This Saturdays' thrift store finds...

My favorite little hole-in-the-wall thrift store has coughed up more treasures.  But I'm afraid the obscene cheapness is about to come to a screeching halt.  It seems that all of a sudden, someone who knows what they're doing is pricing things!  Good for them, it's about time.  And yet the cheap treasures still abound...and are nowhere NEAR the overpriced "bargains" at other thrift stores I visit.

This little vintage baby dress is new with the tags, and while children's clothes are usually heaped into a bin and you DIG to your heart's content for 25 cents per item...this one they knew to price much higher.  I paid $3.99 for it, probably my highest priced item of the day.  But I liked it.

Another Arizona plate!  I smell a collection forming.  99 cents.

More vintage embroidery.  All 3 were pinned together for 99 cents...and I've already used one in my new  current obsession...hand sewn bibs using vintage materials.

Another 99 cent treasure...this book is from the 40's and while not in great shape, it has that wear and character that I love for art projects.  I'll most likely make an art journal out of it for Bashi.

I love the innocence in writing in these old books...so refreshing.  Danny looks like a nice boy who loves his momma...doesn't he?

And this beauty...I passed on, sadly!  Now I wish I had it hanging in my kitchen.  The irony of a wheat-free house.  Bread warms the heart alright, some would say it warms it all the way to heart disease, but I think the plaque speaks of that warm, loving feeling that breaking bread with loved ones gives!  But I see things through rose colored glasses these days...or would that be through non-rose colored glasses?!  Maybe it will still be there next time!

My first hand sewn baby bib...

Inspired by Alabama Chanin's "Five Generations (and a baby bib)", I've finally taken the time to sit down and start sewing things by hand.  It's supplied me with many much-needed things...to SIT down, to SLOW down, and to have valuable CRAFT TIME! 

This bib is made entirely out of bed sheets, thread I already owned, and buttons from the thrift store.  it's 3 layers sandwiched together which hopefully will supply enough thickness to keep sweet potato goop off of baby's shirt.  When it goes through the wash, the edges should get nice and fuzzy as well.  Some people may not like that...but there are tons of bibs out there that are hurriedly tucked and machine stitched...this is about slowing down, which also matches my theories on food and eating.

At first, my hand stitching was "awkward".  My thread kept looping and knotting and misbehaving...I had not "loved my thread" quite enough!  It really did work the next time I threaded the needle.  Yesterday, I schlepped a chair out into the sun and sat under a pine tree and stitched while the littles dug holes in my muddy herb garden bed!  It's the perfect craft for me as I have tons of saved fabric and love handmade, imperfect things with frayed edges.  Character over perfection!

$5.50 thrift store finds...

I love thrift stores...especially little hole in the wall ones that could charge a lot more, but don't.  Of COURSE, I like that...!

Here's my latest haul...not pictured are the 3 Hot Wheels cars I bought which actually made up for half of the $5.50 total I spent.  Funny how 3 little junky made in China toys are more valuable than vintage linens, plates and a silver played serving set in the original box?!

Usually, I pass up all kinds of state plates...but not one from New Mexico!  The vintage mustard striped dinner napkins are very nice quality, and appear unused.  There's a vintage Christmas nativity ornament on them from 1977 which may be difficult to see.  The silver played serving set is Wm. A Rogers and is in the original box.  The striped kitchen towel is worn but still nicer than the ones I buy at Target!  The stained, tatted heart I will use in an art project...possibly an art journal with all the memorabilia I've saved from dating, our wedding, honeymoon and St. Valentines days.  And last but not least, a vintage tea pot made of lucite with funky bits embedded in it.  Such treasures at $5.50...less than a burrito at Chipotle.  :)

What I DID pass up was a crate full of original Erector Set pieces from the 1930's with the original instructions and everything.  $100!  I hope they get that for it!

Head swapping...

I've been getting handy with the scissors again...this is what happens when I'm stuck inside for too long!

Snow day facial reconstruction...

Snow...we finally got some real snow!   You can see our law furniture with snow up to the springs!   And that "bush" at the bottom of the picture?  Yes, well...that's our Christmas tree which got tossed out into the yard until we can dispose of it properly.  My dad used to tie a cement block to ours and sink it into the lake for a fish habitat, but I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate that over at Loose Park Lake.

Anyway, 9 inches deep...

It's put a lovely white cap on everything, and although I don't mind being snowed in...there are a couple of littles I know who have started to get cabin fever.  When you see them running laps around the dining room table, you know it's time to get out the GLUE.

Last night, as I was going through old Veranda and Elle Decor magazines in an attempt to shave the fat off the magazine collection...I remember how much I loved to tamper with the faces of make-up models.  Usually I do it origami style and tear the whole page out and make a series of folds in order to quickly adjust their beauty levels and facial proportions!  But I knew that was a little advanced for my monkeys, so I cut a huge pile of eyes, lips and noses for them to arrange on cards that they had water-colored some time back.

