Yesterday did not start out well. I had gone all winter without the slightest sniffle, and after a string of beautiful sunny days in the 70's, with a sigh of relief, I knew that winter was finally over. So I really was not pleased to awake with a full fledged cold ..... sore throat and runny nose. Nope, I was not a happy camper. Being self-employed I unfortunately can not call out sick as my employees were waiting for me. I diligently trudged through the morning's business at hand and then left to go check my mail at home...... and there it was........... a package of good cheer, my giveaway prize from April @Adventures with the Abramyans. Receiving that package was the best and tastiest medicine I could have had. I eagerly tore off the wrapping and began to pull out all my goodies. I was giddy with delight (or maybe it was the cold medicine kicking in).
First there was a lovely card from April congratulating me along with an adorable I Love Lucy Apron and a Rich Red Velvet Cupcake mix. How did she know that Red Velvet was my favorite cake, and this just wasn't Red Velvet it was Rich Red Velvet? I was in heaven and feeling better by the moment. Just picture my gumdrop red roses perched atop these cupcakes. Yum Yum.
Next were these pretty little photo albums and box of jasmine soap. The fragrance is lovely as is the little butterflies with a bit of bling on the top. Really the soap was two gifts in one, what was inside the box and the pretty box itself.
My most favorite piece was the gorgeous necklace. I just love the naturalness from the stone piece to the bright punch of red, it is absolutely fabulous. I am wearing it as I speak. Sure I had to press the perfect shirt, to make the perfect outfit, to wear today, to match this perfect necklace, but it was worth getting out the ironing board. (Yes that is a rare occurrence for me, that is why I buy tumble dry only.)
I wanted to share with everyone a BIG THANK YOU to April at Adventures with the Abramyans. Please be sure to visit her blog and meet her delightful family. I love the motto displayed on her blog banner, "No matter how long the winter, Spring is sure to follow" Positive thinking. A good thought to live by ...... I am feeling better all ready. Thank you April.
One last reminder about my giveaway. It ends tomorrow and a winner will be chosen at 5:00 p.m. EST. (I had recently moved the date up to the 10th.) Anyone who is a follower automatically gets a chance, if you left a comment on the giveaway post, you get a second chance, and a third chance for posting the giveaway on your blog. Thank you to all that entered. It was fun. I have added a few more things to the giveaway including a dozen yo-yo's all pink of course. Good luck to all who enter.
Have a great day.
Sherrie
I am so excited! A new Goodwill store is opening up tomorrow! Friday March 26th, Goodwill will be opening its new flagship store and donation center. Located at 555 Maine Mall Road, South Portland, Maine. It is a newly renovated building that features a convenient donation drive-thru and 16,000 square feet dedicated to retail sales. Be still my heart. The best part is that it is only 22 minutes from my house!!
Will I find a jadeite piece, a vintage apron, a cookie jar (perhaps McCoy) or a wooden chair just waiting to be refinished? Oh the possibilities are endless, I am sure. Realistically, I will not be a customer till late tomorrow afternoon, hopefully after the initial onslaught of shoppers has passed. I suspect that goods will be continuously making it out on the floor throughout the day, right through opening weekend.
I am very spoiled by retail thrift shops, and I shall explain. I am only 25 minutes at the most from the following stores: the Goodwill on Forest Avenue, Portland, GW at Mill Creek Shopping Ctr, South Portland and now the GW at Maine Mall Road in South Portland. There is also a Salvation Army on Warren Avenue, Portland, and one at Clark's Pond, South Portland along with one at Preble Street, Portland. With the addition of 15 minutes or so to the driving time, you can visit Goodwill shops in Windham and Falmouth. I am not kidding. If my birthday falls on a weekend, armed with my Goodwill card and birthday discount, I can hit 9 Goodwill Stores on one tank of gas and never be more than 45 minutes from home.
Oh I forgot to mention my favorite Goodwill store is 725 steps from my back door. Yes I said steps, as in walking. I live in the village and am a few minutes walk from the store. Unfortunately I work late most evenings and this one closes promptly at 7:00 but I do make it at least twice a week in the evenings and of course on Saturday. (Who am I kidding, I pop in on Sunday as well to check the new discount color and sales of the week.) I am very proud of myself in showing restraint on those days when I do leave the store empty-handed. The prices are so good, that I could easily buy just for the deal and not for the love of an item. So I try to reign myself in and purchase only what I already collect and not start a new collection, definitely a herculean effort.
The dish section is my first stop (I know, no surprise there) then jewelry, then if I have time, the clothing. Last night I picked up a brand new (yup, tags still in place) periwinkle blue sweater from Talbot's, my favorite brand. I have never been in an actual Talbot's store or ordered anything from them online; however, I have a closet full of Talbot designs. I think that there is some size 8 woman in Gorham that is a Talbot's shopaholic and maybe changes her mind about her purchases but is too busy to do a return and has enough money not to worry about the return..... so she donates. Whatever her reason, I am glad that she does.
When people complain that Goodwill prices are too high, I remind them of Goodwill's slogan "Our business works, so people can." If my purchases can help support another person, then isn't it a win/win situation for both?
Here is an open invitation to all my friends, anytime you are up in southern Maine, I will give you the ultimate thrift store tour, you might want to bring a U Haul.
Just a reminder for my 100 FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY CELEBRATION.
By the way, I have changed the date of my Giveaway to April 10th. I d
on't want to keep the lucky winner waiting any longer. So if you haven't signed up yet, be sure to check out my Giveaway click here and enter.
