thrifty style at 63

of course...

2012-02-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

Belt, Scarf, Skirt, and Black Shirt...

all from my closet.

And before that, a thrift store.

Of course!

cheap thrills

2012-02-04T05:08:00.003-08:00

A foray to my Favorite Thrift Store this week netted me these treasures

(plus a nifty golf mug that pleases my husband, a book,
and some rubber or plastic farm animals--one of these days
I'll show 'em here).

Total cost: $1.07.
That's right. For EVERYTHING I just listed!

A bit of glue, and the pineapple napkin holder was good as new.

(Made in Hawaii). It holds a few valentine postcards currently...

And how could I pass up the compact sewing kit?

Its contents show no sign of use.

I'll use the Spiderman case to hold SOMEthing

for one of our grandsons. Such fun!

Cheap thrills keep me going back for more.
Did YOU have any "cheap thrills" this past week?

february mantel

2012-02-01T02:39:00.000-08:00

The nativity sets have finally been put away to make room for ♥February decor.♥

♥I scattered a few pieces of my red tin collection

among some floral pieces and candles.♥

♥I also created a Valentine Message for the chalkboard that hangs next to the mantel--

which was a curb find (Free)!

Everything else was purchased at thrift stores.♥

the bottom of the bin

2012-01-31T04:02:00.001-08:00

The doll house served a unique function yesterday.

I had used it as a bribe to encourage practice on the part of my piano student.
The bribe was successful, and
she spent a full hour redecorating the entire house.

I have SO many miscellaneous pieces. I collect them anywhere I find them.

Few are in proper scale. It makes it more fun somehow.

I think I could spend hours at the Toy Bin at My Favorite Thrift Store!

That's where I find my BEST treasures--

at the very bottom of the bin.

eclectic by choice

2012-01-29T05:17:00.003-08:00

Recently, "someone" had a vintage plate organizer on her "wish list".

I can't remember who.

I have found two identical ones (pink) at My Favorite Thrift Store

and use them side-by-side in my cupboard.

They are NIFTY!

I splurged yesterday and got some new scouring pads.

This is my favorite kind.

I use them WAY past their usefulness.

Don't ask me why.

My blue and white hot pads hang next to my stove and simple paper towel holder.

Pads and holder were thrifted items (I've had them forever)

as were the canisters that sit below them.

Yesterday I added some kitchen pictures to Pinterest.

Mine is due for some serious attention.

My style is eclectic by choice.

Do you know how hard it is

to FIND pictures of imperfect kitchens!

i can't get over it

2012-01-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

I just had to "play" a bit more (see last post).

Two napkin ring possibilities...
Wooden and clunky or Mexican-made pottery?

(By the way, I bought these black slacks for $1
on the same shopping trip in which I purchased the placemats.)

How about this blue primitive-style heart pocket stuffed with a blue doily?

Add blue glasses...

Maybe the heart would be better hung in the bedspring wreath?

This could work!

My fascination with blue and white

and thrifted treasures continues!

I can't get over it.

recent acquistions

2012-01-19T08:13:00.002-08:00

Remember my love of blue?

Imagine my pleasure to find eight of these placemats!

Reversible, even!

Some still had the stickers on them

Cost when figured in with other purchases

at my Favorite Thrift Store was only pennies.

I'll have fun working with my blue and white and plain white dishes--

though I'm not sure I'll ever be posting whole table settings

as some of you do so beautifully.

the comeback kid

2012-01-15T04:14:00.002-08:00

"The old-fashioned typewriter is making a comeback."

Google it if you don't believe it!

Anyhow, this DEFINITELY was the heaviest item I purchased while out thrifting yesterday.

Of metal construction, we believe this one was made in the late 60's.

The case snaps on to the machine itself--making a convenient (albeit heavy) package

to carry from place to place.

While "trolling" blogs yesterday afternoon,

the very first two I discovered featured vintage typewriters

sitting decoratively on simple wooden tables.
See THIS ONE, for example! It's WONDERFUL.
(I think I'll have to create a new Pinterest category!)
By the way, do you "troll",
and do you own/display a vintage, manual typewriter in your home?

I also "found" these two items...
I couldn't just LEAVE them there!

navy blue - a comeback?

2012-01-13T17:02:00.001-08:00

I saw a post about navy blue on Vintage Sassy today.

Interestingly, I had my album of wedding pictures out.

We'd been asked to take our wedding pictures to a dinner party recently.

So....I was thinking about navy blue!

Even though our wedding was in June (1971),

I'd incorporated navy blue AND long sleeves(?)--
selecting that color for the bridesmaids' dresses.

It still IS one of my favorite shades of blue.

some things never change

2012-01-09T05:48:00.001-08:00

I believe I COULD look a little

happier about it, though....

I guess my (relatively) new

chalkboard changes now and then

as do the needle-worked throw pillows on my vintage chair.

better than a card?

2012-01-07T06:21:00.000-08:00

I don't like to visit a sick or hospitalized friend without taking SOMEthing.

For this special friend, I took a hammered-tin angel

(thrifted Christmas tree ornament)

and typed out a verse that I hope is reassuring.

I glued the verse to an attractive background,

cut around the edges,

and tucked it under the angel "wings".

Nothing fancy. Just "me".

I think it's at least as good as....and maybe better than a card.
I sure HOPE so!

just a wannabe

2012-01-07T04:22:00.001-08:00

After washing and ironing this one, it will be passed along to our oldest granddaughter.

Don't know why, but I always check for aprons

at My Favorite Thrift Store.

They're there with the cloth napkins, linen towels, doilies, etc.

Found this one on my most recent excursion.

I guess it's clear that I have a "thing" for aprons

though I have no idea WHY!

I'm certainly no professional domestic engineer type...

just a wannabe.

what's up?

2012-01-04T05:08:00.000-08:00

UP on top of an antique wardrobe...

closer UP

UP on top of a double bookcase

and UP on a single one on the other side of the window.

EVERYTHING was a thrift store or garage sale find
(including the dollhouses)

and now at home in our library/music room.

pieces and parts

2011-12-30T06:22:00.002-08:00

My husband's been a busy man reconstructing three unusual

pieces from a friend's garage.
She had various pieces and parts that she was ready to get rid of.

He's been sawing and shaping, painting and staining.

The little wicker stand above is my favorite of the three, I believe.

This table (above) was missing the bottom shelf. (Only a part of it was there.)

So he cut a new one!

And THIS one is the strangest of all! Not sure WHAT it is or was!

It IS made up of the prettiest oak wood you'd ever want to see though.

Maybe a plant stand????

what my chairs are wearing

2011-12-28T15:22:00.001-08:00

Today I took a break from shopping to catch up on some magazine reading

at Barnes and Noble.

The chair above caught my eye--partly because of the way it had been "patched"

with complementary floral fabric...

and partly because it reminded me of the two chairs that sit in our spare bedroom.

