Obsessed with vintage kitchenware...

My sister and I have become obsessed with vintage kitchen items such as Pyrex, Corelle, McCoy, Homer Laughlin and so on. She is constantly emailing me items she has found in her cabinets that fit in with our new obsession that she had forgotten she had. So I decided to go through my cabinets and see what pieces I might find that were from "yesteryear".

I found these bowls that I forgot I had. I'm sure everyone recognizes the big yellow bowl. In the 50's and 60's most homes had a set of these. The yellow was the biggest, then they dropped down in size with a green, then a red, then a blue one.

I found these old platters that we have had for years. The bottom left corner is a Homer Laughlin (which is the creator of Fiesta ware). It belonged to my husband's grandmother.

The pitcher below is a McCoy 7007. Back in my teen years, my cousin and I pooled our money and bought this for our Mamaw Eden to make ice tea in. When Mamaw passed away, I was given the pitcher. The blue plate was from a collection you could get at A & P grocery stores when my kids were babies (over 30 years ago). I got 2 plates and then our A & P closed. Every time I eat Franco American Spaghetti O's, this is the plate I use. (yes, I still love my Spaghetti O's) That is the only time it is ever used. Not sure why.

These are some odd and end restaurant quality pieces I picked up over the years at the Rebel Dish Barn in Sevierville, TN. These are some of my favorite pieces that I use the most. They are all made by the Howard Laughlin company.

What are YOUR favorite vintage pieces?

The wicker trunk....

When I got my new pillows yesterday, it left me with some country pillows that I didn't know what to do with.

So I started scouting around the house to see where else these colors would go and what I could use them for. There is a wicker trunk at the foot of my bed that I have never been happy with. It's just "sitting" there. I couldn't figure out how to make it look more welcoming.

So I looked around the house some more and I found this cute little prmitive pillow tucked in a storage box.

Then I went through the kids toys and found these teddy bears I had bought over the years at yard sales. The kids usually sleep with them when they visit.

So I put them all together and look what I came up with....

Now I ask you, doesn't it look cozy and welcoming now. Plus the bears are where the grandkids can get them easily when they stay over.I think it added a great touch to our master bedroom.

Back with the bargains....

My friend wanted me to go with her to the Donna Sharp Outlet Store today. I was just tagging along to look; not to buy. As we were checking out, my friend noticed some cute throw pillow cases and said I needed them for my beach room.

I took one look and fell in love. A quilted Donna Sharp pillow is around $36.00, but these were just the cases and were on clearance for $5.00 each. So I bought two and brought them home.

Aren't they so beachy and summery?

Then I dug in the back of the closet where I had placed the two throw pillow when we bought our patio swing, since I didn't want to use them on the swing, but never throw away pillows because you never know....

I slipped the pillows inside the quilted covers and tied the cute little ties on the back.

And ended up with two absolutely gorgeous pillow for the couch in the beach room for only $10.00.

You gotta love a good bargain! (And, to my sister...NO, you can't have them for your camper.)

Summer time, sweet summertime



As of 1:16 p.m. EST yesterday, it is officially summertime!

It is time for swimming pools.....

.....lazy rivers

..... sandcastles

..... ocean breezes



..... sandy beaches



..... lemonade



..... fireworks



..... cookouts



.... picnics



..... road trips



..... exhaustion



Aah. Sweet, sweet summertime.

Top Ten Tips for Relaxing

I love relaxation. There is nothing better than to rejuvenate using small little things that can make you feel better, lift your mood, or simply give you a 5 minute break. I am a mother of twins (a boy and a girl) who are now grown and given me 5 beautiful grandchildren that I adore. Between work, home, church, family, my time gets split in many directions. Here are my top ten items that help me relax and give me a little lift.

1.  Take a bubble bath. Many of you are probably thinking you don't have time for a bubble bath. I know you can be so exhausted at night once your day is done and your kids are in bed, but try to take just 15 minutes to soak in some scented bubbles (Suave Naturals Indulgent Body Wash makes the best bubbles and is great for sensitive skin). Light a couple of aromatic candles, grab a magazine and flip through the pages or simply rest your head on a bath pillow and feel the stress melt away. Add some Epsom salts to the water to relieve tired muscles.

2.  Polish your nails. This may sound crazy, but there is nothing that lifts me up more than seeing my nails on freshly polished. And with so many of the nail polishes coming in a 60 second dry time, you can do a manicure in less than 5 minutes. There are so many colors now that it is easy to find a quick pick-me-up with nail polish. They even make polish now that comes with base coat, polish and top coat all blended in one bottle so it looks like a professional manicure with just one coat.

