Made Or Found

Daughter's Valentines - Conversation Hearts

2012-02-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

I do have another Valentines post to make but I thought I'd get this in, just in case somebody is in need of a quick and easy Valentine idea. This isn't a new one. My friend Jeannie sent me this idea, probably two years ago! Well, I finally made them. So cute and easy, I don't know what took me so long.

Aren't they the cutest? And oh, so easy! The idea originally came from Family Fun magazine.

I guess the only "glitch" is that now there's the Ipod touch. Do they even make them like this anymore?
Just wonderin', have you seen this craft before?

Hee! Hee! I see my watermark from my papercrafting blog....ooops!

Can I Sneak This In?

2012-02-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

It's been sooooo long! I may be talking to myself and I would be OK with that. It would be fitting, considering I haven't been visiting blogs either, not on a regular basis. Still here I am, at the very least, keeping a visual record on my "treasures."

I have done a few crafty things in the past year. I should get around to posting them sometime. Considering the time of year, I'll share my more recent projects, Valentine's projects. So, here we go!

My mantel seems the easiest place to start. I made these crepe paper flowers this year. Using THIS tutorial.

I actually made these silhouette portraits of my kids last year, but I never posted them. These are mounted on two cork-backed coasters bought from the dollar store!

Shhhh! Don't tell, but these are actually two angels I had out at Christmas. I think they can fit into multiple holiday decors! The heart vase was an estate sale buy last year.

A little sparse here. I wanted to share my favorite "G" man Valentine. Plus, the easel I made to hold it.

I took a stab at this project after seeing it.....somewhere in blogland. Not a bad first effort, but it's amazing how difficult it was to bend exactly where you wanted without moving other parts.

So, I don't want to spill everything at once. I need to keep myself interested, too. Interested in posting that is! Check out my previous post if you want to see the banner that is still up, and my anthropomorphic Valentine's. I wasn't up for the editing my ceiling fan out of those photos another time!

Love Banner

2011-01-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

This is a first for me. I am posting this on both my blogs. Here and on Stampin' Garden.

I have been wanting to make a banner for a few years now. I made it my mission to get one done this weekend....and that's what it took, the better part of a weekend. I will say I am happy with the results, though.

I contemplated every detail, over and over. I pulled out all the tricks in my bag. I used my Cricut, vintage trims and lots of Stampin' Up! paper. I tried a few new things along the way.

The red tulle on the "L" that came out of an auction box lot.

Using lots of pearls and scrunchy tissue flowers on the "O."

The glitter heart on the "V" that I topped with Crystal Effects so that no glitter flakes off.

The vintage seam binding on the "E" that I crinkled and made my bow.

Here's my mantel with my favorite vintage valentine's.

I'm in love.

Yep, It's Rednesday and Life Has Been Good.

2011-01-19T06:31:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Can you believe this is my second post of the new year? Not that 2010 was bad, but something unexpected came over me at the beginning of 2011. A sense of contentment and calm. I didn't make a resolution. It wasn't a conscience decision. It just happened. So, instead of trying to figure it out. Maybe over-think it, like I tend to do, I am going with it.

Thrifting has been good. Gas prices have kept me from venturing out too much, but those few times really paid off. This is only about half of my haul. The other half, when I post it, will be less colorful. I had to group all these together for Rednesday! Yeah! Sue @ Sue Loves Cherries is our wonderful hostess!

Of course I was hoping to find Valentine's to add to my collection. I collect mostly birds, baseball and anthropomorphic foods. I only found two, but two is better than none, right?

I love, love, love the Constitution book. It's from 1936. I totally forgot it would be missing a few amendments...six to be exact! It will be a great addition to my patriotic items. As will the cupcake picks. I found the ones on the right first. They are 48 star flags. They were sold be the piece and I resisted buying them all and went with 6. Then I ran across the bag of 50 star picks for less than the price of my original 6! Now to use them!

The fabric, I hope to use recovering my kitchen chairs as soon as I can find a suitable tablecloth to cut up. I thought this fabric might make a good skirt on those chairs. I guess we'll see.

The price was right on the glasses, so hopefully I will find a few more somewhere in my travels.

The felt covered heart beads are new. I actually have a few projects in mind, but in typical fashion, I'm a little behind. Of course I will share anything I complete!

Now I need to run. I heading to Mom and Dad's today. They bought a new computer and yours truly setting it up for them. I am hoping to hit a few thrift store along the way.....

A Good Start To The New Year

2011-01-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

Although it's been quiet on the old blog, I've been quite busy. The very first day of the New Year came the first auction of 2011. The beginning of the year can be a dangerous time. I'm always anxious to buy. I know this about myself and yet I did it again. I think a lackluster December at the thrift shops might have been contributing factor. When I saw this I knew, I had to have it!

Even the auction regulars were surprised with my bidding. One of my auction friends was across the room. He said when they shouted, "Sold!" I had a grin from ear to ear. I guess I don't have much of a poker face! So this is my Christmas present from my in-laws. This year in lieu of presents they gave us some money to spend. Mine didn't last long! Many times when I spend over my self-imposed limit I have a little buyers remorse, but not this time! I love this little guy!

He looks right at home above my ribbon cabinet. His needle is broke, otherwise it's functional. Someday I'll have to get a needle and give him a spin!

Santa is Bringing Me Coal

2010-12-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

I'm convinced of it. I have been such a bad blogger.

Maybe I shouldn't feel too sad.

I found most everything here just in the past year.

Funny thing is, it looked like a lot more piled in my storage room.

Now I wish I had bought more...a lot more.

Something to look forward to come January when the auctions heat up again.

Sorry the pictures are a little dark and maybe not cropped quite the way I would like. After a such long absence I figured I better just get it done!

Quickie Post with Some Halloween Decor to Share

2010-10-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

I know I have been away for a LONG time. Over two months! I lost all motivation to blog. Both reading and posting. Recently I had begun to think about coming back, slowly. Well, I got this post from the EHAG group (one of the few that still come to my inbox) and I was compelled to participate. They are giving away some Halloween goodies in which I shared my favorite Halloween decoration. The only project I've completed this fall became the obvious choice, so I figured it was necessary to show them!

Here's the pattern I started with. Black Cats...Orange Pumpkins WSD #126 by Wooden Spool Designs

In the shop where I bought the pattern their samples were made up in white. They caught my eye, obviously! Love the ghosty white ones!

Of course, the orange are nice too!

