Hit the Books, School's Started!! - Wednesday Wanderings and the Shops Found Along the Way

School days, school days - dear old golden rule days - readin' and writin' and rithmetic'

Old School Room Winthrop WA by Plum Lane Photos (Lots more photos in this shop! Excellent!)

School has started here and I guess in most places so today we are shopping for school supplies!! Don't you just love those long lists of what your child needs to get through the school year? Red folder for this class, blue folder for that one.  What always got me in the lower grades was the construction paper -- we always got assigned purple or something that could not be found without running from store to store. "But Mom, I HAVE to bring it tomorrow -- I won't get a gold star if I don't!" Oh, those were the days.

First up -- pencils! Can't get along without pencils. These are very cool and will certainly help when it comes to test time!! (Don't tell the teacher!!)  Know It All No. 2 Pencil Set by Paper Pastries.

Gotta have glue -- and lots of it!! Elmer's Glue Painting by Rhinestone Armadillo.

 

Lunch box notes! Little sweet notes for your little scholar to find at lunchtime! Cute designs, and write your own message on the back!  Lunch Box Notes by Fancy Shmancy Notes.

How about reusable cloth napkins to go in the lunchbox? So much better than buying paper ones, and about a million time better than those skimpy napkins in the black dispensers! The design on these is so cute, plus she has more designs as well. Teach 'em early!! Back to School Reusable Cloth Napkins for Children by Cranberry.

Let the little ones in on the act too! This cute backpack/snack bags/napkins set is perfect for the preschool crowd. And check out the Dick and Jane fabric. I read about Alice and Jerry and their dog Jip myself but they all said the same thing!  Back to School Preschool Set by Freya's Favorite Things.

The wheels on the bus go round and round...

How clever is this?!! Cute for the driver, or anyone who rides the school bus! There are lots of  designs to choose from - sports, professions, animals, food -- cute stuff!  School Bus Driver Watch by Whimsical Watches.

Well, all I can say is, if my kids were still little, I'd have a fun time school shopping on Etsy!

Fox in the Yard!!

This morning I just happened to glance out the back door, and there was a FOX!! So entirely cute.... I quickly went to grab my camera and took a pic through the glass door.

 (and only got his tail)

So I got brave and slooowly turned the lock. CLICK! Mr. Fox snapped his head up. (OK, well it could be Ms. Fox but for now it'll be Mr.!) Turned the door handle -- slight noise -- he looked again. Very slowly I continued to open the door as quietly as possible, and amazingly, he didn't dart off.  Stuck my camera out the door, zoomed, and took as many pics as I could.

Actually, he is pretty close in these pics -- probably about 20 feet away. But I wasn't about to venture out onto the patio!

Bound to be something yummy here...
.

Wary... 

He gave me some great shots, one time looking straight at me -- definite eye contact! He wasn't skittish at all, really. And he's a few feet closer to me in this pic!

Hmmm, wonder what's on that side of the yard...

Think I'll have a little look-see.

Oh, yum!

He found a morsel of something and then licked his chops! 

Must have been a mighty good morsel!

And, with a few more looks my way -- he was gone. Zipped between the shed and the fence. (No, that's not the shed or the fence...it's an old beat up board I sometimes use when I take photos for my vintage shop! Just so you know.)

I hope he didn't go under the shed -- I don't think I'd like a fox den there. More likely he jumped the fence or found a way under it -- there's a small wooded area behind us.

Or maybe he's watching from one of the trees. Gray fox do climb, you know.

It's Cupcake Day!! - Wednesday Wanderings and the Shops Found Along the Way

It's also Mail Order Catalog Day, but I didn't think that would be too much fun to write about...

So. Cupcakes. What can we say but YUM!! Cupcakes are the best -- little mini cakes with lots of sugary icing and something cool on top, like a cherry or a chocolate square or how about kiwi... Even a birthday candle.

So let's see what really super-d-duper cupcakes we can find -- let's go for the funny, beautiful or totally different!

This has got to be the cutest cupcake purse I have ever seen!! Scrumptious! What little girl wouldn't love this to put all her pretties in -- I know a certain 4 year old in my life who would go crazy for it!! This shop is a must-see! New this summer and undiscovered! And has the sweetest crochet and knit goodies for little princesses and babes! Cupcake Drawstring Purse by Annabelle Knits

I love the sprinkles and the button cherry on top of this cupcake -- it'll keep your iPhone, iPod or other gadgetry safe and sound. But beware and be warned! Using this will cause you to stop every 10 minutes for a cupcake fix! Cup Cakes Felt Pouch by Suezybees

Snowflake would be such a cutie in this!! (Snowflake is my Pug Granddog) I showed it to Noli and she agreed -- but I think she liked the bunny ears and the lion costume best. Go see! You know you want to dress up your pooch for Halloween!! Or his/her birthday.....  Cupcake Costume for Pet by I Lick You

