Vintage Treasures

Vintage Treasures 5-2014

I went treasure hunting the other day and around the third stop I finally scored.

I couldn’t believe all the goodies I found.  (all for only $10.50)

Here are a few of the treasures I found. 

  • Red Toile Cup, Saucer and Dinner Plate from England
  • Vintage Sheet Music from 1911
  • McGuffey’s Alternative Reader from 1837
  • Webster’s Notebook that read Waverly Mason Diary dated 1921
  • Vintage Inspired Paris Map with the price tag on the back.

I was a little disappointed when I opened up the Diary and found that it wasn’t

full of juicy gossip.  Instead it is full of pasted old recipe clippings.

Now I can learn how to make Cream of Celery Soup, Chocolate Surprise Pudding,

Christmas Fruit Cake, Mrs. Moody’s Wonder Cake and so much more.

Who knows I might even try one of those recipes one day.

Vintage Sheet Music #1

I picked up the sheet music with the idea of framing them.  (since I don’t have a piano anymore)

I picked up the vintage frame at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago for a quarter.

All I need is a piece of glass and I’m ready to hang.

My son asked as I laid the frame over top the sheet music if I bought them together.

Sometimes things just work out perfectly.

Vintage Sheet Music Jim Jim

When I told my son this was a song about coming back from the war.

He asked me “Vietnam?”    I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  (I shook my head instead)

Cherish Family 1936

I recently ran across this old Family Reunion picture from 1936.

Cherish Family 1936 layout

Because there is over 100 relatives in the picture, I wanted to highlight where my Grandparents are.

Cherish Family 1936 layout tools

I used one of the frames from the “Clear Mixers”.

After removing one side of the protective covering, I painted the edges with Antique Linen Distress

Paint.  I glued a small piece of scrapbook paper under the painted side and trimmed it with an exact-o

knife.  I gently sanded the edges with a sanding block and distressed it slightly with Vintage Photo

Distress Ink before removing the second protective coating.

Cherish Family Layout 1936 close up

My grandfather is the one with the x and my grandmother is sitting to his left holding my Uncle Bill.

I used the Chamberry Collection from Adorn it and a scalloped circle punch and a old border punch

from Marvy Uchida.

This project was created for and sponsored by Clear Scraps.

Learn How to make a Fabulous Card with Fancy Folds in just a few Simple Steps

Fancy Fold Card Want to learn how to make a fabulous looking card in a few simple steps? Fancy Folds Instructions I learned this technique from the book

Fabulous Folds for Card Making*
Design by Lisa Silver

  1. Punch 9 circles.  (mine is a 2″ circle)  I edged each circle with Butterscotch Ink.
  2. Fold each circle into four sections.  (lines on the above picture are to make it easier to view)
  3. Fold in bottom curves to make point at the bottom.  (do this with 8 of the circles)
  4. Flip Circle and fold in sides so folds meet in center.
  5. Arrange petals on remaining circle to make a total of eight petals.

Fancy Fold Card Close Up I added a little gold flower button from Buttons Galore and More. FYI:  If you happen to pick up the book, I’m on pages 148, 160 & 164

(*Disclosure:  I am a Amazon Affiliate.)

Rachael Ray, I am not…

Potato Pancakes 2

Disclaimer:  I am not a “foodie”.

My husband and I have been on a “real mash potato” kick.  (unlike the instant I usually make)

Last night for dinner, Jim volunteered to peel the potatoes.  (Who I am to stop him?)

Anyway…he made enough potatoes to feed at least 6-8 people.

Usually unlike me, I decided to save the left overs.  (I’m so glad I did)

On a whim, I decided to try my hand at potato pancakes.

I have to admit I’ve lived a sheltered life, I have never had Potato Pancakes.

With the first attempt a flop, I decided to add a little flour and bacon bits with a little more grease

to the pan.  I was so excited at how good it looked that I grabbed one of my “pretty” plates.

I topped it off with some shredded cheese, a little sour cream and added a piece of left over ham.

All I can say is “YUM”.  (and… I wish I had a little more left-overs)

Can’t wait to try it again.

Fun little trivia:  When my daughter was little she’d say, “I only eat the kind from the red box”.

