Thrifty Goodness - The $1 craft bag

You give me a big brown paper bag and tell me I can fill it up with anything from the craft section of the thrift store and I can fill the bag.  Starting with bias tape, seam binding, hem facing and blanket binding (none of which I have actually used in real life - yet!) 

I'm not afraid to throw in some loop braids, soutache braids and rick rack, even if I'm not so sure what I might use them for....

Hoops?  I got your hoops right here!  (And I didn't even clean them out, can you believe it?!?!?)

This is a lot of pretty cool stuff - an 8x8 album that will be perfect for my next art journal project, a tablet of Column Write paper, three cross-stitch pattern books and a couple of needlepoint stitching guides.  I've been wanting to try the t-shirt transfer paper for a while, so this was a good opportunity to give it a try.

Tear-away paper?  Check.  Big ole wooden balls?  Check.  Glue sticks?  Check.  Metallic embroidery floss?  Red?  Check.  Green?  Check.  Gold?  Double check!  A couple of glue sticks, a tropical island stamp, a roll of twill ribbon and six rusty miniature snowmen/angel cutouts and round out this picture of craftiness.

The embroidery kit is pretty cool - it has two different but similar patterns.  One is more advanced and is intended to be done by the adult while the second is a simpler version of the first pattern to be completed by a younger person who is watching/learning from the more advanced embroiderer.  Is that a word?  Why wouldn't it be?  The dressmaker's tracing paper is pretty cool and yet another sewing tool that I have yet to use.  At least I can't use the excuse that I don't have any!  Handkerchiefs are always good, right?

You need some buttons?  Specifically little purple or yellow buttons?  I got your little purple and yellow buttons right here.  Some other ones too, but mostly purple and yellow ones.

I rounded out the bag with some flowers and a sweet bowmaker.  Now I think that I've seen this bowmaker on TV, but normally a fine quality product like this would add "As Seen on TV" to the packaging if that was the case.  My disappointment was assuaged by the discovery of 100 extra bow pins tucked inside the bowmaker box, so it's all good.

Let me know if you need anything in the way of craft supplies - I've probably got ya covered!



One A Day - November 29

Not a great picture, but a decent accomplishment for me!

Thanks mom!

Mom gave me a little embroidery lesson after Thanksgiving dinner and it turns out that there is a reason that her stitching always looks so good.  Her secret?  A teeny-tiny little needle that my big ole fat fingers could hardly hang on to along with excellent technique.  I'm working with a bigger needle and vastly inferior technique, but I still learned enough from mom's little tutorial to do a little something.

Moms, you're the greatest!

Thrifty Goodness - Two For The Books

Rather than venture out amongst the retail zombies on Black Friday, Shad and I did a little thrifting.  We had excellent success due in large part to a $1 Bag sale that we found at one of the thrift stores.  I ended up with two $1 bags - one full of books and one full of craft supplies. 

Brown bags of excitement!

I was trying to be mindful of the fact that I already have a lot of books and so I tried to limit it to books that I actually had an interest in or could pass along.  Here are some of the books that I put into my bag:

Average price = less than 5 cents per book!

I picked up the kids' books for a little project that I'm hoping to do for the local hospital when I get a spare minute or two.  I'm kinda excited about the Janet Evanovich book - which is actually the first three Stephanie Plum books in one - because I have a few friends that really like the series.  I've tried to read some of the middle books and have had a hard time getting into them, so I'm hoping that starting at the beginning will ease me into it.

I did pick up two other books that I was super-psyched about.

Vintage BC cooking baby!

Care to make some animal pancakes?

Perhaps some fudge?

Would it be wrong of me to get all excited if I successfully make some of the recipes from this book?  I mean, I'm a girl, and my cooking skills are approximately at the level of a 10 or 11 year-old, so it would be alright, right?  One of these days I'll give it a try and let you know how it goes.

My last literary find was another one that I've been on the lookout for.  It's been fairly easy to find more recent copies of this one, but I've been hoping to find one closer to the book I remember from my childhood.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you.....

Complete with the green Wal-Mart price sticker of my youth

I love the illustrations!

The mad tea party

Hiding from the Queen of Hearts

So that's it for the $1 bag of books - I'll catch ya later for the $1 bag of craft supplies.  It was awesome!

One A Day - November 28

One of my favorite recent finds from the GW Boutique

The {21} Challenge - Day {9}

Day {9}

Day 9 was a rough one.  Although my job is not physically demanding, some days are definitely more mentally taxing than others.  Today was one of those days.  I ran all morning and ran through Subway for lunch.  After being at my office for a couple of hours it was back to running and home about 1 1/2 hours late.  Shad picked up pizza for supper and I had three pieces.  I really should have stopped at two, but I didn't.  I still compare today to what I would have done pre-challenge, which would likely have entailed cookies at lunch with a stop in the drive-thru or a gas station on the way back home and then supper.  Again, I'm not holding myself up to a "perfect" standard, just better every day.  I'm telling myself that I'm looking forward to some treadmill time.  (I'm really not, but I subscribe to the "fake it 'til you make it" school of thought.  So I am.  But I'm not.  But I'm gonna!)

ETA (Edited to add): I did it.  32 minutes.  Two days down, three to go until a new book for my Kindle!

The {21} Challenge - Day {8}

Day {8}

"Day 8!"  "Day 8!"  (Just so you know, in my head that comes across as a Brian Regan's voice in his emergency room bit.  Probably pretty random to you, though, right?  You can click on the links to share my experience, if you wanna...)

Today was tough.  We stayed around the house and I accomplished, accomplished, accomplished all day long.  Meals were catch-as-catch-can, and it was sooooooo tempting to just raid the snack drawer and scarf down everything in sight.  I don't think I did too bad, though.  I would have liked to have spent some time on the treadmill today but the time got away from me and when I finally had the time, I was too tired. 

I shan't beat myself up over my missed date with the treadmill.  This challenge is not about being perfect each day, it's about starting a new habit.  I'm getting in the habit of eating healthier and exercising more - not beating myself up.  I'll catch it tomorrow.  Just like I'll catch you tomorrow.  Night!

One A Day - November 27

Any guesses?

One A Day - November 26

Christmas Courthouse

The {21} Challenge - Day {7}

Day {7}

A week?  Already?  Awesome! 

Today was the biggest test so far - meeting Shad's friend and his mom at a Chinese buffet.  I went with the 1/2 plate veggies, 1/4 meat and 1/4 starch.  The egg roll and sliver of chocolate cream pie probably wouldn't technically fall onto most people's diet plans, but since this isn't a diet it's just fine!  I strongly resisted temptation when Shad asked if I wanted to stop by Dairy Queen after the game (4th game in the last 6 days - all away!) because I really, really did want to stop, but we passed it by without a tasty ice cream treat.  Feeling (and looking) better is going to feel much better for much longer than I could have made that tasty, tasty Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzard last.  MMMMmmmmmmmm.....I'm so glad that DQ is closed now!

Okay, I'm making another date with the treadmill for tomorrow.  Shad has agreed to my self-bribery scheme, so four workouts until a new book for my Kindle.  Yay!

The {21} Challenge - Day {6}

Day {6}

We knew it would happen sometime, didn't we?  I didn't post Day {6} on day six of the challenge.  I hope you can hold your disappointment until the end....

I have no idea what that meant.  I'm tired.  As I posted in the prior post, I wake up at the butt-crack of dawn when I don't have anything going on and then want to sleep forever when I actually have to roll out of bed and get going.  We had some running to do today so I had to get up, so of course I didn't want to.  I plan to sleep late tomorrow, which means that I'll get up by 6:00 a.m. or something ridiculous.

Day {6} was actually pretty good.  Shad and I went shopping and ate lunch at Wendy's.  I consulted the nutrition chart and picked the apple-walnut salad, which was pretty tasty and not too bad on the fat/calories scale.  We picked up supper (roll-up sandwiches and pretzel thins) from Wal-Mart to eat on the way to the game.  Aside from the fact that we ate in the car - something that I really need to avoid since I had somehow developed the theory that calories consumed in a moving vehicle don't count - I'm pretty proud of both Shad and me.

Another piece of quote art from Rhonna Farrer's {Day 6} post:

Now this I like......

Progression Of A Sunrise

I woke up bright and early this morning, which would have been a good thing had Shad and I planned to join the throngs of people taking advantage of Black Friday sales and stampedes.  Although we joked about going to Kohl's at 3:00 a.m. (why? why would they do that to us? It's like the retailers are trying their hardest to kill off Black Friday by opening for Black Friday on the Tuesday after Halloween!) but we decided to keep it low-key today.  Am I the only one that will drag myself out of bed when I actually have something to do but will wake up all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when there is nothing on the agenda?

I took advantage of my early morning to take a few pictures of the sunrise.  Unfortunately the time on my digital camera was not set, but from what I can calculate these pictures were taken between about 6:30 and 7:30 this morning.

I woke up to this

What a difference five minutes makes!

Ten minutes after I woke up

It's getting lighter.....

We're almost there!

Sun peeps out at about 7:02 a.m.

My peepers!

Hello Mr. Sun!

Wow.  Definitely need to clean the windows....

It's beginning to look a lot like daylight!

Good morning one and all!

One A Day - November 25

Shad and Pepper

The {21} Challenge - Day {5}

Day {5}

I'm happy to report that not only did I keep my date with the treadmill last night but I also remained relatively on track during Thanksgiving lunch at my parents' house!  I do feel more energetic and I do feel like this is working.  I'm feeling strong and positive and ready to do more to keep on track.  Rwar!

I think that I'm going to set up a little reward system to encourage my treadmill use.  Perhaps for every 5 days that I use the treadmill for 30 minutes or more I will purchase a book for my Kindle.  Most of the ones on my Wish List now are less than $5, so it's like bribing myself for about a dollar a day.  Gosh I'm cheap!

The kids are at their mom's house for the holiday so Shad and I (and Oscar, and Bruce, and Mario, and Clyde, and Otis, and Charlie) have the house to ourselves.  I'm thinking a little cuddle on the couch is in order......  ;)

One A Day - November 24

Detail of an original painting done by one of childhood friends

4 Stories - Hairdos

One - The Perm

When I was in 5th grade my best friend Laura got a perm.  This was back in the day of feathered (not to be confused with teased!) sides and bangs and Laura's perm was awesome - the absolute pinnacle of 1980s hair.  I begged my mom to let me get a perm.  Repeatedly.  She finally repented and allowed me to get one.  The catch?  Grandma Rosalie would be my hairstylist.  Looking back, I have no idea what grandma's credentials were, but she got me all rolled up and processed without any trouble.  After sitting for what seemed like hours with foul-smelling chemical fumes wafting from my noggin, I distinctly remember kneeling over the edge of my grandparents' bathtub (it was either pink or rosy red) while grandma helped me rinse and towel off my hair.  Moments later I gazed eagerly into the mirror, certain that I was going to see my very own perfectly-feathered coif.  But instead of Farrah Fawcett's flowing feathers my head was covered with Little Orphan Annie curls!  I cried.  A lot.  Uncontrollably.  Looking back I feel absolutely horrible about my reaction.  It was actually a very good perm and I would kill to have those adorable curls now, but back then I was devastated.  My grandma and I never talked about the perm, but I would like to hope that she didn't take my tears too personally.  She passed away several years ago.  Do you think she's forgiven me?

Two - The Braid

Fast-forward to the early 1990s.  It was the time of big blown-out hair featuring bangs that towered inches above the heads of teenaged girls, bolstered by cans upon cans of Aqua Net hairspray.  Not this girl, though!  I opted instead for the asymmetrical 'doo complete with what simply became known as "the braid."  Picture a rat tail located not on the back of the head but on the left side, just behind the ear - frequently braided, often beaded, always fabulous!  The braid was an essential part of my look for quite a while.  It started as just a section of my hair woven into a small braid, but as my hair grew and was cut the braid remained untouched.  Before too long the braid extended four or five inches below the rest of my hair.  That was the heyday of the braid and good times, indeed, but it was not to last.  'Twas a sad day when the braid and I were separated.  I'm pretty sure Ang even went into mourning for a while.

Three - What Hairdo?

For the last several (10+) years my hairdo can best be described as no hairdo.  I get my hair cut maybe twice a year, but aside from washing, occasionally conditioning and very rarely deep-conditioning, that's about it.  I own a blow drier which is most frequently used to clear the fog from the bathroom mirror.  I think that I still have hairspray somewhere, but if Malorie hasn't stolen it it is only because it's not Aqua Net or some other super-shellacking aerosol.  I'll throw in a barrette or a bow or other accessory every now in then but that's about as exciting as it gets. 

Four - The Next Generation

I think that the kids have been surprised at what they've been allowed to do with their hair.  While Malorie isn't as adventurous as she used to be - probably because her hair is gorgeous and she knows it! - Andrew still wants to experiment from time to time.  In the last year he dyed his naturally dirty blonde hair black, then shaved his head, then wore a faux hawk.  Right now his hair is back to his natural color with a fairly standard style, but I wouldn't be surprised if he came up with something different to do.  I think Malorie's haircare routine may be more elaborate than the greeting rituals for most heads of state - straightening, curling, teasing, spraying, etc.  Andrew is definitely much more simple - wash, comb (sometimes!) and go.

