~SENTIMENTAL ME~

This Saturday we went on our usual garage sale treasure hunt!  And I found a treasure that really captured my heart.  I am now the new caretaker a lovely little sewing kit.  After buying it and going through it's contents, I began to realize that I had bought a very cherished item that once belonged to a woman who loved to sew!

  I do not craft as much as I used to when I was younger, but I know when I have found something that someone cherished.
The tiny roses attracted me to it..so I bought it for $1.00. 
It wasn't until I got to the car that I looked inside...and I was amazed and very touched. 

The first pocket had thread in it...and needles stuck in it..for a quick find.

The clear plastic zippered pouch was FULL of needles of every size plus a tool that had never been removed from it's card.  It was called "Purple Thang" which I thought was funny.  It claimed to be a tool for just about everything in the world of sewing.  Getting stuffing into very tight places, for example? 

This pouch had four seam rippers in it of all sizes.  One was in a case. 

And there was this little "housewife" as they used to call them.  It appears as though someone had made it.  Perhaps a very young beginning seamstress.  A gift for someone?   It is in the shape of a winter mitten...with little flowers embroidered on it....

...you lift the cover and you can see all the little goodies that are there.  l

A pair of wonderful needle nose pliers that were like brand new.  The spring keeps them at the ready...I've never owned a pair like this and I love them. 

A lovely ornate sterling silver little heart needle threader guarenteed to thread even the tiniest of needle eyes...
Well....it excited half blind me!!  :)
To thread that tiny needle eye you just lay the needle on the little bar and push the delicate wire through the needle eye and it pops open so you can thread your needle and pull the thread through the itty bitty eye!  WOW! 
(well...I get excited about things like that!)

...and would you just look at this?...perhaps you have seen them..but I never have.  I have seen some made for the wrist, but never for the finger.
It is handmade...which interested me right away so I studied it carefully.
 
You take a bottle cap
Drill a neat little hole in the top of it.
Then you take a little length of golden stretch cord, thread it through the hole and tie a knot in it and snug it down and clip off the excess.
Then you fill the bottle cap firmly with cotton and cover it with your favorite velvet fabric..or whatever and glue it to the sides of the bottle cap.
Then you glue and wrap a pretty braided length of trim around the cap and let dry.  Then you add the pretty cord around the top...and slip it on you tiny dainty finger...and you are set to sew ...and always know where your needle is.   :)
So...whaddayathink???   :) 
I thought it most clever!!    No...honest!  I did!

Now this I really loved.  Three tiny pairs of scissors...one is beautiful and I forgot to show it.  It is a pair of lovely silver stork scissors.  I'll add it later..ok?   DO you see that gorgeous Victorian scissor holder in silver?  It has a tiny chain to hang around your neck with a ribbon if you like.   Very lovely. 

I added this photo to show you the delicate little charm hanging on the second pair of scissors accompanied by fresh water pearls.  Sweet?  INDEED!!

Look!  LOOK!  Leather thimbles.  Now I know avid sewers are probably familiar with these but I had never seen them before...and used to sew all the time.  The tops are of brass I believe...REAL leather in two sizes..

A....tatting shuttle?  It looks as though someone was attempting to learn...or had begun to make something and put it aside.  It is made of ivory.  Not plastic.  I won't buy anything ivory..but I will not throw it away either.  It's perfectly beautiful!

And these are the four seam rippers.  and  *taking a bow*   that's all folks!
Now wasn't this a treasure to behold?  It was for me!  Would you have paid a dollar for it?  :)

Love and hugs this beautiful Fall day!! 
Mona

(To the dear former owner who has passed on.... I will treasure and care for this little sewing kit.  I just want you to know that.)

~WINNER OF OCTOBER BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY~



First, we print out the "comment" list...



Then we cut the names out into strips.... I am speeding right a long...

We ready the GREAT PUMPKIN...and then fold the entries in forths...all secret like...

...Pile them carefully into the GREAT PUMPKIN...

Then we go looking for Sweet Husband...and there he is out blowing off the driveway with his handy dandy blower!

I  call...."Hey, Sweet Husband...and he turns off the blower and walks toward me...looking like a wee harrassed...but still very sweet!  "What can I do for you Gorgeous Woman?"   (Ok....I made that  up! )
I was just explaining to him what I was doing and he looked.....rather puzzled..    Can't say as I blame the poor man.
 So...I explain...

" So all I have to do is reach inside and pick out a piece of paper??"  But of course that is all he had to do and he did it beautifully...

And THE WINNER IS:     SCOTTISH NANA!!!!!   Congratulations to you and I hope you enjoy your gifts!  I will get it  in the mail to you tomorrow. 
(That's hubby's hand, not mine!)  :)
Thank you to everyone who joined in and left such precious comments.  I had a great time doing this and thanks to Dawn for giving my arm a tiny twist.  I needed that, Dawn.
Love and hugs to everyone...
Mona

~SHORT POSTS ARE GREAT TOO~

 Sometimes short posts are great...like today.  So much going on, lots of chores to do..so many great blogs to visit..and of course dinner to cook...so....

I am going to join, for the first time, Sue at  It's A Very Cherry World.  Just seems like the thing to do.  If you love red, it's the place to be... 

THIS is my very favorite pot to cook in.  I love it so much that it pretty much stays on top of my stove all the time.  My daughter, Erin, gave it to me for Christmas several years ago...and I use it constantly.  I had wanted one for a long time and she surprised me with it..and of course she knows how much I love red...
She gave me a very Cherry Merry Christmas that year. 

It's such a great pot for Fall cooking..soups, stews...everything that speaks of cooler days...and falling leaves...
You know?  Of course you do!  You are getting to know all about me and things that make me smile.

Aren't daughters wonderful?
Love and hugs,

Mona

p.s. Don't forget ..today is the last day to sign up for the October Birthday giveaway...look below!  I am also throwning is a little surprise for Halloween....

~GIVEAWAY...AND HOARDING~

This morning I was catching up, or trying to, on some visiting...when I came across a post by Becky.  She addressed the issue of hoarding and I wanted to just tell you a story about that..before you begin tossing things out in a panic. 

This mess is outside in one of my two storage sheds.  The orange is my Halloween things..and there is much more,  an old chicken cage for carrying chickens..just "stuff" I don't use..but think I might one day.  I mean, doesn't everyone need a chicken coop?   I keep thinking I might get a chicken one day.  Well...I might!!! 



Same thing here.  A hose?  We have lots of them in use already.  Those little flags I could not "live without?"
Just "stuff"...some of the containers...I have no idea what is in them.  I keep saying I am going through them and label them.  And...one day I just might!  Well....it COULD happen!! 

You see, I have a dear friend that is a hoarder.  Not to the extent that I have seen on television...but once she was darn close.  When I met her I wondered why she never invited me to her home...ever!  I think I knew her for a couple of years and each night she would come by my home to visit..sometimes bringing food she had picked up from a restaurant for both of us.

Eventually the time came when she could not get around it...and I will never forget the shock when I entered her home.  I met my friend at a "Grief Closure" seminar after my husband died.  Her husband had died only ten days before mine.  We were introduce by one of the women who was running the meeting for people going through a time of grief.  She was the nicest person..but sort closed and a bit distant..but it was evident she wanted to be friends.  And we did become friends.  Good friends.  And as different as we are, our friendship has endured.  We had very little in common really but we liked one another.

I will never forget the first time I  entered her home...there were shopping bags wall to wall, the coffee table, under the coffee table, beds in guest room, her room, office, dining room, were stacked feet high with stuff!  In the kitchen you could not see the counter tops or the sink or much of the stove.  The table was at least three feet high with just stuff.  Papers...mail...just everything.  The garage was packed from floor to roof.  There was a tiny path to get to the washer and dryer.  She had cats!  It was NOT good.  Even the light switches were packed with stuff.  I guess she put a piece of mail in behind the plate and then packed it from there...I had never seen anything like it in my life!  I know she knew I was shocked. 

Here is the thing.  Many times she had told me she didn't want to end up like her mother.  Her mother had the same ...disorder?  Her mother was found behind her kitchen stove when she passed away.  Her home, apparently was the same as my friends..but worse, according to what my friend has told me. 

