~*Was It a Selfish Saturday?*~

Well, it could have been... guess it depends on how you look at it.

Hello Dear Friends! Yesterday I took the day for MYSELF & crafted to my hearts content! While I didn't stitch on anything, I did hook & finish up two trash~to~treasure pieces. Tony was working in the garage building a packer for the go kart track and Trinity spent the day playing with the dog & later on with two of his cousins... so I did my own thing! It felt GREAT too!

Here is what I did...

First, let me remind you of what I started with. This is the group of stuff I found when my good buddy, Sher, and I hit the thrift shops in town a few weeks ago...



Look closer at this...



It now looks like this...



The cross stitch on the top was one I had done several years ago for another idea I had that didn't pan out as envisioned. 'Willard School' was the name of the one~room school house my Dad went to (well, both my Aunts too). The building has now become someones home. I don't get to Willard, Kansas often now... but each time I do, I make a drive by & imagine what it would have been like as a school.

Here is a close~up view of the stitching... I've aged it with some sandpaper & a few snips here and there...



The slate sitting at the bottom was also from the thrift store. The large part of this piece was only 25 cents... and the slate was only 99 cents. Hard to believe it only cost $1.24 total!

My next project of the day was the stool. Here is a view of how it looked before (it was only $5)...



Here is how it looks now...



Using cheap spray paint, I first gave it a coat of black & then a quick coat of red. I didn't even bother with sanding before painting... I figure I do enough sanding after painting to make up for it.

After the red was applied...



After the sanding... notice the school board 'thingy' there too... I didn't even bother repainting it...



Then a coat of shoe polish to stain & wax... (remember I told you that lil' secret before)



I grabbed a scrap of linen & one basket of woolly worms... drew up a geometric design... then headed for my spot under the Oaks in the backyard... (the linen was actually one I had scribbled on the other side for another rug that never became a rug)



While hooking... I decided to make a change in the design...



Tony had to ask me if I was hooking a pizza. I wasn't amused by the comment... but we did have homemade pizza for supper last night. LOL



Another view of the finished stool...



So, was it a selfish day? Maybe it was to some extent... but it sure feels good to have a few of the things on my list finished. It always feels good to me to have worked with my imagination, heart, and hands. Plus, I feel the creative juices are regurgitated for more.

Wishing you a day of warm smiles, sunshine, and crafting joys...

Betty

~*A Few Finishes & Photos*~

Hello Dear Friends! Well, I have finally gotten the pictures moved from my camera to the computer... and I can finally show you a few things. Hummm.... what to show you first? Guess I'll just start! :)

These are a few dollies I've made to donate to a wonderful project called Comfort Doll. My dear friend, Jo, found this project & offered it to the girls in the Ebay group An American Primitive Gathering. Several of us have made dolls to donate and are delighted that we could bring a lil' comfort to someone in need.



A few weeks ago, my good buddy Sher and her hubby came to town for a visit. We had lunch together (they treated me ~ thank you again guys!) and then visited some garage sales & thrift shops. Here is a photo of all the junque I drug home...



Cheap baskets, a box of wooden spools with thread, a neat old tomato pincushion, a milking stool, a plain ol' jar, a washboard, a school board slate, and an ugly~crafty thingy ~that I'm sure was cute at the time~ (I do actually have plans for it). When Sher and I went in the thrift shop, we immediately noticed two washboards for only $6.99 each. She asked which one I wanted and then said she was glad because she wanted the other one. I liked this one because of the red in the old advertising. Nope, I don't know what I'll do with it... but it will be displayed somewhere around here. Right now it is just tucked in a corner of the kitchen awaiting its time to be displayed.

Cool, isn't it?



I've tucked the pincushion in amidst my other vintage ones and put the box of spools on the shelf in my work area. As for the items I'm re~doing... I've began painting the baskets & stool... none of them are ready to show again just yet. The ugly~crafty thing (I hope that doesn't offend anyone... it was popular & cute at the time ~I'm sure of it!) is also a work~in~progress... but can't be shown just yet either. Well... of all of it... this is the only one that is finished. This jar was only .89 at the thrift store. I washed it, painted & distressed the lid, and added this GREAT label (that I also distressed). I just LOVE how it turned out!



