More rummaging...

...in Florida, of course! Church rummage sale, amen. They take some pride in what they're selling. Now, let's see how these PhotoScape page combos turn out:

Pretty cool, huh? (the PhotoScape program, I mean. I'll get to the frame in a sec...) Too bad it doesn't seem to have an "exit" option -- you have to close the whole program and start over to do a new project. Weird. I'm sure I'm missing something. Took E to find the crop option, so perhaps he can help me with this, too.

The bottom of the frame says "British Make." It's a heavy silver frame, 8.5" x 5" (frame opening is 7.75" x 4.25"). I could not for the life of me figure out how to open it, then found that the bottom of it slides back and the glass and backing slip out (see top photo combo).


Total cost?

25 cents.

I love church rummage sales.

My next find -- one more from the rummage sale, and another from Betty's Stamp Pad (WARNING: dangerously loud and annoying music set up there...lower your volume...and, most of her inventory is hopelessly out of date, as well as ridiculously expensive, but there was a find or two there):

From the rummage sale, a small Cuban cigar box, with the most gorgeous little clasp. I'd like to alter it, but it's almost too beautiful to cover up. Almost.

From Betty's, the wooden tic-tac-toe boards are perfect for altering. She had a really gorgeous sample which I completely forgot to photograph. Oh well, that leaves them open to my individual interpretation.

Cigar box? Another whopping 25 cents.

Tic-tac-toe boards? $3 a pop.

Things I'll remember about our trip...

1. It rained in every. state. on our trip down. Yes, even when we got to Florida:

2. That damn DS. We had to limit Tess's time on it to about 45 minutes-1 hour. Mesmerized.

(yes, I'm aware she's holding the case upside down. She was just getting the game chip out, not reading. Reading she is still doing great at, despite the fact that she brought no books along. She gets car sick, like me).

3. Golf carts are even funner than cars! Especially when Pa lets me drive!! --Ben

4. Dr. Seuss fish at Mermaid's Kitchen, Sanibel Island.

5. Mermaid's Kitchen: where desserts are the only thing worth getting. Seriously, don't eat there. The decor (mermaids!) and their cakes are awesome, but not their $24 shrimp (lunch!!) entree, with only 4 shrimp on the plate, a tiny cup of coleslaw, and a pile of inedible french fries.

6. Tearing into Charlotte Harbor on our friend's father's boat. Took my breath away!

7. The peacefulness of the canal (once we slowed down...)

8. How much Ben loved the ocean and its waves. Add another swimmer to the family!

9. The creativity of my daughter, the Indian Princess:

10. Pelicans dive bombing in formation toward a school of fish in the swim area:

The highest temps reached was 78F. On our last day. Which ended up being Saturday instead of Friday, so we could hit the beach. Finally.

We took 2.5 days to drive down, but made it back in 2 (ugh). On the drive home, we listened to waaaay too much HSM2 dance party music (Ben's favorite: hey batter batter swing, better known as I Don't Dance) and I knit a very yellow sock, which will henceforth be known as my Florida Sock(s). Found out I can turn a heel while in the car, and not get sick.

Fresh from my desk...

Here's one that's been sitting on my desk all week (and then some...I hate it when I can't get out to crop on Friday nights!) from last summer. Used bits of the SIStv Retro Modern collection, none of the exclusive (bright) papers, just the pale yellow cardstock and October Afternoon embellies they put in with the rest.

Ben was TERRIFIED of Colors the Clown...she kept walking past us to set up at the gazebo and he clawed at me every time she went by. Tess was oblivious, as usual (like mother, like daughter...). She spent most of her time at Dexter Daze (yes, it's spelled that way, how beer tent is that?!) in the moonwalk (or, as they say on Big Bang Theory, "bouncy castle") or knoshing on her giant tube of colored sugar (aaaack).

I was highly amused by the setup for the Dexter Area Museum: a mannequin torso, dressed in a museum T-shirt, topped with a cutout of Judge Dexter (our esteemed founder) wearing a paper engineer's cap. Some of my cropping buddies thought it was creepy, but it cracked me up.

I really should be packing...at least I cleaned out the car today. Gah, that was dIsGuStInG. I still need to set the shop vac on it all, but Ben's napping. How nice will it be to drive for 2.5-3 days in a CLEAN car?! Ahhh...

Hittin the Road

In anticipation of leaving for Florida -- we're driving -- we've had to purchase a few things to keep the kids entertained. Ben tried out his new headphones this morning:

...unfortunately, we only have one iPod. The little earpieces that come with it never stay in the kids' ears, so headphones are a better option. We'll have 2 DVD players and this way they can each watch their own thing and listen to their own thing, without disturbing us. Not that we won't hear, "are we there yet?" 1,200 times before we get there...

Tess is getting a DS (her birthday is next week, but she's getting it early), so she can also use her headphones with that. I'll have some knitting (maybe my iPod from time to time). E will be keeping his eyes on the road. Now I'm off to look for some audiobooks...

