Around the house: Bits and pieces

A small collection of saucers and small plates...
Pelican S&P shakers bought for my hubby (his favorite bird) on one of my favorite cake plates...

Shells and the tiniest starfish I've ever seen collected on the beach with my son...

Grandma's plate that hung in her kitchen for about 40 years....

And the cutest ever S&P shakers that belonged to hubby's great Aunt Mae....

What are some of the things you love about your home?

My lovelies

I have an addiction. I think I need to stop....buying cupcake liners. Don't ask me what it is about these little guys that I can't resist. Well, I guess obviously it's the patterns (I also guess an under two dollar price point doesn't hurt either, that just makes it easier to justify, right?).

But it's like they call my name when I'm in the aisle...

"Kori....did you see us?" "Take us home with you...."

And I always do. Large, small, regular. I don't discriminate.

I was having the darndest time keeping them in control (I have found they tend to be awkward to store in their original packaging) until one day I looked at my extra canning jars and had an 'A-HA' moment....

They just drop right down in there and snuggle up together. So cozy. And they make looking in my baking cupboard a little more cheerful....it's not just boxes and labels that I see.

I don't like to use them though. I love to bake, but feel so sad when I see these lovelies in the trash. It feels like a waste. So I usually use the typical foil or pastel liners.

No love lost there.

These are just a few patterns I have. I also have a bunch of holiday themed liners that I don't use. I'd love to find some vintage designs somewhere, but until then I'll take what I can get.

Can't wait 'til the next one comes home with me!

What do you collect that you don't use? ;)

Blackout

Last night we had a blackout. I was in the middle of making dinner and boom, sudden darkness. Of course, we don't have current batteries in our flashlights, so I groped around for candles and matches and got to lighting them.

I have a three Yankee candles in the big jars and a bag of tealights. I lit the Yankee candles and then started with the tealights not knowing where I was going to place them.

Then I had a brainstorm: use my sugar and creamer sets and some Whitehall snack set cups that I have.

It worked perfectly. Not only were they protected from being blown out, but they were easy to carry around due to the handles. Sometimes I amaze myself.

Kidding......really.

I think I may start using these guys on a more regular basis for this purpose. They looked so pretty all lit up.

The lights were out for over an hour and I was genuinely saddened when the lights came back on....

Who doesn't like candle light?

Although I know we should have working flashlights, and I will be putting batteries on my next Target shopping list, I'm thinking last night was kind of cool.

Can it be?

That I am computered out?? Being sick for most of this week has me planted in the recliner. I've done some laundry and helped my son clean his closet. Mostly, though, I've been watching too much TV (why is it none of my favorites seem to be on when I can really watch and enjoy them??), read some magazines (oldies, but goodies) and read blogs. Lots and lots of blogs. I found some I truly lost myself in and had a great time. It's a nice escape, but I think I overdid it.

I didn't think that was possible. The thing is that I like to try and read the whole thing. First post to last. Having a stuffed/runny nose, hacking cough and eyes that felt like a match had been taken to them wasn't the ideal state to do extensive reading.

I hope to go back through my bookmarks and find all the cool blogs I found, and then add them to my 'Places to visit' so that you can go there too!

In the meantime, here are some pics of my favorite magnets:

*that's my son 'modeling' for you* ;)

"An attitude is a terrible thing to waste"

"Don't hate me because I'm fabulous"

&

"I wasn't meant to work"

These are by Mik Wright. He has a hilarious greeting card line of pics of his

actual family! Too funny!

Change of heart

I think I want to change the look of my blog, but not sure what I want it to look like. Maybe more visually interesting? More personal? Less colorful? Ideas, anyone?

When I started blogging, I was inspired by blogs I had read and then even more-so by Tara Frey's book. I couldn't wait to get blogging! So I kinda grabbed at the first background I saw that I felt matched my blog name, the first picture I saw for the header and so on....I liked it for a while, and still do, but thought maybe if I change it up a bit, I'd be more intent on blogging every day. Not just here and there like I have been.

