sew happy

Oh my gosh, she's gone... waaaa... whatever will I do without my sister Ginny here to motivate and inspire me! I am already missing her like crazy and I just put her on a plane back to Wisconsin a couple hours ago! She was here a whole week and let me tell you, it was the BEST! A crazy, busy week filled with graduation festivities, a road trip to Sierra Vista, shopping, food prep, thrifting, more shopping, eating the food we prepped and then finally on Monday and Tuesday we settled into our sewing projects. And as I said in the last post, I am one happy gal when I am creating!


And these are the fruits of our labor!! I even made one more 'thread catcher' after this photo shoot, making six from me and two from Ginny. I'm telling you, I love each and every one as though... well, let's just say, I love them a whole lot. And the fabrics are so incredibly soft and yummy, I could cry! While I was making my 'thread catchers', Ginny was also making the 'zinc pin cushions'. Hello people! How much do we love them! Can I hear an "AMEN"! (click pic to enlarge)
SO, now what, you ask? Well, I hope to open an Etsy shop and make these guys available. I will keep you posted. Thanks for hanging with me while I was taking a bloggy break this past week. I have sooo much more to share with you! So please check back again! Ok? Thanks.

Thread catcher pin cushions

I am sooo happy! You see, I am creating!! My sister Ginny and I have been busy making thread catcher pin cushions!! So far I have made the two outer 'thread catcher pin cushions' and Ginny made the middle one for Miranda. Oh, check out Miranda's blog for pics of all the graduation festivities! Such fun times! Can you believe the 'zinc jar lid pin cushion' that Ginny also made for the very first time! She's amazing!



I am sooo excited to make one of these tomorrow! Do you not love the little bitty buttons in the middle! You gotta click to enlarge and check out the detail.


Here I am filling my pin cushion with the finest sand. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to create... to fill pin cushions with sand! OK, so I already told you so. But seriously, my sister is the most talented person I know! We are having the best time! Whatever will I do when she goes back to Wisconsin on Wednesday! Be sure to check back to see what all we accomplish tomorrow! I am sooo happy!

sewing desk & fabric

It's perfect!
Remember I said I was going to be looking for the perfect sewing table for my craft room, to replace the folding white table that sags when I place my HEAVY machine on it. Well, went to IKEA 'as is' and found this computer desk for $25.00 and it's perfect for my machine and for my wooden sewing tray (where the keyboard would go)! The best part... when I want to use the table for something else, I can store the machine below! Ooh, forgot the other best part, it's on rollers!! I can roll my heavy machine anywhere I want on my wonderful commercial grade carpet! And there's more! When AMY was over for our scrapping day on Saturday, she pointed out that when guests need room to sleep on our Aerobed I can roll the desk under the counter!! See pic below. How cool is that!! Thanks AMY!
*** Several of you have asked how close I am to an IKEA. A mile down the road! Yes, very dangerous! But I only shop 'as is'. So I can actually park, walk through 'as is' and back out to my car in 5 minutes... that is, if I don't find anything that suites my fancy.








I am loving all the colorful paper lanterns I am seeing for summer. So on the way home from church yesterday I see this lantern at a yard sale, I pull over and 25 cents later it's all mine!







Like I said, I rarely go to Goodwill unless it is half-off day. But I happened to make a Friday stop and LOOK what I found! Bundles of FAT QUARTERS!! BUNDLES of BEAUTIFUL FAT QUARTERS! And they had the original designer labels on each bundle for $7.99. I got them for $2.99 each!! I am thinking fabric on a cake stand (50 cents) is just about as yummy as cupcakes with sprinkles... I said 'just about'...

did you know that...

