Thanksgiving 2014 = Me Sad
Normally by now I'm full fledged into planning my Thanksgiving tablescape. It's truly something I enjoy as Thanksgiving is my all time FAVORITE sit down meal holiday! Last year I scaled it down WAY back because we were traveling with the tablescape. Hey...I even brought the flower arrangement with me. LOL!
This year my mommy-in-law is hosting and I'm simply providing the organic turkey.
2009 Thanksgiving Tablescape Planning
I didn't think I'd be ready to host so soon after the move so I gladly passed on it but now I'm all feeling some kinda way because I love, love, LOVE doing it.
2010 Thanksgiving Tablescape Planning
And now I have nothing Thanksgivingish to do.
*sigh*
Well...I know you know this already but here are a few of the tools I use: Thanksgiving Planning Worksheet
Here is how I made the topper for last year's tablescape: Easy and Cheap Fabric Tablecloth!
Yall know that all of the archives from years past are here: Rantings of a Creole Princess
Just search for whatever you're looking for.
Now I'm all depressed because I started thinking about where in the hell I can put my Christmas tree this year. *sigh*
Tell me something good. Any Thanksgiving prep questions I can answer for you? Want me to help you brine your turkey this year? What's on your menu? Need help cooking something? Have a tablescape idea you need a little lagniappe to pull together? Holla atcha girl. I need to feel useful.
#MeSad
On Energy Efficient Washing Machines
One thing I was very down about was leaving my washer and dryer. I love them. When our old washer died, I did the research and bought the best new set that could fit in our laundry closet.
I love my Maytag Bravos. LOVE.THEM!!!!!
When I saw the washer and dryer that we have now I got sad.
I mean...look at these lack of options on this control panel:
I was so depressed. I immediately threw in the duvet that Robby used as a buffer between two pieces of furniture and which had become ridiculously dirty in the process. When I got it out...I noticed how white and gleamy it was. Yes...I said GLEAMY.
Then I tossed in Jaru's feet cleaning towels.
Um...GLEAMY-ER!
I started tossing ish in left and right. Towels, pillowcases, PILLOWS!
Dudes...I MISSED A WASHING MACHINE THAT USED A FULL BASIN OF WATER!!!!!!!!! HOT WATER! COLD WATER! IN-BETWEEN WATER!
Yesterday I was on the phone with an Elder and mentioned the washing machine. That started a 20 minute rant from him about these, BULLSHIT AZZ LOW FLOW ENERGY EFFICIENT BULLSHIT AZZ NEWFANGLED SHIT THEY FORCE US TO BUY! I SWEAR I'VE BEEN MEANING TO GO DOWN TO THE SALVATION ARMY AND BUYING AN OLD SET OR TAKING A SET OUT OF ONE OF MY RENT HOUSES ONCE SOMEONE MOVES AND PUTTING THESE BULLSHIT AZZ ONES IN THERE! I WASH MY JEANS AND THEY LOOK THE EXACT SAME! THEY AREN'T EVEN WET! JUST DAMP BEFORE I PUT THEM IN THE DRYER! I GOT SO GOTDAMN MAD ONE TIME I TOOK MY JEANS DOWN TO THE LAUNDRY HOUSE AND PAID $50 TO USE THEIR DAMN MACHINE AND THEN BROUGHT MY JEANS BACK HOME SOAKING WET AND DRIED THEM! I HATE MY DAMN MACHINES!
Um...okay. I wasn't quite on THAT level but yeah...totally loving this non-energy efficient set.
Do you have a non-energy efficient set? If you have an energy efficient set...any complaints? Have you ever used a non-energy efficient set after getting used to using energy efficient ones? Noticed any differences?
Musings on Window Treatments
I was talking to a framily member about curtains recently. She doesn't like curtains and doesn't have many curtains in her home because she doesn't see the need. I told her that hanging curtains is like putting on lipstick. You know your outfit is on point. Your hair is on point. Your eyes are on point and then...BAM! Add lipstick and your look is finished! GO YOU!
She'd never thought of it like that.
I'm having a curtain quandary currently in the living room. The curtains we had in the living room at 13700 are too long and too wide to use here. The windows are MUCH smaller as is the room. I need curtains to "finish" the room but I don't want to spend the kind of money I spent on the curtains I already have because I'm unsure as to if I'd be able to use them once we leave here. The window placement is in the center of a wall. I can't decide if I should use panels or...if I should just put up valances.
With panels I could give the illusion that the window is larger by positioning them on either edge of the windows and stretching them across the wall mostly. See...covering any portion of that window is going to make the windows look smaller than they already are. I'd have to move that piece of wall art to do that which wouldn't be a problem I suppose if I find something with enough color to make that wall pop.
