kikithespunkymunky

Thrift Share

2011-05-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

I'm trying really hard not to thrift so much until I'm more organized or have fewer items stockpiled, but it's not working so great. I'm a thrift addict for sure. I just need to list, list, list. And organize. But instead, I thrift some more :)

And my buy only one book restriction went out the window worse than ever when I stopped in for a quick peek at the church thrift store my mom and I discovered right before she left me for the beaches of Florida :( A paper bag full of books for $5 sale. How could I not? Plus, I used to bag groceries in high school, so I knew it would be an efficiently packed bag. And it was. Old books, cook books, quilting/needlework books...I will sell a few of them haha.

I have also tried to make my thrift outings harder by looking for more expensive items but I really don't know what to look for yet. I found a Beatles sheet music book I thought might go for a little more, we'll see. And for whatever reason, I decided to buy a few dishes - I usually don't buy breakables because of my lack of desire to package them but I was drawn to them, so I had to haha. I bought two square bubble frames, which I've never seen before. Again, breakables - boo. I might keep them though, so that will solve the packaging problem.

I really am going to concentrate on listing more this week as I'm going on a beach vacation next week! I currently have 49 items listed on Ebay and my goal is to have 50 more by the end of the week. It's also the last week of school, so I'll have to try really hard and work in the early morning more this week as it's semi-hectic with end-of-school events for 3 chillens.

The 3 boys went to Big Bend this weekend, so the girl and I had a quiet one for a change. Floated The Blanco River in Wimberley Saturday with some friends (and then ate at Herberts yay!), cleaned house and watched 3 movies Sunday (what???? Mamma Mia, Anger Management, Alice and Wonderland), and just hung out today. Ended it all with dinner at Pei Wei. Great weekend. Now for some serious listing this week on Ebay...

As always, this is a link-up with Apron Thrift Girl, one of the best thrifting blogs out there.

Thrift Share Monday. On Monday :)

2011-05-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

Only 1 1/2 hours for 2 quickie thrift outings this week: one last trip to GRASP with my thrifthelper-Mom who's back in Florida :( until back to Texas thrifting with me in October or November:) She was busy packing for her roadtrip but allowed herself to go out for one hour. Better than nothing, as I found 5 men's shirts for a buck a piece; a giant sized ziplock baggy filled with some cute lil' mini wooden Santas and sledders and such; a bright orange/gold embossed leatherette pen/pencil holder/cup; a box of old dominoes; and a nicely done framed mushroom needlework shadowbox. I also got a bonus of 2 moving boxes full of food from my mom, who has a problem with overstuffing her fridge/freezer AND pantry. Her pantry is still stocked for her return in 6 months...go figure. I like to let my fridge and pantry get a lil' bare sometimes (and certainly never overfilled) - it's fun to have to scrounge around and be creative with what little you may have - just a game I like to play.

keeper :)

vintage leatherette orange & gold embossed pen/pencil can holder

My second thrift outing this week was a 30 minute trip to the Humane Society. I've not gone there too much yet as it's a recent discovery for me but every time I do, I score big. Well, big to me. The $25-$50 range is big to me as I'm used to selling $10 items...moving up haha. My biggest score was an adorable portable wooden stove top for pretend play. The drawer sildes out to reveal storage for enamelware pots and utensils, then converts to/flips up to become the back of the stove top with utensil pegs across. After you're done cooking, you put your pots away in the drawer, close the drawer, tighten the big wooden screws on the sides - now it can be conveniently carried with the utensil holder becoming the carrying handle. Clever design. Quality product.

adorable pretend play wood stove top with enamelware

I also bought a 3 piece plastic vanity set (tag/sticker still attached/readable), made in the USA by Londonware. Tissue cover, cup, and 2-sided magnifying makeup mirror that can mount to the wall as well. "Marble Onyx" is the description on the sticker.

perfect vintage vanity set 'marble onyx' by Londonware

I also am a sucker for pop-up books, so when I found a pop-up book of gnomes, I had to buy it despite my book-buying-restriction I've placed myself on. Gnomes AND pop-up book. A no-brainer. Other finds: a great brooch for fifty cents; pack of vintage 7-up playing cards; a mini black velvet paintings kit (love black velvet paintings and miniatures, so this one made sense as well, if I'm into justifying my purchases); a miniature framed mountainscape made from cut/layered colored paper (keeping, duh); and a framed Japanese oil painting I've had my eye on for the last few visits (down to $1.00, my standard price, so splurged for my man-child's room).

