Jennifer's Junky Life ~

All is Merry & Bright

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas!

We didn't do Christmas cards this year but we did a little impromptu photo shoot today. Thank you for all of your cards and Christmas wishes this year -- it's so fun getting them all. (Many of you still have our old (Main) address -- probably because in the four years we've lived in this house, we've only done cards once.) I miss the tradition when we have to skip it!

I'll be taking a blogging break until the New Year. Wishing you the Merriest Christmas and safe travels for those who are traveling over the holidays. Warm wishes from our home to yours!

Whimsical Junk Update :: Sale until Dec. 21.

I've extended my Christmas sale until Tuesday, December 21! Everything is marked down right now -- even newly listed items. I'm closing the junk shop for the holidays at the end of the day on Tuesday.

I combine shipping on multiple purchases. If the shipping is over $2.00 more than what you pay, I will always reimburse the difference via Paypal. Almost everything is shipped Priority Mail but if you prefer First Class, I'm happy to accommodate whenever possible!

I've still got a bunch of hen on nest dishes from an estate sale in 2009. I recently listed a few more and I'll be listing the rest after the holidays!

I'm working on Christmas baking today and I'm hoping to find some time to wrap gifts. I'm finally feeling a bit of holiday cheer, thanks to the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album playing loudly. Christmas is coming! Have a great Monday!

A new (old) blanket quilt for the Argosy

It's easier to justify keeping something that I bought with intentions of putting it in the junk shop when the edges are fraying...

I love this vintage blanket. It's super heavy and warm. I don't know what exactly it's lined with, but it feels like random heavy fabrics (maybe even pieces of clothing or old blankets, as I've seen done in another handmade quilt I have).

 

I love the satiny soft feel of the cotton floral top portion. And, I like how the bottom print clashes with the top. I can't tell if the bottom is made of barkcloth or something else. It feels kind of like it but maybe different, something similar... Maybe it's barkcloth but it almost feels more like a super heavy duty linen -- I'm not a fabric expert, so I'm not sure.

I'm hoping to work on some Christmas baking this weekend. On my list for baking in the coming days: sugar cookies, pumpkin seed brittle (a delicious peanut brittle alternative), prune tarts (my favorite!), pecan pie (new recipe), pumpkin pie, Sesame Candy (new recipe), shortbread cookies (store bought) drizzled in caramel and chocolate, brownies, pretzel kisses (the pretzels with a Hershey kiss and m&m's on them), and chocolate dipped Oreos. Now, to see if I accomplish even half of that before Christmas! (I also plan to gather ingredients for some cracker and chip dips for Christmas Eve.)

Have a great weekend!

My favorite store

We ran out this afternoon to use the kid's Book Its for lunch and ran to the library and the thrift while we were out. I ran in first in case there was anything good for the kids for Christmas. I found a couple of things -- not sure if they'll be gifts or if they'll land on Etsy. Abram's and Nikayda's birthdays are both coming up in the beginning of the New Year, so I'm thinking about those, too. After I paid for them and tossed them in the ol' bargain cruiser, Mark and the kids came in for a bit before he got bored and ran other errands with them, leaving me to try on clothes.

I found a few shirts, a sweater, and a cardigan for myself -- for around a whopping $15. (Have I mentioned how much I love our thrift?) I was really hoping to find some shirts before Christmas so that was a huge bonus. There was a lot of cute stuff there today. I also was hoping to find a skirt. I've had the same one for about 6 years. One skirt for church. And, it's a very lightweight spring/summer skirt. If I don't find one, I'm not too worried, I've been wearing it for this many years... What's a few more? I just think it'd be fun to have a change.

There was a really cute Old Navy winter coat (size medium, camel/tan color), if any locals see this and are looking for one. I tried it on but the sleeves were just a bit too long on me, otherwise I'd have snagged it, and finally had a winter coat I liked. (Although, I'm really hoping to find a vintage one.)

