Katmom4

Play Dates are the Best!

2012-01-26T16:48:00.000-08:00

Guess where we went today??? Give-up??? Chuck E. Cheese!!!!

Sometimes you have to 'cut from the herd', leave the beds unmade & the dirty dishes in the sink... and just go play! And so we did!

Meri and I took the girls to go eat & play at Chuck E. Cheese.... a much needed get away after all this snow! Don't tell anyone,, but this was my 1st time in a Chuck E. Cheese,,,and it wasn't at all bad, as I had thought it would be... Actually I had a rather fun time with my daughter and grand babies........................... So I guess that means we are never to old to act like a kid and have fun at Chuck E. Cheese!

Get'er Done !

2012-01-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

I found this wonderful old woolen blanket at one of my favorite Thrifts, and even though it had a small 1" 'L' shape tear in it,,, I still bought it, brought it home, tossed it in the washer/dryer and then did a little sewing magic on it. I cut 2 patches (one for each side of the blanket) from some scrap fabric ( this is why we never throw away our scraps!) and used a little "WonderUnder/StitchWitchery" iron on adhesive, attached them together, ironed and then zig-zag stitched around the patch. Voila' cute repair!

The Faribault Woolen Mills was started in 1865 and closed it's doors in 2009... then 2 local Minnesota gentlemen decided to take a chance, bought & re-opened the Mill in 2011. This Summer the production line is expected to start releasing it's woolen products. You can check them out on http://faribaultwoolenmills.com

Now onto another UFO... I bought this lamp shade with a very worn out fabric cover,,, about a year ago. I got inspiration from a re-purposing project from one of my Maryjane Farms magazine. It was sooo cute, and a great way to use up bits & scrap pieces of lace and ribbons.... now I just have to sit down and decide which lace to use where and then glue it on. I'll be sure to post a picture when it is finished.

Oh and yep, the lampshade frame was a Thrift find, just $1.49...not a bad investment considering what replacement store bought shades cost!

Sometimes I get over-whelmed and frustrated with all the bit's and pieces of lace, trim and fabric that I save, but then when I put it to use,,, I am so glad I didn't toss it out! I use old vintage suitcases to stash my linens, lace, needlework kits and yarns in,,, they stack nicely and are easily identifiable with the cute 'shipping tags' attached, listing what's inside.

Ok, off to finish some more UFO ( UnFinishedObjects)... oh & if you are wondering about the 'License Plates"... well that's a whole 'nother story & you will have to go visit my Trailer blog!

So True!

2012-01-23T09:24:00.001-08:00

My katz can be in a Coma.... and I can just think about going into the kitchen to open a can
of Tuna... when suddenly I have 2 furbabies wrapped around my legs meowing... How do
they know!!!??? lol!

Back in the Saddle Again!

2012-01-23T09:17:00.001-08:00

Gary built this saddle stand for me some time back..... it sat, ever so lonely out in the garage, just waiting, hoping, that someday it would be put to good use... well that someday is here...

and as soon as I can get Peek-a-boo kitty to get off my saddle it will be going out to the garage and placed on the saddle stand... but for now, Peekie is "Back in the Saddle again!"... lol!

Newbury Park High School

2012-01-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

Newbury Park High School, Class of 1972.....

40th Reunion... August 11th, 2012, Reunion to be held in Newbury Park...

http://newburyparkclassof1972.blogspot.com

GO Panthers!

Is It Snowing yet?

2012-01-19T22:34:00.001-08:00

The building out in the distance, that you can barely see... yep! that's the National Weather Station... I am not sure which is easier to get the weather,,,going on the Internet or looking out toward the Weather Station to see if it is wet or covered with snow !lol!...

It is kind of fun, watching the little birds,,,watching me in my sewing room!

Horse Power...

2012-01-16T18:31:00.000-08:00

Oh my word! have you seen the price of gas lately?
I have really been contemplating what type of 'horse power' I want...
So, let me introduce you to "Duster' my new horse!
Yep, she is a mature lady, a registered Quarter horse who is currently living with a friend of mine over in Portland, Oregon.
Duster will stay there until late Spring plus she will be getting a refresher course in Horsey 101.
Duster is currently in her Winter coat, what you are looking at is her in her Summer coat.
I have a feeling she and I are going to become the best of friends and.... she is going to provide me with lots of "Garden Gold" to nourish my garden plants! lol!
Now for the fun part... Gary will be working on fencing & a stall for her while I go shopping for all of her necessary horsey Bling! I can hardly wait! I am beyond excited to get her and start riding..again,,, maybe I need a refresher course! lol!

UFOs...Projects....

2012-01-14T21:54:00.001-08:00

It never fails,,, just as I start to get caught up on my stack of UFO's (Un-finished objects) I manage to add more to the stack! "Three steps forward & two steps back"... Oh Well!
This is a 'Pillowcase Pantaloon' that I made from, yep, a pillowcase.

This is a easy~peasy little girls top,,,also from a pillowcase.

This apron was made from 2 pillowcases.....

I plan to use these to hang from my portable clothesline that hooks off of my vintage trailer.

I might even hunt down a pair of 'Granny Panties' to hang along with these just to get a giggle out of passers by... lol!

Oh poor little Peekaboo... she's exhausted, and decided to take a nap on 'KatDad's computer.

Box+Babies=Smiles

2012-01-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

Box + Babies = Smiles!

These two cuties are my adorable grand babies....
People go out and spend big bucks on fancy froufrou battery operated gifts.... and why???
Look, no froufrou, no batteries... and my two little wee ones are having a box full of fun!

What I did Today...

2012-01-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

I bought this rocker from an Upscale 2nd hand store,,, with the intent of re-upholstering it...

Well 6 months later, I finally did! It had a 1961 brown patterned fabric.... I know it was 1961 because it had a tag on it, on the underside, complete with the name of the client it was custom made for.

I had several yards of this fabric left from an other project and decided it would be perfect for the rocker.... The Doilie (on the back of the rocker) was a gift from a wonderful friend and I just had to applique it on the chair..... I am happy with the rocker and will be putting it to good use tomorrow morning with my morning reading and tea.

Pettycoats & Plaid!

2012-01-07T20:12:00.000-08:00

There was a time when I loved wearing a cotton plaid dress and a petticoat....Oh the twirls I could twirl! Maryjane shoes, white cuff socks, circle skirt, petticoat & white collar..... oh to be 6 years old again! Well, I might not be wearing Maryjanes or plaid these days, but when I am out Glamping with my gal~pals,,, the petticoats come out & we get to be silly 6 year old girls, if only for a little while!

Aprons 1930-1960

2012-01-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

As you know,,, I love finding vintage aprons, both factory made & homemade....
I rely on a wonderful book to help guide me to 'dating vintage fabric'.... and tho' I had these 2 aprons narrowed down to between the 1930's to the 1960's... I think this one is

from the 1930's-40's as these particular colors were very popular then. Mint Green & Bubblegum pink... This is the 2nd apron that I have that incorporate black, mint & pink on a white or beige background.

This apron is a bit more difficult for me to narrow down,,, in greys & blues.... and I also have a 2nd apron similar in this color palette. But for now I have it narrowed to between 1930-60's.

Both aprons are homemade and sweet as can be. As always, I hand wash my aprons, hang dry and then I iron them using my homemade lavender water spray. These two are on display in my sewing room for now. I love rotating my aprons in my kitchen and in my sewing room. It's amazing how women managed to make sweet little aprons from cast off, re purposed fabric, even feed/grain sacks. Cotton fabric back then was 36" wide so placing one's pattern on fabric with minimal waste was very important.

Don't Pick Up Hitch Hickers....

2012-01-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Lady, could ya spare some change for a homeless Turkey? I've been outta work since November!

Hmmm, window is down,,, wonder if she would like to give me a ride....

Always wanted to be a 'Hood Ornament"....

OK, so much for being a Hood Ornament....Boring!

You lookin' at me?

OK, I'm done.... outta here, gotta go back to my Ladies!

Hey Girls, did ya miss me?

