Magnet Board

This is a project I borrowed from a fellow blogger, but I can't recall who (my apologies!). The original was made with a piece of aluminum that was purchased at Lowe's. Being bedridden certainly didn't allow for a trip to the hardware store, but I happened to have a new cookie sheet that I just got from Dollar Tree. I wrapped the cookie sheet, in fabric and used my hot glue gun to secure the corners/ edges. Although the back will be facing the wall, I decided to glue a piece of coordinating fabric to it...just to give it a more finished appearance. I added a simple knot bow to the top and a ribbon hanger to the back. I already have a ton of magnets, but decided to make a few that would match the fabric I used. The total cost of this project is probably less than $3!

What to Do?

I've had this really odd double candlestick for years and it always looked slightly "off" when I tried to use it...kind of like Mickey Mouse ears with candles plopped on top. I realized I could easily transform it into a decorative vase using two glass cylinder containers and a bit of apoxy. Gotta say: I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out! After the glue set sufficiently, I tried it with some turquoise stones and some silk roses. Not liking it so much. I remembered I had some cream potpourri and dried pod thingys...much better!

My Saving Grace

For the last 36 hours, I have been (virtually) bed-ridden with a raging case of nastiness. Yup...that's my official diagnosis...according to my own professional opinion. It began Thursday evening with a suspicious tingling numbness on my lower lip, which quickly turned into a small bump in the same spot. By yesterday morning the tingling bump had morphed into a full-blown fever blister. I am SO tempted to be more graphic in my description (because I HATE this evil growth to the core of its nasty being), but I will refrain from crossing into that T.M.I. territory...for your sake. As if the cold sore isn't bad enough, I'm running an impressive fever and have a handful of swollen glands under my chin/ behind my ears that feel as if I've had marbles implanted under my skin. Okay, that should be enough whining to elicit an appropriate amount of sympathy. Ohhhh, let me just say this: if you've never experienced the discomfort of a fever blister, let me tell you...it HURTS!!!!! Aside from being absolutely hideously conspicuous, it just plain hurts! I made the near fatal mistake of checking WebMD for information and found, to my absolute horror, that I can expect this bad boy to linger for at least a week!!! Guess who's not venturing out, in public, anytime soon? Lord, forgive me for my vanity...but, c'mon!
My saving grace has been spending hours upon hours weaving in and out of my favorite blogs, collecting fabulous project ideas along the way. I have to apologize upfront: I did not keep track of where I gathered my inspiration from, therefore I am unable to give proper credit to the creative ladies who have kept me company on my sickbed. I am a firm believer in "giving credit where credit is due", so....I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

Go Ahead....Laugh!

Happy (belated) Easter, dear friends! I hope your day was filled with all God's blessings, sunshine & chocolate! The kids and I spent a wonderful day with my brother and his family, in Trumbull. The added bonus was that we were joined by my best (guy) friend, Glenn who always adds a bit of spunk to a social gathering. Lots of laughter, love & food...which always tastes better when someone else is doing the cooking. Thank you to my wonderful sister-in-law for playing hostess...yet again. It's her fault for having such a welcoming home.

The weather was absolutely picture perfect. Segue coming....the things I am compelled to photograph are silly & strange. Yes, I did take some pictures of the kids enjoying their Easter egg hunt and the adults chatting before the feast, but those are fairly unimaginative. What truly captured my attention was a patch of funky green & red moss that was growing on the side of my brother's little fish pond. (I would have photographed the fish, but my brother was pretty sure they'd all perished). What would have been really entertaining is if someone had thought to take a picture of me, taking a picture of the moss! There I am, dressed in my Easter finest (flowing floral skirt, pale yellow top, strappy sandals)...sprawled out in the grass, hiney sticking up...trying to get just the right angle. I could here murmurs of a scheme to push me in, coming from somewhere behind me, but I was on a mission. Fortunately, I did manage to capture a few images before the "Let's push her in the fish pond" plan came to fruition. I also managed to take a few pictures of flowers and such, but they weren't nearly as captivating as that spot of moss!

