Options in Labeling Prices

A least fun thing, which, depending on who you're talking to, needs to be completed, is labeling, or pricing your items. The absolute easiest way out is to simply not mark anything, though that can leave your patrons turning away sooner than you might like. If nothing is marked then patrons must ask, or negotiate. Some prefer this method, some despise it (yes, I'm one of the despisers 😁). Some others will gather a grouping of items together (ones which are likely from an actual "marked" sale) & request a "price" where the sale's host will consider a discount for a patron to have selected so many items of which to relieve the host. It's synonymous with someone shopping at a retail store & being told they can receive $5 of $35 or more with a coupon, or getting 20% when they spend enough money. Suppose the host adds up a patron's findings & they've $20 worth of items. Maybe the host will suggest the patron only pay $17, or even just $15.

Another easy way out of needing to label items is to have designated priced tables; almost dollar store style. As much as having "departments" at your sale can be important, or at least helpful, the "dollar store" set up will override this layout. Each table would be set up to represent a dollar amount. Since it's a yard sale, it could be a good idea to begin with the "cents" increments. A $0.25 table, a $0.50 table, a $1.00 table, maybe a $3.00 table, a $5.00, & depending on how high items could go for, even a $10.00 table. It could also be an idea to split a table if there aren't as many items which apply to a dollar figure; maybe have a table that has $3.00 items on the left-hand side & $5.00 items on the right-hand side. For these tables, taking a paint stirrer or something similar & affixing either a simple sheet of paper, stock paper, poster or foam board by way of gluing or stapling it after using a marker to write the prices on, or printing them off a computer in a large, legible font can be a great way to prominently showcase your prices adequately for each section of items.

A little more complicated, yet thorough way to price items is to use these. One of these stickers labeling each item clearly indicates how much the host expects, or anticipates, for an item. If an item can be destroyed or altered by a sticker label, such as a sweater (where the threads could be pulled or snagged), or a picture frame (where an unlimited supply of Goo Gone would be needed), or plastic wrapping that would leave a spot or get pulled & distorted, then attaching one of these, or these could be a viable alternative solution, though more time consuming to affix.

Utilizing these options makes for a more likely chance of selling more items, in so that those patrons who don't prefer to barter, or really want to add up their costs as they walk about your tables will feel more comfortable doing so. Creating the best likelihood that someone who might live a block or two away will leave contented & go back to their house, be unloading their car, their neighbor will see them, ask where they were, where they found all their new things, & they'll share with their neighbor about their experience and it'll be a positive one. Then their neighbor will find themselves thinking that maybe a quick trip a few blocks away seems like a really good idea. Especially since your layout was so good that when the neighbor asked if you'd had much left after, the response they received was "yes".

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Our Other Table Options

Of course, this post discusses another great table option for sale set up. Our family also happened to have one of these tables; ironic of course, as we never played the game. Still the table provided great height & depth for optimal space. The one we had had a wooden base with legs that folded underneath & out of the way.  This gaming table came with a sort of cover-over wooden panel in-so-that it could be placed across the gaming table & be an instant flat surface - exactly what we needed in order to display items well. I believe we often used this table to display the apparel we no longer needed. Typically sweatshirts, sweaters, & tops in general.

Our family didn't have a garage, at least not an accessible one which could be used for a vehicle or be reached by anyone on our street as its location was at the back of the house & only accessible from the outside via a narrow gate entry, not until the house got remodeled anyway. We had a reasonable sized front yard & part of the side yard filtered up next to the, at the time, two-car, side-by-side driveway. So, when we had a "sale", it was a "yard sale", as in, it was definitely held in our yard.

We didn't have a lot of tables on hand to display our things, so these tables would all be used as well as one of these. Again, we never used the table for its intended purpose, yet since this table's legs easily folded up & could by shimmied out of sight & out of mind whenever necessary, it remained a piece of our household, coming out for the special occasions: larger family gatherings (toss a tablecloth on it & its an instant "kids' table"), & these yard sales.

We'd strategize these few tables about our yard, most utilizing the flattest land sections, such as the side yard & the driveway, then straddling our front walkway which divided the front yard into two sections leading everyone from our driveway to our front door. The system worked as we hosted numerous yard sales, & even a few multi-family sales, with each of these, hardly adjusting these options. In fact, I believe Mom & Dad still have this & this, & I know for certain that they still have this. If I glance at their gazebo, I see it 😊.

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Setting Up for a Sale

We'd always had one of these. It sat on the patio at the corner of the back of the house. Once my brother built the gazebo it got moved & has lived inside the gazebo ever since. It's a great fit; snug, yet enough room to move around it within the gazebo's framework.

And the wood's matched quite well too. Between it & the gazebo. Whenever we had a gathering, a party, any special occasion, & we needed to set up the backyard for additional seating, the seating in the gazebo was prepared, prime, & ready-to-go & also in high demand as it had more shade & overall ambience.

*****

Our family shopped at garage sales, yard sales, multi-family sales, & estate sales. We knew what to expect from each. We knew that estate sales typically had higher prices because there was a write-up from someone who'd been brought in to help with the process. We knew that multi-family sales could be a great option, especially if there was a reasonable sized neighborhood & most likely would be participating. We knew that garage sales would be helpful, especially as these weekend endeavors are planned before Mother Nature makes her precipitation plans. & Oftentimes those with garages typically don't fold & cave if any rain does fall. And yard sales can sometimes be in large yards where the hosts have canopies set up to keep their possessions, as well as their patrons, dry.

If we knew what we were thinking we'd want to get, or definitely not get, we could sometimes scope that out seeing what others' had sitting on their driveway or a table close to the curb. We'd often see lots of kids items & clothes when we were looking for crafting supplies, house decorations, appliances, & furniture. So we knew there'd be no point in our stopping by & taking the time for the congenial "Hello".

Sale item placement can be rather pertinent. Just as much as including, along with the congenial "Hello", "Is there anything in particular you're out looking for today?" Things shouldn't be blocking one another. Having "departments" is a good idea, or at least a bit of organization since one of these isn't all that ideal or practical to be sitting atop a table next to one of these.

Items being at eye level is of uber importance. This way those who feel awkward or may be rushed are more likely to see the available items without being "put out", needing to bend or stretch. One of these can be great to have on hand as a source to use for setting up items, yet unless the items are practical for setting up on its seats, those items aren't as likely to catch a shoppers eye. Good tables are uber essentials for adequate set up at these "sales".

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Ideas for an Ideal Good Weather Gathering

Memorial Day is upon us. A day when many gather together to enjoy food prepared atop a grill. Yards (if it's good weather 😉) will be filling up with, what I call, "camp fire smell". And I love it.

Hamburgers & hotdogs are the mainstays of the day. Some will step it up with wurst & other meats. Beans are likely to be present, as are versions of both potato salad & broccoli salad. Ketchup, mustard, & relish too, will line the condiment area. Diced or sliced onions, tomato slices, & leaves of lettuce will adorn a dish for those who wish to add them atop their sandwich.

Some might also have an array of these. Snacks can be welcome at these occasions & these types of snacks can be the best option. Suited for one, & more than one option, leaving nary a complaint. Candy on the side might be a nice compliment; these certainly have the salty snacks covered.

Have croquet or bocce ready, or maybe your crowd is more akin to card games. Some fun options for tykes if they'll be joining your company too: a swing set & slide; perhaps a sandbox. Possibly on the extremely creative & crafty side: a scavenger hunt. This could also depend on the age variable of the tykes. I think the scavenger hunt could be the best idea; I think that's because I wouldn't mind participating 😏.

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Building in the Backyard

Among the fruit trees lining my parents' backyard there was a noticeable enough gap where construction could fit. After completing this weekend project, my brother declared his ambition to build our family one of these. He'd drawn up plans & worked with Dad to figure out exactly what would become of his idea - of course, with Mom's approval. It only made sense that his work would be built in this gap of space, which would sit snuggly in between two fruit trees, nearly in a corner of the yard. The trees would then be able to grow over & around the project, completely accenting it.

This had its own place in the yard for many years; eventually, however, a fruit tree died & soon it found its permanent home atop the mulch mound where the tree had stood.

We all helped in some small way, although it truly was my brother's project. I'd helped finish digging the foundation holes; if I remember correctly there were five of them. He tended to be a bit more squeamish than me, which I learned years prior when I put handfuls of earthworms to him; he didn't take it well.

This again happened when building ended up on delay for a few more days than anticipated as our neighborhood endured an extreme rainfall. The rain fell while we were preparing the foundation holes, therefore too much water sat in the thus-far prepared base. Dad knew we'd have to wait for it to dry out, though, if memory serves me well, I believe that we might have scooped out a portion of the water. What I do clearly recall is that, upon revisiting the scene of the project we quickly learned that a visitor had stopped on by, yet fell in the dug hole, & with the rain water sitting in the base, & an inability to climb out, it died. When I noticed the situation I bellied on up to the task, retrieving a long handled shovel from the shed, reached in & scooped up the rat.

Dad was across the way, yet could clearly see what sat on the edge of the shovel I was holding. My brother was a mere few feet in front of where I stood, across from me - watching. Of course he technically wanted me to just disperse of the rat; toss it over the hill, etc. He definitely didn't want it anywhere near him, which is what I proceeded to do. I began walking toward him &, of course, he took off. He ran from the backyard, up the side yard, & onto the street. I was following him, carrying the shovel, still holding it as I'd been - with the rat at its tip.

