This just goes to show you how far behind I am. We are heading toward the closing days of February, and I am just getting to the end of the January stuff. I've been so very busy writing and editing, I've scarcely had time for anything else. Well I have a short breather right now where I am halfway caught up, so I figured I'd post some more pics. Got some thrifting finds to share in here.

So, come on inside... 

You'll have to excuse the smudges and the cobwebs but it's been a busy couple of months. I did take enough time to get rid of my 2012 Calendar though and moved around a few molds. 

They are the main decoration in the kitchen and are starting to spill over into the dining room. These are right by the kitchen door, and everything in the picture is thrifted. The sea shell mold is on the bottom is new, something I thrifted this winter. The rooster on top is new too; Roger sent me that over the holidays, along with a few others. I love these molds and hope I don't run out of walls! 

Below is the farther end of the dining room, where I set up some of the wonderful things I have been gifted with over the years. 

The large wooden dragon you see in the rafters, the Chinese restaurant calendar, the smaller wooden dragon, and the zodiac mold all came from Roger and his mom. Roger also made the turned bird that is next to the small dragon, and gave that and a bunch of things to me last year. There are a lot of odds and ends here, really too many to go into, but quite a few are thrifted. That Errol Flynn as Robin Hood sketch is a prize I got from an auction from last year's Pulp Ark convention, it was done by the very talented Mr. Rob Davis of Airship 27 fame. The elven lady holding the little dragon was a holiday gift from my #2 son and DDIL. They know me well! 

The thing with the feathers in the picture above is called a witch's ladder. I made it for a friend. Witch's ladders were traditionally used for cursing, but this one is to attract good luck. Besides the naturally shed feathers found on the property (birds fly so they are nearer the heavens), it has green and gold braided cord, little green and sparkly shamrock buttons, an aventurine pendant for drawing luck and prosperity, and a gold plated Mercedes key fob. Each knot that holds a feather was tied with a wish and a prayer in verse. A great mediation tool, and I'm told it's been very effective. 

You can see part of my indoor jungle over there too. The house has lots of windows and my houseplants are pretty happy here.


What makes a blah winter day more fun? Thrifting! A January trip to the new thrift store in the little mill city nearby gained me some more bakeware.

Yeah, like I needed more. Well, I do love to cook and bake, whenever I have the time. Loaf pans are a kitchen essential. Those little pumpkin muffin tins were just too cute to pass up. 


Now these are things that actually got put right to use. 
Um, try and not notice the dog hair.  

I honestly didn't see how bad it was until I resized the picture. The comforter was coated with it! Ariel the Wonder Dog is rather spoiled and she gets to sleep on all the beds, which is why we have the old comforters on top. Everything gets washed before I use it, and all these are presently in use.

That white canister is Tupperware, and that one and an orange one the same size that I got in a set last year live over by my computer. They hold quick snacks, like packages of granola bars and peanut butter crackers, for those days when I need to eat but can't leave the keyboard. The mice haven't been able to raid my stores. The glass jar that says TEA now hold teabags on the counter. The little flowerpot thing is a pen holder on my kitchen table. 


Baskets! I found more to hang in the kitchen. The little chest holds loose twist tie material that came off its roll and was making the 'slinky from hell' all over the counter. The wicker buffet silverware caddy is hanging up and I'm planning on filling each 'tube' with either silk greenery or little jars of cuttings in water. The other basket is also hanging, and while I left the liner in there, have no intention of putting a live plant in that one. 

I grabbed the terracotta bread warmer because I loved the design and we do have dinner rolls on holidays. I thought it a bit pricey, but that was half price on green tags day, so what the hey...


Lee grabbed me some green rug yarn at this same thrift store for a holiday gift. I went back and got all the cream color. 

I was going to make chair cushions by crocheting over rope but now may do a rug or a basket that way. Rug yarn wears like iron. 


Another green tag item that day. When I saw this bucket thing I thought immediately of putting some of my cactus plants in there and using it as a tray for them. 

Now I think it's going to hold store circulars on the kitchen table. We have trouble corralling them and they are always a mess. We get them from several supermarkets and quite a few department and big box stores.


My find of the trip! 

My purse at the time was timeworn and falling apart, and one of the straps was about to let go. It was also just about this size and style. When I was walking down an aisle of household linens on hangers, headed toward the craft stuff for that rug yarn, this purse was clipped to a hanger between sheets and blankets. I looked it over, and it was perfect, inside and out. It went right into the carriage.

I wasn't sure about the  color, which is a softer, more pleasant green than it looks in these pictures, but it has grown on me. The best part was the price—$2.99! I had planned on buying a new purse that day, at our next stop. Well that saved me at least $10. No, I don't buy anything expensive, I abuse the poor things too much. 

With thrifting, it's not about the money spent on an accumulation of doodads cast off by others. Most trips I go with a bunch of small bills saved from other shopping where I bought groceries or household necessities. It's just a carefree, inexpensive outing, poring through things and looking for special bargains. I generally go with someone else, and we have fun poking around, finding for things for ourselves and each other. You don't have to spend a lot; heck—you don't have to buy anything at all. You get to talk to people and sort through items that bring back memories, and you come home feeling just as satisfied as you would if you went to a fancy mall (and a whole lot better off financially too). Besides, if you go to a charity store, your $$ go to help other people, so you're actually giving back to the community. Win-win.

When you come home to a spectacular winter sunset like this one, it makes the short days and long nights worth dealing with. 

Being as busy as I am these days, an outing that ends in smiles and small treasures, and a reminder of the glory of Nature, makes for a very peaceful mind. Coming here to the blog to share it with you is also a lot of fun. While I don't get a lot of comments, I do see from the stats that someone is reading and enjoying the pictures, which is why I keep posting them—in hopes that some of the serenity and contentment in my life gives you a good feeling too.

Now you all go have a happy day! 
~Nancy