May 31, 1991

Today is our 20th Wedding Anniversary.  I remember thinking I would never meet anyone and I would never get married.  That seems like a couple of years ago.  But, now *WHAM* I've been married 20 years.  We were "together" a year before that, friends a year before that and we knew each other a couple of years before that!  So, we've known of each other for over 24 years.  Which I can't believe, since I still think I am in my twenty's.  :)

I was going to post a photo from our wedding, but it is deep in the cedar chest which is burried under all our winter clothes that haven't been put up yet.  And, frankly, I'm just don't have the energy to dig it out.  That's what twenty years of marriage will do to you.  Oh well.

If you want the whole story on how all these rainbows and unicorns came to be (and I know you are just on the edge of your seat waiting to read it.....), check out this classic post.

Weekend Finds - Holiday Edition

First, I want to thank everyone one that so graciously sent money to help buy supplies to send to Joplin.  I've already received over $100.00 from you lovely people.  I will go shopping a bit later in the week and get things donated then.  They are going to need donations for months.  If you don't know what I am talking about, please read this post. 

Holiday weekends usually mean a lack of yard sales.  But, Craigslist was thick with ads for this weekend.  I went to a few on Friday, but skipped any sales on Saturday to attend a birthday party for these adorable girls.

 Can you blame me?  Kennedy and Maci turned one yesterday.  I babysat their Mama when she was only two weeks old!  I was only 13 at the time.  As her Mom told this story yesterday, she said, "What was I thinking leaving my newborn with a 13 year old???!"  But, I took good care of her and her older brother, so things went just fine. 

I did got to a few sales on Friday and to one thrift store after the girls birthday party.  I found myself in the neighborhood of one of the areas biggest thrifts in the area after the party, but I never go there.  It is about 30 miles from my house, so I just never go there.  But, it is huge and it was open, so I stopped.  I was disappointed at the selection and at the high prices when I got inside.  I ended up spending a total of $3.05 which included a 1st edition of Eclipse and a book of Gnome Fairy Tales.

I spied this little angel siting on a shelf behinds some tacky collectible bells.  She was just the thing I needed to call the visit worthwhile.  Sweet, vintage and only $1.00.  I was pretty content with her but then I spotted a plastic tub that said CANDLES on it, so I pulled it out.

I dug out one witch, then a pumpkin man, another witch and finally the second witch.  They are all Gurley Candles and oh so wonderful!  I am always excited to find vintage Halloween as it is the hardest thing to find.  The icing on the cake was the price.......4/30¢.  So, I decided that it was certainly worth stopping there if I was in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't make a special trip there.  This was Helping Hands for those of you that know the area.

Friday I got this valet at a yard sale where I filled up a huge tote bag full of things for only $2.00.  It is all just Flea market fodder, nothing to write about.  But, this valet is kind of neat.  He has a place for a man's wallet, jewelry, keys and change.  There is a switch on the back that lights up the candle in the dogs hand.  The light bulb is broken and I don't know where on earth I can ever find a replacement.  But, working or not, he is still unique!

Friday, I bought a photo at a house where I have been to sales in the past.  In fact, about seven years ago, at this particular house, I bought the contents of a man's pockets that he carried in the war as well as his Military discharge papers and his Purple Heart.  When I asked about the items and why on earth they were selling them, the lady told me that they belonged to her Uncle, but he died and didn't have any family, so there "weren't no good to anybody."  I'll always remember those words because, by god, SHE was his family and SHE should have protected and honored that Purple Heart!  The little baggie of things were priced $25.00 and that was my yard sale money for a month, but I handed it over to her and rescued the items.  They are now on display in a Military Museum where people do HONOR those items. 

Okay, so I am off my soapbox now.  Actually, no I am not!  I did quite a bit of research on that man and I found out his name was William (went by Bill) and his wife was Margie.  I found a lot more about him, but I won't go into that right now.  Just remember, his name was Bill and she is Margie.

So, when I arrive at this house, I see clothes and bedding and regular stuff.  But, then I see this wonderful vintage framed print on a table.  It is $5.00 and it speaks to me to buy it.  I just love it for no apparent reason.  When I pay for it, I ask the lady having the sale if she knows the history of it.  Yes, that's my Uncle Bill and my Aunt Margie.  And, that is why is spoke to me.  I was meant to have it!  It is hanging in the living room right now.  Bill and Margie are part of my family now.

Tornado Talk & An Idea!