The whole deal ended rather quickly as I don't run as fast as my brother and I had a shovel with a dead rat on it in my arms all the while I was running after him. We made it down the street, maybe a house or two, before he whined & complained, calling at me as brotherly as he could to basically let him get back to the house & resume working on his project.

When we got back Dad took care of disposing the rat & we all continued working on how to best get around whatever excess water remain around & on the project. At some point in all of this Mom brought us out drinks & took a few posterity photos. We've no photos of my retrieving the rat & "presenting" it to my brother, yet these are the mental images I recall most & plan to for a very long time 😊.

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An Essential Garden

Our neighbors had one of these in their yard, though I never thought much of it - mostly because it seemed to always have bird poop on it; the dark purple variety, not the white kind. Therefore it always seemed dirty & sort of, not what it was meant to do either, as whenever water was added to it, it would be gone sooner than not with the sun beating done directly on it. It seemed to be more of a large piece of plastic than anything else. And unlike a treadmill that's gone unused, no clothing can be hung from it doubling it up as a clothesline 😂.

I'm into standard & simple, so the original design suits me just fine. Though this one, in a peppercorn shade, could easily mix it up just a bit. This one, with two tiers, has a certain elegance, & yet still appears to be quite simple in its overall design.

Each seems that it belongs among a large arrangement of perennials with cobblestone paths shooting off in various directions; I'm envisioning a movie scene now. Maybe a fountain off to the side as well. A bench along the way too, for a quick break from gallivanting down the cobblestone pathway. And the bench would have a donation placard centered on its headboard 😊😂. A lamp post would be nearby to add that touch of elegance & provide direction for whomever might find themselves on the bench.

And, just think, all of this simply because I found myself thinking about these 😏.

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Swinging in Style

There is a photo from my childhood, my early childhood to be exact, where, when a bunch of cousins & siblings were together, we ended up sitting on top of one another on one of these (Amazon link as well as the image). We were delighted & a number of our older relatives were standing around us, off to the side, smiling & giggling along with us.

Our house didn't have one when we were small. Eventually, when the house addition was added on, late in our adolescence, there was space. It may have been during our college years when it arrived. I know I've used it, yet not for any significant purposes; I've no special memories while sitting on it.

If memory serves me well, I believe I attended an outdoor bridal shower where one was used as something of a "head table". Gifts were opened & appetizers were eaten from it.

I think they're elegant & add tons of charm to the right outdoor space. Designed for three people, & because they can hold up to 250 pounds, they're extra fun when a group of youngsters take to filling it up. They're great for a large gathering, adding instant seating whereas others might need to take to a lawn chair or the nearest folding chair. It can fill in a reasonable sized nook just about anywhere on a property & look generally divine. No matter, come sit or swing, or hope another someone stops by to sit with you or swing you for a bit.

Multiple Uses for This Multi-Purpose Table

Sometimes it's the versatility; sometimes it's the mere convenience. A collapsible item which can slide out of sight & out of the way. And, at the same time is easy to set up & put in place. And by just one person. It's something that can hold items, something that a group can dine on, items can be displayed on, organization can take place on.

This something is this. When it folds, it's just 3' wide & the handle is sturdy & suitable for "hugging" to oneself in order to maneuver it around. It's not entirely "light weight", yet it's far from something to be considered "heavy"; it's very manageable. It's not formal, yet it's not an embarrassment to showcase. It can fit in the back of an SUV with ease to transport when a close friend, family member, or neighbor down the road asks if they can borrow it 😊.

It can be the gift receiving table at a child's birthday party. Or a snack table where chips & candy as well as the throw away paper & plasticware are set; maybe even the cake. Depending on the number of attendees, it could be a great idea to use it as the dining table, or the kids table while the adults sit at a more main & official table.

It can be a temporary (or not-so-temporary) sewing table as it would conveniently hold both a sewing machine & an in-progress project including a stack of fabric samples, bias tape, ribbon or lace for edging, etc. Or a crafting table - for much the same reasoning: a project could easily be set up on it with room to spare for the various parts to be added to it. Whether it be glue, fabric, or felt, markers, or even paint. The list goes on & so does the space on this table for creativity.

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Banners on Display

The warm breezes outside suggest another staple of the season. Appropriate at all times of the year, though definitely now, flags, or banners can be the answer to dressing up any yard or small nook. A general one simply welcoming everyone, or ones that pertain to a particular theme, such as a holiday or hobby. They can easily suit any ordinary personality, making any owner feel that much more special.

When Mom & Dad updated their house & added, well, an addition onto their property decades ago, Mom included a spot on the side of the house where such a banner could be hung with ease while still being completely visible. Along with her many "seasons of the year" that she decorates with indoors, Mom has a litany of banners with which to dress the side of her house.

