Remaking an old chair

Awhile back (ahem, a few years) I found this old chair at a thrift store. I loved the detail on the back of the chair, so I picked it up for a few bucks. But it was an ugly brown color with thin plastic cream seat cover. Finally, over Christmas break, I recovered and painted it. Really, it is pretty easy with a staple gun.  Here's how it turned out:

 I personally love the rick-rack detailing!

Spike wasn't really into posing, but I tried anyways.

Thrifting!

So, Ohio has this going for it: great thrift stores. Crystal and I went today to Valley Thrift. It's a huge store. I don't like that they are pricey on items that come in with tags ($20 for a name-brand coat) but on anything else they are really reasonable. I got a gray/blue cardigan with detailing down the center for $2.99. I found my mom a cute navy tank top for $1.99. Good deal, right?

And of course, I am always looking for the vintage tee to wear around the house and not have to worry about getting dirty. I got two tees for .29 cents each and two more tees for .09 cents each. WOWSERS. Can't beat that. Here's the sweet Atari "Represent" tee and another one about a jump rope workshop. Jealous, my friends? Just check out your local thrift store for your own amazing tee. I know some of the well-known brands in the mall try to make shirts look vintage and worn, but these babies really are. I wouldn't trade 'em! They just bring a certain bit of personality that can't be imitated. I know I should grow out of them sooner or later, but I just can't seem to shake 'em.

To top it off, I found a few books, Island of the Blue Dolphins and Gary's Winter (sequel to Hatchet) AND- AND- drumroll please- a whole paperback set of the A Wrinkle in Time four-book series. Stoked, am I. Indeed. I love finding these so that I can loan them out to students without worrying about what I paid for them.

Crystal found a coat, a few cool lights for their basement, and some horrid green-and-red knitted placemats for her next Ugly Sweater party. I better be invited!

Almond Blossoms

February is a beautiful time of year in California, especially in the central valley with all the almond trees blooming. When you step outside, the air is abundantly fragrant with the smell of the delicate white-and-pink blossoms. Even when I'm driving home from work, I can roll down my windows and get a huge whiff as I'm cruising along the back roads to the farm. There is plenty of things I won't miss out California when I move, but this I will. (Plus the weather- it's supposed to be 76 degrees tomorrow!)

Pictures are worth a thousand words... but not smells. I wish you could scratch and sniff the screen!