Busy, busy busy!!!

All of a sudden life is a whirlwind!  I did get quite a bit done yesterday which always makes me feel good and today I plan on mowing if it doesn't rain.  They keep talking about "pop-up" showers?  What the heck?  On the radar it looked like more than that up in Missouri!  It is a crazy time of year for weather here in the South.  Those poor weather people...keeps them hopping!

Last night I finally got some chocolate chip cookies (with pecans) made....my sweet tooth was begging me!  I used Splenda instead of real sugar and they tasted fine but they were "soft " cookies and I like crispy.  This is the same recipe I've used for years and they are always flat and crispy.  Now I know why all the cookies nowadays are soft!  Everyone's baking with Splenda or something similar.  I guess I'll have to go back to real sugar as I've got to get my "crispy" on! 

 

I also promised to make something to take to the Animal Rescue bake sale and rummage sale starting tomorrow through Saturday.  I thought I'd make some of my bread to take also....we'll see.

F.Y.I.  I use the Original Tollhouse Cookie recipe and I checked an old recipe with the one on the package of morsels and it hasn't changed.  I must admit I only use 1 cup of morsels instead of 2 like they call for.  A little chocolate goes a long way with me.  The cookie part is the part I like with the nuts and chocolate accenting it.

I also got out my Mary Engelbreit Spring book that I had ordered.  It was the only one I didn't have in the series.  

It has ideas in it but not really any definitive craft instructions just a basic "how to".  It's more like a mini-cocktail table book. LOL!  I got a few ideas from it though and of course the pictures are awesome in ME style.

    

Excuse the photos but taking a picture of a picture isn't quite the same in clarity.  I thought this was a cute idea and I know I've seen baskets like this around.  You could paint it too if you didn't like the natural color of the basket.  She used felt cutouts glued to the front for the design, bias tape and rickrack on top of it for the edging and some lace in black and then took a plaid grosgrain ribbon and wove it through the back to hang it.  This was for a gift for a gardening friend but you could use it for all sorts of things.

In addition, although it wasn't "featured" I liked the shutter in the background that they hand labeled "HERBS" on the top slat and then listed all different types of herbs on the remaining slats.

 

This was the most inspiring to me.  A grouping of bird houses or bird mansions is more like it.  I've wanted to get into woodworking and building things like book cases, shelves, benches etc.  This might be the perfect way to start.  I know the picture isn't very good but they are all really just bigger, different sized bird houses "gussied up" with trim and molding and painted in lots of bright colors and designs.  I think I have a small plain wooden bird house I got at a craft store laying around here somewhere.  Maybe I'll start with it and pattern it after the one below.

Of course this is an ME birdhouse....you can tell by the shape but it's a starting place!  So, along with all the other Spring activities/jobs, I HAVE to do a little crafting, plus I have my collage class, and I can't forget to decoupage those plastic Easter eggs I bought at the Dollar store!  Oh boy....here I go again...in over my head in no time at all! LOL!  I better get going or it will be Summer before I get my Spring tasks done!  Have a great day everyone!

Spring is already getting ahead of me! How did this happen???

Holy cannoli....with the rain we had the other day and the sunshine we have now Spring has Sprung big time down here!  Already, I'm behind the eight ball....how did that happen?  And it's in the 80's....where's that nice cool Spring where I get to do landscaping and painting outside?  Skip that I guess...I'll just have to do it and sweat because everything I need to do is on the South side of my heat radiating brick house.  I need to be doing a ZILLION things right now but I'll have to settle with a few priorities for today. 

The good news is the John Deere started after sitting outside all winter!  Thank you, Lord!  I need to mow already...like a few weeks ago.

 

And my rhubarb I planted last year specifically for AR is coming up....4 out of 6 at least and I think I can pick it this year because they were 2 year old plants when I got them.

 I planted them in my old watering trough from the little farm I used to have.  

 

Got the clothes out on the line too.  I stripped the bed today, mattress cover and all for Spring cleaning.  The curtains are thrown back and the windows are all open and I need to wash them too!  Unfortunately I need to pay bills today so it looks like some things will have to wait....priorities you know.  If I had my druthers I'd be out weeding my flower beds, planting and mowing and all that outside stuff but alas....I'll go in and pay the bills.  I'm blessed to have the money to do it.  Hope you are enjoying your day and counting your blessings!

