fridays unfolded #23

are you all partied out
after last week's
summer block party?

of course not

there's always
another day
another post
another party

and today
i want us all to think way back
to 2 whole weeks ago
for the last


because
there were some awesome links posted

like this rocky road pie from the lady behind the curtain


which i made for my man
on father's day

it was

delish

and midwestern sewing girl showed off her
adorable ottoman makeover


how about this dreamy bedroom from cool home creations


the lavender magnolia showed us a vain
little furniture redo for her daughter's room


i want one

if your post was featured today


help yourself to a button


and now

it's time
to show us what's unfolded for you this week
or last week

or

well...you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow stuff and nonsense
(and leave a comment so i can visit you back)

link up your recipe, sewing project, craft, poem, essay, tutorial, etc...whatever 'unfolded' for you this week

be sure to link back to your post and not just your url
(by joining fridays unfolded you are giving me permission
to use your photos for features on stuff and nonsense)

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just polite)


please post my button
on your blog so others can join

after you link up here

i would love for you to join my friends

heather and vanessa over at the picket fence
for their


and debra at common grounds for


and courtney at french country cottage for 

happy linking!

blonde ambition

i've been a staunch brunette
my entire life

but now
my tresses
are fading to grey

not unattractively so

but i have to admit
as my locks have begun to lighten
i've found myself
dreaming in blonde

photo credit

wondering

what it might be like

photo credit

to lean back

rest my head in my stylist's capable hands

and emerge

photo credit

lighter

photo credit

brighter

photo credit

sun-kissed

photo credit

different

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i wonder

would you recognize me?

or would you walk right past

before hesitating

perhaps stopping altogether

to turn and look

over your shoulder

photo credit

and stare

thinking

was that her?

photo credit

it just might be

someday

block party giveaway winners!

what a week last week was
(say that three times fast)



did you see that there were 1166 links altoghether?

wow

i'm suitably impressed

i hope you've had a chance to visit at least a few
of the many many
creative
lovely
delicious
thrifty
posts

that were linked

and another round of applause
for our most excellent sponsors


for the complete list of prizes and winners
head on over to at the picket fence

but i want to announce that the winner of
this vintage painting

is

A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

if you are like us you may be spending the rest of the summer 

visiting all of the fabulous blogs 

that shared their incredible summer posts 

so heather and vanessa have created a permanent link 

in their sidebar so you can revisit the Summer Blogger Block Party anytime you want

i know i will

a needle in a haystack

i am convinced that the Holy Spirit loves to surprise us
and give reminders that He is
exactly who He says He is

last week
on the final day of camp
my eldest

'big'

shamefacedly admitted to me
upon pick-up
that he had lost his upper expander

you know

one of those  tiny plastic and metal
thingamajiggers
that the orthodontist overcharges for

lost it
in the lake


i didn't yell
or even scold
much
because this child
had been extremely responsible
with his orthodontia paraphernalia all along

but i was pretty bummed

imagining pricey replacement fees
and stern looks from dr. contes

but then the hubs
had a brilliant idea

since the lake is just 5 minutes away
he decided that the next day
we would traipse back out there
dressed in our skivies
to go look for the lost expander

on saturday morning
we awoke
and before breakfast
the hubs prayed that we would find that missing mouthpiece

that we would be led right to it

then he went out for a run
and prayed some more

a few hours later
we donned our swimsuits
climbed into the van
and headed the the scene of the crime

i should mention here
that the day was overcast and a mere 67 degrees

not ideal water search conditions

at the beach
hubs headed over to speak with the owner
and explain our predicament

so the kids and i shrugged out of our towels
and tiptoed into the murky water

teeth chattering
big showed us the approximate location
he was when the expander popped out

and of course it was neck deep

we began to brush our feet slowly
back and forth
across the silty bottom

after instructing the kids to use their feet to pick anything
that felt sharp edged
i started groping around

picked up one stone
two stones
three stones

the hubs was heading back over to join us
when i shouted to him

and i quote

this is pppointless!
we are nnever gggoing to fffind it!
(shiver) !!!


i think you know where this is going

hesitating
my toes brushed another

rock?

no

something a little less substantial

i carefully clenched my toes together
straining not to drop what ever it was
and managed to bring it up

my fingers pried it out of my cramped feet
and brought to the surface

one

slightly slimy

expander

after shouting
(to my husband's disbelief)

i ffound it!

