Pink Roses

sewing tin...

One of my most prized possessions is my grandmothers sewing tin. It's just an ordinary metal tin...

...but I always feel so close to her when I open it up and look at the things inside.  I got this tin from her house when she died 13 years ago, and have looked through it a million times.  My other grandmothers sewing tin was very practical...lots of brown and black, things for mending and repairing work clothes.  This tin was more about sewing for beauty and fashion.  My grandmother had beautiful colors of seam binding and lace, pearl buttons and dressmaker details...

and unlike my other grandmother, this one traveled all over Europe, and she had needles from England, French and Italian thread...

stamps and coins from places like Zambia and Tanzania...

I look at the buckles and buttons and try to imagine the outfits they must have come from...

After all these years of looking at this tin over and over, the other day I found a surprise.  There was a folded piece of paper that had a length of cream colored embroidery floss wound around it.  I looked at it, and for the first time noticed that the paper looked like a piece of notebook paper.  I unwound the floss, and started to get excited...I recognized the handwriting...it was a letter my grandfather had written to my grandmother...

He started it "Dear Honey".  I was shaking as I read the letter...my grandfather died in 1969, when I was 8 years old.  I felt like I had found hidden treasure that had been right in front of me all these years.  I showed this to my mom when she was here.  In the letter he wrote " I just wrote the baby"...he was referring to my mother.  My grandfather worked for an oil company in Africa, and sent letters to us, and to my grandmother when she was home in the United States visiting.  My grandmother had kept this all these years in her sewing tin wrapped with thread.  Now her little sewing tin is a treasure chest...and it is priceless...at least it is to me!

postcards...

A few years ago a friend of mine gave me this metal photo holder to use for my postcard collection.  It was black and had a tiny little round ball on the top.  I replaced the little ball with a large wooden finial, and spray painted the whole thing white...

I use it to store all of my postcards with pink roses...

I am showing this because the topic this week for "Show and Tell Sunday" is all about showing how you "store your stuff"...craft supplies, collections...whatever.  Visit Cerri's blog for more information.  I am going to try and organize some of my "stuff" and take some pictures to share...if nothing else, I will get inspired by the way everyone else organizes :)...come play along on Sunday!

shutter table...

Here's an oldie but goodie...one more thing I've made out of shutters rescued from the trash!  In case you're just tuning in, my fireplace screen and my bedroom headboard are made from "found" shutters.  My headboard was actually featured on HGTV.com back in February as "shabby chic at its best"...I had to laugh!  I could pretend that I am being "green" or repurposing to save the planet, but lets be honest...I love junk and making things out of trash...   I made this table by screwing on some legs made from ready made porch spindles from the hardware store (Home Depot).  I made the scalloped apron out of thin wood they use to cover hollow core doors (called "door skin").  It is very light and inexpensive and comes in a sheet the size of a door.  I used a table saw to cut it out (you are lucky you did not see that!). I nailed it around the top of the shutter.

I painted the whole thing white, and then drilled small holes at the top of the points, and made a little loop with a piece of wire and attached some old chandelier crystals. 

You could put a piece of glass over the slats if you needed a flat surface, but I usually just use a tray or a large book, and set my small objects on top of that.  So there you have it...super simple, trash to treasure.  Go forth and scavenge!

a new chapter...

It's been a whirlwind around here, but things are settling down now.  The party was fun, we had plenty of food, but I failed to take many pictures!  My parents are gone, and the house is almost back in order.  Through it all I haven't cried, but the boys are having a tough time.  (My favorite picture of Christopher-his first birthday)

Christopher has had some of the same friends since he was born.  In our neighborhood there were 12 boys born in the same year.   The boys grew up together like brothers ... school and sports, learning to walk/read/ride a bike, climb a tree, drive a car...you name it...and now they are all going to different schools.  University of Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Stanford, Clemson, Kentucky, Georgia Tech...

Seven boys slept here after the party...in beds, on sofas, on the floor...they didn't want to leave, and I didn't want them to.  I would have them live here all summer if I could.  They played with light up frisbees and glow-in-the-dark footballs in the backyard when it got dark... and then they lit a fire in the outdoor fireplace and sat around and talked forever.  At 1:30am they raided the kitchen for leftovers...who knows when they finally went to sleep.   They realize that things may never be the same, and they are sad about it.  I am too.  A new chapter is about to begin for us all.  It's going to be hard to top this last one!

