LBP Sews

Marty Mouse-Vintage Magazine Craft of the Month!

2012-02-07T07:58:00.002-05:00

Good Morning! The sun is shining brightly today in SW Virginia with a forecast of 58 degrees! This has been the warmest winter I can remember and I am NOT complaining!

So keeping on track with making at least one project out of all those vintage magazines I bought, this weekend I decided to use the McCalls Needlework and Crafts Fall and Winter 1974-1975. I would have been 13 years old when this magazine came out!

Anyway after glancing through I decided to make the yo-yo mouse. That's him down there on the right standing next to that freaky upside down clown thing. Did you know I HATE, no loathe, clowns? I debated on making the dog but the mouse's little yo-yo ears just called my name.

So I chose to make him with a valentine theme to add to my decorations in my Happy Shelves and here is how he turned out!

I used a fabric remnant with white hearts for his body and ears. His face and yo-yo hands and feet are made with solid red fabric. I happened to have some shiny red pipe cleaners in my stash and used those to give him a little bling for this arms and legs.

I really like how he turned out!

I added a little red button detail to his already adorable ears.

Here are a couple of other "lovely" items that I could have chosen to make

I'm sure my dear husband and son would have loved for me to make them these sweaters but unfortunately, I can't knit.

I actually do like these little bibs, except that string around the neck looks dangerous to me!

I do wish I could knit!

I am joining Cozy Home Scenes for her Cozy Home Party! You can find her and other wonderful home and craft ideas here http://cozyhomescenes.blogspot.com/

Hope everyone has a fantabulous day!

Linda

Hmmm... What would you do?

2012-01-31T08:25:00.002-05:00

Good Tuesday morning! The weather is SW Virginia could not be any better! A little bit of chill this morning but warming up to almost 70! Could this really be January?

Last Saturday, as usual, I headed out to an estate sale with my sis and niece,in a neighboring town. It was a small but really nice sale and I bought a few things that interested me. But one of my favorite things to buy is old magazines. (of course,besides elves). In the basement I found a stack of Women's Household magazines from the 1970's. I had so much fun looking through these this weekend. One particular section in each magazine intrigued me. They had a section for missing persons. The readers would write in and ask if anyone had any information of family members they were trying to find.

Yngwie and I had a discussion on how hard it must have been,in before the age of the internet,to try and find someone who was missing. How would you get the word out? Who would you contact? We talked about how now you can just "google" a name and try and find them on a social network, through work connections, any number of sources.

So just to see what would happen, I chose one of the letters from a 1974 magazine from a lady who was looking for her granddaughter who had disappeared two years before. The letter didn't seem like the girl had been kidnapped, perhaps just left home and never let anyone know where she was. The girl had a very unusual first and last name. So, I "googled" the name. I FOUND HER. Her name came up as a poet, and singer and she has a facebook page. She is the right age and has the exact name. It is a very unusual name. So, what to do? Would you send the lady a message through Facebook and tell her about the magazine article? Or does that seem "stalkerish"? After 37 years maybe it's best just to let sleeping dogs lie? Maybe she went back at some point and let her family know where she was? I think I would want to know that my family was looking for me, but she could have had a very good reason for leaving. Maybe she was in an abusive situation and didn't want anyone to know where she was. I'm kind of tossed up. What would you do?

Anyway, here are some photos of some other things that followed me home.

Christmas tree toppers that look very much like Tinkerbell!

A bottle brush tree already trimmed with adorable little ornaments.

This greenfaced pixie hanging on to this shoe for dear life! Is that a brush in his hand? He kind of reminds me of Jiminy Cricket.

This wee lad and lass that someone made in their ceramics class in 1963.

Elves just seem to appear to me! Isn't he adorable even with his chippy paint?

Yeah, I know I said I wasn't going to buy anymore cookbooks. So sue me. There were just too neat to pass up for $3.00 each.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Blessings

Linda

Estate Sale Finds

2012-01-26T07:58:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday was a cold and rainy day and I decided it was a good day to hit an estate sale that I had seen advertised in the paper. I hooked up my handy, dandy GPS (what did I ever do without it?) and headed to town.

The first thing I noticed as I went in was a small box of vintage patterns sitting on the display case. So I went though them and only selected two. (The ones in my last post) But... I thought if there are patterns there must be more sewing stuff! I asked someone and they said there was some sewing stuff in the basement. There was an entire room devoted to sewing! I rummaged through the fabric and found a few pieces of interest and then I saw the box of patterns! I was so excited! Unfortunately, they were all very ugly patterns from the 1980's. Drat! There was no prices on the fabric and I was told a lady in the den was pricing everything. When I went over there I saw a pile of vintage patterns along with a pile of vintage fabric. Then I realized someone else had them! Someone beat me to them. I said out loud (apparently), DRAT! Then the girl who had that pile of goodies turned around and I realized it was my niece! She had picked all the vintage patterns out and was getting them. Disappointment turned to happiness quickly!

I also bought a few vintage Christmas items to add to my ridiculous volume of decorations that I already have.

Isn't she beautiful? An Inarco planter filled with some fake plastic greenery! I love this piece. She is rather large and I probably over paid for her ($12) but when I saw her lovely face, I knew she would be coming home with me.

Another Santa planter, again filled with the ever popular plastic greenery!

And this next item is just bizarre. Even for me.. Which is exactly why I bought it.

Looks like a big jumble of stuff, right? It's actually some kind of gold metal Chirstmas tree shaped thing and someone has hung tiny model T cars on it! There was a lot of model T stuff in the house, so I am guessing they must have owned one at one time. But this was just too cute to leave!

I don't think I am going to leave the cars on the tree like they are, or maybe I will, I haven't decided yet! I think the tree is supposed to hold Christmas cards. When DH saw this come in the door he just rolled his eyes and shook his head. After 31 years of marriage, he still never knows what I might come dragging home!

ETA: I am linked up with http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/ for Vintage Thingy Thursday!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Linda

It's My Birthday, It's My Birthday

2012-01-23T08:26:00.000-05:00

(You are supposed to kinda sing that and do a little twist sort of dance with your arms making a circle in front of you) Good Morning everyone and welcome to the beginning of another week! What a weekend! Did you know that my sister and I almost share the same Birthday. I was born January 22, 1961 and she was born January 20, 1966. Both of us were born during snow storms!

But there was no snow yesterday as we celebrated our Birthday's together like we have always done. All our loved ones came down to my house for lunch. I made a beef roast, carrots and potatoes, green beans, corn, and had a tossed salad bar. My Dad brought a bucket of KFC chicken and of course we also had cake!

I wish I could show you the picture of us blowing out the candles on our cake but I forgot to put the memory card in my camera! Now I have the picture on the internal memory but no way to get it off because the cord thingy is long gone. Does anyone know if there is a way to transfer the internal memory to a memory card??? After I realized there was no card, I found one and was able to carry on!

Anyway, here is a photo of what I made my sister,

This adorable cat apron was made for McCalls pattern 6132

I can definitely see more of these in my future!

And my DH and son went in together and got me something that I have been wanting forever

A FoodSaver! I am hoping this will keep my vegetable that I freeze from getting freezer burn over the winter. My niece who knows me so well, got me all this wonderful vintage Christmas stuff

Tinsel, mica snow and some beautiful ornaments!

On Saturday I went to an estate sale in a neighboring town and found some awesome things. I haven't photographed all of them but I did take a photo of these two vintage patterns

I love the red, white and blue outfit on this pattern, especially the skirt and it's in my size!

This next pattern I bought just because I thought the illustration on the front is hilarious!

Look carefully at the illustration in the corner.

When is the last time you saw someone in a two piece bathing suit and an old fashioned sun bonnet? LOL!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday! (I think that may be a oxymoron)

Linda

Vintage Valentine Decorations

2012-01-20T08:12:00.002-05:00

Good Friday morning everyone! It is sunny and 38 degrees here today in SW Virginia, but they are calling for rain all weekend. That's okay because that will make me stay indoors and maybe do some crafting!

I kinda quit enjoying Valentines when I got too old to give them to my friends at school. I loved decorating the box to sit all lined up with everyone's on the shelf awaiting those adorable valentines that were available in the 1960's and 1970's. I would choose so carefully who got which valentine. I sure didn't want to give one to a boy that I didn't like that would make him think I did!

I would never haven given the above Valentine to an icky boy!

We never had any Valentine decorations at home when I was growing up. The only thing my mom decorated for was Christmas. But, I do have a few decorations in my home now.

Isn't this little fellow adorable? He sits on a cloth heart with a ribbon that says Valentine. I bought him at an estate sale a couple of years ago.

This one is my very favorite! Of course, it's a Pixie planter!

And take a look at this little miss with her heart shaped planter!

Why did they quit making such cute things? Whose decision was that?

In other news, it looks like my sewing machine may be history. My step-brother worked on it for 4 hours yesterday and couldn't fix it. He is going to try again today, but he thinks it may be the computer card in it and if it is, it will cost more than the machine is worth to fix. So I guess I am on the hunt for a new sewing machine! Hmmm... this weekend is my Birthday! That's a good reason for a new sewing machine isn't it!

Blessings

Linda

p.s. I'm linked up to : http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ for Friday Show and Tell!

Cute Vintage Finds and bad news

2012-01-18T08:29:00.001-05:00

First the good news. The first estate sale of the year!! Whoo Hoo! The house was pretty small and they didn't have a lot of things except bells! Oh my goodness, the prior owner of the house had the bells! However, I DO NOT collect bells, I am not going to buy any bells, and I just had to keep repeating this over and over so that I didn't buy the bells, but she had some really cute ones!

Anyway, I found a couple of cute pieces. As anyone who has ever read my blog knows, I love elves or pixies and found this adorable pixie sitting under the polka dotted mushroom house. Talk about cute overload!

Can he possibly be any more kitschy? The little butterfly is on a spring.

I also bought this adorable little tablecloth. I paid more for it than I normally would have ($5.00) but I love the applique and hand stitching so much, I decided it would be worth it.

Don't you just love the colors?

Would you like to come over for tea?

I also bought a glass basket and a couple of Sarah Coventry rings that I haven't taken a picture of yet. I am terrible about taking pictures of things I have bought or made. I am in such a hurry to get them washed up and put away that I forget to photograph them.

Now the bad news. My sewing machine is broken! I have no idea what happened to it. In the last couple of weeks I have made 2 skirts, an apron and a pair of pajamas (none of which I have taken a picture of) and it was sewing along just fine. Then I cleaned it. Something I do about every 6 months. After that it started skipping stitches, then it started bunching up the bobbin. I tried every trick I knew to get it to sew properly, to no avail. So now my beloved 20 year old Kenmore is sitting at my Dad's waiting on my step brother to fix it. He does sewing machine repair as a side job. I hope it can be fixed. I really like my sewing machine and do not want to buy a new one. Maybe without my machine I will take the time to photograph and the stuff I have made!

I am linking up with http://holly-girlsatheart.blogspot.com/ for Dotty Wednes day and http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/ for Whatever you want Wednesday!

Have a great Hump Day!

Linda

Larry, the Long Eared Rabbit

2012-01-11T09:39:00.001-05:00

Sometimes craft projects just go awry. Take for instance this one. A couple of years ago I bought a whole stack of the old Stitch and Sew magazines. I love old magazines, I love to sew, so I figured these would be perfect for me.

While cleaning out my craftroom I wondered if I needed to keep all these magazine because I have probably 20-25 of them. So I reasoned with myself that if I make at least one thing out of each magazine, then they would be a keeper. So I started with the magazine above and decided to make this rabbit

Pretty simple in design ( I forgot to photograph the second page of the pattern) and I was happy that the pattern was full size, something very rare in older magazines. They show them on graph paper and you have to increse them. Imagine how hard that was in the days before copiers!

Anyway, I cut out all my pieces and started sewing. The very first instruction is the one that I failed. Sew the felt ear with the fabric ear, right sides together and turn. The sewing part I got, the turning part not so much. I tried for at least 45 minutes to get one ear turned and could NOT do it to save my life. It just wouldn't turn and I don't own one of those "turning" things. So I gave up and cut out the ears again and sewed them on the right side out. Easy peasy. Except this gave poor Larry gigantic ears!

Poor Larry! He doesn't seem to be very happy with his ears!

"What are you looking at! Haven't you ever seen a big eared, pink floral rabbit before"!

So this is a crafting fail. Although Larry will become a part of my Easter decorations, because once I've made something with a face, I can't throw it away!

(Larry also doesn't like the fact that he is pink and male, but he will just have to get over that stereo-type!)

Hope everyone has a great Hump Day.

Linda

The Barbie Wardrobe

2012-01-09T09:06:00.000-05:00

If you are just reading my blog for the first time or are a new reader, you may not know that I am a Barbie Rescuer. I can't help myself. If I see a poor, neglected, naked Barbie at the thrift store or yard sale and she is $1.00 or under, then she will be coming home with me. I wash them up and dress them and sometimes I keep them and sometimes I give them away.

I had bought a CD on Ebay last year that had about 25 different vintage Barbie patterns that they had copied and put together on this CD. I printed them off, hoping that they would run true to size and have found to my delight that they are!

