First time ever...My New Year's Resolution!

Wishing you all a very safe and Happy New Year!!!

This year, for the first time, I've decided to make a New Year's resolution.

Mainly...to get some of my time back. You know how you are always doing for everyone else and never have enough time to do something for yourself (in other words...not knowing how to say NO). This year will be a little different.

I took off 30 rug hooking patterns from my catalog/website. I'll draw less patterns, one way to make more time for myself. They are so time consuming as they are all hand drawn.

I'll spend more time designing and making wool applique patterns.

More time in my flower garden (what garden) it has become pure weeds and small trees.

More time to sit and crochet or stitch, start new ideas and fun new projects.

More time to get together for lunch with old friends.

And more time to blog!

I miss all the friends I have made in the blogging world and I have met some pretty nice gals over the years. I feel badly for ignoring everyone so much this past year (or maybe it's been 2 years!)

So hopefully soon I'll have some fun stuff and projects to blog about and I'll get back to visiting your blogs!

Oh yes, my favorite flea market is this Sunday...do I need more stuff? Absolutely not but there's always room for a few little treasures for decorating. (Plus it's so much fun to look!)

Maybe I'll find something super cool and a super deal to share.

What's your New Year's resolution?

Wishing you all a very Cheery Christmas!

Sorry I've been away for so long.

It's been so busy and so much to  do. I had something cool to post but never finished it so it will have to wait until after Christmas.

We've both been down with a terrible cold which hasn't helped at all.

I'm sending you all this sweet little vintage Christmas postcard...

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and stay healthy!

See you soon!

Assorted Fabric Pumpkins

Last week Deborah over at Green Willow Pond showed us her drop cloth pumpkins she had made.

A link to her blog is HERE and her tutorial is great.

I thought it was one of the cutest cloth pumpkins I've seen!

And seeing as I've had this thing for using drop cloths lately for anything imaginable I just had to try this.

Last night I finally got around to making one (and I want to make more of them).

I added a rhinestone pin to mine, I thought it needed a little bling with the coarseness of the canvas and stick

Here are a few I made several years ago, wool and velvet

And now we go way back to the late 70's or maybe I made these in 1980, not sure. Back then I was working in a fabric store and in those days you used what you were expected to use, cotton fabric. 

No one would even consider using a canvas drop cloth! 

I think I like the canvas best of all.

I couldn't resist adding a picture of my cat, I was trying to cover her with leaves but the look on her face is...Try is just once more and you'll pay!

And the pretty orange hibiscus flower that opened this morning.

Linking to:

Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday

Fall Decorating

Not quite what you expected from my title!

This year my fall decorating is walking in our woods. 

It seems each year just gets more and more hectic and there's never enough time to decorate the inside. We've had beautiful warm sunny days so I am outside as much as possible enjoying the leaves as they turn into beautiful shades of yellow, gold, orange and red and then fall to the ground.

My favorite Sugar Maple tree

Looking to the sky through the leaves

Then the Sugar Maple right next to the red one, it only turns yellow each year

This is what I see as I look out to the driveway from our front porch, our road looks like a foot trail but it really is our road! 

The oaks are a vivid orange this year, a few are red.

There is a beautiful orangy glow inside the house when the sun is out.

The Amur Maple leaves fell today and scattered on the ground in all shades of Autumn

And one little sprig of soft pink roses to remind me of summer

I hope you have time to go for a walk in the woods and enjoy the Autumn colors.

Vintage Button Lamp Shade DIY

I seem to collect old mother of pearl buttons, whenever I see them I have to add them to my stash.

I've sewn since I can remember so it's fitting for me to have a button lamp shade in my sewing room.

I found an older lampshade at the thrift store for $4.

Rip off the existing fabric from the lamp shade. I forgot to take a picture of that step but it's super easy to tear off.

Using unbleached muslin, rip strips approximately 1" to 1 1/2" (no need to be precise here, just eyeball it)

Trim off the selvage ends. Using tacky glue, secure an end to the wire shade and begin wrapping the muslin strip. I only used a small amount to glue at the beginning and the end of each strip, the tacky glue adheres well.

I'm not fussy at all while wrapping other than making sure the frayed edges are exposed most of the time.

The shade all wrapped and ready for buttons and wire.

Using a fine gauge wire (of course that's back in MN, when I get back there I'll add the gauge here), cut off a piece of wire approximately 3" longer on each end to accommodate wrapping it around the lamp shade.

I used 2 hole vintage mother of pearl buttons. Slide the wire through one hole of the button and then the next, be careful not to crimp the wire, it will weaken it and it will break. Do this step carefully and take your time. 