Ok, so I was driving down the road into town when Mr Turkey comes running down the road toward me... The next thing I know... he is on the hood of my Jeep... looking at me.... not sure what he was thinking.... but after a bit of eye balling each other he got board and went on back to his Harem of Hens.....

You just never know what will come across your path out in the country.

No Harm....No Foul! lolololol!

New Year...Same Old Addictions...

2012-01-01T22:13:00.001-08:00

So I have 22 vintage mixers starting from 1928 up to 1970.... is that an addiction?

I have 23 vintage sewing machines...my Grandma's "White" foot treadle being the oldest from 1902... Is that an addiction?

And I have 27 acrylic/Lucite grape clusters...plus a cluster in the shape of a Pineapple... a cluster that is a hanging (& very heavy) lamp and 2 candle stick clusters... so I guess that makes 31 total... do I have an addiction?

Wowzers! when I get addicted to something, I really get addicted! Hopefully there is no cure for my addictions! lol!

Happy Dazes

2012-01-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

I love vintage books and magazines.... and recently found these 2 Zane Gray 1948 books and the cute little 1958 cook book. I especially love little vintage cook books (as well as magazines) for their graphics and "helpful homemaker hints"...

I find that popular images for that era are/were Tea Carts, Paper Lanterns, Parisian Cats and hour-glass figured ladies in aprons!

This particular little cook book had chapters titled: "Especially for the Girls", the ladies white gloved lunch section,,, "When it's Strictly Stag" for the guys when they get together to talk sports & lawn fertilizers...,and "Teen-Age Triumphs",,, for when the teens get together and drink soda with a straw from a bottle while talking about the latest 45's......
In fact I use my little vintage cart to store my cook books, even my vintage ones... to bad I don't like to cook! lol!

"Pinchies"

2011-12-31T22:08:00.000-08:00

My grand~girlies are always into mischief when they come to my home,,,, ok, so maybe I let them get into mischief! As you can see, Phoobee found my clothes pin bag so she & her sister, Leilei did what girlies do best,,,, they played with the "Pinchies", their word for clothes pins!

They discovered that my egg poaching pan makes for a perfect "pinchie" holder as well as the "Pinchies" make great hair clips! lol! I so love my grand~girlies!

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-30T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well I don't know about you... but I am so looking forward to 2012.....
A New Year, a Do-Over Year and a year full of new events, challenges & memories!
So Happy New Year!

Does the Cat know?

2011-12-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

Why is it,,, my two little grand girlies love to play with the cat tent? If it isn't Jada, it's Soleil playing or should I say, wearing the cat tent.....

Had I known how much they love playing with the tent, I could have saved a bundle this Christmas by buying them each one! lol!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T19:22:00.000-08:00

Opa Brown and Leilei...cute as a button, yep, both of them!

Gumpy Horst & Phoobee.... yep, they are cute as bugs too!

Jada, Soleil & mommy Meri..... my 3 girls....

Our hat's off to you! These are my future little cowgirls! They are cute, if I do say so myself... and I do! Merry Christmas.

Wine & Candles

2011-12-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

What do you do with your wine bottles? As some of you know, I have been 'planting' my wine bottles in my Garden... but it's Winter and the ground is frozen so I can't dig in my soil which is frozen to the core! So what to do with an empty bottle? Why make a candle holder of course!
I purchased this '2~candle holder' from Victorian Trading CO.... I love everything in their catalog and if I ever win the lottery, I plan to buy 1 of everything in their catalogue~!
Next time you get a leisure moment check out their web site: www.victoriantradingco.com

Wonderful Finds....

2011-12-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

I was recently over in Cheney at the local Ben Franklin store..... I was snooping around in the 'sale bin' in the fabric/crafting department when I came across these 2 patterns.... SCORE! I can never have enough apron patterns....lol!

The 'Baby Baggies' is just too cute! Using a store bought T-shirt & socks,,,, all I need to do is cut, sew and attach the 'pants' to the T-shirt & socks... Guess what my grand babies will be wearing this Spring!

I bought this itty bitty mini iron for my craft work... but I have not had a chance to use it yet....

OK,,, is this uber cute or what!?! I won this at auction... I love the 1960's mid-century modern cocktail shaker. I might even put it to good use on New Years Eve... anyone want a Chocolatini!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.....

Pendelton....

2011-12-23T19:31:00.000-08:00

I found this fantastic red Pendelton wool jacket... I scored Big Time ! I found this lovely red Pendelton wool jacket... it is in fabulos condition, and for a mere $6.00 OMG! At first I had planned to use it to cut up,,, but the more I looked it over I decided to get it cleaned & wear it insead! I can see me now, Down in Pendelton, Oregon in May (camping trip for the 'Cattle Baron's Weekend),,, wearing my koolieo red jacket....

I love Pendelton Wool anything.... coats, shirts, robes, neck scarfs, pillows, blankets, totes.... most of which I use for my Glamping trips. I even have 2 Pendelton wool robes that I store in my trailers for Glamping trips.

I recently found a blue & green plaid Pendelton shirt that I plan to cut up and make a decorator pillow out of. One of these days I want to make a wool quilt out of Pendelton wool shirts..... talk about snuggly warm! Did I mention I Love Pendelton Wool Anything!?! :>)

Apronmania...

2011-12-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

I change out my 'Ladyquin' every month by changing her apron or her jeweley. It makes her feel special! :>)

I found this sweet vintage apron at the local Value Village Thrift Store,,, apparently it had been donated to and then bought from the local Goodwill and then found it's way to the Value Village Thrift! Well hopefully that will be it's last Thrift store visit now that it is in my possession!

On the plus side I did get it for 1/2 price of the orange tag which made it the same price as the Goodwill price... lol!

Then I found this sweet homemade 'Daises & Morning Glories' apron... It is a cute and simple pattern that I can probably copy.

I have washed & ironed both aprons and they are tucked away until Spring when I will pull them out to display in my kitchen.

It's true, an apron adorned with pearls always looks sweet!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all my dear family and friends.....

I found the perfect T-shirt to get me through the stressful moments this Holiday season of shopping, cooking, cleaning, and getting ready for family to come over both Christmas Eve & Day..... HoHoHo!

This is my Christmas gift to myself.... tho' hubby dearest just found out! oh well, he knows me well enough to know there is no controlling me or my addiction to vintage sewing machines, vintage mixers & mid-century acrylic grape clusters.

This lil Bel-Air Bantam was probablly 'born' in the mid-late 1950's and looks pretty darn good for her age! Wish I looked as good!

I got this sweet lil Bel-Air sewing machine via Goodwill Thrift and I love it! It is the size between a Singer-99, a 3/4 size and a 221K Featherweight sewing machine and equally light as it was made from cast aluminum rather than cast iron. It just needs a cleaning and oiling and soon I will be able to sew on it... Mind you, I would ever so love to get my hands on a Singer Featherweight 221 or 222,,, but at $200-300.00 I'll just continue to have fun with this machine at 1/10th the price. HoHoHo & Bingle Jells!

I Needed a Lazy Day to Read...

2011-12-20T16:05:00.000-08:00

Days like this are perfect for reading and we have had nearly 2 weeks worth of days like this!

My wonderful co-hort in crime, Elizabeth, sent me this sweet little book... So I gave myself permission to hang out on the Davenport, in my jammies, put on a pot of tea, pull some scones from the fridge and read... and read I did, the whole book,,, in one setting!

I normally don't spend the better part of the day reading, but this sweet book was just,,, well, I just couldn't put it down! It actually made me laugh & cry,,, and I really enjoyed how it ended.

Jingle Bells!

2011-12-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

Today was quite the fun day... got to spend it with my 2 sweet grand kiddos.. while we were bouncing off the walls..gee, I wonder if the marshmellows had anything to do with their sudden burst of energy..lol! The door bell rang and we 3 ran to see who it was.... it was our mail carrier and look what he brought us.....

OMG! the girlies were just as excited as I was to discover what was inside....

though, truth be known, I think the girlies were more interested in the box & stuffing!

Jada took off with the bubble wrap....

until she spotted the colorful popcorn.... needless to say, Oma just had to share the popcorn with her girlies...

