MY FOURTH "BUILDING OUR HOMES TOGETHER" FOR WEDNESDAY - JUNE 22ND.

I'M PARTICIPATING IN THE WEDNESDAY "BUILDING OUR HOMES TOGETHER...WITH JESUS" OVER AT THE PRAIRIE FLOWER FARM BLOG. FEEL FREE TO PAY LINDA A VISIT.  SHE LOVE VISITORS. TELL HER I SAID HELLO :) :) :)

Hi everyone,
What a week. Summer has finally arrived here in Southern Oregon. My dad and I broke down and finally turned the air conditioner on. It's spendy, but so comforting in this hot weather.

Today  will be a short post, because I have lots to do. I just wanted to show you where I'm at in repairing/repainting the curio cabinet.

THIS IS A SMALL WALL CURIO CABINET. I PURCHASED THIS AT A YARDSALE FOR $3.50.

I purchased this curio cabinet a little over a week ago at a yardsale. The lady wanted $5 for it. I was able to talk her down to $3.50, since that was literally all that I had in my wallet at the time.  Making your home look nice, doesn't have to cost a lot.  In fact, I  try and find all my items at yardsales to save money. So this is where it's at right now. I had to fix the little door frame. My dad helped with that. We applied some wood glue and  a clamp. The tape was to hold down a light repair on another part of the curio cabinet. It's unconventional, but it works. We didn't have money to buy another clamp. Today, I'll be taking off the tape and the clamp and sanding it. Wish me luck. It's my first refinishing job.

THIS IS THE DOOR TO THE CURIO CABINET. IT IS NOW A  DISPLAY TRAY FOR MY NEWLY ACQUIRED TEACUPS...WHICH WERE ALSO YARDSALE FINDS.

I was going to share about my yardsale finds today, but there is so MUCH stuff, that I'll save that for another post.  One way to save money is to repurpose stuff. Before you throw  something away, ask yourself if there's a way you could reuse it for something different. In this case, the hinges attached to the door were completely off. The only thing that was holding the door in place was tape.  I decided not to purchase new hinges because of cost. So I just removed the door, added some doilies and teacups...and voila, now I have a display tray :) :) The door hinges are attached to the frame with tacks or something. They aren't easy to remove without ruining the frame..so I'm just going to leave them there. Isn't it vintage cool?  The doilies were part of a set of four for $2 at a yardsale. The teacups were $1 each, also purchased at a yardsale. 

I'M GOING TO PAINT THE CABINET IN "PARIS WHITE". THAT'S THE LIGHTEST COLOR AT THE TOP OF THIS SAMPLE CARD.

I bought just one quart of "Paris White" semi-gloss.  It will do the  job nicely. It was too expensive to buy more colors. So this will be perfect for now. What's really cool is that I can always add more colors/designs later if I choose too :) :)

ON THE TABLE ARE SOME MORE OF THE PAINT SUPPLIES THAT I'LL BE USING TO REFINISH THE CURIO CABINET.  ALL THE STUFF IN THE BACKGROUND IS NOW CLEARED OFF THE TABLE :) :) 

I'll keep you posted about the progress of this project as it comes along. 

Pray for my dad and I. Apartment living isn't always easy. There will be an apartment complex wide inspection on June 30th. They are inspecting all the patios and balconies.  My dad went to the manager's office to ask for details and the manager wasn't very friendly. That's just part of apartment living.  So keep my dad in your prayers. He's feeling a bit stressed.  We are having to completely spring clean the house in just a few days. It was a project that was going to take us longer. Plus, my dad's heart gets tired easy when he's stressed. He's feeling stressed now.  We would really like to move. God is having us stay. We don't understand...but He does and that's enough for the moment ;) :) 

Oh, if you like good church apps for your smartphones, another one to try is from Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Church. It's free to install and comes with lots of extras. I'll share more about that next week I was enjoying reading my daily devotional right from my smartphone today while out running errands. My dad was a real sweetheart and let me stay in the car with the air-conditioning while he ran some errands. 

