Shameless Post to Win A Giveaway

So, I'm browsing through the 470 or so blogs I'm following, and Of Peacocks And Paisleys has a giveaway for a chance at a $45 gift card at CSN. I have fallen in love with so many items, it's not funny. One of the entries is blogging about it, and since there are so many must-haves, and not so many moneys-in-bank, I'm going for it!

So, suffer through my wish-list, and if you must, buy me stuff. It's ok, really.

Tea Light Holder - want want want!!! They also have it in straw, I can't decide which color I want. This hour, I'm leaning towards Straw!

I have a few Kwan Yins, I do not have a Sitting Kwan Yin yet. I need one, really.

Really horrible pic, but they have mouse over on the bigger, couldn't link it. Thousand Arm Kwan Yin Bamboo Blinds are beautiful! Another must!

There is tons more I want, on one hand I want to win the gift certificate, on the other, how broke am I going to go buying everything else on the website???

Uberfail #2

You should have seen me, it was inspiring. My long hair all crazyish, oh so stylishly attired in my fleece eeyore pants, my John Lennon shirt & my scary slippers. Circular saw screaming, cutting through boards and sending sawdust every possible place.

All for nothing.

My cute little cordless screwdriver thingie has NO BALLS. It's just not working. I'm frustrated, I did something to my lower back that is making me miss childbirth and I'm scrapping it.

This is what happens when I draw plans, it's a curse, a jinx, a disaster.

I will get my Media Center from Hell. Make no mistake about that. Just not today.

I have plans in mind. I'm not discussing them, I'm avoiding the jinx.

On the positive side, so far today I have:

• put cute little sticky carpet squares in the entrance, looking tons better down there. 
• painted 2 tables, touched up a third. All I have left is to stencil the bigger table & coat it
• kidnapped a cat. I now have a 3rd kitty. My son's cat (from his Dad's house) is now cowering in fear underneath his bed. My ex travels alot and I hated to see him alone over there. So I kidnapped him. The grouchy old men aren't exactly thrilled right now, but they'll come around. She's a cutie, in the tradition of everything else around here, her blog name is CAMO, as she won't come out of the boy's lair. 

She looks like a Camo :)

I'm waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in, I'm sitting on a salt bag, I may move in about half an hour. I don't have to worry about dinner for the kids anytime soon as MiniMe made a pizza already.

I'm off to scheme.....

Till then...

Making My Living Room That Much Better

So, I'm drooling, I'm excited, I'm actually drawing plans! (I never do that!)

Right now my tv is on a sad little shelf thingie, which does not have enough room for all of our movies, games & the such. So in addition to the sad little shelf, I've got 2 other sad Family Dollar fabric bin shelves and a Family Dollar DVD rack that doesn't hold that many movies. I've never been happy with it, I've just gotten used to it.

The other day I checked out 101 Ways to Use Your First Sewing Machine of the library, there were some cute ideas in there. On page 146 she makes a "Media Center" out of a shelving unit and fabric. I LOVE IT!!!!  Of course, there is no premade shelving unit out there with the specs I want. Although, there is enough wood in my entranceway to make what I want!!

Hopefully, when all is said and done, I will have a very nice, compact "Media Center", as opposed to the jumble I have now.  After the stenciling experiment came out so well, I'm going to get some black Duck cloth to cover the sides and make "doors" (It looks good in the book, really!), and since I have roughly 50 empty beer boxes in my attic (once again, worked at a bar, not that much of a drunk), I'll use the duck cloth to make my own storage bins. I think I could make some pretty sturdy bins pretty easily. Bonus, I can stencil on them and make them look that much more me!

I'm only looking at roughly 4 yard of Duck Cloth (on sale for $7.49!) (Only 2 yards if I use something else for the storage bins!) In the book, she covers the back as well. I would like to leave the back open, with a PS3, a Wii, a dvd player and the tv I'd rather have the air circulation. (Also, that's less fabric I have to pay for! hehehe)

I have all the wood and screws. I have horribly drawn plans that are destined to go wrong. And (get your goosebumps ready), I have a circular saw!!! (You're just a little scared now, aren't ya??) I've got some black paint so it's not imperative to run out and get the cloth nowish (although I want to, so bad) Woohoo!!!  We're in business!  

