Very special auction ends tonight!

[The following message is from Amy Rainey.  See you over at Princess Penny's auction before midnight tonight!]

Greetings!

Can you believe that another week-long auction is almost over? Only hours remain in our Princess Penny auction.

Have you been outbid? It is time to check things out. There are still some item with no bids, or with extremely low bids. Many items are still way below their retail value.

It is not too early to start thinking about Christmas gifts! Make your money work hard. Find a lovely gift, and help a precious girl come home. She matters!

Thank you in advance, my friends!

 Be Blessed,

 Amy Rainey

--------------------------------
My words now!  I can't believe how quickly time is flying by.  I did not realize the auction for Penny would only be one week long--and so I have not told you about it! 

This auction is one blogger's way of *doing* something to help special needs orphans get into their forever families.  She organizes the auctions, and then wonderful, generous people give things to help raise money for the adopting family, and then other wonderful, generous people place bids on those things.  I too have participated in several of these auctions, both in donating and in bidding.  There are some really nice things at very low prices still available!  I did early Christmas/birthday shopping the last time there was one, and got things like a custom-made baby quilt for my baby niece Sweetness, a handmade little girl apron for her big sister Spice, two handmade doll afghans (just right for the girls' American girl dolls, which can go in their Christmas stockings), and some homemade, pure vanilla extract in adorable little bottles for MIL and me!  So please go look at the things offered--maybe you will give yourself  the gift of getting some gift buying done while you are blessing Penny's family!

This auction is very special to me for another reason too--we have something very special up for auction in it.  : )   As you know from all the photos I have posted over the years (like here and here and here) my mother is amazingly talented, and the vintage-style smocked dresses she has made for the girls are beautiful.  Each girl has so enjoyed having special things made just for her by Grandma, and I have enjoyed seeing my girls in such cute things.  But now we are outgrowing most of the hand-smocked things, and I am starting to pack them away "for posterity."  Hopefully they will do well in storage under our house, and hopefully my girls will someday grow up and have daughters of their own, and will be glad to have those loving memories and beautiful things for their own girls.  But I have no guarantee of any of that.  I have been taught over and over through so many things in life that we can't hold too tightly to things.  There is a good chance that my best efforts at storing them will not lead to the end I hope for--we could have a house fire, or flooding, or I don't know what could happen, and so I can do my best to preserve them, but I can't count on having these beautiful, meaningful things forever. 

In other words, I can attempt to store up my treasures here on earth, or I could try to store up more treasures in heaven.  

So about a year ago I asked my mother if she would mind if we donated one of the dresses she made for my girls to help bring home an orphan girl into her family, and she graciously said yes.  So just last week as I was going through our "heirloom" bin to pack away things recently outgrown, I chose one dress that I thought others might like and would bid on.  It was made for Sunny, and worn by all three girls, but only to church, and so it is in excellent condition still.  It makes my heart sing to give something I love to God's "Kingdom work."  Not only will the money raised help bring a little girl to her new family, but whoever wins it is going to be so excited to give it to her daughter or granddaughter.  So I *could* have kept the dress, and hoped it would safely store for the next 20-30 years until there is a granddaughter old enough to wear it.  But now, in giving the dress to bless others for God's good purpose, it will be worn and loved by who knows how many more little girls! 

If you want to see which dress, and my sweet Happy modeling it, I encourage you to stop by the auction.  Who knows--maybe you will see something else you want to bid on too!  : )

Just be quick, because the auction ends tonight!

p.s.  If you see me bidding on something, please feel free to outbid me. In fact, please outbid me.  It would make me so happy. : )

Boots again! Fashion opinions solicited!

So, some of you might remember last year at this time, when I wrote about looking for a pair of new, every-day winter boots.

I still don't have any.

Let me explain.  (Because I have a long-drawn out story for every topic.)

You see, Fall is somehow always my busiest time of the year, and so when MIL emailed with her sweet offer of getting me boots, I was delighted, and immediately started looking--but just didn't have much free time to do so, and had to even figure out what I really wanted in a boot to begin with.  So I looked and looked and thought and thought, and think now, one year later, I am finally ready to choose a pair.

I know.  I take some things just a little too seriously.

But really--good boots are a lot of money!  So if I am going to throw down a couple hundred bucks on boots (or ask MIL to), they had better meet all my needs, look great, and make me happy when I look at my feet.  (And if they are subtly Steampunk, that's the icing on the cake ; ).  I only have so much room in my closet, and certainly don't want a pair of boots dominating the real-estate if they are not worth it.  So it was important to me to research carefully, to find something that would meet my needs and that I would be happy with for a long time.

Here's the funny part--here in CA, winter weather means cold rain.  Guess what I have worn for at least the PAST FOUR YEARS for rainy-day winter gear? 

Without socks, because of course they would get wet.  So for FOUR YEARS I have had cold, wet feet all winter long as I was out and about--but it was kinda practical because they would dry fairly quickly once I was indoors.  And I would carry a pair of socks with me in my purse, so if I went to a friend's house, for example, I would slip on the socks when I got there and my feet dried off and then I would be warm and cozy.

Clearly not an ideal situation, though.

Now, I *did* have a pair of boots, from when we lived in CO, that I wore for years and years.  At first I wore them almost daily in the winter, then when the weather necessitated them, then got to the point when I only wore them to church and when we visited my in-laws, since those are the times bare feet in wet crocs will get you really weird looks and negative comments.  But those boots were not waterproof, and they were ugly.  No, really, I thought they were ugly when I bought them in Colorado about 12 years ago--but at the time I was just beginning teaching at the U of CO, Denver, and needed a pair of good winter boots that would get me through the snow but also be attractive enough to wear in the classroom.  I could not find any I liked, but needed something, so I settled on an ugly pair that met the basic needs.  They were kind of like black lace-up combat boots, except not nearly as cool; something about the toe shape was just a little too conservative, and they had a pebbly texture that was not my favorite.  They cost me something like $50 and at the time I thought that was a LOT of money.  So I wore those ugly, utilitarian black boots for twelve years, and frankly--to my disappointment--they were holding up great and probably could have lasted another twelve.  But when I realized last year that I had long been chosing to have cold, wet bare feet over wearing those boots--I decided I had gotten my money's worth out of them and could justify having a pair that was actually waterproof and that I liked. 

