cupcake*iPhone*madness

I love anything CUPCAKE! What is it about CUPCAKES? And I am not even a cake-lover. But I love a pretty cupcake. Maybe cuz they are so small and cute and covered with creamy, fluffy nostalgia. That's it, you know... they take us back to our childhood.
I found this little cupcake stand at Mervyn's on clearance for two dollars and it's on the orange tray that I got at IKEA for 99 cents. I am loving orange these days. What's with that!

So some marketing genius came up with this idea to market a bottle of wine and call it "Cupcake Chardonnay". Come on, now who wouldn't want a bottle of this sitting on your counter! I fell for it... and it's available at Cost Plus.

Don't know if I told you, but our son Shawn who just graduated from ASU got a job at the Apple Store in Phoenix. And because we have not been to see him at his job and we kinda want to see all the iPhone hoopla and they are open till midnite, we're going tonight! Should be quite the setting for some crazy photo ops!

my job

Some of you have asked about my new job. So I thought I'd fill you in. First of all, I love my job! They handed me a check today and I was like... you mean I get paid to do this!
I am so grateful every morning as I drive the 30 minute commute to my job because I can't believe I get to do what I do!
It is so much more than being the receptionist for the church I have attended since the week that Randy and I were engaged in Feb. of 1979. I love this place... this community of grace we call Open Door Fellowship. I get to see so many that I love and I get to serve them and answer the phones and help the various ministries in any way I can and best of all, the staff is so fun and awesome! And because our church happens to be in a very congested, busy part of Phoenix ( oh and a half a mile from one of the "top ten most dangerous intersections in the nation"! )... well, we get needy, drug-addicted, mentally ill, homeless people in our offices every day. And the stories are heartbreaking. And I get sad... and mad... and feel so helpless. We offer them what we can... knowing it's not enough. And I pray I will not grow weary and heartless to their plight but that I will be an encouragement to them with kind and loving words.

So, how about a little, light-hearted story that happened a couple of weeks ago. It was VBS week on our church campus.
Ok, let me back up 25 years... my last job was the music teacher and cook at a preschool, the five years prior to Shawn's birth. But I was also the resident "tooth-puller" those five years. And a mighty darn good one I might add. Never made a kid cry in all those years. Well, word must have gotten out... cuz that week of VBS, I was called out of a meeting, and there stood the sweetest, saddest little girl. Our Children's Pastor explained to me that this little girl was sad cuz her tooth needed to be pulled... so I knelt down and pulled it... umm, more like the tooth fell onto the tissue as I reached in to pull it. The little girl, who btw, did not even know me, gave me the biggest smile and the biggest hug! I walked back into my meeting and yelled out "I'm back! I still got it!" Seriously, I was in tears... that I would be so blessed to have made a little girl so happy by pulling her tooth. Come on, how many of you get paid to do that!!

So, I am the receptionist and I also input updated information for each member of our church on FileMakerPro, while I am answering the phones. And I work Tuesday, Wed. and Thursday. And I love my job.

vintage scale & apron

Randy and I were teaching at a Marriage Retreat over the weekend. So nice to get out of town and out of the heat! These retreats are always such a blessing... when we set aside the time to concentrate on our marriage. And speaking of marriage, our son Shawn and his wife Nicole are celebrating 3 years of marriage today! What a darling couple they are!


Yes, another apron with XL ric rac from my little vintage thrift store. Over the years I have filled my vintage scale ($25.00 at a yard sale) with my various collections. When my sister was here we emptied it with plans to refill it... but for now, this apron will do.

my vintage aqua phone

YES! SHE'S MINE! 

 That AQUA phone right up there is mine! And I still can't believe it! 

OK, just calm down and tell the story...

Well, one of my favorite people in all the world... who happens to be my husband's best friend... and happens to be the teaching Pastor at our church (what a gifted communicator of Truth)... and happens to be an author (check this book out)... and happens to be responsible for getting me started in acting (yes, he's an actor too)... and happens to be married to my dear friend Stacey... and well, he just so happens to have the coolest phone ever... that happens to be AQUA... that I happened to mention that I LOVED... and then guess what happened? 

HE GAVE ME THAT PHONE!!! 

SERIOUSLY, HE GAVE ME THAT AQUA PHONE!!! 

John called me into his office as I was getting ready to leave work today 

and just gave it to me! Just like that.

Isn't she a beauty and she works perfectly and has the sweetest, vintage ring and makes me smile every time I walk into my sewing room. 

And yes, she's a 'she'. Don't know why, but she is.

John, thank you! THANK YOU! 

I am forever grateful!

Randy & I sure love doing life with you and Stacey!

I want...

this.

Hey, a girl can dream can't she! Isn't she a beauty! Oh and for only a cool $50,000! That's more than the first home Randy and I bought in 1983! Be sure to check out the Shady Dell RV Resort in Bisbee, AZ!!! And then click on trailers & rates. Oh my gosh, the cutest place ever!
Anyway, I am itching to hit the road! Have I told you how happy I am when traveling? Giddy happy! Crazy happy! I don't read or look through magazines or sleep. I don't want to miss a single thing! You know, those interesting cloud formations, old dilapidated windmills, an Airstream cruising along, a yard sale or thrift store, a thunderstorm building in the distance, weird license plates, fields of corn and alfalfa or an Amish family in a horse pulled buggy.
And we always play the license plate game... finding all 50 states! We have never found all 50 in a single trip. So, I got one question... do any of you folks in Rhode Island or West Virginia ever go on vacation?!

happy things

Several of you bloggers are posting your 'happy things'. It made me think about what is making me happy at the moment. Oh, I know, happiness is only fleeting. It comes and goes. And what I really desire most is that peace, joy and contentment, that is not dependant on my circumstances but rather on the knowledge that the Lord is always in control and always with me and that I am loved unconditionally just the way I am, no matter what. But having said that, I do love my happy things! So here goes...


My friend Kathy gave me these miniature sewing items this week. I about cried! I actually learned to sew on that very same Singer machine! Ok, only larger. And I now own the smallest pin cushion in the world! And I would have sooo picked out those very bolts of fabric! What a precious gift Kathy! You're the best! (the dime is to show just how tiny!)


Ok, so when I knew I would be taking my Mac to my new job three days a week, thus began my search for the perfect laptop tote bag. My daughter-in-law Nicole suggested Ross and Marshalls. Here's what I found... a Nine West computer tote bag with a padded sleeve for my 15" Mac and get this... $140.00 retail... for only $19.99!! Yes, twenty dollars!! And it's perfect for my computer mouse, cords, wallet, water bottle, cell phone, magazines, etc! And, well, I look so darn cool!


My precious Koda makes me soooo happy! She brings so much joy to our home and family. Look at that sweet face! TOOO CUTE!


Our friends Rand & Michele grow the sweetest tomatoes! And the tiny yellow pear tomatoes are my very favorite!! Yesterday at work I made the mistake of biting into one, rather than popping the whole thing in my mouth... yup, juices all over my pants!

I am really jazzed about my new lamp! Why? Cuz I paid only $2.99 at Saver's!!! I already had the shade and had been looking for a taller lamp. I looked everywhere- Ross, TJMax, Marshalls, IKEA, Kirkland and Target... and it was at Saver's all along! YES! I was one happy shopper!

I won

all this!

Natasha's blog is one of my favorites! I mean, come on, Rickrack and Ribbon! The name alone won me over! Go visit her, she will be your new best friend! Anyway, she came upon the "mother load" of all thrifty fabric finds! Tons of vintage fabric! So she had a drawing and I won the coveted 'Holly Hobby' fabric and OOOH, soooo much more! Natasha, you are so sweet and generous! Do you know that I have loved Holly Hobby forever! And my goodness, the buttons and the orange ric rac! And you package everything so darn cute! Thank you!!

containing treasures

I am always on the lookout for fun, unusual containers to house my fun, unusual collections! Like for instance... my dice, my packaged ric rac, cards of buttons, bits of yarn, colorful beads, wooded spools of thread and my IKEA cording. Thinking outside the box will enable you to repurpose an old sugar jar for the IKEA cording, a favorite Pyrex bowl for the buttons, a green pasta drainer for my spools of thread and a wire basket (25 cents) for my packaged ric rac.

Oh, I gotta share one of my favorite unusual container stories. My sister-in-law put a gorgeous floral arrangement in a old white enamel bed pan! Her husband's a nurse!
Do you house a collection in unusual containers? Oh please, do share!

this & that

Mrs. McGillicutty is sporting a thrifted gingham apron trimmed with gigantic ric rac. She's looking ready to 'rock 'n sew'! Did you notice the colored melamine cups on my little galvanized cupboard? Found all ten cups in a bag at Saver's for two dollars. They were missing their matching saucers, which was fine with me. Love that stacked look.