All these Wonderful goodies were in the box....

I had entered a Blog giveaway hosted by Kristina over on the Maryjanes Farm website.... and Santa must have heard I had my fingers & eyes crossed to win...and I Did! :>)

This is the little nite lite that is normally out in my trailer but not for long....

Now this will be in my Serro Scotty trailer...... Is this CuTe or What!

Thank you so very much Santa's helper, Kristina aka 'Fieldofthyme'....

Merry Christmas to All and Jingle Bell!

Here Comes Santa Clause.....

2011-12-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

My daughter and I took her toddlers...my grandgirlies... to see Santa Claus and oh wowzers! neither of the girlies broke out in tears! I suspect Santa was smart to hand them their candy canes first... lol!

But as nice as it was to see Santa,,, their favorite thing was to hug the ginormous bear.

Merry Christmas and HoHoHo.....

Baby it's Cold Outside....

2011-12-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

We have been having serious frosts/freezes going on up here..... brrrrrrr!

between the frost & winds it makes for some interesting photos....

Even my garden looks interesting......
Baby it's cold outside........

Lunch at Chaps...

2011-12-10T22:19:00.001-08:00

What do you get when you have a scrumptious lunch at a fabulous restaurant with 3 delightful friends and a whole bunch of 'catchin' up to do?'...why you get a wonderful lunch at Chaps over Cheney, WA. and a whole lot of Girl gabfest going on!
Celeste Shaw is the proprietor of this lovely establishment, 'Chaps'.... a 'must' on you list of places to enjoy when in Spokane.

Old friends who meet up about once every 3-4 months are so very special.... they wait patiently, then they pick up right where they left off, never skipping a beat or a hug.

We eat, we laugh, we muse, we share our hearts & support for each other.

(left to right) Heather, Rene, Juli & Cindy are some of my wonderful Glamping gal-pals. None of us live in the same community, so we don't get to see each other very often... but that's ok, because we have a wonderful time when we do get together..... whether it's a camping trip, junktiquing or just having lunch at one of our favorite restaurants.... we make the most of our time together.

Today was a much over-due visit with Rene, Dixie & Heather.... each of these beautiful ladies has vision & talent. Dixie as a Vintage Artisan Dealer, Rene as a Writer and Heather as a Gourmet Food Artisan... as for me... I am happy to be around such talented ladies. They encourage & inspire me.

I came across a verse, that I feel is soooo true,,,, "Desire to Inspire before you Expire!"

I hope to inspire someone someday as these lovely ladies have inspired me.

What I did while my Grandbabies slept.

2011-12-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

I spent this past weekend at my daughter's, baby sitting my grandbaby. So while they slept I got a little sewing in....
I love this sweet little apron pattern and this one will be given as a Christmas gift.

I came across this easy~peasy fleece hat pattern and made one for each of my Grandbabies...

You can embiggen this photo to view the instructions better.

HoHoHo and stay warm!

1,2,3 Aprons...

2011-12-02T21:38:00.001-08:00

I came across a sweet little apron that I decided to use to make a pattern from so I can make these cute little aprons....

The blue one above and this one are going to special friends and the one below is for myself.

I love the cute cowgirl boots on this one. It only took 1yard of fabric and 1package of RicRack trim to make the blue apron. And of course I always have to add a couple of yoyos....

Tangled Tinsel!

2011-11-26T18:50:00.000-08:00

OK, I have decided to not let anything get me twitterpaited this Winter or the Holidays.... So I have decided to make this my "reminder"... when things get a bit out of control or frustrating...
"Don't get your Tinsel in a Tangle!"

HoHoHo !

2011-11-26T18:41:00.000-08:00

OK, my first Christmas decorations (aprons) are up.... now I need to head to the storage room and start pulling out the boxes (many more boxes) of Christmas decorations! hohoho!

These are just a few of my Holiday aprons.... I either need to hang up another vintage wash board to hang the rest of my Holiday aprons or rotate my aprons weekly... lol! I mean HoHoHo!

Turkey Overload.

2011-11-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

This is what Turkey over load looks like... even our kitties get to enjoy a little turkey on Thanksgiving.... Poor Dolly~girl,, I suspect she will sleep for hours! lol!

Hope you had a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving.

My Girlies....

2011-11-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

Ready for Thanksgiving and all our Blessings.
My 2 sweet grand daughters, Phoobee & Leilei.... in their matching "Hand~Gobble" aprons.

My daughter & her two little girls.. Leilei is 26 months old and phoobee is 22months old.

They are the cutest little blessings.

Winter Time is Here....

2011-11-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm, Peek-a-boo kitty is snoozing...
Dolly~girl is snoozing...

Phoobee is bundled up....

Leilei is bundled up...

and the girlies are ready to go outside...well sort of...still need to find their socks & snow boots!

Yep, Wintertime is here... Have a fun day in the snow!

Repurposed Pillows

2011-11-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you combine old cast off deco pillows, dingle ball fringe, vintage Bark Cloth Drapes & left over Chenille fabric????

Why new deco pillows!

The Chenille fabric was a bright white so I brewed a batch of tea and 'stained' the cloth to give it that aged look. The vintage bark cloth was an old curtain panel that I bought, washed, dried, ironed, cut and stitched up. I sewed on the smaller size dingle ball fringe instead of the larger size fringe. I didn't want the fringe to over-power the pillow. I love the way it turned out.

Rag Babies for My Babies.

2011-11-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

I came across this pre-printed fabric of rag dolls and could not resist making them for my (grand)baby girls.... This one is for my little Jada~phoobee

This one is for my little Soleil~Leilei...

I even machine embroidered their names on the dollies. I can hardly wait to give these 'babies' to my babies.

Baby Smock~ Pinnie

2011-11-13T20:23:00.001-08:00

I found this sweet green vintage Baby Smock~ Pinnie at an Estate Sale this Summer.... I was very intrigued and decided to make one myself... so I dug through my stash of cast off fabrics and came across a pillow case that I thought would be perfect.... actually from a standard size pillowcase I was able to cut out 3 of these smocks.

The wee little pocket gave me fits so I decided to not use the bias tape on it. Using tiny bias tape is quite the challenge when you are dependent on old lady reader glasses! lol!.

I sergered the entire apron first and then added the binding.... all said and done it turned out well,,,, it did require a lot of fussy stitching but now I can chalk off 'Baby Smock~Pinnie' from my 'To-Do' list! lol!

November 12th, 1972

2011-11-12T20:33:00.000-08:00

Well today is mine & Gary's 39th Wedding Anniversary and what better way to spend it then to roll up our sleeves and help out at a Horse Rescue.....
Rough Start Horse Rescue is not to far from where we live and they had just taken in 10 more abandoned horses this past weekend,,, with the coming snow...which did arrive today...they needed help throwing up a couple of Lean to's for the horses as shelter to get out of the weather. When we arrived, we got straight to work knowing that the snow was just a matter of hours away. The horses were not the least bit fazed by us and they continued to eat and walk around us watching with curiosity.

Gary & Katie got straight to work squaring up and bracing the frame, after that the walls started going up fast.

It was bone chilling cold, but Katie, Jay, Gary and I were determined to get as much done as we could....unfortunately by 3pm the snow had arrived in a flurry.

This sweetheart was so loving, as were all the horses. Each with their own sad story to tell about being homeless, abandoned or mistreated.

This little cutie looked at me as if it wanted to ask me to take her home with us. Oh if only I could.... I am such a sucker for big brown eyes!

These two kept walking around us, curious to see what we were doing....I am sure had they had thumbs they would have asked us for a hammer so they could help.

You can read more about 'Rough Start Rescue' on my Face Book page. They have an upcoming fund raiser, "Pies for Ponies"..so go to Face Book and visit them. They could also use any and all donations to help off-set Vet & food costs.

Happy Trails to you......

p.s.... I wuv you my sweetheart of 39 years! Happy Anniversary.

Aprons & Potty Bling!

2011-11-12T20:16:00.001-08:00

My daughter and I were out and about at our favorite Nursery~Gift shop when we spotted this in the window! I must say, it did give us a case of the giggles!

