Friday Show and Tell

TGIF! And it's a holiday weekend!

Kelli at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ is hosting show and tell, so click over and see everyone's treasures!

This week I would like to show you my caster or condiment set. These were used around the turn of the century and were a must on holiday tables.

A silver plated round holder, holds serveral bottles that are all shaped differently. From what I have been able to learn the bottles not only contained salt and pepper, but vinegar, something called "pepper sauce" sometimes ketchup, olive oil, etc.. I also spins so that you can reach the bottle that you want.

I have never used mine for anything except dispaly purposes, but I'm thinking I may use them for Thanksgiving this year.
Wishing everyone a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Blessings
Linda

End of Summer

Well, summertime is winding down here is SW Virginia. The children are all back in school, the leaves are beginning to turn red and gold, and today is rainy and cool. September can still be quite warm here, but at nights you can really feel the difference in the air. There is always just a "nip" to it.

Last weekend Yngwie had some of his friends down for some tubing and boating. They were so not ready to go back to school!

After a few hours on the lake, they decided to hit the pool and have some supper!

People jumping should be an Olympic event! I'm not sure who was crazier, the young man who is jumping or the three who stood there and let him jump them!

We haven't really firmed up our plans for the holiday weekend, but I am hoping for some time to get out to some of my favorite antique stores and maybe visit a town several miles away where I saw some really cool looking antique stores, but they were closed on the Sunday that I was there. Monday I will start pulling out my fall decorations, if I can still shimmy up that little opening to our attic!

Have a great day all!

Six Quirky but Boring things about me!

My friend Arlene over at http://agrimm.blogspot.com has challenged me to a new meme. Six quirky, but boring things about me. I could probably list 100!

1. I have to arrange colored candies, like M&M's by color before I can eat them. Then I eat the color with the most down to the color with the least. Sounds a little OCD, huh?

2. I can pick up things on the floor with my toes just as easily as with my fingers. That probably stems from being too lazy to bend over.

3. I love Halloween and go all out decorating for it.

4. I sleep with my window open just a little all year round. I like to hear the outside noises.

5. I once drowned a kitten, by trying to baptize it in a rain barrel. I got in huge trouble for that one. I was probably 5-6 at the time.

6. I was the "Arch" angel in the church Christmas pageant for years because I was the only one who could remember the "fear not, for behold" verses in the Bible.

7. I'm adding a seventh just because I can. I LOVE those cheap frozen pot pies! The ones that used to cost a dime when I was growing up. I could eat one every day.

I'm tagging anyone who would like to play along!

Have a great day!
Linda

Busy Weekend

First, thanks for all your thoughts and prayers with my family this past week. Our Grandmother was so special to all of us. Already I miss her so much. I had been going to the nursing home almost every day, and now I find myself wandering around looking for something to do. I almost picked up the phone Saturday to call and tell her about the watermelon I picked from my garden. She loved gardening and always like to be kept up to date about what everyone else was growing as well. Life will never be the same without her, but I know she is whole and well now and rejoicing with her Saviour.
The second thing I wanted to tell you about is a fantatic giveaway over at Linda's blog http://behindmyreddoor.blogspot.com/. She has a beautiful blog and her give away is fall themed, my favorite time of year!

Thursday I went to the craft store and bought supplies to make several projects I had seen in a couple of magazines. I'm glad I did as it kept me busy this weekend. I made several things, that I will put up in the next couple days.

The first is this altered notebook. I had seen a couple of these while surfing around the net and thought they were so cute. Let me tell you, this could become as obsession! They are extremely easy to make and I really like how it turned out.

Just using scrapbook paper, I covered the notebook on the front and back then added some decorative elements.

The little blue birds I cut out of a greeting card that my Grandmother had sent to my Dad when he was in the hospital years ago. I really had fun making these and I am going to pick up several more notebooks while they are on sale. These would make great garden journals, recipe books, etc..

This Jack o Lantern fellow was lots of fun to make as well. I found the pattern for him in last years Create and Decorate magazine. He is made of muslin and then painted. I think he's cute in a creepy sort of way.

This weekend my twin nephews decided they wanted to have their 12th birthday at my pool. Both of them are really into the "Civil War" so I made them this cake. The north on one side and the south on the other. Unfortunately, when the candles were lit, one of the union soldiers had a bit of bad luck. Opps!

Hope everyone has a blessed day.

