Ahhh November, Thank Goodness You're Here

Jess and I are ready to get back to this blog! After a couple months of the new school years, sick kiddos, and crazy lives we miss our little blog. This month you can look forward to recipes, craft ideas and patterns, and entertaining for the holidays.

I volunteered to host Thanksgiving this year at my house. I am so excited but knew I didnt have enough dishes for the 24+ people that will be here. I had been watching my favorite thrift store and thought I might collect different pieces of stoneware plates to mix and match. One afternoon I snuck away to find some Halloween costume bits, and saw a huge stack of Corelle stashed behind the other plates. At the register the cashier insisted she had the right price 4 for $1.49. I did argue that they were 4 for 2.99 but she showed me the price list. The lady behind me advised "Just take it honey, it's a deal."

So this year my guests will find all these beautiful vintage Corelle plates to eat from... I am thinking chocolate brown table cloth... but am still looking for centerpiece ideas... Any suggestions?

Frosty Cold

10 years ago I was walking through an antique store in Lewiston, Idaho with my sister. Up in a corner behind a stack of books was a stash of aluminum drinking tumblers. There were 10 of them. The jewel tone colors stood out like a beacon of light among all the other vintage wares. The bright blue, purple, pink greens and golds were not even scratched. It was one of those moments where you pick them up quick and look around, like you're sure someone was racing you for them. I saw the price tag of 7$ and looked around again, stunned that indeed I was the only one going after these. I talked the owner down to 6$ and took them home immediately. I washed them in some hot soapy water and poured myself some ice cold root beer in them. The glass was almost too cold to touch. I have memories of Grandmas giving us kool-aid in these kinds of cups on bright sunny days. I remember how hot it was outside, but yet this glass was always so cold.

Now I love serving ice cold lemonade in the summer to my kids and their friends. I think it's funny to see some children drink out of them and whisper quietly to my children, "Why do you drink out of a can?" Those children have been deprived of frosty cold cups and now find new favorites in our home.

Charmed, I'm Sure

My mother has the most amazing charm bracelet that she started high school. A glass encased mustard seed, a typewriter, an air force strike for when my dad joined, empire state building, a yellowstone charm, mary and her little lamb, a moose from Alaska, Utah charm, a piano with a hinged top, a stage coach from a road trip, baby buggy with moving parts, a bowl, old time roller skate with moving wheels, a cob of corn (!?), and more.

When I was in high school, I received a charm bracelet of my own. My grandmother, a jewelry maker, had taken special consideration to select charms that really spoke about the young woman I was. A sleek cat because I was a cat owner, a clef because I was a musician, a peace symbol for my slightly hippie ways. 8 charms in all that told a story about who I was.

These days I feel my life just gets busier and busier. Littles to make meals for, a husband to adore, a career to coddle. I find that at the end of the day I have neglected so much and wish that I had something to remind during my busy life of the things that are important, a symbol. It came to mind that a piece of jewelry with a silhouette would help me to remember the important things. I also thought it would be nice if this piece of jewelry reminded me of how far I had come in my life and where I wanted to go as well. This was how I decided to give my old charm bracelet a makeover.

I removed her old cat charm, a comedy/tragedy mask and most of the others, leaving a pearl and a silver '93 (the year I graduated high school and met my husband.) I rummaged my jewelry box for unused bits (like my beloved single moonstone earring) and went through my beading supplies for any extras to assemble the beginnings of her new adornments.

One jewelry box find was a single Buffalo head nickel earring from a set I got as a child on a road trip. To make it into a charm I used pliers to make a loop from its post and attached it with a link.

Other ideas for a charm bracelet can be

• scrapbook embellishments
• game pieces
• small toy bits (like barbie acessories)
• charms from road trips
• beads or buttons

For further inspiration take a looksie at this flickr group