happiness is...

 We went shopping for paint for the china cupboard (previous post).

 After gathering ideas from several web sites and a google search of

 Painted China Cupboards, I was thinking a very pale grey color.

Before going to the color charts, my husband and I checked out the "Oops" shelf.

Imagine our thrill in finding a WHOLE gallon of Valspar paint and primer

in a perfectly suitable shade of grey

$8.00!

Gary is out in the garage mixing up some chalk paint and will apply the first coat

yet this evening.

It should be beautiful!

rough and ready

 I purchased this off of Craig's List yesterday.

 It's in rough shape, but I'm ready for a transformation!

Fortunately, I have a husband who can make it happen!

pretending

 You've gotta do what you've gotta do!

 I'm happy for a small stash of artificial flowers

gathered inexpensively from thrift stores and garage sales.

I've tried to be selective and avoid the most artificial-looking.

(The white vase was also a thrift store find.)

Now.  If only I knew how to introduce some warmer temperatures

to the scene here in NE Indiana!

clearing out

I found this book last week at a thrift store.

There were 40 beautiful plates of various botanical prints.

I decided I would NOT be framing them myself 

no matter how good I thought they'd look in frames...

so I posted it on a local facebook garage sale page and it sold within hours.

 I haven't had the heart to part with the oversized book of great paintings (below) yet.

It's  FULL of wonderful pictures and great information.

The cedar chest below has been my husband's project over the past week.

He constructed a new lid to replace the original warped one

and completely refinished the rest of the chest for our friends.  (It belonged to his

now deceased mother I think they will be pleased!)

I am proud of his skills!  Didn't it turn out beautifully?

Now, confession time.  I saw the "cubby" sitting beside a trash can

on a country road last week.  We scrubbed it up and sawed off a broken divider.

That's all.  

Listed it on the facebook garage sale today,  it too sold immediately!

Now I hope to sell this sweet 1960s retro typewriter!

Its lid attaches to form a carrying case.  

Our grandchildren have enjoyed typing on it, but it's time for it to find a new home.

I'm pleased with my recent efforts to clear out several thrift store finds

(and make room for NEW ones)!

keeping it simple this sunday morning

 





Today, in my black and white,
I should blend in nicely
with the keyboard I'll be playing....
Simple and all thrift store purchases --
even the opaque black legware!

(I removed the black necklace that
criss-crossed the scarf in the bottom photo.
It wasn't working.  Obviously.)

My outfit also goes along with the "trifle" I made for our small group's meeting last night!

Though the layers were blurred,

it WAS delicious.

I borrowed my sister's trifle server and think I might 

keep my eyes peeled for one at a thrift store for myself!

I've got all KINDS of ideas about how to use it.

thrifty entertainment

 Thrifty entertainment for me (us) yesterday involved a few hours

at Barnes and Noble.

I browsed through magazines...

jotted down ideas, and even drew a sketch of possible ways

to create some paths in our back yard.

 When possible, we settle ourselves in a couple of comfy chairs,

but yesterday they were occupied, 

so we pulled a couple of small round tables together

and spread out.

 (He later enjoyed a cold, caramel coffee drink.  I had a sip or two, 

but was satisfied with the free water always available to the patrons.)

 Just look at these two interior photos!

Oh, the pleasure of holding the magazine in my hand while my eyes

took in every detail! 

Soft chairs, books, and leather.  

♪ These are a few of my favorite things ♪

After a couple of hours of quiet pleasures, I came home with new ideas

and in a relaxed frame of mind. 

Have YOU enjoyed any thrifty entertainment lately?

don't ask me why

 Above:   Today's addition to the herd!  A nickel's worth from a thrift store!

 It joins the others....

 currently on a couple of shelves.

 Only a few are very significant (and those only slightly).

 The rest are simply for fun.

Don't ask me why!

 (And don't get me started on the subject of children's books!)

And here I am - Wednesday morning.  Ready for several outings in my go-to-jeans-and-jacket.

Everything, including the animal print scarf was a thrift store find.

(I WILL dry and comb out my hair before I leave the house.)

Phewer Phun Phashionist Photos

 
I'm sad.  In spite of all the fine features of our new Smart Phones, the one  I FORGOT to be sure to look for when purchasing was the time delay on the camera. Soooooooo, while I have a better camera, I have no way to take my "fashion" photos!

Oh well, fashionista that I am (not) -- it's probably not a big deal.

Here I am in my almost-uniform.  Except for the blue skirt, It's pretty well what I wear around the house most days.  The shoes are a little fancier, because I'm off to our Ladies' Home Connection - a Bible study and lunch with friends that meet every other week...

I'm wearing a black patent-leather belt (obscured by said Smart Phone) and a necklace of black jet beads.

(I'm holding my head high to minimize wrinkles on my neck--not because I'm snooty.)

Speaking of black, this is our Black and Decker Brew Station.

It may be on its last leg....but I did run a white vinegar solution through it this week

and it perked up a bit (no pun intended).

Above my Brew Station, on the inside of the cabinet door,

I have a sheet of directions for cleaning the coffee maker.

You can see I scribble dates (when I remember) that I cleaned it.

Actually, these directions are from several pots ago and go back YEARS.

I've also noted the dates that I replace the filters in our Brita water pitcher here.
My husband has placed reminders to check furnace filters
and the salt level in the water softener on the calendar on his phone...

How do YOU remind yourself of these maintenance chores?

(They really DO help prolong the life of household equipment!)

pajama party

Somewhere in BlogLand someone is having a Pajama Party. I'm not sure I've ever linked to a site (except to reference a quote or special feature that caught my eye), and I'm not starting now!

But

here are the two sleep-related items hanging on the back of the bathroom door.  My robe (on the left) and a nightgown on the right.  Nothing fancy and definitely nothing feminine--but OH so warm.  I've even cut off the turtleneck collar on the nightgown to make it more comfortable to wear.  For sleeping, I choose comfort over style.  Obviously.

Does it surprise you to know

that both of these items were thrift store purchases? 

(I didn't think it would.)

...another hint of plaid on our faux mantel in our eating area--a thrifted thermos

the blues

I started out with my scarf THIS way...

but changed it around when I saw a friend wearing hers THIS way--

(This scarf was a gift and one of the prettiest I own.)

Do you have a favorite scarf?

And do you - like me - ever feel awkward about tying them?
While showing a bit of blue today, I might as well show you the closed curtains over
our kitchen sink....

 While usually open and looking through the back enclosed porch into the back yard,
when company came Saturday night, I decided to close them
to block the view of the cluttered porch.
It makes for a cozy feel in my kitchen, and I rather LIKE it.

(At least until I get the porch straightened up!)

the next best thing

 

The"Free Box" sits just inside the door of my Favorite Thrift Store.

I was delighted to find a stash of postcards bringing me -- PARIS!

Paris by postcard!

The next best thing to being there (?) -- and for free...

 Eight of them.

Another bunch were from Amsterdam.

 I brought them home and read the descriptions on their backs

before I propped them up to enjoy for awhile.

It's obviously not the same as BEING there...

but it's kind of the Next Best Thing.

What have YOU found for "free" lately?