...BERMUDA!

YEH! The plans are arranged, we're packing our 'shorts', Tees, boarding a big boat and crossing another thing off our 'Bucket List'!I'm putting a PLEA out there to "A.L.L." (ha~ha~ha~ha) of my avid readers...

Anyone have any suggestions for any 'MUST-DOs' on the Island???

J and I when we travel, love to explore off the beaten path ... Eat local seafood on rustic piers while watching the fishing boats bring in their daily haul ... walk for hours on deserted beaches, soaking up the sun while picking up what the tide washes in ... ~ just two Big kids (young at heart!). At the end of the day (or morning... or middle...) relax at a hole in the wall with the natives and throw back a couple (or more) libations 8-)

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP!!!!

...no more 'forcing'

Remember when...

a mere month ago I was cutting bare 'sticks' to bring inside ? ...now all of the R.A.I.N. and ONE glorious morning in the 70's has produced this!!

... and allowed me to transplant these.

But, alas, 'Here comes the rain again'. Now I am back to work on the computer, again, and not feeling guilty about being inside. Oh well. The few hours in the sun was nice while it lasted!

...can we say 'CREEPY BUNNY'?!

HAPPY DAY EVERYONE!!

MAY YOU ALL HAVE BREAKFAST/DINNER WITH YOUR FAVORITE BUNNY!...this photo is circa early 70's - the start of my 'artistic' career... winning an EASTER coloring contest, sponsored by GRANT's Five & Dime, - the prize: Breakfast with the Easter Bunny in the Bradford House!!

(I think I really wanted that basket-o-candy!!)

Do you think that I might have actually ate off of some Pyrex just. like. these.????

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

...the 'PRESTIGE' of 25 copper pennies!

FINALLY! The 'promised' recap of Recharge Journey...
(I'm sure you have all been sitting on the edge of your seats awaiting this )



Almost any trip involving 'S' & 'J' is bound to involve the seaside... That is just a given. Where there is sand and surf, there is generally seaglass. J had some amazing finds ~ as usual!

Since this was a 'Road Trip', with a limited amount of time - tropical & warm were out of the question!

So, we went for cheap, and used some FREE night promos in Atlantic City that J had earned as a result of our visit in November!

It was a 'bit' warmer this time, and we got to stay in one of the oldest hotels (turquoise) on the boardwalk!

We did TONS of w-a-l-k-i-n-g, and way-too-much-eating, and LOTS of people watching!!

One of the items on our itinerary was to 'return' this old JAMES taffy Barrel bank (pic on left) to it's original home.

We found it last summer at a sale and bought it on a 'whim'.

When we were visiting AC last, we stopped into JAMES TAFFY and discovered that they had lots of old AC memorabilia on display - but none of the original taffy barrels. They sell their taffy in new replicas, and have a large poster board telling the story and showing pictures of the original barrels. J and I KNEW that there could only be two outcomes from this... A) I would either start collecting AC stuff in full-force~or~B) I MUST get rid of that Creepy Clown ASAP!!! J was more than in agreement when I asked his opinion of possibly 'donating' it to the JAMES store if they would accept it. While in AC we did leave the barrel with the Lady working in the James store, who said that she would make sure that it got to 'Frank' the Manager who has been collecting for years ~ it is his collection that is on display. Who knows whatever will become of it, but it's home.

Another stop we 'had' to make was TIFFANY. ...just to pick up the SPRING '11 catalog, to drool! Same old scenario, you go in, looking rather 'weathered' from the wind on the boardwalk, the salespeople 'politely' ask if they can help you, when you say that you are 'just looking' you are immediately written off as 'rif-raf' and left to fend for yourself...

~UNTIL~

As you are just about ready to exit, you push up your sleeve to reveal a HEAVILY tarnished bangle, you ask a salesman standing near the doorway what the best way is to clean it is - with a cloth or a solution - SUDDENLY you have FIVE STAR STATUS in TIFFANY!! 'Doorway Salesman' jumps to attention, takes bangle from you, presents you with a 'complimentary' Tiffany Blue cleaning cloth, takes bangle to back room for thorough cleaning (NO CHARGE!). While you are waiting, A-L-L of the other salespeople are amazingly transformed by your sudden Status, ready to wait on you hand and foot!!