So this weekend, having done most of my housework at nights during the week, I spent the day making up all the view on this pattern:

Wouldn't you like to have these clothes for yourself? I would!

I think this Barbie may have once been Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz, but she came to me naked and now she sports this adorable red and white striped shirt dress with a red jumper over it. Excuse her wrinkles, she had been sitting on my sewing counter.

This lovely lady, who I think has had a haircut at the fingers of her former owner, is looking springy in her white and floral sheath which she can also wear with the long green and white polka dot vest:

I need to invest in some Barbie shoes!

I changed this little suit up a little bit as I had just a tiny bit of this decorative lace in my sewing box and thought it would look lovely on this navy skirt. She also wears a white jacket trimmed in yellow edging.

This lovely lady isn't a rescue, she was mine when I was little. At one time she had different wigs to change her hair style but they are long gone! But I think she still looks sophisticated in her black dress with lace trimming and rose accessory.

And last but not least, this pretty redheard looks stunning in this yellow gown.

I had so much fun sewing these and I like to make them look as much like the pattern as possible just for fun.

I also made an Easter rabbit that turned out .....uummmmmm... interesting. But I'll save that for another day!

Hope you have a great week!

Linda

Only 74 more days until Spring!

2012-01-06T08:38:00.000-05:00

It's only January 6th and I have spring fever! I must say that I really dislike winter. I like the "look" of snow but dislike having to navigate to work through it. I work at a presort mailing company so the mail "has" to go out no matter what. We have never closed for snow in the almost 17 years I have worked here.

But there are some fun things to do to get through the winter doldrums and one of them is planning that perfect garden you will have in the spring. I have been gardening since I was about 5 years old and live for those seed catalogs that start filling your mailbox in late December and January.

My favorite seed company is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds you can find them here Baker Creek Heirloom seeds

Their catalog is the most beautiful seed catalog I have ever gotten! I save them from year to year just for the photos! The variety of seeds they offer is overwhelming! They are all pure seeds with no GMO's and are not hybrids so the taste of these vegetables is so much better than the frankenfood that we get at the grocers.

Every year I start circling everything I want in the catalog, which is pretty much everything, so then I have to start paring down my list because as inexpensive as their seeds are, when you want everything in the book like I do, it gets rather expensive.

This year here are a few of the things I am looking forward to growing:

Cosmic Purple Carrot! Purple carrots!! Get out! I can't wait to see these!

Edrine Purple Striped Eggplant! I really don't care too much for eating eggplant, however I LOVE to see them grow. Such a pretty plant and I know lots of people who do eat eggplant, so they aren't wasted.

Striped Roman Tomato. This looks more like a pepper than a tomato and I can't wait to see how they look in my garden.

Amish Paste Tomato. I grew these last year and they are amazing! Not only are they very prolific they taste so good and make the best canned tomatoes.

Feverfew. This will be the first time I try this. I have acute migraines (2-3 per week) and I have read where feverfew could help them. I have the instructions for making tea from the leaves of this plant and hope it will help. I do take medication for them and 99% of the time I am able to stop them when they start but I am hoping for a more natural way to have less headaches. Maybe this will work.

Of course this is just a drop in the bucket of what I ordered. Can't wait to get my seeds and start planning out that perfect garden with no weeds and no pests! Only in my dreams!

Have a great weekend!

Linda

Hat's Off to the New Year

2011-12-30T09:04:00.000-05:00

My sister and neice and I decided in the early fall that our Christmas gifts to one another had to meet special conditions. They had to be either handmade or thrifted! So with that stipulation in mind I made my neice and sister these hats from a pattern that I thrifted for .35 at the Goodwill.

They were made of black twill and lined in a grey and white paisley fabric. I added a black and white polka dot ribbon to the outside and on the side there is a small black and while polka dot bow. They both loved them and called them their "Going to estate sales hats"!

Silly girl!

My sister was also thrilled with the 1950's house coat that my neice bought her! It is so pretty! She is going to feel just like Doris Day wearing that around the house. This beautiful robe only cost a couple of dollars!

And I got 3 boxes of these beautiful vintage Christmas balls! I can't wait until next Christmas for them to adorn my tree!

We had so much fun with our vintage and handmade gifts and not only were they great gifts, we didn't have to break the bank buying gifts for each other!

I wish everyone the Happiest of New Year's! I pray that 2012 is your best year ever!

Blessings

Linda

Christmas Fun!

2011-12-28T08:12:00.001-05:00

Good Morning! It's a blustery day in SW Virginia. No snow yet! Drat! And of course we didn't have a white Christmas, but it was a beautiful sunny day!

My dear husband and son are the two most thoughtful gift givers in the world. They really think about what I love and this year was no exception!

All my life I have had an obsession with Teaberry gum! I would search it out in little stores when I was a kid spending my hard earned allowance on it! Then it became almost impossible to find.

At my grandparents farm, the teaberry plant grew wild in the hills by the creek and Grandma and I would hike up to her "secret" patch and chew the leaves or she would make tea from them! I tried several times unsuccessfully to get the plants to grow at my house.

Then when I was a teenager (and a strange teenager who collected antique dishes) I found out that Teaberry gum had it's own Vaseline glass store display! Unfortunately, it was way out of my price range to purchase. Every time I am at a antique store I look for the display dishes and they are always more than I can afford. So you can imagine my surprise Christmas morning when I unwrapped this:

You can't tell from my awful photo, but the base of the stand says Teaberry Gum! Not only did he get the stand but found a small ruler and ledger book with the Teaberry advertising logo on it! You can not imagine how excited I was! Then to put the icing on the cake my son gave me this to match:

A beautiful Vaseline glass cream pitcher! I can not tell you how pretty this is! I was so surprised!

So this weekend I am heading out to Cracker Barrel to get me a stash of Teaberry gum to put on my stand!

I hope everyone had a happy Christmas! Looking forward to a brand new year with no mistakes in it! Yet!

Blessings

Linda

Away in a Manger....

2011-12-23T08:57:00.001-05:00

Do you have a nativity or manger scene? I love to see all the styles of Nativity scenes that there are available.

Mine is very unique because it is a hob-cobble of various pieces. It's also been described as very ugly. But you know what? I don't care because every single piece of it is so special to me.

See.....The Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, the chalk angel on the right and the one chalk king belonged to my Grandmother who bought them when she started working at age 16. That would have been 1928. It originally of course had two other kings and a sort of cardboard type manger however that fell apart when my parents started using it in the early 1960's. At some point it looks like someone tried to repaint the holy family and didn't do much a great job!

My mom added the shiny plastic angels and the shiny plastic wisemen on their camels. When I was little this set under our aluminum tree and when the light wheel spun it's colors on the wisemen it looked just like they lit up and I would lie under the tree and watch it until sometimes I would fall asleep. The sheep I won in Bible school when I was little by memorizing verses and the chicken my son added when he was about 3 or 4.

The colors on the wisemen are starting to wear off now.

The actual stable my husband made for me when we first got married 31 years ago.

Just like me, my Nativity set is imperfect. It's not beautiful, fancy or costly. But I wouldn't trade it for a million dollars! Every year when I set out all the figures I think about how my grandmother and mom would put it out each year and it brings me closer to both of those dear ladies who are celebrating Christmas with Jesus.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Blessings

Linda

How I met the "Real" Santa - My Favorite Christmas Memory

2011-12-19T08:39:00.000-05:00

Long ago, back in 1966 my Mom and Dad decided to have a Christmas party on Christmas Eve for our extended family as they had just bought our new house that year and wanted to have everyone over to see it.

Mom called up the family and said "Come on over Christmas Eve and bring a dish for everyone to share! "

My Great Aunt Clara and Uncle Roy came early to help us clean and get ready for the party.

Around 6:00 everyone started showing up! What fun to see cousins and Aunts and Uncles that I had not gotten to see very often. Gifts were layed on the freezer in the basement where the party was being held and coats were put on the beds. There were kids everywhere and the food was abundant!

Around 8:00 the doorbell rang upstairs and Aunt Clara went up to answer it. Imagine our delight and surprise when down the stairs she came with Santa Claus! We were so excited! All except my 1 year old sister who was terrified and jumped on her spring horse and tried to make a getaway! (We have that caught on 8mm film, and it is hysterical!). Anyway, Santa joined in on our fun, had some treats, then passed out the gifts that the kids had brought for each other. (I got stupid underwear with the days of the week on them from my cousin and I had given him a wonderful fire truck with a siren that worked!).

Around 9:00 he said he must hurry on because he had so many more houses to visit. He went out the basement door and walked down the road until we could see him no more.

Soon after all the kids and kin left except Aunt Clara and Uncle Roy who were spending the night. That next day, Christmas Day, after all the gifts were open and we were eating breakfast Aunt Clara says to my Mom. "That was a great idea getting Santa to come to the party"! Mom looks at her bewildered and said. "Uh, I didn't get him to come to the party, I thought you did". Aunt Clara said "Nope, not me". Dad and Uncle Roy are questioned, they say no, they have no idea, they thought Mom had him come.

Calls are made through the family, who asked Santa to come to the party? Everyone says they didn't do it!

To this day, no one knows who the Santa was who came to our Christmas party on Christmas Eve! But I have always believed..... it was the real "Santa"

Hope everyone has a wonderful and stress free Christmas week!

Blessings
Linda

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2011-12-09T08:01:00.001-05:00

There are some things that are a MUST for our family at Christmas and one of those things are the making of Peanut Butter Blossoms. These are hands down, my favorite cookie. I mean, what's not to like? There's chocolate and peanut butter!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar ( I use colored sugar for Christmas!)
48 Hershey kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and salt and continue bating until well mixed. Add flour and baking soda. Continue beating until well mixed.

Shape into 1 inch balls (you may have to refrigerate your dough if it's too sticky, usually I don't have to.) and roll balls in colored sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Immedicately place 1 kiss in the center of each cookie, lightly pressing down. Cool on wire racks.

Grab a glass of milk and eat approximately 10 of these while they are still warm!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Blessings

Linda

Hello my name is Linda and I'm a Christmas decoration addict!

2011-12-06T09:07:00.000-05:00

Does anyone know if there is a local chapter of Elves anonymous is SW Virginia?? I need an intervention!

This weekend Yngie and I went out to a local flea market where I had previously sworn I would never go again because of all the crappy, cheap, new junk that every vendor seemed to have. But as usual I ate my words and went because I was looking for something "Harley" related for my Dad for Christmas.

After perusing the "Biker" shop and finding absolutely nothing, I decided we could walk around a little. I heard some Bing Crosby crooning from a downstairs basement shop and decided to follow the music. Imagine my surprise when I walked upon a whole floor of a mother and son duo selling all vintage items! No new junk and very reasonable prices as well. I could have spent a fortune in there, however I don't have a fortune, so this is what I bought.

Now depending on your taste, these are either "evil" looking pixies (so my son says) or absoultely adorable pixies (so I say) either way there are making their home in my Christmas Happy Shelves.

How can you not love an elf on a shoe?

It was so funny that the lady selling these elves insisted that the knee hugger elf HAD to remain in the creamer and wouldn't sell them separately. However it was only $2.00 for the elf in the creamer so I was okay with that!

A cute little angel candle holder and Mrs Santa

I think the mouse is from Cinderella but I'm not sure. The angel is kind of weird. She has a pipe cleaner body with a nylon bust and a china head. Odd, but I loved her sweet face.

Chrismas decorations weren't all I bought. Oh no! I like to diversify! I bought a box of paper dolls!

This doll originally came with a record however it wasn't in the box with her but she has some beautiful clothes!

These Shirley Temple dolls were in the same box, with her clothes too!

Also Desi Arnez with some fabulous outfits.

And this little doll just says Flowergirl and has the sweetest clothes.

And I'm not really sure who the singing cowboys are. Maybe Gene Aurty? I know it's not Roy Rogers and maybe they don't have names but I really like their outfits. I'm thinking of framing these paper dolls and hanging them in my craft room. Maybe an after Christmas project.

So, now I'm thinking about going back next weekend. See!!! I told you I need an intervention!

Blessings

Linda

It's Beginning to look alot like Christmas!

2011-12-02T09:23:00.000-05:00

Good Friday Morning! It is a cold but sunny day here is SW Virginia and it looks like it is going to be a beautiful weekend. Hopefully I can get outside and finish putting the wreaths of my windows and decking the outside of my abode!

Inside however, I've been digging through bins of Christmas treasures and having a grand old time decorating our home.

I love it when I finally get to put out all those little decorations that I buy at estate sales over the summer!

Such sweet little Christmas Angels!

An adorable little Josef elf and an elf on a bell. Love my elves!

I loved the praying angels the very minute I saw them. And doesn't that little elf look mischevious? And I payed .79 for the Frosty Friends Hallmark ornament! The Annalee lady cost me an entire $1.00!

And last but not least, this plastic Santa rounded out my finds for the summer. I'm quite proud of the fact that I didn't buy as much stuff this summer as I have in the past. My Chrismas collection is getting out of hand as you can see!

On the top shelf of my Happy Shelves, is where most of my "Santa's" live. One of my favorites is the tiny troll Santa in the front that my son bought me for Christmas last year.

