard. i'm still overwhelmed with chores and school and even my booth and the kids miss dad all the time, but i'm finding time to refocus....chill...and enjoy late night TCM movies.....jean harlow....here i come!!!
Labor of love....mom, zoey and arek....and is that a bottle of whiskey obscured by the flash???? hahahaha!!!!
y'all have a great weekend. i hope to come visit your blogs soon!!!!!
take care
lol

home is where the work is!!

2011-03-06T06:42:00.001-08:00

i'm in the middle of chaos today, so what better time for a quick post!!! arek has 5th grade assessment testing tomorrow, so we have been working on math review. homework to some degree.....oh the joy. if any of you have a child on the autistic spectrum, you know how challenging it is to help your aspie kid with math!!!! oh my gosh.
so...i'm thinking happy thoughts in the middle of chaos.....
happy things like a GREAT BAG SALE at a local thrift shop!!!!!!!! i got like 4 bags of stuff and a small table for $8!!!!
happy indeed......VINTAGE led zep tee!!!!!! arek can't wait to wear it. found some vintage rolling stone tees too!!!
happy indeed.....found these lil cake rounds and made yummy cake for strawberry shortcake!!!!!
happy happy...........
happy.......wow!! found this table for $5!!!! love it...deconstructed it and painted it with cheap ooops paint light pink!
made the pillow above from a bag sale old robe!!!! anyway.....love the look of this table. so cute. was going to put it in the booth.....but now i can't part with it!!!!
mmmmmm happy. look at these tin boxes inside the top of the table. super shabby cottage pretty.
got the mirror for FREE!!!!! so heavy. so 80's. so ugly.....until i painted it pink and hit it with the mouse sander!!!!
happy....look at this lemon yellow lamp....spring forward now. $4!!!!
happy....finding some time to work in the craft room......always good!!!
happy....only long enough to take this picture and then back to work on mixed fractions. arek tells me when his teachers (and myself) tell the kids "carry the 3 and add the 4 ".....he hears......"carry the 3 and a BECK song and sees twirly things). yikes. keep working arek....maybe one day it will click!!!!!
until then....let me get back to the chaos. i just heard zoey go outside....with my rhinestone necklace on, her disney heels, and a bathing suit....in the rain....in the mud and damp. arek preceded her by 5 minutes. i just looked outside. arek has a shovel. foreshadowing....i'm getting a visual. i better go. i see mud on my car. i see piles of grass and mud in the driveway. i see mud on zoey's pretty disney heels. i see stars. home. sweet. chaos.
thanks for stopping by!!!! have a great sunday!!!!!
lol

NEW LISTINGS!!!

2011-03-02T20:22:00.001-08:00

EVENING ALL....
per the encouragement of sweet KRISTI at JUNKOLOGY 101, i decided to list a few FLEA TREASURES for the week!! i took several things to my booth i've made over the last few weeks, but i may bring them home and add them to the list as well....
thanks for all your fun comments on that last post!!!!
hope you enjoy the browse.....
VINTAGESUE FLEA TREASURES....
lol

calgon...take me away....or cut me a check!!

2011-03-01T20:08:00.000-08:00

i'm hot....sweaty....either from all the crazy work i've done today (i fell off the back of out pick up truck trying to load a dresser. i'm such a dork) or blame it on the vitamin water or maybe it is one of those dumb middle age woman flashes i get right before i blog....who knows??? could be the LARGE volume of toxic glue i've been ever so careful not to sniff hard or the dust from a $10 dresser i sanded today. either way....it is no wonder my internal thermostat is out of whack!! CALGON...take me away!!!!.
i've been so busy....busy, busy, busy. busy and broke!!! if i'm not crafting lately, i'm spending money on the dentist, the eye doctor and other essentials that cost way too much!! since when did eye glasses become so expensive??? for cryin out loud...i have officially reached the bionic age of super industrial strength bifocals and non glare lenses for my aging eyes. if they were muscles, they would sag.
speaking of muscles sagging......since they took hoarders off the air on monday nights, i've decided to switch to HEAVY for the hopes of a great addictive new t.v. fix. well....i watched the first 3 episodes and decided last night, after the lady was found with the peanut butter, to turn off the t.v. and march straight to the craft room and work. I HAD IT. come on...really??? so many things were wrong with that episode and it gave me a reality show epiphany that has really cleared my mind. after that, i made a promise to myself that i would use my time more wisely and do anything but watch that show.
what disturbed me the most was one of the counselors telling the peanut butter lady to NOT eat this and NOT eat that and food addiction this and that and scold, scold, shame, shame, starve, starve...and then i realized that the counselor had such a BAD case of skin damage from the sun, she had no right scolding and judging another for their not so optimal food choices. THAT IS WHEN IT HIT ME. i wanted to scream...."HEY LADY!!!! SUNSCREEN!!! EVERYDAY!!!" no excuses...no whining...no skipping a day....EVER. what is one bad habit from another??? what difference does it make?? if you are fit and healthy and skinny, you can still get skin cancer if you don't wear sunscreen. i'd rather cover my not so muscular body with clothing that protects mefrom the direct fire of the blazing southern sun, than be perfect about all my food choices and feelings!! i felt sort of sorry for the lady trying to lose weight. i could totally understand her frustration and for once....i was totally on her side...until she had a panic attack when she missed her 4th wedding anniversary and then i rolled my eyes and 10 minutes later started making crafts. i think i've missed at least 10 wedding anniversarys...at LEAST!! her husband was home. he was safe. get over it. he wasn't fighting a war and missing his kids. oh my gosh....between that and the sun damaged skin and the hidden peanut butter and crackers (i would have done the same thing!!!! i get hungry at night and i would hate to eat only 1200 calories a day!!), i realized i was almost watching jerry springer and i found something more entertaining to do.
like make some collages and upcycle some free stuff my mom gave me! she was ready to purge the interior decorating sconces below and i just couldn't let them hit the recycle pile. i sanded them with my mouse sander, added the cup/creamer to each, a little sticker of a clock face, some burlap bows, rhinestone gems at the top....and now they have a more contemporary pottery barn look.

found this pail for 10 cents and added a vintage card to it....pulled some roses off a wreath i was going to throw away and ripped strips from an old dress to make a bow.
the below was so fun to make!!! i found the little bench for 25 cents and painted it pink. i added the clothespins and then found the cast off butter dish today for 25 cents and added it to the bench. perfect for business cards!!!!!
made a pin from a cast off ornament.
found this tea pot cutting board for 25 cents and embellished it with old papers and new stickers.....
this is why the glue is making me nuts!!!! i love to make these compotes and towers, but i should glue this outside...ugh. anyway....i find plates and candle holders/vases for next to nothing at my favorite mission store. i decided to make a compote and add spoons. don't know yet if this will be a flop or a hit, but how cute in the garden with some bird seed or in the kitchen holding tea bags!
the letter box was $1. i added some embellishments and.....upcycled letter holder!
pile of cast off goodies i found today for 25 cents each!!!! i will show you the dresser i found next post!! ron was SUCH a trooper today. he helped me drag that beast up to zoey's room. we almost wet our pants lifting the dang thing.
one of my favorite finds today......THESE chemistry lab thingies (wow...i'm so prolific). they were 25 cents each and i LOVE the oversize tea lights that WALMART sells. i added one to each of these and i think they really are a conversation piece!
speaking of a conversation piece.....AREK. he loves FRED. he is FRED.
fred reminds me of a modern day PEE WEE HERMAN, only i loved pee wee. fred on the other hand....not so much. this kid is making a ton of money being annoying. since when? i'm annoying and i need $500 to pay for my new glasses. maybe i should get my own website and screech in a high pitched voice about the troubles of menopause, the problems with high priced thrift shops and the lack interest i had on the 4th episode of a promising reality show......
until then....i'll fork out the quarters to buy cool junk and take hot baths to make expensive eye wear seem a little less stressful..
thanks for stopping by...
lol

