Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary.-Chinese Proverb

A couple people asked where I got the labels I used here. Now I don't remember where I got all of them. Mostly I just googled free vintage labels or free apothecary labels buuuuuut here are a few I could find again.

Epbot

The Graphics Fairy

iDiY

Just Something I Made

You can also find lots if you do a Google image search. They aren't all very good print quality but for what I'm doing they've worked fine. Also there are several wonderful color ones but I don't have a color printer so those don't work for me.

If you want to make them look old just steep a tea bag in hot watter for a minute or two (I use plain old Lipton) then rub the tea bag across the paper. I recommend doing this on a towel so it doesn't stain anything. When it's dried the paper will have a yellow brown aged look. You can do the same thing using coffee grounds but I think the tea works better. FYI this is a trick document forgers use according to the mystery novels I read sometimes.

Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing

A little bit of home decor. I tried about a million times to post the pics I took when we first moved in but for some reason Blogger will not publish them not even one at a time. It's too bad because I was fairly proud of my book case. Oh well. Any how here's something else I've been doing. Vintage bottles. I started with this candle my cousin gave me for Christmas. It smells really great but the label was tres tacky, looked like that kind of greeting card that makes me gag. Also as a general rule I don't like jar candles, too country clutter for me. I got the idea and the label from a post on EPBOT saying close to the same things I just wrote about jar candles. It was super duper easy. I printed the label stained it with tea bags and glued it on with a glue stick. I've got these three little windows in the dining room that would be perfect for displaying something so I started recycling interesting bottles as I used things up. I avoided wine bottles even though we have plenty of them because no mater what the label says they still look like wine bottles.

I got the labels all for free on line. I've got a whole bunch more I'll use as I acquire interesting bottles. I did buy a couple of these for $0.99 at Michael's. I used coffee grounds or tea bags to stain each label. I'm thinking of trying watter colors too but haven't bought any yet.

Here's a closer look at some of them.

And here's my favorite one (also the first one I did). It used to be an olive oil bottle but now it's Genuine Miracle Elixir yay!

I'm working on another project that I am super excited about but it's a surprise. On a related note I know it's a bit early but if you decide to throw a Halloween party this year can I come? I'm going to have a great costume.

*No room again. The quote was Voltaire.

The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes.-Agatha Christie

Okay for you pet owners I came across the best quote. Waaaay to long for a tittle but had to share.

"My priority right now is keeping the house clean and it's hard. Actually keeping on top of it instead of being consistently behind is a challenge. I'd have to wash the dogs at the door to really keep on top of it or send them out in those suits crime scene people wear on tv shows. Which would be kind of awesome and adorable"

Come on does that not describe the act of trying to keep your house clean while owning pets perfectly?

Found at Does this font make me look fat?

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

I have a small collection of antique fruit crate labels. There's no real logic behind my choices it's just ones I like. This one is special because it's a template rather than a finished label. I was very excited when I found it and spent more on it than any of the others I have (still less than $20).

Dave doesn't like this one he says it looks like the clown is about to murder that woman.



Fiona on the other hand



Fiona: (looking at label) Daddy!



Me: The clown is Daddy?



Fiona: Yeah Daddy clown. Mama!



Me: (pointing at the lady) Is that Mama?



Fiona: Yeah Mama an Daddy.



So there you have it Mama is a pretty lady and Daddy's a homicidal clown.

Not Child Friendly

A few weeks ago I decided Fiona was old enough too start sleeping with a real blanket. I went to a discount store figuring maybe I could get a deal. I found a section of soft fleece throw blankets for six dollars each (score) and found one in a pattern of green, blue and white that would match her room beautifully (green walls, white furniture). I was all set to buy it when I looked at the photo on the package and realised the pattern was the playboy bunny. I thought about it for about two seconds but bought a purple blanket with rainbow polka dots that doesn't match anything.

One of Many Reasons My House is Always Filthy

Things to do last weekend

Clean our room (Not Done)
Clean master bathroom (Not Done)
Clean kitchen (Not Done)
Clean floors (Not Done)
Clean living room (Not Done)
Clean Fiona's room (Not Done)
Read a book (Done, I read the whole thing)

Money Making Plan

What exactly is "pay dirt". Is there a kind of earth that's valuable? If so I bet there's some in my house, we've got every other kind of dirt.

Some Art For My Kitchen

About a year ago I started the process of painting my kitchen. So far I did a fairly bad job on the cabinets and they still look better than they did when I started. I really am going to get the walls done this summer...really I am honest.

So assuming I didn't just lie to the whole Internet I will eventually need something to hang on the walls. I saw some cool arty black and white photos of kitchen items that probably cost far more than I'd pay even if it wasn't just for my kitchen. So I thought why don't I try taking a few of my own. There are about 15 of them so I'll have to choose my favorites to frame. Here are a few for your enjoyment... or derision (you have every right to hate them). What do you think?




Ha ha ha. I just realised if you click on that last one of the serving set you can see my reflection in the spoon. That's probably not good photography but it gives me a happy.

A Day Off

I don't have to go to work today do da do da
I get to stay at home with my daughter Oh the do da day


I've been working my butt off at work. It's a good thing, I'd rather be busy than bored. But I'm happy to have a day to relax. Not that Fiona isn't work but she gives me hugs and kisses and no one at work does (which would be weird any way).

Blown Glass Ornaments

My cousin Ben made these. He's very talented and really an all around awesome guy. Seeing how nice they looked hanging in the doorway I think I'm going to find a window to hang them in full time. Generally I just use them as Christmas ornaments (and have one not pictured that looks like a snowman) but they are just too pretty to keep boxed up 11 months out of the year.

It Was A Nice Weekend

So I had to update my profile. It's subtle do you see it? Yep I'm now officially a year older boo! Nah it's not that bad. I don't mind getting older I just wish I didn't look my age. It was sweet looking 18 when I was 14 not such a good thing now.

Friday a friend took me out to lunch (Hi Jubiss!) which was nice.

Saturday I woke up with my wrist all messed up so I gave it the day off on my kitchen project. My sister in law came over and baby sat while Dave took me out to a movie. We saw Wall-E and it was very cute. I was inordinately proud of myself for recognizing Michael Crawford's voice in the first 3 seconds of the film (there's a whole story about my thing with Phantom but I'll tell it another time). Then we went home and Dave grilled steaks and asparagus and we had a nice bottle of Tepranillo (sp?).

Sunday which was my actually birthday I finished the priming so now I just have to paint. Dave got me a pretty pearl an onyx necklace which I'm wearing rite now. I also got some money from my parents and grandparents with instructions to buy myself some makeup and clothes (twist my arm).My parents came over and took me to Sears to pick out a new refrigerator as an anniversary gift from my grandparents and them. Our anniversary isn't actually until next month but they were having a sale. They are supposed to deliver it today. I'm very excited I've wanted a new fridge for a couple years but it just wasn't in the budget.

Hopefully I'll finish painting the cabinets and be able to start putting the doors back up next weekend then as soon as I paint to walls (much smaller project than the cupboards) I'll be able to post some before and after pics which will now include a shinny new refrigerator yay!