Hot on the Scent

Banner Haus News and Musings

Are you one of those people who puts on lots of perfume, or "scent," as we called it in the olde days?  I know those who douse themselves with parfum often practically choke others, but I do add lots of scents throughout the day. I like to layer a number of light scents, and top it off with a bit of Poison added to my bun or at the base of my neck. I have a dread of smelling anything but very fresh and fragrant...pleasantly fragrant...I love donkeys but don't wish to smell like one...

I do feel rather awful, as until recently I would look askance at a gent who works at the local grocery store, because every time I was near the poor fellow, a terrible smell would reach me. After a few weeks of this, and dreading to go buy the cheese I'm addicted to and that he would cut for me, I happened to go to his area, and he wasn't there -- but the smell was -- it was A TYPE OF CHEESE causing the smell...a big ol' cheese in the corner of the display seemed to be making the loathsome smell...I think I saw it move...how people get the slice anywhere near their mouths is beyond me...what a horrid, horrid cheese, surely that can't be good for a person?

Free Vintage Altered Images

These pretty images are from advertisements for Hoyt's Colognes, altered a bit.

Popcorn Winner and A Pretty Pansy Girl

Banner Haus News and Musings

Oh, I know you're just stopping by to see if you won the popcorn. *sigh* I've gotten so DULL.

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worm castings (being vegetarian, I can't eat the worm itself, see...)

Gosh, I am having a lovely pity fest here, just suddenly felt sorry for me olde self FER NO REASON!Got the bit between my donkey teeth and I'm running with it!

Wah! Poor lil' me! Poor ol' gal! *sniff*

Now it's over.

Hee hee. I have a surprise. I bought 2 boxes of the rare and delectable Jolly Time Mallow Magic Popcorn.

Winner of Box #1:~~Carol~~! Oh, you finally won sumpthin'. lol

Winner of Box #2: UNDETERMINED on account of I'm a-gonna draw fer it on Sunday, hee hee.

Oh, gosh, I have gone 'round the bend! Having a time here! I have no idea why I feel so wild. MAYHAP the SEVEN cups o' coffee I had today?

Hope yer Thursday is a lovely one. Carol, look down on that left sidebar and find my profile and click it and it surely ought to have my addy there.

Free Vintage Victorian Trading Card Image

This is cleaned up a bit from a tattered and ill-scanned card. Right-click to save. She looks ready fer spring with her lil' matching dollie.

Popcorn and Shoesies

Banner Haus News and Musings

Marshmeller Popcorn Giveaway in progress! Leave any comment to enter. International bloggie frens welcome as always. I think I'll draw the winner tonight and post the winner tomorrow. I have not seen this sold anywheres but our local grocery store, but it is a national brand -- Jolly Time. I hope it isn't a case of them doing a "test market" and the item you get hooked on is suddenly yanked from the shelves. I have had that happen quite a few times!

Free Vintage Graphics!

These vintage graphics have sole. Step out in style with these. A bunch of masochists follow this blog. Not only do I force earrings on 'em and load 'em up with high-calorie prizes, but they must also endure horrible puns. Well, either masochists or saints, that's my thinking...

These are big postcard-sized graphics, so click them to make 'em bigger, then right-click to save.

Long-Stemmed Beauties and Popcorn Giveaway

Banner Haus News and Musings

The popcorn giveaway continues -- leave any comment to enter -- it's microwave popcorn with packets of marshmallow creme to add, far too delicious...

Tuesday, the day I'm starting my new job hunt, fer a fulltime job. Scarce around here...still doing the greeting cards but the hours are just too few...it really torques my tail to get up at four a.m. and run to the store for just 2 hours of work...UGH...but we do what we have to do!

Free Vintage Images!

These two long-stemmed beauties look like they are from the 1950's...elegant gals...from playing cards. Click to make them load up a larger image. You can save either size. Hard to believe it was "only" fifty years ago that women often wore veils...and gloves..."nylons"...

Right-click to save.

Popcorn Giveaway and Bloggie Frens

Banner Haus News and Musings

I listened to the Carpenters songs all weekend. I could listen to Karen Carpenter sing simply forever. I wish she could have beaten her anorexia as I beat mine.

Funny, at the time they were popular, I had no use fer their music, or any music, really, having been brought up so very strictly by parents who greatly disapproved of any but select classical composers. I couldn't even listen to "that peasant Tchaikovsky," and when I dared to wish to listen to pop music I was severely punished and mocked. It was a miserable existence, lil' donkey frens! If I ever have to listen to the "Water Music Suite" again I'll go drown myself in the horse trough.

