About Me

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I am a Mom, Wife and Daughter. Say road trip and I am all ready in the car. I do love to stay home too. I am either reading, sewing, crocheting, doing something with paper or taking care of my family at any given moment.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Back to the cats for one day. I woke up far earlier than I wanted this morning with "The Boys" on either side of my head staring at me. They wanted breakfast. I wanted to sleep in as I am nursing a cold. The cats won this morning. I suppose they did me a favor, I have things to do today.

Monday, October 26, 2009

As sick as I am today and as sick as my daughter is, both of us with colds I thought a walk would do us some good. It is trash day after all. I am hoping the exercise will help me sleep better tonight and with my daughter bundled up in her chair she might feel better too. It worked! She is a tad more alert and I have been able to get a few things done around the house. I know my energy will give out soon but I am ready for that with a good book and crocheting. I am without a car this week so this mornings walk included a trip to the post office to mail a couple of vintage book orders to far flung corners of the globe. I also took pictures of the fall leaves to use as my etsy store avatar. I took photos of S in her chair loaded down with our finds but for some reason they didn't turn out???! I am the worst photographer in the world. Anyway today I found a wooden bench to use as an end table. This replaces the smaller wobley bench that was there that the cats have knocked over twice in three weeks that I know of, once with a bowl of soup on it and once with a cup of coffee. The smaller bench has all ready been listed in freecycle. I also found 2 small trees to use as displays at craft shows, an ugly wreath that I will take apart and make pretty and a metal plant stand that all ready holds a large potted plant in the front window so it will catch the weak winter sun. All that and 2 pop cans that equal 20 cents!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

On a road trip last week I had about 15 minutes to kill before an appointment. It was cold and rainy and I saw an Estate Sale sign. My companions were dismayed. Needless to say we were late. I could have stayed several hours and needed many more dollars. I did find some wonderful books, a Pennsylvania Dutch style tablecloth and several jars of buttons. I did see a Rock M' Sock M' Robot in the box that I would have loved also a train set but alas with the luggage and wheelchair there was no more room. One whole wall piled on the floor were reproduction oil paintings and prints. I would have loved to sort through them. And then there was the kitchen and garage that I couldn't even make a dent in. I am having fun playing with the new to me finds.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

I have had a whirlwind couple of weeks. I'll start at the first of October and work forward. Our little town has PumpkinFest every year the first weekend in October. There is a craft show, carnival, contests and a LONG parade. Usually I put my daughter in her chair and go see the parade and then walk to the craft show and make a Saturday of it but thus year it was cold and rainy. We know lots of people in the parade and S usually has a good time waving at all her friends and filling a bag with giveaways from businesses and organizations. This year her sister was Up North and wasn't in the parade with her preschool students and most of her friends were staying home because of the weather. I thought that at least on Sunday we could walk down to the Craft Show and watch the dog contest but the weather was still cold and it was pouring rain. I stopped in to the craft show that afternoon to support the local crafters on the way to the grocery store. I shared the hallways of the Middle School with many wet dogs as the dog competition had to be canceled due to weather., also lots of wet people. I did my best to support fellow artists and crafters. I got a huge jar of Michigan honey for my husbands tea this winter, 2 greeting cards for 2 of my In-Laws October birthdays and the best 2 salt lamps from a lady who has been at the PumpkinFest forever and has had to stop because her back can't lift the heavy boxes for set up anymore... The cards were beautiful but one was a bit too fat and cost way extra in postage, my Grandmother-In-Law is worth it though! That is just something to keep in mind when making or buying cards. I got a pyramid shaped salt lamp that heats up with a night light set and a natural rock shape lump of salt that holds a tea lite candle. A few years ago I had bought my oldest daughter a pyramid shaped one that she loves. I wish I had had the money to purchase something from 2 other vendors. Vintage Silverware Treasures had jewelry and home decor items made from vintage silverware pieces. Beautiful stuff and there table set up was terrific. The first layer was a plain white table covering with a white chenille skirt. Next came beautiful vintage hankies laid flat like placemats, then to create levels they used vintage clear glass cake stands. The other vendor was Alphabetical Architecture. This couple had a great eye for taking architectural photos and seeing the alphabet in them. check out www.alphabeticalarchitecture.com. I went off to the grocery store after that and my most excellent day was improved by a book sale in front of the grocery store. They were selling hardcover books for a dime and paperbacks for five for a dime. I bought a few books to read and a couple to sell. I love it when I fall into stuff like that.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009


