...Yummy Cobbler.

Looking for something 'special' for Sunday? (psst: it's Mom's Day, just in case you forgot!!)  here is a quicky that I just stumbled upon that I thought I would share.

This dessert speaks of SUMMAH TIME, spur-of-the-moment gatherings to me,  something to whip up quick-n-easy!!   These ingredients are usually handy...

Frozen berries, dry cake mix, and 1 can of sprite.

Yummy Cobbler.

 It sounds so easy - and it is good and weight watcher friendly!

 Ingredients:
Two 12-oz bags fro...zen mixed berries (good way to use up some of last Summer's berries from the freezer!)
1 box white cake mix (no pudding)
1 can of diet 7-up or sierra mist (clear soda pop)

Instructions: Place frozen fruit in a 9x13 baking dish. Add dry cake mix over the top. Pour soda slowly over cake mix. DO NOT stir the cake mix and the pop - this will give you a 'crust'. If you stir the two, you will have a cake like topping.

Bake 350 deg for 45-50 min.

You may be able to use frozen peaches instead of mixed berries.

Serves 16

Weight Watchers: 4 PointsPlus

...sticks! and stones! and fish bones?

Don't mean to brag, but this doesn't happen often ~

WE (as in 'UPSTATE NY') have been having B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. weather lately!!

 J & I decided it was FINALLY time to take my Christmas Gift (Sherlock) out on his Maiden Voyage - destination: a yet unopened State park on a neighboring FingerLake.  You see I didn't even know I wanted Sherlock until I opened this large present Christmas Morning to discover... a Metal Detector!!  Now, I have SOOO much to learn about him!!  Let's leave it to say, that all Sherlock helped me discover on our first date were 3 metal can pull-tabs and one rusted out can bottom...

~BUT~

My tote bag was NOT empty when we left the park... after a Picnic Snack in the sun, we packed up Sherlock and just did a little beach combing the way we know best B-)...   

Lovely lake stones washed smooth....

In additional to the usual search for seaglass, I was also searching out driftwood and flat stones for a couple of other 'projects' I had in mind...

ANCHORS AWAY!

STONES - eh - MUCH  better BEFORE I got my hands on them, oh well, I can always flip them over!

Love.

more Love.

and then of course there is seaglass drying on my counter.  Came out this morning and the prism that sits on my windowsill was reflecting perfectly onto the white pieces.

HAPPY CINCO de MAYO!

...TMS BURNOUT! Any takers??

massive sale.
if you have EVER seen ANYTHING in our svelteSTUFFj ETSY store (or on this blog) that you just 'need' to have in your posession - make an offer, pay shipping and it will most likely arrive within a few days on your doorstep!

Too Much Stuff Burnout is the verdict on my recent lack of enthusiasm for saling.  Time to clear-out!  If ANYTHING at all has caught your eye just leave me a comment (or convo us) ~ IT'S GOTTA GO!! ~

...deeeep breath...

People have started to mow their lawns!

Now, if it would just warm up enough so that I could open some windows and let some of that fresh air indoors and rid the house (and my soul) of these Winter cob-webs!!

 Saling has still been slow, or maybe 'stuff karma' is just off-kilter ~ whatever!  What it all amounts to is that

 I.just.haven't.been.into.it!

 

I have started exploring a new outlet for some of my energies...

Something that has been sitting on my Bucket List for quite awhile...

JEWELRY: WIRE WRAPPING

in particular - 'Sea Glass Wire Wrapping'.

 

I found a good on-line tutorial, and FINALLY sat down with it the other night.  Very few supplies were needed - all things that I already had in my 'stash', that have been picked up from sales.  It took a few starts, but after a short time (the very first evening!) I had this:

 

I am hooked!!  I need lots of practice, but it is so much fun. I want to try different patterns! different types of wire - brass! copper!  Oh, the possibilities are endless with the overflowing supply I have of my beloved seaglass!

  

(Confession: I then went to Michael's, with 55% off coupon in hand, and bought wire. THAT store goes against almost every grain of my being... but I did it.)

Next night: Copper wire on rootbeer seaglass w/ swirl practice.

 

VERA 2012 #12

 I did make it to a few sales this morning, but all that I could muster the excitement for was one VERA tea towel. That is still a good morning in my book!

Now, I'm going to go dream up some more wire wraps...
SWEET DREAMS!

...first signs of Spring ~ FINALLY!

This is what I have been waiting for, and dreaming of...

a 60deg + day!,

a 'REAL' garage sale!

(okay, so it was a privately run ESTATE SALE, but we won't split hairs)

Arrived rather late, because it was a couple of towns over, so we combined it with a couple of other errands.  All the better because they were still unearthing things and there wasn't any competition!!  Grabbed a LARGE box FULL of wood thread spools (170+) for a song (and had a bid on ebay within 2hrs of listing ~ YIPPEE!). 
Went to the basement to poke around - none of the owners had even been down there - and found a few spools of solder (to hopefully inspire me!!).

 In the kitchen I dug out a set of MY vintage 'go to' measuring spoons, which I ALWAYS pick up whenever I see them cheap (to upgrade my current 'dishwasher battered' sets).  However, I made the mistake of checking to see what they are currently selling for...  I guess I'll just keep using my tarnished ones for a bit if I can get THOSE $$ !

 

A lovingly hand-beaded pincushion that they practically paid me to take when they saw me appreciating the beadwork!

 

 I was !THRILLED! with this bag of Fake foodies. I am always finding the veggies and fruit, but this one had CHEESE and a croissant! *I have been looking for sites to buy fake cakes / pastries from to display on my 'PEDESTALS', but haven't found anything to my liking in my price range.  So the search has continued...  I thought the cheese/croissant would be good fill-ins for a bit.  J informed me 'They are The.Most.Disgusting.Things.EVER.'  ...I guess the search continues. 

My FAVORITE purchase...  this itty-bitty (she's about the size of your thumb), forlorn, MERMAID! Complete with broken&repaired tail fin & chipped nose - she just stole my heart! 
 Why I have such a passion for vintage Mermaids lately? I.DON'T KNOW. 
Thank Goodness they are hard to find!
The lady holding the sale picked it up... laughed, and gave it to me for FREE - I guess that was nice of her, but rather rude to the mermaid!!

THEN home for a FULL AFTERNOON of Yardwork!  Oh when, but Spring does yardwork ever seem so good?! 8-)

...gonna be a brite, sunshiny day?

SO many heavy hearts.

May we all keep searching our souls, and find a bit of strength...

VERA 2013 #9 (...another 'bag tossed my way' - YEH!)



...a few more rays of SUNSHINE,
 to KEEP-ON, KEEPIN'-ON!

VERA 2013 #10

VERA 2013 #11

Sending positive thoughts out to everyone in BlogLand as we each try to endure, the best way we know how!

...People are talking...

I was raised in a TINY town, so I'm used to everyBODY knowing everyTHING about everyONE.   This used to Really bother me, and I couldn't wait to escape!   Now that I live in a mid-size city, 100 miles away from where I grew up, it is rather comforting to have a circle of friends surrounding me...
 

VERA 2013 #5




 ...and it never ceases to amaze me how quickly word spreads when I'm working on a new 'S~ Project', and supplies come pouring in from far and wide!!



VERA 2013 #6

 First it was my 'Plarn crochet', then the 'Cork Display Board', and most recently the 'Bottle Cap' jewelry.




VERA 2013 #7

I never know what I will find a bag of on my back porch ~ that somebody has dropped off while I was away  ...a bag of plastic grocery bags, ...a bag of corks, ...a bag of metal bottle caps...  You JUST.NEVER.KNOW what may be tied to our back door knob or tuck strategically under the edge of the door mat, just waiting to be found, upon our return!!



 

VERA 2013 #8

 I have kind of become the 'home for the wayward stuff that people hate to toss..'

VERA 2013 #9

The other day a sweet soul did hand me an unassuming bag filled with these...

 

VERA!!
B-) ! 

Sweater Clip 2013 #7

Another day I was gifted with this...

HAPPY DAY!!