I had a blast making these. They were so easy because you construct the muslin base (I used a wool blend) then cut a slit where the face will go and stuff it! Then, it's a simple matter of whip-stitching the face on!

I would like to finish these off with some wire tendrils and maybe some ripped green/brown strip around the spool. Although they are pretty cute as-is!

So now that I'm back...maybe I'll get to posting a few more things before the holiday. Just maybe!

In the meantime, done forget to check out the EHAG blog!

What Cheer Goodies on Rednesday!

2010-08-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Yeah! I have a Rednesday post!

Please spread the love, especially to out gracious host Sue @ Sue Loves Cherries!

Well, it's procrastination that has lead me to sharing my What Cheer finds on Rednesday! Last Friday Mr. Made and I went to the somewhat well known What Cheer flea market. Flea markets and auctions are not Mr. Made's favorite things, but he indulges me from time to time. It seems every time I go I take someone different, this time it happened to be his turn.

So, I figure that 4 of the 7 items I bought have red in them...it qualifies for a Rednesday post!

I LOVE the canister set ( I know a certain hostess will like them, too!) It wasn't priced so I asked the vendor about the price...it seemed fair to me, so I took it. Funny thing is, as we were nesting it together she told me she had bought it that morning from another vendor. I wonder what she paid, cuz seriously, I didn't pay that much!

If you are only interested in reds...you might want to end here.........not likely, right?

My other What Cheer find. I nice chippy cabinet....maybe a little too chippy??? We are down to bare wood in spots.

I'm a bad blogger when it comes to taking pictures, but I managed to get Mr. to take a few...

Here's me at the dollar boxes. This is the first place to hit! It is busy at the boxes in the morning. I went back towards the end of the day and nobody was there. Of course neither were the things I had passed up....why I struggle with myself over a buck I'll never know! Note to self: hand wipes are NOT enough. Next time I'm taking gloves. That stuff is DUSTY!

Anyway, I'm holding my morel mushroom. Anybody else hunt for morels in the spring? I also bought the plate and Rudolph book at the dollar boxes.

Some things are just too fun to pass up! I felt more than a little goofy but I had to have a picture with Spiderman!

Nice picture honey! Was it really necesary to show me from this angle?

Here we are at the end of the day....tired but still smiling. It was a good day!

BTW-I will mention our daughter also had a VERY good day. Even though she wasn't with us she managed to get 34 Pokemon figures and 2 Pokemon jelly glasses! I'd post a picture, just for fun...but they've already melded into her collection! She has a lot and we have fun finding them for her!

A Overdue Thank You...

2010-07-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's long overdue. I have send along a thank you and shout-out to my girl Sonya @ Dime Store Thrift. Some time back she was kind enough to send me a ball chain. Think military dogs tags. Sonya had the cutest compass on her chain, I think it might have been a cracker jack toy??? I say for certain. Well, that began my quest to find a pendant...something to wear on my chain. I've been searching for probably a month. I have been very resistant to buying something new. My patience has paid off, I found this pendant at a garage sale. I'm pretty pleased with it! I do notice from this picture, I need to clean it!

Since I'm sharing, I'll add the other goodies I came home with that day.

A couple more jewelry pieces and some pottery. I didn't even realize 'til I took this picture my two brooches are an exact match to my pottery piece! The aqua piece is McCoy. The yellow is unmarked.

An entire bag of sewing notions.

Cute needle cases.

Pin Cushions.

Box of pins. This is a nice box. I like it...forget the pins, although it's full.

This day was certainly better than last Thursday....

Rednesday Quilt and Menu Board

2010-07-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

Wow! I didn't realize my last post was Saturday! Here it is Rednesday! Are you going to visit all the Rednesday posts? I always try to, spread the love! Make sure to give lots of it to our wonderful host, Sue @ Sue Loves Cherries!

It's been pretty warm here in Iowa, muggy as all get out! So my outside time has been limited. Even in the house you'll find me in the basement, in my crafting room. It's also where the kids spend more than their fair share of time. In their playroom. Seems a little odd calling it their playroom these days, they are 15 and 12. The only playing going on is Nintendo!

It's a bit more grown-up looking now...just another room for me to hang quilts! (Notice quilts in corner!) When we have a house full of guests it doubles as an extra bedroom. The sofa is a sleeper. Not really my style anymore, but the condition is nice so it will do fine in their room!

I just finished this quilt a few months ago. The first quilt I've finished in a long time. I'm much more interested in card making now. I mean I have quilts EVERYWHERE and you can only give so many away! They are expensive to make and you really need to be sure the recipient wants a quilt!

Anyway, one of my favorite things in this room is my menu board. I got this at an auction about 8 years ago. I was the sole bidder for $1. Now it was not in this condition. I had to spruce it up. I had to cut off the bad portion {SIGH.} Then, with help from my great uncle, I framed it. I only wish it fit in my kitchen! The obvious place for it to hang! I have NO wall space in my kitchen...darn open floor plan!

Have you notice my obnoxiously large photos? What do you think? I changed to the new Blogger updater and Extra-Large is an option. If only I took better pictures....

Always a Holiday

2010-07-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's about time I start sharing the auction and garage sale finds found the last two weeks. The pickin's had been slim up to that point. Then, I hit two good auctions on consecutive weekends. Followed by a couple good garage sales just two days ago. So, I need to start sharing. I've bought lots of holiday decor. That's a constant theme!

The first box lot looks promising...but it's hard to tell. The box is FILTHY. Some pinks, golds, but a couple boxes of patterned ornaments, too. The bonus? There's some Halloween items tucked inside. I don't want to spend too much time looking, I'm trying to play it cool. I bid $5 and it's mine.

After considerable cleaning and tossing one box top beyond repair, this is what was left. So-so!

This is the best of the best, I guess you could say. I still say I got my $5 worth, I love the pinks!

While we are still taking Christmas. These came from a garage sale this past Thursday. Thursday used to be THE day to have and go to garage sales around here. I can't get out of that notion, even though they aren't as good as they used to be!

This little Gurley turkey came from an auction! It's a horrible story! I had to lug home SIX boxes of junk to get Mr. Turkey for $1!!! I know some of you might be tempted to ask, "What was the junk?" Come on now, you know it's junk if I'm the only bidder of this huge lot. It was hideous Christmas junk! I don't even want to think about it. After winning the bid the auctioneer looked me in the eye and said, "Make sure it all goes home with you."

