I am so THANKFUL! 11/25/09

10 things I am thankful for:

SISTERS

My Job

PETS

Pete's safe return from China

My mom's continued health, (even though she can't see or hear!!)

Old FRIENDS!

My Church

Daughters (and crazy "others" in the background!)

My Family

My God

Time for Halloween! 10/12/09

It's time once again to drag out my Halloween decorations! I have 3 big tubs full of stuff but this year I decided to pare it down and use only about 1/3rd of it. (Less clean-up time!)





I found some plastic gold frames that once held mirrors. After spraying them black they provide the perfect spookiness for framing a couple of my skeletons. One is vintage Beistle, the other is Mexican tin.




The candelabra I got this summer with the intention of spraying it white. I'm glad I left it black. It's just right for Halloween. I'm using my leftover orange candles from last year because I can't find true-orange candles ANYWHERE. I looked at every store and can only find shades of autumn-orange. I want Candy Corn orange! But I DID find some nice BLACK ones, 4 for a dollar. Can't beat that.






These are some little Halloween Cat pins that I made. I just got those wooden 1/2 spheres that come in a baggie at Hobby Lobby,painted them black then painted the faces on them with a really tiny brush. I used green sequins for the eyes and glued them on; glued felt triangle ears to the back; then hot-glued a pin clasp to the back, too. Viola! Kute kitty!





I made a few pumpkin face pins too but they didn't turn out as cute. I have some great vintage chenille stems that would make nice bodies for the pumpkins. Maybe I will put attach the heads and hang them on my Halloween tree. Hmmm.





This is my dog, Pudd, trying on her Halloween costume. She is going as "Where's Waldo."

My Christmas Addiction 10/03/09

You have GOT to see my garage sale Christmas SCORE! I pulled up to this sale, spyed the tableful of vintage Christmas and started scooping things up! As I was examining everything I asked, "How much is the Christmas stuff?" The reply couldn't have been sweeter if the Sugar Plum Fairy, herself, has wispered it directly in my ear...".25 cents each." WHAT?! My hands moved at lightening speed and within a minute the table was practically empty. And what did I spend? $2.50!!!

Check some if this stuff out!

Vintge plush Santa with vinyl face, hands and boots. He is in like-new condition and his beard is as white as pure fallen snow! He stands on his own, about 14" tall.

Sweet box of ornaments from Japan and Germany.

Three boxes of bobeches, complete with vintage wreaths.

Adorable red Japan angel. I have 3 or 4 just like it in white.

Here is a treetop angel, labeled West Germany. She is approx. 6" tall, clothed in white velvet, holding a tinsel tree. She has gold foil wings and her head and hands are made of painted wax. She is in excellent condition!

I can't believe this entire box was a quarter. The angels are like they were never taken out of the box! They are labeled West Germany and embellished with silver glitter that has tarnished fabulously. Can you see the vintage tablecloth beneath the box?

I picked up a few other vintage Santas and some Lefton Holly pieces that will probably go in a lot for ebay.

Talk about "Christmas in July!" (I mean "September"), I hit the jackpot on this one. I'm still doing the "Jingle-bell" dance! ;)

Birthday Celebration & Cottage Update 10/01/09

Well, I celebrated my 48th birthday on Tuesday and the best present of all was that my mom was here to help me celebrate! I hadn't seen her since April so I was REALLY happy to have her here for almost 2 weeks!

We had a very full day, doing our favorite things...garage sailing, thrift shopping, lunching...then to my son's soccer game that evening. After the game, my sweet in-laws treated us to dinner at our favorite Chinese place, The Mine Garden. It's actually call The Jasmine Garden, but the lightbulbs behind the "J-A-S" have been burned out for quite some time now, so it's the "***MINE Garden."



That's my husband on the end pretending to be disinterested and playing games on his phone...I think he pretending...


Check out my beautiful flowers from my in-laws. They remembered that my favorite flowers are anything orange.

Well, my mom hadn't seen the cottage in a long time so she REALLY wanted to see it before she left for home. Here are some current pics of our work. (The bathroom is still a mess...so no pics of it.)

Mom enjoying the view from the porch. That walkway was completely hidden under sod until my hardworking son uncovered the entire thing.



Mom in the bedroom.





Mom modeling my circa 1960's fridge with pink interior.



Mom pretending to do housework...(she doesn't really know her way around a kitchen but can definitely find a microwave!)



Mom lounging on my $10 sofa that clashes magnificently with the green walls. I used a Pale Apple from Laura Ashley but it just wasn't pale enough. It turned out pretty lime-y. I will repaint the room but, right now, that is waaay at the bottom of the to-do list. The red sofa will be permanently moved to the yellow living room when that room is finished.