I've never gravitated toward banners as a means to decorating. At one house, I elected to display an American flag & I properly affixed the metal holster to the house's brick as instructed. When I moved from that house, I left the flag in the front closet for the next owner's use. That was me, staying simple; 'tis my style.

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Some Atypical Hanger Options

Along the way I've also picked up a few of these & these. And in my paranoia of all things shoulder bunching, sometimes these can be most beneficial even if their original intent is otherwise. They might have square edges, yet they're soft, cushioned edges, & therefore oftentimes eliminating creases because of their cushioning.

Almost every type of hanger can hold its purpose in just about any bedroom closet or foyer closet. Having the right type on hand can be productive & useful. Then again, the next-best-hanger can be used just the same just as often.

Sometimes finding hangers to match an outfit & color code is best. Sometimes having each family member use one color for all of the hangers in their closet is best, & sometimes there's not too much closet space & those items that are just as well to fold, must be just that: folded, thus making any of these hangers obsolete, pointless, & in the way taking up space.

And yes, sometimes none of this matters & a dress might end up hanging on a wooden coat hanger. And all is well & remains just fine.

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Hanger Options for Skirts & Pants

For many of the same reasons & needs that I found it necessary to, well, update, the hangers I'd been using for my tops, I also found it necessary to transition to alternative hangers for my skirts & pants. It seemed to only make sense since what I'd been using for my skirts, & many of my pants, were the standard white hangers with these clips (in white) affixed. They'd slide, or shift, or simply fall off. Oftentimes they'd leave markings at the clipping joint on the waistband. Or, with the pants, they'd not hang properly just being folded over the base of the standard white hanger. It became necessary to upgrade & move on. Many of the pants & skirts I'd buy at the department store, when I'd be getting these with my new tops, would come on these (though most of mine are the clear variety). Then I noticed I went to a few other places & got a few of these. It may have been a flea market or a rummage sale. They're all very similar, yet slightly different all at the same time. They are also the varieties that hang well from the notches below the neck of these.

I find these newer hangers to be easier to manage where my clothes don't slide around or bunch up & the clips don't interfere with the weave of the fabric; the few that may be jeopardized, I place tissue or something similar overtop the waistband to avoid damage.

Incidentally, as I've always kept all of these hangers, never knowing when any might break, or, more importantly when I might buy something which didn't come with a hanger of its own, yet found it best to hang it up, I'd have the spare hanger I needed for it. Through my constant purging, reconsidering, & donating of many of my clothes, I'm finding myself with a few boxes full of not-being-used hangers. Next up is being able to part with all of the additional ones. After all, they are only taking up quality space in storage.

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Plastic Hangers from the Department Store

Somehow, all throughout college, & even into the following years, these hangers suited my hanging needs. In the decade or so which followed I began noticing certain crimps & indentations in many of my tops & could tell it was a direct impact from the hangers. Basically, I found myself trying to shift the edges of the shoulders of many of my tops in order to avoid or alter these crimps. Otherwise they'd be noticeable while I'd be wearing them. Definitely not classy; rather tacky.

It was about this same time when I began shopping at a department store where customers had the option of keeping the hangers that came with their clothing. Bingo! I kept all of mine. The clothes were hung on hangers that rounded over the edge, like these, or, the more sleek & unbreakable version: these; there was a smooth transition & therefore the clothes were left looking good with no crimps or indentations. Of course these hangers should work; only the department store looking to sell the garments used them on their sales floor! 😂

They were good enough for me & still are. The bottom, or underneath portion of the hanger includes a notch where a skirt/pant hanger can adjoin. This helps keep outfits together; another added bonus. These hangers also fit nicely with the magic hangers. In fact, because the metal hooks are so thin, even though the added weight isn't advisable, it's completely possible to double up on a rung, or multiple rungs with these hangers.

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Those Standard White Plastic Hangers

And then we "graduated" to the adult size version. Or, basically our clothes were too wide & too big to hang properly from our child-size hangers anymore. Though it was gradual. Turtleneck shirts still hung from the smaller hangers. Maybe this is why I remember the turtleneck shirts in general, they were around for so long in the same way.

We were learning that certain garments hung better [read: looked better] on us if they were hung from a hanger between the wash & our wearing them rather than being folded up in our dresser drawers. Our hangers typically also had little hooks underneath, or, like these (links are to Amazon as well as the image link in the top left), divots, or "notches", where an outfit, which might include more than one piece, could hang together more easily. Look out organization! Really though, this only worked when the additional pieces of the outfit came with straps or strings especially designed for these notches & this wasn't always the case.

Nevertheless, these were the hangers of the house for a few decades & the hangers that accompanied us to our college dorm room closets. We still used the smaller hangers whenever a pair of pants or skirt worked just as well, "upgrading" to the wider version when a garment didn't hang as wrinkle free as planned & we wanted to look nice. After all, we were in college & considering our appearances on a daily basis differently than we had back when our only hanger option had been these 😊.