So I gave them to Goodwill.   I hate holding on to things I don't even like--that was so fun and liberating!  Release them to the world, to let them go bless someone else.  : )

And now, with my Dear Husband's blessing, I get to pick out new waterproof boots that I will actually like and wear!

Best of all, MIL offered AGAIN to buy me a pair for my birthday!  Whoo-hoo!

I spent last week making sure I knew what was out there, so knew what my options were, and just ordered some to try from Zappos.  It was soooooooo fun going back to my old posts about Steampunky winter boots and choosing some to try.  But I had to be practical and make sure I was getting boots that were actually waterproof (not just cool-looking) and boots that would work with the clothes I already own (and not some fantasy wardrobe that lives in my head).

Here are the ones I tried, and how it went:

The North Face Camryn

These were attractive enough, and very nicely made, but frankly nothing special.  They were also half a size too small, at least, I could not even get my foot in them.

Merrell Captiva High

These were cuter, and also nicely made, but also too small.

Merrell Captiva Strap

These were my favorite of the tall boots.  They were sized much better, and they were quite comfortable in my regular shoe size, albeit with a medium weight sock (I am kicking myself that I did not think to put on my usual thickness of winter socks to see how that affected the fit).  They fit me perfectly at the ankle and the calf, and looked soooooooo cute.  And in this color they are totally neo-Steampunk.  And part of the reason I really like the svelte ankle design is that I have thin legs but rather stumpy ankles--it was a thrill to see boots that actually made my ankles look attractive. ; )

The North Face Bryn

These boots were my second favorite.  They too were well made and comfortable (in those medium weight socks at least), and absolutely adorable, esp. in this "weimerander" color.  The color is not as Steampunk, and would not complement my wardrobe quite as well, but they are still neutral (so in theory would go with anything) and the color was just so perfect for the design I would probably not like them as well in a different color.  BUT I found they do some in a more classic steampunk brown at the company website.  So that would in theory be an option.

I tried all those high boots just because they are SO DARN CUTE and because I wanted to.  They are all waterproof leather, well-made, and some of them are not even overly expensive (you can find them cheaper at other sites than Zappos, but I love to use Zappos for trying things because they are so great and fast with free shipping and returns.  So if I find what I want elsewhere for a much better price, I will return to Zappos and reorder them from the cheaper place, factoring in shipping in the price of course; but over the years I have bought enough from Zappos for my husband and kids that I don't feel like I am taking advantage of their generous try-them-out-on-us policies).  But the problem with those cute high boots is that they are not as practical with my current wardrobe.  They work best with leggings, tights, and skinny jeans. 

I do wear leggings sometimes, and would be glad to wear tights and skirts with them--but my skirts are mostly full and long, and that's not what I tend to reach for on a rainy day, you know?  I do not own skinny jeans--I am thin overall, but proportionally hippy, so the skinny jeans I try just don't fit at all--if they fit my hips they are too baggy in the butt and/or too loose in the waist.  And I imagine even I did find a pair that fit right, it would accentuate those hips and not in a good way.  So, I am a boot-cut jean gal--I don't care if that style is no longer the trend, they look good on my shape.  BUT as you can imagine, you can't wear high boots with those kinds of jeans.  Even if you can get the leg of the jeans over the boots, they make the jean leg stick out all funny where the top of the boot is.

So, already knowing that would be an issue, I tried the only other pairs of even remotely steampunky waterproof leather boots on Zappos:

Pikolinos Le Mans ii

Except I realized after I ordered them that these two pairs of Pikolinos are not truly waterproof; they are waterproof treated, which would be better than what I already have, but not as good as I would want.  Also, Pikolinos are expensive because they are very well made shoes--but still, if I can get a pair that is truly waterproof and cute for less $. . . it just does not seem to make sense to pay for anything less than what will meet my need.

But both of these boots were so comfortable the moment I put them on.  The black pair did shift a little when I walked, and I am not sure if that would be a problem during actual use or not. (I remember as a kid having rain/winter boots that lefted at the ankle subtly as I walked and tugged at the heel of my socks as it did, so that by the time I had walked to school the socks were bunched uncomfortably under the arch of my foot.  I have no intentions of going there with any of these boots!)  I liked the tread of the black boots best--seemed would give the best traction on slippery sidewalks--but the brown pair fit my ankles PERFECTLY and were so perfect under regular jeans--you never saw the top of the boot competing with the leg of the jean, even when walking and bending the leg. 

Pikolinos Brujas

I also liked the low buckle detail, which peeked out from under the jean hem--I am not a fan of boots that are completely boring when you just see the toe and heel under long jeans.  But the main issue with these is that they are not truly waterproof, so I sent them back too.

Which leads me to the final pair I tried, and which I thought was the winner:

La Canadienne Camilla

Waterproof leather.  Very nicely made.  Good traction on the heel.  Comfortable with medium-weight socks.  Nice ankle shape that works well with the jeans I own.  Attractive suede and buckle.  They look boring when mostly hidden by jeans, but look cute with leggings and skirts.  They are a brand I have grown to admire and which I believe will serve me well for many years to come.  They were also the most expensive of the bunch, by far, but I really wanted to try them, so I did.  And I really liked them. 

And then I found them for almost half the price, in last year's version:

And I like the smooth leather almost as well, and it is a tad more steampunk just by the leather tone.  Score!  So I showed them to MIL, she approved, she gave me the money for them, I returned all those boots to Zappos and ordered these--and actually found the best price on Amazon.com, so I still got free shipping AND used reward points I had been accumulating from my credit card all year so that THE BOOTS WERE TECHNICALLY FREE.

Yippeeee!

But then they arrived yesterday, and I wanted to cry.  Because I excitedly put them on--and the boots were too narrow on my left foot, actually squeezing the bones and hurting.  What the. . .?!  Then I realized I was wearing my heaviest weight winter socks.  They are not THAT much thicker than my medium-weight socks, and I have several pairs of these that I love to pull out when the weather is cold and wet--but they are just thick enough to hurt with these boots.  Now I am kicking myself that I did not try on the boots with my heaviest socks in the beginning. . . and it is also likely that this pair of boots is built just a hair more narrow than the others, since they are different seasons and different leathers. . . . but I switched socks and the boots immediately felt more comfortable. 

