The Canvas Photo Art Experiment

Acrylic craft paint, a 16x20 watercolor canvas, glue, water, and printed picture was used.

 I really love having nice photos printed out on canvas, but it can be a bit pricey. We have a few prints in our home, one was gifted to use and another I was able to snag with a promocode, so it was super cheap. I had seen various pins on Pinterest showing you how you could do photo transfer at home. Some seemed really complex and used materials that I didn't have readily available. Other pins I found seemed super easy. I went for the easiest route possible. In this project, you don't actually transfer an image. In reality, you are just decoupaging a print onto a canvas. It doesn't have the exact look of the canvas because once the paper is glued to the surface, you no longer see the texture of the canvas. If you really want to the look of canvas, you should try another technique. I just wanted to add another nice bit of wall art to the master bedroom. SO, I really didn't mind if this looked perfect or not.

"Hey, that's not yogurt..."

In the original post that I used to try this out, they used matte Mod Podge. I love Mod Podge, I used to decoupage my but off back in the day. These days, though I have little use for Mod Podge, so rather than investing in a large jar that I would never use. I decided to make my own. I followed a recipe that I found online, 3 parts white school glue to one part water. This was very economical, I was able to find a large bottle of glue for $0.50. I think next time, I will just buy the real Mod Podge at the Dollar Tree. That way, I will use the right amount, not waste much if any, and have the right consistency for my project.

I made this while watching Beauty and the Beast on Netflix. It was a late night.

I wish I could find the original post that I found this craft on, but I deleted it from my project list. It can be found on Pinterest, though. Just type in the search bar, "DIY Canvas Photo" and you'll find it, it's the article that uses Mod Podge. (I just did a search on Pinterest in an effort to find it. I can't remember which one I used, but there's several posted and they likely use the same technique).

I sort of followed the original tutorial that I had found but deviated once it began to take a life of its own. I wish that I had decoupaged the image first and then painted the canvas. I think that I had also painted the entire canvas, which is why the image came out darker. Had I adhered the image on first and painted around it, I think it would have looked cleaner. Also, I think it would have been better if I had printed the image out a day ahead of time so that the ink could dry better and I could have used a sturdier paper. I had trouble lining the picture perfectly on the canvas without damaging the paper. Once I began to add the glue mixture the image bled a bit and the paper became very fragile. Once I had the picture where I wanted it, I printed out our wedding vows and glued them on top of the photo. Then, I added more paint on the sides on top of the image and once that dried, I smoothed one more layer of glue on top. In the end, I like the way this came out; it looked less like a canvas print and more like an enlarged bit of scrapbook art. Although it wasn't what I had envisioned, it is what it became and I like it. This was neither a Pinterest Hack nor a Fail, it became another thing entirely and that is okay with me. I now have this hanging in the bedroom and it looks great! So, the next time you try a Pinterest craft and it doesn't quite work as planned, just roll with it and see what comes out instead. it's a lot less frustrating that way. Until Next time~ Toodahloo!

DIY Cake Stand Using Dollar Tree Supplies

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen a post I made with a picture of this cake stand. This project was super easy to make. I made it in two days because I wanted the glue to dry properly. I already have a very lovely cake stand but I wanted another one where I could place the gluten-free baked treats that I make for my stepdaughter. It didn't seem fair that the rest of us were able to have our treats displayed on a nice cake stand while she is reduced to a boring old plate. I wanted something special for her, where I could present her treats in a pretty and inviting way. Ever the frugal crafter, I decided to make one. While I was out on a girl day with my bosom friend, I searched the Dollar Tree for items that I could use to fashion a cute cake stand. I already had some ideas in mind, after searching the Dollar Tree website.

I knew the plate and bowl that I wanted, so I was able to find them quickly. I thought that I wanted to use another candlestick, but then I found the one that I chose. It is very solid and sturdy, and it was even heavier than the one that I had originally intended to use. Those candlesticks come in black or white, so I chose black. Then, I needed and handle. At first, I looked for a knob, but couldn't find one. Then, I looked and tealight candle holders, but I couldn't find one that I liked. I decided to think outside of the box and headed to the toy section. There, I found rubber farm animals and I thought that the sheep was not only the perfect size and weight for the handle, but it also matched the color scheme.

After I brought the candlestick home, I noticed that it was scuffed up. I decided to paint the entire surface with chalkboard paint, simply because I had it on hand. I left it on my deck to dry while I worked on the rest of the cake stand,

Using a clear salad bowl that I found in the catering section, I used the super glue that they sell at the Dollar Tree to stick the sheep to the bottom of the bowl. I flipped the bowl upside down, squeezed a tiny bit of glue to the bottom of the sheep's hooves and centered it onto the underside of the bowl. I set the bowl aside and allowed for it to dry overnight.

Next, I wanted to glue the candlestick to the underside of the plate. I found the center of the plate and I used a dry erase marker to trace the shape of the top of the candlestick. This way I could place super glue on the plate and the candlestick so they would adhere more securely.

After squeezing a bead of glue around the perimeter of the candlestick top, I added more glue on the circle outline and carefully placed the candlestick on the underside of the plate. I let that dry over night.

The next day, I had an adorable cake stand. The bowl just barely fit on top of the plate, so keeping it on was tricky. I need to add a lip along the edge of the plate to keep the top on better. Were I to try this again, I might use one of the plate chargers that are sold in the dish aisle. I really do like how this came out. It almost has that "Farmhouse Chic" that ladies seem to be going gaga over lately. I am just happy to have a cute cake stand for the gluten-free goodies. It fits the decor of my kitchen and it only cost me $4.00 to make, because I already had the glue and painting the candlestick is entirely optional. If you were going to do this with all new supplies, it could be done for $5.00, not including tax. Still, a nice bargain for something that you will only use on certain occasions. This would be a cute thing to try for different holidays, too. Think of the fun you could have with holiday decorations for the handle, and festive colors for the base! I had a lot of fun doing this and would likely try it out again. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

We Got A New Kitten and Other Distractions

I have been sick lately and had little energy to sit down and write. Most of the time I am feeling pretty exhausted. It all began a few weeks ago when I thought that I was getting hit with allergies but instead was a nasty cold. Once the cold finally subsided, I was still feeling gross and it turned out to be Fall allergies. I have had Fall allergies since I was a teenager and they always prove to be far worse than Spring allergies. The thing is, I love to be outside, especially in the Fall, also the kids have soccer. I don't make it to every home game, however, I also have nephews who play soccer and I like to go to their games too. This proved to be the biggest problem for me. So, back when I still had a cold, I toughed it out, took some DayQuil and went to my nephew's soccer match. Then, I went to my sister's house for dinner after the game and I didn't get home until after 9 pm. the combination of being out in the cold, out to allergen air, being out late and running around doing too much all made me very sick. Then, I finally got over the cold and WHAM, I was hit with allergies. Over the weekend, I went to another nephew's soccer match with my husband. It was a great day for soccer, nice and warm. The next day, I went to a parcel of land that my Dad owns, with my Dad, to pick apples. Problem is, his apple trees are on a hill, in a meadow. That was very silly of me. Between the soccer match the day before and the apple picking I felt awful. I already had a stuffy headache while apple picking from the exposure during the previous days game, after that I was down for the count. I was having dinner with my parents and was going to watch the premiere of The Walking Dead, but my head felt so stuffed up and after taking an allergy pill, I could barely stay awake. So, I went home, ut on some comfy pajamas, cuddled with my new kitten in bed and watched Masterpiece on PBS. 

 
So, about that kitten.......

My husband wanted to get another cat so that Murr could have a companion. We have one large dog and one small dog, both are great pals. The dogs get along swimmingly with  Murr. Where the dogs are, Murr is too. When it;s time for bed, they all race up the stairs together. The thing is, Murr likes to play, he is only 1 1/2 years old. The dogs, like to play with each other, but they are older dogs and like to relax. Also, they are far too big to lay with the cat. So, I agreed to get another cat, under the condition that it be an all black cat. I have always preferred black cats and I haven't had an all black cat since the passing of Merlin. A couple of months ago a woman he knew posted on Facebook that her cat had kittens and they would be available for new homes when they were ten weeks old. Two of the cats available were all black. My husband asked me if I would be interested, and I gave him a "soft yes." I had forgotten all about it, until a couple of weeks ago e=when he reminded me that the kittens would soon be ready. So, last Saturday morning, we drove to the woman;s home where the kittens were and were handed this little ball of love. I told my husband that a black cat needed to be named after a wizard or a witch, that is is my tradition. He went along with it, he was just happy to get a kitten. I named her "Mildred Hubble" after a character from my favorite childhood movie. It is also a new show available on Netflix and there was another tv version that was made in the 1990s. We call her "Millie" for short. I only call her by her full name when she is naughty.
As I write this, she is sleeping on my lap, only ten minutes earlier, she was climbing all over me and being a bit of a terror. She loves to cuddle and purrs a lot. She isn't a fan of the dogs, yet, and she is very playful with Murr. Murr, is very pleased with his new companion, he finds her to be a very adept pupil. ALready, he is a bit protective of her. So, even though it took some convincing, I am happy to have this darling black kitten, Just in time for Halloween.
It is a very stormy day. The winds are blowing and rain is pouring down hard. This is the perfect weather for hot cocoa, a movie, and cuddles. So, after I complete some more writing, while Mildred naps, I think I will watch The Worst Witch (the 1980s movie version with Fairuza Balk). I will be posting some of the crafts that I had been working on before I got sick. So, be on the lookout for those throughout the rest of the week. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Pacing Myself

The above photo illustrates how I have been feeling lately. It has been over a week since my last post. I intended to write about the various craft projects that I had been working on, but then I came down with something. I am not sure if I am dealing with allergies, something that always plagues me this time of year, or if the shifting weather brought on a cold. When I had a girls day out with my dearest friend, the weather was phenomenal. The weather has been quite mild, but then the next day the weather would be seasonal. Whenever the weather has an abrupt change, I get sick. So, with the way things have timed out, between going out and about, allergy season, and weather changes, it's hard for me to pinpoint the precise cause. At any rate, I have been a bit under the weather. However, even with my cold/allergies I still need to function like any normal human. I need to get groceries, run errands, visit family, etc. I had been very busy all weekend and I am worn out I'm taking today, which is beautiful weather and a nice change from yesterday, to rest. By rest I mean, still get tasks done, but not overdo it. So, instead of making a chore list to check off, I decided to have a mental list of goals. I decided that I would do things on my goal list, when I felt like doing them, but not be hard on myself if I didn't complete the list. It is very refreshing when I can't do today, I still have time to do tomorrow. Surprisingly, I've gotten quite a bit done and I am very very relaxed. I even made myself a pumpkin latte!

Last week my husband helped me pick some of the apples from our apple tree. It was a fantastic warm morning and it was perfect weather for apple picking. 

We are fortunate to have so many apples on our tree. The better apples are up high where we can't reach them. This week, I am going to have my Dad assist me with picking more. He has a tool that enables you to pick fruit from fruit trees that are out of reach and it doesn't require the use of a ladder or step stool. Because of my impaired balance, I don't like to use ladders, and I am very cautious with step stools. If I can avoid using even step stools, I do so. 

Without any additional tools, we picked three full baskets of apples. I've already baked apple crisp and apple rhubarb pie. I plan on making a lot of applesauce and dried apples for the winter. I think I might try to make apple leather, too. I will still have some apples for baking and will spend the rest of the Fall baking pies, crisps, muffins and coffee cakes.

I mentioned earlier that I had done many crafts that I wanted to write about. I will be sharing those in upcoming posts, so look out for those this week. Until next time...~Toodahloo!

Tackling Small Home DIY's and Pretending To Know What I'm Doing, pt.2

An old chair from a set that I had in college.

