Yesterday Maren and I had a case of right place/right time and ended up being interviewed for the local TV news! We were in the library checking out books at the same time as a reporter doing a story on the benefits of Summer Reading programs. He asked if he could film us checking out books and interview me about the importance of summer reading. Of course I'm not going to turn down an opportunity to get my adorable kid on TV, but I swear the second the reporter approached us Maren's attitude turned from that of a cheerful 4-year-old to that of an uncooperative 13-year old, so unfortunately all of Colorado missed out on seeing what a charming daughter I have.
I did my best to not sound like a total blithering idiot, a task that is somehow far more difficult when there is a camera in your face. I rambled on for a few minutes and they used a few clips of my dialogue for the story. I find it a bit ironic that I was talking about the benefits of summer reading for my daughter--first of all, she can't read yet! And furthermore, our school is year-round so the longest summer break the kids even have is five weeks, which isn't enough to make your brain turn to mush completely if you don't read. So truthfully the whole thing doesn't really apply to us but whatever. The library was empty and the reporter needed someone else to interview, so I was it, and I'm happy to do it!
The embed feature for the video isn't working so if you want to read the story or watch the video, you can go here. And if you watch the video, please keep in mind that the camera adds 10 lbs, apparently even if all that is showing is your face.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Friday, June 05, 2009
Sweet Goodness swap questionnaire
I'm SO excited to be participating in the Sweet Goodness "Hurrah for the Red, White and Blue" swap this month! I LOVE the 4th of July and patriotic stuff in general, especially if it has a vintage spin. My partner is the lovely Cheryl, of the charmingly-named blog Artsy~Fartsy. I already told her a bit about me, but here is a bit more, courtesy of the questions that Shara posted for us on the Sweet Goodness blog:
1. What is your decorating style? Vintage, glittery, old fashioned? Clean, bright and modern? Eclectic? Other? What's that old saying...Early garage, late attic? Yup, I think that covers it. :) I love vintage, glitter, and old-fashioned.
3. Do you like to decorate certain areas for the 4th? Your house, hour patio, your porch, your garden, etc. I have a very busy and curious 4-year-old so I have to be careful that what I put out on my few 'low' horizontal surfaces can hold up to her poking, prodding and molesting. LOL The stuff that I don't want destroyed gets put in my curio cabinet or on top of my china cabinet, which is another nice horizontal space.
5. What sort of crafts do you enjoy? What sort of crafts don't you do? I love anything to do with paper and glue and glitter! I am rotten with the sewing machine (although wish I could snap my fingers and get magically proficient --poof!-- and I don't do any sort of fiber craft (ie, crochet or knitting).
6. What are your 4th of July traditions? Picnics, parades, boating, etc? I LOVE FIREWORKS! Seriously, it's ridiculous. :) But I love, love to go watch fireworks with my family. When I was growing up we often went swimming, boating or to a water park because it was always HOT that day. Then we usually had a BBQ before going to watch fireworks.
8. Are you a cook? A baker? A Take-Out Queen? I love to cook and bake. Unfortunately I don't bake as often as I like because I also have a wicked sweet tooth, so I end up eating too much of what I create!
10. What is your favorite sweet treat? (Chocolate melts this time of year...) I love gummy anything and red licorice!
1. What is your decorating style? Vintage, glittery, old fashioned? Clean, bright and modern? Eclectic? Other? What's that old saying...Early garage, late attic? Yup, I think that covers it. :) I love vintage, glitter, and old-fashioned.
2. Do you have any allergies? Scents? Foods? None
3. Do you like to decorate certain areas for the 4th? Your house, hour patio, your porch, your garden, etc. I have a very busy and curious 4-year-old so I have to be careful that what I put out on my few 'low' horizontal surfaces can hold up to her poking, prodding and molesting. LOL The stuff that I don't want destroyed gets put in my curio cabinet or on top of my china cabinet, which is another nice horizontal space.
4. What are your hobbies? Crafting, reading, movies, thrifting, spelunking? Crafting, thrifting, reading, cooking.
5. What sort of crafts do you enjoy? What sort of crafts don't you do? I love anything to do with paper and glue and glitter! I am rotten with the sewing machine (although wish I could snap my fingers and get magically proficient --poof!-- and I don't do any sort of fiber craft (ie, crochet or knitting).
6. What are your 4th of July traditions? Picnics, parades, boating, etc? I LOVE FIREWORKS! Seriously, it's ridiculous. :) But I love, love to go watch fireworks with my family. When I was growing up we often went swimming, boating or to a water park because it was always HOT that day. Then we usually had a BBQ before going to watch fireworks.
7. Do you have children? If so, how many and what are their ages? I have a daughter named Maren who is four years old and I'm expecting a little boy in September.
8. Are you a cook? A baker? A Take-Out Queen? I love to cook and bake. Unfortunately I don't bake as often as I like because I also have a wicked sweet tooth, so I end up eating too much of what I create!
9. What is your favorite scent? Least favorite? In the summertime especially I love citrus smells like lemon, lime and grapefruit. I also love the smell of coffee (but I don't drink it!). I don't care for scents that are musky or spicy.
10. What is your favorite sweet treat? (Chocolate melts this time of year...) I love gummy anything and red licorice!
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Berry love
If raspberries were always $1 per box, I'd never buy candy again.
(I've already eaten two 6 oz. boxes in the last 24 hours with no sign of slowing anytime soon! Is it possible to OD on fresh berries?)