Ugly Chair Make-Over

Ugly Chair Before

I picked up this ugly green chair last fall at a garage sale for only one dollar.

The man who sold it to me that morning wanted to hurry up and sell it before his wife came home

from taking the kids to school and changed her mind.

To him, it was an ugly chair.  To me, I saw possibilities.

As luck would have it, the very same week-end, I picked up a wonderful length of red and cream

ticking fabric for 50 cents.  It was perfect, it was meant to be.

But…because I just couldn’t cut the lovely fabric just yet,

I left the project in the garage to marinate over the winter.

Beautiful Chair After

I discovered in the process of recovering the chair that it used to have a red velvet seat.  (yuck!)

It was gross.  I took everything off and added new foam before re-covering the seat.

The chair was glued, reinforced and painted with red paint left over from previous projects.

Last night I put the final coat of red paint on the chair.  (red takes a lot of coats)

I just love it.  Now to find the perfect spot.  Maybe my workshop.

Total cost on the project $4.50.  Not to bad of a bargain.  (Pretty resourceful if I say so myself.)

I can’t decide it I should leave it as is or add some kind of stencil design in the middle.  Thoughts?

“Herbs & Honey” Tag

Basic Grey's Herbs & Honey Tag

A quick share today.  I’ve got my little buddy coming over in a little bit for a play day and sleep-over.

We’ve got big plans;  Garden Shop, Playdoh, Break the Ice, the movie Frozen w/ popcorn, and dinner out with Grandpa.  It’s going to be a good day.

This tag was made with Basic Grey’s Herbs & Honey Collection for The Paper Forest Design Team.

Basic Grey’s: Herbs & Honey Home Decor

Herbs & Honey Home Decor

One of the things I look for when I go treasure hunting are picture frames.   Square ones in particular.  I am just drawn to square frames.  Doesn’t matter how ugly the picture is inside.

Herbs & Honey Home Decor before

I gave the gold frame a white wash look with Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Antique Linen. (frame cost .50)

Herbs n Honey Home Deco close up

I made a simple 3″ pinwheel using two different pinks from the “Herbs & Honey” Collection.  The middle of the pinwheel was made using “bottle cap” stickers from the same collection.

What do you look for when you go treasure hunting?  (I think that sounds better than garage sales)

Throw Back Thursday: Class of ’79

This time of year it’s Graduation Time.  Time for all those “know it all Seniors” to Graduate.           I remember it like it was yesterday.

Class of 79 Collage

A month or so ago, I received an invitation for my 35th Class Reunion.  Has it really been that long?

My son came up to me while I was looking at my old High School Year book and said to me              “I’m glad I didn’t have to live during that time, everyone looks so weird.”

I said, “What do you mean weird, we weren’t weird.”

I had my signature look, the old man’s vest “borrowed” from the Drama Club Prop closet, my long knotted scarf hanging loose around my neck.  I was cool!  

I remember 1979, rolled up “Chic” jeans, Disco, Bee Jees, Saturday Night Fever (my first “R” rated movie), sleep-overs, Steak and Shake on Main Street, my first plane ride (to Hawaii!!!) and a few other things I probably shouldn’t mention.

Anyway back to my reunion… 

At first, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to go.

I was afraid that if I didn’t go I’d regret it, but, not sure how I’d feel if I did go.  All the old insecurities came racing back.  I do not look anything like that freckled face, skinny 100 lb. girl with the long dark hair (and signature look).  But of course, I’m sure no one else looks like they did either.

So… I did what any gal would do, I messaged my girlfriends.

After much discussion and procrastination, It was decided that we’d all meet and drive together.  It was also decided to ditch the hubbys and go stag.  Just like old times.  (Girlfriend code, of course!)

In a few weeks, we’ll meet at the old High School for a tour and then later in the evening we will all meet in the country for our reunion to be held in a barn.  We’ll dance to the music played by an old classmates band and probably have a night we’ll be talking about for years to come.  It’ll be fun seeing the old gang to talk, laugh and catch up.  (and I’m sure we’ll all have an extra pound or two)

I wish I knew where that old vest was, I really should have returned it by now.