I bought this Santa on a tricyle, in it's orignal box a year or so ago. Don't you just love the bright colors!

And look at this face! Oh my goodness, I could just kiss those big, ole' plastic cheeks!

This is the only kind of mouse that I want in my house.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings

Linda

Estate sale finds

2011-11-25T08:09:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! Are you still stuffed? I am! But the best part of the Thanksgiving feast takes place today, TURKEY SANDWICHES! With mayo and cranberry sauce, you just can't beat it!

Being a holiday weekend there are no estate sales in our town this week, but I thought I would post a few things that I bought last week.

This is one freaky, deaky Santa! It is actually a bank and when you put money in the slot, the Santa will ring the bell! I haven't put batteries in yet to find out if he works or not. How in the world does a Santa that big think he's going to make it down the tiny chimney in this little house?

I loved the detail of the Christmas tree in the windows of the little house.

This adorable litte carnival doll was stark naked and had a big dent in her head. I felt so bad for her and she was only $1.00 so I took her home and worked some magic on her and now she is so happy to be dressed in her Chrismas finery and now she sits right in the top of my aluminum tree.

And this is a monkey in a cowboy suit! LOL! I have no idea why I think this is hysterical, but I do and had to have him. And what does one do with a monkey dressed as a cowboy?

Well, hang him in the Chrismas tree of course!

And isn't this pretty, pink childs sewing machine just the cutest thing ever? There is a piece missing where you thread it but I don't care. It now sits under my Christmas tree but after Christmas will look just darling in my sewing room!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I guess I will head out to do some Chrismas shopping.

Blessings

Linda

p.s. I am linking up to http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ for Friday Show and Tell. Hop over and check out all the wonderfully, inspirational posts!

A Quick Hello!

2011-11-22T14:56:00.001-05:00

Just dropping by my blog quickly to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I am off work Wednesday and Thursday and will be back on Friday.

I will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner again this year and I am a little sad that our family keeps shrinking. There will only be 6 this year unless my nephews surprise me and show up, but I doubt it. Oh well, it will be fun anyway.

The table is set, the turkey is thawing in the fridge and I have already done all my other grocery shopping so tomorrow I can start cooking! I love my new glasses found at an Estate sale for $2.00 for 8. (LOL I see the baby gate in the background. That's for the dog, not a baby)

Buffet all set to hold all the pumpkin pie, pecan pie and Coca Cola cake.

And I have already started decorating for Christmas! If this photo doesn't put a smile on the Scroogiest of Scrooges, then there's something wrong because this is just one big cabinet of happiness!!

Red and Green overload!!! Next week I will give you a closer look!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and

Don't gobble 'til you wobble!

Linda

Show and Tell Friday

2011-11-11T08:50:00.000-05:00

TGIF!!!! It's a cold, blustery day today in SW Virginia. But the sun is shining and it looks like there will be great weather for the weekend ahead.

I am participating in Romantic Homes Friday Show and Tell. You can find some very inspiring, and creative ideas there. http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ Pour yourself that second cup of coffee and pop on over there and be prepared to spend some time!

This week I'm showing the rest of the goodies that I bought at the auction sale last month. I admit, I went a little overboard, but I absolutely love everything that I bought and don't have a bit of buyers remorse.

I love this Eastlake chair and got two of them that match. I have two already that are very similar and I am going to use them with my antique table in my kitchen. They are newly upholstered, however I'm not digging that color and will re-upholster in a color that goes with the cobalt blue in my kitchen.

I love the detail on the top!

This spinning wheel is gigantic! It's called a great wheel and really, it's just too big for the space I have it in so it will probably go up for sale. I really like it though.

I loved the colors in this Austrian dish.

And last but not least, a Shirley Temple pitcher in great condition!

I am headed to an estate sale today at lunch. About a month ago I went to a sale and bought this set of dishes:

I got a complete set except there were no cups to go with it. Today they are selling the items in the basement of the same house where I bought the dishes. I am hoping that perhaps the cups got separated from this set and may be somewhere in that basement! Wish me luck!

Have a great weekend!

Linda

Retro Christmas Card Books

2011-11-07T09:29:00.000-05:00

Good Monday morning everyone! Hope you had a great weekend. This Saturday was Yngwies 20th Birthday! Where has the time gone???? It seems like I was just awaiting his arrival. I remember everything about that wonderful day! Ever since he was one years old I have taken a photo of him at exactly 7:10 p.m. on his birthday.

Sunday we went out to Buffalo Wild Wings to meet family to celebrate and my niece brought me a present! She had gone to an auction and saw these old Christmas card sample books and bought them for $1.00. A lady came over to her and said that the books used to belong to her when she was in elementary school she would go from door to door selling the cards. I just loved them!

There are 7 books with the cutest covers ever.

And the cards inside... oh my... I could hardly control myself from jumping up and down right in the restaurant!

How's that for an adorable Santa face!

This is so fuuny! Inside it says Merry Christmas, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy 4th, Happy Birthday, Spooky Halloween, etc....

Adorable!

Such a wide variety of different cards

You can't see it in the photo, but these cards are glittery. My favorite.

I love this card!

You could also get personalized letters and napkins!

And there was also a box of retro wrapping paper!

Look at the vivid colors! I can hardly wait to incoporate these into some of my paper crafting!

In sewing news, I am finally finishing up a top I started a month ago and am getting ready to make a few Christmas gifts! I love this time of year!

Blessings

Linda

My "new" antique cylinder desk

2011-11-04T08:03:00.001-04:00

TGIF! It is a drizzly, cloudy, but mild day here is SW Virginia. However, my noon the rains should be moving out and the sun will once again make it's appearance.

I have spent this week putting up all the orange and black from Halloween. It is bitter-sweet. I love the fall decorations with their golden hews and will miss them, but I am looking forward to the reds and greens of Christmas!

This week for Show and Tell over at Romantic Home http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ I would like to tell you about this beautiful desk that I bought a few weeks ago at an auciton. Yeah! I got a lot of stuff at this auction, but DH and I decided that these pieces would be our Christmas gifts to each other.

I have been looking a roll top desks for years but when I spotted this beauty at the auction, I just loved it!

Look at the beautiful grain of the wood. Once I got it home the desk was much larger than I thought and couldn't go where I had originally intended, but it looks right at home right here.

I'm sure it didn't originally have that felt piece on the pull out and I am going to replace it with leather.

Yngwie has already claimed it and has it full of paper, pens and other college related stuff.

Hope everyone has a super weekend. I am going to start dragging my Christmas stuff out of the closets and attic! So exciting!

Blessings

Linda

Sweet and Spooky Dolls

2011-10-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

TGIF!!! It is a misty, cold, and dreary morning here in SW Virginia today. The weathermen are even calling for snow in the mountains!

A couple of weeks ago at the auction where we bought the Victorian buffet (a couple of posts below), they had several of these French boudoir dolls. There was one in particular that I fell in love with because she looks like me! Fate and luck were with me that day because I was able to buy her! I would like for you to meet Bridget...

Isn't she adorable with her hat and glasses? And those hoop earrings, pink taffeta dress with lace insets! I was so happy that I was getting to keep her but decided she shouldn't live alone, so I also bought a little lady I call Helene....

Isn't she stunning with her blue polka dot dress with lacy slip and that jaunty red beret is just the cat's meow. These dolls were made in the 1920's and are composition and cloth with painted features. I had never seen any before except in pictures and really like them. The auctioneer said he would have some more for auction next month as he had just grabbed a couple out of a house he said was totally full of dolls. I can't wait until his next auction!

And this little lady was purchased simply because no one would bid on her and I stuck my hand up and said $1.00 and the auctioneer yelled SOLD! I am so glad she got to come home with me. She looks a little like one of the Little Women. I named her Sally. That was my great grandmothers name.

Now I have to say Yngwie and his friends do not like these dolls sitting around at all! When he was home last weekend with friends they thought I just had them out as spooky Halloween decorations! He also thinks it's weird that his 50 year old mom names her dolls. My sister even said they were positively scary! Really?? I think they are adorable! I guess it's a matter of perspective.

I actually have NOTHING planned for this weekend. WHOO HOO!! A free weekend. I am soooo looking forward to it!

Blessings

Linda

p.s. I am linking up to Romantic Homes Show and Tell Friday! You can find it here: http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Good Monday Morning!

2011-10-24T08:40:00.001-04:00

I say that "tongue in cheek" as I most definitely got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. UGH... I hate when I get up grumpy. Fortunately, coffee was made when I got to work and after about 3 cups I am finally starting to act human. Kinda..

I have no reason to be grumpy, yesterday was a glorious day in Virginia. The sun was sifting throught the beautiful fall leaves and it was the perfect day for a day trip.

Our family hit the road about 10:00 on our way to Paint Bank, VA. A beautiful little town about two hours from where I live and very close to White Sulpher Springs, WV. On the way, we stopped at the VA State fish hatchery. They had ponds full of every kind of trout you can think of.

This is an inside view of the restaurant. The restaurant is on the ground floor and upstairs is the swinging bridge and gift shop. The restaurant is called The Swinging Bridge and is in an old converted general store. The specialty of the house is buffalo and that is exactly what we had. Buffalo Burgers! They were delicious!

This is the view of the top of the restaurant from where I was sitting.

Yours truly standing on the swinging bridge.

There are lots of scenes like this in the restaurant. It is truly very pretty.

On the property stands an old corn mill. You could go inside and see how the grain was ground.

The landscaping outside the restaurant is just lovely. There were several ponds, streams and waterfalls.

Yngwie was home and went with us!

This is a view of the restaurant from the parking lot. Look at those mountains in the background!

We drove on into Sweet Springs WV where this place used to be a resort. The area is known for it's "healing" springs and many presidents and famous people came to Sweet Springs to relax and heal in the waters.

This is the old bathhouses around the pool. All of this has fell into disrepair and is abandoned now. Apparently there is no money for it's upkeep, which is such a shame considering it's history.

All in all it was a fun and relaxing day and I should sit back awhile and reflect on the blessing of living in such a beautiful place and getting to spend the day with my loved ones. I have no reason to be grumpy.

Blessings

Linda

Finally Found It!

2011-10-21T08:57:00.000-04:00

What is it you say??? It is a victorian buffet for my dining room!!!! I have been searching for at least 15 years for a walnut victorian buffet that was in my price range and unfortunately, all the ones that I liked, well... they weren't. So last Friday DH and I decided to go preview the furniture that was going to be at an auction on Saturday and low and behold there was a buffet.

I felt my heart going pitty pat and the auctioneer came over and was showing it to me and I asked how much do you think this will bring? He said not under $2000!! My heart dropped like a rock. Waaaayyy more than I wanted to pay. I said I wanted to pay less than $1000 and he just laughed and said no way would I get that buffet for less than $1000.

But Saturday morning we decided to head over to the auction anyway. We were very surprised that there wasn't very many people there, but there wasn't a whole lot for sell, mostly all furniture.

The buffet was item number 97 on the list and as I watched the items being sold before it, I was surprised to see that they weren't bringing near as much money as I thought or the auctioneer thought. As a matter of fact I bought a couple other things before the buffet even came up.

Finally, the buffet came up on the block and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears!!! "Up next is a Victorian Buffet from the early 1800's, solid walnut" What's the bid?? $100, 200, 300, 400, 500 that was by bid... going once, going twice,.... people you aren't looking here cried the auctioneer! SOLD!!!! I got my buffet for $500!!! The auctioneer just looked at me and shook his head and smiled. I was so excited I practically jumped for joy.

It fits perfectly in my dining room! See those bottom doors? You push them and they are like Lazy Susans...

Look how the doors swivel!

The detail on the back is just gorgeous!

You can't imagine how happy I am to have finally found the buffet that I have been wanting for much less than I ever expected to pay! I am so looking forward to decorating it for Christmas! And don't hve to wait too much longer to do that, do I?

Hope everyone has a marvelous weekend!

Blessings

Linda

Halloween Treat Bags!

2011-10-19T09:25:00.000-04:00

One of the most magical things about Halloween when I was little was when you would go Trick or Treating and someone would give you a treat bag! Those mysterious bags, ususally stapled at the top and you would have no idea what would be inside until you got home and opened it up.
Would it be a delicious Hershey bar or the much coveted BB Bat taffy stick? Or one of those yucky orange and black molasses chews? Perhaps Bazooka bubble gum and a Tootsie pop?

I loved getting those bags and would save the bags until my mom would clean my room and pitch them away.

I decided to make treat bags for all the employees of our company this year. I purchased clear plastic treat bags and made the cardstock toppers for them.

If was so much fun to put together all the fun elements for these little treat bags.

Yummy candy inside, Milk Duds, Reese's Cups, M&M's, Fruit snacks, etc...

But no nasty molasses chews!

Blessings

Linda

It's Time for the Halloween Happy Shelves!

2011-10-18T10:48:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to show you my Halloween Happy Shelves! I hope they make you smile, like they make me grin every stinkin' time I walk by them!

The very top is my extremely tacky silver glittered skulls that I love so much along with those creepy gargoyle candle holders and a few other gruesome friends.

BEWARE! of all the scary or not so scary goblins that occupy this shelf!

