Dab of This and That

The weather is absolutely gorgeous here today! It is lunch time and 73 degrees, with a clear, beautiful blue sky - Now this is MY kind of weather! It was 55 when I got up this morning, so hugged my coffee mug to warm up a little. "They" are saying we will have beautiful weather the whole week - bring it on !

I did some of those little "piddle" jobs this weekend. You know those little jobs to be done, and you can't tell that you have really done a lot after you finish. Some of you may remember I bought a $2 bag of old buttons at the flea market a over a week ago. I went thru and sorted the ones I could repurpose from the the rest. A handful of broken and plastic went in the trash and I ended up with these that are reusable.

These are glass buttons, except for the 2 hearts charms that are plastic .
This piece was in the grab bag of jewelry I bought that day also. Does anyone know what it represents? It is 2 and 7/8 inches in diameter, is marked Japan on the back, and was on a chain that was in really bad condition. I found one like it on ebay , on a ball chain with min. bid of $9.99. I was hoping the seller would tell the meaning of it, but they did not.
UPDATE - ETA: I just found this

It's marked Japan on the back and it's not an original.
Medal measures 2 7/8" x 2 7/8", chain is 24" long.
Some info:
"In the history of military decorations, few are as simple or striking as the Prussian Iron Cross. The award was created in 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars.
In August of 1914, Germany was at war with France once again. On August 5, 1914, the Iron Cross was instituted. It's design was identical to the 1870 medal, with the date changed from 1870 to 1914. "

How did we ever survive without computers and google ? :-D

Another "piddle" job I did, was go thru and clean out some miniatures that I don't think I would use in the doll house I am "STILL" working on. Some of the contents of these 2 containers on top now occupy the large bottom container, and some in a box for my daughter to go thru to see what she wants. Love seeing empty containers like this - feel like I have accomplished something. :D

Betsy, who left a comment on my "Year in Review" post - "Your table always looks so nice, I'd be embarrassed to show mine", this next picture is for you. :-D
This is what my table looked like at 6:00 last night, still looks the same as I type this (without the glass of wine) , and has looked like this for a VERY long time now.
This is keeping it real ! :-D

I am linking up with Leigh @ "Thrifty Thursday" http://lbratina.blogspot.com/
Cindy @ "Show and Tell Friday" http://romantichome.blogspot.com, and since I love vintage bling, I am joining up with Laurie @ "Some of My Favorite Things Saturday" http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/
Be sure and visit Leigh, Cindy and Laurie to see what they and the other participants have to share this week.
Just another Dab of This and That !
Hope your weather is as nice in your part of the world as it is in mine today.
Glenda

A Year in Review

About the only spot in my home that gets changed very often, is my dining table. While going thru some photos, I realized how many I had of my table and the changes just over the last 12 months.

Fall 2009

Fall 2009 (after the flowers gave out)

Christmas 2009

Winter 2010

Spring 2010

Spring/Summer 2010 - Used same picture I took in the Winter, as I did not take another one when I put the compote of fruit back on the table after Easter.

Summer 2010

Summer 2010

Fall 2010

A Year in Review

I am linking with Susan @ Metamorphosis Monday http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Mary @ "Mosaic Monday" http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/
Thank you Susan and Mary for hosting again this week.
If you have not already, be sure and visit them to see what they and the other participants have to share this week.
Have a great week.
Glenda

Flea Market Finds

In my last post I wrote about my trip to the flea market, so thought I would share a few of the things I bought there. I have no intentions of starting a collection - still cleaning out things I have now. However, I found these 2 tiny spoons and started thinking how I can use them in jewelry, so they came home with me. They are by NILS JOHAN and when I researched them, replacements ltd. has them listed as silver plated, demitasse $9.99, and individual salt spoon $9.99. I paid $4 each. Not real sure what I will do with them - Start a spoon collection ( a spoon collection won't take up much room will it? ) or turn them into jewelry. :-D

I also bought a grab bag of jewelry odds and ends (and a lot of junk) for $20. After getting it home, I found I had a couple of surprises included. This necklace and earrings (bears with Santa hats) both are marked 925 (sterling).