 As I mentioned in my previous post, I am a frugal diyer. I wanted to make little changes to the kid's rooms to help make studying easier this year. I gave my desk chair to my step-daughter and decided to use my yoga balance ball at my desk instead. My step-son never really used his desk, but when he saw her chair, he set up his desk and grabbed a spare chair that was stored away in our garage. I was surprised at this because I had previously offered my desk chair to him and he didn't want it. I suppose he decided to use his desk this year.

A layer of primer.

 Since he was going to begin using his desk to study at this year, I wanted to give him a more comfortable chair that matched his black desk. I went to my parent's attic and found a chair from a set of chairs that I had in college. The table is in our garage and I use it for a work surface, These chairs came with built-in cushions, that could be removed with screws. I removed the seat and sanded the surface of the chair to remove the gloss on the "wood." After wiping down the chair to remove any dust, I spray painted the chair in a highly ventilated area.

A layer or two of black spray paint.

 Once the primer had set, I painted several layers of black spray paint all over the chair, making certain that the layers were completely dry between coats. I used a can of spray paint that I already had on hand for the primer and I purchased the black spray paint for less than a dollar (I think it was 98 cents, but I'm not certain) at Walmart.

A fat quarter and hot glue to reupholster the seat cushion.

 While I waited for the paint to dry, I worked on the seat cushion. I spread my fat quarter, right side facing down, on my work surface and then centered the cushion, cushion side down, on the fabric. Using a hot glue gun, I wrapped the fabric around the cushion and glued it to the underside of the seat. I worked my way around the perimeter until the fabric was taught.

The final result.

Before I screwed the seat back onto the chair, I ironed the cushion to make the fabric nice and smooth. It really couldn't have been easier. I already had the chair and some of the materials that I used to make a chair for a study area. I only needed to invest in a can or spray paint and a fat quarter. This cost (roughly) $2.00 to complete. I think that is quite frugal and I like how it worked out. The chair matches the desk and the rest of the decor of my step-sons room and now he has a comfy chair to sit in when he's working on his computer. These are the kind of projects that I can handle. Some paint, a few screws, a glue gun, an iron and a sander are simply tools and supplies that I feel comfortable using and I feel happy making something old new again. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Tackling Small Home DIY's and Pretending To Know What I'm Doing pt. 1

My laminate countertop after I sanded and cleaned the surface.

 I admit it, I am a bit of a home improvement diy wannabe. If I were a Spice Girl, I'd be "Crafty Spice," because I need to create. Growing up, I watched endless hours of  This Old House and Hometime on PBS. When the diy channel and HGTV became available on my cable channel package, I was a bit excited in a very dorky kind of way. To me, an idea of a good time is to cuddle up to my husband and watch Chip and Jo Jo and marvel at the before and after. When we were first able to get into our house last year, my husband spent a lot of time removing carpets and gutting the bathroom, while I scrubbed and painted walls. My kitchen needed love. When we are totally done with the kitchen, I will do an entire post on the before and after. Here I just want to show what I did to my countertops since I needed to re-paint a section last week. **I am not a professional. I am a novice, a housewife who experiments with inexpensive diy solutions. This is not recommended as a tutorial, it is simply a "show and tell" type of post. I am NOT an expert, I'm just showing you what I did..**

Adding a layer of primer.

 When we moved into our home it needed a lot of TLC. Most of it was on the surface. The old gal just needed a makeover with a little nip-tuck in one area. The rest of the makeover just involved some fresh paint, flooring, and curtains. With a bit of wall art, throw pillows and candles here and there. Since there was a lot of little things and an entirely new bathroom to install, keep on a tight budget was our only option. We didn't have the time nor the money to fuss about with installing new countertops. So, I did some research on Pinterest ( something I did A LOT during our home makeover) and I found a solution for updating our countertops for very little money. I bought a can of black chalkboard paint for $10.00 and a small foam roller for around $5 (we already had the roller handle, we just needed more sponge rolls). I already had a can of paint latex with a built-in primer, so I used that to prime the surface. The first time I did this last year, I skipped sanding the countertops. I shouldn't have done that, but I was in a rush. I recommend sanding the laminate surface and cleaning it so that the paint can really adhere to the laminate countertop. Since I skipped that step, it peeled off last week, which was why I had to do it again. This time I did it the right way.

My laminate countertop after the primer had dried.

 After sanding and cleaning the surface, I painted two layers of primer on the entire area. I made certain to really let these dry before adding another coat. This primer and the chalkboard paint took twice as long to dry because it was very humid outside.

My laminate countertop after I painted a few layers of chalkboard paint onto the surface.

 Once the primer was dry, I painted three coats of chalkboard paint, making sure the layers were dry before adding another. I really should have let each coat dry for a day to harden properly, but when you have pets trying to jump on the countertops and you need to use the countertop, that is hard to do. I should have waited a day to let things really dry and made sure to do it when it isn't humid. After all of my hard work, once hot dinner plate on the paint made the paint bubble and peel away. This didn't happen last year because we weren't living in the house yet, so it had plenty of time to harden, not to mention it was colder and not at all humid. I have covered the spots with electrical tape in order to conceal the spots and also to protect the paint from peeling even more.

The end result after two layers of wax.

Once the paint was dry, I smoothed on a layer of butcher's wax all over the top surface and I waited for it to dry. After the wax hardened I buffed the wax until shiny and smooth, then I added one more layer for extra measure. I really do love the look of this, it's a fantastic solution for revamping a laminate countertop when you are on a budget. Down the road, we will be replacing these, but for now, this works. The only thing that I didn't use to make this a total success was PATIENCE. If you don't let the paint harden for at least 8 hours after it has dried, it will not set correctly. It's a lot like painting your fingernails. If you add a base coat, you let it dry before adding your nail color. If you don't let you nail color harden between coats and then try to add a topcoat, the nails never dry completely and your nails smudge.
When the weather changes to more Fall-like weather and the humidity finally dissipates, I will touch up the spots to peeled. Until then, the tape covers it nicely, the color is an exact match, fortunately! This post proved to be longer than I had expected. So, I will post about my other diy project in the next post. This post isn't meant to be a tutorial by any measure. I am a novice who needed an inexpensive solution and this is how I solved my problem. There is paint made specifically for countertops, but those kits are so pricey, that you might as well buy a new countertop for the price. This is what I did for my home and it worked, but it still needs to be corrected in a few areas. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed my little experiment.
 Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Fall Has Arrived

Fresh apples from the local orchard.

