Thrifty Thursday-Recent Finds

Recently I made my way to Jane's curiosity shop

and came out with these beauties.

This corn seed sack was a total surprise.

I've never seen one for sale before.

I'm thinking of keeping my homemade bread in it.

This linen napkin was the perfect shade of brown

and only cost a buck.

If there had been more of them,

I would have snatched them up.

I'm looking for some this color 
to line the insides of cupboards and cabinets.

I prefer using fabric to paper liners.

For now, this one will be used on the foyer table.

She had several of these colored metal bins.

 

It's being used in the bathroom drawer

to hold our supply of bar soap.

I couldn't pass this beauty up.
I've gotten aprons from this shop before,
but this one was callin' my name!
And just in time for Valentine's Day!

Hope you get to spend the day 
doing something you love
with someone who means the world to you. 

 
photo credit 

 
 

Being Thankful Throughout the Year

The ongoing theme this year has been
intentional simplicity.
Showing gratitude is a way to manifest this philosophy.
I was browsing this website
and came across these notecards.

I thought it would be a great idea to print some out
and distribute them all year long, not just at Thanksgiving.
So, that's what I'm doing.
Any time someone shows a courtesy or kindness
toward me or my boy,
I'm gonna hand them one of these.
A librarian, a postal clerk, a cashier,
a neighbor or a friend are all possible recipients.

At times I write to companies
just to tell them how much I appreciate their product.
With all the allergies we have,
it's great to be able to find something
that makes my cooking and baking easier.

Or sometimes I'll find a product that's actually
still made in the USA!

Now I have a notecard that I just have to fill in.
Can't get easier than that!

Gratitude is a conscious effort.


Gratitude is the heart's memory.

-Proverb

I know I'm grateful for this weekend.

Enjoy it,  y'all!

Thrifty Thursday-Pedal Petals

A bike has been on my wishlist for a while now.

When we were visiting state parks,

I'd have to rent or borrow one.

Not anymore.  :D

Found this diamond-in-the-rough on Craig's List.

It was promptly taken apart.

No disrespect to the Wolverines,

but this would not be my choice of colors.

Some big tools were needed for the job.

The inner tubes were just fine,

no need to replace them.

The tires were shot.

New tires were in order.

Priming helps the paint stick better and last longer.

Even the rims were due for a new color.

The seat was in decent shape, but Big K cleaned it up a bit.

Time will tell if it agrees with my backside.

Now to daisy-fy it.

Clip-art flowers were printed on cardstock

and cut out with a craft knife.

Blue painter's tape keeps it secure.

Petals are painted with white craft paint.

Yellow centers were filled in with cotton swabs.

Professional?  Far from it.

But it suits me.

There won't be another one like it on the bike trails

or in the neighborhood.

Happy pedaling!

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

Carrot Salad

My mom used to make carrot salad alot

when we were little,

especially in the summer

when she didn't want to heat up the kitchen.

This is the most basic carrot salad recipe on the planet.

Okay, maybe not the planet, but,

it's pretty simple.

Carrot Salad

8 carrots, shredded

Dressing:

1/2 C olive oil

1/2 C apple cider vinegar or balsamic

1/4 C water

2-4 T honey

1 t Italian seasonings

1 t salt

1 clove crushed garlic

***Add-in options include sesame or sunflower seeds,

walnuts, raisins, or black olives.

Enjoy!

Thrifty Thursday

A while back,

we put up a clothesline,

after finding out that it cannot be prohibited by our HOA.

One small step for us,

one giant leap for Mother Earth.

Hanging clothes out is one of my very favorite daily tasks.

Out there with the birds singing and the breeze blowing

with the sun warming your back,

it just brings a bit of joy into my life.

What can I say, simple things fill my heart.

I'd been thinking about getting an indoor rack for smaller loads

as well as for hanging unmentionables.

 Along with more humid weather coming our way on a regular basis,

it's handy to have one for inside the house

so that we can still use our dryer less.



Lil' Guy  and I took a trip to the thrift store yesterday

and this was waiting for me.

It fits squarely in our bathtub,

but it could easily be used on the patio in cooler weather.

One quick scrubdown and this $1 bargain was ready to use.

I am one happy chick today!

Hope you find something to brighten your day!

Secret Gardener

Wanna have some fun?

Start the Secret Gardener

in your neighborhood or workplace.

It's easy and makes you feel downright mischievous.

A friend of mine and I

decided to start it here in the neighborhood .

Here's how it works...



Make up a card with the instructions

 that can be passed on with the pot.

The other side introduces the game to the lucky recipient.

(Two cards are shown here.)

Take a bloom from your own yard and pot it up,

including the two-sided instruction card.

I used heavy packing tape to seal it

so it could be used again.

It's nice to add a tag identifying the plant too.

Remember playing the doorbell ditch game?

This one's more fun because you brighten someone's day.

I didn't ring the bell, just left it here and cruised on by.

Have a little fun and keep the good stuff movin'!

Country Garden Showcase

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop