Saturday, February 27, 2010

...SeaCoins?!!

It all started simple enough...
with just an occassional find amidst the SeaGlass while walking the beaches ...


Soon, the finds where amassing
(only in intrigue and quantity (130+ total!!) - not monetary value!!)
Was there Buried Treasure just Off-Shore?!?




Our short escape to Paradise Island in The Bahamas for a quick 'SUNSHINE FIXX' was wonderful!!

...but this really isn't the quick ZAP back to reality that I needed to return to!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

... just the 'fix' I needed!!

Tuesday I had an appointment out of town. Thankfully the snow had avoided Central NY, so I was able to hit a few 'out-of-the-norm' thrifts! Nothing spectacular, but they were all trying to clear out their Winter Stock, so 50% off Clothes was the Deal of the day. At this point in the season - after 4 months straight of cold NE weather... of wearing the same sweaters day after day after day after day... a few 'new' & CHEAP pieces to get me through to Spring are a Welcome burst of variety!! J. Jill cardigan, vintage red cashmere cardigan, vintage Pendleton pullover, Old Navy pullover, New York & Co., NWT GAP turtlenecks, New 'old church lady knit' cap in chocolate tweed w/ pom-pom - (all for less than 10 bucks!) ... AND...


2010 VERA #3
A BLOUSE!! ...a truly horrible & lousy example, but for .75¢...
( I am so proud of myself, I came home, laundered my finds, and promptly sorted T.W.O. large bags from my closet for donation!!)

Wednesday I was kinda a 'downer' day, and I dawdled on my way home at a couple of thrifts. My mind was elsewhere, but look what did catch my eye - these sweet little 'kitties' in black & white, and a grey & pink... Happy V-day Me!!

VERA (2010 #4&#5)
Alas, when I pulled in the driveway, this greeted me on the back porch!! OH, sweet sugar mother-load (with some great towels and a lovely vintage red glass decanter for good measure!!) THANKS CHRISTINE - those chocolates are to die for, and I'm not normally a 'chocolate' person!
...and HAPPY V-DAY to all of You!!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

...the Cat's Meow

This morning I was back in the kitchen... doing something I truly enjoy - BAKING!!
...'cause you know what Today is...(DH is a die-hard Steelers fan, so 'technically' I am not favoring either team, but this tray 'just happened' to be the right size for transporting the cookies to the party we will be going to, and I have some great memories from a trip with a group of friends - Cat's Meow?!...)
LOOK what I found last week!! (2010 VERA #2)


HAVE A SAFE & FUN EVENING!!
"GO.... "
(as you all recall, this IS a STEELERS wreath!)

Thursday, February 4, 2010

...homemade point system?

WARNING!!
**IDLE RAMBLINGS TO FOLLOW **
One result of being Winterized (ie: house-bound by the snow/cold and in need of a good 'stuff' fix) is that you have Way-TOO-Much time on your hands doing mundane chores... thus resulting in Way-TOO-Much random thinking...
A couple of weeks ago, DH had surgery which left him completely house-bound, and me 'playing' nurse/maid for a few days. (Friends & Family Note: Not to worry... Out-Patient, Hernia - he's doing fine!) During that time I did Way more cooking (GASP!) than this girl has done in a long time. Now, anyone that knows me, KNOWS that I Bake. I do not cook. I do not like to cook. I enjoy baking. I like to bake. I Bake.
One night I was making 'homemade' zita - I've done this on numerous occasions - no biggie - even I can handle this one. I decided to look up some actual recipes on the computer to see if there was anything 'special' I should be doing with it other than the usual burger, pasta sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, spices, to zip it up a little - after all, poor DH had been suffering through my cooking for several meals now... The first recipe I came to had a list of ingredients a mile long!?! Upon inspection, I realized that they weren't using jarred 'Pasta Sauce' - rather, making their own with a can of tomato sauce and a bunch of spice. Not. I was fine with my jar. Was my 'jar' really that much more 'semi-homemade' than their can? What exactly defines 'homemade'? or even 'handmade' ?
What are Your definitions? Is it the number of pans dirtied? (Mrs. M!!) The number of hours spent? How much planning, time and heart went into it? Personally, I think definitions are changing with every generation - I know mine are different from my mothers! This is what 'The official' has to say...

Definitions according to Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: home·made
Pronunciation: \ˈhō(m)-ˈmād\
Function: adjective
1 : made in the home, on the premises, or by one's own efforts
2 : of domestic manufacture

Main Entry: hand·made
Pronunciation: \ˈhan(d)-ˈmād\
Function: adjective
1: made by hand or by a hand process

As defined by ETSY:
All items listed in the handmade Categories must be made by the Etsy seller;

Well that really narrows it down, now doesn't it? I guess we could all just go with 'Sandra Lee' and consider it Semi-homemade... hmphh!


Last Fall, DH passed the LEED Certification exam. If I am understanding it correctly (don't quote me!), LEED is an international system that governs the life-cycle of buildings (from concept to demolition) and their green 'foot print'. DH is a structural designer with a group of Architects/Engineers. How LEED effects them, is that in their designs they are allowed 'X' number of points for various categories (ie: Sustainable sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, etc...) - kind of a Weight Watchers Point system of sorts. Maybe a 'Homemade' points system is needed!.

... -1 pt.- I didn't make the mozzarella from scratch.... +1 pt. - shredding the cheese by hand ... 0 pt.- I didn't grow the tomatoes in my garden from seeds that I had saved from the previous season...+ 1/2 pt - recycling the glass pasta sauce jar, 1 pt for chopping up fresh onions, oh, + 3 pt - using all dried herbs from last years garden, and +1 bonus point for using meat that we KNOW is chemical free (purchased from our friend who's a 'hobby farmer').

Oh my gosh... I need a good garage sale - Soon.. PLEASE!!
(Valentine Hankie Photos are just 'filler' for lack of 'homemade/handmade' photos!)

Monday, February 1, 2010