Recycled Glass Jewelry For The Eco-Friendly Heart - Living An Upcycled Life In A Downcycled Economy

Pheasants, Bad Aim And Electrical Wires

2011-12-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

Once a year my husband and I go "shoot at" pheasants in Western South Dakota. I say "shoot at" because in the three years I have gone I have never been able to hit/shoot a pheasant. I either forget to take the safety off or they flush right in front of me and I go into cardiac arrest...

...or I'm really just not paying attention... shocking, I know...

...but this year was different...

...As I was waiting patiently (yes, I was actually being somewhat patient) in an area that my husband refers to as the gauntlet...

...I could hear the birds in the field next to me as I crouched down in the grass. I was ready...even with the whole don't forget to take off the safety thing...

... I could hear a rooster right next to me and I thought maybe I should just tackle it as I may have better luck reeling it in...

...oh wait, that's fishing...never mind...

...so when he stuck his head out and saw me I'm sure he prayed bird prayers...if birds do that sort of thing. Well, he appeared to be living better than I, as once again I missed....come to think of it, all pheasants must live better than I do...

...but low and behold a noise from the heavens came forth...actually it was the noise of another rooster hitting the telephone wire just down the road from where I was standing. As I walked towards the twitching bird I said a prayer that he would be dead by the time I got there as I'm not really knowledgeable about the procedure for "not quite dead birds"...my prayer was answered as he was dead...whew, off the hook or so I thought...

...Until Russell came up and asked if I wrung his neck, "no need ", I said "it's dead". To which he replied, "you'd better make sure", and I replied, "I really wasn't into the neck wringing sort of thing", to which he replied, "that's part of hunting". So I proceeded with the before mentioned procedure and now the bird was officially dead...

...so technically I bagged my very first pheasant...as far as I'm concerned that counts!

The Organic Telephone Wire Pheasant Hunting Girl,

Darcie

P.S. Still not really into the whole neck ringing thing. Happy Hunting!

Frost, Pumpkins and Turkeys

2011-10-20T10:19:00.000-06:00

My garden is finally dead...

...Hallelujah!...

...I couldn't take it anymore...

...I've made relish, grape juice, salsa, tomato juice, dilly beans, pickles, jam, jam and more jam. I've frozen zucchini, beans, and tomatoes....

...I've picked pumpkins, peas, beans and corn. I've harvested celery, dried herbs and canned applesauce. I've dug potatoes, garlic and onions and have given away all of the above mentioned until my friend Kristen said, "stop trying to give me more zucchini"!! ...

...touchy...

... so I gave some to her husband when he came over...

... Happy Fall!!

Your Organic "Frost Is A Beautiful Thing" Girl,

Darcie

P. S. Don't forget our upcycled glass Pumpkin and Turkey Pins for fall!

Pie for Breakfast.

2011-10-04T12:25:00.000-06:00

We eat pie for breakfast in our house...and we aren't ashamed...

It took my husband about 5 years to figure out that if he didn't start eating pie for breakfast....well, he didn't get any pie...

...I learned this from my Mom (she's very smart)...

Now, we don't have it EVERYDAY.... just when we have pie laying around....

...and then it's every man/woman/child for themselves....

...I've been known to get up early just to eat the last piece of pie (refer to the every man/woman/child quote above) and I'm not ashamed...in the least!

Darcie

Hope you have a Tumbled Trinkets pie-for-breakfast-kind-of-day!

What A Party!!

2011-09-20T20:12:00.000-06:00

We just participated in The Prairie Sisters Party in Missoula, MT and had a blast! I would have to say it is my favorite show of all time!! Here's some pics during set up...

...before...

...after...

...more after...

...little more...

...and last...but not least...

...the food was down home and delicious...

...the decorations were darling...

... and I actually won the door prize in the blue basket...that NEVER happens so...

...I'm going to Vegas... well, not really...

The Organic "Prairie Sisters Rock" Girl,

Darcie

For more pics of the the "Party" go to www.prairiesisters.com where the creativity abounds!! Laura and Molly did a top notch job and we can't wait for the next show!!

Summer Mystery....The Green Bean Thief?

2011-09-05T18:04:00.000-06:00

When I head out to the garden to pick veggies I am often accompanied by 1 dog (Jessie) and 2 cats (Dobby and Mudd). Dobby loves to prowl through the pumpkins vines and chase grasshoppers, Mudd likes to roll around in the dirt and then go take a nap on my bed, and Jessie likes to eat peas. She grasps them delicately from your hand and crunches them with sheer abandon...dog bliss if I ever saw it! But, at the current time there are no peas in my garden... only beans...

...lots of beans...

...and FINALLY corn and tomatoes... next week I probably won't be saying FINALLY I'll probably be praying for frost...

... and here are two of my helpers...Jessie and Dobby...Mudd is missing...hmm...

...I noticed my beans were being pilfered, robbed I say...but by whom...

...Dobby doesn't like veggies and in this picture he looks quite innocent... THIS is usually not the case...but for ONCE we can rule him out...

...Mudd was already napping....making a perfectly round circle of dirt on the bed...

...which left only Jessie...

...caught red handed crunching away with wild abandon!

The Organic Owner Of The Pea and Bean Stealing Dog,

Darcie

Huckleberries and Sin

2011-08-17T19:37:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite things about living in Idaho is huckleberry picking. Now, for those of you who have never experienced huckleberry picking the most important thing to remember is this....never (and I mean NEVER) disclose the exact location of your "honey hole"...ever...

...Be vague, keep a straight face and lie through your teeth. It's kind of like a Christmas lie so you are absolved from all sin...sort of...I think...

...But, if you are discovered...keep your head low, no eye contact and above all else.... hide your hands. Huckleberries stain your hands so if someone does come along and ask, "Hey, what are you doing?" You're pretty much busted. This is where the part about being vague comes in... act as if your "honey hole" is miles from your current location and quickly turn the tables by asking them what they're doing?!...

...they'll probably be vague...

The Organic Huckleberry "Little White Lie" Lady,

Darcie

P.S. All's fair in love and huckleberries...may your "honey hole" be plentiful!

Summer And The Slacking Blogger

2011-08-08T20:31:00.000-06:00

It's summer and sitting inside blogging is not as high on my list as it probably should be....but with a garden, river trips, pies, berries to pick, swimming, canning, Farmer's Markets, Tumbled Trinkets Adventures and my girlfriend Cyndi dragging me along through her midlife crisis who really has the time!!! So, with that said ...a few summer pics...

...boys camping...

...the camping wake-up crew...

... garden birds...

...summer shoes...

...river girls...

..river boys...

...redneck fishing...

...river naps...

...learning to paddle...hard...

...glowing rivers...Enjoy!

