Thrifty Miss Priss

Back to Reality

There's nothing like going back to work after a great vacation to give you a fat dose of reality.  

I really do like my job, but I like watching the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean and eating breakfasts like this every morning.  Served TO me on the 11th floor balcony overlooking the ocean.

My son in law served breakfast to us every morning like this.  It felt like I was getting room service or something!  He is an excellent cook and we all benefited from it!

To be honest I only saw one sunrise.  The rest I missed because I was sleeping in and enjoying not having to be anywhere.

Dinners were enjoyed at little local places.  This one has been around since before my husband was born, and from the looks of the inside they've never redecorated either.

But our theory is if you eat where the "locals" eat, then it must be good!  This place is always full of police officers and fire fighters eating their meals. 

When we were on the way home from the beach I was dreading our trek across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  I used to drive over this bridge with no problem as a teenager going to the beach for the day...but now I'm pretty terrified of it.  I have to read or look at something inside the car to avoid seeing that huge drop.

As a kid my dad used to take our boat under the bridge and fish.  It never really scared me then, but I could see the huge expanse of it and the height. My husband likes to point out all the nice boats WAY DOWN THERE in the water as we're driving across, and all I can do is yell at him to stop looking at the pretty boats and watch the ROAD *&%#$.  

So I'm sitting in the seat with my gaze locked on the pavement passing by...not really looking DOWN. 

and I'm having a conversation with myself that goes something like this:

"chill out....just relax, this will be over in a few minutes......there is not a thing you can do about this situation at THIS moment other than get through it.....yadda, yadda, yadda" (yes I guess I'm certifiably crazy for talking to myself through this, but it's that or hyperventilate.....)

The next thing I know a car passes by and the license plate says "His Will".  Ok-ie Dokie.....That about sums it all up......Instant relief came over me as if all was well....

 I finally got some pictures of a few of the treasures I found while I was at the beach last week.

  
 I don't know if these will get plucked or sold....I can't decide. The blooms are beautiful and the velvet centers on those daisies are just really nice!

 

 I love the blue Ball Jars.....I'm starting to gather a little collection.  The ornate frame in the back is a picture of Pope Somebody...but I loved the frame.

and then there was a box of this.  

These were once a baseball score board, according to the little old man that sold them to me.  I liked the bold numbers but really had no idea what I'd do with them.  Upon further inspection, they really are not done that well.  The numbers are a little wonky and I'm not sure if I'll be using them.  There were lots of blank ones as well so I came up with this

  So now my head is spinning with different phrases to use to make more of these.  

Even though it was wonderful to get away for a long vacation at the beach, I really missed my pups.  

 I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Wallpaper, Thanksgiving and Christmas!

I was able to get a few wallpaper packs listed tonight!  If you want some beautiful paper and some BONUS vintage sheet music from the early 1900's check it out here!

  This is one of my favorites!  It reminds me so much of Pam Garrisons Journaling style!  I got to see her journals and hold them and feel them at Silver Bella!  That was on my top FIVE of all time "Moments" at Silver Bella! 

And this last one...so hard to capture the true mint green color on digital-

 After work I shopped for Thanksgiving....made Chili, dragged up several boxes of Christmas decorations and took several boxes of knick knacks back down to the basement.  I fee like I'm in Holiday mode now and don't want to go to work tomorrow!  I've been listening to Christmas music all the way to work everyday and it puts me in the BEST mood.  At work I have pandora playing on my computer and it puts everyone I work with in the BEST mood!  I've never decorated at Thanksgiving time for Christmas.  But the way I see it, if you wait until December to decorate, it's just not enough time to enjoy the sparkliness of it all!

The tree is the only thing I did not get up yet.  The family will have to help with that.  Then I'll be taking it all down on New Years Day by myself, as my husband and daughter watch and call me Mrs. Grinch.  Maybe this year I'll let them decide when it comes down.  We may still be looking at it all by Easter!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...I hope you get to spend it in a warm house, with family and friends and an abundance of food to eat.  Anything over and above all that is gravy!

More Silver Bella.....

The Bella fun continues....

Vendor night was spectacular!  So much to choose from!  My "big" little sis Karla had an adorable booth and I found some glittered goodies there.

Everyone was supposed to wear an apron as the theme was night of 100 aprons....and wouldn't you know, my sewing machine broke a week prior and I had to use heat and bond to make my apron!  I ordered this fabric off etsy last year, it looks like an old feedsack.  I really hated to cut it but I really loved the graphics and it said "Red Tailed Robin Bird" so I just HAD to use it!

I'm just going to show you random pictures of different booths....such beauty!