First of all, know that I have a love affair with chairs!

When I found these two particular chairs, I was drawn in by their price

and the unique structure of the one below.

Both needed to be recovered.

It didn't take for me to decide on some vintage fabric

salvaged from old curtains that I'd found in a thrift store.

I had enough to cover this ottoman, too.

I've never regretted the decision to use this fabric in this way.

It fits. And the chairs have found a place in the last three houses we've lived in.

our nativity tree

2011-12-25T04:28:00.002-08:00

Here are a few

of the simple ornaments

on our Nativity Tree.

All portray an aspect of the Christmas story,

and almost all (if not all)

were thrift store finds.

Wooden,

brass,

plaster, glass or plastic...

It matters not.
This is one of the ways we decorate at Christmas-time.

more where it came from

2011-12-22T13:44:00.002-08:00

While at My Favorite Thrift Store, I found these treasures

in addition to the ones I showed in my prior post...

All of these books are in near-perfect condition.

The one below is illustrated by my favorite illustrator of children's books -

Eloise Wilkens.

I also found the red desk and rocking horse for pennies!

Technically, they're Christmas ornaments,

but I will use them for doll house furniture year 'round.

Oh! How I love this little desk!

don we now our gay apparel

2011-12-21T02:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made a quick run to a thrift store to look for a particular item - well...CATEGORY of item anyway. I have a friend who has a collection, and I hoped to find a gift for her. I was unsuccessful...

But I DID find this great Christmas apron, a couple of books in perfect shape (including a Curious George special edition) and the three pieces below.

Some of you know my penchant for collecting stray nativity characters. I thought it was "out of my system", but apparently not!

a wise man

a shepherd

Joseph, maybe?

I'll wear this apron (which is even brighter in person)

at noon today when I serve up some soup and sandwiches at our final

Community Advent Luncheon.


See the sheep on the shelves behind me? Another collection of mine!

thrift-wrapping

2011-12-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

One of my winter projects will be figuring out another way to store wrapping paper!

When I found this shopping cart at a thrift store this past year,

I thought it would make a good place to store wrapping paper.

Now I know better.

I've pulled out various rolls of wrapping paper and wallpaper

that I think will be suitable for wrapping Christmas gifts today.

I keep my eyes open for these rolls throughout the year at thrift stores

and garage sales. I enjoy having a good assortment to choose from.

ta-DAH!

the price was right

2011-12-18T03:16:00.000-08:00

We went for a recreational visit to My Favorite Thrift Store yesterday.

I found three Royal Copenhagen Christmas plates...

I "lost" the picture of the third--a hunter with his hunting hound.

The color was right; the season was right; the price was right!

This non-Copenhagen plate was with the lot.

It was all "right", too.

And the brass angel ornament came home with us also.

Merry Christmas!

inside our christmas cabin

2011-12-16T07:37:00.001-08:00

Our Christmas Cabin is full of Christmas trees!
Year 'Round!
Not much changes - especially since it is
bursting at the seams with Christmas treasures.

Christmas-themed books and amateur paintings of evergreen trees

and other winter scenes...

even a cutting board shaped like a Christmas tree!

Ahem. Even the toilet paper caddy is decorated with a Christmas tree cutout!

Trees everywhere!

All shapes, sizes and material!

Old Christmas magazines are stored in THIS caddy...

Hand-painting decorates a gourd and a wooden bowl.

Several sets of miniature Christmas china/dishes are displayed or stored in

drawers of a desk.

I've lost count of the trees; but about once a year SOMEone remembers to try to count 'em...

There is very little in the cabin -- furniture , book, or accessory --

that wasn't purchased in a thrift store.

(The beds weren't made up. That's why there's no picture of them.)

Here's the ladder to the sleeping loft though...

Merry Christmas!

i've only just begun

2011-12-11T02:23:00.001-08:00

In my various stages of accumulation, I went through a Nativity Set phase.

Some people rescue pets...

I rescued "Sets"!

Of course, the sets that I rescued were bedraggled and incomplete.

I need to come to grips with my accumulated stables.
So I've decided to pull them out and touch them up --

in my own, unique way, of course.

A stray angel here;

a plastic star there.

A bottle tree and lone manger with the Christ Child.

I've only just begun.

Three stray (and unrelated) "wise men" populate an empty stable.

christmas on the porch

2011-12-09T05:04:00.001-08:00

nothing fancy...

making do with what we have

incorporating the craftsmanship of a friend - a red church

with slate roof

...a winter scene painted on a piece of slate--

(another gift from a friend)

wreathes, bows and garland.

And snow.

outfit for second sunday of advent

2011-12-04T04:56:00.001-08:00

I worked my wardrobe staples to come up

with something festive.

Gold belt, herringbone short-sleeved jacket

worn over a green, floral tee...

accented with a Christmas tree pin

from my collection.

We enjoyed a weekend excursion to nearby small town Roanoke. Browsing the shops

kindled my imagination for decorating our own porch for the season. Isn't this one inspiring?

I'll see what I can come up with by "shopping our attic"!

end of the week

2011-12-02T10:28:00.001-08:00

Wore this (and some shoes)...

while moving this...

now topped with this...

and these...

to make way for this.

An older sewing machine cabinet--$5 at My Favorite Thrift Store.

When it was determined the price of repairing the old Singer

was prohibitive, I immediately saw a sweet desk/storage cabinet.

My husband was the refinisher.

It is my early Christmas birthday present.

I'm delighted.

what's on yours?

2011-11-28T10:24:00.001-08:00

What's on YOURS?

I can't remember where I found the frame...

but it has been sitting empty in our garage for a l-o-n-g time!

Last week, my husband took an old chalkboard

out of its ordinary frame and fit it to THIS one.

(I found a great idea to make my white pitchers "sing" for Christmas

from Cozy Little House. You've got to see it for yourself...)

It now occupies just about the only wall space left in our kitchen/dining area.

But that's OK with me.

Do you have a chalkboard/blackboard?

What's "on" it today?

i wonder as i wander....

2011-11-27T04:17:00.001-08:00

I wonder why I do this???

I have countless versions of this little tree.

Still, when face-to-face with one at a thrift store,

I can't resist bringing it home.

Yes. I did it AGAIN last Wednesday

on our wandering way to Thanksgiving gatherings in Illinois.

I'm very indecisive about our Christmas decorations this year.
So far, it's looking green and white.
I wonder how it will all end?
(I'm not one of those who has the whole picture in mind
before starting.)

It's also time to begin wearing Christmas tree pins from my jewelry collection...

this one, on a white cardigan sweater today.

cornucopias

2011-11-21T04:46:00.001-08:00

Forgotten until yesterday...

"found" forlorn and hidden on the bottom shelf

of a corner bookcase...

thrifted. Perhaps years ago...

now celebrated and appreciated as if for the first time.

The cornucopia dates back to ancient Greek mythology.. According to legend, Zeus broke the horn of the goat, Amalthea, that was providing his milk. To compensate for this unfortunate accident, Zeus filled the horn with a bountiful harvest of fruits and promised that Amalthea would always have plenty to eat. It appears in many important paintings and sculptures -- and occasionally on the bottom shelf of bookcases!

trays and tins

2011-11-15T08:35:00.001-08:00

When it came time to find a place to store the black tole tray

(read more of the story here),

I got into a stash of OTHER trays

that I've purchased at thrift stores over the years.

As you can see, several of them are blue and white.

I think I have enough. Until I find the next one...

more (mores)

2011-11-11T15:35:00.001-08:00

Although I have several autumn-colored tablecloths, I couldn't pass this one up!

It's colors are so similar to the large pitcher
that presently serves as a perpetual centerpiece.

Take a look at my prior post to see the rest of this week's "haul"
from my Favorite Thrift Store.

Yesterday my husband inserted this chalkboard into an old frame we had.
I believe it was a thrift store find also - but it has been sitting
out in the garage awaiting its transformation for a L-O-N-G time!

Wall space is limited in our kitchen.

For now, I have it sitting in front of the mantel.

My husband just finished the little table to my liking.

I asked him to sand down its top and paint the legs black...

We found this table curbside several weeks ago.

It's hard to drive by "free"!

The globe got knocked out of its stand when our grandchildren
visited us the last time. I currently like the looks of the empty stand...

more (treasures)

2011-11-11T04:52:00.001-08:00

It was a great day at my Favorite Thrift Store (FTS) yesterday!

The cabinet above housed a Singer sewing machine with all the attachments.

I'll be calling today about the possibility of repair.

If financially feasible, I'll have it done.

If not, this sweet cabinet will be great for a computer station.

My capable husband will do the repairs - including new glass for the doors.

$5.00!

These four bowls will be a gift for a friend who is "doing" her kitchen in black and red...

...and Christmas cometh!

With the purchase and placement of this "A" frame,

Santa's workshop on one side of the 3rd story of my largest dollhouse is complete!
(Note the Christmas plaid on the lower part of the walls.)

I have two more items to show from yesterday's excursion.

Stay tuned! Total spent? $6.

more (black/gray)

2011-11-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday - this vintage jacket, rolled up sleeves with my denim skirt...

Today - my gray jacket, black and white toille shirt,

and long black velvet skirt.

I played the piano this afternoon for a funeral in a neighborhood church.

All of my clothes here came from thrift stores

and have been in my closet for several years.

length, shape, color

2011-11-06T03:58:00.001-08:00

It's a new skirt length for me,

but the price was right and I bought it

at My Favorite Thrift Store this past week.

The jacket is a favorite from my closet.

I like the shape of it, the length of it, and the color of it

(if gray can be called a color).

Even 40 years ago as a college coed,

I was complimented when I wore gray!

special pieces

2011-11-04T05:34:00.001-07:00

While jetting across blogland, I stopped for a brief layover at Aesthetic Alterations. I was intrigued by this statement: "...you don't need much in the closet--you just need special pieces."

I agree!

For me, when it comes to casual wear,

it's hard to beat a denim skirt and black top!

If you've "known" me for any length of time,

you know I call this my "uniform"!

(You also know where I purchased it all.)
Uniforms work well for me.
Life seems simpler this way.
Fewer decisions; fewer items needed;
less space required...

These shoes dress it up just a bit for a morning "connection" with several friends.

Afterwards we'll enjoy lunch together.

Lasagna is my contribution to the menu.

getting my turkeys on...

2011-11-01T10:18:00.002-07:00

Jack-o'-lanterns out...

Turkeys in.

Otherwise, the rest stays.

(above) Needs some candles- and I'm not sure it's a turkey...

but I pretend.

Got my turkeys "on" this morning!

I'm missing one.
Will have to go round it up.

All thrifted except for the big, green one

which was a gift from someone who knew that my uncle's family

used to own the Morton Pottery - where this turkey was made!

The newest one...found Tuesday at my F.T.S.

Dressing for Autumn

2011-10-31T12:01:00.001-07:00

I'm working with an existing wardrobe...trying to make it
transition into fall successfully. I'm limited because of some pounds I've gained, but decided to add browns to my plaid blue skirt that I bought this summer.

I added my trusty gold belt and a gold necklace.

A rust colored jacket and brown shoes, and I was ready to go visit a friend in the hospital this morning and to teach a piano lesson later in our home.

Everything - and I do mean EVERYTHING - was a thrift store purchase!

I carried this bag - a gift from a friend a couple of Christmases ago...

accessories are all the rage!

2011-10-30T03:40:00.002-07:00

She always finds a hat appropriate for the occasion...

and an apron adds some femininity to an otherwise casual outfit...

Accessorized from top to bottom.

Grandma's shoes and boots work just fine!

Of course a basket over an arm is important, too.

...and a Great Smile is the BEST accessory one can ever wear
and it goes with ANYthing!
(You've gotta love the hair stuff going on here, too!)

the "bigs"

2011-10-26T11:07:00.001-07:00

In my last post, I showed you some "littles"...

here are the "bigs"!

I purchased these two life-sized dolls at a church rummage sale for $1@.

I was told that they arrived naked at the church.

One of the workers promptly clothed them with donated clothes.

We think THIS one is Haley Mills. She is a marked "Disney" doll.

I was excited to find this tilt-top child's table at my favorite thrift store last Saturday.

I know I'm blessed to have this skilled and capable repairman living with me!

He has removed the rough paint on top. I'm trying to figure out how to finish the table.

more littles

2011-10-22T15:16:00.001-07:00

I was happy to find this plate. I already gave away the one I found earlier this week.

It cost less than a card and (loaded with a few mini-muffins)
made a simple thank you gift for a friend.

My fascination with wooden objects is unending. I brought home the bird napkin ring,

a "wide-bowl spork" and a honey dipper from my favorite thrift store today.

What REALLY fascinated me was this molded nut dish!

The tools were missing, but I knew I had an extra set at home.

Now I'm waiting for a special on some walnuts-in-the-shell.

My husband shopped with me today.

I have some more treasures to show.

They are larger and in the garage.

I'll show them next week, but I couldn't wait to document some of my new "littles"!

eighty cents!

2011-10-18T03:06:00.001-07:00

I have a weakness for simple, hand-made pottery.

I couldn't resist this bowl yesterday at my favorite thrift store...

...nor this white creamer...

...nor this small plate.

Better than a thank you note!

I'm having a difficult time getting the picture of a Marjolein Bastin (Hallmark) paperweight

I also purchased. (The artificial light is creating a bad glare.)

The shell, flower, and butterfly images in it are blue. SO beautiful.

When I brought all of this and another small plate to the cashier,

she announced my total to be $.80.