A few months back, I purchased a collection or two of these awesome labels from Susie at Yankee Lane Primitives. (In my opinion, she has some excellent offerings.) It took me awhile, but I finally put one of them to use. It worked out perfectly on my thrift store jar ~ dont' ya think?

Also in the pile of pictures pulled from my camera... birthday photos of the kiddo! He is showing me how proud he is to be 7 ~




We celebrated his birthday with the entire family during our August Birthday Party... but being Mom... I thought we still needed to do something special for him on his birthday. Unfortunately, Tony had to work, Grandmas & Grandpas were all out of town, and it seemed everyone else had plans too... so Trinity and I had a special, date together... just the two of us. We started with a fancy dinner at Applebee's (not just a fast food joint), went to the local family fun center for a round of Putt Putt & some video games, and then stopped by the local Sonic so he could climb on the jungle gym. It was really a nice, memorable time... one I'm sure the both of us will never forget.

He was glowing when the waitstaff sang to him...



He did kind of confuse Putt Putt with baseball... even knocked the ball out of the fence once! LOL



He is in his element here though...



Okay... looks like I've gotten caught up on my posting... sorry for having such a long post! YIKES! I'll try to be more on top of things in the future. Please keep watchin' for those trash~to~treasure finishes and other things coming soon.

Warm smiles to you...

Betty

~*I'm Still Here*~

Hello Dear Friends! I'm so sorry for not posting as regularly as I should. I'm sure you all know how it is keeping up with everything ~ especially when you have a kiddo (many of you more than one, I know!) out of school for Summer Break. Goodness! Some days I just don't know which direction I'm going and then it seems I'm running non-stop from sun up to sun down. Right now, I have a few 'free' minutes to post... Trinity is playing video games on the other computer for a bit before it is time to get him ready to be tucked in for the night.

I did make it to our local thrift shop this week. That is where the sign came from. It was $2.99... and I didn't have to do a thing to it ~ other than hang it above the door. Seems the shop was 'slim pickins' this week. Oh well... I'm busy enough huh? I picked the sign up because of the Fraktur image. Warm and inviting.

Despite being so busy, I have been getting a lot of stitches in. I now have 2 finished models for patterns that will release very soon. My frame for the latest finish was just ordered this morning and should be here by the end of next week. So, I do promise... releases are on the way.

Some news I need to share with you... and I hope you all understand... I have decided to let go of my memberships to The Primitive Gathering and Lemon Poppy Seeds. With the hectic schedule I've been keeping and the needs & desires of what I really want... I felt it was best. It has been increasingly more difficult to keep up with deadlines. Letting go of the websites will allow me more time with family, friends, and my hopes/dreams of building my pattern line. I do hope to still be able to offer some finished ditties for sale from time to time ~ here on my blog, Ebay, or Etsy. You know me... I gotta be crafting on something and can never seem to keep it in one medium. So, I will still be doing all that I do... just without the monthly deadlines.

Happy stitching, hooking, punching, and crafting!

Warm smiles to you,
Betty

~*Wet Paint Wednesday*~

Hello Dear Friends! Today I enjoyed the day in the shade catching up on all my 'trash-to-treasure' goodies. It was warm today, but well worth the effort to get my stash of cheap finds refurbished.

This rocker was purchased at an auction last summer for only a few dollars. It was sitting on the front porch of our lil' house (hopefully my future studio), but after painting it today... it is now sitting on the front porch of our home... opposite the freebie park bench I painted a few weeks back.


I picked up a can of Heirloom White paint at the hardware store and literally SLAPPED on a few coats & viola'... it has new life! When I say SLAPPED ~ that is just my way of saying I'm a rather sloppy painter. More paint gets on me than where it is suppose to go. LOL

Here is how it looked before ~


These shelves were painted the same Heirloom White, but were distressed with the palm sander & 'dingied' with shoe polish. They look like they have olde, peeling paint now. Don't they?