Hate to do dishes? (and who really likes to?!) But this cupcake apron will make it fun -- no, not for you, for your dishsoap bottle! Wash in style! You must check out this shop -- she has lots of cute things but the best would be (in my humble opinion) her toilet seat covers!!! I looked for a cupcake one but, alas, there were none :-(  But there is one with lots of confectionery goodies on it! Just no cupcakes.... You gotta go see!
Pink Cupcake Cherry on Top by Love Vanilla Rose

We all fancy ourselves great photographers -- especially if we have a shop on Etsy!! And I'll just bet that covering that plain old strap on your camera with this cupcake cutie will make you a professional!! And if not, well it'll give you some fun smiles while you're taking those pics! Not to mention, make your sweet tooth start talking to you....  Cupcakes Soft Minky/Fuzzy Camera Strap by Swanky Camera Couture

Talk about your sweet tooth speaking up -- I can just taste that rainbow right now! It just doesn't get any yummier looking than this! And the icing, oh the icing (I've got a real problem when it comes to icing :-) It's a good thing this is a print 'cause I'd really be in trouble...  Unicorn Cake Fine Art Print by Stoopidgerl

And so, I leave you with this --

Cupcake time is all the time!! Don't you love it?   Cupcake Clock by Angel Heart Designs

Have yourself a yummy good day today and be sure to eat at least one cupcake in honor of this very special holiday!!!!

 

Playing with Noli

Friday mornings are estate/garage sale times for me. It's rare anymore that my daughter can go with me but we did a bit this past Friday before she went to work. And she found this cutie and now Noli is running around saying "neigh-a-a-a-a" and being a horsie.

And the best part? It was only $2.00!! Including some other small toys that Noli picked out!

Back at home, Noli wanted to wash her new unicorn (form the same garage sale) and, of course, we can't leave out her ponies when it comes to bathtime...

She was at this for THREE hours!! I moved a couple things from off the counter and brought out the towels. She used up an entire (new) pump bottle of handsoap and gave me a great opportunity to clean the mirror!

Aren't we beautiful now, and oh so clean! And Miss Unicorn's horn is spectacular! And Miss Noli and the bathroom are spectacularly wet!

A clothes change later, we're eating yummy cherries. And Farmer Noli wanted to plant a couple so we'd have a cherry tree. So, changing into jeans and crocs (after all, these are outside, tree planting clothes) we head out back. It had rained earlier, so Farmer Noli had a grand time planting, and stomping in the water that was dripping off the patio roof.

Back inside, she had to take a bath herself -- got mad at me and splashed and now I had to change clothes.

Later on, she was a kitty fairy -- can you see the white "kitty tail" scarf? The blue scarf is a wonderful creation that can be butterfly wings or fairy wings and floats gracefully. And the sparkly pink shoes definitely add to the kitty fairyness of it all!

The tutu is actually a mouse costume that was my daughter's for a dance recital when she was four!!! Noli, however, has decided that it is a kitty... It's cute to see her wearing her mom's outfit...

So that was our day -- she certainly keeps me busy!!

Cooling Off in the Pool - Wednesday Wanderings and the Shops Found Along the Way

Is it hot, hot, hot where you are? Well it is where I am! 105 degrees in the shade. So let's cool off with some Etsy fun finds!

Are the little ones going swimming in your pool today?  Better make sure they can read this sign to remind them of your most important rule...

Personalized Pool Sign by Signlady4u

Of course, if they can't read, and insist on doing the dastardly deed -- pin this on them so everyone will know who to stay away from!!

I Pee in the Pool Button Pin Badge by The Angry Robot

Land Shark! (Isn't this the cutest!) Your little guy or gal can be a shark-in-training with this adorable towel wrapped around! And we all know that Land Sharks NEVER have to wear that certain button pin!!

Children's Hooded Bath Towel - Shark by NickMaxMama

Puppy's gotta go swimming too!  This guy can barely keep his head above water! I love his expression and Look!! is that a life vest I see? I can just see those feet a-churnin'!!

"Undertow" Fine Art Print by Chelsea Lee Photography who has also generously donated this print to the Help the Gulf Coast shop. 

Are the kids getting tired of Marco Polo or the blow-up floaty thingy? Bring out these cards and they will have a grand time playing fun new games (and learning something at the same time, but shhh, don't tell!!)

Swimming Pool Games Laminated Cards by FunForKidz

And, Mom, while you're sitting by the side of the pool watching the kids belly flop, sip a bit of chilly Sangria out of these cool glasses!

2 Teeny Weeny Polka Dot Bikini Hand Painted Wine Glasses by A Stroke of Jeanneius

Gather up the kids and dry them off, it's time to go! Happy rest-of-the-summer!

See you next Wednesday as we wander thru the fun place that is Etsy!

Don't Tell Noli, But...

So cute. So very, very cute!

I'll have a hard time putting these away for Christmas, but I'm going to, since they will be for Noli. (But I just may play with them first!!!)

These little cars are perfect for Noli -- we're trying to raise her without a lot of commercial toys and with as much "pretend on your own" as possible. It's so fun to listen to her sweet conversations between her little people -- and I know they will enjoy riding around on these cute wooden cars!


I was the lucky winner of a giveaway from Finns & Flowers on Etsy (hosted by the Natural Kids Team)Please be sure to check out their shop! They have lots of really sweet kid toys, all natually made in the Waldorf tradition.

According to their profile:
"We try to accomplish this by using wonderfully dyed wool and different species of wood. We don't paint or stain the wood, but rather let the natural variations in color and grain patterns speak for themselves. We then hand rub each wooden toy with either a mixture of beeswax and jojoba oil, or environmentally and child safe linseed oil to further enhance the beauty and protect the wood."

Noli loves wands -- fairy wands, princess wands, fairy princess wands...  I love these 'cause they're needle felted.

And these balls!! So colorful and fun! Again, needle felted. I'm in awe. I haven't tried needle felting myself, but I've watched my daughter make little folks for Noli and I know all the work that is involved.

I was so pleased that I won this giveaway, I just may have to enter another!! And that tractor up there? Just might show up in Noli's stocking!!

Puppies and Shoes and Soap, Oh My!!

"The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!" Somebody important said that but I have no idea who, but they were right on the money!!

I've managed to miss the last two "Wednesday Wanderings" posts so if, by chance, you were wondering about them, well, I'll be back next week!! (I promise...) (I think...)

Today I have a cute little bear and some yummy soap to talk about...

As you may know, I have a second shop called Magnolia's Attic where I sell vintage items. I had listed some baby shoes which were bought by a lovely lady who makes the most fantastic bears and puppies and bunnies that you can imagine. She was kind enough to send me a photo of the puppy who now wears these little shoes...

Meet Blondie Sue, the Cocker Spaniel! Isn't she adorable? She is now residing in Virginia. Please take a moment to visit Mill Creek Creations and see what's new -- be sure to scroll through the galleries and see all the bears and puppies!

And now for a note about the shoes:  they belonged to my son! They are a size 1 and he has now grown to a size 13, I believe. Since he's almost 30, I haven't bought him shoes in a long, long time, but he was a tiny guy when these shoes fit him!!
 
And now for the yummy soap/bath melt part: 
 

I was lucky not long ago to win one of these peppermint bath melts from Especially 4 U By E and T -- it has been thoroughly tested by Noli and she declares that it "makes the water feel soft and smell good too!"  I crushed it up and used only a little (since Noli requires only a little water) so she'll be able to use it many times.
 

 

The package also included a bar of peppermint and lemon soap (a nice surprise!) which I can say is very yummy! Smells good and leaves your skin soft. 

This giveaway was hosted by Heavenly Savings who also posts coupon info, blog hops and more -- fun stuff!

Well, that's it for today -- I'll see you Wednesday, if not before!!!

Fireworks and KFC

Fireworks 5x7 Photograph by Orange Cat Art

When my kids were young (not that they're so "old" now!) we always went to watch the Fourth of July fireworks. We usually went to different locations each year, parking as near as possible and sitting on the car. One thing that became a "tradition" (did you know that if you do a thing ONE time, I can be termed "a tradition" -- my son decided this early on and we had to really watch what we did and make absolutely POSITIVE that we'd want to do it again, and again, and...)

Photo: Bravo Six Niner Delta on Flickr

Anyway, our July 4th tradition became getting Kentucky Fried Chicken in a bucket and having a picnic while watching fireworks. Had to be KFC, had to be a bucket. I'm not sure how many July 4's we actually did this, but believe me, it was a TRADITION!

One year, my hubby promised Adam (then probably around 10 or so) that he could set off some fireworks (I was not so thrilled with the idea). So we went way out of town to where fireworks could be sold and where they had a huge field for blowing yourself up. Stephanie and I sat in the car -- we didn't like the loud sounds so close -- which was pretty boring. But I could see that, of course, Adam was being supervised and kept safe. So I let my mom-armour down a bit and watched. He had a blast! -- pun intended ;)

When I was a kid, I got to light sparklers in the back yard and wave them around. That was pretty neat for a little kid -- I remember how pretty the sparkles were and how excited I was to do something so daring (for me anyway!). Well, I didn't actually light them, you understand, but I sure waved them around and listened to them sizzle! 

Sparkle 8x10 Photograph by Ace Quilting

I'll bet you have some neat Fourth of July memories, too! Tell me some in comments -- I'd love to hear!
Have a wonderful, and safe, July 4th celebration. And let your kids wave those sparklers!