A Model I'll never be

Why do I love following fashion blogs?

I love seeing what other women wear.

Not the In Style type of blogs, but the down-to-earth, every day blog of the common woman (if there is such a thing as a common woman).

(My style is skirts and cardigans for the winter/fall and skirts and knit tops for spring/summer.)

I love looking girly but I also love being comfortable and to me, skirts are more comfortable than pants.

At times other blogs give me a case of the "I wants."

They make me yearn for a cute outfit just like they're wearing.

Then I got to looking in my closet and know what I found?

A closet full of clothes that I would be longing for if I saw someone else modeling them.

I had the great idea that if I had pictures of my own clothes put together in actual outfits, then maybe I would appreciate what I have instead of wanting more.

So then I started wishing for a camera with a timer so I could make pictures of my own outfits.

After getting my son to snap my picture this morning I told him about my desire for a camera with a timer and he showed me that MY camera does indeed have a timer.

He even took the time to show me how to use it.

Sweet son.

So here's my outfit of the day (sans makeup). 

Remember when he snapped my picture it was early and it was windy and cold .

I know, excuses, right?

Sweater~The Limited (thrifted)

Camisole (Walmart, in the lingerie dept.)

Skirt~handmade by me

Shoes~I Love Comfort (Sears)

Necklace~ $3.90! (Body Shop)

Purse~handmade by someone else (thrifted, 50 cents)

I've finished my second cup of coffee while sitting here in front of my computer so now I'm getting up to finish my Monday morning household chores.  Then I'll make out my menu and head out to the grocery store (after I apply a little makeup). 

Maybe I'll have time to practice with my camera and tripod this afternoon.

I'd love to master the art of homemade fashion photography.

Want to join me?

I'd love to see what you're wearing today.

Leave me a link and I'll come take a peek.

Post linked to:  Visible Monday, Monday Mingle, Made By You Monday, Inspiration Monday
                       

New Project Alert!

New Project Ahead!

For the past several months I've been staying away from yard sales and thrift stores.  Yes, I've had withdrawals.  But now my dear friend, Kathy, has introduced me to refashioning.

Thank you, Kathy!

So, I went to a couple of yard sales early last Saturday morning.  I hit the jackpot at a church sale and came home with a bag full of projects for only $5.00!  A few of them are lined up waiting on me.

I now have enough projects to keep me happily occupied for weeks, and all for the amazing price of 19 cents per garment!

Stay tuned and I'll keep you updated as I begin my new hobby of refashioning.

Note: Are you interested in refashioning?  Just Google it and you'll find tons of inspiration!



Pie Maker's Helper

Meet my Pie Maker's Helper.  If you ever see one of these at a thrift store or flea market, snap it up! If you're a pie maker or know someone that is, you won't be sorry. I got mine at a Salvation Army thrift store many, many years ago and I think it must have been pretty old when I bought it.

I'm supposing my little friend was originally from Germany since the name looks German to me.  The pictures on the box tells of its many uses; it juices (Sorry, but I couldn't stand to peel that $1.00 price sticker off this side of the box.  It makes me smile every time I think of the steal I got.)

It separates eggs.

You just remove the little cover and crack the egg right into the separator in the top of the lid.  The white goes into the cup and the yolk stays in the lid.  I tried to get a picture of that, but have you ever tried to snap a picture while separating a slippery egg? 

I saved the best till last.  It makes the fluffiest meringue you've ever seen!

Look at these double beaters.  They whip up egg whites into a frothy meringue in less than a minute.  I add my cream of tartar and sugar right into the mixing cup and give it another whirl...

...and ta-da!  Perfect meringue!

I made this chocolate pie for our Sunday lunch.  My mother has been making this pie ever since I can remember.  You can find the recipe below.

*Note:  Pet milk is evaporated milk, or "canned milk" as we always called it.  I bake the pie for 15 minutes at 350 degrees after adding the meringue.

Please let me know if you try my recipe.  I'd love to hear what you think about it.

"Finish Up My Projects Week"

I did it!  I finished every project on my To-Do or my To-Finish list this week!  I finished up the week by making my winter's supply of apple-cinnamon jelly.  It's my favorite jelly to go with my buttery morning toast.  You can visit this archived post if you'd like full instructions for making your own fantastically yummy jelly.

After whining in this post about not being able to find the perfect brown skirt anywhere, I pulled out the ole cutting board and whacked my own out of the brown thrifted corduroy I mentioned.  I can make it just the way I want.

I'm so happy with the resulting skirt that I'm wearing it to the football game sweet hubby and I are attending this afternoon with our son at his college (which happens to be only about 10 minutes from our home).  



I decided the skirt was a little plain when made right by the pattern so I added a center front seam and my own back pocket design.  

You can't see the shoes I'm wearing, but they are my new favorites.  I ordered them from here and I'm loving them for fall!  They are so comfy and go with all my fall skirts.  I've never had real Italian shoes before! Hey, a girl's got to splurge some time.  Just think of all that money I saved by making my own skirt!

So, that's the big finale for my "Finish Up My Projects Week."  Thank you for joining me this week.  I appreciate every visit and every comment.  Now, I'm going out to enjoy this perfect fall weekend!

This post is linked to:  Show Off Your Stuff

My Project of the Day

I found this 80's plastic framed mirror at the thrift store Saturday.  I loved its detail and could just picture it repainted and hanging on my foyer wall.  So I paid the $4.99 minus the 15% discount and happily carted it away.  I stopped by Wal Mart on my way home for some Krylon Ivory spray paint..

After taping up the mirror real well (or so I thought), I gave her two coats of paint and  let it dry for several hours.  Overnight would be even better. 