Graduation...

He made it!

WE made it!

Tomorrow we celebrate!

helpers...

There's nothing like a party to get all the little things on your to-do list done.  My dad and my son have been good little helpers...here they are hanging a chandelier I bought at the thrift store.  I ripped out the wiring, and am using it for candles.  Trust me, they had an opinion on this, and it wasn't in my favor...but they did it!

They also had objections to hanging a painting outside, but in the end they admitted that it looks nice.  This is on the covered stone patio at the back of the house...I filled an old suitcase with candy...

I have my Grandfathers old stuff out here (my Dad's dad)...

The chicken feeder and horseshoes from his farm...fishing stuff...the skinny cage was the one he kept crickets in, he used them for bait sometimes...the big cage was for fish.

This patio is off of the basement where I have my studio, and office, and a big game room.  The old chippy table with the fountain on it was my Aunts... 

So that's what's going on around here today...

Still much to be done, but we're getting there...I'd better go help my helpers before they quit on me!

PTA lady...

Yesterday was my last day as a PTA volunteer.  From her first day in kindergarten, to his last day as a senior, I have volunteered in some way.  I was the PTA president for 2 years, Vice President 3 years, Secretary 1 year, and was chairman of dozens of committees.  From room mom and field trips, to State Conventions...I've done it all. 

For the past 7 years I have worked the front office at the High School, Tuesdays 8:30-11:00, that would be my cheery voice answering the phone.  I did that for 6 years at the Middle School too.  The best part was that my children came up to see me between EVERY class WITHOUT FAIL...even his senior year...he would come up 3 times, and bring his friends, and I would get hugs.  Yesterday I saw so many sweet faces...faces I have known since they were babies in kindergarten, 5 years old, and now they are young men and women getting ready to graduate.  

Ten years ago, when my kids were in Elementary school (2nd & 5th grade) I was PTA president.  I lived at that school.  One day I was walking down the hall during class time, the hallways were silent, and there was one little boy standing in the hall.  He was a First Grader, with his back to the wall, perfectly quiet.  As I got closer I smiled at him and he whispered to me...

"I know who you are"

I knelt down beside him and asked "who am I?"

he smiled and said quietly..."you're the PTA lady"

That moment stands out in the past 16 years as my nicest compliment.  So many great memories and friendships. 

Time to move on...

fabulocity...

I think this pretty much just sums up all that is good in the world.  Except for chocolate.  And kissing.  But that's another post...

This little creation is by Jocelyn O'Gorman and her business is called "The Painted Fern"...she does not have a website or email listed on her card, so I can't tell you how to reach her...you could leave her a comment here if you want, she promised she would read this! (hi Jocelyn!)

I asked if I could take pictures of her booth and she said "sure", she was so sweet...this mannequin stopped me dead in my tracks...she tore apart a wedding dress (!) brave girl...I can't even rip apart hats!

she had vintage flowers from Tinsel Trading ...

great floral arrangements, lots of birds nests, fun altered art and collage pieces...I LOVE these bottles...

  You can find all this, and much more, every month in her booth at Lakewood...!

next stop...

The next stop on my flea market tour is to see my friend JoAnn  and her shop filled with GORGEOUS hand dyed vintage ribbons.  Heaven!  JoAnn had these darling vintage birds which she hand dyed and glittered...I bought a blue one and put it on this cloche in my entry...

(she has these for sale in her Etsy shop).  I also bought some vintage posies...

and I am wishing I had purchased this beautiful candy box and pink bird...

JoAnn is friends with Kris Hurst and sells some of her art and digital CD's in her shop.  Kris arrived while I was there so I got to visit with her...we usually miss each other.

Here is a crown Kris made, and here are my purchases of the day...

I didn't buy too much...I was only there 2 hours and spent most of my time TALKING and taking pictures...and I smiled the whole way home!

One more booth to show you tomorrow!

Show & Tell Sunday: vintage linens

Today Cerri is hosting Show and Tell Sunday...vintage linens.  I love old linens and have quite a few, but they are not beautifully arranged, or even ironed, most are in boxes or folded on a shelf.  One of these days.... :)

Above I have some of my old tablecloths, and below are vintage pillowcases..I use these sometimes...

and of course the hankies...

I got out a pile of embroidered doilies and was going to take pictures, but I didn't have time...at least she had a nice place to nap!