Have you seen these 13"x13" trays at IKEA? I loved their design, especially the aqua one, but was unwilling to pay $5.99. They went down to $3.99 and I snagged an aqua one and an orange one. Heck, they may be even cheaper by now! I like that you can use them as you work on a scrap page... or any craft project that you need to move around the house.

*** GUESS WHAT?? I just got back from IKEA and they are now 99 cents!! YES, 99 cents!!

Went to Ross the other night and found this darling little dish drainer for $3.50. Isn't it so cute and handy. You could fill it with picture packets, fat-quarters, scrap embellishment packets, sewing notions, vintage salad plates. What else? Help me out.
Randy took the old red metal clock apart so it wouldn't run like a Mac truck! Seriously, it was sooo loud! Now it's as quiet as a mouse and runs like a... clock!

it's official

I'm a working girl! And I'm having sooo much fun! Is that wrong?! Well, I'm loving my job, my boss, the staff and everyone that comes through the door. At one point I was telling someone that I love being here, and this sweet gal that was waiting to talk to the staff about new phones said "I love being here! You hug everyone that comes through the door!"
Miranda and Shawn even came to go out to lunch and celebrate with Randy and I. Did I feel all grown up or what! Oh and a HUGE thank you to my dear husband for my new banner! Come on now, a new job and a new banner on the same day!

vintage chenille

I found these three chenille bedspreads at Saver's half-off Memorial Day Sale! I couldn't believe they were still there when my sister and I finally got to the store. I paid $4.00 for the full size yellow, $4.00 for the full-size pink and $2.00 for the twin-size blue. They are all in perfect condition!



And then during the week I found these two chenille pillows at Goodwill for $3.99 each. They are like new, perfectly white. And they will stay that way. Cuz...


... look where I put them! High atop my hutch in the guest room with the chenille Easter basket from Target and my chenille bunny I got at a thrift store for a dollar. Loving all my fluffy chenille!


When Randy & I married in 1979 we were given a homemade tied quilt made from two sheets. It is without a doubt the softest blanket we own and my three kids have fought over who gets to use it for years. You know what I'm talking about, those wonderful vintage sheets from the 60's & 70's that we are all starting to collect because they are sooo soft & dreamy. Well, I recently found that exact pattern in a top sheet and three pillow cases at two different thrift stores AND in excellant condition! In all these years I had never seen that pattern. Gotta love it when your favorite bedding comes together after 28 years!

25 years ago...

I worked outside the home for the last time. 25 years ago our firstborn son Shawn was born and I have been a full-time Mom ever since. For the past 25 years I have poured my life into being a wife to Randy, Mom to Shawn (25), Miranda (22) & Tyler (18) and being a homemaker. And I have loved every moment. Ok, not every single moment, but you know what I mean.


When Randy and I got married we talked about my staying home when we had children. Both of our Mom's were stay-at-home Mom's, so we were ready and willing to sacrifice whatever it would take for me to stay home with the kids till they were all out of school. I did not want to look back one day and have regrets. I just knew FOR ME, I needed to stay home with my kids. Anyway, looking back on those early years, so much of who I am today was formed as Randy & I entered fulltime ministry and started our family and began totally trusting the Lord to meet our every need. And let me tell you, it wasn't always easy. There were many lean years that to this day I don't know how we managed. So many stories, so many miracles. Someday I will tell them.
I was 'forced' to shop second hand and yard sales (ok, not really, I have always loved yard sales!). We intentionally settled on a lifestyle that would not put us in debt. In our 28 years of marriage Randy & I have paid interest on a home and a vehicle... but we have never had any other debt. In saying these things, I am in no way making any kind of statement. These were OUR own personal convictions. I am humbled as I look back on how the Lord provided and cared for our little family. Beyond humbled... and forever grateful.

Well, last week our third-born Tyler graduated from high school and well, my career as a full-time Mom is over. Did you hear what I said? My "career" as a full-time Mom is over. I will always be a Mom forever & ever... but well, more like Mom-On-Call. You know, always willing and ready to be there and to do whatever, whenever I am needed.

Soooo, now what? Well... I am starting a part-time job at our church next week and just between you and me, I am kinda nervous. No, lota nervous! But excited too. And who do you suppose my boss is... ya, my husband! That should be interesting. No, he's so fun and cute and awesome. How can I not want to be there! I will keep you posted.