round and round....in circles

2011-02-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

how long has it been since serious blogging has entertained my scattered thoughts??? wow. i've been going round and round....you know the feeling i'm sure....like a hamster on a wheel....not quite knowing when to get off and when to get on. that said...i've been using my time wisely and getting my priorities a little more in order. i say a little more because i can't ever quite get anything in order. i'm one of those perfectly imperfect people. i am the jack of all traits. i am the master of none. if i can't do something completely, i tend to let it overwhelm me and don't tackle it at all!!! i've been in that spot a little lately. winter is still here. i'm not completely captivated by spring yet and i'm trying to take advantage of those short days still....lingering in the house and cleaning...helping arek with much needed homework help...giving into zoey's all day demands....playing both mom and dad with ron out of town 85% of the time! i feel the pull of the family more than the computer, but i'll get back into a grove soon. it is what it is and that's okay.
i have also had some health problems...my feet have been giving me problems with pain and numbness....my hiatal hernia has given me fits lately....my back is weak....my right eye might have the onset of a cataract (did i spell that right) and i haven't even hit 50 yet!!! where has my youth gone??? i still feel like i'm in the mind of a 27 year old, but my face says no way and so does my body!! i used to exercise all the time and now i feel like it is a distant cousin.....one that's kept close to my heart, but has moved away to a distant place with too many roads and not enough plane fares to get there. i use kids and cold weather as an excuse not to walk and workout, but life is busy and i choose responsibilities over the gym. am i the only one?
enough about all that internal jibber jabber....blah, blah, blah. i sound like a broken record spinning round and round. haha.
i had a water leak in my downstairs bath, so it got cleared out...fixed...painted. i decided to go a little shabby crazy in there and restock with lil junk finds and whatnots...all girly...all flair. doesn't matter to me i'm in a military house. i make the best of any house...
mismatched towels...hats..lil vignettes...plants and dresses hung from the curtain rods with care in the hopes that the shabby claus will soon be there (with cast off junk!)
lil one dollar lady and smalls from my friend cindy!

i can't get away from florals!!! i understand the need for neutrals....i love neutrals, but florals have my heart!!!
florals, florals, florals!!! cheap pillow cases and sheets....$1 pearls and $3 rhinestone shoe clips!
collages in the making. i'm trying to get another box shipped to DANIEL'S WOOD DEN, but it has been another project on the back burner. lately ron has been out of town...A LOT...and that means i have to do my job and his and the fun stuff goes on the back burner. i've even fallen off the FACEBOOK of the earth!!! i gave up facebook. like coffee or big shopping splurges....i gave it up...at least for a while. my family is demanding. i've realized that the more time i spend at the computer, the less time i have with them. i'm trying to keep it in balance.
my mom gave me some FAT chunky rusty wire that i brought home and made little circles out of to hold photos in jars!!!
been doing a lot of reading lately. no novels ...just magazines to keep the creative fires burning!!!! wow....such talent in these magazines! what i love to read are the snippets and articles from the bloggers i visit frequently!!!!! y'all have my heart.
been sleeping more at night. between feeling tired and weak and the hot flashes, i need more zzzzzz's. it is a good thing. sweet dreams help heal. i believe it!
found this table curbside when i visited my mom last weekend!!! i was out for a walk and found this and carried it home like 4 blocks!!! i love the patina! i did nothing to it at all.....stuck it in my booth as is and put some paris inspired things on it. looks lovely!!! i also found the rag rug under this table for $10!!! old rugs have my HEART. i love them and when the price is right.....i can't resist. the temptation is way to much for me.....the stranglehold it has on me is infectious and can't be stopped....argh.
another 'has my heart' item....sweet smelling soy tarts!!! i love them. they are a weakness....like chocolate cake or pretty lace. i can't stop myself.
these are great. they are cheap....i can order them online and they are here FAST!!!! only $1.89 for a pack of 4. each tart has a super scent throw and they last at least 4 days to a week!!!
addiction.....first step. admit i have a problem. second step. buy more!!!
and more.....round and round.....in circles!!! until the onset of spring and maybe more light and maybe more walks around the block. but stay away from the BIG DEER. i've watched WAY too many episodes of FATAL ATTRACTIONS and now i'm afraid i might get bullied by a BIG BUCK on my block. yes...we have over 50 deer everyday across from our yard!!! scary. if they don't get me, my rats will probably eat my face.
good thoughts....
sweet songs...
thank you
joni mitchell
And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game *
y'all thanks for stopping by....i'm off to get arek and zoey out of quicksand (a.k.a. 17 pillows and blankets on my floor)
lol

if only for a day....

2011-02-18T06:48:00.000-08:00

you know the say....'queen for a day'...well, i have found that moderate temps are the new queen. i am in awe that we went from tundra to tropical in a matter of a day. the temps here are great!!! spring is a tease. she knows she is queen...if only for a day!!! it is just enough of a tease to inspire me to clean my living room. only my living room. the rest of the house will have to wait until the real spring emerges and the day turns into months.
i want to believe spring is on the way....but i know better. it is only february....brown mud is mushing on the ground and leaves are still gone....bare trees....lots of brown....snow banks are still melting and filled with black tar.
still....i love a spring day in february!!! chocolate cake for breakfast and a suitcase filled with shirts that look like doiles....i'm off for a road trip to grandmas house today!
i think i need a getaway.
it has been a weird week.....deaths of 2 people that put memories in my head and the happiness of the memories that mix with the sadness of loss....surreal and suspended.
also...i have a cold ..but i won't let it get me down!!! i have a theory. i think when toddlers and very young children get colds, the virus affects their brain. i know it sounds silly, but both zoey and arek have shown particular signs of hyperactive behavior that is intensified when they have a cold. arek is older now, but zoey is going thru the same thing arek used to go thru when he was young! this week i've seen zoey's energy level go thru the roof and she is sick! crazy. you would think a cold would slow down a youngster, but i think nature has something else in mind!! lol. that or too much chocolate cake...haha
so....spring for a day.....okay.....i think of whites, lace, mirrors, and light.....
mirrors are such a fun way to bring light to a wall and in a room. i have a big covered porch outside that protects my front room from light, so i bring that sun in any way i can!! i need sun. i crave her warmth and light. i am not that person with the blinds closed or curtains pulled. i let the sun shine in!
i moved the mirrors off this wall and made a grouping on another wall above. i decided to go for the warmth of brown and gold mixed with my big, white dresser that ron hates so much. we have moved this dresser like 5 times and it hasn't crunched up yet. i paid $40 for it years ago and i plan to keep it as long as i can. i hear the same thing over and over...."that dresser is old! wow. when are you going to paint it. it would look great if you painted it. it just needs a coat of paint". it has a coat of paint. thanks.
better run. i have new flea treasures for the week. i will be out of town, but can hold anything for you if you'd like. i won't invoice until next tues, but i'll be happy to hold items for you until then!!! thanks for all your support and i'm off for a little R&R away from my happy, chaotic house....and as crazy and crowded as it gets.....i wouldn't have it any other way! i feel rich. i feel lucky. one $5 junk mirror to me feels like gold! i love my junk and feel like a queen during one crazy spring day in february all the time.
thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. yard sale days are coming soon!!!
lol

pretty plates and lil things....and a much needed escape to blogland!

2011-02-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

before i blah, blah, blah...i must say i thought of something today that felt really, really important at the time (still does). i am thankful for WATER. so thankful i have water to drink, wash clothes, do dishes, cook, and keep my body clean. i don't know what spawned the idea of water being the greatest benefit of my life today, but i feel lucky and thankful to have running water.
that said....i'm hiding from the family. shame. on. me. they are watching MY DOG SKIP and i don't want to cry. i'm not in the mood gosh darn it. stop making me feel sad. don't make me watch that movie. i'm not in a melancholy mood, so leave me be...in my happy head....thoughts of pretty plates, lace and lots of running water.
i've been playing house the last couple of days, but it feels more like work than play. maybe when children are small, we should say..."go play in your work house", or "go work in your playhouse" or something that resembles real life....preparatory activities that will close the gap between work and play when our young become older and realize that life + housework = repetition and fatigue. haha.
cooking is the same. we give our kids these cute kitchenette sets with pretty floral pots and pans....sweet lil boxes of cute play cookies and the best lil rosy plates topped with plastic strawberries and pretend wiener roasts....cute aprons and puffy hand mits to pull plastic chicken legs from pretend ovens. sweet, yes.....but clean up is WAY too easy. no mess. no stuck on grease or oozing butter...no batter or spatter. who knew it was going to become such work as an adult? lol. my mom always said...."everything is fun to learn as a child, until you learn it. then it is no fun anymore and becomes work." so true.......
so today i work.....but i play too...........i play with 25 and 50 cent plates that look amazing....no batter...no spatter. just sweetness that won't get dirty.
these are so pretty. i will glue them to old boards and put them in plants in the spring.......
all this narrative....on a 50 cent plate!!! who needs the NATIONAL GALLERY when you have the local JuNk SHoP?
and this one........only $1 and perfectly chipped to put in a plant!! the handle was broken, so it was only $1.
stacks like a deck of cards.....waiting for a shuffle and a game....i'm ready to play.
don't you love it when you find a big ole bag of lace in a thrift shop??? this bag was $3!!
and the lady doily was 50 cents. i want to hand stitch her to a laundry bag i found for 50 cents. it will look like one of those vintage laundry bags that costs way more than $1!!
more kitchen goodies.......I LOVE THESE SHAKERS. i found the green and blue shakers at SENECA antique mall for $1 each. i can't buy an ice mocha for that amount!
also been messing with the macro setting on my point and shoot. who knew? how long have i had my camera and i'm just now figuring out the settings? am i the only one? now that i know, i'm going to take better photos....not as much glare and flash i hope. i took a few photography classes in college, but i'm just toooooo lazy to commit to a manual camera. too much work. i'm a hack.

onto the cooking portion of this post.........
LEFTOVERS!!!!
what to do with leftovers. i am going to admit to 2 things.......1. i throw food away. 2. i'm a hot dog/mac & cheese mom
there...i admit it. that said.....i try to use leftovers as creatively as i can. it cuts down on throwaways and helps me find some healthy alternatives to chicken nuggets over and over again.
EGG NOODLE SURPRISE!
at the request of my family.....i made instant mash potatoes for the first time in YEARS!!! my mom would cook them when i was a kid and i loved them!!! i bought a box on a whim a couple of months ago and decided to cook them last night. i have forgotten how much fun they are to eat!!! processed....yes....but no fat!
i had a big ole bowl leftover today so made up a recipe..........
i made a dough from the potatoes and put it in a casserole dish....cooked it on 400 degrees for 17 minutes
took it out to cool......
added my ingredients........here are my ingredients and spices....leftover spatzle (german egg noodles), leftover hot dogs, spinach that never seems to get eaten fast enough, onions, cheese, eggs, half/half....
mix noodles, eggs, half/half, cheese, chopped spinach in a bowl....
take onion and hot dog (leftover too) and fry in a teaspoon of butter until caramelized. let cool and add to egg mixture.
pour ingredients atop the mashed potato crust and bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes.....until bubbly and crisp.
when cooled, slice and enjoy!!
another easy favorite of mine.....
spicy chicken salad! i love to eat this, but the restaurant version is filled with a bazillion calories, so i made this at home recipe instead.
romaine lettuce, carrots, cukes, sugar tomatoes, and frozen chicken strips. i cut the strips and tossed them in hot wing sauce (fat free). i tossed the chicken and salad together with reduced fat ranch dressing......lots of calories saved and still just as tasty!!!!
okay....that is it for the day. the entire family is crying over MY DOG SKIP...me too...and i didn't even watch it. make it stop.
zoey can't stop crying. she says she want to watch it again. arek says he will never watch it again.
go on kids and work in your playhouse.....get outta my hair and let me play house!!
lol

new flea treasures!!!!!!!!!

2011-02-09T19:57:00.001-08:00

kids are asleep! ron is home and asleep. snow is just barely covering the ground. i'm eatin a big hunk bar (lol...they are so good) and listing things for the flea treasure blog if you want to browse!!!! i'm basking in the glow of american idol tonight!!!!! i loved the last singer the best! the fact he is so young, married, has a small child and has aspergers and was diagnosed with turrets, makes me hopeful for arek!!! arek was tested for turrets after his asperger diagnoses at age 5. the fact that arek said the word ASS (i am not making this up) out loud over and over and make crazy loud random noises over and over at totally inappropriate times, made the experts believe he might have turrets. not only did arek say the bad word over and over, he was obsessed with writing it all the time!! he hyperfocused on all kids of crazy things (still does) when he was very young, all the while making extremely loud vocal blurts that were random and strange. anyway...i've diverged.....idol was great!! the fact that that last singer's wife writes notes to him all over the house telling him he is someone makes me hopeful too. what a great story. i wish them both a happy ending!!!
okay....no more big hunks or i will have big chunks on top of the hunks i already have on my body!!!
thanks for stopping by.....be safe in that crazy snow.
lol

busy as a bee, bird, and everything in between...

2011-02-08T18:33:00.001-08:00

oh my gosh! the virtual tale of time and how it flies by so fast!!! time flies...bees fly. birds fly. i'm busy as a bird these days. flying here...flying there. i'm all over the place doing this...doing that. it is almost 10 pm and zoey still won't go to sleep. i hear barney in the backround and i'm expecting another hot flash in about 3 minutes.
ron is away. again.
i love blogging, but i'm going to make it a point not to let it stress me out. i want to stay connected, but lately....i'm very, very busy....flapping my wings and trying to find seed. blogging seems too high in the trees for me these days, but i'm going to make it a point to blog when i can. read what i can. comment when i can.
that said.....i have made it thru a couple of very busy weeks and i'm readjusting my schedule some so i have more time for things other than blogging and working and stressing....i made a point to watch the superbowl....all the way thru...even half time...with ron...on the couch really close...without a computer on my lap...wishing i could meet the cute player with that long blond hair and wondering if FERGIE is all real.
i have been reading to arek and zoey at night. i have been exercising a little at night for 20 minutes. i have starting clipping coupons to save money and get our grocery finances on a well needed diet. i have been keeping up with laundry. i have started playing the electric guitar. i am 5 power cords into it and i feel the 70's heavy metal surging thru my hot flashing 46 year old body!!! it is really fun.
i have started working in my craft room again. i have stopped buying so much online. i'm trying to get out of my frosty winter funk and move in a positive direction. nesting. eating. flying.
thank you to all that listened to my blah, blah last post. i so appreciate the comments and advice!!!! really.
i've been thrifting a bit after quiet a hiatus!! it has been almost a month since i've hit the shops! lol.....i love the little tile above and the hanger that said austin and had a face on it. i sanded it and altered it a bit. these 2 cuties put me back 50 cents!!! what else is up??? here is the timeline........
busy, busy....fluttering about.....
flapping my wings and spreading them out....breaking away from the cage and getting out and about...
trying to stay positive..........
eating on the cheap...........this tuna casserole is so easy and so cheap!!! i wrote to the starkist manufactuers and asked for coupons....got em!! i used a small can of white tuna, whole wheat pasta, canned mushrooms, mushroom soup fat free, light daisy sour cream (got a coupon for that too) mixed with lipton soup mix, fat free half and half, panko breadcrumbs and fresh grated parm atop.......oh my. the sour cream with the lipton soup really made this pop!! kids loved it!
cranberries aren't just for the holidays. we eat them year round!
been makin my own version of those expensive mixed grain granola cereals you find. you can get cheerios so cheap.....add some raisins, cranberries, cashews, flax seeds, soy nuts, almonds, etc....and get your own healthy mix for cheap!!!
thrifting today brought me this sweet purse!!! only $1!!

