Loot shoot ~ post # 962 ~ January 2014.

First of all I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those who commented on the previous post.

I felt a wee bit vulnerable sharing something so very personal and my finger hovered over the publish button for a few minutes before deciding that I had the courage to share something that was at the time rather personal and painful.

It's not what my audience always wants to read but after all this blog is my space to say whatever is on my mind.

I waiver between the serious and the silly and often times things get muddied when I sit down to write.

I'll start out with an idea and things go sideways and I'm off on another tangent before the second sentence has been typed.

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and I hope that you know just how grateful I am for your comments and thoughts.

~ ~ ~

Mother and I had lunch at a little bistro in James Bay before taking her bags of clothes to the WIN Thrift Shop.
WIN is a wonderful shop ~ Women In Need helps women who are down on their luck get back on their feet.
I think it's a WIN WIN donating to this agency and the quality of their boutique stock is not a secret so you see some very well heeled gals shopping there.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you may recall that Mother loves dressing up and she regularly buys clothes. It is a bit of an obsession with her but it's the nicest possible hobby for an elderly widow.
It gets out of her condo, satisfies her urge to keep up with fashion and browsing the shops keeps her moving.
I'm just so grateful that she still takes pride in her appearance.

I've been told that one of the early signs of dementia is when seniors lose interest in their personal hygiene and don't bother or take the effort to dress in clean clothes. My sister and I have noticed a few spots on her things which is worrisome but when we point it out to her she immediately changes her outfit. Personally I suspect it may  be her eyesight...that and the fact that she has dreadful lighting in her condo. There are only a few overhead lights and so with table and bridge lamps it makes for a dim view of things.

Mother keeps her things for a long time, so long that they come back into fashion long after they have gone out.
She's been observing my recent wardrobe closet de clutter and has decided that it is time to make more room in her closets.
So she phoned me up to suggest that we go together...plus the bags were large and cumbersome and I think she thought they might be too awkward for her on her own.

So after lunch we went in to drop the bags off and you might guess what happened.
We found some bargains!
Mother got two lovely blouses and I bought a wool and cashmere jacket and a cashmere sweater!

Fitted and flattering Nygaard wool and cashmere jacket.

I don't own a single jacket so this will fill a void.

It is short and will be paired with my jeans and trousers.

I could also wear it with my dressy short black skirt.

Brown would not be my first choice but the sumptuous fabric, fabulous fit and teeny price tag convinced me.

Raw silk scarf

turquoise and rust brown.

This can unite the blues of the jeans with the brown of the jacket.

Long and lean Lord and Taylor cashmere cardigan.

In grey so how could I refuse?

I'll be cozy and warm wearing this with my skinny jeans.

 I came home with a couple of great bargains that were completely unexpected.

Both fill in gaps in my current wardrobe so there is not even a twinge of guilt.

The best part of all is that these pieces were purchased for under $50.

My idea of FUN... 

Recycling with Benefits!

The Secret History by Donna Tartt is absolutely riveting...

I just love a book that I cannot put down.

(the subject matter is dark but the writing is superb)

What's on your bedside table?

OOTD on laundry day....and bloggers.

Our house guests have left and I am spending the morning doing laundry and generally tidying up.
It is a slow mo kind of day here in The Humble Bungalow.

I've had the kettle on several times to make tea.
Played with the cats as they got into the act of "helping" me change the bedding in the guest room.
I have a scratch on my ankle from Chester when he pounced out from under the bed to attack me.
It required antiseptic and a bandaid so as not to bleed all over the carpet.

The downstairs storage area is a catch all for donations and out of season items so I gave it a lick and a promise...
packed up 2 bags for the charity shops in the Volvo ready for the next time I am close to their donation bins.

Adrienne inspired me to pick some hydrangeas today after reading her blog post.

limelights 

whites

dabs of blue

looks like a flower within a flower

"The Secret Life of Flowers" 

sounds like a book title...

I'm wearing the white Talbots shirt that I saved from the donation bag at the last minute

I think it was a good decision because when Mr. HB came home he said

"you look nice."

these are fun freshwater pearls

 perfect for a home day when one wants to feel great 

while tending to the daily

"domestics"

 Keeping house is hard work and I think it's worth taking pride in...

materfamilias had some thoughts on "women of a certain age" showing what they wear 

and it got me thinking...

why do I do it when I have hardly any clothes that fit me now...

at WW today I weighed in and the scale showed I was down another 1.2 pounds

less than 4 pounds to go to reach my goal.

