i just love this picture of lady liberty!

especially her workbooks!

and the tights.

for wednesday:

volunteer work in the church office and sneak out early if i can...

i need to shop and organize for my dear brad's 50th birthday bash, tonight.

i've invited his parents and brother's family... over for pizza in the backyard.

need: balloons, ice cream cake and to set up the badminton set.

it's a little surprise!

sauntering through goodwill yesterday,

clicking my flip flops

and

chewing trident tropical flavor gum

what do you think my eyes immediately saw?

these rubber ducks.

they were .29 cents each.

i smiled as i tossed them into my cart.

i had a plan for them!

since my in-laws were away for the weekend... i thought i'd

drive over to their house and plunk them in their pond.

i'm not going to confess that i was the one behind the plastic poultry.

and, don't you tell either!
i'm anxious to see if anything is mentioned or if they end up in my pond!

i found a beautiful laura ashley vase...

not old.. but still a unique shape and i love the colors!

$2.49.

happy rainy sunday!

smile, wink, nod.

baby crib and the farmers market

hat tip and a hug, to my friend rhonda, for phoning me about this free, yes, exhale, free

shabby chic vintage crib! it weighs

about 200 lbs... slight exaggeration, and let me tell you... it is a beauty!

yesterday, while at a farmer's market.... i used it as a display piece. worked out nicely.

the sides roll down and i had a chenille bedspread on it... where i displayed a stir-fry of shabby chic junk. over 800 people went through the market yesterday. my booth is nestled right between the fudge lady, who is constantly grumpy... which confuses me, since people are lined up to buy bubblegum fudge, orange-creamcicle and peanut butter fudge... would you think she'd put on her happy face for the customers? you'd think i'd be able to win her over... just can't seem to... and on the other side of my booth is, this very free-spirited 20-something produce vendor who is tattooed from neck to ankle- she is very delightful in her bare feet and makes the market very fun.

smile, wink, nod

p.s.

my niece continues to do well!

today.

enjoyed working in my church office.

answered phones, filed and organized praise and worship material.

pizza for dinner.

found a new book at goodwill.

up country yearbook by thurlow craig.

a journal about cottage living.

gearing up for a big farmers market show in the county due south of us.

can't hardly wait.

it's a good one!

looking at the clock and waiting for a phone call from my sister-in-law...

my 15 year old niece in chicago, is having a fist-sized tumor removed from

her spine.

picked our first little bowlful of blackberries and raspberries.

is there anything sweeter then a warm raspberry plucked from bush?

i think not.

smile, wink, nod!

green tuesday!

mackinac island. it's a pretty popular vacation spot here in michigan.

it's one of my favorite places on earth.

so, when my friend lisa w., phoned me and told me about a local sale

with bunches of souvenir treasures.... i scooted out my door and shopped.

well, if mackinac island and city is one of your all time favorite spots... you don't think twice about snatching up these cute little vintage glasses that have the famous mac bridge on them. to top it off, they were a dime each!

my window sills are home to a dozen clear vases filled with dill sprigs!

i just love to walk by and pick a little leaf and chew on it.... like gum!


oh how i love fresh herbs! they're such a treat!
this morning i picked a double handful and mixed them with olive oil.
chives, parsley, dill, oregano, basil, rosemary and sage.
spoon a heap on top of a cracker!
oooooh-la-la!

piNk MOndaY

today, i learned how to weave. and i love it.

even if it's june, the first day of summer... i'm weaving a winter hat.

i'm thinking of adding a black thick stripe.

below, is how the pattern is turning out.

hopefully, when i wear it in the blistery winter months, i will smile

and think back to sitting in my flower gardens, next to the peonies

which are the exact color match to the yarn!

here's a few really fantubulous blogs...

-polka dot birthday

(my oh my... you'll want to check out

the pink watermelon cake and cookies!)

-polka dot cottage

-two crazy crafters

check back tomorrow, for tuesday's blues!

oh! what a merry-go-round week it's been!

i've set up at

two farmer's markets and two mansion shows in less then a week.

a lot of physical work.

and small talk.

a lot of smiles and nodding with customers.

visiting with some pretty amazing people.

seeing how the upscale community due south of us lives.

people standing in line buying $5. loaves of basic bread.

flats of strawberries being wheeled out to cars at $30 a flat.

i said to myself... baby, you're not in kansas anymore!

packed the pick up with my show inventory and drove home.

happily exhausted.

thinking on the drive home, how materialistic the world still is.

oil well's spewing in the gulf.

people buying impulsively.

what recession?

i'm trying to make a buck.

wondering if my apple tree's will produce in the fall.

for canning applesauce.

listening to competitive mommie's talk about their kids academic achievements.

listening to them out talk each other.

they talk loud so everyone can hear.

annoying.

conversation leads to sports. another competitive topic.

staring at my feet and thanking God, that i'm beyond that.

mind slips away for a moment... thinking about my bees and blackberries.

was the oil spill really and accident?

just thinking.

oh, it's nice to live in my world, where there is peace in hanging up laundry

under the apple tree.

AWOL's missing. do they have a plan?

time to cut lettuce for tonight's dinner.

and, think some more.

smile, wink, nod.

picking garbage!

last sunday, while coming home from church... someone along the way was cleaning junk from their garage... and making a huge garbage pile by the road... my neck automatically craned around, my eyes automatically grew big as tea saucers and i automatically jerked the suv in reverse....

i'm not a confident garbage picker. yet! i'm not sure what the proper etiquette is for picking. do you take everything you want? leaving nothing for the next picker? are people peeping out their windows thinking, "what a pathetic greedy picker!", or is it yours for the taking?

that said, i just took what was easiest and sauntered away. beyond thrilled.

i came home with: a rubbermaid box full of children's books, many which i will resell- others, i'll donate, a wicker organizer which needs to be spray painted, a flower pot (i'll resell) and a ceramic garden pig- which i'll spray paint an off color... lime green, maybe?

then, i came home... put on my daniel greene french slippers... i know, doesn't that sound impressive? french slippers? don't be impressed.... i found them for $2. at goodwill.


and then, i arranged peonies in a cookie jar.

now, it's off to work at my church today. i've volunteered throughout the summer. i'm excited to be in an "all christian community," for the day!

6:15 am...

i looked out my patio window.

only to find this little birdseed thief.

smile, wink, nod!

this is where i spent the past two days!

under my shabby chic awning.

on the lawn of the mansion.

(note: the historical mansion is in the background)

selling books, trendy clothing, jewelry, garden eye candy and other vintage items!

i'm thinking of putting a huge ecru colored, crocheted tablecloth over the top of this awning, for my next outdoor event. which is tuesday. a farmers market in the next county south.


outside of the humidity, it was a lovely way to spend my two days.
between customers,
i flipped off my flip-flops,
and read more of john steinbeck's, "east of eden."
and drank cold water.
and networked with the cute little owner of the estate!
i'll be doing the whole thing again, right here next month.


smile, wink, nod.

about friday!

i spent today at a village mansion. (see previous post). i rented a spot under a weeping willow tree and set up my little shabby flea market booth. my mom spent the afternoon helping me and visiting. i was glad she drove out! it wasn't at all what i expected. but, all in all, i ended up pleased with the end results. so much in fact, that i'll be heading back over tomorrow! let's hope the rain holds off.

now, it's time to make a big bowl of popcorn, lay in front of our floor fan (old house-no air conditioning) and on the couch and just plop!

happy friday night!

forever and always.... i've wanted a hanging chandelier for my yard.

i was really trying to find one that was tacky. and eye catching.

found it!

this ugly retro-style for $5.

the pictures are indeed dark... i took them seconds before the rain started!

happy thursday!
smile, wink, nod.

flip-flops!