Book Reviews!

  I got to thinking that instead of showing you books I've recently gotten at the library or purchased, I should instead be showing them to you AFTER I've read them, not BEFORE!  It make no sense to take a picture and say "Here's a book I think I'll read".  So, from now on, any books I get will only be posted AFTER I've read them so I can tell you what I thought about it in case you're thinking it might be a book you'd like to read.

I've already shown you the books you are about to see but that was pre-read.  I went to the library today and got some more books but I won't show you those until I've read them and can give you my not so professional review! LOL!  So, here we go!

This book was the book about the Amish I've always wanted to read!  It tells about their life, their culture, their faith and their religious practices.  It is extremely well-written.  I can't wait to read their bestseller; Amish Grace; How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy.  My fascination with the Amish is their lack of materialism and their kindness, decency and devotion to family and community.  I would love to join but their inequality towards women is only one of the major stumbling blocks for me.  What I do admire and respect is that they "walk the talk" and religion and faith isn't just for Sunday mornings as it is in so many main stream religions.  And what a way of life they live although the rural tradition is fast disappearing in many Amish communities.  If you want to learn about the Amish without the patronizing curiosity of some of the books out there....this is the book for you. 

Since I am of Irish heritage I was attracted to this book and with St. Patty's day coming up I thought it would be a nice read and it was.  The book is fiction about a doctor in a small, poor Irish village.  It just so happens that the author IS a doctor and WAS  a doctor in Ireland but now lives in the U.S.  He probably had to leave after writing this book! LOL!  It's not bad but I found it patronizing to the Irish poor and arrogant on the side of the doctor in the story.  He's like a God to these people and he relishes it.....hmmm....did I say this was fiction?  Did I say the author had been a doctor in Ireland?  He has another book which I may just have to read to prove or disprove my theory.  Well written and endearing at times but I still found that bit of arrogance running throughout the book that I just couldn't shake.   Of course, I've never been to Ireland so this is no expert opinion but if he had switched it out to be the poor people of the Appalachians I wouldn't have liked it any better if you get my drift.

Okay...this was a total "sleeper"!  It was large print and on the "featured books" table at the library.  I had been reading some "heavier" content books so I thought this might be a nice light "comfort" book and it was but it was also a really good read!  Between the cheesy cover and the large print I was very surprised it was so good!  This was a great mystery.  It has a quilt theme running through it and  I do love me some themed mysteries!  I really learned some things too because not only is the main character a quilter but she is an antique quilt restorer and shared her knowledge throughout the book.  I looked on Amazon to see the series and how many there were as it stated the above was the first in the series.  I discovered something I wasn't expecting.  This book, along with some other "series type" books is published by Guideposts and every book in the series is by a different author!  This was very confusing until I finally figured it out.  I mentioned it to our librarian and she said she would order the rest of the series but it may take awhile.  If every book is by a different author though, how would you know you would like the rest of the books?  Hmmm....very strange!  

I want this woman to be my BFF!  I mean it!  She is fun, witty, exciting to be around and has a zest for life and all its inhabitants!  She finds joy in everything and everyone and she's an amazing writer to be able to communicate that on paper!  I read the book but did not do the exercises for the 37 days but I agree with her on all of it.  I have spent a large portion of the last few years "waking up" trying to be mindful and living intentionally but I can always learn more and be more and that's why I bought this book.  I may have to go back through it and do the exercises but for now I have to get my house sold so later, Patti, later.  I will be writing to her and visiting her website though at www.37days.com and she has more books!  I want them all!  Just to be near her words of acceptance, sincerity and so much integrity makes me want scientists to get cloning on the road!!!!  We definitely need lots more Patti Dighs on this planet!  Thank you, Patti!!!!

People kept telling me I should read the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich and I finally picked up her first book in the series "One For The Money".  It has been made into a movie which, although I love Katherine Heigle, did not endear me to it as I knew there must be sex and violence and bad language in order for it to make it to the movie scene. I could tell it wasn't Pixar or Disney material. I read the cover and back and it just wasn't my type of mystery.  Set in the city, present day, violence but I forged ahead.  In fact, there were a few violent parts I had to read during the day because if I read them at night before going to bed (the usual time I read) I would either have bad dreams or not be able to get to sleep.  Plus, it had the "rough" language of the city which I don't like in my books but by the time I got halfway through it I couldn't put it down.  I may even be brave enough to see the movie, or not.  My problem is that things stick in my head and I can't get rid of them.  I am over the top empathetic...I think there's a term for it but once something horrific enters my head through words but especially movies....I can't get rid of it and it's like a terrible dream that keeps coming back.  I probably need therapy but it would take years and I don't think I have that much time or money left! LOL!  So, needless to say I went back to the library and got the second book, "Two For The Dough".  So stay tuned for more exciting book reviews in the future and see how I brave the world of books and maybe even movies all without the aid of therapy!