Hangers as a Kid

My earliest memory of using hangers as a kid is a memory of hanging up my turtleneck shirts. So it was wintertime. Common daily attire would be corduroy pants or jeans (most likely chance for ultimate warmth) along with a sweater or sweatshirt overtop a matching turtleneck, which was most likely plain white.

These turtleneck shirts fit just right on the smaller size plastic hangers & we also used them for the pants we'd hang up. Back then the few pairs we'd not stow in a pants drawer in the bottom of our dresser, the few pairs that Mom had us keeping "nice enough" that we'd fold over, maybe using those special, "dress pants" crease lines, & fold over the base of the plastic hanger where, as long as we wore them frequently enough & they didn't sit on the hanger all season long, then there'd not be another crease around the point of the pant's knee.

This was sometimes how we'd know when we'd outgrown a pair of pants, simply didn't prefer a pair anymore, or maybe they didn't work well with any of our shirts & sweaters & it might just be time to pass them along to the donation center; besides, with an added, unsightly crease what kid's gonna wanna deal with trying to wear it anyway? 😂

These come in pink, blue, & white (Amazon link as well as the image link in the top left). Great colors for girl, or boy, or anyone; perhaps a house guest 😄. In our house, we had white for girls & brown for boys. I'm pretty sure those were the only to color options at the time 😉.

Magic Hangers

The metal variety are better, as in, sturdier, than the plastic variety. This is the first thing I'd point out to anyone making decisions about using hangers for their hangers in their closet.

Do not judge. Even those of us who purge & donate, & purge & donate some more still find themselves, with minimal wardrobe & in need of these clothing condensing structures.

I first happened upon these hangers by complete accident. I don't think I even knew I had some in my possession. I believe it was at a flea market, where I ended up with a large box including some miscellaneous at the bottom; a few of these hangers were among the miscellaneous in the bottom of that box.

I've only ever used the variety where there are five openings, though some of the ones I've come across have had holes rather than slots as these do (Amazon link as well as the image link in the top left). I used to prefer the holes, finding them sturdier & more reliable, yet using this variety, with the slots has the efficiency of sliding a garment & hanger in & out of its slot versus pulling up & out, as with a hole, & potentially messing up the entire hanger whereas all of the clothing could fall off or out of place.

This variety, being metal, means that, unlike with the plastic options, where the plastic can bend & pull & lose its shape & ultimately break under the weight. The metal hangers have added strength; a sturdy frame. And this sturdy frame is just what is necessary to properly manage certain wardrobes. 😁

Mother's Day, A 'First Purchased Gift' Memory

The first year I remember actually selecting what it was I wanted to get for Mom for her Mother's Day gift, I remember walking through a retail store with Dad where he lightly inquired with me on what I might have in mind, almost making sure that I was thinking about it. Typical "Dad fashion" would have meant he'd have begun by saying calmly, {clears throat}, "You know Mother's Day is coming up. {It's a question, yet it would have been more stated than questioned.} Do you have any ideas for a gift for Mom? Something in mind?"

As a matter of fact, I did have something in mind. "Yes Dad, since she likes yellow so much & I like blue, I'd really like to find a necklace she could wear which has both colors in it." I was picturing alternating large, yet soft shaded beads, yet was too young to coherently translate that to add in my explanation to Dad, or to even think to try.

Dad's first response, just as calmly & casually spoken, "Well okay; they might not make something like that." Then he added, "We'll look & find out." If these aren't exact quotes from back then, they're darn near them; they're certainly paraphrases. He wasn't one to diminish our spirits or burn the light out on an idea, rather merely suggest its likelihood of potential. He was encouraging, helpful, & assistive, yet realistic all at the same time.

I don't know why the first purchased gift I ever single-handedly picked out for Mom is a very clear memory I've not forgotten. It's not necessarily even one for which I'm proud. This such gift isn't necessarily one I'd ever think to replicate either.

Yet we did find it. And it wasn't all that hard to find; I don't remember searching all that much to track this necklace down. It had large beads, which was good because Mom preferred those kind for her complexion & the way her hair hung around the shape of her face. All's fair & it worked out well.

This one (Amazon link as well as the image link in the top left) might be the best modern day version of what I'd pictured & found. Its only difference is not being a single-strand & not being just blue & yellow. Also, Mom doesn't have pierced ears, so the earrings accompanying this necklace wouldn't suit her, yet the shape of the beads & soft colors are what pictured for Mom & ultimately purchased for her.

