Emmeline's Manners...

I'm working on getting Emmeline to say please, thank you, you're welcome, etc.   It is really cute when she does, because all of her "courtesy words" are said in this very high pitched, sing-song voice.  She does really well saying them, when she remembers.  The trick it to remind her before she gets too worked up and into the screaming state (hello, Terrible Trying Twos).  I'm sure it frustrates her because just a few months ago, screaming was a completely acceptable way to get what you want.  Now we are asking her to say "milk, please" or "pick me up, please."  Poor thing...

Usually, she starts screaming loudly requesting something; Pee-na (Kung Fu Panda), Elmo, Milk, Os, Dada, Tractuh (tractor).  We then say "Emmeline, how do you ask for that" or "Emmeline, what did you say" and she says what ever it was and then "please."  I'm pretty sure that most parents do the exact same thing, so it's not like we are breaking any new ground here.  Anyway, here are two stories to demonstrate Emmeline's learning curve, or perhaps my learning curve.

A couple weekends ago, she had finished her dinner and wanted a chocolate graham cracker, which she calls "Cha-kat."  The exchange when something like this.

Emmeline: Cha-kat? Cha-kat? Cha-kat?
Elin: (Typing on iPhone to send an email, I think.)
Emmeline: No phone! Cha-kat? (Louder) No phone! No phone! (Louder) No phone! Cha-kat?!?!?!
Elin: Emmeline...
Long pause.
Emmeline: Cha-kat, please...

Atta-girl!  Now we are getting there.

Then there's this story...

The next night, I had moved her high chair onto the front porch for dinner.  I thought it might be a nice change of pace.  When I asked her what she wanted for dinner, she replied "ice cream."  Not my first choice for an entree, but I told her that if she ate all of her chicken and most of her other items, she could have some ice cream.  We had been sitting outside for a while, just enjoying the evening.  She was eating and I was just relaxing.  I looked over and saw her moving her plate around.  She looked up at me, started clapping and said
Emmeline: Yea! Ice cream, please!
(Um, that plate-moving... she was hiding her chicken underneath it.)
Elin: Emmeline, is that chicken under your plate?
Emmeline: Oh, chicken!
Elin: You can have some ice cream, after you finish your chicken.
Emmeline: OK! Chicken!

We are totally in for it.  Sneaky already!  She isn't even two.

Thrifty Thursday - Latest Haul

I went thrifting a couple weekends ago and Emmeline racked up!  And I got a few things as well.

Five pairs of shoes for the girl! Two pairs of canvas tennis shoes (tan and pink), one pair of white leather Keds, one pair of red leather t-straps and a pair of water shoes.  All under $2 a pair.

White purse for me. $3

New shirts, all of which I have worn already. Grey linen Gap, bright pink v-neck, graphic print v-neck and black v-neck. All less than $3 each 

Yahoo for the thrift!

"Keeping it real" or "Next week on Hoarders"...

Alright folks.  Here you go.  I think I need some help.  I have too much stuff that I call "craft supplies."  What I really should call it it "crap."

Seriously.  Who keeps all of their sugar containers?  And what was I going to do with them.  Ack!

I have this fantastic loft space that I could use for crafting, but it is such a hot mess!  I must get it in order.  All those totes in that closet... fabric.  On the other shelves... disorganized piles of crap, I mean "craft supplies."

Sheesh!  I'm hoping to whip it into shape some this summer.  I'll let you know if I find any other "lovelies."  This could get interesting.  Call in the guard if you don't hear from me for a few days.

Thrifty Thursday - Some Rules about Thrifting

 
I have never really loved shopping for clothes, because I never like spending tons of money on something and then not liking it.  The thought of going to the mall to buy jeans gives me the heebie-jeebies.  What if I buy a pair of $50 jeans and they shrink funny in the wash and get all gappy at the waist and flood-water length in the leg and I can't wear them with my new sandals?  What if I buy a pair of $50 slacks and they aren't long enough for my heels, but are too long for my flats?  What if I buy a new purse for $50 and it is totally out of style next year?  See where this is going.

