Simmer Pot Jars

Merry Christmas Eve!  

I come to you with a last minute gift idea.  Not an original one at all, but one that I'd never thought of until I saw it gifted to a friend!  

Simmer pot ingredients!!!!  The perfect neighbor or hostess gift!!!  

These can be put together quickly and are relatively inexpensive.  And I can't believe I'd never thought of making these before now!

SIMMER POT JARS

Ingredients:  bag of oranges, cinnamon sticks, fresh rosemary, whole cloves, cranberries             

Other:  ribbon, jar (mine are from Dollar Tree), instruction tag (I used this one.)

Directions:  Fill bottom of jar with cranberries.  Take one orange and push cloves into it forming rings around the orange.  Place orange in the jar.  Add rosemary sprigs and cinnamon sticks on the side.  Sprinkle a few more whole cloves in, along with a few more cranberries.  Put the lid on and tie a ribbon around the edge.  Add the instruction tag on top. 

 

 

Then sneak over to your neighbor's porch and drop one off!  They'll have it for Christmas Day simmering!  Quick, simple, and cute!  Also, fun to put together!  

And hopefully you'll have leftover ingredients to simmer yourself!

Christmas on the Porch

A few weeks ago, I purchased some vintage ice skates.

(They happened to be my size.  But they wouldn't be for skating.)

That same weekend, my mother in law gave me a sled that belonged to the mister's grandparents.  A sled he'd spent plenty of time on back in the day.

(But it would no longer be for sledding.)

I had plans for these two things.  Front porch plans.........

After a trip to a local nursery for the berry bush, a stop at Ace Hardware for the rosemary, and some fun finds at Dollar General for the ribbon and bells, I was able to get my craftiness on.

I won't tell you how long it took me to position the skates and tie the perfect bow.

And it's a good thing I hoard.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have two matching crocks to put the plants in.

Lately.....

What I've been up to:

Craftiness........

Bleaching bottle brush trees really does work!  Ivory trees are so much prettier!

Now I need to decide if I'll dye them or add small bulbs.

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The booth.......

I added that fun vintage cardigan this week.  And put both booths on sale!

Local friends, stop by Relics for 10% off both spaces!  Cute vintage sweaters included!!!

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Hanging with my family..........

I like those people.

*   *   *   * 

Saying good-bye....

I visited my Grampy's house one last time before it sells.

Moving on is tough.  So many memories took place between those walls.  In those fields.

And I'm sentimental to a fault.

Letting go doesn't really help to put closure on losing someone so precious.

Or maybe it will.

 *   *   *   *

  
Cheering myself up........

 

elbow patch sweater  // jacket

With online shopping.

I've been longing for an elbow patch sweater.  And I couldn't resist the online Gap sale.

Then there's that jacket.  Those sleeves.

And there was no standing in line, freezing to death, or tackling involved.

That's my kinda Black Friday.

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, and Insta-Friday.

This Week (Instagram Style)

I got domestic........

Tried a new pumpkin bread recipe.  Streusel makes everything better.

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I got crafty.........

Spray painting bottlebrush trees is just one Christmas craft I've got up my sleeve.

 *   *   *   *   

I got crafty at school too.  Or had the kiddos get crafty!  No scissors allowed.........

These turkeys make me smile. 

*   *   *   *    

I got a free bracelet at Starbucks on Election Day.........

Coffee and the red, white, and blue.  Good things.

 

*   *   *   *   

I got pranked.........

Just a new round of work shenanigans.

Imagine moving a stack of notebooks only to spy that quite realistic creepy crawler inches from your hand.

It was the shriek heard 'round the world.

And just so you know, it's not over.

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday.

A Cheap D.I.Y.

I stumbled upon this project recently.......

source

And then I kicked myself for passing up a $2.00 spice rack the week prior.  But another trip to the thrift store yielded a little beauty that would do just fine......

After that ivory coat of spray paint, which I already had in my stockpile of colors, the total for this little redo was $1.48........

What's that you say?  You're distracted by my awesomely awful wallpaper?

Well, don't be jealous.  My 1967 time capsule came with that loveliness.

I'll save a scrap for you when I rip it off the wall this summer.  Please send me your address.

DIY No Sew Tree Skirt

Pinterest did it again!

It made me get crafty.  All because of a tutorial and these pictures......

Tutorial

Tutorial

I think it was the ruffles.

And maybe that I had to throw away my skanky tree skirt last year that made me want to make this really, really bad.

So I was determined.

Even after the Joann's fiasco, I was still determined.  I had purchased linen for a base, along with the red burlap that day........

First I folded the linen into a pizza slice shape, then I rounded the outer edge.....

Here it is all unfolded....

I also cut a circle out in the middle.

Next I began cutting long strips of burlap.......about three inches wide.  These were to be hot glued to the linen base.

And here's where I started to feel like I wanted to die.

Instead I got a Pumpkin Spice Latte.....

Although easy, this part was tedious.  Not to mention, dangerous.  Hot glue hurts.

This entailed row after row of:  glue, fold some burlap over onto the glue, and hold.  I should have counted all the folds it took. 

Yes.  I hated this.

However, I loved those pictures from Pinterest and the color of my burlap so much that I was NOT going to give up. 

But I could totally see why someone on Etsy was charging $130 for one.

Sir Chester was even over it........

But I kept at it.  And even though I wouldn't make anymore after completing this one, I am IN LOVE with my finished product......

Now I just need to play Santa!  Better start shopping.....

Thanksgiving Break

Thursday:  Happy belated Thanksgiving!  Ours was tasty, lazy, and pretty darn great.  My mom is the best cook.......

Friday:  Yesterday, the cleaning beast came out again, and you would not believe the progress I made on the special room.  The mister was even impressed.  I was able to add quite a few tally marks to my donate, trash, and garage sale totals.

We also had our annual "Friendsgiving" with some of the mister's crew, where he attempted to carve the turkey.....

Saturday:  It rained.  I had no desire to get out really.  And with this clean house, I got the hankering to get my Christmas decorating on.......

A little Christmas in the kitchen, inspired by Pinterest.

My bottle brush tree collection in the entry!

But then I did get out.  And was reminded why I don't do Black Friday.  A trip to Joann's for a little craftiness almost sent me to the loony bin.

I just wanted a few yards of red burlap.    

All's well that ends well though.  I have my burlap.

And I'm gonna get my craftiness on.  Here's a little sneak peek.........

Stay tuned!!!

A Makeover Story

Don't be jealous of my skirt.........

I think I paid $1.98 for it at Red Racks.

This was one fashion forward skirt.........it has pockets!  So before its time.

And although it was great as is, I figured the hemline needed to come up a few inches.  So I took it to an alterations shop for a little snip snip..........

And now I love it even more!

Picture it paired with a belted shirt and some great shoes.  Like this........

Source (thanks Pinterest)

But minus the windblown hair.

And the rooftop.

Love and Hate: Spring Break Edition

Spring Break Love:

1.  Being able to thrift!!!

Behold two similar belts.........

One thrifted from Salvation Army for $1.20.  

The other purchased for $30 at American Eagle.

Can you guess which is which?

*   *   *

2.  Springing forward!!!

I love that the sun is hanging around a little longer each evening.   And that I got a whole week off to adjust to the loss of an hour!

*   *   *

3.  Catching up with my sissy and her bebes!

They have been in Hawaii since December 25th.  They returned at the beginning of my break, so I got to see them whenever I pleased.

*   *   *

4.  Home improvement!!

Getting my kitchen shelves installed and decorated, along with hanging some other hoarded finds felt really good.  The house is feeling super cozy.

And while we're on the subject of home improvement, let's talk curtains.  My friend Andrea helped me whip up some for my bathroom! 

Not too bad for a Saturday afternoon......

 

The mister even approved and was excited that he no longer had to drape a towel across the window.  Thank you, Andrea!!!!

*   *   *   *

Now you might be wondering "What in the world is there to hate about spring break?"  

Let's get to that!

Spring Break Hate: 

1.  It's over.

2.  It gives you a taste of what summer feels like, and then it's snatched away from you in an instant.  You are thrust back into reality, and you have to (gasp) work.

It's pretty cruel, if you ask me.

But would I do it over again?  

You know it.

I Feel Like..........

A chicken with my head cut off.

This week has been b.u.s.y.

And it's only Tuesday!

It started with poor Sir Chester having to go to the vet for some tummy problems yesterday.  Two rounds of mopping the waiting area and four bottles of medicine later, I think our little man is on the mend. 

Isn't he the most regal looking car rider ever?

Such a good little man!

*   *   *   *

Next came today's festivities........a shower for Ashley!!!  

My coworkers and I got our craftiness on for this shindig.  Behold the bunting......

And I got to use some of my vintage tablecloths........

And Ash got to open some lovely pressies........

I do believe it went off without a hitch!

*   *   *   *

And because I've been sooooo busy, I haven't had a chance to run by the bank to see how much is in my piggy bank.  But really, that's okay.  Because the contest doesn't end til Friday at noon.  So if you're just finding this out, you've still got time to enter!  Check it out, if you're curious.  

Lauren did have a great question about the contest.......would the $10 be taken out of the piggy bank, thus affecting the total?  

The answer is, NO.  

I will not steal from the piggy bank to purchase the prize.  The change amount will not be tampered with.  

Girl Scout's Honor.

*   *   *   *

Now onto a more serious matter:  The mister's sock drawer.  

Or the lack thereof, I mean.

I feel compelled to defend the sock bag.  And maybe myself.

The mister didn't like his dresser either.  He planned on getting rid of it anyway.  As for not replacing it with something else yet, we haven't found anything we like.  We have shopped and shopped.  We know Furniture Row like the back of our hand.

I swear.  

Pinky promise!

Really!

Please like me even though the mister has a sock bag.

Please!