I finished up the Thanksgiving aprons that I was sewing for my daughter, my 2 sweet little grand babies and even one for myself.... we certainly will look stylish on Thanksgiving Day. I spotted this cute 'handprint turkey' printed fabric and thought it was perfect for kiddie aprons and well oh what the heck I could not resist making a mommy & grandmommy apron too!

Every year EllynAnn Geisel, the author of "The Apron Book", challenges us to share the Holiday Spirit with others. EllynAnne leads the way by baking fresh goodies and wrapping them in linens and share with others. What a great idea. Who knows, the neighbor you rarely see might truly appreciate your kindness.

As EllynAnne says, " Tie One On, an Apron of course!"....

Best of Intentions...

2011-11-06T18:44:00.001-08:00

Ok, so today I really did have the best of intentions to get some sewing done this afternoon.... but try as I might, I just could not stay focused... I did get some machine embroidery finished, and 4 aprons cut out... but when it came to sitting at my sewing machine I just wasn't focused... so instead I decided to go play with some paper crafting and this is what I came up with.
I have seen these 'Banners' on my sweet friend, MaryJane's blog & etsy shop,
( http://thebeehivecottage.blogspot.com/ ) She makes the cutest little tags, notebooks and banners.... so I thought why not give it a try.... well let me tell you.... I spent nearly 2 hours making this one.... next time I am just going to call Maryjane, and place my order.... and then sit back and eat BonBons! lol!
As for my sewing,,,, don't worry, I'll get back to it tomorrow! well maybe... lol!

Fabric Junkie...

2011-11-05T18:57:00.001-07:00

OK, so to make sure I don't go stark raving loony this Winter...(they say it's going to be another long cold one! aacckk!) I have been adding to my ever growing stock pile of fabric & craft projects. The Chenille & vintage bark cloth will soon be deco pillows for one of my trailers...and the T-shirt (folded) will also become a pillow..... as for the yellow 'handprint turkey' print fabric... that will become 3 'Diner' style 1/2 aprons.... as will the red print fabric.

Now for my favorite find.... is this printed Burlap kool or what? OMG! I feel like a "Country Living Magazine" moment coming on....now to decide what to do with it.

Frame it? make deco pillows out of it or re-upholster a chair seat with it... oh what to do!

I could even make hanger sachets filled with lavender. I wonder if I can use stamp ink, and a fat print rubber stamp and create my own printed burlap.... hmmmm ????

Speaking of 'framing' I found 2 cheap frames at a local Thrift, took out the cheesy photos and got a can of handi-dandi purple spray paint.... Voila' instant cute purple frames. So I found this sweet fabric, brought it home & washed it.... now to iron it & layout some family photos & finish framing it. I already have the perfect place to hang them.

I have an ever growing collection of vintage Lucite Grape Clusters, some in the shape of a hanging lamp and even candle stick holders.... I love these grape clusters.... some have plastic leaves, some with silk cloth leaves and I even have one with acrylic leaves.... did I mention I love collecting Lucite Grape Clusters? lol!

Ok, Mr Winter, bring on the snow... I have a pile of projects stashed in my sewing room.... I will survive Winter as long as I keep busy! .

Happy Boooo~Fest

2011-10-31T20:41:00.001-07:00

When your doorbell rings on Halloween, what do you think could be on the other side?
OMG! we've got BUGS!
The cutest lil bugs you could ever want!
Why it's Leilei and her sister, Phoobee...

This our little Leilei turning on the charm for her trick-o-treat goodies....

Ok, funny story... we call Soleil, Leilei (in yellow) and we call Jada, Phoobee (in red)....

our nickname for them is,,, Leilei~ladybug and PhooBee BumbleBee.... but as you can see the outfits that were bought for them quite some time back...well, the bee outfit ended up not fitting Phoobee so the girls switched costumes! lol! Oh well, makes no difference... they are still cute as bugs!

I think the backside is just as cute as the front..... and I am sure Phoobee is thinking, "does this costume make my diaper look big?"

Leilei got side tract with the kitty toys..... hmmmm I think they need more candy! lol!

Happy Halloweenie with your little pests.....

Trader Joes.....

2011-10-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

Trader Joes, Grand Opening in Spokane, Oct. 28th 2011 YEEHAW!
It's been almost 5 years in the making.... but Spokane now has a Trader Joes and as a transplanted Southern California gal,,,, I couldn't be happier then if I had won the Lottery! lol!

They are opened! Finally...... I am doing the Happy Dance....and grinning from ear to ear!

Even Leilei & Phooboo had a great time on their maiden voyage to Trader Joes.... and yes, they SCORED some yummy Animal Cookies!

I had to contain myself when my daughter called and said, according to the news report, the Grand Opening was rather quiet...so we thought, What the Heck! Let's go for it! & we did!!!!

It felt so good to be in T.J's...all the familiar sights and products that I have had to live with out for the past 4 1/2 years. When you are a die hard T.J. shopper, it's like going through with-drawls when you don't have one near by. Occasionally a friend or two would have to make a trip over to Seattle (4hr drive) and would be stopping off at the T.J. there,,,so I would give them my 'shopping list'... Thank goodness for friends!

But now I don't have to depend on friends,,,I can just pop in and shop till I drop! Did I mention, I am doing the happy dance? lol!
Happy Days are here again!

Fashion Statements....

2011-10-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

There was a time when a young lady with a bust size of 34" wore a size 16... OMG! a 16! Now a young woman with a bust size of 34" wears a very petite size in the single digit.

Now we are free from girdles & panty hose and torpedo bras.... free to wear what ever we want! My problem is... am I trying to find my inner farm girl or my inner Diva? lol!

In the 50's when I was a little girl,,,, wearing a petticoat was the norm....and the fuller the more fun to twirl in....then somewhere along the way I grew up, in the late '60's & early '70's...and the Hippie movement was on! No more bras, girdles or petticoats.... Now here I am, full circle, wearing petticoats again,,,and re-kindleing the fun I had.

Hubby & I enjoying our first Winter up here in Washington.... ya ya, I know,,, you can take the kids outta California,,,but you can't take the California outta the kids! And yes,,, it was Cold!

I'll bet there are a lot of very happy guys out there that this is no longer the fashion for them!

Farm girl style and aprons... a perfect outfit for a perfect afternoon with farm girl friends.

More farm girl style at a wonderful shop in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho called the 'Maryjane Farm Store'.

Perfect western jacket for a perfect ride up in Wenatchee, Washington. Wearing my 'Brighton' sunglasses was the perfect touch! Did you know 'Brighton' got it's early start in western leads, bridles, reins and then belts, handbags and now jewelry and shoes? Ok, so maybe wearing your P.J.'s out in public in the suburbs isn't the norm but up at GirlCamp on the Elk River....well, don't be surprise to see me riding around camp in my P.J.'s. lol!

Boots & hats, the perfect match for a warm country day....

My beautiful mother, 76 years young, wearing a traditional modern German Dirndl.... I hope I can look this wonderful when I am her age.

Just a little over a 100 years ago, women wore very fitted garments... The average woman was much more petite by today's norm. And women went to great lengths to restrict the size of their waists... even to the extent of damaging their frame to achieve a 17" waist all for the sake of fashion.

Ahhhh, and my favorite fashion statement.... The Cowgirl of the 1950's.... Dale Evans.....

Did you know that the Sears & Roebuck company sold a line of Roy & Dale western play clothes complete with a holster & pistol for the boys?
So what is your fashion statement? Mine has been evolving over the past 50 years and continues to do so....maybe someday I will grow up and settle for a comfortable style, but until then,,, I will have fun being eclectic in my style.

Happy Trails to you until we meet again.....

Guess What I Did This Weekend....

2011-10-16T23:08:00.000-07:00

Guess what I did this weekend?... it involves my trailer.... To find out, hop over to my trailer blog... click on the little trailer icon to get there from here!
Happy Trails to you...

Babies & Hats....

2011-10-09T12:27:00.001-07:00

My daughter Meri & I were out and about the other day & made a (not so) quick stop at the 'Fred Meyer's' store....
As we were 'driving' through the millinery section, the 'girlies' spotted these hats....