i've been busy trying not to let the house burn down!!! ZOEY...yikes. she wrapped up the curtain in this lamp. ron tells me if i would put shades on the lamps, this wouldn't happen. shades??? on lamps? they sell those?
i've been playin in the craft room and looking thru scrap....i love to just dig thru scrap and look at images of long ago....sweetness.....no rings on the coffee table from grape juice...no burns in the curtains from hot lights....no crumbs on the floor from peanut butter toast.....just pretty vintage loveliness......

i've been playing this way too loud and way too sloppy. i'm making ears bleed and heads hurt....including my own...and loving it!
i've been trying to keep a white couch clean....
and a white chair clean....with tacky doily arm covers....and oh wait...there is a shade on that lamp!

i'm finding uses for those mis-matched salt and pepper shakers.....because who doesn't put that on their priority list?
stacks of pretty flannel top my linen basket in my craft room. i've been hanging out with my neighbor while i watch her downsize for a move to australia. i will miss her so much. she is comforting me with hand me down flannel nightgowns.....lol. they are the sweetest!!!! she gets it. she loves to shop for more than one of anything like i do. i take comfort in that.
i've been enjoying my new found addiction.......STICKERS.......mmmmmm good. wolf camera online!!!! and they take paypal. yikes.
i've been creating.....
crafting.....
and watching zoey decorate her toes with my gem stickers....HOW CUTE.
helping zoey and arek with homework (my oh my....arek's homework is hard. math? who likes math? only if it is like 20 doilies plus 100 rhinestone earrings = one happy junker!)
zoey spells her name with a variation of those 4 letters every time she writes it down. today it is
EZYO
sometimes OZEY
somtimes YOZE
sometimes EZOY
and now i'm off to tackle these!!!!!!!!!!! can't wait.
y'all take care and thanks for wasting another perfectly good 10 minutes reading who knows what......
hope the weather is good where you are and if not....you have tons of toilet paper and sweet ice tea....cookie mix and bread....milk and paper towels.....and lots and lots of time to do your favorite hobby!!!
take care
lol

tortured souls....

2011-02-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

so....i've been away from blogland. i admit i miss the virtual distraction....so...much. i love to pour over blogs and get ideas at night....late at night....when the kids are resting in their beds and the world is alive outside and i'm all alone at the end of a day....computer screen before me....image after image...idea after idea...and me with a cup of tea or a glass of water or whatever...happy, content, relaxing....nurtured soul!
BUT...
lately it hasn't been like that AT ALL.
tortured soul.
lately...i've been overwhelmed....snowbound...going on almost 2 weeks of kids home day after day with no school. i love my children. for the 3 of you that read my blog, you know i love my kids, but i get overwhelmed. a lot! it has been a very challenging 10 days for me. i don't have a job to go to everyday, so i don't have the comfort of leaving the house and coming back home at night...paycheck in hand. i am home....all the time....in a house that is old and cold and hard to keep clean. i cook my meals at home so i can save money. for those of you that cook 3 meals a day....YOU KNOW you spend your life's work washing loads of dishes and have little time to do anything else. i know....i know...have arek help. getting a child on the autism spectrum to help do certain chores is a chore in itself, so i just spin in circles day after day....one chore after the next....pulled in one direction by zoey...pulled in another by arek...living too far between my peers for any interaction with other children. i'm whining. i know.
there is gratitude. i try to stay positive. i dream.
i dream small.....
10 minutes alone in the bathroom.
20 minutes w/out the word mom so i can practice my guitar.
30 minutes in the craft room to price, work, take pics, rearrange, dig thru scraps, junk, play.
1 minute on the porch w/out the word mom so i can take in the cold air and rethink the unimportance of structure, organization, lack of chaos, sibling fights....
i dream of a cigarette i can smoke that won't cause cancer.
i dream of cookie i can eat that won't make me have a headache, stomach ache and make me tired.
i dream of a calm mind that can focus on the task at hand and not worry about the other stuff that i can't manage.
i dream of a time when the kids will go back to school.
i dream the 4 piles of laundry in the basement will do themselves.
i dream my GPS in my car wasn't broken.
i dream of skinny thighs.
i dream of a housekeeper and a nanny and a full time cook!!! is that too much?
i dream of summer.
please tell me i am not the only one that is having a hard time with all these snow days!!! i don't know how homeschooling moms do it????? how do you manage it all??? how can you manage it and still find time for yourself?? maybe i shouldn't ask for time to myself. maybe i am asking too much of myself to want time to myself. my job is a mom now and a housewife and maybe a part-time late night blogger.
maybe it helps to have a dad home everyday. maybe that is the secret. i am not that fortunate. ron works all the time. the army life is a full commitment and sacrifice. soldiers dedicate so much time to other soldiers...as it should be. i married ron knowing that the army would always come first. i am the support he needs so he can do his duty...but i am just having one of those pity me days. i suck. i'll get over it.
soooo.....today is my anniversary. i have been married to ron for 23 years. i can't even believe it. it amazes me and depresses me at the same time!!! i married ron when i was 23....do the math. i'm old.
i can't believe we have a 4 year old daughter. never on my dream list did i write down have a baby at 42!!! lol. i remember back in the day i looked like these beauties....all fit....no gray hair....and my anatomy made sense. things were where they should be. now i feel like a tortured soul.....23 years of marriage and i'm a housewife....overweight; out of shape; wrinkles; sags; gray hair.....i'm afraid to look in a mirror. i fear what looks back at me, but i make the best of it. it is what happens to women....we age. where is the tonic? i think the fountain of youth is frozen from all the snow.
is ron here to celebrate with me tonight? no. he would be if he could. i think i've spent so many holidays without him home, it is the norm. he has missed so many easters, i've lost count....at least 3 christmas holidays, several birthdays...including his own, at least 10 anniversaries, almost missed zoey's birth, he's missed school concerts, boy scout camp outs, halloween trick or treating, at least 4 thanksgivings or more....wow. maybe that is why we have been married this long!!! i'm kidding...but not entirely. hahaha.
sooooooo
i'm trying to stay on track with healthy foods, but this cold weather just gets the best of my sweet tooth. i ate cookies today that were full of butter and choco chips....ugh.....not good.
i managed to whip up a healthy version of a not so healthy chinese take out for lunch today.
what to do with that leftover sweet/sour chicken and pork fried rice that is not so heart healthy???
add a ton of VEGGIES TO IT and make a fried rice in olive oil with tons of fresh garlic. sprinkle with organic black sesame seeds and raw soy beans.....
i added ORGANIC BLACK SESAME SEEDS to this. i read these are good for premature gray hair....something about making the bad blood from the kidneys better??? great. i have so much gray hair and i just thought it was meant to be that way....do i have bad blood? just what i need!!! lol.
ron sends me flowers for EVERY occasion. men just think flowers are a girl's best friend. for most they are, but for the junker in me....i will take doilies or broken brooches just as easily....hahaha.
these flowers are great. i just love the colors....all those bright pinks are gorgeous!!! thank you ron!!!!