Eighty Cents!

the longer...the more

2011-10-17T06:39:00.002-07:00

The longer we sit in this room with this arrangement,

the more we like it!

(We sit in two recliners across the room from this view.)

While looking for something else, I found these autumn leaves.

(A thrift store purchase, I'm sure.)

I brought them out and placed them on our "new" round coffee table

alongside the candle.

Behind the black chair in the first picture is this old, standup radio.

The slide-out drawer holds a small CD player that supplies some mood music now and then.

The fabric at the bottom of the radio hides some miscellaneous items

and matches the seat covering on this bench that stands just inside our front door.

The bench is where the red contingency of my tin collection hangs out.
I think I've successfully created my "nest" for cold weather now!
(The longer I live, the more I am content to nest...)

Half a Dollar

2011-10-16T03:48:00.003-07:00

Friday, I checked out two church rummage sales--my favorite kind of sale...

I spent a total of $9.00.

This heavy, ironstone bowl was far and away my favorite purchase.

All fifty cents of it!
Half a dollar still has purchasing value.

It's about 9" in diameter...

It will definitely find a place in my stepback cupboard!

free and finished

2011-10-14T05:04:00.001-07:00

You might remember our "free" table (curbside find)...

(above) refinished and still in the garage.

Finding its place in our living room...

the box on top of the table a thrift store find,
also repaired and finished by my husband.

Home, at last (for now)...

I'm standing here...

waiting for the hands on the clock to move and

dressed in my signature thrift store style.

There is a church rummage sale today.

I need a new (used) robe!
Check out WHY here.

lighting the autumn night

2011-10-12T10:05:00.001-07:00

My husband wired one of the lanterns we found at a garage sale recently.

Last night, we checked it out!

I'm very pleased with the look.

It shares this table top just outside our front door

with a garage-sale-purchased goose decoy and a fresh squash.

autumn table dressing

2011-10-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

These three tablecloths dress our table variously throughout this autumn season.

All are thrift store purchases.

I also purchased this large pumpkin

and two smaller ones at a garage sale over the weekend.

So far our autumn has been absolutely perfect weather-wise.

It's difficult to concentrate on indoor chores!

Splurge

2011-10-08T07:49:00.002-07:00

After our roadside "freebies" on Thursday,

I felt ready for this splurge!
(Usually I deal in dimes and quarters
AFTER I check out the "free box".)

All for $5 at a garage sale Friday!

They've already found a place in our flower beds.

Speaking of $.25 - that's what I paid
for these Aerology by Aerosoles!
One. Quarter.

In this case, I splurged on comfort!

fortuitous finds

2011-10-07T04:54:00.001-07:00

Some of you can imagine my ecstasy at spotting

these items on the side of a country road last night!

We were driving to meet friends,

enjoying the gorgeous fall colors,

(and I confess to having been reading a book out loud)

ALL at the same time!

It's a wonder I saw it!

My husband had to back up.

It was SO worth the stop.

A good cleaning and some wood refinishing,

and we will have some fine items to enjoy!

I think it worth a heads up to mention 17 Benefits of Being Yourself over at The Simply Luxurious Life. If you need a little boost to your self- esteem or find yourself wavering under the tides of current trends in decorating or fashion, this post is for you.

I'm off to enjoy what is predicted to be a wonderful autumn weekend!

Hope you enjoy it, too.

free and reasonable and repaired

2011-10-04T05:36:00.002-07:00

FREE!

I'm thinking a child's potting bench here...

Stay tuned.

REASONABLE.

I'm still thinking about the pair of these.

Large; heavy; ornamental.

They had too many possibilities to pass them up.

We found these items at a garage sale on the way

to our Sunday afternoon outing.

I was thrilled.

REPAIRED.

I found this box some time ago at a thrift store (I believe).

My husband constructed the missing "handle" on one side

and brought it into the house today,

cleaned and shined.

I like its simple lines.

farewell to september

2011-10-02T03:53:00.001-07:00

I like to have a supply of unique plates on which to place

cookies or brownies, etc. to deliver to friends on special occasions

(or for no reason at all)!

One of my friends collects cardinals.

I may hold on to THIS one (below) to give as a Christmas gift!

It's a 1974 Avon piece...

I think the dogwood blossoms are especially beautiful.

Finding blue and white pieces

to augment our "everyday" dishware always makes me happy...

so I was DOUBLY happy Friday.

As soon as I saw the tablecloth in Halloween colors,

I grabbed it! It's good-sized and a a good feeling fabric.

It should hold up to many washings.

In the clothing department, my husband scored a pair of Sass shoes,

and I came away with this denim skirt.

It was a fine ending to September 2011.

We celebrated the 41st anniversary of our engagement (a day early)

with a lovely lunch and a successful shopping day at

my favorite thrift store.

tweeking

2011-09-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

"...one of the ways I attempt to create at least a thin layer of authenticity

is to shun holiday or theme specific manufactured decoration."

When I read this quote at French Kissed and saw her incredible photos

I realized it expressed what wasn't quite "right" with my mantel as arranged yesterday.

It wasn't so much about the orange as the

Halloween-specific manufactured decoration.

So I'm tweeking today.

I'll also be ironing this table runner...

and finding the perfect spot for this white ceramic pumpkin that I created last year

or the year before (or the year before THAT) at a ceramic shop.
(Time flies when you're 62!)

thanks, maxine!

2011-09-28T05:35:00.001-07:00

This was my motivation! That's all it took.
I got it done!

I think I'm going to decorate the shade yet....somehow.

Yep! The crow needs to be turned THIS way.

Thanks, Maxine!

Note the additions to the mantel here. I think it's full enough now
.

I'm turning out the lights now...

leaving to meet a friend for coffee tonight.

Wearing a denim jacket and donning a scarf.

The weather is damp and cool.

I'm chilly. All. The. Time.

a perfect and simple autumn pleasure

2011-09-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm still working on the "presentation" part...

but I've got the "basics" mastered!

I enjoy serving our "dumplings" in these thrifted blue and white bowls.

Years ago when I asked my grandmother her recipe for DELICIOUS apple dumplings,

her eyes twinkled and she shared her "secret"--the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook.

Page 171 in my old copy*...

They're economical,

delicious,

and a simple autumn meal.

We enjoy ours with with milk.

A few slices of cheddar cheese and a cup of decaf coffe

and we're good to go!

*I substitute brown sugar for white sugar, leave the peel on the sliced apples,

and recently have been rolling out the dough

and constructing our dumplings like a cinnamon roll.
This particular batch was made with whole wheat flour.
(I had it measured out before I remembered
I'd filled the flour canister with whole wheat flour.)

Be kind.
Remember - this is a 40 year old page!!!
Click on either to enlarge.

Feminity in the Fall

2011-09-25T05:34:00.001-07:00

A friend crocheted the cape I'm wearing today.

I adore it.

I love the feminine way it falls.

I like the weight of it...great for this in-between season.
I didn't select the colors...I need a long grey skirt to REALLY do it justice!
I just couldn't wait to wear it.

Since I'll be in front of a small group, gesturing and moving about,

I have fastened it with this pin--a thrift store purchase.

Thank you, Misty.

No-Cost Entertainment

2011-09-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

The nearby County Extension Garden,

maintained by Master Gardeners,

was our destination this first day of autumn.

Free, beautiful, and exceptionally lush today...

we acquainted ourselves with new plants,

revisited the familiar,

and marveled at the textures, colors, and groupings.

So many no-cost and low-cost entertainment possibilities exist.

*********

Sometimes all it takes is a little initiative to discover them.

Simply Chic

2011-09-21T13:18:00.001-07:00

"In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"'Think simple' as my old master used to say - meaning reduce the whole of its parts

into the simplest terms, getting back to first principles."

Frank Lloyd Wright

"Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity."

Plato

Nothing thrills me like finding simple items like this white creamer

and wooden bowl for twenty-five cents each.

I haven't been thrift store shopping for several weeks,

but I ventured out today. These were my favorite purchases of the day.

chic-ness interrupted

2011-09-19T04:20:00.000-07:00

The cool weather we've been enjoying gives me a great excuse to bring out the black long-sleeved T's that could be considered my "uniform".

In this case, it covers the rash of poison-SOMEthing I acquired a few days ago. (However, while hiding the rash, it also irritates it.) It's hard to be chic when covered from head to foot - literally - with an itchy rash.

The chic-est thing I've done the past few days is soaking in a tub of water laced with oatmeal flour and Epsom salt. However, I am gathering many chic ideas from Fiona to incorporate into my schedule as soon as I get this poison out of my system.

My chic-ness has been temporarily interrupted. I plan to resume it
in a few days. Meanwhile, I'm going to finish reading A Cluttered Life: Searching for God, Serenity, and My Missing Keys by Pesi Dinnerstein.

AND

I'm going to dream about winning two days of art classes and an overnight stay at NaDa Farm! It would just about make up for all this discomfort! (Even if I don't win, I think I'll make at least a weekly virtual visit to the farm. It's a very inspiring place.)

cornflower blue--still my style!

2011-09-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

This morning I baked some banana bread, choosing a Corningware bread pan.

It's pattern is the same as several casserole dishes

we received as wedding gifts in 1971.

Since then, I have collected many other pieces--larger and smaller casserole dishes,

coffee and tea pots,

three sizes of handled "skillets",

and a pie plate, too. Somewhere...

...and even some utensils!

Thrift stores are my primary sources.

Glass lids are the hardest items to find.

Cornflower Blue is the name of my pattern--the first design released,

as well as the one produced in the most quantity.

This simple decoration became the trademark pattern for over thirty years.

The handles were quite small and the earliest pieces had sloped sides.

After 1972 the sides became straighter and the handles became larger.

I keep my eyes open for this pattern while thrift store shopping.

I use many of these from time to time--like this morning for instance!

chinese fire drill

2011-09-11T04:43:00.002-07:00

There's nothing like a housewalk to get my decorating juices flowing!

Yesterday my husband I toured several houses

on the West Central Neighborhood Association Housewalk.

When I got home, I thought about this floor lamp

which I had recently moved into the dining area of our kitchen.

Something wasn't "quite" right.

Then I remembered the oak-based floor lamp

that was standing behind my recliner in the living room.

It would be perfect here beside our oak step-back cupboard!

It is!
I couldn't wait to take a decent picture in the daylight.
No sir-ee.

We bought the oak floor lamp at a garage sale.

I'm not sure where the brass one came from.

After church, the brass one is going upstairs beside my bed.

The one that is currently there will be moved to the spot behind my recliner.

Kind of a Chinese fire-drill!

(Is that a politically correct phrase?)

thrift store chic?

2011-09-08T04:39:00.003-07:00

The more I think about it,

the more sure I am that there is not a whole lot that is

"chic" about me.

I WANT to be chic.

I admire chic in others.

But I'm not.

Once I looked up "chic" in the dictionary.

I can't remember what it means.

I only have a general idea.

This morning as I put a fresh table cloth on the table,

I took a look around the room.

If there is ANY chic here,

it's all THRIFT STORE chic!

I don't know.

Is there such a thing?

everything french

2011-09-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

I couldn't tell you why I'm fascinated by all things French,

but it was hard to pass up these two books

when I stumbled on them in a thrift store.

(The bottom one is actually "from Holland".)

Sunday while at Barnes and Noble (see my prior post),

I thumbed through the 2011 Fall-Winter issue of Country French.

I jotted down descriptive phrases that stood out to me
as much or more than the pictures...

"marries the routine with the refined"

"uncomplicated"

"practical sophistication"

"understated elegance"

"stylish serendipity"

"serenity"

"graceful composure"

"captivating maturity"

I think those phrases capture why I'm intrigued
by everything French...

symphony of blues

2011-09-05T15:16:00.002-07:00

Sunday. Barnes and Noble. My "Inspiration Station".

The September 2011 issue of House Beautiful was definitely

my favorite of the six or seven magazines I selected to peruse.

This particular article was filled with inspiring interior shorts.

It was the color, the arrangement of furniture, the shuttered windows,

and the fact though the blues didn't match - they worked

(see the subtitle)!

It cost me nothing to dream.

I came home inspired and ready

to enjoy my OWN Symphony of Blues. -->

It was a chic way to spend an afternoon.

With what magazine have YOU dreamed lately?

Splurge!

2011-09-04T04:37:00.000-07:00

Today I'm celebrating the chic-ness of a "splurge". Now I know that $1.39 on what some might consider a necessity may not seem like a splurge...but if you knew how long I've been putting off this purchase, you'd understand the word "thrifty" in the header of my blog! What a luxury! Now I have one for the purse AND one for the table beside my favorite chair. What bliss.

And this is what I'm wearing to church today...
Everything purchased at one time or another
in a thrift store.
All of it waiting in my closet
to be worn...

I like the crispness and versatility of navy blue.
Worn with red and white stripes,
all I lack are the STARS!

Saturday Sense-ation

2011-09-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

To me, "chic" is not an appearance but an experience.

Necklaces I made years ago in a camp "Craft Shack"...

I'm planning today's "chic-ness" to include as many (if not all) of my senses as possible. I've already begun...I've put a Sense-atio-al Soup into the crockpot. Potatoes, celery, onion, zucchini, and carrots with a little bit of evaporated milk (leftover) & seasonings. It looks GREAT - and there should be a wonderful scent awaiting us when we return from a walk at the mall later this morning. It's just TOO hot to walk outside today. (I'm a bit of a wimp.) We'll end our walk at Barnes and Noble where I'll enjoy the sensation of turning the pages of some of my favorite magazines.

