Tag Archives: Humor

Thrifting Thursday: Vacation Thrifting

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Oy vey, that’s all I can say after nearly two weeks of not posting. Let’s see what have I been up to, we took a week long vacation (don’t worry, you’ll be sick of seeing my vacation shots when I finally get them edited), then the holidays I think that’s enough said about that, and then of course, the week of catch up work that comes with taking a week off of work. But it was all totally worth it, the only thing I regret is not keeping up with the ol’ blog. I had planned on posting while I was out of town, but I only got one of the pre-prepared posts published, then it was all down hill from there.

But I’m not here to complain about my non-bloggyness, I’m here to talk about all things thrifted as today is Thrifting Thursday!! Aren’t you excited?! If you’re new around here, every Thursday (and sometimes on Friday when I’m too late for a Thursday post) I talk about items I’ve either thrift-ED or have deemed interesting enough to photograph and share with you here on the ol’ blog. The thrifting doesn’t necessarily happen on a Thursday, I just thought that TH-rifting went well with TH-ursday, besides is there a better way to celebrate Friday eve than enjoying all the thrifted goodness out there in the world?

So on this Thrifting Thursday I’ll be sharing some interesting items I found while sniffing around some shops on my vacation. Because, ya know, I can’t go a week without thrifting! And really, you can find some pretty awesome and unique souvenirs on the cheap at these places.

worshippictureframe

I know this isn’t that original as I’ve seen similar frames at Target, but this one was too funny not to photograph.

puppetfamily

Then there was this little puppet family. I really don’t know what to say about these guys, but doesn’t the father look like Gomez Adams? Maybe it’s just me.

goodmorningomlettemaker

I couldn’t resist not documenting this rooster omelet pan. I didn’t buy him, but isn’t he cheery?

vintagebeehive

Isn’t this little bee/honey comb cute? Yeah, I thought so too, that’s why I gleefully packed him away in my carry on luggage. After paying for him of course.

dontgetyourtinselinatangle

And finally, with all the Christmas busy-ness around us, here’s one thing to remember.

Happy Friday everyone!!!

How to Crochet the Lazy Girl Way

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Lately I’ve been trying to be a little craftier, apparently idle hands are the devils playground. At least that’s what my grandmother used to tell me. So, I’ve taken up crocheting in the evenings while I watch re-runs of Friends and impatiently wait for Season 7 of Doctor Who to arrive on Netflix. Because ya know, I can’t spend the $14 to buy 6 episodes of my most recent television obsession, that would be too easy. Anyways, during my TV time the past couple of months I’ve been making this:

pinkcrochetbabyblanket

A baby blanket, a WHOLE baby blanket. That’s like 20 scarves all put together! I’m a beginner when it comes to crocheting or crochet?? What would be the proper terminology here? See? I’m that new I don’t even know the proper verb or pronoun whatever the correct terminology one would use in this situation. But I digress, I’m new to this craft and have only really mastered the single crochet, so that’s how this blanket was woven together (and love, woven with lots of love, you can’t have a handmade item NOT contain love!). Nothing but single crochet stitches and the chunkiest and softest yarn I could find, Bernat Baby Blanket, in Baby Pink. I found the cheapest selection at Wal-Mart, it was $2.97 for a 3.5 oz skein. Certain colors can be purchased in a huge 10.5 oz skein, which is what I did with another blanket I’m currently working on, but that’s another story.

singlecrochetblanketI LOVED working with this yarn, it’s the perfect material for a beginner like me who tends to be a bit fumbly with the crochet needle. By the way, I used an N needle with this super chunky yarn, so the project was super easy and super fast. If I had worked on it for more than an hour or two at a sitting and if I were more nimble in the fiber arts I bet this could have been churned out in  a lot less than a month and a 1/2.

But the one caveat I have about using this yarn is that it tends to be a little knotty, and I don’t mean it stole grapes from the grocery store for “tasting”. There were random knots within the skein, like they had knotted two different skeins together. Maybe it was just that I purchased my yarn from Wal-Mart, which sometimes doesn’t have the best quality of merchandise or maybe it’s just the nature of the product. By the way, I’m not slamming Wal-mart. They do tend to have the best deals on certain products. And yes, I realize there are lots of people out there who are very anti-WalMart, I can be one of those people at times, but I also like a good deal. Either way, the knots kind of annoyed me because it made the final product look a little messy. Or maybe it was just me making it messy with my beginner crochet-er ways.

bernartbabyblanketyarn

But all in all I am happy with the final product, and have happily wrapped and shipped this handmade gift to a friend of mine who is happily awaiting the arrival of her new baby girl in just a few short weeks.

packedandready

Have you started up a new hobby? Or have you mastered an old hobby? Any crochet tips from the pros out there??

