Jennifer's Junky Life ~

Fatties or Skinnies

We always affectionately call Aria 'our little fattie' or 'our chubby lovey' and lots of other cute little 'chubby' baby nicknames. I love wearing leggings and skinny jeans on her chubby little legs. There is no way around it, this little lady is so completely and deliciously chubby and fat!

For Christmas, she got a pair of kelly green skinnies from Old Navy from us. (Lizard Laura Pop Color Pants. I would love a pair in every color!) The first time I put them on her, Mark called them her 'fatties'. I thought it was pretty fitting...

{On Aria: First outfit: Blue velour sweatshirt from her grandma, Polka Dot shirt from a local second-hand shop (that has since closed), pants from Old Navy, and moccasins from Kaboogie on Etsy. Second outfit: Same polka dot shirt, pants, and moccs., vintage elephant sweater from a friend via La di Dottie on Etsy.}

Little One

This little one is so fun. She just lights up our life! And she's one spoiled little baby to show for it - but thanks to a bunch of tips on Facebook, I'm learning how to be the mom of a baby again.

We've been struggling with naps and although I fear we have a long way to go, I received a bunch of great advice and am putting some of it into play.

Watching for tired cues was a big one I completely forgot about after all of these years - and that really helped today for getting her to sleep better. I really appreciate that reminder! It's amazing the things you forget after not having a baby for this long...

I was trying the whole method of putting her down, walking away, going back after a few minutes, laying her back down, and walking away again... etc... but she was screaming her head off and hysterical every time I'd walk away again.

It wasn't working. And it was breaking my heart to listen to her that upset. So today, I ended up putting her down, and stayed near her crib reading my book so she could see me and she settled down much better and only fussed a little. Although, it was a good 20-30 minutes before she actually fell asleep because she's used to sleeping with us and even for naps, I'd been lying down with her. (One of the luxuries of having older kids - I sure wasn't able to do that with my oldest three!) But it's progress. Now that she's a little older, I'm trying to break her of the habit of needing me to get her to sleep...

I mean, seriously, though... I have such a hard time resisting that sweet little face...

{Everything Aria's wearing is thrifted, including her yellow ruffled socks, with the exception of her moccasins from Kaboogie. Her dress and sweater are vintage. Her onesie is probably thrifted, too, unless it's a hand-me-down from her siblings. I've thrifted most of her onesies and socks so far.}

Her favorite place to be. Okay... maybe it's mine, too, but after nine months I'm getting a little antsy to start getting things done around here and to start doing some projects once in awhile. {My necklace is from Chewbeads. I love it because it's perfect for her while she's teething and she can't rip it off and break it like my vintage necklaces.}

Hart & Sew Giveaway

Silence for over a month and all I have for now is this... :)

There is a giveaway over on Hart & Sew for a $50 shop credit. See Stacy's blog for details about winning this gift card that can be used for some cute vintage children's clothing! She always has so many cute things in her shop.

Vacation Pictures

{Two small cousins. Isaac and Aria.}

{A sweet moment.}

{Moss Roses in a pretty pot in my parents' garden.}

{My favorite Willow tree. It's at the end of my parents' road and I stared at the thing every morning for 13 years while waiting for the school bus. We used to swing on the branches. It's beautiful and the picture doesn't do it justice (The lighting was way off when I took it but I wanted to grab a shot of it since I never had in all these years.)}

{"Home". Although, in all the years I lived here it was a one-story ranch style house. The second floor was added just before I spread my wings and headed out to Minnesota, two years after I graduated high school.}

{Sedum in the garden.}

{Our first glimpse of the Mackinac Bridge. That grey smudge to the left is a fleck of dust on my lense and it shows up in most of my photos. It's been there for months. I have no idea how to get rid of it since it's inside of my camera (a Canon PowerShot SD1400). If anyone sees this and has any advice on getting it out - I'd love to hear it! I'm at a loss, and so frustrated by it.}

{The Mighty Mackinac.}

{Clematis in my parents' garden.}

{A hidden Beach.}

{The beautiful north shore of Lake Michigan - a hidden beach.}

{Silly little, chubby little baby toes.}

{You wouldn't believe how many pictures I took before I realized that we had a face-maker the entire time! He's quite the guy!}

{Love my Mamma's Milk Sling.}

'S' is for Show :: Arts & Crafts Show

Because that's all that's been on my mind lately (July 9, here).