All in all, a productive 1 1/2 hours of thrifting for the week. Still getting a little better at posting new items..a little :)

This a weekly thrifters link-up post with Apron Thrift Girl...:)

ReSeller's Listing Challenge: April Results/May Goals

2011-05-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Had to look back and find my April post stating my ReSeller's Listing Challenge goals for the month due to memory lapse. As it turns out, I only made one goal, so as not to be too hard on myself, as I try to amp it up a bit in the reselling world. My goal was to list 50 new items on Ebay. I listed 31. Sold 18. I think for May, I will try a daily goal instead, so maybe I'll remember I have a goal, haha. My new listing goal is to list 5 new items per day on Ebay.

Yet something else I learned from reading Apron Thrift Girl blog posts is that the Buy-It-Now/Best Offer format is kinda cool. And effective. I started listing with higher prices as buy-it-now and then added the best offer. I sold 8 items using this format this month and because I'm usually happy with a $10 sale, the higher sales have been nice (and motivating so far as purchasing more vintage items instead of clothes).

I've been doing Ebay for quite a number of years and just recently learned if you list an item in the Collectibles category, all of your pictures are free (versus the usual first picture free, each additional picture .15). Not sure about other categories as I usually sell clothes but since I've started buying/listing more vintage items, I'm posting lots in Collectibles and taking advantage of mulitple pictures of each item. Yay for free pictures! Yay for learning something new!

Thrift Share Monday. On Monday :)

2011-04-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

One more week until my mom leaves for Florida for 6 months=one more thrift outing with her this week, then I'm on my own til' Thanksgiving :( We went out last week and I really didn't feel like buying anything, so we went to the local Habitat Store that has a small 'garage sale' area. A lil' messy and not much there, but I always seem to luck into something...for resell on Ebay: Tommy Bahama men's silk shorts, hot pink Betsey Johnson lacy dress, and two 1950 Military Retirement Books I thought might sell, who knows. Broke my one book restriction but I rationalized it to my 'helper' by saying I'd sell them together, so it really only counts as one, ha.

A great hand painted wooden Santa incense burner, made in Germany, thrifted from Goodwill. I've never seen one of these before my purchase and didn't know what it was - I thought his pipe was missing from his mouth and had no clue why his body lifted off - my dad let me in on what it was so I didn't have to do any research :) Incense cone goes inside body in metal holder and smoke comes out Santa's mouth. Love it but am willing to part with it due to my already huge collection of Christmas goodies.

Hand painted, wooden Santa Incense Burner, Made in Germany.

The cutest Finel hand painted enamel/tin coffee cup, Made in Finland.

Green and Gold Leatherette Desk Basket, Made in the U.S.A.

I'm going on a road trip to Austin one day this week to check out the Goodwill Outlet, since my lame city hasn't one. Shame, shame. Lame, lame. But on the bright side, I LOVE AUSTIN, so it's ok. Might even go check out Edie Brickell in May so I can take another road trip to Austin. And I will be taking a June road trip to Austin to see Adele :) And maybe I'll find the Goodwill appealing, so I'll have to take a monthly trip to the Goodwill in Austin. Yeah, that's a good one...

As always, this post is a link up with Apron Thrift Girl :)

Thrift Share Monday on a Tuesday.

2011-04-19T05:16:00.000-07:00

I only went thrifting once this week, only to find one of my favorite thrift stores has jacked up their prices!? Went for the purpose of finding more tooled leather belts to weave the rocker seat and back, but only found 3. I even forked over $6 for one of them - more than I usually pay but it had painted flowers and was chunkier than usual, so I had to. A few Christmas goodies, a Versace tie for the hubster, and only one children's book. Seems I've too many books and until I start listing some of them, I must put myself on book-buying-restriction. My mom leaves for Florida in a couple of weeks, so we'll do a couple of thrift-outings before she leaves.

And even though my chair didn't make the top 10 in the Green is Universal/Etsy contest, I'm still caught up in the excitement of my chair sale to Green is Universal...I watched the Today Show yesterday and saw it in the window (in the background, across the street, to the left of Matt Lauer's head, see it!?) during the Water for Elephants interview. Water for Elephants is one of my favorite books ironically. Here's a photo I took of the tv when the chair spotting occurred haha...

I also asked for pictures from them and last night, one of the gals was nice enough to email a few pictures from her phone; she said they'd send better photos when they pull them from their 'team' camera. The chair was in the window for the weekend and yesterday and will be on the floor in the Experience Store through Friday - if you're in NYC/Rockefeller Plaza, stop by and see it :) Who knows, maybe Martha will still spot it...

The sale also motivated me to finish the ladder back and start the rocker. But with the chair excitement, Fiesta in San Antonio (2 parades is all I could handle this year), Aunt and Uncle visiting from Florida...birthday celebrations, end of year school functions, blah blah blah I haven't done any listing. Thought since Ebay starts their free auction listings today, this would be a great day to start listing again.

Great signage as well!

Must go work now! And I just found out there's a 50% sale at my local Thrift Town. ruhroh. Happy thrifting!

This is a link-up post via Apron Thrift Girl btw. Awesome blogger/inspiration.

Earl. Recycled/Upcycled Ladder Back Chair with Woven Belt Seat...

2011-04-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

I finished another vintage belt chair, yay! And even better, I listed it immediately in my Etsy shop, yay!

Meet Earl...

One of my grandmother's ladder backs, repainted tomato red and tattered rush/cane seating removed. Seat rewoven with thrifted Guatamalan, western (one "Earl") & tooled leather belts.

Up next. Thrifted heavy-duty wood rocker rewoven with ???? chunkier, tooled leather belts????

I'm linking up this (newbie to Make Share) post with Apron Thrift Girl and her Make Share fun.

More Excitment About 'The Western Belt Chair'

2011-04-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

The chair news just keeps on getting better...

They decided to purchase it! After the Earth Week window display, the chair will be showcased in their offices at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Wow. Pretty sweet. My first chair sale. Dreamed of a sale but this is getting good... :)

Exciting News on a Thrift Share Monday!

2011-04-10T07:44:00.001-07:00

This is a combo Thrift Share Monday post...My super-exciting news of the week:

I was contacted by Etsy and Green is Universal/NBC scouts to ask if they could use my Vintage Upcycled Western Belt Lawn Chair in an Earth Week window display in their New York City store at 30 Rock!!! Whaaaat??? I shipped the chair to NYC Saturday! How exciting is that? It's been 4 days and I'm still soooooo excited! I'm going to watch the Today Show this week and see if you ever get a glimpse of the store when they're shooting outside...maybe you'll see my chair on the Today Show during Earth Week (17-24 Apr is when it's on display). I feel so lucky/thankful about now. And did I mention excited!?

I decided to enter my chair in The Art of Re-Use Contest that Etsy and Green is Universal are sponsoring as well. There are not too many entries and the public votes in each of the categories; top 10 entries with the highest fetching votes are to be judged by a celebrity panel, including Martha Stewart! Perhaps she'll see my chair in the window display and think it's a 'good thing' haha. I wish I lived in NYC so I could see the window in person but hopefully I'll catch a glimpse on the Today show when they're outside. I think I'm going to ask the NBC Marketing person who contacted me if she would take photo for me and email to me? Is that too weird? Think she would?

If anyone feels inclined to vote for my chair it's on page 6 of the Home Decor category. People have been complaining about the voting process because you have to sign up with Green is Universal first (email + password is all), then they send you a confirmation email. Sign in, go to the item you want to vote for (one vote per category), scroll down to the bottom of the page and you'll see the vote button. There's also a facebook like at the top right of each page and people were thinking that was the vote tally but it's not. So far my dad is the only one I know of that has voted for me (except for me) and I still only have my one facebook like that I put in. Oh well. My chair is going to be in the Universal Store window display in NYC/30 Rock and that's TOTALLY good enough for me!!!! But if you feel inclined to give my chair a vote, feel free and much appreciated!

I'm finishing 2 more chairs with belts - a bright red ladderback and the other and an old, heavy-duty rocking chair. I'm going to use a few Guatamalan belts in the ladderback, mixed in with plain vintage leather belts instead of western. Not sure about the rocker yet. I'm thinking it would probably be wise of me to finish these pronto and get them listed in my Etsy store before the 17th (they will credit my name and my Etsy store, kikithespunkymunky, in the display, so I'm hoping to get an increase in traffic in my store...). I also need to list, list, list in Etsy this week. Good sales on Ebay for me recently, so I need to keep up the new lists but I have to focus on Etsy this week!

Not much thrifting this week but I did do better on listing the first part of the week (and before the window display news!). AND my Campbell's Soup Can bag sold!

I started doing a few buy-it-now with best offer listings (which I learned about from Selena's blog at Apron Thrift Girl) and have had a few decent sales with this format - thanks Selena!) I still post a lot of thrifted clothes on eBay in the $10 range but have branched out with listing some of my vintage items from my Etsy store, kikithespunkymunky, and trying to list for a little more than I usually do. I've had some success with this and it really has motivated me to list more vintage items along with the clothing. Had another best offer just this morning!

Kind of a long-winded post due to my excitement with the window display! Did a lot of packaging this morning, so now I must go to the Post Office and finish those new chairs!!!! And list some more!!!! Have a great week!

Thrift Share Monday (on a Wednesday)

2011-04-05T16:33:00.000-07:00

Next week I predict I will post on the proper day haha.

I've discovered 2 new thrift stores recently whilst on outings with my mom, who now lives 10 minutes away from me for 6 months out of the year - yay!!! Such a good lil' thrifter she is. Never gets mad at me for taking so long (like some other people I know), tries her hardest to find things for me to resell, and will never let me pay for lunch dangit! I finally convinced her to let me pay for our next Roasted Poblano Burger and Sweet Potato French Fries at EZ's. Deee-lish. I don't eat too many burgers but when I do, I usually head to EZ's.

So far I only thrift at stores. No garage sales or estate sales yet. I already have too much and I like to thrift during the week versus the weekends. I go to several different Goodwill stores; Thrift Town; a giant store I always forget the name!? of and The Humane Society Thrift Store (smart idea!). The 2 new stores had a great selection of books, which I have a weakness for, and really good pricing. Yay! Some day I will go to estate sales because I like the idea of seeing where the item 'lived' and a glimpse of that owner's life. Also seems sweet because of collections you come across. And jewelry. And artwork. And antiques. And kitchenware. And just about everything I collect and/or like. Gotta lose some inventory before I go there.

Here's a few treasures I found whilst thrifting with my mom (in addition all the books I bought - about 15 children's and 15 adult).

cutest lil' Christmas pixie Elves (ornaments)
wanted to keep but forced myself to post on eBay

sweet vintage WEE WALKERS infant SADDLE SHOES crib shoes, listed on eBay

just plain cute set of MINI MONK FIGURINES to be listed today

vintage nylon RICHMAN BROTHERS equestrian print SHIRT on eBay

vintage WESTCLOX electric alarm CLOCK & retro BIG BEN alarm CLOCK to be listed soon

Thanks again to Selena at Apron Thrift Girl for the inspiration to participate in Thrift Share Monday (even though I still don't post til Wednesday!) This is getting fun...and I love the fact I learned how to link to other websites in my blog. Small accomplishment but big for me. Have fun thrifting!!

Re-Sellers Listing Challenge

2011-03-31T12:34:00.001-07:00

I don't feel particularly ready for the Re-Sellers Listing Challenge explained in Apron Thrift Girl but perhaps it would help me to set a few re-selling goals, even if they're small, to try to help me along in my edumacation about thrifting and re-selling. I've got a pretty good handle on the thrifting part, still taking baby steps with the re-selling part. Blogging/networking part is coming along, albeit kinda slow. Ebay seems particularly dead right now but I've found as soon as I post something new, something will sell, even an item that's been there for a while. So my biggest goal should be to simply focus more on listing. Soooooo....My April Re-Seller's Listing Challenge goal for April is listing 50 new items. I've gotten lamer and lamer with my new listings and usually only have around 25 :(

If you are a thrifter/re-seller, I have found the blog Apron Thrift Girl immensely helpful as well as inspirational. Great tips, challenges, links to other thrifters/re-sellers, thrifting resources, and much more. This is by far my favorite thrifting/re-selling blog. Thanks for all the help and inspiration Apron Thrift Girl!

Thrift Share Monday (on a Wednesday)

2011-03-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to share my thrift finds via a Thrift Share Monday blog post for a while now but just haven't completed a post...here goes AGAIN...even though it's Wednesday...

I also have wanted to find out how to highlight/link to another website in my blog posts for a while now and I finally Googled that and will try it in this soon-to-be-completed first thrift share post.

I first saw a 'thrift share' type post a couple of months ago on a blog I really, really am fond of - Apron Thrift Girl. (Yay! It worked!) So many things in common with this blogger/thrifter/reseller. Almost everytime I've stopped by her site so far, we have duplicate finds from the week of thrifting. Her childhood room also looked like mine. I thought that was weird. I need to go back and read the post with the childhood bedroom picture...

Here's a few pictures of some great items I found this week whilst thrifting:

orangey-red plastic ice bucket w/longhorns

heavy wooden rocking chair skeleton to be webbed with vintage western belts

creepy lil' pipecleaner christmas elves

adorable framed ink line drawing by "Maretta, age 7"

faux bois western belt buckle

As usual, keepers outweigh resellers. Keepers: 4, Resellers: 1 (the longhorn ice bucket). Hard for me to part with my thrifted items because I usually only purchase goodies I like. Must get better at this part. Buy more? Bigger house? More storage? MORE SELLING. Have to keep this in mind as I'm on 'thrifting restriction' until I list (or sell) 10 more items. MORE SELLING. ciao for now.

Free Yourself...

2011-03-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest--a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

Albert Einstein

Hearts.

2011-01-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

I am forever noticing hearts in nature, so I decided to start photographing them when I see them. I also collect heart shaped rocks, which I have been obsessed with collecting for a long time. And fossils. And acorns. And dead insects. And so on.

Please VOTE for my Recycled Lawn Chair via MAKEZINE "Tag Your Green" Contest

2010-11-19T05:09:00.000-08:00

THANKS!

Custom/Handcrafted Seashell Shower Curtain Hooks

2010-10-26T10:37:00.001-07:00

Crafted with seashells from Mother-Daughter Siesta Key, Florida vacation. Crafted for the Texas Beach Bath.

Vintage Aluminum Folding Lawn Chair Re-Webbed with Western Belts. Yee-haw.

2010-10-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

I decided to finish my upcycled vintage lawn chair. Finally. So I decided to quickly list it on Etsy as I'd like to make a few more of these pups. And I've never seen a chair like this before...I love how it turned out. And I love it's firepit time again, where I'll sit in my new favorite campfire chair.

Why I Like the River Early in the Day...

2010-09-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

This summer we decided we like going to our river day trips early in the day. From now on.

Blind Pig and the Acorn - Spotlight on Music in Appalachia plug

2010-08-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

One of the first blogs I came across that I 'bookmarked' was Blind Pig and the Acorn. I probably checked it out because of the cute name...love the stories of Appalachian life and love, love, love the music she shares. And very kind to be giving away such a great guitar!

One Love.

2010-07-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

5 Minute Bread Pudding For One, yummm

2010-06-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

so gonna try this...

5 Minute Bread Pudding for One - More DIY How To Projects

Diggin' It This Week...

2010-05-14T10:17:00.001-07:00

Example of my precycling obsession above. The soap really does smell good though and the color really is beautiful and the price was right for sure. But mainly I bought it because of the packaging. Would be awesome as wallpaper in a powder room. Pretty sure I'll use it as matting for a photo/frame and the scraps for a collage.(you can't really tell in the photo but the pink is metallic)

Always loving faux-bois. Mini lampshade, mini plastic planter, 'real' wood nut bowl.

New in the garden...some weird orange cactus and mother-of-pearl succulent planting.

Find o' the Day: TerraCycle.net

2010-05-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

TerraCycle.net

"Production of quality consumer products made from waste."

awesome.

Vintage Western Belt upcycled Cuff Bracelet. Finally.

2010-05-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

I finally got started making my vintage western belt cuff bracelets. I had 'leftovers' from my lawn chair seat project, so I decided to make cuff bracelets out of them. Sporting some, selling some on Etsy. Yippee.

String Art Light Cover Finished

2010-04-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

2 balls of twine, Elmer's glue, punch ball
easy project, super cheap supply list, great ending product.
2 Requests for more :)

Saved from the Dump

2010-03-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

Before and after of pottery found curbside.

2010-03-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Confetti-Filled-Fun - Cascarones!

2010-03-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

"Cascarones or confetti eggs are festive, hollow chicken egg shells, filled with confetti. The word cascaron comes from the Spanish word "cascara," meaning egg shell. The colorful egg is crushed in the hand over the recipient's head showering the him or her with confetti. This tradition is most often carried out among friends and family. Cascarones derived from Mexico and have recently regained popularity in the southwestern United States. They are used for many different occasions but, especially Easter. Cascarones are gaining populararity at all occasions, including birthdays, Halloween, Cinco de Mayo, Diez y Seis, Day of the Dead, and weddings (wedding cascarones can be filled with birdseed).

Having one broken over your head is said to bring good luck."

After living in San Antonio almost all my life and purchasing many cascarones, I decided to start making my own cascarones to take to the Fiesta parades. And I wanted to make improvements:

Over-filling the hollowed out eggs (because most of the cascarones I bought only had a tiny amount of confetti in them) - whats the fun of a cascarone if it doesn't make a huge mess?

Using a variety of confetti, instead of the traditional colored paper dots you find in most cascarones. Foil confetti is especially fun because you will still find it in your hair the next week. I also throw in some colored feather bits/pieces for extra fun! Very effective visually.

Correcting the lackluster tissue paper ends - the end where the hole is to fill the egg is covered with a piece of tissue paper glued over it - booorring! Solution: I use MORE confetti fun to stuff into the holes in the ends, sealing in the confetti inside the egg - I usually use paper strips that have been accordian-folded and they look so much better than the boring tissue paper. And they also yield a bigger mess, which I find desirable in a cascarone.

Coloring/decorating the eggs with various mediums. I sometimes dye them the traditional way Easter eggs are dyed; I have also used neon-colored hairspray and acrylic paints, whatever hits me. Glitterized sounds fun, hmmm....

