Well, We’ve Gone & Done IT July 9, 2009

We are home owners!

It’s a beautiful old Victorian and we could not be more thrilled.

We plan to fill it with sophisticated period pieces, like so:

I hooked this (former) aquatic beast in the deep seas of Freecycle.   It was looking like this would be a ‘fish that got away’ story as we struggled to find the house of the kind offerers.  45 long minutes of One Ways, “Where the hell is that street?!!!”, No U-turns and “I have to peeeeeeeeee”.  We are in desperate need of a GPS.

But in the end, we bagged this super score.  It is 60 pounds of pure kitsch and goodness.

It was housing about 42 years of dust and former glory.  Legend has it that John, now 55, caught this at age 13 on a family trip to Mexico.  I am sure it was a proud moment and I am glad they memorialized it -taxidermy stylie.

John now lives in Missouri and shipping this beauty was out of the question so they passed it along.  Big thanks to them! John’s sister video taped us trying to gently shove our catch into our minivan (we roll hardcore) to show John we cared.  We promised to carry on the legend of the young fishing prodigy and to regale our friends, and blog readers, with stories of his young triumph.  I too hit my athletic peak young so I feel a special connection to Little J, as I like to call him.

Oh, and the photo is my dear husband (9 years of married fun today) who had just driven around way longer than most partners would have to find a free 60 pound swordfish.  At this point he was ready for me to stop marveling at our good fortune, put the camera down and HELP carry this into the house.  I was cracking up as this is the 3rd thing we’ve moved in.  What the  neighbors must think.  So far we have bean bags, my Paint by Numbers collection and the fish.  Class act all the way!

I have decided to pass along the love and have a GIVEAWAY.  Hold onto your hats people, this ain’t much.

Help us name the fish! The winner is the one who comes up with a name we feel fits our new “pet”.  The lucky duck with a knack for monikers will receive a photograph, yet to be taken, of the fishie and an assortment of fine doo dads and hoo has from my personal collection.  Folks interested in a timely mailing of said prize need not enter.

Line up people, don’t push, try your best and get ‘er done!

Good Old Timey Carnival July 5, 2009

Yesterday we went to the local carnival which always lands over the 4th of July weekend.  We have meant to go for the past 3 years but something always came up.  So glad we made the time to go yesterday with our good friends.

We saw a dragon roller coaster.

Shoved our trash into the mouth of a clown trash can!  I am thinking this could get BIG money on ebay.

We coveted stuffed junk!

We found a clown shooting gallery.

And acted accordingly.

Watched other, braver, folks ride the Viking Ship.

I was blissed out, surrounded by all the colors and vintage carnie goodness.

This reminds me to brag about my SERIOUS faux bois score.  I scored a FREE 4 drawer filing cabinet off Craigslist.  It is a vintage beauty and photos are sure to follow once we’re settled into the new house.  Now back to the carnival…

All 3 of my men, 2 wee ones and my man, climbed through the obstacle course.  Some faster than others!

The signs were gorgeous.

My youngest covered his ears to try and block out all the massive carnival noise, even said no to cotton candy because he had no free hands.  But then, then he spotted the duckie pond.

I wanted to buy/steal the aqua and red duckie.  I settled for a photograph.  Life rule # 427, Do not mess with CARNIES.

SHAZAM! (taken through the viewfinder of my vintage Kodak Duaflex)

Thrift Repurpose June 30, 2009

Edit:  I am just going to let this one ride & call it Vintage Photo Friday.  I am up to my eyeballs in boxes.  Will catch up with you all soon!

A while back on Vintage Photo Friday, there was some discussion & sharing of ideas for storing/displaying vintage photos.

I was excited to find inspiration in this vintage napkin holder at the thrift store today (Happy Anniversary Pat & Charlie)!  I picked it up because I am a sucker for metal and swirls, then I put it down thinking it wouldn’t really work with our cloth napkins.  But bam, I thought photos.  I also thought I would paint it but decided I liked the yellow with the photos.  Yellow is a color I am always surprised I like.

The photos in front are from my last trip to Brimmfield.  I am trying to scale my (non-family) photos down to just a few collections, vintage marching bands, vintage construction photos, and people at the beach.

I love the bathing suits on the people in the front and the suit suits on the guys in the back!

Ok, she does not fit my “rules” but just look at her.  I wonder where she is going and if she is more excited than she is letting on.  Truthfully, I am not sure if it was her or the bus I was more taken with when I plucked her from the pile that chilly Brimmfield day.

Any more ideas for how to display vintage photos?  Leave a link if you feel like sharing.

More vintage photos this way:

Green Jello

Knot Sew Crafty

Sheep on a Spring

Pineapples & Artichokes

Pamdora

Through the Looking Glass

Handy Crafts

My Own Crafty Wonderland

Woolanthropy

Los Angeles is My Beat

The Bee Bonnet Report

Living, Laughing and Loving in Austin

A Jen Too Many

Raine-works

dobco

Cheetah Velour

Help, Toy from Hell June 26, 2009

My fingers are sticking to the keys as I type this desperate plea for help.  My boys’ liquid timer, that I now know should be made illegal, broke somehow (no one knows a thing…) and leaked all over our FLOR tiles.

DO NOT BUY THIS TOY.

The tiles that I picked up from the playroom floor and put in a neat pile in the corner so they wouldn’t get ruined and we could use them in our new living room, yeah – THOSE.