Quiet Sunday yesterday and last fire of the season.........

The time changed over the weekend....oh boy!  I get up late enough as it is and now that we've "sprung forward" it will be even later! LOL!  Yesterday it rained all day but nothing severe thank goodness.  I had a fire going all day to chase the dampness away. 

 

It will probably be the last fire of the season as today the sun is shining brightly and it is supposed to be in the high 70's and tomorrow 80's!  Yep....we skip right over Spring and go directly to summer but it's okay because the humidity won't be here for awhile yet.

I made my corned beef and cabbage with carrots, turnips and rutabaga and potatoes too of course.  It was good but not the best corned beef I've had. 

 I had decided that Sunday's were going to be R' n R' (rest and renewal) and also to do fun and creative things.  I 'm not sure if I mentioned it but I signed up for an online Collage Basics with Vintage Paper class.  It is available on www.greenpaper.typepad.com  I found it on the side bar of Graphics Fairy which is another wonderful site for free vintage graphics.  She has DIY projects, free graphics every day and a library of over 2600 more, backgrounds and links to many other interesting sites having to do with ephemera.  So, I gathered what supplies I had and what I had picked up at the Dollar store and Wal-Mart.

   

Did you see the E-6000 glue?  I got that at Wal-Mart!  Who knew!  Everyone talks about that glue for crafts and projects and I just figured I would have to order it online because it is used in industry but lo and behold there it was at Wally World!  Also, the stamps were a gift from Katmom last year.  Katmom....you'll be glad to know I am FINALLY going to use them!  Thank you again so much and also to Kim who sent me books encouraging me to "go for it".  So, to these 2 lovely ladies....a great big thank you!  I still need more supplies for the class so I logged on to Joann's and ordered more!  (I had a supply list for the class, thank goodness, because I have no idea what I'm doing! LOL!)  Right now, Joann's is having a sale and also FREE SHIPPING on purchases of $40.00 or more (which isn't hard, trust me!) until March 17th.  Just a little FYI.

So, as soon as I have all my supplies gathered around me I may have something to post.....whether you can recognize what it is or not is another story.  Just remember....it's ART! LOL!  Have a great Monday!

OMG! I forgot to blog...I get so entranced with others blogs I forget my own!

Remember the other day when I said I was going to Wal-Mart?  Well, I didn't, but I did go yesterday and got a few magazines and one came in the mail!  Just in time for the weekend and "kickin' back"....yeah right...I'm retired...every day is the weekend! LOL!  But you do have to be a little self-disciplined in order to stay on top of things.  Retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be....all that FREE time?  You end up spending catching up on all the sleep you DIDN'T get for the last 60+ years, you can't eat anything yummy and you must exercise constantly or you'll drop dead or is it the other way around?  Anyway, for those of you who are not retired, I just don't want you to think it's all fun and games.

Oh....here's those magazines I picked up......all good ones too!



Why did I stop subscribing to this?  I always buy it when I see it at the store....DUH!

They stopped publishing this magazine which I adored but this is a special decorating issue.  I'm hoping they're testing the waters and going to make a comeback.

This is a special Teatime edition of Victoria magazine.  It's all full of tea and crumpets and scones!  Yummmm...I think I'll be baking this week!

This is my subscription to Mary Jane's Farm magazine which I could never be without.  Look at her....the woman never ages....no jowls, no chicken skin on the neck....what's up with that...it's just not natural.
Okay, so you can see how my weekend is going to be spent...today is beautiful and I have clothes hanging outside in the Spring breeze but tomorrow is a different story...cold, rainy, windy which means my corned beef and cabbage will be simmering on the stove all day, there'll be a fire in the fireplace to chase the cold and damp away and I'll be "crafting" and reading those magazines and having a cozy Sunday!  I wish you a joy filled weekend!

