Annual PiggyBank Challenge

Whew I made it this year.  The last few years I have fallen by the wayside, or missed the posting for the piggy bank challenge.  Due to travel.

My jar is a 1/2 gallon canning jar.

I know the little men have snagged some for the book fair as payment for helping around the house, but this is what was in my jar and car where I keep my change for the year. 

I counted, sorted, and then rolled and stashed it away for the future. 

I finished with $108.74 for the year.  Not too bad considering I do not go out and about often.  I think I will use it toward some quilting rulers for my quilting machine 

I Like Thursday #71

Welcome to my 71st I like Thursday post.  Thank you LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for encouraging us to find things to share that we like during the week.

I have been using this thread conditioner while hand sewing binding onto a quilt I am working on.  The last time I used Coats & Clark thread I found it tangling, knotting,  constantly.  It was the only color I had that matched the binding I was working on and I haven't not had any problems this time. 

Just take off the lid, run the thread over it.  I usually run it through after I have already knotted my thread.  I hear they no longer make this brand. 

I don't know about you, but during the summer I am in sandals or barefoot a lot.  I consider myself low maintenance.  My finger nails are long, naturally, but always seem to have dirt under them, and I am not one to go in for getting a manicure/pedicure, I will do a simple one at home when I have the time.  But my heels, and the balls of my feet are still calloused.  I found this foot cream and love it!

After you exfoliate you rub it on, and it feels awesome. 

To make the foot cream really work well, I will slip on a pair of gel socks and wear them for a few hours.

Yes they are toe socks, but they are cooling to your feet and really do help soften them especially if you have put cream on them before putting them on.  They make me feel pampered without spending the time and money to go to the salon.

Finally I am currently reading A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly.  I read one of the books in the series many years ago, and was intrigued by New Orleans society in the 1830's.

I am also currently reading Board Stiff by Annelise Ryan.  This is the 5th installment of the Mattie Winston mystery series.  Mattie is a divorced, former Operating Room nurse that has been blackballed because her cheating ex husband is the head surgeon at the local hospital.  Mattie has been offered a job working for the local coroner's office and rents a home from the local Medical Examiner and as usual in the small town of Sorenson, Wisconsin death isn't quite as cut and dried and usually take a turn to investigation.

Now head over to LeeAnna's to check out the other I Like Thursday posts.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July.  Remember when we celebrated the Bicentennial in 1976?  I do, even though I was a young pup a mere 12 years old.  We are celebrating our countries 243 birthday this year. 

I am going to also share my I Like Thursday post #70 at the same time.  Thank you LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for encouraging us to look around us to find, and share things we love. 

I love my garden, between all the rain it is starting to bloom among the weeds, which really need to be pulled.  Again.

The Licorice Anise is starting to bloom.  I accidentally pulled most of it this year while trying to get rid of the catnip that grows like crazy in my gardens. 

My new cone flowers are blooming already!  I also have some that came up from last year. 

My hollyhocks which I just love.  I need to find some other colors to add to my garden.

Lupine which I just planted.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a bloom, usually it takes a year or two for them to get going.  I like my old decorative fencing that I have picked up here and there and use to keep the chickens out of my flowerbeds. 

The Lantana is blooming I think this one was called raspberry lemonade.  Along with petunias which are planted in 1/2 a whiskey barrel on the porch.

I also have this beautiful petunia which is a coral color.

I like my new little garden art I found at the feed store.

I think it is made for bird seed but the colors made my heart happy.

I like this hanging basket I found at the farmer's market, but the shepherd's hook didn't want to stay in the ground so it got sat on the stump. 

If you look to the left on that stump you will see a hole.  I have a family of bluebirds which have taken up residence.  They are fearless of me. 

Speaking of being fearless we have a small bunny that seems to think the garden by the steps is an awesome place to hang. 

If no one is outside I have spied him with the chickens in the driveway. 

These guys have been right up to the house lately.  Enjoying the Maple helicopters that John cleaned out of the gutters.  They are having a regular smorgasbord.  Many times I look out and there are 3-4 squirrels out there. 

I like with Gabe's help on a hot sunny day we got the raised bed built, filled, and raspberries planted.

We knocked berry vines back, weeds, and got er done!

Finally I love these muffin/cupcake cups made of silicone. 

I got them from Amazon 2 dozen for like $8 and boy do they work nice!

I tried them out on these Lemon/Raspberry Streusel muffins. 

Now head over to LeeAnna's and check out the other I Like posts, and have a safe and fun July 4th!