 

 

 

 

and here is a picture of Karla's Booth

It was fun to see her in her own element....usually I only see her when she comes to Virginia, so it was a treat to see her booth, along with Beth and Mary....they all have such incredible things!

Karla and Carol and Shelly hosted a "glitter lounge" prior to opening night of Silver Bella.  Everyone packed into two joining rooms and drank pink champagne and ate Karla's glitter cupcakes.  It was the perfect start to a fabulous weekend!

Karla Carol and Shelly standing on the couch toasting all the Bella's!

Looks like a press conference!

Joanna and Jenn

I'm still unpacking all my fun things.  I didn't get home until after midnight on Sunday because my plane LEFT me in New Jersey.  I got up and went to work Monday and Monday night I was sick as a dog.  I've had a fever and cough all week and I'm finally feeling back to normal.  I can't wait to dig in to all my stuff!

I hope to find some daylight tomorrow and take pictures of the fun things I brought home!

On My way to Silver Bella

So.  Imagine my shock when I checked my e-ticket on Saturday.  The e-ticket thats getting me to SIlver Bella on Thursday.  I pulled it out because it was with my supply list for Silver Bella.  I glanced at it and

My ticket was for WEDNESDAY not THURSDAY!  When my husband booked my flight for me he didn't hear me say THURSDAY.  I was not looking at a calendar at the time and I told him "Thursday the 11th".  Well if I'd looked i'd have noticed the 11th is WEDNESDAY.  So.  I get to go  a day early!  Yippee!  That means an extra day of fun!  My "big" little sis Karla already has big plans for lots of bellas, including a shopping spree at a fabulous vintage wallpaper place and a guided bus tour sponsored by Jessi!

If I had not looked at that paper, and waited until Wednesday night, I would have missed my flight!

I can't wait to share this experience with all of you! 

Lots of pictures when I return!

Bridal Shower

My oldest daughter is getting married mid September.  Saturday my sisters hosted her bridal shower.  It was a lot of fun and we played some of those silly games that you hear about but they turned out to be hilarious!

my sister bought the cupcakeshere. The place is called Fancy Cakes by Leslie and they were fantastic!  I added the little flags but they were beautiful all on their own.

Her wedding colors are black and white with a red accent.  My sisters did a beautiful job decorating and making it all so special!  The little cups are filled with black and white gourmet jelly beans.  Tulle is tied to the top so they don't spill out.  These were little party favors that I put together.

I purchased the glass plates...then photocopied the napkin on to plain paper.  I then glued the round circle design on the bottom of the plate.  It was cute and matched her colors.  It was just a little nicer than using disposable plates.  When we were done we washed the plates and the design peeled right off for future use.

 It's hard to see here but I went with the theme "Happily ever after"  I stamped that on all the paper napkins and also made this little banner.

These flowers on the food table were beautiful!  My sisters did such a nice job!  They even had champagne with edible flowers floating in it

 

 

I just love her dimples!  I got her the tiara so she can practice for the big day :-)

Lets hope she's still talking to her mother after she finds out I've plastered her picture all over the world.

She presented me, the grooms mother and all the bridesmaids with these bracelets that she made herself. 

  She's been keeping it a big secret but she's been working away on these for some time now.  She's even sold some on line.  I'm so proud of her!  They are just beautiful and I will treasure mine always!  It will look perfect with the dress I bought for her wedding!

everyone had a different design.  She has promised to hold a mini workshop after the wedding to teach me and her aunts how to do this!  Although I think my eyesight is not good enough to be doing such little detail work.  My sisters and I will all be sitting with our little granny glasses on I'm sure!

It was such a wonderful day and I can't wait until the wedding day.  She has done all the planning herself for over a year now.  She has picked a fabulous place to be married and I know it will be special! 

She was my "spirited" child....the one that I went to the pediatrician with when she was two.....telling them to  "Please help me with this kid" I couldn't handle her spunkiness.  She was a wild child for sure.  Full of spunk and sass.  She always had the biggest heart ever and she still does.  She always thinks of everyone else before herself.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

I'm really behind on answering my emails and comments....I've been working 11 hour days for THREE weeks in a row and I just collapse at night and have not had any computer time!

I hope to be back in the swing of things this week when work will finally calm down a little!

Thats what I love about Sunday....