Yes! I did say shoe polish! Really! The brown polish replaces the need to use walnut, wood stain & a sealer. Try it sometime ~ you will really like it. It says right on the can that it can be used for furniture too. Just rub it on with an old rag & buff like you would for shoes. ***Be sure to rub all the excess off your linen bars carefully.***


I still have some 'tweaking' to do on the displays... but here are the goodies in our home now ~


My dear Aunt Lavon gave me this sweet, quilt rack. It really was needed... to display the beautiful topper my dear friend, Ginger made & gifted to me. The bird's nest was found under a tree in our yard a few months ago. I just couldn't bare to throw it away.

This towel shelf came from the local thrift store. It was only $2.50!


The dowel across the front of the shelf was broken...


I simply pulled it out & replaced it with an old, rusty wire. I didn't throw the dowel away though... it was needed to fix the bar on the quilt rack. Thrifty of me, huh?

This was at the same thrift store for only 99 cents. I didn't know what I would do with it when I bought it... but knew something could be done.


Then I saw this great tutorial on Char's blog, The Pickled Pepper Patch. She made this ~


So I made this ~


I used red for the under coat and black for the top coat. Then distressed it & added my trusty shoe polish. When it isn't filled with goodies, I can hang it with the underside out 'cause it looks nice too. Oh... and I gotta tell ya about the beautiful, sampler in the back too. That was made for me by my dear friend Sher. Isn't it sweet?

Here is a close up of the paint on the scoop ~


It was a very productive day today & isn't over yet! I've got 'ideas' in my head for new cross stitch patterns. Ya... I know I've said it before... BUT... tomorrow I'm spending the day with one of my dear, stitching, friends ~ Marianne. She is taking me to cross stitch shop in Wichita called Heart's Desire. I KNOW this will be the PUSH I need to get these patterns out of my head & onto fabric... and ready for the offering! I'll keep ya posted!!! Promise!

Wishing you all warm smiles...
Betty

~*Monday Make~Overs*~

Hello Dear Friends! I've been crafting! I've actually been able to sneak a few minutes in here and there & do some hooking! It feels GREAT! I'm one of those that, if I don't get to craft, I get a bit ~ just a tad ~ GRUMPY! Well, I'm not grumpy anymore. LOL

I just finished the make~over... trash~to~treasure... last night.


When we were on the way back from Eureka Springs a few weeks ago, we stopped at a few antique stores in Fort Scott, Kansas... and some others along the way. I wasn't even in the door to one shop 5 steps before I clutched this wooden bucket (an old sewing basket) in my arms. I KNEW it had a new life!

Here is a before picture of it & some of the other treasures I found.


The bucket was only about $6.00. I began by painting the entire bucket ~ metal ring and all ~ black. The next coat of paint was light blue. Next was sanding & scuffing... then some warm, walnut stain & a coat of clear to protect it. For the metal ring, I added some 'cinnamon rust'. Yes, I will admit, I found out the hard way that this ring cannot be removed. YIKES! The whole bucket will fall apart! Silly me... huh? For the 'cinnamon rust', I painted the ring with a coat of craft glue. Then sprinkled cinnamon spice to cover. Let dry. Then give it another coat of clear to seal it.

The bucket didn't have a lid, but I thought it needed one. My wonderful Tony helped me out there! I found a plastic lid in the kitchen that fit the opening ~ for him to use as a template. He cut a circle from a scrap piece of thin, wood we had laying around. I used the same plastic lid to mark some linen & hooked up the rug to top it off. I wanted it to look olde & scrappy... so I hooked it entirely of left over woolly worms & hooked it hickety~pickety... with the loops all different lengths & a lil' WONKY.

Close up of the 'cinnamon rust'...


Some closer views of the rug on top...




Another thing that makes me feel better... having my corner in the basement ORGANIZED! I stayed up late ~ super late ~ a few nights ago working on finding some order here. This area wouldn't make it in a magazine & isn't beautiful by any way, shape, or measure... but at least I know where things are and can move & work comfortably now. Well... at least for awhile... it doesn't stay this way long ya know.