just a couple more recipes to share and i'm on my way to bed......
i made these cookies with a ton of healthy fiber, but used butter and brown sugar. i think the key to a really good cookie is BUTTER!!!!!! brown sugar too. i also think the longer you beat the sugar/butter, the fluffier your cookie!!! these cookies were made with only 1/2 stick of butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
i added about 3/4 cup of flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
i added a big ole handful of dates, raisins, pecans, flax seeds, big hand oatmeal, a touch of yogurt and honey too...
some spices.....anything you have will work....ginger/all spice/nutmeg...
i baked until the edges got crispy
we ate the whole batch in 2 days.
TIP FOR UNEATEN STEEL CUT OATS!!!
my cholesterol is stupid high. ron's is high too....SO...we eat oats. i put oats in everything!!! especially my pancake mix. ron eats the steel cut oats for breakfast almost everyday and always makes too much!!! i take the leftovers and put them in my morning pancake mix!! the kids love it. i also add almond powder, whole wheat flour, cottage cheese, plain nonfat yogurt, and/or flaxseeds. the kids don't even know they are eating this and it is a great way to add some good nutrition to a meal that might not otherwise have much.
another great LEFTOVER tip!!!
i am not a vegan. i am not a vegetarian. i eat meat. there....i said it. i was a vegetarian for almost a year once, and i had hallucinations of t-bone steaks. i was hungry.
anyway, i made hamburgers the other night and added all my leftover beans/veggies from the night before. i also added an onion and some red jarred peppers. the kids ate it!!! i had some sweet/sour sauce i made in the crock pot for chicken from the night before and we put that on the burgers!!!! mmmmmm good. the sweet/sour sauce was so easy...
one jar sweet/sour sauce
one can pineapples
one red pepper cut up
garlic powder a touch and a little salt/pepper/brown sugar.
crock pot for 6 hours on low and mmmm.

how long is this post? how tired am i?
i love these candies!!!!! have you had them before? i ate them all the time when i was little. the wrappers are made of rice paper and they are edible. yummy. now arek loves them!!!!
better run...my legs are aching and my throat feels slightly sore. arek has been fighting a virus for 4 days now. poor thing. the doc called it something or another that i've never heard of. am i a doctor? do i have that knowledge? can you break down those medical terms into something i can grasp? describe what the blisters on his throat look like please...give me a visual...a metaphor...a description. don't give me a term. arek and i called the blisters the declaration of independence blisters. he has the declaration of independence virus. i hope it doesn't torture his soul.
here comes another hot flash.
i better go......
i have a new listing for the FLEA MARKET TREASURES on my blog shop. stop by if you have time!!!!
thanks for letting me vent.
stay safe from the storm and i wish you lots of hours with electricity and toilet paper!
lol

oh my gosh....Y'ALL ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS!!!!

2011-01-27T14:25:00.001-08:00

ATTENTION....ATTENTION.....
AMY at 4 SISTERS IN A COTTAGE is hosting a super duper awesome giveaway!!!
over 100++++ pieces of vintage/vintage reproduction ephemera!!!!
oh my.....the best!!!!!!

please go by her website and leave a comment to win!!!! she also has an ETSY site and COTTAGE website that ROCKS THE VINTAGE HOUSE DOWN!!! you will love her blog and her store.

hope you all are hanging in there with these crazy winter storms!!! tigers and lions and snow....oh my. maryland really is for snow crabs. yikes. no power, abandoned cars, icy streets, howling wind, heavy snow, and 7+ days of no school for the kids......where am i? somebody call the global warming network and tell them to send penguins.

y'all have a great night and stay safe.
lol

one of those days....

2011-01-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

yawn, yawn....i should be snoozing....should....but i'm not. i'm too steamed. i had one of those days.....some of you ladies may be able to relate...NOW maybe not those single ladies above..woe. i'm just saying....it was one of THOSE days....in the car...for a LONG time with the kids and ron. need i say more.
i love my husband. i love my children. i also love chocolate cake, but too much will make my stomach hurt and cause me unwanted mood swings.
does that mean i need to line up with the ladies above and take a number with that charming big prince??? waiting my turn for a dance and some space alone without a bicker or a blame? only i can answer that, but i will say....i was challenged today beyond my comfort zone with compromise and agreement. i hate days like today. you single ladies above must feel so liberated and confident with your exuberance for what you love and who you are....pretty in your gowns that you picked out...beaming with independence and individuality....your way....your how. no judgments...no questions....and i'll leave it at that. hmmmph.....there i feel better. i can breathe.
anyway....blah, blah. i have been putting off a foodie post for a while. i have a few things to share and then i thought i might try something once a week. product sharing! i just love reading reviews of products before i try them. i'm a big ole thrifter, but i do have a few indulgences that are worth the price of gas in my beauty cabinet.
i don't wear much make up....in fact, i hardly ever wear make up, but i love good lotions and cleansers, so i indulge in mary kay. i'll share my stash with you!
before i go on about products, i have to share a recipe that is SOOOOOO easy to make, healthy, quick and tasty!!!
Spaghetti Frittata w/cheddar cheese and fresh baby spinach
i used whole wheat noodles, 6 eggs, fresh onion, fresh baby spinach~a BIG bunch of it~, tons of cheddar cheese, one cut up pure beef hot dog, fresh ground pepper, sea salt, about 1/4 cup fat free half/half, and a few shakes of minced onion.
blend your egg mixture and then add other ingredients
spray loaf/baking pan with butter spray, add ingredients and bake on 350 degrees for 30 mintues
take out oven...serve to children and watch them frown.
tell them it is cheese pie and watch them eat a whole bunch of it!!!!
enjoy....