And lastly, I also pick one egg in the carton and partially fill it with white flour in addition to the confetti and feather bits, bringing extra luck to the person who gets hit with this one!

Recycled Vintage Folding Lawn Chair with Western Belts

2010-03-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Replaced worn out webbing on vintage aluminum lawn chair with leather western belts, some personalized with stamped names, some not.

Krause Springs, Spring Break 2010

2010-03-19T20:32:00.001-07:00

King Potter's "Sweet" 16 : )

2010-03-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

Hippo Eye

2010-01-27T05:05:00.001-08:00

Quick zoo trip to see the hippos in their new home...

Today...ok, more like Recently (but since the new year started...)

2010-01-25T11:17:00.000-08:00

Today I...

...decided on a new blog 'format'/style so maybe I would visit it more.

...made sweet rolls from scratch for the first time.

Real Time: Just got back from running inside my smoke-filled home after remembering I was boiling a bag of 15 beans for a bit while I went out to the office to do a lil' work on the computer - about an hour and a half ago!!!!! My house is so thick with smoke and I'm sure everything in it will smell burnt now. Awesome. At least there wasn't a fire. And at least I finally visited my blog and was writing about doing new things like making sweet rolls from scratch...baking...cooking...beans...fire!!! I'm ok now I just stink like burnt beans.

...read Under the Dome by Stephen King. (Because the idea of living in a terrarium intrigued me. And I hadn't read a book in a long time and remembered reading The Shining in high school and thoroughly enjoying it. And it is over 1000 pages and that sounded fun too. Easy read though so I really doesn't count for reading a long book and feeling kinda proud.)

...started reading Precious. (I'm waiting to see the movie until I can watch it at home because I enjoy comedies and action and animnation at the movie theater, not real life, not serious, and certainly nothing that would make me cry like I know this movie will.)

...watched Lily the Black Bear give birth via researchers' bear den webcam. Too cool that was. wildearth.tv is the website I believe. She's on Facebook too. Lily the Bear. Too cute.

...started a pastel of a Siesta Key Beach sunset I saw.

...discovered symphonyofscience.com (science-related lectures turned into music/songs/lyrics with phenomenal photography/video of nature and the universe.

...smelled burnt bean smoke smell.

I FOUND MY SPAIN PHOTOS!!!!

2009-11-30T15:09:00.001-08:00

No time right now but I'll be posting my Spain pictures soon.

Halloween 09/Fri Party

2009-10-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera, Napoleon Dynamite & Deb, Loretta Lynn, Gangstagirls, Gorda,...

Potter's Piano Composition 2009

2009-10-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Piano composition by Potter...beautiful...

http://ia311015.us.archive.org/2/items/PottersPianoCompsition2009/potterspianaconcerto.aif

'Perched' (Assemblage Art)

2009-08-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

Purchased several wooden and metal trays recently whilst thrifting. Decided to do an assemblage piece with one of em'- the result, "Perched"

I Highly Recommend Whale Watching...

2009-07-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

Boston, July 2009, Mac and I visit Mamma and Pappa T! Whale watching topped the list of fun for both of us. Seeing the 4th of July fireworks and hearing the Boston Pops, second place. Second place tie: eating lobster (three whole lobsters, that is); lobster bisque times 4; clam chowder times 3; mussels, that's right, every time Mamma T had them I had some too : ); did I mention lobster? Maparium, Prudential Center SkyWalk; MIT/Gehry building/complex; Harvard Museum of Natural History; Museum of Art; Science Museum; trolley ride; boring Brit tourguide; rain; temperatures under 100 degrees; many subway rides; Aquarium; Fenway Park; State Park hike w/awesome views; great seafood platter on way home from whale watching; robins waking me up at 4 am every day; cards; Mexican Train dominoes...

Erik Hokkanen

2009-05-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

posting from flock check

2009-05-14T06:30:00.001-07:00

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Happy Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Gladys, the 3-weeks-old pug puppy baby

The Asylum Street Spankers

2009-05-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

One of my fave bands performing Deep Ellum Bues. Turn off Susan Boyle first at the bottom of the page!

Japanese Tea Gardens, San Antonio TX 4/09

2009-05-07T10:09:00.000-07:00

Years long project started!

2009-05-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

Back porch table started years ago...Finished 3 panel today w/glass beads and will do other 2 with broken mirror. Cheap project that will turn out nicely. Old door, 4 pots for legs (drybrushed w/acrylic paint for a verdigris effect, same as trim on door), about $10 worth of dolla store glass beads, broken mirror, varnish for wood part of door, still to purchase - grout for beads n mirror pieces and some kind of top finish or sealant? soon to be done...