My flags came from the same July 3rd auction as the Christmas ornaments. I guess no one was feeling patriotic. One person got their bid in before me, but after my nod the bidding stopped and they were mine for $4. They are both 48 stars and the one is a bit unusual. The stripes are crocheted. I didn't decorate for the 4th this year...GASP! I did pull out a few items to take this picture, though.

At the same July 3rd auction I won these vintage postcards. I pulled out the uninteresting stuff. What's left is Christmas, Easter, New Years (see the cute horseshoe) and St. Patricks's Day.

I was really happy about the St. Patrick's Day cards. I don't have much for this holiday!

The auction calendar seems to have dried up, so sales and thifting look to be my only sources for a while. We may be back to slim pickin's, you never know. Never fear. I have more to share, so stay tuned!

I just thought I'd mention. I am going to my 25th school reunion tonight. Sunday morning instead of curling up with the paper, I'll be curling up with Google reader. See ya then!

Rednesday Yummies

2010-07-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hello Rednesday friends! I'm a little late today...golf again. It was excruciating. Our heat index today is 110°. It's VERY humid to boot! Like walking into a sauna. We're expecting some severe storms to night. Hopefully not too severe and hopefully it cools it down a bit.

Today I'm sharing pictures of my garden girl and out first decent tomato haul. Our first tomato came really early this year (June 24th) but it's been sparse pickin's until now. The plants are just filled, though. It won't be long and we'll be overloaded with tomatoes and start giving them away.

These are the best looking tomato plants I've ever had. I really don't like using chemicals in the garden and will only do so as a last resort. In years past this has meant that my tomatoes, although producing, looked awful! Well, this year we had a wet spring and the tomatoes were showing signs of blight right away. I found this product called Soap Shield from Garden's Alive. They sell lots of environmentally responsible products. I would HIGHLY recommend this product. The directions said to apply every week to 10 days, but let me tell you, I only applied it twice. It's been 6 weeks since my last application with no signs of disease. I am VERY happy with the results.

I love this picture...even though it's a little out of focus. This is two tomatoes grown together. Doesn't it look like a heart? Coincidentally, the tomato is called "Juliette." One of our favorites.

Yum! Yum! I think Italian sausages with peppers and onions will be on the menu this week!

Please make sure to check out the other Rednesday posts over at Sue Loves Cherries!!!

I'm Still Here! Got Some Glass to Share.

2010-07-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

Hey there my bloggin' buddies! I know, you know, I've been totally absent from the blogging world this past month. It wasn't intentional, just life with LOTS of baseball and golf! I contemplated whether or not to remain in the shadows and refrain from posting today. It seems any time I am at home I feel pulled in about six different directions and posting is not one I need to add to the list. I miss it, though. I miss all of you! Yesterday I spent SEVEN hours catching up on e-mails and my Google reader (don't tell my husband, he doesn't understand!) So, for the time being, my slate is clean and I am ready to share!

So, where do I begin? It's a rainy day, so it's no use taking photos of my newest auction buys. Let's focus on glass items today.

This is a small pitcher I bought probably 15 years ago at a garage sale. At the time we were living in Chattanooga, TN. I paid 50 cents for it and I remember debating whether or not to buy it. Funny how you remember the weirdest details. I think I got my money's worth. A few years ago I saw this same pitcher in Country Living magazine. It's Blenko glass.

These salt and pepper's are near and dear to me. These are from my cousin's service station. They came my way via my great aunt. She had an incredible salt and pepper collection. My mom has been selling them for her on Ebay, but she let me have these.

Check out the sides. Deco stripes.

This is a recent garage sale find. (The rice is temporary, I thought it might photograph better.) I fell in love with this jar when I saw it on __________ (fill in the blank.) I saw it on somebody's blog.....I want to say Sue's or Carol's. Want to help me out girls? If my memory is correct, her's didn't have a lid. Well, mine didn't have a lid either. I was fairly confident I had a lid at home. I had to steal it off another (plain) jar, but it worked.

Most of this resides on my Hoosier cabinet. It has changed a bit since my last photo. Here's part of it.

Lastly, some milk glass cups. I do like some milk glass. I wouldn't say I love these, but I'm in love with idea of these. I dream that someday I will have a nice luncheon for my friends and in them I will serve an appetizer of tomato basil soup topped with handmade croutons and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Someday. 'Til then, they are packed away!

I actually have some other posts started and saved as drafts. So, you should be hearing more from me. Can you believe it?

Rednesday Buttons

2010-06-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Happy Rednesday!

I didn't think I would be joining you today. I'm up to my eyeballs in garage sale pricing and it's crunch time! I plan to set-up tomorrow, working around my son's two baseball games. Lucky for me (not so lucky for him) this morning dear son had to get up at 5:00AM to go to school and lift weights. Once he was up, so was I. Which leaves me with extra time to post today!

I LOVE BUTTONS!!!! So, here's my jar of REDS + a few yellows and oranges.

Now compare with this little jar (a pint) of purples, blues and greens. It's obvious I love my REDS!

I display my buttons all around the house. Here are my blacks and browns.

They are displayed in a handmade tray along with some rose hips and my RED scoop!

And finally my whites. These are really large jars. The one on the left is all shell buttons. I was very lucky at an auction and got the entire jar for a couple of dollars! The middle jar is basic white shirt buttons. The last jar is a mish mash. Notice my RED bench!

Make sure to head over to Sue Loves Cherries. Sue is our wonderful Rednesday host where you'll find many more RED goodies!

Rednesday with Christmas Goodies

2010-05-25T20:10:00.000-07:00

Please don't look at my last post date...it was over a month ago! I had to take some time off. I don't do well when I have a lot of my plate. I'm not a good multi-tasker. This last month of school has just been crazy! It all comes to an end this Friday...summer vacation. I am one happy mama!

One more thing that makes me happy? REDNESDAY!

A big thank you to our hostess Sue at Sue Loves Cherries. It's a great way to get to know other bloggers!

I have lots of Christmas to share today. I always gravitate towards holiday decor. I struggle collecting everyday items, but the holidays? I'm always in the mood to buy! I bought all these items at an auction last month.

My favorite? Well, I LOVE these Josef Originals elves. I should have taken a photo of the labels. They all have their original labels. I have only the basic knowledge of Christmas collectibles. I've never heard of Josef Originals. They are made in Japan...that's always a good sign.

In the same box as the elves came this squeeky toy, marked Ninchira? Japan. He looks good. I thought about selling him...now I'm not so sure.

Again, in the same box, Noel Angel candleholders. Only marked Japan. OK, I'm fairly certain I won't keep these...I have to recoup my costs and part with something!

