Farewell 2008

Only 2 hours to go for this old year. It's not been a good year for so many people and I know we're all hoping and praying for a much better year ahead. My family, personally, has had some major problems...and here we are, ready for a new year, and the problems haven't killed us yet, so I guess they're just going to make us stronger. I'm praying for more strength, patience, tolerance and understanding to survive in this world of ours that gets a little more confusing as time goes by. Walked outside tonight to find this beautiful sunset over "my" lake...seemed like the perfect image to end the year. I've heard that happiness is seeing a sunset, and knowing who to thank. So... Thank you for the beautiful sunset ,Lord... Happy New Year and may 2009 bring peace and blessings to you all ...*elaine*

Ch-chhh-cchhh-changes...

I know it's not 2009 just yet, but I'm thinking of changing the look of my blog for the up and coming New Year. There are not a whole lot of choices here on Blogger, but I think I'll try out this one and see if I like it. It still has the greens & orange that I like, with a little purple (from my old hippie days) thrown in! Actually, I kind of missed the hippie thing by a few years, but that didn't stop me from wearing a dress handmade from an Indian print bedspread, and water buffalo sandals to my Senior Prom..circa 1972! Gawd...what was I thinking? I'm sure my mother wanted me to wear something pink...and frilly...how we must have butted heads on that one! So I'm going to end the old year...and I have to say I'm not sad to see it go....with some odd, old stuff and a new look to my blog. Back soon! *elaine*

Where are you, Christmas?

Have ya'll ever heard the song by Faith Hill that goes..."Where are you, Christmas? Why can't I find you? Why have you gone away?" That's my theme song for this year...I have always loved Christmas, but due to many circumstances beyond my control, my spirit is low and I'm having a very hard time finding it. Today is the 14th...only 11 days till Christmas...and I've done 2 decorations...no shopping, no cards and still no tree, and have only given a passing thought to Christmas dinner. Seems there is so much bad in the air these days, I just can't seem to shake the blues. So, with that in mind, I'll post pics of my 2 decorations, and go sit by the lake, and try to remember the true meaning of Christmas. These bad times shall pass, but the true meaning is always here, we sometimes have to look a little harder to find it. Merry Christmas everyone...I'll be back in 2009. Until then...peace on earth, and prayers for a better year to come. *elaine*

WHOOPS!

Ignore the previous post...was trying to do something and hit a bunch of wrong buttons! When will I ever get the hang of this computer thing??!! Time to pull out the "PC's for Dummies" again? :} elaine

being 30something: fast on friday...#comments

being 30something: fast on friday...#comments

Thanksgiving dinner cooking disaster! 2008

Well, another Thanksgiving Day has ended. Our 2 guys were here for dinner, and it was almost like when they were small boys, and still at home. Had to remind myself that they are 32 & 28...but it brought back some very fond memories that had been on a dusty shelf in the back of my brain... a quiet celebration...except for the moment that our turkey, which had been cooking nicely on the grill on the porch, decided to have a major flareup while no one was paying any attention to it.."I thought YOU were watching the grill!!" kind of moment! We snuffed out the flames...grabbed the bird off the grill...and took it into the kitchen...can you just imagine the comments? "It doesn't look that bad, Mom" (my oldest)..."I like stuff burnt, Mom' (my youngest)..."It'll be fine, Hon...all you've got to do is scrap the black stuff off" (my eternal optimist husband)...all I could do was stand there, staring at my charbroiled, blakened beyond recognition 20 lb. turkey, sitting on the lovely platter from Japan...and think "How will the hot dogs in the freezer go with sweet potatoes?" I went to my computer and googled a turkey hotline...they have plenty of advice for an UNDER cooked birds, but precious little for a tukey that has been incinerated! Sooo...went back to the bird, started scrapping off all the black stuff that I could, and amazingly the meat was unharmed...even more amazingly, it tasted really good! Disaster averted...the hot dogs are back in the freezer! :} The rest of the day went beautifully...and ended with a sweet orange sunset over the lake. As my guys were leaving, the youngest says, "That was an awesome dinner, Mom. Can you burn the turkey again next year?" AARRRGGHHHH!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving all...*elaine*

