The Vintage Hope Chest

Pratice, Practice

2012-02-08T08:50:00.000-05:00

Practice!

I took on a bigger challenge in my desire to be creative! I fell in love with these little pixies/elves and just had to make some for myself. The skill level for me was "rather difficult", but I stuck with it and finally, the end result pleased me.

As I looked at my little pixie, I thought such a shame that I couldn't give it a better face so I decided to figure out how to at least draw some more detailed eyes. Of course, I'm no artist!

So I practiced, practiced and practiced and the results were pretty amazing!

Of course I couldn't provide all of the detail on a little pixie head, but it does look so much nicer than my first pixie!!

Now I think I better learn how to draw a nose and mouth LOL!!!

I am accomplishing things both big and small in My Year of Doing and have plans for much more. No more putting something aside, waiting for one day ...

Christmas Burnout

2012-01-31T16:24:00.000-05:00

I'm sure very few people are thinking about Christmas and have already suffered through Christmas burnout! Not me ~ in a year when I'm no longer putting off doing something I set out to do, waiting for that "one day", My Year Of Doing has me decorating bottle brush trees. Oh, I'm just so up on things huh?

I've seen them for years and I hunted and gathered for quite some time looking for little ornaments of different colors and sizes to make some for myself ... I'm only about 5 or so years behind, but, it will be done and I'm excited to think about decorating with them next year!

Feels great and lessens clutter!

Gathered for years and stashed away until My Year Of Doing

And since I need to do something else while the glue is drying, I decided to try to make a tag ~ I first fell in love with them when visiting Elizabeth from Creative Breathing (who unfortunately has and inactive blog but has left if for all to enjoy) ~

I gathered the supplies (yeah, just like the ornaments) and now years later, I am continuing to try to finally do things I was putting off for ... one day.

For this first attempt I kept feeling afraid I would ruin them each time I glued something on and I would do them much differently if starting over ~ it was fun and I will make time to improve on my skills as I try making a few more ;)

January 2012 has been a very good month and start of the year. I have accomplished more than I hoped and can't wait to see where My Year of Doing leads me in February!

It's My Year of DOING

2012-01-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

So here I am back typing on my little blog ~ I am actually laughing at myself!

Being so tired of "stuffing" things away for another day, this year I have committed to finally doing all these little things I have saved for some day ~

My biggest challenge has been all of my Christmas decor and I have dreaded the holidays in recent years because everything was so disorganized ~ no more!

So I spent over a week down in my crawl space, sorting through every plastic tub, box, bag and storage container there was so that when it comes time to pull it all out, I can easily get to to what I want!

I finally melted down a bunch of old candles and made myself some fire starters ~ just something I have wanted to do and finally just did it!! Once and for all! And they really smell great too!

Over the years, little things get broken and with rushing to decorate for the holidays, it seems it just gets put in a box to "someday" fix ~ well that day came and I patiently sat and made little repairs and they are as good as new :)

So as the month of January 2012, comes close to it's end, I can say I am on my way to a year of doing! Many more put-off projects to complete and I'm sure more that will pop into my crazy head LOL!

From the looks of my blog ~ I would say it's time too for a little update!

What's The Problem

2011-04-16T14:39:00.000-04:00

I keep up with most things going on in my life ~ make the bed everyday, have my weekly chores, go to my card making club, keep up with my on-line shop, spend time on Facebook and the list goes on. Why is it that I continually put my blog out of my mind?

This was to be my little diary of the goings on in my life, my on-line scrapbook of sorts. I don't why it has become so difficult for me to post. It's been over a month and my blog has never crossed my mind. What's the problem?

I like my blog ~ I spent a great deal of time finding layouts and images and graphics and selecting colors. I enjoyed changing it around, just as I do the decor in my own home. Decorated it for different holidays and the changing seasons.

I've said I will commit more time, and don't. I said rather than a daily post, I'll do a weekly post, didn't happen. I'm not even here once a month making a post.