If this actually works, I will be so frickin' happy! I have always wanted to be able to hide the tv, the game consoles, all that electronic crap. Wow, wish me luck! I want to start on this now! Imagine, one piece of furniture, replacing four!  My tiny living room just got a little bigger!

I'm also not breaking any of my new rules, as the wood was here already, I'm just rearranging it. The fabric bin shelves will work fantabulously in my sewing area (I can see it already!) and bathroom. The DVD rack is going to be tweaked (I have plans already, but one pipedream at a time please). The stand the tv is on now will be either attic to help organize or goodwill, haven't decided yet. 

Till then...

Word of the Day #10

Today's Word...... Relax
                           (Ahhhhhhhhh...)


I have a hard time relaxing. Unless it is herbally or alcoholically induced, it's practically impossible. I feel like I'm in one of those old gangster movies, with the shoulders constantly twitching up and down.

I talked yesterday about making the homemade heating pads. They are wonderful. I will forever look like one of those old ladies, with the hideous fox stole on. I made one about 17 inches long and 5 inches wide, just perfect for draping over my shoulders. I get both shoulders and my neck perfectly. I can walk around and still do things (kinda). This is the most relaxed I've felt, without the fear of going to jail, in longer than I can remember!

I put it in the nukebox 30 minutes ago and it's still warmish. I, however, am not normal. I have a very high tolerance for heat (maybe it's cuz I'm a Leo, who knows?) so what is cool to me is still quite warm to 'average' peoples. I also try to remember to put a mug of water in there when I nuke, it seems to retain heat longer when I do that.

I haven't made a cover for it yet. Not sure what I want to use. The twisted part of me is considering tearing apart some horrible stuffed animal to make a faux stole. It'd make the kids laugh, bonus, I'd never have to worry about D stealing it!  Ah, who knows??

So remember, Relax.  It's humpday. I don't know how it is where you're at, it's in the 40's here (rather balmy for November in Dreary Erie), it's windy (I love windy, although some people whine about 35mph), it's rainy, it's uck,  all together a wonderful day for curling up, planning all sorts of stuff but not actually doing them!

I outlasted them!

They are sleeping. It's safe for me to go to bed. No need to summon help. At least I think Mini-Me is sleeping. Oh well, I'll chance it.

I managed to make 4 heating pads tonight. No perty outsides, I'll do that tomorrow. I made 2 regular with pockets, 2 eye pillows with a salt/lavender/chamomile blend (OLCCS gets one, she's a headachy chick) and one dreamish pillow type thing for me (salt, mugwort, rose petals & jasmine). Hopefully it's an interesting night.  (And yes, I can add, I count the 2 eye pillows as 1 because they're teeny!)

Tomorrow I'll make the rice bags, the perty outsides and take pics so I can bore you with them. Except for OLCCS's, she's gotta wait till Turkey Weekend to see! (Unless she asks, and of course I'll show her, I'm pathetic that way).

I'm off to bed. Cranked my salt bag in the nukebox for 4 minutes, I'm gonna see if I can get to sleep before it cools off!

Night all.

Till then...

Word of the Day #9

Indulge......  
 (woot! flip! somersault! OW!)


We're off today. I have done absolutely nothing of merit.

I did however go visit a dear friend for awhile, caught up on some of the gossip from my ex-job (we divorced at the end of August. And trust me, this was more of a divorce than a career change.) Either way, it was very pleasant.

I spoke to OLCCS about 72 times. (Great big MWAH!!)

I layed in bed and watched Invader ZIM , oops, that should read Napped.

I read about making homemade heating pads. I'm going to make them too. More than likely tonight, after 1 more cup of coffee and I organize my kitchen & middle room.

I've got the muslin (for the liners), I've got perty scraps of fabric (for the case), I've got 5 pounds of uncooked regular rice and 2 boxes of kosher salt. I need one standard size one, 2 neck ones, and two largish ones. I also want to make sure I sew pockets on the inner bags for herb sachets as needed (definitely lavender, and others as needed.)

The only one I have right now is one of D's old tube socks stuffed with minute rice (you should not use minute rice, it is too dried out, gets too crunchy and potentially flamey). I was in a jam one night (double ear infection, when an emergency room prescribes you vicodin for an ear infection you know its bad!) and it was all I had on hand. Worked great.

brief window into reality......
Interrupting so you can know why I am terrified to get off the couch. Mini-me and The Boy are in the middle room, rolling on the floor, laughing so hard they can't stop, and just as one starts to stop, the other laughs harder, thus getting the other going.