When my friend had to move from her house...it was sold by the owners, she had to move to an apartment, she was terribly upset and I traveled to help her.  I had remarried by then and moved away.   I stayed three days, but slept at my daughters home.

My friend suffered..she really suffered when she had to have a garage sale which lasted several days.  Her sons rented a huge dumpster and hauled things out and just threw them in.  My poor friend was horrified.  She was actually traumatized.  It was horrible to watch her and I had nightmares when I got home. 

When I left and I cried for my friend on my long three hour drive home.  I remember she didn't want help...but she did.  I would ask if I could do this or that..and she would sort of panic.  It showed in her face.  She cried and cried.  She got mad at me and another friend that was attempting to help her.  She went though a hell of her own when it was all happening.  Finally, with the help of two of her sons, she put everything in storage and that was five or six years ago and it is all still there and she pays good money every month to keep it.  I ask, now and then, why she doesn't sell some of it..but she says she can't get it out of storage.  It is packed too tightly in there.  Thousands of dollars are being spent on the unit..and she probably always will.  I have stopped asking about her plans...as much as I can.  Every now and then I bring it up and kick myself for doing so...because I know she cannot help herself.  I know that.  But it never fails to frighten me and make me look at myself...and once again dump stuff.

After I went through this with her...I went home.  I got into my things and began throwing away things.  Keepsakes.  Things I had kept from high school.  I felt like this at the time...I felt that if it was all going to be thrown in the dump...I..wanted to be the one to do it.

And so...I dumped things.  Things that I thought I should not keep any longer.  Some things I set gently into the trash bin outside and cried.  IT WAS THAT BAD!  I didn't, I couldn't, even end up in that situation.  This was my way of preventing it. 

Later, one of my daughters found out and was so upset.  She was irrate and said that it should have been left up to her and her sisters to decide about things like that.  I guess they wanted to enjoy and remember things...and now it is all gone.  It's done and I cannot undo it. 

I realize that I should have just stuck to old clothing, knick knacks, whatever..but I was in a panic after experiencing what I did.  Watching the pain my friend was in. 

Yes, there is a difference...I know that.  But seeing something like that can really have an effect on you when you are a person that saves...and loves your keepsakes, old letters greeting cards that friends, your children, your family, your husband, have all sent to you over the years.  I am sorrier than I can even begin to express in words.  I did keep my children's baby teeth.  I did at least keep those. 

So...just be care what you toss.  I really must, however, get rid of stuff in that shed and in  my garage. 

My dining room chairs that my children sat on when they were growing up are overhead in the garage taking up space.  We have two sets now and I cannot bring myself to get rid of them.   I just cannot.

So...that's all I have to say about that.  Shows like that can really evoke panic in a person who loves her things.  I KNOW those are extreme cases but my dear friend was approaching a place where I do not see how she could function in every day life.  They say that the rule of thumb is "if you haven't used it in two years, get rid of it" or some such thing. 

I think keep sakes such as what I threw away in a total panic...is a different story.  It's too late for me..but not for someone out there who just might catch that show...and panic!

Hugs to you,

Mona

The giveaway is below...wanna help me not be a hoarder???  :)

~MY 1ST. GIVEAWAY~

I bought this lovely book and I know full well that I won't use it.  I don't make things anymore like I used to.  I haven't even looked through it...but it really is beautiful.  I hope someone out there can use it and enjoy it.
It just arrived a couple of weeks ago so is not an old one from the past.  FYI :)



I loved these..but they have been in tissue since I bought them.  I collect vintage linens...and I thought these were so sweet. 



See the tiny book...so beautifully done by someone in the past.  Such tiny delicate stitches..


It takes nerves to do this...at least for me.  What to give...what to give...
Sweet Dawn at A COTTAGE STATE OF MIND  thought since we had birthdays within a week of one another..that this might be nice.  Dawn USED to be my friend!!!!    :) Of course I am teasing.... 
She is precious...but decisions make me crazy!

It is just a pair of vintage hand embroidered pillowcases with hand crocheted edging that I loved...and thought perhaps you would.  I bought them because I collect vintage linen.  These were bought from someone that deals in vintage linen that many of you may know.  I have never used them..they have been in tissue paper since I bought them.   I am parting with something I love because I am hoping if I like them..that someone else will.   They are so sweet for a guest room or for your own room.   I wanted to give something old and something new.  (...do NOT say a word!) :)

 I also just bought this wonderful craft book from Gooseberry patch...and I KNOW full well that I will never even look at it...as I don't make things for my home anymore.  I let others do it.. :)
It will come to you in the original box it arrived in..and has never even been looked through.  Brand new.
And it is in time for Christmas...so if you craft you will have time to do so....
No requests.  You do not have to follow me...or do anything at all.  No requirements..other than to SHOUT MY PRAISES FROM THE ROOFTOPS!!!    LOL
Ok..enough of my silliness.  If you are interested...just make a comment...you can even be mean...and say it's dumb stuff....I wouldn't blame you.  :)
I have NO idea what anyone would like.
I am hoping they will appeal to someone out there.   Hey...you can even give them away..I won't mind. Just don't tell me ok??  :)
Love and hugs...
Mona

Here is a close up of the other one.  See the tiny embroidered spectacles done in a soft gray?
Definitely for a man and woman...but does not say "Mr. or "Mrs." on them.  So old fashioned.

Wait..yes I do have a requirement... Remember  Dawn and I in October.  :)  Mine is the 8th and Dawn is the 16th.  At this age I need all the prayers and best wishes I can get.  Never mind Dawn.  She's young!

OCTOBER 1ST IS THE DATE OF THE DRAWING.   Just comment ..and you are IN!!

~POST? WHO? ME?~

I have nothing.  Nope nothing at all.  But, Dawn at A Cottage State Of Mind and I are having birthday GIVAWAYS.   However...I have NO idea what I want to give as my very FIRST giveaway.  So..I will announce it by Friday.  I promise.  Just can't make a decision.  (Libra?  Ya think???)

It's early for Halloween and I am just fidgeting to get out there and dig through my October things.  I really am tempted you know.  Yes...I am....  I keep watching for someone else ...to..sort of break the ice and do it!  I did find one...and it was just adorable..but I will wait another week..(maybe!)

Ok..so..I RAN into the AC out by the garage this morning.  Not that you are interested in such a stupid thing..
I was fighting those blankity blank ANTS and was spraying away...and BLAM!  I literally saw stars!  First thought??  "THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GO AROUND KILLING THOSE LITTLE ANTS!"   Now I have this huge goose egg on the left side of my sweet little forehead.  What an owie that was!
So I went back into the house, looked in the mirror...debated on whether to cry or not to cry...decided on a chocolate chip cookie and some hot coffee instead! 
I 'm feeling much better now!
Isn't Chocolate just AMAZING???   :)
Love and hugs,
Mona

~ARE WE THERE YET?`

When we used to take trips to my mothers home with the children are packed into our VW van and it drove us crazy when they would ask over and over "Are we there yet?!  It was a two hour drive with seven little ones..and one time Pat said "Mikie, if you ask me that one more time, you will get out and walk!"  In a matter of moments Mike forgot.  "Are we there yet, Mom?" he called out..and Pat suddenly swung to the side of the road, stopped the car and said "OUT!"  Not a sound was heard.  Nothing.  Just cars swishing by on the highway!  My poor little boy!  He was just so eager to see Grandma. 

Now..here I am...now it's me saying it. 

Are we there yet???  Fall, I mean?  So...are we? :)  Am I starting my second childhood?

I decided to hang this on my front window just behind the wicker porch chairs.  I figured, "what the heck",  Its a welcome sign, after all.  Do you hang pictures on your front window?    Doesn't everyone?  I used one of those little suction cups, naturally! 

There.  Can you see it on the window? 

My first outdoor pumpkin.  Soon I will bring home the real ones and this one will be moved.
But in the meantime...I will change things many times before I am satisfied.  IF??

We really enjoy sitting out here...but I am desperately trying to get Sweet Husband to have the porch covered.  When it rains..and it will...well, you get the picture.  I am to the point of begging.  The rains WILL come. 