Hey - Long time, no chat.  I've been in a bit of a funk lately.  I haven't found any junk, we haven't been on any journey's, so I haven't had anything fun to talk about.  Then the tornadoes came and wiped out Joplin then more tornadoes the next day that took out towns to the South of us.  It's really been scary stuff.  And, the news is just so damn sad every night with stories of heartbreak and missing people.  Tonight, a Mom was still looking for her 12 year old son.  She knows he is gone, but she can't bear the thought of him outside on the ground being cold.  And they found a ten year old boy with a collapsed lung wandering in a field today.  No one knows where he has been or what he went through.  He came home to discover his Mother had died.  It just kills me to hear these stories.  Therefore, the funk.

But, I have an idea!

If you are elsewhere in the USA and would like to help the people of Joplin, you can send $ to the Red Cross.  If you want to help and you trust me (which I hope you do and will) you can send a small amount to me and I will use it to buy hygiene items and food to donate locally.  There are truckloads of items going out practically each and every hour.  I promise to buy only items that are on the current wishlist.  Right now those items are flipflops, extension cords and manual can openers.  I never would have thought of any of those items, so it is nice that the workers are releasing updated lists.  There is also a need for food, of course.  If you are interested in helping, email me at monkeybox at juno dot com.  You don't have to donate - it's just if you are wishing that you could do something, but didn't know how to make the most of your money.  If ten of us kick in $10, that's $100 that I could use to buy the items that are needed.  A little bit from a lot of us would really help.  Thanks! 

***Oh my GOSH - Thank you for all the response.  I am so happy that everyone TRUSTS me!  If you want to send it to PayPal, please mark it as PERSONAL so I won't lose a penny in fees.  I'd like to go shopping and have it donated by next Wednesday.  If any more money comes in after that, I will just do it again!  (I even scored a huge bag of trial sized items at a yard sale today from a friend of mine to add to our donations - for FREE!) 

Joplin

I am in utter despair over the tornadoes in Joplin, only a mere 80 miles from me.  The distraction is terrible.  I watch the local news and they are there.  I watch the National News and they are there.  My local newbie reporter and Diane Sawyer, side by side, reporting on the same thing.  My local weather guy and Sam Champion are both there.  I cannot imagine losing everything you own, your family, your car, your workplace, everything you know.  It's just instantly all gone.  We were just in Joplin less than a month ago.  They showed a gas station where we stopped and it was all but destroyed.  Weather is such a terrifying thing.  So uncertain.  It scares me.  It rained 8" at my house today.  The streets were closed down and traffic came to a stand still.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a really rough weather day.  I am not looking forward to it.  Stay safe.  And pray for Joplin, please.

It's No Picnic (Basket)

Wednesday is booth straightening day.  I knew there would be work to do because I had received several calls from the Flea market from potential buyers wanting me to make a better price on items for them.  Like I have said before, I never talk to these people because I think my prices are okay (the highest priced item in my booth right now is $24.99) and I really don't want to sell it for less.  Every time a person has done this and not gotten a "better price", they end up buying it for my price in the end.  So, why should I deal with them?  I hope that doesn't sound rude.  I just don't see how people think they can dicker on prices like that.  I am paying rent and commission.  I have to make something!  Anyway, when I went in to straighten up today, the item that they had called about night - a cast iron slot machine bank - had sold despite not being able to "reach me". 

Sometimes I look in the other booths after I straighten up, just to see if I see anything interesting and to see if my prices are in line with everyone else or visa versa.  I have two booths that I like the best - the both have the same sort of things that I love in them.  One of them is completely different every time I go in - the lady that has it completely takes everything out and rearranges it all each time.  It is amazing how different if can look.  It is a pretty small area so she can do it easier than I could.

In my other favorite booth, I spotted this copper enamel teak box with toadstools on it.  I thought it was pretty neat and then I spotted SASCHA B on it and I knew it was uber cool.  Sascha Brastoff!  Score!  I have sold Sascha things in the past for pretty good money, so I took a chance on it and bought it for $12.00.  Wish me luck!  (I am saving up items to sell for an upcoming road trip).

After the Flea Market I always manage to hit the GIANT thrift across the street.  Today the parking lot was packed and the shelves were empty of anything interesting or good. I wasn't finding much of anything at all until I rounded a corner and saw a familiar sight.  

I knew that pattern instantly - Hawkeye! 

But, it wasn't a picnic basket. 

It was this ultra cool hamper.  (I know it looks like it is stained at the bottom, but that is a shadow hitting it.)

