homemade by jill: sock animal rattle tutorial

homemade by jill: sock animal rattle tutorial

New Hope For An Old Chest

Here is the before picture of a Lane cedar chest that my handsome husband bought for us at an on line auction.  It was, of course, only by picture but he could see that the inside of it was in great shape.  The outside, however, was another story.  The fabric in top was dated and worn.  It was missing two of the four knobs and was scratched and worn.  The style was sort of vintage Early American.  Maybe early 70's ish?  I don't know but certainly not mine.  It really was nice and solid and sturdy though.  We knew that it could be a keeper with some love and a bit of sweat.  Our sweet baby Angel was beginning to have a problem jumping on the bed to sleep with us so we just parked this sucker there for her and there it stayed.  Angel has crossed the rainbow bridge now but we still have Tater and he also uses it as a step up.  It is going to stay in that spot but I am tired of looking at it mocking me waiting to be finished.

 

 

Now, heres the finished product.  Painted and fresh with a brand new upholstered top.  I have been saving this fabric.  I love it.  I wish I had bought more now.  Maybe I can find more on line or something.  I think it would make pretty curtains or valances and throw pillows for the bed.  I used the pulls that were originally on it but used knobs that I got a steal on at Habitat For Humanity Restore.  I spray painted them with hammered pewter painted effects paint.  I love how they turned out. 

 



This beautiful Vintage Ephemera

Such gorgeous images

 

Hello again everyone.  I took longer than planned to share these beauties but finally here they are.

Aren't they gorgeous?  When I walked into this booth and saw packets marked for $1.00 I thought they meant per image inside the package.  I went and asked the people who were selling them and they said it was the whole pack!!!  What?  Really?  Oh my gosh I bought them ALL! I couldn't believe my luck.  She said they were just scraps (Scraps!!!  Perfect for the Junque Queen!!) because if you look closely there may be worn spots or a torn corner.  I thought all paper this age would look like this so I am just pleased as punch to get them.  I am so very careful about touching them even.  I know I'm, weird but they are so old and so precious to me now.  I wonder if I will even be able to part with a lot of them.  I may have to scan them and print them out for use and keep these originals.




See the beautiful Angel at the top?  I love her.

I also was able to get some really pretty doilies and some lace for only $1.00 each too.  Oh if only I had unlimited dollars to shop with.  They would have loved me!  They had so much and so many things I loved.  Lots of paper but plenty of lace and linens at great prices,  They had keys, knobs, pulls, gears, vintage costume jewelry and so much more.  I'm so excited because they will be at the Northville shows and I think she said Davisburg too.  I am definitely going.
 

There is a bit of the beautiful old lace peeking out here.

Think of all the uses for these as well as the lace.  My fingers are itching to get going on it.  I have so many projects in progress that i get overwhelmed when I walk in to my craft room to do something.  It is much to hard to decide where to start.  Something has to change but I dont know what.  I will get to the bottom of it so I can actually see the floor again eventually and have everything finally organized in some sort of order that makes sense.  I have so many varied interests that I would like to designate areas but i have swiftly been running out of room for the areas to work and it is all blending together.  I guess at this point I would like to just have everything put away in such a manner that I can find it again?..
 

 

An overall view of them all.

Well, Here is hoping that inspiration takes over for the craft room and time stands still for the actual making.. and all the projects reflect the joy that goes into them.  Both the joy of finding the various parts that go into them and the joy of creating with them.  Oh, never forget the joy of giving them.  How good it feels when someone likes something you make especially for them and you share the joy of friendship and love.

Don't forget to share some joy today.




 

Weekend In The Country

 I just wanted to send a quick note out about Weekend In The Country sponsered by HC Shows (for more info check out www.hcshows.com)  this past weekend, in Lowell, Michigan.  I met my sister from another mother and her husband there and it was just about the most perfect day weather wise you could ask for in an outdoor artisan market.  Beautiful blue skies and cool temperatures that warmed up nicely as the day went on.   There weren't as many vendors at the Lowell event as there are at the Davisburg one, but for this being Lowell's first time, it was pretty respectable.  I hope they do it again next year.  It seems closer, although I haven't checked to see if it is.  There were so many pretty things and such talent and creativity shown.  People always amaze me.  I think that's one of the things I like best about these shows.  The artistry and the work put into what they bring.  I certainly do my part every time to show my appreciation!  I only regret that I can't do more to buy more stuff  finance my fellow crafters and artists...... ahhh, to be rich, but that would be a post for another day.  If anyone has any ideas on how to make that happen feel free to comment below.  Sisters On The Fly (for more info check out www.sistersonthefly.com)  were there with their fun vintage campers and their glamping lifestyle.  I'm not sure I could choose a favorite as each one had something unique about it. They did cooking in dutch oven demos during the day.
After we finished at the show we decided to go to downtown Lowell.  What a darling town!  I never even knew about it.  I had only seen the signs for it and assumed it was just a tiny little place but not so.  It's got sweet antique stores galore and a really impressive restaurand with a nice terrace for outdoor dining next to the river.  Apparently there was a grain mill on the river at one time and it's history is featured prominently in the downtown area.  There is even a big ols fashioned riverboat like you would expect ot see on the Mississippi river there.  There are concerts on the Lowell showboat and other entertainments but I don't know much more.  I'm sure information must be available somewhere online for the industrious web surfer. 
I will be posting my pretty finds in a bit.  I didn't take a picture of them yet but here is a picture of  my friends Valerie and Will downtown Lowell with the riverboat behind them. If you live anywhere around the area it is worth the trip to make a day of shopping and perhaps lunch or dinner there.  Lots of friendly people there.