~ ~ ~

Pinched myself when I saw the recent post wedding image on Privilege

So delighted to see Lisa's wedding dress...

if it were not for her I would not be blogging.

Thank you again...

Congratulations!

 Best wishes for a lifetime of happiness.

~ ~ ~

Back to reality here in The Humble Bungalow.

Floors need to be swept, dishes need to be washed and life ticks on as the Westminster clock chimes.

"I make no secret of the fact that I would rather lie on a sofa than sweep beneath it. 

But you have to be efficient if you're going to be lazy."

 ~ Shirley Conran ~

OOTD ~ Costco and cleaning the clutter.

Costco is about a 25 minute drive from The Humble Bungalow.
I make the trek several times a year.

I usually shop close to home but there are bargains to be found at Costco and I am keen to save money...and with retirement on the radar and a pension income I am trying to embrace thrift!
One step at a time...

You can see that I am still wearing my old clothes despite the weight loss

Mother thought my face looked thinner?

I am wearing scruffy Vera Wang Boyfriend Jeans

I love the word scruffy...

I think if I had a rag a muffin dog his name would be Scruffy!

I am barefoot in the picture 

fear not I did put on some walking shoes before I left the house.

I wore this pendant

the top and bottom diamonds are those from my 10th anniversary stud earrings

the rest of the diamonds are from an old ring.

I have very few necklaces other than pearls

of which I may be guilty of owning too many strands...

The summer gold has surfaced

these were a gift from Mr. HB years ago...

I still love wearing them.

I came home with oodles of fresh organic produce

treats for the staff at my school as I am on duty this week

some black capris in a smaller size to get me through June

and a light weight walking jacket.

I was hoping for some hanging baskets 

but sadly they were picked over and what was left looked like the dog's breakfast!

I've been cleaning and culling...

I know it's not glamourous but a necessity.

The CBC has been keeping me company.

I do this every Spring when I do a deep cleaning of The Humble Bungalow

I dust shelves and books

open and empty out drawers

look at what we have

decide if we will need or use it 

 recycle or donate to the charity shop what is in excess.

Two bags gone so far.

~ ~ ~

I realized that our every day drinking glasses were mismatched and scratched.

Rather ugly in fact, and old as the hills ~ but not in a vintage collectible kind of way...

TRASHY!

I seized the opportunity to pop over to my favourite gift shop 

The Bungalow...

You must go and see for yourself 

this shop is fabulous!

Honestly I would never steer you in the wrong direction...

tell them The Hostess sent you.

 I found a dozen lovely French glasses made by a company that has been in business for over 500 years!

They are durable and nice to hold

I like the wee bees that adorn these simple vessels.

La Rochere makes a variety of designs

all sturdy and attractive and very French!

This is on my bedside waiting...

The sun is shining here in our neighbourhood

 I can already hear the hum of a lawnmower...

Hope that you enjoy your week.

A Rainy Monday afternoon post ~ random thoughts.

L'Occitane Almond Milk Cream smells delicious and is so full of moisturizing properties...
I highly recommend it as it delivers on it's promise to soothe and hydrate dry skin.
The L'Occitane Shea Butter is fabulous too, especially the hand and foot creams.
Have you ever tried their range of products?
They have a fabulous website and now there is a shop located downtown in our city.
It's a sensory treat to walk in and sample their wares and the knowledgeable staff are ready to assist.

It comes in a convenient size and lasts quite a long time.

A little goes a long way.

The jar is quite attractive so there's no need to hide it away.

I keep it on my bedside table to remind me to use it.

Organic Angelica Water and Essential Oil

Eye Roll On

(Patent Pending)

Suitable for sensitive eyes.

For the delicate skin around the eyes.

~ ~ ~ 

On the box it states that with use it will 

~ reduce the appearance of fine lines by 18% ~

~ reduce puffiness by 11% ~

~ reduce dark circles by 12% ~

I'm hoping that this will perform as well as the box suggests.

The skin around my eyes is starting to look more crepe-y

and I have some puffiness when I wake up in the morning.