Yes folks. It happened. All J could do was just shake his head in disbelief. As you will recall, that now SHINY and PRESTIGIOUS bracelet cost me a mere 25 copper pennies!! I knew that I was into copper this season.

That was it! That's how 'S got her charge going!'

Now I'm back and ready to go!

I finished a new SPRING 2011 PLARN creation. A new style - smaller, only 12"x12" in my new Fav colorline of Red-Orange-Pink. I think that I may have to come up with some kind of a contest to name this colorway... Peach Melba, Orange Crush, Rainbow Sherbert, Citrus Punch, Tequila Sunrise....
Looking kinda sweet with my Samsonite train case and Vera Bradley accessories - huh?!!

For long-time followers/friends, you've heard stories of my next door neighbor

( 'Jsr' and his girlfriend 'J-20').
I got a call yesterday morning that 'Jsr' had died at age 93
May we all live by his example

...I PAINTED an EGG!!

S.T.I.L.L. playing catch-up from our time 'recharging' - you know the scenario...

Oh well. I know that the pile of laundry won't go anywhere without me! ...and for now, it can wait ~ more important things to do ~ like saling and egg 'painting'!! Vintage jet black glass beads... only purchase Sat morning from Rummage Sale...

Wednesday I was perusing the ads and found them rather sparse, with the only things sparking my interest being a Rummage Sale Sat. morning and a PYSANKY workshop Sat. afternoon.

After recently viewing some Ukranian decorated eggs, they have really piqued my interest, and for about the last month I have been chanting/pouting "I want to PAINT an EGG!" (though, it's not a method of 'painting' at all!).

The workshop was 3hrs.

A Perfect way to spend a rainy, dreary & windy afternoon

I completed 1 egg.

This egg is FAR FROM PERFECT!

I adore this little egg!

We were sent home with all the tools, wax and 5 packs of special dye - everything to continue on our way to make more eggs... Will I?A friend even loaned me her stash of books for ideas of patterns...

I think that I will just enjoy my little imperfect egg for a while.

...recharging

Fountain @ Letchworth State Park

If you are anything like me, you wait until your battery light is 'flashing' (camera), you're down to 'one bar' on (on your phone), one more 'straw' will make you snap (real-life) before you take the time to RECHARGE...

'Three Clip Find' @ Thurs night Rummage - Dress Clip $1, Glove Clip $1 and Sweater Clip 2011 #4 .25¢

When I got home from the rare, 'Thursday Night Opening' Rummage Sale, and 'J' suggested that since he had some vacay time to 'use-or-lose', that we should go AWOL for a few days - who was I to argue? It has been a L*O*N*G Winter, and this girl's soul could use a little recharging!!

Friday am we were on the road by 6am for a 2 1/2 hour drive for Breakfast! Not just any old breakfast... this is a right of passage into Spring! 'The Maple Tree Inn' is only open for a couple of months in the Spring while the sap is running. My parents started going there before I was born (and still do). Just tradition. Then a drive through Letchworth Park on the way home...

J thought that I was crazy the first time I dragged him 2.5 hours away for breakfast, but now I think that he enjoys it almost as much as I do!

Of course it is always a challenge as to which route we will be able to take to get there, as the shortest route consists of mostly 'Seasonal use only' dirt roads - luckily this year, those were all open & passable!! However, you have to stay alert for what may be in your path - even on the paved roads!! Aside from the NUMEROUS deer we had to avert, we also had to stop for a HORSE standing in the middle of the road, and we were glad this 'little' guy decided to stay on the shoulder of the road!

The journey is the BEST PART!!

Royal Haeger 1970's Earth Graphic Wrap & Textured Aqua Gold Tweed? (2011 #4 & #5)

The route home always involves LOTS of stops 8-) !!!

4 VERA placemats 2011 #9

VERA Smoke-ring Silk Scarf 2011 #10 ($1)

VERA square, teal scarf 2011 #11 ($1)

...and that is just ONE day of recharging!!! I will share more another day, but now I MUST go unpack. Just a couple of more pictures to show you what was awaiting me in the mail upon return!

