Old Friends and Vintage Textiles

Happy Last Weekend of October, Puffins!  Have you eaten all the candy you bought on sale yet?  LOL

Sorry I was so quiet this week.  Life got in the way and I have too many posts in my head, that they just got all tangled up and I couldn't get a solidified thought written here.  But today I worked at filing some farm receipts and organized my closet and that seemed to shake out the fuzzies in my brain.

Here's what's been going on in my world....

Last Saturday, my Bff (Old Friends) and I had to have some quality "Girl Time" and went to the quarterly Antique Sale and Flea Market.  Our Farmers do not appreciate the thrill of the hunt at these kinds of events, so we left them home to combine and make fence, etc...

At past sales and on excursions to the local "Antique" Malls, we have always hunted up our favorite dealer, Todd H.  The man has an eye for the detail and knows how to "stage" a booth.  This time was no different.  We've learned to look over the other booths for his stacks of goodies on taller hutches and cupboards.  And we found him wayyyyy in the back of the building in a booth of indescribable delight!  Sweet stacks of vintage goodness and such intriguing vignettes, that it was almost painful to disturb them, but yet one wanted to handle and stroke and gaze upon all the lovelies.  He had porch posts (so do I!)  and a white Hoosier (I have an oak one.)  and railroad dishes (my newest passion!) and more red painted and white painted furniture and some rusty-crusty wire baskets and galvanized goodies and vintage fabric and some pink sweetness and farmhouse chic. 

Lawd, I love Todd! 

And he always makes us deals.  And on the first day of the sale, no less! just a few hours in. 
(A few rows over, there was a very sour dealer who complained to us that she was ready to pack it up and leave. No one was buying, everyone wanted a reduced price and it was not worth it!  Well, "honey"..... a few words to the "wise".... A.  You were sitting on your behind like a slug, kvetching about everything-- who wants to buy from someone like that?!  B. Your prices were HIGH!   C.  You just said you didn't want to deal on anything and yet everyone else we bought from or even just looked in their booth, was very willing to take off at least 10%.  Do the math, sweetheart.  And D.  It was a Nebraska Football Saturday with the game on TV... the "crowds" were home watching the game.  Know your customer base.)

Last year I got that red & white corner cupboard from Todd, some vintage food packaging and the "John Deere" colored garden cart.  This year I found a vintage tablecloth, some framed pictures, a wire display "thingie" and some burgundy and white plates.  

I also got a new "vintage" child's red chair (not sure this is really "vintage" but it's cute) for upcoming dgd3 from another dealer; a chenille bedspread and 4 vintage aprons. 
Bff got an old school house table and chairs, preschool-sized for her dgs.  She found 2 framed pictures, a bowl and I talked her into an old grain screen for hanging on her wall.  I am kind of regretting letting that go....  lol.  She's not sure of where to hang it, so it may come home to me yet.    

I know..... if you are like me, you are saying, "Enough with the chatter... show us the photos already!"  I ducked out to the clothesline with the textiles as the sun was setting and the breeze was blowing, so excuse the quality.  I was losing the light, I just had to take them as they were.

Without further adieu.... 

Sweet pink, blue, green and yellow chenille bedspread for the girlies' room.  Only $27!  (one little frayed spot)

Some detail of the colored parts of the spread.

A beautiful grey, white, green and red geranium tablecloth.  It needs a little soaking in Oyxclean.  I couldn't leave it... Oh How it Sings to me!  I love it! (marked $10, but I think I paid less- from Todd)

Sweet, sweet, sweet vintage aprons, this one with rickrack! I paid $3 for all four! 

See!  Red Rickrack!!  Love the pocket detail and the flowered fabric.

A blue gingham apron with sweet cross-stitching to "fancy" it up.

The cross-stitch detail.

More rickrack!  On a pretty sheer party apron. 

Next time I'll show you the framed pictures.   There is a watercolor of a river and road that is sitting on my desk right now, that I absolutely love!   Also a cottage garden print full of color and flowers (LOVE) and an old black & white farmhouse photo, that could almost be the Prairie Farmhouse.   The frame is gaudy (Bff loved it... we are such opposites!  lol), but maybe it would be ok painted black.  I'll show you soon and you can give me some input.
And I think I owe you all, photos of some older vintage finds.... a wire table comes to mind and a wire flower pot holder and some sweet new dishes.  LuRay pastels and such.

Opps there goes the dryer buzzer...  Be sure to leave me a note below on any new vintage sweetness you have found lately, or tell me how Vintage is just not your thing....  :o)

Hugs!
Kay

** "It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

New motto and a new drool-worthy vintage blog

I found a new motto....

"...I learned that no matter how bad a day I was having at the office, I was not working on the evisceration line at a poultry plant..."

Run, don't doddle, over to Oodles and Oodles and join me in drooling over her lovelies...

Vintage Pyrex.... √;

Jadite bowls..... √;

Green McCoy flower pots.... √;

White wicker and painted vintage AND home-sewn pillows on her front porch.... √;

30's fabrics on the back of a vintage doll quilt... √;

a Hoosier cabinet!! (she has a Hoosier too!) .... √;

Aprons, Vintage Cmas ornaments and Red/White kitchenware ... √.

I'm not done looking myself, but after reading that line about the eviscerating turkeys, I knew I had to pop on over and tell you all about her blog.
(It was either that and take a breather or hyperventilate and faint over the Czech/Slovak/American Lutheran Church Cookbook! I'm feeling faint again just thinking about it... )

Between finding new blogs on vintage finds and watching the latest episode of American Pickers, I'm having thrift/vintage withdrawals. My BFF (& partner-in-crime) is AWOL after Saturday, so I'm going to have to round up another innocent victim.... I mean, unsuspecting pawn... no, no... I mean, a fellow thrill-seeker, that's it and head out for some thrifty/dusty/crusty fun.

Why are you still here.... go read "Oodles and Oodles"... Go! Go! ....

Hugs!
K~

** "When you buy a piece of vintage clothing you're not just buying the fabric and thread - you're buying a piece of someone's past."
— Isabel Wolff (A Vintage Affair)

Flea markets & Daffodils

It was a whirlwind day of cattle moving, front-end loader lessons, the city flea market & antique show and groceries.

Remaining twin and mama are in the lot with the rest of the bouncing, tearing around babies. On bovine maternity watch over the red heifer, "Horny" and #23. I never thought I'd ever be so interested in the business end of a cow or her udder.

Blue-eyed Farmer sorted Amos the bull and a calm cow out of the herd and they are enjoying a vacation together in the South pen. It has been a hard start to the calving season with all the cold temps and snow, so we're going to adjust the breeding to be a little later next year.

The Blue-eyed one had a brain storm and decided to make life a little easier for himself and brought a bale ring to put inside their pen.
Imagine a log chain attached to the front end loader, the other end attached to this large round ring. The loader is lifted up high and the bale ring is swinging like a pendulum.
Imagine one nervous Farmer's Wife in the tractor seat having to learn how to raise and lower the bucket as the Farmer maneuvers it over the fence.
Do not imagine the following 15 mins of tears, yelling, hysterics and some boiling-over PMS hormones.
Let's just remember that anything said in the heat of the moment while working with cattle does not count and should not be taken seriously. 'Nuff said.

We then cleaned up and my still beloved Blue-eyed Farmer took me to the Flea-Market and Antique show in the city. It is soo not his thing... so you know I'm still his beloved too.

The first room was a bust and I was afraid it was going to be more flea market with the die cast models and flags and tee-shirts, etc. But the main room was full of good booths.
Some vendors were not looking to bargain much on this first day of the show. Maybe those are the going prices on "E" site or in the Antique Mall but this is a flea market show. Cut us a break here!
And then there were a few who wanted to sell and priced accordingly.
A few prizes that I let get away....
•Old silverware stamped with herb names for plant markers. Loved them but 3/$10 was a bit much for my first booth stop.

• Old early plastic doll house furniture, just like we played with when me & my sisters were growing up. (Mom! Are there any of those older pieces left from the doll houses??? )
I left these today because they were about $20 per room set. But oh I loved the cute white and blue kitchen, the nursery with baby in the buggy, the grand piano, the parlor couch....sigh~~~~

• A oh-so-sweet little guy's western outfit from the 40s-50s. Shirt, jacket, neck kerchief, guns, boots and red felt hat. There was a Gene Autry book at another booth and I'll bet there was a Hop-A-Long Cassidy or Roy Rogers movie in one of those booths too. I wanted it so badly.

• And at my favorite vendor's booth, the cutest little vintage electric fan, for $10. I may dream of this one....

While I left all those prizes for someone else, I did come home with these:

Here is the entire group.

Aren't the illustrations so vintagey (new word) and sweet.

I know!! **hearing squeals** The bottom is the sugar holder and the rollers are the salt & pepper shakers. It will be a partner to my red & white stove.

Did you know I collect red & white crocheted potholders. I have 12 now and a few more others in greens and pinks.

And this vintage Christmas tablecloth! $6!! I couldn't snatch it up fast enough!

My poor Farmer... he followed along, endured my squeals of delight, held my shopping bag and handed me $$. I definitely will keep him (despite what was said during the loader/bale ring escapade. Poor thing.)

After we saw all there was to see there, it was off for some lunch and a Sam's Club visit (toilet paper, jeans for Farmer and reading glasses for him.... LOL... that just is all so wrong, listed together for him.)
And then the grocery store for bag salad, baby carrots, avocados, mushrooms, corn meal, chili beans, pecan halves, chocolate nut mix (purely for medicinal purposes...lol) and....

These!




Because I could not take another day without some promise of Spring.

Hugs!
Kay~

** "No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn". ~Hal Borland

MUST GO THRIFTING NOW!

Last year's Antique Market buys.

Ok.... word of warning....

If you are just craving a good flea market, estate sale, thrifting, etc....

Do NOT.... I repeat.... DO NOT..... Read this Blog by Miss Vintage Rescue Squad!

It is just too painful.


And DO NOT look at her photos.... (that one in particular but they all do me in....)

Because as she says.... Crap, her trash looks better than most people's yard sale stuff!!!

I'm "dying" here! I want that sweet little phone table, those garden chairs, that wicker basket, that white/pink tall cabinet in the distance looks intriguing and that plate rack..... all left at the curb last June!! **wailing and gnashing of teeth**

My only help with this depressing situation is that on Feb. 27 there is a Flea Market in the City and the annual Antique Market in March.
And I know my favorite seller has a new spot in a very accessible shop that I haven't scoped out yet.

Until then, it's time to put away all the wintery decorating and dig out what I've purchased in the past and USE IT! My kitchen, in particular is really bothering me. I am totally regretting that yellow paint decision. :o[ It is not going with the vintage image I have in my head at all.

Who loves to paint? Come on over and bring some light cream paint!

Anyone else desperate to go thrifting, antiquing this weekend?

Hugs
Kay~

** "I read this article that said the typical symptoms of
stress are: eating too much, impulse buying, and
driving too fast.
Are they kidding?
That is my idea of a perfect day. "

I love Red & White!

Is this not just the cutest thing?!! My dear, sweet, much-loved "Cyber-cousin" Maggie & dh Bill repainted and reupholstered this adorable rocking chair pin cushion for me. And then sent it here all the way from their home on an island off the coast of Maine.

Thank you, Thank You, Thank YOU! dear Maggie-Mine. I squealed with delight when I first saw it and I can't stop grinning. Now I'm gonna go cry some happy, "I'm loved" tears.

K~


** "It is a good thing to be rich,
it is a good thing to be strong,
but it is a better thing to be beloved of many friends."
~~Euripides (480-406 BC) Greek Playwright

Howdy Neighbor!

Had to share this... it made me smile!




Hope all your crops are on the climb on this first day of June!

Hugs
Kay~

**"Happy fields of summer, softly billowed over
With the feathery red-top and the rosy clover, --
Happy little children seek your shady places,
Lark-songs in their bosoms, sunshine on their faces!"
- Lucy Larcom, Happy Fields of Summer

Pink fridge, Sugar Pie Farmhouse, Friends and Kolaches!

Hmmm.... that titles makes you wonder if the Farmer's Wife has been sippin' the cooking wine again, right?

