I can see clearly now, the rain is gone....

Remember that song? Well, the rain is gone, at least for today and hopefully tomorrow. It's so nice to see the sun again...even though I'm not outside enjoying it because, that's right, I'm sick.
And it's that oh so icky, congested head and sinuses sick.........I'm so glad I found some forgotten prescription drugs that will work on this mess. Because I am so very tired of being sick!
O.K, I'm done complaining :).
I've been catching up on some reading, totally being inspired by some blogs, and even managed to send out a package to a lovely Etsy buyer!
I hope you all have some nice plans for your holiday weekend, my dh and dd are away today at a baseball game so I've had the house to myself, watched a movie, cleaned up a bit, taking care of some loose ends.
One of the hardest parts of being sick is watching your house implode before your very eyes.....and not really caring.
Well, now that I'm feeling better, I do care....but dh has been great, the poor man didn't even get dinner a few nights this past week. But he's a trooper and always helps me out when I need it the most..just love him!
I'll be back soon with a few pics of some new projects.....take care and thanks for the visit!

When the going gets tough.........

the tough make bouquets of roses! That's what I do anyway......haven't been around much in the blogging world because I've been dealing with some personal issues...you know how that goes....blah, blah, blah.
Believe me, I'm not going to BORE anyone with my personal problems, we've all got 'em, right?
Went thrifting last week, and really didn't find much, but I did find the cute vintage Ball jar above with some old rusty wire attached to it...it used to have a glass lid, that part was missing.
Makes a cute vase, don't you think?
I also had a fabulous day of shopping with my dear friend Brandy.....what a treasure she is! Makes me laugh so hard, and who doesn't love friends like that? We all need them! We hit an antique store, a thrift store, and lastly but not leastly (that is so not a word) Pottery Barn!
We didn't do too much damage, just enough to make us happy :).
I do hope you're all having a great week so far......I hope to check in later with y'all with some happy news!

Ever wish you had another set of hands?????

O.K., I exaggerate, arms would be alright!
Bottom line, is I've got lots to do.......I know, who doesn't, right?
It's a busy time here as the school year is winding down, birthdays are coming up (dh's tomorrow!) and I did something liberating today................or will be soon :).
Sending a package out, but not just any package....drumroll please...........................................................
it's an art submission to Somerset Life magazine.
Big step, o.k., huge step for me. For some reason it's really important to me to be published, maybe validation that my artwork is decent? I don't know, I just wish it wasn't so important to me ~ know what I mean?
In any event, and no matter the outcome, I'm glad I did it and will continue to do it until it happens.
I'll be over-the-moon happy when I see something I've created in a Somerset publication.....
wish me luck....pretty please?

Do you ~heart~ brown transferware like I do???

I was in our large antique mall the other day shopping for dh's birthday gift. Innocent enough, right? I had no ulterior motive for myself in mind (honest).
Thought I would peek into their back storeroom which is massive....and dark....and empty of people...except for moi.
I was looking...looking...then I spied this set of brown transferware on a table with a corresponding sign that said, "Not priced yet".

Curses, I wanted it to have a huge, completely out of my price range price on it...but alas, it didn't.
So the obsessing started....I quietly asked about it (it just came in, isn't it pretty?)
Ummm, yes, yes it is.
Being the detective I am, I wrote down all pertinent info and went home to do some sleuthing....and came up with nada. I couldn't believe it...nothing!
So next time I went in, I asked about it again....she gave me a price that I couldn't believe so I paid and got the heck out of there before she came to her senses!!!!

Did you see the serving pieces, the butter pats, the four platters? I'm so smitten I wanted to sleep with it last night!
The maker is Ridgway and the pattern is Prairie Flowers....did you see the country fence? and the daisy's?
Happy, happy girl........

Sunny days and barbeques..........and postcard albums.....

I hope everyone had a great weekend, we did because the sun was shining! That's been a rarity around here lately, so we had our first barbeque of the season yesterday, so relaxing and fun........
Thought I would show off my new/old postcard album.......I've seen tons of these before but this one spoke to me on many levels...
First of all, it's red! And not bright red, just that beautiful muted color with the black writing. Looks kinda French, no? Then the seals that say "In Friendships Name" did me in.
Of course it wasn't priced so I carried it around awhile......and when I was told the price I was so very happy!
It has tons of space which is good, because I have tons of old postcards to fill it with.

Well, I'm off to finish a birthday present for my best friend......shhhhh, don't tell her!
Granted, her birthday was in April, but who's counting :).
We don't get to see each other often enough, but maybe that's what makes our meetings so much fun!
Miss you Mel, hopefully we can get together soon, I have presents.....(not above a little bribery.)