I spent all day Saturday yard sailing in the rain....and then I still didn't quite get my fix so I went to my favorite thrift store.  The one that had MY DINNING ROOM set for $250.00 back at the beginning of May.  Yesterday was 50% off furniture so I got there when it opened never even thinking I'd see the table and chairs.  I walked in and there it was.  It had been reduced to $200.00 and still had not sold.  So I got it for $100.00.  I was quite happy.  I'd thought about this set SO MUCH since the first of may...and here it is almost 45 days later

 

 

 

I plan on distressing this and painting it white.  I wanted to start on it SO BAD today but I had to see my mom and have fathers day festivities at my house..so it has to wait.  I picked up a huge bolt of grayish white linen at the thrift store a few weeks ago thinking I'd make a few pillows...now I have the perfect fabric for the seats.    My daughter can not understand why I spent a few thousand dollars on a dinning room set five years ago...but now I want this shabby set from the 70's.......she longs for a Pottery Barn style home...but that's not my style anymore.  Who knows...in five years I'll be wishing for ultra modern....(nah)

So after a wonderful visit with my mom and two sisters..it was back home to get ready for fathers day.  My father in law came over and brought me my usual six pack of Corona...and treats for the dogs....

I went out into the yard and cut some pretty blooms....

 

 

 

My little $8.00 table (from the 50% off sale) and my kids' little silver baby cups....not stuck in a cabinet..but looked at and handled often.....

 

 

Their pop-pop ALWAYS brings them each a bag of treats (along with my Coronas) when he comes.  This one kept doing random stunts all day hoping for more.  Heidi is a little bored with it all (in the background) If we yell out "pop pops here!" the dogs go CRAZY!  One time Sarah ran off like a wild woman and wouldn't come back...my daughter yelled at the top of her lungs....."POP POP's HERE!"  and she turned around and made a bee line towards us at full force!

I also got to end the evening with this one......

 

apparently all day she was beyond excited about "the cook out at Robins"  then she fell asleep...she had to be woken up to come.  I showed her my new "art room" which looks NOTHING like the last picture.....I have totally trashed it.  Can't even see the bed.  She immediately wanted to do art......I felt bad because I had nothing planned for her to do and I was supposed to be out back cooking the steaks......so I showed her my Journal...since she has her own that I made way back when.  She seemed pretty impressed....her favorite pages were the collage...with all kinds of random things.  Watching her run her fingers over everything was so sweet.  Kinda like how I felt when saw Hopes Journal

 

she was itching to get her hands on my journal.  She found a page where I was not finished.  A page I copied almost verbatim from "Journal Bliss" and she begged me to paint the bird.  I'd spent quite a bit of time on it....but I felt so selfish for not indulging her in her creative mood.  I quickly gathered up a few paints and let her have at it...

 

 

She quickly finished that and wanted to keep going (you can see her pink bird in the journal at the top of the photo)  So i quickly drew her one of her own..that she could paint and take home....

 

My daughter came through and said "Uh...are we supposed to be cooking or what?"  OOPS!  I got so involved with Lily that I totally forgot about the steaks!  I promised I'd be there in one more minute!  She snapped a picture of Lily and I working....

 

Lily told me all about "don't forget the peek a boo spots"  (that's areas that are not completely colored in) and she wanted orange...for the beak....I told her I didn't think I had orange...but her solution was "don't you have red and yellow?" DUH!  She was great at mixing and knowing what made what colors....something we forget about 40 years later.....

Then it was out to walk in the woods to find mull berries......picked right off the tree....this little city girl as a little apprehensive to do that....but she saw me do it and guessed it was okay.

 

 

thats what I love about Sundays

The past few days have been such a whirlwind!  I've had the best few days meeting old and new friends.  Thursday evening I met Karla and Beth for a fancy dinner.  Karla's sweet husband took us to the most fabulous restaurant ever.  It was on the 17th floor of the building surrounded by city lights.  It was the most amazing thing.  Karla whipped out her camera and her husband cringed.  He explained to us that the people there are USED to eating in places like this several times a month.  It's a private venue and these people pay for the privilege to be members.  When our food arrived we each had our own server....and they did a choreographed dance practically around our table.  I glanced at Beth as if to ask her what was going on......but wow was it impressive!  I can't thank them enough for including me in on Beth's mini vacation away from home and to celebrate Beth's Birthday!

 

Friday morning we met up with TEN friends from as far away as Kansas, (Karla and Beth) Ohio,( Lori )Pennsylvania (Heather and Stephanie) and several local girls.....Pamela, Jessica,Hope,Amy and Andrea.  What a treat to meet these amazing women!  Reading someones blog forever is one thing....finally meeting them is another!  You absolutely feel like you already KNOW them. Weirdest, nicest experience ever!  I wanted to take some little gifts to each one so I made the little bouquet of flowers.  The "vase" is the top to a spice jar....plastic stopper part removed.  The flowers are tiny little coffee filters that I punched out and put a pastel colored sticky dot in the center for color.