 According to the Autumnal Equinox that just passed over the week, Fall is officially here. I have seen little signs of its arrival, with all the candy corns, pumpkin scented candles, pumpkin spice coffee on the shelves in stores. The new Fall line-up is coming this week on tv. Soon, I will be able to cozy up with a warm blanket and a hot cocoa and watch Poldark. I even found delicious Macintosh apples from the local orchard at our grocery store. When you grow up in a town that has an orchard, not mention the numerous apple orchards in surrounding towns, you get to enjoy the tradition of fresh apples in the Fall. It won't be long before we jump in the van with the kids and the dog and take a trip to a nearby orchard for apple picking and pumpkin harvesting. Not to mention a trip to a local corn maze.
 I have been preparing for fall by gathering my old decorations and finding new additions to my collection. I have also been working on home diys that will be harder to do once the chillier weather sets in. This week, I will be gathering materials to help winterize my home. Last year was our first fall and winter in our home. We didn't get to move in until October and by then, we were exhausted from home decorating and remodeling. We didn;t have any more energy to expel on the house. Instead, we wanted to focus on the home. That being said, we learned over the winter where all the drafts and cracks were. So, this week, I am being proactive and will be gathering supplies to help make the home warmer. Not that the house was too drafty, but I'd prefer to eliminate all, or at least reduce as many as I possible, drafts.It is much better for our wallets to keep the house snug in the winter. 
   

Late summer wildflowers in bloom.

 I'm itching to decorate the inside of my home with my Fall decor, but I'm waiting for the perfect day. Last week it was very summery weather and this week will be much the same. It's hard to get in the Autumnal mood when it is sunny and 80 degrees outside. I've had only one cashmere day so far. I just can't bring myself to decorate, yet. Traditionally, I don't do much decorating until October anyway. I certainly don't put out my Halloween decor until after Columbus Day. So for now, I think I will continue to gather my supplies and wait patiently until the right time arrives. This week, I am having a long overdue girls day out with my childhood friend, who is still my dearest friend. It will be a nice break from the preparations. Still, will we are on our adventure, I will certainly be gathering materials for my decorating, crafting, and winterizing. I'm just looking forward to chatting like little chipmunks and consuming far too much caffeine.

Murr the cat isn't ready for Fall either. He prefers the sunny spots of summer.

In my next post, I will tell you all about some of the recent diy projects that I've tackling. There will be more to come next week, too! Until then~ Toodahloo!

Preparing For Fall

I know that it seems early but I am already starting to crave pumpkin spice coffee. I know that it is early, but I'm already gathering my Fall decorations. I know, I know, but Fall is my favorite season and I can't wait for it to begin. This summer has been really uneventful. I thought that I would have a blast focusing energy on my garden and preserving food. Here's the thing, it was a huge bust. Yes, I do have a garden, but it was a disaster. Last year, we had a vegetable patch in the yard of the house that we were renting. The yard hadn't been tilled for a garden before then and after tilling the garden and planting the seeds things were going great. We enjoyed fresh tomatoes and greens and I was really looking forward to my squashes. Then, we discovered that we needed to focus our energy on finding a house and the garden went to pot. So, I really wanted to succeed with this year's garden. Sadly, even with a lot of tilling of the ground there still was too much grass to contend with. It's one thing to weed a garden daily, its an entirely different issue when you're trying to keep a lawn from growing. So, I do have tomatoes and zucchini coming, but my greens have been lost to the jungle. Oh well, there's always next year. So, now I am looking forward to Fall. Soon, the school year will be starting and that will make life easier, if not a bit busy I happen to like being busy because it at least follows a schedule. Soccer season will be in full swing and I will have a normal schedule again. 

Lately, I've been passing the down time with youtube. Normally, I like to watch makeup tutorials, but they are all starting to sound the same and I'm not learning much from them anymore. I have shifted to watching channels about organization, budgeting, and Dollar Tree crafts. I love crafting, especially on a budget. I do most things on a budget; so all of these channels have been inspiring. One type of post I like to watch is about Dollar Tree hauls and right now, ladies are buying a lot of Fall decor. I have started to notice more of it creeping into my Dollar Tree, so I decided to grab some items here and there before they sold out. By the time October is here, I don't know if all of this stuff will be available. I am also already planning Halloween and what I will be doing to celebrate the holiday. 

Poor Murr, it was a chilly day yesterday and he wanted nothing to do with life.

 I have a number of projects that I want to take on in the Fall. These projects will keep me busy during the daytime after I am done with everything else that I normally do in a day. I have also been preparing to have a yard sale. My husband and I organized our garage, so not only do we both have our own individual work spaces, but we also have a little lounge area to hide in when the teenagers have taken over the house. Now that it is cleaner I have room to store items for the yard sale. I have also been going to my parent's house and I am slowly cleaning out the attic, finding old treasures and items to sell at the yard sale. Everything seems to be happening so quickly, but I will be happy to see summer out and let Fall roll in.

So, in all the chaos and whirlwind of preparing for Fall and the school year,  I have not been in the writing head space. I've been wanting to write, in fact, I had a craft project that I wanted to share but I kept putting it off, maybe I'll post that later in the week. For some reason, I just didn't have the energy to write a tutorial. Also, lately I've really been wanting to start a youtube channel, but I want to have the right equipment to do it. I have a nice camera that I like to use for blogging, but the batteries died and I'm not certain that it can record for a long time. I still need to read more about the camera. I know that more YouTubers will tell you that you don't need super fancy equipment to post a video, but I still like things to look slightly professional. I will continue to look into the tools that I have available and once I have more of a handle of filming and editing and I have the finances to make a small investment, I will upgrade my camera. Until then, I am sticking to a budget of zero. If and when I decide to launch the channel, you will be the first to know. I think it could be a lot of fun and it would be a great creative outlet for me. I've been really inspired lately and I can't wait to start creating! Until then~ Toodahloo!