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Family Photos and a Triathlon
Humor me, just for a minute or two--click on this link and go see the beautiful family photos we had taken this weekend. (I tried to post a few here but all the images are saved as one gigantic .jpeg so it won't work) They were taken by the fabulous Terra from Magnifique Photography and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out--and this is only the sneak peek! The CD with all the images she took is still on its way, but I don't know how I'll ever choose which to order because I love them all. I love my family and I'm so happy that Terra was able to capture 'us'! And even better: I don't even look too enormously pregnant. :)
It was a good weekend, a quick trip to Utah to see our families for a very few days. The main reason we went was so that The Mister could do his first triathlon of the season. I'm proud of him!
Maren also participated in a triathlon while she was waiting for Daddy's race to finish. Her three events were slide, swing, and monkey bars.
In addition to family photos and the triathlon, we enjoyed the gorgeous weather that is Utah on the cusp of summer, went as a family to see UP, and drove through snow on the way home yesterday. Seriously! And now it's back to real life--laundry, exterior house painting, the mold on/in the walls in the laundry room, and hiring an electrician to fix an outlet in the basement. It was a nice break while it lasted!
It was a good weekend, a quick trip to Utah to see our families for a very few days. The main reason we went was so that The Mister could do his first triathlon of the season. I'm proud of him!
Maren also participated in a triathlon while she was waiting for Daddy's race to finish. Her three events were slide, swing, and monkey bars.
In addition to family photos and the triathlon, we enjoyed the gorgeous weather that is Utah on the cusp of summer, went as a family to see UP, and drove through snow on the way home yesterday. Seriously! And now it's back to real life--laundry, exterior house painting, the mold on/in the walls in the laundry room, and hiring an electrician to fix an outlet in the basement. It was a nice break while it lasted!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday thrift loot
I most certainly hope that all of you had better weather this weekend that we've experienced here! Temperatures in the low 60s with gloomy skies and frequent rain showers put the kibosh on doing much of anything outdoors. I've been trying to get the last of my garden in the ground but the darn rain won't stop long enough for me to get anything done! I don't fancy planting my green beans, potatoes and pumpkin in the mud but we're leaving tomorrow to go out of town for the next six days so I'm desperate to get things in the ground before we go.
I promised to share photos of my small-town thrifting loot from my trip to Southern Colorado last weekend.
Proof once again that I am physically unable to resist buying packets of vintage rickrack. I probably have enough of the stuff to stretch to the moon and back but I still can't pass it up, especially when I find fun striped and multicolored variations like these.
More thrifting Achilles' heels: vintage embroidery transfers (especially for wacky anthropomorphic fruits), vintage seam binding and vintage buttons.
Large jars of buttons get me every time, even when they're not vintage. Just like big jars of candy, aren't they?
Vintage Valentines (military-themed, to boot!), Strawberry Shortcake fabric (to be made into a new smock for Maren), a milk glass cold cream jar to be altered, and a spool of vintage gift ribbon.
These goodies actually came from an estate sale a few weekends ago. A chickie cupcake pick, old boxes of birthday candles and sewing pins, and vintage patterns.
In other news, sign-ups for the newest Sweet Goodness swap are now OPEN! Head over to the Sweet Goodness blog for more info!
I promised to share photos of my small-town thrifting loot from my trip to Southern Colorado last weekend.
Proof once again that I am physically unable to resist buying packets of vintage rickrack. I probably have enough of the stuff to stretch to the moon and back but I still can't pass it up, especially when I find fun striped and multicolored variations like these.
More thrifting Achilles' heels: vintage embroidery transfers (especially for wacky anthropomorphic fruits), vintage seam binding and vintage buttons.
Large jars of buttons get me every time, even when they're not vintage. Just like big jars of candy, aren't they?
Vintage Valentines (military-themed, to boot!), Strawberry Shortcake fabric (to be made into a new smock for Maren), a milk glass cold cream jar to be altered, and a spool of vintage gift ribbon.
These goodies actually came from an estate sale a few weekends ago. A chickie cupcake pick, old boxes of birthday candles and sewing pins, and vintage patterns.In other news, sign-ups for the newest Sweet Goodness swap are now OPEN! Head over to the Sweet Goodness blog for more info!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Weekend in Southern Colorado
Maren and I spent a lovely weekend in Southern Colorado visiting with my mom and my grandparents. Here are some of the things we saw while we were there:
Lilacs as big as houses--really!
This must be some year for lilacs, because the town was filled with huge, lush lilac bushes, positively loaded with blooms. Alamosa is small with mostly older homes, many of which have at least one lilac that must have been planted around the same time as the home was originally built. Those bushes have grown into what could easily be called trees now, in many cases as tall as the homes they accompany. They were truly spectacular!
On Saturday we made the 80-mile drive south across the New Mexico border to have lunch in Taos. On the way we went through a town (not much more than a wide spot in the road) called Antonito, home to this impressive homage to recycling:
This is Cano's Castle, which is said to be created primarily of beer cans and hubcaps. It's...well, it's something else, that's for sure. Here's a close-up of the helpful health advice on the sign in the front:
Duly noted.
The house next door (not pictured) is well on its way to being completely lined with beer bottles and the surrounding lots give any junkyard a run for its money. Small-town America kook at its finest!
Further down the road we went over the Rio Grande Gorge bridge, the fifth highest bridge in the United States and no place for the vertiginously-inclined.
The view is impressive and were in the right place at the right time to see a group of river rafters hit the rapids just below the bridge:
Wheee! We could actually hear them scream as the water went over the sides into the boat.
From there it was just a few more miles to Taos. We had lunch at a restaurant inside the historic Taos Inn, which still sports this awesome neon sign:
I do believe over the course of this weekend I ate my weight in guacamole. Yum!
It was the Saturday after the school let out and traffic was bumper-to-bumper through town, which is small to begin with. The crowds and the looming black rainclouds cut our visit short and we headed back north across the border. This time we used a different route, which took us through the oldest town in Colorado, and then on to home.
