Ms. Redo

Mantel Redo

2012-02-20T21:12:00.000-05:00

I removed the lights and beads which had been

atop the mantel through Christmas and Valentines.

I couldn't part with my bunting and birdies, though ~

I "shopped the house" to find something

new and interesting for the mantel

until spring arrives.

This will do for the next month or so.

I'm excited about my plans

for a spring mantel.

Until then, I keep eating these ~

As one blogger says,

"The Answer is Chocolate."

She's so right!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Ruby Jean

Blogger/Feedburner Fix

2012-02-19T20:34:00.001-05:00

For the past month or so, I've received numerous emails

saying that my blog is not showing up in readers. Since

I had no idea what that meant, I ignored it.

Eventually I understood that my updates

weren't showing up on blog readers.

Last week, I realized what this meant when I checked

my stats and found my page views had nose dived.

With the help of Brenda (Cozy Little House) and

Claudia (Mockingbird Hill Cottage), I began to hone

in on the problem but didn't have the techie savvy

to do anything about it.

The first suggestion was that my

Feedburner needed to be "pinged."
(Google search Feedburner.com,
then follow instructions to "ping.")

I tried, but Feedburner would not allow me to ping -

there appeared to be other problems.

My techie husband worked on it this weekend ...

and fixed it. I'm not sure his instructions below

will work for you, but I offer them in case

any of you are experiencing the same problem.

1. Sign in to Feedburner at feedburner.google.com

2. Click on the blue "feedburner title" link

3. Click the Troubleshootize tab

4. Scroll down to "The Nuclear Option" and click "Resync now"

5. See the message about the feed being larger than the 512K limit

6. Back on the Troubleshootize tab, locate the Trouble description that says "your original feed is too doggone big." Click on the Help topic link.

7. Followed the instructions on that page. The direct link for that page is http://support.google.com/feedburner/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer-79626

Good luck to you, if you have questions

you think my husband can answer,

we'll be glad to try to help.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Between Naps on the Porch

To Snow, Or Not to Snow ...

2012-02-18T20:16:00.001-05:00

The weatherperson calls us to watch for snow

Sunday evening in the Richmond area.

What that means for native Virginians is this:

Rush to the store, buy milk and bread -

as soon as you hear the forecast -

everyone all at once.

This, plus the way we purportedly drive in the snow,

makes the transplanted northerners among us crazy.

They then write to the newspaper editor and

complain about the southerners among us.

I'm not one to complain since my Daddy

was from Pennsylvania while Mama
was from Virginia.

I try to get along with everyone.

When we first moved into this house, there was

a pending huge snowstorm headed our way.

Mr. Redo was at work. I, knowing the electricity
could stop within hours, cooked all the meat

from the freezer and fridge.

Boiled potatoes and eggs, vegetables.

The southern half of my genes were operating on overload.

Mr. Redo walked into the house and I proudly showed him

my pending snowstorm preparedness.

He looked kind of funny and finally said,

"You know we have a gas stove now right?
It doesn't matter if the electricity goes off in this house."

It's not often I'm speechless with Mr. Redo, but he got me that day.

(This cardinal sat in our neighbor's tree
all day Friday - no sign of his wife. We felt sad for him.)

Wish us luck with the snow -
I'm hoping our weatherperson is wrong.

Hugs ~ Mary

Feel Better, Miss E!

2012-02-17T13:05:00.001-05:00

Mr. Redo took Miss E to the Emergency Room

this morning - stomach pain for days.

I kept busy and tried not to worry - by taking pictures.

Flowers for the girl who feels ill.

Lovely spring colors.

Miss E is now home.

The diagnosis is "possible stomach ulcer."

Follow up with GI doc next week.

Lots of prayers.

On behalf of Miss E, today I will

share a little poem she wrote in 5th grade,

which was published in this lovely little book.

Invention

I found an invention at a convention

that didn't make sense at all

so I looked at a ball

then Niagara Falls

then I looked

at walls, halls, and even malls

nothing could I find

that made sense

"A Fence?"