We put the hats on the girls so I could take a quick photo..after all no respectable grammie leaves home with out a camera!....

But to our surprise,,, the girls would not take the hats off with out making a scene...so guess what they got? and yes, they wore the hats all the way home....

What do you get when...

2011-10-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you combine an alpaca....
and 3 truck loads of Alpaca pooo....

Why beautiful flowers in your garden....(in 2012 I hope) lol!

OK, don't know about your weekend but hubby's & mine was spent gathering up alpaca poo at a neighbor's Alpaca Ranch down the road from us....

Gary drove his Kubota over to Ron's to "scoopin the poopin" into our truck....

Then we shoveled it out of the truck ...oh what fun!

Absolutely NO ONE is allowed into the house until boots & gloves are off!

Ahhh! our lil "Bandini" mountain of alpaca pooooo....

I 'see' a very productive garden next year.....

Gary was busy washing out our truck & tractor.... can't bring that pooey smell into the Man Cave.

Yep, everything was covered in pooo..... including us!

Why am I grining? cuz it was a great day, free pooo, a break in the rains & we spent the day working together and doing what we do best.... playing in the dirt!

So,,, what did you do this weekend?

Remember When..

2011-09-28T22:41:00.001-07:00

Remember When.....

OK, so maybe this was a wee bit before my time,(by 20years),,,,,, but this is a sweet example of a marketing idea used by the J&P Coats/Clark company.... back in 1935. Yep, 76 years ago.

Simply cut out the "Bunny" shape and glue to the ends of an empty wooden thread spool...

Voila! instant "Spool Pet" toy.

Oh how I would love to find the other 5 "pet" cards that once held cotton bias tape.

Dear Blogger....

2011-09-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Blogger...... You are driving me crazy!!!!
Half the time you say I don't exist, yet I do! You won't let me access my blog half the time or I have to re-sign in each time I make a post,,, and then other times I have to 'un-check' the sign-in box.... Each time I try to post I have to sign in... If I try to comment on other friends blogs, sometimes I can, some I have to re-sign-in and for some you deny me access...uugghh! What's a blogging maven too do!?!
What ever happen to "K.I.S.S." ? (keep it simple stupid)....
What happen to once signed in, always signed in unless you purposely sign out...?
I have tried to trouble shoot and yet you ask me questions like when I first opened my blogg account, last time I used it, etc... Hello! yes I know I can go all the way back to the very beginning of my blog to locate my 1st post.... but come on... why did you make my blog inaccessible to begin with and yet my other blog shows as active, and yet I have to do the same thing (sign-in) each time I want to post on it...
Ok, I am through venting...for now!... maybe.... but I am still not a happy camper!

Happy B-day My Little LeiLei...

2011-09-26T22:03:00.001-07:00

Little Sister 'Phoobit' is helping Big Sister, 'LeiLei' open birthday gifts. Our little LeiLei is now 2 years old.. don't blink or she might be asking for the keys to the car! lol

A Little of This & That Yard Sale Finds.

2011-09-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Score! what a great day hitting the end of the Summer yard sales.... I found this sweet little smock~bib which I plan to reproduce for my grand babies. It's sort of a 'dress saver' apron for tots.

I also found a mid-60's apron and some wonderful 1954 patterns....

I collect vintage Cake Carriers as well as gloves....got the cake carrier for $2 and both pair of gloves for $1...SCORE!

I found this wonderful apron, actually I found another one quit similar and got them both just because I could not decide on which one to buy.... lol!

It was a great day yard sale-ing for myself & my glamping gal pals this past weekend.

(see my trailer blog to see our fun).

I'm Thirsty!

2011-09-21T20:56:00.001-07:00

No I am not a bad grammie, but out here in the country we are not fussy or prissy & when you get thirsty you pick up the water hose & if it is in use you do the second best thing.... drink from the sprinkler! lol! Actually I looked over and spotted my grand baby, Leilei quenching her thirst...so I did what any respectable grammie would do,,, laughed & took a photo.

Future Lavender Farmerette...

2011-09-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

I had to do some pruning on my lavender plants and I was also baby sitting one of my sweet grand babies, LeiLei.. After a short time she tired of putting the lavender in the bucket so I promoted her to head lavender pruner girl....

She enjoyed helping me prune....lol!

And the best part, she works cheap! A cookie & a hug & she is a happy camper.!lol!

Lavender Scones & Lemon Curd

2011-09-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

Every now & then I channel my inner 'Betty Crocker'....lol! and will bake something.....
Todays 'bake' was lavender scones..... which I topped off with my favorite "Dickinsons" Lemon Curd....oh yummy X 10.... It makes a dull morning very special.

Babies will be Babies...

2011-09-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

No matter how fast you try to take a photo of grandbabies... they are even faster.

Quick, snap the shutter..... lol!

These are my 2 sweet grandbabies....leilei in purple, turns 2 mid September and Phoobee, in blue, turns 2 in January.
As for my daughter she turns...oh wait, I can't tell you because then you will know how old I am!

Busy as a Bee....

2011-09-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

My Hollyhocks finally bloomed, but the stalks were kind of squatty, but heck, I'll take squatty Hollyhocks anyday over not getting any blossoms!

Darn Bee,,,, he kept buzzing around so I had to resort to holding the flower so I could get this photo!... thank goodness he was to 'buzzy' gathering pollin to pay attention to me! lol!

Speaking of Bees... the Humming Birds left last week & I was to lazy to take down the feeder...only to create an open invitation for these critters to buzz on over. I hate these buggers.... The feeder came down right after I took this photo! Got some very angry critters flying around now !

Boot Jacks & Rag Rugs....

2011-09-13T00:06:00.001-07:00

I came across this boot jack at a yard sale,,, so I did what any respectable crafting diva would do...I embellished it....

I almost hate to use it & get it dirty!.... lol!

I have 5 rag rugs to crochet for Christmas....and this is why it is taking me so long!

Awewww, you have to admit, she does look comfy.

OK, Got a Few Things painted Today...

2011-08-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

Isn't it amazing what a calm (not windy) sunny day and a can of spray paint will allow you to do!
By the way, my fingers and nails are a nice shade of red and blue!
I found this 'brassy' mirror tray at a yard sale and the wee little frame at a thrift.
Instant cute!

I disassembled this brass letter holder that was given to me.... out came the spray paint & Voila'

Here is the red letter holder....and as you can see I had fun painting a bunch of little mini plastic frames and a tarnished cheap silver casserole holder as well.

I love spray paint.....

Like Daddy said, "If it moves,, Salute it...If it don't,, Paint it! "....

I needed a way to hang & dry my freshly painted frames & found the perfect spot..actually I kind of liked the way the tree looked with them hanging. Wish I had more frames, I just might have left them there for awhile!

We had a late frost this year and it killed the graft on this tree,,, but we have new growth down at the bottom, so for now this tree will have to settle for decorations instead of leaves! lol!

Use it UP!

2011-08-26T10:35:00.001-07:00

I was de-budding some of my dried lavender bundles this morning when gathering up the dried stems to put out by the fire pit, to be used as kindling and fire scent, it occurred to me,,,, I wonder how many other gals know to do this? To use the dried stems as kindling.
I use jute twine to tie my bundles together. Then I dry my lavender in small bundles so it dries faster then larger bundles.

Then I just toss the small bundles & jute right into the fire pit..... easy peasy....

Sign of the Economy Still Sluggish....

2011-08-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

Another home, back to the bank......a sign that our economy is still struggling...
When I take the back way into town I pass this house.... then one day I started to notice,,,I hadn't seen the 2 black dogs around.....later I noticed a pile of trash along side the house.....

Now the roof is showing wear from wind damage, and the screen doors are off and the weeds are growing up around the once was well manicured home. Also the boat that had been parked out to the left side behind the garage is now missing....So I decided to pull around toward the front side which looks horribly forlorn and run down. Even the Realty sign is hanging hap hazardly from it's post.... I decided to see what the house was listed for,,,and the Realty company listing the house had closed down...and the listing has been pulled...so I am thinking it is a foreclosure...