While at the mall, I shall do a bit of "chic-sighting". I got this idea from the Queen of Chic this morning (see her post HERE). Then later, while we're enjoying the soup back at home, I'll select some background music to accompany our conversation.

Fun to wear/Full of memories...

I'm looking forward to a Sensational Saturday.

It will end this evening with my weigh-in.

Two weeks ago I embarked on a return trip to health.

I journal it on my Power, Love and Self-Control blog.

(The experience of good health is the Ultimate Chic-ness!)

Sense-ation is my word for the day.

Abundance

2011-09-02T04:11:00.000-07:00

...here's what is left after paring down my collection of grape-related items...

Abundance.

Simplicity.

Rich, jeweled-tones.

From canvas and thread.

Reminders of blessing and the goodness of God.

Abundance. My "chic" word for the day.

(See what stimulated this post at another blog o' mine.)

September Chic

2011-09-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing says "chic" like a simple white blouse...

Fenicia, commenting on Fiona's post today said, "In the UK we are now coming into our most dramatic season. Autumn is wonderful here. Winter and summer are always disappointing! Spring is unpredictable."

I think that sums up my feelings about our N.E. Indiana seasons quite well. While I'm deliberately holding off my fall decorating - inside and out - until at least September 15th, I'm geared up for chic-ness!

I'll be checking in with Fiona daily as she posts some of her inspiring and simple chic pointers this month. For myself, I've decided to be more diligent about making daily entries in my hand-written journal. I shall assign a single word to each day and see where it takes me. Today's word is "mindfulness".

Being mindful of small details - like the cut of the cuffs of this sweet blouse - brings me pleasure. So does finding white blouses at my favorite thrift store.

One can never have too many white blouses or little black dresses, I believe.

Playing with Faux Flowers

2011-08-30T10:42:00.001-07:00

I can't help it. It's what I like to do.

I'm always on the lookout for convincing faux flowers.

,,,not sure anyone understands it (or is convinced), but I like the effect.

I just keep on adding, twisting, bending, and arranging.
The larger and fuller and wilder, the better for me!

This was a VERY inexpensive pitcher that I found some time ago

at a thrift store. Most of my flowers are found in "free boxes"

at garage sales.

Another faux bouquet- in front of lace curtains in our living room.

Un-Funky

2011-08-28T11:06:00.002-07:00

Here I am - just inside our bedroom door.
A wall of 4 white and inexpensive bookshelves
flank a center window creating an almost-built-in effect .

I'm ready for church and

wearing an entirely thrifted outfit.

I figured out I could wear my old gold belt reversed!

(I have no idea what that inverted "V" is on my skirt front.0

(If you didn't get a chance to see my

Free, Fun and Funky post,

just scroll down to yesterday's.)

Today, I'm back to my un-funky self.

Just finished reading this book
- a good one in my opinion.
Entwined in the story,
wonderful descriptions of fashion and home styles
of the era...and Paris!
A novel about the marriage of
Ernest and Hadley Hemingway
by Paula McClain.

"All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you; the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was." (E. Hemingway)

Free, Fun, Funky

2011-08-27T11:42:00.002-07:00

We spent some time this afternoon at the Taste of Arts - downtown Fort Wayne.

At one of the art booths (FAME) I made this classy hat!

Complete with flower!

I'm enthused. I can't wait to introduce this simple, inexpensive craft

to some friends.

First some vivacious ladies molded the crown of the cap to my head

and used masking tape to form a circle around its shape.

Then I began rolling up the edges. Scotch tape holds the rolls in place.

Last came the flower.

(Three sheets of tissue folded accordian style,

then in half, tied with string at the middle and "fluffed".)

Parking and admission to the Taste was FREE,

I was a cheap date.

Kudos to my husband/photographer.

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” - Albert Einstein

losing pounds...finding pottery

2011-08-26T05:36:00.002-07:00

In about five pounds, I'll post a complete picture!

This blog began when I had successfully lost weight

and was delighting in assembling a thrift-store wardrobe.

Alas, the "bloom was off the rose" the past year and I gained back

a great many of those pounds.

I have finally gotten my groove back and now have a successful week of

healthy eating habits "under my belt" (no pun intended)!

Today I'm wearing a skirt I found at a thrift store

this summer. It has served me well,

but I look forward to returning to the wardrobe waiting for me

in my closet.

My weight-loss saga is documented HERE.

My husband was making a hospital visit yesterday afternoon.

His route took him very close to my favorite thrift store.

I took advantage of that and enjoyed my browsing time.

I found these two WONDERFUL plates - works of an unknown potter.

My colors. My style. My price.
You could say I have a small "collection" of pottery.
I often find it irresistible.

we will we will rock you

2011-08-25T05:43:00.000-07:00

What can I say?

We ROCK!
(Four of the six were found in thrift stores or at garage sales.)

nothing he can't fix

2011-08-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

50 cents. And quite a dandy!

He DOES have one small flaw,

but nothing my HandyMan can't fix...

WELCOME, New Friends! You've been noticed!
I'll be over soon to get better acquainted.

how do I explain this?

2011-08-17T04:34:00.005-07:00

The Old Spice shaving mug and small statue-ette are the last two items

of Monday's $2.68 splurge. (Remember, I also got two pair of men's slacks,

some doilies, and a linen towel included in this price).

My Protestant friends may not understand (I'm not sure I do myself)

my fascination with these objects. I don't even know their proper names.

(Above) See how my newest one is dwarfed by St. Francis already in my cupboard?

Here are a few others in my collection.

On a different subject...

I'm coming to realize I may not return to delving into

Boheme' or Wabi-Sabi style further.

I've concluded that I'm quite eclectic in my style

and will probably never tame or categorize it perfectly.

(I still can't get enough of Dawn's style, but I think I'll

always just be a wannabe.)

i spoke too soon

2011-08-16T05:33:00.005-07:00

My husband had an appointment that took him very near my favorite thrift store.

In spite of having gone on record saying I was currently NOT in the thrifting mood,

I had him drop me off.

I found this doily - and wonder how it can look so different on its two sides???

And I couldn't resist this linen tea towel.

Especially in my current favorite color combination.

And then there were these -- also in one of my favorite colors!

Guess that's why I was thinking "linens" as potential contents

for the drawers of the chest we found curbside as we drove

to appointment and thrift store yesterday...

(Oh! I also purchased 2 pair of corduroy slacks for our son-in-law.

ALL clothing was $1@!)

curbside treasure

2011-08-15T14:06:00.005-07:00

Free...Just as we found it curbside this afternoon.

Since these pictures were taken,

my husband has cleaned off the top and applied Restore-a-Finish!

Handy little chest - and as husband says,

"The price was right!"

(I should have posted size. It's much bigger than a jewelry

or silverware box. I'm thinking maybe tableclothes in the bottom drawer,

dishtowels, place mats and cloth napkins in the other two???)

wabo-sabi?