Trying out Flock

2009-05-04T06:38:00.001-07:00

just checking out a new browser i read about this morning

Blogged with the Flock Browser

same kid/new header pic

2009-04-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

I told myself to choose another cute child o mine for the header pic...maybe next time?

Easter

2009-04-12T20:11:00.001-07:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

LOVE this

2009-04-12T20:10:00.001-07:00

Searching for Video of My Other Chillens

2009-04-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

Potter on Bass, stand-up bass for MacArthur JV Orchestra or electric bass guitar. Skateboarder. Artist. Magician (knows some cool tricks anyways).

Satchel playing Cello for 5th Grade Strings, Oak Grove Elementary, San Antonio TX. Playing soccer. Skateboarding.

I will locate video and post for equal billing. And I might change the header pic as well (my favorite picture of Satchel). Perhaps Potter should get some time.

Dyed eggs today and did some backyard beautification/de-ghettoizing.

Hoping to stay awake to watch Yes Man. Fell asleep during The Rocker.

ciao.

Garner MS Orchestra (7th & 8th Grade) UIL 09 - Maclaren on Viola

2009-04-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the bounce-around video, an amateur was operating the camera. I found it easier to close my eyes and enjoy the music, rather than get dizzy trying to watch the video. You have been forewarned!

Garner Middle School, San Antonio TX, 7th & 8th grade Orchestra UIL Performace (3rd song/Mac's fave). Received highest rating from UIL judges for performace of 3 songs and sightreading song. Sweepstakes Rating I think they call it.

Mac's Level 7 Floor at Alamo Classic (9.725 1T)

2009-04-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

Maclaren's Level 7 State Gymnastics Meet - Bar Routine 2009

2009-03-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

Level 7 State Gymnastics Meet, Frisco TX, 2009

Maclaren's best bars of the season 9.4 (7th)

2nd Place Floor (9.575) but didn't video :(

2nd Place Level 7 Small Team! Aerial Athletics, San Antonio TX

Can you say row-DAY'-oh

2009-02-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

painted outhouses
clydesdale underbite
turkey legs
cotton candy
3 lazy pigs
friends
pig tail
cutest sheep outfit
violation
cutest cowboy

I'm Going to ADELE!!!!!!!!!

2009-02-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

I got ADELE tickets for Christmas and I can't wait til' March 12th!!!!

Happenings since Christmas (as told in pictures):

In case you missed it:
1. Trip to Dallas TX (Kurt Thomas Gymnastics Meet, Japanese Art Exhibit)
2. Trip to Orlando FL (Sand Dollar Meet, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Mt. Dora)
3. Trip to Dallas Tx again (Metroplex Meet, Hotel Lawrence/JFK Assasination Site)

Upcoming: Houston Meet, another Houston Meet, potential Dallas Meet, done w/09 meets.

And ADELE, March 12th, La Zona Rosa, Austin TX. yes.

Christmas Holidays 2008

2008-12-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

Halloween Party #2

2008-11-06T19:49:00.001-08:00

Superman on a skateboard. Philco Man. Head on a platter. Village People member. Dumb and Dumber. Skittles in a tutu. Head on a platter. A fun time had by all.

i Heart dia de los muertOs!

2008-11-03T10:08:00.000-08:00

I just noticed the paint at Say Si is the same color as our newly painted foyer. I love so much about the Latin American culture, colors included.

Halloween Party #1

2008-10-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

I wasn't quite finished w/my 'Head on a Platter' costume for this party, but a friend who collects vintage work shirts thought miguel n i would enjoy being 7-Eleven workers. We looked pretty cute with our retro zip-front 7-eleven smocks, slurpees, and our big butts that we've done for years. (With virtually any costume it's quite effective for the trick department - people at parties who know you but haven't seen you in a while think wow, your butt sure is big, then they find out later its really fake. too funny). For party #2 Halloween night, I'll be the 7-eleven worker dressed as a "Head on a Platter"

Potter went to Homecoming instead of the Halloween Party and at the last possible minute, grabbed some paint and grill to embellish his tux jacket w/blue jeans and skateboard tennies look. Kinda creepy, Mask-ish.

Mac just wanted to put on eyeliner and glitter eyeshadow (she wore a Superman belt too?) She actually did a great job on the make-up application. This weekend she will be Dumb and her bf will be Dumber (Mac's idea, Maddy said sure). funny.

Satchel picked out his skeleton shirt, the Star Wars Storm Trooper mask he'll be wearing on Halloween, and a construction hard hat he thought he'd wear just to be crazy. He left both the mask and hat in the car.