How sad... it was once a family's home,,,complete with a basketball hoop attached over the garage.

I hope our economy turns around soon, it's sad to think how many other families have succumb to foreclose and have/are losing their homes and memories.

End of Season....

2011-08-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Well it's almost the end of season up here and a lot of the farms up here are trying to get in a second cutting... I watch daily the farms across the road and alongside us with their cutters and balers out working sun up to sun down....
Today they were out cutting between us and our neighbor Jim. It's been in the high 80's and very windy, which is a big concern for grass fires. Gary keeps out property brush hogged regularly to keep us from danger of grass fires.

Our neighbor across the road already have theirs baled and ready for pick up.

What are you watching these days?

(click on the pics for a better view)

Class of NPHS 1972

2011-08-23T22:41:00.000-07:00

Newbury Park Panthers ~ "Black & Gold".

Well hubby dearest returned from his trip back to Newbury Park, to attend his 40th high school reunion.... and guess what? next year is mine!

So now it's time for my high school co-horts in crime to get busy with organizing our 40th.

I started a seperate blog just for our reunion, a site where classmates can go and get updated information and tidbits of classmate history. Check it out!

http://newburyparkclassof1972.blogspot.com/

GO Panthers!

Summers Winding Down

2011-08-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

As Summer winds down, Scooter is 'bulking up' to get ready for his Winter Hibernation.

My Hollyhocks were kind of squatty this year and they are finally blooming!

OOPS! my 'Black Eye Susans' really aren't growing sideways...lol!

It's kind of sad to see my flowers fade away..... I watch my tortoise getting ready for Winter and I too am foraging for 'projects' to keep me busy this Winter.

I Think I am in Over My Head!

2011-08-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, I found this cool old mid-1960's television/cabinet....I am thinking it will make a cute "Wine Cabinet"..so yesterday I totally gutted it, took all the innards out... now I just need to remove the glass and then put in new inside paneling & a rack to hold the wine glasses and then I can either decoupage the top, or tile the top or?????? thinking thinking.....

This chair is going to get a coat of flat white paint and then I will cut out a piece of wood for the seat, cut out the center to fit a large flowerpot,,, and maybe plant an itty bitty Gnome garden...

These are future "To Dos" to keep me creatively creating! lol!

Oops! out of sequence...but this is the future "Wine Cabinet", very mid-century modern and very 'Koolamondo' if I do say so my self.!

We bought this chair last year at a local Antique shop.... I love it,,, it sits low and is a rocker... I call it the 'Grandma comfy rocker'.... it has good bones underneath... I was going to try my hand at re-upholstering it but I think it might be beyond my skills so I will call around to a few Upholstery shops in town to see what it will cost to have it done.

OOPS! forgot (again) to upright my photos.... duh! Anyway, more "To-Dos" to be re-purposed , painted and what ever. I want to spruce up this darling dresser along with the sweet little nightstand(with glass knob) and then put them in my guest room. The little white shutters will get painted and then I will put one set in my Trailer #3..not sure what to do with the other set. Oh Well...I am sure it will come to me! The red tin is a vintage bread box which will go in Trailer #3 as well...and I recently came across 2 little old record players, the tan one and a blue one that is hidden behind it... I also have a box of 'stuff' to be painted...cuz like I always say.... 'If it moves, Salute it... if it don't...paint It! ' lol!

Kat + Chaps = Mischief!

2011-08-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

Dolly~girl is a constant source of entertainment...... and mischief!

I was polishing the silver Buckle on my chaps and Dolly had to investigate....

...uugghh! don't 'cha just hate 'cat hair on your Chaps'?

Thank you, Diane....

2011-08-20T10:16:00.001-07:00

Oh My Gosh! look what came in the mail????
I received these 'lovelies' from Diane VH, from over at the MaryJane Farm forum....
We met at a recent farm girl tea at Maryjane Butters sweet Organic Farm and I had spotted this wonderful Cowgirl cookbook in the possession of Karen~kpaints...Karen had received it as a prize from Diane...well I made such a fuss about 'permanently borrowing it' from Karen if she didn't keep it under lock and key... lol!
Diane emailed me and said she had a spare copy and the next thing I knew... in was in my post box along with the Cowgirl Coffee and the sweet "FiFi Poodle" table scarf...OMG! I feel like I have won the Lottery,,, well almost! lol!
I LoVe my goodies & I love that a fellowette farm girl thought of me in such a sweet way.
Thank you, Diane... farm girl hugz...
Now to fix myself a pot of cowgirl coffee and get to reading! :>)

1964 Magazines

2011-08-13T17:04:00.001-07:00

What do these two 1964 magazine have to do with my trailer blog? Well they are from 1964 just like Trailer#3, my 1964 Fleet Craft, who I named "Farm Girl on the Loose". I am on the search for more 1964 items for my trailer to use for deco. I am also searching for 1963 items for my Serro Scotty and 1959 items for my Aljo. I love a good Quest!

Look What My Mommy Sent Me!

2011-08-13T16:44:00.001-07:00

Look what my mom sent me.... lots & lots of Eyelet lace trim.... I can hardly wait to put them to fun use!

Mom also sent me all these needlework items....

Mom volunteers at a Senior Thrift store...and they get alot of this type of stuff in... but sadly they don't sell well.... Mom paid all of $6.00 for the stash of needlework items and even less for the lace. SCORE! Thanx mommy.... :>)

Look What I Found!

2011-08-13T16:32:00.001-07:00

I found this wool/flannel crazy quilt at a 2nd hand store... for 99cents.

I washed it twice and dried it.... it held up wonderfully. Now I plan to remove the pink yarn ties
and replace with brown ties. It will be a lovely addition to my vintage Aljo trailer.

The brown plaid reminds me of my Pendleton jacket..... Someone probably saved up all their wool & flannel clothing scraps and put the pieces to good use....but sadly someone didn't appreciate this dear old quilt,,,,not anymore....it now has a new home and will be used with love.

I Think I Might Have to Sell Some RagRugs...

2011-08-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with Brenda,,,one of the most sweetest ladies you could ever want to meet... she is planning on doing a 'vintage/antique/craft show' for the weekend of Aug 20th and she is planing to have another one around the weekend of Sept. 17th.... and she has invited me to put some of my crafted creations and antiques in her Sept. show..... thinking, thinking.... sure would be fun and a whole lot less painfull then 'giving blood' to raise fun money! lol!

Anyways, check out Brenda's blog at: http://pastblessings.blogspot.com/

Hmmm, I just might have to make some more rag rugs!

New Resident....

2011-08-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

This is one of our newest residents.... We find all kinds of wild life up here on our property...from Coyotes, Deer, Badgers, Porcupines, Eagles, very big Owls, all types of birds from Hummers to Hawks to Bluebirds and our latest little guest... this little pygmy bunny...s/he was hiding in my garden behind some potted plants.....so cute.

What I did to keep me busy...

2011-07-30T22:08:00.001-07:00

Well I have been down for the count for the past week...thanks to a Summer cold that insists on lingering on and on and on! Uugghh!
I was all ready to join in with some gal pals for a impromptu Camp~out over in Idaho,,, but alas, I decided I had better keep my snotty nose home!
I needed something to keep me busy so down to my sewing room I went,,,
I made 2 fun "Hillbilly Aprons"....
This apron is for a Maryjane Farm friend.. it is made with red & natural burlap...yep, Burlap!
Then I trimmed it with my favorite...yoyos... and a couple of tuck-ins like a battenburg lace doily, clip-on earrings & of course...lavender. The little over sized pin is for the apron closer.
I hope my farm girl friend enjoys it as much as i did making it.
I found the clip~on earrings at a 2nd hand shop, and I attached some sparkly beads to the pin.

This is the 2nd apron that I made.. and it is a birthday present for one of my Glamping gal pals.
Also made from burlap.....and decorated with yoyos, an old crochet doily, lavender and it to has a rhinestone decorated safety pin to use as the closer. Oh and I found a ginormous pair of rhinestone earrings.

Although a burlap apron might not be practical,,, it sure is different.... sort of a one of a kind!