I wrapped them in coffee filters too.  I used the cone shaped filter and colored the edges with a marker...after pinking them.

 

I also took along a little gift for Beth for her birthday.  She has an antique booth and sells baby clothes from time to time.  I embellished several hangers that I had so she could display her little dresses.

 

Then it was on to Lucketts.  This is the best place ever!  If you are within decent driving distance it's worth the trip!  We all met there and shopped for a while....then it was on to the pink polka dotted barn "On a Whim" right down the road.  Both places did not disappoint!  I left my camera in the car like a lazy girl and will have to show pictures from their websites.

Here we all are in a shop called "On a Whim"  it had two buildings and one was entirely filled with vintage prom dresses.  It was more like a museum!

 

(Karla's wonderful new camera took this amazing shot!)

Back row:  Jessica (Such Pretty Things), Pamela (Pamela Janes Studio), Lori (My faerie Window), Amy (Inspire Co), Heather (Pretty Petals), Andrea (Velvet Strawberries)

Front row:  Hope (paper relics and Besottment), Karla (Karla"s Cottage) Beth (Gathering Dust), Stephanie (Just a little bit pink), and Me.

 

 

 

 

This was taken in the Cottage...an amazing old house in Leesburg adorned with the most beautiful rooms!

I'm still absorbing all the fun we all had.  It was so nice to walk around and chat with everyone!  It wasn't even so much about the shopping, although it was great.  It was about getting to know each other and sharing ideas.

I'll share more including great gifts that were exchanged "just because"! 

If I owe you an email or a reply I'll get to you!  It's been a crazy week!

Thank you mom!

Thank you mom, for always making your kids come first.

Thank you mom for teaching me the first sign of Spring is the Forsethia and the dandelion....you loved them both......

Thank you mom for teaching me to love all animals....babies....old people.....

 

My mom and sister walking this morning when we visited her

 

 

Playing with the timer on my camera!

 

Talking to my brother in St. Louis....

 

The collage I made for her....thats my mom....my three sisters, and my brother and me in the background with our dog. 

Tonight on HBO starting at 9pm there is a four part series about Alzheimers....I will be watcing and hoping to find out we are closer to a cure! 

I hope you alll had  a terrific weekend and mothers day!  My daughter took me out ALL Day yesterday to yardsales and thrift stores...lunch and pedicures!  We left at 8:30 and didn't get home till after 5!  My son came this morning with new running shoes (if only I could make myself run...!) and tonight dinner was made for me......on the grill with family!

Tomorrow I will show you some before and after pictures of my furniture make over!

Yummy Things!

I found a yard sale advertised on Craigslist last night.  This morning I didn't really feel like going, but it was only a few miles away so I jumped in the car and went.  I'm so happy I did!  I found FIVE of these hooked wool carpets...in soft turquoise and tans...... (they're soaking in sudsy water as I type)

 

Two small ones.....about 2 x 3.......and two LARGE ones....One rectangle and one oval

 

It looks like a sage green but it's really a soft blueish color.  Perfect for me! Look at those pinks!  My heart skipped a beat when I saw these rolled up in plastic.  I thought surely it would be hundreds of dollars for all of them.  But the woman running the sale was very uninterested.  She had boxes and boxes of china and glassware wrapped in paper, not even bothering to display it.  I started digging through the boxes and she mentioned that all this stuff was her late mother in laws.  She had no emotional attachement I could tell.  I asked her for a price for all the rugs together....

 

"Oh I dunno.....five bucks for all of them?" thats what she said!  I scooped them up!  It started to rain and I wanted to dig through all those boxes!

I saw this ornament box laying on the ground under a tree...I opened it and "oh my!"

 

pink and blue vintage ornaments!  In the original box!  So I left there spending $6.00 but felt like it was all worth $600!

I came home and my husband and I made our very first little garden!  We've always wanted to grow some veggies but never knew how to start.

 

It was his idea to grid it off in 12x12 squares so we could space the veggies properly.  I teased him that it was very Martha Stewartish.   I would have just thrown the dirt in and burried the veggies, willie nillie style.

Afterwards we fenced the whole thing in so the deer and ground hogs the size of pontiacs don't eat the stuff.  Keep your fingers crossed that I'll be eating lots of home grown salads this summer!

Have a terrific week!

A Thrifty Weekend!