I had to talk myself into buying it (I know you are chuckling at that one, but I really did!). I don't need a hamper.  But, it was only $4.95 so I thunk and I thunk and I thunk and I decided that I could use it to hold my bags of Polyfil in my craft area (aka the corner of the garage where all my craft crap is currently stacked haphazardly).  I thunked it out! 

Lots and lots of rain in the forecast for the next seven days, so I'm not sure if there will be any sales this weekend.  But, if there is....you'll know where to find me!  ;)

Accidental Collection: Watermelon Potholders

I know I have blogged about these before, but with the recent mention in Martha Stewart Living I decided to have a little photo shoot with my collection.  I really don't even know how I started collecting these.  Actually, I don't even think of it as a collection, but rather more of a rescuing.  I see one at the trhift or at a yard sale and I must rescue it.  Some little Granny or Auntie crocheted that potholder and now there it sits with a 25¢ price tag on it.  So, for a quarter, I bring it home.  I started tossing them in this old freezer basket and before I knew it, it was nearly full.  My last count was over 50 and I bought two more yesterday.  I have recieved these in the mail from some of my blog buddies - both old and new (the potholders...not the buddies!)  I have red, pink and every shade in between.  I had some yellow ones, but they just didn't feel right, so they are in the booth.  I have large, medium and small; whole slabs, quarters, slices and wedges.   

I even have these little teeny ones which I have never had the courage to wear.

I've never gone thrifting with the idea in mind that I would find a potholder - I never even purposely look for them.  They just find me.

Do you have any items that you always pick up?  Do you think of it as a collection or do you rescue things too?  What is it that you rescue?

Swap Meet Junking

This weekend is Swap Meet Weekend. It is only held twice a year out at the Fairgrounds. It is small, but grows each time.  There are hopes that it will grow and become a huge event known across the country.  They have quite a way to go before that happens. 

Yesterday it was open, but was really more of a set up day.  I did manage to poke around in some boxes and score a few goodies.  Most people are selling junk from their houses and are letting it go cheap.   There is one couple there that are selling antiques and they have high prices, but some deals mixed in too.  The husband is more willing to deal than the Missus.  She is really set in her prices!

Here is what I bought yesterday.  Sorry for the shadows.  Two neat old wire baskets for 50¢ total, a cast iron corbel with a star for $1.00, a folding ruler for $1.00, a HUGE toolbox for $2.00 and a vintage cutlery drawer for $4.00.  The drawer was a bit overpriced from one dealer, but the toolbox was cheap from another, so it all worked out in the end.  Oh, I almost forgot the chalkware fish for 25¢.  Poor little guy.

Today it was pretty cold - only 54 degrees in the middle of May.  It was dry when we got there, but it started sprinkling more and more while we shopped.  We took a PB&J break in the car and it started raining pretty good.  Most of the vendors started covering up their stuff and leaving, so we left too.  But, I did manage to score some good stuff before that.  With not too many customers, the dealers are wanting to get rid of stuff so that equals cheap prices. Yippee!

Two more folding rulers - both from the same booth as yesterday - $1.00 each.  I know personally own a dozen folding rulers.  I think that is enough.....isn't it?  (Although, I will never leave one behind for $1.00!)  Everything else was from a dealer that announced, "Everything is a quarter."  Be still  my heart.  She didn't have it all out yet, but I found a lot of neat old office supplies including a mini printing set, old box of crayons, Dennison gummed labels, a thick notepad with some guy's name on it - fun for ebay notes, a cookbook for Tea - scones, cucumber sandwiches and the like.  I also found a big stack of vintage Christmas Seals including an unused page from the year I was born that is destined to be framed. 

Same stuff - different angle.  I love old boxes and graphics.  Surprising, no?  ;o)

The paper mache bunny and Drowsy Bean doll were from the 25¢ booth.  The other items were from a booth where everything was a dime.  Why, oh why would you schlep all your junk all the way to the Fairgrounds, sit in the hot/cold/rain for three days and then sell it all for only a dime? 

As we were about to leave, we spotted a table full of junk mixed in with one of the tables of car parts (the Swap meet is half junk, half car parts), so we went to look.  As The Bean sorted through some old pottery marbles, I took a look at a Rickshaw on the other side of the table.  Yes, a real Rickshaw.  It was awesome.   When I walked away from the rickshaw, I spotted a big box full of old Anodized Aluminum Tumblers and pitchers.  Old metal tumblers are high on the list of "finding things my Great Grandma used.".  When the guy running the booth finally came back over, he gave The Bean the marbles and starting making small talk with me.  I commented that the metal cups were neat and finally, I bit my lip and asked how much they were.  I have seen one tumbler for $5-8 at the flea market.  I've seen pitchers for $20 and up.  I could see three pitchers in the box and a lot of tumblers.  So, I knew it would be pricey.