2011-08-14T04:14:00.010-07:00


Thrifted and Wabi-Sabi-ly beautiful(?)

Half-way to deciding "Bohemian" might describe my style of choice, I remembered Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese world view or aesthetic. Beauty in Wabi-Sabi has been described as that which is "imperfect, impermanent and incomplete". Wabi-Sabi's characteristics include asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.

A thrifted abstract watercolor hanging in our living room.

Is there such a thing as waBO-sabi?

I really identify with the imperfect, impermanent and incomplete thing!

gathering and scattering

2011-08-12T10:10:00.010-07:00

"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER
THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!"

Into the middle of my Bohemian Contemplations,

this quotation plunked itself down and wormed its way into my psyche.

Sometimes I DO get overly involved in "gathering".

(I know that must be very hard for some of you to believe.)

My excuses include, "It's one of my few hobbies." "It's less expensive than shopping retail." "It was too good a deal to pass up." (And that's only a few of them.)

Actually, I AM gathering less. My reasons include: "I'm running out of places to put stuff." "It's the economy, stupid." "I don't need another thing." (And that's only a few of THEM!)

This doesn't mean I'll NEVER enter another thrift store

or stop at another garage sale.

Just that the need to accumulate has lost its luster for the time being.

I'll resume my Bohemian Contemplations shortly.

I haven't given up trying to define my decorating style.

bohemia in the library/music room?

2011-08-08T09:54:00.004-07:00

"The rules of Bohemian is that there are none. You use pieces in unconventional ways. And you must use what you have or obtain pieces very, very cheaply. Think outside of normal, or outside of the box,", so says braniac who continues:

"Use large brightly colored scarves for curtains, hanging 20 scarves

by one corner on a curtain rod to make one curtain.

Use odd pieces together in quirky ways,

like hanging things on the wall that don't belong on the wall.

Hang plates, trays, or rugs.

Wallpaper a wall with book pages, or a chic magazine. This came from the 60's when flower power was in, and people didn't have money, but they decorated beautifully with what they had and used things in all different ways.

Hang a door on the wall. Put an old chandelier up that doesn't work,
and put candles in the bulb holders. Put a statue in a corner where it is unexpected."

These images from our library/music room

make me wonder about the

possibility of Bohemia in me...

Everything was found at either thrift stores or garage sales...

my inner bohemia?

2011-08-07T11:07:00.009-07:00

Ever since stumbling upon Bohemian Valhalla,

I'm convinced I have a little "Bohemia"

in my stylistic genes!

Take my eating area, for instance.

Yes, all these patterns are present in this one room!

Believe me, I've tried the whites and pastels.

Even have an example or two here and there...

But it is the warmth of dark wood, vintage textiles and patterns

that "call my name"!

All the time.

I don't know where it will end.

I don't even know all "Bohemia" means.

I just know I like it.

This week I plan to learn a bit more to see if it's actually "me",

or if there's another name for "it".

I can use all the help and explanations I can get!

Says K. Stone:

Bohemian style decorating is all about living simply and expressing one's creativity throughout the design. The Bohemian way of life is traditionally linked with free thinking counterculture and is influenced by the gypsy lifestyle. Inspiration for this type of décor comes from the art colonies of nineteenth century Europe where musicians, actors, artists, and writers converged into avant-garde communities.

i still use the ironing board

2011-08-07T05:25:00.001-07:00

OK. I'll bring out the iron and ironing board

before leaving the house this morning.

I still do. Occasionally.

Do you?

cheap thrills

2011-08-05T02:49:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, I took the children to the thrift store.

The generous cashier gave them their treasures.

She charged me $1@ for the tableclothes I bought.

I was delighted to find three fairly long ones to cover my table

when it is extended.

Two of them made up the sides of the clothesline tent.

The third, also blue and white, covered the table for our evening meal.

Champs Elysees Arc de Triomphe

2011-08-04T04:03:00.004-07:00

Framed size: 16.5"x14.5"

I found this framed beauty when I made an unplanned stop
at a local thrift store yesterday.
I couldn't resist it.

The back indicates the original owner purchased it in Paris.

It was framed in 1968.

My photos don't do it justice. The colors are vivid and bright.

It is matted simply and well.

The subject matter is identified in what appears to be handwriting (above)...

I've been unsuccessful in identifying the artist.

Since I have no similar paintings/prints
with which to group this one,

I would part with it for a fair sum.

I'm sure it will find its place

and live happily ever after SOMEwhere.

vintage cloths and table games

2011-07-29T18:30:00.006-07:00

While playing Blockhead (thrifted game)

with our grandsons,

I had time to enjoy the patterns on this tablecloth--

thrifted, too--of course!

I have a drawer full of these vintage clothes.

I really like 'em!

If you notice, in the first picture
there are other games stacked in the background.
You can't see Racko, but it was there.
It's one I played with my grandparents--and now I'm playing it
with THEIR great-great-grandchildren!
I've found many vintage games for fifty cents or less.
They're wonderful entertainment when the
grandchildren visit.
(To see more of this particular visit, click HERE!)

what would YOU have done?

2011-07-28T03:26:00.003-07:00

A friend gave us these two vintage (antique?) tools.

This is what WE did with them.

What would YOU have done?

a couple of bracelets...

2011-07-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

Thrift store or garage sale finds that I've had "forever".

Decided to wear them with this

more-recently thrifted skirt...

would you ever....

2011-07-25T05:35:00.008-07:00

Would you ever wear this pattern and plaid together?

I did...then wondered if it worked.

I decided it did. For me.

It's not the FIRST time I've mixed pattern and plaids--

take for instance this pillow made of fabric from wallpaper sample books...

I ♥ these plaid tin containers--small part of my "tin collection".

(almost) free and (very) easy

2011-07-22T12:31:00.011-07:00

REFRIGERATOR COLE SLAW

1 lg. head cabbage
1 lg. onion
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. vinegar
3/4 c. salad oil
1 tbsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. salt

Shred cabbage and onion. Put remaining ingredients into blender. Cover and process on "beat" until well mixed. Pour into small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Pour over cabbage and onion and allow to set for 3 hours. Stir cole slaw and refrigerate. Will keep for 5-6 weeks if kept refrigerated. Yields 8-12 servings.

My dear friend loaded me up with vegetables this morning. (In exchange, I prayed for rain for their beautiful--but dry--garden.) I came home and shredded the onion and cabbage. I had the other ingredients on hand. I'd never tried this recipe before, but it tastes wonderful. Found it here.

Aren't garden-fresh vegetables wonderful?
What's your very favorite?

This is the necklace I put on at noon
to dress up my "everyday" outfit
and meet friends for lunch.
I have matching earrings
but I think it would have been a little much...
Thirfted, of course!

basic, light, simple, thrifted

2011-07-21T04:41:00.011-07:00

Basic, light, simple and thrifted.