friday and saturday, will find me here.

at this mansion.

under my pop-up awning.

selling shabby chic junk and trendy clothes and saucy novels!

and jewelry. and sweet annie.

and, and, and...........................

and networking.

something i've been working on to sell... are flip-flops.

i've really enjoyed embellishing them, with floppy flowers,

rhinestones and butterflies.

i'll be selling them for $6.

i'm keeping my fingers crossed, for no rain.

and, a nice flow of traffic.

smile, wink, nod.

vintage treasures at a lakewide sale!

this morning, my mom and i and my bambino, went to a lake-wide garage sale!

i was thrilled when i found these very vintage wooden folding chairs for a dollar each.

love the color paint. and they're actually comfortable.

i just couldn't say no to this lonely red and white vintage glass.

she was a quarter. she screamed, "take me home and drink cold lemonade from me this summer!" she's in the dishwasher now.

i did a cheerleader high kick when i found this vintage high chair (folds down into a toddler table, too.) for just $4. i plan to sell it at one of my upcoming shows, as a plant stand or
to use as a display piece.

i've never, ever seen davey crockett material before. not to mention made into child-sized pillowcases! these are just so scrumptious. i'm thinking they're from the 1960's... something my husband would of used as a kid. i would love to make them into cloth napkins and use them when we have chili. or spaghetti! price? .50 each.




so, how about you.... have you found any odd things while out sailing?

i haven't done a "friday fill-in," in a long time. so, thought i'd play! my answers are in light grey. feel free to play along-- grab my picture above and copy the fill-ins! let's go!

1. deep inside a historical fiction is my favorite place to travel to.

2. when i think back on my childhood, i often remember really good and really funny parents, long summer days, girl scouts, the smell of new barbie dolls, sunday's at my grandparents farm, and the happiest childhood anyone ever had!

3. people who have depth, makes for a good friend.

4. the wind in the trees, the rain on my skin, the humidity making my hair curl like shirley temple's.

5. my future is so exciting!

6. my best friend knows how to can, garden and homestead like no body's business!

7. and as for the weekend, tonight i'm looking forward to, rug-hooking, shower and nestling down with a book in bed, tomorrow my plans include, garage sailing with my mom, and sunday i want to go to church, take a big, long bike ride and organize homeschool lessons.

thanks to tasha tudor, i've decided to fling off my flip-flops and enjoy gardening in bare feet.

there is no greater joy then sinking your feet into soft, rich soil!

see? that's me above.... looking through my big patch of dill... in search of swallowtail eggs. i've spotted both black and yellow butterflies flitting around the patch!

each year, this dill patch is home to lots of swallowtail larvae. i'm hoping this year is no exception.

is there anything more beautiful then peonies?
the layers of pink petals are luscious!


here i am, modeling my retro apron. it has to be from the 1970's. it's pretty pathetic in real life. it's bullet-proof polyester. unprofessionally homemade. the color is ridiculous. the lace is about as tacky as it gets. and i can't help smiling when i tie it on and wondering who wore it? i feel like carol brady. (brady bunch). smile, wink, nod.

in the afternoon yesterday, i enjoyed a relaxing pedicure.

my sweet mom gave me a gift certificate for christmas.

which i gladly appreciated!

i chose wild geranium pink nail polish.

how about you?

what color are your toes wearing?

smile, wink, nod!

RAINY DAY MOVIES

i picked up a few classic musicals on video

at a nearby yard sale, for a quarter each.

i'm thinking...

on a summer afternoon...

when it's raining...

it might be the perfect friend

to spend the afternoon with!

fiddler on the roof is my all time favorite movie, ever!

so, tell me friends.... what is your favorite movie ever made?

( answers to the comments in my previous post....

i mist the listerine on my body- outside. and i do smell like

my grandpa's medicine cabinet... but the smell quickly evaporates

and i like it better then the smell of off or skin so soft. and

best of all.... IT DOES WORK!)