Why I Thrift and The Tricks I Use To Win The Thrifting Game

The entire contents of the bag cost less than $8.00.

If you admit to someone that you love to shop at thrift stores, you get a variety of reactions depending on the person. Some people think that it is a brilliant idea and they love the thought of saving money. Others wish they could shop at thrift stores, but they either don't know how or where to shop. While there are others out there that are entirely repulsed by the notion of wearing previously loved clothing. Thoughts of all kinds of unsavory things come to mind and they can't get past it. 

I began shopping at thrift stores way back in the 1990's when I was a teenager. At the time, I didn't go to the Salvation Army and I rarely went to Goodwill; but when I did go, I was with friends and we always had a lot of fun. Back then, grunge was the fashion, so I loved the idea of buying old flannels, cardigans, and jeans and refashioning them to make them look edgy. I also LOVED the vintage clothing that could be found. Over the years I've collected some amazing handbags and gloves. I think my favorite aspect of thrift store shopping is the surprise finds and I especially adore accessories. At first, the thought of wearing someone's old clothes made me a little nervous, but then I remembered that I grew up with hand-me-downs. While yes, I certainly wore new clothes, I also got a lot of hand-me-downs from my older sisters and cousins. This was not at all unusual for mothers to do. It was a way of saving money and helping each other out. Back when I was a little girl my aunts ( and for a while my mother) used patterns and built dresses by hand for their daughters. After putting in so much love and time into making those dresses, they weren't about to toss them in the garbage once the dress was outgrown. So, the dress was passed on to a niece. I wore many handmade dresses, something that happens less and less these days.
After considering that I basically grew up wearing a lot of previously worn clothing, it simply didn't bother me to dive right into thrifting.

One pair American Eagle shorts, one Gap denim skirt, and three pairs jeans- Ann Taylor Loft, Levi's, and Style & Co.

The world of thrifting has certainly evolved over the past twenty years and my approach has certainly changed as well. These days, there are so many different types of thrift stores or charity shops. Some are mass chains, like Goodwill and others, are privately owned. Every store has their own method of pricing and they also donate the proceeds to various causes. What I really like about thrift stores is that the clothing is not piling up in a landfill, it is a form a recycling where money can be raised to help others and you save some money too. Since my taste is far more expensive than what my budget allows, I indulge in thrift store shopping.

Five sweaters some wool blends, some cotton. American Eagle, Aeropostale, Ann Taylor Loft, St. Johns Bay, and a brand I've never heard of before.

 Some shopping trips are dedicated to finding items for craft projects, some I focus my energy on finding material to build costumes, sometimes I need to find a last minute outfit for an event and can't be bothered to go to a larger store and sometimes, I just want to update my wardrobe without going broke. That being said, I should add that while I do buy a significant portion of my clothes from thrift stores, I still get new items at places like TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory, and a local warehouse discount store. For special occasion items, I buy online using gift cards.

Four t-shirts and a blouse. Izod, Forever 21, Arizona, Lucky Brand and Fat Face.

 I'm in my late thirties and I have never been into super trendy styles. I prefer a more classic look, which is best for thrift shopping. When you stick to classic looks, you're going to get more bang for your buck. At the same time, I like to add flair with accessories and key items. For example, when I was in college, I purchased a 100% Wool Fairisle sweater from TJ Maxx for around $20.00. I paired it with a dark blue mini skirt that had built in shorts and I finished the outfit off with knee high chunky biker boots that I bought from Delia's catalog. The skirt and the boots are long gone, but nearly twenty years later, I still have that sweater and it still fits! Like I said before, I stick with the classics.
Which brings me to another essential topic, fabric care. This is a big deal when purchasing clothing. If you don't closely inspect the tags, carefully examine the item or are shopping in a poorly lit shop, you might find some surprises when you get home. A very pilly sweater is easy to spot, but a small hole or a tear, a nickel sized spot or the dreadful dry clean only tag can be a bummer. However, don't be too worried about these little hiccups. I've found that spot cleaning is an easy fix and light mending is easier than you think. If you don't know how to fix a tear or get out a stain there is a wealth of information online to help you out. Careful care of clothing makes all the difference!

One Gap knit dress for the Fall.

Here are some of my rules and tricks that I've developed over the years.
1) Just because it's inexpensive doesn't make it a steal. It could be more trouble than it's worth.
        -How often will you actually wear it?
        -Do you love it enough to overlook the dry clean only tag?
2) Certain items I won't ever buy at a thrift store...ever!
       - No lingerie.
       - No swimwear.
       - No leggings, tights or socks.
       - Usually, no shoes, unless they are barely worn leather boots (clean the inside with disinfectant and a rag) or boots with the tags still on.
3) Avoid any sweater with excessive pilling.
4) Don't bother with brands from local shops. I can buy it new for nearly the same price.
5) Invest in a decent sewing kit.
6) Have on hand: 1- a drying rack, 2- a sweater shaver, 3- Woolite* or Dreft* 4- Dryel* (**NOT SPONSORED)
7) Another good thing to have handy- some sort of leather cleaner or a saddle soap. These are useful for handbags, belts, and boots.
8) When purchasing handbags, I always examine the outside first. I look at the bottom for any wear and tear or dirt. I check out the threading and look for any loose threads. I look at the handle and see if it's still clean and sturdy, Then, I look inside and check out the liner. Is the fabric clean, free of damage, or soft? Old or poor quality fabric will be a bit stiff. I do look at the label, and look to see if it is real or a knock-off. To be honest, even if it's knock-off as long as the bag is in good shape and made with some decent material, it's likely nicer than a bag that you can get a local big box store. Since I'm paying a thrift store price and not being deceived and the money is going to a thrift store and not a dishonest vendor, I can overlook it. Generally speaking, I rarely encounter knock-offs.

