Great Old Stuff

Earlier this week I bought several boxes of "linens", there were 4 quilts, 3 chenille spreads, several table clothes, 2 sets of quilt blocks never sewn together and even vintage fabric. All the boxes were from the same estate, and it is interesting that most every thing is brighter colors than I prefer, almost every thing has red in it..
What is it about fabric that I am so drawn to?? I love fabric! I especially love old quilts, especially ones hand quilted and well used. I appreciate the ones hanging at quilt shows, they are beautiful, but give me a time worn, washed, and well loved one, I can't say no. It doesn't matter how dirty and smelly. Even holes and rips can either be mended, or the piece can be reused in a project. I also hate to pass on an embroidered piece for the same reason.
Fortunately, I am the self proclaimed queen of laundry. If you have ever been to my house unannounced, you have seen a pile or 12 waiting in line to be next in the tub!! Almost everyone comes in our house through the back door, which is a straight shot to the washer and dryer.

I always wash everything used I buy, made of fabric. It is amazing, even if they look clean how dirty they are. One of my biggest thrills is to check how dirty the water is, they dirtier the water the bigger the thrill!! That is one of the things you probably could have been just as happy not knowing. I have found that I'm not the only one who gets this cheap thrill! Some time I will confess my addiction to rit dye...
These curtains were in the bottom of a box of old linens. I thought they were fabric, but I couldn't figure out what kind of fabric until I got them home. Well friends, they are not fabric at all!!


These curtains/drapes are made of paper!! They have the texture of old wall paper. The second picture is of the back, the bottom one is the valance. I assume you would put a rod through that one and use drapery hooks on the other.
This caused me to have a flashback from my childhood. Do you remember curtains made of plastic? I don't think I have seen any in the last forty or so years, most likely because it was very fun to pull them apart and put your fingers through them... Don't get me wrong I don't want any plastic curtains, fun as it was.. they are a little to similar to vinyl table clothes. But these paper ones are pretty cool!!

It seems as if I have found lots of red things lately.. Its not that I don't love red, but in its watered down form...pink!! I realize there are lots of red lovers, so I won't pass up a good deal on something that has red, it just makes it easier to not keep!!

This is just a small piece, but it is so pretty!
I have had this chair for quite some time. I have had different things covering it's redness. The goal is to make a slip cover.. Not as easy as the slipper chair, that I made a slip cover out of chenille, that was a snap!!

I think this drapery fabric would make a great slip cover.. I have 6 of them, so if I mess up I will have plenty to redo..
It is the arms that have me in a quandary, fortunately I found this lovely slip cover in one of the boxes of linens. I can use it for a pattern, and not feel bad about cutting it apart.

I did find something pink, I might just have to keep!! Yes it might be a duster, but it is a lovely one.
Notice the beautiful buttons? I would always wear my pearls so I wouldn't look dowdy. It appears to be see through, so I would always wear a slip, there I am back to dowdy...
Tyson was home and noticed the little lady "Graycie" modeling the house dress, she had also recently modeled the pink apron with her cowboy boots. He says, "Mom, this is creepy, really creepy. It looks like you don't want to be alone so you have someone in here with you, that is creepy!" And I ask you, "What 's so wrong with wanting to be with the one you love??"

Still procrastinating

I know everyone is surprised to see me post again so soon, but I know you need the latest update on tax torture... I made some progress, I got a few things out and got a phone call that I had to act on quickly.... I retrieved my purse/camera... and while I was out... then one thing led to another and...next thing I knew, it was waaaay to late to tackle taxes..

Speaking of cameras here is a peek at spring, it was taken last week at


Martha's. Her house was all decked out for Easter, we took many of the same photo's, she posted hers while mine stayed in the camera...now that Easter is past, I think you should check it out on her blog as, it seems a little ridiculous to post Easter at this late date...does this procrastination thing keep coming up to annoy me, or am I being over sensitive...

