Boys will be Boys

Be prepared

The next two weeks were unreal.

And this

Love, Repeat

This will occur in my house.  Hopefully soon.

Couch Potatoes

Floor Love

This Week's Thrift Store Finds

An all-in-one sewing kit for my upcoming denim projects, some sweet yellow heels, a stunning J.Crew dress.  Hospice Thrift 50% off sale.  Got some books and a vintage business skirt as well.

Elsewhere, a vintage paint-by-number (complete with gorgeous paint colors) that is new, wrapped, in the box!  I'm so hoping that the paints are intact since they're oil.  Not pictured is a 1940s train case - a steal at $5.  Lafayette Flea Market has some buried treasures!

Not to mention some guides to other flea market and antique places in and around Denver.  Score.

Huge...Tracks of Land

Game/BBQ night with the Flatirons Couples without Kids group!  We met at Heidi and Franco's house, who actually live really close to us, but on 13 acres of incredible land.  Their view is just stunning.  Sunsets are out of this world.  Great food from all involved, and laughter abounded!  We played Scene It, during which the boys won...and Heidi and Franco had PRIZES!  Between than and the Cowboy Candy, my week was made.

It was a Country BBQ and the prizes were country themed!  SO CUTE!

Back to Normal!

Kona won't let him out of his sight.  They are seriously never more than a leg's length apart.

Whip Worm

We had to take Keebler to the Vet for the first time, and took our chances with a local one rather than drive all the way to Boulder to the BVHS.  He had to stay overnight for observation since he couldn't keep any food down (or in...).  It was so sad; I came home without him and Kona looked at me like I'd kicked him.  He did nothing but sulk on the futon all day, didn't even want to be inside...

Things that make you go...huh.

Chris and I decided to try the fine dining of Pueblo, courtesy of DJ's Steakhouse.

Don't let the rainbow fool you.  Between the wall fountain, the lack of discussion at any other table but ours, the pink walls, and curtains in the bathroom, we had more fodder for laugher than ever.  This was after almost getting shot in the ghetto.

Needless to say, we'll be sticking to Texas Roadhouse.

Lay Me Down

Whether or not this is normal, I don't know.  But sometimes, after a long day, I lay down on the floor to rest.  Without fail, the puppies always join me.  Tonight, though, they were extra snug, Kona resting his head on my chest against my face, and Keebler, once he finally realized what was going on, passed out next to me - but not before wrapping his legs around my arm as I pet him.

And people wonder why we have dogs.

Should've Taken the Blue Pill

After 5.5 years of working with a laptop that met it's heyday when I was in high school (if that) we finally received new work computers!  Not only did we get these stellar Dells running Windows 7, but we were also shipped 20" monitors and keyboards for our offices.  My office just happens to be at Quivas St!

So between the egregious personal iMac (of which I never posted a photo when my old one completely crashed this summer forcing me to buy a new one; I was too embarrassed by the size), a laptop and a monitor which are linked so that I actually have two screens to work with (thanks Mike!) simultaneously, I think my office looks more like a stockbrocker's.  Or Neo's.  I like to pretend I'm in the matrix while working on wholesale.  It's so much more mysterious that way.

Stellar, isn't it?

There's a River Down There Somewhere

That's the name of the painting I bought at the Goodwill 50% sale today: 

I wrestled it from it's nasty purple frame (to the left) and threw away the faded, doctor's office print in another frame and glass I found just for this purpose.  Spray painted the wood frame with a coordinating color I just happened to have on my paint shelf in the garage:

 Voila!

Love this painting.

Who will win?

Too True

Mike sent this to me today; I believe it wholeheartedly (and he does).

Gladiator

LOBSTER IS MIIIIIIIIINE!

I'll stop the world and melt with you

You have no idea how many comments I received carting this thing around the thrift store - "You've got the whole world in your hands!"  "She just bought the world."  "Going around the globe?"

Seriously.

I was amazed that I found one so quickly after pondering an idea of turning one into shelf art.  Gotta love ARC.  And this is how it turned out:

It's reeeeeeeally hard to photograph.  But it says "Go".  And here's where it was meant to be:

It looks pretty amazing for a trial and error piece.  Two cans of spraypaint and mass quantities of painters tape and Sharpies, I'm fairly satisfied.  Let me tell you, spheres are very hard to write on...

Lavendar Sugar

My mom turned me on to this, and I just had to share.  It's such a simple, thoughtful gift, and makes tea taste amazing.

Lavendar Sugar

What you'll need:

• 4 tbs Food-grade (or edible) Lavendar.  You can find this at Whole Foods in Colorado or Central Market in Texas.  Basically any organic grocer.
• 3 cups raw sugar (organic or white will work, but raw sugar has such a great flavor)
• Food processor

Mix and blend.  I added a vintage hankie to one jar and a doile I had on hand to another.  Slap a sticker on the jar indicating what it is, and you have some sensational-smelling sweetener!  It is so tasty.

To the Dogs

We took Keebs and Kona to the Dog Park.  It was Keeb's first time.  I'm pretty sure he loved it (although if slapping things *hard* with his tail is any indication, Keebler is a huge fan of just breathing). 

 A stunning evening with my stunning Men.

Although I am partial to one behind in particular... :-D

This Week's Thrift Store Finds

And I wasn't even going to go today!  But then I remembered I wanted to see if I could find some jars and lids.  Of course...I ended up finding more than I'd bargained for.

A stunning set of six thick antique glass mixing bowls.  Gorgeous.  And $9.  I can't even tell you what one of these would be in an antique store or boutique.  Oh...and some jars and lids!  So happy to actually get what I needed.  You'll see why tomorrow.

