Lisa Leonard Jewelry Giveaway!

Kate at Centsational Girl is now offering a fantastic (and generous!) $100 gift certificate to Lisa Leonard Designs. I so want to win this!

Click here if you'd like to enter to win. (Hurry...ends Nov. 10)

Vintage Buttons

I adore vintage buttons. I have a small collection, most from my hubby's grandmother. When she passed away, he specifically asked if he could have her basket of buttons. He fondly remembered playing with them during family get-togethers.

I've added some of these buttons to a few charm bracelets I made. I think they add lot of character.

I even framed rows of fancy mother-of-pearl buttons, which decorate the dining room wall.



Today, I made a ring using 3 old buttons. I've seen this project all over blogland, and I thought I'd give it a try. The buttons can either be attached to a metal ring using a strong glue, or sewn together using thin elastic. I chose to use elastic, since I already had that on hand.

This is such a simple project, and quick! It only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. This would make a fun craft project for children old enough to handle a needle. Since these rings are relatively cheap and easy to make, they would be a wonderful idea to create holiday gifts.

If you're interested in making a button ring like the one I made, here's what you you'll need:


buttons in staggered sizes

thin sewing elastic (I used 1/4 inch)

sewing needle

thread

First, make a loop of elastic by overlapping the ends. Make sure it's slightly smaller than your finger since the elastic will stretch.

Next, stack the buttons together, then sew them onto the top of your loop.

That's it! How easy is that? I'm not sure I'm loving the white elastic. I wonder if it comes in other colors, like black.

Ugh! I never noticed how old my hands are looking... I better start slathering on the moisturizer post-haste.

Because Tomorrow Will Be Too Late

I figured I would share some of my Halloween decorations before it's time to put them away.

We recently sent my husband's niece a Halloween-themed care package at college...
Feel free to take a cupcake before you leave.

(They're calorie-free!)

Hope your Halloween is Wicked!

Love, Me

I'm Back!

Yes, I have been MIA from my blog for awhile. I've been contemplating my comeback, if you will, and, well...
It can be a little intimidating to begin posting again. Do I need to explain my absence? Do I act as if I never left? Does anybody even care? And, what if I've got nothing interesting to blog about?

These are the thoughts that have been floating around in my head lately. (Why are we always our own worst enemies?) What's important is that I love blogging, miss it terribly, and truly enjoy the sharing aspect of it. Right?

Still, I am reluctant to dive back in. Why? Am I afraid of failure? What even constitutes failure in blogging? Of course, we all enjoy comments. They let us know we have readers, comrades, even fans. But, isn't it just putting ourselves out there the best part? I know I certainly feel a sense of accomplishment when I press Publish Post.

So, without further adieu, I am jumping back in...

Summer Reading

Whew! I cannot believe how long it's been since I last posted. I took a little time off from blogging for several reasons. For one, I've somehow developed "tennis elbow" in my right arm, which would be easy to explain if I played, um, tennis. Of course, you don't have to be a tennis player to get "tennis elbow" but I haven't been doing any repetitive motions, except, perhaps using the computer. My cervical disc problems combined with the atrophy in my arm muscles has played some part, we're convinced.

Also, I've been trying to slowly wean myself from pain meds, which is, well, let's just say NOT FUN. So, my focus over the past month has been spending more quality time with my family. To both give my elbow a rest, and to put fewer pressures on myself, I took a break from the computer. Plus, I kinda wanted to test myself to see just how long I could manage to stay away. Blogging (particularly reading the blogs of others) can really become addicting, if you haven't already noticed.

Meanwhile, I was worried that I'd lose all my followers while I was on my unscheduled break, but, I was happy to find that I actually gained a few new followers. Welcome, to my new followers. And, thanks to my loyal blogging buddies who continue to check in here from time to time. Now, onto my planned post:


Ever since I was a little girl, summer has always been about having more time for my favorite pastime: reading. Over the last month or so, I've been combing my local Salvation Army Thrift Store for interesting books. Here's a shot of the result of one of my thrifting expeditions...

Over several trips to the thrift store, I have collected the following pile of books. I plan to delve into as many as I can over the next couple of months. I'd love to get some feedback if you've read any of them. Are any must-reads? Which are only so-so? I'd really enjoy hearing what you think?

Imagine That

As the end of the school year approaches (Eeek!), I am trying to compile a list of books, DVDs, and films that I'd like to obtain. And by obtain, I mean to borrow, hopefully, either from the library of from friends. However, going out to the cinema has always been a wonderful treat for our family.

And, if I plan well, a trip to the movies doesn't have to break the bank. We generally go during matinee times, when tickets are a few dollars less. (With a few children in tow, these dollars add up quickly.) Of course, we always visit the dollar store to stock up on boxes of Whoppers, Junior Mints, and Snow Caps, instead of paying the 300-400% markup at the concession stands. And, *magically*, there always seems to be bottled water in juice boxes in my oversized handbag.


For me, the biggest problem is choosing movies that will entertain not only my children, but also myself. You know, like Nemo, Shrek, and Willy Wonka. I enjoyed those movies as much as my children did, if not more. A couple of months ago, the hubby and I took our boys to see Coraline, which was a hit for both kids and adults alike.

What movies scheduled to come out this summer fit that bill? I am considering seeing Eddie Murphy's new film, Imagine That. The premise is sweet: Murphy's character is career-driven, seemingly having little time for his young daughter. That is until, her imagination leads her to provide Dad with advice that helps him advance at his job. Plus, Eddie Murphy easily makes me laugh.

Vintage Cowboy Book

~ Would someone please explain to me why it takes a pharmacy 30 minutes to refill a prescription that is already prepackaged? I know there are others ahead of me, but, it's almost like they enjoy making me come back later, when it only takes about 15 seconds to look up my ongoing script, take my money, and put the box into a bag. (And, of course, staple it ....What is the deal with pharmacies and stapling everything?) ~

Anyway, while waiting for my pharmacy to fill a (prepackaged!) prescription recently, I wandered into a tiny antique store two doors down. Lucky for me, I found the sweetest little book: The Brave Cowboy.

Originally published in 1959, The Brave Cowboy, by Joan Walsh Anglund, is the story of a young cowboy with a vivid imagination.

As with most children's books, the illustrations are the best part. The way in which the author/illustrator differentiates the boy's reality vs. dreams is thus: Reality is drawn in black sketches, while the imagined scenes are drawn in red.

The inner cover of this book is designed in a red and white checkerboard pattern. Tiny drawings of cowboy instruments fill the white squares.

Underneath the book's dust cover, I was delighted to find this adorable imprint.

This drawing of the 'heroic' cowboy, surrounded by imaginary little girls is just darling, don't you think?

You certainly don't see too many children's books with pictures of gun-toting toddlers these days.

The Brave Cowboy has been re-released over the years, most recently in 2000. But, I'm glad to have picked up this first edition to add to our family's library.

For more Show & Tell Friday Posts, hop on over to Kelli's blog: There's No Place Like Home