Out of the Mouths of...Men!

Just in case there are any men reading this post, I will be as delicate as possible, in my description of my fun-filled doctor's appointment yesterday. Ohhh, this is going to take a bit of creativity. Okay...

For any of you ladies who have hit that "over 40" mark, you know that things just start happening, to your body, that are 1.) uncontrollable, 2.) inexplicable and 3.) unpleasant. Everyone is unique, so I'm sure these "things" run the gamut. One of my "things" is....ummmm....hmmmm...boy, this is tough to put delicately. Let's just say that the number of days/ month when I am NOT in need of feminine hygiene products is exponentially smaller than the days I AM in need of them. 'Nuff said? I decided it was probably a good idea to call the dr. yesterday when I realized (for the third consecutive month) that I'd had an 8 day break between my last two "visits".

I'll spare you the gory details of my dr's appointment, but I was struck by one thing: as I'm lying (laying? that is one grammatical usage question that always stumps me) there, on the paper-lined table...feet in stirrups...cold "jaws of life" thingy firmly in place....lights, camera, action! My ob/gym, whom I love, is performing a most uncomfortable procedure somewhere in my Southern region and I am trying valiantly not to jump off the table and poke him with something sharp in his tender spot! As I'm squeezing the poor nurses elbow (like she had anything to do with the discomfort I was experiencing!) and trying to be a big girl, he says to me..."You're okay. I'm 1/2 way done". Half way done??? Really??? Is he kidding me? I'm supposed to be consoled by that??? At that moment I knew, for certain, that kind of statement could only be uttered by a person who never could and never would be on the receiving end of such an invasive & uncomfortable procedure.

Sooner is Better Than Later

Once I got going on The Fashion Exchange's blog, I couldn't rein myself in.

Introducing, to my blogger friends...The Fashion Exchange

She's Baaack!

I know, I know....my periodic disappearing acts can be tiresome. It is never my intention to vanish in thin air. It just seems that...well...life happens and I find myself pulled in too many directions. Like most woman (particularly those of us who fall in the single mom category), it is often the things I love most that must be pushed to the back burner. Not conducive for maintaining serenity and recharging my personal battery, I must admit.
So, here I am...landing back in my comfort zone with an (hopefully) audible THUD! For those of you who might have been concerned that my life was in upheaval of the negative sort, rest assured, all is quiet on the Western front. I don't even recall what my last post was about, but I took a job working in the mall (YUCK!), at Sephora during the holiday season. I'm having a deja-vu moment, so I must have mentioned that. At any rate, they did offer me a full-time position, extending beyond the holidays. I managed to white-knuckle it through February and...for my own sanity...had to resign (can you resign from a position you've only held for 3 months???). I could go on & on about my reasons for leaving, but suffice it to say: I am NOT cut out for "corporate America". That term, in itself, is a bit of a joke because all I did was put a perky smile on my face and stand in front of a cash register for 8 hours at a time. Not a whole lot of room there to display my vast array of creative skills (stop laughing, ladies!).
As many of you know, my all-time favorite word is: SERENDIPITY and I especially love when it applies to my own life. Shortly after I left Sephora, my former employer & good friend contacted me about helping her with some public relations work for her two, AMAZING consignment shops. We've been working on sprucing up her website, expanding her customer base, etc. The cherry on top is that I got the opportunity to start a new blog that focuses just on her stores, The Fashion Exchange. WAIT...before you click on that link (to her store website), I need to remind you that I've never done a "real" website design before, so you have to be gentle with me. As always, though, I welcome any and all feedback you might have. I deeply respect the opinions of each & every one of you and would love the opportunity to grow from your experiences.
I still have a bit of work to do, on Janet's blog, before it is ready to "launch". I am SO excited about this new endeavour, so I'm sure I won't be bale to hold myself back for long.
Oh MY, it's SO good to be back. Funny how you never realize how much you love something until you spend some time away. Note to self: don't let this happen again...no more blog hiatus!