That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather :)

MY 30TH TEACUP AND TEA THINGS TUESDAY AND TEA TIME TUESDAY FOR JUNE 21ST

Hi everyone,

It's been awhile since I've been able to participate in  any of the tea parties. I love to visit everyone on Tuesdays...any day, actually.  However, it's also a great pleasure to have something to share with you all, too :) :)
Oh my, I went to a couple of yardsales this past weekend. I found a couple of really interesting treasures. Here  are some really neat teacups that I have to share with you. Now one of you sweet ladies has a teacup(s) just like these...or a very similar style. Well, before I talk too much, let me show you what I have to share today:

THESE ARE TWO OF THE TEACUPS I FOUND AT A YARDSALE THIS PAST WEEKEND.

I am working on a couple of posts for this month, so I'll go into detail about the other items in these photos another time. Today it's all about tea :) These two  teacups were yardsale treasures that I found for just $1 each.   These cups are so unusual, that I  just had to buy them.  I seem to remember one of you sweet ladies finding similar teacups as well :)

 THIS IS WHAT I CALL MY "VIOLET" TEACUP. IT'S GOT THIS SAME VIOLET PATTERN ALL THE WAY AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP.

 This  cup is the most unusual in my collection so far.  It has a double-ring gold handle.  It also sits on three little mini gold rings. Plus, it has a pearlescent sheen to it. It reminds me of abalone shell.

The cup has this pearlescent sheen to it. It reminds me of abalone shell. There was no backstamp on this teacup. So I'm not able to identify it's origin. Oh yeah, that's my seriously warped reflection you see in the teacup. I was trying to get a good photo with my camera.... :) :) :) :)

HERE IS ANOTHER VIEW OF MY VIOLET TEACUP, JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO PRETTY. I LIKE THE  VIOLET DETAIL. USUALLY I SEE TEACUPS WITH ROSES..THIS MAKES IT EXTRA SPECIAL.

NOTICE THE THREE SMALL GOLDEN RINGS THAT THE CUP SITS ON. THEY SORT OF REMIND ME OF MINIATURE WEDDING RINGS.

THIS IS THE OTHER TEACUP THAT I FOUND AT  THE SAME YARDSALE THIS PAST WEEKEND. THIS ONE HAS A FRUIT THEME WITH GRAPES AND PEARS.

This teacup is also really beautiful...and quite romantic and regal, too.  Notice the pedestal fan base. that is quite unusual. I've seen more modern Asian teacups with pedestal bases. The handle has a bit of a thumb rest, too...of course, this also has gold and the same pearlescent sheen.

 THIS IS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DESIGN ON THIS CUP. IT LOOKS LIKE GRAPES, PEARS AND APPLES. THIS SAME PATTERN IS ALL AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE TEACUP, AS WELL AS ON THE INSIDE.

THIS IS THE SAME FRUIT MOTIF ON THE INSIDE OF THE CUP. I LOVE TEACUPS THAT HAVE "SECRET" SURPRISE MOTIF ON THE INSIDE. THIS IS THE LARGEST ONE I'VE EVER SEEN

This teacup is really neat because of the beautiful fruit drawings on the outside and inside of the cup. It has the same sheen as the other teacup with the violet flowers.  

HERE IS THE BACKSTAMP ON THE TEACUP. IT JUST GIVE STHE PATTERN NAME, THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND THE YEAR IT WAS PRODUCED.

This has a lot of similarites with the violet teacup. I'm guessing that one is also made in Japan. If any of you have more information on this teacup, please let me know.

HERE ARE MY BEAUTIFUL TEACUPS AGAIN.  I JUST HAPPENED TO PLACE THEM ON THIS "TRAY" WITH THE LACES.  HOWEVER, I RATHER LIKE THE LOOK, DON'T YOU?  IT'S REAL VINTAGE CHIC.

 Thanks for stopping by for tea today. I really enjoyed visiting with you.  Again, if you know anything further about these two teacups, please let me know. They are quite lovely.  I have another teacup to share with you next week :) :)

That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)

MY 3RD "BUILDING OUR HOMES TOGETHER" FOR WEDNESDAY - JUNE 15TH, 2011

 I'M PARTICIPATING IN THE "BUILDING OUR HOMES TOGETHER" SERIES OVER AT PRAIRIE FLOWER FARM. IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN ON IN THE FUN,  PAY LINDA  A VISIT. THIS IS A SUPER FUN AND VERY ENCOURAGING SERIES.

