Garage Sales

Here in Texas we call em Garage Sales- I know every other State to the left, right & above us call them Yard Sales. Nonetheless- they are awesome. I can remember as I kid going with my mom to Garage sales & cringing the whole time- worried someone from school would see me. Or worse-the house we were at was someone from school. Well those days are over & I fear them no more! In fact I heart them-"like totally" (a little teenage flash back). I will have to say there are days you "score" and days you "bomb". 2 weeks ago I had a "bomb" or shall I say "dud" day. I made the mistake of getting a little over zealous & purchased something my husband would call a silk handkerchief. A silk handkerchief is basically when you purchase something for a steal (like a suit) but with that suit you will have to buy the right shoes, shirt, tie and silk handkerchief-so your steal of a suit cost you more than you expected. Well my "suit" was a Peg Perego Polaris 700 ride on toy for my kids.




This thing is HUGE!! and they only wanted 2o bucks for it! It retails new for over $400! "Does it work?" I ask- "oh yea- you just gotta charge it up & go" ummm yea right! we charged, and we charged and we charged! no go. So I look up replacement batteries- "the shoes" $75 bucks! or it could be a switch "the tie" $15 bucks or it could be a wire "the shirt" $35 bucks- so my "silk handkerchief" sits in the garage collecting dust. But I have decided to get my money back! but in an honest way- (I decided against egging the sellers house) I have posted it on a local online website letting them know it does not work & would need a handy man who likes to "tinker" and willing to put $75-100 dollars into it. It would still be worth it to fix it up- but honestly I can think of other fun things to buy for $75. I have already had 4 people email about it- all of them men of course!
So thats my "bomb" story- but I do have a "score" story & this one only cost me $5 bucks- and the "shoes" "shirt" & "tie" will only be an extra $10! I will be posting about this one soon!

Shopping the house

Melissa over at The Inspired Room is having another Beautiful Life link up- go see all the great ideas & encouraging things for a Beautiful Life....

I was stuck inside today due to ill children & lack of funds. So to satisfy my need for something fun & crafty- I shopped the house. Here's what I found:

1- white plate





1- silk daisy




add a little hot glue & viola!





I made two of them and they will be going in my daughters new "fairy" bedroom. (which I will be posting pics as soon as Im finished "tweaking" it). In the meantime here is a sneak peak of her room.

WFMW-Healthy kids smoothies

Many times when kids get home from school they are STARVING & usually it comes with lots of tears or bad attitude. I have found a solution that has made our after school hours bearable. I make this smoothie every day & take it to my daughter when I pick her up. This recipe is for 2 or 3 small smoothies (I make one for her, one for lil brother & a small cup for me)

2- frozen bananas
1-2 cups vanilla almond milk (you can use milk)
1 scoop of Chocolate Protein powder (I use Spiru-Tein by Natures Plus)
1 Tbsp ground flax seed (good source of fiber) or you could use wheat germ
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
Yogurt (I use plain or vanilla)
Agave nectar (for sweetener or honey)
Ice

Blend & serve (sometimes I add a tbsp of Coconut Oil-it really makes it creamy)

You can change it up & use the vanilla protein powder & add some fruit. But my base is always the bananas & vanilla almond milk. And if you want to get a little sneaky add a small handful of spinach- the chocolate hides the green!

Enjoy!

WFMW- Black Tea Latte

This is my first time participating in WFMW- over at WeAreTHATFamily I am in LOVE with Starbucks new Tea Lattes- but my wallet in NOT. The Black Tea Latte with Soy (which is extra by the way) cost me $4.15!!!! yep if I have that only twice a week (which I have been known to have it more than that) I would have spent $33.20 in a months time. Do you know how far $30 could go at Ross or TJMaxx- Im just saying. Anyway I figured out a way to make it at home & I have to say it taste pretty darn close to theirs.
Starbucks Black Tea Latte (grande size)
1-1/2 cups of Vanilla Soy Milk (you can use regular milk-but the vanilla soy is de-lish)
1/2 cup water
put in microwave proof glass (I use glass measuring cup) heat for 2 1/2 min.
Add 2 teaspoons of loose leaf tea (the bags are not strong enough) I use Targets Brand- Archer Farms English Breakfast Loose leaf
Let it steep for 5 min.- then pour through tea strainer into mug
Sweeten with sugar if desired ( I use turbinado)
Now if you have one of those handy dandy cappuccino makers use that to froth the milk on top.

I will admit its not the same as drinking it out of a Starbucks cup-but I have been known to rinse out a Starbucks cup & reuse it to get the full experience.

This is what works for me Wednesday- now head on over to WeAreTHATfamily and link up or read some of the other great Works for Me ideas!

All things fairy

So my 6 year old daughter is in LOVE with fairies. I mean IN LOVE! Thank you Disney Tinkerbell! So she wants ALL THINGS FAIRY- including her new room. We are currently moving her into the larger bedroom and I thought I would do a little make over while Im at it ( like I need an excuse to decorate) Anyway-the whole Tinkerbell fairy thing its just not something I really want to do considering my daughter changes her likes & dislikes daily. So after lots of thought & shopping- I have decided on pink & green with bits of fairy here & there- that way if she decides fairies are not for her-we can remove them but keep the overall bones of the room. Here is some pics of the before room.




And here is a sneak peak of the colors & fabrics.

I will post after pictures as soon as Im done. We started painting yesterday- and when I say "we" I mean daughter and I. And let me tell you painting with a 6 year old NOT a good idea. That is another blog in itself- but lets just say she has now declared that when she gets "her" own house she will paint it anyway she wants & I will have to follow "her" decorating rules! I have created a "Martha" geez!

Another spray paint story

This is a story about an ugly vase- a really ugly vase.





This vase was once purchased 9 years ago and the purchaser of this vase thought it was a lovely vase (what was I thinking). Well this purchaser has since come into a new light. The light & knowledge of spray painting. This purchaser use to toss unwanted, ugly, or wrong colored items- but not anymore. I have been set free- free from the thinking of "this does not go" or "this does not work". So back to the said vase- this vase has been given a new life and a new home- this vase that once sat out on a dusty shelf in the dark, damp garage-is now proudly displayed upon the 100 year old antique China Hutch. And if one day this said vase starts to look ugly or unlovely to the purchaser again- he will carefully be bathed in a new coat of color.

Spring-a-ling

Well its time to bring out those dust-bunnies- I mean Easter Bunnies (the dust bunnies live here year round) Here are some pics of the Spring Decor. Its so tempting ever year to buy all new things because they always come out with such fun stuff- but I restrained myself and tried to "shop" the house.