we all thankfully waded back to shore
and gloated
a little bit
over our amazing discovery

all told
we had searched in the water
for fewer than 5 minutes

in the car
on the way home
we tried to explain to our children

who were suitably impressed by my feat

that the Holy Spirit had answered daddy's prayers
in a very tangible way

that
rather than finding that expander
we were

led to it

there is simply no other explanation

and at the end of that day
i realized
how small my faith can be

for i hadn't  bothered to pray that day at all
and it was my voice that spoke defeated words
my doubting heart
that believed our search would be fruitless

but the Lord
in His sweetness and mercy
reminded me of His care and concern
over even the smallest details
irritations
concerns
in the lives of His children


and yes
we sanitized the expander when we got home

Blogger Block Party...Summer Sales

i've been waiting patiently
all week long
and it's finally here

my day to do the hostess thing


and of course
i naturally chose
summer sale-ing
because frankly
flea markets and tag sales
are some of my favorite places to be each summer

and one of the best ways i know
to kick of my summer sale-ing
is a huge community sale in my little ole town
held annually around memorial day weekend

i wake early
pack the essentials in my crossbody bag
crank open my granny cart

and away i go

ever year i manage to find amazing deals
much to the hubs' dismay

and there's something for every taste
quirky stuff
pretty stuff
man stuff
useless stuff
plant stuff
vintage stuff

and

just

plain

awesome

stuff

like this vintage plaid picnic basket thermos thing
in cherry red

and maybe some bakelite cutlery to go with

i picked up this wire basket of milk bottles for a mere $5

but had to pass on this lovely but expensive oil can

how awesome is this old reel to reel projector?

it had no price tag
but when i asked
the seller said $10

a total steal
but i walked away from it in the end

when i came back later
she had marked it $20

somebody must have clued her in
to what it was worth

love this old iron shoe form

and child sized wicker rocker

can you see the tag on this pitcher
that says
'very old'

i don't usually buy a lot of toys
unless my kidlets are with me
but if this hadn't been taken
i would've snagged it in a jiffy

along with this

just for kicks and giggles

this whole basket of finials was a grand total of $3

and though you can't see it
the price tag for this antique bed
is only $75

i bought this old chicken feeder
(yes i had to ask what the heck it was)
for a couple of bucks
just because i liked the look of it

little miss went with me for some of the day
and found her own treasure

a vintage bicycle
for $3

she's super proud of it
and plans some spiffing up
that entails a basket for the front
and some beads for the wheel spokes

by the end of two days of traipsing ourselves
around town

we were pooped

but terribly happy with our treasure

now it's your turn
to show off your own tag sale finds
and link them up to the block party

and what kind of hostess
would i be
if i didn't offer
a gift for joining the block party?

so i am giving
one lucky linker
this sweet vintage painting
from my personal collection

here again are the rules:

• Link Up any post past or present related to this parties theme
• Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
• Please post the Blogger Block Party button (code located on each host blog) in your post so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY)
• Visit another guest. We love it when you party with our other guests!  Please take a moment and visit some of the other posts and leave some comment love!  This is what makes a party so much fun!
• We'd love it if you'd share the Blogger Block Party on your Facebook Pages and Twitter (use #BloggerBlockParty in your tweet)Not mandatory but we'd appreciate it!

and remember
there are a total of 13 giveaways going on this week
sponsored by



but only those links that are specifically
related to the block party themes 
and that have the button below in their post
will be included in the giveaway drawings






<center><a href="http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rz8uYhR9994/TgNWLUHCv2I/AAAAAAAACoQ/NbJto5CrGvY/Blog%252520Party%252520Button-3.jpg" /></a></center><br /><br/>
and since we're all partying harddon't forget to head over to 
heather and vanessa over at the picket fence
to link up for
fresh from the garden

and debra at common groundsfor a vintage summer

and courtney at french country cottage for 
a shabby cottage summer

happy linking!

and the party continues...

show of hands

who linked up their summer paint projects
and
or
summer kid activities posts on monday?

you bet your sweet bippy that i did
and
i'm still having fun browsing through all
the incredible posts for the


but today is
as they say
a brand new day
which means
a brand new summer theme to link up to

drop cloth projects


hosted by kristen at




just a 'rules' reminder:

• Link Up any post past or present related to this parties theme
• Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
• Please post the Blogger Block Party button (code located on each host blog) in your post so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY)
• Visit another guest. We love it when you party with our other guests!  Please take a moment and visit some of the other posts and leave some comment love!  This is what makes a party so much fun!
• We'd love it if you'd share the Blogger Block Party on your Facebook Pages and Twitter (use #BloggerBlockParty in your tweet)(Not mandatory but we'd appreciate it!

and remember

there are a total of 13 giveaways going on this week
sponsored by

ready to continue the fun?
link up your themed related post(s) on each blog 

as it goes live on their party day 

your links will appear on all twelve blogs 

that are hosting the party as their posts go public 

that means your posts will appear simultaneously 

on all of our blogs once you have linked them up 

and will be there throughout the party 

you are welcome to share as many summer posts as you like 

related to the themes

that's it 

just find a theme related to your post during the week 

link up to it...for one HUGE link party

see you at kristen's!