Hi everyone,
How has your week been so far? Mine has been very good.  I've really been experiencing a burst of  craft inspiration the last few days. I'm not sure if it's coming from getting my house in shape. That leads to a less stressed-out Heather...and I have more time to think about fun stuff, like knitting.   Today is going to be a bit of a hodge podge of craft stuff.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this small wall curio cabinet that I  purchased at a yard sale last Saturday or not. This is going to be a redecorating project for me.

THIS IS THE SMALL WALL CURIO CABINET THAT I PURCHASED AT A YARDSALE LAST SATURDAY.  YOU CAN SEE SOME OF MY CRAFT STUFF JUST LYING AROUND EVERYWHERE. THAT IS USUALLY WHAT THE LIVING ROOM LOOKS LIKE...STASHES OF CRAFT ITEMS ARE EVERYWHERE....INSERT BIG HEATHER SMILE HERE, PLEASE  (PHOTO HAS NOT BEEN RETOUCHED)

 One of my goals in making my home beautiful is by using items that I've purchased at yardsales, garage sales etc.  Why? Mainly, it's because I'm "in between" jobs, so I can't afford to pay retail. Also, I like to keep as much money in my wallet as I can...job or no job :) :)  So I saw this curio cabinet and just had to have it. The lady wanted $5 dollars for it. However, I only had $3.50 in my wallet...literally. I asked her if she would take that and she said YES :) :) Score!!!! What a treasure and such a great price.  If you go to Ebay's website and type in "curio cabinet", you can find similar ones and even an exact replica selling for quite a bit more.  It reminds me of something from my childhood. 

It's not very pretty now, but it's got possibility aplenty. My plan  is to sand it, prime it and repaint it using creams and pinks.. making it romantic, country, shabby chic, etc. You get the idea - totally feminine and totally frufru :) :) 

THIS IS A TEA BAG COZY THAT I KNIT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. IT JUST SO HAPPENS, IT WILL FIT IN NICELY WITH A PROJECT HAPPENING OVER AT PRAIRIE FLOWER FARM :)

 Linda over at Prairie Flower Farm and some other incredible blog ladies are working on a project to help and encourage women in Joplin, Missouri. Click here to read Linda's original post on the project. It's called "Purses with Promise"   You can find out all the details there.  There is also a link to Angie's blog "Berry Homespun Primitives". She's also a sweetheart of a lady, just like Linda. She recently drove through Joplin, Missouri and took some photos of the devastation. Folks, this doesn't even begin to describe the difficulties the people are going through there. However, we are a country of resilient people.  Just look at all that was accomplished by those that came before us. We come from sturdy stock, that's for sure. In any case, Angie's photos really show just how much the people have lost...literally. Both blogs will give you some perspective as well as information on what this love project is all about :) :) It's a simple way to encourage the ladies of Joplin, Missouri. It's also an opportunity to use our talents to help others.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE SMALL CROCHET FLOWERS THAT I'M MAKING FOR THE "PURSES WITH PROMISE" PROJECT OVER AT PRAIRIE FLOWER FARM.  YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL COLOR OF MY KNITTED TEA BAG COZY. (THIS PHOTO HAS NOT BEEN RETOUCHED)

The three crochet flowers on the left, were my attemps  at crocheted flowers.  Not too bad, but not what I was looking for. Linda of Prairie Flower Farm is  fabulous lady who loves Jesus. She sent me a link to an earlier blog post with the pattern for Miss Clarice's crocheted flowers. Click here if you'd like to try this pattern out for yourself. It's really easy. 

HERE'S A CLOSE-UP OF MY REPRODUCTION HERSHEY'S COCOA TIN. THIS IS NOW THE OFFICIAL "HOME" FOR ALL OF MY SMALL CROCHET FLOWERS. ISN'T THIS JUST THE CUTEST. CAN YOU IMAGINE A WHOLE TIN FILLED WITH LITTLE FLOWERS IN DIFFERENT COLORS?

These small crochet flowers taught me a lot about not being so concentrated on perfection. I was a little frustrated when I first started crocheting these. It's funny really, but true..  I can crochet doilies, knit lace edgings, socks, mittens, hats...and I couldn't crochet a simple flower.  You know what? That is okay. We aren't expected to be perfect. God doesn't expect perfection from me, but He wants me to give my all to HIM...and that's what I did. I prayed and asked God for help, because this project means so much to me..and I want the ladies who receive these to be blessed and encouraged :) :) God came through and once I layed my worries at HIS feet, the project automatically started getting easier. I'm still "new" to crochet in general, but these flowers are sure a lot of fun to make :) :) Give them a try.

