Dumpster Diva

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality featured my $35 tea service I bought at a sidewalk sale last week. This week's treasure might be an even better deal!

My daughter Taylor is going to Radiology school.

On weekends she works as a waitress.

Last Sunday night she was taking the trash out 

to the dumpster 

and she saw this 

laying on top of the trash.

She immediately retrieved it

and brought it home to me.

The funny thing is she said a 

couple of times,

"I don't know if this was really supposed to be in the trash."

Hahaha. I have her trained so well!

She couldn't believe someone would throw this little

Dumpster Diva

away like trash!

See that handle?

It is a piece of upholstery ticking!

This box is heavy too. Very heavy

I took the heavy little Diva outside

last Monday morning

and power-washed her.

She was very happy

to be clean again.

I put Dawn soap all over her and

had her smelling better

in no time.

I left her out in our

hot, hot sun

to dry.

She has quite a wax sheen to her,

so most of the dirt was on the surface

and came right off with

the power washer.

After she had her morning bath

and afternoon of sunbathing

I brought her back inside

and put her in the 

middle of the dining room table.

It was obvious she was a Diva,

so I dressed her with

items that would 

enhance her raw beauty.

I have a set of 20

(what I call)

shower plates and cups

that I bought at an auction 

about ten years ago for $2. (really)

I put a few of the plates in her 

compartments

and sat a few beside her.

I also introduced her to old

lace napkins

and a knotted white table runner.

I thought she would 

look lovely

outfitted in

mercury glass,

vintage silverware

and 

bits of turquoise.

She does look very lovely.

All the different 

textures 

of the 

crystal,

silver,

glass,

lace,

and aquas and silvers

seem to 

make her very happy.

Not only that, but she looks 

lovely

coming and going

and side to side.

She is an 

all-around beauty.

I see her in a month

or so

decorated 

with pumpkins and pinecones

and autumn treasures.

Without a doubt,

this

Dumpster Diva

is a keeper.

After she was all cleaned up,

and surrounded by her friends

I had the same thought Taylor did earlier...

"Hmmm. Maybe she wasn't meant to be thrown away!"

BUT 

I'm so glad she was,

and that Taylor 

saw her 

raw beauty and

saved her

so she could become the Diva she was meant to be.

I am linking this with Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

and 

Metamorphosis Monday's and Mod Mix Monday's. 
Check things out at Wow Us Wednesday as well.Also The Open House Party with Sherry.
Also Open House Friday with Romantic Home.
Farmhouse Friday with Laurie Anna and Furniture Friday with Miss Mustard Seed.

Simple Sundays

Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.  Psalms 147:7-8

Unless you are in Texas or Oklahoma reading this, you have no idea how significant our rain shower was tonight. Thank You God!!  We have had 40+ days of over 100° temperatures. We have not had temps below the high 90's and any measurable rainfall since mid May. Today it was 111°,(our fifth day in a row at that temp or above I might add) when unforecast clouds began moving in. Within an hour we had total cloud cover and the temperatures had dropped to the low 90's. Within 30 more minutes it had begun to rain and the temperatures went down to an unbelievable 85°. Our total rainfall was 1/2 inch. Our little town could not have been happier if it had been 12 inches. We are thankful for every drop. Our temps are still in the high 80's as I write this at midnight. It feels like a cool front for us. We hav opened the windows and put on the attic fan. Tomorrow and the next day and the next and the next...and as far as they forecast in advance, the temps promise to be at the 110° area again. But for tonight we are thankful. We are loving every drop in temperature and every drop of rain. Thank you God.



Snap! What a great idea!

Putting a slip cover on a chair does not have to be painful if you are making them yourself. There are plenty of patterns out there for the simple covers to put over Parson-like chairs. I thought I would share a quick and very simple idea to include on your slipcover.  Snaps. Yep, that is right. Snaps. The kind like you find on Onesies. A row of Snaps. You can find these anywhere that sewing supplies are sold. It comes on a roll like you would buy ribbon. You tell the clerk how much you need. She cuts what you ask for. You put one side of the snaps on one side seam and the other side of the snaps on the other part of the seam. Super. Duper. Easy.
When it is time to pull the slipcover off to wash, it is as easy as can be to pull off and put back on. 
These also work great on the back of pillows. 
Snap! What a great idea!
I am linking this with Furniture Friday's and Show and Tell Friday. Check them out.Linking also with Funky Junk Interiors and Be Different Act Normal.

