Christmas Is Coming

So...hubby and I went thrifting today.  I came back with Christmas! (And Red).  I was going to paint the kitchen orange, but I've decided I like the neutralness of the cinnamon brown.  I can put virtually any color in it and it works.  I decided this when I got the itch to take out the orange and put in red.  This way...I can change the colors of my kitchen with my mood.  The dining room is like this too.  Soo....here's a little red :)

So...sold a Pink Gooseberry Pyrex Fridgie (I got it for $1) to an antique store and got this fantastic retro bread box...that makes it free!



Red and Yellow stuff!

Found the Merry Christmas at a thrift and had coupon so $1.79 and the plate and bowl, $2 each.

 

Some books from the 50's and 60's...love the graphics .39 cents each

Oh my, Hubby found these "hidden" behind the glassware.  How funny that they were hidden after my hiding mishap.  I was ecstatic.  I've never seen any little red Hostess dishes in a thrift...and I have one that my Mom bought me at an antique store.  So...I have a full set of the small and just need the big red bowl with the lid to complete the set!

Anyone else found any Christmas vintage yet?

With Age Comes Great Beauty

 

 

 

 





My Mom is out of town this week, and my Grandma, Iris, needed me to take her to the doctor.  The amazing thing is, the appointment wasn't because anything was wrong, it was simple to get her established as a new patient.  I enjoy anytime I spend with my Grandma, and this was no exception.  She is a joy to be around, and has a great sense of humor.  I listened to her tell the nurse and then doctor her medical history...watched her expressive hands, the only thing that really shows her age of 92.  It just started to hit me what a life she's lived...how much she's seen.  It's amazing to me.  Her health is impeccable.  She isn't on meds, and has no issues.  The staff was amazed.

 

I was so impressed with the doctor.  He was sincerely loving, and caring.  I've been to doctors with her before where I left feeling like she was just discarded as "to old" to invest time into.  This doctor obviously valued her age and wisdom.  He had respect for the life experience and amazing attitude she displays.  I am so blessed to call this women my Grandma.  I've learned so much from her...and I'm realizing how much she still has to teach me.  I want to make sure and spend time before it's gone. 

She's also helped me teach my children the value of age.  They love her dearly.  Being around her their whole lives has helped them respect those who may not know anything about computers, but lived through more than we can ever know.  I pray that more young people and adults for that matter will see this value and respect those who are old.  There is so much that they have to give and to teach us...if we'll only listen and take the time.

Vintage Funk Laundry Room

Taaadaa!  It's finished...thanks to my sweetheart of a husband...and with the credit at Lowe's for the paint and all the free and thrifted and reused stuff...it came in at around $50 for the remodel!  Now the room I spend the most time in is my happy place.  I just keep going in there and turning the light on.  This is how it looked before:

It had the "UGS" before.  We've lived her 14 years and this paint is tired.

Where did this drab color even come from?  I used "leftover" paint and I'm not sure where I would have put this pasty color.

Hubby rescued me (again).  I was going to paint this room. 
"So?"  you say.
Huhummm....I can't paint to save my life.  Oh, if you ask me to paint in the artsy way...no problem.   No lines to stay in, no rules...I love it.  Give me boundaries, and I will cross (or in this case drip) on them.  So as I was covered in drips and the wall was looking scary, my husband swooped in and took over. He wasn't to excited about it at first (he's done A LOT of painting and it's not his favorite thing), but then he changed his tune.  As he started, I got the idea to take off one of the storage cupboard's doors and use it to spice things up.  Enough talk...here it is :)

OK, you can see we ran out of blue paint...so hubby has to finish, but I couldn't wait any longer!

There's the free Pie Cupboard that was once covered in goo.

Yes, you can have Pyrex in the Laundry Room!  Most of these pieces were in the $1-$4 range at yard sales and thrifts. 

Got the cake carrier at Goodwill for $6 and while there found stuff to sell to antique dealers and so...it was free.  Plate $1

This is how it all started.  A .25 cent Vintage pillow case was my inspiration.  I used it to cover some scratches on the top of the FREE pie cupboard I got at a Yard Sale.

Thrifted frame .50cents with ad from a 1958 magazine.  Forget Me Not tin sign thrifted $4.  Forget Me Not's are my favorite and are part of this room!

 

Thrifted camp coffee pot (that we use) $2, cow creamer's .50 each

All from yard sales .25 cents, .50 cents and $1

The tin my Mom bought me works great in here, and the Craig's list bowl.

Thrifted blue frames $1 each, Forget Me Not vintage postcards, $1 each

Yard Sale board $1, thrifted frame $1 and another old magazine ad for Clorox

 

 

Enlargement of a photo of a Pyrex ad $1.49 and the sign I got at Reruns in Portland for $3

 

This collection is hanging at the end of the drying rack as you walk in.  All thrifted except my cute little Grandma made the towel!

