some blog entries just don't need any words.  except........ooooh-la-la! 

so... i sewed!

i think i can do that, said i... as i read the instructions on how to sew a 10-minute apron, using a pillow case.  

sew, or rather so.... i've been keeping my eyes peeled for cheap, pretty, funky pillowcases.  and ribbon, to be used as the tie-backs!

my aprons are not sewn well.  i'm a super-novice... but determined and i enjoy trying.  i couldn't sell them.  i couldn't even give them as gifts... unless you count my mom, because a mom loves anything you make!  sew, i just decided to keep them all.  all five for myself, to wear at markets, where i work.  of course, wearing one in the garden might be convenient, too?

this one is my favorite!  of course, because it's green striped and faux pink fur.  it's made from a flannel pillowcase.  and i added an extra pocket.  see how good i'm getting??? i'm brave enough to sew an extra pocket!  wink.

so my girlfriends... here is the divine blog site, in which i got the instructions from:

10-minute pillow case apron!

siLLy SUndaY...

not my idea... played copycat off of someone on flea market gardening (facebook).  i loved how this someone displayed black-eyed susan's in a blue vase.  truth is, i own nothing blue, except this old crock.  so, i said.... what the heck?  and used it.  i think it looks just peachy, don't you? 

a good neighbor friend of mine (also homeschool mom-friend) is in russia this week.  she asked me if i'd like to collect her chicken eggs, while she's away.  you don't have to ask me twice!  big nod.  one chicken got loose.  chased that darn chick 'round and 'round her yard... like my pants were on fire!  grabbed the poker and thought i killed the thing.   didn't... but, was wondering.......... what's your favorite bbq sauce?!

took a bike ride tonight.  my oh my... my legs are looking milky.  try not and notice, but my outfit, totally does not match.  it was just one of those, "hey-mom, let's-go-for-a-bike-ride-right-now!" moments. 

a snip there and a snip here and eventually, i gathered a bundle of oregano to dry.  actually, it's close to already being dried.  we've had no rain in what seems like forever... hence, the oregano was screaming to be used, before it's premature death.

i hope you had a silly sunday, too.

smile, wink, nod.

just like a little squirrel, stocking up for winter....

i threw together a dozen or so freezer-stir fry lunches.  hot lettuce salads, to be exact. 

here's what i tossed in the bags:

-yellow summer squash

-zucchini

-garlic cloves

-onion and scallions

-a handful of green beans

-one beautiful edible day lilly

-basil and dill

-beet leaves and carrot tops

-lettuce

this winter, i'll thaw and toss my little veggie pack into a frying pan with olive oil, rice and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. 

hot lettuce salad... it's a good thing.

smile, wink, nod!

i have a new respect for vanilla beans.

i never thought about it... so i never knew.... vanilla beans come from a wide variety of areas:  tonga, madagascar, mexico, tahiti.  each vanilla bean comes from an orchid and is pollinated by hand.  when the vanilla pod develops, it must be picked by hand and cured for several months.  hence, the reason for vanilla beans being so pricey.

when i walked into our local party store, and asked for a bottle of vodka... i was quick to point out to the store clerk... that it was for a recipe.  she gave me that, "yeah, sure-it-is, sort of smile."  i'm sure she thought i was nuts, when i asked her to compare prices for me.  alcohol in this store is behind the counter.  i settled on an $8. bottle... and continued to tell her, i was making homemade vanilla. she gave me her best, i-heard-it-all-look.  but, i really felt inclined to tell her...  i guess i didn't want her to think i was planning to down it.  

making vanilla is ridiculously easy. 

-slice open a couple of vanilla bean's

-add 1 cup vodka

-store in an airtight container

-store in a dark place

-give it a little shake now and then!

vodka and vanilla beans.... it's a good thing. 

wink!

unintentional clear glass jar obsession!

this summer... i've been picking up clear bottles and jars at yard sales and thrift shops.  i haven't done it on purpose.  normally, my eyes only see pink and green and the occasional pale yellow.  but, hot-diggity dog, there's some cute clear jars to be rescued, reclaimed and most importantly, recycled.

 what's inside them?  from left to right:

-simple wild carrot, plucked from the field in a hot chocolate bottle.

-a mixture of homey spices:  cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all spice.  i picked up a dozen or so cans of used spices at a yard sale... then, came home and mixed them all together... capped them in the jar and will use for a cozy kitchen smell, this fall and winter.  (i'll just boil a tablespoon or so, w/ a little water on top of our stove and let the aroma linger.) 

- just a big, old jar with plastic wrap and holes poked in it.  it's home to a monarch chrysalis... who is just days away from busting out of his cocoon.

- two bottles of homemade oregano vinegar and one bottle of basil vinegar.