I actually found the pattern for these burlap aprons from a vintage 1960's sewing pamphlet and have made several burlap aprons.

Well, gotta go blow my nose again.... hope I get over this cruddy cold soon!

Look What I got from Regena...

2011-07-30T21:58:00.001-07:00

How sweet is this? I found Regena aka 'the distracted housewife' and her blogsite on the recent 'Flirty Apron Swap~Aloha' that I participated in... I was peeking in at her blog and saw that she was having a 'giveaway'... so I entered & wahooo, I won this cool Pin cushion kit... I can hardly wait to get started on it.. I love little toteable craft projects. I'll be sure to post pics when done.
Thank you Regena.

I Love this Book....

2011-07-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

What a fun read....... "Everyday Fashions of the Fifties"
(if you click on the picture...it will embiggen for a better view).

I recently purchased this book... by Joanne Olian...it is a compilation of mostly women's clothing starting from 1950 through 1959.. All courtesy of vintage Sears catalogs.

It is fun to see the progression of fashions in just one decade from peep toed shoes to stiletto heels. From fussy fitted dresses adorned with pearls & gloves to fun carefree unstructured dresses and overtly silly hats.... it also had a cute little section with aprons..wish I had a few of those aprons in my collection.

There is also a 1940's and a 1960's edition if you are interested in older or new clothing.

Spoons vs Fingers

2011-07-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

mama meri has been working with the girls on their independent self feeding skills....
Leilei seems to be getting the hang of it....

as for phoobee..... well, let's just say,,,spoons are slowing her down! lol!

Aloha, My Apron is here!

2011-07-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Wahooo! my surprise package for the 'Aloha Flirty Apron Swap' arrived today...what a pleasant surprise!

It came from Donna aka 'tealovinglady' over at the Flirty Apron Swap site....each item was sweetly wrapped in purple tissue paper.....and covered with Hibiscus confetti.

And the last item I unwrapped was this adorable tropical inspired apron! Who doesn't love pink & green?

The goodies are such a treat,,, tropical dish towels, coasters, note pad, and candles.. Luv it!

Now I think I will go make myself a cup of passion fruit tea & light one of the Plumeria candles & just relax! aaahhhhhh!

Our Driveway...

2011-07-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

What do you see when you pull into your driveway?
I see my lavender plants welcoming me.

I see my "Scotty w/a Potty" & her little sister, "Farmgirl on the Loose" shyly hiding behind her.

I see the Pergola that my darling husband built for me.

I see the planting we put into the ground to bring life to our property.

I see Possibilities.....

So,,,?...What do you see when you pull into your driveway?

My Kitty is 'Going Green'...

2011-07-23T22:14:00.001-07:00

We have been trying to do our share of 'Living Green'.... even our lil Peekaboo has been giving it some thought....

I took an old kitty litter box, filled it with potting soil, and planted Cat Grass seeds for Peekie to enjoy.

Looks like she might be enjoying it a little to much! lol!

Yep, she's goin' green,,,, actually she isn't using it as a littler box, she just likes to lay in it. Makes her feel like a wild kitty with out the flies & bugs! What can I say, she is our little miss priss.

I have been in the Dungeon...

2011-07-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Yep! I have been spending time again in my Dungeon again and this is what I have been up tooooo! I have 'sew' much fun in my sewing room.... This is the apron & 'tuck-ins' for my Apron Swap partner..... As you can see, the theme is 'Tropical~Aloha'.

I purposely placed the pockets so the birds would look like they are perched on the pocket....if you click on the photo it will give you a better view. (yes there is a yoyo on this apron-can you see it?)

and yes... this was what my apron was in it's former life... a MuMu....how fun is that...

Just got to love re-purposing..... I even (re) attached the origional dress lable to the apron.

Aloha!

Here Kitty kitty kitty....

2011-07-14T13:49:00.001-07:00

Don't you just Hate it,,,when you are in a hurry to leave the house and you try to do a "Kitty check head count "...only to not be able to find one of your kitties!?!... Of all places,,,,for Dolly~girl to 'hide'... she never sleeps in this thing...and to think, I had spent a good 10 minutes looking for her!
Ah, the joys of being a Katmom! lol! and my friends wonder why I am always late!

Dolly, you stinker,,, i think i will put a 'beeper' on your collar!

Now back to her nappy time..... what she does best!

What a Wonderful Afternoon...

2011-07-11T08:40:00.001-07:00

Just lil ol me sitting out in my Lavender field....my lavender is just starting to bloom, a little late because of the long long Winter.

"Women of the Wild West" & "MaryJane Farm Girls" gathered up for "Tea Under the Shade Trees".

Yep, that's me, front row in the rust colored skirt.

Karen, myself & Diane...don't we look cutsie in our aprons? :>)

"Cow Girl Boots Kick Butt" not to mention make us gals look Cow girlie Cute!.

(l to r) Maryjane, Rebekah, Meg, me, Kim.

Who wouldn't want a sweet bed in their back yard to take sweet summer naps in, to dream of overflowing gardens and apron projects.

(l to r) Kim, Sharon & Karen and Heidi (in back ground).....as usual, I am not in the photo because I am behind the camera!
We are at a delightful little Quilt shop called "The Quilted Moose" in Colfax, WA.

( www.myquiltedmoose.com ) There so many wonderful projects on display, oh if only I had a week to come play & create.

This is one of the projects they offer. It is a dimensional mini Crazy Quilt..it is actually even more lovely when you have it in your hands to look at it. It has all sorts of embellishments.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this sweet, simple to create apron... I love the pocket with sweet sayings on it too!

After being in Heidi & Caren's sweet shop, I could hardly wait to get home and make another apron.... I am so inspired by these talented women and their little shop...it may be small in size but certainly not small on creativity...everywhere I looked I would gasp and say,,,'I need to do that'...or 'I want that fabric'..... It was like being in a candy shop, and the projects were the candy! SWEET!

Yoyo Crafting Idea...

2011-07-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I LUV Yoyos...and use them to embellish nearly everything I craft! Well my dear neighbor, Andrea,,, always passes on her crafting magazine to me,,,to enjoy and then I pass them on,,,but in this case, I didn't pass on this issue of "Create & Decorate" because of the cute idea for a towel holder. A Pineapple, the Hawaiian symbol for Hospitality, made up of Yoyos..Cute!
I used felt for the base to which I added the yoyos by stitching on and sewed buttons onto each yoyo. Then I attached the metal ring (macrame' ring) & a little plastic ring on the backside ( for hanging the towel holder)... add a wooden spoon, a towel, tie on a bit of frayed burlap & Voila! instant cute towel holder.

The magazine used felt for the yoyos but I found them to be to bulky for my liking and choose to use a sweet yellow print fabric. Click on the photo for a closer look.

Aloha Apron Swap....

2011-06-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

www.flirtyapronswap.blogspot.com

Ah, it's that time again... for another one of Shawnee's fun 'Apron Swaps',,, and this one is a

Hawaiian theme... I am toying with either Flamingos or a Hawaiin Cowgirl theme.

Let the sewing and swapping fun begin! And on that note, I am off to hit my favorite fabric store in search of the Coolest Aloha fabric ever! ALOHA!

My Love Affair with Doughnuts!

2011-06-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

I LUV Krispy Kreme doughnuts!!!!! Who doesn't!?!

OOPS! this is what happens when Gary & I bring home a dozen of them.....

What a great way to start the morning..... :>)

My Love Affair with Doughnuts....

One of my connections to SO. California is that like 'Starbucks', there is one (doughnut shop) on nearly every corner...lol!

In Thousand Oaks/Newbury Park & Moorpark, where we use to live I had my favorite Doughnut Shops that I patronized frequently... I was soooo addicted to doughnuts back then that each morning after I dropped my daughter off at school and I headed on to work I would stop off at 'Fosters' Doughnuts on Thousand Oaks blvd. and get 2 plain cake doughnuts,,,my all time favorite.
I had no idea how much of a 'regular Customer' I was until I returned from being away for two weeks for vacation... I stopped in to get my 2 plain cakes when the owner asked if all was ok, since he & the staff had not seen me in the past two weeks.... and then proceeded to tell me I need to let them know when I plan to be gone on vacation so they won't worry about me! lol! I promised I would and he handed me 2 plain cakes, on the house, sort of a Welcome back gift... Awwweee...