Nope, (if anything the very occasional margarita, which was very good and strong and I could have drank a pitcherful, it was that good, but I do have a little self-control and didn't want to be pour back into the car, nor pay for a pitcher. I"m a cheap date.)

Anyway....where was I? Oh yeah.... what's been going on, down on the Prairie Farm. Lots of corn planting, which is now done for 2009! WHEEEEeeeee~~

I've been spending some time with friends. THAT has been wonderful!! BFF and I spent a misty, drizzly morning at an estate auction. I'd show you my buys but iPhoto is being a pain this morning. The list is 2 vintage quilts, a red metal wind-up kitchen clock, some old radio station programming guides, a cottage-themed advertising print and a 70s crockpot-like new, in the box, never used!! There were other things I wanted, but the auctioneers used 2 rings (HATE THAT!) and then it was getting colder and wetter and do I really need another old sewing machine? (NO! says the Farmer)
So we headed over to a very bizare antique mall where I my favorite flea market seller has a booth. Todd, bless him, has a way with display. There I found a vintage RED cake taker. Oh joy! It is lovely. I also found a 1949 Singer sewing book. Now maybe I can figure out how to use all those bits and bobbles that came with my Singers.
Then on to my BFF's kind of antique store... oak furniture and clean and organized. I know I saw things there I liked, but can't remember what they were. It was fun, but I like the thrill of the hunt too.

This week I met up with an dear friend who moved an hour away many years ago. (Why do all my best friends move away? Is it me? I shower daily, really!) She brought along one of her dds and her precious dgd and we had fun shopping and talking and more talking and laughing and hugging. It was like time had not passed for us, except now there is this precious Delaney in the family and 2 dsils and very soon a ddil.
We can't wait to get the guys together and really sit and talk.

Today... TODAY, I am meeting up with a dear friend from my on-line quilt group. (waving at Mattie) She & her dh are on their way home from a quilt gathering and chose to take I-80 home. We'll try to fit in some quilt shop shopping, and then back to the farm for dinner. I wish we could have a little more time so we could spend an afternoon sewing, but they want to get home too.

We have Lots of fun family & friend times coming up. Some are still in the planning stages in my mind but some are on the calendar with the invitation on the fridge. 80th bdays, graduations, weddings, another visit from 2 other quilting friends, the girlies' visit! and that's just May and June!

So while I may be busy and only swooping in here every once in a while, I will be back again. Hopefully next time with photos.

And if you are wondering, the garden is struggling to grow, except for those potatoes. :o[ Thats the only reason I put in a garden, was for the potatoes. They better grow.
The elderberry bushes have been planted. And I've "hired" a certain Farmer and his front end loader for mulch moving so I can plant my butterfly bushes and work on the flower bed east of the porch.

Shoot... time to skedadle and I haven't told you about the pink fridge, SPFH or the kolaches....

Go HERE for the newly designed and so much fun Sugar Pie Farmhouse Blog and Forum. Aunt Ruthie is a sweetie and I love her decor and her spirit.

Kolaches-- made some this week. And ate some. YUM!~ Sorry you all can't come over for a cuppa and have one with me. Someday, right?

Pink fridge-- there is one discarded at my local appliance repair shop. A 50s model from what I could see driving by. I'm going to stop today and either take a photo and maybe ask if I could have it. (Oh my poor Farmer!) I told him about it and it would be the sweetest little thing to store things in my vintage back porch. If we gutted the motor and insulation it wouldn't be too heavy, right? Ok, maybe just a photo then. LOL

Ok, NOW I must get going. My bosses at the magazine will be new grandparents again by this evening. Welcome Grandson H!! Congrats to B & M and big sis J. Congrats to Grandpa & Grandma too. :oD

Hugs!
Kay~

Vintage is where it's at! Photos and new blog recommendation.

Someone thinks my front porch is still her domain. Even after 14 months of it being solely mine.

A week ago my BFF & I went to the local Flea Market & Antique Show in the city. Just a fun afternoon together. I really didn't think I'd come home with very much. Ha! Was I wrong!

Would you like to see what I found?

