Easter swap regret

Thanks to Elizabeth for the image

Hang on, hang on ... the only regret is that I didn't participate in an Easter swap this year.  The main reason I started a blog was to swap and share with crafty girls in blogland !   I found blogging through Elizabeth at Creative Breathing, I remember reading about her fear of disappointing (no way Elizabeth !!)  But I understand and let the same concern hold me back.  It takes me forever to gather my thoughts and then get my "crafty" on ... I get so aggravated with myself that at times I'll blurt "JUST DO IT for gosh sake" !!   So all that to say, I love the thought of the swaps, love looking at all that is shared, and envy the wonderful goodies I see.  I'll hop into another one soon, however the moon and stars have to be perfectly aligned  :)   


Here's the hand made goodies I made for my swap partner for Sandy's Easter Swap last year. 

Today I'm playing with this stuff ... think I'm positioned to make a spectacular mess !!  Anyone have experience with this?  I am trying to use it with plastic candy molds (?) all suggestions welcome !  Thanks for visiting, E

Here comes Peter Cottontail

I'm so happy Spring is here; a few days this week it's been down right hot !  Yesterday I had to rise'n shine at the crack of dawn but today I have Spring fever and taking a break. It's a challenge for me to change decor for each season, and more so being scattered between two States.  But I've picked a corner to decorate and today I'm playing.  

I found a few vintage goodies a while back, and paired them with a few new goodies and put them together in my little spot. 

 I think I might play in another corner tomorrow !  

Happy Spring everyone :)

    

Thankful for a dirty house to clean !

I hate to clean house, but today I am so thankful to have a house to clean.  It's a sad day in the "hollow", especially over on "Daisy Hill".  I am sending prayers to friends, neighbors, and family who are suffering.  Yesterday we had one of the deadliest tornadoes in our history rip through my corner of the world. The Associated Press is reporting the following death toll numbers by state: 19 in Kentucky; 14 in Indiana; 3 in Ohio and 1 in Alabama, my thought and prayers to all. 
From the State of Indiana Response to Tornado Activity in Southeastern Indiana, "The single best way to help disaster survivors in southeastern Indiana is with a cash donation to a legitimate relief agency, such as the American Red Cross".
March 3, 2012

Deadliest tornadoes in Indiana history

Associated Press

Here are some of Indiana’s deadliest and most destructive tornadoes:

— March 18, 1925: A tornado known as the “Tri-State Tornado” traveled from southern Missouri to southwestern Indiana, killing more than 730 people, including 74 in Indiana. The tornado, which traveled more than 200 miles, struck Posey, Gibson and Pike counties and destroyed nearly half of Princeton.

— April 11, 1965: 10 tornadoes struck Indiana on Palm Sunday, killing 137 people and injuring more than 1,700 in the state’s deadliest ever tornado outbreak. Following the disaster, which caused more than $30 million in property damage, the state developed more comprehensive tornado planning.

— April 3, 1974: 21 tornadoes raced across 39 Indiana counties, killing 47 residents and injuring at least 1,000.

— June 2, 1990: 37 tornadoes hit 31 Indiana counties, killing six people in Petersburg and one south of Bedford.

— Nov. 6, 2005: A tornado struck Vanderburgh and Warrick counties in southwestern Indiana, killing at least 22 people.

— March 2, 2012: Tornadoes strike southern Indiana, killing at least 14 people in Washington, Jefferson, Ripley, Clark, and Scott counties.

Speaking of Love

Continuing on with my previous post saga about found “treasures” here is something else I found when I was digging in the basement. 

This toy is a “Red Raven movie record” produced by Morgan Development Laboratories, Inc. Westport, Connecticut. The "band" is listed as "Red Raven Orchestra" Directed by George S. Chase. As I understand this toy was produced from 1956-61(here’s a link) 

The record plays at 78 rpm and as the record turns the images reflect off the mirror, bringing the sweet little images to life.  I loved “Toot Toot Tootles the Tugboat”, and “The Little White Duck”. I was thrilled when I found this video

wow the memories came flooding back !!  This is one of my all time favorite toys.  Sadly my mirror is long gone but you can bet I am on the look out for one now that I’ve found my records J  Anyone else remember these? 