Not bad for one box, huh? I bought two other box lots with some Christmas.

Some plain Shiney Brites. I only paid a buck, so why wouldn't I buy them? The basket was an unintentional score. I didn't even notice it until I got home. I decided it will be awesome for gathering veggies from the garden!

OK, I know this last item isn't red, but I bought it on the same day and it fits my Christmas theme. It's my wild card item. When I won the bid for $1 and took the Shiney Brites, I decided to take a chance on this for $1. A revolving Christmas tree stand. It was so dusty. I thought I was throwing my buck out the window...no way it was going to work. Well, you guessed it...it DOES work! It has three settings: revolving, playing music and revolving and playing music! Super Duper Score! This might be better than the elves! I can't decide...they both make me smile a lot!

Rednesday....Gnome Siting????

2010-04-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last Rednesday post. I certainly not for the lack of red. More the lack of ambition and time! I am postponing my window washing today to put up this post! I have a timely picture to share today.You see, two days ago I picked my first crop of lettuce! Some red varieties....of course! I had a great idea some months ago that I would start my lettuce inside (as I often do) but instead of putting them in the garden, where I have to share with the furry critters, I would plant them in this large, $1 washtub I bought last fall at the Mega-auction! Another advantage? I can bring in the tub when the weather gets a little chilly. Iowa Springs are notoriously volatile! It has worked like a charm!

I will tell you, I did not punch drainage holes in the bottom (heavens, no!) I filled the bottom with five 1-gallon milk jugs, to fill the space, allow for drainage, reduce the amount of soil needed, thus making it lighter to lift! In all my vegetable gardening I use the Square Foot method developed by Mel Batholomew. He has a great book on the subject! I highly recommend it.

So what else is on my patio right now? A footed washtub planted with daffodils. Not at peak, yet.My chives, in a minnow bucket bought at neighbors garage sale a few years ago!Then, there's my rosemary.....what's that next to it??? Some kind of strange gnome???
No, it's Santa! I guess rosemary does look a bit like a Christmas tree! He found his way to me two weekends ago at another awesome auction. He was stuffed in a box lot of hideous (my opinion) yarn and macrame Christmas items. Mom spotted him! I completely overlooked him! Thanks Mom! He is BIG, 8 1/2" tall and in wonderful condition!

Here's the label. I am tickled to have him! Since he was so well hidden, I picked him up for a song!

So, I will be heading over to Sue's this evening AFTER the window washing, to check out the other Rednesday finds! Hope you do, too!

As Promised, an Auction Find and My Easter Decor

2010-03-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

I promised a few days ago to post more of my auction finds. This little lamb planter was tucked in the box lots. I didn't know he was in there, so I got a pleasant surprise! He's so new, I have nothing to put "in" him. He'll stay empty this year. Any suggestions?So, that being said, what better reason to FINALLY post my Easter decor? Here is my mantel. A mish-mash of stuff.My newest additions? Well, I LOVE this giant bunny I found at my great-aunt's house! She had a whole folder of paper die cuts, every holiday and season and she gave them to me!!! She had been in charge of decorating the office where she worked.There's more die cuts on my photo tree, along with a few postcards.This little chick came out of my mom's box lot about a year ago...she didn't want it, so I took it. She may want it back now!Here's bad photo of the table runner I completed about a month ago. It's made from the leftovers of a baby quilt I made for my niece. The fabric is moda....Shangri La. I improvised the bunnies at each end. It's a really bad photo, sorry!This Easter egg tree was bought at the Goodwill a few years ago. In years past I've put real eggs inside. This year I painted some mache eggs. They aren't officially done....I plan to speckle them....this year....before I put them away! These are two pillows my dear friend, Debbie, made for me a few years ago. I love them. They are from the quilt book, "Easy Does it For Easter" by Nancy Halvorsen.
Last but certainly not least....my bestest find of the season. This honeycomb Easter basket & bunny!I actually found this the day my friend Cathy and I went Valentine's shopping...this post. It was only a couple of dollars (he does have a crease in his head) and I was extremely happy to buy him!

The one regret I have this year is the kids and I didn't get up an Easter tree. My dear daughter, bless her heart, brought home several large branches from our local nature trail! They are still in the garage. It's not going to happen this year. If you like, check out last year's, it's here.

Auction Finds

2010-03-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

The first really good auction of the year was last Saturday. I find I'm a bit over zealous these first few auctions...just so anxious to buy something! This day I walked out with 4 box lots and two individual buys. I probably should have passed on two of the boxes and worst of all, I forgot to bid on a bushel basket that had sewing notions on the bottom!!! I can't rely on my memory when it comes to box lots, I think I need to start taking notes!!! Anyway, here they are....first buys auction buys of the year.This is the "after" picture on my counter. "After" I threw out the really atrocious stuff!The good stuff...Shiny Brites!A little chartreuse Pyrex with the label still in tact.A Jadeite dish.This cute cardinal figurine. Made in Japan.A Whitman's chocolate tin.A fair ribbon. Hawkeye Angus Association Senior Champion Bull.My individual buys were this patriot sheet music for $1. Also, two McCoy flower pots.On the way home I stopped at a home to look at some vintage picnic baskets listed on Craigslist. These babies were $5 each. That capped a perfect day!So, I haven't showed you everything I bought. If you want to get a really good look, click on that first picture, most everything is shown. I did keep a few things aside for posts this week. Yep, there I said it, look for more posts this week!!!

Just a Little Note

2010-03-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let everyone know I've been changing my subscriptions from feedblitz to Google reader. So, if you see me unsubscribing, don't fret! I still love you! Just changing the way I see your updates!

I have been resistant to Google reader for a while. Now that I've learned to navigate it and organize my subscriptions, I'm pretty excited to go this route!

Rednesday....The Family Room with Lots of RED!