Clicks picture to enlarge.

Also in the bag was this dog pin with green rhinestones - not my style, but decided to do a little research as it was marked Gerry's Co.. Found 2 listings on ebay - One "Buy it Now" @ $14.95 and another starting @ $4.95 - wide range there!
There was more in the grab bag, and I am still cleaning, sorting , and salvaging usable parts when I have time. Just thought I would share my latest finds with you.
This week I will be linking up with:
Thursday: Leigh @ "Thrifty Thursday" http://lbratina.blogspot.com/
Friday: Cindy @ "Show and Tell Friday" http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Saturday: Laurie @ "Some of My Favorite Things Saturday" http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/

Another week of record breaking temps in the area! HOT !
Glenda

Dab of This and That

This last week when I was out of town, the local utility company decided to work on an underground electrical cable. Even tho the phone company marked where the phone lines were (or suppose to be), someone messed up. I have not had my land line phone service since! Phone company was suppose to have been here before 5:30 Friday, but that did not happen. :( Yes - I have a cell phone, but I just DO NOT like to use it any more than I have to. # 1 - I never remember to charge the thing.
While I waited for the phone company to NOT show up, I managed to put out a few Fall decorations. Not a lot, but it is a start.
Would like to be able to say these are real mums, but they are not. Bought these 2 years ago (?) at Michaels. Almost bought some pots of real mums at Lowes recently, but had second thoughts, as it is still pretty warm and dry and I have not had much luck with them in the past. After it cools down more, I will probably get a pot of them to sit outside by the door.
Started out like this -
and looks like this right now. It may get changed again - think I like the first way better. :-D
RANT: As mentioned above the utility company was working on the electrical cable - from what I understand in an attempt to alleviate the problem of a transformer close by blowing so often. Well - it did not work, as it blew again Friday evening just before dark and was out for a few hours. After checking with neighbors to see if they reported the outage (which they had not), and I asked if they could do so, as my land line was not working. When I attempted to do so on the cell phone, it seems when I had to press "1" for English, and "1" for power outage (everything is so automated #@$$#!!??) the "1's" stayed on the phone screen and when I had to enter my acct. #, "it" said it was an invalid account number. :( Nope - there was no option to "stay on the line for a representative".

NOW - back to my asking the neighbors if they had reported the outage, as their power was out also. They both said no - What was their reason ? Both said "I figured you had probably already called". Don't even get me started @#?!!? !!!!
Told you it was a "Rant" ! Actually, I tried to be nice while typing this little story!!!! You don't really want to get me started about people waiting for someone else to take care of things. OK - I will hush now!
Anyway - What do I do when the power goes out and it gets dark - Not a lot. Everything I decided to do, I needed electricity.

JUST A RAMBLE: When out of town this last week, I had all good intentions of visiting a winery and doing some "junkin" in the area. However, I remembered after I got on the interstate and it was a ways to the next exit to turn around and go back. I wanted to find some vintage pieces/trinkets to use in my jewelry, so off to the local flea market yesterday. I had not been in quiet a while, and what a disappointment. I used to go the the flea market a lot, but lost interest as there were more and more vendors with the cheap imported stuff from that country that starts with a "C".
There use to be a lot of vendors with just a little bit of everything and they would have boxes or trays piled up with bits and pieces, ornate skeleton keys, trinkets and such that was good to use when repurposing vintage jewelry. The flea market is now at a different location, and none of that type of vendor was there (vendors with imported stuff still around).