I'm happy to report there was indeed some small-town thrifting! Pictures of my loot tomorrow.
Lilacs as big as houses--really!
This must be some year for lilacs, because the town was filled with huge, lush lilac bushes, positively loaded with blooms. Alamosa is small with mostly older homes, many of which have at least one lilac that must have been planted around the same time as the home was originally built. Those bushes have grown into what could easily be called trees now, in many cases as tall as the homes they accompany. They were truly spectacular!
On Saturday we made the 80-mile drive south across the New Mexico border to have lunch in Taos. On the way we went through a town (not much more than a wide spot in the road) called Antonito, home to this impressive homage to recycling:
This is Cano's Castle, which is said to be created primarily of beer cans and hubcaps. It's...well, it's something else, that's for sure. Here's a close-up of the helpful health advice on the sign in the front:
Duly noted.The house next door (not pictured) is well on its way to being completely lined with beer bottles and the surrounding lots give any junkyard a run for its money. Small-town America kook at its finest!
Further down the road we went over the Rio Grande Gorge bridge, the fifth highest bridge in the United States and no place for the vertiginously-inclined.
The view is impressive and were in the right place at the right time to see a group of river rafters hit the rapids just below the bridge:
Wheee! We could actually hear them scream as the water went over the sides into the boat.From there it was just a few more miles to Taos. We had lunch at a restaurant inside the historic Taos Inn, which still sports this awesome neon sign:
I do believe over the course of this weekend I ate my weight in guacamole. Yum!It was the Saturday after the school let out and traffic was bumper-to-bumper through town, which is small to begin with. The crowds and the looming black rainclouds cut our visit short and we headed back north across the border. This time we used a different route, which took us through the oldest town in Colorado, and then on to home.
I'm happy to report there was indeed some small-town thrifting! Pictures of my loot tomorrow.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Vintage strawberry pin love
Maren and I are off for a weekend in southern Colorado. I get to visit my grandparents and also my mom, who is there for the weekend as well! Hoping to sneak in a little small-town thrifting if I can. Before I go, I wanted to leave you with my new favorite vintage pin, picked up at the thrift yesterday.
Don't those berries look just good enough to eat? I'm in love!
Wishing you all a lovely weekend!
Don't those berries look just good enough to eat? I'm in love!Wishing you all a lovely weekend!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Birds and squirrels
Nest update: We have babies!!
Yesterday The Mister checked the nest and found that three of the five eggs had hatched, and by this morning chick #4 had appeared! They don't look like much--just a writhing pile of feathers and tiny open beaks--but we're fascinated just the same. I can't believe how fast that was; only about two weeks from eggs to babies. Oh, for a two-week incubation period! (says the 22-week pregnant lady, wistfully)
The nest has been the height of excitement around these parts lately. The bug that Maren brought home from one of the other little germ-factories at preschool went from my chest straight up into my sinuses, where I think it mutated into some sort of Squirrel Flu. It's not fatal like the Swine Flu, just more annoying and persistent.
I'm on day six of being a mouth-breather and it will probably be a few more days until I'm completely shed of the need to blow my nose every 20 minutes. The worst thing about being sick while pregnant is not the fact that I can't take any drugs; it's that every time I feel a sneeze coming on I have to *brace myself* and *clench*--those of you who've been pregnant know exactly what I'm talking about, right?
Even my garage saling last weekend was cut short by the fact that I felt like squirrel poo, so my only score was four embroidered pillowcases that I can't even show you because they're still in the wash. Better than nothing, but far from the loot I was hoping for. I'm headed to visit my grandparents this weekend so perhaps a little small-town thrifting will make up for it!
Yesterday The Mister checked the nest and found that three of the five eggs had hatched, and by this morning chick #4 had appeared! They don't look like much--just a writhing pile of feathers and tiny open beaks--but we're fascinated just the same. I can't believe how fast that was; only about two weeks from eggs to babies. Oh, for a two-week incubation period! (says the 22-week pregnant lady, wistfully)The nest has been the height of excitement around these parts lately. The bug that Maren brought home from one of the other little germ-factories at preschool went from my chest straight up into my sinuses, where I think it mutated into some sort of Squirrel Flu. It's not fatal like the Swine Flu, just more annoying and persistent.
I'm on day six of being a mouth-breather and it will probably be a few more days until I'm completely shed of the need to blow my nose every 20 minutes. The worst thing about being sick while pregnant is not the fact that I can't take any drugs; it's that every time I feel a sneeze coming on I have to *brace myself* and *clench*--those of you who've been pregnant know exactly what I'm talking about, right?
Even my garage saling last weekend was cut short by the fact that I felt like squirrel poo, so my only score was four embroidered pillowcases that I can't even show you because they're still in the wash. Better than nothing, but far from the loot I was hoping for. I'm headed to visit my grandparents this weekend so perhaps a little small-town thrifting will make up for it!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Things I'm loving for Thursday
First, a Good Deal Alert!
At Ulta this week you can purchase this cutie-pie OPI nail polish set for just $4.95! You get a full-size OPI polish in fun pink (called Short Shorts--hee!) that's perfect for toenails this summer, OPI Top Coat, and the fun little pink metallic wristlet bag. Considering that just the pink polish would set you back $9, that's one heck of a deal! You can purchase up to four at a time. What a great little treat for a friend, a teacher, or just to keep for yourself! (Local girls, this is what I'll be bringing to our Favorite Things Enrichment activity on May 21, if that's any incentive to be there!)
Today I'm also loving...