 

Well.....here she is!  This is the piece I found last weekend and DIDN'T buy.  I regreted it the moment I got home and showed my husband the picture from my phone.  I went back with my daughters truck and got it yesterday!  From Friday night through Saturday afternoon my daughter and I hit FIVE thrift stores!  One was operated by the humane society and had a sweet little hound dog running around greeting everyone.  Thats my kind of thrift store!  Except the prices there were RIDICULOUS and didn't buy a thing.

This piece was $55.00.....I just can't get over that!  The drawers are dovetail, and all that carved intricate detail is just amazing on the front.  Unfortunately it's in rough shape and I'm going to paint it.  Sorry for all you naturalists out there that think it's a punishable crime to paint furniture like this.  When I took this picture my husband and I opened up the drawer to peek at the dovetail.....there was a band from a money roll...like the banks use...it was stamped $1,000.00  So at one time there was a grand just laying in the top drawer.  Also found several chips from Las Vegas...Cesars Palace.  Also a receipt for home depot from Washington DC so I guess this little beauty lived there at one point.  I'm just happy it's finally home with me!  I'm going to put it in my dining room replacing this one-

which is an old dresser that I painted and distressed (it has a chenille blanket on it here so you can't see it)

So I'm excited to have another project to work on for a while.  Speaking of projects....I finished the tags for Karlas "Puppy Love" swap in the final hour.  I waited till the last minute because I was having printer problems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I enjoyed making these even if it was last minute!

Some more fun things from my thrifting adventures this weekend-

  Some cute plates.....cute little glasses-instant cupcake stand!  That cloche on the right is HUGE.  It's sitting on a dinner plate.  I have no idea what I'll do with it.  I can never pass them up at the thrift store.  I have quite a supply now...and I think I need to part with a few of them.  Last night after I was looking over all my loot...and feeling a little guilty about buying a whole lot of nothing...I grabbed several trash bags and started cleaning out.  I filled two bags and it feels great.  My mission is to take out at least as many bags as I bring in from thrifting.  It got me in an organizing mode and I actually cleaned up my craft space too.  I was up until after 1am  (coffee at night will do that) but I feel so much less guilty now.

I forgot to take a picture of the most tackiest thing I thrifted.  It's a set of brass candle holders, about 4 feet high.....with several tiers....honestly they are the worst things ever.  Yesterday was 1/2 off at this thrift store thats why I splurged and spent a whopping six bucks each.

\This is a picture I "grabbed" from ebay.  Mine are scrolly like this...but picture a bowl shape middle layer...like a bowl threaded on in the middle...then the rest is the same up to the top.  WELL...I'm going to paint them and they will be BIRD FEEDERS!  You should have SEEN the looks I was getting in the store with these in my cart.  I had to explain myself each time so people wouldn't think I was just one of those hoarding people.  I'll take before and after shots when I do the project.  Right now they are in my shower soaking in "scrubbing bubbles".  By the way...this pair of beauties is going for $149.00 on ebay now.  No bidders.

This was an old project that we made but then never bothered to use.  Don't ask me why....

we went through the trouble of drilling holes in the back of this mail holder to insert our cellphone cords to get them out of sight off the kitchen counter.  But never bothered to IMPLEMENT it!  So I moved it to an outlet and now we can do this...

And I just wanted to share a surprise my husband bought me. It's on the right...a new IPHONE!  He  bought it for me the night before HIS birthday.  He was so excited to give it to me.....but I INSISTED he TAKE IT BACK!  I'm not a techie person and don't want or need the latest and greatest.  He looked so dejected and I felt so awful!  After ten minutes of him convincing me I finally opened it.  This thing is the best invention ever!  Texting! Camera! MUSIC! AND I can READ BLOGS!  Yep.....I pull up to the grocery store...make my 15 yr old run and and buy whatever I need.....and I can sit there and check blogs! 

 

This is what google reader looks like on the screen.  It's a touch screen so you just run your finger up the side and it scrolls up or down.

Here is an actual blog page loaded.  It's Sue's from Vintage Rescue Squad

  horizonal view

 

How awesome is this?  Waiting for take out?  Read blogs!  I'm now 100% addicted to blogs and this IPHONE. By the way...go check out Sues blog...she moved into a new booth space this weekend and it looks FANTASTIC!  I can't wait to see it in person!

The IPHONE also plays an internet music station called Pandora...you can also do this from your home computer!  It's commercial free internet radio FREE and YOU choose the songs/artists! So I can plug in the earphones or listen out loud (it has a speaker!)

I'm off to eat BAD (good!) food and watch super bowl commercials...because I could really care less about the teams playing.  Although I'm secretly rooting for the underdogs!  Go CARDINALS!