Perhaps one of the greatest treasures I've ever found - 5 bags of vintage buttons and sewing novelties.  I sat on the kitchen floor picking through just a small portion of these (I'm saving the whole treasure hunt for one evening this week after work).

A vintage thread-cutter ring never opened.  Scores of corchet needles, a delivious vintage glass button, and some great hand-sewing needles I'm certain will come in handy.

These are just some of the jewels I picked out of the plastic tins of buttons.  I can't wait to go through them all!

 This was just...classic house wife propganda.

 Classic.

Finally, a globe that has seen better days...but it's best is yet to come!  $5.  We'll see if my artistic idea works out.

Staind

Alright, this *should* be the last photo set of The Library.  Until I get more lighting.  But seriously.  I have a library.  And I stripped and stained two pieces of furniture.  I think that calls for slight gloatage.  Only slight.

 The dogs are probably in it more than I am...but look at that table!  So much better than light!

 Even more room for crate entry...they like.  I need some ideas on further lighting that can go on the top of the shelves against the short wall (next to the clock).  This room is fairly dark at night with only the one lamp and the entry light we turn on to remind ourselves the outdoor lights are on.  Preferably something I can spray paint.  I was thinking maybe an array of spraypainted metal pedestal lamps.  Or something.  Ponder it.

Appreciate the matching of the coffee table and the book shelves.

APPRECIATE!

Cause that baby has two sandings and seven layers of stain.  Never.  Again.  Give me my Krylon and call me happy.  Freakin' Minwax.  It lies.

But I still have The Library.  I can cross that off the list!  And admire my beloved collection of tomes.  Le sigh.  It is so good.

One with Nature

I would apologize for the over-the-top amount of dog photos that now pop up on the daily photo feed...but I'm not sorry.

Seriously.  How can you get enough?!

What?

It's been getting down into the 40s at night here in the near-perfect state of Colorado.  The highs have been in the low 70s, so we've opened all the windows and turned off the air conditioning.  The thing about that is, we now have what Mike (lovingly?) refers to as a Peeping Tom of the Dog World.  Keebler listens intently for any sound coming from the house, and immediately takes note.  No more sneaking photos for me...

Fun with Denim

This past week on one of the worst work days I had in a while, I received a package on my door step from Arlington.  In it was a book entitled 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, and Decorate Your Denim, as well as an old pair of jeans my dad could no longer use, and a note.  I purchased some more jeans for a couple bucks at Goodwill to use for future projects, but I just couldn't wait to try out this one:

Kona really wants to try it too...

This Week's Thrift Store Finds

I have been looking forward to Labor Day for a WEEK.  The day off notwithstanding, both Goodwill and Hospice Thrift were having their 50% the ENTIRE store days at the same time.  What's great about this is the stores are about 15 minutes apart.  So I can be at Goodwill when they open at 8am (an experience all its own, let me tell you), leisurely peruse their second-hand wares, try on clothes, debate furniture, all with time to spare before heading to Hospice to get in line there for when they open at 10am.

I do have to interject here.  It was a fantastic thrifting day which I heartily enjoyed, right up to the point that I got stuck between two earth mamas in line at Hospice, both of which were there for the same painting of St. Germain.  Who is Saint Germain, you ask?  Well, I asked the same question of Google later.  I pretty much stopped reading at "Lord of the Seventh Ray".  But that is just the icing on the fat, egotistical slice of hippie cake I was served all while simply waiting to get into a store. 

By the time I did get in, I'd had quite enough of Boulderites feeling like they needed to ask the Universe for forgiveness for not purchasing the painting at full price, and how divinely blessed they were that day, and how they could sense each other's moods and feelings which therefore caused missed calls that morning.  My panties were in a bigger wad than I ever thought possible.

But, fortunately for me, they were unwound by the time I reached the book section.  I scored quite a few tomes today, from hardbacks, one in particular that just came out by John Hart (for a dollar - ha!), to a couple of antique books of some quasi-popular works, and of course, the handbook everyone needs: How to Survive an Evil Robot Takeover.  I kid you not.  It's now right beside How to Survive Waking Up in a Horror Movie in my library.

My favorite find, however, was a huge leather-bound Bible from the 1960s that was given to someone at their graduation, and doesn't look like it was ever touched again.

 Complete with Anglo-Saxon Jesus.  Classic.  But in all seriousness, it is a beautiful book - kind of how you'd think a Bible should look.  It was a steal at $2.50.

I found a stunning 1950s gray jacket, along with some other clothing steals, including a pair of Silver jeans for $3.  A complete set of vintage place settings and napkins with beautiful hand-stitched flowers (side-note: if you ever wash anything with red and turn everything pink, put them into a sink full of hot water and 1/2 cup Oxi Clean.  The pink will literally disappear before your eyes...not that I would know...).

Also steals were this set of hand-done, expensively framed projects by a woman in Amarillo, TX  (I couldn't help but wonder if she knew my Great Grandmother - Grandmarillos - Nar and I stuck Grandma and Amarillo together when we were tiny, and she has been that ever since).  They were strewn throughout the store, and I'd actually eyed them prior to the 50% sale,  but couldn't justify dropp $30 on them.

I could, however, justify $15. 

 Kitsch.  Adore it.

Finally, during all this, I was staining the retro table I found at ARC over a year ago.  Here's a close up of just how bad a shape this thing was in:

Water marks, scratches, horrible mustard finish.  I will tell you right now, this is the first, and last, time I will ever strip a piece of furniture.  Three times I thought "Screw it, you were $15, and now you're free by the curb."  But I love the shape of this table, and the special place in my heart that had kept me from using it as a new chew toy for Keebler.  I also think it turned out pretty nicely for my first (and last) stain project.

I will never part with this thing.  Sorry for the wordy post!  Less talking, more picture-snapping, Kendra, I know.  Maybe tomorrow.