Money for Books!

I am not a big spender. I tend to use it up and wear it out and sometimes even do without! lol

But I do love books! 

So when I won the giveaway that Brenda had on her blog, It's a Beautiful Life, I spent my giveaway money on books! 

I knew she would approve!

 

I always have books and movies in my wish list and I was going between getting some of the When Calls the Heart DVDs or books. And isn't it funny when you have a gift card, you start looking even more diligently! Like my happiness depends on making the right choice! heehee!

So I've been wanting a journal that I can use for writing AND sketching so I found this one!

And then for inspiration, I bought this book too, Keeping a Nature Journal. I am so excited to have them both and look forward to even more hikes with the nicer weather. 

And adding some art to my hiking journal.

I also splurged on Etsy and got a vintage reader. I already had Busy World and I found To and Fro from Three Bear Vintage.  She was delightful to exchange messages with too.

I might have gone slightly over my gift card winnings but I couldn't resist these wonderful books!

Thanks to Brenda for adding to my joy! Happy blogging to her! The link to It's a Beautiful Life is HERE. Visit her....you'll love her AND her beautiful blog! 

And shop Etsy's handmade and vintage items! 

I am praying for everyone in the path of Hurricane Sally...friends and family! Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. 

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too!

I must have ORDER!

Well, I'm kidding just a little but I think we've all noticed 'changes' since we've been staying home more. I worked hard Spring cleaning at the beginning of this all. I had cleaned and taken things to donate before the pandemic. And then when we HAD to stay home, I worked even harder. And then when I did made something, I cleaned everything up just as soon as I finished. I like to sew and love to make cards and altered books. And I don't usually mind having an 'ongoing' mess while I work. But for some reason, I need order now.

One of the sewing projects I worked on was making pillow covers out of some old hand quilted pieces that I bought at a thrift store a long time ago. 

I loved the old fashioned fabric and they were all 18 by 18 square...more or less. 

I cut them to make them more perfectly square and then put some pretty gingham checks on the back in an envelope style. 

I'm not sure I can explain how to make the envelope but I'm sure there are directions if you search online.

I try to make covers because I already have so many throw pillows. So this way the pillow fits right inside!

I am using two of them in the lanai and one on my recliner in the living room. I think they look and feel cozy and comforting.

I think I'll get my sketchbook out next and see if I can do a little sketching or watercolors. Maybe I can stand a few more things on my desk and the rest of the room can stay clean for awhile longer.

Have you enjoyed doing your sewing or craft projects these past couple of months? I need some inspiration! What are you working on now?

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too!

Entertaining ourselves

I've never had a problem 'entertaining' myself! I'm surrounded by lots of 'favorite things' and can amuse myself for hours on end 'playing' with my toys!

I finally made an inventory of my children's readers on my computer using Libre Office. It's great because I can sort them by title or date or subject. I like the Alice and Jerry readers best but I collect any that I can find at a good price. 

And I took a couple of them off the shelf to read later. 

The stories are so sweet in these old readers from the '50s and '60s.

And I made another bread recipe that is SO quick and easy that I wanted to share it! I call them breadsticks and made them all the time when my kids were growing up. But then I couldn't find the recipe. I think I was confused by the name.

Quick Twist Rolls ....or Breadsticks

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp soft shortening

1 beaten egg

1 Tbsp yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup warm milk

Measure all dry ingredients and shortening together and blend.

Add yeast to warm water and let stand a few minutes.

Warm milk and pour into bowl. When lukewarm, add egg, yeast mixture and half of the flour mixture. Beat until smooth.

Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well. Make dough into a ball with some olive oil on your hands. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Grease 2 cookie sheets.

Punch down dough, toss onto lightly floured board. Roll to a rectangle 8 by 18 inches.

Brush half the rectangle the long way with soft butter.

Fold unbuttered half over buttered, pressing gently to make a rectangle 4 by 18 inches. Cut dough in strips 1 inch wide.

Take strips by ends and twist several times. Place on greased cookie sheets.

Let rise for 15 minutes. Preheat oven, bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Cool on rack.

(I don't put an egg glaze on top of them because it always makes them fall.)

 They are crispy on the outside and tender inside. Pour some garlic infused butter over a few and you'll 'swoon'! lol

Have a good week! Let me know if you bake something good this week!

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too!

Fall Fun...while it lasts!

Well, I think the Fall Craft shows are probably over now. Fall has never been my favorite season but here in this area, it's the time for craft shows and Fall festivals so that's been great!

I'll feature the jewelry trees in this post! Oh my! They are gorgeous and the sweet lady that makes them is a volunteer for Hospice too! She works at the thrift store where I love to shop. 

She makes beautiful jewelry and the trees she makes are decorated with jewelry...a lot of it vintage!

I bought one of the small trees last year so I got another one and found a temporary home for it until I decorate for Christmas.

The view from my chair in the living room...don't you love it?

A few other fun finds and treasures. (some glass creations I didn't buy but LOVED!)

I love the basket lady! We have become friends over the years and I have a nice collection of her baskets. But I can always find another one that I need!

And I bought new pillowcases from this talented lady! I should have gotten an extra set! I hope she keeps making them!

 Isn't this the cutest leather barrette? 

 This lady is so artistic that I hope she'll make other things with this pretty face. I had her pull the barrette off the back of mine so that it lays flat. I may glue it on one of my altered books.

Do you have craft fairs in your community? I love buying anything hand made, don't you?

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays  and

Katherine's Thursday Favorite things HERE.

Winter Changes

No, we haven't had the winter weather blast that so many of you have had but it's 'milder' here now and with the time change, I wanted to change some of my decor.

I thought the photos would turn out better in my bedroom because it wasn't quite so bright and sunny when I took them.  But it is a hard room to photograph with the large windows behind my bed.

I changed my extra pillow covers to purple velvet, put a different pillow on my chair and a wool throw on the cedar chest at the end of the bed. Just little changes but I think that's enough for now. (and if the throw doesn't stay straight, it will drive me crazy and I'll put it away! heehee)

I was going through some 'old stuff' and found 4 little winter angels and added them to my dresser. 

It's always covered in pretty things but I change it up from time to time.

Have you changed anything this week? I used things I already had. I am thankful for a nice home to live in and pretty things that I've collected over the years. What are you thankful for today?

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays  and

Katherine's Thursday Favorite things HERE.

Thrift Store Sharing

I am still decluttering and trying to donate more than I buy but I needed a diversion this week! So I went to the old thrift store, Divine Providence. Some people call it the nickle store because all of the clothing there costs a nickle! ALL of the prices are super low so you have to be careful not to bring too much home when you visit! lol

I was happy to find some things to share with others though! The Legacy Hospice house has a beautiful family room filled with toys, books, videos and comfortable chairs to relax in. I found the cutest little house filled with art supplies to take. It has little drawers with crayons and colored pencils. (I took out the markers for obvious reasons and will buy a new pack of crayons to fill that drawer) It was 25 cents!!! Can you believe that!!!

I also found some stuffed animals to take to a lady in another facility that I visit. She'll love the soft pink bunny.

I think I'll keep the coloring book. (cost a dime) I am still learning about colors and could use some of these tips. I'm doing some art every day and would love to encourage you to do that too. There are so many great benefits to being artistic and creative.

Oh, but if you still need things to entertain you this summer....

 you can always watch the water drip from your faucet!

hahahaha  Do you see that BIG BUBBLE?

(we filter our water, I was filling a water pitcher)

And yes I see that my Kitchen Lemon is half full! 

What's new at your house? 

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays .

Summertime Books and Movies

I've mentioned how HOT it is here in Florida this month. And now we are having showers roll through. The rain is needed but it makes it hard to plan your day. When we have a rain shower, it rains and then the sun comes out and leaves it hot and muggy. Later...we might even get another shower. But I'm still finding lots to do inside. When I get 'cabin fever' I go to some of my favorite places and then walk in my neighborhood in the evenings.

I found these beautiful old books for sale in the lobby of my local public library.

I love the illustrations in these books. 

Isn't this cover beautiful? 

The Princess series! Don't you love that and the little sticker inside the front cover that says "Be An Angel, Wait 'til Dec. 25th"!

 Last winter I read some of the Little House on the Prairie books. They are so enjoyable, no matter what your age!

 Aren't the little drawings at the beginning of each chapter pretty?

 I started reading a mystery series by John Dunning and the main character, Cliff Janeway collects rare books. I really fell in love with the references to the books he found and what he collected! 

 

We've also watched a few 'new to us' movies lately. We can check them out from our community library and keep them over the weekend so that's been a lot of fun. Well, unless you get one that is terrible. I'll start with that one. The Favourite....it was just awful and we only watched for about 15 minutes before we turned it OFF! Creepy and crude! 

But we watched a wonderful movie this past weekend. 

 

Instant Family

We both loved it! Lots of great actors and a beautiful story!

I’m joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE .