"I have three precious things
which I hold fast and prize.
The first is gentleness; the
second is frugality; the third
is humility, which keeps me
from putting myself before others.
Be gentle and you can be bold;
be frugal and you can be liberal;
avoid putting yourself before
others and you can become a
leader among men.
~Lao Tzu
While I have no desire to
be a leader amoung men,
I do strive toward humility
and frugality, two traits
I deeply admire in others.
For as long as I can remember
I have kept a button jar. If
an item of clothing wears out,
I cut it up to be used as rags,
but before that I always make
sure to cut any buttons off
to add to my jar. Since I don't
sew very few buttons leave the
collection, but many of them
have been used to teach
colors and how to count. Some
buttons really are little pieces
of art and are just fun to look
upon or sort into containers to
be used as doll food. I thought
it would be a fun idea to make
my own buttons so now I am
spending a little time each day
hand polishing some cedar
buttons I decided to make.
This has not been a quick project,
in fact it is teaching me to
slow down, to breathe and just
enjoy the whole process. Really,
that is how I want to live
every aspect of my life so
it's good practice.
Joining the week with Jenn
who so kindly took over
Thrifty Thursday.
Trees are your best antiques.
~Alexander Smith
I was flipping through a magazine
not long ago and came across
a lovely photo of a room decorated
in a very eclectic-organic style which
is a style I adore. One of the items
in the room was an elm stump...and
then I saw the price...$199.99!!!
I don't have elm growing here, but
I do have some red cedar stumps
that were left over from cutting wood
this past winter that I thought would
make awesome stools.
I rolled one to the back deck and
am now in the process of lightly
sanding it, then I am going to rub
bees wax all over it for a light sheen.
I will need to talk one of my guys
into carrying it up the stairs for
me as it's very heavy, but with just
a little elbow grease and some already
bought bees wax I will have a stool
that will last a life time so I think
that's pretty thrifty don't you?
Linking with Cory.
.
When you photograph people
in colour you photograph their
clothes. But when you
photograph
people in B&W, you photograph
their souls!
~Ted Grant
I have an old picture screen
in my family room, one that
is filled with photos of people
who have been in my life,
people who are no longer
here physical, but now live
in my heart.
I also fill it with a few photos
of the people who are still
here, but have changed and
grown.
Every few years I change the
color of the screen and the
scrap book paper giving it a
whole new look, but the
photos?
No, the photos stay the same
because they are part of my
soul.
Joining Cory for Thrifty Thursday.
Today was good.
Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
~Dr. Seuss
I picked this little 'vase' up
at my local Goodwill a little
while ago for a meer $.79!
Since coming in my home
it's purpose has been to
hold toothpicks since I really
had no idea of it's original use,
I just thought it was cute.
Then I saw this on Heidi's
site. Now I know and as soon
as I have more ripe tomatoes
my little 'vase' will have
a new job! It's always
fun to visit a thrift store
and find a little 'something
something' isn't it?
Joining with Cory.