Merry Christmas

I will be working Christmas Eve, then heading, with kids in tow, to my brother & sister-in-law's house for a feast that I don't hve to prepare (WOOHOO!), sooo...

Merry Christmas to all and may God bless each of you!

I am so looking forward to catching up with your blogs as soon as the frantic pace of the holiday hustle & bustle has slowed down!

Minimalist Christmas

Although I have over 20 bins of Christmas paraphernalia, I decided...in keeping with my new approach to life...to take a minimalist's approach with decorating this year. Okay, part of this is due to the fact that said bins are scattered all over the state of Connecticut, at the homes of various friends who have lent me "storage space" for my overflow of belongings. We haven't gotten our tree yet, but that will happen tomorrow or Tuesday. I'm still on a mission to get Christmas postponed until March, but I seem to be running that crusade on my own!

Goodies From Abroad

Sitting down to write a blog entry is my reward for working crazy holiday hours at the mall, then spending my free time trying to induce some festivity into my home. Mission accomplished on both fronts, so here I am!

A few weeks ago, after a particularly hectic day at Sephora (***sidenote: with the state of the economy as it is, how on earth can people justify spending $34 for mascara???), I arrived home to find a parcel from my sweet friend, Monica. I don't know how it is that little surprises pop up, from Monica, just when I need a boost of spirit! Inside the package was a beautiful, pink beaded bracelet that adorned my wrist the moment I opened it and one of Monica's exquisite dolls. "Chloe" is (as all of her creations are) a work of art. She is such a simple girl, my Chloe, but the craftsmanship is so perfectly detailed. Thank you again & again, Monica, for this gift of love.

Thanksgiving Roses

I was on my way to battle the throngs of last-minute, Thanksgiving shoppers and noticed that there were a few tenacious roses still blooming on my rose bush Shopping can wait a few minutes...

Thank you, God, for the little things in life that exist in spite of the odds being against them!

Vintage Suitcase Make-Over

I bought this fabulous, vintage suitcase at the Salvation Army (for $.99) during the summer and wasn't quite sure what to do with it. My travelling, these days, pretty much consists of running the kids around and my 3 minute jaunt to/ from work every day. It seems a shame to not utilize such a neat piece, so I decided it was make-over time. The suitcase is a tan suede and is lined in tan/ mauve satin (I left the inside alone for now). It's in terrific condition, but the tan was a little boring. I covered the front and back with a beautiful brocade fabric, added some cording around the perimeter and finished it off with some vintage lace pieces, ribbon, silk tassels and various "bits & bobs". I cut strips of the brocade and tied them around the ugly metal handle. I still don't know what I will use it for, but it's pretty to look at and was lots of fun to work on! I'm thinking it still needs a bit more "OOMPH!", but I'm trying no practice the "less is more" concept these days...not an easy task for this over-do-it girl!

Busy Bee

Thank you to my sweet friend, Monica, who gently reminded me that I have neglected to put "blogging" on my daily to-do list since I started my new job. I am slowly acclimating to balancing work and my responsibilities as a single mom. I am enjoying my job at Sephora, although there is a LOT to learn. It's certainly a far cry from working at The Fashion Exchange (a small clothing boutique)...welcome to corporate America! The job is very fast-paced, the atmosphere is always high-energy and both aspects suit me quite well. With the approach of "Black Friday" and Christmas, the "cast" has been primed to step up our game. Oh Boy....the next few weeks will either leave me in a catatonic state or have me ready to run a 5K! Fortunately, this job makes Christmas shopping easy...at least for the girls/ women in my life. I'm not sure how thrilled my 14 year old son will be about finding his stocking stuffed with exfoliating serums and lip plumping gels.

I am "off" all weekend, so it is time for me to catch up on the household duties that have been ignored during the week. Perhaps I will find a quiet moment, later today, to write about some of the Christmas goodies I have been working on.

No Justifying This One...

At 10:00 this morning, I realize I'm feeling a little hungry (skipping breakfast will do that to you), so I head down to the kitchen to rustle up a bit of "something". Eggs? Nope. Wholewheat sourdough toast? Nah! Strawberry yogurt with granola & fruit? Not gonna cut it. Nothing is tickling my taste buds, so I'm ready to shut the refrigerator door and wait until lunch, when I spy a 1/2 of a small(ish...okay, not even really "ish"...more like small-medium) wheel of brie. Just a few pieces on some crackers would make a lovely snack, thought I. Ohhhh, I have some yummy organic preserves, from my sister, and a bag of slivered almonds. Baked brie for breakfast...why not? My house, no kids home, so anything goes! Twenty minutes later, I have devoured all but the tiniest piece of brie and refrained from licking the preserved juices off the plate. This was a delicious moment of gluttony that I can't even blame on P.M.S. Sometimes, I gotta admit: it's good to be the grown-up and be free to make wild-impetuous decisions :-)

Expanding My Horizons

A few weeks ago, during a trip to Michael's craft store, I decided to get brave and explore the jewelry making aisle. I don't know why this particular section always held an air of superiority which intimidated me, but I had, literally, never felt worthy of venturing into this uncharted territory. Ohhhhh boy....I should have held onto my preconceived notions. I love jewelry and accessorizing is a huge part of my personal style, so this was, for me, fairly close to a spiritual awakening. Fortunately, I was using a gift card, from a friend, so I was limited in the amount of damage I could do. I stuck with items that inspired me, but looked user-friendly. My intention/ justification was to make several pieces to give as Christmas gifts. I had no idea how unpalatable it would be to consider parting with my creations. Perhaps that will change as the holidays get closer....or not! ***If you look closely, you can see that I forgot to remove the clear plastic, protective cover from the aqua bird charm...OOOPS!

Cozy Corners

It dawned on me, today, that I haven't posted any pictures of our new home. I must confess: that is largely because I still have bins stacked throughout my living space and have run out of room to put things. I am aggressively purging, but (as I'm sure you will all agree) that takes time and my final adieus get a little drawn out. I realized I could easily photograph around the bis, thus creating the illusion of a neat & orderly abode. 'Course I blew that out of the water when I fessed up to the true state of clutter, but I'm nothing if not candid about my chaotic life :-)

Since I've already forgotten what cozy corners I photographed, the pictures will just have to speak for themselves.

I am now off to memorize the Sephora handbook. Tomorrow is my first day of training and, I must admit, I'm good and ready to get out of the house and venture out into the wide, wonderful world of grown-up people!

I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry

I just HATE when this happens: I go blog surfing, come across a fabulous idea that I decide to borrow, but can't remember whose blog it came from. I tried...I really, really tried to find the creative lady behind this wonderfully simple gift idea. After an hour of getting distracted by the other wonderfully simple gift ideas you all have come up with, I give! I simply cannot find the blog I was looking for, so I apologize to....?

She (who-shall...for now...remain-nameless) bought travel coffee mugs from the Dollar Tree store and transformed them...too cute! I ran down to my Dollar Tree & snatched the remaining mugs. The store manager, who knows me TOO well, said a woman had been in the day before and bought a case of the mugs. I wonder if she was inspired by the same beautiful blogger!

The project was SO easy, quick and budget-friendly. I removed the cup insert and used the template they included to trace the pattern onto scrapbook paper and wrapping paper. I added some ribbon to some of the cups, stickers to others...whatever I had on hand. The blogger, from whom I borrowed this idea, did monograms on her cups. I added a ribbon for wrapping and am going to pop Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks gift cards inside and have my daughter give them to her teachers for Christmas.

