zoey-ella

(NOTE: SNOWBALLS STUCK ON HER FUR)

zoey's sister, chloe-ella

(NOTE:  SNOWBALLS STUCK IN HER FUR)

during the night, we received our first, fresh snow.

not a lot, but just enough to make things pretty and fun.

during homeschool break today,  tommy took the dogs out to run around.  and around. and around.  the dogs delighted in the snow so much, that the snowballs stuck to their fur, making it difficult for them to walk... hence, they had to be carried in one-by-one, to a warm waiting bubble bath! 

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our christmas trees are up.  lights are plugged in.

the house is decorated... and clean.

however, preparing gluten-free dinner on a busy day is next to impossible.  that's why egg beaters and hash browns and homemade canned pears, are a staple at our house.

do tell,  what are some quick busy day meals that you can throw together on a whim?
smile, wink, nod.

organized chaos!

 found:
 this free printable organizer, on pintrest.  would it surprise you to know that, i'm not organized whatsoever.  i don't make lists.  most phone numbers are either written on my hand or i memorize them or they get stashed in my out-of-date address book from the 1980's.  gosh, come to think of it... i don't even keep a calendar.  pretty crazy, ugh?  and a grocery list?  nada-chance. but, i'm thinking.... a printable list like this one, might be fun to try?  i especially like the hydrate reminder. okay, the fitness section, would be really helpful, too. 

oh and a wrist watch? i don't wear one of those, either.

feel free to copy, paste and print this list, for your own good use.  smile, wink, nod!

this year in michigan, it was an exceptional year for apples.  

i made a bazillion batches of applesauce.. but, i just couldn't ignore the rest of our crimson apples, dangling off our apple trees... going to waste. 

so, with bucket in hand, we came up with a 5-gallon bucket full and put them to good use.

i ended up putting up about a dozen quarts of homemade apple pie filling.

apple pie filling... it's a good thing!

smile, wink, nod!

p.s.  jamie... hope you had a nice thanksgiving, too!

this is....

what happens when...........

you forget to unplug.

seriously, i can't believe i did this.

i'm pretty neurotic when it comes to safety.

i check.  i re-check, and then i wonder if i really did re-check, so i re-check again.  i do that with locking doors.  turning ovens off. coffee pots and lights.

i'm even on-the-edge, about leaving home with the dishwasher, washer and dryer and crockpot on.

so, how did this happen?

i'm simply......... clueless.

-haPPy THanKsgiviNg-

this photo... courtesy of awkward family photos.

have you been to the site? 

it's a great place to visit, if you need a giggle or a walk down memory lane!

here's the link:  photos

this morning, i'm jumping in here to share this fantastic post, that my bloggy-friend Mitzi wrote.  i think you too, will give her a standing ovation!  click here:  made in china



did i tell you, my mom bought the sister to our puppy, zoey?

well, she did.  and she named hers chloe.

recently, we had a high-energy-week-long- fun... puppy-sitting for her.

i never get tired of watching the rowdy puppy play!  rolling, tumbling and loving!

wink!



what's new on the home front?

the past three days, i've immensely enjoyed working at two different chippy-vintage shops.  they're small stores... mom and pop-type... which is a good fit for me. corporate and all the rules that follow, is and could be the death of me.  at the two shops i work at,  i work alone, unless my cousin robin comes in to help out. and both owners allow me to take my son and his load of homeschooling with us.  on those days... schooling is basic.  truth is, i feel at 13, he's getting a better education in the retail world.  also known as:  the real world.  wink.  he's getting a first hand view of dealing with the public and some of their outrageous remarks and actions, money and profit, cleaning and helping customers by carrying heavy packages to their cars and loading antique furniture for them.  which is his favorite part.

today, i had a booth at our local flea market.  it's such a dump.  but, i really enjoy the cheap-deals and free-perks.  plus, i'm enjoying the very unusual friendships that i'm developing.  flea markets seem to attrack a myriad of colorful (i'm using a nice adjective, here) personalities. a lot of my time is spent, wondering why the good Lord put them in my path?

i love pondering things like that.

i had a customer today, who shared his opinion on right-winged, conservative christians.  out of no where, he felt he should lend me his thoughts.  i listened.  but then, i defended my faith and political views, and it was a divine feeling.

well, my feet are throbbing, from the past four days of work.  my eyelids are heavy.. and i'm going to wiggle down under my blanket, here on the couch. 

sweet sunday night to you, my friends.

recycled wednesday

at the thrift shop...............

i found a lampshade.

i found a lamp base.

i found an old skirt.

i found some white boas.

i found vintage earrings.

i found some scrap fringe.

and then i plugged my hot glue gun in.

i tore apart the skirt and only used the lace ... it originally had a lining in it.  then, i hot glued vintage earrings randomly.  and added fringe and boas.  the entire project took about 45 minutes.  quick!

i'm totally adore the delphinium flowers on the lamp base.  but, since i've been junking and re-selling... i've quickly learned not to fall in love with anything.  everything is for sale.

this will head to one of my venues this week. 

with a healthy price tag.

if it doesn't sell.......  i will just have to bring it home.

which won't break my heart.

smile, wink, nod.

let's be real here....a freshly plucked-up garden potato is in a league all of it's own.  hand's down, no comparison to grocery store potatoes.

this wasn't a terrific year for our potatoes.  oh sure, we have a wheel-barrow full.  and i've baked and froze up bags of oven fries.  but, i don't have all that many to can, like i did last year.

