Thursday, April 30, 2009

Home tour...take 1

I love reading your blogs and especially tend to gravitate toward the home tours you post. So I thought I'd reciprocate and begin my own.

We currently live in an apartment and are loving it! If things need fixing I just call up the service desk and it's done, Voila! No money out of pocket, no sweat and tears. I do however, miss having a little yard to tinker in. But for now, it's perfect, and it's home.
I mentioned I brought back some treasures I had stored away in MN which I will point out along the home tour. Now being an apartment dweller all the walls are white. I have not even inquired if I could paint them because I believe I would have to repaint them white upon leaving and that really doesn't intrigue me. So for now, they will remain white.

We begin with our front entrance...


The basket on the bottom right holds the dogs towel (for rainy days), her toys and her leash and potty bags. I added the stars above my mirror. I like them there as they draw the eye up towards the high ceiling. I was thrilled when I first came to PA as stars seem very popular here! Beneath the mirror is where I would like to put an entrance table with a stained glass lamp my dad made and maybe some pictures. But for now it is what it is.

The wreath my dad made for me. Which is why it's on the inside of the door and not the outside. I was worried about the elements. After hanging it there though I have to admit I like it. The little sign above the door I purchased at a thrift shop in MN for .99 cents. I love it!




This little table is just to the right of my entrance. I brought back the lamp which my MIL gave me. It has a brother which I will put at the other end of the sofa on the matching table. The little picture is of my grandpa and the one above the table is my grandma. That too has a matching frame which I will use to put my hubby's grandma's picture in.



Tomorrow we'll continue onto the laundry room. Which isn't all that exciting, or big so I may incorporate two tours in one.


Have a great day!


~ Marcia


Wednesday, April 29, 2009

It's good to be home

Hi Girls!

We got back from our trip this past weekend. We flew to MN then drove to Canada and continued on to PA. Don't you just love airports? I love the ambience, the excitement, the tears, the sadness, the joy, the anticipation.


We were able to spend a couple of days with family and friends and did a lot of laughing, remincing and enjoying our surroundings. Then it was back on the road to head to Canada.


Don't you find Lake Superior in Wisconsin just beautiful?



Another gorgeous shot of Lake Superior.



About twenty minutes after this picture was taken we drove into Ashland, Wisconsin and were greeted by this....


A horrendous wintery mess. It lasted through most of Michigan and then the skies cleared and the view was gorgeous again.




This is one of my favorite shots on this road trip. I wish I remembered where this was exactly but I know it was on the way back to PA.




Not bad for being in a moving vehicle eh? But I may have missed a few things as I apparently dozed off a time or two. ;)



It was a great,therapeutic, soul warming trip. ;) I wish I had more pics to show you but most were of friends and I'm not sure how they'd feel with their pictures on my blog.


I was anticipating getting back to blogging on Monday but that day was spent doing laundry, cleaning and unpaking all my treasures I brought back with me from MN. Then Tuesday came and I was asked back for a second interview at a potential job. I am thrilled to say I got it and start next week!!!!! Woo hoo! Back to the working world ;)

As for today, my plan is to sit with my cup of joe, listen to the rain falling and catch up on your great blogs. I am anxious to see what you girls have been up to while I was away. Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by and left kind messages. It made my day to see that ;) Now I'm off to read. Happy Wednesday!


~ Marcia




Thursday, April 16, 2009

I already miss you

I was going to start my post today with a picture from hubby's car accident. But first, I headed over to see what my friend Kim at Belladella was up to. I was shocked to see what she had posted! She put up a pic of my new header and a little comment to her friends to come on over and check me out. I am so touched! Just that little gesture means so much to me. In today's world where things are keep your head down and go faster, I am always surprised by how sweet people can be. I wish I knew how to link over to her site... BUT since I don't you can find her on my sidebar. She is a sweet sweet soul and has a gorgeous new house and general store. Her blog is great too ;)

That truly made me smile. Thanks Kim. ;)

On another note, hubby and I are heading out on a road trip tomorrow. With his banged up car you ask? Nope, that one will sit licking its wounds. Instead we'll fly back to MN and then drive to MTL to visit family. So, I must tend to the million things I have let go until today! But you guys are much more fun. Before I go here are some pics I made from (my newest addiction) scrapblog last night. My friend Kim over at Belladella introduced me to it and I believe my forefinger is actually a little numb from using my laptops mouse ;)





I bid you guys a fantastic week and I will be back with pics and sidenotes from our trip!