I added a basket of leaves on the porch post.  I need to think on this one...but..



A basket of leaves, tray and gourds all from garage sales... this is on the little table between the chairs.
I need to make a trip to Lowe's for fresh fall flowers in pots.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe.

I always take pictures before everything is really ready...I get in a rush...I never wait for the finished product.
See the sun?  It it so hot in the afternoon.  That porch NEEDS a cover.

*smile*  All done.  For now.
I am just "posting" right along.
I think that is all for tonight...I am off to bed before I fall asleep right here!
Love and hugs to everyone.  The more hugs in this world...the more love..the better!
Mona

~JUST ONE OF THE FALLIN' WOMEN OUT THERE..~

Lighting to me is so important.  I bought this fixture from Spiegel many years ago and I still love it. 

I wound two garlands together, added some pretty Fall ribbon...good enough!

I wound this pretty delicate garland around the base of my little iron lamp on the sofa table..I think I like it!
Both lamp, shade and and garland...garage sale items.  The lamp and shade were $3.00 and the garland was found in the container full of Fall items.  There were several of them.  I loved the delicate colors.

...and here it is all lit!!

The pumpkin candles...little silver candle holder...and candle ring..yep.
Pumpkin candles and the candle ring were in that container and the silver plate candle holder, complete with chimney were from a garage sale.  It is one of my favorite things.

Sweet Mr. Rooster all stuffed with Fall leaves...he is just an all season guy! :)

Another cloche, of course.  Hard to store these things so you just have to use them...*sigh*

Right about now I'm running out of steam!  Just one more...

I love this crow.  He is heavy and even though he is suppose to be out at Halloween...who cares.  I love him.
Soooo....
Should I bring out the witches??  I mean September is nearly over...and it all goes so fast!  I guess not.  I'll wait for awhile but I am soooo tempted.  I LOVE them Witches!

Love and hugs,
Mona

~AUTUMN LEAVES~

I have added this photo because Kathy, who is a quilter, has requested it.
It better shows the full pattern for those who might be interested. 

Is there anything better than bringing out the quilts, the afghans and getting ready for some serious COZY?
Well, yes, but I think it's a lot of fun...(darn near too much for my heart to stand!  I LOVE IT!)

I bought this lovely old quilt at a garage sale last Saturday for just $3.00.  It washed up beautifully!  It has so much detail in the stitching..and finding it made my day!  It isn't Fall colors but it goes in my Shabby living room perfectly!  HOW can people sell things like this??  But then my daughter #2 gave her Great Grandmothers old sewing machine cabinet that I had given her, to her friend and neighbor....so...there you go! 

Fall....Yep..working on it!  Here's a bit...but I am still working...

I didn't realize how many pumpkins I had....goodness!  They really can add up, can't they?

Old, old books, real Fall leaves...and of course, pumpkin under glass! :)

WAIT!  Lemons don't go with pumpkins, do they??   The Fall painting..and the black cat?  Well...I love that painting and the longer I can look at it during the Fall season...the better I like it.  So.....oh...and the artist that painted it now has a clock...a gorgeous clock that has MY cat painted on it too.  Oh well...
So...should I buy the clock??  Naw....still....

Ok, I'm done.  Now if I can figure out how to start my sentence's over to the right...but hey...this works.
Love and hugs to all of you...and take good care!
Mona

And...THANK YOU Gail...for everything!  IF you haven't met Gail, she is a struggling bloggers dream friend. 
Go say hello to Gail... At The Farm.

~MEMORIES...

I will be gone and not blogging tomorrow..but I wanted to begin by saying that I REMEMBER.  We all do.
It was by best friend's birthday.  She and her husband were still sleeping in the guest room.  She and her husband and  myself and my husband have been  for the past 50 some odd years.  My husband was no longer with us as he was the first of the four of us to die. 
She turned 65 that day.  A phone call came in from another dear friend of mine and when I answered the phone..she just said...turn on your television.  She was almost screaming.  I did...and the nightmare began to unfold.  The first plane had just hit.  I asked her if it was some sort of horror movie..she said..."NO, it's real!  It's happening right now!"  I yelled for my friends and they came running in and piled on the bed beside me.....and we watched...horrified.  Then we saw it coming through the air, the second plane.  I remember I screamed..and it hit!!   All of us were crying!   I will be horrified to the end of my days when I think of September 11, 2001. 
My poor friend, every birthday for the rest of her life will be a bit marred by History.  It will always sadden us, but it is nothing compared to the lives it changed forever....with the world watching!