At Ulta this week you can purchase this cutie-pie OPI nail polish set for just $4.95! You get a full-size OPI polish in fun pink (called Short Shorts--hee!) that's perfect for toenails this summer, OPI Top Coat, and the fun little pink metallic wristlet bag. Considering that just the pink polish would set you back $9, that's one heck of a deal! You can purchase up to four at a time. What a great little treat for a friend, a teacher, or just to keep for yourself! (Local girls, this is what I'll be bringing to our Favorite Things Enrichment activity on May 21, if that's any incentive to be there!)Today I'm also loving...
- These rainbow cupcakes from Baking Bites. I'm not usually one for baked goods that obviously contain a whole lotta food coloring, but I love these! What fun little treats. I love how the dollop of frosting on the top looks like a cloud!
- These gorgeous big flower clips from A Feathered Nest. I love how she has mixed and matched pieces from several flowers to make one big fluffy bloom. Love the idea of using a fabric-covered button for the center--in my opinion that makes them look like something that would be expensive at a department store. Of course these would be darling in a little girl's hair, but I'm thinking maybe I need a few too!
- For my fellow vintage button-lovers, check out this beautiful photo by Shanon Gass. She has offered it as a download for your desktop wallpaper--I've already installed mine! Shanon also offers the image as a print for purchase.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
A Winner and some great deals
Yikes, I'm another day late in announcing the winner to my little "guess the sex" contest, so without further delay--
To everyone, thank you again so much for your kind words and for sharing in my joy. :) Thank you also for the assurances that I'll be able to handle a boy! LOL Maren was a wild little girl, but somehow I think a boy will just be wild in a different way. It will be a fun challenge, though. I think the men in my family will have such fun teaching him to do "boy stuff"!
I know I've been complaining recently about the dearth of garage saling opportunities around here, but I've been somewhat assuaged by the fact that I've found garage sale-like prices at some retail stores lately! On Saturday I scored big at Target on some 75% clearance goodies. I found packages of these cute drawer handles marked down to just $5. Drawer hardware is normally ridiculously expensive, so I was excited to find these in pale pink and green.
I have wanted to change out the handles on this little dresser since I bought it last year but the repro glass handles I really wanted were just more than I could stand to spend.
Two clearance packages of green handles and a few minutes with a screwdriver were all it took to make me happy! They don't make a huge difference (I doubt The Mister has even noticed) but I love them and knowing I got a great deal makes it even better! I'm going to put the pink handles on a dresser in Maren's room, but that will be a bit more involved as it involves drilling new holes.
At Target I also found this fun vintage-style coat hook and a couple of green acrylic knobs to match the drawer pulls. Don't know what I'll do with them quite yet, but I know that an opportunity will arise and for $1.24 each I couldn't pass them up.
Other Target deals: a great set of Bare Escentuals eyeshadows & brushes for $24.50 (50% off) and OPI nailpolish for $4 (also 50% off).
Yesterday I went to JoAnn's for curtain rings for another project and happened to find an aisle of cute ocean-inspired home decor for...75% off! Picked up this great vintage-looking green basket and this cute picture frame that go perfectly in my front room. I think I want to try making a Nester-inspired centerpiece out of the basket...hmm, may need to run back and pick up the smaller basket I saw so I can stack them.
The good news is that after five consecutive weekends of yucky weather, this one should be gorgeous! That means that all of the people who've been unable to hold their sales for the past month are probably itching to get rid of their junk, so the sales should be plentiful! The Mister is going to be in Monterrey, California for "work" (mmm..right) so Maren and I are going to hit the sales!
Heidi B, come on down!
Maren drew your name out of the Goblet of Fire and you're the winner of a package of blue things yet to be determined. :) Email me at fraulein_h AT hotmail etc. etc. with your address so I can get it in the mail to you!To everyone, thank you again so much for your kind words and for sharing in my joy. :) Thank you also for the assurances that I'll be able to handle a boy! LOL Maren was a wild little girl, but somehow I think a boy will just be wild in a different way. It will be a fun challenge, though. I think the men in my family will have such fun teaching him to do "boy stuff"!
I know I've been complaining recently about the dearth of garage saling opportunities around here, but I've been somewhat assuaged by the fact that I've found garage sale-like prices at some retail stores lately! On Saturday I scored big at Target on some 75% clearance goodies. I found packages of these cute drawer handles marked down to just $5. Drawer hardware is normally ridiculously expensive, so I was excited to find these in pale pink and green.
I have wanted to change out the handles on this little dresser since I bought it last year but the repro glass handles I really wanted were just more than I could stand to spend.
Two clearance packages of green handles and a few minutes with a screwdriver were all it took to make me happy! They don't make a huge difference (I doubt The Mister has even noticed) but I love them and knowing I got a great deal makes it even better! I'm going to put the pink handles on a dresser in Maren's room, but that will be a bit more involved as it involves drilling new holes.
At Target I also found this fun vintage-style coat hook and a couple of green acrylic knobs to match the drawer pulls. Don't know what I'll do with them quite yet, but I know that an opportunity will arise and for $1.24 each I couldn't pass them up.
Other Target deals: a great set of Bare Escentuals eyeshadows & brushes for $24.50 (50% off) and OPI nailpolish for $4 (also 50% off).Yesterday I went to JoAnn's for curtain rings for another project and happened to find an aisle of cute ocean-inspired home decor for...75% off! Picked up this great vintage-looking green basket and this cute picture frame that go perfectly in my front room. I think I want to try making a Nester-inspired centerpiece out of the basket...hmm, may need to run back and pick up the smaller basket I saw so I can stack them.
