I May Need an Intervention...

seriously. I bought way too many afghans. 

My excuses are: 

1. They are so pretty!

2. Someone spent a lot of time, energy, and love making them for somebody and they shouldn't be at the bottom of some barrel in a thrift store. 

3. They are cheap. I usually pay $3 or less. 

4. I am moving somewhere cold and I am going to need a lot of blankets. 

5. Davis loves them.  

All legitimate reasons, right? But I can't buy anymore until I find a place to store them. Unless I see a pretty one at an estate sale...for cheap...I washed seven yesterday and here they are in no particular order of favoritism...

I loved the bright green and pattern on this one!

Brights and scallops? Yes, please!

This one reminded me of "Charlie Brown" and Davis played "Lucy" once so I couldn't pass it up!

 These colors screamed "take me home!"

Way too much work in this one to pass it up!

Hello Chevron! I'll find you a new home where someone appreciates you!

Lonely? I'll take you to a place where you are loved!

See? Way too many....and there are a few more, lol. I think I may be up to 25-30 now. I guess I could collect something worse...like cats...well, nevermind, I have three of those and three I found homes for....
I was thinking last night how ready I am for fall...cool weather, Halloween, and everything that comes with it. Then I realized we barely just started July...ugh...I may not make it through my last summer in this heathole.
Well, it's back to the weekly grind. Holiday weekend is over. (sad face) Davis is home all week but Brian leaves Wednesday for HSN in Florida. He gets back on Friday and then it's time for Davis' birthday party, which I better get to planning. I can throw a party together in a week, right? She has high expectations but we won't be building a Minecraft town out of cardboard boxes, I can tell you that. I hope everyone has a fabulous Monday. This is my last day of talking about afghans, I think.

-Tricia

A Day of Rest...Right?

I love Sundays. It's my "lazy day" - my stay at home and relax day. That's what we are supposed to do on Sundays, right? It's supposed to be our day of rest.  Like every day I get up early and follow my routine. I take care of the animals, write my blog, and surf the internet while drinking my coffee. I write the company's weekly newsletter. Then I anxiously await for the newspaper to arrive. Cutting coupons is relaxing to me. Then I organize them and see if we need anything for the week. Usually grocery shopping lasts for two-three weeks for us- another bonus of a family of three. 

I try to get everything done by 9:00 so I can attend online church. I love online church- no distractions and I can watch in my pajamas. That's a win-win! The rest of the day we just stay at home usually. Picking up the house, doing laundry, getting ready for the week. Then in the afternoon I scrapbook. Sundays are the best. 

We had our garage sale yesterday. We made almost $700 which paid for the living room and kitchen makeover we did plus the extra stuff I bought at the estate sales last weekend. How awesome is that. We still have three pieces of furniture left which we put on Craigslist. Hopefully they will be out of here soon.

I did start washing some of the afghans I bought...and yes, I bought way too many. They were so cheap $2-3 and I just can't say no. It kills me how much work and love went in o making them and somebody just threw them away to thrift! Ugh. Brian says I need to start a new blog called "Afghan Rescue" and he might be right!

I mean, how awesome is this American flag one? It's big and the stars are 3d and attached onto the blue backing. It was perfect for the 4th!

This one looks kind of yellow in the photo, but it's a pretty ivory and chocolate brown.

 This one is so pretty and the flowers just pop!

 I love the '70's colors on this one. I put this one over our couch to add a pop of color to the room.

Any one who knows me, knows I love ponchos. And I love afghans...so when I saw this I knew I had to have it. I could care less that the poncho isn't in style...come fall I will be rockin' this all the time!

  

 Like I said, these are just a few of what I bought. I need to find a trunk or cabinet to store them all in. Then we need to move somewhere that isn't so hot so we can actually use them all.

I hope everyone has their day of rest today. Time to recharge for a full work week! Brian leaves for HSN on Wednesday. Wish him luck, he has lots to sell in nine minutes, but if anyone can do it- he can!