If I go the valance route, I could position them so that they drop down over the top of the windows only by a few inches and well...they'd look okay I suppose...I just don't think they'd add much to the room.
And...what color do I go with? I found these on JCPenney and I'm thinking...Hmmmmmmmm...
The first set I like because of the color but I'm wondering if the print will clash in that room because of the chairs. The second set (NOT WITH THE VALANCE AND TIE BACKS...PANELS ONLY) will give the wall more color but I wonder if they are too "heavy" for the colors in the room? I wanted to stick with citrus colors.
I think I'm going to replace those icky plastic blinds with a scalloped roller shade. I'd like the look of that much better.
The only valances I've found so far that I MIGHT like are these:
Valances only. The room wouldn't support both valances and panels.
Well? Whatcha think? I need to make a decision soon so I can order something or do I need to keep looking?
What's YOUR personal take on curtains? Do you like curtains? Do you have them in every room?
My Bags, My Life
Rue La La contacted me and asked me what do I keep in my bag. Um...kinda personal huh dude? I was all frown-t up and then clicked on this handy link they sent me and I realized that...whoa...I have a problem since I have multiples of all the styles in their style guide. *sigh*
And this is even after, during the move, recently getting rid of a LOT of bags because well...we all know I used to have the worst bag problem in the world! Needless to say, the recipients of the bags I got rid of were very, very happy! LOL!
Now I'm not saying that I have a problem with having this particular problem because...BAAAAAAAAAABY...a girl and her bags are important parings. IM.POR.TAN.TE!
I only had one of the 6 containers of bags in the house (the other 5 are in the garage from the move and it's cold in the garage and I'm totally not unpacking a single thing today because yall...I'S TIRED!) but this container is the one I will probably use the most of while here.
A long time ago, I was having back problems and couldn't figure out why. My doctor picked up my bag to move it off the stool in front of me in the waiting room and diagnosed my back problem by saying, "WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THIS THING?????" From there, he prescribed a very scientific remedy for my back pain, "Start with nylon bags and put less stuff in it."
*sigh*
Funny guy. Ha-ha.
But...the solution made sense even though my options, at the time, seemed limited.
The best thing I've ever done to make changing purses easy and stress free? I use this Sonia Kashuk purse organizer I bought at Target. I keep all of the things I must have with me at all times in it.
Now...in answering Rue La La's question, however, I realized that I'm a tad bit (okay...A WHOLE LOT) special once I dumped the contents of the bag out:
And that's not all I keep in my purse. That's just the things I keep in the purse ORGANIZER. The rest won't fit. o_0
This doesn't include my water bottle, phone, handkerchief and random bits of receipts and coupons that I always forget to use when I get to the check out line so they stay in there and get all crinkle soft and expire. (What? Like you don't do that too!)
Sitting back and looking at this, I realize that I am clearly expecting to have to fight off zombies when I'm away from home and that, because of the world we live in, someone will have a video camera and I will want to make sure that I have moist (THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN!!!!!) lips, a neat ponytail, and juice for my phone. Oh...and nothing stuck between my teeth. The only thing I can't explain is the Monopoly house. I gots nothing there. The Prince CD? Don't even try it. It's Prince. I might want to listen to the crisp clarity of the CD inside the house as well as in my truck. So there. Leave me alone. Oh...and the dime? Maybe I expect to travel back in time and will have to be re-courted by The Robinator and I will need a dime to put between my knees 1950's style.
*BLINK*
This exercise has made me feel bad about myself. I have issues I'm still not working on. *sigh*
I am doing some things right however, according to Rue La La. I store my bags properly! GO ME! I always clean them completely and wipe them down with a lightly damp towel. Then I stuff them with paper and generally store them back inside the dust bags they came in. I then put them inside large clear storage containers.
The history of handbags was pretty cool to read too. I'm not a style blogger so I've never read up on the history of bags. Pretty interesting stuff. The only bag I've ever wanted to own, I don't own. The bag you ask? A Chanel anything. LOL! I actually bought one once and it sat in the box and bag for exactly 14 days in my closet before the guilt consumed me and I returned it reluctantly. One day though...ONE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!
MAYBE.
What's in YOUR bag? What would we be surprised to find in your bag? Do you carry a bunch of stuff around like I do? What is wrong with me? Why must I stuff FABULOUS bags with so much stuff?
Oh...and no need to pretend you weren't surprised I didn't have a flask or a half bottle of wine in there. Frankly...I was too.