I Went A Thriftin'

Nothing makes me more giddy than finding hidden treasures for mere pennies at  thrift stores.  I love finding a unique piece to re-purpose or just finding something great on it's own.  It's so fun to me.  Living in NYC, I  don't get to do this much anymore.  One day I did make a big long list of "thrift" stores to visit.  I quickly discovered the inexpensive ones had nothing to choose from and the others were like shopping at the Saks Fifth Avenue of thrift.  They would take all the good stuff from less expensive places and then jack up the prices.  One even had a SECURITY GUARD in it because of how expensive their items were.  And they called themselves a thrift store.  Such a dirty trick.  After that disappointing day,  I left my big city thrifting dreams behind.  I looked forward to the day when I could visit a city with real thrift stores outside this money sucking big apple vortex.


And that day came!  Whoo hoo!  I went to Senoia, Georgia.  Where the people are niiiice and the thrift store pickn' is guuuud.  I also "shopped" at my parents bed and breakfast, The Veranda.  My Mom has always told me that anything she has I can have.  So I took her up on that offer and brought home little pieces of my Georgia home.  Free and sentimental, a beautiful combo.  Here are a few of my little treasures.  Note, I would have brought home a lot more but I only took what I could fit in my suitcase and carry on.

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This one is my favorite.  I love delicate, curvy glass.  I think it's from the 60's.  The bubbly glass handle on the lid and ball at the bottom top off it's greatness.  Paid $6!  Happy happy joy joy!

Hobnail.  Don't you just love hobnail?  I love hobnail.  These cute little shakers were priced at $10 and I got them for $5.  

These two cuties I took from The Veranda.  I love the shape of this little pink vase.  If I ever have a daughter, I envision it in her room.  So sweet.  The blue vase it very 1940's, a style I get along with well.  Price, free.

A little 60's number.  The picture doesn't show it so well but it has oranges and greens swirled into a nice chocolate brown.  Quite groovy no?

I don't think this vase shows so well on it's own but I like that it has a pedestal and think once I place some short stem flowers or a plant inside,  it will show nicely. 

Here are a couple sentimental pieces.  The painting of the orange flowers was done by my Mom in an art class.  I took the same class while I was visiting.  She took my painting and I took hers.  The painting of the flowers in the vase was done by my Aunt Francis.  She thinks it's not very good but I love it!  Oh and the weird one in the upper left had corner was done by me one random night in the city.  This will be the start of my gallery wall.

And I saved the sweetest for last.  A picture of my parents from the 70's.  I think I was about 2 when this picture was taken.  They are the ones who make this blog possible.  :)  If they wouldn't have met then I wouldn't be here blogging right now.  It's so sweet to look back at your beginnings and see how far you've come.  Things change, and that's good.  Just like this frame is going to change with my can of spray paint.  But the best thing is, the energy and love of the people inside of it won't. It still remains.

A HAPPY Domestic Goddess In the Making

It's been a loooooog time since I last composed a post for my blog.  My intention was to always write posts about the tried and true recipe's I've discovered, the ups and downs of DIY projects and decor....just sharing fun, lighthearted information.  Then "THINGS" happened in my life that were not fun and lighthearted.  They zapped every ounce of creativity and motivation in my body. Whatever Domestic Goddess image I thought I had,  I didn't want it to be ruined, so I didn't write.  I thought about my blog a lot and felt guilty for abandoning it for so long.  One day I half composed a blog about chocolate cake but just wasn't feeling it so left it to live forever half done in cyberspace.  Finally, I  realized that being a Domestic Goddess In the Making also means being a HAPPY (yet imperfect) Domestic Goddess In the Making.  All people go through "THINGS".  I just had to remember that the difficult times are the best times to transform oneself and to practice being happy no matter what the situation or circumstance.  Easier said than done when in the midst of the hardships, but a practice that must be done if I am to elevate myself.  There's no simple recipe for it, you just do it.   Understanding a concept is much easier than feeling and doing it.  So this time I felt the concept of "Be happy no matter what is going on in life" and that no Domestic Goddess is a perfect June Cleaver at all times.  

Putting this concept into action creates a beautiful home for your soul to live.  And if your soul home is beautiful, your earthly home will be beautiful.  Oprah always said, "Your home should rise up to meet you."  I think that in order for that to happen, you have to rise up and meet your inner garbage, smell it, be disgusted by it, throw it out and put in a new bag.  Perfection is not Goddessness.  Knowing your imperfections is.  Creating my "soul home" will be my biggest and longest Do It Yourself design project that my Domestic Goddess will ever have.  


To end things on a sweet note,  here's the recipe for that super yummy vegan/parve chocolate cake!


1/2 c. coco
2 c. white flour
1T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 block soft tofu (pressed)
1 1/4 c. canola oil
1 1/4 c. maple syrup
1 T. vanilla
(the following I don't use but are optional)
2 T. black cherry concentrate
2  T. rum
1/2 t raspberry vinegar


-Sift dry ingredients together
-In food processor or blender, blend tofu with wet ingredients 
-Mix wet and dry ingredients together
-Line 2 8" cake pans with parchment or coat lightly with oil
-Bake for 15-20min at 350 degrees


My Presentation:
-Once the cakes have cooled, I spread a layer of Raspberry preserves between the two
-I then make a shiny ganash (soy milk and parve or vegan chocolate chips melted then cooled)  
 and pour over the cake


Enjoy!