Ok, you saw this pretty in my last post. It's hanging on my banister to welcome in Spring. It was my second find of the day and I paid $5.


This was my first find. (sorry the lighting is a bit off) A child's ironing board for the girlies' room upstairs. $17

The following were all at the same booth (except for one piece that I haven't take a photo of yet. It's up in the garage.)




A child's card table. It has a bit of damage on one corner & the top needs to be glued on the stand. Farmer-dear said I could take it to some friends who own an upholstery business and have it redone. We'll use some adhesive to join the two parts. Again, for the girlies. (Need to find matching folding chairs now.) $5




This is what stopped us in our tracks on the outside of this large booth. These cute vintage grocery boxes. I went for the red ones and my BFF went for the greens. I should have had my camera to take photos of hers. She found the cutest egg carton and cracker tin. $8 total


Isnt' this the cutest little stool? Repainted of course, but I love red, so it was love at first sight. Very sturdy and just the thing to add a punch of color in my vintage back porch. $10


Yes! That corner cupboard! It won't stay in this corner but it works there for now.

I love that serpentine detail.

And it has it's original hardware. Since I was getting so much from the seller, I talked him down from $75 to $50. It was $90 originally.

And the final item is a vintage tin garden cart, painted green & yellow. $20.

While talking to the seller & his associates we found he has 2 booths at area antique malls and has garage sales throughout the summer. There were 4 metal picnic baskets I would have loved to get but I spent the last of my money (except for $1) buying the above. He said the items that did not sell would go on the garage sales. There was a vintage red electric clock (small damage) and more tins/grocery boxes and some aprons & table clothes I wanted.
And I found out his associate is a shirt-tail cousin to my Farmer-dear. How fun!

I can't wait to go antiquing again, but I doubt I'll find bargains like this. I'm sure my Farmer hopes I don't. He has to help me get them all in the house. lol

---------------------

And now for that new blog recommendation. OMG! Girls (& guys), if you love vintage and the 1950s, you have to subscribe to 1955sGal's blog!
(My Year 1955)


This 30s-something lady is living in 1955 for a year. Wearing the styles, make-up, reading & watching only those books, magazines and tv shows. Listening to the radio of that era. (Thank goodness for ebay, dvds, cds.) She is using vintage appliances and recipes. And she is commenting on the "current" events of the day.
You know I love the 1930s and 1940s vintage farm house style, but there is no way I could go back to no electricity, heating & cooking with cobs, wearing a girdle everyday!
I've washed our clothes with a wringer washing machine and I still use my clothes line. I've made butter and I make bread. I've helped with butchering (ok, it was a deer) and I still have a vegetable garden. I could wear simple housedresses. I may need to find a pattern for those and work on that this summer. It would have to be cooler than demin.

I've enjoyed reading our Mrs1955's cooking adventures. She has been making desserts for her dh to take in his lunch and bacon & eggs for breakfast. While I am not a good wife and make my DFarmer breakfast before he heads off to his off-the-farm job; I am inspired to do more vintage style baking & cooking.
Matter of fact, I made a cake, from scratch, yesterday since I had the oven going, baking bread. It is a Swiss Banana Cake from one of the Pillsbury Grand National Contest recipe books. I didn't make the frosting it recommended as we're not big frosting people. I think I'll make up a sauce from yogurt & Cool Whip and slice a banana on top of that. Farmer-dear is not impressed with it so it may go untopped to work with him tomorrow.

Go take a look at the 1955 blog and encourage her in her journey. Maybe some of my readers have memories of those years.

Have a wonderful Sunday. Remember if everyone else is an hour ahead of you, you forgot to "Spring Ahead"! (not that I would know anything about that-- it's Farmer-dear's responsibility to change the alarm clock. lol)

I'm off to sew some quilt blocks.
Hugs!
Kay~

** "Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends."
~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Prayer requests and quiltiness

Sunrise over the Prairie Pond

TGIF dear Readers!