I'm not exactly sure what started it, I believe Mini-Me startled The Boy which led to cries such as "You hit me in the face with the vacuum" and "Why aren't we recording this?" .


Welcome to my life.....


What was I talking about???  Oh, heating bags. Yeah, I'm making em. Just as soon as I'm comfortable enough to stop hiding. Wish me luck. If I stop updating this blog, please send help...

Till then...

MOMMY!!! WANT WANT WANT!!!!!

Hi Mom! You are so talented, and pretty and bootiful!!  I love you!!! You are the most talented person I know.

Make me this!!!!!!!!!!

You can find the instructions here! And I am waaaaaaaay cooler than my brother, so don't let him steal it. 

I love you!!!!

Yes, I like Yoda. As far as my interests in movies and such go, I could have been a boy. Who was there opening day of Transformers??? This gurl :) Who has sat and watched all six Star Wars movies in one sitting. ME! Also did that with The Kevin Smith movies (Dogma just increased my love for Alan Rickman) and the LOTR trilogy (extended director's cut, has to be EDC). I want sci fi, horror, blood, guts, gore, maybe a little gratuitous nudity, definitely gratuitous sex. 

Ok, enough about that.

Till then...

Word of the Day #8

(confetti, jubilation, glee)


Today's word..........  Obsession!!
                 (do a little dance, make a little love)


That table turned out so nice I'm obsessed with getting the other tables in the living room done now, soon, TODAY,  YESTERDAY!!!!

I've got to cut out another stencil. I want some smaller lotus and some design thingie to go along with it. I can't describe it, but when I see it, I'll know. Of course, the table I did today replaces the one in the living room that is destined to be my nightstand.

It only goes to reason, if I'm doing the living room furniture, might as well throw the bedroom furniture in there. I'm doing practically the same thing.

Oh, and MAD PROPS to my Momma. During one of our marathon chats the other day she mentioned stenciling fabric. I never gave it a thought till I came up from the basement, looked at the giant black filing cabinet cover so I figure, why not???

I'm gonna throw some more on there.

Ok, off to see what (who) I can sell off to buy more paint!!

Till then...

The Day I Found A Use For My Hairdryer

I have two x chromosomes, so I own a hair dryer. I don't use it very often, atleast on my hair. Maybe 5 times total in the 4 years that I have owned it.

Remember that 49 cent end table I found at Sally's??

Yeah, that one. The one covered in frickin' contact paper???
HAHA, I won! With a spray bottle of vinegar and the aforementioned hair dryer, there is not a strip of contact paper left on it!!!!!

See:
It's on my floor instead.

If I didn't hate that carpet so much,
I would be more careful about stuff
like this!

I spent about an hour previously picking and picking at it, getting a teensy frustrated. I was surfing the web, found the hint about the hair dryer and voila.... exposed laminate.

Damn. I hate laminate. I sanded the bejezzus out of it, took it to the basement and sprayed the hell out of it.

I'm poor and lazy, and thought I'd try out the spray paint from the dollar store. I figure, if I'm gonna guinea pig, it's going to be on the furniture that cost me less than two quarters. I didn't think it looked too bad after the first coat. My current coffee table has a similar finish to it. I'm excited about doing that next!

After 2 coats, not too bad :)

A few strategically placed blue lotus, some sealer and I'm happy :)

The shadows are bit weird. That's the basement for ya.

Woohoo, she'll be in my living room tonight!!!!

Till then...

Luxembourg?????

So, blogger has this cute little thing where you can see where people are looking at your blog. Oddest place so far is The Netherlands, but that's girlchild#1's facebook buddy. That doesn't count.

Luxembourg???  Wow. I've got mad international stalkerz. Nice, I feel a bit accomplished and maybe a tad embarassed.

I may put that on a t-shirt!

Till then...

Six Days.....

The countdown begins!!

I have six days to get the abode presentable enough for The Girls.

My old standby, when I get in a funk, is to invite people to my house so I am properly shamed into getting stuff done.

About 8 years ago, the five of us would get together quite regularly (once a week), discuss things (ever see Practical Magic? It was kinda like Midnight Margaritas only without the ghost thing). Well, things happen, most of us lost touch (Not The Scot though, she & I are mad bestest sisters!!) and we went our separate ways.