Yesterday afternoon I walked to the post office and found seven cents.. Not much but I always do the math as I walk on.... added to the cans I found earlier that is thirty-seven cents which covers the etsy fees on one of the packages I was mailing and if you add up all the pennies and cans I find over the year I have enough to pay one month of our homeowners insurance. I stopped in at The South Lyon Resale Store and found an unopened package of soft yellow yarn and I can't wait to crochet a baby blanket out of it, a yard of black cotton fabric with hot pink polka dots (I can't pass up polka dots) and the best thing a winter jacket for Stephanie! I have been looking for a year making do with her thread bare jacket from five or so years ago. I found, at the same resale store, a dress winter coat this Spring but she can't wear that in her wheel chair. I brought it home and Gaela gave it her fashion approval so off to school Stephanie went this morning in her new coat. Stephanie and I are going to pick up my Mom in Illinois tomorrow. She has been there for a week visiting her life long best friend. Mom lives in California. I am so excited. I miss living near my Mom and look forward to her visits! Add a road trip into the mix and it is almost too much! Enjoy the day.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Well, yesterday my walk ended up rewarding... It always does on trash day. I picked up a cd something about the shine on a cd makes me know I will be able to do something with it.. I have a stack of them. How they end up on the road with such regularity is beyond me. Anyway, I also found a cheap print in a really nice mat and frame. The glass is broken but that is easy to cut to fit something else and the frame will come in handy as well. I had seen an old battered sled that I was going to throw in the trunk of my car as I left the sub for appointments in town, but sadly (at least it isn't in the landfill though) it was gone as I drove by. I was going to use it as a plant stand in the front window for the potted plants I winter over inside. A few houses down from the missing sled was a stack of encyclopedias in great condition that hadn't been there earlier (I walk really really early). I passed, thinking what would I do with those and what will my husband do with me??? I got a door down and put the car in reverse. I just couldn't let a book go to the landfill. I thought I could donate them to the library or cut them up or fold them for altered art projects. Then I thought how am I going to fit my daughter's (Stephanie) wheel chair in the trunk with all those books? The solution... I asked her teachers while I was picking her up if they wanted a set of encyclopedias for the classroom they were out the door with a wheeled cart faster than I could wheel Stephanie out the door. Good news for the planet and the classroom. Today on my walk I found three beer cans...Not good since they had been thrown from a car... drinking and driving.. I am so not a fan... But the good news is here in Michigan finding three cans is like finding three dimes! All that and I burned a few calories and thought a few thoughts and saw lots of geese and ducks getting ready to head south.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Yesterday my oldest daughter,Elizabeth, came over with her dog and we went for a long walk. Sam , the dog, is a sweet yellow lab and he enjoyed the path hear the pond the most. We had put Stephanie in her chair and it was nice for her to get out in the fresh air too. We walked nearly four miles. I just finished reading "I'll Never Be French (No Matter What I Do)" by Mark Greenside. Essays about adjusting to life on two continents. Very amusing. It got below freezing last night.... The second time this month. I'll have to bring the rest of my potted plants in today to winter over. The cats will love that... They think all the house plants are appetizers! Today I am cooking several casseroles to freeze and take to Illinois with me later this week. I'll make double batches so I won't have to cook this week at all! Gaela was in Detroit last night at the Hanson concert. Last I heard she had a blast. I'll hear more later. I am off to enjoy the day. It is sunny and cold here just the way I like it.

Thursday, October 8, 2009



Just A Question Today: Why is it a cat won't let you take a picture of them when that is what you are aiming for and won't stay out of the picture when you need to photograph something else??

Monday, October 5, 2009

Walked this morning. Perfect weather for a walk, cold and dry. The rest of the morning has been listing items in the store and figuring the schedule for the rest of the day. A lot to pack in from the time my daughter, Stephanie, gets on the school bus till the time the bus returns her. Especially on Monday when I have so much to do that was put off from the weekend. Off to get to it then.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

My first blog and it is hard to know where to start. First the boys, my cats Cadillac and Pontiac, are lying to me about who fed them breakfast.... My husband,Pat, has fed them.. They are trying to tell me otherwise. It isn't working. My Sunday plans are always simple and quiet, grocery store, finish laundry and read read read. Unless I feel more like sewing or the creative muse hits on some other project. On Friday my youngest daughter, Gaela, and I went to a rummage sale. For the first time in a while I found stuff for myself instead of just things for my store (vintageinmichigan.etsy.com) and materials for projects. We got home and I rearranged the mantle with some of the new things. I am trying to decide whether or not to finish the quilt top I bought for myself or sell it..... That can wait.