But now I don't know what to do.  Here is my dilemna:

--I think the boots are wearable with the medium-weight sock, which is an acceptable compromise; but I still feel like the left foot does not quite have the room it should.  It is not at all painful with the thinner socks, but feels snug. I would likely be able to wear them just fine. . . but what if I try them out and about and they start to hurt after a few hours?  That is my fear.  Because then I would not be able to return them, and the goal of this pair of boots is that I can just slip them on and wear them all day running around town on any given winter day.  They HAVE to be comfortable. 

--Then again, with a little breaking in, these boots might end up being totally fine, for all day wear. I might not be able to wear those thick socks, but I need some new socks anyway, so will just get more medium weight and save the thick for cozy-at-home wear.

--Amazon will take the boots back, but I can't exchange for the next size up because it is unavailable.

--I would have to make a straight return, and I am afraid I will lose those reward points in the process.  (maybe not, but things like this have happened before--and I might not know until after I make the return. . . if I don't have to take the chance I would rather not.)

--Since the boots ended up being FREE, with the use of those reward points, and since MIL gave me money for the boots, I actually have the freedom to try these and see if they work, and can get a different pair later if I need to. . . (and I am sure I could re-sell them on eBay and get a decent bit back even if they are worn. . . )

--Or I could even go ahead and get one of the tall boots I tried and really liked, because I know I would wear them and like them, and then I would have an acceptable pair that work with my jeans and a fabulous pair that work with everything else. . . Also, I do not have any  nice black shoes at all for cold weather, so maybe should get a pair of black boots/shoes, and maybe one of these pairs of tall boots I liked I would like just as much in black and would well meet that wardrobe desire. . .

--I don't have much room in my closet, esp. not for multiple pairs of boots (and it is really ironic to go from having no boots at all to having multiple pairs) but it would be worth it not to be spending any more time or energy thinking about finding the *perfect* pair of boots.  Don't get me wrong, it has been very fun to look at boots, and imagine what boots would work with my clothes best, what boots are practical and yet a wee bit steampunk. . . I have thoroughly enjoyed the process.  But the rainy season has begun, and I just want to have a pair of boots now, darn it!

And last night I even dreamed about boots.  In my dream, I had found two pairs of leather boots that I had "forgotten about" tucked away in storage.  They were both kinda Dr. Marten style, pretty clunky and tough, and one pair was tall and the other one was a low pull on. The tall pair was green.  The low pull-on pair was red.  They both had black clunky soles and black detailing.  They were actually much more like something I would have liked in college than anything I would wear now.  But I remember the feeling in the dream of being SO HAPPY just because I had a pair of waterproof winter boots and did not have to worry about it anymore.

Which means it is time to get this all resolved and end the drama. 

This is where I need all of you!  PLEASE leave feedback and let me know your opinion!  I am specifically trying to decide:

--what to do about keeping or trying to return the "Camilla" boots I got.

--whether or not I should get a tall pair of boots, either instead of the "Camilla" boots, or in addition to.

If I decide to get a tall pair of boots, then I will be soliciting more advice on which ones.  But these two questions seem like the logical first to address. 

I formally solicit your advice!  Please be liberal with your words and helpful intentions.  Remember this is all about a pair of casual, practical, every-day winter/wet weather boots.

(After we decide this issue, I'll gladly tell you all about the dressy boot success I had earlier in the year, which I have been meaning to share for a long time!)

Thank you all! I look forward to your comments.

pondering stuff

Oh, if you needed a good happy cry this morning, please go read this post by Julia. 

And then go read this update by Lorraine.

I cannot think of better "stories" to read than real-life stories of people saying "yes" wholeheartedly to love.  And I cannot think of a better way to start my day than seeing the happy faces of children who will no longer be cast-offs: unloved, unwanted, unworthy.  Their lives will be forever changed for the better--and so will be the lives of their new families.  And to see a little boy who is sick, but learning even in the midst of it that he is loved, that he is protected--oh, so wonderful.

.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .

On my own home front, I am feeling a tad overwhelmed.  In a good way.  Well, in a "still managing to tread with my head barely above the water" kind of way.  It's all of my own doing--just too many things that I want to do that my perfectionist side won't let me do differently than the most involved way.  And my Dear Husband feels the same as I do, which is the clincher, and so I need to make time for these various projects.  Like selling old clothes on eBay--good stuff of the few brands I buy for the kids that have good resale value.  Hanna Andersson, Oilily, Matilda Jane.  Most old clothes I donate to Goodwill or freecycle, depending upon their condition, but last time I went through the closet and sold the clothes of these brands on eBay, I made $300!  Not bad considering I bought them all on eBay at great prices to begin with, they were usually worn by all three girls, and then I sold them again.  So, it seems like a worthwhile investment of some time--and I would likely be done with the project now, except for our camera breaking this past summer and my husband getting a new, fancier camera that now I have to learn how to use!  So have to figure out how to use the camera.  Then steam all the clothes so they are ready to be  photographed. Then lay them out and photograph them.  Then upload those photos to the computer, resize them, and upload them to eBay.  Make the listings for each item of clothing, with detailed descriptions.  Keep the clothing items sorted neatly so they are ready to be sent out when they are bought.  Then actually do the packaging, labeling and mailing (good thing at least the post office is right down the street from me).  Whew!  That's a lot of work. . . would be so much simpler to give them to Goodwill and list them for a tax write off. . . but that's also a good chunk of money, more than we would get for the write-off. . . So here the school year is beginning, people are buying their kids clothes now, if I'm going to tell them, as both DH and I want me to do, I must get them listed quickly for ideal bidding prices. . . .

Or the bedroom lighting fixture which I need to finish researching so we can order it.  I realize most people would just run down to their local big-box store for a light, or at best go to a local lighting store.  But DH and I can't do that. First of all, we try to be really careful to get well-made stuff--we have no tolerance for crap.  Zero.  If we're going to spend money on it, it's going to work well and last a long time.  Second, we try to be really careful in choosing beautiful things for our home--things that will help elevate it from "shack" to "cottage."  There were el crappo h*me dep*t lights in here when we moved in, and they really looked horrible.  We are slowly replacing them, with things that not only hold up better to lots of use, but which improve the look of our house. The bedroom one was the most decent of any of them, but with the faux ceiling down we can't hang that style of light back up, so need something different.  Well, we figure if we are going to buy a fixture, get one we actually like.  Makes sense, right?  But then there are so many things to consider as I search:  do we want another ceiling light or try wall sconces, the right mounting and how we will hide the wires, what is a safe design for a small children's room with a low ceiling, can we use energy efficent bulbs with that design, what light will complement the overall room, where can I get the light for the best price online, etc. 

So, those are just a few examples of the good, fun projects that should benefit our family, and which DH and I want to do "the right way."  Not really big deals in themselves--but they are just two examples of many things I feel like I need to get done, and as soon as possible.

But then real life is getting in the way!  Our charter school officially started up on Monday, so we're supposed to be jumping into school.  I spent all day yesterday trying to sort out the calendar for the next two months, and being appalled at how quickly days, weeks, weekends are filling up!  I'll spend most of today doing the same kind of thing, and finishing the mountain of dirty clothes and bedding from our camping trip this past weekend.  And this week we have been trying to get in as many martial arts classes as possible for today's testing, and we have been trying to see the friends we have not seen all summer which is so fun but does take a huge chunk of time out of the week. Oh, and I would love to blog about all KINDS of stuff, but seem to only have about 15 minutes in the morning to do it, and sometimes that is even hijacked by kids' needs!

I am NOT complaining--not with the whole first world problems post still fresh in my mind, and with the daily blog-reading reminder of what's REAL and what matters, children suffering, people listening for God's call and then whole-heartedly and joyfully saying yes to being servants of Love--I am instead feeling so aware that here as I start a new school year I need to weigh these kinds of things as God would.  It's not wrong to spend time listing clothes on eBay--and maybe it's the right thing to do, to be a good steward of our material blessings.  It's not wrong to spend time finding the light fixture that will meet our needs best and be even beautiful as well as utilitarian--and maybe it's also being wise with our home improvements.  But then again, I need to manage my time and energy as God-given resources too. 

What does God want my days to look like?  When I spend too much time and effort on things that--in God's big picture--don't really matter, what does that tell me about where my values lie?  Since my husband wants me to do these things too, I am honoring him when I do them, so that's something of which God will approve.  But knowing a wife is an influence on her husband, how am I subtly encouraging our (marital, life) focus to be on things that untimately don't matter much?  How much harder is it for me to be the best mommy I can be when I am immersing myself in what I tell myself are time-sensitive projects and then get short-tempered with the kids for constantly interrupting them?  (please tell me I'm not the only one who struggles with this)  How do projects like these keep me from being the best mommy, the best home-maker, the best homeschool teacher, the best wife, the best steward? 

Feeling like I am putting regular demands on hold for a short time is ok, for good reason--but when this becomes the pattern of my days. . . !  Yet this too easily happens to me, and has been happening a lot since our bit roadtrip, as I get into huge purging  modes, or house projects. . . .

OK, those are my thoughts for this morning.  My kids have also been a MESS emotionally since the weekend camping trip.  Just when I think I am denying them the fullness of childhood by being too much of a homebody and focusing too much on school and homelife. . . we go and give them fantastic experiences, which they love, but which they seem to have trouble recovering from.  It just makes my job as a mom so much harder!  Esp. after a weekend like this past one, where I spent days getting ready for the camping, and then am spending days cleaning up the mess from it and getting everything back where it belongs.  Honestly, it makes me never want to go anywhere.  And this week, when I went out of my way to schedule playdates and fun things to make the most of this last week of summer (I love homeschooling--how else could the first official week of school be the last official week of summer?), I keep grinding my teeth at the irony of how much "reward" they are getting over and over for so much terrible behavior.  (I know, that's not the right way to look at it, but that's the way I feel about it--normally if they can't control themselves I don't let them have a playdate, for obvious reasons, but the playdates this week I set up with the specific purpose of reminding our friends that we love them and are thankful for them, so I did not want to cancel them--that would be the opposite of showing our friends how much we value them!)

Hmmmm. You know, writing this all out has really helped me get Perspective.  My children clearly are in a needy place.  My job is to patiently and lovingly guide them through this needy place back into a place of wellness, whatever that looks like.  And since I don't actually know what that is, specifically (I was trying to come up with a word to describe the psychological and emotional state I want them to be in, but was stumped. Peace? Contentment? Unity?  Confidence? Self-control?  I need a good term for this state, because it encompasses all these things, and more), I won't be able to guide my kids directly there, but I can at least walk along side them and keep them from falling into potholes.

So, I guess they are once again my main and most important project for today, for this week. (Maybe for this month! Sigh.)  But it is good to mentally realize that, and to let that knowledge settle in my spirit.  It IS productive if I am *just* a good mommy today.  It IS the right thing to have at the top of my daily "to-do" list.

Well, after blogging my parental and life wisdom angst that is.  Because clearly I needed to blog this morning to get the ideas processed!

the freecycle fairy

It starts like this:

Find stashes of still good stuff you don't really have a place or need for.  Grandmothers' attics are a great place to look.

Do you hear that, Smiley?

Saw them in concert there in at my hometown in Illinois in '87.  Now in California, where the actual Joshua Trees are. Small world.

You mean we can take Amanda the Honey Bear with us?  Yes, my dear girl, but only to find her a good home through freecycle.

And naturally leads to this:

Blessed
to Santa Cruz County Freecycle
OFFER: retro 80's digital clock--wor​king

A classic 1980's digital clock, with red luminous numbers, 2 alarms, radio, light, can run on battery or plug into wall.  ALL WORKS GREAT!

The only problem with this retro bad boy is that my husband just cracked the plastic front that covers the number display. : (  So, we decided to downgrade it from living room status (yes, we are that chic--it matched the boombox we use for a stereo ; ), but don't have use for it in any other rooms.

This clock radio would be PERFECT in a shop or garage or basement, someplace where you might want the radio and clock components and don't need it to look perfect.

Best of all, I will bring it to you!  Just tell me in your reply roughly where you are located and I will choose a recipient based upon the errands I will be running this week.

------------------------------------------------
Blessed
to Santa Cruz County Freecycle
OFFER: five wooden badminton raquets

raquets?  rackets?  you know what I mean.

Four vintage-feel wooden badminton raquets, some of which are slightly warped.  originally a very nice set--made in Japan.  warped didn't matter for my husband and kids and I to play with them in the yard--HYSTERICAL fun!  But now we have inherited another set and so want to find a home for these. 

If you are interested, I might be able to bring them to you! just let me know in your response roughly where you live.

--------------------------------------------------
Blessed
to Santa Cruz County Freecycle
OFFER: old but clean stuffed animals, including giant bunny

I have two medium sized stuffed animals from my childhood, recently reclaimed from my parents' attic in the Midwest.  They are in good used condition, and have lots of loving left in them--one is a bear, one is a dog.

The large bunny, Peter of course, is about 32 inches high, and is made for hugging.  All three stuffed animals smell and feel clean--just not new. My kids would love to keep them, but we just don't have room, so we brought them home from the grandparents' to freecycle.

Anyone have a home for them?

i will gladly bring them to you!  Just tell me roughly what area of town you are in, and I will choose according to my errands this next week.

----------------------------------------------------
Blessed
to Santa Cruz County Freecycle
OFFER: music, movie posters and art prints

I am hoping this offer makes somebody (or several somebodies) excited.  I just recovered all the posters my sister and I had up on the walls in high school and college.

music lot:
The Cure--Boys Don't Cry (the huge one)
Pixies
REM--tourfilm
U2--tour posted from the Joshua Tree tour
and a-ha!
 
art print lot:
2 Monet
3 M. C. Escher
1 Norman Rockwell

movie:
original Princess Bride poster (large)
original Willow poster (small)

i only ask that you take all of one lot, or take the whole lot! 

best of all, I will bring to you!  When you respond, just tell me roughly what area of town you are in, and I can bring by as I do errands next week.  I might be anywhere from Aptos to Scotts Valley, so never hurts to ask!


Which naturally leads to this:

Lynessa
to Blessed

I would LOVE that Princess Bride poster. It's my favorite movie.

-----------------------------
Brenda
to Blessed

Hello and good morning Blessed!

I would be delighted to receive the music posters. I'm a HUGE fan of The Cure and U2 and really like the Pixies, too. If these aren't already spoken for I would love to give them an honored space on my walls.

-----------------------------
Mary
to Blessed

Hi, i would love your clock, i have been looking for one for a while. i hope it has not been taken.

-----------------------------
Tehya
to Blessed

hi! we would love these! my daughter and i would have a blast on the beach..

-----------------------------

etc.

And ends up with:

me driving all over the Santa Cruz area in the dark tonight, dropping off goodies on people's doorsteps.  I was planning on doing it in bits and pieces, arranging my other errands and freecyling to be most efficient, but traffic during the day has been terrible (lots of tourist traffic as well as untimely construction on the highway) and my in-laws are coming this weekend, and I decided it would be well worth it to go out and about tonight after the kids were tucked into bed.

All the things I listed have new homes. And some of the things I delivered was to a family who are foster-adopting two little girls, and talking with the Grandma for a few minutes, I found out they homeschool, and do it through the same charter we do!

Freecycle is soooooo much fun.  You don't have to drop things off--most people just set them out and wait for someone to come get them.  But when I have things to go, I love just getting them gone, so I happily drive them to their new homes over the course of a week or so, as I do errands.

But tonight, it was totally worth the gas and time just to have them out of my life.

There will be quite a few people with surprises on their doorsteps in the morning!

Peter the rabbit is likely cuddling his new child, Brianna, tonight.  He and his other stuffed companions were delivered last week, left sitting on the porch of the interested family with a sign between Peter's paws that introduced them all by name and said they were so glad to be at their new home.  I got the cutest email from the mom later, telling me her daughter had decided not to change their names, since they had those names for so long, and that she loves them. : )

blessing orphans--and being blessed back

One reason I am so bummed that I have not had time recently to blog is because there have been so many creative ways bloggers have been advocating for orphans and adoptive families, and I wish I had shared them with you sooner.

But there is no time like the present, right?  And just in time, too, since one of the blogs is having its most grand event to date:  a "Spectacular Surprise" over at the Fill Their Stockings With Hope event being held jointly on several blogs, including Ni Hao Y'all, which graces my sidebar.  These bloggers are working together to raise money for a family-style orphanage for special-needs children in China.  They are on their 7th day of some really fabulous giveaways (which is why I feel so badly that I never told you about it before), and today if you donate a minimum of $5 you can be entered to win a new iPad, or one of two $500 gift cards!!!!  (Technically you can enter without donating, but none of us would be that grinchy, right?)  So please consider visiting the blog and making a donation, and sharing word of the "Fill Their Stockings" event with others!

And if you are so full of love and joy and Christmas cheer and just want to bless others with no possibility of a financial reward, another blog on my sidebar, Treasured Pearls, is having an event called "24 Days of Giving" where they are featuring different families who are in various stages of adoption and could use financial help.  You can go check out yesterday's post here, to see one of the children who is in the process of being rescued and read what this event is all about.  I love the idea of using Christmastime as an occassion to share love and resources with those who are themselves trying to share love and resources with others--in this case, giving a small financial gift to people trying to give a home to a child who might otherwise never know a family.

If you want a moment to be reminded of what a blessing you could be to others, and why giving to families who are adopting can be so beautiful, so lifegiving, please visit this page.  Or this earlier one and scroll down to the pics at the end. 

That, my friends, is love in action.

And so, so, so much more worthy of $5 than a treat from my favorite coffeeshop.

Friday's Finds

It is gloomy, rainy day--and cold! We finally have Winter again, now that it is officially Spring. The past two days I have been actually having to add wood to the fire throughout the day.  I guess it's nice--encourages being at home, cozy, getting school done. I just really liked that little heat wave we had last week, temperatures in the 70's!  Oh, and I know you folks from the truly cold places are just weeping for me, what with it being all of 50 degrees outside. 

But the gloom outside today and the drab I feel inside just make me long for beauty--and color!

Time to brighten the eyes with beauty and color from etsy:

No. 13, the Ring by bruceseeds (it's a QUILT, people. my jaw drops.)

Footstool/Ottoman Teal Espresso by LaRoseFootstoolsPlus

Felted Pea Pod by Baymut

Little Poppy Barrettes by Hannalah

Fuschia peony by amelierose 

Crochet flower scarf by Yarnhappiness

Floral and Ticking Sunhat by bellybaloo

Red Dahlia - Patchwork Victoriana Boho Bustle Skirt by BarefootModiste

Handstiched Felt Bird Garland Banner by RawBoneStudio

Crochet Irish Verdant Rose Headband by twoknit

birds in love by moloco

Help with Earthquake Relief Hand-Painted Throw Pillows by derilyn

Starlight Hair Pins by herflyinghorses

Japanese Art Inspired Handmade Felt Brooch by designedbybettyshek

Knit Neon Brights Ponytail Hat by knitwitwoolies 

Anything here brighten your day?



important, beautiful, life-saving, free *LINK FIXED

A friend alerted me that the link in this post was broken--and it sounds like mine might not have been the only one, from the new link I made. Please do check out the giveaway--AMAZING STUFF and all going to a great cause!