"Because I'm the Mom" & "I Said So"

If memory serves me well, then it was the year of Mom's surprise birthday party. Dad felt it was a good year to celebrate Mom with a surprise party, & although us kids were kind of young for the task, with the assistance of a few next-door neighbors, we pulled it off quite well. There was no doubt the party would be at our house; that wasn't even something we discussed. Our family would be out of the house early Sunday morning, so the invitations indicated to arrive during the hour or so of our absence. The house was typically kept in tip-top orderly condition; essentially with Mom's weekly Saturday cleaning & organizing, she prepared her house for her own party. 😂 So, yes, when we returned to the house late that Sunday morning, & Dad unlocked the front door (that our "preppers" made sure to lock behind them from the inside) as he always did upon returning to the house, he did his best to guide Mom inside the front door ahead of him - so she would directly receive the "surprise" accolade. It worked.

To top off this "surprise birthday" year Dad helped us find a great idea for Mom's official birthday & Mother's Day gifts. Or, to at least truly top off the gift of the surprise birthday party.

Common phrases in those days at our house were, "Because I'm the Mom..." & "I Said So." These two phrases were specially printed (Amazon link as well as the image link in the top left) on two t-shirts for Mom to wear. For the week or so after the day of her party, because she was so thrilled, she'd keep getting instigated to say such phrases, & she's smile, giggle, & pull out these t-shirts as if waving a flag rather than say what they read. Even a time or two after she'd put away those items she received that day, we'd find her rhetorically asking, "Do I need to go get those shirts again?"

She loved them & wore them throughout the years, until their colors faded & the fabric had all but completely stretched out. These days she's a grandmother, providing grandmotherly wisdom without waving any t-shirt flags.

Coffee & Hot Tea in the Morning

Growing up Dad drank coffee & Mom drank hot tea. That's just how it was. Once we were "old enough" we basically took to joining in on the hot tea. I, at least, never switched over to coffee. Back then, Mom always drank ordinary black tea, though green teas & flavored teas hadn't yet mainstreamed.

She'd start her day with a cup of tea. If our family went to a restaurant for breakfast, she & Dad would have a cup of their respective hot beverages. Therefore, an obvious gifting idea along the way was to pick up a big box of tea bags (Amazon link as well as the image link in the top left).

One minute, thirty seconds in the microwave. Though, while on a break from college I learned that Mom got creative, & instead of pressing the 1, then the 3, then the 0, she began just pressing the 1, followed by the 3 twice. Somewhat ingenious. Just three more seconds of heat & less movement across the keypad, especially as the 3 would be at the top, very nearby the 1, & the 0 would be quite a traveling distance at the bottom of the group of numbers. Mom & Dad still heat their mugs of water in their microwave each morning as their microwave is as modern as they've become.

And with her "duel gifting days" a special hot tea mug became an ideal accompaniment. The mug was one where there was a spot for the, now wet, tea bag in a pocket on the side of the mug. It's been years since this was Mom's gift, & it seems the manufacturer discovered the same thing Mom did about this "special" mug as it doesn't seem to be available any longer.

When she'd be finishing her cup of tea, & be toward the bottom of the mug, with a tablespoon or so remaining, it'd be obvious to dunk her head back to finish what was left. This is when the still wet tea bag would, due to gravity, fall out of its special pocket & essentially fall right on Mom. Yep. That makes a morning for ya! 😂

Birthstones as Gifts for Mom

Born in May, one thing I know I've given Mom as a gift this time of the year, is a birthstone necklace (Amazon link as well as the image link to the left). May's birthstone is emerald, & although it's not her favorite color, yellow, it's a better shade of green than the August birthstone, peridot, in my humble opinion 😂.

It's also a convenient gifting option for Mom because it's a good "accompaniment" gift where I could easily select a little something to go alongside this necklace such as an elegant top, maybe a jacket, perhaps a pair of earrings.

Certain necklaces don't work as well for Mom; she prefers chains that aren't as thin & she doesn't do too well with bracelets (neither do I 😏). She's not had her ears pierced, so any earrings have always needed to be the "clip on" kind.

Similar gifts I've found for her have been items relating to being born in the month of May. Such as a fabric bag which had a verse about being a May baby & an image of an emerald on it.

Goodie Bag Goodies

Oftentimes when I've participated in a sponsored 5K event I leave with a "goodie bag" including items from coupons for local shops to miniature hand sanitizer bottles & travel size Band-Aid containers. Then there are the times food items are included as well. Perhaps a snack-size portion of pretzels, maybe a single-portion plastic container of fruit in its own juice. On occasion protein bars are also included.

Depending on the frequency of my participating in a 5K event, sometimes I get overloaded & end up with too many of any of these items on hand. Conveniently, in the past few years especially, Mom has taken to eating various protein bars for a snack or a meal. I can't remember a time when Mom didn't make use of a coupon for fruit containers; they're something she's used for a quick "something" for quite some time.

Therefore, it's only been an obvious way to fully make use of my goodie bag, especially when I've too many on hand of any given item, to pass along to Mom the extras. Pitching things isn't our style & by passing along these things to Mom when they come along means she'll likely pass along to me something I can use, like a one-item store discount coupon on something I need.