Linda

My Grandmother

Yesterday morning my grandmother walked into the arms of Jesus, never to suffer on this Earth again. She was the most wonderful Grandmother anyone could ever have. You can read a post I wrote about her life here:

http://lbpsews.blogspot.com/2007/05/show-and-tell-friday.html

She fell and broke her hip in April and had to have a complete hip replacement. She came through the surgery well, but it took too much of a toll on her body. She went to rehab to try and learn to walk again, but each day she just got a little more weak. Last week was so hard for her, and for all of us who loved her. She was having terrible hallucinations, that were so real to her and she was terrified. She also developed a upper resiratory infection that went into pneumonia. She died in her sleep Saturday morning.

While we all grieve for her, we also know she is no longer in pain. And the thing that excites us the most is that for the first time in her 96 years, she will meet her father who died before she was born. Can you even imagine what a reunion that will be!!!

Thanks to all of you for your prayers for my family during the last few months. It has really meant so much to me.

Blessings

Linda

Friday Show and Tell

Here is SW Virginia it has been hot, hot, hot! However, today it's supposed to cool down to the upper 80's! (cool is a relative word!). So what have I been thinking about with all this hot summer weather everyday? Why Fall of course! The first project was a doll that came from last years fall edition of the Create and Decorate magazine. That is my very favorite magazine. It's a little hard to find, so when you do, send in your subscription so you want miss any of the great crafts!
Meet Autumn, my fall Amish doll! I never could find a good place to photograph her, sorry the photos are dark.
Her body and apron are made from an old flour sack that my grandmother gave me. I embroidered her name on her apron so none of the other dolls could take it!

These little Halloween ornaments were adapted from the new Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine. If you love crafts, run, do not walk, to wherever you get your magazines and grab it. It is loaded with beautiful crafts!
My little witch shadow box is made from the top of a jewelry cardboard box. Just covered with scrapbooking paper and added some doo-dads and ribbon!
This little pumpkin sitter is also the top of a jewelry box and got some orangeish-gold glitter to give him some bling!

I loved making these and I will probably make a few more with Christmas elements.

For more show and tell go over to visit Kelli athttp://kellishouse.blogspot.com.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Linda

Summer's Bounty Continues!

My gardens are still thriving even though we have been going through a very dry spell. Luckily we live on a lake and can pump water to the gardens from there. But nothing is better for gardens than a full day of rain.Check out the size of these turnips! I would have loved to weigh it but it seems my scale sprouted legs and walked away, because no one knows where it is. (does that ever happen in your home?).
The little cherry tomato plants continue to provide hundreds of tiny, delicious, sweet, balls of taste! They are soooo sweet. We eat them like candy. Note to anyone who wants to plant cherry tomatoes: You only need ONE plant! Really. Trust me of this.
I can hardly wait for this little fellow to be ready! I have 3 of these little Sugar Baby watermelons.
I also have the motherload of banana peppers! I usually just slice these into rings and freeze them so that I can use them in Mexican dishes all winter long! In the fall these are so pretty as they start turning orange and red. They can be substituted for red and yellow peppers in most recipes as they are very sweet.
This butternut squash just volunteered to grow! I guess where one of my butternuts from last year rotted into the ground, the seed came up this year and I have a couple of butternut squash that will be ready soon. Volunteers are always welcome in my garden!
This is probably the vegetable I am most excited about! For the last 2-3 years I have had zero luck growing pumpins. They bloom then die. But this year I have 3 pumpkins on the vine and they are just starting to turn orange! They aren't real big, the largest being about the size of a basketball. They should be ready just in time for fall decorating! It will be so cool to have grown my own jack-o-lantern!

The green beans are just about finished. I was able to can 21 quarts from two small rows. I will pull them up this weekend and till for the fall planting which will be kale, mustard, and turnips.

The tomatos are still plugging along. I was able to can 1 pint, and 9 half pints of salsa this past weekend.

I really dread the gardening season winding down, but look forward to fall with it's cooler temps. We are supposed to be 98 degrees today with high humidity.

Stay cool and have a great day!

Linda

Friday Show and Tell!!

Kelli over at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com hosts Show and Tell each Friday. Head over to her site for more fun!


This Friday I would like to show you a couple teeny tiny dolls from my doll collection. I collect vintage dolls and my favorites are always the ones that are under 6" tall. I have always loved miniature things. These tiny little girls are about 1 1/2" tall. I love the pink bow on the doll on the right.The doll on the left is rubber and she/he is also about 1 1/2" tall. The tiniest doll I have is the one on the left. She is less than 1 inch tall!
Can you imagine crocheting a dress that tiny? Someone did!

I have tomatoes calling my name this weekend, so I will be canning salsa! YUM!
Have a great weekend!

Linda