A little while ago, four of us found each other on Facebook (oh that marvel of the digital age, but Damn It, I DON"T PLAY FARMVILLE. It's evil, it sucks you in), we checked out each others photos, chatted a tidge, but last night the fifth girl fell into place and WOOSH, we've got a reunion of sorts in the plan.

So, Saturday, my place, there will be wine, there will be laughing, maybe some crying, but if you are anywhere within a hundred or so miles of my place, and you're suddenly uncomfortable, but not sure why....  Well, that's probably us!

Luckily for D, he will be in the woods "hunting" (hmmmm. camp, guys, nearby bars. Every trip to camp consists of stories of The Oaks (not the trees, the bar, suitable name for a bar near hunting camps LOL)) He gets chills whenever The Scot and I get together, I'm not sure he's ready for all of us yet!

My Goals For This Week:

• paint & stencil the tables in the living room.
• one more floor cushion, maybe 4 more pillows for living room
• six more mason jar luminaries for front steps (I have no lighting in entranceway/front steps)
• decorations for wine glasses. I've never made wine glass charms, thought it'd be nice if everyone had a little sumfin sumfin to take home.
• clean my place, twice

I'm excited!!!  Gonna go get started!!

Till then....

Word of the Day #7

Are you ready???
     Gonna scream, dance, jump around????

           Today's word......
                         Torture!!!!!!  (yay!)


Carry on. If you're wondering why Torture?

1. It's fun.
2. See previous post (It's Salmonella Sunday!)

Till then....

It's Salmonella Sunday!!

Woohoo, and a very happy Salmonella Sunday to all of you.

I have not eaten takeout since mid August. I've been a good girl, all healthy and domestic and stuffs. So, when D offers to order wings today I figured why not. It's Sunday, we've got football, we've got racing, I could get tons done by not having to make dinner or clean up afterwards.

Yeah, right. So, for now, I'm just babbling. Throwing some odd stuff out there for all the interwebz stalkers.

My Mother. She's an odd lady. Completely wonderful, but odd.

Mini-me is vegetarian. Not militant vegan, mind you,  just easing into the new lifestyle vegetarian. One day, early June she tells me she's vegetarian and BOOM, she stops eating meat. (That's the thing about Mini-Me, she's stubborn, principled and not the child I ever have to worry about peer pressure affecting)

As Turkey-Day is approaching, jokes are being made. I am already doing one turkey in the oven, one will be deep-fried, do I have to shape one entirely out of veggie patties for her?? (She's happy with stuffing, don't worry about her, bless her soul) My Mother's response is, she can eat Turkey, they're ugly, they don't count.

I'm almost afraid to throw that out on the web for all to see, some of the more fundie organizations have protested for less, and I do not want to start some horrible event in Podunk, NW PA all because my mother pointed out turkeys are ugly. (They really are, but that's not the point) I think I'm just trying to throw out there, my mother is really funny. Not in an Emo Phillips kinda way, (a girl can dream), but she's funny. She doesn't even try to be. I'd really like to fix her up with that Shit My Dad Says guy. Hey, she's Italian, cute, and has a mouth like you wouldn't believe when she wants to or loses it.

Ask BFF, she's been in a car with her. I learned, probably in utero, more English and Italian curse words than any one person has a right to know. My Mother can let loose a litany of filth that would make Andrew Dice Clay blush! (Remember her trying to back out of my Aunt's driveway.... Jes*s, G*d D*mn, M*ther F*cking, S*n of a B*tch, M*ther F*cking, sh*t sucking G*d D*mn Jumped Up Chr*st) Of course, immediately following such an 'outburst' she lapses back into the penitent catholic who would never have let such vulgarities fall from her mouth. It was kinda a Sybil thing. (I come by it honestly)

Oh, and the Italian. It's priceless. I can remember getting dish soap in my mouth at the age of 9 for repeating something my grandfather and mother said all the time. Apparently I had been saying the equivalent of 'F*ck You' for quite some time, never realized it. I thought I was showing off how intelligent and worldly I was by being bilingual. HA!

I'm pretty sure that's where I get my sense of humor, twisted as it is. (That and pretending to sleep while Grandma watched Benny Hill). 

So, there's a small peek into my background.  Splains lots, don't it???

Till then...