– Last weekend I attended my Dad’s AA birthday for his 12th year of sobriety. For some reason, this year hit me hard. It was as if a decades-old wound had reopened. I spent Sunday in the fetal position on the couch, nursing my sorrow and, once I started feeling better, marveling at how our lives had changed.It’s never easy for anyone to admit something is wrong and to examine those feelings, let alone for a man who was raised in 1950s-era small town America. But he did it. He chose to change and do the hard work and have the courage to clean up the mess that was made. I have such renewed gratitude for for that, for him. The sorrow I have for his suffering still runs deep.

– As if I could ever run out of reasons to love thrifting, last Monday I purchased a substantial piece of my childhood for $30 at a thrift store. It’s the full collection of Time Life Books The Enchanted World Series. These books are full of folklore, myth, stories and gorgeous illustrations about such fantastical topics such as Magical Beasts, Water Spirits, and Magical Justice. Whenever my class visited my elementary school library I would immediately seek these books out and curl up with a stack of them in the corner like they were a secret. As a child I sought fantasy out and in return I was nurtured in my formative years on a steady diet of wonder and imagination. I can’t wait to share these with Isobel as she grows older.

– Longtime Flickr bud Amy painted this gorgeous portrait of Isobel based off of one of my photos. I can’t get over how beautiful it is. All she asked for in return was one of Isobel’s works of art. Again, amazing. Thank you, Amy!

– While celebrating our cousin Victoria’s birthday over the weekend my uncle gave me one of his large sunflower heads full of ripe seeds. Isobel and I have collected each one and have plans to both roast and plant the little seeds. Anyone have a good sunflower seed recipe to share?

– You might remember that as of late Isobel has shunned her original Pink Purse for the new pink purse (her “Prize Pink Purse,” she calls it) that she got for her birthday. Poor pink kitten purse! Recently though it’s like a light bulb went off in her little head and she realized that she can get around this problem by carrying both pink purses at the same time.

• Thrifty Living: DIY Magnetic Chalkboard Tutorial
• Little Big Kitchen: Easy and Pain-Free Chili Pepper Safe Handling Tutorial
• Scrapbook: Craft Fair
• Thrift Store Score: Vintage Souvenir Plate Collection
• Productivity Creepin’: My Beautiful Chore List

Let’s Build a Goddamn Museum. If Tesla’s lab is turned into a strip mall I will die. I’m donating a portion of the proceeds from my shop to support this project. If you want to support this cause on your blog I made a free button to help you do so.

Mitt Romney looks like Gul Dukat, and Paul Ryan looks like Weyoon. Speechless.

I Misspoke. “I should have used the words ‘I am an unforgivable and unconscionable subhuman dickhead.'” – Rep. Todd Akin. I love you, The Onion.

25 Things to Know and Do About Self-Doubt. I should probably read this once a month. via Schmutzie

• Daring Duo
• Angels sang
• ERMERGERD
• Insert Garfield “Mondays” Quote Here
• My lap
• Tea Time
• Garden fresh
• Maiden Hairs
• Mugs
• Womp Womp
• Rocky rocky

What do you always look for when you go thrifting?

I can never pass on vintage kitchen gadgets, which is why I own multiple melon ballers, nut crackers, and cheese graters. I can always make room for another handmade blanket, a beautiful doily, or anything that has mushrooms on it.

Do you have a question for me? I’d love to answer it! You can leave your question in the comments, @-reply me on twitter, email it to me at alittlebigblog@gmail.com or send me a messenger pigeon. Don’t actually do the last one, though. My cat will eat it.