My rendition of a Halloween Village. I bought a plain birdhouse and dressed it up with scrapbook paper and fun embellishments to create the ghostly house in the center. So much fun, I am making one for Christmas too.

A couple of my newest occupants are this years Peanuts Halloween figures. I love Peanuts, do you?

And last but certainly not least, most of my Halloween stuffies! New for this year is the little orange cat I made on the right.

I can't believe Halloween will be here in a couple of weeks and all my creepy and cool friends will have to be boxed up for another year.

Blessings

Linda

Spring Violet Dinnerware

2011-10-17T10:52:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I attended an estate sale in our town and when I entered the house into the kitchen I saw these dishes sitting in the cabinet. I was drawn to them instantly and decided right then and there that if the price was right, those dishes were coming home with me!

Luckily, The price for the entire set was only $35.00 and then it was the second day of the sale so I got 25% off, which came to $26.25! There were 10 dinner plates, 15 sandwich plates, 12 saucers, (oddly enough, no cups!), 12 bowls, 2 vegetable bowls, 2 platters, 2 creamers and sugars, and 12 dessert plates!

I was estatically happy with my purchase and immediately went home and tried them out with my fall decorations in the dining room. I think they will look better in the spring, but I am going to use them for Thanksgiving this year.

Later that same week I went over to spend the day with my Aunt who had surgery on her shoulder. She sent me into the living room for something and on her wall was hanging one of these plates. I picked it up and took it to her to ask where she got it and she said it had belonged to my grandmother, that the Spring Violet pattern was her Sunday dish pattern! It must be genetics! The original set now lives with my cousin. So, now I am on the search for the cups. I'm sure I could find them on ebay, but the physical search is way more fun! And the guy who ran the estate sale said the basement of the house was still packed up and he would be selling it soon. Maybe those cups are hiding down there!

Blessings

Linda

June??? Really??/ June??? or Welcome to Fall!

2011-10-14T12:40:00.000-04:00

I can hardly believe that my last blog entry was in June!!! Good Grief!

I had an extremely busy summer! My garden was just fantastic! I truly had an over abundance of vegetables that I spent nights and weekends canning and still had plenty to give away to friends and family

Lots of Pickles, both cucumber and beet!

Zucchni relish, squash pickle, bread and butter pickle.....

Canned tomatoes and pickled beets.......

Tomatoes and cucumber galore!

Lots of beautiful peppers! Aren't those purple ones gorgeous?

One packed freezer! I'm ready for winter!

Blessings

Linda

Not so Itsy, Bitsy, Orange Polka Dot not Bikini!!

2011-06-10T09:08:00.001-04:00

I have a confession. I am a swimsuit hoarder! Now, granted, we live on the lake and we have a pool, but really, 22 swimsuits?? Really???? I can't help it. I am in them almost every day and I like variety and now that I know that I can make them, I can see that number climbing!!! I really, really love this orange polka dot 2 piece suit:

I made it out of a poly/cotton blend and it is fully lined. I used this pattern for the top:

I've had this in my stash for quite some time, but for some reason thought making a swimsuit would be hard. But it was easy peasy. The bottoms were made from another vintage pattern that belongs to my niece and I returned it without photographing it first. Oh well. This suit fits perfectly and isn't too revealing. I do admit however, that I will only wear a 2 piece if NO ONE is around!

This was actually 3rd swimsuit attempt. Here is my 2nd one made from the same pattern using the bottoms on the pattern as well.

I don't like this one as well because it's a little bit too big in the hips and the elastic in the legs is too "puffy". I may take the bottoms apart and redo them, because I really like the fabric and the fit of the top.

I will show you my first suit, which is made from a 1950's pattern another day, I still need to photograph the pattern!

This weekend is full of wedding activities for me as my cousins son is getting married and I am chauffering grandparents around all weekend! My DS and DH are out of town for the weekend for a boat race (please say a little prayer for their safety!)

Blessings

Linda

The Dogwood Skirt

2011-06-06T12:50:00.001-04:00

I love dogwoods! Did you know the are the state flower for Virginia? Springtime here is just beautiful when the dogwoods are in full bloom. I have 3 of them in my yard that my Grandfather planted for me 25 years ago. So when I saw some fabric with dogwoods on it at the thrift store, I knew it had to be mine. There were 3 yards and I paid $1.50 for it! Quite the bargain!

A few weeks ago my niece and I attended an estate sale not far from where I live that advertised sewing stuff! When we got there, she started digging through the closets and we came up with 120 vintage sewing patterns!!! There was no price on any on them so I asked the lady running the sale and she said $15 for all of them!! OH YES!!! I gave Rebecca all but about 7 of them, since she is becoming quite the seamstress.

Here is what I made with my "new" pattern and fabric! Simplicity 7394 from 1976.

I loved this skirt that was made with the front panel and two side panels! Upon looking into the envelope I found this:

It's an ad from a 1976 magazine showing this pattern made up! I can just imagine the women who owned it before me seeing this ad and knowing she loved it so much she wanted to make it.

Anyway, I decided to use my beloved dogwood fabric and I couldn't be happier with the way this pattern went together and how it turned out.

This is a terrible photo, but you will have to trust me that the skirt is really cute and I've worn it a couple of times already and feel so springy in it! I will definitely use this pattern again as I was able to make this cute skirt in about an hour from start to finish!

Hope everyone had a grand weekend!

Blessings

Linda

The Kitchen Garden

2011-05-26T08:09:00.000-04:00

(Edna Jaques)

A row of onions raising up their heads,

Green pepper in their special beds;

Long rows of carrots, cucumbers and chard

Make such a lively showing in the yard.

A hill of beans with crisp transparent stalks;

Borders of thyme and sage along the walks;

A row of chives...lettuce in a leafy clump,

A bed of radishes, rosy and plump.

Tomato plants staked up in tidy rows

To protect them from the wind that blows,

Long rows of turnips, neat and trim,

For all the world like ladies, cool and prim.

For he who tils a garden comes to know

That there is magic in a tiny row

Of sproutiing beands and miracles seem

Present everywhere, bright and serene.

Cream Dressing

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon grated onions

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped chives

Mix well and serve with a green salad. Combine lettuce, green pepper, tomatoes and cucumbers. Garnish with radish slices and chopped onions to taste.

An Abandoned Blog!!!

2011-05-24T09:19:00.000-04:00

It seems that I have all but abandoned my blog. But you know what, sometimes life gets in the way of the things you have good intentions of doing!

I have been very busy in my greenhouse and garden. I raised over 400 tomato plants! Some green, red, yellow, purple and chocolate peppers, jalapenos, haberneros, banana peppers, eggplant, etc....

My garden has done so well this year! I had tons of the most beautiful radishes and I don't even like radishes very much, but these were not too hot and were so good in salads with my black seeded simpson lettuce and spinach, fresh from the garden with tiny green onions, also from the garden! I have 92 tomato plants in the ground and a couple of them even have some teeny, tiny tomatoes on them! I can't wait for that first tomato sandwich!

Now on to the crafts! I am still making my tags for the year long tag-a-long!!!!! I haven't taken any pictures of them yet, but I will get to that and get them posted!
I have been doing a lot of sewing! I have made two bathing suits, and while I will post a photo of them, it won't be of me in them! I am very modest, which is why I made my own bathing suits, they cover everything that needs covering! I have also made 3 skirts and a dress, again, I have taken no pictures but hopefully by posting today it will give me the kick in the butt I need to get photos taken!

Some very exciting news is that my niece Rebecca has started sewing!!! She just turned 23 yesterday. I gave her some basic instructions with an apron last year and she has taken the ball and ran with it!!! She has made aprons, skirts, tops and dresses! You can find her blog here Rebeccas Blog .

So today I am posting a recipe and photo of the cutest little cookbook I got at an estate sale this weekend. It's just a small booklet by Ideals but the photos are so pretty and they have really good recipes! I have already made this one.

Baked Beans

2 lbs navy beans

1 teaspoon soda

1 onion

3/4 salt pork

3 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

3/4 cup molasses

Soak the beans overnight and parboil with the soda in the morning for about 15 minutes. Rinse in cold water. Cut the salt pork in small pieces and place about half of the pork on the bottom of a bean pot. (luckily I have my husband's grandmother's bean pot!). Place half of the beans in the pot, then the onion ( I sliced my onion), the rest of the beans and the balance of the pork. Mix the seasonings with enough hot water to cover the beans. Bake for 6-7 hours (I only baked mine 2 hours and they were more than done) at 300 degrees, adding water when necessary to keep the beans moist.

My Kitchen

(Caroline S. kotowicz)

This is my kitchen where meals I prepare,

Well seasoned in old fashioned brown earthenware;

My daily haven of joy and bliss,

Where everyday toil finds happiness.

This is my kitchen of honey and spice

Here in my cupboards stand glassware and rice.

This is where duty sways with the sun,

And laughter is shared by everyone.

This is my kitchen where abundant love

is in accord with the Master above,

Where neighborly spirit seems to abide

And a hearty greeting invites you inside.

Blessings!

Linda

Late to the Party!!

2011-02-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

I swear I had these ready and then totally got busy and forgot to post them!!! These are my February tags for Elizabeth's Happy Homemake Tagalong Bluebird Papercreafts.

I went with a pink and blue color scheme for my February Tags! And a kitchen theme!

Of Course I made two of them!!! One for me and one to share!

No pictures of the process, but do I ever make a mess!

I continued using my Mod-Retro stack. How I love these papers!

I did add some of this gorgeous glittey ribbon!

And here is my latest antique store find! Another Big-Eared Mouse to go with my collection!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentines Day!

Tag-A-Long January Tags

2011-01-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

Good Morning!

I had so much fun this morning sitting in my craft room, watching it snow and making my January tags for Elizabeth at Bluebird Paper Crafts tagalong!

I am using the Mod Retro stack! It has some really cute paper and I am so excited to share my tag!

I chose an adorable little vintage skunk image from an old birthday card (which I copied) and cut out. I layed a tweed look paper with a aqua and red stripe. Any because today has been a good day so far, I added the word "Happy"

The snow has stopped but the clouds are still ominous, who knows, there may be more to come!

Good Tuesday morning!

2011-01-04T07:59:00.000-05:00

No, I still haven't gotten a new computer. I am still deciding whether I want a Mac. My son's friend is totally into Mac's and says it will be the best money I ever spent. Anyway, I'm came into work early to work on this post!

Believe it or not we had a White Christmas! It started sometime during the very early morning on Christmas day and when I got up to let the dog out at 5:30 this was what I was greeted with! So exciting. Just enough to barely cover the ground but not enough to keep the family from visiting! Perfect!

This was one of the hilights of my Christmas. This is my neice Rebecca with her brand new sewing machine. She was so excited! I taught her to sew last spring and she has been doing so well, but her machine was just a terrible and very cheap machine. But, look what she made for me and her mom (my sister) for Christmas:

Are these not the cutest aprons ever? Sherre's apron fabric is called Domestic Diva and mine is called Betty Bakes. I love my apron!

I thought this was the funniest pic of Yngwie! He is really into fishing and got lots of lures. I can tell he is dreaming to that 20 lb bass that he will one day reel in!
And I would like to introduce you to my newest great neice! Miss Reagan!

Isn't that the sweetest little face in the world!

I have been putting away Christmas stuff and cleaning house and haven't started my tags for January yet, but hopefully this weekend I will have time to get started.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Blessings

Linda

Computer is Kaput!

2010-12-28T08:23:00.002-05:00

Just a quick post from work. Our computer after struggling along for a couple weeks is finally kaput! I will be computer shopping this weekend and hope to get pics from Christmas up!

Blessings

Linda

Our Christmas Trees!

2010-12-02T12:57:00.000-05:00

How I love Christmas trees! I remember when I was little, I loved to lay under the tree and look up through it at the lights. Especially when we had the aluminum tree with the color wheel!

Yngwie and his friends came over and put up our tree in the living room. Our ceilings are tall so several years ago we found this 14' tree at an after Christmas sale! It is quite a bear to put up, but 4 strong college men can get it up in no time and their pretty girlfriends can do a great job decorating! I made Chili beans with all the toppings and some desserts and we had a wonderful tree decorating party!

This little Elf/Pixie tree is in my kitchen and I must say it is my favorite tree this year! I love the face of the little elves on it and it makes working in the kitchen even more pleasant. This past weekend I created a little scene with vintage toys under it but have yet to take a photo. I'll put that on my ginormus list of things I need to do!

I am in the process of completing a few more handmade Christmas projects and will get them posted soon.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday!

Linda

Puppy Slippers

2010-11-23T08:21:00.001-05:00

Good morning all. It is a beautiful day today and unseasonably warm, which it has been all fall. I'm not a fan of winter weather, so I am totally ok with that.

Last week while surfing around on the web I stumbled across the pattern for crocheted puppy slippers! Fortunately I printed out the pattern right then and there because now I can't find the link! I whipped these up in no time and have another pair that are pink almost finished. I think they are just adorable!

