Books and Movies and a ‘Fungus among us’!

I’ve read the BEST book!

It’s sweet…it’s funny….it’s delightful!

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.

This is one that you want to read the next book and find out what happens to the characters! But there wasn’t a ‘follow up’ book It was written in 1948 and has had a recent printing and even a movie based on the novel. This author also wrote a book that you may be more familiar with…101 Dalmations.

We finally found Downton Abbey at the library and we just started Sesson 2 last night! Oh my! We LOVE it! It’s been so much fun to see episodes of Season 1 every night this week!

Vicki has Downton Abbey wallpaper in every size on her blog HERE !

Books (and one movie) I bought at a book sale last weekend…

And we live in Florida, the Sunshine state! Even our fungus is sunshiny! heehee!

I walked outside in my robe this morning to get this photo! (I hope you appreciate it!)

Thanks for all of the sweet comments on my wristlets and bunnies! I’m still sewing!

Visit Diane’s Dream Designs and

get some bunny love today! (while supplies last!)

Have you read any good books lately? Any movies you would recommend for the weekend?

Warm fuzzy HUGS from Florida!

How many bunnies does it take?

To make a basket full?

I’m joining Gina for the PARTY!

I can’t stop making them! heehee!

(these are chenille)

It reminds me of the line in Miss Potter where she says, “ I have pigs running amuck in my head!”

I have bunnies running ‘amuck’ in mine!

I keep looking through my fabric stash for more cute ‘bunny’ fabric! How about sherbet bunnies?

Of course I would LOVE for you to ALL have a bunny!

And I think I’ve found a way to send some out!

With ANY purchase of a bag from

 Diane’s Dream Design

I’ll be sure a sweet bunny is hidden away inside!

I’ll also put a few up for sale in case you are just having a ‘bunny emergency’ right now.

I’ve made 2 new wristlets and they are listed

for sale on Diane’s Dream Designs.

So…hurry up!

This is ‘while supplies last’ or in this case, before the bunnies hop off!

Are you making things for Spring or decorating your house?

St. Patrick’s Day WINNER and signs of Spring

We have a winner this beautiful Spring day!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE….

Congratulations *Kel* from

 My Life..One Bead at a Time.

And thanks Shanti for this FUN GIVEAWAY!

Visit Shanti’s Etsy shop HERE to find all of her beautiful jewelry.

And a sign of Spring?

We have a flock of turkeys in our community and see them pretty often.

But this was a special treat!

MR. TOM turkey strutting his stuff!

I’ll have a special surprise for

 Diane’s Dream Designs tomorrow!

Come back and visit and

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

A Knap-In…not to be confused with a Nap In!

Do you know what a Knap-In is?

It’s a festival of Flint Knappers, people who make stone tools such as spear points and knives.

Click HERE to read more about it!

This festival took place at the Silver River State Park and was so interesting with exhibits and demonstrations.

We had a wonderful day!

(this was last weekend! Today was more of a 'nap in’ kind of day…rainy and cool!)

I’m joining Mary at the dear little red house

for Mosaic Monday! I hope you’ll join us!

And here’s a sneak peek at some fabric I’m using for a new wristlet.

It will be in my shop this week!

Visit Diane’s Dream Designs HERE.

And don’t forget to enter the

St. Patrick’s Day giveaway HERE !

A Month of Letters continued…

February was ‘A Month of Letters’ and I enjoyed it immensely! As a matter of fact, I enjoyed it more than 50 times! I sent over 50 cards and letters last month. And I still have about 6 or so names on my list. So if you were one of the over 50 friends that said you would like to hear from me in February…don’t give up! I’m actually very happy to continue this month so if you would like to get a card, postcard or letter from me, email your name and address and I will add you to my list!

Thanks again to

Becky Povich: Writer Searching for Bliss 

for posting about this so that I could take part and to

 Mary Robinette Kowal 

for presenting the challenge! It has made a big difference in my life…it has literally changed my life!

And a special thanks to everyone who wrote me back! It has been fun to have cards and letters in the mailbox instead of just bills and junk mail! heehee!

Here are some of the cards I got at the Art Show a couple of weeks ago. I love buying cards from artists. You get a sample of their work and a unique card as a memory of the event! (sometimes I even frame them)

For this weeks Thrifty Living 2012 post

please visit Elaine at Sunny Simple Life.

Enjoy your day!

And please visit my new blog

Diane’s Dream Designs HERE and

sign up for the St. Patty’s Day Giveaway HERE !

Hoo Hoo !!!

How are ‘HOO’ this morning?

I got up with the ‘birds’ to sew this morning!

This fun wristlet will be in my shop

Diane’s Dream Designs momentarily

but I just had to give you a sneak peek!

And this Cowboy bag is being featured

on The Adventures of Garrett Squared ...

Fun from the Sunshine State HERE !

What an honor! Thank you!

Well, my girlfriend Shanti has written a post to show her new wristlet today, too… HERE ! I think my head is going to swell! I won’t be able to wear my baseball cap to the beach! heehee!

Thanks Shanti…you know I love you!

And don’t forget our St. Patty’s Day Giveaway HERE !

What have you been creating today?

A Holiday GIVEAWAY!

How about some St. Patrick’s day fun? ♣

Shanti from Sunshine Bliss has stocked

her Etsy store HERE with lots of

St. Patrick’s day jewelry and beautiful new items!

And she wants to give one of YOU this beautiful charm bracelet!