The {21} Challenge - Day {4}

Day {4}

You know the part in one of the Indiana Jones movies when Indy is trapped in a pit and discovers that it is filled with his biggest fear?  "Snakes.  Why did it have to be snakes?"  Mine is modified a bit.

Snacks.  Why did it have to be snacks?

My workplace has one day a month when people generally bring in food to snack on during the day.  There's a big spread set up in one of the conference rooms and people come in and out, grazing at will.  Today is the day and, while I have been able to steer clear of the room, I've still heard/seen enough to tempt me.  Tina's taco dip, Connie's turtle pie.......but I'm staying strong.  I can doooo eet!

I am encouraged by the fact that I noticed a tiny difference in the mirror this morning.  After only four days it's likely that it's water weight versus any actual weight loss, but it still helps to see the little changes that have begun. 

Treadmill 'ho!

I Got An Itch

I love our house.  I love the unpainted, original woodwork.  I love the location.  I love the people that live here and the memories that we have made and will make here in the years to come.

I do not love the beige carpeting.  It probably would not have been too bad if it weren't for the dogs and the mud, but beige does not stand up to hard use well.  There is a mysterious stain that reappears in the middle of the living room after any steam-cleaning no matter how thorough.  Muddy paws?  Fuggedaboutit.

A couple of weeks ago I finally talked Shad into pulling up just a small corner to see what was underneath.  We chose a corner near the front door, both due to ease of access and location.  Logic dictates that the floor which should have received the most traffic would be indicative of the rest of the floor, right?  Right?  RIGHT?  Tell me I'm right, please, because this is what we found....

*Squealing in my head like a small child*

*eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

You have to know how excited I am by this.  You remember #38, right?  I mean, the whole floor is probably just like this!  Nothing more to do than to just yank up all of that carpeting, pop the tack strips up, run a mop over it and ~presto~ the beautiful hardwood floors of my dreams! 

I know.  I know that it won't be that easy.  It couldn't be that easy.  Intellectually I know this, but it doesn't quiet the small squealing child in my head.  Doesn't stop her from jumping around excitedly either.....

I am keeping in mind that there are several reasons to wait for a more opportune time of year to start this little project.  The carpet will keep the house warmer.  We'd have to buy area rugs to go over the hardwood floor and its probably not cheap for the size and style that I would probably want.  We'd have to move furniture around.  We might have to re-stain or polyurethane the floors and you can't safely do that without opening up the house to air out the fumes.  We may need to do patching or other repair work that would be better done in the warmer weather.  The carpeting isn't really that bad.

I wanna!  But I won't, for now.

One A Day - November 23

Silhouettes

The {21} Challenge - Day {3}

Day {3}

Be effective by beginning with the end in mind.  It's an interesting concept, but not something that I am very good at.  I tend to put my head down and work through it rather than continue to look up to see where I am.  What if there is no definitive ending point?  What if the end that you have in mind is unattainable?  What if your idea of the end stops short of the point where you could have ended if you would have continued?

I can't tell if I'm being silly or serious.  Is that bad?

But seriously, today was another pretty good day as far as keeping on track with my goals.  I think I forgot and took the elevator once, but it was more because I was operating on cruise control than due to any conscious decision.  I also did a decent job of eating healthy when you take into account that we ate supper at 8:30 tonight at a bar.  I ate three pieces of pizza (squares, not slices) when I would have normally had five or six and had water instead of soda, so I'm counting it as progress.

Tomorrow I'll amp up the exercise by spending some time on the treadmill.  Once I get in the habit it's something that I actually enjoy - kinda dead-head time to just veg.  I need to view it as a treat rather than an obligation.

Day {4} awaits!

One A Day - November 22

Sheet music from a thrift store

Accessorized

This is my ID chain (with vicious dinosaur!) that I wore to work this morning

But then my friend Joe gave me this Army lanyard and I thought a scary blue dinosaur would be more appropriate...

And this is my handmade hair accessory - I think I need to change out the beads for a single large button or something to keep it from looking like I have a nest on my head!

You know, I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with the picture of my hair accessory, which was taken by yours truly with my arm folded awkwardly around my head.  My hair actually looks pretty good from this angle, too!