Hang It Up!

Man, I've been struggling with what to blog about lately. I haven't been creating much, so nothing to show you there. I haven't been buying much, so nothing there either. Hmmmm.... I guess I will show you some of the unique towel hooks/hangers I have in my house. You will see that I obviously like to repurpose unusual items.

This is supposed to be used to measure/mark skirt hems. But I needed something to hold a towel next to my kitchen sink.
It works great! Please excuse the stains on the towel. It is "vintage" and I did not succeed in getting the stains out after I bought it from a garage sale. I still like it.

The next one is in our master bathroom. There was a boring brass hook for the hand towel. It wasn't working for me. This "hook" came from a box of junk from an estate sale. I'm not sure of its original purpose, but I just couldn't toss it. I knew I would think of something to use it for.

Again, I don't know what this is supposed to be. I picked up a bag of them at the thrift store thinking they were interesting.

I nailed it to the side of the cabinet and it "grasps" the towel perfectly.
This one isn't quite as unique, but it is one of my favorites. I had this great piece of trim and I am always looking out for these old hooks. Put them together and it makes a great accent (and towel holder) in the kids' bathroom.

Remember to always think outside the box when you come across a unique item. You just never know what you might be able to do with it!

An award! I got an award! Cindy at Tinta's Treasures gave me "The Lemonade Award." It is awarded to bloggers who show great attitude/gratitude. Wow! How sweet that she thought of me. Thank you, Cindy!

Now I am supposed to pass this along to 10 more bloggers. Yikes! How do I do that? I read a lot of blogs. I think they are all great. My brain is still sort of mush after my crazy week, so I am going to hold off on this one. That is bad, isn't it? Sorry. I'll do some thinking on this and try to get back to it next week.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their kind words and prayers for Sweet Girl. She had a great day at school today. So nice to see her smiles again!

{Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossions 3:16}

Thank You!

I just wanted to say a big "Thank You" to everyone for your prayers and kind words. Sweet Girl came home from the hospital yesterday morning. She is rehydrated and for now the vomitting has stopped. She was in a great mood yesterday afternoon and evening. It was so great to hear her giggling and squealing and to watch her scoot around the room. I think she felt better than she had in over a month.

After she had been in bed a couple hours last night I went in to check on her and she was wheezing. Ugh! Where did that come from? I've had a cold, so I suppose I passed it on to her. Laying in a hospital for an entire weekend probably didn't help either. Today she got a couple of breathing treatments and just hung out at home with me. Hopefully she will be able to go back to school tomorrow and then to hippotherapy.

Prayers are still appreciated. We still don't really know the source of the vomitting and are still working to get her feedings back to normal. She has also started on some new medicine. Again, thank you for praying.

{"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God." Philippians 1:3}

Prayers for Sweet Girl

Hello! I don't have time for much of a post. My Sweet Girl has been in the hospital since late Friday night. For over a month now she has had trouble keeping her feedings down (she is tube fed). It got worse last week and she just didn't have anything left in her little system. She was dehydrated so she is on IV fluids. We are going to try to start her back on feedings tonight and see how she does. I would appreciate your prayers. Thank you!

All Things White and Wonderful

No, this isn't a post about snow. We live in southern Arkansas. I doubt we will be seeing much of that white stuff. This post is about some of my white "junk." I will warn you - my photos are pretty bad. I was in a hurry this morning and didn't take a lot of time with the photography.

I've had this great porch trim for quite awhile. My in laws had it in their shed for years. When they remodeled their house they removed it. Thank goodness they put it in their shed instead of trashing it. They must have known that someday they would have a daughter in law who would appreciate it. I have taken some of it apart and used the spindles for projects (angels, snowmen, etc.). The rest is in my shed now - waiting for just the right time and place.

Then they found these in their shed. Beautiful! I just got them at Thanksgiving. So many things I could do with these. I need to get busy! In the box with the brackets were also some flat spindles that I used for this project.

The strips of lath? Yes, they are also from the in laws. More projects await! The wire garden edging is from the thrift store. I used some of it to make this card holder that I sold in my antique booth. Who knows what I will do with the rest?!

Okay, I told you the photos were bad. The main one of this medicine cabinet didn't turn out at all. So, here is an up close shot. It is my favorite part anyway. Love the glass knob! The medicine cabinet came from a garage sale. I will clean it up and put it in my booth. I just don't have a place for it here right now.