The good news is that after five consecutive weekends of yucky weather, this one should be gorgeous! That means that all of the people who've been unable to hold their sales for the past month are probably itching to get rid of their junk, so the sales should be plentiful! The Mister is going to be in Monterrey, California for "work" (mmm..right) so Maren and I are going to hit the sales!
Monday, May 04, 2009
It's a...
BOY!!!
I thought it was a boy, and I was right! It looks like more people guessed boy on my last post, so I must be putting out some kind of 'boy' vibes. I'm excited and a little nervous--I'm a pretty girly girl, so having a boy will be a challenge for me! The baby looks perfectly healthy and it was fun to watch him swimming around on the u/s screen. I think we're going out to eat tonight to celebrate and we still have lots more phone calls to make to tell our family, so I'll choose my winner later and post who it is tomorrow. Thank you all for playing along and guessing! :)
Friday, May 01, 2009
Pink and Blue, all the way through
First, I promised you a contest!
Yesterday I hit the 20-week mark in my pregnancy. Halfway through, and it's all uphill from here, right? LOL I'm currently in that second trimester honeymoon period, where the *ick* has disappeared, my energy has reappeared, and I can still bend over to tie my shoes! Things are good. On Monday I have my 20-week ultrasound, and we're going to take Maren along so she can see the baby too. We're planning to find out the baby's sex, and we're excited to finally know so we can start talking about names and know if we have to redecorate the nursery!
So here's the contest--guess the baby's sex! All you have to do is leave a comment guessing whether I'll have a girl or a boy! On Monday after my appointment, I'll draw a winner from all the people who guessed the correct sex. At this point I'm not sure what exactly the prize will be, but I promise I'll pick something fun! How about--if it's a boy the prize will be blue and if it's a girl, the prize will be pink. You have until I get back from my ultrasound on Monday to enter!
Next up--more pink and blue in the form of the collage I made for the Marie Antoinette Bits & Baubles swap. I love working on these collages because it's so fun to go through all of my trinkets and stash to find things to fill 12 little squares. It's much less intimidating to fill a 3"x3" square than worry about a whole canvas! This one was especially delightful because of the theme--who doesn't love to work with sparkles, feathers, pinks and blues, and all manner of foof and frills?
Here's the finished collage:
and here are closeups of the two halves:
Some of the things I used have been in my stash for years--we're talking 10 or more! Projects like this are perfect for packrats like me!
The fog outside my window means we're gearing up for yet another weekend of lousy weather around here. Every single weekend in April has been wet in some form or fashion, and I've had just about e-damn-nough of it. I think we're having a case of "be careful what you wish for" because our Jan/Feb/Mar were bone dry and everyone was so worried about what that meant for our summer. Well, April took care of it all--we received 3.22" of water in April alone (out of 4.22" for the YTD) and I think most of that has fallen on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday! This is putting a serious damper on the start of the garage sale season.
My yard & garden are a total disaster but I can't plant anything yet, for fear that it'll get snowed upon again. This past week the "nice" days were beset by 30-mph wind gusts, making it less-than-ideal for digging in the dirt or even being outside at all. A few intrepid tulips and daffodils have made their way out of the ground and survived the snows, but for the most part it still looks brown and bare around here. This, folks, is why Spring is my least favorite season in Colorado. Bleh. I envy all of you who already enjoying gardens, flowers, and leaves on the trees! It feels like that is still a LONG way off for us.
Hope your weekend is sunny and dry!
Yesterday I hit the 20-week mark in my pregnancy. Halfway through, and it's all uphill from here, right? LOL I'm currently in that second trimester honeymoon period, where the *ick* has disappeared, my energy has reappeared, and I can still bend over to tie my shoes! Things are good. On Monday I have my 20-week ultrasound, and we're going to take Maren along so she can see the baby too. We're planning to find out the baby's sex, and we're excited to finally know so we can start talking about names and know if we have to redecorate the nursery!
So here's the contest--guess the baby's sex! All you have to do is leave a comment guessing whether I'll have a girl or a boy! On Monday after my appointment, I'll draw a winner from all the people who guessed the correct sex. At this point I'm not sure what exactly the prize will be, but I promise I'll pick something fun! How about--if it's a boy the prize will be blue and if it's a girl, the prize will be pink. You have until I get back from my ultrasound on Monday to enter!Next up--more pink and blue in the form of the collage I made for the Marie Antoinette Bits & Baubles swap. I love working on these collages because it's so fun to go through all of my trinkets and stash to find things to fill 12 little squares. It's much less intimidating to fill a 3"x3" square than worry about a whole canvas! This one was especially delightful because of the theme--who doesn't love to work with sparkles, feathers, pinks and blues, and all manner of foof and frills?
Here's the finished collage:
and here are closeups of the two halves:
Some of the things I used have been in my stash for years--we're talking 10 or more! Projects like this are perfect for packrats like me!The fog outside my window means we're gearing up for yet another weekend of lousy weather around here. Every single weekend in April has been wet in some form or fashion, and I've had just about e-damn-nough of it. I think we're having a case of "be careful what you wish for" because our Jan/Feb/Mar were bone dry and everyone was so worried about what that meant for our summer. Well, April took care of it all--we received 3.22" of water in April alone (out of 4.22" for the YTD) and I think most of that has fallen on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday! This is putting a serious damper on the start of the garage sale season.
My yard & garden are a total disaster but I can't plant anything yet, for fear that it'll get snowed upon again. This past week the "nice" days were beset by 30-mph wind gusts, making it less-than-ideal for digging in the dirt or even being outside at all. A few intrepid tulips and daffodils have made their way out of the ground and survived the snows, but for the most part it still looks brown and bare around here. This, folks, is why Spring is my least favorite season in Colorado. Bleh. I envy all of you who already enjoying gardens, flowers, and leaves on the trees! It feels like that is still a LONG way off for us.
