White Wednesday #23

My old desk area when I homeschooled.  Always stacked with junk, but it was my little haven of white amidst the chaos of six kids at home.

Mi4M highlights!

 Here's some highlights from the first weekly Make it for Monday (Mi4M).  Once again I'm amazed at the talent and creativity goin' on out there.  My bookmark page is so full of inspiration, it makes me tired to even look at it.  'Course everything makes me tired lately.  Pish Posh.

So on to the highlights....if you've been featured, feel free to grab my button over there-----> and get your brag on.

Blue Creek Home used materials she had on hand to make adorable snowman ornaments.  Love these, hoping to make some similar for our tree...

The Crafty Sisters made a magnetic board to fit any old place (kitchen recipes!) using an eclectic mix of materials.  Very funky-chic!

Moody Girl is a girl after my own heart....she found a playmate for my thrift store hutch and even placed hers under her window like I did...great minds think alike :o)

Traci at Beneath My Heart (and her hubby!) took on a kitchen renovation after a pipe burst. Check out all her pictures and breath in the awesomeness of her new kitchen space!

And Kelly, the Chick 'n Charge is jumping on the tassel craze, but added a twist for display, which I really think is cool...she popped it on a pillar holder!

Thanks everyone for playing along.  I'll leave you with some mama-brag.  A few of my daughter's senior pictures we just received.   I can't believe this girl is all grown up.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

okaybye.

Make it for Monday #1

I haven't done much promotion for this new weekly link party, but even if I'm the only participant at least I got something done!  I'm still chipping away at projects....and I just took on a BIG project that I will talk about soon (it's a creative endeavor, but doesn't entail decorating...and no, I'm not preggers.)  So now it's even more important that I budget my time and get cracking on that cra(p)ft room.

So my project this week was itty-tiny, but fun none the less.  I picked up 4 happy red stripped cotton dish towels at IKEA for .49 ea.  Thought I'd make a pillow out of two of them, but instead I just stenciled some happy Christmas words on them.  See?

 

My seasonal decorating will be almost entirely white and natural elements this year with pops of red, so these will be a nice little touch.  I think.

So, link up if you've got a project, craft, makeover, cute kid, etc to show off.

Put the link to your actual post (not your blog, please) and in your post please link back to this post or add my button. Code is on my sidebar.

 Leave comment love for everyone too...we all like to feel connected :o)

Mr. MckLinky will be open 8:00 EST (Indiana).

I kissed the mailman.

Yeah, right.  But I wanted to.  Except the mailman was a she.  And she was in her oversized fisher-price mailtruck, driving pretty darn fast. 

Would ya just look at what she brought me?

Remember a few weeks back I found some giveaway love from Lori at Wildflowers?  I picked out this gorgeous necklace from Vintage Pearl stamped with my six kiddo's names.  I know, right?   Serious chic beauty for sure.  Love it!  Thanks again Lori. :)

Then my name magically jumped out over at Annie's Birdcages and Butterflies to win a set of her wooden blocks all pretty-fied and lookin' marvey!  And her tags and card are so sah-weet! Check 'em out:

Each side of each block has neato stuff....like the birdie things, words, or seasonal images like below:

Aren't they the cutest?  I'm displaying them on my bookshelves right now, but will prolly move them into the kitchen for the holidays....Thanks Annie! 

And I made it to the Flea Market and Antique Show at my local Coliseum last night.  Um, lots of sequined sweatshirts, bottles of cleaners, and knives.  There were a few booths with collectables and antique-y type stuff actually worth looking at, but rather overpriced.  I managed to only pick up the following two vintage soap advertisments from 1912 and 1914.  Since I make soap, I thought they might looks cool framed in my cra(p)ft room.

And evidently, people actually read ads 'cause there was quite a bit of verbage on them.  These days, there's maybe one sentence to 'grab' you.  Or a picture of a slightly naked woman.  *sigh*

I'm not sure it was even worth the $4 parking and $1 entrance fee.  I certainly won't go again.  The 'flea market style' represented wasn't the 'look' I'm going after, and didn't look anything like the lovely stuff I see at all the junker's sites I visit daily on my sidebar.

okaybye.

Tales from the Coop Keeper. A vignette of domestic bliss. And chickens.

 Since beginning the decorating blog thing, I've stumbled upon so many talented gals.  I've decided they are so awesome I will be kind enough to share them with you.  But they're still my best friends, you understand.