However, the thought of going to the thrift store to buy jeans sounds fantastic.  I can buy some trendy skinny-leg jeans for $5 and wear them a few times.  If I hate them, well... then back to the thrift for them and for me.  Then I can get some white jeans for the summer for $5 and wear them for a while.  Until I decide they aren't as cute as I want them to be and then back to the thrift store for them and for me.  See where this is going.

Going to the thrift store to buy slacks sounds great as well.  I can get two or three lengths in every color I normally wear (grey, black and brown) in summer and winter weight fabrics for the cost on one pair of slacks at retail cost.  Of course, I won't find them all in one trip, but I'll get them all eventually.  And in the same name brands I would likely buy retail.  Right now in my closet I have Rafaella, Jones New York, Gap, Nicole Miller and Good Clothes brand slacks.  All bought second hand.

Accessories are great to find at the thrift store.  I find trendy purses and clutches all the time as well as classic purses in great shape.  I have a black leather purse I love that I bought retail years ago.  It was pricey to me (at the time) at $40, but I think that I've had it for 8 years so I was well worth it.  I found a similar one (pictured above) in brown leather at the thrift store for $5 a few weeks ago. I love buying purses and clutches second hand because they are inexpensive but I can always find some with lots of life left in them.

There are some limits, but I have found that I really can't buy retail very often anymore.  Of course, if I need something specific in a short time frame, chances are I won't find it at the thrift store.  For example, I bought my Easter shoes retail this year.  I wanted a pewter sandal which, on short notice, is hard to find at the thrift store.  I bought these on clearance for $20 (but also became obsessed with a pair of heels and went back and bought them for $30, on clearance, three days later).  Did I feel bad about blowing $50 on two pairs of shoes?  Not. One. Bit.  Because I save so much on clothing that the occasional splurge is still well within my budget.

And, of course, there are a few things that I would never buy second-hand.  Undergarments should never be purchased at the thrift store, in my opinion.  I also don't buy socks there.  Bathing suits either.  Or running shorts, bicycle/spandex shorts, etc.  All of those I buy new because of the yuck factor!  And I don't even look at tank tops at the thrift store because they are usually there because they shrank funny.  They end up a crop tops that are about twice as wide as they should be.  Or camisoles end up with the elastic sprung in their straps.  I can always find those at Walmart/Kmart/Target on clearance and stock up when I do!

So that sums up my "rules" for shopping at the Thrift Store.  Anyone out there have more rules to share, or disagree with any of mine?

Gallery Wall in Progress...

My great aunt and uncle have a fantastic lake house that has been the site of family gatherings for as long as I can remember.  We have celebrated everything from weddings to 100th birthdays there and every event holds special memories for me.  The main hallway of their house is covered in framed pictures of family and friends.  It makes the hallway a destination instead of a pathway.  I love it, and I have wanted to create a gallery in my own home for a while now. 

Then I saw this by YoungHouseLove.com and decided it was time to get a move on.  Using pinterest.com (which is AWESOME, btw), I started collecting inspiration images.  Here's a link to my inspiration board, which looks like this.

I've been collecting frames at the thrift store for a few weeks and this is my haul.  About 12 frames for $2 a piece on average.

And then on Saturday, I did this.  Yes, I made templates of all of them and taped them up.  Call me OCD if you want, but this way I won't have to patch as many holes in the wall.  First, I disassembled and cleaned all of the frames, labeling each piece so that I could put them back together with no less frustration.  Then I traced them onto newspaper and taped them to the wall with frog tape (green painters tape).  I moved them around an this is what I ended up with.

 

I'm going to end up adding some more small objects, but I knew I needed to start with the big stuff.  There are a couple of frames to the right of the doorway on the right, but this is the main area I wanted to cover first.

I'll keep you updated on the progress.   The next step is spray painting all of the frames to match.  Any color suggestions?  Navajo white to match the trim?  Oil rubbed bronze to match the other painted metal in the house?  Brushed nickel to match the unpainted metal in the house?  A fun bright color?  What are your thoughts?