Do you "heart" pancakes?

Well, I wouldn't say that I LOVE pancakes (I save my love for junk!) but I do HEART them!

And since my kitchen was relatively clear this fine Saturday morning, today was the day to give my new Christmas griddle the ol' pancake try.  AND, since we're just days away from Valentines, it had to be done "heart" style.

I used to do initials for the kids, but today's art of choice would be hearts...

Once the hearts had a little time to cook I just poured more batter on top to form your basic pancake... 

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles...FLIP! 

Awwww.....so beautiful.....I think I'm tearing up! 

And to make it even more festive I decided to smother them in strawberries...but...OH NO!!....No hearts! 

So I threw on another pancake, smeared strawberries around edges, add whipped topping and....YIKES.....not good.... 

Soooo.....let's try this again... 

Yup, straight up heart pancakes seem to do the trick.... 

We wouldn't be losing THESE hearts (well, at least not for a few minutes).... 

Much better! 

SOOOO....Do YOU "heart" pancakes?

Midge

I will be linking this up to Donna's Saturday Nite Special Party at

Funky Junk Interiors 

'Twas the week before Christmas.....

I wanted to have lots of things on my list done by now.  I wanted to take pictures.  I wanted to particiapte in all the fun blog parties ...... But I should know better.  This happens every year....I'm a procrastinator.

So, like all hardcore procrasinators, with everything needing to be done, today I chose to write a poem.


'TWAS THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house,
A junker was stirring, not so much her spouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with flair,
In the hopes that a photo would soon take place there.

The kids had done nothing, not even made beds,
Still, visions of Best Buy cards danced in their heads.

And she still with presents to purchase and wrap,
Had waited so long, there was no time to nap.

When out in the kitchen, arose such a chatter,
"How come there're no cookies on mom's great big platter?"

Away to get started, though not flush with cash,
She had some ideas, and of course a junk stash.

The glow of a holiday home decore show, 
Reminded her, she still had quite far to go.

When what to her listening ears should appear,
But, music of jingle bells, joy and reindeer.

With a big cup of eggnog, so foamy and thick,
She started to plan -- she needed to -- quick!

More rapid than eagles, the ideas they came,
And she giggled, and shouted, and called them by name,

Now Angels! Now Santas! Now branches and candles!
On Tables!  On counters!  On doorknobs and handles!

To the top of the porch!  To the top of the wall!
Now decorate! Decorate! Decorate all!

This just might happen, there was no need to cry,
She knew she could do it, she just had to try.

So up from the basement, the stored boxes flew,
With a tub full of lights and some ornaments too.

And then so inspired, she thought of the roof,
"Less is more" she then realized -- "Don't be a goof!"

As she gathered her things and was scrounging around, 
A total of three Christmas trees had been found.

They were dressed all in fir, from each top to each root,
And the tallest one did not even stand to six foot!

A bungle of branches, each tree a sad sack,
But Charlie would tell her, she shouldn't turn back.

The lights how they twinkled! The garland how merry!
The ornaments homey (though a little bit scary!).

No presents beneath, not a tag or a bow,
A gentle reminder there's still far to go.

Candy canes, chocolates -- those poor little teeth!
Poinsettias, and cards, and..oh yeah -- the wreath!

She wanted to cook yummy food for each belly,
Ham, potatoes, and fresh rolls with jelly.

She tried to be joyful, a right jolly elf,
Despite always causing these problems herself.

A close of her eyes and a bow of her head,
Soon gave her to know she had nothing to dread.

She spoke rambling words, but whatever would work,
"If I don't fill their stockings, I'll look like a jerk!"

And she said to herself, "Get'er done, I suppose,"
Groceries, shopping -- that's just how it goes.

She sprang to her van, though the belts tend to whistle,
And away the thing flew, through mud, snow and thistle.

She was heard to exclaim as she drove out of sight,
"Maybe THIS is the year that I do Christmas right!"


Midge

I'll try to post what I can as I move forward this week. 

A Quickie -- and some diamonds!

Just a quickie post for now because it's been too long since I've posted. And I've been negligent in my blog visiting and commenting. Sorry -- I'm trying to get back on track.

So where have I been? Well, nowhere special. I've just been preoccupied with my sale I had last weekend. It went pretty well, EXCEPT (and here's where the diamonds enter the scene) --

I started the day with the shattering of a giant (3'x7') pane of glass, all over my head and all over the parking lot (don't worry, it was tempered). Sometime after, someone pulled up and shouted out their window "So what are you going to make out of THAT?!" At which we first laughed, and then we both looked at each other with that "you're right!" kinda look. Afterall, it really did look like a pile of sparkling diamonds lying there in the parking lot, and who wouldn't want a junk project made from diamonds?