"No way!"

"I need help!" I cried out

I looked around and about

I found something!

My kitchen door

was on the floor

I'm going to the store!

-------

We all know Miss E loves to go to the store.

Feel better, Miss E -

Mama loves you!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

2805

The Answer is Chocolate

Chic on a Shoestring

Toys in the Dryer

Our 20th Valentine Anniversary

2012-02-14T07:56:00.001-05:00

Twenty years ago tonight, one of the finest men

I've ever met asked me to marry him.

No, he's not perfect, and I'm even less so.

But here's our little love story.

We met when I was 38, he was 36.

I'd prayed for 10 years (since becoming a Christian)

for a godly husband. I asked God for "the best You have."

In September of my 38th year, I began attending

Grove Church and met Mr. Redo in the singles group.

I could tell he was interested, but I was

nervous about getting involved with anyone.

After all, I'd just arrived in this big church

and hadn't even met most of the singles.

Mr. Redo agreed to be friends. Within weeks I knew

he was someone I wanted to be friends with for

the rest of my life. He was such a gentleman.

Intelligent. Attractive. Thoughtful.

A Christian.

By mid-December I agreed to date.

He gave me a beautiful blue sweater for Christmas.

We ate out, went to Bible studies, listened to music, and

joined the many fun singles activities.

He invited me to his home for dinner on the night

of February 14. I arrived, we ate, then he asked me

to come into the living room. There I was met by

a dozen long-stemmed red roses.

And a tiny gold box with a purple bow.

He got on one knee, expressed his love,

and asked me to marry him. I joyfully accepted.

We were married four months later.
We lived happily ever after.

No, you know real life began at I do.

Our lives haven't been easy.

Mr. Redo's mother died the year after we married.

We endured five years of infertility.

We adopted two children from Romanian orphanages.

Our children have had many painful

days as a result of their orphanage experiences.

When my children were preschoolers,

we moved my parents into our house so I could care for them.

Those years were the hardest of my life.

Hard watching my children suffer.

Hard watching my dad suffer with Congestive

Heart Failure.

Hard watching my mother suffer with severe arthritis.
And hard on me physically, mentally, and emotionally.

We lost my parents, three years apart.
And I hit menopause.

The depression and anxiety, battled all my life,
was exacerbated by all these occurrences.

As the years have sped by, my health

has diminished. Mr. Redo's job (thank God he

still has one) took a pay cut and moved 45 minutes

from home, resulting in a long commute

with gas prices at an all-time high.

But through it all, we've stuck together.

Mr. Redo has been there for me through thick and thin.

A faithful friend ... and husband.
I've tried to be a good wife to him.

Happy Valentine's Day, Husband!

And Happy Valentine's Day to each of you.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

A Diamond in the Stuff
Coastal Charm
Sugar Bee Crafts
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Red Ruffled Skirt

2012-02-13T08:44:00.005-05:00

My plans to make Miss E a red Christmas skirt

with the fabric bought in December never materialized.

Early last week I got out the fabric and made up my mind

to make Miss E a red Valentine's skirt.

I found a ruffled skirt tutorial online.

I cut 6 ruffles in 2.5" strips.

I cut the shape of a skirt from an existing skirt.

I began to sew.

And sew, and sew, and sew.

Every day there was more sewing to do.

I spent the whole week sewing this skirt.

The fabric frayed. And frayed some more.

What a nightmare, fraying pieces of thread

all over my house. Serious.

Since Miss E wore the skirt to church yesterday,

I am certain there are tiny pieces of red thread

all over the church.

I was so concerned about the fraying pieces of fabric,

I suggested she not wear the skirt.

But Miss E is nothing if she's not a

fashionista, and wear it she did.

Said she got lots of compliments.

Penny came by yesterday and wondered,

after loving the skirt,

why I didn't use Fray Check.

Because I never heard of it?