Just sayin'.

Today I'm gonna feature The Coop Keeper aka The Chicken Whisperer aka Counting Chickens aka Jayme.  Perhaps you've noticed I like sharp wit and humor.  Maybe?  Well I do.  I LOVE to find other funny bloggers, with funny stories to tell, with funny lives, with funny noses.  Ok, I don't really care about their noses.  Anyway, my homey Jayme fits all the criteria in a perfect storm for blogging.  If you've not hopped into the virtual world of Jayme and her 'girls', let me please introduce you to her wicked sense of humor without further delay....because the world needs more Jaymes in a bad way.  We all need Jaymes in our life to make us laugh til we cry.  I'm being serious.  I literally laughed so hard I cried one night reading some of her old posts. She lives just a couple hours from me, and I'm soooo gonna meet her for real, up close and personal.   I can't wait to introduce you.  I will stop talking now.

Please meet Jayme at Tales from the Coop Keeper, homemakin' farmgirl extraordinare

(she asks you to please ignore the rosemary up her nose)

She cooks and bakes (and shares recipes and how-tos!):

She knits:

She gardens:

 

She Junks:

She decorates

She landscapes:

She does Giveaways:

She drinks this with plants:

And with her cat:

She and her hubby have renovated a 140 year old farmhouse:

For example, Porch before:

Porch after:

She has one of these!!!

Lovingly called "The Squirrel" (see the squirrel?)

She entertains:

She embraces her inner vintage homemaker and plays dressup:

Pin curls and vintage earrings....swoon!

And she kills things then sings about it:

I mean, what's not to love here?  Is she livin' the life or what?

And if you can believe this, she also homeschools her 13 year old nephew Aaron.  Say hi to Aaron!

(this dude COOKS!):

 And you MUST read THIS post about puberty.  That's all I'm gonna say about that. 

Ok, now on to the main reason for my post today. Jayme also has a brood.  Like me, except hers have beaks and feathers.  And some serious personality.  I thought perhaps it would be fun to introduce them to you as well.  I interviewed each of them for this post because they have some very wise things to share with my readers. I've included links to where you can read more about each of them because I KNOW you will want to become better acquainted. Shall we begin? Yes, let's.

 Meet Stubs

Stubs was injured in a coon attack, and left with disfigured feet. Nevertheless, when we sat down together she exuded confidence, and I noticed she has fabulous flappies wattles.  I asked her about how she was coping since the attack.

Me: How has your disability helped you to realize your dreams as an impressionist artist?  In what ways do you foster your self-esteem now that you have been physically challenged?

Stubs: You know Cindy, living with a disability is difficult.  There are so many things I can't do.  I can't scratch.  I can't roost.  If I'm not careful, I get depressed.  Surprisingly, I'm the top bird around here.  I have to be...if I showed the least bit of weakness, I'd be hen pecked.  The Coop Keeper encourages me though.  She's always encouraging me to do the things that I can do, like paint.  She always tells me that my eggs are her favorites.  They are a beautiful color, I must admit.  I get horribly itchy at times, and I can't scratch myself.  It's maddening.  I take my mind off of it by searching for worms.  I do have a gallery showing planned for the Spring of 2010...don't miss it!  

Here she is at work:

Ta da!

Next up we have Helen: 

Helen also survived a coon attack, having had her head almost swallowed.  The experience has had a profound effect on her.  She's much more humble, has taken to contemplation and even began a ministry.  Her companion Fifi was nervously sitting nearby and kept interrupting.

Me: After your harrowing near-death experience with the coon, how has your perspective on life changed?  Do you believe it's vain to fluff your feathers now as the more carnal of us do?  Does it bother you to always be last?  Does Fifi get on your nerves?  Is she too shallow perhaps?  

Helen:  Cindy, first of all, thank for taking the time to talk to me.  No one usually bothers.  Since the great coon attack of June 2009, life has changed drastically.  For me, life was all about bugs, dust baths and who could get to the water cooler the fastest.  I'm much more retrospective now.  I don't run around as much.  I still do preen.  Cleanliness is next to Godliness you know.  Fifi is a thorn in my flesh.  I'll say no more.  It doesn't bother me to be last anymore.  Sometimes I feel a little useless around here, I don't lay, and I'm blind in one eye.  The Coop Keeper loves me though.  Did you know she carried me in her jacket for two days?  She slept with me, carried me all over the yard and force fed me fresh strawberries and yogurt?  I'd be dead without her.  That's love. 