Until tomorrow.
-Tricia

This May Be It...

the thing that finally "sticks" with Davis. We've tried a lot of things...taekwondo, acting, dance, guitar, singing, art and animation...but it looks like video game design and programming is the one thing she is really excited about. She spent the week at iD Tech Camp or "nerd camp" as we like to call it. It was an absolutely amazing experience and she was so sad when it was over. She made her own video game using Multimedia Fusion II and even designed the cover using Photoshop. 

 I knew she would fit in when I heard the raffle at the end of camp gave away Portal posters and Magic The Gathering Cards.

   

They worked hard but they also had a lot of fun. At the end of camp one lucky camper got to "pie" the instructor of their choice!

Of course, her video game was "My Little Pony" themed and starred her favorite pony "Luna."

After the diploma ceremony, we were able to go into the computer lab and play her game.

They each received a diploma and their instructor wrote a personalized message to each student.

I think the most important thing about this camp is that Davis found a place where she belonged. The counselors were goofballs and the kids wouldn't necessarily be called "popular kids." It was a place where her goofiness was accepted, not just accepted but celebrated. It was a place where it was okay to be smart. When she wore her hat she got compliments on it rather than weird looks. It was such a positive experience for her to know there are other kids out there that have the same interests as her. She belonged. She was among her "peeps" and she couldn't have been happier. 

She goes back at the end of the month for a week of Maya. She is excited for next summer. She wants to take the two week overnight intensive programming course that qualifies for college credits. I don't understand how her brain works, but somehow she understands code. I guess she takes after her Uncle Chris who is a programmer too. 

The camp isn't cheap, but I can't recommend it enough if you have a kiddo interested in learning computer skills beyond just playing video games. 

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend. I am working on getting my stuff cleaned up so I can post pics of my vintage finds tomorrow!

-Tricia

A Few Treasures...

I haven't had time to clean up everything I bought at thrift or the estate sales last weekend with packing for HSN and the holiday, but I hope to get to it today! I can already tell I overbought on afghans- they were so cheap ($1-$3) and so pretty I didn't realize how many I bought! We are having a garage sale tomorrow in hopes of getting rid of some of the old furniture that is clogging the garage and the hallway. I'll basically pay someone to haul it away at this point! 

I did get this magazine rack at thrift- $2.50 (1/2 off) to hold our vintage magazines which I can't seem to find. We do subscribe to "Atomic Ranch" and if you are at all interested in vintage modern I highly recommend it!

 The oil and vinegar set was part of a larger set I bought at the estate sale last weekend. It has a nice home on my Pyrex shelf.

   

 

I also got the cream and sugar bowls as well as the Daisy casserole dish with matching lid.

  

 

Now this I don't know what to do with! I got this "lazy Susan" at the SA a couple of years ago and it has been on top of my refrigerator ever since. Now it looks perfect in the center of our table, but I have no idea what to put in it! My grandmother had a lazy Susan and it was packed full of stuff...but I don't know...salt and pepper shakers, sugar maybe??? It looks empty sitting there but anything I put in it looks weird too. It's California pottery and numbered on the bottom. I think I got it for around $12.00 on sale. 

 

We are going to hit the storage units, yes I said "units" and see if we can easily pull out stuff for the sale. I'm not cleaning it out in this weather. When it gets cooler we will have another sale. I plan on clearing a lot of stuff before our move! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend! Hopefully, after we get the garage sale set up I will have time to dig out the rest of my vintage finds!

-Tricia

My Thoughts on July 4th...

I hope I don't get too political on you today...but it's my blog, right? I have a pet peeve. It's when we call this holiday the "4th of July"...I think it desensitizes us to what the day really means. Yes, it did happen on July 4th (they think)  but the day is "Independence Day." When we signed our Declaration of Independence from the tyrannical rule of Britain. 

Can you imagine the bravery of the men who signed that Declaration? If it didn't work, they would most certainly have been held accountable for treason. It's the document that this great nation was built on. And while we do have our problems, it's still the greatest nation in the world. However, the more an individual is dependent on government to meet their basic needs, the less free that individual is. So while we celebrate today with hot dogs and fireworks, let's not forget that someone a long time ago stood up for our independence as a sovereign nation and as individuals. 