A little 'S' ornament I painted for the show and will add a contrasting ribbon or string to clash-match with it. (See note at the end about the wrinkled items on either side of it.) I love these colors together. I want to be surrounded by them because they make me so happy.

I got my spray paint order on Tuesday and went to town this afternoon. I love this stuff. So far, I like both the Montana Gold and the Montana White. It's nice, thick paint and goes on so smoothly. I can't see myself ever going back to Krylon. Seriously, this stuff is awesome and the color selection is fantastic. Although... I have to add that some of the colors are so far off from what they appear on my screen that it's ridiculous. I ordered the Montana Gold Power Orange, which appears to be a nice and warm tone of orange but it's blaze orange on the can that I got. Nothing like the photo.

And both the blue colors of Kilimandsharo and Mt. Everest (both from the Gold line) look more down the lines of periwinkle or powdery grey blue, yet, the order form looks like they're both nice shades of turquoise.

Even some of the colors that I really like still looked nothing like they did on my screen. I'm hoping I can get ahold of a color card from the company before I do another order so I can get the right colors. I'm anxious to get my hands on more shades!

I got quite a few things painted and primed today. It was gorgeous out! Except a bit windy but I ran with it. I'm really hoping to have all of my painting done by the end of next week. That way I can just do anything new I might find garage saling or thrifting. And I can start working on upcycling things like adding wire to picture frames to make jewelry holders, or chicken wire and clothespins for cards. And, most importantly to me, maybe I can finally start adding some more upcycled items to the junk shop.

I'm acting like I know what I'm doing but I really don't have a clue. I have no plans for any of it yet. I just play with it all and let things fall into place as they will. I'm excited to start the repurposing phase though once the painting's done!

(Photos: I love color. And I love the colors in these photos but the paint got all wrinkled on some of these frames this evening. My only guess is it's because of the quick temperature drop we had after a warm day... I'll have to do a little light sanding and carry on and, hopefully, they'll turn out alright in the end. Note: I've been trying to edit photos in Picnic lately but I just don't have time to mess around with it right now. And, I finally printed my camera manual. Maybe some year I'll read it...)

Montana Gold colors in photos: Yellow - 1200 Advocaat, Red-pink - 3030 Raspberry, Deep plum - 3160 Bettertimes. Montana White - Aqua - 6110 Soap.

Have you met Alice?

I'd been hearing about this relatively new company called Alice where you can purchase cleaning supplies and other staples for the home that are delivered right to your door quite a bit this past year and have been more than a little intrigued. So, over a week ago, when my dishwasher soap was running low and I was trying to hold off on making a run to the grocery store for another week (it's a 20 minute trip, one way), I decided to try them out.

(A quick note: You have to register with the site to see all of the products/prices. Registering is free and easy. I get a referral credit if you click through any of my links here to sign up.*) Alice offers all kinds of name brand cleaning products and staples like toilet paper and soap and a multitude of other items for the home.

When I ordered, I saw quite a few different kinds of tea and other beverages -- even Kombucha Wonder Drink (Asian Pear & Ginger, my favorite!), as well. You'll have to go check it out to see what all they have to offer!

They offer coupon codes on many items, as well, which vary from time to time -- so you'll have to check back often for deals. You don't have to do anything for the coupons. The discounted price is marked for you.

There is no shipping fee on any order. ever. -- You just have to order a minimum of 6 items. That's it. There are even items for a couple of dollars if you need them in order to fulfill your order, but chances are you won't. Those 6 items add up really fast!

