Different Shapes and Sizes

We all know things come in different shapes and sizes. However, paintings, for the most part, are usually square or rectangular.
But not this one....nope. I saw this piece of scrap wood in our pile for the wood stove and thought...mountain. The shape needed a mountain painted on it. It's a work in progress, there are flowers to be added, and not sure if that's the blue sky I want.....

It's tall one. I love to hang stuff like this on a small wall where regular wider sized paintings won't fit. Kind of unexpected...like me ;)

Back in the Saddle

I've been a bad blogger. Gone for like 3 years. That's what madness can do to you, lovely or not. Won't bore anyone with the details but let it be known, I'm back.
And to welcome myself back to blogland, I have re-opened my Etsy shop. The name? ...thislovelymadness...of course. I've listed 1 of my paintings and a set of vintage quilt/button plaques made with very old barn wood, to hang on the wall.

But my new love is re-purposing/refashioning clothes and I hope to be stitching together lonely frocks,that have been tossed aside, into new styles that will be worn and loved.
They wait for me to find them, do a little ripping, cutting, subtracting, adding until they are a type of "brand new de javu". Saved up, and finally got me a dress form...YAY!.

Now this hand made dress has been in my closet for years. It's never been worn. A friend gave it to me, because I loved the material. I will never fit into this dress, I planned to cut it up and reuse the parts.

 But.... IS it too pretty for destroying then reconstructing? Should it be given a chance.... to perhaps be worn to a summer garden party, in it's current form, complete with its deep side pockets? I love pockets.
                                                                  Rose Garden

Okay, I'm listing it as it is. For now. However, if it is NOT gone within 2 weeks, OFF WITH IT'S BODICE! (I actually said that in my Red Queen voice.)
It's a size 8 (told you I would not be wearing it ;)

Happy Birthday to my Dear Husband

You're the Bee's Knee's


I have miracles in my life.
I love you Larry. I always have.
We are golden.





About 1970....

Remember penny candy?

Today these sweet munchkins will never know the joy of having a shiny quarter and going to the corner store and picking out a TON of penny candy, well maybe not a TON, but at least enough to fill up a crinkly little brown paper bag and sitting on the curb and feeling like you are just about the richest little kid in the whole wide world...sigh...
BUT WAIT!
You can still have some of those old favorites. Thats right Shauna over at Trying to Stay Calm has a review and a Giveaway for a whole gallon can of Nostalgia from The Blair Candy Company. MMMmmm.
Wow, I'm thinkin'....

Chunky, Good n Plenty, Mason Dots, Milk Duds, Necco Wafers,Sugar Babies, Sugar Daddy, Candy Necklace, Hot Tamales, Lemon Heads, and Peanut Chews, Chiclets Peppermint, Teaberry Gum, B B Bats, Atomic Fireballs, Caramel Creams, Chic-o-Stick, Jaw Breakers, Mary Janes, Nut Zipper, Sixlets, Dubble Bubble Gum,Rootbeer Barrels and bit-o-honey.
Giveaway ends on Tues. Oct. 13th, 2009.

NOT rubbing it in but.....I WON !!!

Are you getting sick of my posts being titled...I WON?
Well, chalk it up to late night quiet time, a husband who likes to watch TV in bed, and the fact that I really would much rather be entering giveaways than watching "48 Hours" or "Parking Wars".
I enter about 10 giveaways a night, sometimes more. And have been winning about 1 item a week.
I do "optional extra entries" but not all of them since I cannot figure out how to "tweet" about a giveaway even though I joined Twitter. I joined facebook too and can't figure out how to do that. But I am working on it.
I do love handmade, being the frugal tight fist that I am. And find that most handmade items are made so well and have some love poured in. I really do heart Etsy and will be opening up my shop in the fall/winter this year. And will be doing giveaways of my own...YAY!!
Right now one of my favorite blogs is.....Fabulously Funky written by a delightfully light hearted handmade lover named Jody.
She posts the coolest items she finds around the internet that are handmade. She also has an ArtFire shop and an Etsy shop. Plus she's an art teacher...such a cool profession. I won one of her necklaces this past week through a giveaway on her blog. I love it, the color green in the necklace is very fluid. It reminds me of the ocean that I miss so much, having moved up here from the Norfolk/Va. Beach area. Plus I'm a Cancer and us crabs do hang out in the water you know.
So check out her blog and her shops and remember handmade items are so much more meaningful and made by people who love what they are doing. Here is a picture of my lovely necklace, Thank you Jody, you know you ROCK!

I WON!!

Well it seems this winning thing is turning into a weekly thing. I do love giveaways and being the tightwad that I am...nothing is more frugal than getting something for free.
This little sack is from envirosax.com and I love it. Very roomy. Great for the grocery or the library. The really neat thing about it is that there are snaps on two little tabs on the bottom and you fold the empty baginto a strip, then roll it into a ..well a roll. Then the tabs go around and you snap then stuff it into your purse or pocket or sock till you need it. So handy. I signed up for this giveaway over at Thrifty and Chic Mom, Ellen has some great reviews and giveaways.

I WON!!!

Yes, AGAIN!! I'm loving this whole giveaway thing.
We don't buy much pre-packaged food, as I love to cook and bake from scratch but I am happy to have won these Curious Cookies. And Larry is happy because we won the Oatmeal Raisin, his favorite cookie. Made from all natural and organic ingredients. Shannon over at The Mommy-files has some of the best reviews and giveaways. Check her out, especially if you have little ones, there are always reviews of great companies that carry infant and toddler clothes, toys and upkeep items.

Cool fused glass necklace giveaway...

Bang,Bang,Shoot,Shoot...Happiness is a warm gun...
Yes showing my age a bit with that old Beatles tune.
But this is the pendant I would choose if I win a sweet giveaway over at sweeter than me

Winner wins their choice from many different designs like flowers, birds, bikes, cars, and much more.
Just head on over to sweeter than me and follow the rules.
Contest ends at midnight June 23rd.