2010-03-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

Since I have missed Rednesday over at Sue's "It's A Very Cherry World." for the past TWO weeks, I though I'd make up for it with a BIG post. I may regret it later when I can't find any RED....but I don't think so!I'm featuring all my RED goodies in our basement family room. It's a HUGE room, like 17' x 36' and it serves as the "rough housing" room in the winter. The kids and hubby would play football, wrestle....whatever. So, I always had to keep in mind, it was all fair game to be broken. Luckily, nothing ever happened and now the kids are 15 and 12. Their "rough housing" days seem to be behind them....for the most part!There is no question this is a RED room with my RED walls!This TV cabinet hubby and I built when we couldn't find one I liked, at a price I wanted to pay. We are NOT carpenters, but the only real drawback, it's HEAVY!I love this corner. The ladder that came from my great uncle was taller, I cut three rungs off and used that smaller section in another room. The quilts from top to bottom are "Braided" Quilt As You Go, "Yellow Brick Road" by Terry Atkinson and Spiderwebs by Fons & Porter. The window was painted by a local artist and bought at craft show. The chair was a garage sale find.This rocker came from the Goodwill before my Goodwill began pricing me out of the market! I painted it RED, of course! The quilt behind I call Amish Basket Weave, I'm not sure if it has another name, but the black says "Amish" to me, even though there are prints in it.
The cornices are another one of my projects. I used insulation Styrofoam sheets and hot glue to make my box and covered it with the pieced "quilt" I designed. It's all Civil War Reproduction fabric. I love the Prairie Points detail. It was my first time trying them.
So, keep in mind, this is HALF the room but the other half is pretty bare....for the "rough housing." I do have a few more REDS over there, but I'll save those for another day!

Happy Rednesday!

More Rednesday Valentine's

2010-02-10T11:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another Rednesday! Did you come on over from Sue's blog? It's a Very Cherry World! I bet, so! Love Rednesday!Do you remember last week when I said I didn't have that many vintage Valentine's? Well, two days later I went to the antique shops with my friend, Cathy. We both collect vintage Valentine's but our tastes are totally different. She collects Whitney Mades. Well, we both did well that day! I came home with about a dozen and I think she did about the same! Maybe now would be a good time to mention I've never won a darn thing in the lottery!
I love the anthropomorphic veggies! I added a couple more baseball cuties! Plus, a few birds. My favorite among the birds is this flicker. Kind of unusual I think. My daughter loved it, too. So, I feel I am cultivating that love of vintage things with her.
While we are on the subject of my daughter. This Valentine reminds me of her. She loves her noodles....and plain just like the girl here! Of course she pointed out to me, she's not blonde! She is very much a stickler for details! Wonder where she gets that from?
So, I have this quilt..... you had to know I had another to share! This is my Raggy Heart quilt. It's one of those easy ones, just a matter of sewing the hearts on top, cutting them into quarters, then sewing them back together. The quilting is always the challenge! My machine quilting is fair....at best!So, what will become of me next Rednesday when Valentine's Day is over and the reds aren't as obvious? I actually have a REALLY good red to share if I can ever finish the little details it needs! One of these days.....

Valentine's For Rednesday

2010-02-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Here is it, another Wednesday another Rednesday, the only day I seem to post anymore! Thank you Sue for giving me a reason to get something on my blog! Make sure to head over to It's a Very Cherry World and see ALL the red loveliness!

I decided it was time to share my vintage Valentine's. I don't have that many, really. I try to buy what a really like. Now if I happened upon a lot of them at a good price, I'd snap them all up, but that hasn't happened yet.The first two are baseball themed. I love all things baseball, so I would probably buy any baseball related Valentine's. These two guys are lonely!
The next one is my absolute FAVORITE! I bought it last year off Etsy. When my husband played baseball the scout that signed him used to call him G-man. A spin-off of our name. Now that my son is playing baseball his nickname has become G-man. It's a pretty good nickname for a baseball, "Get a hit G-man!" So, I about flipped when I saw this one for sale.I love how his jacket pulls back to reveal his heart! So cute!
The last thing I'll share is the quilt I have on my front door. Like the pillow I shared last week, I change this out with the seasons. A girls has to have many places to display her quilts! I even have them in the bathrooms! I have one more Red Heart quilt to share, but I'll save that for next week!

BTW- The quilt is on my floor because I could not get a decent picture of it on the door! Too bad, my door is red, too!
Have a great Rednesday!

Quickie Rednesday Day Share!

2010-01-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

I really debated skipping this Rednesday. I have been spinning my wheels all day and I am tired!Tne unexpected turn in my day was taking our metal detector to my friend, Deb. A lady she works with dropped her wedding ring in the parking lot at work and it's snowing today! They heard it hit the pavement but no sign of it. So, they were hoping the metal detector would help. So far, no luck! I sure hope she finds it, what a bummer!So, the only picture I have to share today is a pillow I've made. It's my artwork. Nothing difficult to be sure, but I love it. I used a few decorative stitches on my sewing machine on the heart. I make pillows for almost every holiday. It's simply a tea towel folded in half and sewed into a tube. Then, I add buttons and button holes to the sides for easy removal of the travel pillow form inside. I'll get around to posting them all someday!

If you'd like my "pattern" give me a shout. I'll happily send it along to you!

Now make sure to check out all the other Red goodness at It's A Very Cherry World.

Finally a Decent Day at the Thrift Store

2010-01-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

Yes, finally a decent day. It's been pretty bad at the thrifts around here. No estate sales to speak of, and the one auction I went to on Saturday was less than thrilling. I left empty-handed after a couple hours.

So, it's been so bad that when I saw these fabrics at the Goodwill I wasn't even that excited about them. They were all taped up and I didn't have the ambition to open them up to look more closely. I thought they looked old, but they were in such good shape, I wasn't sure.When I got home my indifference turned to school-girl giddiness! Both have 36" selvages, so they are old! No rips, no stains, maybe the slightest smell about them.The red and black piece is 4 yards.The blue piece is 10 1/2 yards!!! And since not much in my house is blue I will be selling it. Just not sure how or when I will do that. Not too many crafters out there want 10 1/2 yards of one fabric! So maybe I'll do an dutch auction or something.

You know today is Rednesday over at It's a Very Cherry World! . It seems in my drought that Rednesday is the one day I KNOW I can post something. I could let my red and black fabric be my weekly contribution, but I decided to throw in a few other red items.My canisters from an auction last January (I don't think they are very old.) Notice my red scoops inside!My cookbook rack, I bought at a thrift store probably 12 years ago. I immediately painted it RED!These pictures accentuate the fact that I need new counters and a backsplash! I still have the "builder's beige" going on! We keep pushing this project back, but I am hoping to finally tackle this come Fall!

So, now that I've done my part to keep the Rednesday train going. I'm off to check out the other red goodies out there!

Torn Between Two Lovers, Vintage and Primitive

2010-01-06T09:48:00.001-08:00

Do you remember the 70's song, "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor?