I stopped by an unexpected garage sale one morning and immediately spotted this huge basket. I think it was priced at $5 or $6, but I asked the lady if she would take $4 because that is all the cash I had that morning. I was so glad she said yes! There are so many uses for a basket like this. I think for now I will use it to corral toys in the living room.

So, those are my wonderful white treasures. I'll have to be satisfied with making spindle angels instead of snow angels.

{"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..." Isaiah 1:18}

Everyday Dishes

Where does the time go? I don't know how some of you get so much accomplished. I feel like I am always behind; wanting and needing to do more. I need to become a better time manager this year. I feel like I have been busy, but really couldn't think of anything to blog about. Sometimes I have too many ideas floating around in my head. This week, nothing.

So, I am going to blog about my "everyday" dishes. I do have a beautiful set of white ironstone. I've maybe used it twice. I don't have fancy china. I have everyday dishes. A few months ago I got tired of the ones I had been using. They were a sage green set from WalMart several years ago. Then my sweet friends gave me these as a moving present. Actually, they gave me four dinner plates and four salad plates (there is also red, but the page isn't showing them). Later my husband surprised me with the bowls and mugs. I love them! But it is only a set of four.

I set out to find something that would maybe coordinate with the Daily Bread dishes. One day at the thrift store I came across these great white and yellow plates. I maybe paid a quarter each for them. They are the same color of yellow as the Daily Bread dishes. Now, I know they are a different style, but I still think they could work together on a table.

On a separate trip, quite some time later I found three yellow cups - a nickel each! Then, just last month I was at Goodwill in another town and found four saucers.

The dinner plates have this stamped on them. The cups and saucers just have the USA.

When I bought the yellow cups there were also two green ones. They happen to be the same shade of green as my Daily Bread set. I also found four of these bowls. The yellow isn't quite the same and they are pretty shallow. I am still on the lookout for some different bowls and of course, any of the other pieces to add to the "set". Let me know if you spot them anywhere.

This is what I love about thrifting! You never know when you will find something you "need." Different towns. Different stores. But it all comes together. And for very little money! It just takes a little time and a little patience.

{"Give us today our daily bread." Matthew 6:11}

A Year in Pictures

Wow! 2008 was quite a year; difficult in many ways. Looking back through pictures brought tears to my eyes several times. Thank you for being there for me and with me during the past 12 months. I hope that you will continue on with me as we journey into 2009.

I chose one picture for each month of the year. Some I chose for the memory. Some I chose just because they "spoke" to me. Enjoy!

January

There is just something comforting about a vintage apron. These are a few from my collection.

February

February was the last month in our beloved home. So many things I miss.....

March

We enjoyed a beautiful snow in March. Quite unusual for Arkansas.

April
Sorting buttons is such a peaceful activity.


May

Roses from a sweet friend. Beauty amidst the chaos of my life.

June

This is the month that we moved into our new home in our new town.

July

Blooming crape myrtles and a new apron for my collection.

August

Do you ever feel this way? I do!

September

I opened my booth in the antique store. {ReNew}al for my creativity.

October

Some dear, sweet friends came to visit and brought me "HOPE".

November

The beauty of fall is always a blessing.

December

Taking the photos for our annual Christmas letter brought me joy!

There you have it! A little review of the year. I look forward to more memories and pictures in the coming year.

{Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life. Psalm 139:23-24}

Christmas on the Plains

Whew! We made it home about 10:30 last night. It was nice to see all the family, but I was ready to sleep in my own bed. Being away from home is exhausting.

When we stopped for supper last night we noticed the speedometer. My poor van! It is only an '05.

I just thought I would post some random pictures from Christmas on the Plains of Colorado. (We also celebrated on the plains of KS.) They are just a glimpse of the things we saw and did.

We completed a 1000 piece puzzle. It is somewhat of a tradition to do puzzles at Christmas. My Grandma enjoyed doing them. She is in heaven now, but we still carried on the tradition.

My older brother let my son do some target practice. He doesn't get an opportunity to do that at home because my husband really isn't a hunter and we don't own a "real" gun. They even went coyote hunting. I'll spare you and not post the bloody picture.

It is always difficult to get a good picture of all the grandkids. This is on the stairs at my parent's log house. I love the stockings! Mom made them for the entire family a few years ago.