He paused a minute, then he said, "$5.00."  And, I said, " For............?"  Because you never know if that means for each piece or for each set of for exactly what.  He said, "For it all."  "HERE IS YOUR FIVE DOLLARS MISTER!"  He said, "I will probably get home and my wife will tell me they were worth a lot more that than."  Yep, probably Mister, but ADIOS, I am out of here. 

In the end, I had eleven Basal tumblers in a variety of colors.

A gold-ish pitcher and more tumblers.

A green-ish pitcher and even more tumblers.

A red pitcher with what I think is a Bakelite handle and the cups from the first photo.  Three pitchers and twenty one tumblers in all.  The Deal of the Day!

We might go back tomorrow - it is supposed to be dry but cool - a perfect day for junking!  Plus, there is the Kiwanis's sale at the Boys and Girls Club.  Junk, junk, junk!

Check out more Thrifty Finds @ Southern Hospitality and Apron Thrift Girl Thriftshare.

The Most Hideous Thing

Today I bought the most hideous thing I have ever bought.

He is an original NyForm Troll from Norway. 

He has a unruly head of real wool hair.

He has big ugly feet.

A bulbous nose and a bulbous belly.

When I paid for him, the lady said, "Well, it's true.  Some people will buy anything!"

He is truly hideous.

I love him.

Weekend Finds - Tablecloth & Pottery......Yes, Please!

It was a nice weekend here - lots of sun and it got into the high 80's. I hit quite a few sales on Friday, traveled in the opposite direction than I like to travel on Saturday in search of an Estate Sale that turned out to be a big DUD and to one sale late in the day on Saturday while the people were starting to shut down. Back when the Bean was in school and I had to have him there at 7:30, I was one of the first people to arrive at a yard sale when it opened. Now, I am not so much of a morning person and especially not on Saturday mornings.  I have found that the best things are available early in the day, but the best prices are at the end of the day.  So, I used to find killer things early, now I still find good deals late in the day.

I bought quite a bit this weekend, but I am only going to show what I bought to keep.  Or keep for now anyway.  At the sale I went to as they were closing, I found a big basket full of vintage stuffed animals old sawdust filled carnival animals, 1960's Muppets, Super Banana, Super Hot Dog, Super Pickle (Come on..you remember Super Pickle, don't you?) and a few other vintage stuffed characters.  I have already priced them and put them in the booth, so no photos.  The guy quoted me 50¢ each, but he only charged me $5.00 for 14 stuffed animals and 27 Boy Scout Books.  So, late in the day does equal good prices!

A really interesting and quite old oak splint basket - 50¢, a wee bear with snap off limbs to join my collection - $1.00, a pair of old spectacles - $2.00, four glass Hummingbirds (my Cherokee name "Walela" means Hummingbird, so I occasionally pick up Hummingbirds) - 50¢ each, a tiny Matte White USA vase - 25¢, folk art Santa for my collection - $1.00 and a vintage Happy Anniversary Vase worthy of its own photo.



This vintage vase was actually the very first thing I bought on Friday morning, and if I wouldn't have found another item all day, I still would have been a happy camper.  It is adorable with the bluebirds and graphics.  Things used to be so darned cute!  I bought this at a sale with a) lots of clothes b) lots of baby stuff and c) lots of new items from one of those pallet places where you buy a pallet of new returned items for resell.  I spotted this vase in a box under a table and I got weak in the knees when I saw it was only 50¢.  That is why I stop at every sale.  You just never know what you will find!

At the second sale I spotted this old glass case on a table.  I picked it up and the lady beside me sucked in her breath and said, "Oh, those are oooooooooooooooold.  You have found a treasure!"  I knew they were certainly not new and I thought they were neat, but I didn't think they were all that, if you know what I mean.  When I went to pay, of course, they didn't have a price on them and no one having the sale had ever seen them and no one knew who they belonged to and no one knew who to give the money to if and when they ever decided who much they were worth because "those are so old, those are antiques, those ought to be worth quite a bit, yadda yadda."  *sigh*  I showed them the date of 1944 inside the case and said that date wasn't all that terribly old (right Mumsie?) So, I waited and waited and let them talk it out and finally they all agreed that $2.00 would be a good price.  I said that was fine and then a man behind me in line said quite loudly, "When they see you on the Anteakes Roadshow with them glasses be'un worth a mill-yun dollars, they are gonna come a'lookin' for you!"  Sheesh.  I grabbed my stuff and got the heck out of there. 