I feel like Snow White but without the elves! LOL!

Remember Snow White and how she found the cabin in the woods all dirty and messy from all those elves?  And remember how she cleaned it up so nice and made it so cozy?  Well, I felt like SnowWhite yesterday except the elves didn't make the mess....I did!  Along with some help from the Shed girls.....Nitty and Annie....shedding all over the place.  In fact....they've been in Doggie Daycare for a week now and they're not happy! Can you tell?

They've been relegated to "the porch" which is mud room, root cellar and pantry in the winter.  Nitty won't even look at me (she's on the left..the big girl) and Annie...well, just look at that face...it says it all.  They usually have the run of the house but they are shedding profusely even though they get special oil capsules and get brushed daily and coinciding with that I am trying to do my Spring Cleaning.  The timing is really bad!  So, I solved it by putting them in what I call "Doggie Daycare"!  It also keeps them from underfoot as Nitty likes to lay in doorways....she's my "guard" dog so she will always lay between me and where ever anyone might possibly come between us which is every doorway so you can imagine when I'm trying to  clean and running around the house how it impinges on my productivity and efficiency.  So, off they go to Doggie Daycare!

Below is a picture of them plotting how they're going to get back at me....they'll "make me pay"!  (Usually in pricey treats and such.) Oh, and did I tell you they ignore me and pout?  Oh yeah!

OMG!  If looks could kill!  That's pure evil that look!

Here's the dreaded gate that keeps them in side what they perceive to be Doggie Daycare hell........I do have a little heater out there but it's not THAT hot!

They'll get over it!  but  meanwhile I got some serious cleaning done!  Look at this...and laundry too! LOL!

 

I also got THEIR beds washed and dried.....trust me, I would never have gotten all of this done if it hadn't been for "Doggie Daycare"!  

Spingtime...second installment!

Yes siree....it truly is Springtime here, take a look if you don't believe me!

 

This Bradford Pear tree was hit by lightning twice that I know of then lost branches due to wind but every Spring it blossoms and gives a beautiful show regardless!  In fact, I like it's free-form shape better than the
"perfect" ones they use for landscaping.

I put the camera in "closeup" mode but it doesn't seem to work but look at the sweet flowers in the background with their perfect pink centers.  These are the Bradford Pear flowers.  This is not an edible pear tree but it does get pretty little brownish green fruits in the Fall that I use for decorating.  

Hurray!  Storm clouds are  moving in!  We need rain badly!

 Even the woods are "greening up"!

So, it's official!  I'm glad I took these pictures yesterday as it is raining today but no threat of severe weather  so far (whew!) just a nice rain and an occasional thunder.  I'm happy for the rain as we have been in high fire danger for a week or more and there have been some fires in AR but not near us, thank goodness!  With the high winds we had these last few days it would have been impossible to contain a fire if one started.   I am pretty much surrounded by woods here so you can see my concern!  But the rains came and I am grateful!  Happy Springtime!

Cleaning and creating seems to be the order of the day..........

I've been cleaning more than usual lately....not that I shouldn't but it does seem to be in my genes more so at this particular time of year.  I think it is so I will be free to go outside and do yard work soon! LOL!  Double-duty in the summer time!  I cleaned bathrooms yesterday and even scrubbed the floors on my hands and knees...actually I sat down...the knees can't handle it anymore unless I have knee pads on.  Yep, I do have some great Black and Decker knee pads if I need them.  A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!
I also made a nice dinner of chicken with rice and turnip greens which I love.  My favorite are mustard greens but not seasoned just butter and salt.  I was going to fix bacon wrapped chicken breasts in the crock pot.  A great sounding recipe from Aunt Nubby's Kitchen.  She's a retired teacher who has the greatest cooking blog!  I didn't have the right ingredients though and I didn't want to go to the store so I made do with what I had.  It was good but I definitely want to try the crock pot recipe with bacon...I LOVE bacon!

I take little breaks during my "work" and either visit blogs or sit and knit.  I've been knitting quite a bit lately and really pleased with my progress and proficiency as I still consider myself a novice.  Here's my scarf I started last week.  I've finished one skein of 2 so I guess I'm halfway done.  The picture looks like it's narrower at the far end but it's not.  It's an illusion, like a picture of railroad tracks that seem to get narrower and closer together the farther down the track you look....really!

