It's raining outside, but it's summer in my heart!

After getting my mail today, I was pleasantly surprised to receive my Matthew Mead Summer magazine! If you have not ordered yours, you just MUST! I sifted through it really quickly (forgot to look for that golden ticket saying I won a prize, so I'll have to check again), and wished I could sit down and just drool over what I saw from my first peek. It is another amazing edition. I loved "Holidays", and I don't want to say this is better, because the holidays have their place of importance, and a whole different decorating, wintery theme. But "Summer!", now this is wonderful. He hit right on my favorite season.
The ideas in this magazine (is a magazine this thick and nice and beautiful called a magazine?) are so fun. The color is amazing, the photography spectacular. We are having my son's wedding rehearsal dinner at our place, and I saw some fun things to do for our party. I admit, I was thinking more of "what's on the menu" than, "how will we decorate", but now I'm thinking we're going to have to do some of those little special desserts, and wonderful display ideas. So believe me, you WANT this magazine!
What else has been happening? We're wrapping our end of the school year, getting ready for the gardening season. We'll soon get the pool running in case summer decides to come. And since I'm an optimist, I'll be ready for those warm breezes, kids playing, and lazy type days to enjoy.
But before I get too laid back, I need to get to my stockpile of fun vintage stuff, sort through it, tag it, and get it ready for....A Vintage Gathering's June 25th Sale! They are hosting several this year, but with so much going on....we just couldn't do it all. We are excitely anticipating seeing these wonderful ladies and all their wonderful goodies. It amazes me how many awesome treasures they find, and their sales are always such friendly occasions. They have a neat bond between them, and they've graciously adopted us into their "family" for special occasions. But to all our "Vintage Gathering" friends, we're hoping to get to your sales even in we aren't under our own tent! It's just too much fun. If you haven't been to one of their sales, click on the following schedule, and it will link to their blog with all the info you need. Happy Shopping! And may all our spring and summer days be sunny and bright with laughter!

Later Better Than Never

I do love to blog. But. Sometimes I feel like I'm running in circles, trying my best to keep up with the whirlwind going on, I know you know what I'm talking about. How often do I see a blog titled, "where has time gone?" or some such theme. You know when some of your favorite blogs haven't had a post in awhile, that they don't even need to explain. It's life.
AND it's spring. If there is a chance I can be outside, that's where I'll be. With kids, it keeps the house clean, right? You get them done with what they have to do, then you say, "Outside!" That's what I love about life in the country. With the exception that there aren't a bunch of neighborhood kids to play with, well, ok, we do have a house down the street with 13 kids, some still young, and my kids' friends. But, I think it is good for a kid to go out, build a fort, or a rocket, or wade in that big old puddle that happens from the run-off over in the field every year. Same things I used to do. We would have a minor flood in our pasture, just a foot or two deep. We'd build a raft, get some sticks for poles, and take a ride about 20 feet to the other side. All that work for such a short ride, but oh what fun! Occasionally we would slip off, and our boots would fill up with water. How exciting! I also remember distinctly (OK, this was mean) taking sticks and poking at water snakes to make them hiss. We pretended they were poisonous, and hopefully they really weren't!
Anyway, that's what spring is for, for a kid. For me, I still like dirt. I like to get dirty. I love to play in my playhouse greenhouse. I love going out there to see what has come up or how much something has grown. I'm not hugely knowledgeable on greenhouse growing, but the point is I'm learning, and I'm having fun. And hopefully, I'm sharing the harvest if there is one. Actually, my daughter bought most of the seed this year. Mostly because she bought so much, it was like, well, a waste for me to buy the exact same things. How many zuchinni plants does a person need? So, the deal was, I'll grown them. We planted a LOT of seeds last weekend. Her chamomile came up very quickly. My cucumbers have GOT to be transplanted to bigger pots today. I've got a lot of flowers in there, and my tomatoes are doing pretty well, if I only knew what kind they were. A friend gave me some heirloom tomatoe seed, when I asked her what kind, she said they were a mix. So, later I will have to identify them. I know some were a chocolate tomatoe? I love chocolate, but I'm hoping I have more than just chocolate black tomatoes in my crop of 50 plants. Somehow, I like red tomatoes.
My daughter is almost 15. We homeschool. You'd think we just stay home ALL the time. Well, at 15, that's just no so. She is very active in the youth group. I've not always been real excited about youth groups, but this is a nice bunch of kids, they definitely aren't doing the boyfriend/girlfriend thing; they are like a big family. I like that. But I do my share of running her back and forth to a LOT of activities. So, lately, that has been taking up a lot of time for me. After Easter, we told her it has to slow down. They had their program last night. Today I'm making about 16 loaves of cardamom bread for our church and my mom's, then celebrating Christ's Resurrection tomorrow. The more this old world turns, the more thankful I am for God's promises to us, for His work done on the cross for us, and His power over death and hell. I get depressed if I read the news. People are making choices that, in our free country, we have lost our voice. They don't care what the people want. I don't want to bury my head in the sand and ignore the state of our country, but it does me no good to become fearful of choices our government is making. I just keep reminding myself, that the truth will prevail. EVERY knee will one day bow to the Lord, though it may come as a surprise to some. So, I can and need to live my life in a position of trust.
I've also been taking some cake decorating classes. This has been a LOT of fun! If you ever have a chance to take a class, give it a try. I met some more new friends, learned lots of fun stuff. That's my cake for this week, by the way. The one thing I don't like, is the decorator icing we are supposed to use in class. My teacher let me use another icing, and with some work, I think I could get the hang of it. It has a much better flavor. I like a pretty cake, but it's maybe even more important to me that it tastes good. I really don't like a lot of cakes you have at birthdays and weddings. So, my goal is to learn to make a beautiful cake that tastes even better than it looks. I'm trying now to decide if I am going to take the next class, because it may be cutting into some sunshine. Winter weather was great for class, but when the sun comes out, it's extremely hard for me to go, thinking, "The weatherman said one day of sunshine, and here I am sitting in a classroom!" I try to console myself with the thought that some people have to go to jobs every day, they don't have a choice. So you see my dilemma! But it's only one day a week for 4 weeks, and then it will be May and gardens will really be going. Hmmm, I've got a few days to procrastinate decide.
I've had a lot of fun selling on Etsy this winter. I did a lot better with sales that I imagined I would. The last couple weeks were slower, but that's fine, it's really more of a fun/hobby/garage-sale enabling thing for me anyway, and I haven't found any dream sales yet this year. BUT that season is also starting. Better get that yard work done so I can spend a few hours a week doing that favorite hobby!
My daughter and I are planning a sale soon. I'll let you know when I have the details. I know we want to do it along the Hwy 30, which is a major beach route for city dwellers, so it would catch that traffic. We were planning it near Mother's Day, but there are some other awesome sales going on then, and we don't want to miss them, either. Our town has a big car show and lots of things going on near the 4th of July. In fact, for such a small town, you'd be surprised at how many people come to our parade and fireworks display. If you think country fair, I think you'd get and idea of the feeling of it. Not that we have stables and farm animals, but it's our town's favorite time of year to have a reunion. People we've grown up with, who've left for the cities or other places, even come back. Everywhere you go you see people you haven't seen in years. That's our 4th of July. We're thinking the weekend of the car show, though, b/c people are more all over our small town, instead of congregating in just the park like sardines. Anyway, I'll let you know more when we get it figured out. In the meantime, be sure to make it to The Vintage Gathering, in Battleground, WA. Their sale is the Saturday before Mother's Day, and you will just love it! They have some of the nicest vendors and tons of great finds with great prices!

Did you mention books?

My title was going to be something like "My Husband Scares Me!", but I thought I might get a bunch of hits on my blog with people thinking he's abusive lol.

Floss, over at Troc, Broc, and Recup, was talking about books today, and I've mentioned before that my husband likes books, but she got me inspired to share my troubles with books. Well, actually, I like books, too, but when we married, all those years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I know, I know, a lot of us can say that, right? He probably has at least thought it himself!

Let's just say, every time I was with my husband, when we first met, he was ALWAYS smiling! When we were together, he laughed ALL the time! I thought to myself, we are EXACTLY ALIKE! What I didn't realize, is, he's actually very serious, very quiet, very contemplative, and when I thought we were exactly alike, was more that he was "in love!" I hadn't noticed that he's not really like that with everyone else, for some reason. Well, one of my first clues, was when we went to my first class reunion. If you knew me, you'd know, I've always been...talkative...loud?...laughing.... I could go with him to his class reunion, and when I left, I'd probably know more people than he did! I can't help it! Seriously, I go to little get-togethers of all kinds, and before I go, I tell myself, "Be quiet!" "Don't talk." "Don't laugh." But then, all of a sudden, something comes over me, and there I go again! On my way home, I wonder, "Is it because I'm home all the time, with kids, with homeschool, living in the country, like they don't let me out?" No, I've always been that way and there's not a thing I can seem to do to change it, try as I may.

But now, back to Randy. When we are alone together, we laugh, we have fun, but he is...intelligent. I think he had a lapse of some sort when he met me. I didn't know he loved to read. He loves to study. He loves God and he reads a lot of early Christian history, missionary biographies, study books, all that kind of stuff. He has a library that I don't often venture into, but it's so packed with his books that I don't even know how he manages to get them in there. He's sold a couple of HUGE collections a couple of times, and he still has books! I tease them that the mustier they are, the more he likes them. OK, it's not just books upstairs. He has pictures whever he can put them, like on the ceiling of his cubby-hole study, of things the kids have drawn him. He always has them sign them, and date them...all that. He collects books for them, too. The family room has a large shelf that is full of the Nancy Drew's, and other literature from the earlier 1900s. Just this morning I mentioned that we have a LOT of books, are they really reading these books. Yes, as a matter fact, they are!
Well, since Floss, my new blogger friend in France, was sharing her "book story", I thought I'd share some of my husband's problem. I didn't go every in the house he has book shelves, but here's a taste of what you'd see if you visited me. I got one of his clocks, and some of his family's heirloom stuff, too. But OK, I'll admit, he does have some pretty neat books, don't you think?

Lost in Blog Land

You can print this one, cut it, and turn it around to be just like the original.

Another one to print, cut, and fold.

Front

Back, print both sides, paste together, and they stand up. (Hope you understand me!)

I love to read blogs. If you're reading this, then you probably often get lost on other people's blogs. I learn a lot from other people. I love to meet people on blogs. I just think they offer a really neat way to communicate, and for a lot of people, there isn't a lot of time, or money to just go, like you can when you visit a blog.

I was reading this morning on Garden Antqs Vintage blog. If you've read it, you'll know she was reflecting on things that really give you thought, make you stop and consider, what's important, what direction is your life going, stuff like that. (She says it better.) I love to be inspired like this! And it makes me so appreciate what I have.

I try very hard not to focus on what I don't have. If I did, I would at times be in tears. My husband and I have been working very hard on getting out of debt, so that means giving up spending on things we normally would. I've been driving my junky car, IMO, way too long, but I don't want a car payment. It's not that bad, and I'm really not vain about cars at all. I can't tell one kind of car from another most of the time, because it's not really important to me. But mine is getting UP THERE in miles, and it concerns me, but I'm on a plan, and I'm sticking to it.

The car's just one of those things. We have stuff here that's not finished, although my husband builds gorgeous homes for other people. Sometimes that bugs me. Not that I don't live in one of those gorgeous homes, because I could, if I wanted to pay for one. It's the unfinished part that sometimes drives me crazy! But then I think, my husband works hard in the miserable weather, laboring very hard, and coming home to what he loves. His family. His nice warm fire. A good dinner. I can't blame him for not finishing this house, when he is playing with our kids! That's the important thing.

So. We could all find things we don't have. What's important is to appreciate what we do have.

I love living in the country. I love that in my small town, we have 1, yes one, stoplight. That means we have no traffic, except for the touring season when people drive through on their way to the beach, which is only 45 minutes from home. I love that I don't have to have a "job" and leave home. I do have kids to homeschool, and work at home to do, but, actually, I've been given a huge gift in that my husband loves me to be home. I can do that!

So these are the things that Garden Antqs blog made me consider. Another thing I have been thinking about, and her blog is a great example of this, is blog favorites lists. You know, the lists on the side of a lot of blogs, where the blogger puts some of their current favorite blogs they like to visit? I LOVE those. I was thinking mine was getting kind of long. Hers is even longer. But I have to say, I love that she keeps her blogging friends list. A LOT of blogs I follow, have deleted their favorite blogs list. I'm sure there are lots of reasons. But they seem to become less personal, at least to me. And less fun. When you see a blog you love, and they list "their" favorites, you get an idea of what the person loves, who "they" are, because of who they hang around with. Yes, if you sell things, it's great to use your blog to link to your sales, to your website, to your Etsy or Ebay stores. I love that, too. OK, that's my complaint, but, I can be thankful that there are still fun blogs out there that keep their "favorites" links. I'll be content with that, but please don't everone give up their lists lol. I love them!

I'm sharing with you some of my many, many Valentine's. You can copy them and use them if you want. I just love Valentines. I have a lot of Victorian ones, but I adore the ones from the 30s through the 60s. Just so cute.

So, do you know what it is?

I got this a couple weeks ago at a thrift store, just had to have it. Don't you think it's kinda neat? I didn't even know what it is at the time. What did you think when you first saw it? I knew it was some kind of filing thing, obviously. I don't really yet know what I'm going to use it for. My craft room is such a mess, I almost don't think I deserve to put it in there. Luckily, I don't think I have that many bills to put in those sections, plus it would be a terrible reminder of bills if I were to put them in something so cute. Maybe Christmas cards for the holidays?? Hmm, lots of possibilities.

Just thought I'd share it with you while I'm waiting for my 40 loaves of bread to rise. I still have the cakes and bars to go, BUT, it'll get done. The other picture is of the cute pumpkin that is going to go into jars in the VERY near future! I'm wondering if you can save the seeds or if it's a hybrid seed that will just not grow that same pumpkin.
Later I'll show you what else I've been working on, thanks to my creative and generous friend Natalie for showing me how to do this! I'll leave that for later. I have a sale tomorrow at the Canterbury in Longview tomorrow I'm getting geared up for. Last week I did the Monticello Hotel's Toy Soldier and did really well, and it's nice to see people are still eating! Guess I'd better get back to the breads and cakes!

Endings and Beginnings

I do love fall, I love everything about fall. There is only one thing I don't love, and that is that winter comes right after! I wouldn't even mind winter too much, except for the fact that it is as long as the other seasons, but seems longer. Know what I mean? Well, it's fall, I LOVE it!
I've nearly finished my canning, yay! I actually got quite a lot done this year, and I was amazed thinking back, at how much of it actually didn't cost much at all. Now, I can look at jars on the shelf, and know that I won't need to go to the store for those things. I still have a little more salsa to do, and as the tomatoes keep ripening I'll can them or make sauce with them, but the biggest part is behind me. BTW, I got this Zesty Salsa recipe from Mennonite Girls Can Cook, and it is wonderful. It's a bit spicier than my usual salsa. Randy said it was way too hot, but I thought it was rather...WONDERFUL! I guess I'm going to have to lower myself to make some for him with a little less hot stuff, but it's awfully hard to do. Salsa should be spicy!
I have been having a lot of fun making plans with Kristin for our Vintage Winter Gathering at the Church. Even the guys have gotten involved-last week they poured new cement and replaced the steps and porch. They got the lights working right and a couple electrical outlets fixed. Krisitn and I have been communicating back and forth with a few ladies, getting advice, putting our ideas together, and I think it will be a lot of fun. Kristin has been working on flyers, etc. She's really good at that! We decided on Nov. 21st and 22nd. Nov. 21st is a Friday and it will be an evening opening. I can't wait to see that neat old building lit up with Christmas!
When Randy reads to me in the mornings, and other relaxing moments, like sitting and visiting with friends, I enjoy doing some kind of handwork. I'm learning (and wishing I had a teacher) rug hooking. I'm learning pretty much with books. I am loving it. I got the latest Create and Decorate Magazine, and there was a Jack-o-Lantern shaker that I thought was really cute. I did change the eyes to a little more folk look, and I had a great time making it. I was pretty much on my way out the door, grabbing a bunch of wool, scissors, etc, and didn't end up following the pattern exactly (does anyone ever do that?). I grabbed a plastic microscope slide box that I got from a lady on Etsy to use as a small container for the shaker inside of the Jack. My Grandson, Caleb found me the rocks we used in the box to make the rattle, and we got him stuffed and put together in no time. Thank you little grandson!! So, here's a picture of my little Jack. While I'm at it, I'll show you Kristin's neat little Corny Fire Starters. She made them with an iron corncake mold, wax of different fall colors, and sawdust. Really cute Kristin!
What else? I got to go to my friend Kelley's for a primitive "fix" yesterday. I love to go to her house and look at all the stuff she has. Maybe next time I'll see if I can photograph her place and share with you what I'm talking about. You know how some people have that knack for finding things in a big way? That's Kelley. She's working on her own little at-home shop that I will tell you more about when she gets it going and everything in place. She gave me a preview and I think she'll have a blast doing it. Especially since it's at home!
So, ok, summer's ended, fall's begun fully, and with it comes the preparation for winter things like our first ever Vintage Winter show. Let the planning and fun begin!

I'm Dreamin' of a Vintage Christmas....Just like the Ones I used to know

Cuz, yes, I grew up in the vintage years, possibly the antique years! And no, it's not too soon, I'm afraid.
After Kristin and I folded up our shop (The Old Quincy Schoolhouse) where we had tons of fun playing and decorating and visiting....but not enough time for kids, for home, for homeschool.....it's been nice having more time to myself, to scrounge for great stuff, to play with kids, and grandkids, to garden (my flower beds are still trying to catch up from the neglect), and all that homekeeping in the country brings (like endless weedeating b/c we live where it's green)..I still miss it. We have done a few shows so that helps, and we get to see other prim n proper people, and vintage & cottage-ey people, though.
But, I got a brainstorm again, and hopefully there will be time to do this and do a good job of it. We have this little country church, right near our home, just the cutest little country church, although it is in need of paint, a new roof, and other maintainance. Well, my idea is to have a "Vintage Winter Faire" in it, possibly in November. I'm thinking even in the evening, b/c I'd just love to see that place lit up for Christmas. I took a picture of it the other night after our Bible study, to see how it looks at night with just lights on inside. It was almost dark, and I thought it looked pretty.
Well, I'd like to do a mini version of what we did in the schoolhouse, have it last a couple weekends in a row. I'm trying to decide exactly when would be the best time, before all the bazaars and shows start in November, or later. I want to be able to decorate for Christmas, (if we do it during the Christmas season), but I don't know that I want to label it "Christmas", more like "Winter". I don't know, I have to dream some more!
But I can picture it, move a lot of the pews out, put booth type spaces, but sell all at one place, like a total shopping experience. Not exactly sure, but you can see why it's not to early to think of a Vintage Christmas.

Recent Finds

I was thrilled to get these couple tables, found them in an old house of a Finnish family. Can't decide, do I want to keep, or do I want to sell, you know how that goes! The size of the cream table is really wonderful, and I love the taller-ness of it! That's a corner shelf on top of it that I'm going to do something with.
The wood stained on has some neat design, too. It does have a glass top on it, but I'm going to take that off. It does have some character. I think the wire one once had a handle on it, like a buggy, but it looks fine like it is.
I'm still pouting about the bicycle I missed, but here my 3-wheeler. And I think I may still get another to replace the Schwinn I'm pouting about.

Fun Things I Found

Here are some neat things I found yesterday out in my junking travels. Had to go get repair done on my car, so couldn't resist a little hunting! I have been finding some really neat pieces of robin's egg blue! Just really summery looking. The half vase hangs on a wall, just kindy neat, I thought. And I loved the pretty Fire King plate.
Also, the Josef Originals June birthday doll is really adoreable, and yep, it's got the blue! How do you like the Mt. St. Helens Ash Scale I found? Something 80s, huh? I remember that ash myself!
I've got a lot of things I need to get on Etsy, some cute vintage stuff! Oh, and I can't forget that awesome vintage fabric! It's actually an uncut length of 8 placemats, and what do you know, robins egg blue again LOL. I'm going to leave the placemats uncut, as it has a lot more possibilities. It reminds me of a neat set of dish towels, or purses can be made of it, or.....all I know is I couldn't leave it there!