My love of thrifting has not died, and I still have a tremendous time when I shop. I usually go to a store in my hometown, when I visit my parents. They are one of those small thrift stores that let you fill a bag for a few dollars. Some specially marked items cost more and accessories are priced individually. I've found a few cute leather handbags there, over the years. It allows me to have the thrill of shopping while keeping my wardrobe fresh, without spending a lot of money. I have a nice stack of cashmere sweaters that I've collected over time. I love cashmere, but could never afford it. Even if I could afford it, the sticker shock would be too much to justify the purchase. That's the great thing about thrift stores, there's no such thing as sticker shock.

My husband thinks my quarterly shopping trips are a hoot. He knows that I like to be frugal and he understands why I do it. In fact, when we were going to go on our first date, I ran to the thrift store to find a nice handbag and a cute blouse to wear with a skirt that I already had. I spent less than $5.00 and felt adorable!  The kids would likely think it was weird. They love the mall, which is totally normal. However, if I can update my wardrobe for less than $10.00, then I don't feel guilty about getting something for myself. My clothing certainly doesn't look raggedy. Unless I told the person standing next to me where I bought my shirt, they'd never know the difference, nor would they care. I think that is the key to thrifting, your attitude towards it all. If you look nice and put together and you feel great, why worry what others might think?

So, if you like to save money, have an open mind and are a creative thinker, I think you'd love thrift shopping. It's a lot of fun for crafting and finding holiday decor. If you have a sewing machine, a glue gun, and some paint you could find a craft project waiting for you at any thrift store for any weekend project. It's all about saving money and having fun. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Hello Summer, Goodbye PLL

You know it is officially summer when you're able to finally get fresh strawberries and rhubarb. My father cut some rhubarb from one of his plants and he bought some strawberries from a local farm. I could wait to make a strawberry rhubarb pie, one of my favorite pies to make and eat! I discovered last summer, that the trick to a perfect rhubarb pie is the addition of an egg. I found this by accident when I was looking for a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe and the one I used happened to include an egg. What makes this so essential, compared to other recipes that omit the egg, is the way the fruit and sugars bake. The egg absorbs a lot of the juices and makes a thick sauce. I have had many strawberry rhubarb pies that tasted wonderful but were incredibly runny. By simply adding an egg along with the sugar to the fruit and mixing thoroughly, you get a nicer pie in the end. I had so much fruit, I ended up making two pies, one for my parents and one for myself. This is one of my favorite things about summer, all the pies that I get to make!

I repurposed pallets to make a compost bin.

Now that summer is in full swing, I have been putting a lot of energy into the house and the garden. It can get pretty exhausting, but it will be well worth it once winter arrives. The weather has been so gloomy lately. The week before was perfect weather, the week before that was nothing but humid and horrid. This past week, the weather has been partly cloudy with a chance of showers, almost every day. One day, I was trying to clean and organize my garage and that was tricky because the rain kept coming and going. in between rain showers it would be nearly sunny, then it would rain again. If I were just cleaning the garage, it would be fine, but I like to keep my dogs in our fenced in area of our yard. That way, they aren't left inside where they can get into all kinds of mischief. My goal for Monday is to get the garage cleaned.

I was very happy to finally get my compost bin built. It was very simple to do. I looked up a number or ways to do it on Pinterest and Youtube. I decided to take an easy way. I had my husband help me move the pallets to rest behind the garage. Then, I stood one next to another and tied the sides together using a thick yarn that is meant for macrame. I found that tying the upper and lower corners of each side was the easiest way. Then, I tacked a mesh material to the bottom and I used scrap wood slats to weave through the front and side of the bin and that created a brace for the mesh. The point of the mesh at the bottom was so that air could circulate all around the compost and allow it to break down properly.

Once the bin was built, I took all the leaf piles that we had throughout the yard and transferred them to the bin. I also added the extra apples that I had in the basement over the winter and the compost from the kitchen. While I'm tidying the garage, I hope to create a special area for the recycling and I'll be one step closer to getting the house organized. All of this is to help the household function better in the colder months.

What happens to abandoned dolls. It hardly seems dignified.

PLL SPOILERS! If you haven't watched the final episode, don't read this!

So, after seven years of faithfully watching Pretty Little Liars, the show came to and end. I have mixed feelings about this. It's bad enough that my beloved Orphan Black is heading towards the sunset, this was just too much. The only reason I started to watch PLL, was because House wasn't on one night. With nothing to watch, I found myself channel surfing and stumbled on Holly Marie Combs, so I assumed that a re-run of Charmed was on, so I settled on that. What I thought was one show, turned out to the pilot of the new show Pretty Little Liars. The show had a bit of intrigue and being the sucker for Agatha Christie that I am, I couldn't stop watching it. The show had its hooks in me. After that, I couldn't miss an episode. As an adult watching the show, I thought that many aspects of the story line were disturbing. "Ezria", for instance, was very creepy. I don't care about the fact that the teacher was fresh out of college, it was beyond inappropriate and also totally illegal. Yet, most fans wanted those two love birds to make it. Was it because he was charming and had a baby face? The relationship was a bit reminiscent of The Thorn Birds, but also a bit Lolita. It was very toxic and the relationship continued to grow more and more disturbing. Yet, in the end, fans gushed when they finally made it down the aisle. 

Poor Wren, that's ll I have to say about him.