I'll try to get some pictures of the blanket (quilt) I found at the thrift earlier this week up here this weekend. I've been meaning to take pictures all week when I've been working on Etsy pictures. It's just a simple handmade one, nothing fancy, but I love the fabric that was used on it.

(Photos: Items in the junk shop.)

Fact is, Marilla, you never went to a ball.

(Anne of Green Gables)

The thing is...I've been down in the grumps the better part of December. I've been trying to kick it...and truth is, it's not as bad as it all might sound just by saying it here. But, still, there's that feeling that I just can't shake. I've been working out on the elliptical six hours a week trying to combat it, and it's helping but I'm still feeling grumpy.

I love December and Christmas and I haven't felt the least bit in the Christmas spirit this year. Just little moments of glee that soon pass. In fact, I worked to decorate one weekend earlier on and had intentions of doing more -- but haven't gotten very far.

I've been throwing myself into Etsy, though, and that's been helping a little. It keeps me focused.

I know there is work lined up next year. Mark said he's booked from spring through summer. And, although, that makes it somehow easier to know, it doesn't take away the stress right now. So, I've been hiding behind posts with Etsy Favorites just because I'm not necessarily feeling like a jolly ol' elf backstage.

I've been thinking I should start a gratitude journal. There are always blessings to count, no matter what trials one has. No matter what, a person can always be happy. But, somehow knowing that isn't helping right now. I mean, I'm happy, but I also feel kind 'meh'.

Being self-employed is stressful. I can't complain -- I love this way of life (minus this part). I love the freedoms that come with it, so I need to remember that during times like this. I even love that I get my husband around right now when there isn't work. But at the same time, I hate the lack of work.

He takes it so much better than I. Sure, he stresses about it but he's so matter of fact and optimistic about it. God will take care of us, he reminds me constantly. He'll find something. I know that. I'm just so weak. I forget very easily and turn to stress and worry instead.

No worries, I don't plan to fill my blog with doom and gloom but I do want to keep it real. Life goes on behind the scenes and sometimes it's not all fun and games!

So, yeah, I'm feeling a bit stressed but I'm not feeling hopeless. I still have my optimism. It's just that that pesky little pessimism keeps getting in the way.

I'm thankful for many things right now:

Our home. Our family. The fact that I have my Christmas shopping mostly done (still need a few stocking stuffers). We're going 'home' for Christmas (thanks to my Etsy sales) -- it sure beats spending Christmas here alone. We have food, clothing, heat. My elliptical. Good health. The gift of time with my husband (and for the kids to have their dad around) -- not everyone gets that and in the end, it's such a blessing. When it's all said and done, that time together is more of a treasure than any work day. Time alone in the evenings. I treasure that time to unwind every day! A good book. Dreams (at least they're free!). There is much to be thankful for and I'll kick this one way or another.

I know so many people deal with the blues and I'm not alone. I'm an advocate for anxiety and depression so it's only natural for me to put it out there. Life is good. It really is. I just have to keep reminding myself that this too shall pass... (And, honestly, I've had far worse anxiety in my life...like, when we moved into this house. That. was awful. I was quite literally frazzled at that point. So, this is nothing! Just a little anxiety.)

Faithful Random

This day has just flown by. I've meant to post so many times. I'm doing our new annual tradition of the kids getting a weekly gift from Mark and me, and this week, I gave them time with mom. They get to pick a day where they get to do what they want during one-on-one time with me, and they get to pick what's for supper that night, too. I wasn't sure if they'd like it or not but they loved it -- and have even asked to do it again for next week's gift.

I've been loving it, too, because although we get time together when we're doing school, that's technically 'work'. The past few weeks have been busy with reloading the junk shop and we haven't spent a lot of time just doing fun stuff.

Carter doesn't know what he wants to do. Not too unusual for a little five year old. I'm thinking of baking cupcakes with him. He'd love frosting and decorating them. And, he has no idea what he wants for his supper (nevermind that he's asked for macaroni & cheese for the past three weeks. I don't have the ingredients right now, so I'm not reminding him). He told me tonight, "I'll just look on foodgawker and then I'll know what to make."