Thrifting Thursday: Pink and Cinnamon All Over

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Welcome to Thrifting Thursday, as the name implies, I’ll be talking about items I’ve either thrift-ED or have deemed interesting enough to photograph and share with you here on the ol’ blog. The thrifting doesn’t necessarily happen on a Thursday, I just thought that TH-rifting went well with TH-ursday, besides is there a better way to celebrate Friday eve than enjoying all the thrifted goodness out there in the world?

On this weeks edition of Thrifting Thursday, lets focus on the kitchen, shall we?

Mmm….yeah I know the cinnamon rolls aren’t vintage or thrifted, if they were that would be kind of gross. But on a non-second hand food note, notice the bowl these yummy and tight jeans inducing rolls are sitting in. That’s what we’re really talking about today.

I don’t remember exactly when, where, or how this sweet little pink dish entered my home, but she gets a lot of use. And she looks pretty cute too. Those sweet little flowers make me smile every time I pull her out for the next batch of cinnamon rolls or whatever else I deem her just the right size for. She’s a vintage Pyrex, I estimate probably from the 60’s or 70’s. We have a matching split casserole and small-ish rectangular casserole dish. So, it’s the beginnings of a matching set! Exciting stuff!

Now onto the good part, the cinnamon rolls. You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging on those did ya?

I can’t take credit for these confectionery delights, Bubba made these last Saturday early in morning, ya know before 11 am. So here’s the basic recipe:

Dough for Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

The dough is based off of a recipe for the Pecan Caramel Rolls found on the Betty Crocker website, you can find the exact recipe for those here.

31/2 to 4 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 packages regular or quick active dry yeast

1 cup warm milk (120 to 130 degrees F)

1/3 cup margarine or butter softened

1 egg

Filling for Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

This came from one of Bubba’s old cook books, he couldn’t remember which one, but here’s an estimate of what was used:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

raisins and walnuts or pecans to taste

Happy thrifting and baking everyone!!!

Thanksgiving Recap

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So, here we are nearly a week after Thanksgiving and I haven’t provided a full and complete run down of my day of thanksgiving! Are you ready to be bombarded with too many pictures of pumpkin pie and faux gourds? No? Well sorry, you’re gonna have to endure this picture laden post, or not. This is the internet afterall, I can’t force you stay and watch my virtual slideshow as I detail each and every event that is documented within each and every photo. Maybe I should make some virtual queso so you’ll all stick around and listen to my babbling. (Can you name that Rotel commercial? Wait, I think I already did. Such a party pooper aren’t I?)

This Thanksgiving, much like every Thanksgiving, was spent at my mothers house. I got to pretty up the table.

I just used what Mom had around the house, nothing new here. The covered cake dish that I used for the base of my pumpkin extravaganza, was given to my mother for Christmas one year by me, her favorite child of course. The clear dishes have all been collected over the years from various garage sales and thrift stores. My mom has an even greater weakness for pretty glassware than I do.

The table linens were all purchased at Wal-Mart after the holidays many moon ago, at a pretty steep discount. That bargain hunting runs deep through my veins thanks to Momma. (Don’t you love how it’s all about me?)

And what Thanksgiving would be complete without the Thanksgiving fowl?  No, not the one in the oven, the fowl of the decor variety. The hen and rooster are usually floating around Mom’s kitchen somewhere, but that little turkey in the middle? She’s made her annual appearance for the past 4 or 5 years, no Thanksgiving is complete without her nearby.

And did I mention that Mom has a weakness for interesting and vintage glassware?? I love this piece, and it was in brand new condition. Apparently, it’s previous owner never used it. Mom was able to pick up a few pieces from the same household that were all equally unused, and in perfect condition. If only I had thought to take a picture of these stunning pieces, but alas, dinner was calling my name.

After we feasted on our roast beast and Who-pudding, it was the doggies turn for their Thanksgiving dinner. Let’s just say that didn’t sit around the table and talk about the things they were most grateful for before chowing down.

Pardon the fuzzy pictures, excited dogs are hard to photograph at dusk.

And the best part of this holiday, ya know, aside from the thankfulness and the spending time with family, the left overs.

Don’t they taste so much better the next day?

Happy Thanksgiving

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With today being a day dedicated to giving thanks to all of the wonderful blessings the good Lord has bestowed upon us, I am forgoing the regularly scheduled Thrifting Thursday. Instead, this day of thanksgiving will be spent with my loved ones reflecting on those blessings too numerous to count, and also eating copious amounts of pumpkin pie.

“Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.”

