Short tables in front of couches

I have never bought a coffee table. In fact, I've rarely seen a cup of coffee on the short table- like things that I have set in front of the couch over the years. #1 rule for me about these short tables: - If I can't prop my feet up on it at the end of a long day then it doesn't belong in front of the most comfortable seat in the house.
My first coffee table was an old army trunk that my husband's great grandpa gave him. It served it's duty for years in our multiple family rooms. Sometimes I would drape it with fabric, other times I would use only a runner, and if you can believe it sometimes I left it bare other than a few accessories on top.

After much fretting over what was then (and probably still is) the most expensive antique that I had every bought...I called a dear friend to use her Vibe and headed out on the 30 mile drive to take the plunge. It has earned it's keep!! No one knows what it really is but it has served as end table, coffee table and conversation piece...it's what I'm using currently




And this was an item bought from my first ever auction!!! (maybe I can blame the bench for my instant addiction...) I used it on my front porch for ages, but when we moved here I employed it as my foot propper of choice. I really liked it, but I needed a change...

So...for Christmas one year I moved this guy into place as a foot propper...

I love it for the pop of red at the holiday time, but it's too much red throughout the year...I've thought about painting it, but then I lose the opportunity for it's holiday cheer as winter sets in...

As it has been termed...I "shop my house" I call it maximizing my assets and my budget. Plus, now that makes me green! So the red table serves as play & snack table.

The bench has made a cozy vignette in an otherwise lost hallway...

...and so you are not disappointed...the army trunk has it's place as one of the most used seats in the house...it makes a cozy little love seat on the porch when we have company, it's a good diaper changing table when we are playing outside, and I've been known to catch a few zzzz's in the sunshine too! Shhh!! Don't tell anyone...

So, lately I've been thinking of buying the coffee table that matches our TV stand, but then what would I do on afternoons that I'm trying to avoid housework...

Tell me I'm not alone...

What's your coffee table? Do you have any items of furniture that move around your home?

He’s Still Working on Me

We used to sing a little song…He's Still Working on Me…to make me what I ought to be…it took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars…how loving and patient He must be-
because He's still working on me!



I was accused of being extra talented twice this week. The good Lord knows that it would not be a good idea for me to be running around like a chicken with a BIG HEAD cut off…so…He reminded me last night that I am not fit to really give advice on anything!!! I can't even boil an egg!!

This is the third time in six months that I have set eggs to boil (feeling like a pretty good wife for boiling these for my husband's lunch) then forgot about them until I smelled something burning…

BOOM…egg explosion!!
So...I leave a little note that there will not be an egg served into today's red igloo...and head for bed. I tiptoe quietly in to the room knowing that if I wake him…he's gonna smell my rotten eggs!

Sure enough though…sniff…sniff…what's that smell? I reply with "I'm disastrous! I can't even boil an egg!" He surprises me and says sleepily…"I was going to tell you to boil 'em a little longer than you have been."

I give a little laugh, but I'm still perturbed by the mess in the kitchen! He rolls over…"maybe somewhere in between would be good."

Now…I laugh and laugh and decide my verse for the next day!!
Needless to say…we will not be having egg salad, deviled eggs, or any other kind of boiled egg with our ham for dinner tonight!! Or should we…

There's A Reason our Eggs are Cheap!!!

**Note to Self: Take pictures for blog next time...I'm sure you would all have been amused by my the MESS I had to clean up!!"

Sticks and Stone

The snow fell quickly again last night, but to my delight...it's also melting quickly inspiring me not to give up on spring!!
Had about 30 minutes free between morning chores and lunchtime routine...so I optimized my time management and hit a priority - The Goodwill.

Watched a lady leaving with a gorgeous $8 quilt as I entered, but didn't let that "mess" with my attitude...I'll just have to find my own beauty in here! Nothing in furniture. Nothing in linens. Austin's being good...I'll dig deeper...

FIRST FIND OF THE DAY!!
Next up...potty training in the goodwill bathroom...sing to self..."You're gonna miss this...you're gonna want this back..."

IRONIC: receive text from husband..."how's ur day going?" Pause to reflect...reply...Good!

Sure enough...this was my little pile of messy beautiful that made me smile...

Now...isn't that scarf kind of cute...!! I think I can wear it and/or use it in my decorating. Plus...when I got home I noticed it said...

Warriors In Pink!! --- l-o-ve it!

Seriously...if you look close...Copyright 1965!

This is it next to my 21st century flower-arranging book.

Solomon said it first..."there is nothing new under the sun"

OK...so this just isn't me...although I wouldn't argue if my husband sent the flowers because I could mix up those mums, paint the shutters and throw it in a different container...

...these are what really caught my eye.

Botanicals are very HOT in arranging right now and I l-o-ve the feel of bringing the outdoors in!

WARNING: You will see the top of my piano often!

The way our home is configured...it can only go in our great room. It's not really a priority because I rarely get around to playing it, but my dad spent endless hours restoring it when I was young and it's a must keep! The top allows me room for "clutter" that I try to minimize in other places, so it gets changed as often as I get the urge...

So this is what it looked like when I started. I love the earthy and vintage feel of stoneware...

...notice the cute contemporary bird in a frame...see "Shalom's Cottage Home" for details.

The book got me in the mood to move some "sticks" into the room. One of my favorite is so traditional, but so contemporary in it's look...pussy willow.

Now...here's the new look...

For those of you who noticed my other new book..."The Smart Home"...check back because I also bought A House That Cleans Itself for $5 - what a steal!!...although I'm still waiting for it to clean the dust bunnies above the piano...

Comment and tell me: What's the last thrift store item you bought?

Our Daily Bread

CHALLENGE OF THE DAY: "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God" Gen 28:20-21

If you like shopping like I do...you have no lack of clothes...


So...how many of you have a breadmaker buried somewhere in a closet or cupboard??? Dust it off (consider that your cleaning for the day!) and bake a loaf to fill your home with the aroma of sweet love.


If you were married before 1990 or after 2005...you likely didn't get a breadmaker for a wedding gift...in that case open a box of quick muffin mix and get to it!!

Don't forget to tell us what you make and how sweet the smiles are on the

faces of those you love!

When God forgets the door...he opens a window...???

Our house was built in the early 1900's so who knows if it even had an indoor watercloset or an outhouse in the beginning...? What I do know, is somewhere in the last couple of decades a somewhat thoughtful D.I.Y'er decided to put a large bathroom on the mainfloor. The problem...is...they forgot the rest of the tub or perhaps they figured this fabulous fiberglass would give the illusion of a clawfoot (which I would LOVE to have!!). However, the Good Lord says "in whatsoever state I'm in therewith to be content." That state includes a state of incompletion in my 8x8 bathroom!

I have a thing for old windows...so...
Until the forunate day when a gracious soul freecycles a clawfoot...I am content!

Make one contentment decision in your house today and tell me about it!!

Alright...so...this is probably the last subject that I would have picked for my first blog, but today was "get the kitchen dirty day." I had two hours in the kitchen and I love to make a mess in the kitchen!!!

On dirty kitchen day...you will always find a pot of soup simmering because it can cook while I do other things and then one evening in the week when I don't feel like cooking...I have a little secret weapon to pull out. I decided to make a soup that I LOVE...I got it from a friend when she made me a big pot of it when I was sick. So...first...you have to stop and thank God for friends like that. Speaking of God...2 hours in the kitchen...uh...let's sing his praises....

A Capella in and ready to go....

This is an easy, inexpensive, and healthy soup...it takes a bit to simmer in between ingredients so it was a great chance to restock my "stock-ups"

My stock up's are fresh...pre cut...pre packaged goods ready to go.

I ALWAYS have chopped onion in the freezer...I simply chop an onion and put it in a freezer bag. I buy a 3lb bag and chop it all up in the same day...it's a great chance to have a good cry and stock-up on ready to go flavor for many recipes!

This recipe asks for celery, and I don't always put it in but today I did. I've NEVER used a whole long celery stick...so why have it in your fridge that way!?!!?? Once I opened I chopped it up into edible sticks...and in the name of going green...I cut the top off the bag and put the chopped pieces right back in the same bag! Now I have a soup going and a little healthy snack to munch on and stash in lunches...

While I'm sharing my favorite tricks...let's talk about my favorite bowl - well 2 favorite bowls!!!

I used this bowl to measure out my potatoes for the recipe...then I used it measure my water...I considered the water "rinsing it" and then used it to make pea salad for supper...it has a great lid and will go in the dishwasher later tonight...I'm sure many of you have this bowl...
But...I would guess very few or almost none of you have this bowl!




I typically use my vintage items to make the messy things in life beautiful, but not this one... I would likely pay an irrational price for one if and when I see it in the store in the other 3 sizes I hope to one day have. I got this one on ebay and while I scored it for a good price, I just didn't get the same high as the hunt and kill feel of flea marketing and antiquing. I spent a few moments in between singing to think about how some lady over 50 years ago thought this was the best mixing bowl ever!!

She was probably a better cook than me...and she probably wore high heels and a skirt, but look...I have celery ready for snacks, onion in the freezer, potatos cut for tonight's mashed potatoes, pea salad in the fridge for supper and lunches...and a delcious soup to put in the fridge too!!






So...what's your favorite soup? What's your favorite trick for "stock-ups?" Truthfully...I didn't tell you my truly favorite stock-up that I just discovered...I'll save that for another day since I seem to be confusing blogging and writing a novel!!