Once I have enough buttons on a piece of wire I attach it to the top hoop of the shade. I placed 2 button wires in between each lamp shade wire. Evenly space the button wires and wrap the wire around the lamp shade a few times, finish by twisting a small amount of wire around itself.

At the bottom of the shade wrap the wire once, just to secure it.

Using a needle nose pliers give the wire a slight and gentle tug to tighten, then continue to wrap in the same manner as the top hoop. Trim off ends of wire.

As luck would have it, I went back to the same thrift store and found this glass lamp. I wasn't sure at first if I liked it or hated it but it was cheap so I brought it home.

The shade fit it perfectly and I love how the whole vignette turned out!

The Edison bulb was the finishing touch!

Thanks for stopping!

Linking to:

Knick of Time DYI Link Party

Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday

We have officially moved into the Bunkhouse!

Just one of the pretty photos from a 1 day road trip over a week ago.

(too busy to post very often but that is a good sign...it means we are getting things done here!)

Please go to my Big Horn Basin Wyoming blog for more photos of our day off...

jokingly named The Dirt Ranch HERE

Plywood Plank Flooring

Here's a peek at what we are doing in the Wyoming bunkhouse

I discovered plywood plank flooring on Pinterest several months ago.

To see more about the "Bunkhouse" in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming please click HERE

(jokingly called The Dirt Ranch seeing as it mostly dusty sandy dirt, grasses, tumbleweeds, wild sunflowers and prickly pear cactus!)

A Quick Trip to the Thrift Store!

I couldn't pass on this old picnic basket at $6! It will  be part of my vintage camper's patio....someday.

The cute little shelf will get a make over.

I always pick up dishes with this design. I don't even know the name of it but I think it's so pretty, it's such a simple design and I love the aqua inside. I found 4 cups to add to my little collection.

I think the next two are pretty nice scores!

Neither picture is very good, it's dark and cloudy and terribly humid and sticky so I didn't stay outside any longer than necessary.

I like the magazine holder and even better is the last thing I spotted, on the top shelf back in the corner, was the tole shelf.

I think it was a well worth the quick stop that day!

Thanks for stopping by!

 Next post...Wyoming Bunkhouse, sanding texture, painting and getting the most important room finished...the bathroom! WooHoo!

Flush toilet, shower, running water!!!

Goodbye Outhouse!

Linking to:

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Beyond the Picket Fence for Vintage Inspiration Party

Knick of Time for Vintage Inspiration Party

My Salvaged Treasures for Vintage Inspiration Party

An old box spring transformed and a few treasures...

Yes, I have a thing for old springs and when I saw this I couldn't walk away from it. There are big coil springs and small curly springs covering all the straight wire.

I knew immediately what I was going to do with it!

Unfortunately we live in a deep dark forest so even on a sunny day I can't get good photos, I wish it wasn't so fuzzy!

But you get the idea.

I've been picking up an old photo here and there when they are $1 to $2 each.

The small middle photo is an old tin type.

I added old crochet pieces and a pair of old crochet gloves, an old key beneath the house, all on top of a pile of old crochet pieces.

I get a kick out of the 3 older women, they are probably sisters, their names are written on the back but they all have different last names, probably married names.

On Thursday I met Deb from Garage Sale Gal at Haupt Antieks.

We stopped at a couple of thrift stores and went out for a nice lunch. I had a good time, I hope Deb did too!

A few of my finds from last week, The 2 white pieces were from Haupt. The gumball machine was a thrift store find and I have plans for that baby! It will get a complete remake!

The printers tray was a garage sale find the day after.

At Haupt I actually found a matching cement urn to go with my other one! I wanted a pair and now I have it! So glad I decided to buy it even though it was a little more than I wanted to spend.

And a cast iron urn from Haupt.

Some of the garage sale treasures...they were all 50 cents each! I love that kind of garage sale!

there's the old church pew holder and even the little box that held envelopes and pencil (on the far left).

The woman said she cut all of these home made paper dolls out of an old catalog. I'm guess the 50's? 

There has to be about 100 of them.

She showed me how she put different outfits with the different heads. She did a lot of precise cutting when she was little!

I guess I just thought they were kind of fun and for 50 cents seeing as I never played with paper dolls! I have no clue what I'll do with them.

Thanks for stopping by!

Joining:

My Salvaged Treasures, 

Knick of Time Interiors and 

Beyond the Picket Fence for

Vintage Inspiration Party

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday