scavenging =)

Happy Sunday!!!

...this past week was clean up week -  it was a scavengers dream!!  let me tell ya, I am SO bummed that I do not have a pickup truck -  if I did I would be the proud owner of a huge wicker furniture set for the yard, and enough old windows to build the greenhouse of my dreams...   sign.

However,  I did manage to liberate a few useful things from the trash =)  garden fencing never been used - I totally needed this!!  some books, wreaths (with tags still on the), planters, a glass punch bowl set, train set!!!  plastic tote, and a few random dishes that will coordinate with my set =D

some of my scavenging scores!!!  

I also picked up some cool Tonka and other random trucks, casserole dishes and  more dishes which I donated to my local conservation groups local garage sale  = )   Seriously the things people throw away  =/   I know it makes me happy to find good stuff I can use - but thinking about all the stuff that does not get liberated from the trash makes me sad...  I get like 3 flyers a month requesting donations...  I can not be the only one.

Meanwhile out in the garden - the lettuce just beginning to sprout, sugar snap peas pushing thur the soil    - built a little bamboo trellis for them...    

...the cucumbers I started inside have sprouted the 3rd & 4th leaves  ..   basil and lemon looking good,  waiting for the tomatoes and eggplant to sprout  =)


anyway...  anyone else scavenge any good stuff during this spring cleaning season?

... how I spent my St Pat's weekend!

Spent the weekend with the hubby and my BEST GIRL!!!

She arrive kinda late on Saturday - we had a yummy dinner of left over BBQ beef, smoked bratwurst, macaroni and cheese,  sauteed asparagus & mushrooms, and cesar salad - she ate it all up except the  mac & cheese.  (weirdo)

Eating ice cream ~ with green sprinkles ~  of course  =D 

We cleaned out the crabitat and set it back up all new fun and exciting - the are so happy with their new digs! round all crawled night and most of the day and looks like they are up for another all nighter! 

happy crabby land

We stayed up WAAAAYYYY  to late ~ like midnight!!!   but thanks to the mantle clock in the living room that is stuck on 4:50 & the light blocking thermal drapes the little monster ~ eeerrr, darling was fooled and let us all sleep till 9:00 am!!!

 ZZZzzzzzzzz......  =D   

We had a delicious breakfast - bacon, fried apples with cinnamon and candied ginger YUM!   with scramble eggs and ice cream =)  yup, I am the cool aunt - we eat ice cream for breakfast AND after dinner... we might have, on occasion had ice cream with lunch as well... perhaps.  8)

round 2 - note to self she is a 2 egg kinda girl 

With full bellies we started on a little sewing lesson ~  made a super cute Barbie  outfit.  Ok, I made the skirt last weekend & we worked on the tank top together.  I have not sewn in a looonnng time and she she has done on a little for girl scouts and once in kindergarten (with real needles she tells me - I  do not believe it!?)  We used fabric scraps from well loved, beyond repairable clothing. 

I was so excited when I found Miss B. Couture - she is AWESOME!  thorough, simple directions - very cute outfits - we want to make them all!!! 

just getting started ~ thanks to http://www.missbcouture.com 

almost done ~ just needs some velcro fastener sew on the back 

Sew cute - right?

While we worked on our sewing she helped me make this amazing crock pot beef stew ~  we totally cheated used one of those McCormick beef stew packs, 3 lbs of chuck roast beef chunks (browned in a bit of olive oil)  1 1/2 cups water...   cooked for a hour on high.

Then we added 5 cups of these pretty little assortedbaby  potatoes & some fresh/frozen rosemary (Mmmmm  smells like summer).

Finally,1 1/2 cups halved baby onions, 2 cups halved baby portabella mushrooms, and a 1/2 cups baby carrots  ....  generooouuuusssss pour of cabernet sauvignon - because as I told my young assistant - wine makes almost everything taste better.   We let that cook on low for a few more hours...  =D

We went off to meet up with mom, dad and the little brother - to return her and do some thrift shopping!!!  They got all the good finds...  and yes another Barbie (with blond & pink hair) I think she is addicted - but it makes me happy to see a 10 yr old acting like a 10 year old - yup, enjoy being a kid!

Back to my Home Sweet Home and OMG - pretty sure this is the BEST beef stew ever!  YUM!  =D

....  this girl ready for bed  - NOT ready for Monday  =/

red, white and blue

Here is the wreath I made over the weekend using the clamp wreath frame I salvaged from this years Christmas wreath picked out 6 or 7 red white and blue flower bunches and the yellow wired ribbon from the summer decorations box 

- cost $0 to make -yaY! 

I used wire cutters I cut the bunches apart and made bundles or 3 or 4 stems
clipped then in and wrapped t ribbon around the wreath to cover the clips
and used the rest of the ribbon to make a little bow.... 

I would have loved to have more ribbon but I am happy with it =)