The Organic Slacking Blogger,

Darcie

P. S. I just had an order for a loon Christmas ornament (seriously)...shop early and beat the rush!

College and Grizzlies

2011-07-14T17:05:00.000-06:00

I've never been comfortable with the thought of living in Grizzly bear country. As a matter of fact, I've told Russell that I will not camp in grizzly bear country so he better not take a job anywhere near grizzly bear habitat because I ain't going...period. But, the other day Cheyenne and I attended the University of Montana freshmen orientation and there were Grizzlies everywhere ...on the campus, in the bookstore, in the dorms and I realized I needed to make an exception because I now have a "Griz" living in my house...

...she's less hairy, won't eat us in our sleep and wears really cute recycled glass earrings...

...so once again I've had to eat my words...which, in all reality, is better than being eaten!

The organic "GRIZ" mom,

Darcie

P.S. We spent the night in the dorms and I can assure you that dorm room beds are just as uncomfortable now as they were back then.

P.S.S. Send your college girls off with a great pair of upcycled glass earrings in their school colors...drop me a line at darcie@tumbledtrinkets.com and I'll custom make a pair.

Born In A Barn!

2011-06-30T08:05:00.000-06:00

I often ask the inhabitants of my humble home, "Were you born in a barn?"...then I answer the question myself and tell them that I was present at their births and I distinctly recall that it WAS NOT A BARN!! My mother-in-law says she did not have her son in a barn either so how come my house often resembles one? This appears to be one of life's great mysteries which, brings me to my story. The other day I bought Ethan some window crayons just for fun...

...this was the result...

... seriously...

...I get no respect...

...but he did send some Tumbled Trinkets love...

The Organic "Born In A Barn Girl",

Darcie

P.S. You may have noticed that my car windows are really dirty...and I have noticed that I really don't care!

The Spatacular Weekend

2011-06-26T08:10:00.000-06:00

My girlfriend and I decided we needed a trip to Meadow Creek Spa in Stanley, ID. Yes, I know, needed is a rather subjective term but we really didn't care...we ran screaming into the night (actually it was 10:00 am but who's checking)...

...We optimistically wore sandals and capri's but it was so chilly that we had to put on winter coats......so we poked around town with our freezing feet...

...this was us before...

...this is me after... in dorky blissfulness...

...this is the view from the spa...

...it was a grand weekend...

...and River 1 bought Tumbled Trinkets to put in their store...I love business trips!

The Back To Reality Organic Girl,

Darcie

The Farmer's Market

2011-06-12T17:23:00.000-06:00

Salmon, ID has a charming little Farmer's Market and like a lunatic I decided to do it the weekend after the Farm Chicks Show...I hear rest is WAY over rated but just to test that theory I'm headed to the Spa with my girlfriend next weekend!!

...most guys don't stay very long in our booth unless they have some serious fence mending to do and I don't mean actually mending a real fence...

...in the corner of this picture Cheyenne has her "Help Me Go To College Jar," with her delicious chocolate covered rhubarb...

...it has to be white chocolate and you have to eat the whole piece at once. It sounds weird but we are weird and I dare you to try it ...just tell everyone Tumbled Trinkets dared you to take a walk on the culinary wild side ...

...speaking of culinary delights, Miss Emily was delivering delicious food to Market Goer's throughout the day...

... glass wind-chimes and upcycled window wild flowers from our booth...

...paper gift bags made from an old atlas...

...rag ribbon made from sheets...

...a friendly reminder to repurpose...

...and RELAX...we're off to the Spa!!

The Organic "I Can't Wait To Go To The Spa" Girl,

Darcie

P.S. Not all items shown are on my website so drop me a line if something tickles your fancy.

P.S.S. This pic was taken last Fall but we feel we need to go to the Spa to get a new one!

Farm Chick Bliss

2011-06-10T09:21:00.002-06:00

I've had approximately 5 days of rest and recovery after a wonderful Farm Chicks Show in Spokane last weekend so I figured it was high time to share some pictures and highlights...

Tumbled Trinkets set up... in this picture I have a "Peace Within" shirt from Rebecca at http://peacewithincda.com/index.html and she is one of the shows true gems!!

Customer LOvE...this lovely lady came to the show wearing a pair of my earrings!!!

More Customer LOvE...how cute is she in this apron!!

...OK, now I'm just showing off my little blue vintage dress...

Machette Bette and Mom...

...LOvE the booth...

...and the stuff in it....

...eating/indulging at Chaps...

...Now, here's all of my happy purchases...these sweet little spoons came from, "Unexpected Necessities"

...you can never go wrong with "Cowgirl Chocolate"...

...my boys wanted a globe from "Full Of Pride"...

...without a doubt the cutest clothesline I have ever seen from "Cheryl's Barn"

...Close up of the cutest clothesline I've ever seen...

...My happiest purchase of the show...from Tina at "Tailfeathers"

...had to have it...

...can't brag enough about it!!!

...On the road back home, see you next year Farm Chicks...we simply love you all!!

The Organic Recovering from Farm Chick Bliss Girl,

Darcie

The Farm Chicks Show

2011-06-06T07:30:00.001-06:00

It's 5:42 the Monday morning after The Farm Chicks Show and our hotel room looks like a yard sale...

We had a blast... we ate too much and we saw so many exciting, creative, fantastic, stunning and simply WONDERFUL things...eye candy like you wouldn't believe....here's a small sampling of pics from Tumbled Trinkets and Machette Bette...

Our heads will be swimming with ideas for weeks!! We LOvE this show...but we have to turn into pumpkins and go back home...more details and pics to come!!

The Organic Farm Chick,

Darcie

My Girl Graduates

2011-05-26T19:19:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow my girl graduates...

...this was just yesterday...

...and this is today...

...what a wonderful journey for a Mother's heart...please pass the tissues.

The Organic Mom,

Darcie

Lupines, Chipmunks, Great Teachers And FFA

2011-05-17T10:15:00.003-06:00

My daughter is a member of FFA and last night was their annual banquet. Now, Cheyenne is graduating in several weeks and I am also doing The Farm Chicks Show the weekend after graduation so my plate is a little full (actually it's overloaded) and it just so happens that yesterday I started to chipmunk...

...yes, I know this is a picture of a squirrel but it's the only picture I have of a furry little rodent...so let's pretend it's a chipmunk..

..now the term "chipmunking" originated with my friend Cyndi (this is her helping me work through a little chipmunking) which basically means you're starting to freak out ...you know, like a chipmunk!!

Now that I have defined the terminology... back to FFA! I offered to make the arrangements for all the tables at the FFA banquet, to help set up and make a dessert so my Monday turned into a "Chipmunk Monday" at about 5:30 am. As I was running around in a chipmunk flurry (doing quite well on about chipmunk medium) I realized that I had better kick it up a notch...so I started on the arrangements...

... and those of you who know me won't be surprised when I say that I wanted it to be done with recycled materials...

