My goodness but the holidays can take their sweet time getting over! Well, when you have to spread the one day-Thanksgiving - out over 3 days because of family work schedules it sure can! I am grateful this year for my family, for the custody issue being settled in my son's favor, for the grandchildren's smiles that wake me every morning and for the few precious hours I get alone to bathe, stitch and/or create.

The day before Thanksgiving the children were out of school and preschool so I took them shopping with me to the local Goodwill. They each got a toy for being good while they were there and allowing me time to find a few special items. One of the things I have learned is I should never go to a thrift store looking for specific items. They will never have what Iam looking for. If I go open minded and willing to be pleasantly surprised I will almost always find a treasure. This time I was lucky - struck gold, so to speak.

We were able to find these 4 pine cheese boxes, in 3 different sizes. The largest (oriental wok set box) 7.5" tall x 16" across. The other 2 medium ones are 5" tall and 6 " tall x 15" across. The smaller one is 5.5" tall x 11" across. I love the smaller one because I don't often see them in this size and I have been hoping to find one for holding my crazy quilting/sewing charms in. What made them such a good buy that day was that they ranged from $2.99 - $3.99 EACH and I got them 1/2 off because I am a senior citizen, lol. Finally, age had its benefits. What a bargain!

They are perfect for button boxes, for storing garden seeds, hiding chocolate in, or for holding any number of small crafting items. I usually paint them, and put a crazy quilted top on them. I will, on occassion, line the lid and/or the bottom inside. It really depends on the condition of the box and what I plan on putting in it. I give them as gifts to friends, donate them for fundraising purposes to groups I belong to for auctions and raffles.

I am thinking of combining my two current button boxes into the one largest box I just found. That will give me the "Walk In The Park" box to put more flower seeds in (I have one already but it is overflowing with vegetable and flower seeds - needs to be thinned out like my garden, lol).

I think I will use the box currently holding my colored buttons - my "Denim and Lace" cheese box - too hold just my ceramic and Fimo type buttons in from now on.

These are jobs for after the first of the year. I just get a warm tingly feeling thinking about the possibilities though. What about that material I dyed at Indigo Days at Table Rock Llamas? It is just waiting to be worked up into something lovely. I've been wanting to do an underwater themed CQ for sometime now, hmmmm. The possibilities are endless.............sweet dreams.