1. I am terrified of being tickled.
If I am tickled, I go a little crazy and panic big-time... my heart is racing even as I type this! When I was a young girl, I witnessed my friend being held down by her two brothers and tickled till she cried. It obviously affected me so deeply, that I view it as being torturous to this day.
2. I bought my first car when I was 20 years old... sight unseen... 2000 miles away. A '62 Chevy Impala!
I met Randy a couple months before I went back to Wisconsin for the summer. Randy's Mamaw Bean died that summer and they asked if I wanted to buy her car for $500.00. She was the original owner... and the clear plastic seatcovers had never been removed... and it was as big as a boat... and it was a standard on the column! Yikes! So every Sunday afternoon for a month after I returned to Phoenix, Randy would take me out on remote desert roads and teach me to drive the boat! Man, I loved that car! Oh btw, Randy was driving a '69 Dodge Charger at that time! Two major gas-hogs!
3. I have such respect for teachers and doctors, that you would not know me in their presence.
First of all, I am really outgoing but I get so weird and intimidated around teachers and doctors that I am hardly able to speak with any intelligence. So Randy would always go with me to the kids Dr. visits and school conferences. Otherwise he would ask how it went and I would have been so nervous that I could hardly remember what they had said.
4. I cannot go to movie theaters.
I have been to one movie in the past 6 years and that was "The Passion of Christ". I am sooo hyper-sensitive to sound and movement that I want to do bad things to people that are unwrapping candy, coughing, munching, slurping, talking, getting up & down... and don't get me started if a cell phone goes off. Not good.
5. I mix my metaphors. All the time.
Once when Randy and I were discussing a family's financial hardship, I said "I can't believe they bought that... they don't have a penny to pee on!" And yes, there are dozens more.
6. Whenever we go out to eat, I have to be the last to order.
Otherwise I suffer "orders remorse"... wishing I had ordered what another had ordered. I am very indecisive like that.
7. And last but not least, I say and do unusual things without thinking.
Years ago, when answering machines were new, I was forced to leave a message on someone's answering machine and I think because of the quiet tone of my voice, I ended the message by accidently saying "In Jesus name, Amen" and hung up the phone. I was mortified when I realized what I had just done!

I posted this list a while back, but was recently tagged again by a couple bloggers, so I just reposted the same list but added one more to make it a list of "seven things you may not know about me". Everyone is welcome to play along and post their own list. It's actually quite revealing... and fun.


My lovely red Hibiscus are blooming big this year! And the old tractor seat and milk can came from the family farm in Wisconsin. Have a great weekend and thank you sooo much for stopping by!

the guest room

The pillow case ($2.00 from Ross) was my inspiration for this room makeover. Click the pic to enlarge and see the pretty colored roses and ribbon! The $5.00 oops paint was the perfect match to the quilt ($12.00), sheet set ($6.00), throw pillows ($3.00 each) and curtains ($6.00) that I found on clearance at Ross, Target and TJ Max.


A display of Miranda's musical theater memorabililia... she was Dolly in "Hello Dolly" her 8th grade year... her dance/character shoes... and the necklace and wand from her role as the Godmother in "Cinderella" her Senior year.


My collection of soft, silky vintage pillowcases. I recently found the white wicker, rose fabric lined basket for $2.00 at a thrift store. Perfect for my pillowcases. Perfect for the guest room.


I displayed one of my favorite dresses that Miranda wore as a baby on a wire dress form... the doll-size pink wardrobe was found at a thrift store filled with old doll clothes... the round floral picture was ten cents... the crocheted apron for $2.00... and the rose hat box filled with vintage aqua hats for a dollar.
A week from today my sister Ginny comes for a visit! So I keep calling it 'Ginny's room'! We will definitely be breaking in the craft room with plans to sew and scrap and create. That is, when we are not shopping!

purple brilliance

These pretty flowers show up every spring at the entrance to our home. So warm and welcoming. Such a springy splash of purple brilliance. And speaking of purple brilliance... GO SUNS!! Hope your weekend is wonderful wherever you are!

craft room makeover

I have always said that it just wouldn't be as much fun if I just walked into a store or ordered online and purchased anything I wanted. Not for me. No fun. Waay too easy. I would much rather buy 2nd hand. Randy and I can surely afford more than when we first got married and entered fulltime ministry. So you'd think I wouldn't need to shop for deals all the time. But that's it! I want to! I have to! It's my fix, my hobby! I am all about recycling, repurposing... and the thrill of the hunt!

Sooo, here's the run down on what my craft room cost me. I am doing this for me. I plan to do a scrap layout about my new room someday and tell the stories behind each find. So you are more than welcome to join me. And to be quite honest, it is more fun to tell the stories knowing someone is listening... uh, reading.


This is what I knew I wanted in my new craft/sewing room... aqua walls, plenty of work surface, my $25.00 chandelier and a dress form. Well, I got that, and sooo much more! All are thrifted unless otherwise stated.


Here's my deals from IKEA 'as is'- the 8 ft. solid counter top- $33.00, the base cabinet without doors- $15.00, the other base cabinet with doors- $20.00, the rolling cart with drawers- $13.00 (retail $119.00), wired drawer tower- $20.00, glass jars- 25 cents each.




Yesterday I found the comfy desk chair (perfect color) and awesome solid wood stand next to Mrs. McGillicutty FREE from down the street. (it's big-trash pick-up next week) Paint was $25.00 a gal. X 2- $50.00! I was soo surprised that paint costs that much! I've always used oops paint. Chrome shelving for the closet- $75.00 at Costco, galvanized cabinet w/ glass doors- $5.00, 3 white molding shelves- $5.00 each at Target clearance, the 6 ft. long shelf on top of counter- an old king-size headboard I painted white, 'purse on pegs' art piece- each a dollar or two, an old hand-sewn quilt top for curtains- $1.00 (yup, changed the curtains from the last set of pics) and Mrs. McGillicutty- well, priceless.
The best part... I walk in the room and I want to create and design and play. I feel such a sense of peace and contentment, surrounded by everything that says ME. Making me all the more aware of who God created me to be!

my new craft & sewing room

Check it out. This is how bad it got before the room remodel began! It really wasn't always this bad. It actually functioned pretty well at one time. But knowing the inevitable, I sorta let her go. Oh and before you see the final transformation, you gotta know that this room is a complete departure from anything I have ever done in the rest of my home. I have NEVER decorated with white or pink or aqua or any other shade of blue, for that matter. EVER. Anywhere. Until now.







MY NEW CRAFT/SEWING ROOM!!

I am SOOO happy with the results! Thrilled! Ecstatic! I am just so dang pleased! And so is Mrs. McGillicutty! I was so anxious to put everything away, that I know I will need to reorganize the whole room once I start creating. Later this week I will be breaking down each item, what I paid, the story behind the remodel. But then, you knew there would be a story. I'm telling you, amazing deals. Let's put it this way, the paint was the most expensive. I'm serious! (cuz I didn't use opps paint) I have much more to do, hang shelves & art, finding an island table for the center of the room to replace the folding white table, reupholster a rocker that I will sit and do my hand work. It will be evolving. I will also be revealing the new guest room this week. Stay tuned. Come back. Enjoy the pics! Oh and a huge thanks and "I love you!" to my dear husband! He did it all... everything!





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new carpet

Here's a little sneek peek of the new craft/sewing room. I just love the River's Edge paint color by Behr! And as you can see, I found the perfect carpet. We get our carpet at a carpet outlet store that sells remnants. This same carpet is almost twice the cost at a Home Depot. And get this! I found a commercial grade carpet that actually has flecks of aqua in the design! I couldn't believe it! I chose commercial carpet because I have things in the room on rollers, so it sure makes it easy to roll them in and out. And it will be easy to find pins and needles in this carpet too.

I am sooo thrilled with the shade of green that my sweet husband painted the new guest room. It was a can of oops paint that I had laying around for a year or so. The carpet in this room and the hallway are also remnants... a short shag that is so soft on the toesies. Koda thinks so too.
My sister Kathy will be choosing carpet soon, so this post is for her to see what I chose... and for you to get a glimpse of the reveal that is to come in a few days. Yesterday I started the process of putting the rooms together and I am having such a blast playing house!

name cards and a concert

I don't know about you but those name cards that they want you to order with the graduation announcements are kinda silly. I mean, you put your child's graduation picture inside the announcement and your return address on the envelope so why the name cards? So four years ago when Miranda graduated, we decided to make our own unique name cards with the meaning of her name. Made it so much more personable.










When ordering Tyler's graduation announcements, we again decided not to order the name cards. But when I sat down yesterday to assemble Tyler's announcements and grad pics, I realized we had not made special name cards to put inside. But an idea came to my mind and I thought I would share it with you!
I dug out my photo clear corners. You can get them at Michael's for a couple bucks. Well, I only used two corners to adhere the graduation pic, so that they can see that you can pop the pic out. And then I placed it over where you would have inserted the name card. Can I just say, I'm liking my idea better than those silly name cards. But that's just me. You do what you like.
Oh and btw, our oldest son Shawn is graduating from college so we are having a combined "Thompson Brothers" graduation party! They had more fun shooting pics for the invitation. The chosen one was taken inside our van! Too cute!

Tyler had a concert last night at his high school. Here he is singing the Incubus song "Warning" and he blew everyone away!! He has this amazing voice and is so comfortable performing on stage. Shawn recorded himself playing the guitar for Tyler to sing with and oh my gosh!! Ok, I'm their Mom, but they are sooo talented! Randy and I could not have been more proud to see our sons collaborate in this way! What a fun night!

my latest addition

A while back I posted my metal picnic basket collection. (pictured below) WELL, Saturday morning I found another! I love the yellow handles! The green plaid lunch box on top was mine when I was a young girl. Man, that sure brings back memories! My favorite lunch box sandwiche... my Mom would use her old meat grinder to grind leftover roast beef from the night before and mix with Miracle Whip and slather between two slices of her homemade bread. OH MY GOSH is all I'm gonna say!! Anyway, love the way the two plaids look together. My newest one was found at a yard sale that I almost passed up. Have you ever done that... driven by and then your OCD kicks in (ok, so mine does) and I just HAVE to turn around! Because WHAT IF there is an awesome find awaiting me!! And guess what? THERE WAS! THIS was awaiting me! AND for only $3.00!!!