I'll buy some this week.

Because that skirt is still shedding.

And I will spend this week vacuuming!

Have you ever used Fray Check?

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Sew Many Ways
Homemaker on a Dime
DIY Show Off
I Heart Naptime
Savvy Homemade
Skip to My Lou
Keeping It Simple
Making the World Cuter
Between Naps on the Porch
CraftoManiac

Sarandipities

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Kristen's Creations
Sew Much Ado
Savvy Southern Style
The Shady Porch

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

2012-02-10T10:05:00.003-05:00

It was time to add some interest to my den walls.

Hope Thrift provided "art" at just under $8.

This area was empty since we moved here 2.5 years ago.
Love the new thrifted pics.

I made the little birdie banner, and Miss E
did the chalk painting when she was younger.

Once I start a collage wall, it's hard to stop, so I

will be looking for more fun items to add here.

I added this red barn picture

(taken by my sister-in-law last winter)

above the family heirloom desk.

The picture isn't lopsided,

apparently I was when I snapped the shot!

I love barn photos and will add more to this area soon.

The next picture also came from Hope Thrift.

Wouldn't you love to sit in that chair,

pull the quilt over your lap,and read a good book?

This corner of the den is coming together

with the artwork and red pillow I added this week.

Will be making more pillows soon -

the more color I add, the happier I feel!

This boy and girl at the beach (over my sofa) were yard sale treasures. They remind me of a Mary Cassatt painting.

I do love anything Mary Cassatt painted.

The next (yard sale) picture is so large, it takes up a small wall.

I love the way Mrs. Sheep looks at me as if to say

"What are you doing now?"

She should know I'm still "re-doing" my house!

I have a plan for this window below,

which came from Hunter's Grove here.

Can't wait to get to work on that -

promise to show you as soon as it's completed.

If you'd like to learn more about decorating your walls,

visit Brenda at Cozy Little House -

she has the most fascinating walls ever and
recently did a post on how she put them together.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Ladybird Lane
Simple Home Life
Momma Hen's Frugal Life
The Vintage Farmhouse
Twenty-Eight O Five

Snowflakes

2012-02-08T12:53:00.006-05:00

It has not snowed in Virginia this year,

and I am quite happy for that.

However, I mentioned in a blog post

that I love snowflake decor.

I found the sweet snowflake mug (Hallmark)

at a yard sale last summer.

I found this sweet snowflake apron

at the thrift store last week.

Recently my friend Patricia at Grammy Goodwill,

sent me this matching Hallmark snowflake bowl in the mail.

There are actually two; I'm using

this one as a spoon rest - and loving it!

I stir my hot chocolate with a little vintage whisk,

it mixes it quickly ... plus I just love using it.

We're making do with our indoor snowflake decor,
and wishing away the real kind.

Is it snowing where you are?

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

It's a Very Cherry World
Savvy Southern Style
DIY by Design
No Minimalist Here

My Craft Corner

2012-02-07T11:21:00.001-05:00

I spend lots of time in our office,

which is a cozy little room just off our bedroom.

This is where I blog and craft.

I've recently organized my table top

so that craft items are closer at hand

(they were formerly across the room) ~

This little white shelf was at Goodwill recently,

for only $6. I gave it a coat of spray paint

and it was ready to go.

It's a crowded little office, making it even cozier.

My husband's table.

My daughter's table.

My table with computer.

And my craft table.

I'm loving my new organization,

with everything right at hand.

I've seen some craft rooms that are truly swoon worthy ~

It's all in what you have room for,

and what kind of crafting you do.

For now, this Crafty Corner works fine for me.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
A Stroll Through Life
Cozy Home Scenes
A Diamond in the Stuff
Sugar Bee Crafts

Serious Saving - Hair Care

2012-02-06T10:18:00.001-05:00

As mentioned briefly in my previous Serious Saving post,

our family does our own hair cuts.

I cut hair for Mr. Redo and Miss E.