I was such a regular customer that each morning, no matter how busy and crowded the doughnut shop was,,, I would walk in and the owner or his staff would wrap up 2 doughnuts and hand them to me over the crowd...and I handed him a dollar, wave goodbye and head on my way to work. Being a 'regular' had it's perks!

About a year later the shop changed owners and sadly it just wasn't the same. Shops come and go, memories gently fade,,,,but every time I smell fresh baked doughnuts my mind drifts back to a time when I didn't have to worry about calories, cholesterol and trans fats....but you know what, every now and then I throw caution to the wind and then I indulge in a yummy plain cake doughnut and then I sigh.... and remember my Love Affair with Doughnuts!

A little of This & That...

2011-06-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

Since 'Summer' is slow getting up here in Spokane, the only thing growing in my garden is the Lupin, Flax, Mint & Lilac....oh and of course my wine bottles...

I love my Iris' which were given to my by my friend, Karen. This is what they look like after 2 years of neglect from me..... maybe I should neglect the rest of my plants... lol!

I spotted this wee little flower growing in the most adverse condition, yet, it still smiles up to the Sun.

Ah sweet little grand babies.... both Leilei & Phoobee are having a fun day at 'Mobeus', a special drop-in play gym. Both were pretty pooped-out by the time it was time to go home. Come to think of it, I was pretty pooped-out too! lol!

Me,,,M.I.A.? Naw, just having fun....

2011-06-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

Our little 'California Bear', our thread to our life back in So. Cal., was so happy to see me when I returned home after 4 days of 'Glamping' on the Spokane River with my gal pals, both Sisters on the Fly & the Prosser Farm Chicks'...way kool!

To see what I have been up to, you'll have to go to my Trailer blog...

Happy Trails!

Now that the Snow is Gone...

2011-05-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

Now that the snow is gone, our trees are blooming, and I can almost taste the juicy red apples...

I can enjoy my walks from the mailbox back to the house....

I can sit and enjoy watching my lavender wake up and get ready to bloom...

I can enjoy walking from the back of our property toward the house, and sitting out by my little camp trailer dreaming of upcoming Glamping Trips...

I can anticipate sitting out buy the outdoor fire pit, knowing that hubby~dearest & I cut all this wood.

Now that the snow is gone,,, I can enjoy summer and all the joys that come with it.

Free Pallets....

2011-05-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

We love free pallets...they come in handy for so many things, like keeping our tractor implements off the ground, as well as our firewood off the ground.

Gary came across this idea, found on the internet, on how to build a compost bin from pallets.

How cool is that!

Now to get enough 'green waste' to fill & start 'growing' my own fresh wonderful compost!

The left over pallets will be used to construct Blue Bird houses and anything left over from that project will go in the firewood stack. Gotta love free pallets!

Look What "Ted's " has....

2011-05-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

When we lived in Moorpark, CA. we bought this little Bear wood carving from a couple who were parked along the side of the road, their story was that they were on fumes & needed gas money..so the guy sat a dozen or so of wood carvings out front of their camper to sell....
We bought this one and it has been with us for a good 6 years now....
'Ted's" wasn't to happy when we dragged him from warm sunny California to snowy raining Washington, but Gary made 'Ted's' this cool tree perch to watch the birds and world go by,,,wait, is that a smile I see on Ted's face????

What's Wrong with this Picture?

2011-05-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have to admit, these "Smart Cars" are cute in an itty bitty way,,, but it did look really out of place at .....

in the parking lot of COSTCO..where people buy mega ginormous amounts of products.

AAAGGGHHH!

2011-05-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

AAAAGGGHHH! Is it just ME? or does Blogger not like ME? or what? Lately I have been getting emails from friends saying that Blogger won't let them post on my blog, that it keeps routing them back to 'Blogger Sign-in'.... and I have noticed that lately I can not get into my blog even if I was in it a few minutes ago....I was adding pictures and each time I had to re-sign in...
Today I tried to post in two different blog sites and it kept sending me back to the 'Blogger Sign-in' page and after signing in, and typing in the 'scramble word' it would send me right back to the original Blog sign in page...I finally just gave up, and tore into my (last) stash of M&M's....
after all,,, "Give me some chocolate, and no one gets hurt!"...lol!

Shopping Tote...

2011-05-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm, what is it?

Haha! could it be a 'Kitty Tote' ?????

I luv my 'tote' and Peekie gives it her approval too!

I have seen these at Boutiques but with a rather pricey tag.....but while I was in Germany I noticed that these are quite popular and they range in price from moderate to pricey....needless to say, even with the Dollar to Euro conversion this was so worth buying.....and I luv it. It folds up flat, light weight and looks cute (even with out a kitty in it) when I take it to market.

**update...I was in WallyWorld (Wal-mart) the other day and lo and behold,,, I spoted totes just like this one in vibrant colors...and for only $6.99, OMG! and to think I bought and dragged this one all the way from Germany... but that's ok, because I still love it and it's sweet rose print.

Besides, Peekie loves it too and that is all that matters! lol!

Jada M. Lutz, May 20th 2011

2011-05-24T20:11:00.001-07:00

What a great day for the Lutz & Brown families.......

Oma (me) and my little Soleil aka Leilei, waiting for the big moment when her sister becomes her legal sister....Happiness abounds!

Everybody raise your hand and repeat after me...... lol!

It's Official! Jada M Lutz and Soleil M Lutz are our grandbabies... We are all so blessed.

And now to celebrate....Ice Cream for everyone....wahoooo!

Leilei,,,,,,yep, she had ice cream too! lol!

We often call Jada, Phoobee...so how more appropriate then a 'Beehive' cake...

Oh and we call Soleil, Leilei-Ladybug....we just love them both to bits-n-pieces.

Ah,,,how cute is this... cupcakes for everyone!

What on earth did Opa give you? What is that? oh ya, a popper....looks like it's more fun to chew on then pop....lol!

What I have been up tooooo!

2011-05-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

Don't you just Love wonderful finds? I found this cool wine caddy, it was tarnished silver with a price tag of only $1.00 at a yard sale...For those of you who know me,,,know I luv spray paint.. so some pink paint, tarnished rack and voila! instant cute!
Now I can serve one of my favorite wines, OPOLO, to my guests in style.

Don't you just love it......

This is the 'before' of the wine caddy...oh and licence plate purse was $3 and the cocktail shaker was only $1....just love unexpected yard sale finds!

My hubby asking Peekaboo kitty who she thinks will win "American Idol"....

Both are glued to the T.V...waiting to see who will win...shhhh!

A little friend who dropped in...This 1 of the 2 Hummingbirds that come to our feeder daily.

Happy Camper & friends...

2011-05-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

We had flamingos sneak in to join the fun! Have a trailer slumber party & you never know who or what is going to show up! lol!

It's Glamping Time!

2011-05-15T18:24:00.001-07:00

Yep! it's Glamping season,,,well, almost...but 2 of my Glamping Gal Pals & I snuck in a weekend of back yard Glamping along with a day of fabulous junktiquing, food, fun & friendship....
Sneak over to my trailer blog to take a peek..who knows, you just might feel the need to own a little vintage trailer of your own to do a little back yard Glamping!.

A Little of This & That....and Stuff!

2011-05-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

Yep, I think Spring is around the corner...(fingers crossed) the Doves have returned and are eating like there is no tomorrow!

Look what popped up in the mail..a wonderful B-day gift from my dear friend, Bev.

I love scented soaps, one of my weakness'.... and a cute Spring handbag made from remnant upholstery fabric....and a sweet little birdnest w/egg....Love it all! Thank you Bev.

A very sleepy 'Peek-a-boo'...snoozing with her favorite Teddy Bear...(Gary).

When I asked what Phoobee what she wanted to be for Halloween this year she showed me...

a "kitty play tent"......Kool! won't have to sew a costume this time... lol!