I have always been one to become bored easily and maybe that is where I am with my blog.

Hippity Hoppity

2011-03-01T18:01:00.000-05:00

Easter in on the way. I have always loved Easter. Who wouldn't right? One of my favorite Easter treats was a chocolate covered coconut egg. But they were not just a chocolate covered egg ~ they were covered with white chocolate that was dyed in pastel colors of pink, yellow and green. I haven't seen them in probably 40 years!

I love pastel colors and what better time to enjoy these colors than at Easter.

Soft pink, pale blue, green and yellow.

Chicks and Bunny Rabbits, the smell of vinegar while dying eggs ...

I listed this cute little vintage Easter pretties today in my Etsy shop, The Vintage Hope Chest and it got me thinking .. Easter's On It's Way!

The Friends You Meet Along The Way

2011-02-24T14:22:00.002-05:00

The internet is such an interest place ~ how we can find each other in this big world wide web is a mystery to me. I am always so thrilled when I met someone new. How did they find me ... what did they like about me that drew them to me?

I happend to meet a few great ladies in just a few short days. The first being Loretta from At Home With Loretta. Loretta's blog is so welcoming and cozy that you just want to sit and read not only the most recent post, but all of those below and I found myself even checking out her other blog and being more drawn into her wonderful, outgoing personality. (Secretly, I'd love to be invited over for breakfast and have pancakes, well any meal will do, really, any meal would be melting in my mouth ).

Then there is Alena from Oh, It's Just Perfect. A young gal who sees the value in helping our planet by first searching for vintage items for her home decor rather than buying something new from a big chain store. Now that's my kinda gal! And out of the blue Alena sent me a lovely email to let me know she was featuring an item I have for sale in my Etsy shop. Tell me that's not kind!

Gosh I love the internet!

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter and Tweet Me LOL

An On and Off Relationship

2011-02-21T16:17:00.002-05:00

is what I seem to have with Twitter and Facebook and of couse this neglected blog.

I signed up for Twitter a couple years ago and just really didn't understand the whole thing. My sister-in-law and myself exchanged a few "tweets" and that was the end of it for both of us.

Then came Facebook and again, it was the latest craze, which again, I didn't wrap my head around the whole thing.

I just resolved myself that it was for younger people, not those of use who aren't so up with all the latest and greatest technology. Geez, I think I have only had a cell phone for about 4 years!

The other day, I was talking to a friend who is also a seller at Etsy and she was talking about Twitter and tweets and re-tweets and hashmarks and bots and I laughed so hard my sides were aching.

"What's it all about" I asked ~ "I just don't get it!"

So being the kind friend she is, and with her taking me by the hand, I finally had a lightbulb go off in my head.

Though I can't say it is for me, at least I finally understand how it works!

So come on, whoever's left reading my blog ...

While Antiquing

2011-02-06T15:00:00.004-05:00

I'm sure we have all seen sad irons in our travels to antique shops and flea markets.

I remember years ago when I first heard they were called a "sad" iron ~ yes how sad it was to have to iron ~ but that is not the reasoning behind the name of this fascinating object.

From Merriam-Webster ...

sad·iron noun \ˈsad-ˌī(-ə)rn\

Definition of SADIRON

: a flatiron pointed at both ends and having a removable handle

Origin of SADIRON

sad (compact, heavy) + iron

First Known Use: 1738

So how would use a sad iron ~

There actually would have been at least two irons in use during the ironing process. While one iron was being used, another would be warming on a heat source. To heat an iron, it would have been set on top of a wood or coal burning stove or the hearth. There were also flat iron heaters that had a wick to burn both low odor mineral spirits and kerosene.

A thick pad, rag, apron or towel would have been used to lift the hot iron from the heat source in order to avoid burning the hands. Not all of the irons were a sold piece of cast iron ~ some had wooden handles. Later came an iron with detachable handle thanks to Mrs. Potts who patented her idea in 1871. Took a woman to think of a handle that remained cool!!!

