Elizabeth Holcombe ~whimsies and words~

Mellow Thursday

Hello, My Friends~~

Relaxing here in the Northern Neck is pretty easy to do. I find that there is lots of time to lay here...

This quilt was made by my great grandmother and is so comfortable in the hammock. I was reading Green Craft by Somerset and Reid Wilson's "Don't Panic". Dr. Wilson's book is wonderful and I have taught myself to meditate. Pretty easy to do in such a relaxing place.

I also find lots of time to hit my favorite thrift stores. Here is my loot from today...

Lots of goodies for crafting and for listing in Dime Store Chic after I get home! The local paper has advertised an estate sale just down the road from our place as well as a few awesome-sounding yards sales for this Saturday. You know where I'll be!

Also I wanted to show you the little boat Hubby bought last Sunday from a nice guy off of Craigslist...

The white boat in front is the one he bought. The red one in the back is an old one that my father gave him. Hubby painted it red on the outside and white on the inside with Washington Nationals baseball team stickers on the back. Both boats have electric motors--one Hubby got at a yard sale for $2.00!

So, find your "mellow", my friends and have a wonderful rest of your week!~~~XXOO, Beth

Bridges to the Northern Neck

Hello, My Friends!~~~

We are enjoying a long weekend (wed to Sun) in Virginia's Northern Neck. AS you know from previous posts this is one of my very favorite places to be!

Along the way here we cross several bridges. Some huge some tiny, but all are landmarks to me as we make our way to Northumberland County.

The first bridge we cross is the newly renovated Wilson Bridge which has a view of Washington DC and spans the Potomac River from Virginia to Maryland.

As you can from this and the next photos, I took them from the car window. The next bridge we cross takes us back over the Potomac River from Maryland back into Virginia. It is called the Harry Nice Bridge. It's tall. Here's a view...

And here it is going back into Virginia...

If you have bridge fears this one is not for you.

Smaller bridges round out the rest of our journey, all of them on Route 3 otherwise known as the Historyland Highway. This curvy bridge spans Nomini Creek...

And this bridge spans a small creek which separates Richmond County from Northumberland County...

And this is the Glebe Point Bridge which spans the Great Wicomico River...

And here is the view up river...

Our family place is down river where the Great Wicomico opens into the Ingram Bay. So there you are. Our bridges from the front windshield. Glad you could join us!~~~XXOO, Beth

Rambling in Reston

Hello, My Friends~~~

Reston, Virginia is a planned community located between Dulles Airport and the Washington "Capital" Beltway. I rarely go out there, but today Hubby and I had a chance to stop by. Hubby and I went out west of Reston to buy a cute little rowboat from a nice fellow Hubby contacted through Craigslist. The boat is cute and I'll show you pics later when we take it to the river house.

Reston was on the way home and we stopped at the Town Center there. I wanted to do a little shopping at two of my favorite stores. I told Hubby I wouldn't be long, and he baby sat his boat, reading the paper work that came with them.

On the way to my favorite stores I snapped a few photos. This a Town Center focal point:

 

How about a close up?

Yeah, that's more like it. OK, moving on...come on...come on...

I love the green of these coleous plantings!

I told you Reston was quiet at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday!

VERY quiet. I stood in the middle of the street for this shot. OK, let's go to a couple of fun stores...

How about here? Or...

here! This is why I wanted to visit Reston. Well worth it, don't you think?~~~Thanks for coming along on my Sunday morning rambling!~~XXOO, Beth

Reflective Saturday

Hello, My Friends~~~

Sometimes my perimenpoausal self just doesn't want to get out of bed. This morning was gloomy, humid, gray, and cloudy. In fact it still is like that out there, but my mood no longer reflects the weather. One of the things I have learned that works in combating the anxiety, chest tightening, sweats, morning nausea, and dizziness that accompanies this cahnge of life that I'm going through, IS to keep busy. I tell myself to just get the heck out of bed and get started with my day. Keeping busy, and Estroven, helpls me keep these freaky change of life symptoms at bay. So today we (me and Hubby) cleaned out our China closet, and donated three boxes worth of things to the local church for their annual rummage sale. After several hours worth of work our closet is neat as pin and holds the new enamel cast iron cookware I bought.

I found something in the closet that I can't use, but is too nice to toss out...

This is a sterling silver tea/coffee service by the Japanese company Hirata. It says "Sterling 950" on the bottom of the pieces. This is truly beautiful but I'm just not a silver service kind of girl. (And, yes, that is me in jeans and green shirt reflected in the shiny silver.) It also comes with this...

Sugar and creamer, and...

And a punchbowl.

I would like to sell it, but I don't know squat about silver services. If any of you all know ANYTHING, please let me know.

Until then, I'm going to accept my changing body :), keep busy, and embrace the day no matter how cloudy and humid it is!~~~XXOO, Beth

Farmer's Market Rainbow

Hello, My Friends!~~~

The farmer's market here in Annandale, Virginia every Thursday morning is one big rainbow of color! Here is proof...

Golden yellow cherry tomatoes, and...

...pretty dahlias nestled in Mason jars, and...

...a real tomato rainbow! And there are these delights too...

Not a rainbow of color, but a rainbow of deliciousness! My favorite is the Shoo Fly Pie (second row from the bottom). I didn't buy one this time, but I did buy 5 pounds of tomatoes for freezing for making sauces in the winter months. And I bought these...

 
They are called Pineapple Tomatillos. They do taste like a pineapple and tomato together, odd, sweet, and delicious!

On the way home I spied yet another intriguing Korean restaurant in Annandale...

Honey Pig Restaurant is actually around the corner, I discovered after taking the picture. Cute pig though! Annandale has a thick cluster of interesting Korean BBQ restaurants. One day we may actually go to one!~~~XXOO, Beth

Here in Studio 54

Hello, My Friends~~~

I have renamed my little corner of our basement "Studio 54". I gave my room that name because I bought these at the Big Flea, and not because I have some strange yearning to go back to 1977:

Here in Studio 54 I have a whole lot of projects on deck. My new shop, Dime Store Chic, consumed most of my time this past week, and I am very grateful for the wonderful reception it shop got from all of you. However, there are many projects on deck and Beth's Bagz is calling for my attention. Here is the fun that awaits me here in Studio 54 (cue the Bee Gees "Night Fever," please)...

Stacks of pin cushions awaiting embellishment and special figurines...

Corsage bits n' pieces awaiting their turn to be made into wearable extravagances...

Interfaced vintage fabrics awaiting their turn to be made into totes and purses...

...So what I am doing this evening here in Studio 54? I have a rather noisy and angry guest to entertain...

 Chef Gordon Ramsay is doing his usual freak out in "Hell's Kitchen" and I am transfixed. Reality TV does that to me, so it's a good thing I have this big ass digital TV in Studio 54 otherwise I'd get nothing done! So with Gordon screaming and cursing in the background, I shall happily craft. Ahh, what a strange and wonderful thing inspiration can be.~~~XXOO, Beth

Embracing Julia

Hello, My Friends!~~~

Last December we traveled a short distance from home, and visited this, recently very popular attraction at The Smithsonian:

I have read Julie Powell's "Julie and Julia", Julia Child's "My Life In France," and I saw the wonderful movie "Julie and Julia." And, of course, I got a copy of Child's masterpiece: "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." I have made a new friendship with my stove and oven since I decided to cook most meals from scratch so I can have control over the ingredients and food that me and my family eat. I really find joy in cooking and the best reward is when my, now 15 year old son, rolls his eyes in ecstasy and says: "Make that again, Mom." So this past week in the spirit of Julie Powell's inspired blog experience with cooking everything in "MtAoFC," I made several recipes and hosted a dinner party last night.

Here is the Salad Nicoise I made...

The French potato salad in the center was so yummy!

Here are my dinner guests (sorry for the blurry photo as I had already had two glasses if wine--I'm a cheap date, what can I say?)....

I made Potatoes Gratin, two Quiche de Fruits de Mer, and Ratatouille along with the salad. There was hardly a crumb left! And for dessert I made Reine de Saba (Queen of Sheba Cake) which was eaten before I thought to take a picture. Let me say that after I hade made all of these dishes, I had used two pounds of butter! It's OK to eat like that once in a while, I think, and enjoy familiy and friends while doing so. As you can see, my Hubby, who is hugging our blurry neighbor Charlie, is giddy that I'm not serving "health food." We will go back to that kind of food this week, poor guy!

So, I suggest you may want to try a few of Mrs. Child's recipies. Please see the movie. Julie Powell should be applauded for embracing the joy and unpretension that is Julia Child and making us love the French Chef all over again. I raise my glass and say loudly: "Bon Apetit!" ~~~~XXOO, Beth

DIME STORE CHIC Grand Opening TODAY!

Hello, My Friends!~~~~

Just wanted to let you know that TODAY is the Grand Opening of my new etsy shop for your vintage and new goodies for crafting, gifting, and just plain FUN! If you have a minute please pop on over to Dime Store Chic! I'll be adding goodies all throughout the day!

Thanks SO much!~~~XXOO, Beth

A Monday Soft Opening

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I am excited about my new etsy shop Dime Store Chic's GRAND OPENING this Wednesday, August 12th! I have SO many things to list in DSC that day, that I decided to put a few goodies in each "department" of Dime Store Chic TODAY (beginning this morning)! So you may call this a Soft Opening. And on Wednesday I'll stock my shop with LOTS more goodies!

I am giving away free dime store "mystery" gifts with each purchase today through, and including, Wednesday!

Here's a sneek peek of one of my Dime Store Chic craft kits:

My kits will come complete with vintage and new goodies to make the project shown. A few of your own supplies, like scissors and glue, will be needed. I will include complete color illustrated instructions. My kits are in very limited number, and I'll be selling the completed project (only one of each) in my Beth's Bagz handmade etsy shop.

In addition to my Grand Opening this Wednesday, my BFF Suzy is also opening a second etsy shop: Little Peachez! Please roll on over to her shop on Wednesday too!~~~

~~~Thanks so much, my friends, for your interest in my new venture!~~See you there!~~~XXOO, Beth

A New Venture

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I am thrilled to reveal a new venture of mine and to share it with you!

My etsy shop, Beth's Bagz, is getting a little sister. Yes, that's right. I am opening a second etsy shop on Wednesday, August 12th! Beth's Bagz showcases my handmade goodies, but my new shop will offer a large variety of vintage goodies for your home, your crafting, your gift giving, and for yourself. I will also offer craft kits in limited numbers based on my designs as featured in Vintage Indie "What You Make of It".

The name of my new shop? Dime Store Chic.

Dime Store Chic will reflect my love of the wonderful assortment of goodies offered in dime stores. You know, the colorful, the kitschy, the unashamedly plastic, the things you never knew you needed until you saw them. The goal of my shop is to take you back to that time of childhood wonder when you stepped into a shop that offered so many things, and the most difficult task in your life was trying to decide which thing you wanted! For me it was always coloring books or paper dolls.~~~I hope you will stop by Dime Store Chic on August 12th for the Grand Opening!~~~XXOO, Beth