End of the Weekend

I am still loving Google Reader... such a time saver plus its nice to get the notices when an update has been posted. I finished my second light box as a gift... There is no photo inside just yet and we may swap out the grass for sand/beach. I've ordered 6 more boxes from K & Co. This project was designed by Tracey Niehues and taught at Scrap St. Louis this year. Sue K has a great version for Christmas.

At a resale shop last week, I lucked out and found two wooden boxes for $5 that I'm now using for storing my stamp pads. They fit perfectly on the bottom shelf and there's plenty of slots still open. There's room at the inn!

Here are the gift bags that I found at Bath & Body Works at the Galleria - I think they will make perfect Christmas mini albums - just like Debby Schuh's Anthropologie album. I also snagged Anthropologie bags while I picked up a few gifts and cabinet knobs - one is a beautiful little bird called tweet knob. Somehow I see using it on the cover of a book -but don't hold me to it!

We had a terrific time Saturday night with a Pumpkin Carving Party at our house - great turn out and lots of unusual pumpkins. This year we invited friends and neighbors in addition to family - lots of great food and laughs. Since Ike we really have bonded with several neighbors around us - 13 days without power wasn't all bad! I served Tortilla Soup - a recipe that was served at Rotissiere for Beef & Bird - one that I've made for the past 20 years. (Note my change to the recipe - I use slightly less than 1/4 c oil). It was a big hit!

There is still alot happening before Silver Bella...I'm getting so excited and need to start focusing on what I'm going to bring. Tomorrow night we're going to see Tina Turner and next Sunday is Urban Market. Good times.

This and That

Just a quickie... perhaps I'm the only person on the planet who didn't know about this... but in case I'm not, I just found Google Reader and I am a-loving it. It keeps a list of your blogs and it lets you know when a new post has been added. It really simplifies the process and you can share your list with friends. I've found a couple of new blogs that I'm enjoying: Creative Chaos and Pam Garrison. All in preparation for Silver Bella which is on the horizon. And its COLD in Omaha these days - 40s and 50s. I can't wait!

I've made two light boxes from Tracey Niehues' class at Scrap St. Louis 2008 - oh so cute. Sue K from St. Louis made a Christmas box that is just adorable. If you get a chance to take her class - do it! I love how she used cotton and wrapped the top like a present! I have to order more cubes from K & Co since I think a couple of Christmas gift will need to be made. I wish Tracey kept up a blog because she does such fun projects - I would love to see what she's doing now.

I think I made a major SCORE yesterday at Bath & Body Works... after I checked out I saw a plethera of gift bags that would make beautiful mini albums ala Debby Schuh's Anthropologie album. OH SO CUTE, people. I promise to make and take photos very soon (by Sunday). I think this could be another great Christmas gift.

Canton Goodies

Good evening. After assembling my goodies on the kitchen table, I've laid them out quickly for a snap here and there so I can share. Wish I was better with staging but this was a quick down and dirty so forgive the lack of artistic display. The first pic I actually found at a local estate sale last weekend. Since I work for a Dutch company, I couldn't pass up this hand stitched hankerchief for $1 and a serving spoon and cookie cutter.

One of my favorite vendors is a lady in the back junk section, usually in front of the Civic Center. She has the best vintage cards and photographs and they're almost always $1 or less. The cards were 6 for $1. It really spoils you because others charge much more and I just can't pay any more when she always has great selection. She usually has a little bit of vintage buttons and trim too. She's so kind and fair.

There is a trim and wrapping paper booth at Canton that has several locations. The tulle is 3 for $12 and the yellow trim is just too yummy. I liked the white trim also. Just ignore the initial R magnet - that's a surprise for somebody!

Isn't that multi colored trim yummy!


I went basket and wire crazy on this trip - I didn't include the gym basket, which was $15. I like these off-white farm baskets the best. When we were at Mystic Paper last month they had this garden gate type card holder - I got the smaller version then. I also got a pretty 9 pane window. This lady, Linda makes beautiful green houses out of vintage windows and sells them at Canton - they were just to die for - really. I found lots of other neat projects here. I'm probably going to make a collage project with my window - similar to what Cindy, Adrian and Laurel made at a crop at By Design earlier this year.

We got the checkers board for $1 and the books for $2. A lady in Plano sold her entire collection of books - they were so amazing I wanted to buy tons of them. The top book will be for a journal like Janet Hopkins made at CE, the Boticelli has some great photographs and theres also a children thesaurus with great definitions. I thought the wooden paddle would make a great plaque for an announcement and the potato cutter would be a cute book handle with some velvet trim.

The quilt hearts were a $1 for 6 or 10 - how can you pass that up. I just got a Cuttlebug so it was nice to pick up some embossing plates and these two vintage Halloween stamps.

The two tiered platter was $3 and the blocks and printers blocks were $1 each. I found tons of great hardware and wooden pieces for real cheap. I'm going to paint the platter white.











One of our favorite places at Canton is the Quilting Barn. We've bought quilts for all the girls there and we have one near the couch for TV and snuggling. I loved the fabric for this bag and I thought the quilted placemats would be a nice change. They had a pretty chenille and quilt bed cover... but I just couldn't commit.

There's a booth where they sell fabric for $10 and oilcloth for $8. I bought my black toile there for my chair and ottoman. I can't remember what the project was for oil cloth because I've been looking for it for a very long time... I think it was a Martha Stewart project. In any case, I'll at least make a couple of splat mats!

This guy had a trim shop in downtown Canton and had some product left over so he sold these huge cards for $5. I felt guilty taking them. The fleur de lis are heavy and were $2 each.

These are cute little santa and reindeer pouches for small gifts. $2 - they were our first purchase.

The weather was just perfect in Canton this weekend and as I mentioned, we stayed on the main acreage for all three days. If you've never been, you really should experience "First Monday". It happens every month on the weekend before the first monday. It's about 4 hours north of Houston, east of Dallas. There is nothing better than finding a real treasure in the midst of all the junk. It was a great weekend and now I have a few goodies for Silver Bella!

Weekend Update

Well, kids, it was an absolutely pristine and wonderful weekend in Canton - great weather and great shopping and I had a great time. I have to give some kudos to my hubby - the guy follows along from pillar to post and carries the packages and offers up his wallet. Now, how can you beat that? Plus he asks what I'm looking for (in the junk section) and keeps his eyes peeled. We found TONS of stuff - I can't wait to take a pic tomorrow. Baskets galore, including gym baskets, wooden bingo tokens, oilcloth, wooden paddle, a 9 pane window, a large wire display door (we saw them at Mystic Paper but I didn't want to carry it home), lots of knobs and pulls, lots of books including a great childrens dictionary, two 12 x 12 checker boards - alot of this stuff was $1. The ribbon was $5 for an entire card (guy had closed his store). Oh and a beautiful quilt fabric bag and 4 quilt place mats (I'm so tired I could barely remember the word...)

We went to a local football game for true Friday Night Lights- Homecoming for a senior - DeWayne's cousin son. What fun that was - watching all the kids - small and large. It was a nice cool nite plus it brought back lots of memories for my hubby who played local ball.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday we went to Canton and shopped. Normally we'll go to Old Mill or Dogtown but this time we spent the entire time at Canton proper and still didn't see everything. We spent most of our time in the back with all the junk - I loved it! We had dinner at our favorite restaurant in Lindale, Petty's. It was such beautiful weather and a great time but my tootsies are killing me.

And finally, a last hurrah to my baby sister, who after tonight will no longer be in her forties... Happy Birthday, Little Sister!