Irish Charmed Life!

 Gorgeous 7 inch Vintage inspired 

Charm Bracelet with a wonderful Celtic Vibe!

Vintage shamrock Locket gold tone,

patina finish Claddagh charm, beautiful

Celtic cross gold tone pewter, vintage gold

tone shamrock with green rhinestone center

charm,Czech Glass minty green sparkle fire

polished bead dangle and vintage enameled

gold tone green leaf! Tops of this design

is a really cute heart shaped clasp!

 Great for St. Patty’s Day and Beyond! I wear her jewelry all the time and love it! It’s hand crafted by Shanti, very well made and most of all, it’s FUN!!!

TO WIN…

Comment on this post, anything sweet will do!

For extra entries…

Follow Shanti’s blog HERE.

Go to Sunshine Bliss Etsy store HERE 

and let me know what you love best!

Put the button on your sidebar.

I’ll pick a winner in one week on March 13th!

Thanks Shanti and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ♣

Celebration “Mosaic Monday”

We celebrated our anniversary at the beach last week!

We drove over to Canaveral National Seashore

for the day and it was glorious!

(my hubby took this photo of the pelicans and I didn’t alter it at all…it really was this beautiful!)

My favorite way to ‘celebrate’!

It wasn’t just sand between my toes…

I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend.

My heart goes out to all of those affected by the terrible tornadoes. You are in my prayers.

I’m joining Mary at the dear little red house

for Mosaic Monday! Please join us! ♥

You tried to tell me but I never listen!

Well, I remember some of what I’m told!

Don’t wash delicate items in the washing machine!

So I hand washed this little bunny from the Thrift Store but something’s not quite right! EEEE!!!

His leg was glued on so it will be an easy fix! And I think Bun Bun needs some clothes, too!

And now we have the case of the ‘missing bunny’!

My doll room is FULL so if there is even so much as a small empty space…

I KNOW something is missing!

My shelves have lots of bunnies but

WHERE OH WHERE is Mr. Bunny?

Oh, he got tired and took a bunny nap in the crib! haha!

Enjoy your weekend!

Hope none of your bunnies hop away or lose a leg!

AHHHHH the PLOT thickens! In the comments Nana Diana says, Maybe someone PUSHED him! HHHmmm!!!

What’s new…Spring Flowers and a WINNER!

I’ve had so much fun sewing for my new shop and sharing my designs with all of you! What great support and encouragement I’ve gotten from my blog buddies! Thank you!

The most popular wristlets were the new Nautical print and the Spring Flowers wristlet so I designed another one using this pretty Spring fabric.

It’s in Diane’s Dream Designs …HERE !

And how do you like this new Denim wristlet? I’m going to make more of these and trim them all with different lace and vintage crochet. (and make myself one)

This new design is Bon Voyage and would be perfect for Spring and Summer. I even added a handmade heart button.

Thanks to everyone who has placed orders this past week and a half! It’s been busy and FUN!

One of my wristlets had it’s own sweet ‘feature post’ this week, too! Ginger at Small Town USA is featuring her new Cowgirl wristlet HERE ! I hope you’ll visit her!

 

Thanks Ginger!

I also had some wonderful comments on the Giveaway! I appreciate them all!

So now….the moment we’ve waited for….

the WINNER of the Florida Sunshine GIVEAWAY is….

Trisha from Easily amused, hard to offend !

Don’t you love the name of her blog!

Congrats Trisha !

Do you have any ideas for more wristlets?

I’m eager to hear what you would like!

“Bargain shopping” Thrifty Living Series

I’m a bargain shopper from ‘way back when’! Most of you know that I raised 4 sons and they were very close in age so I had 4 teenagers at the same time! I remember when we went through one loaf of bread every day and one gallon of milk every two days! So there was never money for ‘extras’. So I bargain shopped then by going to garage sales. I bought so many of their toys, games and even sports equipment from garage sales. This still can be a fun way to bargain shop. ( I don’t go to garage sales any more… but never say never!)

My favorite stores now are Thrift stores. I don’t shop at Goodwill or Antique stores very often but there are two really good thrift stores near me. One is a Hospice Thrift Store and the other is a thrift store sponsored by a local church. I find some of the best deals at these two stores and I never spend very much money.

Of course for clothing or household items that you need to buy new, it’s fun to spend time looking through the clearance racks at the mall. I usually buy my clothes at the end of the season and get great deals on everything.

I know there are many that take advantage of the big stores like ALDI, Sams and Big Lots but they aren’t on my regular shopping route. I do shop at Walmart. It’s very close to my house and has the best prices on so many necessities! The Dollar Stores have good prices, too but I avoid them because of all of the cheap ‘Made in China’ items. I know it’s fun to change our décor but I find things at the Thrift store for less money and think it’s a better way to ‘recycle’ and have the money I spend go to a good cause, too.

I like to shop!

I’m not a big spender but I love finding a bargain!

My photos are taken of the view from my kitchen sink. I took the big live oak tree with azaleas blooming today but used an old photo (below) of my kitchen from a couple of months ago decorated with Christmas candles. If I took this last shot today, I would get 2 laptop computers that my husband has on the kitchen table! haha! I thought you would rather see candles!

For online shopping I like Amazon. It’s a great site to compare prices, too. Of course ETSY is wonderful for handmade items and vintage things.

Do you have other online stores that you enjoy? 

What are some of the ways you save money

when you shop for the ‘extras’?