There Are Angels Among Us

Around Thanksgiving, I had an email from someone asking if still had something I had pictured on my blog in November 2008 and if it was available for sale.  I looked back at that entry and saw this photo.  A man named Charles was asking about the angel topper on the left with the fringe.  I told him that I was sure I had sold it not too long after I got it.  He thanked me and said, "The search continues......"  It intrigued me and I wondered why he wanted it and how he happened to find it on my blog.  But I didn't remember having it anymore, so that was the end of that.

The very next night, I kid you not, I brought in my Christmas boxes to start my decorating.  I opened the very first box and what did I see?  The very angel that I thought was gone.  I honestly did not even remember that I still had it.  I decided to write back and say that I had actually found it.  It seemed like the right thing to do.  

When I wrote to tell him that I had found it, he was very excited.  He told me that his sister had inherited their Grandmother's Christmas decorations, but the box was inadvertently thrown away by my brother-in-law many years ago.  She had been trying to replace all the items, but the tree topper had eluded everyone.  Until he found it on my blog.  I asked for his address and said I would send it to him.  It just seemed like the right thing to do.  He offered to pay, but I just wanted to let him make his sister happy.  I didn't even remember owning that angel and she couldn't forget not having it.

I sent it off and expected to just receive a simple thank you.  Instead, I received this video:

This is his sister, Tracy, opening the angel.  They left it in the box I sent along with my note.  I never intended to be the one giving it to her.  She is in tears before you can even see what she is opening.  As someone that loves stuff and the memories that stuff holds, this really made my day.  You can see all the love and memories that Angel holds for her and her family. (My favorite part is the "This was supposed to be FUN!)  I knew it was the right thing to do.

A week or so later I unexpectedly received a package in the mail from Charles.  It contained a box of Fannie May Candy (yum), a silver Pocket Angel Coin and this letter.

"Our Angel Story"

As you may know, I was diagnosed with cancer in April 2002.  My first surgeon set up an appointment with what is known as "The Tumor Board" at Stanford University.  This was a difficult and lengthy day, but at the end of the day I would meet my Guardian Angel.

After meeting with the doctors and going through the "Tumor Board" process they sent us to radiology to have a chest x-ray done.  We went into the waiting room where I proceeded to put on a gown and wait to be called.  As we sat in the waiting room, we noticed and older gentleman walk in and put on a gown.  On any other day we might not have paid attention him, however he had a ring of bells around his wrist and they jingled like Santa Claus.

After donning his gown he walked over and sat down right next to me even though there were a number of open seats in the waiting room.  After sitting down, he looked over a me and asked, "Are you in the process?"  I replied back, "I've just met with the tumor board and they've sent me for my first chest xray."  He said, "Oh, you're just getting stated.  ;'m here to have my last chest x-ray to see if the esophageal cancer is gone."

So we talked.  He said his name was Andy and he was an ex Pastor.  He assured me that everything was going to be fine and that we were in the best of hospitals.  As we talked I noticed that he had a very peaceful  look on his face and a very peaceful tone to his voice.  I asked about the bells.  He said that when he talked to the nurse to schedule his initial appointment he told her that he would be there "with bells on".  So for every appointment at Stanford, he wore bells around his wrist.

Then Andy asked me, "Have you gotten your Pocket Angel yet?"  I replied back,"No, I dpn't know what that is.  He said that they have them down in Oncology.  I replied back "I haven't been to Oncology yet."  With that said, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a Pocket Angel just like the one we have sent you.  Andy handed it over to me and said something like, "Here, add this to your arsenal of things that give you hope and faith to get you through this."  I thanked him and then I got called in for my x-ray.

As I was getting my x-ray, Susan and Andy talked a bit.  He gave her a business card with his home number and said if we needed to talk to please give him a call.  She tucked the business card away and continued to talk.  When I came out of x-ray, I got dressed and we said our Good-bye's and Thank-you's.

A day or two later, I asked Susan for Andy's card so that I could put it in my Palm Pilot.  She looked high and low for his card, but couldn't find it anywhere.  She looked in every place she could think of but found no card.  I told her not to worry, next time we're at Stanford we'll just ask the different receptionists if they know the guy with the bells on his wrist.  Surely someone would have seen this man.  We asked in Oncology, Radiology, Infusion and others.  No one can remember a man with bells on his wrists.  I think it was then that it hit Susan and I that I was visited by my Guardian Angel.  

We began to tell our story to family and friends.  It took me a long time to be able to tell the story without welling up in tears.  As I was telling the story one day, I was reminded of the the famous line in the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life" where the little girls says, "Teacher says, every time a bell rings an Angel gets it's wings"

Thank you Andy!"

That is quite a story, isn't it?  When I wrote to thank Charles for this Pocket Angel and to ask permission to share his story, I also asked about his current health.  He responded:  I'm doing well, thank you. This April will be 10 years (WOOHOO) and our Guardian Angel has served us well. Andy brought us through a lot! While they'll never say melanoma is in remission or "I'm cured" the fact that I made it almost 10 years now is nothing short of a Miracle (85 out of 100 wouldn't be writing an email).  We'll definitely  celebrate the milestone  And by all means feel free to share the story, it's a really good one if I don't say so myself ;-)

It's taken me a long time to process this and write it down to share with everyone.  I'm not really a religious person, per say, but I believe in doing what is right and treating people the way you wish to be treated.  I believe that there are angels out there watching over us and guiding us along the way.  I believer that if you feel like you should (or shouldn't) do something, then you should listen to your heart.  And, now I have my very own Pocket Angel to remind me of that thanks to Charles and to Andy.

Blog Business

Thanks to a request by Linda, I have taken off that dreadful word verification box on my comments.  So, if you have had any problems leaving a comment in the past hopefully it will be an easier task now.  I tried to leave a comment on a blog the other day and my word verification was in Arabic!  What the heck?  How was I supposed to type that????  

I spotted this Word Verification on Lamebook:

I mean, really, do I want to offend anyone with GULPS WIENERS?  I think not!

Another thing that I have been wanting to mention is that I love my comments and I really would like to be able to answer a lot of you.  But, when I get an email with your comment in it - more often than not there is a no-reply email address.  That means I can't email you back to answer your questions or to just thank you for stopping by.  Some of my very best blog friends even have no-reply emails when they leave a comment *Heidi*cough*Sue*.  There is a great little tutorial over at Hi! Sugarplum that will walk you through changing it so that I can see your email and respond to you.  Your email address won't show up in the comments and no one will ever see it except for the person that you leave the comment for when they receive the email with your comment in it.  It's easy and painless, I promise.

And now, that concludes the business portion of the post.  :)

This Weekend

We went to the Mardi Gras parade.  I know I get really excited about any and all holidays, but honest to Pete, Mardis Gras is my very favorite day of the year.  The parade is so much fun - everyone is dressed crazy and the mood is just awesome.  

People go crazy for sill strings of plastic beads.  Everyone is in a great mood and everyone is having so much fun.  I enjoy it so much.  It really is one of my favorite days.  I got a few quick photos on my phone, but not very good ones.  I couldn't have a camera in my hands, I had to catch some beads!  We caught 200 strands between the three of us.  Such fun!

(Stolen from the internet...not our buffet)

We ate at the Chinese Buffet.  I don't like to go there very often, but when we do - YUM.  They have a hundred dishes, but I pick things out of about six dishes and make my own concoction.  I bet they just love me there. 

   

We finished the Fire Pit.  And made a fire.  We didn't have enough bowling balls to go around it, but I remembered that I had a stack of glass blocks, so we added those in and finished it off.  I liked it and the look of the fire through the blocks was cool.  In order to get the fire out, The Breadman completely doused the fire and the surrounding area with water which shattered several of the blocks.  Bad, Breadman. So, we still need to figure out something else.  I cannot imagine this family ever completing an entire project in one fell swoop anyway.  Sigh.

I sat on the couch and watched an entire naughty movie with swear words all by myself and didn't have to worry about anyone hearing them.  You have no idea what a rare thing that is - I never just watch a movie during the day or any other time, really.  The boys were working on the fire and since I am allergic to smoke, I got to go inside.  Heh heh.  I watched Bad Teachers which was totally awful with the sexual innuendos and swearing not to mention the overall horrible behavior of the teachers.  But, I laughed and laughed. 

I went to Goodwill to the 85% off sale and didn't find a single thing worth buying at 85% off.  I did buy a set of wooden doll bunkbeds and a small chalkboard for the booth.  There was a man walking through Goodwill singing "I will always love you" at the top of his lungs.  Weird, since Lady Antebellum was playing on the intercom.

I scavenged in the dumpsters up the street by flashlight late at night, much to the embarrassment of The Bean.  The people moved out last weekend and this weekend, a load of Bagsters was delivered and the owners started cleaning out the house.  They sat some shelving, a TV stand, TV, VCR/DVD and the appliances out by the road as well as filling up three Bagsters.  One man's trash is another's treasure, so I went to have a look.  The Bean came along to make sure I was safe out in the dark.Sadly, it really was all trash.  I did find five brand new rolls of wrapping paper still sealed up, a nice pair of sunglasses in a velvet bag and four new Kerr canning jars.  Sunday they added more, so we went for a second look.  This time the overwhelming stench of the remains of the freezer drove me away.  As  I was going up the sidewalk on my way back, I looked over my shoulder and The bean was coming with a huge safety cone he found beside the Bagster.  "What are you going to do with that?" I asked.  "I don't know......but it is COOL," he said.  That kid has his Mom's junking genes.  Even if he doesn't want to admit it.

So, what did you do this weekend?

The Booth........Again

Today I worked in the booth.  I took a lot more out and took some things down.  I'm starting to get a feel for what sells and what doesn't.  Since I love holidays so much, I have to make a holiday display.  That is a no brainer.

 I took down the Valentine's day display today.  I only sold a few things from it, but that's okay.  It's not exactly the biggest decorating holiday (even though I have a living room full and two trees up!).

 I still need to find a better way to display linens.  I sell a lot of tea towels, aprons and linens.  The booth has this 2x4 that runs right across the booth at about my eye level, so it makes it difficult to hang anything at that level.  I know those linens are too high (and quite messy in this photo), but I haven't figured out anything else yet.  Any ideas?  I want an old ladder to put on the wall, but I haven't found one yet.  That old suitcase on the bottom is full of linens too and people just love to dig in it.  Lordy, they make a mess.  But, that's okay,  As long as they keep on buying, I don't mind.  

I took in a few picnic baskets.  I noticed that even on the cover of Country Living magazine this month they had a Redman picnic basket, so I am hoping that maybe they will start selling.  They do make great storage. I have a lot of things on those shelves.  I need to clear a bit of it out, but I can't seem to decide what to pull and what to leave, so I just leave it all.  :)

 More and more stuff.  I moved all those pennants at the bottom after I took this photo.  I know those things will be strewn about.  I want to hang them on lines across the top of the booth, but it is eight feet tall and I can't reach it - even on the ladder.  Oh, the problems us shorties have.....

I broke into my stash this time and bundled up old BINGO cards, Lotto Cards, Flash Cards, tickets and letter cards.  I have spools of Baker's Twine and bundles of paper straws too.  I'm hoping some Pinterest Fans will see these things and get some ideas.

 I got all these old pennants for FREE at a yard sale many years ago.  I have been hanging onto them forever.  I hope they sell.  There are some neat ones in there.

 This is an awkward corner, but I seem to have it filled up.  The old coke crate is actually for sale, but I put a few things in it anyway.  Old soda crates are all the rage again.  I have about 35 of them in my garage, but I'm not ready to sell them yet.  When I was a kid, my Dad went to the Coke bottling company and bought brand new un-circulated Coke crates and put them in my room for shelves.  I also picked them up anytime anyone returned one for deposit when I worked in the grocery store.  I knew they would be popular one day.  And they are!

Since it is too early to decorate for Easter, I decided to take all my vintage games and make a display. 

  I collect old wooden game pieces, so I have all these neat old game boards leftover.  A lot of them would look really neat framed.  I see now that I shouldn't have put a boring old Scrabble game on the front.  Most of them are really neat.

I had a lot of games, card sets, and game pieces to fill up my old cabinet.  I hope some of them sell.  I have lots of Easter to get in there next!

Have you seen any neat display ideas lately?  I want to make this booth work well and be fun to shop.  And, guess what?  I am getting a second booth in this location soon.  And, guess what else?  I am going to start working at the Flea Market too.  Like running the joint!  But, only one day a week.  And only for five hours on those days.  I wouldn't want to get carried away or anything.  It's just enough hours to help out the owners.  I'll work and they won't charge me rent or commission.  More $$$$$ in my pocket!  Sweet!  And, I can price my things and work my booth when I am there, so no more special trips out there.  Sounds like a win-win to me!

French Kiss

Happy Valentine's Day.  I hope you and your sweetie have a lovely day.  No matter who your sweetie is - your husband, your boyfriend, your partner or your kiddos.  

I <3 Valentine's Day.

My sweetie is The Bean.  He has been a Mama's boy his whole life and that is OKAY by me.  I know he is about grown up, but he still loves his Mom and I am blessed to have him love me.

When he was in Kindergarten, he would come home from school and want to "SMOOCH".  Now,  to my little cherub five year old, "smooching" meant getting big hugs and squeezes and spending time together.  That's just what he called "SMOOCHING".  Well, one day, during our smooch session, he reached up and grabbed my face and held it as hard as he could.  Then, in a very excited voice he said, "Let's FRENCH KISS!"  and quick as that he came moving in on me and I was completely freaking OUT!  He was so strong, he had my face in a headlock and I couldn't squirm loose!  His little face zoomed into mine and then........he kissed me on the right cheek and then............he kissed me on the left cheek.  "That's how they kiss in FRANCE!!!" he said. He French Kissed me. 

I can't wait to tell that one at his wedding.

Have a lovely Valentine's day.  

And French Kiss someone today.  

The Bean's way or the fun way!

25 Things

There is a big party on the internet today where you have to write 25 things about yourself.  I don't really participate in parties, but I thought I would give this one a go.

Hang on 'cause here we go.............

1.  I have nicknames for nearly everyone I know and people I don't even know.  Crazy Carl, Baldo Geraldo, Hoodie, Auction Guy, Lady Across the Street (clever, no?), etc.

2.  We name our cars and appliances.  We drive Stu the Vue.  We used to have Stan the Van.  When we sold it to a Mexican family a few door down, we renamed it Jaun the Vaun.  The Breadman drives Chuck the Truck.  Currently, Justin Beeper is beeping at me to get the clothes out of the dryer.  My Mom drives Eddie, Junior and Bob.

3.  I don't eat creamy white stuff - mayo, macaroni salad, salad dressing, gravy, cream of anything soups, seafood salads, etc.  Ick.

4.  I eat all of one thing before I move on to the next item.

5.  My food cannot touch.  Sometimes I use three or four vessels for my food so it won't touch - potatoes on the plate, chicken on the plate, ketchup in a dish, salad in a bowl, dressing in a dish.....  It makes for a lot of dishes.  Which is bad because...

6.  I do not own a dishwasher.  I have never had a dishwasher.  I wouldn't even know how to use one.  I would probably hand wash them before I put them in the dishwasher.

7.  I hide dirty pans in my oven until I wash them later in the day.

8.  I don't like Will Farrell comedies.  However, Elf is one of my favorite movies.

9.  I have never sen a Brad Pitt movie.  Nothing against him,  I just never have seen one of his movies.  I am considering Moneyball.  Which is odd - I hate movies about sports.

10. When I had a real job, one of my responsibilities was deciding what junk to put near the registers to make your kids fall down screaming for it RIGHT NOW.  Not candy, but little toys and odds and ends.

11.  11 is my favorite number.

12.  I want to get an 11:11 tattoo on my wrist.

13.  Inside one of my cabinet doors I have photos of guys I <3 including Christian Slater, David Beckham, Jeremy Sisto (the dad on Suburgatory), Mark McGwire (need to update my door, apparently), George Clooney, Paul Rudd, Matthew McConaughey, John Ritter and Mister Rogers.  Don't judge me.

14. I never got a proposal or an Engagement ring.  Not sure how I ended up married.

15.  I felt pride in my heart when I spotted a Redman picnic basket on the front cover of Country Living magazine this month.

16. I love new paper, new pens, fresh markers and new Sharpies with firm points.

17.  I have a fear of being called up on stage.  Even at a concert with 10,000 in the audience.  They are going to call me up.  I know it.

18.  Carnations are my favorite flower.  Most people don't like them, but I really do.  I don't like roses much.  I usually receive roses from TBM. (But, at least I do sometimes get flowers).

19.  Rice gives me the hiccups.  Hiccups which as so bad that I often end up throwing up.  And tuna.  And white bread.  And turkey.  I call a tuna sandwich the "Sandwich of Death".

20.  I am allergic to the tree in our front yard.  It is as Sycamore and has balls on them that fall in the yard and make a mess.  When I am around it I hack and cough and get congested.  I call the balls, "Exploding Balls of Death".

21.  Did I mention I give things nicknames?

22.  I am afraid to Bungee jump, but I would like to jump out of a plane.

23.  I cannot see a red cup of any sorts without having "Red Solo Cup" play in my head for hours on end.  (And, now you won't either....)

24.  Twenty one years ago, I was 24 years old.  But, I think I am only about 24 still.

25.  I need to go to the Super Cheap Thrift right now.

Care to play along?

This and That, Books and Bowling Balls

Hey.  Long time, no blog.  For me anyway.  I have been doing some thrifting and my Valentine decorations are up.  Sadly, my camera has decided to stop working which is really putting a damper on my blogging and ebay listings.  It is still under warranty, but will have to be mailed in, repaired and then returned to me, so no telling how long it will be before I get it and am able to get back on the blogging and listing road.  So, I found a nice camera on Amazon that will be here next week.  It will fill in until mine is back in my hands.  Then I can keep the other one in my purse or in the car so I always have it.  I know I have the iPhone, but I can't get into using it for all my photo taking needs.  It takes great photos outside, but all my inside photos are washed out and not very good at all.

Here's a photo I took of my Valentine Tree - see how bad the color is?  But!  Did you notice?  I am using the PINK Evergleam tree.  It is lovely and fun to see in my living room all prettied up instead of siting on the shelf in the garage.  

(Photo taken from my iPhone.  It really does take lovely outdoor photos).

I have a new obsession:  Book folding.  Take an old book and fold the pages in different ways to create patterns.  Some people can do beautiful creations like this:

Source: jeanniejeannie.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

  

I opted for a much less stressed version created by The T Cozy.  

I used an old Nancy Drew book that I had and made this pattern that looks like a Chinese Lantern.  It's really sort of calming to do.  I cannot just sit and look at the TV - I have to have busy hands, so I always have a project going in the evenings.  This is great for that, I can watch American Idol or Survivor (it starts Wednesday Laurie!) and keep my hands busy while I watch the show.  I am working on a different pattern that I worked out myself now.  I have plans for a heart book too.  I stopped in the library today to pilfer through the FREE book bin and I found several with pretty colored covers and end pages.  Like I really need another project and another excuse to drag home more crap.  Books especially!  Yikes!


A few weeks ago, I said out of the blue..."It would be fun to have a fire pit in the back yard."  Well, The Bean grabbed a shovel and went to work.  

 If you don't know this about Arkansas, you should.  You cannot dig a hole in Arkansas.  The ground is solid rock.  And the dirt, if you are lucky enough to come across any, is bright red.  When they built all the houses on our block the land was located in a flood zone, so they brought in over a hundred dump trucks full of dirt and filled up the flood zone.  So, we have really good deep dark soil in our entire yard.  The Bean was able to dig and dig without any trouble.

He dug it our nice and round, smoothed it all out and made a really nice big hole.  Since then, we have added and and gravel to the bottom for air and some logs.  We haven't made a fire yet.  Funny thing is - I am allergic to smoke.  Ha.  But, I will tough it out one of these days and have myself a S'more.

We needed to put something around it for safety reasons.  We went to Lowe's and looked at landscaping bricks.  They were nice and they would work, but were they really us?  I mean we have a chippy pink glider and a fireplace mantle against the fence and wind chimes made out of tin cups and a six foot tall tin man in the corner and an old grocery cart full of plastic chickens and a lot of other weird things in our yard.  Store bought landscaping bricks just seemed a little bit too ordinary for this house and this family.  What could we use that we already own that would fit in?  Wait!  I think I've got it!

Bowling balls!  

What?  You don't have a dozen old bowling balls in a wheelbarrow in your backyard?  Huh.  I just assumed everyone did!  Now The Bean is troweling out little indents for each ball to sit in perfectly.  We need a few more bowling balls, but each of these have come to us along the way at thrifts and yard sales, so I know more will come along soon.  And, as odd as it sounds, bowling balls really are more us!  

The Week in Junk

Thursday I was on the way to the Super Cheap Thrift (you have no idea how many emails I get from locals or people visiting the area that say they can't find the SCT in the phone book.  Ha!  That is just what I call it!  That way it is my secret!).  Anyway, I was on the way to the SCT when I saw a BIG SALE sign.  Screeeeech.  It is February and not exactly yard sale season, but the weather is so darn ince that people should be selling their crap - people are clambering to do things and go junk hunting.  (My, I am getting off topic here aren't I?) Okay, so, I was on the way to the SCT and I saw the sign, so I hit the SCT, then swung back around to hit the BIG SALE.  I'm sure you can figure out that the BIG SALE wasn't too big once I found it, but it may have been earlier in the day.  It was actually in seven abandoned storage units - all owned by the same man.  This man liked to go to stores that were closing and buy all the fixtures and equipment.  By the time I got there, it was mostly junk that I couldn't use like six ungodly bright yellow hard melamine booths from a convenience store and fifty bgs of concrete (which were free) and a china cabinet that had good bones, but needed way more help that I had to offer up.

I did find several, old beat up menu boards in a couple of the units.  The boards were plastic and had little to no character, but they had hundreds of letters on them.  Plus, I found two plastic boxes full of letters and several stacks of letters still connected in there original boxes.  I have a nice sturdy old menu board and have been looking for more letters for it, so I bought all the boards and the letters. Then I came across a box that weighed a ton - I couldn't even lift it it was so heavy.  It said $5.00 for the box, so I decided to take a chance on it.  I could see it was full of staplers - both new and cool old ones, old hole punches, some neat old date stamps (that ended in 1979) and some other random office-y type things.  When I unloaded it at home, I discovered the reason the box was so blasted heavy.

This old Paymaster Check writer was at the bottom of the box.  I have one of these already and I have shuffled it from booth to booth and marked it down repeatedly.  But it is just a plain old gray one and the key is missing.  This one is art deco looking, a fantastic color of green and it has the key.  A similar one sold on ebay for $89.00, so it will go there.  Shipping will be a bear cost-wise, but they pay it, not me.  Whew!

The rest of the office stuff will go either in my junk drawer or in the booth for a few bucks each.  Not bad on my $5.00 investment.  

Saturday I was at Goodwill when one of the clerks came out with a big armload of colorful fabric or maybe a bedspread or, well, I really couldn't tell what I actually was - but it looked cool.  So, I followed her!  When she walked over to the luggage area and dumped it all, I was confused as to what it was.  But, then I realized it was a whole bunch of new with tags Vera Bradley stuff.  I started grabbing it all up (as if there were hoards of people with knives behind me itching to get at it....Not) and told The Bean -"Go get a cart!"  He knows I have found a deal when I say that, so he went running.  It ended up being two garment bags, a huge weekender, a book cover, jewelry bag, hanging travel cosmetic bag, a cinch cosmetic bag, a curling iron case and another little travel bag.  It all had the tags on it and was unused. I spent a bit more on all of it than I normally like to spend.  But, I will just list it on ebay, cross my fingers and wait.  The pattern is Royal and retired in 1998.  Maybe someone still wants it.  And is willing to pay for it.  :)

Actually, if I can sell the garment bags for what I think they will sell for - I am going to keep the giant tote for myself.  That thing is huge!

Other finds along the week include this crusty old metal stool.  Perfect for sitting on and scooting around the driveway while I price things.  Or I might sell it.  $3.00 at a new "junk shop".

Interesting PINK pottery piece with three individual vases.  Looks good with my pottery and it was 50¢.

One cute vintage deer Salt or Pepper shaker - 50¢.  I seem to sell single S&P's in my booth a lot.

This cute little bowl was 50¢ too.  I've never seen this line of dishes, but I think it is pretty darn cute.  To the booth it will go.  

A Josef's Original #9 Birthday Angel.  Either for my birthday collection or the booth.  I'm not sure yet.  I'm a looooong way from 9!  But it is cute.  Hmmmmmm....

A big copper loving cup - it's not exactly new, but it's not 3exactly old either.  I don't know - I thought I could do something with it along the line - make a trophy, use it for display or something like that.  

And a turkey for my turkey collection.

My Turkey Collection.

(I swear, I really do collect everything!)

Although I have plenty of stuff around here, I am itching for yard sale season to start so I can find new old crap for my booths!  I got paid for both my booths and my ebay sales for January, added up the sales, subtracted rent, commission, ebay fees, PayPal fees and ATM fees and guess what - I am actually FINALLY making some real money to contribute to the household.  It makes me feel great that my junking is finally starting to actually help out our little family unit. And, the added benefit is that I MUST THRIFT to make more money.  There are worse things, right?  :)

Valentine Heart to Heart Swap

For the past few years I have been lucky enough to be included in Sarah's Heart to Heart Swap.  I've stopped participating in all swaps, but I can't seem to give up the Heart to Heart Swap.  Fifteen people make fifteen "Valentine's", ship them off to Sarah and then she shuffles them around and sends us back a box full of everyone else's Valentine's.  I consider myself blessed to have a lot of different little pieces of art from fellow bloggers and artists.  

My contribution this year started out as a heart shaped cardboard box - painted pink and then coated with a healthy sparkle of glitter.

I added a strip of vintage pink velvet ribbon and a pink carnation.

Wrapped it up in cellophane to complete the idea of a box of chocolates.  

I hope everyone will open it - just don't try to eat the candy!

I can't wait so see all the other fun Heart 2 Heart items I get in return!

Do you do any swaps anymore????

My First Career

When I was little, I was a model.  Not a paid for model.  But, my Grandmother owned a portrait studio and she always took a couple of photos of me each year for my parents.  But, sometimes she needed a model to pose for her so she could tryout new lights and lenses and backdrops.  Sometime she would take 100 or more photos of me.  I know that doesn't sound like much now in the days of Digital cameras - heck I can take 100 pictures of trees in the park (and I have) nowadays.  But, back then, the lights had to be reset and different lenses added and removed from the camera and different backdrops had to be raised and lowered.  Oh, and heaven forbid I sore the same clothes in more than a handful of photos - I had to change clothes and redo my hair with coordinating headbands and Yarn Doodles.  If you don't know what a hair doodle is, well, then you are too young to be reading my blog Missy.  :)  

When I was five years old, we moved to Arkansas which meant the photo shoots became rarer only when I visited Kansas.  But, when my Grandmother came to visit us -- well that was a great excuse for an OUTDOOR photo shoot.  In the heat!  In the sun!  In the woods!  In the rocks!  On a hill!  On a cliff!  Near some snakes!  Ack!  It's really no secret why there are no photos of me since 1988.  I had a camera in my face for the first fifteen years of my life.  

This photo was taken in Arkansas, right down the road from our house on a part of the highway that overlooked the lake.  It became a family favorite.  One of my Uncle's recently told me that this still his favorite photo of me.  This was the first photo we took that day but we progressed to the woods and to the lake and to other hot and dirty places before the day was over.  

I particularly remember my Mom's face when my Grandmother suggested I jump out of our VW Bus (oh yes we did....) and climb into the Shale Pit in my white tights and new dress.  But, we both knew not to argue, just get it done.  So, into the Shale Pit I went.  **That is not a Yarn Doodle in my hair - that is just an ordinary piece of white yarn.  I remember my knees and hand were black with Shale soot.

I still have that dress.  It hangs on my office door with a photo of me in it clipped to it.  I love seeing it everyday.  It recently occurred to me how very 1970's it is and how current it also looks.  I think if I had a little girl, she would be wearing it!  

(Hmmmm...I wonder if it would fit Hazel?)

It Was Worth A Shot

Today I saw TWO yard sales in my area so I hopped in the car and went looking.  I never did find the first one.  Damn little teeny signs with bad directions.  I knew where the second sale was and I thought it had promise since the ad read:  Large Indoor Sale with a lot of everything.  HA!  Wrong-O.  The sale was outside a building and there were three tables of junk, and I do mean junk and one rack of stinky clothes.  Sigh.  I know it's Winter and no one is having sales yet, but I got really excited when I saw there was a yard sale.  Patooie.  I did buy an old metal tool box that is the loveliest metallic blue color.  I will use it in the booth to hold sheet music.  I'm glad to have it, but it really wasn't worth the makeup and the gas it took to get there.  :(

After those disappointments, I stopped in at a thrift that I have only been to once.  I used to go there a lot, but then they moved to a smaller location and it wasn't worth going to anymore.  But, I found myself in the area so I stopped in - once again, it wasn't really worth stopping.  I did find three weird things to buy.  When I checked out, the guy said, "Boy, you really needed those three things.  I bet you couldn't have lived another day without those three things!"  He said it nice and he was only joking, but he should be happy that I came in and bought the three weird things in his store!  No one else would have bought them, I betcha.

Here's the blue toolbox and the three weird things - a teak nose (I told you they were weird!), a ginormous paper clip and an old receipt spike.  Those little craft cups came from Goodwill later in the day.  I think I have six of those receipt spikes now.  I just throw them in a drawer for now.  I consider it my moral obligation to remove them from the thrift stores so a kid won't poke his eye out with one.  

On to Goodwill to drop off some donations and have a look around.  I'd be better off if I only donated, but you know you just have to take a peek.  So, I peeked.   

I didn't find much of anything, so I decided to take a chance on this big cardboard box that seemed to have gift bags and wrapping paper in it.  I figured for $5.00 I would take a chance on it.  After all, all my other Spidey senses had rocked for the day, right? 

I found a few big new gift bags that I can use.

Over thirty packages of older wrapping paper - most still wrapped and including a couple pretty sweet ones.

A ribbon - lots or vintage ribbon.  Velvet ribbon, Sasheen ribbon, lace ribbon and some ungodly bright orange yarn that is screaming to be used on The Bean's next birthday.  There's also a bow maker in there along with bow pins and instructions as well as a snowflake ornamen kit.  (Hey!  How'd that nose get in there???)

As I sorted the ribbons, I spotted a hidden surprise.  Do you see it?

A vintage spun head Bride and Groom!  Eek!  That tiny little find made the day out  completely worth it.  Maybe my Spidey senses aren't entirely whacked after all.  

What's in THAT basket?

(I thought of something to talk about!  My junk!  Woo-hoo.)

Sitting beside my refrigerator, I have an old freezer basket chock full of kitchen-y goodness.  I don't think anyone, including me, knows how much stuff is in this basket.  Let's delve in and have a look, okay?

Here's the basket.  Forgive some of these photos - I took them with my iphone and I am still learning how to use that contraption.  (But, oh Lord, I love that thing...)

First and foremost, the infamous crocheted watermelon potholders.  I never set out to collect them.  I rescued them one by one from yard sales and thrift stores.  Some have even come my way from blog friends.  Tonight I counted and I have 51 of them.  Crazy, I know.  

Along with watermelon potholders, I love and appreciate anything utilitarian that someone put their hard work and time into creating.  Doilies and potholders are another weakness.  The SCT often puts a bundle of three or four out for 25¢ and I always snap them up.

I like red ones the very best.  Each one is different hand has a different use.  That ruffly one on the top is a pot scrubber.  Can you imagine scrubbing a crusty old pot with that beauty?

I have a few in orange.

A few more in yellow.  

This doiley is huge - it goes in the center of a table with all the Daffodils around it.  It is fantastic.  And a favorite of my Mom's. :)

Of course, you have to have green.  That lily pad potholder is divine.

And you really must have blue too.

Maybe even a purple or two.....or three.  The tiny one is a wee little coin purse.

Then there are some in all different color schemes.  I love the two pansy doilies in the corner.  I've never figured out how they made that swirly one in the bottom corner either.  So sweet.

 Wait!  Did I mention pink?  You have to have PINK!

These trivets are made out of bottle caps - each one carefully crocheted with tiny little loops around each bottle cap.  A couple of the grape clusters have gotten too close to the hot burner over the years, but that doesn't bother me - I still like them.

You would think that was close to the end of the basket, but you would be WRONG.

Hey - how did those wooden ones get in that basket?

A few more colorful items.  The red, white and blue one is a dishcloth.  Like I could ever use that beaut!

There are dresses and undies.  :)

And lots of potholders too.  

Feedsack potholders, kiwis from Australia, sweet embroidered apple faces and rug hooked houses.

 And the final addition arrived in the mail today:

Eight tiny aprons meant to be "worn" on a Soda Bottle with the straw tucked neatly in the pocket.  The 1950's version of Wine Charms.  I saw them in Beth's Etsy Shop last week and I tried to resist them.  They were still there three days later so I decided fate wanted them to be mine!  And now they are. Love!

Do you think I can put anything else in that basket?

I think I can!  I know I can!  I know I will!

Do you have any secret stashes?