A $3 outfit
for a very hot day.
Even earrings are too hot to wear!

Women's summer fashion in a nutshell:

Wear just enough to prevent chafing.
No more, no less.

Got this from Kristen who got it from Annie....

I was outside to do this ^ when I saw this...

This little thrifted birdie appears
nonplussed by our
current heat wave!

domestic architecture?

2011-07-19T06:05:00.005-07:00

I probably should have quit before I started!

After seeing the Domestic Architecture at The Polohouse,

I thought I'd take a look at some of our own.

Mostly, I now realize I don't have a proper camera

and that I need to do a better job
of dusting and polishing!

I also realize how very much I admire

The Polohouse!
When I "grow up", I'd like to have
half the style of that place!

This (below) may be the most intricate pattern
I could come up with around here.

However, the picture turned out dull and lifeless,

and I didn't take the time to redo.

All this furniture was purchased second-hand.

It's quite a hodge-podge! No particular style prevails.

some things

2011-07-18T04:53:00.008-07:00

Some things I just can't pass up!

I don't have space for even One. More. Book.

BUT

some things I just can't pass up.

Fifty cents!

At the flea market where we stopped to ask directions

to the Van Wert Garden Walk last Saturday...
If you haven't read Miss Read, you must!

What things can YOU just not pass up?

another wooden bowl

2011-07-14T12:11:00.002-07:00

This $.99 wooden bowl was one of only a few items I found at thrift stores

along our vacation route. Here it sits one of the books (4/$1) I also bought.

The book is full of colorful illustrations/paintings.

(You may remember I have a stash of wooden bowls of various sizes...)

color blocking in buffalo

2011-07-12T05:00:00.007-07:00

Examples of color blocking in

beautiful Buffalo neighborhoods!

thrifty in buffalo

2011-07-10T16:37:00.011-07:00

Arriving in Buffalo, we found ourselves in the middle of the

largest "Taste Of" in the United States!

Crowds jammed the streets; the day was beautiful.

We took a FREE tour of the beautiful City County Building

that included the 360 degree view from the observation deck.

This is me! Hoping to win a year's worth of Sugardale products!

We also enjoyed a FREE sample of Sugardale ham.

Delicious!

We sampled FREE coffee

and later some FREE Lipton tea - my flavor was

Citrus Sangria.

Later in the day - a FREE walk taking in the beautiful gardens

in a historic neighborhood.

I sat on this bench for FREE, resting my aching knees
while my husband fetched the car.

We THOUGHT of staying in a hostel--but decided we weren't THAT thrifty!

plain jane and charlotte moss

2011-07-08T04:56:00.006-07:00

This is what I'm wearing today...I'm pretty much a Plain Jane, I realize. Give me a well-cut straight skirt and a comfortable tee, and I'm good to go. I'm wearing some drop earrings and will probably throw a jean jacket over my shoulders 'cause the auditorium I'll be sitting in is VERY air-conditioned!

In a totally different vein, here are a few quotes from Charlotte Moss Decorates that grabbed my attention...

Every last detail fascinates me
A beautiful room, one with a certain magic, summons you, makes you want to sit and stay awhile...the objects call out to you to touch, inspect, get to know them. These rooms make my heart race.
There is a place in all of us where creativity brews. Tap it. Let it go...don't fear it; I promise you it will never let you down.
Small rooms or dwellings discipline the mind; large ones weaken it. (Actually, this was a Leonardo da Vinci quote that she quoted.)
Trust your instincts. Trust your eye. Trust yourself.
Decorating is a personal art, and your house is your studio where there are no boundaries.

I may be one of the few who is plain in my dress but comfortably cluttered in my decorating style....I DO admire Charlotte Moss' attention to detail. I also realize that sometimes one person's detail is another person's clutter.

resorting

2011-07-07T04:48:00.002-07:00

I'm resorting to old photography methods - taking picture of myself in our hotel room mirror. Before checking in to our church convention at Sawmill Creek Resort, we checked out a couple of thrift stores. This white top (badly needed) was 1/2 price for a grand total of $1. It is light-weight & cool. Fits comfortably. I like the cut of the neckline!

I also purchased these four blank cards at $.10 each. (I made the choker necklaces beside them in the Craft Shack when we lived at camp several years ago. Now and then, I remember I have them and enjoy wearing them.)

...the view out our window this morning.

the big reveal

2011-07-06T02:43:00.003-07:00

Here are the two whimsies/irregularities.

Until Jacquelyn suggested it in yesterday's comments,

I never considered the possibility that

this unit was one of two designed to stand together.

(A second one MIGHT have mirrored this one and stood to its left.)
I just BET that's the explanation...

This is how it looks this morning.

I think just about everything on the shelves was thrifted

except for the Better Homes & Gardens (red & white checked)

and the Betty Crocker cookbooks.

Both of these were wedding gifts forty years ago!

yesterday...today

2011-07-05T04:36:00.002-07:00

Yesterday he worked...

Today I play...arranging and rearranging.

(Probably not done yet!)
A $2 yard sale find, its two irregularities
were NOT noticed at the time of purchase!
Can YOU see them?
We decided to "let them be" and call it "whimsy".

my country 'tis of thee

2011-07-04T05:18:00.006-07:00

Would you believe I have a small "treasure trove"
of 4th of July/patriotic items--

SOMEwhere!?!

I didn't start soon enough to figure out where they are.

I was lucky to have this mug

in my kitchen cupboard!

Thrifted, of course.
I really need to do some serious sorting
and make notes of where things are.
***
Meanwhile, I'm VERY thankful for my country
and pray that the freedoms and prosperity we enjoy
will continue to be valued and protected.

curtain call

2011-07-03T03:50:00.008-07:00

Here are the curtains I found at the thrift store last week -

"remodeled" and hung on our kitchen windows.
To see their "rick-rack" hem, go here.

They'll help keep out the heat of the summer sun.

(Shutters are the reason for the lower shadows.)

Bird cage - garage sale find!

(I find myself gravitating quite naturally
toward these colors. Not sure why...)

Here's the third of the three skirts
I also "thrifted" last week.
I call it "white",
but obviously it's tan.
I'm wearing gold beads and a gold belt
with some tan heeled shoes
for church this morning.
So I guess that's a
"curtain call" for the red, white & blue skirts, too!

red

2011-07-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

The second of three skirts thrifted this week.

(I've been cropping my face

to spare you the poison ivy effect.)

blue

2011-07-01T04:50:00.004-07:00

This is the "blue" of the red, white and blue skirts I found at the thrift store yesterday. It is a Pendleton. (I was unaware that Pendleton did anything except wool!)

It fits fine. I'm SO happy to have some options to fit at a very thrifty price. I don't want to remain at this size forever and was reluctant to "invest" much $$$ in a suitable wardrobe for the rest of the summer.

If you missed my other finds from yesterday and have a minute, check out the previous post. I DID "hit the jackpot"!