another great food tip!!! mix fat free yogurt, diet creme soda and POM juice together for an awesome FLOAT!!! pretend you are on an island and drink fast enough to get a back cramp. make another and really enjoy it!!
okay....let's talk fruitcake!!!! i know, i know....who likes fruitcake??? lemme tell ya....I DO. my mom makes THE best fruitcake ever!!! really....it is that good. moist, fresh, bold, and none of that weird citron stuff that makes fruitcake creepy. my mom's is rock star quality for sure!!! she makes some every year around the holidays and i've stored it in my fridge for well over 6 months and it gets better and better....cuz of all the bourbon she pours on it, but that is another post..haha. this was my afternoon coffee snack yesterday.....8 oclock coffee...in a 10 cent vintage pyrex cup. don't get much better than this!
i experimented a couple of days ago and made banana nutella wontons.
took those wonton wrappers you find next to the tofu....added a small slice of banana, smear of nutella, dropped it in the deep fryer for 3 minutes, made a HUGE mess, said bad words, made more and more, covered with tons of powdered sugar, honey,
ate 4 and hit the pepto...vowed to never eat again.....
gave away the 2nd batch to neighbor.
will say.....these were super, super YUMMY!!!
okay....some staples in our house.......JASMINE TEA. i buy the expensive stuff.....jasmine pearl tea and i add rose petals to it. about 8 pearls and 2 rose buds per cup and you have yourself a very fragrant and tasty green tea.
more staples........can't live without hot choco, oatmeal, and tahini.
can't live without these.......do i have a problem with getting older? am i confronted by the pressure of societal youth? yes i am.
and my favorite hair products....love these....and LUSH lotions. the spicy foot lotion is so wonderful and worth the $$. if i have to spend lots of money on a product, i really have to use it and like it....
blah, blah....a couple more things......nothing like a quick project to chase away the one of those days blues.....
i used my mouse sander on this $15 dollar dresser. i just love it. i will add some glass knobs one day, but for now, this is fine! it is the perfect spot to hide school papers, craft items and toys.....
speaking of toys.......here is a playmate. this is one of my rats, CHEESE. we call him the big cheese. he is overtly shy, but still very nosy if that makes any sense. i don't get it. both my rats are scared and shy. i don't think they were handled at all, so now they cower and run, but i still insist on picking them up and making little runs for them a couple times a week. they require so much work! i recycle boxes, tubes, egg carts, fabric, socks, and all kinds of stuff to allow them some exploring time. if you aren't scared of rats, they make really good pets. these guys just happen to be the shy ones, but get them when they are very small and you can train them to do all kinds of cool stuff!!! you can take them to estate sales and scare away the competition!!!
that is about it. i'm drained. i must try to rest my mind and clear my head from one of those days. my mom warned me there would be days like this....i mean it. she did.....but they are a little easier when i have a slice of her homemade goddess of a fruitcake!
y'all thanks for stopping by. i listed a couple more goodies on my flea treasure blog......
take care
lol

seeing red, white and dust.......

2011-01-21T08:09:00.001-08:00

oh my....it snowed again. 1 inch maybe....i am not kidding....school 2 hours late!!!! no school for zoey on fridays....and me in this house again.....seeing red, white and dust!!!! which leads me to 3 reasons to blog:
1. my house is messy and dusty and i go in circles trying to clean it. i can't be the only one on this...right? therefore, i just won't sweat it and blog.
2. i figured out a way to make sepia photos on my lil point and shoot nikon. i am so behind the times....woe is me. how long have i had this camera and i'm just now finding the sepia tone??? duh.
3. it is a long weekend with the kids.....snow days this week and teacher planning next week and more snow coming next week.....so i need to blog when i can before i start drowning in chores and motherhood doom...hahahaa.
anyway....nothing much to say....just blah, blah, blah....and some random shots of stuff around the crib. stuff always looks better in sepia.....it amazes me. the dust around the house looks like a softening filter that oozes romance and sweetness. maybe i should just carry my camera around all the time and look thru it as i navigate my day!
so, am i the only one that hears this from their significant others.....
ron.....WHERE DID YOU GET THAT PICTURE OF THAT NAKED GIRL?
me....I SPENT TOO MUCH FOR IT AT AN ANTIQUE SHOP. I LOVE IT. IT REMINDS ME OF ZOEY.
ron....I HATE IT. WHY DON'T YOU PUT A REAL PHOTO OF ZOEY ON THE WALL INSTEAD OF PEOPLE WE DON'T KNOW.
me.....I WILL SOON. I LOOK AT ZOEY ALL THE TIME. SHE IS ADORABLE. (me hoping he will be quiet about hanging photos of us all over the walls)
ron....I WANT TO SEE PICTURES OF US INSTEAD OF YOUR OLD PHOTOS AND OTHER STUFF HANGING UP.
me...OKAY....
have i taken down that litho of the naked butt girl yet? no. maybe ron will forget. i will say...now that i have the sepia thingy on the camera, i can take photos of the kids and decoupage them on old book pages and hang them on the wall!!!! i will do a little grouping of some sort. i'm looking forward to it. i think. shame on me, but i really don't have lots of photos of us on the walls of my house. am i the only one?
here are some more random shots around the house. zoey is barking orders and demanding food, attention, water, requests, money, and anything else she can squeeze out of me....haha. zoey is saying her tummy is starving and she wants food for her and all her babies.....she is pregnant all the time. what? i better type fast....
window be still sill..........
lil stars upon thars........
the sweetest collage by my friend dana.........
randomness.......

new jewels looking old......
lil ladies.....

shelves......a plenty.......

silver and gold...........and sweet dusting powders.........

typewriters and pearls and lots of little vignettes of papers and trinkets.........

altered book i made and a paris book......

old windows and wallpaper...........
that is about it.......i hear mommy, mommy.....i feel bad, but when arek was little, i gave into every one of his needs. i promised myself i wouldn't do this with zoey. it is tough. i feel like a bad mom, but she needs to learn i am not going to hustle every time she wants a snack......that said. i am off to find her a snack!!!!!!!!
lol

VALENTINES STUFF AND MORE....

2011-01-19T14:53:00.001-08:00

hey all.......i have one thousands thoughts floating around today....in my tiny brain. anyway....i have
NEW FLEA TREASURES LISTED
on my boxtreasure blog!!! and please take a look at the previous ones as well!!!! when i make a new listing, i will put the date listed on my little link on my sidebar. i have several smalls i am starting to go thru. i love smalls!!!!!! they are easy to ship and easy to store. haha.
also....i want to showcase a blog for you all that i JUST ADORE. my sweetest dear friend TERRY LEE has the funniest blog w/tons of inspiration and narrative that will just make your day. she is a true TEXAN.....and she loves to write. her stories are junking adventures that will take you on a visual trip from one crazy junkin yard sale to the next....you will love her as much as i do!!!!! if you have time, please go visit her......
that is about it! i think american idol starts tonight and i am way behind on dinner. i better run!! i have recipes to share, but no time to blog it, so stay tuned for that...oh...i know...on the edge of your seat, right? i found a great way to make curry sauce with canned pumpkin!!!! oh the life i lead....a housewife by day and well...a housewife by night too.
crap...i hear arek's homework frustration via the voice of ron...5th grade fractions are thwarting..
better run! thanks for stopping by....
lol

drumroll please......

2011-01-17T06:38:00.001-08:00

GOOD MORNING bloggers!!! happy MLK day to you all!!! we are big MLK fans in this house. i remember when this day became a holiday! during my generation....which was a day way too late if you ask me. should have been a holiday a long time ago!!! here's to you Martin Luther King, Jr.....the world is i hope a better place because of all your dreams for us!!!!
anyway....I HAVE A WINNER!!! i put names in my vintage baking tin.....shuffled them around and DID NOT PEEK. asked zoey to close her eyes and choose a name.
BLOGGER TERRY LEE!!!!!!!!!!!! you are the winner and i know where you live!!!!! hahahaha. congrats terry lee!!! you will be getting some treasures soon!!!! i appreciate everyones' participation and support!!! it is nice to know someone is reading this blog...haha. i am not the best blogger....i don't follow all the rules...i don't participate in that much stuff...i am not consistent and i'm not sure i comment enough on other blogs, but i do read them!!! i enjoy them and i thank you for having a visual venue for all things vintage and inspiring!!
if today is a holiday for you all....enjoy your day off!!! i have a dream too.....a paid holiday from housework and a day my kids can get along lovingly and treat each other like equals. maybe this will help!!! ron gave them a homeschooling project today and i typed up some fact sheets and portraits of MLK so they can learn something instead of beating each other up all day and jumping off couches!!!! haha.
i have 2 more listings on my FLEA TREASURE BLOG....
take care and thanks for stopping by!!!!
lol

GLOBE FEVER...