 

Working the glue bottle is always a joy...I know I still like playing with Elmer's.  When I was a kid, I used to pour it all over my hands, let it dry and then peel it off.  And now I get to pass on the legacy!  *sniff sniff*...so sentimental!  Bashi picked up the routine immediately...he would grab a part, flip it over and squeeze the glue bottle over it and make a pile.  I'd then rub it around for him and hand it to him to place.  He did one or two but became disinterested as he was only fond of squirting glue everywhere!

Little Miso was trying to actually find both eyes that matched instead of picking two different ones, and she got the noses upside down too.  She was more timid with the glue bottle.  I learned a little more about them by just watching how they went about the task.   In the end, we came out with some really funny combos.  They would giggle when I'd hold each one up.

At one point, Bashi looked up and had a stray eye stuck to his forehead.  I hadn't laughed that hard in a while.  We got a really good art fix today...and knocked out our St. Valentine's cards to boot!

Friday's lunch...

French fries baked in coconut oil with garlic dill kefir cheese.

Kefir cheese is made by straining the whey off of freshly made milk kefir.  Donna of Cultured Food Life uses it for all sorts of fun things, even ice cream.  It turns out a lot like cream cheese, and you can season it a number of ways.  For this dip I used dried dill from my garden, a clove of garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and then whipped it with a hand mixer.

I've completely departed from processed sugar, and even try to avoid it in small amounts.  Ketchup contains a lot more sugar than any of us imagine, so even though I love it on my french fries, I decided to find something healthy to use instead. I certainly did not miss the ketchup with this spicy yumminess on my taters!

Also, we don't eat a lot of potatoes, but do not avoid them!  We also had sprouted mung bean soup with these fries which was loaded with turmeric, cumin, coriander, garlic and ginger which was actually a Dr. Oz recipe.  Of course, I probably doubled the spices, but that's just me.  Herbs and spices are true medicine.  No mung bean soup pic...I pureed mine and it just looked like green goop.  Delicious green goop!

What's for dinner??

Beef liver and caramelized onions, bacon and ginger-cinnamon carrots.  

We've been...Googled...

A new coloring book arrived this morning...also known as, the Google Fiber manual. 

A young man wired yet another device to our house and a certain little Miso was thrilled to receive this new coloring book from..."The Google Maaaaaannnnn!!" 

I was checking for hidden cameras.  They've documented just about everything BUT the insides of our houses and I wondered if they'd outfitted their installation techs with cameras to make even the private parts of our homes and lives...available for all to inspect!   My insightful husband simply commented with "No, that's called Facebook"!  Yes...self-imposed lack of privacy!

We'll see what brother has to add to the book today.  He's usually in charge of deconstruction, but maybe he'll want to leave his mark instead. 

 

I'm humming right along on my desk caddy.  It's going to take many layers of paper before it's satisfactory.  I've had to put  my beloved crafts aside the past two days because when I do my grocery shopping, there's always a lot of food to prep.  

Yesterday I made paleo chili.  I'd love to share the recipe but I read 3 different ones and then used the salad bar technique to make my chili.  I had random tomato products that needed to be used, a nice pound of grass-fed beef, freshly made beef broth and a TON of spices.  No beans, but I did add sour cream and cheddar to the top.  My kids loved it despite begging for more and more water, and eventually they needed milk to put out the fire. 

Today I'm making Indian food...chicken tikka masala, and mung bean soup.  The mung beans have been sprouting on my counter for a few days so hopefully they won't give any of us "issues"! 

Not just pinning anymore...doing!

Pinterest...either you love it, or you avoid it for one of many reasons.  It's endlessly fascinating to me, but it can suck your time up like the fiercest Hoover ever built.  Currently, I have 54 boards, 1,712 pins of inspiration, ideas, loves...and craft projects to try, someday!  Someday when I'm not busy sitting on my can clicking away at pretty pictures, that is!

Someday finally came...completely on a whim. I started with this project pinned from gingerbreadsnowflakes.com which is a tutorial on weaving in the Saori style.  Cardboard and yarn, I have lots of those!

This was my first...I went wild with color, picking every little crazy scrap of yarn I had.

 

I'm in the St. Valentine's Day mode, can you tell?   It seems I rotate my craft projects based on the approaching holiday.  My husband commented that this weaving has now replaced my winter craft of crochet.  I try, I try...but my brain cannot make sense out of the directions for crochet projects.  I need something hands-on and very forgiving...which can be "messed up" a little and still look good!   Oh!...all the scarves I've made with the uneven ends and skipped stitches, bahhh!

I also love projects which allow me to use power tools.  :)  Deeply embedded in my heart, is a love for tools.  I love tools corded...battery powered...hand powered...from small pliers to radial arm saws, my heart goes pitter pat.  I'm downright twitterpated for tools! 