This has to be the sweetest dress ever, Isabel got it a few weeks ago, I do believe it would make the most adorable wedding dress.
We had a sleepover at Isabel's this weekend, or maybe a sewingfest would be a better way to describe the time. You will see both Isabel and Lisa slaving away as they get things ready for Farm Chicks!!
I finished an apron while I was there. I forgot to take a picture of it... I should have had that cute girl in the lace dress try it on... I finished this one earlier in the week Looks like I should have either cropped this picture or folded the pink blanket in the back ground.. opps! But this little lady is getting ready for Farm Chicks and there was no time for those little details!!
Here are some darling little ladies/princesses in fact!
And one very scary, prince to fight off the dragons!!
Enough already!! I have to do the taxes!!

The Worst!

Of all the things I can think of, doing my taxes has to be the worst. It has every thing I am not good at all rolled into one miserable time. First would be the organization aspect, that goes without saying... then the fact that it is all suppose to add up the same twice... seriously, why?? The year is over what can we do about it now?? The fact that all those little pieces of paper are everywhere and need to be rounded up, figured up and made into a neat little package makes me want to... keep reading blogs??? An extension is just delaying the inevitable, since it has to be done sometime or does it?? Oh yeah I suppose it does, I would hate prison I know I would.. But a few more minutes won't matter....
We had a nice Easter at my sister Toni's yesterday. It was a small gathering for dinner, the 6 of us and the 3 of them, we miss our big girls

and our sweet baby Addie.In our family you are the baby until a new one comes along... doesn't matter if it is 2 or 22 years. Miss Addie and Dusty share a birthday she will be 2 April 17 and Dust will be 27. There is a party waiting to happen.

Early Easter morning we went to get our left over treasures from Black Berries, it was so different seeing it decorated in all its glory to cleared out!! That is a fun show it is nice that it lasts several days, it makes all the hard work setting up seem worth it. Braeda has lots of shots of Black Berry Junction during the show and after. It was fun working with all those women who spend hours getting that show going a couple of times a year.

I have been buying treasures for Farm Chicks,

which is to be held in Spokane Washington, June 7tha and 8th. I even have some pictures I am anxious to share, too bad I left my purse at Toni's yesterday with the camera in it!!
It seems as if I have delayed the taxes as long as I can so... wish me luck! I hope I don't get sucked into that black hole some might refer to as an office.

Busy Days

Lots of fun in our part of the world these past few days. I keep trying to be part of all of them, but I know I miss a few. I need to try harder.. Actually I do a few that I don't report, for a couple of reasons. Occasionally I forget my camera, but sometimes I'm sure you wouldn't be interested, and then there are those things I do that later I ask myself, what the heck did I do that for and I am just hoping no one was watching!!

If you have been keeping up (and of course you wouldn't want to miss a single post) you know that last Friday was the first day of Black Berry Junction

I have heard from several people who went this past weekend, they said the show was wonderful. Lots of people buying, and lots and lots of merchandise well displayed. One of the great things about this show is, they have a back stock of merchandise and are continually adding more as space allows.



Friday afternoon I was helping my friends Celia and Renee with a Alice in Wonderland Tea Party at their business, The Purl District. I packed up the pink and green "pretties" I thought they might be able to use, made a few mini cupcakes and scones and off I went to help.. Celia is always planning something for her customers, the next event is a picnic. The customers generally come with project in hand (bag) visit, eat, visit, get prizes, visit, work on their projects. Then they visit and this time there was a young woman doing hand massages ... so of course it is a fun time for everyone.

I was up again early, early Saturday morning, because Martha and I were off to Flourishes
it was their kick off event. The goal was to be there at 8 am... Aleda and Bill Breese recently acquired this property in Washougal that once was home to Willows Nest. All I can say is WOW, how beautiful!! It was like a welcome to spring. There was not one thing there that wasn't crying, take me home you know you love me!!
It is a lovely drive, up the highway along the Columbia River, here is where I should break into song... over the river and through the woods to Flour-ishes we go!! But lucky for you I won't... She has all the upcoming events listed on her blog. Naturally she does, as she is not one to let a single detail slip by!! One of the things her sweetie did was build a big, big stone fireplace in the gym where they had this show. Yes, he is a good worker and all around nice guy!
I am looking forward to all their upcoming adventures!
We like to make a day of it, when we go that direction, because there are several places we enjoy between here and there. But this Saturday we had a 40th birthday party for my friend Gail. I would show you the pictures, but in my haste to get "it all together" the camera was left behind. Her actual birthday isn't until the 26h of March so, I have time yet to capture "the moment"!!

My brain is on overdrive thinking of things I want to do before Farm Chicks. There are not enough hours in the day or days in the week to get it half done. Sunday, after church I was trying to catch up on some blogs, I read Pam's and she linked to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW1daW6k0LE so of course I had to listen.. That's when I decided to go see my mom and dad. Hope all of you had a great weekend, doing the things that are important to you.

Can't remember...

There is some herb or vitamin that I have heard your suppose to take to help your memory... go figure I can't remember what it is... I think I need to take some, I have been to Blackberry Junction twice and both times have left my camera at home.. I am going tomorrow and will try and take it.. If you would like to see some great pictures of what they have going on there you can visit Iris or you can go to Blackberry Junction both have some great pictures. It starts this Friday and the hours are everyday until Easter Sunday from 10am to 6pm. If you are within a days drive it has an incredible amount of inventory and is very nicely done, well worth the drive to Albany.
I hate to do a post without a picture, so I thought you might like to see this even though it isn't a picture... I still consider myself a computer novice, so when I do something without coaching I'm pretty amazed.
If you know me, you know that it is one of my great pleasures in life to use something I have to make something I need (or want). To not have to go to the store to buy something for a project makes me so very happy. Kind of like eating what you have without going to the store to make a meal...possible but doesn't happen all that often.
Well, I got a box of huge labels, free... they are for the computer but 2 big labels per page not the ones I usually get for postcards.
So, I have a thing about price tags... I get really bored with them and I am always looking for a better, more fun way to put the price on things for sale.... of course I don't want to spend more than the item is worth on the tag...
So, I went to my creative memories program and made these.Then I printed them like they were photos so I could get different sizes of the same thing. I did 4x5 and wallet size. Some bigger ones for bigger items and some smaller for smaller items. It was easy in this program to go back and just change the dollar amount and do all the different amounts I might need. When I get tired of this color or font it will also be easy to change.
The trick was to cut them apart so I could peel them off the backing. It is not easy if you cut them individually but if you cut them where the margin is for peeling it works like a miracle. I cut them in strips with the paper cutter and will cut them with scissors as I use them. I love them!! I can stick them on tags if I want or directly on items such as dishes. The best part is...I did it.
Now for the down side.. I worked on this yesterday and after a couple hours I thought, well for crying out loud how long am I willing to keep trying this before enough is enough, not like I don't have a million other things I need to do. I finally walked away to do other things, and then this morning I thought of a different way it might work and, it did!!
If you don't sell things I'm sure you are yawning, and thinking..huh.., but if you price things I know you are so happy for me! I know there are many other ways this could have been done and you no doubt do it in your sleep, but.. they were free.

Lots More Than 3 Friends

We had a great time Saturday at the 3 Friends 3 Sales event. Friday it rained so we were unsure if the weather was going to cooperate, but the day turned out to be sunny and clear. It isn't as big a problem for me, because I have a large covered porch, but for the other 2 friends... rain is not their friend!! Not to mention all the friends who came, were able to enjoy the sunshine. It was so fun to see all of you and it made the work getting ready worth it.

My friend Sheila had agreed to help at the sale, so she and I had to preview Cindy and Diane's places Friday night. No matter how many hours I work on a project, there is always more that I wish I could have done. So I figured a little break wasn't going to make that much difference.
Here is Sheila with Cindy starting to get just a little wet, as the rain begins.

