Thursday, January 9, 2014

Thrifty Life Thursday Link Party #1 - Maiden Voyage!



Welcome to the very first Thrifty Life Thursday Link Party!

This party is intended to be a gathering place for those of you who may frequent thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales. 



If you find previously-owned stuff more interesting than department store stuff, welcome. You are among friends. 



Your finds need not be vintage, such as the orbs I recently found for .50c each at a thrift store. 

You may share them as you find them, or as you have re-invented them to fit your style and your needs.

I do plan to have a few features each week...so please follow and link back. 

Word for the Day:

Proverbs 21:20

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.






Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Seven Things-My 2014 Intentions List...


My 2014 Intentions List:

Seven ways I intend to revise my life in 2014:

1.       Begin Doing 5 Minute Exercise Sessions throughout the Day - 12 times per day
Maybe I could walk to the other building at work, or do some hand weights, or stretches - nothing really hard - just move my duff. I DID dust off the exercise bike and move it to the den, so I can do that while I watch netflix...I think my knee could handle it.

2.       Continue to Follow an Alkaline, Low Carb, Healthy Eating Plan 
Keep portions small and eat more frequently. Cook on weekends and freeze healthy meals for during the week. Experiment with more raw and fermented foods. Purchase a dehydrator.

3.       Get Out More 
Since I'm single, and since I like my alone time at home ( usually painting something some shade of white), I have become a bit reclusive. I opted out of a perfectly nice New Year's Day party today, partly because I am recuperating from a little stomach bug, partly because I have a pretty big "to-do" list, and partly because I just didn't want to get out of my sweat pants and go. I should have gone.


4.       Say "NO" to Anymore Volunteer Obligations
You know how it goes. Once they find out you're capable and dependable, every committee imaginable invites you to be their secretary or publicity person. After all - you have a blog...you know how to do these things. It's so easy to say yes, underestimating the amount of time they all take. Even though I enjoy them, there are only so many hours in a day!

5.       Increase Income
a.     Create and market a line of art jewelry
b.     Continue Garage Sales - to park in the garage 
c.     Increase Etsy Activity
This one moves forward as-is from last year. Even though my garage was fairly straight and I had a couple of sales, I have continued to cull in my house, so there's more stuff to get rid of. Now, Hannah's stuff is out there, so I'm still scraping my car windows, much to my chagrin.


6.       Keep a Gratitude Journal
Lisa, my co-worker gave me a new journal for Christmas. I hope to use it for this purpose, since I've wanted to do this officially for years! I hope to make weekly entries at least...record when prayers are answered and how, everyday things and big things. I plan to tell how God worked in all of them.

7.       Mini Makeovers to update house:
a.     Front bedroom - paint walls, purchase furniture as needed and paint
b.     Guest Room – paint chest of drawers, final tweaks
c.     Front Hallway - re-paint floor black, finish photo collage
d.     Art Room/Office - Cull, Organize, Paint - the works! This will be a big job.
e.     Begin gardening again
We have been in a multi-year drought. I have sought to conserve water and have let my lawn get into a terrible state. We have also had fairly extreme heat, and I don't enjoy gardening in extreme heat. Recently, I discovered I am charged a flat minimum rate no matter how much water I use, so I might as well use enough to water my lawn. I plan to propagate seeds and have flowers again. I need to relocate a rock garden with drought-tolerant perennials. There is much to do, and I must begin somewhere!

BLOGGING
  • I want to be a link-party girl. I know it's a lot of work, but I think I would enjoy it--for a year anyway. 
  • Update my blog header and change it seasonally.
  • Check into beginning a new Word Press blog.
Remember to come back on Thursday for the "Thrifty Life Thursday" link party!
(Please pray for me that I set it up right!)



Word for the Day:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.