Now I adore Karen's voice. But how very sad to hear her sing "and when my life is over, remember when we were together..."

Jolly Time "Marshmeller Treat" popcorn package giveaway going on! Leave any comment to enter! Yes, I'm going back to my old bad habits and am going to try to win my own giveaway again, bwah-ha-ha. Hasn't worked yet but there's always a CHANCE I might win somethin'.

Quote

Not enough people in this world are happy.

   ~Karen Carpenter

Free Digital Image fer Blogs Etc!

Something fer my bloggie frens. Right-click to save this image from the 1940's. I'm going to put it on my sidebar with "I Like My Bloggie Frens" as the caption fer awhile, but I think it would make a cute tag, too.

Giveaway Winner and Some Free Images

Banner Haus News and Musings

Gosh, so much of the nation is getting terrible weather.  I hope none of my bloggie frens are affected. Be careful!

Bit down due to problems commenting. Was able to comment on 2 bloggies and then it went "kaput" fer some reason. Wah!

Giveaway Winner of a bottle of culinary rosewater! From the highly unscientific method of picking a name out of a box: FAITH! Honey, I hope yer not in Canada because it takes AGES to git there...

Kindly don't fret donkey frens iff'n ye didn't win because I have got giveaway fever and am now running one fer A BOX OF THE MARSHMALLOW JOLLY TIME POPCORN!!! Any comment will enter you...

Free Images fer You

You might want this fer yer sidebar.

Snails and Vases

Banner Haus News and Musings

Guess I'll put the names in a hat and draw fer the Rose Water or Orange Flower Water tonight! Post the winner on the morrow...

Thank'ee all donkey frens who've played...

Now, someone was asking about the marshmallow microwave popcorn. It's by Jolly Time Popcorn. Remember them, way back and beyond? Of course ye don't, none of ye gals (and guys) are 450 years old, like I am. Danged if I wasn't at the store today and forgot to get more AGAIN.

Snails ate my Hubbard Squash that had sprouted. Saw three of the darlings just finishing off the last of the stem. The nerve! Of course, can't kill 'em, just had to move them over to the mint. Here, eat some of THAT. Have lovely fresh snail breath, pseudopodia frens.

Quote

I'm gittin' in a mood.

The quote today is from a horrid poem we had to recite in sixth grade. I despised the line about the poor snails, forever gittin' stuck. Later I found that this poem is really quite awful, but that didn't surprise me, seein' as how it was part of the curriculum in a wretched Louisiana school where I don't think I ever encountered a sober teacher. We even had to say a bad, bad word in one of the stanzas, but I'll spare ye, lil' frens.

"The year's at the spring,

And day's at the morn;

Morning's at seven;

The hill-side's dew-pearled;

The lark's on the wing;

The snail's on the thorn;

God's in his Heaven -

All's right with the world!"

   ~ Robert Browning

Free Vintage Images

These are from a lovely postcard featuring a variety of vases. This is all the bigger they git, so just right-click to save any of 'em fer a sidebar decoration or somesuch.

Pretty As A Picture and Giveaway

Banner Haus News and Musings

Don't fergit I'm giving away a bottle of culinary Rose Water or Orange Flower Water -- just put the word WATER somewheres in yer comment iff'n you want to enter/re-enter. Thank'ee donkey frens, open to all near and far.

As if to remind us of Earth Day, nature put on a terrible lightning storm last night -- and of course, I was out in it, getting prescriptions filled for my son who was in a lot of pain from an ear infection. There was a tornado watch and that is unusual fer this area. I have seen many storms and some tornados, but this was the first time I saw lightning traveling up into the sky, and the very sobering and miraculous sight of lightning BALLS.

But at the drugstore, waiting fer the medicine, I couldn't help myself, and tore my eyes away from the storm and straightened the card aisle. Lordy, they were a mess! Who is their merchandiser? Tsk tsk!

Free Scrapbooking and Blog Images

This is a very interesting piece of German scrap I found. I was first going to clean it up and put it on the Fer Sale page, but thought that it really should be free to all to ensure its survival. It's that unusual.

The second image can be clicked and will greatly enlarge, good for digital scrapbooking and such. The first image is sized more for a sidebar (especially if running 2 columns).

Roses and Oranges...

Banner Haus News and Musings

Well donkey dearies, it's too quiet around here.

Let's liven it up with either a rant or a giveaway.

Too tired to rant...plus I'm trying to be a good lil' donkey...so...a giveaway!

The exotic prize: Either a bottle of ROSE WATER or ORANGE FLOWER WATER! Depending on which I can get my hands on at the tiny lil' Asian market. Yes, the kind you can use in cooking! Put the word WATER in yer comment if ye care to enter, frens, otherwise sure enough I'll draw a name and get someone who didn't want to play and has no use for this sophisticated flavoring. I like to spritz these waters on my face in summer, too.

I'll draw the winner prolly Sunday night or somethin'.

Quote

Thorns and roses grow on the same tree.

   ~ Turkish Proverb

Free Image

From a bouquet I took a picture of...right-click to save.

A Selfish Gal

Banner Haus News and Musings

Well, I've been selfish with me bloggie frens lately. 

I pride myself on being open-handed, and yet I keep quiet about a way I find many of my digital images. Didn't share my method.

Bad donkey!

Use foreign terms fer images when you use Google Image Search. Try "Oblaten," "decoupage," and "Glanzbilder."

Well, I feel better now.

Quote

Modesty and unselfishness: These are the virtues which men praise, and pass by.

     ~ Andre Maurois

Free Images

Both the photograph and the old "Glanzbilder" will enlarge greatly if you regular-click the image. Then you can save the larger image with a right-click. And remember, any-sized image can be saved with a simple right-click, unless some fiend has attempted to disable right-clicking. But there are ways around that, too!

The Lonely Sweet Potato and A Pretty Camelia

Banner Haus News and Musings

I got to wondering how the lil' sweet potato I planted back a week or so ago was doing, hadn't seen any leaves come up, so I felt around in the dirt and pulled it out -- this cool weather has put the quietus on the poor thang, no sprouts nor roots were evident, so I decided to replant it over near some mint, with the hope that seeing all the mint growing and sending out runners will inspire it to do likewise. And mayhap the resulting potatoes will have a nice minty flavor.

Quote

I told you you'd live to regret tearing up my camellias.

  ~ Mrs. Dubose in To Kill A Mockingbird

Free Vintage Images

Here is a Victorian image of a camelia. Right-click to save.

A Pretty Lady Perfect for Cards or Scrapbooking

Banner Haus News and Musings

First, just a head's up: Many Blogger bloggies are being used as conduits for trojans and viruses lately -- there are some of my bloggie frens that I can't visit lately due to the ferocity of the malware -- NO, it is NOT the fault of the poor blogger, who is unaware, but I've noticed that after a few weeks the bad stuff usually will clear up and I can go back to visitin' -- some of the stuff is REALLY bad lately -- the hackers are gettin' better at what they're doing and worse in what they're trying. So if'n I ain't been by, that's why. And it just kills a nosey ol' gal like myself to miss the chance to chew the fat with my bloggie frens... 

Well, they weather people "took back" their forecast of more rain and now we might not get anymore for who-knows-how-long. So I'm taking the camera and getting some pictures of the wildflowers blooming. No, no bluebonnets this far west, but many other beautiful blossoms.

This is mighty interesting about the volcano plume that is going to be traveling around the globe. And no, that wasn't what I was thinking when I was mentioning the unfortunate thought I had about the sun appearing dim -- although ex-husband Number Umpteenth (the mean ol' physicist one) told me the sun can never dim beyond a certain amount without wrecking the earth -- I still get the feeling of having a "watery sun" and can't shake it...file that away in yer memories so that come summer, when I'm whining about the sun being so hot, you can trot that out and tease me unmercifully...

Quote

"May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day." 

    ~ Native American proverb 

Free Vintage Image for Cards, Scrapbooking, or Blogs

I thought this lady was quite pretty, and her gray hair lovely and unusual. Bet no one is goin' around telling HER to dye HER hair. Hmph.

Just regular-click to make it enlarge considerably. You can save either size with a right-click. The little size will likely fit on a sidebar, and the big size would be better fer an e-card.

Unusual Rain Here, and Some Simple Graphics

Banner Haus News and Musings

We are setting records here for rain. An inch and a fourth in one day, and five days of clouds, with five more expected. Very odd! But there are wildflowers blooming! By the hundreds! All along the railroad tracks. Hurrah!

Free Graphics fer You

Here is a simple sidebar "Welcome" graphic done in the style I call "European Rustic."

And, a Mother's Day sidebar reminder, from an altered vintage image.

Right-click to save any graphic. Don't fergit you can use free services such as photobucket.com or picnik.com or other online graphics editors to add type, change size, add things, etc. to any graphics you find!

Sidebar "Welcome" Graphic in New Colors and Another Big Hilda

Banner Haus News and Musings

Hope I didn't scare anyone with my predictions yesterday. I'm also predicting that the somehow the sun will be very weak for about eight months and then self-correct. Not sure when this might happen but "the vibe" I get says soon. And now I will stop with the gloominess! Fer someone who gets all these vibes, I sure ain't done well at picking six winning Lottery numbers...

Free Image

This sidebar one is homemade, done in the colors of some new Hallmark wrapping paper that is selling extremely well. And, a Big Hilda I may or may not have posted over on my olde Penniwig's bloggie. I like it -- shows us plump gals can be flexible! Big Hilda is the creation of artist Duane Bryers. Click the Big HIlda to enlarge it to post-card size.

A Scaredy-Cat's Warning, and Big Hilda, Where You Been?

Banner Haus News and Musings

Now, as you know, I have been prediciting earthquakes, comets, volcano eruptions, a shift in the orientation of the earth, and other gloomy thangs, to family, frens and bloggie frens. I believe that people can sometimes somehow ascertain something that is going to happen, not through any magic, but by being able to catch a vibe or read signs. 

Whether I'm just a harmless nut or onto something, it makes sense, donkey frens, to make sure you have some thangs on hand in case of a natural emergency. 

Make sure you have some food fer yerselves and yer animals (I hate to say, but I have cans of those lil' Vienna sausages that humans, dogs, and cats could all choke down), some bottled water fer selves and animals, a supply of yer meds to last 3 weeks, and a way to cook, too, such as wood and a firepit or kettle on a tripod. Hate to be so gloomy, but just watch out, lil' donkeys, and be ready. My emergency kit also includes earrings but that's just me. Seriously, it includes some gold and silver coins fer bartering. And I have my bike in working order at all times. 

I'd rather be a scaredy-cat ready fer trouble than be caught in a pinch.

Vintage Image

We haven't had a Big Hilda graphic in ages and ages. 

Fer those new to this bloggie, I'll just say that Big Hilda is a plus-size pinup, and I feel she is a wholesome depiction, created by artist Duane Bryers. He also painted a lot of famous posters for the government during WWII, but is most known and collected for his Western paintings. But Big Hilda is my very favorite of all his creations. She is who she is, and she likes herself, and she is sweet to animals.

Big Hilda is not copyright-free. But she is available to admire. Click on her to get Big Hilda to become even more expansive.

Beware of Moths

Banner Haus News and Musings

Tax Day, Donkey Frens!!!

"The IRS will never guess where I've hidden my tax return..."

I'm very easygoing about most bugs, donkey frens. And I almost never kill caterpillars. The caterpillar you squish today means one less butterfly or moth tomorrow.

I make exceptions for a very horrible caterpillar called a "puss moth." Forty years after the fact, I still have a scarred palm from where I touched one as a child. The agony was incredible, and matched only by having a kidney stone. Even labor couldn't compare.

Those caterpillars, I squish. Actually, I run screaming if I see one. Keep yer eyes out, m'dears, as they are very pretty, looking fer all the world like clumps of rabbit fur. Funny I'd pick "Ubermoth" as my Twitter handle, considering my fear of them.

Free Digital Images

This is just a lil' birthday image, altered from a vintage illustration. And a few butterflies.

Right-click to save.

Marshmallow Troubles and April Showers

Banner Haus News and Musings

Well, my big excitement around here is that the tailless squirrel ran off with an entire popcorn ball that he was supposed to be sharing with the finches. 

The other "excitement" is that I bought a package of popcorn that was supposed to taste just like "marshmallow crisp treats." I had high hopes, popped it up in the microwave, poured it out into a bowl, and it hardly had any marshmallow flavor at all. 

But that didn't stop me from eating the whole bowl of it. I went into my son's room and asked him did he want the other packet of popcorn, though I couldn't say much fer it. He said he did and went and popped it up. Then he came back to the computer room and showed me a pouch -- of marshmallow creme. "Didn't you want to put this on yer popcorn? Because if you don't want it, I'll add it to my batch, too. I already added the other one. It's great!"

Well, durn. Iff'n you don't add the marshmallow, I guess it doesn't taste much like the crispy treat.

Free Image

Right-click to save an image. You can rename it at that time, too!

Not sure what the theme is..."April Showers," I guess. Due to the rare clouds we're having here and many of you are having where you are.

Giveaway Winner(s) and Some Seed Pkts

Banner Haus News and Musings

Well, m'dears, I wrote out all the names and put them in a box and drew out the winner of the Pearl Earrings and Fizzies giveaway. Yep. Pulled out the name "Linda."

Now, which of the two Lindas? Beats me, dearies! So both Lindas must win! That'll learn me not to rush! I get to foist my earbobs onto more lobes this way! Soon the world will be awash in my earrings and my dream of World Peace Through Earrings will be achieved! Bwa ha ha!

Thank'ee to all who entered. The bad news is that I just got some verrrrrrry strange beads in and will soon be attempting another giveaway. The thangs you put up with, donkey frens! It's just amazing.

Quote
“You can always tell what kind of a person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he gives you.”
~ Audrey Hepburn

Free Vintage Images
Some seed packets from yesteryear. I was very surprised to find out that some of my donkey frens can't plant yet! Not fer quite awhile yet! Here it's almost too late in the year to plant, getting too hot fer the poor seedlings!

Monday Morning!

I have no idea why this didn't post as scheduled. Blogger, free and worth every penny!!!

Banner Haus News and Musings

I'll pick the Earrings and Fizzies giveaway winner late tonight and post the winner fer Tuesday morning. Just comment to enter/re-enter! International bloggie frens always welcome.

Donkey frens, I've been sorter down. Goin' thru some sorter spell, is my thought. It's a lot of pressure to figure out where to move. And then I was down just thinkin' that I wouldn't be able to afford property where we could have a donkey and four hens. Was pretty tore up about it, and then thought, "Well, I'll donate to a donkey rescue, then. And mayhap sneak a hen into the backyard. Bribe the neighbors with the eggs."

Now I'm feeling perkier. May all yer burdens be as light.

Free Vintage Image

What have we here? Birdie eggs. And some pansies and strawberries. The pansies look like they might be from a scrap of wrapping paper. Right-click to save.

All About Fizzies and Some Jars

Banner Haus News and Musings

Don't fergit the giveaway, lil' donkeys...any pair of earrings in my shoppe featuring pearls (real or glass), and a package of the new Kool-Aid Fizzies. Enter or enter again, by putting the word "fizzy" somewheres in yer comment so's I know you want to enter.

I found the new fizzies at a little grocery store we have here locally, but Walmart is also carrying them, at least here, right along with the regular Kool-Aid packages. Yer gettin' GRAPE iff'n you win. There are three flavors, Punch, Grape, and Lemonade. Just one tablet flavors a whole bottle of water. 

I MIGHTY appreciate the comments yesterday about trying to figure out where to move, and the interesting remarks about yer experiences with the fizzies. Thank'ee. I believe the original fizzies were German. They are still making them over there, too, in a lot of flavors. I think if the Kool-Aid ones catch on, surely they will make more flavors?

Had to pull MORE offensive cards off the shelf yesterday. Didn't even have to check the numbers, knew which they had to be right off. They surely have some raunchy stuff out lately. Even a few of the Mother's Days cards are pure raunch. MOTHER'S DAY! Tsk tsk.

Free Scrapbooking and Blog Images

Here are some fruit jars you might, fer unknown reasons, wish to place on yer bloggies. Who knows why we decorate our blogs.

Now we need a virtual Fizzy to throw in there.

Fer the Busy Bees Out There, and A Giveaway

Banner Haus News and Musings

Everyone seems so very busy compared to me. I'm more sloth-like. 

Our visit to San Angelo went well. We drove there and back in a day, and we looked around. My husband was pretty charmed with it. I just don't know what to think about it. I used to move all over, at the drop of a hat. After two years in a place, I would be itching to move away. Moving back and forth, from one coast to another, didn't phase me in the least. 

Now, I worry about my son, pets, and husband. I worry about getting them into the specialists they must see. I don't know if the world got harder, or if I just got tired.

Saw hundreds of sheep, a few llamas, wild turkeys and ducks, but no donkeys.

Oh, let's have a giveaway. In honor of the Concho Pearls that San Angelo is famed for, any pair of earrings in my shoppe featuring PEARLS is the prize. International bloggie frens always welcome. Ho-hum, earrings again...yes, but with KOOL-AID FIZZIES TOO!!! Now we're talkin'. Don't need to holler, don't need to foller, just put FIZZY somewheres in yer comment to enter.

Free Vintage Image

Here is a pretty bee skep or hive. The bees look a bit waspish, but it's still so much better than anything I could draw or create. I think it may be a woodcut.

Right-click to save.

Searching for That Elusive Cottage

Banner Haus News and Musings

Driving over to San Angelo with my husband to see if we want to move over there. It's really hard to find a place that has a reasonable cost of living, employment, easy weather, races get along, low housing prices, and some water nearby. I want a little ol' cottage with a deep front porch, and room fer a donkey in back. We don't ask fer much, now do we?

Free Vintage Graphic

Such a pretty cottage, painted long ago. I kind of kicked up the colors, but it was really quite colorful to begin with...thought it might look nice on a card or on a sidebar.

Now, that's the kind of garden I want! "A riot of color," as they say.

Click to greatly enlarge. Save either size with a right-click.