Blogland Catch Up

It's been a while since I posted so I
thought I would just play a little catch
up today.


First up is an interesting pentagram shaped tomato. It was the best tasting one that I got out of my garden...umm, I wonder why that is.


These are some of the bracelets that I made out of recycled belts from the thrift store. They are so boho and fun. I am putting some of them up for sale. Let me know if you are interested. The two on the left top I made for me though.

As the wheel turns.....this is the sunset on my sun wheel that I made from honeysuckle vine last year, what a lovely sight this was.

This morning I was greeted by my two sweeties enjoying some alone time together, while they let me sleep in. A great two-fer that was, Sophie and her dad got to catch up and enjoy each other's company and I got to sleep in for the first time this week!

Last but not least, I started on fall classes this past Monday. A full class load; art appreciation, algebra, world literature, Spanish and world history. So far it looks like all the classes are going to be very interesting with interesting and entertaining professors.

Boho Thrifting

Check out these thrifty finds from yesterday's outing.....a gorgeous quilted shoulder bag...gotta love that big flower.

A fabulous alligator clutch wallet (David believes it is real, which doesn't thrill me, but....), a brand new patch and ribbon set to customize jeans, and a lovely Guatemalan worry doll headband for Sophie, its a little too small for me. :(

Also found these three card games in perfect never been played condition. They all sound like so much fun, especially the Storyteller one. Can't wait to get the kids together and try them out.

Thrifting, I miss you......

I am having severe thrifting withdrawals lately. Ever since our vehicle broke down at the first of June, I have had no opportunity or cash actually, to check out the thrifty summer finds at my favorite local haunts and flea markets. I just know I have missed out on some wonderful things. :( LOL

The lamps in the living room and the beaded

animal fringe around one of them.

A lovely set of canisters for my herbs.

A darling garden sign.....

Of course, I have not wasted any money on things that I don't really need but just loved; and I have less 'stuff' in my house than I might have had otherwise. Those are pluses, I guess.

The beautiful witch ball .....

Just to satisfy myself, I am posting a few of my favorite thrifty finds from the past. Maybe it won't be long til I can get back to my passion.

A necklace made of seeds and beans and nuts, what a lot of effort someone put into this

these gorgeous, bohemian shoes...OMG....do you love them?

And........the fabulous, bohemian patchwork suede jacket!!!

And from the flea market, my pentacle that now graces the outside upper story of Witchwood...appropriate don't you think?

In my garden

We finally got our rain barrels set up, just in time for April's rains. We now have two of them, with plans for two more. One on each corner of the house. Since we have a multi level house, we can actually accommodate two more, for a total of six. But I don't know if we will try for that many or not. The first one is set up by the back door near the recycle bin. David rigged it up to the gutter downspout with another piece of gutter acting as a sealed off diverter. It works wonderfully and the barrel was full to the brim after the rains last week. We just need to get a piece of screen to keep the mosquitoes out this summer.

The second one is on the front corner of the house. He used a recycled hose to connect it to the gutter, via a hole drilled into it. This is a permanent fix, so don't do this if you are renting or don't plan to keep your rain barrel up for good. We are waiting for the rains today to see how well this works because it is a smaller opening than the other one.

These barrels are blue, but I would love to paint them up something like some of these I found around the web.

Love the sunflowers and the frog! What a wonderful way to save water this is. We saved alot last year and this year we will have so much more. Once they are all four set up we will have water within a short distance of every garden area we have. Yeah!

In other news.....our peas are up and growing well. Sophie is very excited and cannot wait to be able to eat sweet peas fresh from the garden where she grew them herself.

Thrifty Hippie Find

Check out this awesome suede patchwork jacket that I found at the local thrift store. I am so loving this thing! It is so retro looking, but I believe it is fairly new, though I can't find one online like it anywhere. It is suede patchwork with faux fur around the collar and cuffs. Love, love , love it!!! It so fits in with the boho style I have embraced.

Lovely Thrifting

Check out my thrifting score this week! Four ceramic clasp-locking canisters. In four sizes, only one had the little wooden spoon, but hey......I plan to store dried herbs in them. I have most of my herbs in recycled glass jars, which is great, but these are so pretty, don't you think?

Freeganism Revisited

This is what greeted me on Mother's Day evening. David found these in the dumpster at our local CVS Pharmacy. In the dumpster! There is nothing wrong with them, and there were many, many more that he did not get. They were marketed for Mother's Day and thrown out at the closing of business on that same day. These flowers are in perfect condition, all bulbs, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, and amaryllis. This is so disgusting to me, the waste. These could have been donated to retirement homes and nursing homes to those who have no family to give them the brightness of fresh flowers. Or to those in the hospitals. What a waste, I am glad to have saved some of them, most now reside in my gardens. See the photo below. (For more on freeganism...check this out.)

A Thrifting We Will Go

Hit some thirft stores today. Found some vintage fabric for more skirts! A large piece of pink felt for crafts, some yarn in some 'to die for' colors, a BH&G Treasury of Needlecrafts, from teh early 80's I think. And a cute vintage totebag, small enough for Sophie to use for books etc. All for $7.

Little Altars Everywhere

Well its been awhile since I did one of these posts. Since I've been dealing with some depression over the state of our finances, or lack thereof, and David's health issues, I thought that focusing on some good things might be a way to help bring myself out of it. So here is

my kitchen window above the sink. In the center hangs my 'kitchen witch' made of broom straw, thrifted by David for .50, on the left is a suncatcher with blue and green glass, on the right is a tiny Willendorf Venus figure made by a local artist, and above it all, a Mexican clay sun plaque from the local dollar store. It is a little altar in itself and it brings me joy while I wash up and c

Vintage Spring Linens

Ah, spring. I love when its time to change the linens from winter to spring. This is a lovely vintage set that I got for Sophie while thrifting last fall. It includes a solid teal sheet underneath and the duvet cover and sham with flowers. Lovely.......along with the spring morning light coming in her bedroom window. Ah.....spring.

Recycled T-Shirt Shopping Bags!

Well, this is not a great picture. Martha's is a better one. http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=37b1b744dd165110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=t%20shirt%20tote%20bag&rsc=header_6 But I got four bags made in no time at all, and I am so psyched about making some of these to, hopefully sell. I have one that is from the "Hot Bagel Company" here in town, (free advertising, I guess), one from "Planet Hollywood", and one that says "Out Of This World Mom", and finally one from the gym that David and I met at, "The Lifter's Club", which is now out of business. These bags are really awesome! They can hold a lot of stuff, groceries, laundry, a few books even. (They have to be made of heavyweight cotton to be strong) I think this is a great idea, one that recycles t shirts, and who doesn't have a closet full that they don't wear anymore? Thrift stores are also full of them. Plus, it keeps you from having to use plastic bags, or even to buy those reusable ones that all the stores are selling, they are not that strong anyway. Whew! OK, I'm done raving about them. If anyone wants to buy one, let me know. I hope to have my first skirt done a photographed in the next week. Wish me luck.

Crafty Gatherings

Here, gathered by my sewing machine is the makings of my first hippie skirt. It is to be denim & blue calico patchwork with an appliqued sunflower on the front. I figure it will be my "logo" skirt, since I am calling my little cottage business, "Sunflower Designs", after my fave flower. I hope to get started on putting it together this week. I already have the denim cut up. These are actually recycled jeans.

The other plans I have are for recycled shopping/tote bags. One like I posted before, made from old t-shirts. The other is made from the seat of blue jeans. So cool. I will share a picture as soon as I finish the first one. Wish me luck on this venture. I am excited by the possibilities, and the fact that it is so "green" and eco-friendly for Mother Earth is the best icing! Whee!