I'm dreaming of a white.........

February 26 and we're getting the first real snowstorm of the year.  Earlier today I had high hopes that I would get a "snow day" tomorrow and have the luxury of staying home from work.  I pictured myself relaxing in my jammies in front of the fireplace sipping coffee and .......pinning!

View ( from indoors ) around noon today.

Just before dinner, I looked out and the snow had stopped.  Darn.

My groundskeeper ( aka Bill ) shoveled this morning......

and cranked up the snowblower this afternoon.

Just when we thought the snow was done.....

Here we go again!

I just bought my new tow truck yesterday and not a moment too soon!  Eight dollars well spent.

The announcement will be made at 6 am tomorrow.

I'll be listening to the radio with my fingers crossed.  And the coffeepot on.

I'm dreaming of a white......Monday!

Vickie

Monday morning update:

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

Last week at work we were given the opportunity to participate in an online personality evaluation.  After answering a number of questions about our personality traits, we were categorized into color groups.

I am a gold.

The survey says I live by the motto, "A place for everything and everything in its place."  Our daughters can surely attest to that.  I'm also a rule follower.  True.  I always return my shopping cart to the cart corral.  I'm organized, dependable, punctual, blah, blah, blah.  Okay.

Now for the part that wasn't quite so flattering.

How others perceive me.....

Bossy!

Controlling!!

Rigid!!!

Boy they sure don't sugarcoat it!

  They really hit the nail on the head with this one.....

Lags behind in technology!!!!

How do they know this stuff ?!

( And what else do they know about me? )

They are right.  I don't have a Facebook account.  My decade old cell phone doesn't twitter.  Well, not that I know of.  No texting.  No Kindle.  And most importantly no Pinterest account!!!!

That's it.  Time for a change.  Rigid!  Set in my ways!  Afraid of change!   I'll show them!

I took the bull by the horns and set up a Facebook page.  Yes.  I.  Did.  It's now floating around in cyberspace and  I don't care!  I never wanted one in the first place.  I only set it up so I could open a Pinterest account!

• Open Facebook page.  Check.
• Start Pinterest account.  Check.

As we all know, Google Friend Connect will soon be history.  So, I joined Linky followers and added it to my sidebar if you'd like to follow me that way.

• Add Linky widget to blog.  Check.

April 19 will be a sad day for many bloggers, myself included.  Picnik free photo editing will be history.  Gone.  Finito.  I'm sorry to say, I haven't found another easy-to-navigate, free, photo editing program, so I can't check this item off my list.  I'm hoping a tech savvy blogger ( probably a Blue personality ) will help us all out and blog about a wonderful new photo editing site they've found!

Now, I will say, this survey wasn't completely accurate.  It said I was frugal.  I guess that's true in some cases.  It also said I have a tendency to drive under the speed limit.  I only know of 3 people in the whole universe who drive under the speed limit and I'm not one of them....... unless, of course, I happen to see this....

or this......

( All images with the exception of sunflower photo courtesy of Google Images )

In the end, I feel I've grown immensely as a result of participating in this personality evaluation.  Oh yes,  I'm happy to say, I'm no longer the rigid, controlling, bossy person I once was.  Well, gotta go.  My cell phone is honking, I mean tooting, or is it tweeting?  Whatever.

:@

No longer afraid of change,

Vickie

One more thing.

Julie and Megan, you can now remove this from your Pinterest boards.

Come on baby light my fire.

When our daughter Julie showed me an outdoor chandelier she wanted to buy for 40 some dollars, it finally lit a fire under me to start the chandelier project that's been on the back burner for well over a year.

I already had plenty of glass insulators.

They were practically giving them away for 50 cents apiece at an estate sale.

I sent my hunter and gatherer out to the garage attic for a roll of old garden fencing.

It's not vintage, but nicely weathered.  We used it along a lilac hedge to keep our little Fergie from sneaking out of the yard and it's still sold by the roll at most home centers.  The insulators and the fencing are the main components of the chandelier and the rest of the items are things you probably have on hand.  I was determined to complete this project without spending a dime!

A few pieces of chain, some 20 gauge wire, an outdoor faucet handle, a screw eye and nut, a large S hook, some bending and twisting and voila!