Miss E cuts my hair.

Redo Jr. cuts his own hair, with a bit of help from me.

I learned how to cut hair this way:

1. Watching our hairdresser cut my son's hair.

2. Watching the DVD that came with the hair-trimming kit.

3. Trial and error. (Lucky for me, Mr. Redo is a very easy-going guy!

Another idea is one my friend Ginger has used

for her 8 kids (all adopted, most from Russia).

She takes her kids to a local cosmetology school.

I believe haircuts there are free; if not,

there's a very minimal cost.

A few years ago, as I started to find way more gray hairs

than I could pull out, I started getting highlights.

Highlights cost $100 and up.

And must be touched up every 6 weeks or so.

At the time we had the money and I felt it was worth it.

As the economy and cuts in my husband's pay happened

(on-call pay ended, causing quite a cut for us),

we stopped many non-essential purchases.

Highlights were one of the first things to go.

I discovered a rinse by Clairol called Natural Instincts.

It costs about $7 a box at most drug stores or Walmart,

and coupons are often available.

The rinse lasts about a month, and is mild enough to

re-use each month.

You simply shampoo it in, leave on for a short time,

then rinse out. Super easy.

Things have gotten even tighter here at the Redo Ranch,

so I've stopped using Natural Instincts.

My husband completely grayed in his 40s ...

a teen at our church, years ago, thought he was my father :O

So I've let my hair go natural, as you can tell from my sidebar pic.

I'm comfortable with that as I approach my 59th birthday.

For our family, I estimate roughly a savings
of $60 monthly on hair care.

As for pets, we were in the habit of
having Casper's hair cut and washed
several times a year - at $100 each time.
We recently bought a dog hair-trimming kit
at Walmart for $25 - Miss E is able to
cut his hair easily ... and shampoo him,
although this is not as easy :)

These are just some tips that

may help. If you have any thrifty ideas

to share on this subject, let us know!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Homemaker on a Dime
Keeping it Simple
Cozy Home Scenes

Smile, I've Found a Picnik Replacement

2012-02-05T17:52:00.000-05:00

Thanks to one very nice reader,

I have found a free photo editing site

that I like almost as much as I loved Picnik.

iPiccy is the name.

iPiccy is harder to type than Picnik.

iPiccy does not let you water the grass or

brush off the ants.

However. iPiccy is free.

iPiccy even looks a little like Picnik.

iPiccy is user friendly.

iPiccy is going to have to be my new best friend,

since Picnik up and left me for no good reason.

Well, perhaps there is a reason.

I think it's because I never, ever paid

for premium options. And that is probably

what caused them to go broke and shut down.

So, yeah. Blame me.

Then rush over to iPiccy if you're looking for

Free

Fast

Agreeable

online photo editing help.

As well as collage capabilities.

(UPDATE: This does not seem to be
available after all - my error).

And do me a favor?

If they offer anything for sale,

just buy it.

Because you know I'm not going to :)

UPDATE:
Please feel free to share this information
on your blog - we need to get the word out
as April is fast approaching.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Keeping it Simple

Serious Saving - Part 3

2012-02-04T17:53:00.000-05:00

This week I came across numerous resources

for helping us learn to be more frugal.

I first found the following financial blog via Pinterest,

and it is loaded with information ~

Accounting Degree.blog

They give us information like:

"14 Marketing Secrets Restaurants Don't Want You To Know"

"50 Brilliant Tips To Live the Bartering Life"

and, of course, the one I originally pinned ~

"75 Frugality Blogs That Will Change Your Life"

You may have to wander around to find what

you want, there is no search button,

but it may be worth your time.

II.

Secondly, I came across another book

at the library (because I don't buy books;

they library lets you read them free!) ~

Some of the chapter titles:

"Home, Sweet (Thrifty) Home"

"Food & The Thrifty Cook"

"Thrift & Your Wallet"

By the way, our family does cut each others' hair

(you can see that idea on the book cover).