What to post about..... so much going on, that I don't know where to start and I don't want this to be so long you lose interest. (you probably have done that already)



First and foremost: Please, PLEASE pray, think good thoughts, send up vibes, whatever you do (I prefer prayer myself) for the Martin Bash family. Marty is the dh of my dear friend Lisa. (who is the sister God forgot to give me in real life) Marty was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer 2.5 years ago and the family recently called in Hospice. We're not giving up hope. But as always God is in control, to His glory. Please pray with me that His will be done. That Marty would be healed. That Lisa & the children would feel His peace and comfort and be given strength at this time.


Second prayer request-- not as serious but closer to my heart. Please prayer for my Farmer as he is still not well. Another doctor appointment (#4) and more "guessing" and wasting our time. Why do doctors give you scary possibilities if they really don't think that's the trouble???!!! (Blood clot?? Cancer???? Turbuculosus?? really?! no? Then why mention it!!! **heavy sigh** I'm not a big fan of doctors.)
Anyway, after 3 different antibiotics and a round of steriods, the MusinexD seems to actually be working and now I'm kicking myself for not trying that first when Miss Melanie (our Pastor's wife - a nurse practioner) suggested it. Sorry Melanie, I'll listen to you next time. :o)
But please pray for him that he can get 100% well asap. It's been way too long.


Thank you for standing in the gap with me. :o}


_____________________________________

And now.....

Would you like to see my latest vintage finds (think lots of RED)...

or the evidence that Spring is starting here on the prairie...

or my messings in the kitchen Tuesday...

or some Quilt Studio fun?




I think I'll show you my latest quiltiness today to keep this post short.

If you come in the patio door off the basement walk-out; you'll see this to your left.

I recently fired up my Singer 99K. I've had it for 2 years and decided it was time to try her out. I love her stitches and an added plus, my Kenmore feet fit her! (The Kenmore is the white machine to the left of the chair.) I'm not a very accurate 1/4" seam stitcher without that foot.

Here is a closer view of my sewing area. Rather messy but I like having everything close to me when I need it. The magazine has my BFF's quilt pattern in it.



Closer view of my 99K. Isn't she pretty. :o) She stitches so nicely. Straight and firm and solid sewing. I'm still tweaking the tension but it's so much better than my Kenmore was getting to be. I am having some bobbin-side problems. Not sure what that's all about, but I'll figure it out.


And here is the first block of the 25th anniversary quilt, "Brenda's Roses".



And another quiltie note: Want to see what I found on Sunday at the Flea Market/Antique Show?

Any guesses?






Isn't it pretty and Spring-y? Tulips in pink & green. Any guesses on how much I got it for?

Give up? $5! That's right, F-i-v-e D-o-l-l-a-r-s.

This might be part of the reason why it was that cheap....



It has a few "issues." 3 of the 12 blocks look like this, but they are all at the "top". I think I can remove the damaged blocks, and use the remaining good block in that row for a pillow and requilt and bind it again.

I guess the last afternoon of a show is the time to go to get bargains. You'll see when I post about the rest of my finds. Soon...

I'm off to clean my poor house, bake some bread and then off to the sewing room.

Hugs and thanks again for praying,
Kay~

** "Take comfort, and recollect however little you and I may know,
God knows;
He knows Himself and you and me and all things;
and His mercy is over all His works."
~Charles Kingsley~

I have an addiction

and it's growing worse, but I have no desire to over-come it right now. It sneaks up on me unannounced.

Here's how I fed it today....


(sorry about the mess in the background...this is where she got "plopped down")

Isn't she cool?! Miss Vintage Singer 503a, born a few years earlier than I was. Very clean and well-cared for. (like me) No manual but I downloaded one. Some cams for special occasions and the needed feet and some extras that aren't really needed but they were included.

Yes, I have a Vintage Singer Sewing Machine addiction. They are just so neat!! Miss 503a became mine after some wheeling & dealing; for the price of $27!

I gotta get that painting done and those apples worked up so I can play with her!!

Here is her "older sister," Miss 99K.



Made in Great Britian and after a short stay with the sewing machine "doctor" is a lovely, free-moving thing. I'm almost scared to use her since her "operation" cost a pretty penny.