While we may consdier it very un-lady-like to spit, this was a common practice among those using sad irons. This helped to determine the temperature of the iron. Determining the iron's temperature was the trickiest part of ironing with a sad iron. With experience you could tell by the "singe" from the spit on the flat surface of the iron if it was too hot, causing the fabric to scorch or too cold which wouldn't do the job at hand.

Not only was this a hot job, it also required muscle. Not only are sad irons heavy, great pressure was needed to be applied to the cloth while pressing. Sad irons came in various sizes ranging from 4" to 10" long and 6" to 11" wide. The size selected was determined by the article of clothing or cloth being pressed.

As we know, cast iron will easily rust and the sad iron required much maintainance. To keep the surface rust free, sand paper would be rubbed along the flat surface and a light grease applied. Beeswax was also used to help the iron glide and prevent items with starch from sticking.

The 2 photos below shows 3 examples of vintage sad irons. Solid cast iron, Enterprise with wooden handle and lastly a sad iron with removable handle.

While doing some searching I fould the beautiful set below. It is a box style sad iron which containes a piece of cast iron just smaller than the box. The cast iron insert would have been heated until it became red hot and then placed in the box, ready for ironing. This also has the trivet that would have been used to place the iron on while turning and moving the item being ironed.

The exceptional example below was found at Retro Vintage Bazaar and is available for any collector of such fine objects.

Also along the way I found the cutest little set below. This is a pair that are smaller size and would have been used for pressing smaller items. The little ones are darling on display as well and this pair can be found at Rusty Secrets.

Vintage sad irons are an interesting collectible in themselves with so many sizes, styles and manufacturers. But this can be an expanding collection carrying into cast iron trivets the iron rested upon, some of which are very detailed and ornate. And if you are a very serious collector, your collection would not be complete without a sad iron heater.

If you don't want to go over-the-top with collecting sad irons, consider a pair for bookends, use one for a door stop or plop one on the pile of paper on your desk and use as a paperweight.

Just remember, when you long for the days of old, some of those days are better left behind!

I am not an expert on sad irons, just love all things vintage and searched around the internet obtaining and gather informaiton from many different sources and put together this informational blog for other vintage lovers.

It Aint Easy

2011-01-26T11:28:00.001-05:00

for everyone to stay committed to their blog it seems.

I have visited blogs of some Ladies I visited frequently in the past only to find that they too had not had made blogs posts for quite some time. Sadly, a few even have made final goodbyes with a last post, explaining that too much time was being spent blogging. I totally understand.

It can become very time consuming, getting involved in swaps, parties, blog-hops and giveaways. It seems the more friends you find and the more you engage yourself, the more blogs you visit ... reading, commenting ... visiting, reading, commenting.

Then there is time taken for writing your own posts, taking pictures, writing tutorials, or the many other things that are shared within a blog. Time to visit those who made comments or your blog ... reading ... commenting. All very time consuming and I see how many people would not have the time and it can begin to interfere with everyday life.

I give those who can blog each day lots of credit ~ it is a huge commitment!

To all those blogs I visit to find inspiration in decorting, crafting, laughs and more ...

Forever and a Day

2011-01-20T15:37:00.000-05:00

is about how long it has been since I have written a blog post. I have been so busy with many things I could have been writing about but just didn't take the time to sit down to the computer.

We spent quite of bit of time during the summer working on the Ranch House Renovation and are getting closer to completion.

All of the drywall is not freshly painted ...

The new kitchen floor is installed ...

The hardwood floors have all been refinished ...

The awning over the back door was re-painted ...

The front railing was sanded and painted along with the steps ...

And then came the holidays and the hustle and bustle of the season, along with cold weather and snow so the house will have to wait for some time before we get back there and pick up where we left off. It has been quite a bit of fun, a ton of sweat and lots of patience to get to where we are and as much as I would LOVE to move back, we know it is just too small for us and all of our "junque"!

A Winner!

