What Is It About Roosters?

Seeing how much commotion Barb's Rooster Party has caused in the hen house got me to wondering...

What is it about Roosters anyway?

Why do we let them into our homes to strut and crow and roost where ever they want?

After all, they're just a barnyard bird.

They don't care about anyone but themselves.

They're not the least bit cute.

And they certainly aren't friendly!

They have NO style whatsoever.

They're not classy.

They're not useful.

And the have no individuality.

They don't even sparkle or pop!

So tell me why Roosters make you crow, because, really, I just can't figure it out!

Dawn

Architectural Salvage

Woo Hoo! It's Thursday. Time to kick back in Bloggeritaville again. I'm so late in getting this posted. You've probably all been over to Leigh's already to check out every one's thrifty finds. If not, head on over after you check out our privacy fence. Well, it used to provide privacy but it's starting to fall apart so now it's a peek-a-boo fence.



Like many of the things I've shown you this fence has been here as long as hubby can remember. His grandfather was the ultimate saver/scavenger. Thrifty was a way of life. It didn't matter if you had money or not, it just wasn't right to waste anything. Everything was used as long as it could be then re-purposed and used again. He loved when a neighbor would come to him and say they had a broken sink or needed a 1/4 inch doohickey thingamajig. He would take them through a maze of shops and lean-to's to where he kept old sinks or doohickey thingamajigs and find just the right one. It wasn't a business, just a friend helping out.



It should be no surprise that all the doors I posted yesterday were from a pile in our yard, probably being saved for something like this.

I guess the more doors you have the more chance opportunity will come knocking! And I hope you all have the opportunity to get out this weekend and grab some great thrifty finds.



Dawn

Wordless Wednesday ~ Doors

Please visit Heather at Simply Heather to see other Wordless Wednesday photos. She is guest hosting while Dixie takes a break in French Lique, Texas. (Pssst, Dixie's got wedding photos!)

Men and Demolition

When you see your husband doing this, what's your first thought?
A. Where's the keys, I want to drive!
B. Where's the camera, this has the potential to win on funniest home videos!
C. Where's my cell phone, I may need to call 911!

Well, I ran for the camera and the cell phone. That $10,000 from AFV would come in handy for medical bills and truck repairs. And why was I so worried? Because hubby and the neighbor kid were getting ready to tackle this...

an old water tower at the back of our property.

At first it wouldn't budge. I suggested putting the rope around the bottom of the posts so it would drop down and not hit the tree. Hubby said they were going to try to lay it down so they didn't damage the tank because they were going to save it.

WHAT?????!!!!!!!

Evidently the neighbor kid wants to dig a hole in his yard and turn the tank into a pool. OK, as long as it doesn't stay here. The rope started breaking before the the tower moved at all so they switched to a chain. Oh yeah, that makes me feel better! It's not that I didn't want this thing down. I had been nagging about it since we moved in. I assumed hubby would have more help than just this one boy.

Well, the chain did the trick. The tower slowly went down...

and the tank rested right on top of it. Satisfied there was no more chance of major injury, I headed back to the house. Before going I had one request of hubby. Just don't bring it to the front yard until you know how you're going to get it out the gate. " It will fit", he assured me. Twenty minutes later I hear a noise so I step out the front door to investigate.

I think Sunny is saying, "I had nothing to do with this, mom!" He knows some one's gonna be in trouble! The tank may fit through the gate but it obviously doesn't fit in the truck. Even if it did fit it would take several more men to help get it in there. Uh huh....So they tied the rope back around it and pulled it back to where it started....after it sat in the front yard for two weeks. He's so lucky I can see the humor in this!

Dawn

Stunning Fall Fabric

Isn't this fabulous bird print just stunning?

I found it at Jo Ann's. The collection is called "Nestled in the Branches". I believe there was a designer's name listed on the sign but I don't see it printed on the salvage edge.

The bird print is "Square Blocks". The floral is "Floral Cluster". There were other coordinating prints including a floral with the light blue background and the rusty print that borders the bird blocks.

Aren't these colors

just scrumptious!

I love how it has the rich fall colors but still has some lighter shades too.

They will make perfect accents to cozy up the living room for fall. Pillows are a given and I'm thinking maybe a table runner for the entry area. I am so excited to find a fabric like this that works for fall but also ties in with the lighter colors of this room! Now if only the weather would start cooling off so it would really begin to feel like fall! Have you started thinking about fall yet or do you hold on to every last bit of summer that you can?

Dawn

Thrifty Thursday, Vintage Thingies Thursday

Is it Friday yet? What a week this has been. I wasn't too organized, so I'm going to try to straighten out this jumble of posts!

Leigh asked me to share my luau post for Thrifty Thursday so if you missed our end of summer bash please click here to see how we reinvent it each year. It changes a little year to year but we reuse as much as possible.

I should have saved Tuesday's post for Thursday too but I just wasn't thinking. If you didn't catch the 1933 magazine I found in our attic please check it out here.

If I haven't confused you enough yet come back and click on the buttons above to visit Bloggeritaville and The Colorado Lady to see all the wonderful participants who know what they're doing!

Chronically Disorganized!

Dawn

Mary Rednesday!

No one does red like Mary does RED!

Unless it's Sue over at It's a Very Cherry World!

Mary Rednesday!

Looky What We Found!

In the attic of course!

I think I know that furbaby...

Gotta love those 30's colors!

Published almost 76 years ago, right around the time our home was built.

Notice the price?

The more things change,

the more they stay the same.

Doesn't it have a

Mary Englebreit look to it?

The dog, the dots, the colors,

the flowers in the squares

at the top of the gate posts...

Check out the subscription prices!

Doesn't sound too different...

from what we might say today.

The label was addressed to my hubby's great grandfather. As I remember the story, he lived with his daughter and her husband, hubby's grandparents. Their previous home was downtown, very near the railroad tracks. One day one of the daughters wandered off and was found at the tracks. Afraid of what could have happened, they decided to move to the country near the edge of town. I believe they lived in a tent while they built the first room which was for the great grandfather. It's the room we use for an office, where I sit typing in right now.

Once they had him settled, they built the garage, which is where the rest of the family lived while they finished the house, room by room. I believe it took quite a while to do. I can't help but wonder if they sat around a table in the garage oohing and aahing over the latest trends in this magazine. Somehow I can't see it, they were such practical, simple people. Great Grandfather probably read it for the gardening information. But maybe, just maybe, Grandmother had a chance to flip through the pages dreaming like I do. I'm just sure glad she didn't rip them out like I do!

Dawn

Aloha Summer Vacation!

Every year before the kids go back to school my mom and aunt host a luau. It gives the kids one last summer adventure before they hit the books again. Although the calendar and the weatherman say differently, the school district says summer ends August 17th this year.

So here we are, arriving at the big island.

Okay, so it's a cardboard box I painted about 5 years ago. You know when you're working on a project and think, "OK, don't touch it anymore, it's good." Then you can't help yourself and add one more thing...and ruin it. Folks, that is NOT a giant cockroach heading for its roach motel on the beach. It is supposed to be an outrigger canoe and a hut.

Let's go take some photos before everyone gets here. We'll have about 40 people. It will look like a typhoon hit by nightfall. This tropical forest is made up of my aunt's banana trees. They really get tiny little bananas. Her whole yard is a tropical splendor as you'll see.

Yes, we've just arrive on the island and we are already being sucked in by a tourist trap. Ready for some thrifty shopping?

Almost there!

Pretty cool!

Lots of stuff!

Oh look! It's free (my favorite word!)

This little store is my mom's idea of party favors! You'll find everything from jewelry to rubber frogs you shoot like rubber bands. Yep, that's gonna leave a mark! The best shot of the day was when I finally figured out how to shoot them and got my brother in the butt, then I ducked into the house behind Trader Nick's. While he was trying to figure out where to retaliate his son took the opportunity to push him in the pool.

Anyway, mom goes all out for the kids, and the adults too!

The kids have a ball playing shopkeeper. Now that we have our flowers, grass skirts, shells and eye patches, lets go see the scenery. Eye patches? You'll see why in a minute.

Uh oh! I think we took a wrong turn. We seem to be lost.





Inside the tent: our tribute to Tom Hanks in "Castaway".

Excuse me, your seaweed is showing.

We get this underwater effect by draping the inside of a blue tent with plant trimmings, plastic fish, and yards and yards of neon green tulle. And where do you get neon green tulle? Well, being thrifty, we saved if from my sister's wedding of course. Ha, ha, that was a whole different adventure!

All of this provides a shady spot for the little kids to play in Tide Pool Park.

There is also a nearby aquarium for them.

Shh..I don't fit in the kiddie pool anymore, no, really, I tried it. I don't fit.

For the boys.

The old pirate pistol is a squirt gun. Trader Nick's had swords too. Now you know why we need pirate eye patches!

Some of these guys have motion sensors and say things like, "I see you." and "What are you looking at?" while the eyes go back and forth.

A few years ago mom handed me a bunch of Styrofoam packaging from a computer box and said make me a temple for a tiki god. Do you know how hard this stuff is to work with? It pretty much falls apart every year and gets reincarnated in a different arrangement.

It did turn out pretty cool though. Of course the rubber snake, shrunken skulls and fabric flame blowing in his mouth might have something to do with it. I also had a lot of moss covering the joints but it has fallen off over the years.

Oh good! We made it back to civilization. You know I have to say it ... this party is going to be a ball!

More of my artwork, awaiting a face.

I used a Lilo and Stitch book as inspiration.

Surf's up! All of this artwork is from years ago. Some is mine, some the kids did and some is a group effort.

The real reason I come to this party.

You know it's going to be good when there are 4 grills ready to go!

Dad and Mom measuring the meat to see if it will fit on the grill. We had two huge prime ribs, 5 whole salmon steaks fixed three different ways, and vegetarian "hot dogs". Of course we had all kinds of wonderful side dishes and deserts. I was dieting though so I had to keep away from the food table...OK, OK,...you know I FORGOT to take pictures of the food! How long do you have to blog before you start remembering to do that!

I didn't forget this though! Belly up to the bar anyone? I can't help but think of Bloggeritaville when I look at this. I just love the play on words. Sorry Leigh, the only thrifty thing in this photo is the cardboard art. A real artist did that one but didn't charge us. And if you're wondering where we got all the big cardboard it was packaging at my parents' printing shop.

Marco...?

I told you he never stays still! I was trying to take a shot of my nephews and my son came flying in from the side.

Yes Ladies, its much safer here on the patio.

How many little boys does it take to push a big man into the pool? I think we should leave before we find out how many it takes to push me in the pool!





Hula -ed out!

Blow out the tiki torches kids, your summer's over!