Fun Finds

While my craftiness may have waned, my love for fun finds at yard sales, estate sales, and the best discount stores around (Ross and TJ Maxx), has most certainly increased. I have a wonderful friend to explore and shop with and we hit the yard sales at 8 am this morning in the intense heat and humidity to see what we could find. She ended the day with far more than I did, but I'm pretty excited about what I ended up with : ).

First, we visited a yard sale with very little, but the lady practically begged me to take what I did for $1. I'm quite pleased with it:

I'm thinking fried chicken and coleslaw during warm days...and maybe a place for blankets during cold ones.

Next, we drove past a couple of sketch places before coming to a cute house with kids selling lemonade. Here, I found what I am most excited about:

Decanters! I know they probably used to hold booze, but I can't get over the beautiful shapes. They're like giant vintage perfume bottles! My favorite part are the stoppers, which make a pleasant "pop" when pulled out of the bottles:

At TJ Maxx, I found some sweetness on the clearance shelves...

Candles! Aren't they precious?! The left hand one is a lace pattern, and I got two of them.

And finally, the best find of the day:

The illusive side chair I've searched high and low for is now mine! It's a soft blue-grey. The throw pillow is one I made a few weeks ago and happens to match perfectly!

My friend and I have a trip to Danville, VA to the nearest Hobby Lobby planned for next weekend, so we'll see what treasures show up from that adventure. Until next time!

thoughts in my head, as of late

Well, I'm finally back to VA after a two week absence. Although, I must say I loved every minute being home with my family. I haven't really done any more craft projects, though I have had a few ideas. Instead, I've been spending quite a bit of time writing. Surprise, surprise, the girl writes. I know, I know--kind of obvious. But I've had an idea for a book bouncing around in my head for the last several months, so while I was home I started outlining and drafting. I have the entire thing outlined now, and I'm working on the writing part. Let me tell you--writing is not for the fainthearted. Sometimes the words come so easily, but other times I sit for quite awhile without writing anything.

Anyway, enough about my writer's block. Not only have I been working on this book (which is non-fiction), but I also recently finished any essay that I'm considering entering into a competition. I just have to pick one. And pay the entrance fee. And actually decide if I want my stuff "out there." I must say, it's a lot safer here, with me, where no one will judge it.

I've also been studying quite a bit. I know what you're thinking...it's summer! Why would I study? That's a good question. And the answer is simply that I am no longer just a student. I am now a teacher and a student. That's right folks, I graduated to the big leagues (kind of)... Basically, I've been given one section of Junior High English 1 with The Potter's School to teach this coming school year. So I've been studying for that class. I figure I should know the material, considering I'll be teaching it. I honestly never thought God would make me a teacher...but apparently that's what I am.