Lasagna...In A Crock Pot! Really.

Although I have thoroughly enjoyed having this Summer-Without-A-Stove, once in a while I can tell my boys (Hubby included in that) really want a good meal. I saw on Facebook where one of my friends was making Crock pot Lasagna. I decided to do the same.

I already had the 'no cook' noodles, so I knew they would work perfectly. Although, I did find out that regular lasagna noodles would work as well.

 

I had to use my outdoor grill to brown my hamburger meat and make my sauce. (Remember the reason I am having a no-cook summer, is because our new (old) house does not have a stove....Although I have narrowed my choices down to just a couple now.) Honestly though, it was no problem making my lasagna sauce on the grill.

I brought the meat sauce back inside and began to make the lasagna. I started by putting a crock pot liner in the crock pot. Best. Invention. Ever! 
I put a layer of meat down, then just broke my noodles to fit into the next layer. 

 

I did not use any special recipe. I just made the lasagna like I usually do. After I put the layer of noodles, I put on another layer of meat, then added generous portions of cottage cheese, shredded mozzerella cheese and a handful of shredded cheddar every once in a while. I continued this till the crock pot was almost full to the top.

I then added parmesan cheese to the top and turned the crock pot on 'high'.  When I could begin to really smell the lasagna, I went in to check on it. It was doing great. (This was about 2 1/2 hours after I began.) I then turned the crock pot down to low.

I cooked it on low another couple of hours and it was easily done. I realize that every crock pot is different, so my advice would be to make this once and keep a close watch on your crock pot until you know how it works. I have a warm button on my crock pot and I then turned it to warm until we were ready to eat.

This was incredibly easy. Just fill up the crock pot and forget about it!

When I get my oven, I think I will continue to make crock pot lasagna on days I have to work. It would be so easy to make it, turn it on 'low' all day and come home to a great meal that is ready to go!

Use your own lasagna recipe (don't forget the crock pot liner), layer up that lasagna and give it a try! We will definitely be making this again....even when we do have a stove! It is creamy and delicious. 
Oh and one other advantage is with the intense heat we have been having, this did not heat up my kitchen in any way! It just warmed out tummies!
I'm linking this with Foodie Friday. Go and check it out!
Also check out Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.and Funky Junk Interiors and Be Different Act Normal.

Never Feeling Blue over Blue!

Let me tell you a little something about myself:

I like what I like.

If it is not "popular"

by the standard of others,

that does not bother me.

I remember in (gasp) 1979

and I was moving 

into a little house.

My hubby and I had painted 

our bedroom

Kelly Green.

My sister-in-law had brought a friend along

to see the house we were moving into.

The friend did not know that we had

already done the painting

and she went through the house and said,

"Oh my gosh. I'll be you can't wait to get in here and paint.

Who would EVER paint a room dark green."

It didn't bother me.

I told her that was my paint.

I found it a lot more humorous 

than she did!

 

I had big 

paintings of cows

when everyone else 

thought it was just some

"farmgirl" thing.

I liked typography

back in the 

70's and

80's and

90's and

20's...and

I still do.

 

I try not to 

decorate with

everything that is "trendy".

I stick to what I like.

I stick to what makes me happy.

I like for people to walk 

into my house

and say

"This house is so YOU."

What a great compliment.

When one decorates 

in all trends...

whether it be color or decor,

it tends to go out of style.

And sometimes quickly.

When you decorate with 

things you love

and colors that 

make you smile,

then you can 

keep it

and add to the collection.

And keep on loving it.

Till YOU decide to change.

Not when you are told it is out of style.

Such is the case of my 

blue and white china.

I got my first pieces

at an auction 

the first year 

I was married.

I have continued to buy

pieces here, 

sets there,

this and that

here and there.

Till I have amassed

quite a collection

of blue and white.

I see that 

blue and white

is "popular"

again this year.

That is nice to know.

Even though

in my heart,

it has always been

loved

and 

ever-so-popular!

Call me 'crazy' any day, but don't call me 'trendy'! 
Linking with the Open House party at No Minimalist Here! Check out the beauties.
Also, Show and Tell Friday with My Romantic Home. As well as Farmhouse Friday's!