-a glass teddy bear jar with another field-plucked wild carrot.

have you been thrifting, lately?  what treasures have you found?

a friend of mine.. suddenly took on a new garden art hobby.... using bowling balls!  i put my request in for pink.  my favorite color.  thanks g.w.... the artwork resides under a bed of day lillies and weathered iris'.

since, i was snapping pics outside... i thought i'd share some of our gardens....  note:  we didn't plant ANYTHING in our gardens until the first week in june.  we are thrilled, at the progress the gardens made.

glory to God.

above... a couple of our raspberry patches.

check out the right side of this picture... about half way down... do you see the butterfly posing mid-air?  it's a monarch.  he is so photogenic, don't you think?

smile, wink, nod.

since, working at street markets this summer, i've noticed a movement in trendy bikes.

i love this.

many bikes i see, are being repurposed.  i humbly admit... i tried to repurpose mine, by decoupaging it.  that was a nightmare.  it was so awful... that i quickly pulled the paper off and scrubbed the bike clean.  not to mention... it took forever to cover.  okay, where am i going with this?  back to my post....

i love the homemade color... vintage pink of the bike above.  do you?

and this one, is seriously brilliant!  i had to ask... it is from Thailand or was it Taiwan?  anyway... how perfect.  holds everything... even a spot for a baby car seat... that you can actually look down and see your sweetie-pie, facing you!  i would of loved this!  so much storage space, too! 

check out my sidebar... i've added some new and grooviliscious blogs to my sidebar! i think you'll like them!

wink.

wordless wednesday!

pretty summer side-dish!

we've all seen it.. even tasted it.... pineapple ambrosia!  but, it's even better, when you serve it in an old english teacup and use this healthy recipe:

 1 can of pineapple in it's own juice-drained and mandarin oranges the same way... 1 cup of tropical yogurt (i used strawberry.... that's all i had!) 3 cups of mini marshmallows and 1/2 c. shredded coconut.  gently mix.  refrigerate until cold.  serve in something pretty.....(very, very important! wink).  leftovers, okay in fridge for two days.

yesterday, we had a family bbq hollywood-style... in honor of my cousin aaron, who was in town (very briefly)... from nyu film school/tisch.  he is a brilliant writer and is currently getting ready to film and direct a festival movie (the kind they show at cannes, etc.) out on cape cod. unfortunately, i declined the part he wrote especially for me... i mean look, i am just way to busy working street markets and garage sailing to participate.  you'll be happy to know, madonna wasn't busy, and was willing to take my part!

i purposely forgot to bring whip cream for the homemade gluten-free blueberry cobbler, that i made.  so acting like middle-aged high school girls... we climbed in the car and went to the local kroger store.

it was more of a "get noticed and look at us" adventure.  i planned this, because i knew we wouldn't know anyone.  not to mention, it was a blast!

aunt janet came dressed as hedy lemarr. 

her husband came as desi arnez. 

both such good sports!

check out these beautiful potted flowers, that my cousin put together. breath-taking!

my cousin carey grant... who is a financing major, atlas shrugged genius and is right on the mark with economics and government (he's who i go to for government, economic and political advice and words i don't know how to pronounce!), he made eggrolls. love that boy... he never gets tired of my ignorant questions (at least i think he doesn't.)

his mom is to the left and aaron the up and coming director... next to her.

my cousin (brag:  doctor, breast cancer survivor, bird-ology guru and wildly creative) and i entertained the family, by making big bubbles.  not all families are as talented as us....bubbles have a mind of their own.  just like my 13 year old son. 

all of the tattoo's i wore, were fake.  found them at the dollar store.  tommie wrote, lady gaga... on my back.

lady gaga taking a break... note the natural-i-don't-know you're-taking-my-picture pose.  truth is... i overdosed on potato salad and couldn't move.

my aunt joyce as laverne, steve martin, conehead, me and george clooney.

our friend lou who came as a cher groupie.

my mom a.k.a marilyn monroe and my uncle bill, share a deep conversation!  wonder what it was about?!

really bad blurry picture... but i stuck it in here anyway.  my second dad, came as john wayne... cowboy boots, big buckle and cowboy hat.

hope you enjoyed our hollywood bbq party.

we are so very blessed to be together and make happy memories.  i love my family so much, that i get a lump in my throat.

on a dark, spring day, i stopped at an estate-type yard sale.  off the beaten track, on a lonely country road. looking down and looking down again... i opened an old musty box to find.... a pile of better homes and gardens (1940's) magazines... for a dollar each.
seriously now, do i even need to tell you how fast i snatched these up?  

there are a bazillion adorable, vintage ads, like these.... 

i'm not exactly sure, what i should do with them?  frame them, i'm thinking.  in a banged up old frame. 

what would you do?

you're welcome to cut and paste and print and use these images... i'd love to hear what you plan to do with them!

smile, wink, nod.

can't get any easier or any cheaper then this...

i had this lacy-type tin tray... which i adored... but didn't adore the rust marks... so, when i spotted this mirror, at local goodwill.... (4 quarters) !

 i (badda-bing!) had a plan....

a two-second glue job and viola' ...

a new piece to hang on my wall-of-mirrors!

do tell............ what have you upcylced, lately?

happy birthday, america!

we love you!

(picture taken off my mom's boat.. hence, on the water!)

GaRdEn Art (letter A)

 garden artwork!

this sunday afternoon, found me in my white rocking chair, under the apple tree... using my hands to create this "tea time" wind-chime!

it's sort of cute here, but in real life, it's very cute!

i found a bag of tea tins, at local goodwill, for .99 cents.  the colander for a quarter and i already had glass beads in my junk cupboard.

yesterday, i found a bag of these (above) spice tins... a dime a piece, at a garage sale, 'round the corner.

can you guess, what i'll be doing with them?

smile, wink, nod.

i'm up for an "abc" blog challenge... so, starting tomorrow, july 2nd, i'll begin  26-day's of "all things garden!" have a garden girlfriend?  invite her, along!  for tonight though, let me share this fantaubulous piece of the web! click here...  flea market garden!

tune in tomorrow, for the letter, A."