So happy that my first link to Rednesday is my favorite toy … thanks  to Sue at It's a Very Cherry World

A Treasure Hunt

 (Thanks to E for the image)

Welcome 2012 !!   Out with the old and in with the new … well at least that’s what I have been saying for years and years, but some how the “old” never makes it “out” of my house!!  I was left with quite a collection when my mother died in 1982; then my dad in 1998.  Their treasures sit packed away in my basement wrapped in the same newspaper I packed them in.  Cleaning out this collection is complicated because I live, and work, in one state and my “real” home and collection in another.  The story behind all this is what country songs are made of … anyway … rare is the time I spend in my “real” home and I prefer not to sort when I’m there,  but over Christmas I did some sorting.  I thought I’d share one of the things I found.  It kept me entertained for hours. Here we go:

Buried in the bottom of a box, I found this fun paper bag.

Inside the 60s era paper bag was this 1910 Montgomery Ward catalog.

I vaguely recall this thing from childhood, and think it “lived” on the top shelf of the coat closet (of all places). It’s terribly fragile and low on my list of priorities is scanning it onto Flickr.

Seems you could buy everything from houses to tombstones.  Unfortunately I had it packed away before I realized that I failed to take a photo of the houses (I will).   

 How about a buggy ?

 A Tombstone? 

  A cream separator maybe ?  How about a nice saddle?

Here's what I would have ordered :)

I do believe my folks liked the MW catalog because I found several things I recognized; some I have.  

My Grandmother had this carpet, I used it for a while in the 70s and traded it for "services" to a local florist and I think she still has it in her show room.   

Oh yes indeed I have one of these in the basement.  It belonged to my  paternal Grandmother who died shortly after my Dad was born in 1924.  It was a favorite toy when I visited my Aunt Ethel, then in the mid 60s she chopped the ornate top off and sold it ... not to worry it found its way back to me.

Mother decorated the dining room wall with one of these (my brother has it).

... and she used one of these as a flower planter in the front yard ... (it finally rotted :) my Dad was so sad)

I also have several things (or similar things) out of the catalog. Like this trunk.  I probably ruined its value by painting it and ripping the lining out, but it's held my treasures since the mid 70's (of course its in the basement).

I had a similar dining set in the 70s and sold most of it years ago.  I sold the china cabinet about 6 yrs ago to a friend.  I think I paid $100 for the set in about 1972, my dad went with me to pick it up and could not believe I spent that much ... "you just got robbed" !!

This chair (a rocker version) is in my basement; I painted it white and used it when my daughter was little.  It came from Mr. Main's house, he was the rich guy in town ... a banker.  

Finally I had no idea where this vase came from but its been in my china cupboard for years !!

Hope you enjoyed shopping with me ...  if you have something you would like for me to look up, just let me know, be happy to !  

Look whats new on the farm !!

 WELCOME BABIES  !!

Adeleigh and Weston arrived Friday afternoon, 4 weeks early but doing well. Mom did fantastic !!  Almost immediately after delivery they were placed skin-to-skin with mom and left there for about an hour to bond.  So fun to watch them during the first few minutes of life what a miracle !!  God is amazing !!   

Adeleigh Grace 4lbs 15 oz -18 inches long

Weston Hoyt 4lb 7.5 oz - 19 inches long

If the weekend is any indication of the next few years, their feet will not hit the floor until they're simply too heavy to lug around. I'll likely be posting more pics over the next few years  :)  

Thanks for stopping by, E

Dilly Dallying with Paper Doilies

Don’t you love this Christmas swag that Vicki made ?  When I spotted it on her blog  I knew I'd have to try making one sometime. 

It's made with supplies from a kit here (love their stuff).  The center doily grabbed my eye; I don't think I've ever seen a printed doily ??  I wondered if it was printed or stamped.  I decided I would give printing a go since I am not taken with my stamping skills.  Here is what I came up with …after more than one attempt J.  This digital thing may be basic for most folks but not here in the “Hollow! 

I found an image copied it into Word, adjusted the image size, then simply repeated pasting the image onto the page.  Then the real fun started.  At best I abhor my printer … I’m sure it’s me but we always disagree - sometimes it gets really nasty where there is a globing of paper and sometimes even cursing is involved – anyway … I ended up taping the doily onto the page using painter’s masking tape (the blue tape that peels off easily).  I found that placement of the doily on the page was important; the doily needs an inch or so below the edge or else as the paper feeds the printer (at least mine) eats the edge of the doily. I also found that securing tape under the doily in the center is a delicate operation (it tears). So here is what I ended up with. 

Now secure in my doily printing skills (and about 3 hrs into it) I did another doily using vintage Christmas paper wrap from here -  I've become a doily printing fool.  

On another note I made myself a Hippo under glass vignette for Christmas, the best $1 I've spent in a while (Dollar Tree hippo)  makes me smile every time I look at him J