2011-01-16T16:55:00.001-08:00

i'm right in the middle of golden globes....spending time on the couch with ron and my mom!!! there is still time to enter the giveaway!!! i will pick a winner tomorrow morning!!! i have 200 followers as well, so much to celebrate!!!
thank you all for your support!!!!!!!!! that is my speech. lol.
angelina jolie is amazing, but i have to say....if i had her rocking body, i would have worn a much more revealing dress than she has on tonite, but that is my hollywood envy talking.....
while those rich women are paying their stylists.....i'm out scouting thrift shops for cheap clothes!!! haha. i took my mom to lancaster, PA today for cheap thrifting thrills!!! we dug in bins...chased zoey...ran carts into people and worked ourselves silly collecting clothing we love but really don't need...haha..
when we were finished, we were soooooo hungry....so we ate enough pizza and salad at Ci Ci's to choke an amish horse. all you can eat....and i can eat it all!!!!
thanks for stopping by and thanks so much for all your comments!!! good luck and thanks again....
lol

BACK IN BUSINESS & GIVEAWAY!

2011-01-11T15:36:00.000-08:00

hi bloggers! with the onset of a very weak snow system running across the area and 2 very rambunctious kids that have cabin fever, i feel the need to open my BOX TREASURE BLOG once again!!! i am very excited! i am hosting a giveaway for a GRAND REOPENING of box treasures and flea treasures!!!!! just leave you name and i'll put you in for a drawing to receive this flat rate envelope filled with little MYSTERY treasures!!! for those of you not familiar with the box treasures, please visit my boxtreasure blog and read on the sidebar what it is all about!!! mystery treasures in a box....you just never know what you will get!!!!
i am also listing some flea treasures and will combine shipping for any interested!!

GIVEAWAY.....MYSTERY TREASURES
to kick of boxtreasures blog .....
leave a comment and i'll put you in for the drawing. i will close this giveaway sunday night around midnight!!!
thanks for stopping by and good luck!!!!
lol

saturday ramblings.....

2011-01-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

good morning bloggers.....i'm hiding from the kids once again for my saturday morning blogging retreat. i'm in need of a second cup of coffee.....serious need....but i fear my replacement if i leave my seat. i have a small window of time i can blog before the kids find me and use me for their particular immediate needs of the morning. hahaha. i fed arek, but i'm not sure zoey's had food, so i have to type quickly and hope for the best!!! lol.
i have absolutely nothing but shallow blah, blah, blah to report. i went to a military ball last night, so my i have a slight headache this morning and eyes smudged with black shadow and flaky mascara....i rarely wear any makeup at all! i had a dermatologist tell me once that no make up is the way to go.....so i slather on my mary kay face creams everyday and hope for the best! anyway...when i attend a military ball, my entire room ends up looking like dressing area and i make a big ole mess trying on stuff and getting ready. i dig thru jewely, dresses and messes trying to find the outfit that might fit me for each event. i have an itty bitty closet that disturbs me, but i make the best of it. most of my dresses fold up instead of hanging, so i just tuck them away in drawers. i also looked for some big ole bling to wear last night......NOW..onto my new obsession.....
FOREVER 21....oh my....i shop online so i don't have to take my middle age body thru the store and embarrass myself looking for current fashions. i could always stretch the truth and say i'm shopping for my teenage babysitter or something....but alas....it is all for me.
i love their big ole bling jewelry.....CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP and fancy and fun enough that it isn't pretentious or expensive. i'm an addict.
i have to have it.
and one isn't enough....
as you can see.....
oh...and i wore this coat with my dress last night.....only 75cents for this sweetness!!!!!! yes...in the bins for 75 cents. buttons intact....fur collar not shedding!!!! no holes, tears or stains/fading. what is the chance? i'm happy.
hobbit closet......i mean it. the entrance is 4feet. i look on the floor for something, stand up, hit my head and say bad words and swear i will one day have a walk in closet....lol. having a small closet does help me minimize my thrift store clothing addiction, but who wants that??? haha.
decided to take the plunge and upgrade to a bigger booth this last week!!! if you are out and about HAVRE DE GRACE maryland, swing by SENECCA ANTIQUE MALL and check me out!!
i also decided to put my white IKEA slipcovers on the couch and chair we bought there a few months back. what a workout!!! zoey jumped on all the cushions while i struggled to get the slipcovers on. i had to fight those cushions like a lion tamer. what a job!!! what was i thinking? i have the kids trained really well. they know to NOT eat on the new furniture now, so i hope we can all stick to that rule!!! i also decided to move my hot pink corner cabinet to the living room. why not? i love this pepto shade of pink!!!

girly, girly, girly.....my poor husband. one day he will just freak out and throw it all in the trash, i'm sure.

pretty now, but ask me to show it to you in a couple of weeks!!!
random stuff....
my radio heads......this is our living room audio source.....25 cent radio that only picks up one radio station. right...we so much high tech stuff and i listen to this.....
the best candle!!! if you haven't tried village candles before, they are super strong and burn clean!!! i find them for half price sometimes, so i grab them up when i can.
the yummiest 3 tiered wire rack FILLED TO THE GILLS with rescued doilies. i have so many of them, i should give one away to every person that enters my house.....that would take an eternity. i'd have to have a doily party.
onto food......mmmmm.....
my latest obsessions.....finding foods i can cook that taste good but minimize the fat and calories i seem to consume when i eat out. this chicken dish is delicious!!! i found a recipe online that was similar to this and changed it up a little to fit my ingredient list....CURRY CHICKEN with yogurt....
CURRY CHICKEN with nonfat yogurt.......i braised my chicken on both sides in olive oil and a tbsp. of butter and then added a teaspoon of flour and onions and garlic and sauteed them....then i added some chicken stock and simmered until chicken finished cooking.....i added tons of curry powder, yogurt and tons of lemon and peas/jarred red peppers....salt, pepper and jasmine rice!!! so easy.....and so yummy!!! the lemon gives it the tang that it needs and the yogurt gives it that yummy sauce.
another obsession are these HALF SOUR pickles....mmmmm. i slice them up with turkey pepperoni and pretend i'm eating chips and dip. so good......and the kids love it too!
my latest utensil obsessions.....all pampered chef. i'm not a big gadget user in the kitchen, but i love these 3 utensils bunches....all cheap and very kitchen worthy!!!!!!
be careful of the knives....they are sharp!!!! the pizza cutter is the best and cuts thru bread....the coffee clip is amazing and the knife is obviously very, very sharp!!!!
kids are next to me now....even my husband is begging for attention. total chaos is erupting....BECK music is playing loudly in the background and zoey is screaming she wants chewy hearts in my ear and my husband is trying to take over the computer....oh my...
so...onto my last obsession.........THIS IS THE BEST!!!! i can't stop drinking it, but i stick to only one cup a day. it has tons of carbs!!! lots of wheat grass and grass clippings from the yard and old hay and cow patties and who knows what in it, but it is nutritionally packed out with tons of good stuff!!!!!
that is it. i know....how much can a girl ramble about this early on a saturday....oh, the fact that it is snowing outside again!!!!!!!! rock and roll....it has only snowed here 3 times so far and all during the night so i can't watch it fall!!! the best part of snow is watching it fall of course!!!!!
okay...better go watch the kids have a rave in my living room. i promise, the photos i take of my house is not the REAL way we live. if you could see all the toys on the floor, blankets, food, and outfit changes from zoey, you would know why i like to capture the still moments for inspiration....
y'all have a great saturday!!! thanks for stopping by.
lol

and the award goes to ...... this giveaway!!!

