My Future Home Painted on a Dish

Hi guys, I went to the thrift store today.

There is a "Cracked China for Art Projects" basket there, and it's one of my favorite places to look. Everything in the basket is always 25 cents. I suppose the plates would work great to put under plants or hang on the wall. I've bought them before to draw or write on to give as gifts. I think they would make a nice jewelry dish too. I've never bought one for myself from the basket, until today:

Behold, I looked down, and there was a dish with a picture of my future home. I picked it up and never set it back down. Take a look.

I think it's just beautiful! Foxglove and poppies... the path, the chimney, trees in the backyard... 

(and that watch will be the topic of a future post)

My goodness.

So this post is short and sweet: my new jewelry dish and goals for the future.

The best is yet to come!

Victory Garden Greens

Hello and welcome to the west side of my garden. My greens are ready to harvest! I had my first salad for lunch! Here is my lettuce, spinach, and kale.

This is "Livingson's Cutting Mix" and is a nice variety of cutting leaf lettuce. Varieties in this mix are Baby Oakleaf, Bronze Beauty, Red Velvet, Pablo, Tennis Ball and Freckles.

I like leaf lettuce because, unlike head lettuce, you can harvest the leaves two inches above the ground and the lettuce will regrow as long as conditions remain somewhat cool. Several harvests can be made out of one crop!

Lettuce is so beautiful.

Here's the spinach. This variety is called "Bloomsdale Long Standing" and is extremely mild and sweet.

and the kale! The variety is "Siberian Improved Dwarf."  The leaves are really thin...I'm not quite used to it yet. It's good so far in salad, but the kale chips were kinda funky. I think I'll still plant some curled blue scotch too. So far though, this will be a good leaf for salads!

 Baby leaf!

I should mention that I don't really buy groceries in the summer (yes, a few things so I can cook with my crops) but gardening really saves on the pocket book. I wish I could teach more folks how to garden so we could collectively help our economy and our physical health!  

Also, if you don't have room in your yard for a garden, take heart, because I don't either! This garden is a rental spot in a community garden! They provide the plot with rich, dark soil, straw for mulch, tools, and water. It really can't get any better. The plot cost me $15 a summer. This is really, reeeeally worth it considering I don't buy much food in the summer, and I also give many of these vegetables away!

Mid-Heel Oxfords and a Lil' Bunny

Hello Friends!

I found a pair of gems at the thrift store last week. Take a look!

Yes, that's right. Chelsea Crew mid-heeled oxfords in white and burgundy. $5.99! And in my size!

Look at those stacked wooden heels. My-oh-my. I am still beside myself.

I'm pretty excited to wear them to church! I bet they'll be nice to play violin in too, and will probably work great for dancing! Fun times are going to happen in these shoes. Yes sir.

And, to top everything off, on my walk tonight I saw this beautiful bunny munching on grass!

 Look at the textures in its perfect coat!

 And the sunshine through its velvety ears! Perfect, perfect.

Sandal Saturday

Hi Folks.

 As I get older (and more used to nice shoes) I'm getting done and more done with flip-flops. That being said, I realized I didn't have any nice sandals. 

So, I went to Shopko in search of some quality sandals. Quickly realizing their sandals wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace and length of my summer, I went to the thrift store. That is where I found these beauties. Take a look-see:

These are brand new, never been worn, leather, "Bare-Trap" sandals in my size! 

The Herbergers price tag was still on the bottom and I believe they were close to $80.00. They then sold at clearance price for $55.00. But there's more! The garage sale tag was there too! $33.00. After they didn't sell at the garage sale they wound up at the thrift store with the price of $13.00 which was crossed off! and marked down to $7.99. And you guess it, SOLD to Annie for eight dollars!

Bam! New, quality (really good quality), and crazy comfortable sandals for my blissful usage.

... ... ...

And. Then I saw these. Yes, they probably aren't as rugged, or practical, but they are amazing, vintage,  and gold buckle-on.

They have the smoothest of smooth bottoms, and should be great for swing dancing.

and a nice height heel.

I bought them for $5.99.

... ... ...

So, all this to say: go to a nice thrift store and get your shoes for summer!

We Go Together Like Salt and Pepper

I have a tidy little collection of some of my favorite things: funky salt and pepper shakers. Take a gander:

My roommate gave these to me last Christmas. We think they are a house and a school in the colonial style! The salt goes in the school, and the pepper in the house.

These friendly grey foxes were stashed neatly in my grandma and grandpa's attic until they landed in my hands last summer. I like their smiles.

My parents gave this set to me for my 23rd Birthday when I worked at the Como Conservatory. The top flower part detaches and is the salt shaker, and the pepper sprinkles out of the watering can. It's pretty doggone fun to sprinkle over mashed potatoes.

And my parents gave me these red foxes for my 25th birthday. So happy!

Meet the Owls. Summer owls without scarves, winter owls with scarves.

White clean-line foxes for simpler times. So beautiful!

Fungus amongus. Some days are the best days when your roommate comes home with mushroom shakers for your collection. She found them at the thrift store and bought them for me!

Our downstairs neighbor came up the steps, gave these to me, and said "Now, I heard you collect salt and pepper shakers...so..." Yup, yup I do. And these are awesome! Perfect for "June Dairy Month"!

... ... ... ... ...

At the end of the day, I really don't like collecting things that take up a lot of room. So for me, these little sets are pretty nifty. Also, if I fail to see the purpose in an item it doesn't stick with me long. It's pretty fun rotating out these little shakers, so I can justify their purpose.

And there you have it! Keeping with the thrifty theme of this blog, all of these sets were gifts. My friends are good listeners, and when they caught wind that I collect them, why, they gave me my collection. 

Handmade Vintage-Inspired Shirt

This here is a vintage inspired wrap shirt that I sewed up in a few hours! The floral linen was gifted to me (!) the total cost of this beautiful piece of clothing was $0.

I used the basic pattern from this blog:

 http://www.sewyourhartout.com/retro-inspired-wrap-shirt-tutorial/

I made a two alterations, though, and here they are:

1. The length of the original rectangle of material could be longer. The shirt is meant to wear with a high waist, but if you have a longer torso like yours truly, you'll appreciate the extra inch or two.

2. Instead of attaching the strips of material at the corners of the rectangle, put the shirt on and pin the ties so that they fall at the smallest part of your waist. Then take off the shirt and sew them down. Also the thin strips (the back ties) should be shorter because they will hang down and show even after they are tied.

This is a close up of the front bow!

This shirt is loose and will be very cool on a warm day. It also folds easy, and fits well in a suitcase! If you have a sewing machine, honestly try this shirt, and all it will cost you is a few hours of therapeutic creativity! 

Saturday Morning Kitchen

My amaryllis! I've had it for four years, and it hasn't bloomed for the last two. To think I almost threw it out! I'm so glad that I didn't. The runner is from the second hand store- $2! Now if only I had an iron...

Lyrics from Bethel's "It is Well." I bought frames from the thrift store and painted them. The board part is just wood cut to fit and sprayed with blackboard paint.

This here, is my great grandma's sugar bowl. And now, it is my sugar bowl. Happy, happy.