Then I used what must be the best kept secret of do-it-yourselfers, Rub 'n Buff.  I bought it at Hobby Lobby.  I love the rich looking results I get and it is so easy to use! You just rub it on with your finger and then buff it with a soft cloth.  The more you buff it, the shinier it will be. I used it on this mirror makeover too.

Before Rub 'n Buff

After

Before Rub 'n Buff

After

She now hangs ever so proudly on my foyer wall.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow as I continue my "Finish Up My Projects Week."

This post linked to: 

Made by You Mondays

 Transformation Thursdays

 Tools are for Women Too

 Show and Tell Friday

 Frugal Friday

Going for the Gold on Pink Saturday...

...and spray painting it.

Being inspired by several creative bloggers, I have been on a treasure hunt in my own home looking for things that would benefit from a redo. I found this little candle holder and decided it would fit into my decorating scheme better if a different color. I forgot to get a "before" picture but I also forgot to paint the bottom of it, so there's no doubt what it looked like before, bright, shiny, metallic-looking gold.



And here's what I'm still working on when I get away from my spray painting for a while. I've got the blocks all made, now for putting them together. I'm making this into an afghan for the camper. The blocks are not all pink, those are just the ones that crawled to the top for the picture on this Pink Saturday.



I want to thank Beverly for sponsoring Pink Saturday and for featuring my blog this week. I want to welcome anyone that is visiting here for the first time. Please leave me a comment. I love meeting new friends!

Pink Saturday

It is a busy time around our home right now. We have a family reunion, a high school graduation, and a homecoming in the next eight days. Yes, life is busy, but it's fun and exciting! My crafts and projects are patiently waiting for me to return to them. I decided to picture a few of my projects, some old, some new, some future.

My little Matryoshka doll makes me smile every time I catch a glimpse of her sitting among the throw pillows on my wicker love seat. I fashioned my own pattern and made her out of happy, smiley colors.



I needed a place to stash some spools of my HUGE thread collection, but didn't have anything I felt was suitable...meaning pink, so I used rose-printed wrapping paper and lined a clear cookie jar. Voila...



...and a peek on the inside...



My sewing basket is stuffed and just begging me to make something from the overflow. Ideas are floating around in my head and one day soon they will materialize.



The needlepoint work on top of my sewing basket, alone, should be inspiration enough to get me started crafting again. I was so happy when I found this little basket at a flea market. I have never seen a basket on legs like this one...and with roses on top? There was no way I could come home without it. It has been by my side for several years now, just like a good friend.



Please drop by Beverly's place for a list of all the Pink Saturday participants this week. Now I'm off to cook for that family reunion!

It's Pink Saturday !

I am making my Pink Saturday post early this week because we are leaving out earrrrrrly Friday morning for Indiana. I get to see my girl and her hubby! You can't tell I'm excited, can you? I'm also excited about my Pink Saturday post today because I am showing you my favorite way to spend a late-winter's night.




First I wrap myself up in my fuzzy, cuddly, pink robe. (One of my very favorite thrift store finds. Ever!)




Then I slide my tootsies into their warm, pink booties.




Brew up a cup of chamomile tea. Serve it in my favorite mug...



pop in a fun, pink movie...



...and watch it with my sweet hubby. It doesn't get much better than that does it?

I won't get to make the Pink Saturday rounds this weekend, but I'm so glad you came by to visit me. I hope to be surprised with bunches of comments when I get home Monday. I enjoy them so much!

Are you like me and can't ever get enough pink? If so, then you'll want to go to Beverly's blog for a long list of Pink Saturday participants.

Blue Monday

Welcome to Blue Monday. I hope you had as beautiful a weekend as I did! Taylor and I skipped school for a little while early Friday morning for a wonderful indoor yard sale at a very large church in town. They had tons of items for sale at cheap, cheap, cheap prices! But, believe it or not, I only spent $4.50 and Taylor didn't buy anything.

Here is my favorite purchase. I found it as soon as I walked in the building and grabbed it right up before anyone else even spied it. I thought it would look wonderful in my kitchen and I didn't care if it worked or not. But, it does work! And the price? Fifty cents! I am so happy on this Blue Monday!

Pink Saturday

Welcome to Pink Saturday, and thank you for stopping by! I didn't have to leave home for my pink pictures this week. Won't you come in and stay awhile?

I rescued this vintage card, along with several others, from a sad ending. A thrift store moved into our little country neighborhood a while back and the owners were going through their stock and throwing away things they didn't want to keep. Would you believe they threw this beautiful card, and several others, away? They thought it was funny that I dug them back out of the trash can and hugged them to me like they were a great prize. The price? Free of course, it was just trash to them after all. One man's trash is a pink lover's treasure.


I got this beautiful rose night light at a thrift store in town for $1!


I love to crochet, and this little pink rose doily is one of my favorite creations. I learned to crochet about three years ago, and find it so relaxing.


This is my piano lamp. I recovered the shade with pink and white toile and added the trim so it would match everything else in my pink room.


This is another one of my crocheted doilies. I love my little white and pink corner of my living room. It looks so inviting to me. It's a good place to escape with a good book and a cup of hot tea.


I really didn't mean to have a "crochet" theme, but it seems to have turned into one. I actually crocheted this little drawstring purse for myself, but decided it looked like it was more for a little girl. I'm ashamed to say that I raveled it out and used the yarn some other way. I have wished many times that I had kept it and blessed some little girl with it. (I did keep the flowers and used them on another project.)



I'm so glad you joined me on this Pink Saturday. I visited Monica @ The White Bench this week. If you haven't visited Monica's blog, you need to check it out. You'll find such elegance there. She is previewing her own line of fashion totes and they are just beautiful! She is one talented lady!

Be sure to go by Beverly's blog for the complete list of Pink Saturday participants. And, while you're there leave Beverly a comment and let her know how special she makes all of our Saturdays. She's one sweet lady.