Monday, October 26, 2009

A little procrastinating goes a long way

So I've been itching to do something creative. Pull out the paints, get my hands dirty and turn something unused into something grand. OK, OK so my conscience keeps pulling me towards that half painted desk I purchased at a yard sale back in July!! I got the top painted, and a bit of the side then ran out of paint. I finally bought more (gulp), back in August! Sigh....I think I saw a notice of a procrastination party but was, yes, that's right, procrastinated to long and missed taking part. I swear, I'm my own worst enemy.

But with Fall and Halloween, and soon Christmas decorating I don't feel like painting a desk. I feel like getting into the spirit of things. No, not buying it? I'm just being lazy aren't I? I know, deep in my heart, I know that too. I also want to paint Cinnamon's wooden food stand. She is a messy drinker and there's starting to get water stains on it and it's looking yucky. But I can't for the life of me decide what color to paint it? I have a bit of red in my kitchen, should I do that? Or should I go with pink being that she's a girl, but that it wouldn't match my kitchen decor? Seriously, these are the questions that stump me! (If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I'm going for the country cottage-y look).

OK, so back to my half done desk. I'm posting a very embarrassing picture, just to hold myself accountable. I hope you talented ladies can help keep me in line!

P.S. Yes, my goal is to eventually paint the chair as well and get a cushion for it.

Wishing you a great week!

~ Marcia

Friday, October 23, 2009

My Husband Rocks -

I wanted to participate in My Husband Rocks Friday Parties presented by Katey Lyn over at The Great Adventure. I really like this idea as it makes one focus on the good of their partner and not the bad as it is so easy to do. My hubby rocks because he somehow knows when grief visits me during the night. He was fast asleep, snoring softly and yet I felt his hand reach for mine as tears silently rolled down my cheeks. How could he know I needed his touch? It amazes me that somewhere in his soul he knew I needed him. To me, that rocks.

For this post I wanted to add a photo of my handsome hubby. This is one of my favorites. He is with a baby Cinnamon a couple of months after we brought her home. Too cute right?



Wishing you all a great weekend!!

~Marcia

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Thrifty heirloom find

As I got dressed yesterday I realized I hadn't shown you my most recent heirloom. Shame on me! How can an heirloom be recent you ask? Well, one day this past summer my MIL went out on one of our most enjoyed adventures. Rummage sales. I was running late because our car was at the shop but she saw this gorgeous pendent and snatched it up right away. It was all of .50 cents. She knows me well, and knew I would love it.


The photo doesn't do it justice. It is a rose, encircled by a jeweled frame. Atop sits a large bow. It's gorgeous.


THEN she turned it over.



Try as I might, I could not for the life of me, get a photo of the inscription. But it is beautiful. It's inscription was beautiful. It's meaning to me was so precious. If you have read my blog before you know that I adore my grandma. She has recently passed on but this piece of jewelry is exactly what I would have purchased for her. It's inscription reads "Grandmother, I love you." The seller, was a young woman who had inherited all her grandma's jewelry and had kept what she wanted and was selling off what she didn't. She didn't know where the pendent came from.

When I arrived to the rummage sale we quickly hightailed it back to the girls booth, and I found a matching necklace for my new found heirloom. It's price, was a matching .50 cents. That day I received a .50 cent pendent and purchased a .50 cent necklace. But in all honesty, it's priceless.


~ Marcia

Monday, October 19, 2009

Comfort foods

Hi All!

I hope you had a warm weekend! It was a rainy windy one where I live, but we didn't have to utter the horrible four letter word...s.n.o.w. Hubby and I are from the North, born and raised but one distinct difference between us, he looooves winter. I loathe it. Ok, so loathe is a strong word but I highly dislike it. Except for when it's big fat snowflakes, and my whole family is gathered safe and sound around the fireplace all cozy and warm. Oh, and for the other reason that tornadoes are not common in winter. I have a large fear of them, but that's a whole other post.