Okay... I'm off to find the next project(s)!

Warm smiles to you all...
Betty

~*Yesterday's Fun*~

Hello Dear Friends! Yesterday did turn out to be a lot of fun... even if I didn't bid or buy at the auction. We did go & we did see some olde junque... but it was mostly tools & rust. There were a few rusty things I would have liked, but didn't want to wait around for them. Oh well...we still had fun browsing thought it all.

Trinity did like this olde heap ~



After the visit at the auction, we picked up McDonald's and made a visit to see Jamie. He has been working really hard all week moving to a new apartment. He is thankfully near the end of the task. We helped with a load and brought home his laundry. As we were leaving, I spied a park bench by the trash dumpster. I just couldn't let it go to waste! The thought of 'dumpster diving' (it was sitting NEXT to the dumpster, not inside!) totally embarrassed Tony and Jamie... but I HAD to save it! We loaded it up and brought it home.



Digging through our garage, I found half a can of Uniform Blue paint. Just what I needed! Plus, down in the storage room, were some cutter quilts and raggedy, hobnail bedspreads. Again, just what I needed! With a little attention to this, a stitch to that, and a tightened bolt here and there... this is how it looks now!



We needed a spot to sit on our front porch & this didn't cost a dime!

Today will be spent taking photos of goodies for Lemon Poppy Seeds. The sites will be updated by midnight tonight if ya wanna see.

Wishing you all warm smiles...
Betty

~*Tag Sale Finds and Fun*~

Hello Dear Friends! I was going to wait until tomorrow to post about this, but tomorrow is looking to be a busy one... plus, I'm really excited about my new treasures!

This morning, Trinity and I hit a few Spring~Time tag sales while getting some other errands finished. We spent less than $5... but had so much fun with it. Here are SOME of our finds ~



I have seen some hooked items attached to old boot jacks & am thinking of how or what I'm going to do with this one. Maybe I can work up a needle punch to dress it up? I'm still thinking about this. When I saw the wooden spoons, I remembered a primitive spoon holder that I had seen. It was a hanging pocket sort of thing with slots to poke the spoons down into. Maybe I can get to work on that little ditty in the next few days. The towel holder is already hanging in our kitchen, thanks to my darling hubby... with a couple of towels drying on it from tonight's supper clean up. It isn't old, but looks it! The basket was only 10 cents... you all know, we can never have enough baskets! The broken strainer? Well... this is what it has become...



With the help and inspiration of Char at The Pickled Pepper Patch it has been reborn into a vintage, fly screen. This broken lil' treasure too ~ was only 10 cents! Tony used a grinder to cut the busted handle off for me. I asked him to leave the knobby things because I kind of liked them there. Then I painted a wooden cabinet handle/knob and screwed it to the top. I have it sitting on one of my White Ironstone dishes that I HUNT for at all the tag sales. It is empty of any foods under the screen right now... being on a strict Weight Watchers diet, our home is empty of chocolate chip cookies right now. But it is pretty cool huh?

I also found this darling little shoe form 'thingy' for $1... I just liked it, but don't have any 'make dos' planned for it...



Trinity found a new hat and a vintage Yahtzee game. I say it is vintage, because the original K Mart label is still on it. New, it only cost $3.47 'back in the day'. We spent a little time this afternoon playing the game. He beat me something silly!



Tag sales wasn't all the fun today. I was inspired by The Pickled Pepper Patch for this today too!



I have had this knife holder set for a number of years. They are not the best knives in the world, but I use them. I can now say, I'm PROUD to have this sitting on my counter. I think the change is AWESOME!

The label was found in a print program that we have downloaded on our computer. It was sweet, I thought, that is was for knife polish. Here is a close up...



So... none of this has anything to do with stitching, hooking, punching, or dolly making... but it was fun prim crafting & treasure hunting!

Wishing you all a weekend of joyous smiles & happy crafting!

Betty