Here is the living room. I LOVE this pale yellow color. I had to mix it myself and have since had much trouble in matching it, even with the photo-technology at the paint stores! Green room is to the left, pink kitchen to the right, I am taking the photo from the front door...See, I told you it was a tiny house! That cottage painting behind my mom willl hang in the living room. The chandelier on the stool will go in the green room. Check out that vintage crib leaning against the wall on the left. That was also a curbside attraction at the same place I picked up the antique door (see kitchen photo above.) I love the bunny/teddy bear/ giraffe decals. So adorable! I haven't decided what to do with it yet, but it will definately be a piece somewhere in the cottage.




Above is a view into the green room from the yellow room. The sun was really shining nicely through the stained glass. Here is mom sitting in the corner on my ratty old pink chair that I dragged all the way from Kansas. It is a bit rickety but I love it!

Kelsey and EFP Thrift Store 08/29/09

Look at this sweet old girl! Isn't she the cutest? 4 weeks ago she was stumbling around the backyard and couldn't see straight due to her stroke but now she is doing very well! She can even run after the tennis ball again! Do you see how her head is cocked in the picture? That's about the only symptom she still has from the stroke but the vet says even that will go away. :) I am so thankful that God answered my prayers and saw fit to heal her. Kelsey will be 14 in November.

 I thought maybe you'd like a tour of the thrift store I am now managing.



It's a small store so this won't take long....



Well...that about does it.



You can see that's its mostly clothing but we do get some nice housewares in, and occasionally some nice vintage items. All the profits from this shop go to support our local food pantry located in the same bldg. I had a couple with a baby come in today who said they had $4 and nothing else. They were put out of their home and unable to take their belongings ( I don't ask questions...I'm just there to try and help...) So we were able to set them up with a few items for the kitchen (they just moved into a small trailer that someone loaned them...), bedroom and bath, some food and some fuel for the truck. 

My two teenagers came to help me at the shop last week. I heard hysterical laughter coming from the "sorting" room where they were working and this is what I found:



The both of them in a very large pair of mens shorts that had been donated....My kids can find entertainment anywhere!

Back from Vacation! 07/30/09

We had an incredible time at Copper Spur Ranch in McCoy, Co. My sister-in-law's father owns the 500 acre ranch and generously let us have the run of the place for a week.


There were trail rides and hiking...


Trout fishing in the pond with cousins...

Plenty of food....

Bonfires and smores...

Horses, horses and MORE horses!

We even took a morning to make our own camp shirts.

It was a wonderful time with family. Check out Grandma & Grandpa (center) flanked by all the grandchildren! Grandma & Grandpa's kids are peeking through the window above. (One is missing...he is doing mission work in China!)

We had beautiful weather and a relaxing time. I am SOOO blessed to be a part of this family!

G-sale bargains 07/07/09

Here are a few items I found on the hunt this past week ...(even though I haven't hit many sales due to lots of  work at the cottage!)

Check out this vintage "handbag" rotary telephone. Too cool! It works fine and has that nostalgic "ring-a-ling-a-ling." The lady I bought it from worked at the Phone Company for 30 years.

Pretty oil seascape painted by a woman in her 90's. $2.

Here's a mix of goodies...Avon molded soaps $1. Chick S&P shakers $1. Avon "Buckeroo" talc for boys, .10. Funky Homeco gold tree wall hanging, .50.

Ballerina picture with cute Maltese .10 cents.

This is a very unusual picture that my good friend practically begged me to take off her hands, "I just continue dusting it with no place to put it!" The frame is spectacular and it will go great in the bedroom at the cottage. The tag on the back says "The Secret." The signature on the front says "JPL, 1963." 

Here is a close-up of some detail on the frame. It is gorgeous.

Below is a tiny peek at some of the work we've been up to at the cottage:

I got this little square farm table for $10 and it fits PERFECTLY in the cottage kitchen. The top oak surface is not in the greatest shape but who cares when all you need is a pretty pink vintage tablecloth to disguise it? The legs are painted in the perfect country-cream color and distressed to look old. It came with 4 little stools that don't really match the table but I may paint them all and use them with the table anyway. (Note my painted wood floor.)

I know this is not much, but this room is about finished. A bit more molding and some pillows and I will try to take a better pic with my wide angle.

Last week we pulled up yucky carpet, painted lvgrm floor, finished drywall, put in new bathroom sink and toilet,(the old ones would not work properly...I was especially sad about the vintage sink. It was 100 years old and beautiful (but if it won't function properly), wallpapered laundry room....

I hope to have more pics soon! God is good all the time!