2011-01-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

good morning bloggers!!!!!!!!! i have 2 pieces of news!!!! an award and a GIVEAWAY!!!
the very sweet TARA from shabby in suburbia has passed this award to me!!!!!! thank you TARA. i am honored!!! crabby and whiny...yes i am....stylish? wow. i feel giddy.....thanks.

rules: tell you 7 things about me....hmmmm. what don't you know?

1. stong, expensive perfume gives me a total migraine headache!! can you believe it?
2. i have 2 pet rats that entertain me daily. yes, i do pick them up!! they were feeder rats, so they are very, very shy, but i still get them out at night the kids and i run them in their tubes and play huts we make from cardboard boxes and tape.
3. i was adopted when i was 4 months old.
4. i was a waitress for 10 years.
5. i met my husband in a bar almost 25 years ago.
6. i have worn and collected vintage clothing since i was 14.
7. i bite my fingernails and hate to drive on big highways and thru long tunnels...

boring...i know. i am a psychological wreck!! lol.
i have to pass this to 5 bloggers!!!
i will just list y'all and if you see this and want to participate.....PLEASE DO!! thank you tara for your support!

debbie at SHABBY GARDEN CREATIONS
sandy at SANDY MASTRONI
cathy at ACORN HOLLOW
rachel at CHIPPY COTTAGE FARM HOUSE
terry lee at ALL THINGS TERRY LEE

these blogs are fantastic!!!!!!! they are all featured on my blogroll. please check them out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i also have some great giveaway news!!!!!

AMY at 4 SISTERS IN A COTTAGE is hosting an awesome Valentine's Giveaway!! if you get a chance, you can enter to win on her blog and please check out her online shop too. it is amazing and affordable and amy is a total sweetie!!!!!!!!

good luck and have fun!!!!!!

Happy Wednesday Night to You,

It's that time again for my Annual Vintage Valentine Day Giveaway. This year I am having not one, but two giveaways.

You can enter thru my blog (link is below) or email me and enter. I will draw the winners Jan. 15th, 2011.

And I have just finished adding 100's of new treasures on the website. Everything from Vintage Sewing and Linens, to My Personal Collection of Valentines.

Hope you have a chance to take a look and don't forget to enter the drawing.

Love and Hugs, Amy

http://www.FourSistersInACottage.com
http://www.FourSistersInACottage.blogspot.com

artistic direction = pretty things.....

2011-01-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

i'm inspired by the weather. it isn't freezing outside today and that i like a lot. i have so many thoughts racing today....thoughts of food....thoughts of extreme coupon collecting (what does one do with 200 toothbrushes)....thoughts laundry sorting...but i'll try to stay focused this post and ramble about pretty things.....
i have a very dear friend who makes beautiful, unique jewelry. her etsy store is SHY LOTUS and she is linked on my sidebar. ..she was diagnosed several years ago with a pretty rare blood disease, bad anemia, a brain tumor, 4 spleens, a series of sicknesses that have led her in and out of the hospital on several occasions and brought her a lifetime of pain. i've known her since high school and our history of friendship has led us down roads and roads of memories and struggles. mine with the tasks of motherhood, marriage and moving.....hers with task of staying out of pain a few hours a day and having the strength to get out of bed. we both have one very common, addicting distraction though.....PRETTY THINGS....
we talked last night on the phone for a long time and decided that pretty things are a way to sustain interest and imagination to make the day not only seem better....but be better. pretty things are essential for us to stimulate our brain. they help carry us away to another place, make our love for the moment alive, keep us moving from task to task a little easier and keep us optimistic about tomorrow. shallow? we decided not. when her pain drives her to the edge, she takes it out on a beautiful lotus bowl filled with beads, string, wire and fittings....in her small studio filled with light and charisma....honored by middle eastern statues, goddesses, nature and the sublime.
i remember honoring small trinkets when i was a little girl. i grew up in a very small house with two extremely hard working blue collar parents that fueled my imagination by allowing me to dream. i was allowed to collect, play, decorate and enjoy my humble room that is 1/4 the size of zoey's! i used all my space to create a small world that sustained me...day after day. my friend did as well. we both agree that pretty things can guide your soul....push your creative limits and honor your artistic direction...
i seem to get overwhelmed by so many of my little trinkets these days, but i still love them and seem to need them as a visual map around my house for inspiration. when i found this book....ROMANTIC STYLE....i just about reached mecca! don't get me wrong...i love all different styles of decor, but this book speaks to me over and over again. i just adore it. i am home.
what a way to dream....what a way to create....what a way to love what surrounds you. i get so tired of hearing about feeling this and feeling that and not using stuff to surround you so you don't have to deal with this and that...blah, blah, blah. seriously? why leave the house if you can't deal with material things. i feel like an outcast because i love what speaks to me and not what designers say i should buy.
let it speak to you. let it open your eyes and tranform you. who cares? food does the same thing. work does the same thing. money does the same thing. fame, fortune, success, medication, and nobody bats an eye at that. how much harm are you doing to yourself by hanging a 50 cent plate on the wall?
what i love so much about this book are the colors....the value scale of the pinks, yellows, greens, blues and red are breathtaking. just spectacular. i find myself lost in this book when i need to calm down from too much parenting...too much mothering....too much thinking....reacting....overreacting and making bad decisions. i escape if only for 5 minutes to this book and i can move on.....no damage done...back and thinking more clearly..happier and more focusued and able to make better decisions. i know it seems silly, but i think it is cheaper than therapy and healthier than medication, so i use it.
pretty things allow me to remember that i was once an imaginative girl and a creative young adult before i was a wife, a mother, a middle aged lady going thru changes in her body that define me as a demographic closer to retirement than skinny jeans. pretty things remind me my spirit is alive and i'm more than what i do.
pretty things say it is okay to play. it is okay to dream. it is more than okay...it is necessary.
that said...i took a few photos of what inspires me. thank you amy for all your thoughts last night. we need to keep playing with and enjoying our pretty things....just like we did as girls.....teens....young adults. why stop now?
my house reminds me that no matter what spills are on the floor, no matter what lipstick marks are on the wall, what pen marks are on my table.....there is still a pretty shell surrounding it all....
no matter how many weird noises arek makes all day stemming and spinning, i still have stillness on the walls....
no matter how many toys hit the middle of the floor, i still have walls that bend over me shadowing me with beauty.
no matter how many stink bugs make their way in my house, they have a pretty place to land.
i can create a fun corner no matter what house we live in.....no matter where we go.

i can enjoy cast off junk finds and hang them cheaper than expensive art and that is okay.

i can enjoy old things....
i can create and use my pretty things...
i can hang clothes like art.

i can enjoy lights anytime of the year....
i can make anything into a display......

i can enjoy junk.......
and i can love candles..............
walmart has this new sweet lavender candle that is cheap and aromatic............mmmmm good.
i can store pretty things too.......and it is okay.
just don't look in my sink or on my floors or in my junk room or garage!! hahahaha. my point is that i am content with my things. i honor them and try not to let them control me. i see their beauty and the best thing about them is that they cost almost nothing....thank goodness for little things......
pretty things....
art.
thanks for stopping by and happy new year to you all!!!!! i am planning on a box treasure giveaway very soon. i've spent the break hanging with my peeps...playing boggle...eating....and sweeping up pine needles and cleaning up toys. i really do feel like i have it all. don't give me pure gold...i don't need no diamonds....no furs and no coach bags....just crazy kids, good friends, $20 worth of fun junk, and a will to always look for my artistic direction.
lol