Yngwie and his girlfriend are home from college for Thanksgiving and spent Sunday afternoon making hard candy. YUM! They made raspberry, spearmint, cinnamon, and grape. The first batch they did was the grape and apparently they didn't get it quite to temperature because it would never harden. They had thrown that over into a bowl and given up on it, but I wouldn't let them throw it away. After they left to go fishing, I re-boiled the grape blog and it hardened up just fine. Just so you know, if it ever happens to you, it can be re-boiled!

Spending the rest of the week getting ready for Thanksgiving! I think we will be having around 10 people for lunch! I love to cook for crowds!

Blessings

Linda

Christmas is coming.....

2010-11-15T08:49:00.000-05:00

This weekend went by in a whirlwind!! Yngwie and his friends came in Saturday to decorate the Christmas trees! It was so much fun having all these teenagers in the house, laughing and having a good time! While they were busy decorating I made some homemade chili, with all the fixin's, pigs in a blanket, chocolate chip cheeseball with graham crackers and a homemade pumpkin cheesecake!! YUM! All was devoured in a matter of minutes!

While the kids were decorating the big trees, I decorated my little aluminum tree in the kitchen. This year the theme is ELVES! I love elves and pixies and have been collecting them for years! Here is my first ever elf tree:

I love this tree! It truly makes me smile every single time I look at it!

And speaking of elves,

I saw an estate sale listed in the paper and yesterday was the last day and everything was half price, I had to go into work for a little while anyway, so decided to run by there on my way into work and am I ever glad that I did! Look at the elves I found!

A cute and sexy little elf lady on an ashtray. (Do they even make ashtrays anymore?)

An adorable little kneehugger who is already on my tree.

I also bought this little ornament

Isn't she a doll? and speaking of dolls

Too cute for words.

and these Easter chicks came home with me too!

Total cost of these adorable purchases?? $4.00!!!!!

Then on my way home, I swung by the antique store and snagged these cuties.

He is a music box that plays "Jingle Bells" Isn't that the cutest face ever!

Yngwie says this elf looks like he's up to something!

an Annalee reindeer!

I love going to the antique mall, you never know what you'll find

With so much going on at home and work, I didn't have time to do too much crafting, but made some headway on the elf I am making from Elizabeth, a Bluebird Papercrafts pattern. He should be finished tomorrow!

Hope everyone has a great week!!

Linda

Debbie Mumm Back Pack!

2010-11-12T08:15:00.002-05:00

Good Friday Morning to everyone! This week I have been sewing in "snips and snatches" between cleaning and putting up my Christmas decorations!

I got the pattern for this adorable backpack from http://www.debbiemumm.com/Projects/Sewing/2009/08/

It was super simple and I love how it turned out. It will be the Christmas gift for my little great niece and will be filled with coloring books, activity books, and makers and probably some candy thrown in just to spoil her even more!

fully lined and quilted

Large enough to carry lots of books

Your's truly thinks she might like one too!

This weekend some of Yngwies friends are coming to decorate the large tree in the living room. I am fixing chili, cornbread, and the fixin's.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Blessings

Linda

Happy Birthday Yngwie!!

2010-11-05T14:28:00.000-04:00

19 years ago today I arrived at the hospital at exactly 1:00 p.m. The nurse said "What are you here for" I said "I'm here to have a baby! Let's get this show on the road".

At 7:10 p.m. the most wonderful gift God has ever given me was born!

Happy Birthday Yngwie! We love you so much and are so very proud of you!

2010-11-02T08:03:00.000-04:00

Today is the day!!!!!

GO VOTE!!!!

Just think, no more political ads for awhile!!! YAY!!!

Tags, Tags, and more Tags!

2010-10-28T13:53:00.000-04:00

While surfing through Blogland, I have seen some of the cutest tags from some incredibly talented ladies! I seem to be on a tag kick myself! Michaels had their Halloween craft supplies 50-60 percent off last week and I definitely took advantage of the sale!

When I saw a big cannister of Peanuts cut outs I was thrilled! Who doesn't love Good Old Charlie Brown?

Then I decided to make some tags for Christmas. These will be attached to gifts, except for the bottom one with the Teaberry Ad. Do you remember Teaberry gum? I love that stuff. It's sometimes a little hard to find now. But what I really want is the vaseline glass Teaberry Gum stand.

I have really wanted one of these for a long time, so this year I have put it on my Christmas list. It will give DH and DS something to look for! Nothing like being hard to buy for!

So this tag is hanging on the tree, just so they don't forget! What a Brat I am!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Blessings

Linda

More Vintage Cards

2010-10-21T14:18:00.000-04:00

I am having so much fun looking at these cards! Now I'm not a spring chicken, however, I have no idea who most of these comics are. I remember Prince Valiant, and Flash Gordon but the rest, not so much. The back of the cards are dated 1951, so that was a decade before I was born! (no fair doing the math!)

Anyway, here for your viewing pleasure are my Comics Christmas cards!

and just because I think this Birthday card is cute and it is close to Halloween here is the cutest little ghost!

I am taking tommorow off! My sister neice and I are going to a very promising looking estate sale in the morning and then I'm headed to the hospital to see my MIL, she has been sick and has become dehydrated. DH took her in to the hospital this morning and they said they would keep her a few days and give her fluids and some heavier antibiotics for this bug she has. She will be home by Saturday or Sunday. Then Friday night book club is meeting at my house, so I have a very busy day planned!

Blessings

Linda

More Halloween Fun

2010-10-19T09:31:00.002-04:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Yngwies girlfriend came in from college this weekend and they decided instead of going out to eat that they would fix themselves a "gourmet" dinner at home to save money. They made Chicken Cordon Bleu, green bean casserole (which I think is vile, but Yngwie loves it!) corn, mashed potatoes, and pineapple upside down cake. They even dressed up for the occasion.

Then we all lended a hand in building a "haunted house". They bought the kit from Wilton and it was very easy and fun to put together. Yngwie and "Cute Girl" did all the decorating.

(Yngwie wearing his "redneck" hat and shirt)

Didn't it turn out cute!

Then it was on to some decorated sugar cookies!

And these are just as delicious as they look. I use a Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies recipe from an old Southern Living Cookbook.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

1 c. white sugar

1 cup butter

1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 tea salt

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (this is mandatory!)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, extracts, and egg yolk. Mix until smooth. Beat in flour until well blended. Chill the dough for at least 4 hours

(I cheated and put it in the freezer for one hour)

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough, a small amount at a time, keeping the rest of the dough refrigerated so it doesn't get sticky.

Cut into desired shapes and place on lightly greased cookie sheet

( I put mine on parchment paper! I love that stuff!)

Bake for 7-10 minutes until light and golden brown. Cool and decorate with your favorite frosting. I used my regular butter cream, but made it stiffer with the addition of more confectioners sugar.

Super busy this week, but I plan on scanning more of those vintage Christmas cards, so be on the lookout!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Blessings

Linda

(BTW- Yngwie is pronounced Eng-Vey" just so you know! and it's really his nickname)

The Cutest Christmas Cards Ever!

2010-10-15T09:46:00.001-04:00

About a month ago I bought a big box of greeting cards at an auction and was ~~thrilled beyound belief~~ pleasantly surprised to these vintage Christmas cards! I have scanned the front and the back for each one, They have little tabs on them that create a 3-D card. Hope you can use them for your paper crafts! If you click on them it will magnify them.

Supposed to be a beautiful weekend here in SW Virginia and I am so looking forward to it!

Blessings Linda

Things Sears Sold and a Teaser!

2010-10-14T08:04:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I bought a 1961 Sears Fall & Winter catalog off Ebay. I got this because this was the year I was born and thought it would be fun to see the fashions and trends of that year.

Last night I was glancing through it again, looking for some vintage images to use for a tag I was making and came across this page.

Do you see the monkey, rabbit and birds?? They are for sale!!! Not supplies for them, the actual animal!

How did they get to you? By mail! You can click on the photo and make it larger. There are some restrictions of them, but I can't imagine ordering a pet for Sears! In my Spring Sears catalog you can order pigs and chickens! You can click on the page to make it larger and see the details.

I also found these little goodies while I was digging through my craft room last night. I bought them about a month ago at an auction. I didn't have time to take pictures of all the cards last night, but thought I would tease you a little with a photo of the boxes! Are they not the coolest boxes ever! And wait to you see what's in them! I will try and get the cards scanned tonight and post them tomorrow. They will be perfect for some of our Christmas crafting as they contain some of the cutest cards I have ever seen! I can't believe I totally forgot about buying them! That's old age for ya!

We are having some much needed rain here in SW Virginia and FINALLY the temperatures are dropping out of the high 80's and low 90's into the 60's. Perfect fall weather!

Blessings

Linda

Halloween Happy Shelves

2010-10-13T08:48:00.002-04:00

I love Halloween! It has always been one of my favorite holidays, even though I am a Holidayaholic. I love them all! When I was little we never went out and bought Halloween costumes. We just rummaged through the old clothes and pulled out bits and pieces and made up costumes. Most years my sister and I would either be hobos or gypsies, they were pretty easy to do. Sometimes we would just put on bib overalls, a flannel shirt, and a strawhat and call it a scarecrow. Unfortunately, my parents weren't too good about taking picutres so there are no Halloween pics. How I wish there were!

Growing up I really don't remember there being any Halloween "decorations" in our house. We would carve a pumpkin and Mama had these platstic blowmolds of a cat with a pumpkin on it's back that she hung over the lights on each side of the door.

I however, go gung ho with decorations for Halloween. The more glittery and tacky, the better! That's why I love my Happy Shelves! I stuff it full on all sorts of Halloween bits and bobs! Here's a close up:

The center pumpkin witch is new this year made from a pattern generously supplied by Elizabeth at http://creativebreathing.blogspot.com/

How can you not just love glittered skulls? Thr primitive pumpkin doll in the far right corner is new this year as well. She was made from a pattern from Create and Decorate.

Hope my Happy Shelves made you happy too!

Blessings

Linda

My Halloween Banner and Bouquets

2010-10-10T12:38:00.000-04:00

After admiring the adorbale Halloween banner that Elizabeth and her friends created, I decided to give one a try as well. Although I am no where near as talented or creative as they are, I really am pleased with how it turned out! You can see it in my header hanging across my fireplace mantle. Here are a few close ups:

(I just noticed part of my E is missing!)

Each year I try and think of something creative to give to the sweet girls in the office where I work. There was a store in a local mall that made candy bouquets that were so cute but extrememly expensive. So I went online (don't you love Google images!!??) and found some examples and then went shopping, and came up with these.

I love the way they turned out! I ended up having about $20 in all four of them! I think one from the candy bouquet store was $30!

Here they sit making my kitchen table look so pretty along with the pretty orchid (that I hope I don't kill) that my neighbor brought me.

It's a hot Sunday here in Virginia, but occasionally you will catch that cool breeze that refreshes and let's us know winter is on the way.

Blessings

Linda

Happy Fall!

2010-10-09T08:08:00.001-04:00

What a busy summer it has been! But now, the garden is gone, our one and only dear son is off to college, and we are trying to get used to being empy nesters. It seems like just yesterday I dropped him off at kindergarden. Where did the time go????

With lot's of time on my hands I have decorated my house for fall and Halloween. Would you like to take a little tour?

Here is my cozy living room, would you like to sit down and join me for some hot cider and doughnuts? I made the Halloween banner on the mantle and will show you close ups later this week.

This is a little corner in my dining room. My DH made the clock many years ago.

My Halloween tree. I love this almost as much as my Christmas tree! It makes my happy every day just to sit in front of it and look at all the little characters that live haphazzardly under it.

This is a little doll I found at the Goodwill and made her a cute little "good" witch costume. She was so grateful. She was tired of sitting on the shelf naked!

This little vignette is in our den. I love the Peanuts characters and when I saw this Lucy, probably 15-16 years ago, I had to have her. You squeeze her hand and she plays the Peanuts song.

Hope you enjoyed your fall tour. I have my "Happy Shelves" all decorated and will share them later this week as well.

Today we are meeting some friends and heading over to Liberty University (where Yngwie is a freshman) and going to the homecomming football game. It's a beautiful day for football!

Hope you have a wonderfuld day!

Blessings

Linda

A Glimpse into Halloween!!!

2010-08-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

I know, I know! It's only August and it's been record breaking hot temperatures here, so how can I be thinking about Halloween?? It's Elizabeths fault over at Creative Breathing! She has been making the cutest felt Halloween garlands and now she and few other very talented ladies are working on a paper Halloween garland and I am soooo inspired by her work.

Isn't she the cutest witch pumpkin ever? I used her pattern for her Punkin Patties and stuck a witch hat on instead of the vine and then I had a leftover "wand" that I made last year so I put that on her too! I'm really happy with how she turned out.

This one is my favorite! A little candy corn fellow to decorate my Halloween tree! I am making several of these to go on my Halloween bouquets that I am making for the ladies at work.

I also made this little prim lady from the latest Create and Decorate magazine. I have named her Pammy.

She was a lot of fun to put together even if I didn't read the instructions properly. I missed a really huge, very important step. You are supposed to use orange fabric to make the body. Your body is orange you are saying. Yep, I PAINTED it orange! I have no idea why I made the body out of muslin when I could see from the photo the doll was orange!! Anyway, it turned out ok in the end and I actually kinda like how the paint stiffened up the doll.