yesterday, i did whip up a few batches of potato-leek soup, to freeze. i had quite a good crop of leeks and garlic, this year... naturally, i took advantage of those gems!  wink.

one of my favorite smells?  sauteeing' garlic, butter and leeks.

before i connect you with the recipe, i want to share, that i don't add milk before i freeze it... (i add when i prepare it)  and i also toss in a good sprinkle or two of caraway seeds!

the recipe for this cheap, comfort food is here!



thrift store shoes!

i  got a new pair of wing tips!

black and white.

salvation army

$8.

brand new.

happy me.

happy feet!

smile, wink, nod!

because i have adult ADHD (self-diagnosed)... i enjoy really super quick projects.  30 minutes and under is ideal for a chicka like me.  then i can move on to the next.... and the next.

okay, so this one is the bomb....

it's homemade body scrub.

it's made in like 3 minutes or less.

first i mixed up a batch of pumpkin pie spice body scrub.

.......then i whipped up a big batch of lemon scrub.

you're suppose to seal them in an air tight, type canning jar... which i did, however, i was just too lazy to take a snap of the finished projects. 

would you like the recipe? 
 i kind of thought so.... follow this:

2 1/2 cups of white sugar

4 Tablespoons of vegetable oil or evoo.

essential oils to your liking

for pumpkin pie scrub...

 i just omitted the essential oils and added pumpkin pie spice.

wouldn't this make a wonderful gift?
in a pretty jar with maybe a vintage spoon or scoop attached?

wink.

virus and chest colds!

well now... it sure does feel good to be back!

my computer has been in the shop, with a nasty virus.

the computer is all better...

but we humans, are battling chest colds.

needless to say, we spent halloween night being less

active then normal.  we went to my mom's for bakes spaghetti dinner, a few tough games of euchre and passed out candy to 89 trick or treaters... yes, she keeps a tally!

so my loyal's... as i lay here on the couch in my salvation army flannel pajama's (the pair that is dotted with pictures of chocolate candy), i must pull myself together and pop a couple of nighttime cold pills and get ready to slither down under the quilt to watch my very favorite t.v. show... modern family.

i will be back very soon!

hope you are all feeling well.

smile, wink, nod.

meet our new family member.....

zoEy-ELla.

she has certainly spiced up our lives.

my mom fell head-over-heels in love with her..

so last night, she went and purchased zoeY's sister.

she named her chLOe.

get it?

chlOe and zoEy.

they look like twins.

happy tuesday night...

i'm watching the duggar's.

the only christian-themed show on prime time.

well of course you have to remember the birds this fall.  and, so i freshened up our patio-bird habitat, with pumpkins and peanut butter smothered bagels!

the birds are loving it and we're loving the free entertainment!

 time to pull out the pumpkin seeds from our oven and pour a glass of cider!

CHECK BACK TOMORROW... AND I'LL SHOW YOU OUR NEW PUPPY... ZOeY eLla.

just popping in here, late sunday night to show you the latest hippy-dolls, that i recycled.

i made both, from 100% recycled material and bling.

i've had really swell luck, selling them.

$20.

finger's crossed.. these girls will be a quick flip, too!

can you see the vintage beaded earrings?

happy sunday night!

smile, wink, nod.

flea market find!

on my kitchen window sill, you would find....

this banged-up-seen-better-days head vase.

there's a chip right down in front... sort of near the cleavage.  i plan to epoxy a vintage rhinestone to it.

i know it's worth nothing.  it cost me just as much.

but, she makes me happy.

and that's what it's all about!

what's on your kitchen windowsill?

(hi jamie.. thank you for always leaving such pleasant comments.  i appreciate the time you and other commenter's take!)



i just can't stop reading this book!

a product of the public school system myself... i learned thismuch about history. if anything at all.  i'm dead serious.  as an adult, i find myself pretty passionate about the topic.  books like this, break the past down simply and with much flavor! 

 this book is juicy and thought-provoking.

get your hands on a copy!
it's a quick read.

wink.



dinner:  homemade turnip-onion-rice soup

movie:  the girl with the dragon tattoo

wearing: pink polar fleece pull-over

and paper-doll print pajama bottoms

crafting:  vintage jewelry 

recent retail purchase from walmart:  rhinestone hair clips and movie star mascara

sweet tooth snack:  sugar wafer cookies

last in the garden:  carrots, potato's, leeks, apples, turnips and beets

can't wait until friday!

the day we bring our new puppy "zoe-ella" home!

changes, addictions and dinner.

my new addiction.

on-line scabble on pogo.

join.

then we can play together!

other things on friday:

gluten-free cashew chicken for dinner... excellent and thank god for leftovers!

rainy. windy. barely a leaf left on our trees.

 seasonal outside street markets are over for the season.  which means, i won't have to roll out of bed, insert a drip caffeine i.v. into my arm and drive in the wee hours for set-ups.

my work at the mansion is gearing up for the holiday season... i missed working there this summer.  thankfully, the owners really work with me and permit me to take time off when i need it. 

one week from today... we get our new puppy.

zoey.  but we're calling her zoey-ella.

say it fast.

zoey-ella.

has a good ring to it, don't you think?

i'm thinking of doing live blog-casts.  now and then. 

what do you think?  i mean, the louis armstrong music would have to go.  but it's time for that anyway.

so, my faithful blog readers.... watch and see... sometime soon... i'll be talking to you live.  well, kind of.

wink.