So the diamonds, I mean thousands of pieces of glass, have been saved and are waiting for their next life. I've got some ideas.....but I'd certainly welcome more.
Midge

Have you met Alice?

Have You Met Alice?

Does this look familiar?



Well, if it does, you've probably already stopped by Alice's blog at yesteryearsjewels. And if not, you need to get on over there and check out this and her other great posts.

Who, you might ask, is Alice? Well, Alice is a dear friend of mine, which seems funny since I've never even met her. But I've gotten to know her through JunkMartketStyle, our blogs, and Facebook. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to discover her the winner of my little challenge a couple weeks ago -- she KNOWS how cheap I am. The challenge: to guess the total amount spent on my trip to the Goodwill. The prize: a feature post on this blog. So here goes!

This post will be presented interview style based on Alice answers to questions I asked her. Sit back and enjoy getting to know Alice just a little bit better, then go check out her blog.

Midge: I know you live in Texas, but tell me a little more about where you live, why, how long, etc.
Alice: Very Boring. Born, raised, and always lived in Ft. Worth. Thirty-three years ago we moved to the burbs which has now become the city of Benbrook. So to sum it up -- 60 (YIKES) years!

Midge: Are you married? If so tell me a little about your husband. Do you have children/grandchildren?
Alice: My husband Darrell is from Austin, MN, home of Spam! He took me to the Museum -- WAY too much fun!! He says once he learned there were warmer places he never looked back. He has 2 children. I have 1 daughter. My/our daugher is always looking out for us. She has the most adorable son. Hunter is six. He has his own room at our house. We have lived in the same house for 33 years. Hunter calls me "Ghee" and calls Darell "Pops". In his room we have an antique four poster bed. He wanted a tent so we have clamps with a green sheet attached to the posters with an eye hook in the ceiling. We have Christmas lights around his mirror. We really enjoy him!!!!
Our oldest granddaughter, Sarah, is graduating from A & M this year (the week before the big event with Sue ). Sarah's brother, Spencer, is 16 and in high school. He got his drivers license this year -- YIKES! He is raising a pig at his school. We have 4 more grandchildren that we don't have the chance to see very much.

Midge: Besides junking, do you or did you have a job? What kind of work do/did you do?
Alice: I worked a real job for 2 years in an office. It was NOT me! In '78 my mother and I opened an antique store -- Yesteryear's Leftovers. Darrell was so supportive. In '79 we went to the Dallas Market with old quilt bears. That was a wild ride for sure. We were in every major store in NYC. We were featured in numerous magazines -- Country Living, Smithsonian, etc.
When Darrell retired he wanted me to, too. So in January of 2001 we did. I also did patterns for Butterick. That was really fun!

Midge: When you're not junking, what kinds of things would I find you doing?
Alice: Having my grandson Hunter, reading, making jewelry, blogging, painting, working at my church.

Midge: If I bumped into you in the grocery store, what would you be dressed like?
Alice: Summer -- crop jeans, flip flops, t-shirt. Winter -- jeans, sweats, tennis shoes.

Midge: What is your favorite restaurant or food?
Alice: Italian or Mexican.

Midge: Tell me about your upcoming trip to NYC?
Alice: My friend's son lives there. My friend's husband died sudenly in November so we started planning a trip. We are really going just for pleasure.

Midge: Where else have you traveled to? If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Alice: I've traveled to the Carribean (E., W., & S.), Baltic countries, South Pacific, Canada, Alaska, England, Europe (Italy, France, Luxembourg, Germany), and Mexico. I think I would like to explore New Zealand. Of course, I really want to go back to Italy and stay another 3 weeks!

Midge: Tell me about any of your favorite books, music, movies, or t.v.
Alice: Right now I am reading Susan Wiggs. I enjoy country music. I like the movies Blind Side, Sound of Music, South Pacific, and Miracle on 34th St. I also like the t.v. shows NCIS, Mentalist, and American Pickers.

And now the good stuff.....
Midge: What is your junk "specialty"?
Alice: Good question! I really enjoy the architectural pieces, can't see to get enough of them. I like making different things with them.

Midge: How long have you been junking?
Alice: Well, off and on (mostly on) 50 years.

Midge: Do you junk for yourself, or as a money-making venture?
Alice: I wish I was making money because I could buy more junk! I do sell some of my creations -- it's my jewelry that sells (some ot the time anyway). But I junk mostly for pleasure and fun with my chums.

Midge: What was your favorite junk find or purchase?
Alice: There are so many I will have to think a bit. The kitchen sink! We got it at a salvage store. It is 52" including the drain boards. And all my architectural pieces.

Midge: What was the project of yours you were most pleased with?
Alice: My red cabinet.

Midge: Do you have any junk goals for 2010?
Alice: I would like to go to Oronco Gold Days. I would really like to organize my studio. We have a 30x50 barn FULL. It would be really good to clean and organize it.

Midge: What is your favorite tool?
Alice: Well, it depends on what I am doing. My hand sander for wood. Otherwise the drill press and all my jewelry tools.

Midge: Since you've been junking, what has surprised you the most in some way?
Alice: What people will throw away, what they charge for the "Uglies/New", and how cheap the good cruddy stuff is (Yea).

Midge: What's your favorite thing about junking?
Alice: Meeting new people. That is what to me is so great about blogging and JMS!

And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed the chance to know Alice a little better as much as I did.
Midge

Totally Random Post

I just spotted a flyer that reminded me of last week Friday, so thought I'd post. During the day last Friday I mentioned to my husband that I should figure out something for dinner and head to the grocery store. He said "Oh, I forgot to tell you. One of the guys in my Bible study group is having a fundraising pasta dinner tonight. He and his wife have 2 little girls and are in the process of adopting three little boys from Ethiopia. He handed out flyers." So I said we should go, as I love pasta and I'm a softie for anything adoption related (and I'd be off the hook for making dinner!).

As I was out and about running errands I started to have second thoughts. I didn't even know these people. Chris barely knew the guy. It would probably be a lot of family and friends -- we would be out of place and look awkward. And besides, I knew that Chris didn't really want to go, he would rather just chill after a hard week of work. So when I got home I told Chris we didn't have to go. But after a few minutes, he said "No, we probably should really go. How could I look that guy in the eye each week if I ducked his fundraiser." Okay, not totally enthusiastic, but it was decided we would go.

When we got there, we were warmly greeted by THE GUY (I don't even know his name) and directed to the tables of food. We waved to one guy we happened to know who was helping in the kitchen (turns out he and the guy are best friends). Throughout the room were balloons, photos, facepainting, and maps and trivia about Ethiopia -- a real celebration feeling. There were people everywhere, many young families and lots of kids. We found a spot to park ourselves and quietly ate our meal -- we didn't recognize a soul.

AND THEN....I looked up and standing and talking to someone a little ways in front of us was my good, good friend Ann -- a big smile on her face as usual. It took a little theatrics to finally get her attention, but she spotted me and made a beeline right over. "We really don't even hardly know these people," I sheepishly told her. "We just thought we should cause the guy's in Chris' Bible study. How are you connected to this?"

(AND HERE'S THE GOOD PART!) Ann says "Oh, we don't know either of them at all. Never met them." HUH?....."In our small group, we were talking about random acts of kindness and decided not just to do them, but to do them for complete strangers. Someone in our group knew about this from their adoption support group. So here we all are." UGGG.... My friend Ann is SOOO awesome!

So what about you? Have you been involved in any random acts of kindness? I'd love it if you'd share. And I know we can often be hesitant to talk about things we've done. So here's the deal, feel free to phrase it as "I have this FRIEND who....". Chances are you really DO have an awesome friend like I do, so we won't know the difference. And you even have permission to embellish with any fun details you wish (my husband says the key to believable lies is in the details you add -- WAIT! how does he know so much about good lying, hmmm.....).

So, anyway, I have this friend who....

Midge

Gather round the kitchen table, I've got a big announcement

I can't think of a better way to make a GRAND KTCHEN ANNOUNCEMENT than by first introducing you to this GRAND KITCHEN LADY. I wish I could say that she's our new mascot, but alas, she belongs to another.


I found this displayed in one of our local charity, thrift shops. Of course, I immediately freaked out and ran to my car for the camera -- no camera. Trip #2 -- camera, no photo disk. Trip #3
-- success.

This was put together by one of the store's volunteer merchandisers. She had seen it in a magazine (don't know which one, sorry I can't give credit) and immediately fell in love with it and had to duplicate it for the store.

SPECTACULAR!

Speaking of spectacular, my big announcement isn't spectacular, but it is exciting for me. My husband has a website selling kitchen cabinets online. So to hopefully send some traffic his way......wait for it........wait for it.......I'VE STARTED ANOTHER BLOG!!!

It's called "Havin' Fun in the Kitchen" and it's all about, ...duh, having fun in the kitchen. There's a link to it in my sidebar. I hope you check it out.

Midge

P.S. If that wasn't big enough for you, check back here in the next day or so. I'm planning another mediocre, I mean exciting, announcement. .......... Okay, it's going to be about my first giveaway. Keep it on the down low.

