My new sign

...for my office.

:)

I have been dog- & house-sitting.

For the past 8 days I have been taking care of two dogs.  A Shih Tzu named Jack and a Pomeranian named Kip.  They are so quirky.

Tonight my duties have ended.  I am home, reading, with a cute Tortie kitty curled up at the end of my beloved bed.

My bestie

She is the one I can laugh with...cry with...share with...be my true-blue self with.  The person I do not need to measure words with.  She knows me almost as well as I know myself.  A confidant.  A one in a million friend.

Friends come and go but Ging has stuck to me like an octopus on my face. 

I am forever blessed.

May 14th

Rainy and overcast outside.
Maxi dress, blue sweat-ah and strappy sandals inside.

May 11th

Cropped jeans
Brown strappy sandals
Cream floral dress (it has a yellow under-dress)
Raspberry cardigan
Yellow flowered earrings

May 9th

What I wore...
Garage sale coral dress
Thrift-find Bjorn brown sandals
Charming Charlie's b-day coupon blue necklace
Thrift find denim jacket

May 8th

What I wore...
Loft black cropped pants (Thanks ThredUp)
Cute Maurices multiple print top
Coral cardigan
Black wedge sandals (Gotta be careful with my purple baby toe)

I can't believe I am wearing black cropped pants.  Never did I ever think that I would love the look but I sure do.  I stopped eating junkie food when I realized I am what I eat and EVERY bite either fuels my body or slams my body with stuff it was never meantto digest.

May 7th

One of the funnest things Bryan and I used to do was meet in Michigan City, Indiana and spend the day together.  It was pretty much halfway between me and Chunk.

On our last time spent there, we found a refurbished 3-story convent turned thrift.  THREE WHOLE STORIES!!!!!!  I remember Bryan asking me, "Did Sisters really live here, Angie?"

Bry found some dishes and I nabbed a cute wraparound, very June Cleaver-ish navy & coral dress.

Today as I put it on, I prayed asking God to restore my sweet brother to himself but if not, of God's will is not that, to put me and my family in His grace bubble to get through this storm. 

The 2nd day of May

What I wore:
Elle summery dress
Denim jacket
Pink Loft sweater
Black strappy sandals

All thrift finds and all fabulous!!!

May Day

What I wore..
Loft white cropped jeans
Black and white polkadot blouse
Coral cardigan
Black "Boston" sandals

Happy May Day!!!

My 2nd weekend painting project

I tried Rust-oleum's CHALKED pale pink spray paint.  It is nice as far as spray paint goes. 

I used it on a metal corner shelf.  Originally cream and gold - I am not a fan of gold.  Since the corner shelf was a hand-me-down, I splurged on spray paint and clear coat.

Three coats later and some milk glass organizational help...I think it turned out lovely.

It's done!!!!

My first chalk-painted dresser is done.

I am so glad I used Annie Sloan's Florence colored chalk paint.  Her stuff is the cream of the crop.  Totally worth the investment. 

Thankfully Walgreens carries Crayola chalk.  99 cents.  Good bargain!!!  I totally expect to find my box of chalk now that I purchased new boxes. 

Hospice care plant worker

I tend to send plants to the big greenhouse in the sky.  It's what I do.

I have managed to keep alive a spider plant, a (let's go phonetical which sounds close to fanatical but it is different) fill-oh-den-drun, and a Christmas cactus.

Today I went to Home Depot for 4 screws for my coffee station and I left Home Depot with...
1. Potting soil
2. Two succulents
3. Screws
4. A catnip plant

Expensive screws trip.

Needless to say - I had nabbed two little milk glass bowls (sugar bowls I believe) from the Agrace thrift & the Rescue Mission Thrift and I intend to keep alive 2 succulents.

The succulents' little instructional tag said, "Thrives in desert like conditions."

Perfect.  I shall neglect and forget to water them.  Done. 

Trudy MADE me buy it.

Trudy:  "LOOK!!!!!"

Me:  "Oh no, it's milk glass."

Trudy:  "Buy it.  It is pretty."

Me:  "I don't know.  Do I need it?"

Trudy:  "It's milk glass.  We are at a garage sale and it's milk glass."

Me:  "Okaaaay. I will buy it." 

After checking-out...
Trudy:  "It's a beautiful bowl.  Fill it with something good."