2010-05-03T09:24:00.000-04:00

Of course there is a winner! But indulge me first while I share the fabulous recipe for the Blueberry Cobbler that was used for the 24-Hour Cascade Challenge ...

Filling

1 Pint/2 Cups Fresh Blueberrries

1 Can Blueberry Pie Filling

Crust

1 Stick of Butter

2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour

2/3 Cup Sugar

2 Packs Instant Oatmeal

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix blueberries and pie filling in bottom of baking dish (8" x "8 was used)

In separate bowl, melt butter and add dry ingredients. Stir with a fork till mixed ~ should be crumbly.

Sprinkle crust over filling and bake for 30 minutes. Filling should be bubbly and the crust should be slightly brown and crunchy.

It was very easy to make and I found it needed to cook slightly longer.

I made a second cobbler too without using pie filling, I just smashed an additional cup of blueberries and mixed in 1/3 cup of sugar and I personally liked the all fresh cobbler more.

So don't hesitate to make this if you are worried about the mess! Get yourself some Cascade Complete and it will do the work for you!

And keeping with Proctor and Gamble's rules of the giveaway, the first blogger to comment is the winner of the giftcard.

The second blogger will receive a sample pack of 6 Cascade Complete packets to try as well.

So Carol and Holly, the lucky winners, if you would email me your address, I'll get you your prizes out in the mail!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left me a comment ~

Judi

Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

2010-05-02T10:08:00.003-04:00

I recently had an offer through My Blog Spark to participate in a 24-Hour Challenge and it seemed fun and interesting and I really had nothing to loose, so I took the challenge.

The challenge being made by Proctor and Gamble was to bake a Blueberry Cobbler and let the dish sit out for 24 hours without rinsing before using their new product ....

I really was impressed and get excited when I opened the box they sent me!! There it was, the baking dish to use, the recipe and the Cascade Complete to wash the dish with after letting it sit out for 24 hours.

Every summer I make Peach Cobbler and when the Cobbler is all gone, I sit the dish in the sink and let it soak for several hours to loosen up all the gooey mess that sticks to the sides. I was a bit skeptical about putting the dirty baking dish in my dishwasher, but, I did as they asked.

The cobbler was absolutely delicious and I have never used a topping like this on my Peach Cobbler and can't wait to get the peaches in this year to try this topping!!

It was gone in no time at all and as you see, it did leave quite a messy pan. And now to leave it sit for 24 hours and have this dish come clean to me, was a real challenge!!

So I put the packet in the dishwasher, turned it on and, to my surprise .... it looks like I never used the pan! I was very impressed.

Of course, there is a Legal Disclaimer so that you know the product review was based on using complimentary Cascade product provided by P&G. P&G gave me a Walmart Giftcard to give to a reader of my blog. P&G does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statements or product claims made here, nor does it endorse any opinions expressed within this blog.

So now that you have read the legal mumbojumbo, I must say I was totally impressed with the job the Cascade Complete did and I would not have a problem suggesting to anyone that they give it a try.

For taking the time to read through my post today and my adventure taking the Cascade Complete Challenge, one blogger who makes a comment today, Sunday 5/2/10, will be rewarded with the Walmart $25.00 giftcard provided to me by Proctor and Gamble.

So good luck to my blog friends! Tell me what dirty dishes you hate the most!!

Judi

Garden Suggestion

2010-04-27T11:10:00.002-04:00

As I continue to find and read interesting blogs, there are a few that are always so interesting to me and have made me realize that though we can be thousands of miles away, we are all people desiring many of the same things.

Tammy over at T's Daily Treasures has shared with her readers so many places I would have never had the chance to see in my life. The first thing that surprised me when reading her blog was when she shared her visit to the Friday Market ~ I was actually surprised that there she was in Kuwait and that folks there were sharing treasures from the past. I thought that enamelware was only here in the US and wow, was I wrong ~ I felt so stupid LOL!!