There were 3 vendors that had large selections of vintage/old jewelry, and you could tell they loved their inventory by looking at the prices !! :-O They were not selling much either. I repurpose jewelry as a hobby - not an investment. I did buy a small bag of buttons that had some rhinestone buttons in it I can use, and another grab bag with just a lot of "odds and ends". Some things I can repurpose, some bracelets I will see if the Granddaughters want and also a surprise. A sterling silver necklace and a pair of earrings, both marked 925, and still intact. I have not taken pictures yet, as I am still sorting and cleaning the pieces up. Also bought 2 tiny spoons, that I did a little research on, on ebay and replacements ltd. . More on that after I take some pictures.

Like I said - Dab of This and That!
If you were brave enough to read this far - Have a great week !! :-D
Glenda

Cloche Party

It is time for Marty's "Fall Cloche Party" http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ !
And guess what? I am not ready, as I have yet to have done any decorating for Fall. I dug around in my pictures and found these from last year. Many of you may have already seen these.



If you have not already, be sure and visit Marty to see what she and the other participants have to share with us.
Have a great weekend!
Glenda

Just an Update

My Granddaughter arrived at 3:26 Tuesday morning, 8 lbs 11 oz., 20 ins. long, mother and baby are both fine. She immediately let out a loud cry as if to say "Move over - I have arrived"! Took lots of pictures and have not had a chance to go thru them all, and many did not turn out very good due to the lighting (think I need to start thinking about a new camera).
ETA: Pictures Removed
Look at those chubby cheeks -
This one taken approx. 13 hrs. after born - already wanting to raise her head up. Light auburn hair and dark blue/gray eyes.
I have always heard if the Mother has a lot of heartburn during pregnancy (and my daughter did), it means the baby will have a lot of hair - What do you think?
I kept 2 of my Grands (her other children) with me later at the hotel where I was staying.
We ate to much fast food, and I am sleep deprived, but we survived and with wonderful memories.
Hope everyone is having a great week!
Glenda

Dab of This and That

Hope everyone has had a good week, and enjoying the milder temps in most parts of the country.

I have seen a lot of pretty Fall decorations around "blogland". Would love to report that I have decorated for Fall also and have pictures to post, but that is not going to happen today.
I have not even started - It seems like I just put all that away.

I did finish a necklace that I have been working on. Bought these glass beads some time ago, and could never decide what to do with them. Ended up spacing them with crystal seed beads, also added some larger czech crystals and this is the end result.

I think the beads are pretty with the raised roses on them.

I am linking with Cindy @ "Show and Tell Friday" http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
and Laurie @ "A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday" http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/
Be sure and visit Cindy and Laurie to see what they and the others have to share this week.

Walked out the door few days ago, and this character was right outside my door and I almost stepped on him - ewww! Actually I have almost stepped on him a couple of times. He is the same one that has been hanging out in the courtyard for a while now. I can walk right up to him, and the flash on the camera does not phase him at all. He seems to stay in one corner more, and I think it is because it is shaded. There is no water , so not sure why he is staying around.


Just another Dab of This and That! :-D
Glenda

ETA: Still waiting on new Granddaughter!

Just What I Needed

I DO NOT/DID NOT need another cloche, as I just don't have the room, especially for a "big" one. Why am I telling you this, you ask? Wellllll.......I REPEAT .........I really DO NOT/DID NOT need another cloche/bell jar !!

Guess what? Look what is sitting on my dining table. I have a good excuse - I really do! It is the same size as the large one I already have - 12 1/2 ins. tall. The decor on the inside has some damage, but don't think it is anything that I can't fix.

Click picture to enlarge.

I just need to figure out the best way to pry the bottom off with out it breaking, as it appears to be styrofoam and is glued on.
Love the butterflies!
Just how much was this thrifty bargain you ask ? Including tax $23.61 (told you I had a good excuse). :-D


I will be linking up with Leigh @ "Thrifty Thursday" http://lbratina.blogspot.com/
Cindy @ "Show and Tell Friday" http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Laurie @ "A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday" http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/
If you have not already, be sure and visit these Ladies to see what they, and the other participants have to share this week.
Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend!
Glenda