A tiskit, a tasket, one thrift-astic payday!

Today was our big once a month payday, which means it was errand day, too. And errand day equals thrift store shopping, among other stops. There are some small thrift shops in town, and one larger Salvation Army shop. I usually try to hit the SA, and however many of the smaller ones, that #4 & 5 will tolerate. Today, I hit the SA and one more. Not bad, considering #4 is more interested than being within arms reach of me, than in the stroller/cart. Today's expenditure was $16.3o+. $13.30+ in the SA, and another $3 in one of the smaller, locally run ARC-type stores.

Now that I've teased you, lol, here is today's haul (not a record, but not bad, either!)...
A lovely outfit purchased in separate pieces for #3. She was thrilled to get something "new"--and was very appreciative of the double ruffle on the sleeves and bottom of the shirt. And the flowers/embroidery on the jumper. Oh me oh my, my pretty pretty princess got pink clothes !!!

These two lovelies were $1/ea at the SA. I'm probably going to keep them white (although I am still thinking about a can of black/ORB spray paint!), and use them outside in the summer time, as well as indoors as a centerpiece, on occasion. They are very pretty, and definitely going to fit in well for seasonal decorations from winter through summer.

This is a tall, slim, straight-sided vase, and a blue glass urn-shaped vase/candleholder. I've been trying to build up a stock of the straight-sided vases, as well as seasonally colored glassware and accessories to use around the house (blue is the winter and summer color, btw). I saw a wonderful centerpiece using the straightsided vases, over at Thrifty Decor Chick a while back. Considering that El Husbando is going to be building me (us) a new, verrrry large dining room table very soon (hint hint honey--we're having company for Thanksgiving!), I want to have something versatile that I can use for special events, as well as for other things year round. And these straightsided vases definitely fit the bill! So far, I have this one, and a wider, taller one--both gotten at the local Salvation Army, for $.50/ $1 each. Not too shabby! The blue urn is currently in the china cabinet (yes, the one that is too small to hold all of my good china, safely). It will come out in early January to do duty as a candleholder on a table. Which one? I'm not too sure yet, but I know it will come to me! This cute little planter, appears to be hand-thrown, hand-glazed, and it has this cute little painted on design. It has beautiful berries, in a delightful bittersweet color, and the leaves are that perfect shade of greeny-brown...perfect for caching small bits on a vanity, a table top, a desk, or whatnot. The little ruffled top, hard to see at this angle, has a brownish glaze on it. The weight and smooth feel of this still has the appeal of the hand thrown. There is something different about handglazed pottery. It feels...warmer. More...earthy. More human. As much as I like my poured and molded ceramics, there is a certain elemental appeal to the hand-made...I spent $.50 on this one...

These two images are of the same dish. It is a Hallmark piece. The fruit design is raised, and the red glaze on the outside surface matches the red on my kitchen table, and the various red pieces of furniture through the public areas of our house. It was a perfect, $.50 addition to our fall decor line up.

Milk glass. Ah, I do so love me some milk glass. Now, I know, that one piece is just a lid. BUT I also know that there are many many pieces out there, without lids. And I happen to have one. So, for a pittance, I have a lid, in a pattern I reallllly want to start collecting/using, as well as a small goblet, in the same pattern. I can't tell you exactly how much I paid, because I spent $3 total at this other, local thrift shop, and got a TON of stuff (more to come!)....

Three new tins to add to my collection--I'm planning on using them on shelves over my craft area, for storing things like trims, buttons, zippers, you know--all sorts of things. It is slow going, but I'm gradually getting enough. The girls are having fun helping me figure out what sorts of things out to go in which tin. Of course, I've told them "hands off"... these babies are *mine*! (besides, they get their own money, and can buy their own tins and hatboxes, if they want them!).

This stash of fabric right here was hanging outside the small local shop. Marked "Fabric, $.10-$1 each). The background stack, is two larger wonderfully soft "grandma" sheets (you know...those delightfully soft, cool cotton, percale sheets that grandma used to have...I snag those where ever I see them. They are sturdy, comfy, and if there are stains, or rips, then the fabric will be great for skirts, patchwork, or other crafty ideas. The bottom of the stack is a similar sheet, but it has already been cut a wee bit, and so I've already gotten it earmarked for summer skirts for the girls. The front, the beautiful violet print, is actually two long cotton valances. I'm torn on these. Part of me wants to carefully take them apart, and use them for parts of #2's quilt (#1 gets lilies, #2 gets violets, #3 gets roses). But the rest of me, wants to keep these and use them as...gasp...valances. I have windows that they would fit. But oh....I'll have to think on this for a while. I got all of this fabric at the local shop (part of that $3 I spent)...