...so I grabbed tin cans, some old curtains and wildflowers ...and hunkered down. I got the lupines (wildflowers) the day before and THAT was an adventure all in itself but I don't have time to explain about returning a dog, a crazy man and a friend who scared the crap out of us by having a mild heart something or other...

...my girlfriend thinks I should write all my adventures down but I think blocking them out is best...

...but them something miraculous happened...

...when I play with flowers I relax and my chipmunk level went down a notch...ahhh...

...but, then it jumped back up to high as I realized I hadn't started the dessert and needed to get it in the oven...

...into the oven it went back and back down to chipmunk medium...until I realized I was also out of chocolate pudding and needed to go to the store, and get my allergy shot...

Not to mention Ethan had baseball at the same time as the banquet, ect, ect... but through it all I managed to save my boys a piece of the dessert (which went like hotcakes) only to have the Principal (Dan) noticed that Russ was eating the good stuff and wanted to know where the rest was hidden...Dan got Ethan's piece and he seemed to have no trouble taking dessert from a little kid (Ethan had left by this time so he didn't even know the dessert existed and Dan wasn't going to tell him)!

But... I must tell you the best part...the banquet was a success due to the overwhelming support that our kids have gotten from their advisor Katie Cooper and her husband Jeff ...in a nutshell (spoken like a seasoned chipmunk) they are FANTASTIC!! I am grateful for all they have done for my child and I know she is better prepared for life just by being in their presence.

The Organic Chipmunk,

Darcie

www.tumbledtrinkets.com

P. S. I got to become an Honorary member of FFA last night...how cool is that!

A Peek At The Newest Recycled Glass Earrings From Tumbled Trinkets

2011-05-09T20:14:00.000-06:00

This is the latest style for upcyled glass earrings...

...we call them "Twisted Gypsy's "...

...they are stylishly elegant....

...and they dangle...

...they are flirty...

...did I mention they dangle...

...I love the dangle...

...already sold this pair...making more!

The Organic Recycler,

Darcie

What To Do With Leftover Peeps

2011-05-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Now that Easter is over one vital question remains...

...What do you do with leftover Peeps?

Remember my Amazing Easter Race that I had for the teenagers... well I counted on having ten teams but I had less, which left me with several boxes of leftover Peeps....

...Now, I have an incredible sweet tooth but even I can only eat ONE Peep a year, maybe TWO... so I started to plot the Peeps demise...

...I started a fire (actually Russ did) and I got the Roll-a-Roasters (love these things)...

...and we torched the little guys...

...and they were scrumptious...

...but be warned you do have to let them cool off a bit before you bite their beaks off...

...so be patient or you will burn your tounge (or fingers)...

...the wait is worth it...

...they get a great crisp crust... kind of like Creme Brulee...

...and I ate more than TWO!!

Recycling never tasted so good,

Organically yours.. but not when I'm eating roasted Peeps,

Darcie

P. S. Peeps remind me of my upcycled glass chick pins (minus the marshmallow part).

Don't Forget Mom On Her Special Day

2011-04-25T08:52:00.000-06:00

Mother's Day is just around the corner and these vintage wooden spools are a sweet way to tell Mom just how much you love her...

...each wooden spool is lovingly adorned with a botanical print and a quote that states,

" The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

...tuck one in her pocket or place one on her pillow and I'm sure she will love it...

...I also have the same quote on vintage skeleton keys...

...so however you want to tell her...we have you covered!

Order soon as supplies are limited!!!

Organically yours,

Darcie

P.S. More great earth friendly gift ideas for Mom at www.tumbledtrinkets.com

Yogo Mojo Or Bust!!

2011-04-24T20:57:00.000-06:00

This past weekend my cousin Kevin and his family followed a dream and opened a frozen yogurt shop called "Yogo Mojo" in Littleton CO. We wanted to cheer them on so we decided to drive from Salmon, ID to be there for the grand opening...it's ironic how thirteen hours (each way) doesn't seem bad when you're just talking about it but after you've been in the car for ten hours you start to wonder...how much do I really love these people??? The answer is simple...we love them tons and we had a blast...

...this is Kevin on VIP night...

...I simply love the logo...

...but I love this even more (16 different flavors!!!)...

...and when you add a little of these....

...or a few of those...

...you get this...sheer yogurt bliss!!

Best of luck and we love you all!!!

Darcie, Russ. Chey and E

The Amazing Easter Race

2011-04-20T14:52:00.000-06:00

Years ago, when I started planning egg hunts I wanted to have something for the teenage crowd. No one ever seems to have anything that's just for them so I came up with "The Amazing Easter Race". The kids have follow clues and preform a series of tasks and whoever completes all the tasks correctly wins the race. The most important thing to remember in this race is to, "read your entire clue"....I say this EVERY year...

...they never do...

...they think they do...

...but with $40 bucks on the line they tend to forget...

...and we have to remind them to, "READ YOUR CLUE"...

...I get such a kick out of watching them do this race...

...cheap entertainment...

...and they love it too...

...and the winners are (only because the team ahead of them forgot to read the entire clue)...

...then they get to have an egg hunt...

...except with grown up prizes...

...they like that too...

...which makes me smile!

Happy Easter...to all my teenage kids!!

Love ya,

Ma Bacon

The Dear Lord, The Egg Hunt And The Weather

2011-04-19T21:38:00.000-06:00

All week long I talked to "The Man Upstairs" about granting me 2 1/2 hours of good weather on Saturday for our Easter egg hunt...I prayed I was living right...

... but it started to rain as we were hiding eggs, so I prayed a little more...

...it was cloudy as we hid eggs, so I asked forgiveness for past sins...

...it sprinkled some more as we were hiding eggs, so I dug a little deeper...

...the skies were gloomy as we were hiding eggs, so I sang "Jesus loves me" ...

...He got tired of hearing from me and gave us a glorious afternoon!

Thanks to all who came and brought their kids...I can't thank you enough.

Organically yours,

Darcie

P.S. A special thanks to "The Good Lord Above" for answering yet another (or several) of my prayers.

8 Million Eggs To Hide!!

2011-04-14T16:10:00.000-06:00

Hands down, I am a sucker for Easter egg hunts! When I was a kid we used to go to my Grandparents ranch in Kadoka, SD for spring break and we always had an Easter egg hunt...

...and believe it or not they HID the eggs...they weren't just thrown all over the yard...we actually had to look for them (and there were rattlesnakes in this country - our very lives were hanging by a thread)...but snakes be darned the Easter Bunny had come...if he got past the snakes then so could we!!

As an adult I wanted my kids to have that same experience (not the snake part) ... so I took my daughter to a town egg hunt...not quite the same... too many kids, no HIDDEN eggs, a literal free for all... not my kind of egg hunt.... so I took matters into my own hands...

