Let your mind be quiet...

 Let your mind be quiet, realizing the beauty of the world,

 and the immense, the boundless treasures

 that it holds in store. Edward Carpenter

 Just a walk around the block in Spring...

and home again restored.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

Rummage Sale Finds

Vintage thermos bottle, sweet!

As promised, my loot from the first rummage sales of the season...

If offered I always take the $5 bag option, unless things are really picked over and not worth getting a bag at all.  The two sales we attended this weekend both had great stuff.    This last minute addition... a plaid thermos... couldn't believe it was still on the table.  Still with the glass liner intact, I've seen them used as vases at picnics, perhaps a barn wedding?

 This is a bonanza.  Yards and yards of fabric.  Some I will use, others (the children's prints) will go to our pillowcase project.

 There are five yards of the stripe.  I rarely find a masculine print suitable for pillowcases.  These will be for my guys.  That funky print from the seventies is going to future DIL Charlotte for their vintage kitchen table.
... not shown, several yards of white muslin. That little floral will be a pillowcase for our bed.

I did save one cut of the Raggedy Ann fabric for sweet p. At Kristen's baby shower she received a throw and doll from my pal Kathy for Penny.  Our little one loves having her own pillow on our bed for sleepovers, and even knows where the new pillowcases are stashed. She's gonna love this one to match her doll and lovely throw.

Hanging out at the sewing table till the bag sale started, I was able to scope out all the notions.  Pinking shears, curved applique scissors, binding, elastic, crochet thread...

 Beautiful hand crocheted lace edgings...

 This heart edge was worked on muslin.  Am I too old to get away with a boho top with lace trim like this?
I have friends that rock the charming look and always think I would like to try.  I always wanted to be a hippy.  I was too young in the sixties, now I might be too old at 60!

All displayed on a ivy and rose covered pillowcase.

 More lace trim...can you imagine the hours and hours of work involved in making this?  I so appreciate all the women who crocheted these tiny stitches for a project that was never completed.  I can really relate to that, said the lady with a lifetime of projects in my house and in my head!

 A stamp set with letters and words, also a flower set.  Three 12x12 sheets of craft paper recipe cards.

 Supplies I like to have on hand and always use.

 The recipe cards.

 I do have a scissor collection, actually my Dad had one on the pegboard in the basement that is now mine.

More lace, six vintage napkins, five yards of fusible interfacing and a Guitar book from the seventies I will send Mike for his studio. Some items were not included in the five dollar bag.  I spent $1 for the napkins and $2 for the lace.  The guitar book was free.

 Closeup of the napkins. A pretty good $5 bag, don't you think?

Has anyone made anything with vintage damask napkins?  There are so many out there and they are lovely.
I've used one as a base for a pillow, guess I'll have to check pinterest for ideas.

Well, as they say, that's all folks.  For now.  The rummage season has just started.;-)  Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind comments.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

Weekend Update

A happy busy weekend, the first rummage sales of the spring, a sleepover with the baby grand, a broken car, but all in all, a great weekend.

I started out grumpy.  Last week didn't exactly go as planned, but seriously, whatever does.  The weather last week was down right deadly in Illinois.  A horrible tornado destroyed a town just west of us on Thursday..  I can't imagine what the people of Fairdale experienced.  I am no good in spring and summer storms.  I remember my Buscia lighting a holy candle and being terrified through storms when I was young. Buscia must have passed down that fear to me.

When hubby dropped me off at my meeting on Thursday, our truck was giving him trouble. The only good part was that the truck ran well enough the next day to get it to the shop for repairs.  We were driving a rental minivan this weekend, a car I now know is for the young.  Getting into and out of the backseat to sit along our little one was comical. The rise was really too much for this old gal and I am used to a large SUV! Graceful I am not, so I got in as best I could.  At the grocery store I waited until no one was around to climb in to avoid embarrassing myself.

I am getting ahead of myself... So in our uncomfortable minivan we headed to a couple of the first rummage sales of the spring.  The best sales are usually held in a church basement.  There are piles to sift through, and boxes to peruse.  The folks running things are always cheerful and very appreciative for your support.

 The first sale was in beautiful Geneva, IL.  We haven't been there in while, and the beautiful weather and the great company (my husband) made for a good ride.

 The second was in Park Ridge, IL just outside of Chicago.

 Then it was off to pick up our baby girl for our very first trip to Lake Michigan. The city is shaking off the winter. The front yards and parkways are all blooming.

We have been dreaming of taking our small one to the Lake since she was born.  This trip was very special to me because of that.  (OK, that means a few tears were shed!)

With bucket and spoon in hand, the Lake was just a big sandbox next to a play ground. It just could not compete with the playground in our girl's heart. Sweet p. was wary of the water and asked if there were any fish in there... (She had a bad experience at a nature center and a tank of native fish...) Still my little dream came true, and I hope her love for our beautiful Lake Michigan grows as she does.

Grandpa is an excellent playground playmate.  Just when I think I couldn't love him more, he goes and becomes the sweetest grandpa to the sweetest girl.  I just love seeing them together and listening to their conversations.  Just melts my heart.

 After the longest winter these little pops of Spring are a welcome sight.

The garden is calling, with many jobs to tackle before planting starts in May.

You might be wondering if I found any treasures at the sales...well, yes I did.  Check in tomorrow and I'll show you my stash.

Thanks for stopping by and for all your kind comments.  I even have a couple of new followers, thanks so much.  Enjoy this beautiful day!

A Barn Wedding!

 Jon and Charlotte have chosen a venue for their October 2016 wedding, and it's an amazing barn.  Built in 1888, it has been modernized and is the perfect place for a Autumn wedding.

All of my romantic notions of a barn have been realized.  Beautiful lighting, air conditioning, all the modern conveniences.   This is going to be one amazing wedding for one truly amazing couple.

Seems like a long time away, but when you get to my age, time flies!  I gotta find a dress! ;-)

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this beautiful day.

Inside Blumen Gardens

I was amazed with the outside grounds of Blumen Gardens in Sycamore, Illinois and then I was thrilled with the inside spaces.

 We came in from a side door and I didn't know where to look first.  This is the most awesome store I have ever seen.  A dream of vintage, garden, gifts...  I was in heaven.

 Everyplace you look there is something delicious, vintagey and perfectly wonderful.

 The space itself is tremendous in size and scale.

 I just kept on snapping photos that really do not do the space justice.  It's a must see for yourself kinda place.

 That chandelier was huge.

 Just when I picked a favorite vignette, I turned to find another just as pleasing.

 Serenely beautiful...

 OK, this frame thing, WOW, where could I do this?

 I have old fence.  If I hug it on my wall would it be this cool?

 The miniatures...they went on and on.  If our sweet p. was here with us, we would still be there.  So much to see!

 I have to do a beach!  How sweet is that?

 Then we headed into the space we came to see, a venue for parties, meetings and weddings.

 The dimensions were huge with a great industrial vibe.

 I knew that Jon would be a fan of the urban lofty look of it.

 Yet all the cool touches had me snapping away.

 Has a shutter ever looked so good?

Everything.was done so very well.  I just want to go and spend the day.  That's how long it would take you to see every display and all the wonderful items for sale.

It is always so cool to find a new destination, a great place to visit and be inspired.  It's not the venue for the kids, but the trip was so worth it.  I hope that if you're local you will check it out, so worth a beautiful drive in the country.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this beautiful day.