Abram chose baking for his day. He plans to make brownies. He wants to be a chef when he grows up, so I knew he'd choose that. And, he wanted Milk Chocolate Chip Pancakes with bacon for his supper. We had that Sunday afternoon for lunch. We plan to bake brownies Tuesday. (Nothing unusual about that either -- everything we do can be pretty random around here!)

And, Nikayda chose thrifting. We went to two thrift stores this afternoon. One of which is 'new' to Main Street and has been for two years but I'd only recently heard about it. It was a great little shop and I plan to go back. It was a nice afternoon and she really enjoyed it. Although, the only thing she found to purchase was a little gift for Carter. She wants Fruit Smoothies and hashbrowns for supper. We're planning to do that for lunch tomorrow (Tues.). (Protein Smoothies are often a quick summertime lunch around here and the kids have been missing them now that it's cold.)

I found a few shirts and pants for the boys at the thrift today and a really pretty handmade blanket that I had every intention of listing on Etsy. I really, really did. It was the only reason I could justify buying it right now with Mark off work...but I got it home and threw it in the wash and knew that it would be perfect for Alba. We need heavy blankets for the camper...so...all good intentions flew out the door, as they so often do when I'm thrifting! Pictures later this week.

(Photos: New items in the shop. A big Thank YOU to everyone who has made a purchase from Whimsical Junk! I hit 100 sales this week. I haven't been real consistent with updating my shop so I'm really happy to reach that little milestone! It's a good little kicker to rev me up so I keep adding stuff!)

Etsy Favorites :: Little Red Mushrooms

eta: I've updated the shop! I have about 3-5 more listings of little red German mushrooms that will be up on Saturday.

I have a little box full of vintage German mushrooms, the cute little red ones with the white dots, that I spent time photographing today for the junk shop. They're a living estate sale treasure. The woman was just parting ways with a huge lot of her stuff! I love these little red mushrooms and it got me thinking about what other kinds of fun vintage mushrooms I could find on Etsy. Here are a few of my favorite finds... Be sure to check out the rest of these shops for more great gift ideas!

Vintage Mushroom Serving Tray from Confetti Garden.

2 Vintage Spun Cotton Mushroom Ornaments from efinegifts. Be sure to check out all of the beautiful vintage Christmas items in their shop right now!

 A Child's Vintage Mushroom Terrarium from Wee Green Spot.

6 Vintage Christmas Coasters from Pretty + Simple Shoppe. Check out the other great vintage Christmas items in the shoppe!

Alice in Wonderland Vintage Ring (size 6) from Decades of Baltimore.

Vintage Mushroom Candles (set of 3) from The Gingham Owl. I love all of the little owls used as props in this shop! Such a fabulous collection.

Pair of Retro Ceramic Mushrooms from Ugly Santa.

I'm working on getting my tiny mushrooms in the shop. They should be up sometime tonight, or tomorrow at the latest! I will have quite a few listings with little clusters of them.

I'm planning to make gingerbread cookies tomorrow. The kids want to make gingerbread houses -- I still have to find a recipe. The one I tried last year wasn't real great. We've got our candy ready and they're excited. I started the tradition a couple of years back.

I was planning to make pasties today (beef and pork combined) but ended up not getting to them due to taking pictures for the junk shop, so I'll be working on those on Saturday, too. I love making individual pasties but I'm going the easy route and filling pans and pie plates this time. Too much going on with the holidays here!

Have a great weekend!

Etsy Favorites :: Random Jewelry

Looking for fun and unique jewelry gifts this holiday season? Here are a bunch of my favorite handmade finds from Etsy. Be sure to check out the other items in their shops for more one-of-a-kind items!

Beaded Crocheted Necklace/Bracelet/Belt from Alejandra Jacoby.

Patina Owl and Pink Filigree Necklace from Violet Bella.

Blue Bangle from Gold Tennis Shoes.

Doily Bambi Necklace from WannaBE.

Ribbon Bow Bracelet from Slight Touch.

Vintage Trinket Necklace from Vicki Sheehan.