***Sidenote: Having taught for 11 years, I feel confident in speaking for MOST teachers...every thoughtful gift, from a student, is a cherished memento. That said, one can only accumulate so many "#1 Teacher...Grade A Teacher...Head of the Class Teacher" mugs before they lose some of their sentimental value. I always felt a deep appreciation for homemade gifts. Pair that with a gift card for coffee and you're bound to have a happy teacher!

Gainfully Employed...at LAST!

I haven't spent any time lamenting about my job search woes because...well, my personal life woes are enough for all of you to tolerate. I have been without steady income, however, for almost a year. Suffice it to say, as a single mother of two, that's just not good. It has taught me some very important, albeit painfully humbling lessons about reaching out for help. Thanks to the support of my wonderful family, I have been able to keep my head above water...just barely. A few weeks ago, I applied for a job at Sephora, but I never heard back from them...which had become my expectation, given the current economy. Last Tuesday they called me for an interview, which (if I do say so myself) went beautifully. I'm one of those really weird people (OKAY, stop nodding your heads in agreement and let me finish!)...I'm one of those really weird people who enjoys interviewing. I think my lack of anxiety stems from 2 things: 1.) I pray first and put it in God's hands...which is where it is anyway, but He appreciates that acknowledgement anyway and 2.) I love meeting new people, so I try to focus on that aspect of the process. The manager called me back yesterday afternoon, asking if I was still interested. I stopped short of shouting, "You bet your sweet Sephora butt I am!!!". I start training next week and am SO excited. I think I'll really enjoy the job and I believe it's something I can do well at. It's only supposed to be for a seasonal position, but they told me it's very likely to extend beyond that, assuming I am a good "fit". I have to do that legwork, but that too is in God's hands. For now, I am simply grateful to have found a job! WOOHOO!

Devotion

My parents just celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary, on October 25th, but I had to wait until they left on their trip to Bermuda to write this post :-). My mom married my "step" dad when I was 10 years old and my brother and I were blessed with two, wonderful sisters and a father who could pretty much part the Red Seas, with minimal effort. I've written about my dad before, so I'll try not to sound like a Hallmark commercial in this post. Suffice it to say, he is the best man I have ever known... bar none!

My parents are completely committed to each other; they put the other's happiness before their own, they are partners...in daily life, in parenting, in everything they do. Whether they made a conscious decision to do so, my mom and dad put their relationship first and everything else....work, kids, friends, family, homes...was under "them" on their list of priorities. Selfish? Not at all! That is as it should be, in a healthy marriage. That relationship is the foundation upon which all others rest. If it's not solid, everything goes down with the first hearty gust of wind. Thirty three years after they said "I do", the building my parents constructed....my sisters, my brother, four grand-daughters & three grand-sons...is still standing: strong, proud & beautiful. Thanks to my sister for sending this picture to all of the siblings on "our" anniversary. It says it all!

Hydrangea Wreath

My landlord was kind enough to let me cut bunches and bunches of hydrangea, from the bushes outside of the house. He's a sweet, older Italian man, who looked at me cock-eyed when I made the request.

"Help yourself, dear", he said, "but why do you want the flowers when she's a-dying?"

"Projects!", I explained.

He shrugged his shoulders and waved me toward the bushes.

I happened to cut the flowers, apparently, at just the right time. I popped them into vases and let them dry for a few days and (at the suggestion of some floral arrangement website) I soaked the heads in warm water for 15 minutes before it was time for wreath assembly. The "expert" assured that this would 1.) loosen all of the brown petals...which it did and 2.) make them easier to work with because they were less brittle....also true.

I simply stuck the flower heads into a green foam thingy, added a few silk flowers for color, tied a bow on top and she's a-finished! Cute, huh? Oh, because I am the queen of more, more, more...I decided to add a tiny bit of mica glitter to a few of the leaves. Just a touch of shimmer.