I recently decided that I don't want a too theme-y blog; I want it to convey all sorts of things and be something for anyone. Not just moms, not just crafters, not just this, not just that. You get the picture. I'm still really new here in blogland and haven't quite got the grasp on it yet that I want. I guess I'll just keep chugging along and go where it takes me.

I hope to keep at it for a while and that if some of you read it, you may want to come back. :)

*edited* I just found this background and love it because it has all my favorite colors and isn't too cluttered. What do you think?

Sniff...cough...

I caught a cold. From where I don't know, but I don't like it. My head feels spacey and my eyes are watery and my nose is sore. I'm tired beyond belief.

Make it go away.....please.

Fun finds

My local thrifting jaunt includes three stores. The Salvation Army, Goodwill and Keepers. I love all three and have had amazing luck finding things I really like, not just random bits that I later take back to the Goodwill on my own 'cleaning out the house' trips.

A few months ago, I was at the Goodwill and didn't see anything interesting until...

I went next door to Keepers. I found this little goodie to add to my kitchen. My current kitchen isn't the ideal space for it; it's more of a galley style, but I don't care. I wanted the table. The only thing is that I can't decide if I want to keep it natural or paint it.

Maybe someday I'll decide.....

Red? White? Limey green? Pale butter yellow? What do you think?

Then a couple weeks ago while the boys were at hockey, I was trying to focus on housework. It wasn't happening because I kept thinking of a cute jar I saw at the Goodwill.

When I couldn't stand it anymore, I went. I found this cute little tin 'picnic basket'. It's a little dented, but that makes it cuter in my mind.

It functions as a cute place to store/hide seasonal baking items.

Everything has a purpose, right? ;)

This was something I had seen for a good three weeks just sitting on the shelf waiting. It's what I kept thinking about that Saturday. The strawberry pattern just wouldn't leave my mind. I was so excited that it was still there when I went back! It's like it was meant to be. Right? Love it.

Now I have a cute place to keep the oatmeal.

On the same trip, I went to the Salvation Army and found this cutie! It's McCoy and I googled it when I got home and learned that there's a whole line of dish ware in this cute pattern. I had no idea. Now I'm on the lookout for more!

Right now I'm hiding Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs in there....shhh, don't tell!!

I have way too much fun on these excursions and always look forward to going and what I may find. I could spend all day driving here and there to different stores on a hunt for great stuff!

Do you have a favorite place to find goodies for your home? Where is it? What is your fun find?

Clinton. Love him

I watch What Not to Wear religiously. Reruns, new episodes, marathons, whatever. The show cracks me up. Stacy and Clinton are a great duo.

Clinton Kelly wrote a book that I love. It's funny, informative and very entertaining. The way he writes, it's like he's talking right to you. If you're into looking better, dressing better, cooking; anything really, read this. I bought it the day it came out. His personality is totally obvious in this book.A few months later, I got an email from Macy's telling me that together with Clinton, they were making over America. Within that email, there was a form to fill out to be part of it. I wasn't chosen, but that's o.k. because I could still go to see him in person! YAY!!! When I got there, there were so many ladies waiting to be sat and watch the show. When he came out and the show started, it was awesome. The ladies he styled looked beautiful and he's so much fun to listen to. Like a BFF. Unfortunately, one lady fell during the catwalk, but he rushed right to her and put his arm around her waist, strutted her around again and walked her back to the curtain. Such a gentleman.
After the show, there was a book signing and somehow, I got bunched in a group of women who got to be the first ones to get their book signed. :) He was so awesome. He liked the jacket I had on; it was like one he had in an outfit in the show, and that was a major compliment to me. I think he's so cute and was happy to see that he looks and acts exactly like he does on TV.
The only disappointment was that there were no personal picture opportunities with him. I understand because it would have taken all day, but I was still a bit bummed. Anyway, there's a new set of dates for this year and hopefully I can make it to Seattle to visit my friend Heather and drag her to see Clinton with me. :)