~ ~ ~ 

I've got lots of random thoughts and a rather disjointed blog post today...

perhaps it's because I had a super busy weekend of preparing and hosting the baby shower.

Which I will post about on another day...

Foliage is standing in for flowers today.

I may not have mentioned this but Chester thinks flowers are to play with and will not leave them alone.

So far every arrangement has been "de-arranged."

Here he is helping me do the laundry, ready to pounce.

If he's not in the laundry basket 

he's on top of the clothes.

I think he's more like a dog than a cat as he follows me everywhere

and Pepper is never far behind!

~ ~ ~ 

New book

some easy reading

The book is rather like a clutch purse.

I do enjoy Candace Bushnell's style.

I loved "One Fifth Avenue" and "Four Blondes."

Last year I read the "Carrie Diaries"...

these books are what I consider to be  "mental snack food"

a light entertaining read

nothing that requires too much energy...

pure entertainment.

It's what I need and crave after a busy day at work.

(and a freshly brewed pot of tea.)

I've got my tea, the cat is on my lap

I  can hear the rain coursing through the down spouts.

It's a wet day today...

It's warm and dry in my wee Humble Bungalow

I am feeling grateful for a roof over my head and food in the fridge.

~ ~ ~ 

Our local community food banks are having difficult keeping their shelves stocked.

At school we are having a food drive.

It was suggested that each student donate one can of food 

with over 500 students enrolled in our school that would be a substantial boost to help.

I think many families will bring more than one can...

it's the least we can do.

Hope you are snug safe and warm.

~ ~ ~ 

Hostess

Happy Thanksgiving !

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the US it's Thanksgiving and there will be families and friends gathered together to share in celebrations.
There might be a turkey and the traditional dishes on the menu
or possibly it will be a vegetarian or vegan feast.
It may be simple fare or a gourmet dinner.

You'll probably be dining inside in a heated home,
you might be the hostess or a guest.

Hunger is a something you might never know...
there will be food banks giving out groceries
and organized dinners provided by dedicated volunteers
feeding the homeless and those down on their luck.

Our simple table set for Thanksgiving last year.

However you celebrate I hope that you have an enjoyable day thinking thoughts of gratitude.

You could be volunteering in your community helping the under privileged,
even digging deep into your pockets to help
share some food with someone who is less fortunate.

It is always better to give than to receive....

Giveaway! Vintage French Recipe Cards, a book, and beads.

I am cleaning, sorting and donating clothes that I no longer love to charity.

Simplifying my choices and streamlining my closet.

The washing machine is going full tilt and the sun is pouring in through the window

the birds are singing and the roses are radiating their loveliness...

Gratitude and Joy are evident in this simple routine.

So I thought why not host a giveaway!
I am in the mood for fun.

You might win these circa 1969 Vintage French Recipe Cards...

Cook like a French Mademoiselle

The recipes are French but do not worry if you cannot read French

as they are written in English!

While you are cooking French cuisine

you can read all about French Chic mademoiselles in

"All you need to be Impossibly French" 

and I'll toss in these beads...

The giveaway is very simple

Leave a comment telling me what topics that you enjoy most here on

The Humble Bungalow Blog 

become a follower or remind me that you are following...

If you post a link to The Hostess of the Humble Bungalow on your blog 

I will be so grateful that you will have 2 chances to win!

Please let me know when you comment.

Good Luck!

Thank you for stopping by!

Please check back next Monday July 11th when I make the draw.

The Bungalow Hostess is a winner!

Goodness me...I got the call that said I was the lucky winner of an item that I had bid on at the Cancer fundraiser...I had nearly forgotten that I had placed a bid!
I went to pick up and pay for my win.
It is even better than I originally thought...Look it's 2 pendants in one...a transformer of sorts!

This was the side displayed when I placed my bid.

I like the deep grooves and it makes me think of outer space!

This side is a surprise!

This looks like a wooly sheep to me!

  I am familar with the designer Guy(Gilles)Vidal, he is a French Canadian from Montreal Quebec. I am familiar with his creations and have seen many in antique and collectible malls and shops.

He was a popular modernist designer from the 1960's and 1970's. His work is currently very sought after and can be found on internet.

I am wondering what I will wear this with...it has an edgy vibe.

First idea is a white T and jeans...

I'll have to play around with it

 and which side will I choose to wear?

What would you choose?