Her visit to the Dead Sea, House of Mirrors, Sri Lanka and so many wonderful places are all adventures I will never take but have let me have a small glimpse of the world beyond my front door and have really been educational which is just one reason I so enjoy visiting her blog.

Tammy left a comment for me on my last post about how dry it was and some plants she would like to have on her balcony. So Tammy let me suggest ...

SUCCULENTS

These Hens and Chicks love the hot sun and dry soil and are fun to see the little Chicks sprouting from under the Hen ...

They can get very large in size and just one can fill a 6" container ...

This Harvest Moon Sedum is perfect in hot, dry soil in the blazing sun and gets little yellow flowers ... it is newly planted in my garden and just a young plant right now.

This Stonecrop Sedum is so soft and gentle, yet can withstand hot, dry conditions also.

There are many varieties of Succulents and Sedum happens to be a new favorite of mine as I was looking for plants that would thrive on the side of my house that gets blazing hot during the summer.

You have shared much with me Tammy and I hope this post can help lead you to finding something you can enjoy on your balcony!

Judi

Minor Mistake :(

2010-04-19T18:25:00.000-04:00

Well the good news is that the cold frame is in place and all my little seedlings spent their first night outside. I was like a Mother Hen watching the temperature and added a second string of lights to make sure it stayed warm inside and when I went to bed last night, it was a toasty 51 degrees.

Mr. Hope Chest did such a great job making this for me ~ it's a nice size too.

Getting it warmed up to put the seedlings inside ...

They should really like being outside now and getting so much more sunlight ...

And the bad news is ... I didn't realize how HOT it would get in a COLD frame!!!

Seriously, when I looked at it after lunch today, the temperature was 104 degrees!!! I had to take a picture of the temperature so Mr. Hope Chest could see when he got home how hot it got in there.

So the result of the mistake in not opening up the cold frame sooner than I did ... looks like I burned up about 20 flower seedlings. Oh well, it's a learning experience for sure and I now know that it can really get hot inside there!!!!!

Time Management

2010-04-17T16:04:00.001-04:00

Ahhhhhh ~ to be young and full of energy .... !!

The weeks have just flown by here on Magnolia Lane as I continue to work outside. It just seems the fresh air and exercise find me exhausted at the end of the day. Time spent on the computer has been researching planting vegetables, using a cold frame and anything having to do with gardening.

I was so excited when my Survival Seeds from Hometown Seeds arrived and I have been working out on paper what would be the most effective way to plant in the space I have available.

The seeds came with planting instructions so I know when and how to plant them. This vegetable garden is so new to me and I want to make sure I learn as much as possible before just sticking seeds in the soil :)

I have been daydreaming about grabbing a basket and going into my vegetable garden and "pickin'" some green beans or tearing off some spinach or lettuce!!! LOL

And I just can't even imagine being able to harvest one of my favorite vegetables .... butternut squash YIKES!!!

Of course in addition to my excitement over my first vegetable garden, the work continues with my flower garden and it truly has been beautiful this year ...

A back yard of blooming Jonquils with enough to cut and bring inside.

Fragrent Lilacs ...

Flox, Flox and More Flox! (hmm, that crack in the driveway AND sidewalk sure looks bigger in a picture LOL!!)

English Daisies

And one of my all-time favorites ... Bleeding Hearts

A garden is never finished and seems to take different shapes as the years go by and I look forward to sharing my progress with my new adventure ... Vegetable Gardening.

As always, thanks for stopping by even though I haven't been around much lately.

Judi

April Fools ~ Yes We Are!

2010-04-01T09:11:00.001-04:00

My sweetie and I both worked for AT&T/Lucent Technologies for many years before our paths crossed and when we finally met, he stole my heart.

There was just one slight problem ~ I transferred into this new position where I met him and of all things, I was his Manager ~ not wanting any "office gossipy romance" as quickly as I took the job, I asked to be transferred back to where I had come from. The company obliged and here we are today celebrating our TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

A sense of humor, a thoughtful and kind heart, always hard working, honest and loyal and of course cute and sexy are just a few of the ways I would describe my honey.

