Three times in one weekend!

I am a little embarrassed about this. I stopped at the Simi Valley HG on my way to dinner on Friday night, and in my defense for the Saturday trip, I only spent 10 minutes there. But, in the 10 minutes, I managed to pick up a small basket and a metal bath canister. I like the metal canisters and cups that I've been finding in the clearance sections. They work well for a variety of bathroom items--one for makeup brushes, one for mascara and other eye products, etc -- and craft items -- one for sewing pencils and pens, one for cutting instruments. On my way back from the valley on Sat morning, I stopped there again--this time to actually look around, since I have been there twice already, but only for 10 minutes each time. This store is one of the nicest HGs I have been to--kudos to the employees there--the shelving displays are really pretty! This time I left with 6 Johnson Brothers blue dinnerware bowls. I wanted to buy the small plates too, but I have so many plates now (thanks, HG), I couldn't justify it, much less find room in my kitchen cabinets.


I spent Saturday afternoon rearranging my sewing room/office, and discovered that I had no good place to store a bunch of large paper patterns that I blew up from books and taped together. The paper patterns I have printed off were also sitting around in random file folders. So, I ventured to the TO HG, and found a cute green and brown polka dot file carrier tote--which was perfect. It even came with hanging file folders, so now I have neatly organized patterns and pattern pieces.

~Vicky

Simi Valley...

I know! I was supposed to go explore it with you, Maegan, but think of it as me going to find it, so we don't get lost going there! Haha. So, I was headed to the north part of the SF valley last night, and was a bit early, so I decided to get off the freeway and see if I could find the Simi Valley HG. It's big! The store is one of the larger ones like Glendora and La Canada, but it also has a lot (more than any other store I've been to) of furniture. I took a 10 minute spin around the store, and left with two baskets for my bathroom, but it definitely needs to be explored further. BTW--there is also one in Woodland Hills that may need a visit...

~Vicky

New mosaic table and candle lantern... and some older kitchen things

I love my new mosaic garden table, which I got with Maegan out at the Glendora HG on New Year's day. I finally took some photos with the table in the yard and the new green candle lantern I picked up. The lantern on the right looks a little squat in the picture--need to redo the photo settings.




Kitchenware (dishes, serving dishes and kitchen gadgets) are some of the things I love to buy most at HG. I love Polish stoneware which up until recently HG, has had a good stock of, and I love white dishes. The blue Polish stone ware has a nice contrast with my white dinnerware. Here are some of my older kitchen purchases. From top left (going clockwise): kitchen cabinet with Polish stoneware, white double rim plate/bowls, sugar and creamer Polish stoneware set, and red pot holders (these are great--your hands slip in and are perfect for the pots with short double handles).







~Vicky