International Button Week... part 2

My blog would only allow me to upload 5 photos, so here are the rest of the pictures I took this morning of my buttons etc. You can click on any of the photos to enlarge...and BOY! do they enlarge! Good thing I dusted the jars before i took the pictures!! :} *elaine*

International Button Week

I recently found a neat blog called Button Floozies that I just love! This last week, the author of that blog declared an International Button Week. I've had fun exploring other people's collections, and decided to show some of my own accumulation of buttons, and other vintage sewing goodies. My blogging has been pretty lax in the last couple of months, so I'm giving myself the proverbial kick in the butt to get me going again. Happy Sunday! *elaine*

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a quick note to say Hello...and to wish everyone who sees this a very Happy Thanksgiving. With all the difficulties we, as a country, are facing this year it may be harder to see all that we do have to be thankful for. Whether our loved ones, our special friends, our health or our personal good fortune...we all have someone or something to give thanks for. Do not let this day go by without telling those people how much you appreciate them, or thanking God for our personal well being, or extending a small helping hand to someone less fortunate. Happy Thanksgiving to all. *elaine*

Tropical Storm Fay

Day 4...this not very nice, witchy storm named Fay has been swirling over our heads in Central Florida. She has dumped massive amounts of rain, and is still right over us...not sure how slow she's moving now, 'cause our satellite went out yesterday. All I know for sure is she is still here and wrecking havoc every where she goes! Snapped a couple pics this AM... how bout that 4 1/2 pounds of water??!! And that scale is under roof on my porch!! The lake has come up SO far, the ducks are threatening to leave home...maybe I should just go take a bubble bath...oh, wait...my pump went out this morning, so I have no water,except for the emergency jugs for drinking. Okay...that's it...I've had it! Going back to bed...wake me up when hurricane season ends!!! :o} *elaine*

Yard Sales are FINALLY better!

After a long hot summer...I know, it's not over yet...of terrible, horrible, worst I have ever seen yard sales, things are finally lookin' up! I'm talking sales that make you mourn the loss of the gas you just burned up to get there...sales where the stuff needed to be bagged and dragged to the curb, sales that look so bad as you drive by you don't even want to stop! What's up with that??!!?? Anyway, things were much better this weekend...Scored all the goodies in the pic for under $7 at 2 sales on my way to the grocery store. The Universal pottery pitcher & pie pan with the hollyhocks is too sweet!! Can never pass up old cookbooks, or vintage fabric...and don't you just love the dancing lady in the old photo?? She has already been scanned, reprinted and on her way to being a birthday card for a dear friend turning 50 this Wed...love old photos...instant ancestors, anyone?? So. a month & a half between posts this time...I think I'm getting worse instead of better! It's been a long hot summer, and now we're bracing for Hurricane Fay...been there, done that...don't need any damn hurricanes!! We're praying she dies out before she gets to us, but things look a little iffy on that score. Hope Ya'll have had a good summer...have a happy Sunday...see ya again soon! elaine

Independence Day 2008

My blog is one year old today!! I've been a very bad blogger...hit or miss, at best...but in the process, have discovered many fascinating people who are much better at this blog thing than I am. Collectors & junkers...Gardeners & Moms...Suvivors & Creators of all manner of interesting stuff. This world we live in is so full of amazing folk...I know without this crazy thing we call Blogging, we would never really have the same opportunity to meet! Sooo...Happy 1st Birthday to my "Love2junk"...Happy 232nd Birthday to this wonderful country that we call home...& to all you bloggers who make my day a little more interesting...keep on posting! Happy Independence Day!!!

Letter Obsession?

For the past 5 years or so, I have had what appears to be an obsession with letters. It started innocently enough, with the purchase of a broken down Scrabble game bought for .50 at a yard sale. The box & board went in the trash, & I was left with a large pile of letter tiles...what to do with them?? Well...I also happen to have a collection of old food jars, so hauled out a cool coffee jar...& in they went. Looked great on my shelf, so now when I went yard sale-ing I had something new to look for...more Scrabble tiles to file the jar, of course. I love to read, I do a lot of scrapbooking, plus I work at a T-shirt shop where we personalize tee's. So I guess the obsession has honest roots...now I just have to keep coming up with new creative ways to use all my letters...PS...also along the way started to collect other game pieces...especially old dice. Love, love the old red and green Bakelite ones, although they are getting harder to find. So enjoy the pics of my letter stuff, and I'll be back next weekend...can't believe I did 2 posts in 1 weekend! I'm getting better...either that or I just had too much time on my hands this weekend...couldn't seem to get motivated to accomplish any great tasks! :D have a great week *elaine*

Wild Flowers can be breathtaking.