Poor Farmer-dear just can't quite understand why I am addicted like this. He counted 5 sewing machines in the sewing room today. Kenmore (my Tried & True), the Necchi cabinet my BFF gave me, the 99K, 404 and now the 503a. He doesn't know about the 66 and forgot about the vintage Bernina upstairs and the Wards in the shed.

It could be worse, you know.... I could have a strong addiction to Jimmy Cho shoes.

Have a great Monday tomorrow! I'll be working at the magazine and then home to paint, unless it's raining and too humid. Gee, then I'll have to sew.

HUGS!
Kay~

–– "Methinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics,
when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew;
especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied."
~Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Marble Faun, 1859

I STILL LOVE VINTAGE!

Today we slept in and then went to the city to the Antique Show and Flea Market. I had a blast, but it would have been nice to have a more enthusiastic compantion. My Farmer is a good sport and took me, but he was about as thrilled to be there as I am going to farm stores.

As it turned out, I was "lucky" or "blessed", depending on how you think...

Here's what I got: (oh....crud...have to save and come back and edit it again....SIGH~~)

Ok, now, here is what I got:

Red & White crocheted potholders & a red-handled child's rolling pin. All so sweet!
(potholders $1 each; rolling pin was $3)

I absolutely LOVE this rectangle Christmas tablecloth from the 1940s(?)!!
It was under a bunch of displayed items in a booth and I could not believe the vendor did not have it out for sale! I've seen these go for $30+ at auctions. My dickered down price...$7! (and the vendor even had to move all his stuff off the top of it first.) It is a bit stained and only has one little frayed spot. Did I tell you I LOVE this piece!

Ok, and now the Deal of the Day!!! My photos don't do this quilt justice, I'm afraid. Will have to hang it on the clothesline later and really show it to you.
I saw this quilt on a vendor's chair but the vendor was MIA. I figured I was not suppose to have it and judging from the prices in his booth I figured it would be way out of my price-range.
Later when we had to wait for the tablecloth vendor to unbury the tablecloth above, I decided to go back to see if the quilt was still there.

I am so glad I did! The vendor was very nice and quoted me a price of $45! Be Still My Heart!! I had estimated the lowest he'd go would be $65. Then he showed me the 2 "repairs." On 2 of the rings, someone had machine stitched a square of weird printed material and a square of white on the back. I'm guessing there is a small tear or hole in those spots. Thankfully they only covered the spot and didn't cut it out. I can see the original piecing behind the patch.

So this very nice, HONEST vendor, showed me those spots and how it is stained. Then he says he'll take $40! I was about ready to hyperventelate then... lol Just to see what I could do, I asked him if he'd take $37 and he said YES! I could not belive it! Other than those 2 spots this is a beautiful quilt. It is not thinned nor frayed on the edges. It is hand-quilted and the colors are bright. The patches seem to be from the 1930s or 1940s. Maybe feedsacks?

I looked at a couple of other quilts at other vendors but the lowest I found was a twin-size summer coverlet (Snowball pattern in white, black and blue print) for $65 and a 12" Friendship star block double-size quilt with badly frayed edges for $35. Next time I'm bringing more $$$$! Total spent today- $50, which was how much I brought along.

The Double Wedding Ring Quilt (also known as the Deal of the Day)

Detail of the rings and a corner edge. (see, it is badly stained)

I love vintage!

Hugs
K

A New Treasure

Happy Saturday... well, I guess it's really Night, not evening anymore. I have the last load of laundry in the washer now so won't be too long and I'll be going to bed. That's what happens when you clean the master bedroom at 6 p.m. A heaping clothes basket of "found" laundry later and I'm up until 11 p.m. (don't be shocked... we're not that untidy...most of that basket-load was sheets from our bed.)

First off, I want to say a big "Thank You" to everyone who has been reading and leaving comments! I write this blog for myself, but it's nice to know I'm not too boring or crazy.

Are you wondering why in the world I waited until the day was over to clean our bedroom? Well, partly because I'm a night owl and I get my burst of energy around 3 p.m. Today was no exception.

But before that I had a full day in the city. Today was the huge garage sale in Lincoln at the Event Center. Rick worked for a few hours this a.m., early, and then came home at 7 a.m. to go with me. He felt bad that my "real-life" friends & family couldn't come along and I was going alone. I told him I didn't mind, but it was nice to have company. He may not "get" my addiction to quilting, vintage kitchen things or my blog, but he's still my best friend.