Card Making

I realized my usual birthday card stamp (the Whoo Hoo Dress by Paula Best) was not going to cut it for someone I know (not really her style or attitude), so I broke open my new Hero Arts stamp set and had fun today. Tired fun, since Ben woke up crying an hour earlier than usual, and woke me out of a dead sleep. Good thing, though, because I was having a very sad, bizarre dream about him. Sigh. I hate those dreams.

Since I don't like to dirty up a stamp set (especially an acrylic stamp set, once I've found all the different-sized blocks I need) and only use it once, I went on to make some Thank You cards as well. Running low.

I heard scraping on my front porch yesterday afternoon and opened my front door to find a neighbor trying out in his new double-handled shovel (the one we introduced him to after our first big snow this winter). He told me he thought we weren't home and it was coming down pretty hard yesterday, so I used up the last of my Thank You cards when I went over with some fresh-baked scones last night.

No wonder I couldn't get out to shovel my own driveway and walk; it took me and hour and a half to make three cards today...mostly thanks to coloring each. little. matroshka. At least it was relaxing.

Fleece Fair

Despite winter storm warnings, I HAD to head out of the house this morning for Spinner Flock's February Fleece Fair. Mmm, warm wooly goodness:

Row upon row of handspun, mostly local fibers. I had some beautiful purple wool in my hand, but found some gorgeous, true-black alpaca, yum, and bought that instead. "Grown" and spun right here in A2! I haven't decided if they will be a pair of cabled mittens, or socks. I'm too busy stroking my new skein. As far as I can tell, it's not going to be itchy, so I'm leaning toward mittens. The last pair I knit from local yarn came out waaaay too scratchy, and I'm still trying to figure out a lining for them that will let me wear them.

I have not yet learned to spin (I don't need another expensive hobby), so these rovings look like nothing more than alien blobs landed on Earth, but I can still imagine how fun they would be spun and knit into something that looks a little less like a Tribble, and more like a hat:

Finally, all kinds of fibers from all kinds of animals are featured. There was even "Kitta Bear," which is a much nicer name than "dog hair from an Akita." It smelled strangely good, and yes, I sniffed it. There was silk, cotton, and buffalo to be spun, amongst others:

Now I'm off to take care of my whiny daughter, who wants me to finish with the seal I started knitting her 3 years ago, before I start ANYTHING else. So sorry if this entry is scattered, I just sent her away because the whining was grating on my nerves. I think I need to go stroke my new yarn some more and calm down.

Supper Club Throw-Down

I knew I wanted to get to the Knights of Columbus rummage sale this morning as early as possible, but 8:30 a.m. wasn't gonna happen. I did managed to get Ben in the car by 9:00 a.m., though, so we scored pretty well. This rummage sale is like the January Australian Open...it's early, but it kicks off sale season, in a way. I'm going to try and hit more this year.

In addition to getting a full-length, bevel-sided mirror for Tess's room (because I do NOT need to see my entire body at once, thanks) and a quilting book I've been coveting (more to read than to actually quilt, since sewing is not my strong point) for $4 and 25 cents (!), respectively, I brought home a small cache of treasures for myself and for friends.
Not sure how bad the catfight for the 25 cent Twilight calendar (2009!) will get between Kelly & Buffy tonight at Supper Club. I may have to divide it in half, and make them share. Unless one of them already has it, which is completely conceivable (did I mention these women are ADULTS, not teenagers? Moms, to boot?! I just don't get it, and yes, I've read the first two books in the series. Eh.) (BTW, I still think Stephen King is a tool.) Ben is watching Thomas the Tank Engine as I write this, and while I respect Stephenie Meyer's difficult task of writing while raising her three boys, I can't help but think, why did she name the majority of her male vampires after Thomas characters?! Didn't she think we'd notice? Or was it completely subliminal on her part?

Onward (clockwise-ish). I couldn't resist the shabby chic tin flower vase in a frame ($3); it goes perfectly with my family room wall color, and made me smile...Tess has her own art case/clipboard, this yellow one ($1.25) is for me. I plan on carrying along scrapbooking supplies while we're on the road to Florida. She can have the stencils and crayons and markers inside (except for the owl stencil. SUPER adorable.)

I've wanted a cash box (75 cents) for a while, and I actually sort of collect (by accident) metal office accessories...I have a metal paper rack, in-tray, and a really cute metal paper carrier with a locking lid; this is a great addition and with dividers that might actually funtion for keeping our monthly receipts in order (after I scan the cards to use in scrapbooking...they are vintage-cute)!

Next comes all the tiny stuff. I got stuck at the toy tables (imagine that!) with Ben not wanting to move from all the cars for sale (lots of RC cars without remotes...bummer. Not that that stops a two and a half year-old, LOL), so I kept finding little treasures there, as well.

If Kelly doesn't win the Twilight calendar, she may have to duke it out with Debbie over the tiny, clear-lidded box of holiday Mickey Mouse playing cards. I think it would make an adorable mini-album, and Debbie is all about mini. Teeny, tiny minis. I did find a box of travel Dominoes for her to alter, because Kelly might get ugly if she loses out on the calendar.

The travel Monopoly game is all mine, though. Another Florida trip distractor. Check out the little money! Hee. Now if I could just stand to play board games with Tess. She is one sore loser.