An outdoor chandelier ready for an alfresco dinner.  Well, maybe after the snow melts.

I wired the insulators onto the fencing.

I turned the fencing upside down and curled the straight ends with needle nose pliers.  I cut 3 lengths of chain and threaded them, evenly spaced onto the curled sections of fencing.

The other end of the chain is attached to a faucet handle.  A screw eye is inserted into the center of the handle and secured with a nut. 

I used a hook for a pot rack and a short piece of chain to hang the chandelier from a tree branch.

To avoid any unpleasant surprises, I gave it a trial run.  Megan and I bought well over a hundred vintage blue jars in 3 different sizes for her wedding.  The plan was to have lit candles in all of them on the tables at the reception.  There was just one problem.  When the candles were lit, the jars overheated and cracked.  We went with Plan B which was fresh sunflowers in the jars instead of candles.  And yes, Megan, I have enough supplies to make you a chandelier, too.  :@

We ( I sent my assistant ahead of me with a lighter ) had to wait until nightfall to try it out.

Success!  Although, it was only 30 degrees outside, so the insulators were unlikely to overheat.

This chandy needs a sturdy branch.  It weighs 6.8 pounds.  Without candles.

 Time to call it a night.  I'm missing Downton Abbey!!!

Linked to:
Knick of Time Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesdays
The Farmhouse Porch Cowgirl Up
Common Ground Vintage Inspiration Friday

Five Little Monkeys

*One year ago today I published this post and I'm still in the same situation.  But not for long.

There comes a time in life when one must explore alternative pathways. Working 40 hours per week is seriously cutting into my creative time, so I thought I would present to you one of my "work-from-home" ideas.

   Virtual books for children!!!!  ( Please scroll down to my Playlist and choose 5 Little Monkeys.)

Five Little Monkeys

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,

one fell off and bumped his head.

Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said...

No more monkeys jumping on the bed!

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,

one fell off and bumped his head.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said....

No more monkeys jumping on the bed!!

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,

one fell off and bumped his head.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said....

No more monkeys jumping on the bed!!!

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,

one fell off and bumped his head.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...



No more monkeys jumping on the bed!!!!

One little monkey jumping on the bed,

she fell off and bumped her head.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...

No more monkeys jumping on the bed!!!!!

So you be the judge, shall I quit my day job?

Nope.

I just bought this magazine today and look what #6 of the top 10 finds is for 2012!

Thanks for visiting!

Vickie

Collection complete.

The photo above has absolutely nothing to do with this post other than the fact that I'm writing it on the night before Valentine's Day.  It is the only heart I finished for my heart garland, yet another unfinished project awaiting my attention.  I would have finished it, but we were much to busy traveling to and fro, transporting my latest find and then moving furniture up and down stairs to make room for it.

I've kept you in suspense long enough, so here it is.......

Oops!  Wrong picture!

Although the Ranger pinball machine has wonderful graphics in all the right colors and is priced to sell, we couldn't possibly fit it in our already overstuffed, small basement.

This is what we hauled home on top of our Matrix.....

What!?!   Another fireplace?!

I know, I know!!  Less than two months ago Bill's major award of an electric fireplace was delivered to 911!  But, the scale was much too small for the dining room, so it has been moved to its rightful place in the award winner's cave.  In fact, I'm writing this post with the fireplace warming my backside.  :@

I do have plans to paint the walls and trim in the dining room after we finish a few other projects.  My blog friend Lesley ( The Homeless Finch ) suggested I place something under the windows to ground the room.  She was right, and the room finally feels cozy to me.  Thanks, Lesley!

Don't worry, I'm not collecting fireplaces.  I like to think of it as replacing them.  You see, I had to leave behind two vintage fireplaces as part of the purchase agreement when we sold our previous house and I've been looking for reasonably priced replacements ever since.  So, this particular collection is now complete.

In honor of tomorrow's holiday, I'll leave you with a few photos of my Valentine collectibles. 

It looks like she's trying to remember something.

A Little Hint:  Russell Stover French Chocolate Mints

Happy Valentine's Day! 

A fireside post by Vickie.