3.  Buy new silk undies. This is an inexpensive way to give yourself a quick fix to relieve some stress. We all have those days when there is shopping that has to be done for the family or for the house. Take a few minutes and browse through the feminine goodies and select a pair that is silky and soft. They don't have to cost a fortune, but just something a little out of the ordinary to make you remember you are still a girly-girl inside.

4.  Drink a cup of hot chocolate or hot tea. There is nothing more soothing and relaxing than a nice warm drink. I try to keep a "special" mug that I only use for those times when I need a pick me up. Simply sitting for 5 minutes to drink my hot chocolate is so soothing.

5.  Go outside. I don't mean take a walk or plan anything to do outside. Just simply open the door, step outside and take a good look at your surroundings. Is there a favorite tree you love to watch blow in the wind? Is there a little flower that catches your eye. Clear your mind and listen intently. I'm sure you will hear birds singing or a breeze blowing. Just stay out there for a few minutes and take a few deep, cleansing breaths and head back in to face whatever awaits you.

7. Grab a snack. Treat yourself to one or two Hershey kisses or a slice of apple or orange. I try to keep oranges and apples cut up in the fridge so all I have to do is grab one when I want a quick munch.

8. Surf the internet. As we blog, tweet or Facebook, we spend many hours on the internet. Sometimes, it can be used as a getaway. If you like to craft, check out the new patterns at FreePatterns.com. If you are a collector, visit Ebay to see what unique items you might find. I like to go to the Auction section and sort by "ending soonest" so I can grab a great bargain at the last minute if there is something I want. Visit Etsy.com and check out some of the unique items for sale in the various stores.

9.  Read a book. Not everyone likes to read, but if you do, it's a wonderful way to relax. There is nothing like losing yourself in a good novel to get away from it all for a brief period of time. If you don't like novels, get a book of inspiration, or a book on "How To" for something that interests you.

10. Watch an old comedy. I love going to Hulu.com and watching some of the old sitcoms I group up with. It is a great way to unwind and laughter is a great medicine for whatever ails you.

What a bargain....

One of my obsessions is Staples Office Supply Store. I'm especially a fanatic about notebooks that can help you get organized, with To Do Lists, Projects, Priorities or simply a place to jot notes. The new ARC customizable notebook system is amazing. Instead of rings, the note book consists of disks. The filler sheets have "holes" that are open on the left side so they just snap down over the disks, making it easy to remove, change or move around your pages.

I am a Staples Rewards Card holder. I went online to print my rewards and found that I had purchased an HP Cartridge last month that gave me double rewards so I had a rewards coupon for $5.00 and one for $6.25. Wow, $11.25 to spend at Staples.

I went straight to the notebook section and that is where I saw the ARC notebook system.

So I purchased one of the 5 x 7 notebooks (by the way, these have the benefit of folding back and laying flat like a spiral notebook, but allowing you to remove and add sheets like a ring binder)

I purchased a package of the small task pad that goes in the front for a place to jot quick tasks that you can see the minute you open the book.

It came with a set of the regular pages, so I purchased a set of the To Do List Sheets and the Project Planner Sheets.

The one I bought also had 3 colored index tabs, plus a pocket folder and a business card holder, all which just snapped into place.

So here is everything I purchased:

Package of To Do Sheets ..... $2.99

Package of Project Sheets ..... $2.99

Package of Task Pads ..... $2.99

One Notebook ..... $7.99

Product Total ..... $16.96 + $1.65 tax = $18.61

Less 25% coupon off any ARC products -$4.25

 Less my Rewards Coupon ..... $-5.00

Less my Rewards Coupon ..... $-6.25

My cost? .... $1.46 + .14 tax = $1.60

A savings of $17.01

Does it get any better than that? Now you know why I love Staples!

Purchases, pleasantness, and paranoia

I had a wonderful time antiquing on Saturday. I picked up several bargains. Got some cute bowls, some Vintage Pyrex & Corelle for my sister, some cute coffee cups and some more salt dips for my collection. Total cost for all this was $19.50. Not a bad day.

We had a very pleasant Father's Day. We spent the day just relaxing around the house and looking at new grills online. That is his Father's Day gift, but he can't decide what one he wants. We'll probably end up at Home Depot one day this week. I actually cooked supper (hubby normally does all the cooking). I fixed chopped sirloin steaks, baked potato and corn. We had a peach pie for dessert. All in all, it was a very pleasant day.

We have had rain and thunderstorms on and off for the past two days. The sky is gloomy again this morning and they are calling for more isolated thunderstorms. After having two cars totalled in a recent hail storm, I am now paranoid every time they say "with a chance of hail". It makes me want to go outside and cover the vehicles. I used to love to watch a good storm roll in. Now I just get a feeling of panic every time I see dark clouds.

Hope everybody has a great week!