It was a beautiful day on April 1, 2000 and it is a beauiful day again today and I am excited to begin another 10 years with such a wonderful person.

Superb Sunshine

2010-03-31T15:10:00.001-04:00

has arrived today and so I thought I would take advantage of the beautiful natural light to show a bit of my gardens ...

This is in the back of the house and we call this the "Island" ~ it is a raised garden surrounded by old bricks. I like all of the gardens to have some type of border that keeps them from having the grass growing into them. The island is filled with Jonquils that will be blooming in a few weeks.

The ground cover planted all around the lower edge is Red Sedum and gets little flowers late in the summer.

The English Daisies are already blooming and my Bleeding Heart is just peeking through the soil :)

I like having decor in my garden too and this old garden gate helps to support the Balloon Flowers that will be out in a few months.

This is one of the gardens along side of our driveway ~ right now there are Daffodils, Hyacinth and a few Crocus blooming and the green ground cover is Flox that is almost ready to pop and it is really beautiful when it is in full bloom.

This is the walkway to the front door ~ more Red Sedum, Lavendar, Tulips, Iris, Flox with more to bloom.

I hope you enjoyed the little walk through some of the gardens here on Magnolia Lane.

I am excited to start planting the vegetables I am getting from Hometown Seeds here...

Gratification

2010-03-29T09:45:00.000-04:00

It's what I feel when I lounge on my patio or porch in the Summer as I look at my gardens and the flowers that are blooming. It makes me smile when a light breeze sends the aroma of Sweet Alyssum or Sweet Peas drifting through the air. It is so fullfilling seeing butterflies fluttering around the flowers and the occassional Hummingbird looking for some nectar to snack on.

Of course, the garden starts much sooner than the Crocus or Daffodil ~

I have had my garden on my mind for quite some time now ~ planning, planting ... it brings me excitement!

I always receive so many seed brochures and I page through them time and time again daydreaming about having all of those fruits,flowers and vegetables in my own yard ...

My focus has always been on flowers and a few tomatoe plants just for the "fun" of being able to pick a tomatoe and make a nice big sandwich with tomatoe and mayo!

But this year I am branching out and am going to also have a small vegetable garden and I am excited to get started with my Survival Pack from Hometown Seeds.

So now that the flowers seeds are planted and I have signs of ...

It's time to start to start planning my vegetable garden!

If you have never had a garden I highly recommend starting one this year ~ even if it is just a few flowers ... I can not describe in words the gratification it brings.

Vintage Easter Blog Hop with Joan

2010-03-28T08:53:00.000-04:00

Once again Joan from Anything Goes Here is hosting a blog party and this one is The Vintage Easter Blog Hop ~ so hop around today and visit all of Joans guests as they share their love for Vintage Easter Goodies!!

I haven't had my Easter decor out for quite a few years so when Joan talked about hosting a party, I was excited to pull out some boxes to remind myself what was in them.

I had fun looking through the box and started setting things out on my dining room table ...

Plastic Candy Containers and a soft little chick ...

Oh I so love these ... a pair of real eggs painted and decorated as ladies and their "Easter Bonnet" ...

A pull toy candy container with the original contents and a cardboard candy container Made in Japan ...

And good ole' Dennison Easter Seals :) ...

OLD sugar egss than when opened, their is a treat inside. Obviously, these were saved and never opened.

I love the graphic on the candy box ...

My panorama egg which SADLY is starting to fall apart ~ well, so am I LOL!

Well thanks so much for stopping by to visit and see some of my little vintage Easter treasures ~ they are specal to me and I hope you enjoyed you visit.

Don't forget to stop over Joans blog at Anything Goes Here for a list of other folks sharing their treasures.

The Dollar Store Challenge with Lindsay

2010-03-26T09:58:00.002-04:00

Several weeks ago I found a great blogger named Lindsay from Living With Lindsay who was offering a challenge to create something to welcome Spring with just $5.00 spent at a dollar store. So, I accepted the challenge using these materials ...

