Antiques?

I was going to post some pictures of antique treasures that I found a couple of weeks ago...but since I neglected to take any pictures of said treasures and my feet hurt too much to get up and take any pictures, you'll have to imagine what I got instead (with the assistance of Google images).

Item no. 1: a jar full of buttons. Imagine one of these, but full of little metal buttons instead of a colorful variety:

I'm an unabashed button freak. I just need to find a way to use them all.

Item no. 2, a pair of rather well-made spats. They're far too small (curse you, anorexic ankles of yesteryear!), but still look very cool. Mine are like these below--same style and color, but without the buckles:

Items no. 3 and 4, little square glass bottles. Each holds roughly an ounce, maybe a bit less. One has a cork and currently holds my attempt at perfume (essential oils splashed into some olive oil and glycerin). It smells good, but doesn't last for more than 15 minutes. Sigh.

And item no. 5, a little bottle of ink with a built-in inkwell. I'd never seen anything like it before:

Mine has the brand 'Skrip' on the lid, and is completely full of black ink. I have yet to try it out yet, but I'm sure it's still good for writing. And it's dang cool to boot.

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In other news, I'm off to see my brother's girlfriend tomorrow...she's going to cosmetology school and needs a model for hairstyling, washing, etc. I'm her lucky guinea pig. And it ought to be interesting. Her mom is picking me up at 6 tomorrow morning...hence more interesting (or just sleep deprivation).

Mom and I have been walking in the mornings since last Wednesday. There's a lady my mom used to work out with, and we've all fallen off the fitness wagon (as it were) so we're trying to get back into shape. For the past week we've been walking from 6 to 6:30 (that's AM, not PM *sobs*) and may start jogging this week. There's also some bike riding in there somewhere. And I DO enjoy it once I get moving...but it's been freakishly cold these past few days, coupled with it being very dark that early in the morning, and late nights, and it's just not that pleasant to begin with. Sigh. Maybe I'll get used to it. After a couple of years of 'sleeping in' til 7:30 or 8 it's been rough on the old sleeping pattern.

 Umm...what else...I've done a couple drawings for a Hobbit fanart contest, but I'm stuck for a bit between lack of time and agonizing over if they're good/not good/whatever. I'll post them eventually along with pleadings to vote for my drawings before they go up before the official judges. *gulps* So far I have one of Bilbo (on a HORSE!), and one of a random Goblin-town goblin. He's pretty mean-looking.

I'm not sure what else to talk about, so I'll leave off with a question: If you could request anything to be drawn from The Hobbit (creatures, characters, weapons, or places), what would it be? I'm debating doing the spider den (or just a couple of spiders by themselves) for a location...but I want to hear what you all would want to see. I can't guarantee anything, but inspiration is wonderfully welcome.

Success and Crates

Yesterday I made popsicles and deodorant. They have nothing in common, other than I've wanted to make both for a while (and they both had to cool before I could use them). So this morning, I got pictures of both!

This is based off of a recipe that includes cocoa butter, beeswax, shea butter, bentonite clay, and tea tree oil. It seems to work pretty well thus far and smells very nice.

And these are basically pudding pops with heavy cream and crushed Oreos mixed in. They're dericious and totally not dietary. :3

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For the past few days Mom has been washing old jars and trying to figure out what to do with them. Most are the old blue Mason jars with the glass lids and wire clamps--they're unusable for canning (yes, we checked) and we have so many that we don't know what to do with them. I'm using one for a water jar and might use others for steeping oils and/or teas, but that's all I've figured so far.

But jars are not the focus right now. They've been stored in these really cool crates that I want to use for bookshelves...the trick is mounting them on the walls and figuring out how to arrange them (after cleaning them up first).

I'm eternally amused by the 'High Explosives' warning on the side. 

I'm torn between hanging them with the 'Atlas Powder Co' print facing down, or putting them on brackets so that they're more like a drawer sticking out of the wall. The first method seems to be more common, while the second would be more interesting. Plus, there's this huge space above my desk that needs to be filled...so much wall, so little time!

I love the explosives thing. It just makes me happy.

Any ideas on how to group and hang these? I'm open to suggestions. So far I'm just going by Pinterest inspiration and we all know how that could turn out.... <.< >.>

C'est un bebe!

My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew have been visiting for the last week. And aside from the spring cold that's afflicted them, it's been a good visit.

See de bebe!

 Earlier this week before it rained I took him out in the yard. He hasn't seen much in the way of grass and was utterly fascinated by it.

(That is, when he wasn't wallowing around in my lap and trying to conquer crawling over my leg. XD)

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On a side note, I got my desk painted and moved into my room. It doesn't look that big, but it's 32" by 60". I love it. *glee*

Sometime I need to set up the sewing machine and test that out height-wise. (And fix the serger...and finish the bajillion sewing projects around the house... *cries*)

For now, having a desk to sit at instead of crouching on my bed has been a major back-saver (when I remember not to slouch, anyway. *adjusts posture*). And yes, my room is very blue. Except for the curtains, which are burgundy with embroidered flowers. 

I'd say that I'm a bit on the dramatic side, but my room seems to have been an outlet for said drama while I remain relatively level-headed. Go figure.

This desk was an opportunity to try out a project idea I had saved on Pinterest--the paint is home-made chalk paint (latex base mixed with Plaster of Paris), and the desk was free. It makes me happeh.