Been away...haven't seen me in awhile...too much to do & never enough time! Had to share these pictures! Came over the top of a small hill last Monday, and hit the brakes at the sight of this sea of gold. For once, had my camera, so pulled off & started to carefully make my way through the edges of these amazing meadows. I don't know what kind of flowers the golden ones are, but the fields are intermingled with wild phlox in an amazing array of pinks & white with a little magenta thrown in for good measure. Ahh...Florida in the spring...still holds some surprises! Actually, these are not meadows, but a very small citrus grove with very wide spaces between the orange trees...have a great weekend! *elaine*

Spring has Sprung!!!

Last day of February in Central Florida, and after 2 nights of unexpected frost, spring is definitely upon us. Lowe's garden center is bursting with flowers of every description, the azaleas are in bloom everywhere, and people are out in their yards with that look on their faces...you know the look...what should I plant over here...and look at the flowers on that plant...and what outside project can I do today...that look. I cannot seem to walk outside without feeling the urge to grab a rake, or a trowel or the pruning shears! Started a project on Sunday that's a work in progress. Had a "path to nowhere " through my front garden area that was looking pretty rough...reclaimed some great flagstone pavers a few months ago, and decided to redo the path with the pavers, brick and pink granite chips, with landscape cloth under all to slow down the constant weeding. Easier said than done, and after 2 full days of prying up the old stuff, I only have half of it done. It's gonna look great when it's finished, but that darn real job of mine keeps getting in the way!! Hope spring is heading your way soon...enough of that ol' ice & snow!!

2 teeny sales...getting stuff ready for resale!

Planned on NOT going to any sales this weekend, but 2 just jumped out on front of me on my way to work! Found some rickrack at one, along with the very funky lime daisy...1.25...and the 2 little peeps chickens @ the other for a whopping .50...had to bring them home for the spring re-do of our re-sale space. Had a slow start for February after a terrible January...just made the rent on that one! Checked the shop on Friday, and we had been cleaned out! WooHoo!!! So...I've been accumulating spring stuff all month, and spent a good part of the day cleaning & pricing, so we can get things in place for this week. Busy tourist week here, w/ the Daytona 500, so hopefully we'll be busy all week. Also put together another little vintage sewing stuff frame, so I'm going to put that in and see how folks like it. Have 6 more pairs of vintage "crane scissors" and once they're gone I'll have to come up w/ something else. Don't want to dip into my private stash of sewing goodies...has to be new found materials. Am also finishing a cute wood sign...done on old cedar paneling. I made 1 as a secret santa gift, and the lady in Ohio who received it was thrilled, so painted another on a smaller scale. Don't have much of the cedar left, so had to cut down on the size. So, that ends my 2 day weekend...probably won't have another for a couple of weeks...damn!!! Seems like there are not enough hours in the day to do all the things that are rolling around my brain! Need to retire soon, while I have the energy to do all this stuff! Lotto rolled over to 34 mil...now that would be a nice retirement fund, huh? have a great week, folks...*elaine*

Cheeep Sales and more Goodies!

Another good weekend for sales...went to 2 on Friday, not advertised but lots of cool stuff. Guy had a garage full of goodies, all marked $1, .50, .25...my kind of prices! Got all the stuff in 1st picture for 3.25...second sale was an ongoing moving sale...found the cool wood vintage frame, with a tag that says "Loves Defiance"..$1.50, & a wood needle case & pack of old needles for .25 each. I collect old sewing stuff, so was happy with those finds. Saturday, hit a benefit rummage sale, & found all the stuff in second picture for $2.00! Some things are destined for the re-sale space, others I'll have to keep! I'm distressing the small frames, & doing little assemblages with old scissors, trim, fabric & buttons etc. I'm thinking of putting these for sale on Etsy...have signed up for that, but have never tried selling anything. It's a new year...it's time to try some new things!! Hit the local GW this AM...for $5 got a vintage Yahtzee game, w/ Bakelite dice, a memory board that needs re-doing, and a cute wood snowman for next Christmas...can't seem to stay away from these places! Is this an obsession, or a harmless past time???! Happy Monday, folks. See you again soon! Oh...the last pic is my cabinet of old sewing stuff...this was taken before I started re-doing that room, but the inside of the cabinet remains the same...I got tired of dusting all the stuff, and found this old kitchen cabinet for $10...perfect storage & display! Love the chippy old paint, too...e

Cool stuff...One sale...

Only got to one church rummage sale on Saturday...been going to this one for years, & word must have gotten out re: all the good stuff, cause the place was packed!! Could not even get into the parking lot..had to park on the street..worth the hassle, tho...found this awesome Skyway train case, $5, before I even went inside. Have had a fondness for old luggage for years, and this one just kind of jumped into my arms as I walked by! Got inside and decided this would be my only stop before heading off to the real job...tons of stuff on tables, but even better, tons of unpacked stuff in boxes under the tables!! I love to rummage in boxes! Takes time, but is usually worth it. Found all the goodies & pieces of goodies in various boxes...Dept. 56 ornies that I would never buy new, but @ .10 each, I'll have no problem pulling them apart & reusing the neat pieces. OH, almost forgot...in the train case I found a teeny, tiny perfume bottle (empty) & a teeny, tiny tube of Carter's Little Pills (not empty). The labels are so funny...perfume was TIANNE..eau du parfum..by Nettie Rosenstein...WHO??!! The pill bottle is TOO much..."relieves the following symptoms when due only to...constipation. Sluggishness..Bloated feeling...Headache...and Nervousness" HUH??!! So, if you had a headache, or heaven forbid..nervousness...you could only take "1-3 pills" if your symptom came from constipation?? ROFLMAO!! Happy Sunday, folks..sorry for the fuzzy pics..it's early & I guess I needed 1 more cup of coffee before I started w/ the camera!

Ground Hog Day disaster...1 year later

Today is the first of February...where did January go?...and tomorrow will be a blue day here in our little community. It will be the one year anniversary of the tornado that swept through here, destroying all in it's path, killing 13 people and shattering lives. After one year, we still have people living in FEMA trailers. Some have built small site built homes, others are in larger double-wides, and others have put their land up for sale, vowing to never return. Saturday night, at 6pm, we will have a memorial service for those who died that day, and we will all relive the fear and pain that came from the sky with no warning...and we will cry and comfort those who lost sons & daughters, mothers & fathers, and we will move on once again, because that's what we do. I will place 13 roses at the site of this small memorial, one for each life lost, and pray that we will never wake up to the devastation that we witnessed one year ago. I'll hug and laugh with Nellie and Ed, the elderly couple who lost their home that sad day... Nellie stood in the front yard where their house used to be, in her bathrobe, with cuts and scratches on her face...and said to the reporters.."t'aint nuthin but stuff...me and Ed and my sister are all okay...can we help any one else?" What a lady!! Don't know if I could have been that calm, or accepting...and I hope I will never have to find out. Our home was 1 block away from the tornado zone, and we were never touched. So, while I pray for those lost neighbors, I will also say another prayer of thanks for our blessings that day. Thank you, Lord, and give us the strength to help our neighbors once again tomorrow. We still need your blessings.

My New Year work-in-progress

So...Christmas projects had totally trashed my sewing/scrappin'/crafting/techno room...the east wing, as my DH affectionately refers to it...it's on the east end of our grand 1972 single wide mobile home!! Decided for the new year of creating that I needed to reorganize...well, of course, reorganizing turns into redecorating, and cleaning and painting..etc..etc..and January's almost gone and I have yet to craft, create or scrap a single thing!! My huband wants to know if I'm ever coming out of my room...I say "yes, but watch out, cause then I'll probably start working on the kitchen", and that will affect him directly...man's heart, stomach thing you know what I mean :o} " I have one thing left to paint ( w/ my $2 mistint green) and that's my work table...may only do the front for now..but that will probably bug the crap out of me, knowing the back's not done :o}...so guess I'll need to do the whole thing...wonder how many mammoth dust bunnies I'll unearth when I move that??!!! So, it's Monday, and I have to work, can't paint today...so I'm off to the local GW...like I really need to add anything else..have a great Monday folks..see ya !!