A Tale of Two Kiddies

Anyone who's read my blog knows just how much I LOVE junk. But what I don't mention very much is that even more than being a junker, first and foremost I'm a mom. And I felt very much in mom mode this past weekend. A lot of driving people here and there, a lot of "Mom, I need...", and a lot of "Oh mom, can you...?" The job of parenting is a mighty one. But what really put the parenting thing on my heart over the weekend (and I'm having trouble shaking it -- thus the blogging) is what I observed in a few other families over the weekend.

Saturday night I attended Dan's ceremony of becoming an Eagle scout, one of the highest honors and biggest achievements a young man can attain. Dan, a friend of my son Andrew and a member of my church, graduated from high school a few weeks ago. His mother, a friend of mine is currently unemployed but doesn't make a lot even when she is working. There are two younger kids at home, one special needs (and one high maintenance). The dad has been out of the picture for several years, rarely contacts the kids and provides no support--emotional or financial. The family now lives modestly in our local mobile home park, but has moved around a lot. Dan had to work very hard and overcome a lot of obstacles to become an Eagle scout and seeing him recognized for it, I couldn't have been prouder.

The other family has a son who is friends with my 16 year old son. The mom is also a friend of mine (as well as being a fellow junker). This family is a very stable one and has always lived in their cute victorian house. Both parents grew up in our small, family-values town and they have been married since shortly after high school. They have passed their strong Christian faith down to their 4 sons and are loving, attentive parents. Sadly however, I spent Monday afternoon attending the funeral of their second oldest son (older brother of my son's friend). He should have graduated with Dan and Andrew's class, but the week before went into a coma from overdosing on meth, never recovered, and passed away last week.

Parenting is a blessing and a task from God. It is wonderful, exhausting, fun, interesting, frustrating, sometimes triumphant, and sometimes tragic.... and always unpredictable.
I am praying to work on being a better parent. And of course I'm also praying for Lisa, Jerry, and the boys.

Thanks for letting me share.
Midge

P.S. I'm not very comfortable with the serious, heavy stuff -- much better with fluff, and junk. So I promise the next post will be soon and will be fun. Peace.

Anyone for a spot of tea?

Okay, so I'm a little behind on my blogging. I've been a bit preoccupied with my junk and trying to get more things made. And on top of that, our women's group at church (W3--Women Without Walls) held a Garden Tea Party this Thursday night which I was involved helping with. But what a fun, relaxing, girly night it was.


The star of the show, of course, was the tea itself. Three kinds were served -- Egyptian Mint tea, Sapphire Earl Gray, and a cool Raspberry tea. I tried them all, but I'm not really a tea drinker. And I don't think I've ever been to a "real" tea party before, just the kind with fake tea (koolaid) and cookies.

The tables were beautifully dressed for the occasion. And we used some of my 3 tiered dessert stands. Who knew junk could be so beautiful! The top tier held scones (course #1), the middle held chocolate dipped strawberries, mini cream puffs, and petit fours (course #3), and the bottom tier is empty in the photo, but shortly afterly I eagerly took this photo, out came platters of egg salad on rye mini sandwiches, chicken salad croissants, and cucumber sandwiches for the bottom tier (course #2).

Even more important than the food and beverages served was the bringing together of the women young and old who were there.

Mothers and daughters reconnected (Amy and her mother).

Young girls had the opportunity to get dressed up, experience new things, and practice their table manners -- naturally, using their best British accents. These young ladies were guests of my daughter Becky.

I finished my latest project -- a ladder arbor -- just in time to include it in the festivities for photo ops. An array of hats and boas was provided and the ladies certainly used them to their best advantage.

Grandma, mom, and daughters had pictures taken together all gussied up. These 4 cuties
(Sally, Beth, Alyssa, and Brianna) shared a table with me that night.

Anyway, the night was really fun and special. Love-a-ly!

But now I've got some serious blogging to do. Tah tah.

Midge

Here I Go!

Hope you enjoy the picture of me, because that's probably the only one you'll ever see. That being said, I feel it's my obligation to say as every blogger does "Well, here I go. I've never really blogged
before so bear with me. I hope I can come up with plenty to talk
about."
Enough cliches. And I know I'll have plenty to talk about if I simply chronicle my adventures of transforming my junk and trying to make that into a successful enterprise. I actually did
already have a blog, but apparently I didn't quite get what a blog really is and I didn't produce it correctly. After cruising through some blogs recently, I had an "aha" moment and finally grasped the concept. So I'm trying again. And since I'm updating my website and there's a link to my blog, I'd better have a blog. So without further ado, here's my blog and ....Here I Go!