Still knocking it out

I am still plugging away, trying to knock out some of the projects that I have had sitting around for awhile. And while I still need to get at the odd chair that I picked up at the flea market last fall with the farm table chairs, I had another project that had been sitting for even longer.

 

Remember this buy?

 

 

Sitting in my garage for a solid year. When I saw it at my favorite indoor flea market, I thought it looked like the perfect size stool to use as a makeup chair in my bathroom.  And I was right, perfect size, and actually very comfortable to sit on.

 

 

And a lot prettier to look at now, or at least I think it is. I did not want to paint the wood, I liked the dark natural wood with the fabric I picked out. A pretty brown French Toile that I had sitting in my scrap bag for years.

 

 

 

I love the fabric, it in no way matches the décor in my master bathroom. At least now it is finished and useable. Which means it qualifies to be crossed off the "to do" list.

 

Now, on to the rest of the list.

 

I am still working on getting a couple aluminum hydrangea boxes together for the Farmisan Market next weekend. I have my core stock complete, sugar scrubs are made, sentiment spoons and herb markers are finished and set up in the display. All I lack are a few more sentiment spoons and I think I can get those cranked out pretty easily this week. If not I will be hammering at top speed on Saturday before the market.

 

Hoping you have a great week planned!

 

 

Every day I'm hammerin'

I have been slowly hammering away getting stock ready for the Farmisan market, and generally just getting my stock built up. Some nights I really get a lot done. Some nights I am lucky to get one spoon hammered out.  I think I will have a decent inventory for the market with plenty more to bring to Creative Village afterwards.

 

On Monday I looked out my kitchen window and noticed that my crabapple tree had really blossomed over the last couple of days. Knowing that we were supposed to get some storms today I figured I better run out and get some pictures of those gorgeous, sweet smelling blossoms.

 

So I did.

 

Since I was out with my camera,  I figured I would take a couple "product" shots with some of the new spoons that I will have at the Farmisan Market on the 16th. I had hand cramps from holding the spoons by the time I finally got some shots I was satisfied with.

 

I have been having some fun with my herb spoons. If I don't try new things, I get bored.

 

I self diagnose myself with Adult ADD. But it is probably more that I am getting old and have no patience.

 

Unfortunately for me, my dogs favorite potty spot in the backyard is under my crabapple tree. So, as I was dancing around trying not to step in the most recent "deposit" I noticed the most gorgeous wood violets in bloom.

 

 

Which made me wonder. Do the prettiest flowers grow best where the dogs poop? Or do dogs just like to poop next to the prettiest flowers? The Facebook conversation that followed that post leads me to believe that wood violets like dog poop.

 

I guess the lesson for the day is, if you look, you will always find some beauty mixed in next to the poop.

 

Hoping your week has more beauty mixed in than poop.

Good things come to those who wait!

Or you hesitate too long and are just out of luck.

 

But that did not happen this time.

 

A couple weeks ago I dragged my Mom out thrifting. While at Southern Thrift I passed on a couple of French bone dishes that had caught my eye. They were, at 8.99 each, I thought a little on the expensive side for a thrift shop, so I left them behind.

 

Fast forward a week later and I was back at Southern Thrift and there they were, still sitting there. Now, I know these are quality dishes and I have to admit, I was shocked to see them still there. I mean, the relish dish with the missing mushroom center piece was gone, but not these quality dishes? Surprising.

 

But good for me, because as it happens, they were now half price!!

 

8.99 for both? Yes ma'am I will take them!

 

 

They are such a delicate china, and I love the decoration. So beautiful!

 

 

No idea how old they are, but they are so pretty. I really like them! They are not like the other bone dishes I have. Again, like everything else in my house, they don't match anything, but they go with everything!

 

Only two weeks before the first Farmisan market. I still have a lot to do, but I feel pretty well organized and on schedule to have everything done. Lets hope I still feel this way in two weeks!

 

Hope you are outside enjoying some beautiful spring weather!

Traditionally non traditional

I hope you had a lovely Easter! I know we had a very nice quiet day.

 

We are only semi traditional about Easter at our house, I love to do extravagant Easter baskets for the kids and the traditional Easter ham with all the trimmings for dinner, and we used to do egg hunts when the kids were younger. But, generally speaking it is a quiet holiday at our house, and a holiday that I like to use as an excuse to bring out some of my favorite vintage dishes and set a pretty table.

 

Up until last year, it was my tradition to use my husbands Grandmother Adeline's dishes for any major holiday. But last year, after seeing the beautiful table setting using Jadeite dishes and deep purple flowers in Martha Stewarts magazine from last Spring. I decided to switch it up a bit, and loved it! Loved it so much that I decided to do the same this year, except instead of doing the Jadeite with purple flowers again, I decided to use my newest set. The Honeysuckle Fire King that I purchased with my Christmas cash. Again, I loved how it turned out!

 

 

These are such pretty dishes with a lovely Spring feel to them. I decided to use the tablecloth I purchased at the Nashville Flea Market in February. I thought they would go together well, and I believe I was right!

 

Since I only have one serving platter and not a complete set of serving dishes in the Honeysuckle pattern; I mixed in some of the vintage milk glass pieces I have as well. These milk glass dishes were a gift from a good friend, they were her Grandmothers and that always makes things extra special to me. Here are a couple of them, all are in mint condition.

 

 

I also forgot all about this darling bunny and mushroom I had stashed back with some of my vintage dishes. This kind of thing is happening to me far too often lately. I am formulating a plan to better organize my vintage dishware where it is both safe from breakage and where I can easily see it. A good project for this fall I think!

 

 

Both were Hobby Lobby finds from several years ago, I think they are so cute so they will have to become part of our Easter table from now on.

 

 

And flowers of course. I have been drawn to lilies lately. Coming home to that lovely scent in the air is just wonderful!

 

 

As if we did not have enough sweets in the house on Sunday, I was asked to make a Pavlova for dessert. I just made a small one instead of the full recipe.  My kids love Pavlova, I have been making it since my son was a toddler and it is a family favorite. Actually, I have yet to meet anyone that does not like this dessert when they try it. It is as delicious as it is beautiful!

 

 

I have been keeping very busy again this week, hammering and knocking out a few more small projects inside the house. Next I will dive into doing some minor landscaping, cleaning up in the yard and gardening. I am really missing spending my weekend mornings sitting on my pallet couch under the willow tree with my snorty Pug, drinking Chai tea. I can't wait to get it all cleaned up and the kitchen herbs planted now that the weather is getting warmer.

 

Hope you are having a great week!

Burrrrrrr...a very chilly March Flea Market

I was so excited to be able to spend the morning of Good Friday at the Flea Market, that I never bothered to check out what the weather was supposed to be like. I swear it had said low 70's....I don't think we made it up quite that warm yesterday, it was CHILLY yesterday morning.

 

I suspect the Flea market was insane today, it has been a gorgeous day, but I still think it was worth braving the chilly temps yesterday to be able to get first crack at the goodies. I walked away with some pretty fun finds!

 

Favorite find of the day was this relish dish. My Mom and I spotted one at Southern Thrift last Friday, I had never seen one before and I loved it, but would not buy it because it was obviously missing "something" from the center. At the time I did not realize that something was a cute mushroom to put your toothpicks in. I have been looking for it on eBay all week, and found a few, but they would have cost me close to 20.00 with shipping.

 

 

So, spending 5.00 on a mint condition dish pretty much made my morning, I should mention they wanted 8.00 for the one missing the mushroom at Southern Thrift. See what I mean about their prices? You really have to watch what you buy there.

These relish dishes are so kitchy I am tickled with this find!

 

What? Another insulator? But this one is different I swear! It says "New York"!!

 

Love it!

 

 

Love the egg basket. I am pretty sure it is not really vintage, only made to look so, but I love it!

 

 

Another vintage pitcher? Honestly, my family drinks so much sweet tea and lemonade, I am always looking for a pitcher to use, and a cute two quart Pyrex with the original lid for 2.00? No way I was passing it up!