(After seeing the photo, I remember now I also had blood dripping out of my mouth and nose where miguel hit me on the way to the party cuz we were late getting off work at the 7-eleven where we took 2nd jobs. Miguel saved his 80s ponytail he used to sport, so he used that as a prop as well. I also darkened around my eyes to look tired from working so much and had 2 tatoo sleeves just cuz i like them).

Potter 1st MacArthur Concert

2008-10-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

Potter's first MacArthur concert (and first tuxedo-wearing too). Maclaren and Satchel's first concert is Friday - I'll do a group shot of the chillens w/their instruments then.

Chalkfest & Accordian Festival (San Antonio TX 2008)

2008-10-16T09:18:00.001-07:00

(note the fancy accordian)

Plaza Mayor - Madrid, Spain 2007

2008-10-10T12:11:00.001-07:00

testing camera

2008-10-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

River Day Trips

2008-09-07T18:41:00.000-07:00

Only a few more day trips to the swimmin' holes in our backyard. Wimberley (Blanco River) and Guadalupe State Park (Guadalupe River) the past two Sundays. I will count how many swimming holes we swam in this Summer of 2008. Good fun.

One Last Summer Fling

2008-08-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

Port Aransas TX, 5 nights/6 days, so long summa.

Vacation from my vacation

2008-08-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

I sure did need a vacation from my vacation. Time to motivate again before school starts. Our 1st Annual Mother-Daughter Vacation Adventure has come and gone. We decided we liked it enough to do it again next year, yay! Crescent Beach/Siesta Key Florida was awesome. A few highlights: the biggest, best sunsets I've ever seen; the bright white sand that never got hot; the crazy amount of shells; the yummy clam chowder, grilled mahi mahi, bacon wrapped grilled scallops w/plum sauce, lobster, coconut shrimp...; crystal clear water; finding an octopus; lots of fun with my mom. More to come later. A few pics.

Can You Say Florida Tourist?

2008-06-30T18:24:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Dolphin Cove
Day 2: Universal Studios
Day 3: Gatorland
Day 4: Orlando Science Center
Day 5:
Day 6:

Pooh-isms

2008-06-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

I've always loved Pooh bear and his deep thoughts.

“Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.”

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”

“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”

“"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best -- " and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called”

“Those who are clever, who have a Brain, never understand anything.”

“I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me.”

“If you want to make a song more hummy, add a few tiddely poms.”

Another Swimmin' Hole (in our own backyard)

2008-06-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

Add San Pedro Springs as another swimmin' spot we'll be frequenting this summer. Who knew?

happy father's day & happy 43rd bd suey

2008-06-15T21:52:00.001-07:00

HAMILTON POOL (outside Austin TX)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
HAPPY 43rd BIRTHDAY SUE!

Siesta Key, Florida

2008-06-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

July 14-22, 1st vacation w/my mom, just the two of us. 99% quartz sand=squeaky white n cool. snorkeling at point of rocks. turtles? dolphins? shark teeth beach? sittin doin nothin. reading. photography. floating.

Memorial Day Swimmin Fun

2008-05-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

Guadalupe State Park, Sunday & Monday, super crowded but not around the bend, upstream a ways. Definitely worth the extra steps.

Plastination

2008-05-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

Satchel played hooky from school today and we went to the newly reopened Japanese Tea Gardens, Half-Price Books, Tomatillos for lunch, and the plastination exhibit at The Witte (and the Treehouse). A plexiglass case w/someone's skin (face and feet and all) laying in it is my idea of a fun day. It really was an interesting exhibit though and I learned a few things about human anatomy I didn't know. Pretty cool plastination-like pose eh?

Baby cardinal update: The babies were there one day, gone the next (like on the 5th day!) I did spot one of them in the yard and tried to get a few pics but they weren't too good; I might post a pic, or maybe not if they're too blurry (he was hopping around a lot). I hope Nigel never gets one of them, being the bird and squirrel killer he is. Ever seen a cat throw a squirrel in the air as if playing w/a rag doll? Another fun image I have tucked away to accidentally remember when I'm not expecting it.

baby cardinal crazy

2008-05-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

o.k., so i've become a bit obsessed w/the 2 baby cardinals and trying to get good photos of them w/out making mom n dad cardinal too nervous. nature photography is hard work. but look how cute they are w/their lil' bulging eyes, so hungry. maybe i'll try a tripod manana. btw, the babies are 4 days old today.

happy mother's day

2008-05-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

me and my mom

2 baby cardinals, 2 days old

dreaming of the fourth of july

2008-05-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

sitting by the river, eating a beignet, watching the fireworks