1 Chronicles 16:8

Fall at the River

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Happy Thanksgiving Eve!!  Those of you celebrating Thanksgiving are probably busy preparing for the major feast to occur tomorrow. So, I thought I’d give you a nice break from house cleaning, pie making, and in general feast prepping by sharing some shots I took a few weeks ago at the River. We call it the river around these parts, because there’s really only one major river running through the entire state, the Rio Grande. And around these parts we call the banks of the Rio Grande The Bosque.

Since I couldn’t make it up to the mountains to see the changing of the Aspens this year, I ventured out to the Bosque to see the changing of the Cottonwoods and various other trees I don’t know the name of.

The trails through this area are super sandy, and require appropriate footwear.

Of course I came fully prepared. ICKY! I’ve got 40 pairs of shoes, at least 10 of those being sneakers and in general comfy shoes that would prevent river dust/sand from getting between ones toes. Did I wear those shoes? Nope. I had to wear my shopping sandles because darn it, it’s still 70 degrees outside! I’ll have to keep a spare pair of sneaks in the trunk for impromptu river walks.

After muddling through the nastiness of sand between my toes, Bubba and I took the obligatory facebook shot. This was a day after a hair cut, so glad my bangs have grown out of their buster brown phase.

In years past we’ve brought our brat dogs, but every year they’d find a patch of these burrs. I don’t know how much time I’ve spent picking these nasty suckers out of fur. But they make a pretty picture when they aren’t causing a member of my doggie brat pack pain.

While I was enjoying nature and snapping pics, Bubba was also enjoying nature in his own way. I just know he’s gonna get arthritis in his thumbs some day.

And ya know, it’s not just fall at the river, it’s also fall around the office.  I snapped these one day while taking a little walking break.

That’s a view of the river from a balcony.

And in this tree lives a family of hawks, sounds romantic but it’s not so great when you see the remants of their pigeon dinner scattered throughout the parking lot. *SHIVERS*

This is the tree I park under everyday, it’s like magic in the fall.

And on that magical note, I’ll leaf you all to enjoy your eve of Thanksgiving!!

 

Tablesetting Tuseday

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With Thanksgiving coming upon us, it’s time to think about all the yummy things that come along with this holiday of thankfulness (ya know aside from the blessing of having so many things to be thankful for). And to me, yummy things include pretty table settings, it’s almost beyond me to have a beautiful meal without the table being pretty too. I shouldn’t say it’s beyond me, because I can have a beautiful meal on a plain table, I’m not one to turn down a good meal, which is pretty evident by my double chins. But if you ever eat a meal at my house, the table will be set, there will be nice dishes, and cloth napkins, I’ll even dust the table of dog fur. I can’t guarantee how good the food will be, if I’m the one doing the cooking, but you will have a nice table and good company. It’s an odd thing with me, maybe it’s too much Pinterest, but I really find joy in setting up a nice table. So, this past weekend, when I had sunlight and some extra time, I set up a mock dinner party for two.

Outside, in the backyard, because really, I was too lazy to clean off our actual dining table. Besides it’s way more fun to play dinner party outside, and I couldn’t resist the great weather. Come on, in the 60’s in mid November?? It’s a warm weather girls dream!

I set a pretty simple table, a few pumpkins and some apples. The table runner is actually a red flat sheet and a flower-y scarf I had laying around. I like the layered look in both my wardrobe and my table.

The pedestal the apples sit in came from Goodwill, it’s wooden. I don’t know what kind of wood, but since I’m on a big wooden bowl and tray kick lately I thought it would make a nice addition to my wooden hoard. Plus, it gives the table some height, there’s nothing more boring than a table with nothing to draw the eye to different levels. At least, IMO. Geez, I sound like such a table setting snob don’t I?

The plates, bowl and charger are all new-ish, nothing vintage about them. But that amber colored glass you see, is a thrifted item, actually he has 5 other brothers in the cupboard waiting for that next glass of sweet tea.

So, today, I’m thankful for warm sunny days that lend themselves to a lazy-fake-dinner-party good time. Deep huh?

Weekend Happenings: A Weekend Long Ago

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A weekend long long ago, actually a month ago, we had a little visitor.

My sweet and beautiful mom came over. It’s always exciting when she comes around, her granddogs especially love these little visits.

That’s Annie when she spotted Mom’s car pull in front of the house. Notice the happy tail.

This time she brought along a few fall inspired gifts from her recent trip to Ohio. My favorite and apparently the only gift that got photographed:

Authentic outdoor-cooked apple butter. This stuff is like crack in a jar! Maybe its the melted red hots or maybe they use some type of special addictive apples, who knows. All I know, is that the contents of this jar have long been eaten, and I didn’t share.

