Thrifting with Melanie

 

Something happens when Melanie and I get together
to go thrifting.  We always have a great time, first of all.
This time Mel's beautiful Mom accompanied us
for our frugal fun.
This is what I found.
 

This poster of an Native American maiden.
She will anchor my Thanksgiving buffet.
She looks a little spooky here, but that is
just the reflection of the cellophane.
She is beautiful, and I put her down and picked her up
a few times before she went into the cart.

 

This little shadow box frame said Penny all over it.
Say it with me Kris, Leaves...
 

I have several of these brass frames.  I just have to find just
the right photo or prints.

 

This vase has all the vintage goodness I look for...

 

Ivory glaze, crazing, stains...It should hold mums or leaves.

 

To complete my Shabby Chic collection, a lampshade.
Now I have a quilt, shams, curtain and lampshade
for our second guest bedroom.
(I need to complete this project before Thanksgiving!)
((and I've only spent $16!))

 

It's perfect, without a stain or tear.

 

This was the pick of the day.  A purse, you ask?  Well, when I got to the Goodwill, Mel and her Mom were already shopping.  Mel was right near the purses.  I told her I've been looking for a black purse, exactly like the green one I've carried since I began blogging...almost 4 years! (When I bought it at Target, there was a black one, but I really only wanted the green one at the time.) We looked at all the purses, but found nothing close.  We walked for a while and shopped.  It's so much fun to shop with Melanie...she has a great eye and spots things I might walk right past.  At the end of the aisle there was a cart with things they were stocking the shelves with.  I picked up a black purse, just to look, AND IT WAS THE EXACT BAG I'VE
BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR MONTHS.  Melanie couldn't believe it, and neither could I! (Then a woman who overheard Mel call me Penny, said her name was Penny too, and had never in her life met another Penny!  We had a little Penny Club meeting right there.)  Melanie and I had a similar experience the last time we shopped together.  I told her I was looking for a Tupperware toy that my kids used to have for my grand sweet p.  No sooner I said it, I turned to find it on a shelf right next to me!  We have the best luck together, and always end up talking to the nicest people.

I guess you had to be there...(yes, I was thrilled to find a $5 used purse, but it's perfect, holds my phone and camera!) It was great fun, and so lovely to meet Melanie's sweet and beautiful Mom. Melanie is the best,  I am so glad we found each other, another blessing of blogging. Check out Mel's blog Comfy House to see the great things she found.

Less fun planned for today, some cleaning and grocery shopping for the holiday weekend.  Dear friends, have a great holiday, be safe and talk to you in September!
Enjoy this beautiful day!

Magic just 2 blocks away...

 

A little vignette I set up yesterday, playing with a old Coca-Cola crate that
dearest Charlotte brought to me from her Grandparents farm in Indiana.
A bottle from Joy, her Shop the Shed sale has many treasures.
A linen tablecloth for Charlotte, my first pumpkin... I accidentally
tore the vine off while picking zucchini.
Thank you Charlotte, I am so trendy with my
cool coke case.  Charlotte is the sweetest
and is so special to me...
 

We are blessed to live in an area with parks and woods,
golf courses and a trail that follows an old railroad right
of way.  We went out for dinner and brought it back to
a spot we call Mount Crumpet.

 

Many a breakfast have been enjoyed in all
seasons at this scenic spot.

 

A meadow and hill, even a pond for skating in the winter.

 

 

Last night we ventured onto the path...

 

One path takes you into the woods...

 

The other way is wooded too, but takes you next to the golf course


 

It's hard to believe we are so close to home,
 It was a magical walk.

 

A pop of chartreuse.

 

I had a deja vu feeling of having been here before.
Then I realized, it was the cottonwood trees.
On the banks of the Colorado river
some 39 years ago...

Don't know what kind of bird this is, but it didn't move as we approached.

The cottonwood dipping it's branches toward the water,
just like along the river all those years ago.
(Like John Denver who was born in the summer
of his 27th year, I was born in the summer of my 19th year.
  The year I first went to Colorado and the
year I met and fell in love with my husband.)

At first I thought this was a fallen branch caught up in the tree.
It was a branch that grew between  the fork of several trees,
like an arm around a friend.

My favorite time of day,
with my favorite person in the world.

 

Who'd have thunk, just 2 blocks away!

I had a date this morning with the lovely and thrifty
Melanie from Comfy House.  I'll tell you all about it
tomorrow and the amazing luck we have when
thrifting together!
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments.
Enjoy this beautiful day. 

signs of fall

 

a single leaf,

 

a thrifted curtain...

 

a fall vignette... 

One week till Labor Day and summer is suddenly here.  Ninety degree temps all week!
Thanks for stopping by, and for your kind comments.  Enjoy this beautiful day!

Out with the Girls

 

When you get a call at 8:30 on a Saturday morning...
Auntie Penny, can I come over?  You do what I did...
"Yes, that's a great idea!"
We headed off with the best Uncle in the world,
to have some fun.
First stop, The Grove in Glenview, Illinois.

 

It's a beautiful nature center right of busy Milwaukee Avenue.

 

Sometimes, in a hurry to get going, shoes are placed on the wrong feet...
Uncle took care of that.

 

This is my little bird and our little bug.  Sisters!
The "bird" starts kindergarten this week!
She is so ready.  I can't wait to hear the stories, and there
will be stories!

 

Someone once told my Mother that this guy didn't like children...
What?!  They love him so much, and he in turn is
marshmallow...

 

I feel this in my bones this morning...but 
it was pure joy wandering the
the woods with these guys.
After lunch, we headed to the beach...
 It was a long ride as far as the girls were concerned...
at one point the bird asked, "Are we in New York?"

 

They were crazy for the sand...

 

On this perfect beach day...
Sunny, hot, with a cool breeze off the Lake.

 

We got our feet wet in the surf...

 

We sure got a workout, but what a great day.  Have a great Sunday my friends.

Remembering Dad

Today my brother Greg will call and say, Did you know that Rudolph Valen... as I was writing this the phone rang! Yes, Rudolph Valentino died today, 87 years ago.
I love Greg for remembering every year. That's the day my Dad was born. I also heard from my dear cousin Francesca, who also remembered my Dad today.

We lost my Dad, but he is still with us, in our memories, the things he said...in his 5 kids, grandchildren and now great grands. His coat still hangs in my closet and an empty can from Amphora Brown pipe tobacco holds my pens and pencils.

I wear my Dad's wedding ring, and always will. Miss you Daddy, Love you.

Enjoy this beautiful day.

Love, Princess Pat






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PB Knockoff...I'm no painter edition...

This is a Pottery Barn photo of a painted pillow I just loved. Nobody does it better than the old PB. I just can't spend $40 on a pillow. I had some canvas
found at rummage sale, and bought a autumn palette of acrylic paints, about five dollars worth. I TRIED to recreate this cool but pricey pillow.


Did I mention I'm not a painter...:-)? ( My dear Aunt Sabina started painting late in life too... but she had talent.) I taped the canvas to my table and this is my "interpretation."


Then I sewed my painting into a pillow...just don't look at them side by side.
It was fun to paint on fabric, and I have plenty left for more projects.


You may remember this fabric, a scrap that I threw into a five dollar sack at a rummage sale. I made two pillows. I used some felted wool for the backs. A savvy young urban professional, a New Yorker to boot, admired this fabric, so I think they may end up in a trendy Brooklyn apartment. ;-)


I reused pillow forms I already had, to keep this project thrifty.
I know I'm rushing the seasons, just keeping busy while my sweetheart takes care of business. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

Love, Penny


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