I started planning my own and I wore a goofy hat that my girlfriend made me...

...and over the years with the help of many other parents the egg hunts have grown into the kind that I got to experience as a kid. But... all of this takes great planning so last night a bunch of us got together to stuff eggs, get prizes ready and drink wine...

...we stuffed 12 million eggs...

...it's funny, it never really looks like that many until you start to hide them and then you can understand why people just throw them all over the lawn...

...BUT, our kids are tough and the lady in charge is nostalgic so the eggs will be hidden...

... and the hunt will be on...

Organically yours,

Darcie

a.k.a. The Easter Egg Lady

P.S. I can't wait for Saturday!!

Rumbling On Down The Road To The Farm Chicks Show!

2011-04-11T18:04:00.000-06:00

This is my latest design for upcycled glass pins... we're headed to The Farm Chicks Show the first weekend of June in Spokane, WA and if these little trucks don't scream, "Farm Chicks Traveling" I don't know what does!!! ...

...move on down the road...

...put the pedal to the metal..

...cuz, us girls have got some serious junkin' to do...

... so, grab one of these funky unique glass pins and rumble on down the road to The Farm Chicks Show...

...and come visit us at the Tumbled Trinkets booth...

...keep on truckin'!

Organically yours,

Darcie

I'm Skipping Yoga For Welding - Part II

2011-04-06T08:49:00.000-06:00

My welding class has ended and this is the result...

I started with this...

and made this...

...NO, it is not a coat rack!!!...

..add a few of these...

...put them on just so...

and you get this!

Maybe Santa will bring me a wire feed welder for Christmas!

Organically yours,

Darcie

P.S. I know my sister will want one!

P.S.S. For all my other upcycled, repurposed, eco-friendly glass jewelry and trinkets visit www.tumbledtrinkets.com

Coming Back From Vacation Is Exhausting...Naps Required

2011-04-04T11:45:00.000-06:00

We just got home from Spring Break vacation...coming back to reality is very tiring...

...but, apparently it's even more tiring if your owners went on vacation and left you behind...Nap on!!

Organically yours,

Darcie

Baby Hummingbirds

2011-04-03T09:28:00.000-06:00

I have never seen a hummingbird nest or baby hummingbirds until recently...

...the nest is no bigger than half of an easter egg...

...and the babies are no bigger than the tip/top segment of your pinkie finger (the berry in the picture is no more than 1/2 inch long)...

...and they were hungry...one of the sweetest, tiniest, things I have ever seen.

Organically yours,

Darcie

P.S. Don't forget Easter is just around the corner, add one of our sweet upcycled glass chick pins to someone's Easter Basket or pin one to your Easter bonnet for a sweet unique touch of Spring.

The Sun Is Shining In Arizona

2011-03-29T17:39:00.000-06:00

In Idaho we have been suffering from cabin fever..so we left... and went as far South as we could possible go and believe it or not we finally found the sun. But, we didn't find it at the Grand Canyon...it was snowing and we had to wear winter coats!!

..this was taken at the very end of the day...we were cold "Hermits" by this time...

... everyone was a little cheeky...

...and I thought this was funny, because in the Grand Canyon everything is "Grand" and where the heck is "here"...

...but it is truly spectacular and you simply must go...even if it's snowing...

..and you can't see the canyon.

Organically yours,

Darcie

The Results Of Our Spring "Can You Guess" Contest Are In

2011-03-23T21:29:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to announce the winner of our "Can You Guess" Spring contest!!! But, first I'm going to give you the low down on all the plants...which my cousin Kathy said (and I quote) "all looked like little green weeds"....I forgive her...after all she is an engineer...

#1...Chives

#2...Strawberries...can't wait for these!!

# 3...Daffodils

#4...Rhubarb

#5...Spinach

#6...Flax

#7....Iris

#8...Sage

#9...Tulip

And the winner is ....Miss Emily Cohen, who gets this fun little pair of pink upcycled glass earrings for Spring...

"Little green weeds."... indeed!!

Organically Yours,

Darcie

P.S. My cousin Kathy is one of my favorite people...even if she can't tell daffodils from spinach!!

www.tumbledtrikets.com

Earrings Giveaway "Can You Guess" Spring Contest

2011-03-19T13:15:00.000-06:00

Once again I ventured outside to find signs of life in my yard...

...but this time the heavens shone upon me...

...I FOUND SOME...and I swore I heard angels singing...perhaps I shouldn't use the word "swore" in the presence of angels so let's just say I was exalted...

...sounds a little more biblical...

So, I took pictures and decided to run a glass earrings contest giveaway. The object is to correctly name the plants in the order given and e-mail the answers to darcie@tumbledtrinkets.com

The contest closes on Wednesday March 23rd at 5:00 pm MST. All the correct answers will be put in a hat and one lucky person will be randomly selected to receive this charming pair of upcycled pink glass earrings...

...great for Spring!!

In the event that no one guesses them all correctly we will put those who have the most correct answers in a hat and make a random drawing from that...hint, all plants are found in my yard in Salmon, ID.

*The answers must be listed in proper order and if you have any technical difficulties....don't call me.

Let's have fun! Good Luck...

Organically yours,

Darcie

P.S. This is what it currently looks like outside...

...for the love of Pete!!!

Mud, Strawberries And Cold Birds

2011-03-16T20:04:00.000-06:00

I went out to my lovely organic garden to check for signs of life and found...mud.

Sigh....

Spring needs to come soon because I just paid full price for organic strawberries...full price!!! I justified it with the rationale that I don't drink fancy coffee which means I have saved myself thousands of dollars over my relatively young life therefore I was completely justified in my actions...

...then I went back and bought some more...

...but I did see a robin...which is good because if Spring doesn't come soon....

...I'll go broke buying strawberries!!

Organically yours,

Darcie

P.S. This is is not a recent picture of a baby robin....I couldn't get a recent one because today it was snowing and all the birds looked like this...

sigh...

Check out our Spring birds...

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Cream-Upcycled-Glass-Bird-Pin-_p_2347.html

...to warm your heart!

Now That's For The Birds

2011-03-13T19:33:00.000-06:00

Remember my previous hint about my newest design for upcycled glass pins...if not, here's a refresher...

...well, they hatched (and I adore them).... but I'm going to let the pictures do the talking...

