Sewing Patterns and Notions Score

Well, this is a new one for me. I am posting today from a hot spot while waiting for my son's next game to start. Once again my weekend is spent watching baseball. I really do not mind. I just wish I could do it all! I have to miss out on many auctions and garage sales this time of year.

Last weekend was an open weekend for me (no baseball) so I took advantage and went to TWO auctions! Yeah! Not many good items but these buttons were a BIG score! The best thing.....I was the only bidder! I waited until the auctioneer hit his bottom and placed my bid! I couldn't believe I was the only one that wanted them. Look at all the goodies I got!


My favorite RED!
My other favorite GREEN!
And as always, some white. I was very excited that all the buttons were on cards. Just a handful of loose buttons. Love those old buttons cards, too!

I did score a huge amount of vintage patterns at the thrift store. I scooped up all they had! There were lots of duplicates, just different sizes. This is only a small amount of them. My favorites are near the center of the photo.
I also was fortunate enough to find a few apron patterns. Nothing really unique but I rarely pass them up.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Patience is a Virture

As I may have mentioned, I had plans to go to an auction this past Saturday. I did go, in fact. It was a very unusual day, though. Nothing went really smoothly. I had to bring my son along. He's such a good sport, he didn't complain. His baseball team scheduled a last minute practice near the auction site (thank you!)

Now I've expressed my love of box lots. Luckily, this particular auctioneer (Wears Auctioneering) does the box lots first thing. I had planned on staying for those. Then, and after the first hour I would leave to leave to take him to the diamond. I returned to the auction and I bid on a few items but nothing I couldn't live without. So, it's several hours later and I'm still empty-handed.

After baseball practice I return to the auction (son in tow.) They are close enough to finishing that I make him stay while I wait to bid on a few items. Five hours into the auction I score my first item. FINALLY! Normally I would have left long ago. However, with baseball season looming I know my auction jaunts will few. So, my big purchase? This basket purse. A short while later, I end up with a flat of linens. I was happy to finally get something and something I had more than a slight interest in.

So, once I get home I have to find a spot for my new lovely. This is where it ended up. On my stacked benches. I might add, I made all these benches except the black one. Yes, me, not my hubby, me. Several years ago my aunt and uncle were tearing out some barn board and asked if I wanted it. YES PLEASE! If only I could have some more!The stuffed animals are a favorite of mine. I found them about a year ago at a flea market. If you want to see the other items close up, just click on the pic!

I will try and get those linens clean and post them soon. It's going to be a job! There is rust on my favorite! Wish me luck!

Easter Tree

I had no idea when started my second blog it would take me so long to get to another post! I haven't been to any auctions since the last entry, although there is one this Saturday. So, I hope it's a good one. I'm feeling deprived! I'll take some pity, please! Anyway, I am fulfilling the "made" portion of my blog namesake with todays offering.
This is my "not so little" Easter tree! Every year the kids and I head to my parents house and find a large shrub to prune so we can have a tree. This year my dad had just trimmed all the lower branches off the trees, so we had a good selection. They are never perfectly shaped, but we're OK with that. This one has a distinct curve to one side. If I had put it in my usual spot it would have impeded the walkway! So, I put it up high at the dividing half-wall between my living room and kitchen. Everybody in the family got a vote and this got the thumbs up!
Most of my ornaments are recent store bought ones. However, this one with the scallop edge was made by me. I have a set of them, all different. I used orange juice can lids and all my yummy Stampin' Up papers. I like 'em!
My spring blocks are new this week. Boy, it took me forever to complete this project! Again, I used Stampin' Up patterned papers and recycled some craft-store wood blocks from a project years ago. My biggest challenge has been mastering my Cricket die cutting machine. I mounted these papers on chipboard, so they had a little more substance to them. I never read how to cut chipboard, so I had a few failures before I decided to read the manual!!! Then, I was trying to conserve paper by cutting my squares only a 1/4" large than my final finished size. Big mistake because I am not proficient at centering the cursor on the Cricket. Once again, I had many mistakes! However, it is done now and I am glad, glad, glad! So, what do you think?

Auction Last Saturday

I love box lots. I always think I will find some great little treasure amongst all the stuff. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Generally I don't pay much for the boxes, just in case I get burned. These boxes were just average.

The grade on this group: CThis lamp is one of the items I really wanted out of the box lots. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the chip (I turned it to the back) and that the cord had been cut off (easy enough to fix.)
This is a picture of the rack stuck in one of the boxes. It has damage, too (big sigh) but not enough to keep me from using it. It's already found a home in my laundry room. The clothespin caddy was made by me out of one of my great grandmother's aprons. She was such a tiny lady, I would have never been able to wear it! I felt a little guilty at the time, but I got over it. The other apron was from another grandmother.
These are the textiles that came along. That apron is super tiny. It has to be a child's apron. I love the towel and the trims. The pot holders in the center are the prettiest shade of pale pink. The doily near the center is edged with variegated violets, very pretty.Some pictures and a few prints. Love those calla lilies and the other floral print is beautiful, too. A lovely shade of blue in the background. I'm kind of drawn to the man on the bottom, he's a priest, interesting.
A mixed bag in this photo. The Shiny Brite box caught my eye. Unfortunately just 4 plain gold balls inside, but that's OK. I hoard them all! I like the artwork on the cigar box. Really amazing close-up. The Workbasket magazines are interesting to look through. I love the editions that have the embroidery transfers still attached in the center.Lots of chipped and broken dishes. I was hoping for a good piece or two. The transfer ware may be destined to be broken and the shards used for mosaic pieces.
This is a maple doll crib, not really old, but handmade and worth saving. I will glue it back together. Maybe I'll make a little quilt for it, too.

Please leave me feedback on what you see. Should I only include the best stuff I find? Not enough description of what's in the photos? Should I use larger photos? I'd love to hear from you!

New Blog Launch!

Hey....anybody out there? I've decided to start another blog! It's been 11 months since I started the Stampin' Garden', my blog devoted to my card making and paper crafting hobby. I love doing it but I've been yearning to venture into other areas, maybe even get a little personal! This all started when I found Barbara over at Oodles and Oodles while searching for information on vintage ornaments. She has a fabulous blog. In addition, she had a blog roll, as many bloggers do, of the sites she likes to visit. I discovered a world of crafters, garage sale hounds and all things vintage that kept me busy blurfing for days!

So, that inspired me to start a blog on my many crafting and more inportantly vintage treasure hunts! I just want to join this world of vintage lovers and learn as much as I can. I hope you like what you see.

Let's go!