The final episode was long and the first part of the episode seemed to drag a long bit. I honestly think the show would have been better if it had ended back when CeCe was revealed, but I don't think they ever should have made her A, in the first place. If the show was going to end, I think that it would have been okay to end the show on episode 19 with AD driving away. It would have really angered the fans, but if they had AD look into the rearview mirror, revealing their face, that would have been enough for me. However, the writers wanted to tie up loose ends and explain it all. The problem is, it seems like there were a lot of holes throughout the story, The never explained why their therapist had an existing file on Aria, or why AD favored Aria over the other girls. They tried to make three different A's, one picking up from the other. Also, when AD was revealed, it wasn't too shocking as many fans had picked up on clues from previous episodes of the final season. However, when it was revealed, they actual character, was annoying to me. As much as I like the actress, the character felt too much like a rip-off of the Sarah Manning character from Orphan Black. A London punk, grifter, with cockney accent takes over the life of a woman who looks exactly like her, taking her boyfriend and her friends. It wasn't direct theft, as this is a common story used in books and film, but the similarities were enough to irritate me. At the end of it all, I was glad it was finally over, not because I hate the show, but because I didn't like the way the story was going. I'm glad it had a happy ending, but I just wish it ended differently. I did love the last bit with Mona, she was a fantastic character. That part of the ending did have a bit of a Hitchcock flair.

With the show done, I will be a little bummed when winter comes and there won't be a new season. However, there is always Netflix and the books to read. So, if I ever need my fix, I can turn on the show while I bake cookies.  I will look forward to watching Lucy Hale in her new show, this Fall. It actually looks kind of cute and it would be nice to watch to balance out the emotions endured after watching Supernatural. 

That pretty much sums up what's been happening in my world. Gardening, cleaning, watching tv and trying to build a quilt. It may not be crazy exciting, but this is what happens when the weather isn't reliable. Also, the end of the school year was tremendously hectic, so I'll take the boring for a while. Things will be picking up again, soon, it is summer after all. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

The Elephant in the Room

"Froggy" by Crystal Bowman 2017

It's a purple elephant. When I was a little girl, I had two stuffed animal elephants. One was grey and his name was "Kenny Rogers," The other elephant was a faux velvet and it was purple; his name was "Froggy." When I think of the saying, "The elephant in the room," I imagine a giant sized Froggy; because what could be more obvious than a giant purple velvet elephant? I would often consult with Froggy and share my thoughts with Froggy. Kenny Rogers, however, was merely Froggy's sidekick. I find it strangely ironic that I named a stuffed elephant "Kenny Rogers," because at that age I had an irrational fear of the country singer.
Sadly, at that time in country music, Kenny Rogers was EVERYWHERE! He was extremely popular; when he wasn't on tv on his own, he was making guest appearances or doing duets with other performers. To add insult to injury, my parents had one of his albums on 8-track and I was not impressed. The sight of him terrified me. My siblings enjoyed pointing him out when he was on the television, because they thought that my reaction to seeing him was tremendously entertaining. I'm sure that at the time it was rather amusing. There wasn't anything about him that appeared to be at all threatening. However, when I saw him I'd freeze as the fear washed over me and I knew that he was out to get me. How I developed this irrational phobia is beyond me. Perhaps it was something one of my siblings had planted in my head, or maybe I had a bad dream about him and it stuck. I just know that the fear was very real.
Over time, I grew out of that phase and was no longer afraid of the country star, though I still detest his music. I did not know how to hold, nor where to fold them; undaunted, I carried on. For most of my childhood I endured many nightmare filled nights and suffered from insomnia. In my teen years, I made the best out of my insomnia. Rather than lying in bed, frustrated by my inability to sleep, I decided to use that time to get my homework done and watch late night tv on Nickelodeon. Back then, it was shows like Mary Tyler Moore Show, Dick Van Dyke and Three's Company- this was before they created the channel TV Land. Using that time for study and homework left my afternoons and evenings free for after school activities and socializing.
When I went on to college, I couldn't maintain that schedule, due to the fact that I shared a dorm room with a roommate who was blessed with a normal sleep pattern. Any sort of white noise was unwelcome. As a result the restless nights and nightmares returned. I found valerian root tea at the local hippie shop and began using that, even though it smelled horrid. I was desperate to sleep again. Other than a bit of sleep deprivation and unfortunate boyfriend drama, most of the time I was a down to Earth, happy young woman. There was a point in my life, my third year in school, where I saw that I was unhappy. I found the root of the source and removed it from my life. Sort of like pulling a weed from a garden. After that I was happy again.
Then, when I was 22, things changed. I was moodier, edgier, sullen, forgetful and lonely. All the people that I was close to had moved away, winter was especially harsh that year and I was getting terrible headaches. I was finding myself in one disaster after another and having a difficult time coping. It was a hard to try to keep brave face. So, I took time off from school, then I transferred to another school with the hope that I'd feel better. Well, as the circumstances were, my headaches grew worse, but I'd made a lot of new friends. I was trying to be active while barely having any sleep. Usually, I'd sleep 3-4 hours and spend the rest of the day consuming as much coffee as possible to not only stay awake, but to lessen the pain in my head.
Some days were especially challenging. I would prepare for my day, dress myself, put on some make-up to feel pretty, grab my backpack and prepare to leave my dorm room. Then, when I'd get my hand on the doorknob, an overwhelming  sensation would consume me and I'd very totally distraught and fearful. I felt that if I left that room, something terrible would happen. So, I'd stay in my room all day. I'd watch tv, read, study, draw, write papers, anything to stay busy. My sorority sisters would bring me food from the dining hall, to make sure that I was still eating. I didn't understand what was happening and I didn't have a name for what I was experiencing. I was so embarrassed by it, because it all seemed to silly and weak. Only a few of my closest sorority sisters knew what was happening with me; I was happier having the rest think that I was a flake, than to have them understand the truth.
I began to see a therapist, but my visits were so infrequent that I don't think we got very far. Other than her explaining that she felt I had clinical depression. At the time, I sort of trusted her assessment, because she was the expert, but it didn't make sense to me. I was not sad. I was not gloomy. I was inexplicably scared all the time. I didn't think that being afraid meant the same as being sad.
After graduating, I left therapy behind. Still enduring mind blowing headaches, I spent most of my summer sending out resumes, sun bathing and reading. There wasn't much for me to do. After finding a job at a youth hostel in Cape Cod, I felt a bit better. I was spending more time outdoors, I was doing a lot of exercising and breathing in salt air. I took a Middle Eastern dance class to feel more empowered. I was spending a lot of time just trying to get better. I was a vegan at the time and lost too much weight. During my second summer at the hostel, I discovered that I was very sick. My headaches, grew worse, I was more forgetful, super moody and some days I couldn't walk well. I went to the doctor and after an MRI, I was told that I had a massive brain tumor. I left my job, moved back home and two weeks later was at Tuft's New England Medical Center having extensive brain surgery to remove a large benign tumor.
I had to teach my body to walk again. I had to learn to adjust to this new version of myself. One who had a weaker side, partial paralysis, deafness. Healing was my focus then. After 12 days, I was able to go home. It took six months for the swelling to finally go away. I spent my time volunteering at the elementary school. I used a cane to assist with my walking. I had this dark cloud over my head for a year, wondering if all of the tumor was successfully removed. Would another one develop? Once I had the results from a new MRI, I was finally at ease.
I spent more time with my friends and with my family. I nurtured new hobbies. I taught myself how to quilt and I became even more crafty. I became a baking fool. I checked off boxes from my life of wants. For my 27th birthday. I made myself a Barbie birthday cake, because I'd always wanted one when I was little, but never had one. Although I knew that it might have seemed juvenile, I decided that life was too short to not enjoy silly things like pink Barbie birthday cakes. Besides, it was just cake.
One day, I developed this blog. For years, it was a private blog. I was private, not because I was shy, but because I was so worried about who might read it. Will they want to hurt me? Although I had been enjoying many other blogs written by women, I was so paranoid. My anxiety was seeping back into my life. One day, I decided that the best way to overcome that fear was to simply do the opposite of what felt "safe" So, I publicized my blog. So far, I've been fine. I have nice readers.
The anxiety would continue to come and go from my life. It would manifest in the oddest ways. I knew that I wasn't alone in this. Many women that I know have some form of anxiety or a mild phobia. I have found that many bloggers and youtubers also suffer from anxiety. I think that social media is an outlet for people like me. There was a time when I was very agoraphobic. I was still living with my parents and I rarely left my room. It took a lot for me to leave my house. I'd leave only if I was with my Dad, a friend or a sister. Sometimes, on days when I was feeling better, I could convince myself to leave my house, but only go downtown. If I went to the thrift store, I was still close enough to home to feel safe. If I went to the health food store, I could step outside and see my house from the parking lot. So, that was manageable.
After the passing of my grandparents and a couple other family members. I decided that I'd had enough. I refused to be anxious anymore, as it was no way to live. An old friend got in touch with me, I took a chance and left my house to visit him, now he's my husband. I made big decisions that would normally terrify me, but I was totally fine. I am happy, extraordinarily happy- Giselle finds True Love's kiss- kind of happy.
This past winter was rough and stormy and the purple elephant returned. Uncontrollable fear, lack of sleep, frustration all of it. I know that it is totally irrational, but when it fills your heart and steals your breath, it seems very real. Which is why you've been seeing less content on my blog. There are so many different types of blogs out on the internet. Some blogs focus on specific topics, like frugality, baking, makeup, homemaking, religion, politics, tv shows etc. My blog isn't like that, but I felt like I had to make it something it wasn't in order to get more views. I'm over that.
I'm focusing on overcoming this anxiety issue and taking steps to manage it. I'm centering on the things that make me who I am. If I bake something and want to share it, I will. If I craft or paint or have something to say about Pretty Little Liars or Orphan Black, I will. I will be sharing some of my methods of managing my anxiety. Whatever I feel like writing about, I'm writing it. I hope you'll stick around. The point of all of this, is this- I see you, purple elephant. I know what you are and I will tame you. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