Sewing, Crafting, Reading, & Definitely Decorating

Mom was a Mother's Day baby; she made her mom a mom on Mother's Day. Rather late in the day. When Mom's birthday falls on Mother's Day, or a day or so off, now that she's a mom herself, she often will "heavily hint" of how she has two "days" approaching & basically not to skimp on her gifts. If she's given a hard time, her response is something about remembering that when our next birthday or other gifting time comes around.

She's a real hoot.

Sometimes gifting my mother can be complicated. Most times, however (& fortunately), it's rather simple. She's always been interested in sewing, as well as crafts in general, & definitely reading books. Decorating, especially for each holiday, including ones which she's made up for herself. Like Apple Season & Watermelon Season.

She stitches decorations, both cross-stitch & quilting, & any other type of stitching she finds along the way; she also took a spin with ceramics. Then she enjoys when someone stops by & gets to see what all she's put together. She has also, in more recent years, been crafting for charity quite a bit & this has been very fulfilling & rewarding for her.

I'm quite the opposite. I share with Mom a fascination with crafting (just different crafts than her), & I do enjoy teaming up with charity as well; however, I do not share her interest of seasonal themes & frequently updating with what has become something of a one-a-month seasonal adjustment.

Despite all of this I can appreciate her interest & the contentment it brings her. I can also find great gifting ideas to wrap in yellow paper (her favorite color). And I do. And these are many of the reasons why finding reasonable gifts for Mom each year at her birthday & Mother's Day isn't all that much of a stumper. And I thank her for that. 😁

These links are affiliate links to Amazon as well as the image link in the top left.

One Week Until Mother's Day

It's one week until Mother's Day. Yep, that's right. Just like last year (& the years before that 😁), it'll be the second Sunday of May. And guess what? Yep, that's right; here's another heads up: Just like last year, & the years before that, Father's Day will show up next month on the third Sunday of June.

Mother's Day gifting options. Flowers, jewelry, handmade items, chocolates, (gee, the list is too reminiscent of that which is gifted on Valentine's Day 😂), decorations, personalized items, &, of course, so much more. What's the best to get Mom?

Flowers. Get them fresh from the local florist, from a roadside stand, or get something will never wither, like these.

Jewelry. A mother daughter necklace, a mother son necklace, just a pair of earrings, maybe a jewelry box for the selection.

Handmade & homemade items. Either handmade by someone else, or something you consider to put together on your own. Like breakfast in bed or a "free" house cleaning; maybe a day without bringing dirt into the house or putting feet on the furniture.

Chocolates. A box of gourmet chocolates. Dark chocolate. Chocolate covered cherries. Peanut butter & chocolate.

Decorations. Picture frames. Personalized picture frames. Ornamental picture frames.

Perfume, perhaps?

(Each of these links is a link to Amazon, including the image link in the top left.)

An On-the-Job, In-the-Office, Lunchtime Convenience

There was a time when I'd buy tons of canned soup, & quite often too. I'd buy the type that have Box Tops for Education or Labels for Education (Amazon links) on them, but just as much because, though they were intended for two servings, the entire contents of the aluminum cans fit - just right - into one of these mugs - & I could just pop them into the microwave for two minutes, knowing that they'd be just the right temperature when I pulled the mug out & began digging in while in the middle of my workday.

I didn't get much of a chance for a "lunchtime" while at that job, so popping the mug in the microwave, then heading back to my desk while listening for the beep, kept on working out. In fact, it was a coworker who'd mentioned about having one of these mugs & finding great success with it. I followed suit & quickly agreed. And with the mug's lid, if need be, saving any leftovers until the next day worked flawlessly. Though these occurrences were happenchance, & definitely not too often.

Unfortunately, I lost sight of the mug for just long enough that it became, well, lost. And I knew I needed to accept that I'd have to get myself another one. I'd just misplaced the white one with blue on the lid. This time around I got myself the blue one (Amazon links as well as the image link in the top left) with blue on the lid. This, for a little bit of "blue happiness" in the midst of my having-misplaced-the-mug strife.

Sure enough, not too long after I got completely comfortable with my new soup mug, the original one popped its head out & said, "Boo!" Go figure. Yep, I'm the happy owner of two soup mugs now.

A favorite color for everybody. Red, black, green, blue, purple, orange, yellow, & white. Collect them all.

Adventures in Lip Balm

As mentioned in yesterday's post, having lip balm around on a constant basis has kind of always been my "thing". (Yes, it still is.) Nowadays I typically reach for the same lip balm, unless I happen upon any in freebie bags from events I attend. Back then, brand, no more than flavor, scent, or color, mattered all that much. I needed the moisturizing assistance; whatever my parents purchased from the store, I'd make it work for me.

Our family was back from an event, not too far from the house, when, during the conversation I contributed a little bit & then realized my lips were dryer than they should be. I reached into my pocket for a lip balm tube & reapplied without much thought.

Soon afterward, my brother who was sitting to my right, asked me about what was on my lips. After all, I was at that age when I might be trying to under-the-radar play around in Mom's things. Apparently he didn't realize that I'd just applied the lip balm - even if I were to be trying to "borrow" from Mom's things, I don't know that I'd be trying to travel with her things as well.

I explained that I'd just reapplied lip balm. I probably even pulled the tube (link to Amazon as well as the image link in the top left) back out of my pocket to show him. It was at about that moment when he said, directed to our parents riding directly in front of us in the driver seat & front passenger seat, "Remind me not to wear Cherry lip balm." As with the slightly generous "helping" I'd applied, I somewhat appeared to be wearing red, or a shade of red, lipstick.

While I'd been showing him what I'd applied & not what he'd thought I might've applied, our parents were talking amongst themselves on another topic. Once my brother made his "reminder declaration" Mom turned around toward me to learn what had made him say this. I explained what I'd done, merely reapplying to remain moist & not be uncomfortable.

Mom also took into account my brother's age (as well as the fact that he basically never needed to apply lip balm) &, as she turned back to face forward out the front window, remarked something about the product maybe being a bit colorful & carrying its own shade, yet reminding him that, based on the circumstances it wasn't that big of a deal, especially as, my being a female, I was fine to have the color, & him, basically never turning to lip balm for moisturizing needs, it really wouldn't be affecting him in the long run.

He wasn't without HBA department needs, however; the family medicine cabinet almost always carried a full stock of OTC allergy meds (link to Amazon) on his account. Waking up on school mornings listening to him try & decide if he could sniffle it back on up & in, or if he needed to be blowing it out, became a soundtrack all its own.

Always Needing to Put at Least One Back-on-the-Rack

When I'd go shopping with my parents as a young girl, no matter how many of anything I'd find on a rack, or shelf, that I'd like, I'd be informed I could only get a portion of them. Basically, if I selected four, then I'd be told to pick out two, or maybe only one. If I presented three, then I'd still have to put back at least one, if not two of what I'd chosen. At least once I tried to outsmart this selection process &, instead of showing my parents four of the item, I pre-narrowed my items-of-interest to two items. Don't cha know it, but I was informed I should pick one to keep & then put the other one back.

Darn.

Just when I'd thought I'd outsmarted "the system". A seeming backfire.

These were items, off the rack, for example, where a top or an outfit would come in several colors, or designs. I'd consider adding half of the available options to my wardrobe & that's when I'd be informed that I still had some more narrowing to do.

Always left torn on which I'd really not need, or which I'd not be as likely to miss, I'd be left to my own contemplation. Yes, I definitely overthought these decisions each time. Maybe because at these times of my life I'd not many decisions to make; not too much control even of these simpler things had been left in my hands.

Mom would know, even on a gifting wishlist, that I might just round when requesting an item; I had to give purpose & circumstance to the "wishes" on my list. I didn't have any plain white tops, any basic white "tees" & I realized that I didn't, so I wrote them down. I don't recall how many I'd written down, though it was a plural number. Sure enough Mom was asking me about this request & where I'd come up with it.

I know in a way she was checking to find out if I'd discovered an outfit or multiple outfits where I'd really be better off having a white tee, & maybe that I was asking for just-one-more, like a Baker's Dozen works. Though I also feel certain that she'd likely have decided negatively on the purpose of my white tees count; that's just the nature of our relationship.

I've pretty much always fought windburn & sunburn & dried out lips. Thus I've also always needed something in the way of a lip balm. Typically I used whatever was on sale or for which we'd have clipped coupons.

I remember once in early high school when I put it (link to Amazon as well as the image link in the top left) on my list & I made sure to mention the three places where I'd be stowing each of them, so as to ensure I'd actually receive all three, & not any less. One was in my school locker, one was in my backpack, & the other was in my gym locker. Having one in each of these places meant that, no matter when I'd reach for some, there'd be some available.

Sure enough, I got the quiz. Mom acknowledged (while smirking) that I was, in fact, in need of each & had a place & purpose for each; sure enough when I unwrapped that package all three were there. I did appreciate it. She considered it a success; I considered it (& still do!) nauseating & frustrating. I felt that I had to basically work for the gift. Where's the fun in that?

I've bought all of the rack's selection plenty of times since those childhood days. And I can admit that once or twice (but not many more!) I did have one or two more on hand of whatever it was than I truly needed. Yet I still had peace of mind, & that was plenty; that was good. If I really had too much then I'd just donate the extra (unless I'd recently purchased it, then I'd try to take the item back for a refund).

Donating & purging. Right back-on-the-rack.