 

  

Let's quickly move on to Miss Fifi LeFew before she lights up again:

 

 Me:  What is the best color companion for your glorious blue green eggs?  And what's your best piece of advice for staying calm in a tense situation, besides say squawking and putting on a show?   

Fifi: Oh Dahlink, there are no better eggs than my lovely blue green eggs.  I sink zat Stubs eggs are the best to be zeen with mine.  Ze Stubbs lays a lovely golden brown egg.  Makes mine look even lovlia...Ze CoopKeeper, she is so afraid that my smoking will reduce the beauty or the frequency of my eggs, but she ez so wrong.  You see, as a lovely french bird, I smoke.  Eez no problem.  Zee other chickens, zey sink I'm, how you say 'neurotic'...zay don't know...zay should live through zee coon attack...zay would understand zen.  Zee attack, still so fresh in my mind, zee skwauking, zee running.  Zee smoking, it calms me.

Okie dokie. Moving right along.  Next are the uber-crafty gals.

Chicks after our own hearts here in the blogsphere.

Here's Mrs. Puffington

and her loyal stitching buddy Mother Plumtree with a sample of her work:

Both these gals are rather soft-spoken and genteeeel, both lost their way to the porch where I was waiting for them, sipping ice tea in a rocking chair.  I tried to ask them about their hobbies, you know

....to draw them out a bit. Didn't take long.

Me:  Have either of you considered stitching up some road signs to help you get around the coop and yard?  Do you quietly gossip about the other girls when you're crafting???  Do tell.   

Mrs. P and Mother P:  Pray tell, what have you heard about us?  Landsakes we wouldn't be talking about our friends like that.  Well, maybe Fifi...and I do remember talking about Helen once or twice....like why she won't get a backbone and fight for her rights to the scratch grain....but that is it, I think....   We have stitched arrow signs, towels, and other fineries and strategically placed them around the yard, but that darn Coop Keeper finds them, and gets excited and either hangs them in the coop, or gives them away on some blog she does.  We've given up.  We just watch Helen nonchalantly and follow her....

Next in was Scooter.   Take a wild guess why:

Scooter was brought in to be the BFF to a fellow chick (who has most unfortunately and prematurely passed on to that glorious coop in the sky---RIP Sugar Pie).  She's a pretty young thing, and given to that teenage chatter that fills my own house so often.

Me:  What is it like to feel so needed, and what will be the 'got to' color for winter scarves this year?  Will you be modeling for Antropologie in the near future?

Scooter: Hi Cindy!  Actually, I just signed a two year contract with Abercrombie.  The 'got to' color for this winter I believe will be teal.  It's bright, clean and really stands out against my rust feathers.  The Coop Keeper is busy designing a new line called  'Poultry in Motion".  Cindy, I gotta tell ya, it feels pretty good to be so needed around here.  The Coop Keeper and I are like 'this' (gestures with her claw).  I have to be extra careful around here when I'm out free ranging.  My friend Sugar Pie was lifted right out of her dust bath.  Hawk.  I can't talk about it.  It was horrific.  I think the Coop Keeper would lose it if she lost me.  I see her out in the yard all the time, looking for me.  She gets a hold of me and covers me in kisses...I can't say it's my favorite thing...but it's better than the frying pan.

Here she is showing us how scarves should be worn this winter:

Lastly, let me introduce you to Scarlett (and her friend Aunt Pittypat whom I've not had opportunity to interview as of yet.  I'm told they were discussing Project Runway before being interrupted by the Coop Keeper's camera here.)  Notice the glorious always-in-fashion-and-the-envy-of-all-women red feathers. Redheads are always stunning, no?

Me: What does your morning beauty routine entail?

Scarlett:  Morning routine Cindy?  It's a daily ritual, as in it takes all day.  You don't look this good without work honey.  First things first Cindy, you need a good nights roost.  I go up early to get the best spot.  First thing in the morning, I re-hydrate by drinking alot of water.  I also go heavy on the scratch grain, for a glossy sheen to my glorious feathers.   Sure the scratch grain puts a little junk in my trunk, but what's wrong with that?  I preen a few hours a day, take a good long dust bath, and start the process all over again.

I'm told there are two more black chickens, but we are waiting for them to identify themselves as hens or roosters.

Yes, life is exciting for the Coop Keeper.

Now see, aren't you glad I brought Jayme and her crew to your attention?