Torn between two lovers, feelin` like a fool
Lovin` both of you is breakin` all the rules

That's really the way I feel these days. See I love my vintage 30's, 40's and 50's but I also love primitive. How in the world do I make these two styles live in harmony in my house? It's a struggle, and the way I've reconciled it with myself is I collect what I love and deal with the consequences.
A prime example is today's offering for Carol's Rednesday, I am sharing another quilt. This is one of my favorites because I do love my snowmen. They are so appropriate this time of year, after Christmas but long before we see any signs of spring here in Iowa.
One thing I love about this quilt are all the hearts. Since Valentine's Day is our next decorating holiday, it seems a good way to transition. So, here's where my other love comes in. If you look closely most of the buttons I've used to embellish the quilt are vintage, some bakelite.

This quilt is usually in my hallway, where I have a wall quilt rack. I change out the quilts with the seasons. I had to move it to my mantel for this picture because it's hard to get a good picture in the hallway!

It's been slow here for auctions and estate sales. The thrift stores seemed to be filled with everyone's end of the year cast-offs. I hope things pick-up soon!

Rednesday is Vintage Time

2009-11-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Rednesday everyone! I am happy to share my vintage clock with you today. Truly happy! You see, this clock has given me so much trouble! I bought it at an auction about a month ago. Being an electric clock I knew chances were good it did not work. I was right on that account. So, I thought, "Easy enough. I'll replace the electric movement with a battery movement." Well, that wasn't so easy. I had many little obstacles to work through. I won't give you a blow-by-blow account because truthfully I don't want to think about it anymore! I'll just say I am pleased with the end result and it is happily residing above my hoosier cabinet. Never mind that I have three other clocks in my kitchen (on the stove, on the microwave and the radio, too) this is my favorite!

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving to all my blogging friends, new and old! My blog is so new that I am so thankful for every single one of you that takes the time to visit me (and maybe leave a comment, too!)

Rednesday Again....I'll share another quilt.

2009-11-18T12:07:00.001-08:00

Hey, it's Rednesday again! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything since LAST Rednesday. Just a crazy week around here. I've actually accumulated quite a bit of "stuff" this past week, so I have lots to share, just need to get organized, UGH!

Saturday was my daughter's birthday. Her last year of adolescence. Next year my baby will be a teenager! She is such a sweetie. Just last night she crawled in bed with me to talk and snuggle a little bit, too! I know these moments will become fewer and fewer, so I savor each one I get!

On family birthdays I hang this quilt. It's a pattern by Eleanor Burns, the Quilt in A Day lady if you've ever seen one of her shows. I bought this pattern back in 2000? At the AQS (American Quilters Society) show in Nashville, Tennessee. This is me and my friend, Deb with Eleanor (in the middle.) If you look in the background you can see the her sample of the quilt. I went more retro, a lot of the fabrics I used are 30's reproductions. (Click on it to get a better look!) The kids look forward to waking up on their birthdays to see it hanging on the hallway quilt rack. My daughter loves the sundae with the green ice cream on the right. Even at twelve she pretends to eat that green mint sundae! I guess it's become a family tradition.

Next week I HOPE to have something truly vintage to share. I have something I've been trying to finish for weeks. I just can't get it all together. So, stay tuned!

In the meantime, make sure you check out the site: It's A Very Cherry World to see lots more red stuff!

Rednesday Is Here - To Honor Our Veterans

2009-11-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Rednesday on Veteran's Day! This is my first Rednesday. Being a lover of RED this is a perfect match for me. I discovered Sue over at It's A Very Cherry World last week and thought this was right up my alley.I decided NOT to dig through my boxes to find some patriotic red for this day to honor our veterans. Instead, I went with what you hanging around!

This is a quilt I made back in 2001. I believe it came from Better Homes & Garden....don't quote me. Super easy pattern! Just strips of stripes and saw-toothed stars! It's wall hanging size. I like to make them about 60" square. It fills my quilt rack nicely and I change them out with each season.The flag was a challenge to display. I got this one at my BIG auction two weeks ago. It came with a HUGE lot of garden tools, galvanized pails, etc. It has some tears and I'm in a quandry of what to do with it. I know you are suppose to destroy flags no longer fit to fly, but I want to keep it! I just don't know what to do with it. Any suggestions? I'm all ears!
Now getting back to the important message here. I want to say, "Thank you" to all the veterans past and present that have fought for our country. We continue to enjoy all the freedoms of the constitution of the United States of America because of YOU! To my veteran neighbors: Phil (next door), Melvin (behind and to the corner) and the "other" Phil (we share a backyard fence.) Thank you!

The Story Continues

2009-11-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

I've been looking at my auction pictures on my computer. There is no way I'll finish posting about this last auction today. It would be one serious "cloginfer" (this is a technical term used my my in-laws.) Basically an overload.

So, I think I'll try and stick to a theme and keep a few things back for random posts.

I have to show you my table, though. I think it's fabulous and it only set me back $4! I think this would make a fine desk. The day I find a decent file cabinet to replace the one in my current desk, that will happen. In the meantime, it will serve as a picnic table and be used during my annual garage sale.
Lots more paper items to show. These are the most unusual cards. I'm not sure I have them figured out just yet. The back flap contains the gummed envelope edge. So, my guess is you fold the card in half? That way the gummed edge is adhered the the back? Somebody smarter than me can set me straight! Anyway, they are very lightweight. I like this bird image.
Here's the mark on one the cards. They all have identifying numbers.
Lots of stickers, and a random card. I imagine there are lots of uses for these.Cats. Now I don't have anything against cats. I just prefer dogs. Although we have neither. Our family lifestyle isn't conducive to animals. We have a parakeet that we take to my mother's whenever we go out of town. Nuff said. I'll be selling these. I need to research the marks. Anyone want to spare me and give me a clue?A couple pieces of glass I am keeping....for now.

A bowl in the "Sandwich" pattern. What an awful name for such a pretty pattern!A cute little jar. I never get tired of canning jars and containers in general!So, I THINK I'm going to attempt my first estate sale in quite a few years. All the goodies my fellow bloggers have been showing off has convinced me to give them another try. I'll keep you posted!

Bigger Than a Breadbox.....Still More Auction Stuff

2009-11-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Well, Halloween is over. My dear daughter loved how her costume turned out. I was less than thrilled, but if she's happy, that's all that matters. It certainly didn't affect her ability to bring in the candy. She came home with ten pounds! Quite an accomplishment for someone only weighing 60! To be honest, she did stop home once to "unload."

