Oh Etsy...

I was minding my own business, reading up on some of my favorite blogs. Then, at Dear Daisy Cottage I read this entry and swooned.

Of course I love Kim's doll house, but it was that sweet glittered cottage that Mandy made for her that I wanted to get my hands on.

Oh. My. God. I love little glittered houses. Honestly, I love pretty much anything that's glittered. I think it's because I have ovaries.

Anyway, I went over to Mandy's Etsy shop. She has some lovely things, including a little pink glittered house. Adorable. Seeing that house got me poking around on Etsy.

There is so much to see there!


This house is only $3.50. Seriously.

Look at this one!

So sweet! And only $10.00!

Ooo! Look at these!

There are here for $7.50.

I'm going to stop.

Probably.

But look at this one!

It's here. $19.00. Unbelievable.

Know what I love about Etsy? It's like a creative hive where all of the individual bees hum along building, making, creating and designing. Tremulously putting forth their work. It's like peeking into a thousand souls.

Going to the big box stores kind of makes me forget just how incredibly smart and creative so many of us are. The variety that the human mind creates blows me away.

What do you do? Is your job your passion? What do you like to create?

The afflicted...

You know what's funny about children? As long as they are busy and happy they don't notice that they are having pain or discomfort.

At our house this manifests itself with the children not noticing ailments until about 5:05pm, just after the pediatrician has closed for the day.

Once the big hand goes past 5, the floodgates of pain surge open, flooding the house with crying, wailing, gnashing and whining. Offers of motrin are never enough to quell the beast.

For some reason only volume brings relief to these people, who have yet to learn to suffer quietly and with dignity. They get it from their father.

Last night Rebecca announced that her ear hurt and so the misery began. The misery was accompanied by fretful wails that she mustn't miss camp! Wednesday is yarn doll day and to miss such a thing is too heartbreaking to fathom. Finally she agreed that her ear needed treatment and so today Lily went to dance camp and Rebecca went to the doctor.

The doctor confirmed my suspicions. Rebecca has swimmers ear. Readers, in spite of what you may have heard had you been eavesdropping last night, Rebecca will live.

Discovering that Rebecca would not be succumbing to her disease made me feel bold and so when the doctor asked which pharmacy to send the prescription to I held my head up high and said, "Target".

I have mentioned on this blog how bizarre it is to me to get prescriptions filled at Target, but I cannot deny that I enjoy having the excuse to wander the aisles of Target in search of treasures. Target even has bananas now. Bananas!!!! I am still reeling from this discovery.

After Target Rebecca and I came home and I put the drops in her ear, provoking another round of loud protests.

Summer is tough for the neighbors on our street. All of our discord floats into their open windows. Even as I type this Lily is screeching at Rebecca because she is doing a puzzle wrong. When I remind Lily that the entire neighborhood can hear her she responds, "Close the windows!"

Rebecca's not the only one afflicted in our house.

For David's last birthday I bought him a skateboard. Such a cool wife I am.

You know who was not so cool? David as he tried to do an ollie this week and landed on his hip. I was going to show you the bruise, but I can't. It's just too gross.

David loves this bruise. He denies it, but people, he thinks it gives him street cred.

Bless his sweet middle aged heart.

The other day I walked into Rebecca's room and found this.


This is Jess. She is suffering from an eyelash injury. It requires painters tape apparently. Notice the embroidery thread IV? I love that part.



The attention to detail just about kills me.

We take affliction seriously around here. To my neighbors- it'll be ear drop time at 8pm. You might want to close your windows...

The power of Rit!

In my kitchen I have a huge squashy chair. I love to sit in it and make lists. To-do lists are my favorite. Makes me feel so productive. Grocery lists are okay, but they always end at the grocery store which would not be too bad if all of the groceries put themselves away when I bring them home.

Making lists in bed can be a napping hazard. I have learned this the hard way people.

The stools in the kitchen are not conducive to contemplative thought.

The chair that I list in is this Ektorp chair.

I bought it in white for $249. Very comfy.

One problem. I was always washing the slipcover because between the dogs and the kids it was constantly filthy.

A trip to Michaels gave me the solution I was looking for. Rit fabric dye! Know what's super fun? You can create custom colors!

The white slipcover to the Ikea chair is only $29 and the Rit dye is about $3. To dye one complete slipcover it costs me about $12.

Here's how it came out.



Now, it's dirty but you can't tell! Camouflage the dirt people- it's the cornerstone of all good housekeeping.




Pretty much every spot in my house is a napping hazard to these two. Be glad that this blog doesn't have a smell feature. These two smell like wet dog. And one of them has unbelievable gas. They won't admit which one it is. But my money's on the little one.

Lots and lots of random news!

Firstly, thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes! You guys are the best!

Secondly, Ginger, your Godiva chocolates are ordered and should arrive around July 29th so keep your eyes peeled! I had a free shipping coupon so I got you an upgrade- 34 chocolates I think!

Thirdly, Sophie just ate frog food. You know what the frogs eat? Dehydrated worms. I know. So gross. I got the frogs for Rebecca when we sent Tibbles away. A consolation pet if you will.

Fourthly, I've got a possible taker for Tibbles! One of my best lurkers who also happens to be Lily and Rebecca's dance teacher is trying to talk her husband into agreeing to take her. Will you all say a little prayer that Christine takes Tibbles? Thanks!