Me:  "Like guacamole?  Wanna come over?"

15th

Happy 15th anniversary to my FABULOUS church --> HARVEST ROCKFORD!!!!!!!!!!!

Chalk paint

I nabbed a fabulous wooden dresser at the sketchy thrift on 251.  It required me borrowing Trudy's van and hauling it home and then in to my duplex. 

After 2 coats of Annie Sloan's Florence  (teal-ish) chalk paint and a coat of clear wax, I went knob-hunting.  Thankfully the Hobby Lobby had all their knobs 50% off and I had just enough 2-day's worth dog-sitting/dog-walking cash to purchase said half off knobs and a sign that says "Life is better with a cat."

I am thinking Bryan needs that sign especially after he text me how his Chloe caught a mouse and remove the head and tail gifting both to her beloved cat dad.  She then ate the deceased mouse's body and promptly barfed it up.  Gift that keeps on giving. 

The dresser turned coffee bar turned out exactly how I pictured it.

Next week I want to paint the dresser's mirror with chalkboard black paint and then paint the trim the Florence teal color.

I forgot how much I love painting.  Not enough to start another craft addiction but I sure do enjoy it.  I am now picturing my 2nd painting project - a fun bookshelf for a new munchkin arriving in July-August. 

Not only was painting and knob-hunting involved but now that it is done, I want to find fabric remnants and make a runner and coordinating cloth napkins for my dining room table.  Did I mention that the coffee bar had to go in my dining room area?  It did.  It was too long for my kitchen.  This is totally fine.  Now I will be on the hunt for a cart or shelf to put in my kitchen cause let's be honest, I need some sort of catchall by the door.

Decaf and hand-lettering practice

In the olden days (when I lived in the cottage), Sunday afternoons were filled with decaf coffee and leisure.

I have gotten away from this.

Two weeks ago I put it on my hacienda.

It is no longer a want.  IT IS A MUST.

You are.....

It ended with sitting infront of the fireplace with a decaf chai while gabbing with a friend.

My week.  What a ridiculous 6 days!!!!!  When I look back on it, I give Jesus all the credit for keeping me sane and enveloping me in an Angie-sized grace bubble.

Sunday - I attended both church services as I served by running the Propresenter.  From church I went and prayed with a friend.  Dashed home and warmed-up some leftover soup before dashing out tbe door to the Elf musical.  My former Sunday school kiddo was starring in. And the day ended with a Christmas Hallmark movie with Lori. 

Monday - work which included payroll and a work sickie.  Monday night I went to my old church for their ladies Christmas tea.  I went because love does. 

Tuesday was another glorious day at the sewer plant.  (On a related note, slightly random, my work weeks are busy but no longer tense.  Stepping back and re-evaluating my reactions has been a huge help.)  Tuesday night was tutoring.  My tutoree asked me where I work.  Telling him at the sewer plant required some clarification that no, I do not work in the sewer pipes like a Ninja Turtle.  I am just a secretary for a bunch of engineers who follow the lead of Batman and Robin.

Wednesday involved more secretary-ing and then my new life group.  It's been 3 months so is it really a "new" life group?  Hmmmm...

Thursday was work which included the decorating of the department Christmas tree.  Was I feeling festive?  Not so much.  I was actually feeling why-can't-RAL-decorate-the-tree???   My work day was then followed by running home to fluff my gym clothes in the dryer then dashing to the gym where I did a few minutes of quasi-intense cardio and then I made a mad dash to Beef-a-roo for some sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli and a chit-chat with a dear friend.

This brings me to today.  Friiiiiiiiiiday!!!!!!  Work and then hurry home to warm up soup which I scarfed-down before dashing out the door to Meg's to meet my friend.  After a chai, we went to my church for the Christmas Sing Out Loud.  It was wonderful.

And now my flannel jammies are on and a very silly feline has taken up residency on my lap. 

I am soooooo thankful this week ended on such an encouraging note.

Tomorrow I have a few errands but I mostly want to...
1. Decorate my cute little Christmas tree.
2. Write out my cards.
3. Sew gifts.

Happy weekend-ing, blog-stalkers!!!!

The goose

My favorite ornament on our department Christmas tree....the one-legged goose.  This one isn't cookin'.