MANTLE MADNESS..

Let's start this one off with saying that the word can be spelled Mantle or Mantel.  It normally just comes out mantle when I type so thats how you will see it most. lol

Okay, so after Christmas the mantle must be cleared and then redesigned....except this year Im having a really hard time.   Last year I didnt have a huge TV on top of it.  

Even taking pictures of it is difficult because of that big black box.  Ive tried hiding it with decorative plant & stand and that didnt work so I just decorate around it!

MAMA'S BOY MONDAY.... NOT SO MANIC TODAY!

So I was out picking up an ottoman from Craigslist with my son.   We were in a parking lot of a shopping center that happened to have a TJ Maxx!  Now I know this may seem strange to alot of you ladies, but Ive never been to an actual TJ Maxx.  I shop Home Goods, Marshalls but there just wasnt a TJ Maxx that I knew of until right then.   So we go walking in and my son asks what we are getting, and I explained that Im just going to look because Pops (my husband) will not be happy if I come home with any more stuff. (haha....you ladies know that means you've been shopping way too much if you have to start doin it on the sly)

  My son's response " It's okay mama, I will buy you something with my money.  You can think of it as a late mother's day gift!! (Awwwwwwwwwww that's my mama's boy) I said no its okay Im alright with just looking (such a lie.........parents shouldnt lie to their children. lol)

  Of course I head straight to the CLEARANCE section and he's talking about a girl he'd like to buy something for (a sweetheart since Pre-K 3) so he wanted to go to the jewelry section.  I quickly scoured the shelves and just like at Marshalls on top of the highest shelf was this long glass container.  I think its the bottom of an apothecary jar but top was missing.  I checked the sticker on bottom.......$4.50 WOOHOO! He said how much is it mama?  I said "Dude, its only $4.50, she i'm a cheap date.  He replied...ewwww that's kinda gross mama cause I wouldnt date you, your my mother!    I just laughed, I also found a bag of those fun decorative balls for 4.99 and debated on whether I should get them.  He said, "I'll get those too, its the least I can do for you mama, you gave me life".   The 2 ladies in the aisle turned around and were like "OMG, can we have him please, he's so sweet...we've been listening to him talk with you this whole time.  I apologized and said "No I like my mama's boy I think I'll keep him. 

Here are the gifts from my mama's boy......

GOD BLESS AMERICA.........

BBQ's and pool parties are great, so is getting together for fireworks at night.  But, let's all remember what today is about (take a look).  Let's also remember all of our military men and women that are away from the U.S still fighting for the freedoms that we enjoy every year at this time.  I  dont mean to preach, Im the wife of a U.S. Marine who served his deployment overseas a little over 1 year ago and Im happy that he is now home with us.  Not all are so lucky, please pray for those who are not home at this time and thank them for their sacrifices so that we may enjoy our freedoms.

MANIC MONDAY.....MARSHALL'S STYLE

 I haven't been to Marshall's in forever but since Ive been on a dish hunt lately I decided to make a stop.  I use to shop there alot for house stuff. Well less than 5 seconds in the store and of course i'm in the CLEARANCE section and I spot the HUGE glass vase (about 20inches)...its on the top shelf and I think wow that's nice wonder how much. So I take a look from underneath the glass shelf and there is a big red tag with $3.00 on it.  I was like OMG...I actually looked around as if I had discovered something and didn't want anyone to see it. lol    I reached up and slowly took it down, checked it out and then realized there was an apothecary top next to it.  IT COULDNT BE......did I find an apothecary jar of this size and condition for $3.00!   So I now need a cart for my treasure, then I head over an aisle to the dish section of the clearance area.  There I find these wonderful dishes..a nice selection to chose from so I had to think about what I had in mind.  I decided on 2 of these wonderful Portuguese Majolica style plates....Ive been watching some on ebay and figured these would be perfect dinner plate to the dessert ones I have in mind.  When I flip for the price....$2.00, i'm like in heaven now.  So I keep looking and I find thESE white weathered looking plates...they also come in a golden color but I have so many from my tuscan dining room in my old home.  So I decide on 2 dessert plates and these are marked $1.00.   At this point, i'm estatic with all my finds and decide to quit while i'm WAY AHEAD.   However on my way to the register, I spot a lovely aged pale turquoise stone candleholder.  It was also $3.00 and probably weighed about 3 lbs....it was very heavy.    Below you will see photos of my fabulous finds at Marshall's and hopefully soon I will post their final resting places.