As I was looking through an old issue of Crafts and Things I found a few more Halloween pretties to make.

This small shadow box decoration is made from the top of a cardboard jewelery box. I used pop dots to give the pieces some dimension. I think it still needs a little "bling" so I am keeping it out on my work table until it hits me what it needs,

Isn't this a fun collection of Halloween fun???!!!

This is just a small clear treat bag with a topper made of Halloween paper and card stock that I punched out the work "eek" and then just punched hole in it and tied with a tag and ribbon. These would make adorable loot bags for a Halloween party.

A fun stamped card.

And these are my favorites! They are combination book markers and pen/pencil holders. Just holiday paper glue and sewn together making a pouch to hold the pencils. I am including these in the bouquet for my ladies at work as well.

I am just about DONE with summer! It has been incredibly hot and dry and I'm ready for some cool autumn air and sitting on the front porch with my hot apple cider and a good book!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!!!!

Blessings

Linda

Chrismas in August!

2010-08-04T08:21:00.000-04:00

If you have never read Elizabeth's blog over at Creative Breathing then you are missing a wonderful and creative blog! Elizabeth make the most darling tags, garlands and softies ever and she is so generous that she shares her patterns!

I fell in love with her little snowman and ran right out to Michaels the very day she posted the pattern and got the supplies for it. This past weekend it finally rained and I had all day inside to play so I made my snowman!

Mine is so where as good as Elizabeth's, but I love him anyway! The directions were easy to follow and he only took a couple of hours to make! Thank you Elizabeth for sharing all your wonderful "craftiness"!

And speaking of people being craft, yesterday I was out at Sam's Club and was very excited to see that the 2010 BH&G Holiday Crafts magazine was out!

And guess who is on the very back page!!! Out very only Kelly Winn from There's No Place Like Home!!Way to go Kelli! And I will definitely be making that snowman tag too!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Linda

Vanished Again!

2010-07-02T08:12:00.000-04:00

I have a terrible habit of dropping in and out of blogland! I have been terribly busy! Lot's of sewing, swimming, gardening, etc... and this:

Yngwie has graduated high school! I can't believe it! Seems like just yesterday I dropped him off for kindergarden. He are so proud of him. He received n advanced diploma and in his senior year took several college classes, so this fall we doesn't have to take any english when he begins his college studies at Liberty University! He is majoring in economics and minoring in religion. The one photo we have of us three and DH has his eyes closed!

My tomato patch is absolutely wonderful this year! I grew the plants in my greenhouse for the first time and have been so pleased with the results! I got my first tomato on June 14th!

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe 4th!

God Bless America!

M.I.A., Disappeared, Vanished, etc.....

2010-04-28T09:33:00.001-04:00

Just vanished right off the face of the Earth!!! Not quite, but soooo busy with life!

I have been sewing like crazy!! I have no idea what has spurred this sewing binge but I am having fun!

I have made several items yet to be photographed, a 1950's play suit, a 1950's sun dress and jacket (still needs to be hemmed) a child's apron and chef's hat, etc.

I have also been teaching my 19 year old niece to sew and she is doing a great job. We had "apron" day at my house a few weeks ago and me, my sister and my niece all made aprons. This was her first project and she did a great job!

Then just before Easter I made two girl and boy Easter bunnies. Well just the heads because they are Easter bunny pillows. This was from a 1950's pattern I had in my stash.

Aren't they the cutest!

I have no idea why my text is suddenly centered.

Then I have also been doing this:

My greenhouse was a tremendous success this year! I got it for Christmas and Dear Husband put it up in March. I have over 100 tomatoes, hot peppers, green peppers, eggplant, brussel sprouts, herb and flowers. Way more than it was built to hold, but they are all doing great. I have already planted 46 tomatoes and probably 25 peppers in the garden. The rest I am giving away to friends and family. I am so glad this worked out. I have been wanting to try it for years. It feels so good to plant the things you have grown yourself from seed.

And this weekend we were doing this! This is Yngwie's Senior Prom. He and his date looked so handsome! I can not believe my baby is a senior! Only 30 more days of school left, then off to college this fall. The years just flew by!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!!

Linda

More vintage fun!

2010-03-17T13:24:00.013-04:00

Good Grief! I didn't mean to be gone so long but it has been so pretty and with the time change it's light outside until late and I love being outside! So here is the rest of my "great buys from the estate sale last week:

These little fellows are my kinda guys! Reading elves! The bushy squirel was in with some birds and I loved the tiny Snoopy playing cards from Hallmark, 1970's!

I got these little molds and well as some that are shaped like Christmas trees and stars! These are being turned into Easter baskets.

This little girl planter is just adorable!

These have got to be one of my favorite finds! Little wine glasses with stems like the Hummel like people! There were 6 of these, but unfortuanately only five made it home intact. They are very fragile!

Yet another chicken on a nest but for $2.00 how could I turn it down!

A cute retro apron!

I have no idea why I bought a box of birds, but they called (tweeted) my name and so for .50 I took them on home with me!

I found this in the attic and used it to carry my things down to the cashier, she told me I could have it. Such a cute trashcan!

This glassware absolutely thrills me everytime I look at it. The most expensive item of them all was the glass basket. It was $5.00!

Umm, yeah! I said I wasn't buying anymore cookbooks. So I lied. Sue me!

This is perhaps my favorite find! This coffee set is Lefton, it is in perfect condition, though it was quite filthy when I brought it home. The cost for the entire set???? $8.00!

Look at that beautiful shamrock soup tureen that I snagged for $3.00! It will be holding creamed peas and potatoes tonight for supper and we will have cupcakes with the shamrock picks in them. The blue pitcher is handmade pottery. The Santa mugs are different than any that I have ever seen before. There is also a Christmas platter, and vintage birthday candles.

The last thing I bought I will share a little later! I'm still contemplating what I am going to do with them.

Whew!!! I really don't need to go to any more estates sales like this! I am running out of room. So I will probably sell some of this.
Have a great St. Patricks Day!

Linda

We interrupt this vintage show and tell to bring you..

2010-03-10T13:28:00.010-05:00

DIRT! Yesterday was so pretty that we decided to till the vegetable garden! Finally dry enough. Let me start by saying that my husband does no like to garden. In no way, shape or form so for him to volunteer to till is huge! My son decided to get in on the action too.

I got relegated to walking behind the tiller and picking up rocks. This sent me straight back into time when I was a little girl and always wanted to help in my grandparents garden. Help being the relative word! So Granddaddy would always tell me to follow behind him and pick up any rocks I found and move them to the border of the garden. I guess I should mention he was actually my step grandfather, but he was the only grandaddy I ever knew and treated me like I was his very own. I was able to find lots of arrowheads this way! And from the time I was a small child until he died, he would always call me when he was going to dig potatoes because I loved digging potatoes. He would put the pitchfork in the soft soil and those beautiful potatoes came right up for me to pick up and put in the bucket. It was like finding gold to me. I would be thrilled everytime the pitchfork would go in.

My grandparents grew the best garden ever even if it was on the side of a hill. Grandma canned everything imaginable from that garden. Corn, cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, (even though grandaddy didn't like them), lettuce, radishes, onions, and on and on... they grew it all.

Grandaddy was a guard at a prison that bordered their farm, but when he got home he was a farmer. I loved going to their farm so much that I would call and ask them to drive the 2 1/2 hours to our house and pick me up! I would stay there for weeks in the summer. I loved it!
But now I do something that my grandparents never did. I grow my own seedlings. In my laundry room. Which is very, very small.
end

I replaced my laundry hamper with a growing shelf, my dryer top is covered with plants and the top of my freezer as well. I am hoping that the seedlings will be large enough this weekend to head out to the greenhouse. The next few days will certainly be warm enough.
So tomorrow I will get back to showing off all my vintage finds, hope everyone has a great day!
Linda

Vintage Finds!

2010-03-09T08:10:00.013-05:00

So every Thursday one of the first things I do in the morning is check the paper for area estate sales. There was only one listed that ran from Friday-Sunday and even though it didn't read very good I decided to head over during my lunch on Friday. Boy am I glad I did! The house was full of really nice glassware, clothing, etc.. I bought several things on Friday but I kept thinking about several things that I didn't buy and so by Sunday I had convinced myself to go back. Everything was 1/2 off! I bought so much stuff that I'm kind of ashamed to show it!

So I'm going to show you what I bought over the next few days. First there is the Christmas :A All of these figurines are either Napco, Lefton or Royal Sealy. I especially love the little girl holding the lantern.

Don't they look funny sitting on my Easter table runner!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Fun Finds!

2010-03-02T09:20:00.007-05:00

Saturday morning was a blustery and cold day so me, my husband and son set out to a town about 40 minutes away for some antiquing! Before we got started we had a most delicious breakfast at Cracker Barrell. I LOVE to eat there, the food is good and I can spend hours wandering around the store.

I got a couple of really cute things at the antique stores.

I had no idea that trolls have houses!! I saw this sitting up on a top shelf and once I had it down and opened I knew it was coming home with me!

Look at that little troll horse! How cute is he! I also bought a baby in a egg with wheels, and a mechanical little red headed doll that you wind up and she walks! So happy with my finds!

So spring is only 18 days away and they are calling for snow today! I am not a happy camper about that! I am so ready for warm weather!

Have a great day!

Linda

It's Bathing Suit Season!

2010-02-26T07:50:00.006-05:00

Well, not really! It's 26 degrees here today with snow flurries, and wind gusts up to 6o miles per hour putting the wind chill at 16. WINTER, I AM SO OVER YOU!!!!

Now that little tamtrum is over let me show you Barbies new "vintage" bathing suit.

This was made from a 1964 McCalls Pattern. I love this suit! It is red polka dot lined with a red, white and blue print that I should have taken a photo of. It was suprising easy to put together considering how small it is.

I bought my self a bathing suit yesterday as well; however I can assure you that you will not see a picture of me with it on!! If you are looking for a nice, modest, well made swim suit head to your closest Sams Club. They are so cute and they have a really good selection right now! And for the record, I hate bathing suit shopping! I am fish belly white and my legs needed shaving. That is probably way more information than you needed.

This is up next for my sewing project. I have never made a Project Runway pattern before but love this tunic. I cut it out last night and it has a gazillion pieces! I have never seen a garment put together like this one.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

THINK SPRING!!!!!

The Woeful tale of Edna the Elephant

2010-02-23T08:00:00.003-05:00

Poor Edna! One of these days I am going to learn not to name things while they are being made because then they become personal and I feel responsible for what happens to them! Like Poor Edna.

I bought this really cute pattern about a month ago because I thought the little animals were so cute, the construction was easy and I could make some to sell and become rich and famous.

This may have happened if I had chosen the correct fabric. I bought a couple boxes of fabric this weekend at an estate sale and this blue and white stripe was begging to be Edna the Elephant, so I used it. BIG MISTAKE!!! This stuff raveled like you would not believe! I sewed poor Edna 3 or 4 times and she still kept unraveling. My first inclination was just throw the thing away and start over. But the problem was, I had already named her and had already put her eyes on. I could not throw away poor Edna. So, I quickly whipped up an apron for her to cover the spot on her belly that kept coming apart, added some suspenders to hide the raveling at the shoulders and stuck a flower of the ear that kept coming apart.

So now Poor Edna will live in my sewing room, while I try again with a more co-operative fabric. And next time I won't name the elephant or put eyes on until it is finished!!

Have a great day!

Linda

Vintage Barbie Clothes

2010-02-15T08:11:00.014-05:00

Good Morning! We are supposed to get get more snow today in SW VA! Did someone forget to tell Mother Nature that Spring will be here in only 33 days? Doesn't she need to be practicing some warmer days right now??

With snow on the ground and temps hovering around 20, I have been getting alot of sewing done.

Last spring I bought this vintage Barbie pattern at an estate sale and I dug it out last weekend and decided that I would make every outfit in the pattern. Let me just say I had so much fun doing this!

This is the first one I made. A lovely Sunday go to meeting dress on green and red paisley print topped by a red jacket. The skirt is accented with a red ribbon and belt and bow at the neckline.This outfit is perfect for school or the office with a lime green and turquoise wool pleated skirt with matching scarf and a turquoise blouse.

If you need to run out at lunch to run some errands, you could just slip on this lime green seersucker coat with matching scarf.Tennis anyone? This ensemble includes blue and pink bermuda shorts with a matching hair bow and a button down the front pink and white blouse.When you get home just slip into your pink slacks and just to feminize your look some top them with a white blouse with accents of pink lace and a daisy decoration.You may want to take advantage of the cold weather by going skating! You will look sharp in the 3 piece skating outfit. The blouse of a mod pink/orange/white design with matching panties looks lovely with the pink shirt lined with pink and white polka dots.

Headed out to the Valentine Ball? You will look stunning in this silver and black ball gown. (although she doesn't look to happy about going!)

And look what my son gave me for Valentines Day!!! A vintage Barbie case! Just perfect for storing these vintage clothes in.

Have a wonderful day!

Linda

Big Ears!!

2010-02-02T08:09:00.007-05:00

Last month I celebrated the 20th anniversary of my 29th birthday and received some wonderful gifts from my friends and family. I seem to have started yet another collection of these big eared mice people! I already had two, a Santa mouse and a red and white cheerleader and dear son and husband got me two more for my birthday!

This one is a orange and blue cheerleader.

And I'm thinking that this may be Mrs. Santa. I love her little glasses! I also got this really cool "Big Boy" doll bank. He was the mascot of the Big Boy restaurants that we used to have when I was growing up. I love a Big Boy burger! And technically, no he does not have big ears.

But this guy does have big ears!Check out this elf/pixie cup or vase or whatever it is! Everyone except me thinks he hideous! I love him. On the bottom it says Aunt Rose, 1948. I think Aunt Rose and I have very good taste. The dog beside him has pretty big ears too. He is part of a salt and pepper set that used to come in bags of Ken-L-Ration dog food.

I have been doing alot of crafting and sewing and haven't gotten around to photographing it all but I want to show you a doll that I dressed and I totally stole my idea from Magpie Ethel, so I give her all the credit for this. (although hers in MUCH better than mine!) and she will not be sold or given away. She is for my personal enjoyment only!

I found the Kewpie doll a couple of weeks ago at the thrift store and with a little paper, fabric and trim, she has become my valentine baby! Don't kewpies have the sweetest faces ever??

We are getting ready for round 3 of snow this week! We had 18" a couple of weeks before Christmas, another 12" last Friday and Saturday, and they are calling for even more this Friday! I am sooooo ready for spring!

Have a great day!

Linda

More Vintage Sewing!

2010-01-18T09:28:00.004-05:00

My sister gave my neice and I a big box of vintage patterns for Christmas and this was one of them. Is that not the cutest little outfit ever? I love that it has the name Betty Lou on the pattern. Wonder if she liked her outfit made from this pattern? Wonder what color it was?

I really like view C, and I had some cute fabric in my stash so I said to myself "self, I think you can make this". So I did. It went together super easy and I really like how it turned out. Cute little dress/top and shorts to match. I have enough fabric left to make one of those cutesy, frilly bows too.

Now I know no one with a child that wears a size 3, but if I hang on to it long enough I am sure onewill come along. My neice is expecting, but doesn't know what she is having yet. Hopefully it will be a girl!

I have been sewing up a storm. Hopefully tomorrow I will have some pics of some Valentines day gifts I have been making!

Happy Thursday!

Linda

Vintage Sewing

2010-01-12T13:37:00.006-05:00

I got this really cool pattern at an estate sale some time back and decided it was high time to make this um....apron kinda thingy. The date on the pattern is 1947.

The pattern actually calls view one an apron, as it is completely open in the back and is tied with the bias tape in the back. View 2 is called a poncho it is closed in the back and you slip it over your head. I made the poncho view but added the sash from view 1 because I didn't have a really cool belt like the photo on the pattern and I also don't have a 10" waist like the picture on the pattern either!! Really, does anyone have a waist like that???

Anyway, I used some thrifted fabric that I had got for $1.00 for 2 yards. I love the fabric!

This was the first time I ever used an unprinted pattern and it went together very easy. The only changes that I made were that I doubled the fabric for the pockets so they would be more sturdy. I also added the sash and the rick-rack. All in all, I really like the way it turned out and think it will be my garden apron. 3 pockets for seeds, string, scissors, etc...

Hope everyone has a great day!

Blessings

Linda

My 1961 Betty Crocker Picture Book

2010-01-08T07:54:00.008-05:00

Good Morning Everyone! It is sooooo cold in SW Virginia today. This morning it is 16 degrees with a windchill of 0! That's pretty darn cold for the south.

Last weekend one of my friends gave me the coolest cookbook ever! It's the 1961 (the year I was born btw) Betty Crocker New Picture Cookbook.

I love the cover of this book! There are so many pretty pictures in this book, it was just fun to look at.
These bon-bons make me want to get into my lounging outfit and sit on the couch and watch soap opera while the maids clean my house. (Like that will ever happen!). Isn't that the prettiest server they are on?
Then there are those um... not so pretty pages like this one. What were they thinking??? There is absolutely nothing appetizing about these pictures, especially the fish on the pink table cloth.

But I found a recipe that I wanted to try. I decided to make the Pie 'n Cake Dessert. I figured even if the recipe failed and we didn't like it, at least I could wear it on my head like this man did. A hat would come in handy on these ridiculously cold days.

So here is the recipe for the Pie 'n Cake Dessert:
Make Kitchenette Cake (above). Opps! I guess I will have to give you the directions for the Kitchenette cake first!

1 1/3 cups Gold Medal Flour (don't tell, but I used Virginia's Best instead)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tea. salt
1/3 cup soft shortening
2/3 cup milk
1 tea. flavoring (I used almond)
1 egg
Heat oven to 350. Now here is where the pie 'n cake part comes in. Grease and flour an 8" pie plate and a 9" pie plate.

Measure flour by dip-level-pour method (whatever that is). Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening, milk and flavoring. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed on mixer or for 300 vigorous strokes by hand (like that would ever happen). Add eggs. Beat 2 more minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 8" cake for 25 minutes and 9" cake for 20-25 minutes. Immediately spread a 1 lb can of cherry pie filling over the 9" cake. Place 3 suares of chocolate from three 7/8 oz milk chocolate bars over top of the 8" cake and spread as they melt to form frosting. Serve cherry dessert warm in wedges; serve chocolate topped cake later.

Ok! So I did they cherry pie filling thing, but didn't have any chocolate bars so my 8" cake is sitting on my counter bare nekid. However, my cherry dessert turned out pretty good, although it wouldn't win any of the one gazillion food challenges on Food Network. At least I don't have to wear it for a hat!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Linda

Happy New Year! (almost)

2009-12-29T14:00:00.003-05:00

Just a quick check in! Christmas was just wonderful this year! I got the best gift in the entire world, maybe the best gift in the entire universe this year! My Very, Very Dear Husband and my incredibly wonderful son got me a GREENHOUSE!!!!

I haven't gotten it put up yet, but it looks like this one:

So I am wishing for spring to hurry so I can get growing! I have already received a seed catalog from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds http://rareseeds.com. Check them out, they have all organic and heirloom seeds and the selection is incredible. Best of all their prices are fantastic and they don't burn you on shipping.

I also start haunting Lowes and Wal*Mart around this time of year to see if they have their seeds in. Every year I tell myself "buy in moderation, you do not need every single kind of flower seed they sell". But, every year I buy way too many anyway. I can't help it. The packages are so pretty and colorful. It's a sickness. I hope they will never find a cure!

Since I absolutely loathe winter, the thing that gets me through is dreaming of the wonderful weed-free garden that I will be planting in the spring. The one where every seed or plant I sow growns wonderfully and I get bushels of vegetables. Don't laugh, I said it was a dream! By August my garden generally looks like a jungle.

This is "teardown" week at my house. By January 1st I like to have all the Christmas decorations and trees taken down and put away. I feel like I get a "fresh" start if everything is cleaned and put away at the end of the year.

Wishing you a Very Happy 2010!

Blessings

Linda

Vintage Christmas Monday

2009-12-21T13:33:00.011-05:00

Good Monday morning everyone! Only 4 more days 'til Christmas!!!!

I am so excited to show you what I found a couple of weeks ago at a local antique store. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love elves and pixies, especially the Christmas ones. So I was practically quivering when I found these, praying that they would be affordable.

How cute is this??!!! It is a candle holder with elves on the sides. This was only $2.00! The two elves on top are just visiting, but they came in a baggie with a reindeer and a couple of vintage light bulbs for $1.00!

These are my favorite! One is a little deeper green, so he may not actually belong to the set, but he matches pretty good. In the background is a little plastic, vintage Christmas card holder. Of course this is an angel not an elf, but I fell in love with her sweet face and for only $2.00 I couldn't resist! When I was little we had a pixie just like this one. Exactly! I have no idea what happened to ours, but I was thrilled to get this one! These are a little newer than the others, but I liked them anyway and decided they needed to live with me too.

And then this weekend, my son insisted that I open one of my gifts, because I needed it right now. He didn't have to twist my arm, I was more than ready to start ripping the paper off and inside a toilet paper tube I found this adorable little fellow to add to my Christmas collection: He is only about two and a half inches tall and I just love him!

For more vintage Christmas decorations head over to http://thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com

Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!

Blessings

Linda

It's Me!

2009-12-08T09:11:00.002-05:00

I have had a couple of people inquire about the header of my blog. Well, that would be yours truly on Christmas day, December 1966. They photo has a date of January of 1967, but that is when the film was developed. (back when film took forever to get developed).

That photo just screams 1960's doesn't it?

My pink kitchen set (that a few years later I found some purple paint in my dad's shop and repainted it with latex wall paint! It looked hideous), my new Barbie and some clothes for her (I still have that Barbie!), The purple snake lasted until I was a teenager then started falling apart. I would give anything to have those Barbie and Midge dishes again! I'm quite sure I took them outside and made "mud" pies on them.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Tuesday!

Linda

Vintage Christmas Monday

2009-12-07T08:04:00.011-05:00

Good Monday morning!

For todays Vintage Christmas post, I would like to show you the sweetest little Angel that I bought at a yard sale this past weekend. Doesn't she have the most peaceful and sweet face. She even came in her original box dated 1967!

I also have this adorable little planter that I got at an estate sale earlier this year and I decorated it w ith some Santa heads that were also thrifted! And while we are talking about vintage, how about a vintage recipe from my mothers 1959 Better Homes and Gardens book. Last night my family made homemade popcorn balls. They are so delicious!

Popcorn Balls:

5 quarts of popcorn (remove the "old maids"

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 tea salt

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tea. vinegar

1 tea. vanilla

Keep popcorn warm by setting it in a warm oven. In a saucepan combine sugar, water, salt, corn syrup and vinegar. Boil until it reaches 250 degrees on your candy thermometer or soft ball stage. Add vanilla and remove from heat. Slowly pour mixture over your popped corn making sure that every piece is coated.

Once mixture has cooled down enough to touch, butter your hands and start forming popcorn into balls. If they are a little soft, don't worry, they will set up.

We stuck little candy canes in ours for "handles".

They are delicious!

You can see more cool vintage Chrismas decor over at http://thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com

Vintage Christmas Monday

2009-11-30T12:58:00.003-05:00

Sorry these are such rotten photos, but I took them this morning on the way out the door to work! I found this adorable Kutie Karacter this past summer at an estate sale. I guess he/she technically isn't a Christmas decoration but since she is dressed as an Eskimo I am using her/him as a Christmas decoration.

This little angel was bought at the same sale. I think she is from around the late 1960's or early 1970's. She is a treetop angel and has a very stiff spring inside her dress that is supposed to go over the top part of the tree. I couldn't get her to stay on my tree so she is going to grace one of my end tables.

For more vintage goodies head over to http://thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com

Linda

Estate Sale Goodies!

2009-11-24T08:12:00.011-05:00

Last Friday during lunch I decided to head over to an Estate sale that was advertised in the local paper and boy am I glad that I did!

Look at all the wonderful things I found!

See that pitcher? It is Longaberger and we know how expensive they are!

The blue candy dish is Fenton and the sugar bowl is a beautiful cut glass that has just a slight tinge on purple on it.
I love this santa candy dish! It is a music box and Santa has 3 different expressions on his face.

And these adorable Christmas ornaments were the first thing in my bastket! And I love the little "bunny" girl. I will put her up for Easter.
And check out these pixies!!! I was in heaven when I saw these. That little tiny pixie dish in just too cute! And a knee hugger!

And these vintage chenille spun head snow men pipe cleaners will definitely being working their way into some of my handmade Christmas ornaments.

Do you see why I was so excited. And the best part is all the above was only $20!!!
Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday!
Blessings

Linda

Still Mixing !

2009-11-20T08:51:00.007-05:00

I find that I am looking through cookbooks specifically for recipes that can be used with my new mixer!

Wednesday was a cold and rainy day and I thought it was perfect weather for chili beans and corn bread.

So I pulled out the 1951 Recipes of Old Virginia cookbook and looked for a cornbread recipe. The one that I thought sounded good, different, but more importantly one I could use my mixer with was Dixie Corn Bread Waffles. They were really good and different. You always think of waffles as being sweet, but they taste just like a crisp cornbread. Delicious and definitely a keeper. Serve hot with butter!

Dixie Corn Bread Waffles:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3/4 cups of bread flour (I used self rising)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs-separated
4 tbls. melted shortening
1 tea salt
2 tbls sugar (I didn't use this much)

Sift all dry ingredients 2-3 times. Beat egg yolks well. Alternate dry ingredients with milk, folding in melted shortening and egg whites that have been beaten until stiff (where my new kitchenaid came in YAY!). Bake in a preheated waffle iron and serve hot.

Easy peasy!

I have gotten alot of decorating and crafting done this week. Hopefully next week I will have some photos!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Blessings
Linda

My Early Christmas Gift!!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-18T07:43:00.006-05:00

I am sooooo excited!!! (You can tell by the !!!!!!!!!!!!)

I have been wanting a Kitchenaid mixer for years and I finally got one this past weekend.

It is the Professional series and came with a whisk, bread hook and beater. I love it!