We got to the venue after the rain stopped, but the parking lot was a mucky mess! Yuck!
Once inside it was quite crowded, but we made our "plan of attack"... make the circuit around the outside edge and then the inner booths and then work the inside rows the same way. That was the only way to preview the booths and watch for other shoppers.

About 3/4 of the way down the second row I spotted it! "What was 'IT?'", you ask?

"It" was this....





I know very little about old sewing machines. I only have a 1980s Kenmore that I use for my quilts and a Bernina that needs some work. The Bernina was purchased from the publisher of the newspaper I used to work for. I got it for $25 w/ the cabinet. I just need to get it somewhere and worked on. It sat in a damp garage for too long, I think.
Anyway... I don't know a thing about old machines, but I was excited to see "Singer" printed on this one.



The gentleman selling it was very nice but I wonder if he knew what he had? He did make the effort to find an outlet so I could try it. It works!

It seemed sound, smelled ok, and I didn't see any glaring flaws. It has the case and the key, but no manual or other accessories.



I was able to "haggle" him down to $35 (from $40-- whoop-de-doo! ).

An online friend pointed me to a Singer Yahoo group and I think what I have is a Singer Featherweight 99k, made in Great Britain in 1949-50.

(Later Note here: It is NOT a Featherweight, but just a 99. The "K" means it was made in Great Britain.

This group is a wealth of information, if anyone else has an old singer to enjoy:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesingers/?yguid=300530460




Click to join vintagesingers


Here are 2 more pictures of the details:





Owning a Featherweight has been a longing of mine ever since I got back into quilting. That and owning a new, fancy-dancy Bernina or Pfaff or Huskavana. I figured neither were in my future because of price. I've only seen a couple of old Singers at auctions and they always went sky-high out of my price range. And of course the new sewing machines are out of that range too.

We completed the deal and the seller agreed to keep it at his booth while we continued on. There was everything from JUNK to nice antiques. I looked at a few quilts but they were pretty damaged for their price ($50-$100). I've gotten "cutter" quilts that were as nice for alot less.
In the end I only found this sweet vintage apron for... get this! 25¢ !!



I have to find a way to display my growing collection of aprons. I got one at the thrift store again this week... a turquoise and white one. Hmm-- did I take a photo?? Well, if I did, I've deleted it. I'll take another one of my finds that day....books and that apron and a sweet violet china/porcelain basket.

Getting back to today's adventures.... It took us about an hour & a half to get through the sale. We picked up my machine (heavy thing it is, too!) and made it back through the hog-wallow of a parking lot.
From there we went to a new-to-me quilt shop called The Cosmic Cow! (don't you know I'd love this place! )
Think every kind of BRIGHT fabric and batik and gift items and thread. Not alot of books and no repros or country "dulls" kind of fabric. The owners were so nice and friendly and we had a great chat about the Mark Lipinski visit **waving at Mark**
They told me about the famous doll-maker, elinor peace bailey, who was there for a week-end class. They offered to introduce me to her. Now how nice was that?! I declined because I didn't want to take her away from the class, who had paid for the privilege of her teaching and time. But I still thought that was more than sweet.

Of course you know I had to buy something there.


These are going into the "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" quilt collection for our online home party in a few weeks. Obviously I was a little color-starved on this early spring day in March.

After I spent the last of my money, we went to Earl May Garden Center to look at lilac bushes. We are making plans to dig out some cedars and open the view to the pond. I thought lilacs would hide the yuck-looking cattle pen but let us see to the pond still. We got a lot of helpful information from "Josh". We'll be working on that project a little later in the spring.

From there we went to lunch, then home for a nap for Farmer-dear and online detective work on my new toy, for me.

And that is why I was cleaning the bedroom at 6 p.m. and why the laundry has just stopped at 11:45 p.m.

I'm off to put the last load in the dryer and find that shower! (oh crud..and make the bed too. )


As always, thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

Hugs & Stitches
Kay on the farm
** Life is short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile.