It's Work Time

Just wanted to let you know that I will be away from my blog for a few days. I'm totally overwhelmed with preparing for my son's IEP meeting (Individual Education Plan, for all the non-special needs parents out there), filling out the 5,000 page questionnaire for my son's summer camp (yeah, he's going to summer camp!) and some other less glamorous stuff that needs my attention. So I need to switch over to the secretarial side of being a Mom for a few days. Don't do anything too exciting for the next few days, OK?



       

What's White And Chippy And Dirty All Over?

I didn't do any real thrift store or garage sale shopping this weekend. I actually scheduled a doctors appointment for myself at 9:00 AM Friday morning. Prime garage sale time. What the h-e-double-toothpicks was I thinking? And too much other stuff going on on Saturday, so the whole weekend was a shopping bust.

But I did buy this little table one day last week. It's not really thrifty, because I bought it as a antiquey type store and I paid about $15.75 more for it than I would have at a garage sale, but I still thought it was a good deal.

A little chippy paint never hurt anyone. Unless it's lead based, then maybe it has hurt some people after all.

Yes, that is my ranunculus. It's still blooming like crazy. I love this plant!

Gotta hop! Lots of stuff to get down today and so little time.

Linking with Coastal Charm's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday.

       

A Mother's Story

mes·o·the·li·o·ma (me-zə-ˌthē-lē-ˈō-mə) noun, plural mesotheliomas, a usually malignant tumor derived from mesothelial tissue (as that lining the peritoneum or pleura).

You're picturing a 70 year old asbestos factory worker or miner aren't you? That is my original thought when someone mentions mesothelioma. Not so.

In August of 2005, at the age of 36, Heather Von St. James found out that she had mesothelioma, a form of asbestos cancer, rarely seen in someone so young. She had given birth to a beautiful baby girl just 3 months prior. She most likely was exposed to asbestos as a child through contact with her father's "dusty" work clothes from his construction job. To read more about her story go HERE.

A short time ago, Heather contacted me asking for my help in getting the word out about this issue. Please consider putting her blog button on your sidebar, so she can spread awareness about this form of cancer.



<center><a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather"><img src="http://www.mesothelioma.com/images/Heather-VSJ-Mesothelioma.jpg" border="0" alt="Heather Von St. James - Mesothelioma Survivor Blog" /></a></center>

       

InstaFlowers

I had my cell phone with me the other day when I was out shopping at some garden centers, so I took some photos with my handy dandy Instagram app (which I'm not 100% sold on yet, BTW). If you're not familiar with Instagram, it's an app for iPhone and Androids that turns your cell phone camera into a mini photo editing studio where you can give your photos interesting vintage effects (sort of like Picnik for your phone). There's a whole social sharing aspect to Instagram that, honestly, I don't have time for. But for those of you who can't get out to the garden centers as often as you'd like, I thought you would enjoy a little flower fix, so come along on my shopping trip.

Beautiful blue Scabiosa

Hens and chicks, which seem to be very popular this year

Columbine

Creeping Phlox

One of my favorite specialty plants - Hellebore. They are expensive here in Ohio - $24.99 for this small sized plant, but they do make a unique accent plant for the wealthy.

A sea of Creeping Phlox as far as the eye can see.

Foxglove! I have the urge to stick my finger in these every time I see them. I don't, but I think about it.

Carnations? Or maybe Dianthus? They're pink, I do know that.

And a whole lot of hanging baskets.

So what did you buy on this trip, Pam?

Just some Violas that were on clearance from Lowes. $1.00 for a six pack. Next time you're at Lowes check out their clearance racks. I found a lot of neat stuff in great condition on those racks last year for a fraction of the cost that they were originally.

So do you use Instagram? What are your thoughts on it?

BTW, when proof reading through this, I thought it sounded like I was advertising for Instagram and Lowes. Just wanted to assure you that I am not. If it's not on my sidebar or across the top, I don't get any coffee change for it. It's one of my pet peeves when a blogger doesn't make it clear when they are being paid to endorse a product, so it won't happen here.



       

I'm sPinning Over Pinwheels

The good thing about Pinterest is that you see all sorts of neat craft project that you just have to make. The bad thing about Pinterest is that you see all sorts of neat craft project that you just have to make. As in, they bug the bejeebers out of you and sit in the back of your mind nagging at your subconscious until you just have to run to the store at 9:00 at night to buy the supplies for the project. This was one of those projects.

Poofy Cheeks made a tutorial for them HERE and Happenstance Home shows a tutorial for them HERE. I sort of used a combination of both their ideas. Both are pinned on my Crafts Even I Can Make Pinterest board. The board where I pin things that I will make when they invent a 25th hour to the day.

The supplies you will need are:

• 6x6 double sided scrapbook paper
• wood skewers normally used for shish kabobs
• scissors
• ruler
• paper hole punch
• brads (found in the scrapbooking embellishment area of your local Michaels, JoAnns or Hobby Lobby)
• a little bit of glue, if you are so inclined

You could cut your own paper into the correct size, but the 6x6 paper was so darn convenient. The double sided paper is important, since you can see both sides of the paper when looking at the front of the pinwheel.

1.  I folded my paper in half diagonally.

2.  Then folded in half again. You could draw these lines instead, but I didn't want pencil      marks on the pinwheel.

3.  I took a pencil and put a teeny tiny dot 3" into the pinwheel (I know, there goes my pencil      marks theory).

4.  Cut 3" into each corner to that dot to create your pinwheel spokes.

5.  Punch a hole in every other corner of the pinwheel.

6.  Take the brad and thread it through the punched holes.

7.  Until all holes are in the brad.

8.  Push the brad through the middle of the pinwheel (I used a little knife to cut a slit so it      wouldn't rip the paper).

9.  Turn the flaps of the brad over to hold the pinwheel together.

10. Attach your skewer to the pinwheel by folding the brad ends around the wood. You may      need a tiny touch of glue to keep the pinwheel from sliding around on the skewer.

Voila. Pinwheels. That don't really spin, but these are for eye candy, so we'll just ignore that little factoid.

BTW, they make a zillion type of brads. All different sizes, colors and designs on them. I chose ones that looks like screw heads.

Your basic old fashioned all American slotted screws

and your newfangled phillips head screws. Industrial pinwheels are all the rage.

Happy pinwheeling!

       

Garage Sale Season Is Here, Garage Sale Season Is Here!!!

On Saturday I got out to a few garage sales. Just the sound of that makes me happy. Yes, garage sale season is upon us!

Now if I could only say that I found a lot of really cool stuff. I did find a little bit though and if I found everything on the first Saturday of the season, then what fun would that be?

I found this adorable little bitty Baby Brownie camera, the Special edition, which was produced from 1939 - 1954.

This thing is small at only 2 1/2 inches wide and 3 inches tall. It has been on my bucket list of cameras that I want to own, so I can mark that one off.

A little chicken which says Japan on the bottom. I have a hard time passing up a china chicken statue for some reason. They just call to the kitschy side of me. Who am I kidding, Kitsch is my middle name.

A cloth bag that Bob Evans sausage came in. I don't think this is vintage, but I can't remember the last time I saw a bag o'sausage at the grocery store.

And this dorky little donkey that I am hoping to put in my terrarium, if ever I make one. You have heard that terrariums are on a comeback, right?

So a nice little start to the season. Did you do any garage sale-ing this weekend?



Linking with Southern Hospitality's Thrifty Treasures and Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday and Coastal Charm's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday.