Just some pictures of some recent finds- and subsequently- new projects! I don't know if I really like fans that much or they looked more lovely because its 100 degrees ... at night.

Eat a popsicle

Crafty Unemployment

I am currently without a job.

I am currently anxious...

So today I decided I would channel my anxious energies into craftyness!

Here's what came out:

*I do have to admit that I did not formulate this creative idea... it came from the very talented Livy, writer of the blog: A Filed Journal.

These are customizable and for sale on Etsy.

Have a lovely day!

I think I'll get out of my pajamas now...

Design Palooza !

I am off today to decorate a friends apartment! She is trusting me with money and saying, "Here, furnish and decorate." Its like Christmas. She's very modern, simplistic,- likes straight lines, dark wood, and green accents... thats where I have to start from. If you have any ideas or links to share, please do!!

New on Etsy:

With the Candlesticks! and the Tapestries!

Have you seen Ever After with Drew Barrymore? Well, I'm in love with it. Its a cinderella story and her name just happens to be Danielle. This may or may not be the reason I love it. In a heated moment in the movie, the evil step mother (Anjelica Huston) is screaming at Danielle De Barbarac because a very special dress is missing.

"Where's the dress Danielle?!" and Danielle replies, "With the candlesticks! And the tapestries!"

My sister and I have quoted this since it came out 12 years ago. It is actually a great line to throw in, as dresses do go missing with sisters.

Speaking of Candlesticks.... These are some of my recent re-dos:

Table Top Tuesday

So most of my thrifting adventures were ruined by the weather this weekend, but the true garage sellers endured the rain drops and let me dig through their boxes to find these: Vintage teal plates and some old linen napkins.

A Word on Autism

I am the autism specialist for summer school this year and what a crazy job it has been. I should really take a picture of my legs and let the bruises tell you what its been like. Most of my black and blue splotches are from one little (well not so little) friend. He has melt downs 3 out of 4 days a week. His math problems can't be corrected. Nothing can be too difficult. Shoes and socks can't be told to get on his feet. And the bus needs to arrive precisely as he approaches the bus drop off and pick up area. If any of these offenders go the wrong way... he is on the floor screaming and kicking, and if he does get up, its to throw a desk or chair.

Well Danielle, you're the specialist, what did you do? Besides it taking almost all of summer school to decipher these offenders... We figured out time was on our side... literally. He loves time, he loves clocks, he loves numbers related to time, he loves timers. Math is turned in and not corrected (adjusted according to performance), breaks in the middle of assignments... for 2 minutes (set the timer!) Really the only break downs now are waiting for the bus. His teacher tried to change the schedule to make it easier... but his watch showed it was time to go back to class and get backpacks, why weren't they leaving the gym? "Watch is broken!!!!!" he screamed.

Im writing a story, a social story, for him this weekend. Something like this:

"I leave on the bus. When I go to the bus pick-up I might have to wait. I don't have to feel sad. I can stay quiet because I know the bus is coming. I don't need to feel sad. I can play with toys while I wait"

I'm sure we'll figure it out the last day of school. One of the scariest words for people with autism is CHANGE. While their routine needs to be same, in some cases down to the minute, I think we, non-autismers, are the same, just on a bigger scale. We don't like that our plans got ruined by weather, people didn't do what we expected. We don't want things to be harder than the effort we're willing to give. So... I get it.

Before and After Bread

I was out and about garage sale-ing and came across this almost cute bread box. So I painted it the best kitchen color I could think of... RED. I added some patterned paper on the inside for some pretty detail.