This project for an artsy desk caddy made from tin cans inspired me to finally do something cool with the huge collection of tin cans I've saved.  They've been on my drafting desk for years...filled with Sharpies, and markers, and pencils....on my desk, eating up valuable space.  I wanted something portable, sturdy and spacious. And of course...I needed my cordless DeWalt, various hand tools and a "serious" hot glue gun...not one of those low-temp craft store ones that you could practically squirt ON your hand and not even feel it!  Low-temp glue also dries too fast, and the pieces eventually pop apart.  The hot glue gun I have growls when it heats up (kidding) and it squirts out glue so hot, you could give yourself a 3rd degree burn in seconds (NOT kidding). Rabid hot glue guns bring back fond memories of gluing hundreds of gaudy jewels onto set pieces for the Branson sensation, Shoji Tabuchi's wife...Dorothy!  She had a glorious shell with glittering (plastic) jewels which held her as she "emerged" into view...Glamorous! 

I drilled some holes so I could join 2 sets of the larger cans with baling wire to a wooden purse handle, then hot glued every can together.  Bashi watched with delight as the cordless drill whirred loudly...when the drill bit went through the first can he let out a revered..."whoa"...yes son, I know!  Anyway, it's solid.  Here it is for now...

My plan is to decoupage dress pattern paper all over the sides, which will not only make it look sweet, but will give it an added level of sturdiness.   This pin for the "altered tin can" made me happy...I hope mine rust on the edges too.

Lastly, I'd like to address the fact that I've been non-blogging since September!  I started a few posts...but either they were too personal, or I was just complaining.  :)  I've decided that sharing my current craft projects would be the best direction to take this blog.  With two toddlers, and a little one on the way...you'd think I wouldn't have TIME for arts and crafts.  But I must make time...or I'll go crazy.  And that's a fact.

What's growing...

This has been...one busy summer.  A summer filled with cherry tomatoes, pickling, organizing, crucifix painting and farmer's markets, among a million other things.  It's amazed me how just planting a few things can really change up what you need to buy at the market.  I've been saving seeds and plotting out a fantastic idea for next year...no yard, just garden...except for the front, desert landscape!  Food in back, inhospitable thorny plants in front.  Must protect my harvest.

The temperatures were in the 50's this morning when we all woke up, and the overcast sky facilitated a wee bit of "sleeping in", which means some minutes past 7:30 a.m.  It all made me want coffee, and I trudged through my morning with a pouty lip until I finally decided it was time...an Oddly Correct time, to be exact.  I have grown even more snooty when it comes to coffee, maybe "picky" or "discerning" would be better words.  I only go for pure, freshly made coffee from places that know where the beans are from...and that don't do "frappuchino's.  I was in the Quay on Sunday, one of the two coffee places I still go to, and heard a guy order a latte and then asked them to put whipped cream and caramel sauce on top, and then he added, " You know...kinda like Starbucks" then he grinned like he was a "rebel".  The barista just nodded, and decided to take the high road and remain polite.  That's one of the many reasons why I go there, they're high quality...and high class.

That was one of many incidents lately where I thought..."What were they thinking?"  Sometimes I marvel at the things people do or say.  At the Quay that day, I was wondering why someone would come to a place that was obviously the polar opposite of a Starbucks and order something like that?  No one goes to a Chinese restaurant and orders a hamburger.  It's like going into an "organic gardening center" and asking for Round-up!  It just isn't done.

As I left the Quay with my two littles,  we were walking down the sidewalk when a man in a shiny red car decided that the sidewalk looked like a driveway, cut us off and drove down the sidewalk, over the curb and then parked his shiny red car.  Really?  The curbs didn't scream "not a road"?  Or the woman with children wearing very colorful clothing didn't inspire the red car to go a little slower or maybe, stop?  Once again, what was going on inside that noggin?  Like the owl and the Tootsie Pop..."The world may never know".

Thankfully, even though he almost ran over my kids...I only merely pondered leaving a note on his shiny red car that said, "Sidewalks with people on them are NOT for driving upon, pay attention".  But, I figured it would be a lost cause.  I did, however, realize that we did not say our "Please God protect us from crazy drivers" prayer before we left the house.  As we back down the driveway, we always say it...and this day, we forgot for some reason. Who knew we'd have to worry about the sidewalks too though??  Some days are just like that...

On a different note, the sedum is in bloom and the bees are buzzing all over it.  And so are the moths, butterflies and even nasty ol' flies.  Flying things just seem to love it.  Another fun garden surprise this week was finding an eggplant growing on this odd plant that I allowed to keep growing by my zinnia patch.  And climbing up through a volunteer tomato plant that I actually staked up...is an ornamental winged gourd plant.  So many fun and strange things popped up on their own this year.  Plus, looks like our autumn decorations will be taken care of this year!