A Paper Basket

A Pack of Shredded Paper

A Pack of Construction Paper

A Placemat

A Roll of Wrapping Paper

I fell in love with the brightly colored Butterflies on this wrapping paper and wanted to create something using the graphics.

I then cut out the shape of the butterfly with the white paper I glued it to which made it much more sturdy and easier to work with than just the wrapping paper.

I then glued the butterfly onto colored construction paper.

Using fancy edge scissors, I cut around the butterfly leaving about 1/4" of construction paper showing.

Sprinkled on some glitter (something already in my stash)

Glued a wire to the back.

I used a few of the flowers on the wrapping paper and made them the same way, cut out a few leaves.

And made a Baket of Butterflies!

I didn't use the placemat I planned on having because I used the floral wire, which also can be purchased at the Dollar Store. Since I wanted a "base" for the arrangement and wasn't going to use the placemat, I used the old "weaving" method and created my own mat.

I am excited to see what other people have created and look forward to taking some new ideas and making some more Spring creations!

A big THANKS to Lindsay for putting together this challenge ~ it was fun to make!

Bloomin' Bulbs of Spring

2010-03-14T13:22:00.003-04:00

While visiting some gals who are participating in Linda at Costal Charm's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday Party, I found Marty at A Stroll Thru Life who is also hosting Tabletop Tuesday and thought I'd add my name to the list. Thanks Marty! Goodness, Tuesday is a busy day in bloggerville.

We are all talking about ... the arrival of Spring.

Sylvia over at My Trinkets has gotten busy tilling the ground preparing for her "secret garden" ...

ZuZu at A Cottage In The Woods is dreaming for the days ahead too.

So many gals whose blogs I visit are all waiting, anticipating the arrival of Spring. It is yet another fresh start and the beginning of days filled with sunshine, light warm breezes blowing across the yard and the sight and smell of a flower filled garden.

I too an excited and waiting.

And since most of my Spring cleaning is out of the way, I have poured you a drink, lit the candles and want to welcome you in to get a glimpse of what is to come and take in the aroma of the beautiful bloomin' bulbs of Spring.

Well, actually, it is all fake! Yep, it's fake ... faux... artificial... not the real deal.

Last weekend when I went out with my Little Sis, we stopped at the Floral and Craft Warehouse. I posted about my trip earlier and I just couldn't decide what I wanted so I made the trip back a picked up these fake bloomin' bulbs! Even the dirt is FAKE!! I came in a zip lock bag and it really finished off the arrangement perfectly.

The strawberries look pretty tasty too don't they? You get the idea by now, fake. Muffins, fake.

I fell in love with the moss covered mushroom, which seem to be a real big decorating accessory lately. Yeah, I jumped on the mushroom bandwagon :)

It is a cloudy and rainy day today and was quite dark so I used a flash to brighten the picture.

While I was at the warehouse, I also bought all the supplies to make this for my front porch and I made it last Sunday 'cause I am excited for the arrival of Spring.

Thanks for stopping by .... Judi

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

2010-03-12T09:55:00.000-05:00

I like Roosters ~ O.K. ~ I LOVE Roosters and have collected them for over 20 years. Back in the days when very few people went to thrift shops, I could pick them up for a dollar or two, not any more!!

Not only do I collect Roosters, I pick up things with Roosters on them, like the single Oil bottle. Maybe one of these days I will find the Vinegar that matches. At least that's what I tell myself.

Some I have purchased in Antique stores like this lovely pair.

This chalkware bobble head is one of my favorites.

There is just one problem with having all of these "things" ~ they are not self-cleaning. I have been in my dining room for 3 days removing everything from every shelf, the hutch and any place I squeeeeze something into to do a little Spring cleaning.

Just took a few minutes to snap a few photos and I'll be back in to finish what I started, yet another thing I am trying to improve LOL!!