Now on to the clothes. Here are two, mens wool sweaters. On the left is a green vest (it has some small holes), and the right is a long-sleeved, argyle chested model (also with small holes). Perfect for felting and crafting. These two were found at the SA.

Here are some clothes for #4 & 5. The left is a 3T John Deere hooded sweatshirt. In the background, a longsleeved red shirt that they can wear now. The front right, is a very much too large for them right now, size 7. It has winter 'embroidery' on it (wolves. Trees. Manly stuff, lol). Part of the SA haul....

Here are my two stacks of boys clothes, for upcoming years for the gruesome twosome...12 shirts total that ought to be in these stacks (I missed one shirt, it fell into the chair, lol). These were both SA hauls.

I just remembered I completely forgot to get a picture of a pretty red velvet pillow I bought a the small local shop. It is very nicely fluffed, and has a neat almost a cross between a gather and pleat on the four sides...it is square, no piping or cording or other trim...not huge, but very comfy. It is currently in another, long-time ago rummage sale find, my big mongo oak rocking chair.

The weather is clear and cool today, folks, and we are definitely drying out--but the water is still running. Yesterday's rains ripped a neighbor's culvert up and out of the ground, and the water is still running high and fast in local drainage culverts. As El Husbando and I discussed this morning, we're getting just enough time between rains, that the surface water drains off/dries up a bit, but much below the surface, it is still wet/damp. And it doesn't take much for already wet soil to reach the saturation point...we are glad for the rains, most definitely. Build up the resevoirs, refill the aquifers, replenish the wells and ground water. But a week and a half between rains would be GREAT. Then I might have enough time to get things into the ground for the fall garden...

One might think that a week would be fine. And, in many places, it would be. But the soil here, as I believe I may have mentioned before, is very. very. very. clay. Black. Thick. Clay. Some folks around here call it "Black Gumbo". It is ugggglllly. And it holds. the. water. for. days. and days. and days. After the almost two inches of rain we got yesterday, we will be lucky to dry out enough by Monday, to do anything at all out there. If it will warm up a wee bit, and the wind sustain itself, at least we might be able to mow the garden down before then, even if we cannot plow it up til Monday or Tuesday. But then we will need to let it set for a day or two to dry some more, then we can consider tilling it. And then, and only then, assuming it is still dry, we can plant. Which means I am looking at 2 weeks of needed dry weather. I am hoping that we will get the mowing done tomorrow. Assuming we can get things dried out enough. Wind, and warm sunshine. We need it. Badly. Pray please!

Tonight's dinner, instead of our family Friday Fun Night standard, pizza, will be lasagna. I'm debating about making some more of the 5 minute artisan bread to go along with it, or if the heaviness of the lasagna will make the bread redundant. An email is in to El Husbando to ascertain his opinion on the matter (cause we all know, if Daddy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! ).

There isn't too much else on the agenda for today, a few errands remain to be done, before we pick El Husbando up at work this afternoon. #4 & 5 are down for their nap (wish I was!), and so #1-3 are eating lunch. We'll clean up from that, do some math work (flashcards and worksheets) and then some more house chores, before we need to go run our errands and pick Daddy up from the office. I *may* even see if he would let me run into another thrift store or two on Main Street, after we get him in the car, that way I'm not having to drag the children in with me. Some of these places are *not* big enough for a double stroller, don't have carts, and are decidedly *not* small child friendly.

Hopefully, the weather where you are is sunny and warm. Or even better, sunny, warm, and you're sipping a cup of something delightfully delicious, with someone you love (or at least, like and tolerate passably well, lol!).

There will be more later. I am sorry about the lack of a Diva post yesterday, because my computer decided that Internet Explorer could not show this page (or any other!) after late-mid afternoon. I could, however, get my email. Don't ask me, I just live here. :-D I will do my best to get one up today, although it may be a while, thanks to chores and schoolwork.

Until then, buck up, keep a stiff upper lip! There will be a Diva, if I have to go on to El Husbando's computer and get this thing done that way...Where there is a will, there's a way!