Lessons From the Garden

I've got to be honest with you. Last week was a rough one for me. Lots going on around me, in my head, etc. Some of the most peaceful moments I had were when I was tending to my friends' garden while they were on vacation.

It was HOT! But while I picked this wonderful produce, with sweat dripping off of me, I was thankful for God's blessings. I have never had a garden of my own. This is my friends' first garden and they have done an amazing job. God has done an even more amazing job!

I would love to say that I have some profound thoughts on all of this. I really don't. However, a few days ago I read this beautiful post and wanted to share it with you. So, please go have a seat at Jo's Kitchen Table and enjoy her words of wisdom.

{The LORD will always guide you and provide good things to eat when you are in the desert. He will make you healthy. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water or like a stream that never runs dry. Is. 58:11}

Sorry to leave you hanging. It may still be a few days until I can get a "real" post done. Just a lot going on these days. Please keep checking back. Maybe I will have something exciting to blog about again someday.

{"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Is. 40:31}

To Buy or Not To Buy

I have a question for you. If you saw this quilt neatly folded with a $3 price tag on it, would you buy it?

Maybe. Maybe not.



Okay, what if you unfolded it and saw this on the other side?

Yeah. That's what I thought.
As far as intricate design goes, this quilt doesn't have it. What it does have is absolutely gorgeous fabric. Can someone tell me what era this is from? I really don't know.

When I bought it I told myself I could make some money on it. It is worth a lot more than $3. But by the time I got home I had convinced myself to keep it. It is beautiful and worn to a wonderful softness.

I haven't been doing a lot of "junking" lately. With three kids home for the summer it is hard to get to the thrift stores. I'm also trying not to spend extra money on anything. I did have a really good month in my antique booth, so I felt okay about hitting a couple of garage sales last weekend.

I found this feed sack....
....and this one. They might end up in my booth, but I really like them, too.

Here are a few more goodies. Several months ago I found some old jigsaw puzzles. Last week I found a couple more. They are now in my booth along with those red bowls. The jar is for my collection and the child-size wooden shoe form became party of my living room decor. If you enlarge the pictures you can see a little box in the bowl. It is "1 Triangular Bandage" still folded up in the box. I did a little search and found that it WW2 medics carried these in their bags.

Time to get off the computer. I am trying to get this house all in order. If I didn't have to do laundry, cook, make important phone calls, etc. maybe I could get the really deep cleaning and organizing done. Unfortunately, the day-to-day things still have to be done. I better get busy.

{She knows when to buy or sell, and she stays busy until late at night. Proverbs 31:18}

Studio Envy

I often read blogs and magazines where wonderfully creative gals show glimpses of their "studios". I see the incredible rooms; beautifully organized spaces where all kinds of creative goodness happens. I just sigh and think, "Someday....."

In our previous home I had most of my "craft" supplies in my corner cabinet in my dining room. The dining room table was my work surface. Not the greatest when I was in the middle of a project at dinner time. When we moved here I decided to claim the pantry as my "craft closet."

The wire shelves were already in place. I added a plastic shelving unit to one end. My red table that I shared last week sits just outside the door. It is not exactly the ideal creative space, but it is certainly a step up from the dining room.

I haven't done a great job of keeping this space organized. A couple weeks ago I worked really hard to get everything (well, most everything) in its place. Tonight I just thought I would show you some glimpses of what it looks like.

A basket and a cigar box holds my lace and trims.

Another basket holds BINGO cards, flashcards, etc.

Jars contain ribbon, embroidery floss, scrabble tiles, game pieces.....

This old fridge drawer came from a tag sale and I think I paid 50 cents for it. I just loved the color. Right now it is holding bits and pieces that I wasn't sure what to do with yet.

My rick rack and seam binding is organized in this enamel fridge drawer. I like using "junk" containers to stash all my goodies.

Above the plastic shelving unit I put this shower curtain bar between the two walls. I then tied pieces of ribbon with "s" hooks to hold little buckets. I know none of this matches, but it works.

Empty cans with fun graphics hold pencils, markers, scissors, etc. The card file little tools on one side and alphabets/numbers on the other side.

This wire freezer basket works great for my vintage sewing patterns.

I don't think my pantry will be showing up in any magazines and I'm pretty sure this is the only blog you will see it on. That is okay. It works for me. Someday I may have an entire room all to myself, but for now I will be content with this little space.

Before I forget, a few people asked me where I got the colored clothespins in my last post. Well, a couple months ago I bought a vintage clothespin bag for $2 at a tag sale. The clothespins were in the bag. There are two different styles - one a bit sturdier than the other. I wasn't going to use them and then decided they would make my laundry cheerier (is that a word?).

Okay, this post has taken me way too long to finish. I have got to get off this computer.

{Seraiah was the father of Joab, who settled a place called "Valley of Crafts" because the people who lived there were experts in making things. I Chronicles 4:14}