Antique Flower Ring from Jealousy Jewels.

Lollipop Adjustable Ring from Yifatiii's Sweets & Treats.

Wrapped Bangle Bracelet (kid size/small adult) from Storybook Theater.

Vintage Button Necklace (kid size) eta: I mistakenly identified the size incorrectly on this one -- it's an adult size necklace. There are kid size ones in the shop as well, so be sure to check them out! from The Little Button.

I can't believe Christmas is only about two weeks away. The time is flying!

Food Allergies and Intimacy

I just came across this article while I was cleaning out my email, on food allergies and intimacy from Allergy Moms. While the type of intimacy mentioned here is a long way off for my little guy (thank goodness!), it still hit close to home due to his level of sensitivity to peanuts and I wanted to share it for anyone else interested in learning more about food allergies (and exactly how sensitive some people are to their allergens).

It's not a myth that someone can have an allergic reaction, or even die, from kissing someone who has eaten the food that they're allergic to. And as more and more people (unfortunately) develop food allergies, this is going to become more of an issue as the years go by. (Currently about 7 million people in the US have food allergies -- that includes adults and children. Chances are pretty good that you or someone you know has a food allergy.)

The majority of Carter's allergic reactions have come simply from contact with unseen (peanut) allergens, possibly oils and residue left on surfaces that he's touched and then inadvertently passed to his mouth, nose or eyes where the allergen quickly enters and attacks his system causing hives, a clear runny nose, and extreme wheezing (which can ultimately lead to an anaphylactic reaction).

He's had numerous attacks like this...so many, that I've lost count but we've been so blessed because although some of his reactions have been pretty scary, we haven't yet experienced anaphylactic shock (and I pray we never do!). Nevertheless, I am terribly shaken any time he has a reaction because I realize it could happen at anytime. I'm always on high alert and my adrenaline is pumping when he breaks out in hives.

The only way to keep him safe is to avoid all contact with peanuts or foods and surfaces containing peanuts. Absolutely zero contact. Sometimes that feels like an impossible task when we're out this great big world, and rightfully, it's changed our lives. But, although, it makes me feel somewhat fearful, I don't feel sad about it because it is what it is. This is our life. Sure, I could feel downright sad when I think about missing out on peanut butter cookies or peanut butter kiss cookies (formerly, my favorites!) but that's nothing compared to the protection I feel for my little guy! I'm a mother bear. (Below, Carter, ready to take on the world. The kids were playing pirates the other day. Excuse the poor night time lighting.)

I thought it was going to be so hard to live a peanut-free life when we started on this journey, but by some miracle it's become second nature and I don't think twice about it anymore. We just had to change our way of thinking and looking at food. There are a surprisingly lot of foods that he can still eat. Who knew? It felt very overwhelming when we first started reading labels but, essentially, it forced me to start cooking most of our food from scratch because even though he can still eat many foods, there are a surprisingly lot of processed foods with warnings on their labels.

No matter what challenges this allergy brings our way, life is good because most importantly, we have a happy, healthy, and might I add spunky, little boy. Mark always says that spunk will take him far when he gets older...if he learns to channel it in a good way.

*~*~***Whimsical Junk Sale!***~*~*

Select items are marked down in the junk shop! I randomly started a $2.00 off sale, marking a bunch of stuff $2.00 down but then started marking other items down as well. Sale goes on until Saturday, December 18!

I was hoping to have more Christmas stuff in the shop by now...but, well...you're probably pretty familiar with my procrastination abilities by now! I've added a few things today and I hope to add more in the next week, though.

One more little Whimsical Junk update: My goal in 2010 was to focus on getting my house organized and settled into as best I could. And, I'm mostly happy with where I'm at with that goal. (I still want to get the loft organized.)

My goal for 2011 is to work on projects. Lots and lots of projects. I've been missing my projects. And, that means I'll finally be adding handmade, hand-altered, and upcycled items to the shop. I'm pretty excited to start focusing on art again.

Now, to make a final decision on my handmade gift for my sister's name gift so I can start working on that...!