Hope your weekend is sunny and dry!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday things: daffodils and a silver egg
Nest update: No additional eggs today. Phew! It's going to be awfully crowded in that nest once the eggs hatch, even if the babies are tiny (the eggs are teeny!)
On my happy list for today are the bright yellow daffodils I have arranged in vintage blue glass canning jars throughout my house. They're like rays of sunshine in botanical form, aren't they?
Now that I look at this photo, I realize I never blogged about the little silver object to the right in the photo, by the picture frame. I bought this little treat at Patina back when they had their sale a month ago. The item is a little silver toothpick holder that looks like an egg. Here's a close-up:
There's a wee birdie head poking out of the egg, and the whole thing rests on a silver wishbone. A little bit curious but a whole lot charming, so it had to come home with me. As a bonus, it's monogrammed! Although I can't quite make out the second letter, it looks an awful lot like "M G" which are Maren's initials, so that clinched the deal for me. The shop owner told me that she had purchased this piece (and a few others) from an estate sale, where the original owner had a collection of something like 2000+ toothpick holders. Can you imagine?
Tomorrow I'll be back with a contest and hopefully my Marie Antionette swap partner will receive her package soon, because I'm dying to show you all the collage I made!
On my happy list for today are the bright yellow daffodils I have arranged in vintage blue glass canning jars throughout my house. They're like rays of sunshine in botanical form, aren't they?
Now that I look at this photo, I realize I never blogged about the little silver object to the right in the photo, by the picture frame. I bought this little treat at Patina back when they had their sale a month ago. The item is a little silver toothpick holder that looks like an egg. Here's a close-up:
There's a wee birdie head poking out of the egg, and the whole thing rests on a silver wishbone. A little bit curious but a whole lot charming, so it had to come home with me. As a bonus, it's monogrammed! Although I can't quite make out the second letter, it looks an awful lot like "M G" which are Maren's initials, so that clinched the deal for me. The shop owner told me that she had purchased this piece (and a few others) from an estate sale, where the original owner had a collection of something like 2000+ toothpick holders. Can you imagine?Tomorrow I'll be back with a contest and hopefully my Marie Antionette swap partner will receive her package soon, because I'm dying to show you all the collage I made!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Estate sale loot
Nest update: There's another egg! That makes five total. Apparently Momma Bird is gunning to be my yard's version of Octomom. Really, it's getting crowded--I don't know how five little baby birdies are going to fit in that tiny nest!
The weather lately has not been conducive to the start of Garage Sale season. We've had lovely weather during the week and then by Friday afternoon it all falls apart. Last weekend I did happen to spot a sign for an Estate Sale on Friday morning not too far away so I packed up Maren and we went for a visit. Unfortunately, the previous owner was an older man, so there were none of the vintage craft supplies or lovely embroidered linens I always hope to find.
I did get lucky in the kitchen and found this great old jar for $1.
The top is a bit vague as to the original contents, but I think it might have originally held applesauce. Take me home? Righty-o!
The woman running the sale also had a large amount of costume jewelry that was very reasonably priced--especially for an estate sale! I picked out a few treasures:
I adore the wide rhinestone bracelet on the left. Now I just need somewhere fancy to wear it, as it might look a bit outre under the yellow rubber gloves I wear to do dishes and scrub toilets. Among my finds were two great old sparkly shoe clips, two bright enamel flowers in great condition, and a very old, very unusual bird pin (bottom center). It's made of metal but feels very light and the metal is soft. It's missing some stones but I think that just adds to the charm.
The weather this weekend is scheduled to be wet on Friday but hopefully it will clear up by Saturday morning. Mama needs her junk fix!
Oh, and I finally got sucked in and joined Facebook. I held out this long but the lure of sneaking peeks at old boyfriends finally got the better of me! I still don't know what I'm doing (I can barely manage a blog and an etsy shop, now I have one more thing to figure out) but if you want to be friends or whatever it's called, let me know!
The weather lately has not been conducive to the start of Garage Sale season. We've had lovely weather during the week and then by Friday afternoon it all falls apart. Last weekend I did happen to spot a sign for an Estate Sale on Friday morning not too far away so I packed up Maren and we went for a visit. Unfortunately, the previous owner was an older man, so there were none of the vintage craft supplies or lovely embroidered linens I always hope to find.
I did get lucky in the kitchen and found this great old jar for $1.
The top is a bit vague as to the original contents, but I think it might have originally held applesauce. Take me home? Righty-o!The woman running the sale also had a large amount of costume jewelry that was very reasonably priced--especially for an estate sale! I picked out a few treasures:
I adore the wide rhinestone bracelet on the left. Now I just need somewhere fancy to wear it, as it might look a bit outre under the yellow rubber gloves I wear to do dishes and scrub toilets. Among my finds were two great old sparkly shoe clips, two bright enamel flowers in great condition, and a very old, very unusual bird pin (bottom center). It's made of metal but feels very light and the metal is soft. It's missing some stones but I think that just adds to the charm.The weather this weekend is scheduled to be wet on Friday but hopefully it will clear up by Saturday morning. Mama needs her junk fix!
Oh, and I finally got sucked in and joined Facebook. I held out this long but the lure of sneaking peeks at old boyfriends finally got the better of me! I still don't know what I'm doing (I can barely manage a blog and an etsy shop, now I have one more thing to figure out) but if you want to be friends or whatever it's called, let me know!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Nesting
I was just tickled when Linda from My Vintage Soul contacted me to let me know that I won a giveaway on her blog! The package was waiting for me when I came home from Disneyland and opening it was just the icing on one big layer cake of a weekend!