 I love the Noro transition yarns that change color auto-magically without me having to do a thing.  It's like a surprise when you're knitting to see it changing colors.  That's all for now...signing off as I have to go to recycling today and Wal-Mart before the 2 days of rain and storms they're predicting!  Have a great day....I'll be visiting you all when I get back from the store as Wal-Mart shopping makes me too tired to do anything else! LOL!

In the days before Pinterest...........

Before Pinterest came along I used to make "dream boards" and actually still do especially for things that are very important to me and that I need to be reminded of constantly so that I can keep them in the forefront of my life's priorities.  Below is an example which hangs on my closet door in my bedroom that I see every time I go in there which is definitely multiple times a day. 

 

Sorry for the "ripples" but it was done with a glue stick which is not the best...and it's been hanging here for a few years now.  I would use ModPodge now and get a bigger piece of cardboard or posterboard.

This is only one segment of my "dreams" but this woman, Pinky was determined to find her home in the country and that is my goal too.  Her decorating was right up my alley especially the kitchen as I do not want the standard cupboards they offer today.  I really want an old kitchen with more furniture than cupboards. 

And she portioned off a corner of her "living room" for a library corner and table and chairs.  I love the colors in that room....orange walls and dark green trim....edgy!  Love it!  But she also dilineated that space and across the room on the other side of the door it's a different color....like teachers separate their classrooms into different activity centers.

The screened in porch above is wonderful and used just like another room when weather permits.  These are all important to me...screened in porch, hardwood floors (no carpeting allowed!),2 story, basement, fireplace or wood burning stove, beautiful views of countryside, ability to see sunrises and sunsets, acreage to raise some animals and garden..........

Above is the bathroom with light streaming in (love big windows with lots of light coming in but cute curtains to pull closed when it's cold or stormy out to make it feel cozy) and a claw foot tub which I've always wanted.  I think my colors would be a bit brighter; I'm not really a pastel kinda gal....bright and bold is more my style, vintage and cottage would best describe me with a little primitive or lodge thrown in for good measure! LOL!  

  So, now that there's Pinterest.....I better get busy making some more "Dream Boards".  If you need an invite to Pinterest just let me know.  Maybe they've changed but when I got into it you had to be invited not because it's a snobby thing but so they could be prepared  for the amount of people logging on without anyone feeling response time issues.  Inspiration overload!  Now, if they could just find a way to motivate me as much as they inspire me!  

Made these over the weekend......addictive!

Okay, so it doesn't look like much here but let me tell you......if you want an easy, fast delicious dessert here's your answer!  It's really a cross between a cookie and candy but who's quibbling?

I got this recipe on All Recipes where I almost always go as they are rated, reviewed and you can change the quantity if you want plus they have nutritional information which, in this case, you  may not want to look at.
Here's the recipe:

 

Servings  (Help)

USMetricCalculate

Original Recipe Yield 1 cookie sheetful

 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.
3. In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread t cover crackers completely.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 150 | Total Fat: 10.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg

t 

I used my big cookie sheet and I covered it in foil and then put parchment paper on top of that for non-stick and easy cleanup and it was.

I just noticed the amount it makes.....35....thank goodness I shared some of those calories with my friends yesterday!  Whew!

The Good, the Bad, and the REALLY Ugly..............

Okay...which part do you want to know first?  I'll start with the bad, then I'll go to the ugly and end on a positive note with the good.  I was just humming along with my washing machine this morning and getting ready to post and I was in my Window's Calendar trying to find something and I had 2 versions of calendars...I think I tried to separate work tasks from home tasks once upon a time so I thought I would delete one.  Well, I did and I deleted the WRONG one , of course....that's the bad.  I thought, no problem, I back up my computer all the time and I'll just restore it.  So, many hours later I discovered  that everything BUT Window's Calendar gets backed up!  I told you it got UGLY!  All my passwords, recipes, organizational lists, DIY instructs, MY ENTIRE LIFE was in that calendar.  So, life as I knew it, is now gone.  I did get my clothes on the line, I haven't screamed or cried or even said a swear word.  I think I'm still in shock and using my brain to think of all the things that I lost and trying to quick remember all those passwords.  I may still "crash and burn" later....probably have to buy a pack of cigs and make a Black Bart to get through this but get through it I will!
Meanwhile...before that all happened I got my Amazon package in the mail.  Amazon.com to me is like the supply plane landing after 6 months of being isolated in the frozen North.  Okay, so I exaggerate a little but that's what it feels like to me!  So here's what I got from "my supply plane" via UPS...........