Ours were not as cool as these, pictured in Ohdeedoh but still!

We soaked them in the tub with hot water and soap and it only dislodged a tiny bit of the nasty mess.  A tiny bit that is now stuck to the side of the tub no matter how hard my husband scrubs (well SOMEONE had to blog about it).

After some Googling, I am now well versed in how to get Silly Putty and Gum out of carpets but no luck finding information about this evil goo.  Anyone have any advice on how to proceed?  I want to try and save them as they are not cheap and I do not want the nasty blue goo to win.

Thank you, I am off to wash my hands – AGAIN.

Vintage Photo Friday – My Love June 26, 2009

I am lucky to hear your perspective, raise our boys together, share belly laughs early in the morning & late at night, and create new family adventures with you.

You were damn cute then & now.

Love you.

.

.

.

More vintage photos this way:

Green Jello

Knot Sew Crafty

Sheep on a Spring

Pineapples & Artichokes

Pamdora

Through the Looking Glass

Handy Crafts

My Own Crafty Wonderland

Woolanthropy

Los Angeles is My Beat

The Bee Bonnet Report

Living, Laughing and Loving in Austin

A Jen Too Many

Raine-works

dobco

Cheetah Velour

Yo Dawg June 25, 2009

I made this for my brother and surprised him on Facebook.  I made it to try and make up for my improper use of the term “mad” way way back that my brother never lets me forget.  I may have said in excitement over the phone to my little (and much more hip) brother after getting a hand-me-down sofa, “I got mad couch!”.  So this was my attempt to hang in there with the cool kids and make a meme.  Even if it’s a meme whose day is past.

I’m just  “Holdin’ down ground like the Statute of Liberty
So nobody ever can rush my spot”

Forget Dharma, I am a member of the Rocketboom Institute for Internet Studies.

Here is their explanation for the Yo Dawg/Sup Dawg Xzibit memes.  Check it out.  There are loads of example, most more clever than mine.  Some totally inappropriate, you have been warned.

Rainy Day Recipe June 22, 2009

Rainy Day Recipe:

Antsy Kiddo

Vintage Buttons

Thrifted Tins

Kitchen Spoon

Camera (to entertain antsy adult)

Go

Me, messing around with some ‘colorways’.

And now, for the final ingredient in the recipe:

NAP TIME

Happy Father’s Day June 21, 2009

My dad is not the life of the party.  On purpose.   That is to say that he most likely would not enjoy a big bloggy splash of a tribute. So I hope he does not mind this little post.

This is my dad holding me on the balcony of our apartment in Bangkok in 1969.

Thank you dad for:

putting the covers on me when I was cold, even in the middle of the night

taking us on so many cross country camping adventures and making GORP every time

the Old Rag hike and the picnic we had on the rock at the top

telling me when I was stressed about a paper in college, “The worst that could happen is you could get an F.”

picking me up at a very late hour, no questions asked, in high school when my friends went someplace I was not comfortable going

never limiting my choices because of my gender

buying me Def Leppard’s Pyromania while we were vacationing in Florida after I jokingly said that’s what you could pick up for me at the store when you asked before heading to the PX.  It is the one time in my life you truly surprised and shocked me.

for spontaneously off-roading the VW up that hill (almost a mountain)

and for knowing exactly where that happened even though I have long since forgotten

for planting gourds for my boys and being such a loving grandfather to them

for getting the 800 numbers for Daniel and me so we could talk every day

for going to all my soccer games as a kid, and driving the LTD onto the field after I took a ball to the jaw

thank you for working hard at a job that, I think, was not that fulfilling, to make a better life for us

&

Thank you dad for always being there for me as a support system, sounding board and worst case scenario instructor!

I love you Daddo!

Vintage Photo Friday June 19, 2009

I feel, at once,  a tad egotistical and OLD putting photos of me in Vintage Photo Friday.

And yet…

I am so glad to have and share these photos of my Granny and Granddaddy holding me as a baby.

I grew up in a different world than my grandparents.  They lived in small small rural North Carolina and I was born in Thailand.

We were heading to my grandparents’ beautiful and bountiful garden when I was about 6 maybe and I excitedly proclaimed, “We’re going to pick some potatoes!”.  Who knew they did not grow on trees!  Despite the fact I must have seemed like a little creature from outer space at times, my grandparents always made me feel loved and cared for.

My granddaddy greeted me with, “Hello Ugly!  You’re getting uglier and uglier every time I see you!” every time he saw me.  The way he said it conveyed that he thought I was cute as a button.

I wish I could sit at their table, introduce them to my children, eat some amazing collards and dumplings, and listen to their stories.

Check out some more vintage photos & stories:

Green Jello

Knot Sew Crafty

Sheep on a Spring

Pineapples & Artichokes

Pamdora

Through the Looking Glass

Handy Crafts

My Own Crafty Wonderland

Woolanthropy

Los Angeles is My Beat

The Bee Bonnet Report

Living, Laughing and Loving in Austin

A Jen Too Many

Raine-works

dobco

Cheetah Velour (one of the best blog names EVAH)

This Ones For You… June 17, 2009

Green Jello – almost like watching Edward boogie, isn’t it?

And for the record, I am not mocking.  I appreciate that he had something to express!  Rock on Nos!!!