Like Christmas in April, I tell you. Maybe these beauties will be like priming the junk pump so I'll find lots of great vintage Christmas stuff this garage sale season. Thanks again, Linda--I love them!
Another thing I discovered upon our return last week was that a little birdie had built a nest into the (thrifted) wreath on my front door! At first I couldn't believe it was real, as we'd only been gone for a few days and most of those were filled with one heck of a Spring blizzard.
Sure enough, it's real, and it's interesting to see all the bits and pieces the bird used to construct the nest. I can see twigs, Easter grass, string, dryer lint, and lots and lots of hair (yuck).
I've been worried about the safety of the nest because my front door is banged open and shut all afternoon each day as Maren and the little girls next door play and go in and out of the house. I've been afraid that Momma Bird would abandon the nest for somewhere a little quieter. Not sure I could blame the poor thing--don't all of us mommas just wish for a little peace and quiet?
I was surprised then to find two little eggs on Sunday morning when I went out for the paper! The Momma Bird flew away to the tree in the front yard, where I could hear her scolding me all the time it took me to run for my camera and lift Maren up to see the eggs for herself.
Yesterday there were three eggs! By this time I had decided to move the wreath to the wall of the house nearby where I normally have a plaque hanging. It wouldn't be far but it would be more secure than on the front door. I carefully moved the wreath but worried that even though it was just about 18" to one side, that perhaps the Momma Bird wouldn't find it or would be fed up and abandon the nest altogether.
This morning I opened the door to let a guest out and was delighted to find yet another egg! I'm relieved that Momma found her nest and didn't seem too bothered by its slight relocation. The eggs are teeny and the palest grayish-blue with speckles, much lighter in color than Shara's eggs. I wonder if there will be any more? It's getting kind of crowded in there! I do hope they hatch so we can see the babies.
I told Maren that we have to be careful and leave the nest alone, so we don't scare the Momma bird. She suggested that we buy a bird costume--that way we can sneak up on the nest, and the other bird won't see us. Brilliant! I think she's been watching too many cartoons, that one. When I asked her where we could get a bird outfit she replied, "The costume store, of course." Of course. Duh, Mom.
Like Christmas in April, I tell you. Maybe these beauties will be like priming the junk pump so I'll find lots of great vintage Christmas stuff this garage sale season. Thanks again, Linda--I love them!Another thing I discovered upon our return last week was that a little birdie had built a nest into the (thrifted) wreath on my front door! At first I couldn't believe it was real, as we'd only been gone for a few days and most of those were filled with one heck of a Spring blizzard.
Sure enough, it's real, and it's interesting to see all the bits and pieces the bird used to construct the nest. I can see twigs, Easter grass, string, dryer lint, and lots and lots of hair (yuck).I've been worried about the safety of the nest because my front door is banged open and shut all afternoon each day as Maren and the little girls next door play and go in and out of the house. I've been afraid that Momma Bird would abandon the nest for somewhere a little quieter. Not sure I could blame the poor thing--don't all of us mommas just wish for a little peace and quiet?
I was surprised then to find two little eggs on Sunday morning when I went out for the paper! The Momma Bird flew away to the tree in the front yard, where I could hear her scolding me all the time it took me to run for my camera and lift Maren up to see the eggs for herself.Yesterday there were three eggs! By this time I had decided to move the wreath to the wall of the house nearby where I normally have a plaque hanging. It wouldn't be far but it would be more secure than on the front door. I carefully moved the wreath but worried that even though it was just about 18" to one side, that perhaps the Momma Bird wouldn't find it or would be fed up and abandon the nest altogether.
This morning I opened the door to let a guest out and was delighted to find yet another egg! I'm relieved that Momma found her nest and didn't seem too bothered by its slight relocation. The eggs are teeny and the palest grayish-blue with speckles, much lighter in color than Shara's eggs. I wonder if there will be any more? It's getting kind of crowded in there! I do hope they hatch so we can see the babies.I told Maren that we have to be careful and leave the nest alone, so we don't scare the Momma bird. She suggested that we buy a bird costume--that way we can sneak up on the nest, and the other bird won't see us. Brilliant! I think she's been watching too many cartoons, that one. When I asked her where we could get a bird outfit she replied, "The costume store, of course." Of course. Duh, Mom.
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Happiest Place on Earth
We talked to Maren about our trip to Disneyland for months before we actually left and even watched the informational DVD with scenes from the parks so she'd know what it looked like and what to expect. I think Maren was ready for Disneyland, but I'm not so sure Disneyland was ready for Maren!
She may be only four years old and doesn't even weigh 35 lbs, but I'm telling you, she took the place by storm!
She charmed the socks off Mary Poppins and Bert (Bert even took her two doors down for the express purpose of growling like a T. Rex at Cruella DeVille, leaving the rest of the people in line behind us bewildered and likely annoyed)
She stole the show center stage at the Jedi Academy as the littlest padawan with the cutest hairdo
And she had the audience rolling with laughter when she was chosen to wake up Jose in the Enchanted Tiki Room (this isn't the whole thing; I was laughing too hard to remember to get out the video camera before this)
Our whole trip was just perfect. Really--for those three days, Disneyland certainly lived up to its moniker of The Happiest Place on Earth for us.
What I came away feeling was such gratitude that I have a family who love each other and genuinely enjoy spending time together. I know not everyone has this happiness, and I am truly thankful that I do.
I am also reminded just what an incredible little girl I am lucky enough to have--Maren was a dream kid! Not once did she cry, whine, complain, or beg during the entire trip. She rode happily in her stroller (that thing was worth EVERY penny; I'm now a total Maclaren convert), was game for anything (she went on every single ride and attraction for which she was tall enough, including all of the roller coasters, Haunted Mansion, and Tower of Terror) and kept up with us even until after midnight the last night. She was absolutely amazing!
And nobody guessed her favorite ride--it was Space Mountain! Not many four-year-olds would be brave enough to go on it once but little miss EXTREME Maren laughed and squealed with glee each of the three times she rode. Unusual, but perfectly fitting for her fearless personality! This is what I got when I asked her how she looked when she rode:
She may be only four years old and doesn't even weigh 35 lbs, but I'm telling you, she took the place by storm!She charmed the socks off Mary Poppins and Bert (Bert even took her two doors down for the express purpose of growling like a T. Rex at Cruella DeVille, leaving the rest of the people in line behind us bewildered and likely annoyed)
She stole the show center stage at the Jedi Academy as the littlest padawan with the cutest hairdo
And she had the audience rolling with laughter when she was chosen to wake up Jose in the Enchanted Tiki Room (this isn't the whole thing; I was laughing too hard to remember to get out the video camera before this)Our whole trip was just perfect. Really--for those three days, Disneyland certainly lived up to its moniker of The Happiest Place on Earth for us.
What I came away feeling was such gratitude that I have a family who love each other and genuinely enjoy spending time together. I know not everyone has this happiness, and I am truly thankful that I do.
I am also reminded just what an incredible little girl I am lucky enough to have--Maren was a dream kid! Not once did she cry, whine, complain, or beg during the entire trip. She rode happily in her stroller (that thing was worth EVERY penny; I'm now a total Maclaren convert), was game for anything (she went on every single ride and attraction for which she was tall enough, including all of the roller coasters, Haunted Mansion, and Tower of Terror) and kept up with us even until after midnight the last night. She was absolutely amazing!And nobody guessed her favorite ride--it was Space Mountain! Not many four-year-olds would be brave enough to go on it once but little miss EXTREME Maren laughed and squealed with glee each of the three times she rode. Unusual, but perfectly fitting for her fearless personality! This is what I got when I asked her how she looked when she rode:
Thursday, April 23, 2009
I'm up to my elbows in pink, blue, feathers and jewels working on my Marie collage, so until I post again about Disneyland, here are some pretties to look at:
I am in love with the old metal escutcheon plate--it's the perfect shade of chippy aqua blue! It needs cleaning so I'm trying to figure out how to do it gently without taking off the paint. The itty bitty flower frogs were a thrill to find; each is not quite as big around as a quarter! They are the smallest I've ever seen. I bought all I could find and I hope to offer some in my poor neglected etsy shop sometime very soon. And the vintage pink fabric measuring tape is a little treat I picked up at my favorite local shop, Patina. I've never found a pink one before and I'm smitten!
Back to the salt mines for me!
I am in love with the old metal escutcheon plate--it's the perfect shade of chippy aqua blue! It needs cleaning so I'm trying to figure out how to do it gently without taking off the paint. The itty bitty flower frogs were a thrill to find; each is not quite as big around as a quarter! They are the smallest I've ever seen. I bought all I could find and I hope to offer some in my poor neglected etsy shop sometime very soon. And the vintage pink fabric measuring tape is a little treat I picked up at my favorite local shop, Patina. I've never found a pink one before and I'm smitten!Back to the salt mines for me!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Back from the Mouse's House
We went, we rode, we saw, we ate, we walked, we laughed, we had the most fun and we can't wait to do it again in a few years!
We're all moving a little slowly and I've got to get my nose to the grindstone on my Marie collage (due out Friday! eek!) so I'll share more later. In the meantime, anyone want to guess what Maren's favorite ride was? She rode it three times, and I'll give you the answer in my next post!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Three things for Tuesday
First things first: Shameless Mommy Brag photos of my beautiful little girl on Easter Sunday. It was rainy, gray and cold here but with her bright yellow bow, she was a ray of sunshine!
The photo with her arm raised is funny--we told her to stand still as a statue (hard to get no-flash photos of her that aren't totally blurry) and she immediately put her arm up and stood still. I didn't get it at the time but later realized that she was being a statue, all right--the Statue of Liberty, to be exact! What a funny kid she is.
Second: We're going to Disneyland in two days! Squeeeeeeeeeal! I had a Disneyland dream this morning and I'm starting to get butterflies in my stomach, both from excitement and anxiousness. I ended up ordering a new Maclaren Volo stroller from eBay and it's on the UPS truck for scheduled delivery today. I tried to buy a used one off Craigslist for $70 but wasn't fast enough; now I'm glad because this brand new one was also $70 and I got free shipping! Also, I got to choose the color: turquoise, of course! And now I know that if for some reason I don't like it, I can easily sell it on Craigslist and recoup my costs. I'll still be a little freaked about it getting stroller-napped while I'm enjoying the Jungle Cruise, but hopefully everything will be okay.
Third: Check out this awesome fabric I found at the thrift store last week! I don't normally look at the fabric since I don't sew, but I happened to see this and grabbed it fast. The colors are so perfect for my front room! I LOVE it and wish I could buy more, as I think it would make really fun curtains. Unfortunately, there's no name on the selvage. It's very thick, kind of like canvas. I don't suppose anyone out there recognizes it? 
The piece I have is long and narrow so I think it will become pillows for the brown leather chair I'm trying to find to go in that room. The red is the color of my walls, the aqua is my accent color and the brown will match the chair and the light fixtures and the other wood furniture in the room. I hadn't thought of using the apple green before but I really like how it looks with the other colors.Now it's off to do laundry and start making my packing list so that we don't forget anything important. I'm also trying to get started on my Marie Antoinette collage before I go because the mailing date is only a few days after I get home next week. Time to get to work!
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