These two scarves just absolutely make me !SMILE! They are the epitome of VERA design! Nature! Slightly abstract! Retro Colors! This is what attracted me to VERA originally! I had better be careful though, or I am afraid that a certain person on the West Coast who has a spectacular eye for spotting VERA may be starting to get the 'bug' (or should I say LadyBug??) THANKS LeAnne!!!!!

VERA 2011 #12

VERA 2011 #13

... 'They say...'

As 'THEY SAY...' "When it rains, it pours" - oh how true it is! (...and I'm not talking that wet stuff from the sky.) The thing that REALLY worries me is if "April showers, bring May flowers" (so to speak), then I may be in REAL trouble!!!

GARDEN/YARD: Shabby Tin Garbage can destined for some plantings in my garden (.50c) and Tacky Coconut Monkey to join the Ranks on our Summer Porch (.50c)

When I left the House Fri. am, I had T.W.O. bags -o- stuff to drop off at the Thrift. I've been doing good on that half of my New Years Resolution!! I had even planned ahead for a Rummage Sale advertised for Saturday! Now as for the 'Purge 211 a Month' portion of my New Year Resolution... I'm still working on it - REALLY I AM!... but I did fall a bit short in March. Oh well. I am going to keep plugging along.

~BACK TO THE GOOD STUFF~

SCARVES / LINENS: Yes. I am a scarf junkie. ECHO. PAOLI. and my belove VERA! (2011 #7 & #8) - .25¢ ea!!

Friday surprised me with TWO unexpected Estate Sales!! One that I stumbled upon on my way to work (Early Bird Gets The Worm) and the other I got to just 1/2hr before they were going to close - after finally making connections w/OODLES to find out the locale of her '7~APRON' Sale - being the last day everything was 50% OFF (Second Mouse Gets The Cheese) - AND Barbara left me some VERA!! THANKS BARBARA!

BLING / SHINY METAL: Gems galore!!!

Between the three sales that I went to Friday and Saturday, I pretty much got my fill of all of my basic 'food groups'... and for once I'm NOT talking VERA~HAEGER~SWEATER CLIPS! I'm speaking a bit broader and more generic... 'GARDEN / YARD'.... 'SCARVES / LINENS' .... 'BLING / SHINY METAL' ... 'POTTERY' ... 'RETRO THREADS' ... 'MISC USEFULS'.

**NOTE: These comprise the majority of 'MY' basic 'food groups' ~ I realize these will vary for each individual (Thank Goodness or Oodles would never share estate sale locations with me!)

Look at this 'COPPER CRAZINESS'!! It's like I was destined to have it, and that 50's confetti bracelet in the middle... 8-)

The jewelry at the Friday morning Estate sale was A-Maze-Ing!! Sat. was their 50% off day. I ended up stopping back Sat. morning, enroute to meeting 'The Crew' (College Girlfriends) for a retail shopping trip at a nearby Outlet Mall!

SOOO MANY of the pieces of 'BLING' I bought with the intention to sell, but I think that I may need to give them a 'little lovin' first! The Rummage Sale Sat am had tableS of jewelry in a DARK corner - 'Everything .25c Each Unless Marked' (basically nothing was marked). It was sooooo dark that you could hardly see though! One of the 'usual gold diggers' (Picker who dives for the jewelry table with his loupe in search of anything that he can sell for the gold or silver value) was there with a flashlight. I was just grabbing anything with an interesting 'shape' (for a quarter, what the heck! I can sort them out at home.). I liked the 'square-ish' lines of this bangle - imagine how excited I was when I discovered the marks on it at home !!! THE first piece of Tiffany that I have ever owned 8-)!

POTTERY: Ben Seibel for Iroquois, McCoy Cookie Jar, USA Cat planter, Bennington studio piece, Handpainted JAPAN and Shawnee

MISC USEFULS: New Rolls of Easter fabric wrap (.25c ea), New Packs of Spring Napkins (.25ea), Box Lot w/ new X-acto knives, Swingline stapler, misc (.50c all)

RETRO THREADS: FUN! Clothes Day... $6.50 total= BC Ethic Retro Atomic print shirt; KaLani Hawaii Shirt; Retro Swim & Sun DeWeese Design Dress; Teddi of California Shirt

I had a hard time finding anything of interest at the outlet mall after all of these 'one of a kind' finds at unbeatable prices!! The shopping company at The Mall was beyond compare though!