HAPPY AUTUMN!

Hi everybody! It's so good to be blogging again. I really missed y'all! I know I've been absent for a while. Where has the time gone? It just seems that life gets in the way. I've missed talking with all my blogland friends. I've been checking in on you tho'-now I'll leave a comment or two.



Is it really November? Is next month December? Does that mean this year is almost gone? I am in BIG trouble here. Oh, those New Year's resolutions! All those good intentions! Boy, am I behind! I just finished this fall quilt. Now I bought this pattern last year , but true to form, didn't get around to making it until this year. Also it called for a jack o'lantern face, but I left that off so it could last thru the whole autumn season. I love the colors--it's very cheerful.



Now here's part of what's kept me busy lately. We have a big bonus room and it was way out of date. Money being tight right now, I decided to do all the work myself. This was fun, but took a little (ha) longer. The new color is a pretty green-very fresh and calming. Love it with the white woodwork.


In progress...

I took an old gold frame and covered it in small twigs attached by glue gun and added a little nest with eggs for a whole new look for an old print. Forgive the glare from the flash.

We had several old shutters stuck up on the attic. I painted this one with flat antique white paint and stuck some old postcards and vintage holy cards in it. Finished it off by gluegunning shells and a starfish. Love the look.

Got this idea from Pottery Barn kids catalog. They had a branch like this in one of the settings. I thought way not? Out to the yard again for more branches. A little scrapbook paper and glue gunning later and voila! looks just as good as PB.

When this chore was completed, our extended family (daughters & their families) had a huge yard sale. This was a tremendous undertaking. It helped to have several people to trade off cashier duty, etc. Granddaughter Mekenzie sold brownies and lemonade. Check it out:

This is what was left. Thank goodness for the Salvation Army and their pick up service. Believe it or not, we sold tons of stuff, but still had lots to donate. These things are exhausting. That's why it will be a long time before we have another one.

Well, that's gonna do it for tonight. I will be back again soon. I'd forgotten how much this was!

Thanks for visiting. Nerm

I

THOUGHTS ON YARD SALES

Greetings to you all this Sunday night. Hope your weekend has been relaxing and just plain fun. My Sunday was indeed a day of rest-church, lunch, rest, and then Olympics watching.


You've heard me talking all summer about our outings to various yard/garage sales. I have had my granddaughters a few times, but I always take my mother. I've also spoken about her a lot too. She lives with us and has moderate Alzheimer's. She also suffers from COPD. Although she is actually very agile and gets around just about as well as I do with my arthritis--ha, ha. We're a real couple! Anyway...I have found talking her yard sale-ing each Friday has really been fun for both of us. She doesn't have to worry about remembering anything and we laugh at the funny things we find. Usually it's 3-5 sales at most we go to, because by then we're both tired. But it's cheap entertainment and a good together time for us. It gets Mother out of the house and lets me sometimes find a treasure or two. Here she is with Lilly (Larry) the cat.

Here's a couple of things I found this week. This is a cute cat--kinda primitive style for me, but still okay. It's in really good shape.

Now here's a shabby chic if I ever saw one and I have great ideas for it. This little leafy lamp was a big bargain. I'm spray painting it cream color and then will sand it to look distressed. I may do more, who knows once I get started. I'll post it when it's finished.

I have so many projects to work on. I just HAVE to get myself motivated and organized, because you-know-what is coming up in just four months! I have lots of things I want to make folks and they require my participation! ha, ha. Stay tuned to more whining. Luv, Nerm

BINGO AT THE GARAGE SALES!

Well, after mentioning (whining?) that I hadn't had much luck with Goodwill, flea markets, and garage sales, I finally managed to bring home some goodies. Yesterday Mother and I braved the heat to go to several estate sales and garage sales. Actually the weather turned out okay because we had an early afternoon rain and it cooled us right down. My mother loves these things, so it was good for her to get out and have some fun.
Below you will notice several tins and a box FULL of buttons! Oh, be still, my beating heart!
The ones I've gone thru & washed are there on the cookie sheet. The shoe box is full of all sorts of things, including buttons, boy scout patches, sewing supplies, etc. But it is all so dirty and dusty. So I'll be washing them,but who cares with such a treasure trove. Also I got that sweet little white pillow with crochet trim for a mere 50 cents!
Here are some buttons after being washed and sorted. Some are very old, most not so much.

I also snatched up the last vintage apron in the kitchen of one house-it's hard to see here, but it's trimmed in ricrack and the bib is made to be pinned on to the cook's bodice. I remember seeing my own grandmother pin her apron bib to her dress when she cooked.

I also got some vintage Golden books, including one dated 1958. Then I got Morgan (2 yrs) a few pairs of shoes, which look new.

Here's a large World Book Atlas. They were selling the whole set of encyclopedias, but I loved this one. Great for decoupage and papercrafts. It'll last forever. Lots of interesting pages to use. I have such a love for books, a reverence really, it has taken me years to get to the point where I can actually cut one up.

Well, there it is, folks, my excitement for the past days. Happy Father's Day to one and all-hope your day tomorrow is fun and full of love. Nerm