Who Are You Running For?

I've changed my blog-header to "Think Pink" colour
scheme for the month of October and I will be doing a couple
of little features to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness this month!
Let me know how you like the new look and please let me know
if you would like to do a guest post on a Breast Cancer topic this
month - just drop me an email.

As I mentioned -  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  The first

Sunday in October (in this case the last one in September) is the annual "Run

for the Cure" in Canada.  I have taken part in this run for about the last dozen

or so years - here on Vancouver Island and in the Okanagan.  The

one thing that constantly surprises me is the emotion of the morning - all of

these people in one way or another touched by breast cancer. 

 

Here's some highlights of Nanaimo's event:

 

What a great day!  And yes, I am in the photo above.....hee,hee! 

Kind of like:  "where's Waldo"?

 

Thank you to my friends & family for supporting me,

to Mr. Biff for coming and hanging out with us and for

the whole "Sole Support" team!

 

Blessings,

 

The Painted Pumpkin!

I got caught up in the fad of painting pumpkins - I'll admit it and I LOVE

them.....so look out dollar store pumpkins - not one of you is safe!  Here's

what we took to the market today:

 

It was Mr. Biff's BIG birthday today - we had a great time!  Market in

the morning - with one of the lovely vendors bringing chocolate cake

and balloons for Mr. B and then dinner with my lovely sister Jean

and her hubby Larry at Qualicum Beach on the water.

 

I hope you're all having a great weekend too - wherever you are and

a big shout out to my big sister Ann - Happy Birthday!!  Love you!

 

Blessings,

 

Wednesday's Words....

Back at the beginning of this year (2012) many bloggers, including me,

picked a word for the year - something they hoped to achieve or embody.

I chose the word "Faith" and altho mostly my faith is silent in that it is

inherently a part of me - I thought I would dig out a quote to share with

you that would also remind me of my intent......so here goes:

"When you have come to the edge of all light that you know

and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown

Faith is knowing one of two things will happen:  there will

be something solid to stand or or you will be taught to fly"

~Peter Overton

 

We've all had dark days and when I had some pretty bleak ones a

half dozen or so years ago a lovely person gave me a book of psalms

and quotes and this was one of them.  It gave me the courage to

step off the cliff and change my life forever without fear of

falling (or failing).  I read it so many times that I totally

dog-earred the little booklet! 

 

 

 

Blessings,

 

A Little Sewing Caddy.....

At our Vintage Craft Sale - we sold a lovely caddy that Mr. Biff

actually "did up".  He filled the caddy with 12 quart jars and made

scrapbook paper lid covers.  He then stencilled the sides of the

caddy and put the number "12" for the twelve jars.....clever fellow.

 

It sold before we even had our table set up!

 

Photo courtesy of Lava Lounge Photography, Parksville

Didn't it turn out great?  Imagine all that storage in one

handy pretty place (or is that a pretty handy place?)

 

I thought I would try making a smaller version and dedicate this

one to sewing.  Here's the "before":

 

 

I added 3 smaller jars and made

 a pincushion top on one of them. 

 

 

I filled one jar with a mini-sewing kit and added

a hook to hang some "blingy" scissors. 

 

 

 

A little paint, a little ribbon, a cute little frame from

Michaels with a quote and voila.....a sewing caddy. 

 

 

 

 I hope someone likes it as much as I do.  We'll be

taking it with us this weekend to the Orange Bridge Market

in Parksville. 

 

 

This Saturday happens also to be a big event in our house.

Mr. Biff is celebrating a big birthday and let's just say it's

not 30, 40 or 50....here's a hint....

And I didn't say a word - did I?  Let's see if he reads

today's post!

 

Have a great week,

 

Orange Bridge Market Today....

We had a great time at the Orange Bridge Market in Parksville

today.  Had time to chat with fellow vendors and, of course,

shop at those vendors....LOL.

 

I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
 

 

 

 

 

 The Lady's Mantle hosts the market every Saturday.

