FUN ERRAND DAY

How can that be, you ask? Usually errands are like a chore, right? Not for me . . . at least not today. Oh, it involved the post office, running into WalMart for envelopes and packing supplies, vitamins, new shower caddy -boring stuff. While at WalMart, I did grab up these boxes of Sweatheart candies for Son. No. 2's girlfriend.

She's a huge Twilight/New Moon fan - like every other young girl on the planet. They were only a buck a box. How could I pass them up! I've already bought her the heart box of chocolates with all three on the front. Good thing I don't have a girl - I'd be "broker" then I already am! ;o)

Do you get this magazine (click on "magazine" to sign up for your free subscription) in the mail?

It's free, and I've been getting it for years. There's always tons of great ideas. What really caught my attention in this issue, was this ad for a product kit by Modern Masters called Countertop Transformations.

I have been wanting to change the countertops in all our bathrooms for a long time now. But not having any money at all in the budget for such a big expense, I'm always looking and trying to find the most economical way we can do it when the time is right. This stuff looks great! I stopped in Lowe's so I could

see it . . . touch it . . . feel it . . . price it.

It may be the way to go when the time is right.

I also decided to take a look-see in the local Goodwill. Usually I find pretty much nothing in ours. I'm seriously thinking of sending Lisa over at Pickles and Cheese a blank check some day and have her snatch me up some goodies at her GW. She finds the greatest stuff!

That little flower pot is adorable! Love the color. The platter is silverplate.

A dollar a piece for the milkglass vases.

This picture was bought for it's frame. It will definitely be getting a new coat of paint and something else featured in it. Although, I'm a little intrigued with the artwork. It's signed and dated on the back and also written is "Caracas, Venezuela", which I assume is location for the little oil painting itself.

Well, I think I did pretty good today! I walked out with, what I think, to be some pretty decent things (not pictured are 3 books - 2 RD Condensed books and Candace Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle. That'll be for my girl's wkend away next month!) all for $10.50 TOTAL!

The one thing I'm most excited about, and didn't even realize what it was till I got home, is this Lenox votive holder. It's from Lenox's Wedding Promises line, and I found it/them (they're originally sold as a pair) online for $40 - that was a sale price! I just think it's so delicate and pretty and doesn't scream wedding at all. And look at that . . . I paid $2 for it. Yippie!

Last stop today was at the drugstore to pick some Tarn-X to shine up my new sliver piece. I couldn't wait! And those two magazines just jumped right into my bag! ;o)

On a side note, I mailed out the LOVE tag garlands to those of you who sent me addresses. Those of you who haven't, don't forget to email me so I can send you your gift!

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THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Thanks so much to all of you who commented yesterday in support of my Etsy shop reopening. (And thanks to some for making purchases! ;o) I really do appreciate each and every comment! More importantly, a big thanks for just being supportive fellow bloggers.

Please email me (cjslank@yahoo.com) with your home addresses (You too, Rose!) so I can mail out my little thank-you gifts to you. Give them some time to reach you all. I'm almost done getting the kits together. Today's a full work day ugghhh so no paper cutting today! Maybe this evening I'll finish up if I'm not wiped out. I'm hoping to get to the post office tomorrow sometime to get them all mailed.

Found some vintage V'day images on the net to share with you all. They all came from this site:

Altered Fun

Her site is FULL of great images for all occasions and holidays.

I just love this one! I love that there's snow in the picture.

When I was showing you some of my V'day decor around the house, I forgot to show you these napkins.

I purchased these a couple years ago from Tracey over at Notes From A Cottage Industry. Her Mother embroidered a couple sets and Tracy was selling them on her blog. Aren't they great?! Boy . . . I really wish I'd purchased two sets instead of just one. They are sooo nice. I wonder if she would make more . . .

How about these cute pom-pom cupcakes!

I bought these at A.C. Moore last week. I saw them the week before and realized a few days later I HAD to have them. The kit was on sale for only $5.00, and it took me literally minutes to put together. I jazzed them up a bit with some of my own supplies - coarse glitter (sanding sugar) and tiny tinsely pom-poms (cherries).

I love how they look on my covered cake stand! A whole lot safer than real

cupcakes sitting around . . . if ya know what I mean! ;o)

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

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HANGING MY OPEN SIGN

Finally! Phew! For those of you that have an Etsy store - you know what I'm talking about, and for those of you don't - what a process. Creating items for the store is so much fun, I don't even think about the time involved. It's like therapy.

But taking the photos . . . uploading the pictures (and then half of them end up being too big, so I have to go back and crop ) . . . . writing a description . . . on, and on, and on . . . OYE!

ya'll knew there'd be cones! ;o)

It took me 4 hours last night just to get what little I have in my store uploaded and descriptions written. I know I have quite a few Stampin' Up! stamp sets (I used to be a demonstrator) - kinda boring if you don't stamp - but I just have to get rid of some that I don't use anymore and probably never will. In past years, I'd sold them Ebay, but it doesn't look like sets have been moving very well on Ebay lately by my observation, so I'm trying them at Etsy first.

I am planning on creating more handmade items in the shop. For now I'm getting started with a few V'day inspired pieces.

And I'll be adding more past thrifted items as well.

Baby steps.

Now, I promised giveaways for the big grand re-opening of my shop. Because I'm so grateful to all my readers - especially the regular ones (you all know who you are!), I've decided that every commenter will receive a

LOVE Mini-Garland Tag Kit

(kit meaning "assembly required")

note: some of the papers/supplies might not arrive as shown exactly like picture above

YES! Every single person who comments today between the hours of 10 a.m. and

5 p.m. EST will get a gift from me. Leave a little blurb on your blog about my Grand Re-opening and giveaway, and you'll get a little extra surprise with your garland.

EDIT: I was kind of afraid of being overwhelmed with comments (HA! Guess I was a little over-confident! ;o), that's why I set up the time restriction for receiving a

LOVE Garland Kit.

I'm in such a good mood today, and I can surely handle a few more than 6 kits, I'm extending the time to 12:00 EST. I really don't want any of my new blog friends to miss out!

My little thank you for being such nice bloggy friends! :o)

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A SNEAK PEAK AND WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE CANDY CANES

Sharing a little sneak peak of just a few of the new items I'll be stocking in my Etsy Shop come Monday.

What ever can we do with all those left over candy canes???

Why, make Valentine's Day heart candy, of course!

And because I certainly can't be wasteful and throw away the left over melted candy coating, I had to dip strawberry mallows in the liquidy yumminess and roll them in the crushed canes.

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