I was really impressed with their prices when I checked out the site. And when you factor in the always FREE SHIPPING, it really can't be beat.

I'm all about cutting back on trips to the grocery store, and who isn't? So, this is a fabulous way to get all of those basic cleaning items and non-food items for your home -- quick and easy -- right to your door. (And, even a few food items like coffee and tea and a few other pantry items.) Most orders ship within 24 hours, and sometimes if your order is in early enough in the morning, it may even ship out the same day! All orders ship via UPS.

The customer service is through the roof. I had a little issue with UPS (it took over a week to get my package, and I had to go pick it up) and even though it wasn't Alice's responsibility, they still offered a compensation for the problem with UPS. I was extremely impressed. They also stayed in touch with me continually via email until I received my package. I have nothing but rave reviews about my first order, and especially, the level of customer service I received. I can't wait to order again!

*If you sign up under my link, I'll get a 3% compensation for every order you place for an entire year, AND, once you've spent $50.00 with Alice, you'll get a $10 credit! So, it's a win-win for both of us. (You'll only get the $10 credit (after spending $50.00) if you sign up through the links here.)

***This is a non-commissioned ad. I'm so happy with my first order that I plan to order again and wanted to share with you what a fabulous company Alice is! The convenience is so great! And, there are quite a few 'natural' and 'organic' items that I saw, as well. So, go check them out!***

Moo.com :: Business Cards and Minicards

Last fall, I decided to order business cards for the first time in my life. Back in my office days, being an administrative assistant didn't necessarily warrant such a thing, and so far, neither has my 'mommy' job, so this was completely new territory for me. (Below: These are the last of my original photo business cards, don't mind the very slightly tattered corners on them.)

Being in the junk business now, I wanted something creative and fun to tuck into all of my packages from the junk shop. Up until this point, I'd been making all of my cards and it was just getting to be too time consuming (and I wanted something more professional looking). I got really lucky when I needed them because Moo and Etsy were running a special -- first time customers received 50 complimentary cards where you only had to pay shipping. I'd found the deal via Hip2Save and it sounded like a fantastic way to try out some cards. (Note: Offer is no longer valid.)

I chose a photo style business card, uploaded one of my own images, and placed my ordered. It was super easy! The order didn't take long to come either, less than a week via USPS -- which was awesome.

I was so excited when they came in the mail. I absolutely loved the quality and style of the cards! So when I was running low this past month, I decided to order again. In true fashion, I did a little on-line searching and price comparing, including the business cards offered on Etsy but Moo kept calling my name over and over again. I already knew I loved the quality and style of the Moo cards and I was so hesitant to order from anyone else lest I be disappointed.

This time, for a little change of pace though, I went with the minicards. I wanted to try something new. Because I include my cards with my packages, more of a gift tag style after I wrap them up*, I decided the minicards would compliment the packages more than the larger business cards did.

I received my minicards last week and love them! So much.

I ordered the Classic ColourLovers pack and was able to pick and choose the different design variants I wanted within the pack. I ended up picking ten different design variants and love them all. You could also upload your own image(s) if you preferred -- or choose from an amazing selection of ready made designs! That goes not only for the minicards but for the business cards as well.

I wanted several different color palettes so I could mix and match them with the colors of the items that are sold in my shop. They remind me of miniature paint chips and I adore paint chip palettes! I ordered 100 this time and they came in a really nice white cardboard box for storage and safe keeping.

I'm more than happy with my second Moo order and highly recommend these business cards and minicards to anyone looking to order some!

One of the things I love the most about Moo is the fact that you can upload your own images for your cards -- and the fact that you can upload a different image for every single card in the pack if you wanted to! You can't get much more personalized than that when it comes to business cards.

If you're interested, go check out their site to see all that they have to offer! I promise, if you order, you will not be disappointed!

P.S. If you are serious about ordering, email me. I have a 15% (one-time use) discount that came with my second order of cards for the first person who contacts me. First time customers only! And, please be a serious buyer as you can only use the code once. I would love if someone was able to use it.