 

 

 

BTW - please leave me a comment if you come by - it's

great to hear from you, meet you and have a chance to get

to know you and your blog as well....

 

Blessings,

 

Back to School.....A Makeover Story!

Mr. Biff and I found this little desk at our favourite community

recycle spot "Skiff City".  We debated only briefly (well I said

yes - he said no and then we loaded it onto the truck...LOL).

Turns out this was a makeover that Mr. Biff wanted to tackle

all on his own without my ever so helpful assistance and input

(read: bossy!)

 

You can see the potential!

 

 

Here's the after - what a great job!

 

 

It's hard to tell but the paint is a pale green (oops paint).

 

Gotta love a good makeover story!

 

Have a great weekend, we're heading to a market again

tomorrow to sell our wares.

Wednesday's Words.....

Friends who know me well and certainly Mr. Biff will attest to the

fact that not only do I sing (a lot!) but that I retain a huge volume of

song lyrics in my little brain (I would kick some serious butt on "Don't

Forget the Lyrics").

 

Although I can often recite even the most mundane songs verbatim I

am attracted to those lyrics specifically that tell a story or share some

philosophy that aligns with my values and beliefs.

 

A song can bring a sorrowful or a joyful tear to my eye and sometimes

both.  I am most likely to remember an occasion by the song that was

either playing at that time or the song that was big on the radio in that

time period.  Some songs can take me instantly to a moment in time -

a great example (and kind of funny) is the song by Harry Nilsson -

"I Can't Live" (if living is without you).  It represents the first time I

had a serious crush on a boy and spent many a Friday night at the skating

rink hoping said boy would ask me to skate the "couples" skate to it.  Bet

you want to know if he ever did, hmmm.....maybe it's better if I let you wonder!

 

Anyway, point of this long rambling story - here's a piece of a song that

moves me every time I hear it because it embodies how I hope to see

each day....as a fresh opportunity.

 

"Seize the day, seize whatever you can

'Cause time slips away just like hourglass sand.

Seize the day, pray, for grace from God's hand

And nothing will stand in your way,

Seize the day!" ~Carolyn Arends

Magnetism.....

mag·net·ism/ˈmagnəˌtizəm/

Noun:

A physical phenomenon produced by the motion of electric charge, resulting in attractive and repulsive forces between objects. The property of being magnetic.   Who would ever have thought that making little glass magnets would: (a) be so FUN and (b) be my best seller at the vintage/craft market this past weekend!   They were easy-peasy and were a huge hit!   I simply used clear glass "decor" beads, printed off some of my (and yours I'm guessing) favourite graphics from The Graphics Fairy and voila!   Magnetism.....    If you'd like more details on the "how" - I am happy to share  just drop me a line or leave me a comment.   Here's a photo taken by local photographer Lynn Ost at Saturday's Vintage Craft Fair.  Thanks Lynn!       Guess what everyone on my Christmas list is getting for Christmas this year....ha!  You can personalize these easily as well.

Table 4 Two.....

 

This little "table for two" came together from a few pieces.  Mr. Biff

found the table top in pretty good condition but no legs.  He got to

work sanding and staining and it turned out really lovely!

 Not too much later that week we found a laminate table

(faux maple) with "real" wood legs in the free pile

at a local thrift store.....and, a table for two was born formed.

Here's Mr. Biff putting on the legs.

 

 

The pressback chairs were newish but they were so sturdy and I knew

I could make them look more vintage with a touch of distressing and

just the right paint.  I made my chalkpaint out of flat latex, unsanded

white grout, water and some turqouise/tealy oops paint for colour.

 

When we set this little beauty up in the driveway for her photo shoot

a number of our neighbours came by to see if we were actually going

to dine on the asphalt this particular night!

 

This has to be one of my favourite pieces yet that I've painted - glad

she's gone to a good home!

Lots more to show you this week so hope you'll hang around!