 

Thrifted tin sign

 

Ahhh...the ironing doesn't look so intimidating backed by bright yellow!

 

I bought pieces of scrap booking paper .79 cent each to line the back of the cabinet. 

I added these cute Forget Me Not stickers to jazz it up



I love this ad for the 1958 Chevy.  Look at the car colors!  Thrifted the magazines for $.29 each with all the ads, and re purposed the frame that was once wood color.

 

 

Thanks for sharing in my Happy Place :)

A Little Vintage Pyrex, a Little Fall Food

Love the "Jetson" Bowls.  Found the rare "Holiday" one at the bottom at a local Vintage shop, cheap~!

Love this Fall recipe from The Whole Life Cookbook...Yam and black bean Enchilada

Gotta love fridgies...never find them at the thrift but found them at a little antique shop, cheap!

Mom got me these adorable tins at a thrift shop

Autumn Thoughts

It's Early October and I feel like this is the first "official" day of Fall.  It's been an extended summer, but I embrace this season.  I've yet to get into a routine...and hope to start today.  There's always so much, especially in ministry, at the beginning of the Fall season.  So now it's time to start sending out query letters to potential publishers and agents, time to get a routine down for these days.  Part of that routine incorporates something I want to share...
(photos taken around my home, today)




Quiet.  Peace.  Stillness.


I think it's important to find a little each day.  Take time to soak in this season.  To rest in your Creator. Give yourself over to Him. To just be.  We are a society of continuous activity...no wonder we are stressed.

I think we are afraid sometimes that if we stop, everything will fall apart.  Or perhaps we are afraid of the quiet. Of what the still small voice might speak to us if we stop.  Health and well-being is found in this stillness.  Away from distractions, to do lists and phones.  God's loving embrace waits.

Even if it's just 20 minutes, take some time.  Without guilt.  It will set the tone for your day and for those around you.

Breathe.  Know that HE is God.  Give Him the opportunity to move in your heart.  To rest your soul.

"Surrendering to God is the key that unlocks the door to the life you want.  A bigger spiritual 'to do' list or a calendar full of church activities will not change our lives.  When we give ourselves to God - mind, body, soul and spirit - HE changes us.  --Nicole Johnson (Fresh Brewed Life)

The leaves are turning,
Colors from Your heart.
Paintings of the Father,
Priceless works of art.
"Enjoy them in the moment",
Your voice seems to say.
They do not last forever,
So take some time today.
Catch the simple blessings,
Before they pass right through.
Hold His hope within you.
May it turn a warm, deep hue.

--Stacey Johnson

Vintage Fun and a Progressive Dinner

So....I am a MOPS Mentor Mom this year. 
"You Mop What?"
MOPS is an international organization (Mother's of Preschoolers) and we have a group at our church.  A Mentor Mom is someone who has "been there done that" that encourages the younger Moms.  We had a leadership progressive dinner with 22 women and I got to use some of my fun vintage stuff.  And since I don't usually do many hor d 'oeuvres, I also discovered a new recipe.  Anyway, it was really fun, and these are such fantastic ladies!

Here are some of the other Mentor Moms

OK, I know this is for cheese and crackers, but I had to use it.  It's holding mini fruit salads ($2 Goodwill)

And I had to use some Pyrex

It was fun to use the glass cake plate my Mother-in-law gave me and the milk glass one I found at a thrift ($4).  The base was a wedding gift from my cheer leading coach...I guess that's vintage now too (scary).
 

 

Mini Herb Clafoutis

 

 

OK, so I can't even pronounce the name of this scrumptious bite that I found in "Victoria's Tea Time Bliss" so I'll call them Herb Puffs.  Here is the recipe:

 

Mini Herb Puffs

makes about 48

 

 

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons each fresh chopped rosemary and thyme

 

1)Preheaat oven to 450 and genereously grease 2 mini muffin pans

2)In a meduim bowl, comibine cornstarch and milk, whisking until smooth.  Whisk in eggs and yolks, then gradually whisk in cream and salt.

3) Mix together the cheese and herbs and put enough to cover the bottom of each muffin cup.  Place 2 Tablespoons of the milk mixture on top of each.

4) Bake until the are puffed and golden brown 15-18 minutes.  Cool completely before removing by runing a table knife around the rim of each cup.

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite dish.  You can't see but it has fruit on it.  This is chicken salad...no recipe needed.
1 Rotissere chicken, white meat chopped, a handful of chopped celery and diced grapes.  Add sour cream to taste and salt and pepper it.

 Vintage table cloth $1 and Runner 25 cents at an Estate sale

 Vintage jar with candle from a friend

Candle in a Fire King cup (thritted .50)

I think I may have gotten Stephanie (left) into vintage stuff :)