III.

Now here's another blog with some great ideas:

Kids Activity Blog -

"Pinch Those Pennies" blog post

The "three quirky mommas" who write this blog

offer "50 Tips to be Frugal" ~

One idea is to create a "30 day list" -

anything you see and want, put it on the list & date it.

Wait for 30 days before purchasing.

"You'll find you want a lot less with this list."

I, Ms. Redo, seriously need that list.

Impulse buys have been known to control my life.

Not frugal. Not good.

No more.

Hope you're enjoying this year's

"Serious Saving" posts.

If you have any ideas to share,

comment below. We're all in this economy together!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Be Different, Act Normal
Beyond the Picket Fence

Ninth Grade Photo Shoot

2012-02-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

Miss E and I visited several local parks yesterday.
The goal was a photo shoot to work on my
photography skills.

I've learned a lot in the last year of blogging.
I can see that I still need that Canon Rebel to

drop in my lap ... soon.

And I need to study posing.

The pictures seem to be all alike in the posing department.

Wrong time of day - the sun came out quite bright

after a morning of rain. This was mid-day.
It was hard for Miss E not to squint in that bright sunlight.

However, I'm very pleased with Miss E's 9th grade pictures.
It's hard to go wrong when you have a beautiful model.

I'm even more pleased with the great time we had together,

just doing a little photo shoot.

Hugs ~ Mary

I was inspired by Teresa at

Meadowbrook Farm here to do this photo shoot.

Today, Teresa answered my questions

about resources for learning photography skills.

She recommends The Pioneer Woman's Photography tab
here
I just visited it and there is a lot of great information!

I'm sharing at:

Ladybird Lane
The Vintage Farmhouse
Simple Home Life
A Little Knick Knack
The Answer is Chocolate
Chic on a Shoestring

Release Me Creations

No One Cares What You Had For Lunch

2012-02-02T09:17:00.002-05:00

That's the title of the

book I'm reading,
No One Cares What You Had for Lunch
subtitled 100 Ideas for Your Blog,

written by Margaret Mason.

And you know that Frugal Ms. Redo

did not buy this book.

It was a great library find.

One of the "100 Ideas"

was to display your collection.

At first I thought I didn't have

a collection, but then

I remembered my mother's lovely cut glass.

I've always kept the pieces hidden

away in my dining room hutch,

away from my children's tiny little hands.

But when Margaret told me to display

my collection and to blog about it,

I remembered that my kids aren't tiny anymore.

No, my kids are 15 and 12.

So I displayed my collection on the

dining room table, along with the

beautiful table runner my mother

embroidered all those many years ago.

At first I simply had the cut glass there,

and there wasn't much color to the display.

And Ms. Redo loves color.

Miss E suggested, in the midst of my photo op,

that I add some of my Hershey Kisses.

And the Valentine color Kisses

did add a nice pop of color to the vignette.

But since Miss E homeschools on the dining room table,

after the photo op we started doing Algebra.

And ...

The Kisses were right there in front of us.

They looked so very inviting.

And now they're all gone.

My questions for you on this rainy Thursday in Virginia:

1. Will you read Margaret's fun-filled book?

2. What's your favorite Valentine candy?

3. And most important of all, because I really do care:

What did you have for lunch?

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Kristen's Creations
No Minimalist Here
The Shabby Creek Cottage
The Brambleberry Cottage
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Between Naps on the Porch
Sugar Pink Boutique
The Answer is Chocolate
Ladybird Lane
The Vintage Farmhouse
Simple Home Life
A Little Knick Knack
The Answer is Chocolate
Chic on a Shoestring
Toys in the Dryer
Release Me Creations
Be Different, Act Normal
Beyond the Picket Fence

Giving Back - February

2012-02-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

Each month in 2012 I plan to find,
and participate in,

an opportunity to give back.

My heart is especially touched by

little children, the elderly, and anyone who is "hurt."