Go visit her as soon as you can, but please don't ask to borrow a tree. 

I will leave you all with some links to some of my favorite posts from Jayme's place:  

My Weird Weekend

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Tour de Coup

okaybye.

Roadkill Rescue

This is old news, but I can't pass up a link party :)  Infarrantly Creative is hosting a 'Roadkill Rescue' party in which whatever we show off MUST have been free.  And Sanctuary Arts at Home  is having a before and after party too.  I'm featuring the desk I got for helping my friend with her mom's estate.  If you've seen this before, just move along to your next feed.

She started out looking like this:

 

I cleaned off the years of dust and nicotine buildup with some a ton of Liquid Sander, then went to work painting her all pretty-like.  Now she looks like this:

 

Here she is in my finished dining room...

I used paint I already had, and reused the hardward she came with, so this rescue was FREE!

Lots of other rescues over there, so make the jump:

okaybye.

White Wednesday #22

The Mister and I went on a date the other night to Half-Price Books.  I could spend about 900 years perusing the Home Decor and Crafting section, but that night I just spent about an hour.  I scored two of my all time favorite books, both by Victoria.  Bedrooms and At Home with White.  Both are a tribute to the timeless, classic look of all things white, chippy, cottagey, beachy, and vintage. 

At Home with White was published in '96, and none of the pictures are 'out of date'.  I was hard pressed to find anything to denote when the book was made as I was drooling over each image.  This book was my first love, the first time I ever poured over each page in a book a dozen times, the first time I said "THIS" is my look.  I checked it out of the library more times than I can count, always renewing it.....forgot about it for a bit.....then rediscovered it in the last few years and fell in love all over again.  I never tire of the vignettes, the lushness, the simplicity. 

The following are just pictures I took with my camera of the images in the book as it sat in my lap, so they're blurry and weird, but you get the idea.  Bliss.  Bliss. Bliss.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy White Wednesday everyone.  Thanks again to Kathleen of Faded Charm for hosting every week so we can get our fix on white everything.

okaybye.

Party Re-cap and a Winner

Hey Miss Maggie!  Guess you're going to be swimming in my soap....congrats!

Lemme know which 3 scents you want this time around :)

I was totally overwhelmed by the number of participants in the 'made it with what I had' party yesterday. So much awesome crafting and makeovering :)  Thank you all so much for playing!  And now doesn't it feel good to check off another project or two from the never-ending list?  It was so fun to find yet more blogs to visit and be inspired by too.  Because of that, you might have noticed I added a new button on my sidebar.....yep, I'd like to see how a weekly link party might fly.  I know there's lots of them out there, but having one myself guarantees that I HAVE to attack a project each week.  So, if you're into it, feel free to snag the button and advertise on your own blog to spread the word.  I promise not to hound you too much. 

Now onto the party highlights.  If I feature you, feel free to grab your button on my sidebar.

Check 'em out:

Sammer of House Lover madeover a Craigslist Grandfather Clock.  Oooo la la!

 

Sarah of The Byrd Nest repurposed a chunky, clunky coffee table into a bench.  Coolio!

Miss Donna of Funky Junk Interiors wowed me (once again) with her bedroom re-do.  Serious Swoon!

Maggie of The White Farmhouse showed us some reupholstery magic.  Love!

 

Nori of Love2Create totally inspired me to use some old plastic turntables

into unique storage for my cra(p)ft room. Yay!

 Eliza of Eliza Loves...showed off her Quiet Book.  Check out all the activities for her little one!  I think I'll be making one for my future grandbabies. :o)

Catherine of peace love sweater sewed up some absolutely adorable little people with her own little people and their old sweaters.

 

I wish I could feature everyone's posts.  I seriously thought I would be able to as I figured only 5-10 gals would link up!  There's just tons of great creative stuff linked up down there.

Do visit everyone and leave comment love, k? 

Thanks, too, for all the sweet comments on my double rocker do-over.  You guys are the sweetest!

okaybye.

Let's party on down.

It's here, so let's get this party going!  Mr. MckLinky is DJ'ing for us down at the bottom.  Add the link to your specific post (not your blog) and be sure to link back here.  You all know this right?  He'll be accepting links thru midnight Monday...which means you still have more than 24 hours to finish up and get it posted.  Have no fear, I'll save some chips and dip for the latecomers,
but I can't promise the adult beverages will last that long.