Fifthly, I was such a good housewife today. I cleaned the upstairs and reorganized my teeny tiny triangle shaped bathroom closet. I think I definitely deserve some left over ice cream cake. Is it wrong that I save the corners for myself? They have the most icing and people- it is so stinkin' good!

Sixthly, my new rug came! Wanna see?







Rebecca is such a patient model. Pugsley just sort of looks like a nit-wit. Bless his sweet heart.

I really love the rug! It brings out the black accents in the room.



Like this typewriter and old scottie dog stuffed animal. It was my dads when he was a boy.





These are silhouettes of my girls. I get them done every year.



The artist is Jean Comerford and she is amazing. She looks at the kids for about 3 minutes and starts cutting. The silhouette is done in about five minutes. I'm always blown away by her talent.

Seventhly, I've got give-away block. I'm trying to come up with something cool and different...like a cat maybe...stay tuned!

Lily sings me a song for my birthday...

"Happy Birthday to you
you're 102
you still go to pre-school
you miss your mommy
your mommy's at work
she fired a jerk
she hired a monkey
to do your homework."

It was a special day here at Shiny Red Houses because today was my birthday.

I know you want to know so I'll tell you. I turned 37.

My day started beautifully because I was able to sleep until 9:30. Those of you who are mothers know that the gift of sleeping late is precious indeed.

Know what I love about having a birthday in July? There's almost always a new Harry Potter book or movie coming out. This year is no exception so we went to see the new Harry Potter movie.

There is so much to be learned from Harry Potter. For example, sexy bad boys would make lousy husbands.

Take Sirius Black. Sexy in that disheveled motorcycle riding devil-may-care wizard fighting for the forces of good kind of way. Very fun for maybe a week and then the dark brooding would get to be too much.

Even Harry is too tortured for me.

Know who I would run off with and marry? George and Fred. The Weasley twins are smart and funny. Seriously, those boys know how to laugh! Ladies, let me tell you that funny is much more important in the long run than brooding.

No, I would not marry both of them. I'm not that kind of girl. One Weasley twin would be enough for me.

Anyway, I ate popcorn for breakfast and lunch and had an ice cream cake for dessert. Such decadence.

I find myself enjoying getting older. I love my family, my house, my dogs. I have all that I need for a happy life.

It's not perfect, please understand that.

But it is definitely happily ever after.

Well, it finally happened.

I dropped the air conditioning unit out the window.

I have been imagining this moment for about eight years, since our first summer in this house. Our house has two floors and there is a lot of air between where the air conditioner unit is perched in the window and the unforgiving ground.

The worst part? I dropped the unit out of the window about five minutes after I had boasted to David that I always install the units all by myself, every year.

Sometimes karma is a little too swift and literal.

I dragged the air conditioner out of the very hot attic, lugged it into Rebecca's room and got ready to install it. The window was opened and in went the unit. Just need to adjust it a little bit...

And then it happened. It slipped out of my grip and crashed onto the roof of the downstairs bathroom. I held onto it by the cord. David, hearing the crash, poked his head out of the downstairs door, looked up at the air conditioner dangling over his head and swore.

He swore loudly, actually.

Together we pulled the unit back into Rebecca's room.

Well, what was left of the unit.

Several pieces were on the driveway and one piece was still on the roof. I probably would have left it there, sort of like a scarlet letter. "Here lives a boastful woman who dropped an air conditioner out her window." I guess David wanted to spare me the shame so he reached out there with Lily's lizard mouth grabbing toy and rescued the last piece.

Then I got my keys and my purse and went to the hardware store where I purchased a new air conditioner and then installed it without incident.

That last bit wasn't too boastful was it?

If it's Friday I've been junking and a winner!

Hello my sweet bloggy-poos! It's Friday and the junking was good!

I know you want to see my treasures but first I need to complain, just a wee bit about the gorgeous clothes that I could have purchased for my children if only they were not so darned picky! Hanna Anderson, Mini Boden, and Gap dresses! Not to be.

Lily will only wear knits- pants and shirts with no tags. She is the most physically sensitive person I know.

Rebecca used to wear dresses but now she likes shorts and t-shirts. So sad.

Here's what I did find.



Yes. You are reading that correctly! It was only $1.99!!! I love storing things in sewing baskets.



Sweet chenille rug in pastels. It was $3.99. Sometimes I splurge.

Do you guys know how hard it is to get a decent picture of a mirror?


Trust me, it ain't easy. The mirror in the picture is wonderful. The glass in worn in places and the frame is old and chipped- just the way I like it!

See those red pillows in the front? Those are for the dogs.


Pugsley wants them all to himself.


Sophie has other ideas.

She is a bad dog.

It's time to announce the winner of the Godiva Chocolates!

I wanted to keep them for myself.

It is my love of my readers that compels me to use the random number generator.

The winner is.....

Ginger!

Ginger left this comment:

"Glad that Tibbles is doing well. Boy, $32 a day is going to get expensive. Hope you can find someone to take her soon. Have you tried putting an ad in the paper? you probably have already done that...but just a thought.
When I am down about something, I usually take myself shopping, or out to lunch. Food always helps, lol. Chocolate is one of the best mood elevators. I've never tried Godiva though.
Hang in there!!"

Congratulations Ginger! Just email me your address and these luscious yummies will be on their way!