THIS IS THE TOP OF THE HERSHEY'S TIN. IT WAS MADE IN ENGLAND IN  1982.  I PURCHASED IT AT A YARDSALE FOR JUST $0.50.

Remember what I said about this post being a hodge podge of craft stuff today? :) :) :)   You can find all sorts of cute ways to store things in your home. You don't have to use plastic or stick with boring colors.  Yardsales and garage sales can be great places to find vintage tins, bowls etc, that can be repurposed as storage units for all the bits and pieces in your home :) :)

FLAG DAY IS CELEBRATED EVERY JUNE 14TH IN THE UNITED STATES.  THIS IS A LITTLE FLAG TABLE MAT THAT I CROCHETED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

 Flag Day came and went yesterday. However, if you love fun and easy craft projects, this is for you.  Click this link to visit Create & Decorate magazine blog.  Here you can find the instructions for making your own flag.  The pattern is from  Vickie Zelizo. It's a really cute pattern and very easy to crochet in an afternoon. I used slightly different colors, because that was all I had on hand.  This would also be a perfect project for the upcoming 4th of July holiday :) :) So start working the yarn and crochet needles :) :)  Oh, if you'd like to subscribe to Create & Decorate magazine or just find out more, click here. It is a fantastic magazine full of super cute projects from front to back cover. I subscribe and it is worth EVERY penny :) :)

I  PURCHASED SOME COTTON YARN AT MY LOCAL FRED MEYER STORE.  THIS WILL BE CROCHETED INTO SOME MORE FLAG TABLE MATS.

The pattern calls for a really fun "Lily's Sugar N' Cream" cotton yarn. That yarn is really fun and comes in some fun colors.  I usually purchase mine at Joann's Fabrics or Michael's. Both stores are on the other side of town, so I settled for Lion Brand cotton yarn at Fred Meyer today.  It's much closer and not as much gas was needed to get there. Although, now I've got a hankering for "Lily's Sugar N' Cream" yarn...so eventually I will have to make my way to that part of town :) :)

AFTER ALL THIS YARN SHOPPING AND GROCERY SHOPPING TODAY, I NEED A NICE GLASS OF WATER :) :)

Alright, that's my post for today :) :) After buying the yarn, buying groceries, and running other errands, I needed to sit down for a bit. So I promptly sat myself down in my dad's nice cushy recliner and grabbed a nice glass jar and filled it with water and ice cubes. This is the good stuff and so simple :) :) :) Oh, doesn't the water look cuter in a Mason jar than in a regular cup? Again, simple things that we can do to make everythings look more beautiful :) :)

I'm a bit behind on my devotions - by two days to be exact. So I'll be catching up on my reading today.  I'm telling you what...ladies..it's so important to have a regular devotion time, even if it's just a few minutes every day.  It makes a huge difference in my day.  It's a noticable difference. So if you'd pray for more regular quiet times, that would be AWESOME. I'll do the same for you, too :) :)

Oh, this was a really long post.  I also experimented with most of my photos today. In fact, all of them were retouched in some way, except for those where I said "This photo not retouched" in parantheses. I'm obsessed with vintage photography. So I'm playing around with photos, to try and create a "vintage" look :) :)

Thanks for coming to visit me :) :) I always enjoy when you come over here...and even more so  when you leave comments :) :)  That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)

MY SECOND "BUILDING OUR HOMES TOGETHER" FOR JUNE 8TH, 2011

I'M PARTICIPATING IN THE "BUIDING OUR HOMES TOGEHTER" SERIES WITH LINDA OVER  AT PRAIRIE FLOWER FARM.

 Hi everyone,

 Welcome to the "Building Our Homes Together" series. If you 'd like to visit or find out more, click on the link below the photo at the top of this post ;) :)  I tried to get this blog written yesterday. However, blogger wasn't letting me upload photos. So it had to wait till today. Oh, there's also a fun offer from The Girlhood Home Companion Magazine. Look for that at the end of this post today :) :)

THIS IS THE WOODEN BENCH THAT I PURCHASED AT A YARD SALE LAST SUMMER. IT IS SOLID WOOD. THE BEST PART IS THAT IT ONLY COST $5.

