Little Big

While Isobel was sick with the sniffles and incapable of doing anything except watching episode after episode of My Little Pony and demanding constant “nose wipies” I took some time to tidy up some of the vintage clutter that has accumulated on our shelves. I know that some people (ahem, Marie) think my house is a pristine clutter-free environment. That is a big fat lie, but one I would like to help circulate. Also, my legs are hair-free, my vegetables never go bad in the refrigerator, and my farts smell as fresh and clean as the ocean breeze.

Although there are ample areas of my house that could use some organization attention, I worked on my shelves in the library because I could still be within sight of Snuffles McSnotface in case she needed anything. And also because the tops of my shelves have become a monument to vintage clutter. I tended to shove stuff up there after many a thrifting trip because that way I was sure not to walk in to find Isobel using say, a vintage globe as dry erase-board. I could barely reach up there myself, so I knew that crap stashed up there would be safe from furry kitties’, or sticky toddler, hands.

I was relieved to find that with the exception of one or two things all my shelves needed were some rearranging, instead of decluttering, and things looked a whole lot better up there.

I worked on my fire place and the shelves in the living room a bit, too, after Sneezle McMouthbreather took a nap. I know it’s way too early for Christmas decorations, but I found those julbocken at an estate sale and I love them so much I’m just going to keep them out till the holidays are over. Their presence gives me the impetus to regale Isobel with tales of the wondrous Christmas goat.

I also found a few crocheted lap blankets recently, and at first I thought they’d make great tea party blankets for Isobel, but I keep using them myself in the evenings. It’s nice to have a blanket over your legs that doesn’t take up a bunch of space.

Pay no attention to the completely dead plant in the terrarium up there. If anyone comes over I’ll just tell them it’s a Halloween decoration.

My friend Angela found this while we were playing Thrift Store Gore Bingo. I can’t believe she didn’t want it! Well, maybe I can. But her loss is my gain. My magical, magical gain. Of course, as soon as I got home it was Isobel’s gain.

This isn’t the sort of DIY that you need instructions for, but it is a fun idea that I wanted to share with you. When I was still slinging books in the stacks and making sure prepubescent boys weren’t using the library computers to search for “bobs dot com”, I decided I needed a chalkboard with my name on it. The kids all knew my name (and if they didn’t they could always improvise with a “teacher,” or “liberrian”, or my personal favorite, “Mrs Library”), but occasionally a teacher would just butcher my name. So, as part of my desk pimping, I ordered this cute little vintage chalkboard on etsy and the teachers still butchered my name but at least it took a special effort for them to do so.

When I quit my job to stay home with Isobel I just didn’t know what do with this little guy, but nor could I bring myself to donate him. I already had a larger, better chalk board for Isobel’s room. While I was gluing the fascinators together it hit me, magnet chalkboard! I had just enough magnets left over from this project.

I love the way it came out. Isobel was thrilled when she went into the kitchen and was greeted by a pink heart. Just thrilled. Technically, this cost nothing because I had all the supplies on hand, but I’ve seen these chalkboards while thrifting before and the magnets were cheap. Easiest DIY ever.