vintage school lockers.

this has to be one or two of my favorite finds so far.  i've been hunting and gathering for my business, the polkadotcrab, for a few years now.
 



































these goodies don't come along everyday.  especially at this price.  $10?  and you'll deliver them, too?  oh yes.  i'll take them!

 

glu..ing.

here's a sneak peek at a project we've been busy working on for a certain upcoming day...
care to guess?

why hello there.

i know. i've been away. away from this space for awhile. again. it wasn't intentional. it just happened. i've been thinking about it here. here in this little corner of cyberspace. thinking of things to write about. thinking about needing the time to write. jotting down notes. but i haven't been. here.

january. well it happened. it was awful cold. and loaded with lots of snowstorms. and six snow days. do you know what snow days do to a person? kids love them. after two or three, moms? not so much. i think this week is only our third full week of school since before christmas. and guess what? we were home sick one day of one of those weeks. meaning that little one has only gone to school for two full weeks in 2011. enough said.

february? well. it started out with the plague. at least that's what a friend referred to it as. i was down and out. for a week. and you know what? mommy's can't get sick. because the world keeps right on turning anyways....

so here's a peek at what i've been up to...i've got some exciting things coming up that is going to take some more time, but be good. be just what i've needed. can't wait.

but in the meantime, a little show and tell perhaps?

drinking espresso. lots of espresso.


playing in the snow.


sewing...


ailing...


and dreaming of vacation.

in the rearview mirror.

2010 was a pretty interesting year for us. after the awfulness that engulfed us and our friends in 2009 we knew 2010 had to be better...

we spent a bunch of time away this year. 3 weeks total on the beach which isn't bad for us land-locked folks...

we drove half way across the country for two weeks at the beach with family. we learned that we won't do that again (drive not visit!)...

my business got busier, i did a super fun show in february and met lots of fun interesting people...

little one finished kindergarten and started first (!) grade...

little two is in his final year of preschool...

i got an ipad (what did i do without it?)...

discovered the joy of prescription sunglasses...

we finally finished our basement...

we almost uprooted our family and moved to charlotte, north carolina...

little one discovered justin bieber...

we drove to texas to visit the american girl store. lord help us.

an old friend lost her dear dad...

we added clementine to our family...

we took a ride on thomas the train...

my mom got a new knee...

another friend got a new hip...

a friend decided to go back to school and move away...

we made new friends...

started a 365 day photo project (and didn't finish)...

we hiked, we kyaked...

we went to colorado with friends...

we went away for new years (lots of fun!)...

went to texas and florida.

spent time in 19 states in one year...

the littles played t-ball and soccer, danced and did gymnastics. sang in the choir...

i cooked and baked a lot...

made jam for the first time...

my computer died...

i got addicted to watching chelsea handler...

i got further into adventuring...

rode my bike a lot...

discovered a yummy new cupcake shop...

and spent oodles of time with my family that made the year perfect.

do i know what 2011 will hold?

no. but i'm moving full steam ahead...

finished.

ok. so it is a week plus after christmas. but i finally finished a gift that i have been working on for way too long.

it was one of those projects that you conceptualize and think, "wow that will be a good idea" "and that's easy. won't take me anytime at all." well...
i should know better by now.

i hand cut the snowflake from white wool,
glued it on raw linen,
and then blanket stitched around it.
i added the vintage buttons at that end.


it really shouldn't have taken that long...but i started it when i was knee deep in other projects. i should really try to finish one thing before i start another. maybe this year i'll learn my lesson...

i even did button holes on the back after i made an envelope sleeve and sewed great big vintage buttons to close it. i did a modified flange hem around the edges. now. to get it in the mail. i hope they like it!

did you know.

"did you know mom, that actually you will miss me lots today while i am at school?"

where. i've. been.

i've been out of this space for awhile. popping in here and there. but mainly gone. just vanished.

well. you know. life. it sometimes gets in the way. and happens.

first my computer died a long slow death. took the hubs awhile to decide it was really gone and that we had to get a new one.

but by that time. well. school had started. so had soccer and dance and choir and gymnastics and some sales. and well. it was busy. really busy. and then my mom had her knee replaced. and there were birthdays. and work. and littles who just needed attention and a puppy who. has. required alot. of attention. *ahem*. and then all of a sudden it was thanksgiving. and i had to have a little surgery. and then it was christmas and new years. and well. i'm just taking a deep breath. and actually enjoying the calm of january. so that's it. that's where i've been.
busy. but no busy busier than anyone else.

and i've been thinking. thinking of where i want this blog to go. what i want it do. and i'm hoping for some revamps in the near future. but for now. i'm just going to look back and enjoy.

 

all is calm.

wishing you and yours the merriest!

merry christmas!

oh christmas tree.

elf.

i'm playing elf. today. finishing up some last minute things. taping. tying ribbons on boxes. eating cookies. christmas is almost here!

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas.

the lights are up. so are the angels. and the snowmen.


and the putz vintage houses and trees.


but not the big tree. that is still to come.



there are presents to buy (and make). gifts to wrap. songs to sing. christmas pageants. the nutcracker to see. the symphony to hear. and cards. to send. but for now. i'm just enjoying the twinkling lights. and sparkly ornaments.

jingle. jingle.

i am loving how my front door and porch turned out this year... these photos are pretty terrible.  i apologize for the quality!  but i wanted to show you how you can use things you have around the house or are easy to find at the thrift stores to decorate. 

i strung a bunch of old silver pitchers and teapots on pretty ribbon, tied them together and hung them on the front door.  had to hang them on the storm door, so i took a couple of the pads that you stick on the bottoms of chairs and put them on the back to decrease the banging on the glass.  

i can't tell you how many compliments i've gotten on these!  next year i'm going to add a painted frame to the inside door to "frame" them out.  

a cute and inexpensive way to decorate.  and it beats the ordinary wreath you'll find on everyone else's door. 

my next top chef.

someone loves himself some pumpkin bread. so this am. he and daddy baked up a storm and created a dusty mess in the kitchen. but the result was well worth the dust.

reap the rewards.

last summer i put up a bunch of freezer jam. strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach. so so easy.


and now. so so good. i'll pass on the recipe and details in another post. but for now i'm just enjoying some bread and jam.

the little stuff.

sometimes it's the little stuff. look what martha came up with for the holidays? adorable printed paper tape. now. it might not be happy tape. but it's cute. and it's right down the road at michaels.


this stuff makes me happy.