When It Rains.......

I must admit, I am very happy to see that winter has finally come to a close, it was a very dreary winter. This spring has been a wild one. We had a long stretch of rain in early May. I know the saying about April showers and May flowers, but in APril, it was still snowing. Where I live, it is more traditional to expect our rain falling down in May. Still, after what seemed like an endless rain storm, we finally had some great days. Prior to the long stretch of soggy weather, we did have one really great day. The rest, however was pretty bleak. Over the weekend, I was able to enjoy the sun and do some yard clean-up. I have vegetable plants started and in a few weeks, I will mark out where I want my vegetable patch to be and I'll get that tilled for planting. So far, I've been cleaning the yard and getting flowering plants ( roses, lupines, peony) into the ground. I must admit, the yard work is very exhausting and it takes me twice as long as the average person to do and it runs me down much faster, too. My kitty, likes to watch me work outside. However, I think he prefers to have me inside.

When have a nice flowering bush by our back entrance. We needed to prune it and groom it a bit, but it really is lovely.

I haven't noticed any perfume wafting from this, like you would from a lilac or an apple tree, but it's pleasing to the eye.

The other morning, I was having my morning latte and I happened to look out my kitchen window and was delighted to see a hummingbird hovering around the blossoms. I was so excited, that later in the day, I set up my hummingbird feeder. I see and hear many birds in my yard, particularly the chickadee. It is nice to listen to all of the birds in the morning.

Lately, I've been trying to work on other projects during the gloomy days. I have a new quilt project that I am hoping to finish over the summer months. I like to sew patches while I watch shows on Netflix. Last week, I watched the new CBC series Anne With An E. If you can watch it without comparing it the the Kevin Sullivan production, you might be able to really like it. While it does deviate from the books, it still is a good adaptation. At the end of the week, last week, I accidentally closed my fingers in the garage door. It was very painful and it makes it difficult to type. I've broken fingers before, so the pain is something that you get used to. The fingers don't hurt so much now, as long as I pay attention to what I"m doing and I don't hit them on anything. Sometimes, tapping the keyboard stings a bit. So, I won't make this too long. I will post more when my hands feel better and I have better sensation in the tips of my fingers. I'm sure you're wondering how a person manages to close their fingers in a garage door, well it takes a clumsy and distracted person to accomplish something like that. I am that kind of person. I'll end this by saying that it was just that kind of week. More on that in another post. Until then~Toodahloo!