And we should never forget the men, women, and families that serve in our military who continue to keep us free and safe. They make a sacrifice every day that I can't even imagine, but I think God that they are willing to serve. 

So I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Independence Day celebrating with family and friends but let's not forget the bravery of our founding fathers and everyone who serves in our military today!

-Tricia

It's Been A Week...

of crazy. I didn't even get to write yesterday and I am already pressed for time this morning. Davis started what we call "nerd camp" this week. She is actually taking a week long introduction to Photoshop, Illustrator, and Video Game Programming. The days are long 8:00-5:00, and we have to leave here by 6:30 to get her to Orange County with all the morning traffic, which is why I am running out of time in the morning no matter how early I seem to get up. She loves camp. She made a friend, a boy, of course. Their birthdays are one day a part so they will both be 13 in a couple of weeks. She is working on a video game she is designing around My Little Pony which we will see at their showcase on Friday. During their break times. they have Minecraft LAN parties but yesterday it was cool enough for them to go outside and play a Hunger Games version of tag. Yep, she is among her people. This is the intro class. She goes back in a couple of weeks for a class in Maya which is 3D modeling for video games. If you are ever looking for something like this for your kiddo. it's called iD Tech Camps and they do classes at college campuses across the country all summer. I highly recommend them. Super fun and professional staff. 

Here she is on her second day. It was really too early to try and get a picture, poor thing.

And after we drop her off, what have we been up to? Oh just some of this.

Packing HSN kits for Brian's air date on HSN July 11th at 6:00am and 2:00pm EST. The warehouse was over 100 degrees. I think we picked the hottest day of the year to pack these orders. It was brutal.

About 3,000 kits are on their way! Thank goodness, that's over!

Now it's break time to celebrate the 4th of July. Davis has camp that day so we will be staying home. Does anyone have fabulous plans so I can live vicariously through you? I hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!

-Tricia

Inside the Craft Room

Well, that's what we call it anyways. I always thought "studio" was too pretentious. I'm not painting the Sistine Chapel in there or anything. But I am lucky enough to have a room dedicated to scrapbooking which is the main craft that happens there. Davis has her own art room, which is almost like mine just different colors. I'll give a tour of that room one day- once she cleans it up, so maybe I won't, lol. My favorite part of the room is my hoosier. I've had this thing since before we were married, so going on almost sixteen years. It's been moved countless times. And every time I cringe that somehow the original boomerang glass is going to get broken. Now, it will have to be moved to Washington next year and that's enough to give me fits. 

It holds a ton of stuff out of sight which I love. It has the original flour sifter and porcelain top too. It's my most favorite thing I own.

I also collect vintage enamel ware so I use those to hold paint or ribbon.

My desk is a SA find- a vintage drafting table I got for $17.00. It still has the original labels and metal manufacturers sign on it. Michelle and I were somehow able to wedge it into the car. Of course, Evan and Brian almost killed themselves getting it out and up the stairs.

I upcycled one of the book racks I used to have in Davis' nursery to hold my squeeze punches and other stuff. Ribbon is stored by color in candy jars.

I guess I forgot to mention I share the room. With this.

So it's really more of a "hobby room" than a craft room.

There are a few more pieces in the room I will share later, like the table that matches the hoosier. And just in case your wondering if I'm a neat crafter or a messy one...this will answer your question.

And yes, I scrapbook on the floor. No idea why. I have plenty of desk space but always on the floor. Weird, I know.

Well, today should be interesting. We picked the hottest day of the heat wave to spend in the warehouse packing HSN kits. Brian will be back on air July 11th with two kits. Davis starts "nerd camp" today. So before we go to the Ontario warehouse, we have to drop her off at UCI. She is learning "Graphic Design and Video Game Design" so she should be right in her element- no sport camp for her! 

I hope everyone has a great Monday and I don't pass out from heat stroke!

_Tricia