Random Thoughts

It's a dreary, rainy, windy and cold evening here in Ohio.  I'm waiting to go get my youngest daughter at the airport later.  We are hoping her flight isn't cancelled.  She is flying in from Miami, FL and she is in Baltimore right now and she called to say "It's Cold!"  Wait till she get here.

I just have not been relaxed enough lately to write anything of interest and my photos have not been good either.  I wish I could buy a new small camera.  Please excuse the images in this post.  I am going to just write some random thoughts that have been rattling around in my head lately.

I was working on some paper garlands for my Christmas craft shows.  While I was threading the ribbon through the punched holes I remembered those sewing cards I had as a child.  Did you have those?

My mom was a professional seamstress and I never understood the point of those cards until now.  I was training to make paper garlands when I turned 50!

I have been using a lot of skills people learn as children finally in my older years.

I used a machine to cut the window blinds at work.  You had to fit the top and bottom rails into perfectly made cutouts or the machine would not work.  Every time, I was trying to get these metal rails to fit exactly in the slots I would think of the shape blocks that have to fit into the opening in the ball my kids had.  Who knew that would be a necessary skill?

Remember the matching game?

Well this is kinda like that.  We draw names for Christmas.  I put the papers (face) down somewhere.  Then I have to remember what was on them and where they are.  Only thing is the table is my whole house!

We found them tonight and we were close.  Only missed 1 person and my husband does his shopping on Christmas Eve anyway!

Another skill I used in school was how to pass notes or talk without the teacher catching me.  Well we had to use this skill at work when we (the coworkers) wanted to talk to each other.  Hide from the cameras, talk in abbreviated conversations between dept. managers walk bys.  Needless to say that place just wasn't for me.

I finally got my tree up.  I just don't feel like redoing my whole house any longer.  I like it now that it is up but it's just so much work.  I read on another blog and on FB all these people doing this Elf on a Shelf stuff.  I am SO GLAD my girls are older.  The one blogger was cracking me up pointing out all the work some of the over achieving moms are making for themselves. 

Maybe I'm just lazy....yeah, that's it.  Oh Well.

Well I am not lazy if it involves craftiness and fun for me!

I wanted some of those bottle brush trees for my vintage farmhouse look so I decided to try making my own.  I needed pink and blue and white.  Good old Youtube.  I found a few tutorials and got the bleach, dye and trees and made my own.  I love them.

I did good with the bleaching and dying but the glitter was pretty messy.  I wasn't good at glue and glitter in grade school either.

One more topic.  I can't remember if I have posted about my neighbors dog Remmi on here before but I have some images of him I took recently.  He is a German Shorthaired Pointer and is very spastic.  He spends the night sometimes because he likes us!

 He is very sophisticated...Not!

Our cat has finally gotten used to him.  He realized he's not going anywhere soon.  At least not soon enough.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas holiday!  My girls are going to be here and I plan on spending as much time with them as I can so I may not post for the rest of the year. 

I'll make notes and write about it later.

Maybe

Happy Holidays!

Thrifting and Estate Finds

I have to apologize for keeping all of my fantastic finds to myself!

 I have just been so distracted with creating and doing local craft shows for the holidays I have not been able to put my mind into writing or editing photos for my blog. 

I really want to post things that inspire and not just post something to just put up a post. 

I have been to several great sales this fall and found so many things I want to make into great stuff!  I finally finished all the I Pad and Nook cases that I had designed and cut out so now I can start working with my vintage finds.

 I found this great bookcase for $2.00!

I plan to paint it and use it to organize the following fabrics.

 Vintage tablecloths! I got all these from one lady at a garage sale. They didn't have any linens at the sale but I usually ask or tell them I am looking for old linens so they don't get an attitude when I just look and leave.  I'm weird but I don't like to disappoint the sellers. Anyway the Mom said she had a bunch at home.  She actually went home and brought 3 boxes of linens and fabrics back to her daughter's for me to go through!  I didn't photograph the fabrics I got, just these great Retro tablecloths. I couldn't believe she had so many!

 The linens above and the next 5 images were from an estate sale that was in a building in downtown Dayton where these people had a costume rental business but they were also hoarders.

 Jack pot!  1 sale, unbelievable.

 This dress/nightie is beautiful.  And the photo below is of 5 very old aprons.  I plan to rework 2 of them into something I can wear to my summer shows.  I need to dress like my booth, I think. 

 Jewels to add to bags, bottles or maybe I'll just wear some of them myself.  At the same store I found the jewelry I found this box of typewriter keys! I have been wanting a charm bracelet with these type keys in my families initials for a few years and they were all here!  My friend Julie is going to make them into my bracelet. I can't wait.

 I have a thing for watch faces.  These reminded me of my Mom so I picked them up pretty cheep.

Had big hopes for these fall colored fabrics but I ran out of time so I guess they will have to wait till next fall.  The basket is already holding fabrics I'm in the process of re~purposing!

I hope I gave some of you some eye candy to enjoy.

All Souls Day (better late than never) and a trip to Chicago

 I wanted to post this while I was on a bus going to visit my daughter in Chicago.  I had 5 hours to just play here on the web but to my dismay we did not have wifi connection that day.  My trip was to packed spending time with her so I didn't want to take time to post while there.

so

I saw on another of my blog friends post that today is All Souls Day so I'm late for the USA but you can still enjoy the decorations I did for my book club!

 I chose to use a Poe theme and use book print to decorate where I could.

 I put the Raven the typewriter and made the portrait a zombie.

 I saw cookies like these on Pinterest

well,

not exactly like these,

theirs were much better

but for a first try I was very proud of myself.

These are most of my friends in my book club along with our guest author Katrina Kittle. She is kind of in the center in black at the end of the couch.

We read her book The Blessing of the Animals

very good book and we enjoyed her so much.  We invited her to join our book club! LOL

If you are a reader I hope you will check out her books.

Now for some images from my trip in Chicago!

I know you are dieing to see my vacation photos ;o

 This is the Lake on Tuesday.  We were on the bus on the way to the Art Museum when we saw this and I told Liz we had to get off and take photos!

 This was no easy task.

We were not close to the lake so we had to walk

FOREVER

to even get close

The walkway under the road was closed but we went anyway.

I didn't walk in the freezing wind for 20 minutes just to miss the opportunity to photograph the lake this angry.

 This is Liz walking in front of me along the beach area near downtown. 

I hate all the damage and devastation Sandy left but the creative person in me just had to capture these waves.

 We ate breakfast both mornings at a wonderful bakery called Lovely 11

Their mocha's were awesome and very pretty!

 I loved this pattern the mocha left.

 Tea bag Liz has hanging in her window. Loved these patterns also and the colors!

 The stairwell in her building

 Train

Beautiful plants all over the city! 

I was glad to have a couple of days just to hang out where she goes and meet many of the friends she has made over the last 4 years.  This wasn't a tourist trip and I got to see the real Chicago. 

I liked that better!

Creepy October Book Giveaway!

A perfect book to read for the month of October!

I received this book from The Library Things Early Reviewers program.

My review is here and if this sounds like a book you would like to read please leave me a message here and I will have a drawing on Oct. 31st to see who has won this suspensefull thriller!

I love reviewing books for the Library Thing and am so happy to be able to share new books and in many cases as this one, new authors.  Check out the review and sigh up!

As I began this story I was not sure I wanted to read it. I have read The Lovely Bones and other dark books before but I was not sure where Penny was going to take me with this story line. Penny does a wonderful job connecting Sonya’s past and present, slowly revealing the possible reasons for her need to keep this young boy. I found myself needing to know what was driving Sonya and wanting to hate her and just throw the book at the wall but Penny just keeps giving you enough information to keep you needing to read on. She kept me glued to the story chapter after chapter. I usually take my time with books because I like to enjoy them but this book was hard to put down. I read it in 3 sittings and only because I had to go to bed each night.

If you do not like unsettling real life type stories then this is not a book you should read, but if getting into the mind of people who do very bazaar things is, then I recommend this book for you. Another good book I have received through the Library Things Early Reviewers program.



It's my Birthday and I can do what I want!

 An estate sale, a FREE Mocha from Caribou Coffee and Pumpkin bread. What else could a girl want for her perfect birthday morning?

 Had a gift card so got some new music

 Goodwill! 

I don't need these but they sounded good and I have lots of time to read now.

Oh yeah, 

I am unemployed. 

Lowes put several of us on a leave of absence.  

but, 

my husband got a great job! 

So, all is well and I am enjoying my 2nd week of being a kept woman.

I have never not worked since college so this is fun.

I really needed a break and if you have followed all that we have been through I think you will agree I should take some time to relax.

This was my plan for my birthday today anyway and these are some of the items I purchased.

 Antique Yo Yo's Not sure what I'll sew them to yet but I think they are adorable. They are laying on a mans shirt I found at a thrift store I passed after the estate sale.

 Close up of fabric in shirt. Will Re~purpose this!

 Loved the vintage print in these cafe curtains and look at those awesome ruffles!  Can't wait to re~purpose these too!

 These napkins will probably be mine for awhile. Colors perfect for my living room

 Great box for my supplies :)

 2 addictions! Will have my friend make me a bracelet with the watch faces and typewriter keys.

 All in all it was a great day but I need a nap.  It has been rainy. That is why the images are not so good. Not much light to work with but I really wanted to share my finds and good news with you.

I really do not have a good excuse to be gone from here any longer except that I will be very busy sewing with all my new fabric finds.  I have several shows coming up so lots to do! Some creations will show up in my Etsy shop also, soon.

Flu and a book review

Flu
What is there good to say about the flu?

I've spent (lost) 2 whole days laying in bed so sore and tired I could not move. I did not feel like reading or watching tv.
Nothing
I did Nothing!
I don't do nothing well.

On day 3 I decided I'd try to go to work because if I am out 3 days I need a Dr. to sign I'm sick.  I'm not paying for an office visit to have my Dr. tell me what I already know and can't do anything about.
So I went in and made it 5 hours! 5 hours on my feet.  I had not been vertical a total of 1 hour at a time in the last 2 days.

Needless to say i went home and promptly went to sleep for 2 hours.

Walked to the mailbox and up the hill and was worn out!

Back to the bed :(

Here is what I can say that has been good about the FLU.
I had time to catch up here on my blogs and post a new one.  I will hopefully find out why I keep getting error messages when I log on to blogger.  This has been very frustrating!

I have several post I need to do so I hope to add one each day for the next few days while I'm (resting).

Book Review

I received this book in the Early Reviewers from The Library Thing.  This is one of my favorite books to receive so far.  I enjoyed the relationship Cathy Holton develops between her characters,  Alice , the elderly, crotchety, rich lady and Stella, a young, poor student taking on a part time caregiver position to earn some much needed money.

Everyone else views Alice so negatively like so many people do the elderly but Stella takes the time to actually listen and care about Alice.  The relationship begins to benefit both Alice and Stella as time passes.

I enjoyed the past stories integrated into the present.  We have a lot to learn from past experiences of other people in our lives.  Without giving away too much of the story, I have to say Cathy’s dialog from Alice about her marriage was beautiful and spot on.  I have been married for 30 years and couldn’t agree more.

“You think I married Bill Whittington out of sacrifice?” Alice said fiercely, and something moved in her eyes then, something stubborn and slightly hostile.

“No,  AL, of course not.”

“There’s  all kinds of love,” Alice said sharply. “There’s the kind that comes over you like a sickness, and there’s the kind that comes on after years of shared struggle and companionship.  And I can tell you, from my experience, It’s the second kind that last the longest.  The other eventually burns away like a fever. Leaving what – guilt, regret?  Would I have been happier with Brenden Burke? I don’t think so.  He wasn’t the man I thought he was.  I got the life I needed with Bill Whittington, even if it didn’t seem like the one I wanted at the time.”

A few small predictable things in the beginning bothered me like Stella’s last name and I may have missed something but I never really understood all the lead up to something in the basement.  At Chapter 18 with 1 chapter to go and needing to get back to work in 5 minutes, I read the first line of chapter 19 and threw the book down on the break room table.  “Figures!” is all I could think.

I finished the book that evening and was no longer mad at how Cathy wrapped her story up. 

I do believe good chances come to everyone.  Everyone is just not brave enough to take them when they come.

Great book, I will look for more from Cathy Holton.

If you would like to enter for a chance to win this book leave me a message and mention you would love to read Cathy's book.  I will close the give away on Friday Sept. 14t

I have so much to share I can't wait to tell you all that has been happening with me!