My Perfect Day

Do you ever wonder about how others spend their day?


I think about people in other countries and wonder what their routine is day to day. Or what their perfect day looks like.

I can sometimes wish for or even envy other's lifestyles but I know that I am where I am supposed to be in life and for now it is taking care of my family and my home.

Being home most of the time doesn't mean that I am idle or doing just the things that I have to, like cleaning and laundry. For me, it means I am doing things that I LOVE and that usually keep me very busy!




My Perfect Day....


....starts with a kiss goodbye from my husband Frank (at 6:15 a.m.!)


....is filled with meow's by two hungry kitties....

....starts with a good number on this....

....a strong cup of Joe....Trader Joe's, that is. I do love a cup of Starbuck's Blonde as a treat now and then, but at $11.99 a pound compared to Trader Joe's $4.99 a pound, guess which one I drink every day? Trader Joe's Dark Roast is excellent too.

....a yummy, healthy breakfast....12 grain toast with peanut butter and sliced bananas, all from Aldi's. We are Jif peanut butter fans in this house but I finally tried Peanut Delight from Aldi's. Absolutely no difference in taste. It just happens to be $2.99 for the same size Jif for $5.29.

....a cha-ching or two on this......my phone is set to cha-ching whenever I get a sale in my Etsy shop!

Then it is off to the computer. I have to renew items in my Etsy shop, list new items, hopefully have an order or two to process and also check my email. Oh, and write a blog post now and then!


A perfect day is when my new computer does not act up or go out because of our local service.


My "office".......my co-worker is usually with me all day.

Some perfect days are grocery shopping days, some are out with girlfriends or errand days and others are thrifting days. Love those the most. Even better to have thrifting days with girlfriends!

....a perfect day is filled with a visit from Chloe and JC......

....or a cookie decorating day with Cassidy....





My perfect day......


....includes baking, one of my passions.  I may try a new recipe or make an old favorite. My son wants dessert every night, but I can't deliver that every day! Occasionally I  bake for our community theatre or some other event. This Ho Ho cake is a favorite.



....starts winding down when my son arrives home from school around 2:30 and my husband arrives home around 4:30.

All of my boxes and filler to ship the items for my Etsy
shop come from the dumpster at Frank's job.

....is anticipating dinner time.....these days I am cooking one healthy meal for me and one manly meal for my husband and son.


Mine....

Beet Salad

Theirs....

......is claiming my spot on the couch for the rest of the evening watching this....

or this.....

My mornings are not my own so I don't do devotions first thing. I do them before bed when the kitties are tucked in for the night and can't crawl all over me and I have some time to myself.


I stay connected by praying and talking to the Lord all day long for whatever is going on that day or for what is going on in others' lives. Most people who pray know that you could spend all day just praying for others!


My perfect day ends getting into this.....

....to relax and start reading my devotions which include Our Daily Bread, The Word for Today, Jesus Calling, Jesus Today and A Grandmother's Prayers. Phillip Mouse is a children's book written by a friend that I am reading before I give it to Cassidy to read.

I received A Grandmothers Prayers, by Kay Swatkowski, from Discovery House, the publishers of Our Daily Bread. I highly recommend it! It is a 60 day devotional with an emphasis on subjects grandmothers can pray for their grandchildren, with each day concluding with a Let Us Pray and Think and Do section with prayers included.


Goodnight for now and wake up to another perfect day in my home sweet home.


What does your perfect day look like?


AnnMarie xoxo




I am linking up with these great blog parties:


Freedom Fridays with all My Bloggy Friends
Home Sweet Home
Share Your Cup
Best of the Weekend
"Anything Goes" Pink Saturday
Link Up Party

Thrifting Heaven

I never thought I'd experience Thrifting Heaven again so soon after my recent trip to Rochester Greenovation....the $5 a box warehouse.

I never thought I'd have two thrifting posts back to back either, not wanting to ever bore you, but I was so taken by this old/new place I had to show you!

I say old/new because I have been here a few times before but this time it was different with a bigger wow factor.

For one, the back storeroom is now open to the public and that is where I took most of the pictures. It was warm, thanks to heaters everywhere, and filled to the brim with PRICED, fabulous items. Nothing annoys me more than to have to ask "how much?"

Look at those fabulous retro hanging lights!



Speaking of prices, it is a little pricey for someone like me who is looking to resell and make a profit. Last time I was there I bought for myself, so the prices weren't too bad. Don't worry, I found some stuff this time too that I really want to keep but I am making myself list them in my Etsy shop! You will see them near the end.

Just like my other favorite warehouse picking place, this building is also a warehouse in an industrial area of the town next to mine so it is closer for me. I only had about an hour before I needed to get home but I managed to get through most of the vendors rooms and that huge storeroom.

 I wanted EVERYTHING!


They had a nice collection of vintage windows....

and look at this fabulous aqua door!

On my way out of the storeroom I stumbled on this box of vintage clocks. Gasp! But at $10+ each, I passed by for now. I need to go back when I have more time and really go through the box. For me. To keep.

This room is just so pretty, I could live in it. The owner decorated it. Actually he does a lot of the buying for the main area of the store. I just realized that I never told you the name of the store. Rustiques. Isn't that perfect? The name makes me want to see what is inside.

