Fab Feb Fun Highlights

Recent Thrifty Finds:

It was a pretty good week for thrifting.  I saw this beauty on the the shelves and just about ran to it and hugged it.  Isn't it the Cutest cookie jar?  I have a very small collection of cookie jars because I'm very discerning about the ones I choose.  It has too be over the top cute and I have to Love it.  This one would go perfect with my cupcake cookie jar, the one that has a tiny matching strawberry on top.  

Then I recalled it was my daughter, Sarah's, birthday coming up and she has red accessories in her kitchen and thought, wouldn't it make a super gift? 

A small sacrifice that would hopefully bring a small joy. 

My Gift Giving Rule Is - If I LOVE it and want it then it would make a great gift.    

Besides, I had found so many darling things lately.

Look at all that good stuff!  So many good used books, even one I snatched off the shelf purely because it had a pink cover.

It is rare to find any vintage Nancy Drew books at thrift store anymore so I was surprised and pleased when I spotted this one and even more thrilled when I discovered it was a volume I didn't own, yet.  Great cover, too!   I arranged my fun thrifty finds on my kitchen Cosco cart and thought looked cute with that vintage toy truck.  One a recent trip up to Mt. Airy, NC I discovered that adorable pink vintage ice cream box.  The graphics are pretty terrific AND it's pink ~ what a score!

What I've been baking:    

I decided to do some baking for another yummy little surprise bday prezzie.  These are baked chocolate mini donuts dipped in chocolate ganache frosting and coconut or sprinkles.  They were super easy and tasted pretty good.  I Love the way they look.  I thought they'd be a fun surprise, so I left them on the kitchen counter in my daughter's house for her to find when she got in from work.  That's not weird at all, right?  I have a key to use when I need to feed her kitties and I rarely ever use it for anything else.

Here's what the donuts look like after baking in the mini donut pan.  This is just before I make the ganache which couldn't be easier.  Just 1 c. of chocolate chips microwaved for 1 min. then use a 1/4 c. cream, warmed in the microwave for 20 seconds and poured over the chips, whisking until it becomes smooth.  There's a divine chocolatey aroma to enjoy while whisking.

Let me know if you want the recipe and I will email it to you.

Currently Listening To:

                                                          Can't get enough of this song.  
Obsessed With:

I recently discovered this show on PBS that has been airing for awhile called, Finding Your Roots.  Have you seen it?  It's fascinating!  Well, I mean, practically all the shows on PBS I find fascinating, but this one showcases well-known, interesting people and researches their family tree.  
Sounds kinda boring & dusty?  
But it's super thrilling and very well done.  The people are always deeply moved when they discover things about the people that gave them life.  My favorite part is the surprise at the end of the show when the host, Henry Lois Gates, Jr., tells them what their DNA test results disclosed about their genetic makeup and shows on a pie chart graph where in the world their blood reveals their ancestors are from,  Riveting stuff!

What I've been watching:  

Network TV has been good these past few weeks.  There's something interesting to watch almost every evening.  I made this collage of all my preferred shows that I look forward to watching.  I'll be so sad when there's no more Downton Abbey.  

What I've been eating:

 Almost every morning, lately, I make a cup of oatmeal for breakfast. After I enjoy my cup of coffee and subsequent cup of hot milk tea, I use that same mug again to make the oatmeal in.  

It's been really cold here in NC.  Too cold for my usual Greek yogurt.  So on a whim I decided to give oatmeal a try.

I measure a 1/4 c. of Old Fashioned Oats {not quick oats} + 1/2 c. of milk into my big mug and nuke it for minute, stir, then for 1 minute more.  But keep a close watch on it!  Towards the end it tends to bubble up and if you are not watching it will bubble right over.  

Next I plop in some fresh blueberries and generous sprinkling of cinnamon.  

Doesn't a generous sprinkling of cinnamon make just about everything better?  I have a little ritual when I take the cap off that Lovely stuff.  I take a deep sniff of the cinnamon, really breathe in the aroma of that spicy goodness.  

Then I add a splash more milk to cool it a bit and 1 tsp of Chia seeds.  One day I forgot to add any sweetener and found that I really didn't miss it.

I haven't been a fan of oatmeal for breakfast.  It's usually a gloopy, gluey mess.  

But this isn't.  It's just enough to fill me up with something warm.

Tea I've Been Drinking:

One chilly afternoon, when Em was in class, I popped into Starbucks and ordered 

a London Fog. 

It's an Earl Grey tea latte with vanilla syrup.  It was Sensational!  The vanilla is a perfect accompaniment to the fragrant Bergamot flavor reminiscent of the summer and the Bee Balm flowers I grow in my garden.  I want another right now!  

Even better was the fact that I had gotten an email promotion from Starbucks encouraging me to order a tea the next time I was in, so I could earn 3 extra Bonus Stars.  I like getting those incentives to earn extra stars.  As a Goldcard member, that would put me a quarter of the way to earning another free drink reward...until April when the new program, announced this week, goes into effect.

Later on, as I sipped my scrumptious beverage, while browsing my favorite thrift shops, I had the good fortune to find that cute mystery for .50 cents.  I enjoy the BBC/PBS series, Grantchester, so I scooped it right up.  It was a good day.

I hear Grantchester will air new episodes on Masterpiece, after the Downton Abbey series finale.  So that will be something to look forward to after that sad fact.

It's been frightfully cold.  Despite the chill and the fact that we are both Single Ladies, Emily and I decided we still deserved a bit of Valentine fun doing stuff we Love.  Thifting!

Flowers and candy are nice but pretty books are useful and last forever!

I found all of these classic gems at the Goodwill near the fairground.  Emily found a bunch of nice fashion pieces, a skirt, blouse, trousers, belt and a jacket.  What a productive trip!

This has got to be one of the weirdest things I've ever seen for sale at the goodwill, a CPR dummy.  And there wasn't just the one there were like 5-6 suitcases heaped in a pile, so of course I had to take a peek.  Definitely made me giggle!

The Perfect Date always includes something delicious. 

Isn't that a sweetheart of a cheeseburger?
Hamburger Heaven 

 PS ...I'm in Love with this photo!

Later, we found all these beautiful teas at Fresh Market.  I adore Jasmine tea!  Almost as much as I adore Paris Tea or Earl Grey or ginger.

I LOVE Tea!

What I See When I Walk:

There's this interesting building I walk by in my neighborhood that sits at the end of a street of houses.  I surmise it used to be a fire house.  I'm pretty sure it's apartments now.  Isn't it cool looking?  

I wonder what used to be above the garage door?

Window shopping at Godiva.  I need one of each!

Really, How cute is that?