That being said, I am now free to continue posting about last weeks auction. As I said, my car was packed full and most things weren't bigger than a breadbox. Well, this one is. I love, love, love this ironing board! I have no idea what I will do with it, but isn't it pretty?Look at the label. In such good condition. And the color? It's perfect!Staying on the laundry theme. Here are some cute little clothespins. Not even big enough for doll clothes. Miniatures with different do-dads attached: mushrooms, flowers, ladybugs, etc.
All these picks (and more) came from one box.

Umbrellas and fruit. I really like the fruit. I will call the orange one a pumpkin, NOT an orange.A group of ladies. Wearing Easter bonnets, don't you think?Assorted minis. The birds are so tiny, maybe 3/8"?
Glass birds. I think I'm going to have to sell some of this stuff. I have no illusions that I will create something with them!Finally, a children's party book from 1923. I fell in love with this.There are illustrations for each holiday with lots of party planning ideas and recipes. (Click on the picture to get a good look.) It's holding together just fine, but the cover along the spine is chewed up a bit. It scares me to handle it too much. I'd like to think of a way to display it.Oh, and I did come home with a breadbox! Nothing too fancy, but I couldn't resist when at the end of the day the auctioneer allowed us to take a pile of left behind items for $1. I grabbed quite a few box lot cast offs for that $1. This being one. Hubby always has a pile of papers next to our phone. I asked him to put them in this. I may jazz it up, somewhere down the road. For now it serves a purpose.
If you can believe it, I still have about a dozen more pictures to share from this one auction. So, stay tuned. I will post them before I go out "hunting" again.

Takin' Hubby to the Auction....a Dangerous Thing!

2009-10-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is what my kitchen island looked like when hubby and I returned from the auction on Saturday. He never comes with me, just not his thing. I'm sure it will be a LONG time before he comes again! When we left our vehicle was packed tight. I had to keep a couple boxes on my lap! Other than a dresser for my son and a nice primitive table, everything was a box lot. I have so much to show I'm going to break it up into a couple of posts. (And because I didn't post last week, there will be a couple items that I bought last Saturday.)From last Saturday, a pair of Lefton turkey salt & pepper's. I just had to have them!
A few years ago I thought, who collects this stuff? It's so gaudy! I admit it, I like it now! Just for fall, though. It has it's limits!
A celluloid Santa, again from last Saturday, I wasn't going to let him get away either! One more thing from last Saturday, a candy container Santa. I have a hard time buying Santa images usually....not this day!
Lots of garland dispersed among the box lots. Bits and pieces. Which do you think is older? The white or silver? The white is really stiff and it's shedding terribly, so that's my guess. I love 'em both! The gold....OK.
I've recently had an epiphany. I must collect glass bead garland to combat my husbands love a tinsel icicles! Last year I convinced him to let me put glittered hydrangea heads on the tree. It looked great, my daughter loved it, but messy, messy, messy!
This is how I decided to store the bead garland so it doesn't get tangled. Cottage cheese containers! I doubt I will put the lids on, I don't want any moisture to be trapped inside. How do you store yours?
A few ornaments on a plate with a piece of mercury glass in the center. I didn't see the pinecone until I came home and unpacked. I squealed when I saw it! Another fetish, I am so into pink balls right now! (That sounds a little funny?) I don't like pink that much, but not this year!
Now until I started reading Barbara's blog I would have thrown these away! Now I'm starting to see the value. Click on the pic to get a closer look!
This poor little angel! She's lost a wing. The chenille stem is off her base. I have no idea what she is suppose to be holding opposite the tree. I will do a little surgery on her....I hope she's better for it!
Just a cute glass glitter house ornament.

That's it for now! IF I make significant progress on my daughter's Halloween costume you will hear from me again....soon! I won't even bother to tell you her choice! I'd never heard of the guy, yes guy! Some video game character. Maybe I'll share when it's done!

Long Overdue.....Hoosier!

2009-10-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

This post is soooo overdue. I have many posts overdue.... so where do I begin? Since I promised Barbara some weeks ago I would post pictures of my great-grandmother's hoosier cabinet, that's where I will start. When I brought this home it was FILTHY! It had been stored in the basement and probably had not seen the light of day in a half a century! Apparently it was not cleaned before it when into the basement. The lower portion was covered in food spatters....YUCK! Being on there for years, it had permeated the paint. It was obvious I would have to repaint it. I was NOT looking forward to this! It sat in my garage for a month or better. I had to prepare myself for the task ahead.
I began sanding to prepare the surface for it's new coat of paint. Almost immediately I saw something appearing from under the last coat of paint. It was a motif! Similar to the design on the glass door. This was so exciting! I continued to carefully sand until it was completely visable. I traced the pattern to make a stencil. I would put them back in place and the end of the job. And this is how it turn out! I took a little artistic freedom and didn't put all the stencils back in the exact same place. In hindsight I wish I had kept with the original cream color. Or at least an antique white. The white goes great with the enamel top, but it's pretty bright! The flour bin on the left was long gone. So, I repeated the shelving from the right side to the left. One of the things I really like is the fabric lined shelves. I placed batting and fabric over pieces of cardboard made to fit each space. I brought the excess to the back and simply taped it in place. The batting made for a really snug fit.My displays are always a work in progress. I'm really tired of the refrigerator dishes but haven't found enough to replace them yet.

The glasses are Federal and came from my neighbors garage sale this summer!I love my Jadeite bowls, but don't have much to go with them. Plates at a recent auction went for $25 a piece! I'll have to pass at those prices! Maybe someday I'll find some nice pieces.....The chickens up top are another gift from my great-grandmother. She loved her chickens! I didn't know this 'til she passed but she named some of them. Their names written underneath. These are nameless, but they are the two I always remember seeing in her house. They are pretty big! I am so happy to have them!Wondering what's in the appliance "garage?" All my sherbets I got for a single a dollar! Score!And since Barbara let us peek inside hers......here's the inside of mine! Stuff!So, the last part of my story:

On the back of the cabinet was a manufacturer and model number. This company, Marsh Furniture Company, is still in business and they were so helpful! From their catalog in 1937, they sent me copies of the pages featuring my cabinet! Here it is:
The other pages pertained to features and options. My cabinet cost $38.00 seventy years ago. Matching chairs and a table were available. Someday maybe I'll find these canisters!

Thanks for sticking with me and reading such a LONG post! Until next time.......

Sewing Patterns and Notions Score

2009-05-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, this is a new one for me. I am posting today from a hot spot while waiting for my son's next game to start. Once again my weekend is spent watching baseball. I really do not mind. I just wish I could do it all! I have to miss out on many auctions and garage sales this time of year.

Last weekend was an open weekend for me (no baseball) so I took advantage and went to TWO auctions! Yeah! Not many good items but these buttons were a BIG score! The best thing.....I was the only bidder! I waited until the auctioneer hit his bottom and placed my bid! I couldn't believe I was the only one that wanted them. Look at all the goodies I got!

My favorite RED!
My other favorite GREEN!
And as always, some white. I was very excited that all the buttons were on cards. Just a handful of loose buttons. Love those old buttons cards, too!

I did score a huge amount of vintage patterns at the thrift store. I scooped up all they had! There were lots of duplicates, just different sizes. This is only a small amount of them. My favorites are near the center of the photo.
I also was fortunate enough to find a few apron patterns. Nothing really unique but I rarely pass them up.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Patience is a Virture

2009-04-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

As I may have mentioned, I had plans to go to an auction this past Saturday. I did go, in fact. It was a very unusual day, though. Nothing went really smoothly. I had to bring my son along. He's such a good sport, he didn't complain. His baseball team scheduled a last minute practice near the auction site (thank you!)

Now I've expressed my love of box lots. Luckily, this particular auctioneer (Wears Auctioneering) does the box lots first thing. I had planned on staying for those. Then, and after the first hour I would leave to leave to take him to the diamond. I returned to the auction and I bid on a few items but nothing I couldn't live without. So, it's several hours later and I'm still empty-handed.

After baseball practice I return to the auction (son in tow.) They are close enough to finishing that I make him stay while I wait to bid on a few items. Five hours into the auction I score my first item. FINALLY! Normally I would have left long ago. However, with baseball season looming I know my auction jaunts will few. So, my big purchase? This basket purse. A short while later, I end up with a flat of linens. I was happy to finally get something and something I had more than a slight interest in.

So, once I get home I have to find a spot for my new lovely. This is where it ended up. On my stacked benches. I might add, I made all these benches except the black one. Yes, me, not my hubby, me. Several years ago my aunt and uncle were tearing out some barn board and asked if I wanted it. YES PLEASE! If only I could have some more!The stuffed animals are a favorite of mine. I found them about a year ago at a flea market. If you want to see the other items close up, just click on the pic!

I will try and get those linens clean and post them soon. It's going to be a job! There is rust on my favorite! Wish me luck!

Easter Tree

2009-04-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

I had no idea when started my second blog it would take me so long to get to another post! I haven't been to any auctions since the last entry, although there is one this Saturday. So, I hope it's a good one. I'm feeling deprived! I'll take some pity, please! Anyway, I am fulfilling the "made" portion of my blog namesake with todays offering.
This is my "not so little" Easter tree! Every year the kids and I head to my parents house and find a large shrub to prune so we can have a tree. This year my dad had just trimmed all the lower branches off the trees, so we had a good selection. They are never perfectly shaped, but we're OK with that. This one has a distinct curve to one side. If I had put it in my usual spot it would have impeded the walkway! So, I put it up high at the dividing half-wall between my living room and kitchen. Everybody in the family got a vote and this got the thumbs up!
Most of my ornaments are recent store bought ones. However, this one with the scallop edge was made by me. I have a set of them, all different. I used orange juice can lids and all my yummy Stampin' Up papers. I like 'em!
My spring blocks are new this week. Boy, it took me forever to complete this project! Again, I used Stampin' Up patterned papers and recycled some craft-store wood blocks from a project years ago. My biggest challenge has been mastering my Cricket die cutting machine. I mounted these papers on chipboard, so they had a little more substance to them. I never read how to cut chipboard, so I had a few failures before I decided to read the manual!!! Then, I was trying to conserve paper by cutting my squares only a 1/4" large than my final finished size. Big mistake because I am not proficient at centering the cursor on the Cricket. Once again, I had many mistakes! However, it is done now and I am glad, glad, glad! So, what do you think?

Auction Last Saturday

2009-03-11T15:06:00.001-07:00

I love box lots. I always think I will find some great little treasure amongst all the stuff. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Generally I don't pay much for the boxes, just in case I get burned. These boxes were just average.

The grade on this group: CThis lamp is one of the items I really wanted out of the box lots. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the chip (I turned it to the back) and that the cord had been cut off (easy enough to fix.)
This is a picture of the rack stuck in one of the boxes. It has damage, too (big sigh) but not enough to keep me from using it. It's already found a home in my laundry room. The clothespin caddy was made by me out of one of my great grandmother's aprons. She was such a tiny lady, I would have never been able to wear it! I felt a little guilty at the time, but I got over it. The other apron was from another grandmother.
These are the textiles that came along. That apron is super tiny. It has to be a child's apron. I love the towel and the trims. The pot holders in the center are the prettiest shade of pale pink. The doily near the center is edged with variegated violets, very pretty.Some pictures and a few prints. Love those calla lilies and the other floral print is beautiful, too. A lovely shade of blue in the background. I'm kind of drawn to the man on the bottom, he's a priest, interesting.
A mixed bag in this photo. The Shiny Brite box caught my eye. Unfortunately just 4 plain gold balls inside, but that's OK. I hoard them all! I like the artwork on the cigar box. Really amazing close-up. The Workbasket magazines are interesting to look through. I love the editions that have the embroidery transfers still attached in the center.Lots of chipped and broken dishes. I was hoping for a good piece or two. The transfer ware may be destined to be broken and the shards used for mosaic pieces.
This is a maple doll crib, not really old, but handmade and worth saving. I will glue it back together. Maybe I'll make a little quilt for it, too.

Please leave me feedback on what you see. Should I only include the best stuff I find? Not enough description of what's in the photos? Should I use larger photos? I'd love to hear from you!

New Blog Launch!

2009-03-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Hey....anybody out there? I've decided to start another blog! It's been 11 months since I started the Stampin' Garden', my blog devoted to my card making and paper crafting hobby. I love doing it but I've been yearning to venture into other areas, maybe even get a little personal! This all started when I found Barbara over at Oodles and Oodles while searching for information on vintage ornaments. She has a fabulous blog. In addition, she had a blog roll, as many bloggers do, of the sites she likes to visit. I discovered a world of crafters, garage sale hounds and all things vintage that kept me busy blurfing for days!

So, that inspired me to start a blog on my many crafting and more inportantly vintage treasure hunts! I just want to join this world of vintage lovers and learn as much as I can. I hope you like what you see.

Let's go!