I'm bored

Mostly with my life, I think part of it is that it's cold, too cold to walk anywhere. All I do when I get home from work is sit on the couch and watch TV. I have fun when I'm at work. Usually when I'm bored with my life, I get a tattoo, but that's not happening soon.
I had a great post in my head last night, and meant to write it, but my kindle fire decided to be annoying. I turned it on to go onto the web, and all it showed me was a grey screen instead of my browser. I've had this happen once before, I thought maybe it was low on batteries, so I plugged it in and let it sit. This morning I turned it on, and still nothing. The rest of it was working fine, I even purchased/downloaded a free app to see if it was connected to the wireless network. After finding nothing in the settings or help section on it, I turned on my computer and went to amazon. After looking through all the help sections, I finally found the ask in the community section, and then the how to contact amazon. I selected a chat window, and the guy told me to shut it down and restart it. To me, that means, actually shutting down the kindle (holding the power button in, until it asks if I want to shut it down, saying yes, and then pushing the power button again). That worked, and I asked him how to prevent this from happening in the future, he said I had to do a hard reset. I asked if that's what I just did, he said no, I had to hold the power button in for 20 seconds, turn it off and then hold the power button for 2 more seconds and turn it back on.
I'm not an idiot. I told him that's what I just did, and he asked if I held the power button in for 20 seconds. I said yes, and then closed the chat window. If you're going to treat me like an idiot, I'm leaving. I know there are people who have no idea what they're doing on computers, but when I tell you I already did that, maybe you should take my word instead of being an ass.

Anyways, back to the original topic. Winter has finally hit us. We hadn't had any really cold days until a few weeks ago, when we had really windy days and windchills below zero. Then last week we had a day where the high was +9. And it's been probably back in the normal temps of 30s and below since then. My body hasn't exactly switched over to winter temperatures yet because of all our warm days. When it does, I know I won't have a problem walking around when the temps are in the teens.
Last week, I went to Hobby Lobby, Jo Anns and Hy Vee. My original plan was to go to Hobby Lobby to buy some envelopes to go with the thank you cards I was making (to read more about those, go here), but when I looked around, they didn't have what I needed, so I ended up only buying some double stick tape. When I got up to the checkout counter, I gave the lady my gift card. That was fun, it didn't work in the scanner on the counter, it didn't work on her scanner, and the she tried a couple other tricks to scan it. Now, I know with technology and all, you should be able to just swipe it and be on your way, but I've worked in retail and we do use credit cards at the library, with all the time she tried to swipe it, she could have just typed it in, and been done. Finally she said, it must have been next to a magnet, because it was gone. I don't know how that happened. It's been sitting on my desk for awhile and then I put it in my purse. Considering all my other cards work fine, I have a hard time believing it was my fault.
Anyways, I had to go to JoAnns to find the cards. I don't like shopping there anymore. It seems every time I go in there, I either don't find anything worth buying, or they give me dirty looks because I have a Hobby Lobby bag (they're both in a strip, and when I walk in from the north, Hobby Lobby is first on the strip). So, I've just not gone there lately. Since, I needed these envelopes, I went for it. It was a good idea, because I found them and on sale.
The rest of my plan was to go to HyVee for some chocolate eclairs and cream puffs to take to a trivia thing on Sat. I never get only what I plan at HyVee, they just have so many different things than Fareway. I left with $32 worth of stuff, which wasn't even that much.

When it warms up a little (hopefully next week), I plan to walk down to Target. I'm looking for great Valentine's stuff, and since I'm spending only on me, I'm buying whatever I want. Plus, Walmart's right next door, so I'll go there too. I just want some really good chocolate, you know it comes out for Valentine's Day,

And that's all that's been going on lately. Mostly just work, I won't have a day off until Feb 5th. I'm really looking forward to it. One day, would be so nice. Granted I don't work a 40 hour week, but just to wake up and realize I don't have to do anything, that would be great.

Bad Blogger

I'm sorry, I've been neglecting my blog a lot lately. I blame it on my Kindle Fire. I can't upload pictures on that, and if you looked at my last post, it's a tiny bit hard to type a lot on it. My last post isn't that bad, but it did take forever to write, the kindle likes to guess what word I'm going to type, and if it chooses that one, it just throws it in. I had to go back and correct a lot.

Anyways, here's what I've been doing since my last post. My mother and I went to an antique mall in Story City on New Year's day to look for strike plates for my bathroom door, ok she went to look for those, I went for fun. She didn't find any, if anyone has any strike plates, or knows of where to find any, let me know.
I found a few cool things that if I had the money and places for them I would have bought, like this gorgeous mirror:
And this cute Christmas tree:

I've been reading on people's blogs about cool vintage Christmas trees, and while I loved this one and quite a few other ones, I just don't have the space for them maybe when I have my own house and more space I'll buy one.
Also found this cool thread cabinet:

This next booth was just filled wall to wall with glass:

I'm trying to cut back on spending money on glass or dishes, so I didn't even look.

Also found this cool picture frame:

And this cast iron piece:

And this neat silver vase:

I did end up buying some things, like these buttons:

They were actually in this cool strawberry jar filled with buttons, I've decided to spend my money on vintage buttons lately.
The booth where I found these buttons had boxes full of buttons in bags, jars of buttons, cards of buttons as well as bags of trim. I didn't buy any trim, but I could have spent all day just going through this booth.

I also bought these cool buttons:

And these:

As well as this tiny bank book from my hometown:

It measures 4 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide. There's nothing written in it, but anything vintage from Ames, IA, I'm always game for.

These are my rejects from the strawberry jar, anyone want some buttons? I'm thinking of selling them on my etsy shop, unless someone here wants them.

This last week, I've just been working, and will be working all this week as well, this is pretty much my only free time this week, as it's RUSH at the bookstore again. We lost another person at the library, so I am again working 5 days a week, I'm not complaining, but it's nice to have a weekday off once in awhile.

I've really been neglecting art lately, after finishing my December swaps, I haven't needed to make anything, so I haven't. I cancelled my December CollageATC swap because we had 2 people interested, and since no one's said anything about being interested this year, I haven't bothered setting up swaps. I haven't seen much I want to participate in in my other Yahoo group, I kinda want to do a Valentine's swap, but more of buying for someone else than making something. Anyone heard of any?

And that's all that's been happening here, hopefully something exciting will come up. I do have to get on my desktop because there's a few things I can't do on the kindle online, so I will try to check back in more frequently.

shopping

So, i got a kindle fire for Christmas. I didn't want it at first, but I love being able to surf the web in front of the TV. Anyways, I got something on the screen today and decided I needed to buy a screen protector. And then when i was on Amazon, I decided to buy some movies that I didn't get for Christmas, and I decided to go shopping for a sleeve for my kindle. I've been perusing etsy, I've also been thinking about making my own. It can't be that hard, right? I'd have to put in some, probably a few layers off quilt batting for protection, and something on the inside that won't scratch the screen. It would be really cool to do something vintge.

What ddo you all think I should do?

Gifts

Here are the somewhat exciting things I got for Christmas:
A robe and long winter nightgown.

4 shirts to layer in winter months, plus they'd be great for wearing in summer months too.

A bunch of snowmen, electric toothbrush heads, some art tape, a Hobby Lobby gift card, a necklace and earrings to go with it.

Some poinsettias, an owl, another snowman, and a box of Godiva chocolates.

more snowmen, Sandra Lee Bake Sale Cookbook, and a pad of paper.

I also received a Kindle Fire. As much as I appreciate everything I got, it's nothing I need. My family knows I don't have a lot of money, it'd be nice for them to get me something I need some day. I had a strange dream last night, where I sold my Kindle Fire because I needed the money, funny thing is, I could totally do it, cause I don't have a lot of money.

I think next year, everyone's only getting one or two items from me. I need to stop spending so much. I will say, my mom's and my dad's gifts were the only things that were really expensive. I did most of my shopping at garage sales and thrift stores.

Also, my friend Loretta made me some cool hand soaps, gave me some hot chocolate packets and some tins filled with fun goodies.

How was everyone else's Christmas?

It's Christmas

Almost. My presents are all bought, wrapped, and under the tree:
My cookies are all made:

For recipes, go here for the Revel Bars (top right hand corner), here for Creamy Peanut Butter Bites, (middle right side), here for Chocolate Mint Creams (bottom right corner), here for the Red Velvet (bottom left corner), here for Mint Chocolate Chip (middle left side), and here for Tri Level Brownies (top left side).

My decorations are all up:

To see more, go here.

Tonight is Christmas Eve, here's what I'll be doing:

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Holiday Tour - The Family Room

The last room on our tour.
This is the third of our trees. It's slightly considered the ISU tree because of the hat, and the ISU Santas underneath it. It's also got red and gold beads on it.

This is the floor under the tree.

And here's a bookshelf.

I hope you enjoyed my little tour.

Have a good holiday season everyone.

Venting

So, it's supposed to be the time of giving, and joy and being nice to people right? Someone needs to tell my mother that. She's been on me lately to clean my apartment (it doesn't live up to her standards of clean). I have plenty of walking space (it's actually a lot better lately), and I have lots of piles of stuff everywhere, most likely because I have too much stuff. Anyways, she told me the other day, it was time for me to start keeping it like other people keep their homes. She's saying this having not been in my apartment for a long time, but knowing I'm messy.
I was chatting with some co-workers the other day, and asking why she cared so much. One of my co-workers said it's because I'm her daughter, it sets a bad image for her. We're supposed to be having a carpenter come in and hang a new bathroom door in my apartment (another thing just for her), and she's all about looks and what people think just by looks. This carpenter, has been in my apartment before when it has been much worse, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't really care, and (like my coworker said) has seen a lot worse.
Anywho, I was being nice to my mother tonight (which I should really stop doing, because every time I'm nice to her, she comes back and bites me in the ass), and giving her the movie The Help to borrow, and showing her the cool steampunk charms I got in the mail today (see them here). She brings up the carpenter and how I need to clean my apartment before he comes. I said I cleaned it up for my dad the other day (he's legally blind), and she says that she would gladly come up and take a look at it (this is generally where I get quiet, because no matter what I say, I can never win or get my way in a conversation). Tonight, I said it would never be up to her standards. She asked if it was clean like this pointing to the floor and family room where there are no piles on the floor, because she doesn't buy a lot of stuff or she shoves it all in her craft/junk room and shuts the door, can't even go there in a conversation, she'd have some excuse for that. I of course said no, and again she said I needed to keep my apartment like others do. This morning I was chatting again with coworkers and they said they would take pictures of theirs and send them to me, I told her that and she said bring it on. To which I shut up, took my stuff and left. By the time I got out the door, I was crying, she does such a good job of doing that to me.

I'm not stressed this time of year. I've had all my shopping done and presents wrapped for awhile. I only get stressed when people (like my mom or things at work) happen or say things that I can't control. And, I'm saying to myself now, what I say to myself at work when patrons get too annoying. "And we're smiling, and we're breathing"

Holiday Tour - The Living Room

Lots of pictures today:
This is our second tree, it's the main tree we put up each year. It's a lighted tree and we decorate it with Santa ornaments, as you can see it already has plenty of presents underneath it.

Here's our fireplace. You can see the stockings that my mom made for us many years ago. Each of the brass stocking holders fit what we collect: Santa for my mom, reindeer for my brother and snowman for me. My dad doesn't collect anything Christmas related, so he has a tree.

Here's the floor under the mantle.

Here's a chair next to the Hoosier, it has a cute Santa pillow, along with some holiday socks.

The wall above the chair. The Santa in the chimney stays up year round.

The Hoosier cabinet (this used to be in the kitchen for a number of years).

The floor under the Hoosier cabinet. There's another Santa spool here, and a rubber duckie Santa.

One of our round tables in the room (the tree is sitting on the other one). There's another nesting Santa here, as well as a driftwood Santa.