It's Here ~ It's Here

2010-03-07T15:35:00.004-05:00

Finally!

We have reached the "10 weeks before the last frost" here in Pennsylvania which means it's ...

That's right, Spring is not too far and it's time to start planting my seeds!

I was given a big boost of inspiration yesterday when Little Sis and I went to Black Creek Greenhouse in Lancaster County!!

When we walked through the doors to the greenhouse, this is the beautiful sight that greeted us ...

They used some great pieces along with great imagination to create this fabulous garden. There is an old pair of boots with with some Hens and Chicks and another type of succulent growing inside. They even have a hole in the toe with a little plant peeking through!! LOVED IT!

Does this just say SPRING!! Tulips, Daffodils and some tiny Primrose peeking through.

I thought it was so unique how they planted the rows of vegetables on the diagonal instead of the usual straight rows ~ it really gave it an interesting look.

The greenhouse was filled with rows upon rows of tiny flowers and vegetables awaiting their new homes.

Really great prices too!

It was amazing! If you can't create a beautiful garden after visiting this greenhouse, you need to hire someone to do it for ya!!

Of course they had a pond and look at all that beautiful MOSS!

The visit really got me anxious to start getting outside in the yard and getting busy tending the gardens and enjoying the beauty and joy it brings.

It's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday ..

2010-03-01T23:09:00.003-05:00

at Coastal Charm!!

I am excited to be part of Linda's get-together and I am sure you will enjoy seeing all of the Nifty Thrifty finds too so scoot over to Coastal Charm and start your day peeking at some wonderful finds!!

I am always attracted to buying crafting items, like this group of wreath forms, even if I have no immediate plans for them. This is someting which I am trying to STOP doing!!!!

Not so exciting is it?????

So, I have these items, just haning around with no immediate plans and in the mail, I get my current copy of Living from Martha Stewart (July - 2007) and I'm in LOVE with this wreath ...

Lucky me that Mr. Hope Chest LOVES mussels and there is a local restaurant that we frequent that has "All You Can Eat Mussel Monday"!! So I tell Mr. Hope Chest we MUST go out to have dinner so I can bring home all his shells. Now of course he thinks I've really lost it until I show him the wreath and off to dinner we go and I bring of bag fulls of these ...

After spending hours of cleaning the shells, I have glue gun in hand and I'm ready to go. It really was a load of fun and I was thrilled with what I created in the end ...

Wreath form ~ $.75

All you can eat mussels $12.95

My wreath ~ ADORABLE!!

The one above is in my "Coastal Charm" powder room and I ran out to the garage to get a picture of the one I hang on my porch in the summer (cob webs and all!!)

So although my "finished" project was not a thrift find, it's beginnings were rooted in the thrift shop!!

I thought this would be the perfect selection for the kick off of "Coastal Charm" Nifty Thrifty Tuesday!

I really appreciate you taking the time to stop by ...

Judi

Collection Obsession

2010-02-25T10:48:00.002-05:00

I have many, too many!

I have collected many things throughout the years, some I tired of and I no longer have, others I can't imagine ever wanting to part with and some collections are new items of interest.

About 10 years ago I was at an auction and there were tables and tables of jewelry boxes overflowing with jewelry, what was considered "junk" jewelry or costume jewelry. As I looked in all of the jewlery boxes I just loved the sparkle and beauty of something that was considered "junk" ... so I bought nearly every jewelry box that was there and thus a new collecting obsession was born.

I do wear much of the jewelry but I also like to have it out where I can get a glimpse of it now and then ...

I am attracted to whimsical pieces like these little flower carts ...

About 5 years ago I was working at the shop where I had my booth and I saw a pin that captured my heart and I have been on the look out for them since ...

What a great way to tell "Mother" you love her ...

Many are made from "Mother-of-Pearl"

A mother is ... one who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take ...
C. Mermillong

And not only did I find vintage costume jewelry attractive, I also love hat pins ...

Seems one thing leads to another in this collection obsession.