BTW...this is the GOOD part if you hadn't gathered that already.   Add to that cover that I will install a reliable Calendar software on my computer....a normal one that isn't "backup resistant".

Now this is my kind of book, in fact it sounds a lot like my life!  If you can't read the cover it says "How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on forty dollars a week).  It sounds like my life up until the chicken part....that's where I'm headed now!  I'm sort of in-between and have been for several years! LOL!

Okay, Mary Engelbreit...need I say more?  You see I had to order my printer ink which put me into the category of FREE shipping, don't ya know, so I had to take advantage of that!  This particular book was used and really cheap!  I'm thinking that with all the ebooks that the regular old paper ones are getting very inexpensive. There are also many books you can't get in an ebook. 

 

Okay, "the girls"...Nitty and Annie, twisted my arm for this one.  Poor Nitty scratches all the time and sheds so much I could vacuum daily!  They get Pedigree food but I can't afford to go much higher and I'm still learning that there are things in the foods that dogs shouldn't have so no wonder she's itching!  I researched and found this book and it looks good and was 5 stars so hopefully I will be able to help my Nitty girl to stop itching and me to stop vacuuming so much.  But wait!  That's not all!

 

I love me a good thunderstorm and on Amazon you can listen to clips of them.  This one has loons too which I love and it's in the wilderness and REAL...not some guy in the corner rattling foil!  This is great for when I'm doing handwork but need to concentrate and can't watch t.v.  Bring it on!

This is my 3rd pedometer!  The first one I got was a cheapo and I lost it....it was a "clip-on". The second one wasn't accurate at all...hiked 3 miles and it said I had gone 948 steps....NOT!  So, as usual, I researched them thoroughly this time and this one was reasonable priced, attaches to your shoe....what a novel idea! So, I'm trying it again.  I know I need to walk 3000 steps minimum but some days I think I do this around the house and yard and hikng 3 miles every day tires me out so I have no energy to do my work around here.  There's got to be a happy medium somewhere...right? 

 

I saved the best, or should I say most relevant, for last especially considering what happened (sniff, sniff) this morning to my Calendar of Life.....this package wasn't supposed to arrive until the 6th but maybe my angels saw what happened this morning and knew I would need these books NOW.  Thank goodness someone is watching over me because as you can see I could mess up a one-car funeral procession!  BTW, I'm still contemplating the cigs and a few Black Barts!

ThriftyThursday..........

I've been noticing how some bloggers have special posts for certain days and I can see where that comes in handy for organizing your posts so I'm thinking I  might start that...TODAY! No time like the present!  Thursday will now be my Thrift store purchases or any bargain I think suitable for posting or maybe even helpful hints for being thrifty.  I'd call it Bargain something but there is no day that starts with "B"....I might be limiting myself here but for now we'll run with it.

Of course, having been at The Frugal Fox consignment store didn't hurt when she had things at 35% off in the last days.  I snarfed up a lot of things I'd had my eye on!  This red bench was one of them.  I haven't cleaned it up yet or even found a place for it yet but that's okay....I will!

This was a picture I got at Wally World and no, I wasn't looking for a picture but I "fell in love" with it and of course rationalized why I needed it and it was on the "bargain" aisle...need I say more?

This is another "treasure" from the sale at "the Fox"....a Willie Ray folk art "thingamagig"...of course a casting from their original wood carved ones.  I love their pieces but have never owned one...you know, practical me...what use does it have?  None really but I love the Willie Ray story as they were a product of the 60's I think and were a young couple maybe even living off the grid but they were determined to make it with their own 2 hands and make it they did!  I may not have all the facts straight on this as I read about them years ago but that's what stuck with me.  I think they're old now...like me! LOL!

And finally these 3 treasures ....2 crocheted placemat size doilies and a little red box with some really strange looking birds and a gold star painted on it.  Oh, did I tell you I'm a sucker for anything with stars on it.  there's more but since the Fox is now closed I'll have to string this out awhile until I find another "source" for bargains and thrifting.  I've got a few leads but they all involve gasoline and lots of it! 

P.S.  Okay....just realized IT"S FRIDAY TODAY!!!!  Oh boy.........someone please help me! LOL!