I don't know about you all, but I'm already LOVING this "Building Our Homes Together" series...for the practical and spiritual encouragement ;) :)  I've got a lot of things that I want to do and only two pairs of hands :) :) So one of the things I'm doing this week is trying to decorate more. It is those extra little touches that really make a difference. One thing that I was working on this week was my bench :) :) There is a really nice storage space underneath.  It is solid wood and needs a nice  paint job at some point. 
              The bench is solid wood. Up to this point, it was simply a space to dump stuff like mail and books.  However, I wanted to clean it up and pretty it up a bit.  So one thing I did was to clean all the junk off the bench. I added this cute pillow sham.  That sham was a yard sale purchase for $0.50. It will eventually function as a pillow case. It just so happened that I just "threw" it on the bench and it fit perfect. What do you think? It's a bit plain.

 HERE'S THE SAME WOODEN BENCH WITH A FEW ACCESSORIES.  I WILL  PROBABLY CHANGE IT UP AGAIN.

I thougth it would look better with a few accessories. Hmm.. it's not bad. Yet it's not quite what I want it to be. I have a vision in my head of a cover I can make for this. It was just something that I thought of yesterday. I'll sketch it on paper and share it with you next week.   What do you think?  One rule of thumb is to decorate with those things that make you smile :) :) These things make me smile.   Any tips? What would you do with this bench?   I'm open to ideas ;) :) :)

I bought this eBook not to long ago called " 31 Days to Clean - Having a Martha House the Mary Way"  You can buy the book and download it to your Kindle or as a PDF file. I purchased it and it's been great. You get a LOT of good stuff for the price..definitely worth every penny and then some.  That's one of the sources I've been using to help me get my house into shape ;) :)   I'm giving this review of my own free will  :) :) Why? I LOVE the concept and it fits in perfectly with this series. So feel free to check it out. There's also a companion page on Facebook. If you have Facebook, you can click here to "like" the page.

ANOTHER THING YOU CAN DO TO ADD A LI TTLE SOMETHING SPECIAL TO YOUR EVERYDAY IS WITH FUN-SHAPED ICE CUBE TRAYS. I HAVE A RUBBER ICE CUBE TRAY THAT IS HEART-SHAPED.

Why have regular ice cubes when you can have heart-shaped ice cubes? Aren't they cute and romantic? I like romantic ice cubes. The rubber ice cube tray I used for these was purchased at Ikea years ago.  Once the ice cubes are frozen, I turn the whole thing upside down and run some hot water over the bottom. It helps to loosen up the ice cubes. Then I just pop them out and place them in  nice bowl in the freezer. Or in this case, I  displayed them on some Depression glass, because it was prettier than a freezer bowl :) :)

I'M NOT SURE WHAT TYPE OF FLOWERS THESE ARE. HOWEVER, I NOW KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN FLOWERS THAT ARE SO BRIGHT, THEY CAN NEVER TRULY BE CAPTURES ON CAMERA.

I have tried over and over to get a  good photo of t hese flowers. God is so awesome. He creates us with eyes that can see detail that not even a camera can replicate :) :) I know, I've tried ;) :)   It's such a bright magenta color, it's almost neon.

Another thing that I do is daily devotions. Do any of you have a "smart phone"?  there is a really neat on-line Bible resource called YouVersion.com. Click here to visit their page. It's a really simple on-line Bible resource. What's awesome about this is that it has EVERY translation of the English Bible available to read, plus other  foreign languages. You can create an account and choose a Bible reading plan that fits your  needs...and here's the best part, there is a nice smartphone app for that. You can also just follow the reading plan for the day , without signing up for anything, too. It's up to you and what will fit into your life best :) :)

I have this app on my phone. You can click here and look at a news segment about it that aired recently on CBN/The 700 Club.

Or try clicking on this  link.



If you look for the app on your phone, simply type in "Bible" in your application search engine. Get the one that  says it's from Lifechurch.tv.  It's free to use. You do NOT have to create an account to use it. You can just read the Bible on your phone or on-line :) :) However, if you want to create a personalized reading plan, an account is nice :) :) That's what I do. It works wonderfully for me. I'll talk more about it next week, too, as I'd like to keep myself accountable in what I"m reading ;) :)

This is perfect...if you love King James or the New Living Translation etc..we all love a goog smartphone app. This is great. Can you imagine being able to read your Bible while you're waiting to pay for groceries at the store? It's a wonderful app and Lifechurch.tv has done a wonderful thing by making this free to people everywhere. So if you try out the app or the website, let me know what you think. It  has helped me to read more!!! It also has the Norwegian, French, German, Sp anish and a whole bunch of other foreign language translations.

