I'm In a Mystery Thrift Off!

About a month ago, a friend sent me an intriguing email telling me about a cool project.

Lindsey over at Better After  was looking for applications to join her Mystery Thrift Off!


I looked at her post and figured....what the heck....and I applied!
Imagine my surprise....I was picked to be one of the participants!

If you want to see all the specifics of how this works, here is a link to Lindsey's post about the contest!

In a nutshell.....Lindsey has spent the last few weeks shopping the thrift stores for a UNIQUE  and VERY SPECIAL item for each of the contestants.

She sent them out to all of us this week!

DYI Lazy Lady Cold Frame!

 I am soooo anxious get started planting! Since Sweetwater is in Zone 4, the safe date for planting annuals is May 15th.....more than 3 weeks away!

One solution is to use a cold frame! That seems like a great idea....but it also seems like too big a project for the few herbs and vegetables we grow.

Besides....the vegetables have to grow on the deck to keep them away from the "critters" here at Sweetwater!  Giving up the space for a cold frame on the deck isn't practical!

Here is the solution that we devised!
This is a classic "Sweetwater Style Use What You Have" project!

Thrifty Patio Table Refresh!

The lovely April weather here in Minnesota this year is a bit deceptive!  Days in the 70's make it a joy to get out and start clearing the gardens.  My solution to ease the  "gardening aches and pains" that are a result of way too much bending and pulling and digging is sitting on the deck with a cool beverage! 

Photo of the deck in 2012

The deck truly is a three season extra room in/out of our home!

We love the seating area with chairs around a round table with a copper inset for a planting.

Well....while I was sitting there relaxing.....
I noticed the surface of the top of the table!

YIKES!  Minnesota winters are hard on things!

In other years, I used Gel Stain and Polyurethane to refresh the surface! (Click to see how I did that)

But after doing that a couple of times, the situation called for something more drastic!

Spring Herb Basket!

Home Depot is selling 5 little pots of herbs for $10 this week!

That is a great deal.....but it is way too early here in Minnesota to put plants outside!

In fact....yesterday, I drove to a meeting through snowflakes bigger than cottonballs...go figure!

Since the herbs were such a bargain...I couldn't pass them up!

I put together this nice little basket for a centerpiece on the kitchen table.

Here are a couple of things I did to "style" this little basket!

Paloma Cocktail Recipe

We just got back from two wonderful weeks in Manzanillo, Mexico!

What a gorgeous place it is!

Much of the time we sat on the patio looking at this gorgeous view of the bay.

Thanks to the Sweetwater Brother and Sister-in-law who graciously share their condominium with us!

Now I bet you think that the the favorite cocktail in Mexico is a Margarita.....

Margaritas are very tasty.....and I love to order them when we are on the beach or at a restaurant....but they are seriously too sweet for me!

BUT THEN....I  discovered a new favorite that is much simpler to make at home!

And....(rumor has it that this is even more popular in Mexico than the Margarita)

The Paloma Cocktail