I have always wanted a cupboard like this in my kitchen. It will have to be in my next house :-)

Okay, so now that you have seen heaven from a pickers point of view, here is what I got!


There is one booth that I found great things in the last couple of times, so I went there to get serious about buying stuff. I found three of the four items I bought in that one booth. Her prices are great. The owner said she is a sweet, little older lady that likes to find things and sell them at a good price.


I was so excited to see this tartan plaid cooler in her booth. It is The Skotch Kooler from the 50's, USA made. It will be hard for me to part with this one.

Anything aqua catches my eye so I picked up this small wooden Shaker cheesebox because of the color. I am thinking of stenciling something on the top.

It has a fun surprise inside.....

I learned from a seasoned antique collector that white enamelware with cobalt trim is rare and can be pricey. That is why she wouldn't budge on the price of a colander she was selling! I bought it at asking price and it is hanging in my kitchen.


When I saw this large, white enamel pitcher with cobalt trim, I didn't think twice about getting it. Not sure yet whether it is a keeper or a seller.


See how it matches my kitchen?

I found this license plate first and carried it around the whole place. I just love the rusty, worn, industrial look of it. There was a whole bin of these so I will have to go back for more. Along the top it is stamped 67 OKLAHOMA IS OK. Get it?

Available



So I want to end with some pictures of my two kitties that we adopted in September. They were only 2 months old then. Now they are 6 months old and don't really look like kittens anymore! We call them "the children" and like children they grow so fast! At least they won't be graduating and moving out!


Here they are then...

And here they are now....

Cyrus the Black Burmese

Sprite the Calico

They have made themselves at home and we just love them both.


Life is good with kitties in the house!


AnnMarie xoxo


I am linking up with these blog parties:

Share Your Cup Thursday
Vintage Charm
Flea Market Friday
Anything Goes Pink Saturday
Amaze Me Monday
Vintage Bliss Tuesdays Linky Party
Thrifty and Vintage Finds
Table It Link Party
Let's Talk Vintage
Talk of the Town
What's It Wednesday





Thrifty Tin and Other Things....

I finally made my way back to a thrift store I found last January on my birthday day out. It is called Rochester Greenovation. It is a warehouse chock full of vintage and antique items.


I went back for the $5 a box deal.


They provide the box and you fill it from a designated area and pay $5 for it all.


This trip turned out to be a thrifty TIN kind of day with a few other great items thrown in ............... the box, that is!


This is a nice, weighty Kreamer #62 jello, pudding or cake mold. It is so unique that I had to pick it up. It has a great vintage patina with three crisscross designs on the top. I think it is from the 1940's or earlier.

Available

I just love fluted pans! These are tin French Brioche pans that are worn and rusted to a nice patina. They may be past using to bake in but they make a great décor item filled with items from outdoors like pinecones or seashells and beach items. They make great candle holders too. I love the idea of filling one with vintage Christmas bulbs for the holidays....next year. I think we are over that for now!


Available

Everywhere I looked there were tin baking molds. I grabbed them all and filled the box.
I had never seen a tin juicer and so I had to add it in too.

One of my favorite pans to bake in is a bundt pan. I just made a Golden Eggnog Cake with a dried cranberry and pecan filling in one to freeze for my birthday later this month (I may have to post the recipe for that one after I try it!). I just love the size and design on this one.

Available

I was surprised to find a Pelouze Portion Controller scale in the fill-a-box section. It is rusty, the face is a little cloudy with a few scratches and it is not adjustable back to 0 but it works and it is perfect!

This vintage red metal toy truck thingy caught my eye and I couldn't believe my eyes at the original price on it and the fact that it was put in the fill-a-box section. What else could I do but fill the box with it!

It looks like it is an attachment to a larger toy truck (any ideas?) but it is red, rusty and appeals to my vintage self. It may or may not be a keeper!

The few other things I found include a red clock, a red double wig case and a porcelain frame.

I fell for a vintage clock this summer at an estate sale and ever since then I have seen them everywhere. My collection has grown from that first one to seven vintage clocks, all unique and wonderful in their own way. This red one was from a vendor there that had to be called for a price. I was willing to pay just about anything to have it. For $7 it is a keeper!



This 1960's wig/hat case is an Everbest Originals, from Hollywood Florida. It caught my eye, again, for the red color! I picture an actress stepping from her red sports car with this case on her arm, running into the TV studio to be made up for the big screen. I am working on getting it listed for all the glamorous girls out there!

I tucked this sweet little frame into the box thinking it would be perfect for that first picture of a newborn baby. It is white with peach and yellow so it is suited for either a boy or girl.





It has been slow pickin' in these parts over the winter but I think I have enough to keep myself busy till the weather breaks.


I am dreaming of outdoor flea markets, antique shows and garage sales already!


AnnMarie xoxo


I am linking up with these blog parties:


Thrifty and Vintage Finds
Let's Talk Vintage
Talk of the Town
Share Your Cup Thursday
Vintage Charm
Flea Market Friday Link Party
Best of the Weekend
Pink Saturday
Vintage Bliss Tuesday Linky Party