Have a Good Day
Sherrie
When I was younger I thought the number 100 was magical. I remember thinking that 100 pennies must have greater value than a one dollar bill. Of course with that line of reasoning, 500 pennies obviously were greater than a five dollar bill, up until the weight of all those pennies broke my little kiddie purse strap letting loose those shiny copper bits all over the floor of Mattson's Paint store. Much to my mother's dismay.
Of course in grade school, 100 was the coveted grade to be achieved, which I usually did; however, not in Math. Again to my mother's dismay. But we have talked about this subject before. It is my personal opinion that creativity and mathematical aptitude can not coexist. The only time I am accurate in the use of numbers is with baking (okay more chemical than mathematical) and when I am doing my taxes (which is unfortunate because that is when I should be able to be more creative). Oh well.
We use the number 100 as a milestone, to represent an accomplishment, a tally or list of greats i.e. top 100 inventions, movies, or pivotal moments in history. Not everything has to be on the scale of the 100 Year's War. It can be much simpler but equally as important, like opening up your blog one day and seeing that you have 100 followers. That is a significant and very meaningful day, as it was for me. The realization that there are 100 people who decided that they liked what they saw or read, enough so to join me on my wonderful blogging journey, that was a truly magical moment.
I am still just starting, really. When I published my first post, the gardens had been put to bed, my beloved garden shed and retreat was closed up for the season, and all the other outdoor projects lay dormant in both my mind and actually out in the garage. Any time with my sewing machine had been abandoned and replaced with fall cleaning, Christmas shopping and decorating. The environment at my self employed work had drastically changed, which necessitated more hours being spent in Microsoft Word and Excel than with blogger.com.
Thankfully, I did have the holidays to write about and to display my photos (which are getting better but I need to learn how to do the mosaic images). In December I did present what I consider my best post about my then 3 year old daughter helping to decorate "The Perfect Christmas Tree" (If you like, please click here to read). It had only one lone but lovely comment but that there was only one comment didn't matter. As soon as I clicked on the publish post button, I felt as important as any published writer, it was official, my words were out there for the public to find. That is what really matters anyway. This is my blogging journal as well as my blogging journey. I am glad to be able to share, my thoughts, my aspirations, my found treasures, my own works of art, even my family stories ....... and if along the way, I entertain, I educate, I make you laugh or maybe even roll your eyes and shake your head, than it makes me happy.
After I had posted about reaching 100 followers and an upcoming giveaway, my blogging buddy Linda @ A La Carte, remarked that soon she too would hit the 100 mark for followers. Well, upon reading that, I immediately raced over to her lovely blog to add my name as a follower. It was such serendipitous timing that I was in fact her 100th follower! How fun was that. It made me giddy with excitement. Linda is also doing a giveaway, celebrating 100 followers as well as her 100th post! Her giveaway ends March 22 so please be sure to stop on over to help her celebrate.
Speaking of being the 100th follower, I want to say a Big Thank you to Marcia at Blessedmom's Simple Home for being my 100th journey companion. I hope nobody minds that I am giving her 2 extra chances at my giveaway. Of course there has to be a giveaway!!!
I would deliver cake (red velvet) and balloons to each and everyone of you if I could, but hope you will settle for these few trinkets that I have assembled to say a grateful thank you for keeping me company. Yes, you will notice that there is a pink and brown theme. I am very driven in my decorating (again please refer to Perfect Tree Post for an explanation). Here is my coordinated color-theme gift for you.
First I have these drapery sample squares. They would make a lovely pillow or two.
Here is an adorable little bunny, brown with pink nose, and perfect for Easter, along with a paper fan, a set of linen/silk screened napkins, tan makeup bag or purse with flower, and a little pretty-in-pink piece of costume bling.
A few quilt pieces found in a long forgotten box of yardsale fabric finds.
A butterfly shaped box, a vintage pink crocheted edge hankie, 3 pink beaded fabric ornaments, and a mounted vintage welcome baby card. It is an original piece and not a reproduction. I am adding a few more pieces (I forgot to show the vintage buttons) to the giveaway prize, but the rest will be a surprise.
Okay, you all know the rules:
1. Please leave a comment under this post.
2. Please become a follower of my blog (thank you so very much) for a second chance at winning and/or let me know that you already are a follower.
3. Please link back to my blog post about this giveaway with a post on your own blog. Then please come back and let me know about your link. You will then receive a third chance at winning.
I don't have a real button or special giveaway photo, although I do show an amateur attempt at the top of my sidebar. I haven't yet figured out how to make my own one, properly so. But this does give me great incentive to figure it all out in time hopefully for the next celebration for 200 followers. I look forward to the challenge.
The giveaway ends April 15th. I hope I can make that day a little better for the lucky winner. Thank you all for participating and bringing such smiles to my day. I am truly honored and grateful. Thank you.
Have a great day.
Sherrie
Next were these pretty little photo albums and box of jasmine soap. The fragrance is lovely as is the little butterflies with a bit of bling on the top. Really the soap was two gifts in one, what was inside the box and the pretty box itself.
My most favorite piece was the gorgeous necklace. I just love the naturalness from the stone piece to the bright punch of red, it is absolutely fabulous. I am wearing it as I speak. Sure I had to press the perfect shirt, to make the perfect outfit, to wear today, to match this perfect necklace, but it was worth getting out the ironing board. (Yes that is a rare occurrence for me, that is why I buy tumble dry only.)
I wanted to share with everyone a BIG THANK YOU to April at Adventures with the Abramyans. Please be sure to visit her blog and meet her delightful family. I love the motto displayed on her blog banner, "No matter how long the winter, Spring is sure to follow" Positive thinking. A good thought to live by ...... I am feeling better all ready. Thank you April.
Have a great day.