Here's the loveseat, with a collection of Santa pins on a pillow.

Another look at the tree.

Another table.

Another table. All the tables match in this room.

Tune in tomorrow for the family room.

Holiday Tour - The Dining Room

Short post today.
This is our dining room table. You can see Santa S&P shakers, as well as a box train. This is a little desk in the corner, on it are 2 sets of nesting Santas. There's also a Santa on a table underneath it.

Tune in tomorrow for the living room.

Holiday Tour

I love reading and seeing everyone else's decorated homes, so I decided to show you mine (or my parents, as I've already showed you mine). Here is our house from the outside. Notice no snow, we're in between snow falls right now. I live on the 3rd floor.
You can see our garland on the front porch. My mother collects Santas, so most of the decorations inside will be Santas.

Here is a look in from the front door, there is garland on the staircase and on the French doors to the left. You can also see a big Santa infront of our bench, and the first of the 3 trees we have up.

Here is a table mounted on the wall, to the right of the front door. You can see the Coca Cola Santa music box, and the set of Santa spools.

This is right under the above table. The bear is there all year round, but gets dressed up in the hat and cape for Christmas. The mouse dances and sings when you press his foot.

This is the stairway. Again, you can see the garland, as well as a bunch of paper Santas.

This is the bottom of the tall Santa and his friends.

This is our bench, it's built into the wall. The purple Santa, is a Mardi Gras Santa from New Orleans.

This is a shelf mounted above our radiator.

Tune in tomorrow for the dining room. I will be doing one room a day, so I have 3 more days to do.

Last Week

I'm not entirely sure I'd make these again. I had a heck of a time with the batter. After I mixed it up, it was not dough, and very dry, so I added and egg, then it became batter and very sticky, so I added flour, that was better, but still sticky, so I added butter (to make it greasy). By that time I was just ready to give up. As you can see in the picture some of the cookies are spiky, because the dough was sticking to my hands.

Red Velvet Cookies
1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon red food color
1 egg
3/4 cup to 1 cup Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup chopped nuts.

1. Mix cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food color and egg in bowl until soft dough forms.

2. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet

3. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely about 15 minutes.

4. Frost cooled cookies with frosting. Sprinkle with nuts.


I know it says to frost, but I am still freezing mine, so they're not frosted in the picture, but I did frost one to try, it was delicious.

So, that's the end of my Holiday Baking, I will post one last post to show all the cookies/bars together with links to their recipes.

I don't read so well

Or maybe even not at all. I picked up a copy of Taste of Home magazine in November, and there was this offer to get something for $10, plus a free copy of the magazine. So, I sent my money in and wondered why I kept getting envelopes about renewing my subscription. I ignored them. Today, this was waiting in my mailbox:
I haven't really looked at it, but I'm excited to. I'm not too bummed about not getting a subscription, I really don't like the new look/style of their magazine. I think this was a better deal anyway, I LOVE their books.

This was also waiting in my mailbox today:

Some fun gifts from Donna of Brynwood Needleworks. I sent her a package a few weeks ago, read about it here. I love how she collects acorns, so when I saw an ornament in a shop, I had to get it for her, along with some other things. I love how she addressed my package to The Frog Palace (my other blog and my Etsy shop).

I've always wanted one of her ATC's as well, it's actually kind of funny I got it today (more on that later).

Thank you Donna.

The Charlie Brown Button Christmas Tree

I put in the top bid for this button tree at a local fundraiser. It's so cute. My boss called it the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, I realized it does kind of look like it, but sparklier and with buttons.
This is the ribbon 'tinsel'

I tried to get some close-ups of some of the ornaments, but they're a little blurry. This one is at the top of the tree, it's layered with a big white button as the background.

This one has a round button/bead on top, and then the others are stacked.

This one has two stacked buttons.

This one has three round buttons/beads shaped kind of like a clump of grapes.

This one has stacked buttons on top, and then a clump underneath.

I love this addition to my home, it might actually stay up all year long.