Digging around...and trouble commenting

Just a quick post to show you a few random photos that I found while digging around in my online folders. I purchased this huge candleholder when my sister was home from PA and we went junking in Blissfield, Michigan. It was only $5.00 so I snatched it right up. I do love a good bargain...does that make me cheap? :)

When I arrived home with my treasure my hubby informed me that there were supposed to be four places that hold the candles and sure enough...looking it over there should have been another candle cup on the arm in the back, but I still love it! Sometimes I am not a very observant person. When hubby is with me and I find glass items I always hand it to him to look over in case I missed something. It is great to have another set of eyes along. :)

I found these scissors several weeks ago as well at an antique mall for $2.00. Can't beat that. Love the shape.

This "S" is one I purchased at Hobby Lobby when they were 1/2 off . It was gold before I gave it my white treatment. The dainty lace holding it on the basket is very old.



  I found this top at the Goodwill and purchased it just because it was loaded with ruffles. It is already cut apart and one of these days I will make something neat with it...that is the plan anyways. :)



I picked up this yarn at a thrift store because I love the colors. I will use it for tags and as *ribbon* for gifts as well.


 I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend.  It is so cold today in Michigan. Forecast is high of 54 degrees, but next week it is supposed to warm up into the upper 70's again. Can't keep up with this crazy weather we have been having. Cold and rainy one day and warm the next.  We have had so many rainy days lately that we haven't had a chance to mow our yard that desperately needs it. It will be six feet high before we can get to it at this rate. ugh.
Blessings to each one of you today!

PS I have tried and tried to comment on many of your posts today and it is not working. I will click to submit comment and the comment box comes back up with nothing in it. Tried several times and the same problem...today when my computer is not doing too bad and I actually COULD leave a comment...many don't work...blogger issue??



Pumpkins on parade

I have been on the hunt this year for unique pumpkins and not just your standard orange. I have found a few, but would love to find some more. This one was nabbed at the local farmers market and I L.O.V.E. it!! Hubby isn't so sure. He said it looks like it is diseased. I just laughed , paid the lady and schlepped it into hubby's arms for him to carry. :) I will say we got a lot of compliments about it on the way to the car so that just made me feel so much better. ha ha!! Hubby...not so much.

I think I found most of these if not all at the farmers market too.  I love the ones that have the long curly stem still attached. I don't know why some are picked with hardly no stem at all so I snatched these cuties up.

Wondered what a few would look like in my birdcage...they look kinda lost I would say!

Isn't she a beauty?? Perfect shape and wonderful stem!!

I picked this one up at Meijer yesterday..I know I know...in a store ??? But they had all kinds of unique pumpkins in the produce department. Problem is most of them were missing their stems too. ugh. I waffled back and forth on this one, but it finally came home with me...tiny stem and all.
Happy pumpkin hunting!!

Bribery works...sometimes! :)

Oh my sweet gd Annika! She is four  and 1/2 years old now going on 16. Oh how fast they do grow.  This particular day I was watching Annika and her baby sister Ainsley and I wanted to get some good pictures...however,  little Ms Annika wanted nothing to do with picture taking. So guess what I did...yep I will confess...I bribed her!! Shhhh don't tell anyone...hee hee.  It was a few weeks ago and I don't even remember what I bribed her with. LOL. {I think it was a treat of ice cream after lunch}

 

What a silly girl...but the photo is still so cute. This little gal has a lot of spunk.

I guess that she decided it was time to growl like a lion.

This one is better...she is finally warming up...I think.

Oh oops...maybe not.:)

But wait...here it is! The photo I had been waiting for at last! Love this little gal to pieces and I cherish the rare moments that I get to spend with her. She is a treasure.


Happy White Wednesday! Be sure and visit Kathleen again for more beautiful posts.


 This is a gloomy week here in Michigan. It has been rainy all week so far. I told hubby tonight that we are right on track because the Hillsdale County Fair is this week and it always is cold and rainy! Every year! I can't remember when it wasn't that way during fair week. We do not go anymore ...too cold and too old. :)

More Stockings, Etsy and a nickel

I sure got a bee in my bonnet to keep sewing up more stockings so I am sewing while the bee is around because I know it could fly off at anytime and then the sewing machine will be put away...for who knows how long. lol
This one was made out of a linen jumper. I look for clothes at the Goodwill just to sew up into pretties and knew I had to get this.  It looked brand new, but I don't wear jumpers so it came home with me to be ripped apart and sewn into something else.  This one is ragged...ripped edges on the ruffle and bow.

close up of the bows and ruffle. Love it. This one is unlined.

I used part of a ruffle from a gauzy fabric skirt to embellish this stocking. This one is lined.

gauzy rose made for it as well.
Some of you have asked and yes I am planning on getting these in my Etsy store soon...hopefully.


On another note, my five year old grandson Jon finally *passed* his nickle. I can think of better things to do than swallow a nickle! My poor daughter. That was not a good night for her. She called here after 10 pm and talked to hubby and wondered if she should take him to the ER...{I was in bed}...he suggested yes just to be safe.
So she did. They told her just to let it pass...so much for a 2nd opinion from us...ha ha!


On her way home from the ER darling daughter had pulled into their subdivision and was turning left (their home is right around the corner) and she smashed right into someones car...she did not see them. A neighbor that lived three doors down that she had never met until then. Really messed up her expensive car (this is why we don't drive expensive cars...lol) and found out that she only has limited collision so not only does she have to pay $1,000 out for the neighbors car , but has to pay for all the repairs on her car too out of their pocket...no insurance money at all.  Bummer. Thankfully her hubby works as an engineer at GM and they will be okay, but that is really a knockout punch when you least expect it.  I told her to slowwwww down...goodness. Glad no one was hurt, but hate that it had to happen.


I do believe that God works all things out for our good though...I really do and something will come out of this if only a lesson to slow down and take it easy. I can tell you the last time I got a speeding ticket it really made me assess the situation and realize that I really needed to watch my speed and I really have. I almost wanted to send the officer who ticketed me a thank you note for jolting me back to reality. Now, no, I am not a speedster...he got me for leaving town and I was up to 51 in a 35 or something like that thinking I was farther out of town than I actually was. So...moral of the story...God worked it out for MY good too. Not always fun lessons, but sometimes ones that need to be learned.
Happy Monday everyone!!

Dusted off my sewing machine!

I have been busy this week sewing up Christmas stockings. I decided it was high time I dusted off the sewing machine and got to work. My kitchen looked like disaster central for a few days, but I was having fun! Isn't that is what is most important?? :) I made up my mind before I started that I was going to use fabric I already had and not go out and purchase any.  My birthday gift this year from my bff was wrapped in a huge piece of  fabric so I made a few from that and then I also used some old feedsacks and had fun sewing up a storm!

A few stockings in progress...

This is one I made out of feedsack fabric stains and all...just like I purchased it.  I just put the ruffle and decoration on the front of the feedsack stockings and then realized that the ruffle should have gone all the way around ! I don't know what I was thinking!! Oh well...who sees the back anyways right?? :)

I have a zillion or so old buttons so I added a few to pretty it up.

I really like the double ruffle and fabric rose on this one.

I cup up a vintage runner with a crocheted edging to add as a *cuff* for this stocking and then added two vintage buttons that I love.

This stocking has a story...roses are pinned on...still trying to decide placement etc. See photo below! ha!

Here ya go...King Kongs stocking!!! lol.
(same stocking as  photo above)  I actually had a pattern for this stocking and did not realize how large it would be when finished. 24 inches long!! That is one large stocking. I also lined it and quickly gave that up on the other stockings. I think it made it too bulky.

Believe it or not this is what I started out the week doing and quickly set this project aside...unfinished...to sew!

All in all I feel pretty good about what I got accomplished in a couple days. Not working solid, but the kitchen was sure a mess all that time. grrr...my messes seem to follow me into whatever room I am in at the time. I can't seem to keep it all confined to my studio so I gave up trying. :)
Happy Friday and happy weekend. Not sure what is planned for our weekend, but I intend to make some memories. Hopefully the good kind! ha! 



Simple blessings

I fell in love with this cloche on clearance at Home Goods a couple months ago. I passed it up the first time and just kept going back to it. I finally put it in my cart, paid and walked out the door.  I have not regretted it. It can be used so many different ways and in so many different settings, but for now...white mini boo pumpkins.

I have had the mercury glass bowl for a few years. I picked it up after Christmas clearance at Target one year...75% off...it was a deal steal!!

I think my blingy earrings add the crowning touch to these pumpkins.

Cherish simple blessings...that is what I want to do this fall and actually all year through. I want to focus on the simple things and not get caught up in all the drama and hooplah that sometimes comes along with the holidays.  Easier said than done I am sure, but I am going to try.



I don't think a person can ever have too many mini pumpkins. :)

Some of my mini boo's have a few blemishes, but that is okay.  I am not perfect either, but I am so thankful that God loves me anyways. I know that He loves me for who I am and who I am striving to be and not by what has happened in the past or what may happen in the future. He loves me unconditionally and that is the most perfect form of love.  Thanking Him for that love today and everyday!!

I actually got creative today and made a stocking from old feedsack fabric with a ruffle and matching roses so I will be showing that soon. Although it looks like it was made for King Kong as the pattern was 24 inches long!! I want to make my own pattern and make a few smaller ones soon too.

Linking up with Faded Charm today for White Wednesday. So sorry that I can't comment to everyone who leaves me a comment. My internet is just too pathetically slow these days. I do try to get to many that don't work out. I will keep trying though.

Caramel Puffcorn...SO addicting!

You either love it or you hate it. I don't think there is any middle ground. The "puff" popcorn in the stores that is nothing but air?? *smile* We happen to love it and I purchased a small bag of it that had been made into caramel corn in an antique mall a few weeks ago so I made it my mission to find the recipe and make some.
Mission accomplished...this morning~

It is very easy to make.  I will be making some of this to give away for the holidays if I can keep my hands out of it and quit nibbling on every batch that comes out of the oven!

You start with an 8 ounce bag of "puffcorn" and dump it in a roaster.

Then in a large pan (I used my dutch oven) you put 1/2 lb of butter...that would be two sticks (recipe says NOT oleo), 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup of light corn syrup. You bring that mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and stir until mixture foams. Pour the caramel mixture over the corn puffs and stir until well mixed. Place in a 250 degree oven for 45 minutes. Stir at least once every 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven,  pour on waxed paper and break apart.  Let cool. {don't make on a humid day or it will be sticky...as mine is today, but still sooooooo good!!}

 It will look like this when it comes out of the oven.

Pretty them up when cool and give as gifts or eat it all yourself!!! lol