Love and hugs to all of you sweet, wonderful people out there,
Mona

~ATTEMPT AT FALL DECORATING...and posting problems...

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LOOK!  A mess!  This is a sure sign that I am motivated and doing my Fall thing! 
I am so far behind and last year I was ready by the end of August..or maybe even earlier. 

This posting problem is driving me CRAZY!  I download a photo and then hit OK.  Then it pops up on my post screen.
Right?  So far so good. They ask  what size,  I click on the size,  and add that I want to "comment"...so far so good...
...then...I download another photo...hit ok...and..it does not come up on the post screen.  Nor does the choice of size.
I cannot find where to bring up the "choices" for that photo...so I go back and download my next picture...this time IF it come up it has THREE of the same picture..which I DID NOT download the same photo THREE times.

It has taken up hours of my time.  I had six picture I tried to download tonight and I started at about ten pm.  As you can see I only succeeded ONCE. 

Tomorrow I will go to the help section.  If anyone knows how to get away from this...or how to work it...could you please, please tell me.  Any information at all would be appreciated.  I am at my wits end and have tried every night this week to post.  I've gotten NO WHERE.

Love and hugs,

Mona

~DOLLS AND SUCH..~

Ok..I am going to take the plunge here.  I have struggled to figure this out for the past couple of days..and just kept messing it up...not to mention losing MY FAVORITE BLOGS!  I am still working on that and figured it out.  Just printed out the list..and then all I have to do is COPY EVERY BLASTED ONE OF THEM!!!!     (wow..I feel better now)  Did you know you could SHOUT on here.  Yep!  :)   

I don't really play with dolls.  Not really.  I like to  decorate with them..and I don't think I ever really got over  loving baby clothes.  That's all it is.  Anyway, I recently bought a lovely set of doll bedding for a pretty little cradle I found in a second hand store.  

The cradle fits this little doll exactly..so it was the one I chose to go with this bed.  She is vinyl and the little Grands can play with her...and no problem at all.

Dolls.  I think I am still trying to replace the toys and dolls I lost as a child.  I suppose that is part of it.

The bedding came in several layers.  The material is lovely..lots of lace and the color is the softest pinks.

The mattress has a lace cover on it..very soft and fits this little cradle perfectly.  Love it.

See?  Such pretty material.  Layers of ruffles.  It's probably the sort of thing I can make myself, and am just too blasted lazy to do it.  And, besides, I have a couple of little granddaughters that will love it in a couple of years.   Honest.  No, honest, I plan to give it to one of them.  As a matter of fact I have several dolls that I will give them.  :)

Isn't this the sweetest little cradle.  And, even if dolls and cradles and doll clothes aren't your thing...I doubt there are many women out there that don't at least like to look at them.  As I said, I like decorating a bit with them. 

I never gave my babies one of those things,  and here I am sticking one in the dolls mouth.

Have I named her.  Sure.  I call her "Pickle Poo"...yep.  I do!  LOL  LOL

This is a terrible post...but hey..by the way, am I the only one having a terrible time with this new..posting feature.  The writing starts in the middle...anyway.  What on earth has happened? 

My computer has been acting up...freezes and looks foggy.  Who knows.  This one isn't all that old...so..

We actually went out to garage sales this morning.  My sweet friend who was here to visit for a couple of days went with us.  I will let you see my finds tomorrow.  I didn't hit any jackpots..but it was really lots of fun.

Love and hugs..

Mona

p.s. did you notice that I hadn't figured out the "alignment thing" but I am not going to do it all over. 

p.p.s...  About playing with dolls.  I lied.  I do love to play with them, if you can call dressing them..and talking to them..and giving them an occassional hug... :)  Nuts?  Probably...  Now you know why I had so many babies...one..and I was hooked!!