* I gift wrap all of my junk shop items with vintage pattern paper and various textures of yarn, unless the item is a little bigger or somewhat awkward to just wrap in paper, in which case I'll carefully wrap the pattern paper around it in the mailing box but it won't be gift style wrapped with yarn -- if that makes sense.

Covet Garden :: A new e-zine

eta: I was able to get some pictures after emailing the girls over at Covet Garden so I'm re-posting this with photos.

I just discovered this new inspirational e-zine via one of my favorite blogs and immediately subscribed. It's about real spaces and real people -- in quoting from the magazine, "spaces that have not been styled by interior decorators".

I just checked out both the September and October issues of Covet Garden and they're both fantastic! Subscriptions are complimentary -- go check it out! And, watch for the blog...coming soon!

Photo source (all).

A beautiful brown package came today

My camera arrived on my doorstep this afternoon while we were away. I'm charging the battery and hoping to start figuring it all out soon. Oh man, I can't wait to use this thing!

I love the metallic orange color, too. I was hoping it was like the pictures of it on-line, and it pretty much is. It's super tiny, like really tiny. It's smaller than my cell phone. Which I love since I'll be able to easily haul it everywhere I go.

I'm super excited and more than a little intimidated by it. There is so much to learn. I don't like reading manuals either. I'd rather learn as I go or have someone else show me how and what to do! But I want to know how to use it, so I might have to read it.

Well, I'm off to milk the goat... for the last time. ('Til next time.) Mark has been out of town working this week so I had no choice but to learn to milk or lose that wonderful goat's milk! So, that's why I started milking in the first place. I never thought I'd have to when he started this whole goat business. And, we still aren't sure what we'll do whenever we're all on vacation... But it really hasn't been that bad. It kind of got thrown at me the day before he left which was no big deal, just a little something unexpected. (I hadn't thought about it either way when I knew he'd be going out of town.) But I survived! ;)

He actually said I could just wait and leave it for him to do tonight, but it will be dark when he gets home, and I think I can handle one more night so he doesn't have to worry about it. Maybe. We'll see how my hands feel when I'm out there.

It was so warm today. 83° on the way home from our field trip to the apple orchard that we went to with our homeschool group this afternoon! I highly recommend that orchard for other young families around this area. They're so great with the kids and they gave such a wonderful presentation! The kids loved it.

I'm chuggin' warm tea with honey, oil of oregano and thieves oil

Well, maybe not so much the oils but the warm tea with honey. We all have our first colds of the season and they came with complimentary sore throats. When I get a sore throat I usually dilute some thieves oil in olive oil and rub it on my throat and I'm normally better by morning.

But not this time.

So, this cold is a doozer. Every so often I get one where the thieves doesn't relieve the sore throat but it's pretty rare.

So, I added more thieves to my throat when I woke up and put several drops of Oreganol oil of oregano under my tongue and quickly guzzled a large glass of water to wash it down. (If you're unfamiliar with oil of oregano, it will burn like nothing else if you don't wash it down properly and the undiluted portion gets on your throat. I know this from experience. Some people can handle it. I can't. It feels like fire.)

Now I'm enjoying a warm cup of chai tea with a splash of milk and honey. And, I'm quite certain I'll be downing several cups of Traditional Medicinals organic Throat Coat tea throughout the day. (I prefer the red box Throat Coat over the yellow one which is Lemon Echinacea, but perhaps you'd like it.) I love the Trad. Med. teas for colds! They're available at most grocer's. I wish I'd known about them when I was younger and constantly plagued by colds and the consequential *sneeze* sore *sneeze* throat. {excuse me}

I'm hoping to get some pictures taken for Etsy today. It's time for another shop update and I'd like to do that sometime next week. Time to see what sorts of fall things I have around here!

P.S. I don't remember if I ever mentioned it on here when Chloe was finally better, but she is! :) She's been doing great for a while now. I know I mentioned it on book but maybe not here.