K, so here's what I started with, my $30 consignment store wooden double rocker, purchased back in mid-summer. With orange velour.  Mmmmm.

I helped her out of her misery by first removing 462,589 staples to get the skirt off, removed the bottom and back cushions, washed her down a couple times with some Liquid Sander and got busy with the following:

1. Paint: On-hand Rustoleum Canyon Black spraypaint and in the quart...I brushed on the last coat.
   
2. Slipcover and skirt (made with drop cloths left from my drape project)
3. Pillows and covers (from my overflowing stash of inserts and using fabric left from making pillows for the couch in this room). 

All made with what I had on hand.  Hurray!

See the zipper behind the spindles?  I'm so daggone proud of myself. :o)

 

See the piping?  Yeah, I'm proud of that too....BTW, thanks to Creative Little Daisy for her awesome tutorial here.  I spent many an evening with that page up on my screen, screaming at reminding everyone not to touch the computer while I was sewing, following the step-by-meticulous-step instructions...seriously, she's a genius instructor!  I had a bit of trouble with the gussets, but I'm going with The Nester here

...it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.  So there. And anyway, if I ripped out one more seam during this project I would have deleted my entire blog.

The skirt was stapled on underneath with my industrial staple gun.

I think it makes a unique piece for this room, which has no matching furniture as most of it is antique or secondhand.  I did go ahead and cover the back cushion that came with the rocker, but I didn't like that it covered up the entire back. I like the pillow-look better.  What do you think?
I was also going to add tufted buttons on the bottom cushion, but I think I like it better just plain.
Plus it will be easier to remove and wash the cover without them.

 

 

I'm sooooo glad to have this project done, just in time for holiday company! 

Wait.  That means I'll have to clean. 

   

 I actually almost finished 4 other projects that have needed my attention for a long time, and although they are in the final stages, I'll wait for another day to post those.  My cra(p)ft room is looking mucho better.

Kinda.

Alrighty....your turn.  Show me what 'cha got conquered.  Remember you are automatically entered in the door prize drawing just for linking up, and if you advertised on your blog using my button, you get a second chance.  The winner gets their choice of 3 bars of my handmade soap in their choice of scents.

I'll draw the winner's name Tuesday and post it with some highlights from the party that afternoon. 

Of course I love joining up with all the other parties during the week, especially since I didn't get to play much last week.  I'm having withdrawl symptoms.

Monday:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

It's So Very Creative at It's So Very Cheri

Tuesdays:

DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land

Trash to Treasure at Reinvented

2nd Time Around Tuesday at A Picture is worth 1000 Words

Thursday:

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville

Friday:

Furniture Feature Friday at Mustard Seed Creations

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous
Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest
Vintage Black Friday at Gypsy Brocante

Saturday:
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

okaybye.

Are ya ready?

Tomorrow night, at 9pm my time (which would be um, Indiana time) Mr. MckLinky will make his debut appearance here on cottage instincts and I'm just super stoked.....have you all made a dent in those long-suffering projects?  I didn't get as much done as I wanted, but I aimed high, so I get a pass.  I did conquer a really scary project, though, and I can't wait to show it off.  I even cleaned for the occasion. 

You can link up thru midnight my time (which would be...say it with me....Indiana time) on Monday the 16th.  I'll draw a name from my trusty vintage basket for the door prize/giveaway and announce that lucky name Tuesday morning, along with highlights from the party. 

Ready to roll?  You have a little more than 24 hours to get it in gear and be ready to join the fun!  This is your last nagging post.  I promise.  Until I host another party. 

okaybye.

My reality. The extreme home edition.

So after an all-day excursion to IKEA yesterday (5 hours of driving round trip), I crashed into bed at 7:30 last night....only to wake up at 4am.  Hit the blogsphere (bad idea) and got myself into such a funk about how shallow, uncouth, ugly, and hopeless I am as I compared my house, my body, my clothes, my children, my blog, and even my dog to all the perfect women out there who blog for bliss (someone please tell me what the flip that means???).  These are the same ones who will say they aren't perfect because in one photo there's a baby stroller parked on their shiny kitchen floor.  They are amazing beautiful, thin, and dress in trendy clothes. They talk about decorating on a budget while they have granite countertops. Their homes look like Restoration Hardware catalogues.  Their nails are always done while they wield a pink powertool.  They have hubbies who can leap over tall buildings in a single bound, kids who are models for the GAP, and their pets don't shed or sh*t.

Do I sound bitter? insecure? jealous?  you bet'cha. Well, just for funsies, lest any of my on-the-brink-of-200 followers think *that* is my reality, I offer up the following unretouched, unfuzzifyied tour of my home as of 30 minutes ago.  Young children should be removed from the room.  It's truly horrifying. Just sayin'.

Exhibit A: I have  boys who leave their crap things everywhere. They take after their adoring mama.

 (notice black Bogart hair clinging religiously to my sofa)

 

Exhibit B: I have 2 teenager girls.  Their rooms are highly classified intelligence generally, but for all you adoring fans, I declassified them just this once.  The following have been rated SDD for Stunningly Disgusting and Disturbing. I've made an art form of picking my battles.

 (her desk with the evidence of a week's worth of swine flu, I refuse to touch them.)

 

 

I will spare the more sensitive members of my audience the brazen gore of their bathrooms.  Yes, I love you just that much.

Exhibit C:  I'm a messy very artistic person. Behold my craft room.  I'll wait a few minutes afterwards in case you need to wipe down your monitor after spewing.

 

 

What...you thought I was kidding?

Exhibit D:  I don't like to clean my house.  At all.

Laundry can be found myraid fashion all over the house at any time.

For instance, on the floor dirty (see also: "I have 2 teenage girls/little boys"):

On the floor clean but unfolded in baskets in the computer/reading room with miscellaneous items spilling over from the aforementioned craft room:

Wadded up and dirty in front of the dryer:

Or on my bedroom floor, just across the way from the laundry closet:

I also just about never make my bed.

And in various positions around the actual washing devices. Please also notice my plethora of homeless home decor.  I thought I was being soooo organized and clever to store them up there.  This is what everyone sees as they walk past to get to the guest bathroom.  Yes, I have no pride.  And yes, the bathroom is even scarier.

The kitchen.  I hate to cook and I hate to clean up dishes.  Don't judge.  And don't tell Martha.

More evidence of swine flu.  At least the vitamin bottle is empty.

Hallway/entrance:

 

Computer/Reading Room:

Close up of my IKEA booty:

 Upstairs game/craft area:

 

 Yes, even MORE evidence of swine flu.  *sigh*

And lest we forget I have two boys, this is their very UN-Pottery Barn Room, sans the wet pull-ups that I made my son remove for this photo shoot.  I just didn't have the heart to show the world *that*.

(but please be impressed by the heywood wakefield furniture)

 

Now how impressed are you?  Do you think these shots are feature-worthy?  Oh come on.  Just say it.  I live in a disorganized pig sty.  It's ok, I can handle it.  Actually, I shock even myself sometimes with the messes around my home.  Seeing them posted for all posterity is quite cathartic though. I'll have some amazing before and afters, yeah?

So, dear readers, when I do post a before and after or some crafty thing...just refer back to this post so you keep it all in perspective. I'm a jealous wanna-be like most girls, and I feel bad about myself when I see other boogers' bloggers' amazing homes and talent and thighs, then make myself post sweet comments because I really do believe practicing kindness in the face of jealousy is the path to nirvana (or at least the path to maturity, which I actually do hope to achieve someday)  I just want people to know the real me (and what my home looks like most days), and then tell me they like me. It's too stressful trying to keep up the blissful blogger persona. 

Thankfully hubby understands all these major shortcomings in my character and quietly helps me shovel out and disinfect our nest on the weekends. He cooks most nights too.  Hands off---he's mine.

And no, this will not be posted to any link parties.  Thanks for asking.

 okaybye.

Thank you Paula Grace!

I while back I had commented on a post about organic cosmetics over at Paula Grace Designs.  Her blog, by the way, is full of decorating inspiration and information....she has a portfolio of home galleries she has designed just full of eye candy, she does interior (and virtual) design, and has a store.  Makes for a delightful visit, I'm tellin' ya. 

Anyway, I mentioned in my comment about my soap and why I started making it, and she wrote up a post about it!  How cool is that?  Thank you, Paula Grace, for the feature and for helping spread the word about natural, handmade soap.  Click here to read all about it:

Cindy's Real Soap Co. does the Paula Grace Designs gig.

And I wouldn't live up to my nagging persona if I didn't mention again that you can have your very own chance to try my soap for free if you join my link party on the 16th and I pull your name outta my vintage basket.  If you want two chances, add my button right over there on my sidebar to help spread the word (and let me know you did!)

okaybye.