There is a giveaway--the most amazing giveaway I have ever seen!--happening on this blog from now until the 13th.  It is to help find a forever family for a precious Eastern European orphan, Vanya. 

He is running out of time to be adopted, and at any time might be moved to an institution where he would spend the rest of his life among the mentally ill and other discarded people.  A sweet, deserving child, condemned to a jail-like existence, just because he was born to people who were unhealthy in body and spirit and gave him HIV.

Vanya is completely adoptable, and deserves the chance at a family!  There is bound to be a family who has the desire to adopt and hearts for hids with HIV (more and more familes are adopting these kids, from all over the world, and they say it is an entirely managable disease) who will hear about him and when they do, because of this fund-raiser there will be some $ to help jump-start the expensive adoption process and help Vanya get home.

(When bloggers who have visited the orphanages and spent time with the kids advocate for one specific child who they think is really special, I tend to listen.  All children deserve homes.  But not all children are the kind of kid you just want to sneak home in your pocket, they are so sweet and just want to be loved.  I get the feeling Vanya is in the latter category.)

So please jump over and check out the AMAZING goodies you could win!  Yes, they are raising funds, so donations are the most obvious way to earn chances to win.  But you can also win by posting about this on your own blog, or on facebook!

file under "score one for my adventuresome kids"

Today's breakfast:  Peach Oatmeal Smoothie

Ingredients:

The last of the whole fat yoghurt (about 3/4 cup)
One large bowl leftover cold oatmeal (originally cooked with cinnamon)
Small bag frozen peaches
Last of the skim milk (about one cup? a little more?)
Generous dollup of honey

Blend it all up, serve immediately.  See if the kids can guess what all is in it.  Be amazed when they say it's decent enough that if I made it again they would gladly eat it.

Served with a side of fresh strawberries and an assortment of nuts.

And it was all stuff I wanted to use up!  (even the honey, which is getting old and crystalizing)  Whoo-hoo!

So glad my kids are so used to eating weird stuff trying new dishes that they happily try almost anything. : )

If you are in the market for a new bag. . .

I just found out about this site that sells handbags and jewelry hand-made by Haitian women, who can then support their families.

I really like the bag pictured above.  And it is so reasonably priced!

I am all about buying local, and we live in an artsy area that abounds in hand-made goodness.  And if I can't find it locally, I have my beloved etsy for finding goods hand-made in the USA.  But I also believe in supporting the creative efforts of women in countries who do not have a local demand for such endeavors.  Here in the States it is rare that a woman is supporting her family through her handicrafts--usually it is a hobby that turns into a small side industry, extra income that is usually spent on extra things, like vacations and splurges.  In places like Haiti, women might be learning these crafts and hoping to sell them as an alternative to watching their children starve. 

(Really, even in the middle of a recession, we Americans have it so good.)

So if you need a handbag, or a gift for a woman in your life, please keep this site in mind.

"my" new bathroom floor

Yes, pennies.  This pic is from the floor of the new restaurant at New York's Standard Hotel.  Beautiful!

And I even have online tutorials to show me how to do it myself!

Before anyone asks, from what I understand this is not illegal.  And it works out to cost about $2 a square foot, WAY cheaper--and way cooler--than any tile we could use!

I want to pair it with stained wood wainscotting.  DH likes the floor, but also wants to tile the walls. I say if you tile the walls you have to tile the floor too.  So, we shall see what we end up with!

FYI: beautiful wood photo frames, on sale, free shipping!

I get emails from Exposures, the company that sells photo albums and other photo-related things, so when I got an email after Christmas about their additional post-holiday sale, I went to browse (to look for great prices on potential Christmas presents for next year--shhhhhhh) and saw these hanging picture frames:

I ordered the small round one, and when it arrived, I was amazed at how big and beautiful it was. I thought the whole diameter of the frame would be 6 inches, but that is actually just the photo space, so the whole frame is larger.  And what looked like kind of a distressed wood accent along the frame rim is really carving!  Basically these are truly gorgeous frames--much prettier in real life--at a really good price (the size I got was $16), and now they are offering another special with free shipping! Offer expires Jan 10.

Saving produce without plastic

A few weeks back, on the Fake Plastic Fish blog, Beth Terry was featuring a new facebook group she started called The Plastic Crap Wall of Shame.  It's pretty eye-opening:

individually pacaged ice cubes.  yes. really.

Basically it is to raise awareness of the worst plastics for our environment--single use plastics, things which are made just to be immediately thrown away as soon as they are bought. But the group also features plastic items that have limited usefulness, to raise our awareness of how we spend money on plastic things that we could easily do without.  Specifically the other day she mentioned little plastic containers for storing left-over fruits:

The jokes for this partiular item just tell themselves.  

But if people are buying these kinds of food savers, then it must be because don't readily think of other ways to keep these things fresh.  So, just in case it is helpful to any of you out there, here are some of the ways I save produce without plastic baggies or special containers:

Banana
For anyone wanting to save half a banana, here is the trick: don't slice it in half before peeling. Peel it down to expose as much of the banana as you plan on eating, but then break off the amount of banana you want. Ideally you break it off as close to the untorn peel as possible. Then just lay the banana in the fridge with the peel naturally lying mostly closed. The next day, not only is the banana still good, but the end should only be the teeniest bit darkened--not at all unappetizing. If you wait more than one day, you may have to cut off the smallest sliver of darkened banana at the end, if the slight discoloration bothers you.

Avocado
Nowadays I never cover my half of an avodado--I just keep the half with the pit and stick the whole thing in the fridge bare on the shelf (flesh side up, obviously) and the air causes just the very top of the exposed flesh to cure, like the skin on pudding. The next day or day after when I want to use it, I just take a sharp knife and cut away the "skin", and underneath it is perfectly fresh. I don't consider this wasteful, since even when I used to put it in a storage container or--long ago--wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap, the outer edge would still get discolored and I would still end up trimming it.

Tomato
If you have half of a tomato left-over, just place it sliced side down on a ceramic saucer--the juices will basically seal the cut to the saucer surface, stick it in the fridge on a shelf, and it will be still fresh the next day (this is for a tomato that has not been peeled, obviously).  If you feel better about containing it, do the same thing in a small Pyrex or other brand of glass storage container that has a lid.  I just don't recommend doing this in a plastic storage container, since the acid in the tomato juices will make the plastic leach chemicals.

But I actually don't end up with that many bits left over--I learned long ago the number one way to reduce food waste in my kitchen was to cook with whole produce as much as possible.  So that means if the recipe calls for half of a vegetable, I always throw in the whole thing.  Never once has this ruined the dish. ; )  I try to do the same thing with canned goods, within reason--so if the recipe calls for 1 T tomato paste, clearly I'll be saving the rest for future use, but if it calls for 1/2 a can of tomato sauce, I'll usually throw the whole can in.

AND here is the perfect, mess free way to butter corn on the cob: use a stick of butter, and just tear off an inch of paper from one end.  Hold the papered end while you slide the exposed end against your corn. You now have the perfect tool for buttering that is much easier than a knife (and probably does not waste as much) and keeps your fingers neat to boot! If it is a hot day, use a frozen stick of butter, and it will go easily on the hot corn but will not soften in your hands as quickly.

Ok, so those are some of my ideas.  Anyone else have any easy and waste-free food storage ideas?

And the whole article on single-use plastics was fascinating--I recommend it.

swagbucks follow-up

Just today I scored 49 SB for one search ("chromosomes"), and then 10 for another ("What Your Kindergartner Should Know")! Whoo-hoo!

I have never won so many in one day--but forgot to mention in my SB post that Fridays are the MUST SEARCH days, because Swagbucks advertizes that they give away bigger prizes on those days. 

And I just started participating in the "daily poll" which you access from the Swagbucks search page--takes literally 20 seconds max and gets you 1 SB.  Well, if I remember to do that when I am on the computer already, it will be an easy 200 SB a year, I figure.  Remember, the goal is to get SB without effort.  This fits.

There are also NOSO: "No Obligation Special Offers" you can view daily to earn 1 SB.  Takes about 1 minute to click through about 5-6 offers and click the "no" button for all of them--so don't know that I will do this routinely, but maybe.  If I did it whenever I also did the poll, then I can easily see 400 SB a year.

Now, it takes 450 SB to get one $5.00 Amazon gift card, which is my goal.  So that could seem like a lot of work for very little return.  Except I am already getting about 14 SB a DAY (not week, as I first mistakenly wrote) for my usual searches, which I would expect would get me a minimum of 3500 SB a year. . . so add the 400 to that, and you have an EASY 4000 SB a year--which translates to $40 bucks in cold, hard, virtual cash. ; )  I can use that. 

AND I did some research into the Swagbucks partner stores, and found out that some of them are ones I plan on using this next year, and you get 2 SB for every 1 dollar you spend.  Some of the stores I plan on visiting--so I would be giving them my $ anyway and now get SB as icing on the cake--are The Children's Place, Snapfish, Shoes.com, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Target, Kohls. . . and since I only order from these places when there are specials on shipping I should be able to score big!

Mom. . . just so you know, Fannie May Candies and Hanna Andersson are two of the partner stores.  Ahem. 

So for me, Swagbucks is a clear no-brainer.  It won't be for everyone so don't consider this a sales pitch but just an FYI.

swagbucks, celebrated

This is another one of those posts that I have been meaning to write for a looooong time. 

You have probably wondered at some point what that little thing over on my right-hand sidebar that says "Swagbucks" is all about.  Swagbucks is essentially a marketing tool--but I don't see how they are making any money off of me, the way I use it, and I am getting free money in return. 

Seriously.  I recently decided to finally cash in my accummulated swagbucks (SB) for gift cards to amazon.com, and just yesterday I used them to get books for our home library.  I got thirty bucks worth of books, for free.  And the gift cards are good for any amazon purchase--food, clothes, music, toys, whatever is being sold through amazon!

Now, there are lots of other ways you can cash in your swagbucks--the most bang for your buck is actually music downloads, but we don't download music yet (I know, we are SO nineteen nineties) and I get a lot of stuff on amazon, so that is the way I'll be using my SB.

Now, it also takes a loooooooong time to rack up $30 worth of SB.  There are ways you can get them faster--and Moderate Means posted here and here about her SB experiences and methods so you can compare with mine--but I am all about 1) laziness and 2) not signing up for anything I don't want, and 3) privacy.  So, I basically have Swagbucks set as my homepage and use it instead of Google anytime I do a search, if I am not being particular about the results.   If I don't find the results I want, I hop over to Google and try again.  (And don't bother using the SB search engine for images--it's not make for it, and has a clear dearth of images.) 

(And it works!  Just this minute I put "Moderate Means" into the SB search engine, because I was being too lazy to open a separate page with my blog so I could see her link from my sidebar--and won 10 SB for my "effort"!)

I also use the Swagbucks search engine as a dictionary!  I just type the word as I think it might be spelled and hit "search" and it will come back with "did you mean _____?"  and there is my answer, with sometimes SB awarded for my "effort"!  I also sometimes use it to get places like amazon.com, zappos, etc.--places that I could type an actual address for, but for which I sometimes get SB when I get to them via the Swagbucks search engine. 

I am on the computer looking things up a lot.  So just by doing what I would normally be doing anyway, I get about 6-14 SB a day.  It takes a long time for them to add up this way, but I'm ok with that.  Because I don't want to get sucked into thinking I need more swagbucks--because that is when I would become prey to the marketing, and might end up tempted to spend money on some special offer just to get a bunch of swagbucks.  And unless the special offer involves something I want to do anyway, it is just not worth it. 

The only offer I routinely see that I would do--except I am already doing it--is Netflix.  If you ever want to sign up for the Netflix trial subscription and have not yet done so, this would be the way to do it--free trial period AND free swagbucks.  (And that's another thing I want to write about soon--how we stretch our family's Netflix subscription to get the most for our money, so stay tuned for that! ; )

Anyway, Swagbucks is a no-brainer way to get a little bit of something for free, for almost no effort. 

If you do decide to sign up for Swagbucks, just please do it by clicking on the link on my sidebar--I think if you sign up that way I get a few extra SB as kickback! 

Oh, and before I forget--I think SB has a partnership with some online stores so that if you visit them through the SB home page you get one SB for every dollar you spend in the store!  I always forget to try this, though.  And of course it would only be wise if you were already planning on spending that money in the store.  (But I do a lot of my shopping online, so this is something I need to remember!)

Free stuff?  I am all over it.

(If you currently use SB, and have an easy sure-fire way of getting them, please let me know in the comments!  Stacy, I just saw the SB widget on your blog--will be checking that out!)

(Frugal) Idea for the Day: Re-using baking soda

Every now and then I get an idea for being just a little bit "greener" or for simplifying life, or for saving one fraction of a penny. Sometimes when I am actually practicing one of these ideas, I think to myself, "I should blog about this."


So, here is idea #1! You lucky people. And warning--this is pretty much a "well, duh!" kind of idea. But hey, every idea is new to someone sometime.


Pretty much everybody knows baking soda is a great, natural and even plastic free (in the cardboard boxes, that is--I have seen plastic bags of it at Costco. Hssssss.) agent for cleaning. You can use it for all KINDS of things--I particularly enjoy it for cleaning my stove top and kitchen sink. But that is not the point of this post. I am trying to learn how to be a better steward of the Earth, and make wise choices about its resources. So anytime I can get multiple uses out of any one thing, I am very happy.

So here is how I get more than one use out of baking soda! First, I start with a fresh box for cooking. After that box has been open a while in the pantry, I swap it out for a new one. The older box gets its top opened almost all the way, and is placed in the fridge or freezer to absorb odors. When the box is no longer working at that job (about 3 months max, and it probably works best to stir the baking soda if you ever think about it) I then empty the contents into a glass screw-lid jar I keep in the cleaning cupboard--labeled "Baking soda, for cleaning." This is the jar I go to when I want to scour something, or to neutralize a stinky outdoor trash can before pick-up day (just dump it on, liberally!). The Arm & Hammer website also says you can "recycle" your used baking soda by rinsing it down the drains--supposedly it helps keep your pipes cleaner, so in theory they won't get clogged, although A&H is quick to say they do not recommend trying to unclog pipes with it.

And oh, here is one more green--frugal--plastic free use for baking soda: use a cotton ball or powder puff to apply under your arms for a natural deodorant. Seriously, try it! I like it so much better than the old stuff--here comes a little TMI--since before after shaving under my arms my skin would be too sensitive for deodorant after the shower. The baking soda does not irritate, so I can be smooth AND fresh at the same time! Niiiiiiiice.

There you go! Many more ideas of this caliber to come. . . ; )

No more dinner posts, but how about some plastic?

The other morning when I got on my blog as usual, scrolling down the blogs listed on my sidebar to see who had a new posting for me to read with my breakast, I noticed I had THREE new "followers." Huh, I thought. Wonder where they came from? Then I saw the post over at Moderate Means, and had my answer. : )

So, you newbies, welcome!

And I have bad news.

This is not an amazing food blog, if that is what you were expecting from Stacy's send-up. In fact, I WAS chronicling my dinners for a while there, to keep myself accountable to actually cook them. But just this past week I realized a) the plan had accomplished its goal, and I WAS cooking every night, and b) blogging my dinners was taking all my blogging time! So, I am not going to blog about food for at least a while. But I will write about it if a) I lapse back into bad dinner habits, or b) I come up with something post-worthy.

And last night the "no eating out" challenge was officially over, as I suggested to DH we order pizza, when I had been planning on making pizza from scratch and then completely forgot to start the dough in time, and had nothing I could whip up in a hurry. Whoops!

And it was really yummy. And, hey, at least we used a coupon, so we got one medium mushroom pizza for free with our decadent, full-price extra-large ricotta, pesto, tomato and artichoke heart pizza. Mmmmmmm. And we were supporting local business, so there!

Boy, I am good at the rationalization!

OK, enough about food. There are, as always, WAY too many things I would like to write about--including the full, amazing story of our new faucet!--and too little blogging time. I know, I know, you are hanging onto the edges of your seats. But I have not been able to write much in this blog this week because I have another, more pressing writing gig at the moment (imagine fanfare): Plastic in Our World

You see, we have been studying plastic as a homeschool project, and the more we learn, the more I really want to share it with others. I am NOT anti-plastic. The guy who made the documentary "Addicted to Plastic" said it well; let's not demonize plastic, but instead treat it as the amazingly versatile, valuable product that it is. It comes down to being wise in our understanding and use of it. We should not be making it just to throw away (as in all single-use applications, like disposable dinnerware). Some plastics are not as safe as we would like to think, and should not be used in some of the ways we routinely use them. And if everybody just made one small change in how we use plastic unwisely, it would add up big time.

So I am inviting anyone who is interested to join us in our learning! I set up the lessons for a two-week unit, and am adding a new lesson every day, but anyone interested can start it whenever they want, and do it as quickly or slowly as they want. The lessons are short, and they do not require any special materials. They can be done with kids of all ages, or you can just read them yourself for the sake of the information.

In fact, I would appreciate it if you, my faithful readers, did at least skim the pages to glean what you can. It seriously only takes a few minutes for each one--but you will be amazed at what you can learn in a few minutes, stuff that is fascinating and really important. What I have learned so far is already having a huge positive impact on our family! And applying what I am learning makes me feel like a better mom, and a better steward of the earth. And it may sound silly, but by creating these little lessons, I feel like I am doing my part to Make the World A Better Place for Us All!

So, there you go!

To my nieces Emily and Sarah: there might even be an award-winning science fair experiment for next year hiding in those pages and links. Not that you two need any help winning science project awards! : )

And to everyone: please feel free to pass this info around to anyone you see fit! I am thinking some elementary teachers might enjoy using some of it in their classrooms, as a starting point for building their own unit. I am NOT saying this is the best unit on plastic ever--I am learning as I go! But it is a case of a little bit of knowledge is better than none. : )

So, thanks for coming around, all of you readers. I appreciate you being part of my world.

speaking of free stuff and fun stuff. . .

Several of the blogs I read are having giveaways this week, but these two made me smile, so of course I am sharing them with you!

The first is over at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly, where you can win one of two works of art, by the artist featured above, one for your wall, one for your neck! I just love the colors the artist uses in her work, and when I realized she incorporates bits of her faith into her art, well, that turns beauty into blessing.

The second is over at Paisley and Lace, where my friend Tina is offering a chance to win one of two absolutely adorable aprons she made out of vintage fabric. Just look at one of them:


A cup of strong black tea with milk and a bit of something sweet.
A really good, old book borrowed from a really good, not so old friend (I'm reading I Capture the Castle, Rosa!)
A handmade apron of vintage fabric.

These are a few of my favorite things.