This month I have joined with Suzanne

at Coloradolady ~

There are apprxoimately 100 bloggers and friends

who have signed up with Suzanne to send a

birthday card, along with $1, to the seniors

on her list having a birthday each month.

Can you imagine living in a nursing home ...

and receiving 100 birthday cards ...

and $100 in ones?!?!

Two little ladies, Annie (100) and Wanda (83),

are having birthdays in February.

If this is something you'd like to join,

hop on over to Suzanne's here.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style

Northern Cottage
The Shady Porch
From My Front Porch to Yours
Kristen's Creations
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Shabby Pink Boutique
The Answer is Chocolate

Ah, Sweet Organization

2012-01-30T13:38:00.001-05:00

For those of you who don't know me so well,

I'm an organizational fanatic.

It's just that, things out of place cause me

physical, emotional, and perhaps spiritual discomfort.

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

Oh, what's that? It's not in the Bible?

Oh. Well, would it hurt anything if it were?

Above is how my freezer looked early this morning.

It was making me crazy.

If I wanted one package of chicken,

it couldn't be found without bending over,

digging, rooting, hurling stuff out ...

Which was not physically, emotionally, or spiritually

soothing for me.

Then I got this crazy idea.

Just organize it.

And I did.

Top shelf - bakery items and ice

Bottom shelf:

Is that beautiful or what?!

Meats on the right, veggies on the left,

and stuff that no one knows what it is

or how to microwave it - in the middle.

And three previously lonely cans of juice,

now gathered in a lovely vignette.

Along with a few ice pops from last summer

and a baggie of left over tomato sauce.

Please answer the following question:

How long will it stay like this,

when the kids come in "starving"

and in a hurry for something, anything,

not that! is there anything in

this house to eat?!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Between Naps on the Porch

The Den Reveal

2012-01-28T10:42:00.001-05:00

Miss E and I got the urge to rearrange furniture on Thursday.

The two blue chairs (wedding gifts from my parents) were moved

from the parlor into the den. I love the new look!

The "kitchen table" was moved from the back of the

den into the "Parlor," now called the "Breakfast Nook."

(Try to keep up, there may be a quiz :)

Redo Jr. says you don't eat breakfast in a room with

the piano (just off to the right). But for now, we do!

Back to the den ...

I moved my husband's family heirloom quilts

from the closet to display beneath this table.

(An idea borrowed from Brenda

at Cozy Little House.)

And this is a shot of the other end of the den,

where the kitchen table used to be ...

this "L" from our previously "L" shaped

sofa has got. to. go.

The dream is to paint the built-ins the

same off-white as the den trim. Waiting for warmer weather

so we can keep the windows open while painting.

So that's our little weekend round-up. Did you ~~get bored with January~~ do any rearranging this week?

Or perhaps you made Valentines? Only 17 more days!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

French Country Cottage

Funky Junk Interiors

Beyond the Picket Fence

Between Naps on the Porch
A Diamond in the Stuff
Coastal Charm
Sugar Bee Crafts
Cozy Home Scenes
Dear Creatives
Savvy Southern Style

It's a Very Cherry World
Junk in their Trunk
Northern Cottage
Kristen's Creations

Vintage Storybook Friday

2012-01-27T15:51:00.001-05:00

Again this Friday I am joining

Corey Moortgat for a party

featuring our vintage story books.

This story comes from my childhood book,

Gateway to Storyland,

edited by Watty Piper.

It was always my very favorite of all the stories

in this book:

Three Little Kittens ~

Brownie, Blackie, and Snowball have new mittens ...

but while out playing,

the mittens were lost.

Mother punished them - no pie!

and sent them back out to search

for their lovely mittens ~

the mittens were found but were quite dirty,

so the kittens were given the job of

washing their mittens ...

And hanging them out to dry.

This is my favorite picture in the story -

so sweet, working together

to make things right again.

Wouldn't it be lovely if all life's problems

were so simple to solve!

Hugs ~ Mary