Anywho, since hubby and I are northerns we sleep with the window cracked open, even on nights with frost warnings! Even Cinnamon loves snow. But as I said, all we got was rain. It made for the perfect weekend of cooking and watching Football (hubby) and reading
CountryLiving magazine (me).


So, I made some chili and as a foolish girl that I am, forgot all about the pics. Sorry. But I also made a roast in our crocpot. How we got along without it is beyond me. I just add my ingredients then kick back on the couch with my cup of joe and my magazine. Ahh, the life. The picture is kinda hard to see and we didn't eat it for supper cuz I like to cook it on slow for 9hrs. It'll be our lunches during the work week.


Then we bought us a little snack ;)

Isn't the box cute? The Pillsbury marketing people are genusies, it sure got my attention! And it came out sooo goood too! Yum!!

I hope you had a cozy weekend too.
~ Marcia

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Christmas lists

I've been slow to start the week. It's been cooling off in my neck of the woods, so before work I have enjoyed a good book and a cup of joe. My job has me spending 8.5hrs in front of the computer, so to be away from it before work begins was a nice little reprieve. But you know I couldn't stay away for long!

This weekend we had a visit from my father in-laws family. It was very nice! We took them around shopping and I just had to get these gloves! I had seen them before back in August but kept putting them off till now. For the life of me I thought I'd only get away with wearing them till Halloween, my mind seemed to register that they were pumpkins, until I wore them for the first time and finally realized they are snowmen. Aren't they cute?


Of course most stores had Halloween and Christmas displays side by side. No wonder we have a hard time living in the "now". But I have to admit, I'm itching to start shopping! The hardest person to buy for is my hubby. He just doesn't seem to want anything. So, really, let's put it out on the table. How soon do you buy gifts? Even scoping them out? Or making a list of everyone you wish to buy for and putting some ideas beside each name? C'mon now, you can tell me, we're all friends here. Ok, ok, I'll go first. I tend to buy gifts, as early as August, pack them away and then completely forget they are there! LOL. This has happened to me a couple of times. I don't like to buy just anything. I like to buy something that I really think that person will love. So it's your turn, I promise, no judging....when do you start Christmas shopping?

~ Marcia

Friday, October 9, 2009

Ms. Donna (she doesn't go by Ms. Donna, I just call her that, hope she doesn't mind!) and I have been chatting back and forth about our beloved pets. She is a great lover of animals and has a very sweet blog all about her home, family and pets, you can visit her here. Her cherished Mr. O'Malley looks much like my Cinnamon and you know we chatted a bit about that. She is a very sweet lady and I love how she dedicates apart of her blog to the homeless animals who are searching for forever homes. How sweet is that?!
If you have never owned a pet you have not felt unconditional love. They just love you, faults and all. They don't care how bad your morning breath is when they sneak in for a kiss. They don't care if you snap at them after having a bad day at work. They don't care if your a little bloated, or your having a bad hair day. All they know is to love you. And to take care of you the best they know how.
Today marks the 8 month anniversary of my protective, all knowing, hard working, sarcastic, fun loving, cherished dad's passing. It is still so fresh and yet seems like a million years ago.

Some days I can laugh and feel at peace, others, I realize he's gone and not coming back and the world around me shatters all over again. My hubby is a great sounding board, gives soulful hugs and encouraging words. But my pets, well, they just know how to be. My kitty Roscoe will come and sit on my lap and rub his head around my hand so I have to pet him through the tears. And Cinnamon, she does not like it when her humans are hurting. No siree. She will follow me and put her head on my lap or lay next to me and give kisses. Or more often then not, she will just remain beside me, just letting me know I'm not alone.

Now I know they can't know why I'm upset, but I'm not sure that even matters. They just know I am upset and they want to take the best care of me as they can. Animals are amazing and intuiative and loving and I'm grateful for having them in my life. I hope you get to know the love of an animal.
~Marcia

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Furry love

Each morning before work I grab my cup of coffee and visit with my blog friends and just see what's going on in everyone's corner of the world. I stopped by Joanne's page over at My little cottage in the making. She tells great stories of her travels through different cities and she goes on goose bumping ghost tours! I just love her blog and love to see what new travels she's been up to. Today I read her post as well as an earlier post about a 5K walk for animals that she participated in. Now, I knew I liked her, but to take time out of your life and walk 5k to support your local SPCA, well, what can I say, I like her even more now!

Both my pets are rescues. I'm not saying this to gloat or toot my own horn, but when I was in search of an animal I went to the vet's office and adopted my kitty and the local animal shelter for our pup. My kitty was abandoned, after he was born the owners of his Momma opened their apartment door and let both my Roscoe and his brother out to fend for themselves. Apparently they wandered the apartment complex for a couple of weeks before someone brought them into the vet. Can you imagine how cruel that is? And Cinnamon, well she was born in December, during a very deep cold snap. Her Momma was abandoned to the outside to have her litter. She was so malnourished that she was not producing any milk to feed her pups. Some kind hearted soul drove by and saw them huddled together on the side of their owners property and brought them into the shelter. All pups and Momma were adopted! Now they live the life of luxury.

I think we need to take responsibility for the animals we own, and the ones that need our help. If you've read my blog before you'll know that my hubby and I have found 3 abandoned kittens this past summer. We took the first two who were estimated at being 5 days old to the humane society. Because they were so little and needed feedings every 2 hours, they told me they would have to be put to sleep. Not because they were cruel at the humane society but because they literaly had cat cages stacked one on top of the other from floor to ceiling. Did someone own these kittens? No, they were most probably strays, but someone must've owned the mother of the cat who had these kittens. At one time they must've been someone's pet who wasn't spayed and the cycle just goes on and on. It's not the kittys fault. (By the way, I refused to let two adorable kittens be put to sleep because of my decision, so we were lucky enough to find a cat lover who had the space and time to feed them. Yay)! I just think we need to take responsiblity of our animals and care for them the best we can. So thanks to you Joanne for being apart of something so fantastic! You've inspired me and I hope to find more ways to help our furry friends.

Have a great day all!
~ Marcia

Monday, October 5, 2009

A little Fall Vignette

I haven't really added much for Fall, even though it is by far my favorite season! I don't know why really, perhaps it's because of our tiny space and keeping extra items I'd have to store when not in use, puts a damper on the decorating. But I have added a few little things in our home.

Just a little touch of Fall as you walk into our front foyer. Do you like the little pumpkin's face? I'm such a non drawer but I think he came out pretty good! Besides, how badly can you mess up a triangle? LOL.

Here's another look beside my front table. Psst, the blue blanket on the couch is because we have a spoiled pup as we've established before. ;)



A sweet little face to put a tealight in.



A pumpkin spice candle that I put in my bathroom tray. Did I tell you I purchased that tray at the dollar store? I know it isn't high quality but it sure looks pretty and was only a $1!

This little sign I keep up all year round. It hangs in my kitchen and I love what it says.
I did also manage to snag a few Fall sweaters. I'll show you those another day. Have a great day!
~ Marcia

Friday, October 2, 2009

I'm back baby!

I have returned to the world beyond my front door! It is amazing how quickly you miss the access to the web when you don't have it for a couple of days. So I'm back, still fixing up the computer to add things we once had but no more shutting down needlessly. I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures for today's post. I hope you all have a great weekend! Here it's starting to really feel like Fall! Loving it!







The last picture was taken as I was getting ready for work. I walked into our bedroom and there lay Cinnamon, sad looking and distraught. It breaks my heart to leave her each morning. My hubby says she is waaay to spoiled as it is but look at that face! How can you leave that face and not feel bad? LOL. On a side note, we really need new sheets and a fancier comforter but I don't dare do it since her laying on our bed is a routine. And honestly, I'd rather feel her beside me than a fancy quilt.

Happy weekend all!!

~Marcia