My younger brother is a farrier. When he is not shoeing horses, he does some creative metal work. These are some things we got as gifts this year. If you are in need of iron hooks, cookbook holders, etc. just contact me. He would love to make something for you. Hopefully he will have his own website soon to sell his creations and my SIL's quilts.

This is my dad's chuckwagon. He and mom do authentic chuckwagon cooking for family reunions, festivals, etc.

This is my parents in front of dad's new office. He built it with leftover logs and lumber from the house. I told him he needed to build another one next to it so my mom could have an antique store. Wouldn't that be neat?! If we lived closer she and I could have a fun little business!

This is a gift I made for my family's gift exchange. The spindles are from my inlaws. They have given me some great architectural pieces that were torn off their porch years ago. The porch posts are even still in their shed waiting to find a way to Arkansas.

This is the scripture I put below the four seasons pictures.

Like I said, this was a random glimpse of our time in Colorado. We are thankful that we got to spend time with family, that we had safe travels and we were blessed beyond measure. I hope that you have also been blessed during this holiday season.

{There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1}

Christmas JOY

The reason my son was holding the "Y" in the previous post was for our annual Christmas picture! It is very difficult to get a good picture of these three kiddos. Sweet Girl is constantly moving and rarely looking at the camera. The boys....well, they are just boys! I was pleased with how this turned out. I love my beautiful children!

For those of you who participated in my Read for Rett book sale, I just wanted to let you know that I made a donation (my sales commission) to RettHelp.org . I really struggled with which organization to choose. RettHelp is fairly new, but the founder, Kathy Hunter has been around for quite some time. Back in 1984 her daughter Stacie became the first child in the U.S. to be diagnosed with Rett Syndrome. Kathy has done amazing things for Rett research and support. Right after Sweet Girl was diagnosed, she called me personally just to offer encouragement. She has helped so many families through the struggles of Rett Syndrome. So, thank you Kathy, and thank you to those who purchased books.

Today we found out that one of Sweet Girl's appointments in Houston had to be moved to Wednesday morning. That means we will be leaving a day early - tomorrow! This afternoon and evening have been quite busy trying to get everything ready to go. We will head out tomorrow after school. Please pray for our health and safety on this trip. Also, please pray for my sanity as I try to get everything done.

I'm not sure if I will have a chance to post anything for a couple of weeks. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Now I have got to get off this computer and get busy!

{But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11}

M & M....& Y

Two different thrift stores in two different towns. One day and one perfect letter. Okay, I know I probably don't need any more decor for Sweet Girl's room, but when I spotted the vintage plaster of paris (?) "M" I couldn't pass it up. To my surprise, later that same day I came across the wooden "M" plaque. I guess it was meant to be.
In keeping with the letter theme - "Y" is my mom making me hold a stencil? I will show you in a future post.
With temps hovering right around 30° last Saturday, I ventured out to some garage sales. I found a few things here and there, but this quilt top was by far my best buy. It was folded up in a box without a price. When the lady told me $1 (is it weird that I'm always telling you what I paid for things?) I almost jumped for joy. I was on the lookout for things to sell in my booth. I figured even if it wasn't in great shape it could certainly turn a profit for me.
When I got home later and took it out of the box I really did jump for joy (okay, not really)! But seriously, this quilt top is fabulous. And big. It is at least queen size. And in great shape. There are a few spots on some of the white fabric, but I bet they would come out in the wash.
Look! Pink and chocolate brown! One of my favorite color combos! You've probably guessed by now that this probably won't be ending up in my booth. How can I part with something so beautiful?!

I was walking through an antique store (not where my booth is) earlier this week when a lady stopped me and said, "Are you Vanessa?" Turns out she "knew" me from this blog. It was so nice to visit with her. She used to live close to where I used to live and recognized the name of one of my favorite thrift stores. She said her husband moved her hear kicking and screaming several years ago. Sounds like we have some things in common. LOL! Several weeks ago I met another lady here in town who reads my blog. Thank you, ladies, for reading my ramblings and introducing yourselves. That brightens my day!

{Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! Mark 6:39}

Gasoline

I guess this is sort of old news now, but I sure am excited about the price of gas these days. Did you ever think it woud get below $2 again? I sure didn't. We traveled at Thanksgiving and will be traveling again for Christmas. We will leave here on the 17th and drive to Houston. Sweet Girl has doctor appointments on the 18th and 19th. From there we will drive to CO to celebrate Christmas with my folks. Then it is on to KS and hubby's folks before heading back here to AR. I just used mapquest to add that up. 2270 miles! Yikes! Now do you understand why I am thankful for the gas prices?

Since I've had travel on the mind, I did a little travel display in my antique booth. Vintage flashcards, state plates, dist-o-map.....

....more flashcards (not so vintage) and a train mug.

Here is another look. The leather suitcase isn't old, but it is unique. The framed picture is a map and a 50's TWA advertisement. Little blocks that spell "GO". A thermos (my Grandpa always traveled with a thermos full of hot coffee). Tourist glasses. It was a fun little display to put together.

I did hardly any Christmas decorating this year. Seemed silly to go to so much work for only a couple of weeks. We put up the tree and that is it. I really hate that I have BOXES of decorations out in my shed and I didn't get them out. Next year I seriously think I will start decorating before Thanksgiving so that we can enjoy it more.

The boys brought this in from the woods the other day. Is it some sort of holly? I really don't know, but I thought it was pretty and festive.

Sweet Girl got her new wheels! Doesn't she look happy? This stroller is so nice. It is significantly bigger than her old one (which is what she needed) so I am still trying to figure out the easiest/best way to get it in and out of the van. It is not super heavy - just bulky. We are going to donate her old stroller to Wheels for the World. What a great program!

The "guys" are in town at Upwards basketball. The 8 year old is playing, hubby is coaching and the 11 year old is "assisting." Tonight is their first practice and games will start after Christmas.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I plan to hit a few garage sales and finish up wrapping Christmas presents tomorrow. Along with the usual laundry, picking up the house, etc.....

{You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. Ephesians 4:4}

Holding On to Fall

I cannot believe it is December! Can we hold on to Fall for just a bit longer? I took this picture on Sunday. It is pretty much the last of the color for the season. It was cold here this morning (for Arkansas anyway) - 26°. Here is something funny. When we lived in ND the schools took the kids out for recess unless it was below 0°. In KS I think it was 20°. Central AR - 32°. Southern AR - 40°!

This is a little project I finished up yesterday. It is a Christmas card holder, but could also be used all year for other things. I used a scrap piece of trim from my shed and painted it red. I drilled holes and inserted a piece of old wire garden edging (from the thrift store, of course). I did add a bit of glue in each hole.
The clips are old Christmas candle holders. I glued on vintage buttons. You could also use binder clips, clothespins, etc. Isn't that a funny picture? It was stuck inside an antique book I bought one time.

Here is another shot of one of the clips and an old postcard. I love old postcards! I put this in my booth, but I am really hoping it doesn't sell. I want to use it at my house.

Kelly, this picture is for you! Sweet Girl and her cousin both had their Girl Power tattoos on this weekend. Speaking of Sweet Girl, she is getting a new stroller (wheelchair) tomorrow. It is very much needed. Her old one is too small and literally falling apart. Yesterday the foot rest just broke off. Anway, this may seem like a silly request, but please pray that our insurance pays for this new stroller. Our insurance does not preauthorize these things. The stroller had to be ordered and then the claim can be filed. Now we just pray that they will pay for the $4000 stroller. (Crazy, I know.)

Well, the morning is almost over and my "to do" list is still quite long. I better get busy.

{Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12}

Happy Thanksgiving!

Can you believe it is Thanksgiving week?! As I look back on the year there are times that seemed to just drag on. It was a tough year. At the same time, it is hard to believe that we are already celebrating Thanksgiving again.

I have so much to be thankful for: a husband who loves me even when I am unlovable, three beautiful children, God's nature all around me, health.... I really could come up with quite a list. God is good.

I am so thankful for this adorable turkey. My Sweet Girl made this at school. If you know her, you know that her hands are in almost constant motion (see photo below). I'm sure it was not an easy task for her teacher and aides to get this project done. I love it!

Another thing to be thankful for is that her legs are getting stronger. Yes, the porch post is providing some balance behind her, but otherwise she is standing on her own. There was a day when we didn't know if she would ever bear weight on her legs. Now we believe that she will walk one day. God is so good!

This will probably be my last post for the week. Tomorrow we are heading to Branson to celebrate Thanksgiving with my inlaws. It will be fun to get away for a few days. I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving!

{"All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." 2 Corinthians 4:15}