let the summer block party begin

i know you've been waiting
on pins and needles

well

okay

just waiting

but i have certainly been anticipating
the fun for days and days
and

it's finally here



today

you get to link up to



with your posts about summer activities for kids


and

debbiedoos blogging and blabbing
with your posts about summer paint projects


here are the party rules:

• Link Up any post past or present related to this parties theme
• Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
• Please post the Blogger Block Party button (code located on each host blog) in your post so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY)
• Visit another guest. We love it when you party with our other guests!  Please take a moment and visit some of the other posts and leave some comment love!  This is what makes a party so much fun!
• We'd love it if you'd share the Blogger Block Party on your Facebook Pages and Twitter (use #BloggerBlockParty in your tweet)(Not mandatory but we'd appreciate it!

remember

there are a total of 13 giveaways going on this week
sponsored by

ready to get your party on?
link up your themed related post(s) on each blog 

as it goes live on their party day 

your links will appear on all twelve blogs 

that are hosting the party as their posts go public 

that means your posts will appear simultaneously 

on all of our blogs once you have linked them up 

and will be there throughout the party 

you are welcome to share as many summer posts as you like 

related to the themes

that's it 

just find a theme related to your post during the week 

link up to it...for one HUGE link party

see you all at the parties!

fridays unfolded #22

are you ready
for a summer block blog party?


because
starting on monday june 20
and lasting all week


is


12 blogs
6 days
1 huge linky party!

each blog will have a summer related theme 

for each day of the week 

and you are welcome to link up as few or as many projects as you want throughout the week related to any of the themes 

because this is a “blog hop” the entire link party will show up 

on all 12 blogs the entire week 

so you are free to hop from blog to blog linking up your theme related projects  

so what are the themes?

DebbieDoo’s Blogging and Blabbing-Summer Paint Projects
At The Picket Fence (Vanessa)-Summer Activities for Kids
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Drop Cloth Projects
Savvy Southern Style-Summer Decks and Porches
DIY by Design-Outdoor Cooking and Dining
Elements Interiors-Summer DIY Projects
Green Door Girl Designs-Summer Fashions
No Minimalist Here-Summer Entertaining
SAS Interiors-Summer Spaces
Common Ground-A Vintage Summer
French Country Cottage-A Shabby Cottage Summer
Stuff and Nonsense-Summer Sales (Thrifting, Flea Markets and Yard Sales)
At The Picket Fence (Heather)-Fresh from the Garden (Garden Recipes and Projects)

told ya there was something for everyone  

we hope you'll visit each of the blogs 

to share what you have been up to this summer

or last summer

or

the summer before 

and link up your theme related posts 

you will see some blogs share a party date 

which makes it even more fun  

just hop over to the other themes and if you have a post (past or present) 

related to their theme
you can link it up

and

what would a party be without PRESENTS!?!  

yup

there will be 13 GIVEAWAYS..one for each theme 

so you will need to visit each blog to see what their giveaway is 

that’s a whole lot of giveaway love 

all giveaways will be drawn from those who link up projects 

the more projects you link the more chances you have to win 

one of the incredible items we will be giving away

here’s what we need you to do

  

get those summer posts ready to share with us

it can be a past post or a new post

just as long as it’s related to summer

(no christmas trees allowed)

and we’d love it if you’d help us spread the word 

about our Blogger Block Party 

by taking the button below and placing it in your sidebar

if you really feel in the party spirit 

we’d love you to blog 

facebook or twitter about the party  

feel free to  use any of the graphics here

and get ready to join us the week of june 20-25 for our week long 

Blogger Block Party  

hope to see you all there

and now

on to

last week 

as usual

we had so many  a m a z i n g  links

here are just a few of my favorites from the party

that i hope you'll click through to read

and be inspired

gingerbread girl shared a recipe for these cholocolatey

(yes that's a word)

oreo smothered brownies

heaven's walk floofed

(yes that's a word)

her delightful front porch

west furniture revival revamped a cast-off shelf

into a chic mantle with a little industrial cottage vibe

one inspired hand presented her newly reorganized

and prettified

(yes that's a word)

schoolroom

which is an unnecessary reminder

of how icky my schoolroom is right now

and much in need a of similar makeover

sigh

and last

but not least

a blondes diy life

breathed new life into a couple of faux bamboo chairs

which

after some hard work

now look like this

if your post was featured today


help yourself to a button


and now

it's time
to show us what's unfolded for you this week
or last week

or

well...you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow stuff and nonsense
(and leave a comment so i can visit you back)

link up your recipe, sewing project, craft, poem, essay, tutorial, etc...whatever 'unfolded' for you this week

be sure to link back to your post and not just your url
(by joining fridays unfolded you are giving me permission
to use your photos for features on stuff and nonsense)

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just polite)


please post my button
on your blog so others can join

after you link up here

i would love for you to join my friends

heather and vanessa over at the picket fence
for their


and debra at common grounds for


and courtney at french country cottage for 

happy linking!