This is the inside of Cindy's shop all ready to go!

Cindy followed us to Diane's so she could check it out with us.
We weren't disappointed!! It was lovely and Diane was ready! She had the candles lit for us and we sampled her treats!! (she even had her maps to our sales on the counter)



It was fun to see all their hard work. I was exhausted, so when I got home it was to bed for me. I'm always up with the chickens..

I was up at 2:3o, I had set the alarm for 3am so I could make fresh mini cupcakes and maps of the other sales. When I have lots I want to get done, who has time to lay in bed???

It is always the last minute things that take longer than they should and for some reason, ( I think its called ADD) I can't keep from thinking of just one more thing that would be GREAT! Before I knew it the 7 hours I had allowed myself to get ready were gone and the shoppers were arriving... So sorry, no pictures of my shop. I know Sheila took some so we will have to watch for a post...
It was fun doing our sale together, because we each have our own customers. Many are the same, but some are different and I heard people say, it feels a little like a scavenger hunt with a map in hand as they go to our separate shops, looking for treasures.
For quite a few years I was open 4 or 5 days a week, but now I only open for special events. This is by far more fun, and exciting. I look forward to seeing everyone, but I still have time to go looking for treasures to sell. (or keep) As time goes on, I find myself saying more and more.."I was never going to sell this..", as I'm wrapping it up and putting it in a bag... I only buy things I like, but some of the things I love, love, love!! But then something else comes along that I couldn't possibly part with and the original favorite must go...It is kind of sad, but a fact of life..I can't keep everything!! However, I don't quite get that saying..."less is more..."

I hesitate to share that we packed the truck yesterday and this morning I am headed to Albany. I don't want you to think I am totally insane.. but Laurena Myers has a wonderful show called Blackberry Junction, it starts Friday. So I will put put fresh batteries in the camera, fuel in the truck and off I go.

Speaking of fuel have you seen this one??

Just Call Me Dorothy

"Dorothy" as in The Wizard of Oz... there is no place like home!!
I am glad to be home, actually I slept at home the last 4 nights but I was gone from early in the morning to way past bedtime!! I am always so excited to do a show and can hardly wait for the day! When it is over I feel like, whew!! I am glad that is over and I don't have to do that everyday!!


This is what I saw when I came to my booth on Friday morning... Much work to be done, but it is nice to be able to put the big pieces in place on Thursday, even if it means an extra trip!

Here are Isabel and Lisa getting organized. They look fresh and happy!!
Miss Cindy, she also looks fresh and happy, but she's really thinking..how am I going to fit all of this into a 10x10 foot spot??
Lucky for her many of her treasures went to new homes before they had to be put away!! Now it is up to the new owner to worry about placement!!

This is Shannon, she and her mom Maryann are often with us when we do shows!

Here are a few shots of our booths after some rearranging.
Mine
Isabel's
Cindy working on her's and the corner of Maryann and Shannon's

Time for the little break, we promised ourselves when the work was done! If you look close you will notice the clothes we are wearing are different, this photo is 2 days later!! Takes awhile to get the work done!
Fortunately there was an empty booth across from us, it became our break room/holding room. Don't you think that flamingo jacket would look perfect on Cindy??
I sold lots of little items Saturday, so Sunday morning I fixed this lamp to take in, I glued lace and tule on an old shade I had, then added flowers from a vintage hat. I would have kept it but, truthfully I was too tired to figure out which lamp I would trade it for in the house... Naturally it sold first thing, so I suppose it is the new owners problem to worry about placement!! (Wonder if she would like to trade for one I have in the house??)
Now on to new projects!! This Saturday is the 3 Friends Sale!! Oh me, oh my, do I have lots to do to get ready for that! I will make a list and stay on task. I will make a list and stay on task. I will make a list and stay on task. I will make a list and stay on task. I will make a list and stay on task. I will make a list and stay on task...