Already filled with a batch of sweet tea!

 

Another Pyrex find. This is the smallest size bowl,  I love these small bowls, they are so handy!

 Is it me or does that top tomato almost look Angelic in that light?

 

 

And last but not least, this really cute orange Hazel Atlas flower pot! 2.00, perfect condition and the perfect size for the succulent plants I have so far been pretty successful keeping alive all winter! So sweet!

 

 

And of course another handful of silverware to hammer out, I have been busy hammering all week in preparation for the Farmisan market next month. There was a lot at the Flea Market this month, I could have spent a fortune! But I was really happy to walk away with my little finds!

 

Aside from having a messy kitchen, I am all ready for Easter tomorrow. My kids are excited to get their baskets and my son is looking forward to his Easter ham. The boy lives for spiral cut honey ham and sweet potato casserole. He will be happily eating leftovers all week long.

 

Hope you have a Happy Easter!

Holding together on a wish and a prayer!

Cause a wish and a prayer is about all that is holding this project together!

 

I finally got around to my doily project. Problem was, I did not want to damage or alter any of my doilies in making the project, soooooo, it is pinned and very loosely stitched. I am very happy with how it turned out!

 

 

I know, I know, not exactly unique, this idea is all over Pinterest. But I love how it showcases these beautiful vintage doilies.

 

Just don't look too closely or you will see my stick pins! Hummm, I probably need to add a few more to nail them down.

 

I am hammering away and getting ready for Easter this weekend, it will be a nice long weekend for me as our company closes for Good Friday, and as it happens it is also flea market weekend, so, you can guess how I will be spending my Good Friday!

 

Hope you are having a great week!

Fire king and Glasbake and Pyrex oh my!!!

Wow, what a busy week!

 

Started off painful and slow with Spring ahead totally kicking my butt.  Then celebrating my daughters 12th Birthday on St. Patrick's day, and ended with me practically giddy with joy as I dragged my poor mother into Goodwill, Southern Thrift and my favorite indoor flea market.

 

And I was lucky to score some great finds!

 

First score was this Pyrex small casserole WITH the lid! I was very happy!

 

 

Sadly this was my only score from Goodwill or Southern Thrift, although I was very tempted by some gorgeous Havilland bone dishes at Southern Thrift. Probably should have grabbed them, but they just did not grab me hard enough to want to take them home.

 

Now, my favorite indoor flea market had the majority of my great finds.

 

A Glasbake atomic star casserole dish. Already washed and in use. These always get a lot of use in my house, they come in handy for everything.

 

Pyrex covered dish, I have had my eye out for one of these for awhile, The price on this one was too good to pass up!

And finally, my favorite score of the weekend. These Fire King tulip cups.

 

Two dollars each. YES!!!

 

I love all of the Fire Kings cups and the tulips were one design that I have been looking for to add to my collection for some time now, but they are usually pretty pricy, even at the Nashville flea I was finding them for between 9.00 and 12.00. I about threw out my elbow reaching out to snatch these mint condition beauties off the shelf.

 

My daughter and I are both looking forward to eating churro's and drinking hot chai tea latte out of our new tulip cups tomorrow morning. We were hoping to take out churro's and chai tea outside to enjoy, but looking at the weather, I think we will be drinking our morning Chai in the living room under a blanket instead. Burrrrr, after two beautiful days, we are getting a Spring cold snap!

 

My daughter has had a wonderful birthday weekend. After hanging her crystal chandelier and finishing the final touches today, her room re-do is finally complete, and I am happy to report it is absolutely gorgeous and she loves it. Her Grandmother thoroughly spoiled us both with pedicures, and wonderful meals out. And her Grandmothers, Aunt and Great Aunts all spoiled her with Birthday cash so she has a pocket full of spending money to go shopping for Spring clothes. She is one very, very happy girl!

 

But after a fun, relaxing weekend, I am going to be back to hammering tomorrow. The first Farmisan of the year is officially on and I want to be ready in hopes of a great opening weekend!

 

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!