I put it to good use yesterday evening when I made some homemade cinnamon rolls. YUM! These cinnamon rolls are so good and gooey and I use the Cinn*abon icing recipe to frost them. I baked 12 of them last night for our family, put another dozen in the fridge, then baked them this morning to take to work. My house smells heavenly!

Here is the recipe:

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Rolls
2 pkgs dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs well beaten
about 6 cups self rising flour (I actually used 7)
1/4 cup butter softened (I used 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't use any nuts)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I'm sure I used more)

Dissolve yeast in warm water, and set mixture aside.
Cream shortening and 1/2 cup butter; gradually add sugar and boiling water, beating well. Cool mixture to lukewarm. Add the yeast mixture, eggs and 2 cups of flour; beat at low speed with electric mixter until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and refrigerate over night. (I didn't do this as I wanted the cinnamon rolls last night so I let it rise until doubled in bulk and proceed with the recipe)
Roll dough to a 24x18 rectangle on a lightly floured surface, (again I changed the reicpe by dividing dough in half and working with 1/2 at a time). Spread with 1/4 cup butter evenly over the dough. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the dough. Roll jelly roll fashion starting with a long end. Pinch edges to seal. Cut roll into 1" slices, place slices cut side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Spread glaze over while warm. Yield 2 dozen.

Cinn*bon glaze recipe: ( I only made 1/2 of this recipe and had a ton leftover!!)

1 lb. butter
1 lb. cream cheese
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Allow butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature. Beat together in a bowl with a mixer. Gradually added the sugar. Beat the mixture for 12 minutes (I'm not kidding, this is what the recipe said. Again, I improvised and just beat it for about 6 minutes). When done add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well.

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!
Linda

Christmas Happy Shelves!

2009-11-11T13:43:00.007-05:00

I always say first things first, so when I am decorating for each season the first thing to be decorated is my "happy shelves" and Christmas has some of my very favorite decorations! PIXIES and ELVES!
I love all of the red, green and white on my shelves!

Isn't this such a feast for the eyes???

It's so much fun unwrapping all these "friends" after a years time.

Every time I spot a pixie or elf at yard sales, estate sales, etc.. if it's at all affordable, it's mine!

Several of the things in this cabinet I've had since I was a child. But, that doesn't make them antiques, does it!

Is anyone else having a problem with blogger posting code instead of the photos when you are composing a new post? It's kind of annoying!
Anyway, hope you have a great day!

There's a Mouse in the House!

2009-11-10T09:35:00.007-05:00

Actually there are two mice in the house!

Back last spring I bought a huge stack of old craft magazines from the 1960's and 1970's. I do have an issue with anyone who says that they are old magazines, because they were around when I was a kid so they really aren't old, are they?

Anyway, I decided to make these little mice from a 1974 Holiday Crafts magazine. The picture of the mice was in black and white and the instructions were kind of vague but I muddled through and here is the result:

And yes!!! That is a Christmas tree beside them! I put up my beautifully tacky aluminum tree this past weekend! I only have red and green balls on it with multi colored lights. I wish I had a color wheel like the one we had when I was little, but alas, they have proven too expensive to purchase.

Do you see what my little mice are sitting on? That would be my trip back into my childhood with the purchase on the minature kitchen set! There is the stove with the door that opens, the refrigerator that has a painting of "fake" food inside the door and a washing machine that agitates and spins!

I am still pulling out Christmas decorations and working about to make the house all festive and Christmasy!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Linda

Haul Out The Holly!!!

2009-11-06T07:51:00.011-05:00

It's that time of the year again!!!

Last night Yngwie and I stuffed all the Halloween decorations into the attic, then pulled all the Christmas decorations out!!

I know it's early, but I love Christmas so much that I like to see my home decorated as long as I can. So now my house is upside down with all the boxes and trimmings and decorations!! I have already started putting my figurines, pixies and elves into my "happy" cabinet and it is looking so good!!! I hope to have it completed this weekend.
All of the photos you see are of "new" decorations, that I have bought over the past year. YIKES! I had no idea I had gotten so many cool things. All bought at yard sales, estate sales, some at antique stores. That big headed Santa belonged to my grandmother. But I had put it away last year and couldn't find it. Finally found it this summer in with some dishes that I had.See that little striped pencil with the doll head on it?? I had one of those when I was a kid that had a elf head on it. I was so proud of that pencil! But, the teacher took it away from me because the elf's hat had a bell on it and it made noise when I wrote. She never gave it back!
And see that handsome young man below??? That is our son Yngwie who turned 18 last night at 7:10! I have taken a picture of him every single year at 7:10 p.m. He's the light of my life! I am so proud to have him as my son!

I have a busy, busy weekend ahead with all the decorating to do. I can't wait. Hope everyone has a great weekend

Blessings

Linda

Halloween Fun!

2009-11-02T09:04:00.009-05:00

Hello Everyone!

Hope y'all had a safe and fun Halloween!

Yngwie and friends had a Halloween party at our house Saturday and they had so much fun. Everyone came dressed up. Here is Yngwie, who is dressed as "Hugh Hefner" with three of his friends, a strawberry, a referee, and a lady bug.

Here is the winner of our costume contest.

Of course there was plenty of food:

So, this week we will be De-Halloweening the house and getting ready for Thanksgiving and getting down our Christmas decorations!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Blessings

Linda

Hello Again!

2009-10-18T17:30:00.014-04:00

I have a terrible habit of disappearing! Well this post is going to be long so pull up a chair, get you some hot chocolate or coffee, and grab a couple of the chocolate chips cookies that I made today, and get comfy.

We have spent almost ever spare minute this fall out on the lake. The trees are so pretty reflecting in the water.

Yngwie has been very busy with his Senior year in high school. I didn't realize how much went into applying to colleges, SAT'S, ACT's, etc... We have had senior photos (that I need to upload), we have gone to several meetings at school explaining tuition (ouch!) etc. This past weekend we headed east to Williamsburg, VA to visit The College of William and Mary.

The college is just beautiful! It was founded in 1693 and is the second oldest college in the country. This is Wrenn Hall that was built in 1693. Unfortunately, it was drizzling rain, breezy and about 40 degrees outside and the tour was two hours long, mostly outdoors. While Yngwie liked the curriculum and the campus, he didn't exactly like the location. What I thought would be really cool, to be in Colonial Williamsburg's backyard, is really what we didn't like about it. The traffic is maddening! There is no parking, tourists are every where! On campus and off. Colonial Williamsburg is truly, just over the fence! Also, to get from SW VA to Williamsburg you have to either go through Richmond, the state capital, or bypass it and get caught up in the traffic heading to Washington DC. And it's 4 1/2 hours from home. So, while he is still leaving it open as a maybe, we will be looking at other colleges. Next on our list is University of Virginia in Charlottesville. That is only 2 hours from home and Momma likes that!

After our tour of the school, we visited several of the shops right outside of the school. I was freezing and chilled to the bone so we decided to eat at the Trellis Restaurant. Let me say if you are ever in Williamsburg, you really need to eat at the Trellis! It was so good! After 5 cups of coffee, I was finally warm enough to enjoy my meal.

For dessert we had the restaurants signature dessert....Death by chocolate! Oh my heavens!!! Words cannot even begin to tell how delicious this was!!! I wasn't able to eat even 1/4 of mine. DH and Yngwie got through about 1/2, but they kindly boxed up the rest and we dined on it the rest of the weekend. I forgot to take a photo of our dessert, but here is a photo I found online: Can you believe that!!!! Absolutely delicious!

Saturday morning I saw an ad in the paper for an estate sale that sounded pretty good and since we were going to Lowes anyway, we swung by. It really wasn't much of a sale but I got his beautiful deviled egg dish. I love teal glassware, it looks so lovely with the light from the window shining through.

Of course I had to put it to use and made deviled eggs today!!

I promised last month to show some more of my Halloween decorations and finally made some pictures today.

For those of you who read my blog, you know that in my kitchen I have a bookcase/whatnot case that I call my "Happy Shelves". I decorate them for every season and Halloween is one of my very favorites!

I really don't think I can squeeze one more item in here!

The two Kelly dolls are new for this year.

The glittered silver skulls are a Dollar Tree find this year. I bought my sisters Mary Moo's at her yard sale and you can spot one of the little fellows over on the left.

I also have put up my Halloween tree:

I got it last year at Michaels and it is PURPLE GLITTERED!!! You really can't improve on that in my opinion! Purple and glitter!!!

My dear friend Nancy from "more than enough" sent me this beautiful fairy lady that for some reason I keep calling a witch. She is not a witch!! She just have a hat that reminds me of a witch, so I hung her on my tree. However, she is going to stay out all year, because I really like her!

I picked up these adorable Peanuts figures at the thrift store a couple of weeks ago, and I know there isn't anything remotely "Halloweeny" about them, they are under the tree too! There is no rhyme or reason to some of the things I use to decorate under my tree. You might also spot one owl salt shaker, a turkey, and a little squirrel.

Other than that, we have been busy doing this:

Why oh why did I ever tell Yngwie he could have an aquarium?? We had an old one up in the attic and he drug that down and set it up and put a few fish in it. Then his friend told him that his grandma had a bigger tank that she wanted to get rid of, (I wonder why!) and that he could have it. So now we have this monstrosity in the den! He has a loche (that came with the tank!!), a few sharks, a pacu (not the biting kind), some tetra and some bright yellow fish. This thing has so much maintenance! Fortunately, he has taken care of it since he has had it and the fish are kind of fun to watch.

So, have I bored you to tears yet??? I'm not promising I will post more often, but hopefully since we aren't out on the lake so much, I will get around to it more often!

Blessings

Linda

Fall has arrived at our house!

2009-09-14T12:08:00.016-04:00

Well last weekend I decided to take the plunge and pull out my fall decorations. When I got into the attic I found that I had put Halloween in with the fall, so I just pulled them out too. I sure don't want to dig through that hot attic again in a month!

So let me take you on a tour through my house. First off you will come onto my front porch. The table was made from an old school desk. Now on through the door which is decorated with this fall wreath that I got from the thrift store for $3.00! You will want to take off your light jacket here in the foyer where this antique mirror is wearing it's fall decor. The little banner to the right I made from pretty fall colored fabrics. I have never been able to get a very good photo of this mirror. On to the kitchen where it seems everyone wants to hang out. This is the center island in our kitchen. The crock has a picture of our house painted on the front of it. I got it from LL Bean several years ago. This is the wall opposite the island. On each side of the Fiesta plates are pumpkins made from silk flowers. I thought they were so cute! I made the banner on the plate rack. It says BOO.

This little vignette in the corner features my Brambley Hedge luncheon plate, cup and saucer that my Grandmother got me. The little basket on the right is Longaberger.

Let's take our snacks into the dining room, where the jack o lantern that I bought 29 years ago, the first year I was married, is reposing with it's pretty autumn arrangement.

My dining room has way to much furniture in it, but I like it, so I keep it. This is a small table that holds a clock that my husband made. The beaded pumpkin came from a fall swap last year. This picture really doesn't do it justice. It is so pretty. This has been a very versatile piece. We originally bought it as a baby changing table when Yngwie was born. Now it serves as our side board. Don't you just love those white craft pumpkins!

I will share a few more pics in the upcoming weeks, but I will leave you with my craft of the week. This little candy dish was loosely based on one I saw in the Better Homes * Gardens Holiday Magazine. So easy to make and I really liked how it turned out.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Linda

Welcome September!

2009-09-01T07:55:00.007-04:00

While I have had a wonderful summer, I am so ready for fall! I love what I call "sweatshirt/shorts" weather. Not cold, but nippy enough to need the sweatshirt. Of course here in VA the really nippy, cool weather doesn't arrive until sometime in October, some of the September nights are cool enough to pull a blanket up on your bed.

I got the most wonderful mail yesterday from my Secret Sista, who calls herself Mary Jane Sugarpie.

In my package was the tea that was inserted into that cute little teacup card that says "relax", 3 beautiful fall colored dish cloths, and that adorable bird spreader! I have the best secret sista in the world! So last night I made my self some tea in one of my favorite teacups that I only use for very special occasions.

It is called Bramby Hedge and my grandmother bought me the teacup and saucer and a luncheon size plate many years ago. Then I fixed some cream cheese crackers with my homemade jalapeno pepper jelly, got me one of my vintage "Good Old Days" magazines and flopped down in my lazy boy chair and read. Friends, that is my idea of a perfect ending to the day!

Oh, I almost forgot! I finished my Candy Corn mouse last night! I got the pattern for him out of the newest Better Homes and Gardens Holiday magazine. If you don't have it, run to the book store or grocery store and get it! It is full of the cutest crafts for Halloween through Christmas. I do need to do some touch up on the paint. His candy corn was still a little wet when I took this picture.

And by the way, the beautiful woman in the first photo is my late grandmother. It was taken on her farm in Giles County, VA.

Have a great day!

Linda

nananananananananana BAT BOAT!

2009-08-26T08:33:00.002-04:00

On their way to fight crime and human injustice, Batman and Robin left their Bat boat into the care of my DH and son.

I am truly hoping that Bat Boat does not remain at our house very long.

Blessings

Linda