Winter Treasures

Tuesday afternoon, coffee is brewing, I am home in my favorite chair, afghan on my lap, and settling in to share a little time with you.  We were sent home at about 12:30 after all our students were boarded on the buses and on their way home. Like so many others across the mid-west we are preparing for a blizzard. We are expected to get 12 to 24 inches of snow and I expect to be home from school tomorrow as well.

I made homemade chicken soup on Monday and plan to make tiny drop dumplings from my grandma's recipe.  She always made us soup on cold winter days and it not only was satisfying to the tummy but it warmed our hearts as well knowing she put so much love into everything she did for us.

I have a list of possibilities for tomorrow. It will be hard to decide what to do first! I have to grade some student work so that is a have to but the rest of the list is full of opportunities.

1. Grade student work
2. Clean and organize the paper work all over my office space.
3. Work on my reading program (Work for my Master's degree)
4. Bake cinnamon bread
5. Sewing projects
6. Paint shelf for above the desk
7. Dollhouse work ( finishing touches on Victorian and start on the two shops)

With all that in mind I have to share some great finds from my auction experience on Sunday afternoon.

This beautiful Punch bowl wash 15.00. Our Emily and her Brian are getting married in September. She wants to create a candy table with small gift bags for their guests to take a treat home. I think this will work beautifully. I can't wait to see what she thinks.

The next piece I purchased for a $7.00 bid. I collect pottery and I especially like pieces that are utilitarian. I can't wait to use it!

I also purchased a large box of pottery pieces for $11.00 that will make great display pieces or planters. I'll share those with you in my next post. I'm thinking succulents would be wonderful in those pots. I got some auqa colored porcelien covered untencils and an assotment of other untensils for $2.00. I plan to display the aqua pieces on the wall in our kitchen. The others went straight into the dishwasher. All in all it was a fun day and I didn't buy a ton of stuff I don't need or won't use.
Hubby's home from the courthouse so I'll wish you a warm,cozy afternoon and a safe tomorrow. Time to bake the bread!

Patchwork Beauties

Color, pattern,and shape can be found in every aspect of our lives. This almost sounds like a lead in for a lecture on the basic elements of art. But instead it is an introduction to the two lap quilts I found on our holiday road trip.

This is going to go over the back of my chair to insure I am cozy while reading.

I just love anything patchwork and even though these are not antiques they are pretty. This one may be used as a table runner. It was quilted but there is no batting between the layers.

Patchwork pieces in

Red and Blue and another hue

Sewn and fastened together patiently

With faith, hope, and love.

 

 I'm in my chair under my quilt, a pumpkin muffin and a fresh cup of coffee...

And a book that's sure to make me smile and laugh.

Enjoy your evening.

Think Antique Mall



As we traveled the highways of the Mid-West we stopped at a number of antique malls and here are a few of our finds...

Treasure No. 1- Notre Dame University Memorabilia
Limited edition Collectible Pop bottle
Anything "Fighting Irish" is a find for Hubby!



This cookie cutter was a dollar and will definitely be used for next Christmas.

I'm thinking cinnamon ornaments for gifts.

Not an antique but only $3.99 will add the wonderful scent of spearmint throughout the apartment.

Do you remember Edith Ann? Lily Tomlin's beloved character from the OLD show "Laugh-In"

offers thoughts on life. this was $1.00 and worth every penny. I'll share bits of her wisdom in a later post.

 Another book for $1.00 holds fixes for anything that ails you!

I'll share more on this later also.

This is a horrible picture but I was able to purchase two amber glass canisters that I paid $8.00 for and plan to use them in our bathroom.

I was really excited to find this piece of Polish pottery. Being a first generation Polish-American these

pieces are really special to me.

These were the find of the trip for me! Two Vintage Dooney and Burke all weather purses.

I purchased the two for $18.00. 

Hope you enjoyed the tour more treasures to come...

Life Eclectic

I am finally on the mend.  I haven't been this sick for this long in years. Teaching puts me in the middle of germs galore. I generally feel that my immune system is strong but the past almost three weeks proved otherwise.  My husband has been wonderful.  He cooked, andd cleaned, did laundry, and went to the grocery store and basically took care of me.  What a lucky girl I am!

I got to run a few errands after school yesterday and stopped to see one of my favorite thrift store owners who had set aside a few treasures just for me. Thanks Granny! (of "Granny's Attic")

The first of the items was this pair of vintage glove stretchers.  They were used to reshape gloves after washing them. (2.00)

The second item was this pattern. I am definately going to make this doll.

As a little girl Mary Poppins was one of my heroes.  I watched Julie Andrews adaptation so many times I couldn't possibly count.  Her disposition, her voice, and those beautiful songs...I just may have to rent it this weekend. (.25)

And the last of the treasures was a collection of artificial vegetables.  I not sure how I will use these yet but I have faith I'll figure it out!

Like this eclectic collection of goodies...so is my life.  I have learned to surrender to the moment I am in.

It may not always feel like it flows or that I even can make sense of it sometimes but if  I surrender and live the moment I am in I am always happy at the end of the day.

Gratitude is the Attitude that will provide the joy and contentment in knowing all is right.

May you have moments that make you smile today. :)

Nostalgia printed on the pages of time...

Wednesday brings a stroll through yesteryear.  Hope you enjoy yourself...

All of these wonderful pieces were purchased at a local thrift shop for 10 cents a piece.  It was a very small price to pay for nostalgia that dates back as far as 1925.

Cooking with Tasha Tudor

Welcome! I am home and relaxing for a moment. Help yourself to a cup of coffee or tea and join me.

This little treasure is in fact an artful creation done by my friend Judy.  It sits on the counter in our kitchen by our coffee pot.  It tickles me.  I keep encouraging her to create mini versions for dollls and dollhouses and am selfishly hoping she will be inspired to do so soon. :)

I have been thinking alot about my blog and the things I have been sharing.  I'd like to do something unique for me. This may not necessarily appear unique for others but inspired by the fim and book, Julie and Julia",  I have decided to cook my way through Tasha Tudor's Cookbook.  I am going to do one meal per week using her recipes one at a time.  I will do the meal for Sunday's dinner and share the results in a post on Sunday evenings.

This beautiful cookbook was a treasure I uncovered at the bottom of a box lot at an auction I attended this past summer.  The box had books, paper products and a few pieces of pottery.  I bid $4.00 and the box of goodies was mine! You can only imagine how excited I was to uncover her book.

I look forward to your visits and to cooking from Tasha Tudor's Cookbook.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

Frosty Morning, Hearts and All that Makes Us Unique

As we got ready to go to church and grocery store we had no idea what it was doing as we slept.  Much to our surprise the trees were glazed with ice and snow.  The ice was not heavy (freezing fog according to the weatherman) but it gave surface for the snow that appeared to look just like glitter.  So pretty...although sometimes too long winter does share it's beauty.  The picture does not do it justice.

As we arrived home our neighbor stopped over to deliver a package we missed yesterday.

The dollhouse kits have arrived! I can hardly wait to open the boxes and get started.

I think I will do the merchantile first.

The heart shaped boxes below were a purchase from a cute second hand store named "Ashury" run by the United Methodist Church.  I am thinking they will be the basis for a center piece for our table throughout February.  I be sure to share it when completed.

I have much to be grateful for and am going to do something that was suggested in the sermon today.

We are to be the unique person God created and share our unique qualities with those we encounter.

What makes me unique will be my meditation for the day.

What makes you unique?

"Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren't any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn't be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life's challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person."

                                                                                                        R. Buckminster Fuller (1895 - 1983)  

Tiny Little Faces

I was at the Saint Vincent DePaul Store today and found these beautiful little tins.  They are about 1" in diameter and have such pretty pictures.  I am sure inspiration will invite creativity and who knows what they might be transformed into.  Time will tell... 

Magnets, pendents, pins, ornaments, ring boxes, oh my the possiblities are endless!

What would you create?

Buttons, wire, and a little creativity...

This was really a fun project.  Buttons, chain, wire and "Wa La"...funky jewelry.

Button Jewelry what a cool idea!  As you may have read earlier I made an awesome purchase of a ton of buttons.  I wanted to do something with them I've never done before...hence the jewelry experiment.

The above picture is the first necklace and earring set I've created.

It looks lovely on a black sweater.

My second piece is a bracelet.  I'm not quite sure if it's finished.  I may add a few smaller buttons for a fuller look ...I just don't know.

I think the next piece will be muticolored.  A long piece that can be wrapped around multiple times.

If you had a ton of buttons what would you create?

Hundreds of Buttons

Button, button, who's got the button!  I do!   Yesterday I took a couple hours and went not to the "After Christmas Sales" but to my favorite second hand shops.  With my favorite coffee in a cup-to-go I kissed hubby and headed out the door.  I was at our local Salvation Army store and found a rusty tin filled with buttons.  Being a sewer and a crafter this was a real find.  The sweet lady working sold it to me for a $1.00!  I was thrilled.  Now, as you can see by the photo my treasure was a mess of dirt, pins, tacks, and other assorted sharp things along with the buttons.  Not to worry!  I seperated the buttons by color while using a magnet to capture the pins,needles, and assorted sharp pieces.

The old muffin tin came in handy to keep the colors seperated.  After seperating them I gently washed my

little treasures and laid them out on a couple of old towels to dry overnight.

There are so many opportunities to come...embellishments, scrapbooking, sewing, quilting, and possibly some button jewelry.

I especially love the collection of white buttons- the majority are shell and glass.

For a wonderful collection of tutorials on Button Jewelry take a look at the following site:

http://crafts.lovetoknow.com/wiki/How_to_Make_Button_Charm_Jewelry

Here's wishing you a creative day!

The Christmas Tree

This year presented a new challenge.  How to have a Christmas tree in our little apartment was a puzzler!

I was lucky enough to be patient and came across this tree that hangs on the wall!  I decorated it with cookies and candy, and a few sweet little elves.

On the surface below I clustered jars and pretty dishes with what appears to be tasty treats.

And visions of sugar plums danced in their heads...

It's all about the Gifts of the Season...

These Christmas lights were so beatuiful I couldn't help but try to capture them.  The city of Geneva, Illinois is awash in lights to celebrate the season.  I was attending an Education Seminar in a nearby town and took the opportunity to visit this beautiful city to do a little Christmas shopping and have dinner.

This shop window was so quaint and so inviting!  I wandered in and found a delightful mix of holiday decor and an array of Paris inspired accessories.  In a word, "Beautiful".

The other shop I visited was called Simply Sassys.  It was a little winter wonderland.  There were candles in the scent of pine needles, decorated trees with ornaments made of porclein, blown glass, chyrstals, and an assortment of other characters made of fabric and some unusual items. (I'll share pics tomorrow!)

The shopkeeper was a sweet woman who chatted and shared stories about each of the gift lines she had to offer.  Handmade jewelry, soy candles, and snow people are just a few examples.  It is a crafters paradise!

In the midst of a day I was granted a moment to explore, meet new people, enjoy the holiday light displays, have a delicious meal, and be thankful for the understanding of the real reason for the season!

May your day be lit with the glowing warmth of this blessed season.