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Cream-Upcycled-Glass-Bird-Pin-_p_2347.html

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Red-Upcycled-Glass-Bird-Pin-_p_2346.html

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Sky-Blue-Upcycled-Glass-Bluebird-Pin-_p_2344.html

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Varigated-Brown-Upcycled-Glass-Bird-Wren-Pin-_p_2348.html

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Dark-Blue-Upcycled-Glass-Bluebird-Pin-_p_2345.html

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Varigated-Brown-Upcycled-Glass-Bird-Wren-Pin-_p_2348.html

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Red-Upcycled-Glass-Bird-Pin-_p_2346.html

http://www.tumbledtrinkets.com/Light-Blue-Upcycled-Glass-Bluebird-Pin_p_2343.html

Spring has arrived at Tumbled Trinkets,

Organically Yours,

Darcie

P.S. "That's for the birds"... the meaning of this phrase is as follows; trivial, of only interest to gullible people...in lay-mens terms it means your a sucker. Call me gullible and call me a sucker because these sweet recycled glass bird pins have got me hook line and sinker!!! Happy Spring.

Debbie's Hoarding Dilemma

2011-03-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Debbie thinks she may have a hoarding problem ...

She has over 25 pairs of upcycled glass earrings and just about every glass pin I've ever made...

She showed me her stash the other day and exclaimed, "don't you think I have a problem".....

"No" I replied.... but I'm her earring pimp so I may not be the best person to ask......as a matter a fact....

... I told her she's going to love the new recycled glass pins coming out this week...she laughed got a twinkle in her eye and ripped up her application for the show "Hoarders"....stay tuned...

If you need an earring pimp...I'm your girl,

just visit www.tumbledtrinkets.com

Darcie

I'm Skipping Yoga For Welding - Part I

2011-03-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'm skipping yoga for welding. Now, yoga helps me slow down and breathe and I don't usually breathe unless it's absolutely necessary therefore, I find yoga to be very beneficial.

But, last year I took a welding class during a SEVERE bought with cabin fever and LOVED it!! It just happens to be on the same night as yoga but I can still go on Thursday...which could cause a few breathing difficulties between now and then but I've managed with short shallow breaths my entire life so I should be just fine...

Now, the first thing I learned in welding was to wear the grubbiest clothes you have...cute don't cut it - your hair gets smashed under a helmet and your clothes get spark holes so, save cute for yoga ...

Timid doesn't cut it either...even though you could possibly electrocute yourself, melt the corneas of your eyeballs, or get molten metal on your shoes...

...oh yeah, wear old crappy shoes...

Safety is key... see above mentioned scenarios...

...Listen to your teacher...because he/she has probably seen the above mentioned scenarios...

Start welding and hold your breath....because when you are done....

...you'll probably look like this!

Happy Welding,

Darcie

Spring Fever and Sunspots

2011-02-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Winter has been long and some of us are just completely over it!! I mean when it's 10 degrees outside and your fighting the cat for all the sunspots in the house it just has to end....soon....

I'm trying to notice the beauty in it but....

it just makes me cold...

we drank hot cocoa but my heart wasn't in it...

I want green, I want sprouts, I want a warm Chinook, meadowlarks and rhubarb...but the heater just kicked on...

...move over kitty!

May warm breezes be blowing your way...soon,

Darcie

P.S. This is one of my favorite Tumbled Trinkets pics because the different shades of blue in this pair of upcycled glass earrings remind me of tropical waters and the lilacs in the background remind me of Spring....

...sigh, I can almost smell the lilacs...

...there goes the heater.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

2011-02-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

I had a request for my Chocolate Mint Brownie recipe so I thought I would share...

...here's what they look like...and they're melt-in-your-mouth good! Don't bother with napkins...

just lick your fingers or if you're 8.... your nose.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Brownies:

1 c butter (not margarine!!)

3/4 c cocoa

4 eggs (I love to use local fresh eggs)

1 3/4 c sugar

1/4 t salt

1 1/4 c flour

3/4 c walnuts (optional, but I always add them)

Melt butter in saucepan (or microwave safe pan) and add cocoa. Transfer to mixing bowl and beat in eggs, sugar and salt. Blend in flour and nuts until just blended. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan (*important note - lick all the spatulas and spoons...try not to get it on your nose) and bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I like mine to be moist so I pull them out a sooner as opposed to later. Cool.

Mint Frosting:

1/2 c butter (not margarine... but I think I mentioned that)

3 c powdered sugar

1/4 c whipping cream

1 1/4 t peppermint extract

2 drops green food coloring

Beat all ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Spread on cooled brownies (once again, lick all utensils the mint icing touched)! Let sit 15 minutes before adding the chocolate icing.

Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 c butter (no...see above)

1/2 c cocoa

2 3/4 c powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

3-4 T hot water

Melt butter in saucepan (or microwave safe pan) add cocoa and blend. In mixing bowl combine powdered sugar, cocoa mixture and vanilla. Add hot water 1 T at a time until creamy. Spread over mint frosting and indulge (more licking..if necessary)! Makes 2 dozen.

I made a torte version for "A Date With Chocolate" contest several years ago and won first place in the business (Tumbled Trinkets) category.

Blissfully,

Darcie

Wounded Fingers and Hazard Pay!!

2011-02-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

This past week I have been cutting glass for a new series of recycled glass pins. So far, I've cut out baby chicks, caterpillars, dragonflies and a brand new design that I can't wait to show you.... you'll have to wait...but here's a clue....

...because I can't stand it when people say, "you'll have to wait,"

....makes me nuts!!

Now cutting glass is not without it's hazards...

...and I have the wounds to prove it!

...and I think I should get hazardous pay but since I'm my own boss and I don't pay myself.... that seems rather unlikely... I'll just go buy more band-aids!

Darcie

Valentine's Day and Lemhi Lumber - Success and a Mountain of Cookies!

2011-02-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

On February 14th I hauled all my Tumbled Trinkets and 8 million cookies to Lemhi Lumber hoping to successfully bring Valentine's shopping into guy territory...by 9:30 I thought this may be the worst idea I've ever had. We had been open for an hour and a half without even a bite (unless you count all the cookies we had already eaten). Then Sherry (one of the employees) came shopping for her daughter...she saved my ego...

She toiled with her decision because she is the mother of a teenage daughter and all of us who have teenage daughters can relate to her plight...we used to be able to pick out things our daughters loved but now when we bring things home they look at us as if we had a third eye...she picked out upcycled pink earrings and a pendant and hoped for the best...and we ate more cookies...

Then two guys from the car dealership across the street came in (one was the husband of my Yoga instructor, Kit... she actually sent him in and told him to bring friends...and he did...God Bless husbands who listen, they have happy wives... with really cute earrings!

Judging by the dorky look on my face I'm not buying whatever Dave (plaid) is saying!

...more people came in and the day turned into a complete success...

but as the day went on, I began to notice one thing...I had made WAY to many cookies. When I came up with this Valentine's/Lumber Store idea my girlfriend Cyndi told me," make sure you don't run out of cookies"....I took her literally and made 8 million cookies... as the day progressed it became apparent that we were not going to make a dent in the cookies....

...by 11:30, I became a cookie pimp..

...ironically, I made a batch of chocolate mint brownies just in case we ran out of cookies...