P.S. Please excuse the crazy colors on my blog. I have begun playing around with font sizes and colors where I should really be packing!
~ Marcia

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Being thankful

I just received a call from an insurance company telling me that my hubby got into a car accident this morning. Thank God, he's alright!! Apparently there was a four car pile up and he was the fourth car. It was raining and foggy out this morning and the first car thought someone was going to pull out in front of them so they stopped, hence, the four car pile up. You know what the funny thing is? Not, "funny haha funny" but funny "if I don't laugh I'll cry funny" is that we just got the car back after fixing it for the very same damages!

When we first arrived in PA we had an impromptu meeting with a guardrail. We drove around for months with one working headlight and a smashed up front end.
Two weeks ago, we were so smug as we just got the car back, all shiny, both headlights and both fog lights in working condition. We were all one big happy family again. Now, the poor girl is smashed up in the very same place! Arrrgh!!! Add to it the taxes we owe, the bills that need paying, all on the one salary we have coming in. I need to remind myself to breathe. I could easily stir myself up into a frenzy. But I'm reminded of a saying I like that says,"It's not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain". This is my rain. So instead of stomping on the puddles, I'm going to do a little dance and write a "Be thankful" list.
  1. I am thankful that hubby is safe and ok
  2. I am thankful that everyone involved is safe and ok
  3. I am thankful that hubby has a job esp. in this economy
  4. I am thankful that once this is settled we will look back on this and laugh
  5. I am thankful that I even remembered to be thankful in this at all

So, now that I can breath again and the stress has released my stomach muscles, I must go and call the insurance company. I thank you God for giving me the strength to change my habits and learning to dance in the rain.

I hope you girls have opportunities to dance too.

~ Marcia

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Home blessings

I like to surround myself with things that offer blessed messages or sweet reprieve from the coldness the world sometimes omits. Over the past couple of years I have added some sayings to my home. Some are still packed away in MN, and others I picked up here in PA. Once I have everything back here I think I just may have more sayings than places to keep them!

Here are a couple of items I picked up over the weekend at Kirkland Home. If you've never been it's a fantastic store. It looks expensive so I was a little pensive about going in. But I was greatly surprised when I walked in and found many a treasure in my price range.

I purchased both the pillow and the cross from Kirkland Home. Together they came to $8.00! (The pillow was on clearance). I just love what it says.

They now greet people at my front entrance. I do eventually wish to purchase a table to put under the mirror, but that'll come.

I first saw the little sticker in the corner of my mirror, on my inlaws front door. I picked mine up at a christian store in MN. Sorry its a bit dark, I found if I kept the flash on it'd be to bright. Some days you just can't win. ;)


Finally, here's a little sign my hubby picked up for me at Peddlers Alley, for $3.99!


Since losing two beloved family members in one year, I now tend to gravitate towards anything that says "Cherish Yesterday".

I hope you enjoyed the little tour. So, do you have anything in your home with little sayings?

~ Marcia

Monday, April 13, 2009

Happy Monday!

I am waiting to hear back about a job interview I went on last week, so I hope to be dreading Mondays again soon! But for now, its just another day on the home front.

We spent a nice Easter weekend. We did things around the house that needed doing, cleaning, laundry, shaving the cat. Umm, yah you read right. I have been shaving Roscoe for a couple of years now. His fur gets so matted and knotted that I feel badly for him. So one day I sent him to the groomers. He came home with a lion's cut, so cute right? But he was soooo mad at me. He would not walk out of his crate until I left the room! I think it traumatized him, so last year we decided to do it ourselves, not realizing just how much work this would be. We don't tie him down, we let him walk around and we stop when he starts getting antsy. So it usually takes us a couple of days to get him completely shaven. This time though it was me that had to stop. It's the first time that my eyes welled, and my face became patchy and swollen. It was horrible and itchy and I had to take a shower for the swelling and itch to go away. I guess I have become allergic to his dander.

Anyway, here's a pic of my cutie with a half new haircut. Doesn't he look smug?


It was on the chilly side here this weekend so we took the pooch on a short walk around our area. She met up with the resident swan and the two went nose to nose! Here's a little video of her adventure. :) Side note: Neither the dog nor the swan were hurt in the making of this video.

I hope you guys had a good weekend and a great upcoming week!

~Marcia

Friday, April 10, 2009

Happy Easter

I just want to take a minute to wish everyone a safe and happy Easter weekend. I personallylove Easter. To me, it signifies a time of re-birth, a time for a fresh start, a time of warmth after a long cold winter. It has always made me feel hopeful. I do wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend.

~Marcia

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Everything turns...turns...turns...

I mentionned in yesterday's post that today is the 2nd month anniversary of my dads passing.

I have been greiving since we received word that the misdiagnosis of asthma was far more serious. Some days are ok, some not so ok, and I know things will never be the same. Yet, I also know that death is life itself. No one gets out alive! It's not the living part thats hard, its the waiting to be reunited that is tricky.

My dad was on my mind this morning when The Byrds song, "Everything (turns, turns, turns)" popped into my head. I always liked the song but never really paid attention to the lyrics so I decided to google them and see what the song is truly about. Boy, was I was stunned! This is my favorite part:

"A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose under heaven. "

I don't know why this song came to mind when I was thinking of my dad but I am so grateful it did. Maybe it was his way of saying this is natural, it's life. I believe in signs, in the afterlife. I believe those that have passed remain with us. I believe in things I cannot explain. So, for whatever reason this song popped into my mind it has helped me today.
So, dad, thanks for the song ;) I miss you so much. Ti Amo
~ Marcia

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

It's a hard day

I wanted to write about something witty, something that would make you want to keep reading. I thought about it all morning, trying to decide what I could write about. But my mind just wouldn't give. I know my blog is based on crafts, dumpster diving and anything frugal yet what is on my mind has nothing to do with crafting or decor. Tomorrow will be the 2 month anniversary of my dad's passing. I can't believe it's only been 2 months. It seems like a lifetime and yet at the same time, it hardly seems real at all.

I have been missing him so much these past few nights. I cry myself to sleep thinking of him and wake up with him on my mind. I miss his voice, the sheer size of his hands (he wore a size 13 pinky ring), his eye rolling when he would think we weren't paying attention. I miss his nicknames for us, I miss his arguements. I miss him so much that I can actually feel the pain in my heart.

I replay visits to his hospital room, conversations we shared, laughing through the tears.

I am sorry. I didn't mean to be so depressing. I was debating whether to blog at all. But decided the blog is about my little world and right now it isn't so happy. I know there will be good days and bad days and maybe tomorrow it'll get easier but today he is on my mind. I miss you dad and love you so much.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Dumpster Diva

Hi Girls!


Last evening we took the pooch out for a small walk around our area. As we headed out I grabbed our recycling to put in the bins outside. While I walked toward the garbage area I noticed a man putting two wing back chairs in beside the garbage bins. (I believe they are wing back, anyway). My curiosity was peaked! But hubby told me to hurry along as Cinnamon was starting to get antsy. I forgot all about them until on our way back I had to dispose of the pooch's droppings and decided to check in on those wooden chairs.

Hubby was horrified when I told him they were in perfect condition and would fit beautifully on our porch! (Ok, ok, so it's a tiny balcony but calling it a porch makes it so much more inviting). He refused to help me carry them back up to our apartment and just ran on up ahead of me with Cinnamon. So I grabbed one chair and then went back down for the other. When I explained to him that had I seen them at Goodwill I would've paid for them, he started to come around. He was then flat out impressed when I told him that the stamp on the bottom said "Ethan Allen".

With a little paint they will be as good as new!



Aren't they great?! I am so excited to get my hands on them! But it'll have to wait because today is sooo cold and windy. And I'd like to paint them outside so instead I will focus my energy on this little guy. I bought this awhile ago and it just isn't working out for me. So I want to paint it, add decoupage and some metal words. I want to put a picture of my grandparents wedding day as well as my parents. (The current pictures came with the frame).



I know some people would yell at me for painting over beautiful wood, but it's just not working for me.


Anyway, these are my new projects. I will show you the "afters" once they are done. This has been my first experience finding something out of a dumpster and I am hooked! Where do you girls find your best treasures?

~ Marcia

Monday, April 6, 2009

Good Afternoon on this dreary Monday....well where I am anyway!

I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was fabulous!

Saturday was winnnndy. So after taking the pooch out for a quick walk we decided to spend the rest of the day indoors, and stopped at shops we found haphazardly along the way. Yesterday was just beautiful. A perfect spring day. We took the pooch for a stroll through my favorite park and then went on to the Red Caboose Motel/Gift shop/Petting Zoo. It was adorable. You can sleep in a real caboose! Isn't it cute?




We didn't sleep over though, we just took a tour and petted some animals.
Isn't this guy gorgeous? He certainly thought so!


Here's a closer look at his colors.

Here's another sweet face from the Motel.



We tried on some hats.....Hmmm, I'm not sure I can pull off this look...



And finally, we just enjoyed the views from this cute little motel.








I hope you had a great weekend too!

~ Marcia

Friday, April 3, 2009

Goodwill.....hunting

Last night I talked hubby into coming with me to the nearby Goodwill store. I had been there once before and couldn't remember my thoughts on the place. So after feeding him, off to Goodwill went! Oh my anticipation was high! After reading blogs on the treasures they had purchased and re purposed, I was anxious to get my hands dirty! Boy, what a let down. The clothing was priced to high for my taste. So I moved on to scout out some handbags. There was a great large brown purse that I was interested in until I saw a large tear in the bottom. So onto housewares I went. It was no better there either. I saw a cute angel figurine I wanted but then noticed she was missing an arm and she wasn't in a discount or "as is" pile either. Everything was either chipped or broken! It was by far the worst Goodwill store I have been to. Do you have a favorite Goodwill store? One that has never let you down? Mine is back in Hibbing, Minnesota. It was fabulous! I found many a treasure there that I will show you in upcoming posts.

Anyway, I left there feeling defeated while hubby suggested we walk over to the nearby Dollar store and see what we could find. I went in unconvinced anything could cheer me up from the Goodwill nightmare. Yet just as we walked in, hubby pulled out this little number and again my faith in cheap great finds was restored!

They had a few to choose from but this one just caught my eye. I love what is written inside.

Sorry its hard to make out, but it reads, "God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God and God in him". - I John 4:16

I just think it is so well said. I loved it. Its a reminder that kindness truly does matter.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

~ Marcia

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Good morning, all my two followers! lol.

The sun is shining, the pooch is dozing and my kitty is sitting in an open window sill smelling the fresh air. It never ceases to amaze me how weather truly affects my mood. I am more upbeat and optimistic when the sun is out and the birds are singing. Ahhh, spring. I had told my hubby that I felt guilty for being excited about spring as my dad won't be here to see a new one. You know what he said? He said, "Are you kidding? He's in Heaven! He's laughing at us for being excited for spring when he's experiencing so much more!" I thought that was so sweet and so true. He's a good soul my hubby, I think I'll keep him ;) So now I am guilt free and excited for spring!

I realized yesterday that my posts and my blog title don't really jive. I like the idea of writing about anything, day to day adventures, and posting photos of things I love. But the blog itself is about frugal living and well, to be honest, I haven't really shared with you anything "frugal". I do though have tons of treasures packed away in Minnesota. I promise to share with you my Goodwill finds when I get them here to PA.

But for now, how about some pics of the treasures hubby bought me at Cracker Barrel?

These little guys are salt and pepper shakers. I fell in love instantly and was thrilled they were priced at .99 cents/each!


They now reside very comfortably on my pig dressed as a cow spoon holder atop the stove.




My other great find is a tiny jewel box. It has a little bird atop an ornate circular box. It also came in blue, but I prefered the off white. It was all of $3.99! Cinnamon just so happened to come sniffing by just as I snapped the picture. I think it's so cute!


Here's another shot without Cinnamon's help ;)



This little guy is perfect to store hubby's wedding ring and necklace. He works with his hands and can't wear any jewelry. Before, he'd leave his wedding ring on the hand soaps pump handle! It almost fell down the drain a couple of times. And I don't know about your hubby, but my hubby's favorite words are "Babe, where'd you put my....." I put it right here babe, in this cute little jewel box.....

I loove Cracker Barrel. The food, the ambience and the treasures. One day I want to get me one of them their rocking chairs out front. Well, maybe two, one for hubby. I hope your day is filled with little treasures.

~ Marcia

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Serene sights

Today is a little on the chilly side. It's windy, grey and threatening rain. The pooch and I already made it out twice so far but we nixed the idea of an early afternoon walk. Well I nixed it, she just put her head down and followed me back into the house. I know, I know I already feel guilty. But I justify it as she had three walks yesterday! She can't possibly be ready for another, now can she?! Even as I type this I know the truth and already realize I will succumb to a walk after hubby gets home. Sigh. But for now she's curled up on the couch and just let out a sigh of contentment, I am again happy. ;)

Anyway, I thought I'd share some pictures of serene sights on this chilly, grey day. So here they are I hope you enjoy.






I hope it made your day a little less grey.


~ Marcia