My dad had an angiogram yesterday. He's doing well . God answered our prayers. My father doesn't need a stent or surgery. He'll need to make a few lifestyle changes...but all in all, it was a real blessing. He had a good doctor. The doctor was also cute, too...but that's besides the point ;) :) My daddy is doing well :) :)

THIS IS A REALLY SWEET PROJECT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE GIRLHOOD HOME COMPANION MAGAZINE. IT'S A PROJECT FROM LINDA OVER AT PRAIRIE FLOWER FARM.

 The Girlhood Home Companion magazine is hosting a June giveaway. For every blog linking to the giveaway, they would love to bless you with a free project from Linda of Prairie Flower Farm. Trust me , ladies, Linda knows how to do it up right ;) :) It's so super cute ;) :) The free gift includes an audio interview with Linda  that is incredibly inspirational and encouraging. It's definitely a must-listen for all the women you know in your household and outside of your home. Please make sure to link the giveaway to this address.  When you've done that email Jill at jillenovak@gmail.com  so she can send you your free gift.  Also, write her a note of hello and thanks for the giveaway. This is so awesome. I'd love for her and Linda to know how much you love and appreciate this wonderful gift ;) :)
Thanks for visiting me. Thanks to all the news followers, too :) :) I am humbled that you like my page :) :) Thank you :) :) I hope I can be a joy and encouragement to you :) :)  Feel free to email me to say hello or if you need prayer. I'd love to pray for you :) :)

That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)

The "Mother Load" of Yard Sales...Especially If You Love Crafty Things.

Hi Everyone....Are you having a good Sunday? I'm having a great Sunday.  My dad and I decided to stay home from church today. He's really tired from working yesterday..and he has another super-early workday tomorrow. 

One of my rituals on Sunday is to buy the Sunday newspaper because it has all sorts of coupons. Today was like hitting the mother load. There were 5 coupon circulars in the paper today...with many coupons for things I can actually use!!!! So cool....I'll save those coupons till the items go on sale.

When I payed for my newspaper, I made sure to get a little bit of cash back so that I could do...what else...some yard sale shopping...and ladies...I hit the "mother load" of yard sales today....I stopped at  TWO yard sales. The first one was a lady who was selling a HUGE collection of craft items. Take a look at some of the items below.

My dad and I happened upon this particular "crafty" yard sale on accident, while looking for another yard sale. I saw this quilt rack. There were actually two of them, but this one was considerably taller. It is as high as my waste. The mahogany/deep cherry color is so beautiful. I have enough quilts now, that something like this will really come in handy.


This quilt rack/stand only cost $7. I almost didn't buy it...but I saw a gigantic SUV pull up and "eye" it...so I decided to buy it right then. I'm so glad that I purchased this treasure. It'll make my home look really nice.

The quilt rack will NOT stay at it's current location. That's where I happened to place it after I brought it into the apartment.  I was particularly proud of this find, because they are expensive to buy brand new.  The lady who was selling this, had literally about two rooms worth of craft items from laces and  embroidery patterns to quilt books and bolts and bolts of decorating fabric. It's  a good thing I was on a limited budget!!!! I asked her why she was selling her entire collection. She said that this was just a tiny fraction of what she has at home. Hmm...this is a woman after my own heart...More is more when it comes to craft stuff!!!!


Here's a close-up view of the quilt rack detail. I really am impressed with this. It's very sturdy. It's not heavy at all. It's actually very light and easy to carry. My sweet daddy carried it to the car for me :) :) :)

"Crafty yard sale lady" was surprised to learn that I was a quilter...well, just a beginning quilter.  I told her I have a quilt I made, a very ugly yet super comfy quilt that was given to me, a yard sale quilt and a yard sale comforter that I plan to hang on the quilt rack. We both had a good laugh over the "ugly" quilt comment. It was a quilt that a friend of mine had received as a wedding present...but she gave it to me shortly after the wedding...because she didn't like it. I didn't like it either...but ladies, let me tell you something, never judge a quilt by the cover, it's the most comfy quilt ever...In fact, the same friend, gave me other free stuff...which in my household, Postulate Number 1 is never turn down a free meal....or free stuff.  Below are two quilts...the one in the front, that is the very first quilt I ever made...and the blue one in the back, that's the yard sale quilt. It was super stinky...so I had to wash it...but now it's fresh and clean :) :)

I'll be moving this to another spot in the apartment...probably my bedroom as a display/storage area for my quilts!!!

Below are some of the other things I picked up at the "crafty lady's" yard sale...specifically the "Cross Stitch and Country Crafts" magazines, the index cards and the crochet cotton. The glass jar on the right was from a different yard sale. Everything else was from previous forays....

I purchased all FIVE "Cross Stitch & Country Crafts" magazines for just $1. There are some really useful patterns in there that I plan on making during the winter. The magazines range from 1986 - 1990. So they are definitely older, but still very cute. Oh, that's an embroidered  pink kitty cat on the front cover. The index cards were $0.25 and the crochet cotton...almost a full spool..also just $0.25. The glass drinking jar was $1


This mercerized crochet cotton is the real deal...and very high quality..and it was only $0.25...so I snapped that up right away. I'll definitely use this up...for sure!!!


The case is falling apart. I was really after the index cards with the tab dividers.  Now to look for a cute wooden box to store these.

Okay....I hope you don't think I'm cheesy for showing these old magazine covers. The projects on the front cover really drew my attention...and inside, there's all sorts of extra craft projects...and the price...well, all five for $1...can't be beat.


At first I thought this was a rabbit...it's actually a kitty cat. There's a blue version, too!!!


I love the sweetness of the mother praying blessing over her little baby. So this one, the year on the photo will have to change when I make it up...but it's adorable!!!!

CHRISTmas is a favorite holiday. This stocking has really sweet vintage details when you look really closely!!! Did you notice the old sewing machine?


Family tree....


The colors in this blue embroidery project reminded me so much of another pattern I had unfortunately given away. Plus I love this particular sampler.

This glass drinking jar was purchased at a seperate yard sale. The lady running this sale was using the money to donate to the American Cancer Society. My sweet grandmother passed away from cancer. So this would make a perfect "drinking" glass for me...oh, no alcohol because I live in a "temperance household"...but I'm thinking nice clean water, milk, or cold iced tea or coffee (iced).

This jar says "Golden Harvest" above the fall image...and underneath it says "drinking jar".  Now if this only had a lid to go with it...

Thank you so much for all the nice compliments on the Victorian lace edgings that I shared with you. I LOVE to knit...among other things...and your comments really made my day :) :) You can click here to read that post and look at the photos.

Now comes the business of sorting everything. Alhough maybe I'll wait until winter to do that. There won't be many yard sales, if any, during that time. Some of you asked about the bookcase I plan on attaching the lace edgings too. It's light in color...but I'll make sure to post a photo sometime this week, so you can see it...and give me your ideas/opinions about color...pink or white or both :) :) :)

Tales from the Pear Tree
I've sure talked a LOT today. Thanks for all the encouragement about work.  It means a lot...I feel like I've been tossed to and fro...BUT remember what I said earlier about how God will work it ALL out for the good...and HE is FAITHFUL!!!! So I'll continue to "bloom" where I'm planted and enjoy the ride!!!! The people I work with are stellar and sterling individuals. You can't put a price on that...and if nothing else, I LOVE my job because of these people I am honored to work with everyday.

That's the news from Oregon today. Extra love and hugs to all of you sweet friends, Heather :)

I've Knitted My Very First Samples of Victorian Knitted Lace Edgings & Work Update

Hi everyone...I pray that you all have a really great weekend. I have to to work today (Saturday)...so I'm working on this post early to make sure it gets published on time :) :)  I mentioned awhile back that I'm making some lace edgings for my bookcase. I like lace and all sorts of beautiful vintage things. So in an effort to beautify my home and make it more feminine and romantic, I thought lace edgings would be a good place to start :) :) :)

A couple of years ago, I purchased this book at a local used book store. It's written by Nancie Wiseman and published by Interweave Press. The book might be out of print now. You'll have to check that on-line somewhere. However, I'm sure there's a copy to be found in a used bookstore somewhere. I purchased this copy at Smith Family Bookstore in Eugene, Oregon. It was about $9 and worth EVERY penny.



At the time I didn't crochet...so this was just perfect and it reminded me so much of Victorian/Edwardian things and Anne of Green Gables...so I just had to HAVE the book :) :) :) In short, this book is a really nice collection of genuine Victorian era knitted lace edgings by Blanche Beau...the woman you see pictured on the front cover.   She kept everything in a really neat notebook, that was eventually inherited by the author of this book!!!  So I thought I'd make up some samples in various patterns and colors to decide what I like best!!!

The first two samples I knitted in dark red...because I LOVE red.  The third sample is knit in pink..which now upon reflection, is much brighter than I originally thought it was ;) :) :)  I do have white crochet cotton...but I decided to start with some color!!! There will definitely be some white samples to choose from as well!!!


I've completed two different styles of lace edging and am working on the third (in pink)..Here is the first one, it's called "Mrs. R's Diamond Lace" on page 41.  This one was the most difficult since it was my first. I literally started and ripped it out about three times, before I finally got the rhythm right.  I haven't "blocked" this yet. I'm not sure if I will.  I'll definitely press it with an iron to make it lay flat...The scalloped edging should be a little pointier...at least according to the photo in the book...so I'm not sure what isn't being done correctly. No matter...I LOVE it..and it's definitely homey/vintage looking :) :) :)

Next is the "Rose Point Lace" on page 46-47. This definitely will need to be blocked or pressed or both...Still, I'm very happy with the result and although I LOVE the red, this might look better in white. The plan is to knit up some samples, display them on my bookcase and then let you decide which style of lace looks best. Then I'll knit a bunch of that!!!

Last but not least....because I'm still knitting is this really nice "Maple Seed Lace" on pages 70-71. So far this has been the best one in terms of the look as it's knitting. There are quite a few YO's (yarn overs)...that is part of what helps create those lacy parts...but the overall affect is really beautiful!!!! Somehow I think I was born in the wrong generation..but then again, no, God's timing is perfect...and how that and my love of vintage stuff fits together...I'm not sure yet, other than to help make my home a haven!!!



Pictured below are all my samples together...with the fabric in the backdrop that I'll use as the shelf liner fabric. This was formerly my fitted sheet on my bed. I did wash it first...but I don't believe in ironing...well, only if I absolutely have to :) :) This is part of a Shabby Chic bed set...called "Cherry Blossom" You won't even see this fabric once I attach the lace edging.  I don't want to use tacks on my bookcase, so I thought this would be a good alternative. It's part of an idea that I dreamed up of how the overall project should look when it's finished. So we'll see if this turns out or not. Oh, I also included that wire/rose ribbon I purchased at a yard sale last weekend.  I'm not sure what I'll use this for...Any ideas?

That's my Victorian knitted lace edging project thus far...I hope you like it. Do you already see a lace edging that you like best? My bookcase has 5 shelves plus the top...so I'll be knitting or crocheting three more styles of lace.

Tales from the Pear Tree
I have some sort of sad news to report. Today was my day off and a coworker called me during her break to tell me "They completely shut down our department today"..WHAT?????  That's so bizarre since management told our supervisors only YESTERDAY that we'd have more work and we were doing a great job. I did receive a call from one of my supervisors today about this...it is very discouraging.

Well, I can't really comment more on it at this point and I WON'T name the company I work for...but I will say that I feel like something smells really rotten here in terms of integrity. Many of my coworkers feel the same way, too. We're going to be split up and some will go into the business division setting up phone appointments. Others will stay in inbound/customer service calls. I am choosing to stay in the latter...doing only inbound calls/customer service.

Arrgghh..I won't complain anymore...Just pray for me to not lose heart in the face of what seems like a lack of integrity.  I still have to do a good job as unto the LORD regardless of what goes on around me!!! So pray for a good attitude. I am grateful to still be working, because it's keeping a roof over my head :) :) :) Okay, enough "pears" today!!!

So I've been busy working on my knitted lace edgings. I do need to get my quilt out and start working on that too. It's been awhile...so I'll be working on some time management skills...to help me towards that end!!! Life has once again thrown me a curve ball...but that's okay...God is good...and somehow He'll use this for His glory...I'm sure of it!!!...the how, I'm not sure about...but I know that HE is faithful!!! That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)