Beth did her part by eating so many that she spoiled her lunch...she came back complaining that she ate way too many cookies but she ate more just to help the cause (along with a brownie)...what a trooper!

...no one was leaving without cookies...now mind you, these are REALLY good cookies and the brownies can make your heart sing so everyone was willing but the numbers were just to staggering...

...I took cookies to the nursing home, my friend Debbie, my daughter's friends, teachers, Russ's work (where I saved Mardi from a bag of dry Captain Crunch with a mint brownie), my friends Rhonda, Jenn and Patti... the list goes on and I still have some left...so the moral of the story is...sometimes you can have TOO many cookies which up to this point I would have never dreamed possible...

...if your in the neighborhood please stop by for a cookie.

Darcie

Thanks to everyone who made this day a success, especially Fred and Lemhi Lumber who let us run with our crazy idea!!

P.S. Sherry's daughter came in after school and picked out different earrings...God love Sherry for trying!!

She's Only My Dog When The Mixer Turns On

2011-02-08T06:29:00.000-07:00

Remember the 8 million cookies I needed to make for the Valentine's Day sale at the Lumber Store...I 've made over 12 batches and I can't take it anymore, neither can the dog. We're both getting chubby. Here's our story...

Let's face it my dog really isn't MY dog...unless she hears the mixer turn on....

...when she hears the hum of the Kitchenaid she silently appears and I become her most true and dear companion...

...she loves me for my cookies and she will hover in the kitchen until the last batch comes out...

...she wants to make sure I know she's there...

...yep...still there....

...pay no attention to the cat...

...she's not really worthy of cookies...

Now, I could be offended by her fleeting love for me but truth be told I have loved just about every cookie I ever had a relationship with so I understand her plight...sometimes we girls just have to stick together...

and go buy bigger pants!!

Darcie

P.S. It's getting down to the wire for Valentine's Day shipping and dazzling upcycled glass earrings are ONE SIZE FITS ALL... hallelujah!!

I like these...

and if you have to spell it out these Scrabble earrings should do the trick!!

Valentine's Update - Tumbled Trinkets, Lemhi Lumber and The Mayor

2011-02-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

I said I would keep you all updated with the Valentine's/Lumber Store saga so this is Part II...The Radio Ad.

Now, last time I introduced you to Fred, the lumber store manager...

...and one thing I have learned in the short time that I have known Fred is that he DOES NOT like to talk on the radio...

...so this week he introduced me to the Mayor.

Leo Marshall is the mayor of our fine town and a broadcaster for our local radio station...

...so Fred and I decided to pay him a visit. Leo always reads Fred's radio spots for him but we all thought it might be a nice change if I read the ad...I had no idea what this entailed but I was willing to give it a shot and Fred certainly wasn't going to do it!! From the moment we walked into the studio Fred was making sure Leo wasn't pressing any buttons that might make our visit a live broadcast. So at 8:30 the next morning I went to the radio station to record the ad that I fretted over...

Yikes...in 3, 2, 1...

I was hoping the ad sounded clever as opposed to corny....but corny works AND I got to chat with Leo...

...about all sorts of things...like multitasking, balance, the town of Salmon, and this bit of broadcasting trivia: in the old days of broadcasting the record "Hotel California" was considered a safe bet if you had to use the latrine because the song was at least six minutes long...who knew (a bunch of old broadcasters that's who)!

We didn't solve any of the world's problems but today I met someone not as the "Mayor" but as a neighbor and I'd like to think we both were better for it ...and besides, I learned all kinds of new things.

Keep learning,

Darcie

P.S. If you don't live in Salmon and can't hear my clever/corny radio ad you can always grab a great pair of upcycled glass earrings off our website....

...I like these...

and these...

and this!

Birthday Breakfast - Carrot Cake, Conversation Hearts And A Cat!

2011-02-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday and my children made me breakfast, Ethan set the table...

....and no, we don't usually have conversation hearts for breakfast but Ethan thought it was necessary.

The original plan was to eat carrot cake with cream cheese icing AND a big glass of milk....

...but after careful consideration I decided we better balance it out with some scrambled eggs...

...after all, I like Ethan's teacher and sending him to school with just cake for breakfast would be rather unkind...and I like to think I'm a nice lady.

So,we all proceed to happily devour our breakfast and go about the task of getting ready for the day...we left the cake unattended.... this was a tactical error on our part...

... we have a cat....who is a TUNA!!

The cake originally looked like this...

It now looks like this...

At least we caught him early, he's a very fast licker...I guess everyone likes cake for breakfast!

Darcie

Valentine's Cookies And The Lumber Store

2011-01-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

This year I was trying to think of a great way to get guys to buy Tumbled Trinkets for Valentine's Day. It has been my careful observation through many years of study that men really like cookies and really don't like going into flower shops... that is, unless they are in deep doo-doo then a trip to the flower shop is not only necessary but a joyous occasion. Therefore, I decided that it would be a great idea to set up shop in the local lumber store on Valentine's Day...

...I would make cookies and bring Valentine's shopping to their environment!

...who can resist a homemade cookie!!

I thought it was a stroke of genius...but the guy who manages the lumber store was not so sure...

...Lucky for me, he is married to my web guru, Beth who is very charming AND who is also in charge of helping him come up with new marketing ideas....

....He thinks we're nuts but he decided to give it a try...now his employee's think he's nuts.

I'll keep you posted... but for now I have 8,000,000 more cookies to make.

Darcie (aka head squirrel at the nut factory)

P.S. You don't have to shop in a lumber store on Valentine's Day for a dazzling pair of eco-friendly recycled glass earrings ...

and a matching upcycled pendant....

just visit us at www.tumbledtrinkets.com ...sorry no cookies.

Hats Off To Coaches And Introverts Everywhere

2011-01-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend Salmon hosted as mite hockey tournament and our friend Fritz was coaching Ethan's team. Fritz and my husband have something in common...they are both introverts. Now Russ and Fritz usually deal with this by running the time clock from the comfort of a heated shack...minimal contact - just their speed....

This is last year.....

BUT somehow this year Fritz got coaching duty (Dan Bill probably had something to do with it) and was thrust into the limelight...

This is Dan Bill...notice he has a black eye in this picture....never say no to guys with black eyes (even if you can kick their hiney's at foosball)!

Right before the first game I went over to the locker room to see if Fritz needed any help. This is the conversation that followed...."We're good and I put um, um, um (at this point Fritz is trying to recall my son's name...now mind you we've known Fritz and his family for three years and during any other time I might have let him flounder a little but in light of the situation I felt I should help him out). At this point I said, "Ethan"..."Yes," says Fritz with a slight hint of exasperation. The next time I saw Fritz this is what he was doing.....

writing everyone's name on their helmet...

*notice the girl in the corner with the pink tape on her helmet...this is Fritz's daughter...maybe he forgot her name too...

All kidding aside, he did a wonderful job and we greatly appreciate all the hard work that everyone did to make the tournament a success... Russ, by the way was still in the shack...did I mention it was heated.

Hockey Love,

Darcie

P.S. If any guys are reading this make your Valentine's Day easy with www.tumbledtrinkets.com

My Valentine's Dilemma

2011-01-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

If I were to want any Valentine's gift this year it would be these sweet little spools....

the trouble is....I made them. As you can see this is a dilemma... on Valentine's Day the gift really needs to come from the giver's heart and giving myself a sweetheart gift that I actually made is.....well, weird. Other holidays you can fudge a little....for example, Santa has brought me several gifts that I hand picked for him and put in my stocking just because I knew he was extremely busy. The following is one such example...

which coincidently makes a great place to put valentines!

Santa is very clever....but he doesn't come on Valentine's Day...

maybe I'll have him talk to Cupid.

Lots of Love,

Darcie

P.S. Drop the hint and tell your Cupid you want a red pair of earrings to wear when he takes you out to dinner!

Valentine Decorations And Gifts On The Cheap (and Green)

2011-01-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

I once told my girlfriend Besty that we were cheap (cheap as in money not cheap as in you know... cheap). She gave me "the look" and said, "we are not cheap we are THRIFTY". We were either at a garage sale or thrift store at the time and something was priced a little too high for me....granted I do want everything to be a quarter, which goes back to the whole cheap thing. I wasn't ready to "crack the wallet," (this is a Betsyism for, "fork out the cash") so we moved on. This is my THRIFTY friend Besty.....

Fast forward several years to the beginning of my business which has roots in all things recycled. I am always trying to figure out how to make my displays green/eco-friendly and cheap err...THRIFTY and sometimes this can really make my brain hurt! In this particular case I needed something to compliment the pink and red earrings in my Valentine's display case at our Hospital Gift Shop. Of course, I wanted this "something" to magically appear before my eyes and cost less than a quarter...well as fate would have it I came up with the following idea....

paper hearts....just like we made when we were kids.....

free (not even a quarter!!), recycled and above all else.....thrifty.

So the moral of the story is.... sometimes it's OK to be cheap but it is far, far better to be THRIFTY!

Darcie

P.S. These little paper hearts remind me of our upcycled red and pink Glass Heart Pins. They will warm any heart this Valentine's Day.....I love to wear mine on my ball cap. Here's a few pics to tickle your fancy...

Just assembled....had to let the glue dry (translates to...I went to watch football)....

Still drying...more football....

Finished product!

My favorite way to wear them! We have pink hearts too!

Hockey Sticks, Boys And Broken Windows

2011-01-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

My husband is in charge of getting Ethan to hockey...period. Well, unless he's gone and then by parental default I have to do it. This last Monday was one of those such days - as I was struggling to wrestle him into all of his hockey garb (per his instructions) and all I could think of was there's probably less involved in an underwater expedition! I was sweating and muttering and I wasn't even dressed yet (I'm sure there is a special place in heaven for hockey Moms and hopefully it doesn't involve ANY ice).

For those of you who don't live in Salmon, ID here's a vital piece of hockey info....we have an outdoor rink. This means that even though we are surrounded by picturesque mountains and stunning scenery (see picture), we freeze our butts off (literally). So, as you can imagine I still had to suit up for the expedition...snow pants, heavy boots, dorky hat, heavy gloves, my daughter's ski jacket....snorkel.

Believe it or not we were only three minutes late....but, as we were walking out the door Ethan informed me that Dad always carries the stick. In all my infinite parental wisdom I stated, "you can carry your own stick" (this becomes an important bit of information so file it away).

Now, people are used to seeing Russ at hockey not me....I got several sideways glances, a few grins and everyone knew I had drawn the short straw (all of them know hockey is really not my thing....I'd rather be snorkeling).

Well, practice is an hour long and I enjoyed watching Ethan skate and yes, I did watch the whole thing outdoors... not from the comfort of my heated car (after all I was raised in Minnesota and there are certain protocols for these kind of things). Upon driving home I recalled a conversation I had with Brenda Nelson (a high school buddy) several months ago...she said she had a love/hate relationship with hockey and after watching Ethan skate I thought I kind of liked it (love is way too strong of a word). As fate would have it I handed Ethan his stick (remember the above bit of foreshadowing) as we got out of the car and he proceeded to pretend it was a gun shooting imaginary aliens or something as we went into the house. He managed to somehow "tap" the window with the stick which translates to....now I have a broken sun room window...

..... hence this is why Russ always carries the stick....

.......I hate hockey!

P.S. I'm sure there's a special place in Heaven for hockey Dad's and hopefully it involves beer.

Send me a comment with your favorite hockey stories and remember Tumbled Trinkets are a great gift for any hockey Mom!

Fluffy Snow Be Darned!

2011-01-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

My very creative girlfriend Rachael sent us a snowman kit over the Holidays and Ethan just couldn't wait to go use it. I tried to explain that the snow we currently have isn't really good snowman snow...too fluffy. He bought this for several days and the kit lay dormant for awhile. As all parents know sometimes school break can become rather long and fluffy snow be darned someone and the dog were going outside! Yes, the snow was still too fluffy but everyone's sanity was on the line. I sent them out and locked the door. I knew I probably had ten minutes, maybe fifteen if I had been living right that day, which I hadn't, so ten was all I could hope for.

He took the snowman kit, the dog and his imagination outside and this is what he came up with.....

a snowman head.....

that's it, just the head....

but it took him twelve minutes!

Keep warm and more Tumbled Trinkets to come!

Darcie

A Fresh Start In A New Year!

2011-01-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

A clean slate, a fresh start, and endless new possibilities....I wish you a wonderful and inspiring New Year!

Darcie

Candlelight Service And Burnt Hair

2010-12-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

This Christmas I was worried about my 8 year old boy at the candlelight service....giving boys fire is never a good idea, ever.

This picture explains why....

BUT, I should have been worried about his 18 year old sister....

...she's the one who singed her hair!

Hope your holidays were wonderful!

Darcie

Making Paper Bags Out Of Book Guts

2010-12-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

If you ever look in the back of an elderly person's closet (by elderly, I mean far, far, older than myself) you will probably find at least one (if not several) Reader's Digest Condensed Books. They were quite popular at one time and the older ones had really nifty designs on the cover. They aren't hard to find and if you mention you're looking for them you may end up with a truckload so proceed with caution! *Special note, if you're a librarian read no further. I took the covers off the books and made purses out of them which left me with a bunch of book guts....this meant I now had to come up with an idea for those! Well, as fate would have it I was trying to come up with an idea for a small gift bag for my jewelry that was completely green and my brain was churning. I think in my sleep sometime (I'm not really sure) I came up with what I thought was the most clever idea of all time....use the book guts!!!

The following is a picture guide as to how it is done...very simple, don't be intimidated.

First get your friends to come help by bribing them with free cookies (I'm always a sucker for this one so I just assume everyone else is).

Tear out the pages one by one - the ripped edges add charm so don't be picky.

Fold them in half.

Sew along one short side and the side opposite the fold with a zig-zag stitch. I used old thread that I found at one of my favorite secondhand store in Hamilton, MT.

Use the chain method to save time and thread... I just learned this today from Chrie.

Cut the bags apart. You can be done at this point but we print our logo on the bags by running them through the printer.

Finished product.... Taa Daa!

These bags are small but can be made any size depending on the books you use.

Happy Christmas From Tumbled Trinkets!

Better Late Than Never

2010-12-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

We girls from Salmon go to Spokane every June to a show called the Farm Chicks Antique Show www.thefarmchicks.com. We set up our booth and have the best girl weekend of the year. The creativity abounds...total eye candy for those of us who love to putter around with junk! If you ever get the chance you need to go.

Us Girls at the Farm Chicks Show

At the show I had a drawing for a free pair of earrings if you signed up for my e-mail list.....to make a rather long story short I had wanted to do the drawing after the website was up so the winner could go and pick out her favorite pair of earrings. We recently got the new website up and running so..... I just called the winner the other day (better late than never)!!

Marla was thrilled and she picked out this pair....

http://tumbledtrinkets.3dcartstores.com/Cluster-Earrings_c_14.html

And then she bought this pair....

http://tumbledtrinkets.3dcartstores.com/Bangle-Earrings_c_28.html

Just in time for Christmas...see how that all works out!!!

Marla was such a gem to talk to and I hope I get to see her in person again somewhere down the road. One of the neatest things about this show is meeting new people...but the friends you already have are great for helping you haul all your junk around!

Here's a few more pic's of us at the show....

Cyndi and Barb hard at work!

Enjoying lunch...it was scrumptious.

The Bacon Christmas Poem

2010-12-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Every year I write a poem for Christmas instead of a Christmas letter. I started this tradition completely by accident and now everyone expects me to write something witty each year. I knew I was in deep doo-doo. Being witty during the holidays can cause one to eat fourteen shortbread cookies along with a wine chaser
and this is all before breakfast!

Last year was different.... usually I can pull it off (with the above mentioned help) but both my uncle and my father had passed away that year and I just couldn't make it happen. So instead one night I sat bathed in the light of my Christmas tree and asked them to continue watching over me from above..... and they still do.

They were men of hard work and honor and they wouldn't let me rest on my laurels another year, so here goes .....and I think I can pull it off.

Merry Christmas From The Bacon House 2010

Christmas is here and the snows’ coming down….

And the lights are twinkling all over town.

Another year has gone by with a flash and a wink….

Causing me to reflect, and to ponder and think.

Chey is a senior with less than a year…

I’m beginning to panic with thoughts of OH DEAR!

She’s leaving us soon and it’s all gone too fast ….

Time goes so quickly so do make it last.

I’ll be out numbered by boys two to one…

And I can’t help but wonder if that can be done.

Will I make it with no other girl in the house?…

“Oh please”, is the muttering that comes from my spouse.

“We can’t have her forever she must spread her wings ….

To experience life with all that it brings.

I know he is right but it does make me think…..

Who will do the dishes that pile up in the sink.

We call Chey, “The Dish Queen” but her reign is soon ending ….

And Ethan is getting the message we’re sending.

Her reign may be over, but you’re soon to fill in..,

“Hey this doesn’t seem bad”, I say with a grin.

The torch will be passed from one to another…

And I’m off the hook cause I am their Mother!!!

Merry Christmas

Don't forget to visit our website for recycled jewels, trinkets and treasures.

www.tumbledtrinkets.com

Pecan Tarts and Tumbled Trinkets Christmas Sale

2010-12-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today I finally got the last of my Christmas treats done... Hallelujah!!!! I was up at 5:30 making pecan tarts and quite frankly it was really hard to pry my body from beneath the warm covers that early on a Saturday. I somehow managed to stumble down to the kitchen and the results were simply sumptuous. I think I ate twelve.

We had eggs, bacon and pecan tarts for breakfast...who could ask for a more balanced meal.

We are also running our Christmas Sale www.tumbledtrinkets.com with 20% off your entire purchase through the weekend...but the tarts aren't included, we ate them all.

Crafting "Glam Gloves" With My Girlfriend Cyndi

2010-12-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Cyndi is a fabulous artsy person and whenever we get the chance we like to sit and putter together on craft projects. She had this cute idea for dressing up winter work gloves with scrap material. She came over yesterday and while I sewed aprons for an order she put several pair of gloves together for a craft show. The results were adorable and the conversation was witty. Who could ask for more on a gray foggy day!

Cyndi being crafty.

The result of her craftiness! She made brown ones too but I forgot to get a picture of those.

Last one, I did make my husband Russ put on a pair for a picture but that picture was fuzzy. If you listen closely you can here his eyes roll - he's is a very good sport who wants to retire early so he pits up with us in hopes that we all make it big!

Cydni's gloves can be had for $5.00 a pair and they make great stocking stuffers....give her a call at 208-756-8588 for more info. She also sells antiques.... great friend to have but she does make you help her haul a lot of junk around!

Don't forget Tumbled Trinkets has great ornaments and the pins make great hostess gifts! Have a great weekend and keep warm.

Recycled Ugly Christmas Costume Contest

2010-12-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

I went to my husband’s work Christmas party this past weekend and they had a contest for the ugliest Christmas outfit. I got second…beat out by a guy who’s grandma helped put his together! His was actually a great get up and I won a box of chocolates so who can complain! Everyone got in the spirit and it was a hoot to see all the ugly sweaters, dresses and shirts that were once the height of fashion. Yikes! I’ll attach some pictures so you can judge for yourself.

I used a great pair of vintage ornaments as earrings and my biggest worry was if I could keep them on all night. The ornaments were rather large and chunky and I wondered if my earlobes could take the pressure. I managed to make it several hours, but I was wishing for a pair of Tumbled Trinkets by the end of the night!

I picked up my entire outfit at our local second hand store for the whopping total of $3.00 and I’m going to donate several of the items right back to them….yes they were that ugly! Someone else might love them or at least like them a little – but probably only if they need a gag gift. I’m sure I’ll see some of the same sweaters from the party back in circulation as well!

So….if you don’t want to wear ornaments for earrings come see our website for fabulous styles and colors to add sparkle to your Holiday season.

Darcie

P.S. Our aprons are a big hit in the kitchen and our ornaments are great for the tree - don't forget our upcycled glass earrings make great stocking stuffers! Have a happy and green Christmas and repurpose with flair!