 

 

Share Joy

So....I didn't quite accomlish my goal of a post every day and I suspect this won't be the only time I miss a day or two but my intentions are good.
I have debated about sharing with you my personal struggle with pain and have decided to at least this once share because someone may see it and relate to it.  I have a chronic pain condition called Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome.  It is crazy how much of my life that this condition influences.  Everything sort of works around it.  I don't promise anything anymore as I am not sure I can be relied upon to either be somewhere on a certain day or to be well enough to complete something I may promise to do by a certain date.  I no longer work as I never know when I may have a day that I can't seem to even get dressed, much less stay up.  Actually up is best as I use a heating pad on my upper back, shoulders and neck pretty much every day.  I do use meds to help, and they do, as well as a trigger point injection when needed. I think that one of the most frustrating things is that one day I feel pretty good so I try to get as much done as I can on that good day because I might be hurting for the next two to three and be able to do very little.  Also, I don't look like there is anything wrong so when I say I can't do somethig or won't do something I get the "look" like I'm just trying to make an excuse for not wanting to do something.  I know this is a common frustration for people with invisible disabilities.  I'm sharing this with you for a couple of reasons. One is that maybe it will help to realize that sometimes people actually have good days and yes we get out of the house and you see us out and about and we look like anyone else in the world but that doesn't mean it's like that every day so please be patient with those who deal with something you don't see.  The other is because it helps explain why I will undoubtedly have missing posts on the way to my goal of posting every day.  Ok, enough of that.
Today was a stormy day with dark skys and thunder. Rain was intermittent and wind was gusty.  It wasn't severe here like in some places so it was just pretty to watch.  Isn't there something exciting about a good old storm in the summer?  Here comes the rumble of thunder.  Hear it getting closer and closer until BOOM  it's right overhead!   Here it is.  hear the rain beating on the roof. Watch the tops of the trees dance in the wind.  Oh it's such a joy.
One more fun thing to share with you. A darling quote I came across somewhere and jotted down in my handy little notebook.

 

"To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk."

~Thomas Edison~

 

I love it!  It should be the Junque Queen's motto.  Certainly shows a love of having good junque on hand for one never knows when inspiration will strike, like a bolt from the blue during a summer storm.
Share your joy and what you love with someone today.  I promise the joy will be returned.  Why not try it and see if you don't already practice joy.

 



Fun Find On Todays Junque trip



This is my lucky find.  The School lunch recipe and guide book. A how-to for meal planning in the public school system.  It is so neat but I'm pretty sure there are missing pages since I can't find a date anywhere. Does anyone have any info about this?  It is so interesting.

I got some other fun goodies but more about those later. 



Some Summer Fun In An Old Shutter

Hello again!!
Two posts in one day.  No, I won't make up for the past year in one week...at least I don't think so but I do have some things to share.  This is one of them.  I painted this little shutter that I got from Goodwill.  Not just any Goodwill but the "as-is" Goodwill store.  I love it. I shop there often.  So many treasures for so little money.  If you have one anywhere near you and Charlotte, MI is too far away for you, then you  just may decide it's worth the drive to find your closest one. 
Anyway, I mostly used the free samples of Valspar paint that came from Lowes this spring.  Did you see all the little tear out coupons in the magazines this spring?  So many pretty colors.  Plus, they had free little color flip charts.  Fun, Fun, Fun.
I have made myself a promise, based on the quote I shared in my previous post that I will finish up a bunch of the projects that are in various stages all over the place.  Some up in the craft room (which is still a project unto itself), some in the basement, and some in the little barns outside.  Speaking of outside......there's a mountain of mulch with my name written all over it and hopefully it will be put where it belongs before June is through.  I know-I may be pushing it.  Lets see what happens  After all, a girl can have dreams right?