An old red enamel teapot sans a lid 50¢ - already filled with red Impatiens and on the porch, a red Lustroware canister - 25¢, again sans a lid - I am piece by piece collecting a set of these canisters.  Now all I need is a lid for this one and I will be done!  A ten pound popcorn can (which was stuffed with over 100 new Ziploc bags) for 25¢, an old tape measure - 50¢, a mod ring necklace - 50¢ and a feedsack apron - 25¢.

A couple old books, an Alphabet BINGO game, manuscript flashcard set, fun letter cards, an aqua tin and a sawdust filled puppy.  Most of these things cost about 25¢ or less.  How about that elephant?  He is to be sold, but I had to show him to you all.  A pin bead elephant!  I've seen fruit and I've seen Christmas ornaments.  But, an elephant?  I've never seen anything like that!  There is a row of beads missing on his neck, but I think he used to have a ribbon there.  I will fashion him a jaunty bowtie out of vintage Sasheen ribbon and he will be good as new.

I got this tablecloth at the sale with the eyeglasses.  In my eye, this tablecloth was worth all the hubbub I went through to get the glasses.  It's pink, it's a Simtex and it's perfect.  It wasn't priced and no one had ever seen it (well, you know the rest) and I thought, "here we go again", but they decided it was $1.00 and they would figure out who it belonged to later.  Whew!  This is the first tablecloth I have found in a good long while, so I am happy that maybe the drought is over.  I hadn't found one in so long that I was beginning to wonder if I still loved vintage tablecloths.  Now I know the answer.  "YES!  I DO!"

This weekend there is a big rummage sale at the Boys & Girl's Club which is just behind my neighborhood and a Swap Meet at the Fairgrounds.  I am excited about both of these as they should provide a good eclectic mix of junk.  It's funny because this morning I decided it was time to "reclaim our house" and get rid of a lot of STUFF that is weighing us down.  I have so much that I intended to put on ebay, but with the new rules, fees and high shipping, it just isn't going to happen.  So, it needs to GO.  If it is valuable, I will sell it.  If I LOVE it, I will keep it.  Otherwise, "Hasta la vista, baby".  I will still go to sales, because there are things I am looking for and you never know when you might find that 25¢ treasure that sells for $500.00!  Besides, it is FUN!

Mother's Day Display

Over the years I have been drawn to several vintage "Mother" themed items.  I love the framed prints with violets and poems.  They are so much classier than "My Mom ROCKS" or some of the new MOM themed items.  This is the first year that I actually remembered to put them all out in a small display for Mother's Day.  They usually sit on a shelf in my office. 

 I added in a few vintage candy boxes and some vintage flower bunches to give it a punch, plus what else do you get for Mother's Day besides flowers and candy? 

I added in a few babies, because you gotta have a baby to earn being a MOM, right?  I started to collect these babies the year we got married.  We used to travel to a family reunion and I found the first one at a gift shop in that town.  The next year I bought the other one.  But, I never found another one in all my years of thrifting, saling and shopping.  I digress.  I love those old "Mother" cups and the plaque is sweet with the crown on it.

I added in a few old Mother-Daughter photos I have too.

I love this old Kewpie doll and the glass flowers.  You can't beat the graphics on the print.

I adored these babies at my Great-Grandmother's house when I was little and know I am the proud owner of them.  They are salt and pepper shakers, but I cannot imagine using them as such!

It's a small collection, but it's just the right size for my shelf. And a good way to celebrate Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom.   She's the best Mom and ever and my best friend too.

And to The Bean - thanks for making me a MOM!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you too!

(PS - Thanks for all the Mister Van Damme love.  I wrote that post on a whim so I was happy that everyone enjoyed it.  More MVD stories to come!)

Martha, Martha, Martha....

Who would have thought that perhaps my dorkiest collection would make it to the pages of  Martha Stewart Magazine?

This isn't my collection, but I am amazed that someone else collects them! 

Actually, I don't collect them.  I rescue them.  If I see one, I have to buy it and rescue it. 

My collection of about 50 lives in a big freezer basket in my kitchen. 

Martha, Martha, Martha...... 

Mr. Van Damme

About fifteen years ago, my Grandmother bought an RV.  It was her dream to go "tooling" about the country.  For safety, her plan was to travel with one of her three grandsons.  But, they weren't always available when she wanted to travel.  One day she was reading her "older people" catalogs  filled with items such as tools for putting on socks, microwave bacon cookers and magnetic jewelry she found just what she needed - a fake male traveling companion. And then, she ordered him. 

 Meet Mr. Van Damme.

That's what she named him - after Jean Claude Van Dam

Mr. Van Damme traveled with her in the RV a number of times.  When she sold the RV and moved to Arkansas, he moved with her and into the house.  He sat at the corner of the dining table by the window. The family all got so used to him that it was like a potted plant sitting there.  But,  every single time that I was there and a repair man, a caregiver, the Meals on Wheels people, the UPS guy or a neighbor would come into the house, they would grab their heart and say, "Oh that man scared me!".  He-he  It was kind of funny.

When it came time to clean out the house, we had to find a new home for Mr. Van Damme.  What would we do?  Stick a price on his forehead?  That seemed sort of odd. Shoving him in a trash bag and donating him would surely end up in an arrest of some sort, I am sure.  One day, my dad asked about Mr. Van Damme and asked if he could have him.  My Dad likes quirky things and has a mannequin and other "friends" in the house.

So, I drove out to the house one day and brought Mr. Van Damme outside for the first time in about ten years.  He enjoyed sitting on the porch. 

 His wardrobe was a bit out of fashion after all these years.  Not sure what to think of his pants. 

Loaded up in the car for a ride to his new house. 

The Bean feeling safe and secure with his traveling companion in the backseat.

The sun is bright when you have been housebound for ten years!

We went home for the night before I delivered Mr. Van Damme to his new home the next day.  But, not before he scared me about fifty times in the rear view mirror while I was driving and again while parked in the driveway overnight.  He gave me the heebie-geebies!

Mr. Van Damme in his new house with my Dad.  He has now moved him into his Bar.  Now Mr. Van Damme is a bartender!  He worked his way up from Security to Bartender!

We are so proud!

:)

Royal Wedding Party & Eye Candy too

So, did everyone watch the Royal Wedding?  I had the DVR set and thought I would fast forward through it and just watch the high points, but I truly got suckered in to it, hook, line and sinker!  I was surprised to realize that the Charles and Diana wedding was 30 years ago!  It doesn't seem that long ago.  I could have sworn I remembered watching it in my apartment, but since I was only 14 years old, I guess I wasn't!  :D

My Mom was going to come over on Friday and we didn't have much planned, so I asked if she wanted to watch the Wedding while she was here.  "Yes!"  she said.  So, I had only a short time to prepare a bit of a Royal Wedding party.  I dug in my treasures to see what I could find.

I had already found the printables online earlier in the week, so I printed off a banner, a flag and some cupcake picks.  I had found the crowns a few weeks ago at the thrift and already had a couple vintage tiaras (I am ashamed to admit).  I have had the tin from the Queen's coronation for quite a while, so I added that in too.

I received the Double Decker bus in a swap from the UK last year.  I threw in a couple vintage tea tins and that was about it.

I had this doll in my booth, but had just pulled it the day before, so that was lucky timing.

My cake looks a little lopsided in this photo, but I think it was just my angle.  I made a yellow cake and buttercream icing ( love that Kitchen-aid made Buttercream icing - Perfection!).

For a fun surprise, I made a three layer cake - red, white and blue. 

I loved the wedding.  Loved it when William leaned over and said, "You look beautiful".  Loved the hats - even the crazy ones.  Loved the sour faced people and the happy ones.  Loved the HUGE crowds and the fact that Kate said, "Wow!  That's a lot of people!"  Someone asked me what the big deal was about a wedding - Well, I think it was a big deal in the pure planning and the fact that it went off to the second and without a hitch (except perhaps the Queen's little nap in the middle).  I think the very idea that a "commoner" can marry a real Prince is just fantastic.  I loathe the whole Disney Princess thing, but I love the idea of an actual Prince.  I think the idea of the horse and carriage and castle and all of it is just really wonderful.  I think America could use something like that - a reason to gather in the streets and unify in one big happy group.  I don't mean that as a political statement - I just think that entire country being one for that day was utterly fantastic.  I loved it all.  (Except that Spice Girl's sour non-smiley face.  For Pete's sake, she has David Beckham on her arm - what more could a girl ask for to SMILE ABOUT?????)

Sweet fancy Moses!

(There's the Eye Candy in the title)