Ok, so you know i was gonna do a 300th post giveaway, but i don't have the pics of the booty yet!

I did actually prepare the bundle this time, though! It includes a bunch of Sugar Snap fat quarters rounded out with some other Free Spirit designers' fabrics that play well with my line. And we'll see what else gets added before the actual giveaway!

I have been holding out for over a week, thinking I would get some good shots, but not so. I just missed you too much to keep waiting to post until I had the giveaway ready! My 2 year blogaversary is on the 13th, so I will just do the giveaway for that, ok?

And I'm totally not kidding about missing you and blogging. I love blogging. But you knew that.

Ahhh, with that out of the way, I can just settle in to hang out with you for a while. Mmm, yum. I am actually smiling as I write this because I just  love this time I spend writing to you and showing you stuff and, well, sharing myself.

People sometimes ask me, "Do you ever feel weird about being so open and vulnerable on your blog?"

Frankly, the only time I do is when I am asked that question! I am an open and sensitive person. I am not sharing anything here that I wouldn't tell a new friend, if asked. And, just so you don't think I'm a total exhibitionist just oozing all my secrets, there are plenty of things I don't share here! (so there.)

Ok, enough yapping. How about some recent thrift finds?

Love this corn husk dolly. Love her apron and kerchief.

Love her posture.

She looks like she's walking through a windswept field, carrying a basket.

Then, of course, my mind says, "What is she carrying a basket of?" (excuse the unedited poor grammar of my mind)

And my mind ponders, "Maybe it's a basket of corn husks. Maybe she is going to make some corn dolly babies. Or a corn dolly boyfriend."

You know how psyched I was to find this:

Oh my god, oh my god! A pair of pink porcelain Mary night lights! Yessss!

And an adorable ceramic deer bookend:

So cute!!

Someone on flickr has one that might be the match! I haven't looked at the photos side-by-side yet. I just went looking for the pic to show you, but after 10 minutes, I'm giving up.

My cute little bookend reminds me of Jay McCarroll's collection of ceramic deer (and bunnies) that inspired some prints in his Woodland Wonderland collection for Free Spirit.

(I can't imagine who doesn't know this, but for those who don't: Jay was the winner of Season 1 of Project Runway.)

Here are some (blurry, sorry) photos I took of his treasures at Quilt Market last fall:

This is an odd one (which I love, of course):

I thought it was really cool that he brought them.

Aw, a bunny ear broke in transit:

Jay was bummed!

A few detail shots of stuff in his booth:

 Loved this shirt:

When I first saw Jay, he was talking with my friend Jeff, who I needed to talk to. So I went up to them and joined the conversation and Jeff introduced us.

Jay said, "Oh, I know you! You're Yummy Goods! You have that cute store! I love your blog! I want to be on your blog!"

It was really cute and sweet. He was easy to talk with and his sisters were so great and down-to-earth, too.

I don't know why I look so weird in this picture, but, Jay- here you go:

Look at Jay, don't look at me. And definitely don't stare too long at my cowlick (where my unicorn horn used to be) or it will mesmerize you and you will go mad.

I have been getting some questions about that sweater I am wearing, and seem to wear in an awful lot of photographs. It is by Free People and I got it way cheap at Marshall's or TJ Maxx. I love it and I wish I had one in every color.

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I started writing this post this morning and have come back to it throughout the day. Earlier, I was feeling great, and then was reminded of a challenging situation that has been troubling me. I had a couple of sad hours (and a good cry), but I have to say, there were some gems hidden within.  I soothed myself with good music, curling up under a thrifted afghan to watch the snow fall with some tea in hand. I mean, the tea was in a mug and the mug was in my hands.

I realized: I didn't turn to food. It wasn't even an urge that I had to fight against, it simply did not occur to me. I just did some healthy, self-nurturing things to get through it.  That is progress. I love progress!

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 Journal page from 2000:

Talk to me, sweetie pies. I miss you.

xo, m