Pink & Brown Swap Package

I received my Pink & Brown Swap package from the very generous Shara last Tuesday. I do apologize Shara, for not posting these photos sooner. I've been preparing for my MIL to visit and have had to prioritize, which meant neglecting my blog a bit. Anyway, my P&B package was incredible!! Starting with the wrapping, which was cleverly decorated with pink and brown die cuts. Sorry, no photos of the package since I was in too much of a hurry to get the box open!


A beautifully decorated album, fabric, brown gingham napkins, pink napkins, darling brown hanging heart with "Sugar Pie" on it, pink cherry plate from Portugal and gorgeous ribbon covered box that is brimming with craft supplies!


A Cherry Blossom paintint (I love Cherry Blossoms!) and a peek inside the box.





All of this (and more) was inside the round ribbon box. Can you believe all the goodies here? Can't wait to add all those buttons to my button jar!






I think I've got everything in the photos. If it's not in the photos Shara, it'b already been used! Oh and I used the gingham napkin the first night my MIL was here and had to make them pretty again for the photos.

Thanks Shara for making my first swap so much fun!

Where has the time gone???

Can't believe I haven't posted in a week. I have been reading my usual reading blogs and finding some new ones. Seems like a lot of bloggers (especially the crafty ones) are in a bit of rut. I personally have the best of intentions for getting things done, but intention doesn't get you very far. Of course I keep adding to my list of things that need to be done and projects I'd like to do. The best I've done recently is to iron a patch over the gaping hole in the knee of Nathan's jeans.

I have managed to maintain my thrifting habit. Today, I rediscovered the Goodwill Clearance Center. The have auctions each morning for appliances, large items and entire shelves of stuff. I arrived to late for the auction, but still managed some good buys. Everything that's not part of the aucitons is in giant cardboard bins, which are chaotic and dirty. You have to be willing to dig in order to find the goodies. Most of this stuff is sold by weight. Sounds weird, I know, but who can argue with $4.75 for a scrapbooking tote, a diaper bag, 2 backpacks and 3 handbags?

One of the handbags: Stone Mountain black pebble leather with turquoise lining. Not sure if this bag was ever used. The leather is super soft and buttery.




This is one of the other handbags. Yes, it is Kate Spade!!!! Authentic and in great shape. This bag retailed new for about $150! And yes, I'm selling it on eBay.












I also picked up this rare (according to ebay) set of Fashio Discs for a Singer sewing machine for .99. The also had a set of accessories, but everything had fallen out of that box and I couldn't tell where it went or if it was complete.


Now that I've had a good experience at the clearance center, I can't wait to go back. Next time I'll be early enough for the auction!

I was wrong!

Silly me. I thought the car was done after the 2 coats of red paint and the coat of yellow/orange "flames". I was wrong. We weren't even close.

Now really, what kind of race car doesn't have tires? And oh, did we forget a steering wheel too? And....hmmmm, doesn't Lightning McQueen have lucky lightning bolt stickers and a face?

All of these questions were answered and the ACTUAL finished car looks like this:


The race was a lot of fun too. Quite a few parents showed up to take photos and cheer the little drivers on. The kids all had a great time chasing after their teacher. There were 2 Lightning McQueen's, 2 fire engines, a Hummer, 2 Barbie cars, a space ship and an airplane. I was worried that we might be going a little overboard on this car, but everyone sure stepped up on this project. They all looked great.


Personally, we did have a small casualty on our car - a blown tire and busted steering wheel. But not to worry, it's nothing a little hot glue won't fix!






Check out the cutie pie behind the wheel. Such a big smile. He was so proud of his car.











Thanks to everyone for the lovely comments about the car. I've read them all to Nathan and he just smiles bigger!

I've been tagged!!

Woo-hoo! Thanks to Lucy, I've been tagged for the first time in blogland. This is for the "Try Five Challenge", which was actually quite challenging for me.

The challenge is to visit five blogs which you might not go to in your normal blog reading. To do this, you click on the fifth blog on your links or favorites list, then click on the fifth blog on their list and so on. (I ran into some dead ends too, so I counted from the top or the bottom, whichever got me to a new blog.) Then list those blog in a post on your blog. And of course, then you have to tag someone else for the challenge.

My new five are:
MamaPie
Posie Gets Cozy
Alex The Girl
My Little Mochi
Folded Gingham

And now onto the tagging.....Risa, Laura, Shara (something to do while you're snowed in!), Rebecca, and Sarah. Hope you all find something new and interesting out there!