So, today, I’m thankful for apple butter imported from Ohio. But mostly, I’m thankful for my sweet mom that cares enough to have my sweet uncle wrap up and Fedex my coveted crack in a jar.

There’s nothing like that apple butter/red hot high.

Duck, Duck, Goose

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Well look at that, a Thrifting Thursday on a Thursday, what a concept!! Maybe I shouldn’t babble on too much, lest I get distracted and this becomes another edition of Thrifting Thursday on a Friday.

So, keeping the babble at a minimum today, let’s look at a couple of items I snatched up at Goodwill a while ago. Actually, it’s a set of items.

Duckhead bookends. They’re shiny, and animal heads, I couldn’t resist. With my growing owl collection, my sweet goose head, and now these guys, the house is turning down right fowl. Sorry, I couldn’t resist, that pun was just asking for it. Just like these lil duckheads were begging to come home with me. And yes, I know bookends belong at the end of say, a row of books, but I couldn’t relegate these guys to the messy abyss where all of my books reside. Most people would call this abyss a spare room, but not I! It’s the room where thrifted overabundance and already read and re-read literary items go to die, unless of course we have an overnight guest, then the panic sets in and the shuffling of hoard begins. But I don’t wanna talk about that, I’m already getting hives thinking about it.

Speaking of hoard, I’ve recently been hoarding wooden bowls and trays. I love the texture of them, and everyone of them is different.

Plus, they look really cute cluttering up my dining table and holding part of my owl hoard.

And my giant dough bowl, filled with apples and pumpkins. To make things feel all fall like and such. Is it working?

Speaking of fall and being thankful and keeping with my promise to talk about everyday thankfulness, I’m thankful for warm autumn weather and the memory of a summer sunset.

Grateful to be Annoyed

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Today, is annoying, just annoying, there’s no reason, it’s just an annoying day. Everything is annoying, traffic is annoying, my dogs are annoying, my sweet and loving husband is annoying, my great and wonderful job of which I am so very grateful to have is annoying, the stuff in my house is annoying, everything is annoying. I’ve come to the conclusion that I am annoyed with myself, which means, I am annoyed by everything and everyone around me, because I can’t escape my annoying self.

But I’m  grateful that I am healthy enough to be annoyed by these little measly things, instead of being annoyed by a major crisis.I am grateful that I can get out of bed in the mornings, get dressed up and made up, head out to my car (at least 15 minutes behind schedule because I couldn’t find the right cardigan), get annoyed by traffic, to arrive at the office (15 minutes late!!) to be annoyed by my great and wonderful job.

Ignore the Pinterest on my screen, clearly that’s there for security measures. I couldn’t be sharing my highly confidential spreadsheets with the world now could I? And obviously I wouldn’t be wasting the last 15 minutes of my day on the internet.

Then to come home and be annoyed by my cute dogs who have tracked more dust and yard debris into the house that happens to be cluttered by all of the things I have deemed important enough to take up space in my home.

Obviously, Annie is the more docile of the two.

Once I’ve been annoyed by saying hello to my lovable yet dusty pups, I say hello to my sweet and loving husband who has just come back from an evening dog drag because it’s too dark for me to go on the evening dog drags now. (We call the evening dog walk a drag, because really we’re being dragged.) But do I thank him for taking care of that chore for me? Nope, I get annoyed because he didn’t brush the leaves off of the dogs before letting them in the house.

Isn’t he handsome? And he’s all mine! Big head and all.

HMPH, how dare these great and marvelous things annoy me!!

In hopes that the Lord would guide me through my selfish and annoyed attitude, I ran to my refuge, God’s Word. And lo and behold, a scripture was revealed to me.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 KJV

Wow, isn’t that a big slice of humble pie? First of all, “….I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…”. How can I be annoyed if I have allowed my Savior to reside within my heart? To be annoyed with myself is to be annoyed with what the Lord has anointed with His saving grace. And to be annoyed by all of the great and marvelous things He has given me to use in this life is taking away from the blessing of Christ living in me.

Secondly, “…the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God…” Being annoyed is a human emotion, and those human emotions can’t be avoided because we’re human. But I can’t let those emotions rule me, I must remember to live “by the faith of the Son of God.” to battle on and break through my own little world of emotion to live fully in Christ.

Hmm….I don’t think I’m annoyed anymore. And that humble pie, it’s delicious.

A brownie can be humble right?

P.S. After originally posting this, I realized this is my 200th post. It’s taken 2.5 years to get this far, maybe it’s time to up my posting schedule. I think the world could use more earth shattering and life changing posts about my dogs don’t you?