It's time!

I've been waiting and waiting, all summer for this one!  The Grand Rapid's Swap Meet is this weekend.  I'm so excited, even if I'm going solo this year.  Here are a few of my purchases from the past events. 



little lady bell

booze box with metal handle

enamelware

 You can expect newly aquired junk on my blog soon!  I just hope it isn't as muddy & sloppy as last year.   

Delicate Vase

You can put flowers in any glass container.  I stuffed my Hot Cocoa roses in a vintage creamer from my aunt.  It's dreamy!  I love summer.

Softball Flower

We live close to a softball field, so we find a good number of misplaced balls each spring.  I found some inpiration for a softball craft in the current Flea Market Style Magazine. 

The project involves using one & a half balls, that have been cut apart & flattened.  The trick to this is laziness. 

*chirp, chirp*

Yes, you heard me right.  LAZINESS.  Once you have cut the balls apart, simply leave them on the deck table to get rained on & sun baked.  This apparently will flatten them very well!  The two on the right side were neglected & then respectfully decide to cooperate!

I took it a step further & restitched the red laces back around all the edges.  This was time consuming, but worth it.  Plus if I'm gonna steal an idea, then I should try & one-up it.  Right?

THE RESULTS:

Pretty stinkin' cute!  I added some scrapbooking flowers & a vintage button to the middle.

**********************************************************

I searched around the web for other baseball inspired crafts.

Painted

Spoiltrottn

Family Fun

Thanks for visiting my blog today.  I encourage you to stop on over to Faded Charm, where I have linked up to White Wednesday #110.  I've also added it to A Little Tipsy DIY under $5 & Someday Crafts Whatever Goes Wednesday.

Mona Lisa

My house is filled with the sweet aroma of a Mona Lisa lily.  Just one stem can perfume half a house!

The cute bottle was found in the woods.  I'm shocked at how good the color still is on the screen print!  I love the retro rings, it reminds me of Manhattan glassware. 

Now, here is a florist tip.  If you love lilies, but hate the pollen that stains everything:  just snip off those powdery orange ends!  I can't tell you how many shirts I've ruined by weeding the garden during lily season! The giant fragrant blooms are worth the risk.

Junky Begonia

My homemade hanging basket lacked, so I was thrilled to get a perk from my greenhouse job.  A free monstrous sized begonia now hangs from my rusty vintage gears.

*** DELIGHTFUL ***

Jesus Print

I bought a print of Jesus at a local antique store.  It's kind of dark & painful looking.  A little research revealed that it's called Veronica's Veil.   It also explains that the eyes sometimes appear to look at you.  I never noticed this, and with close inspection did notice the "changing" eyes!  This, however, is extremely hard to photograph. 

The name of this print intrigued me, so I sought more info!  It's an interesting story, you can read it at http://www.einterface.net/gamini/Veronica.html.

So now you've seen it, and read about it.  What do you think?  Please leave some comments.  I'm totally comfortable with this in my home. I like the dirty, rustic, tattered look.  But, I wonder if someday my kids will remember it hanging there & talk about the eyes!

Check out other questionable buys at junker newbie, I've linked to the Would You Buy It Wednesday #10.

Artic Queen

My white clematis, called Artic Queen revealed a sweet little birds nest the other day.  The multitude of flowers were weighed down by rain or just too darn heavy.

This year, it finally reached up & over my rusty obelisk! If you are looking for a good white clematis, this one is outstanding.  Here is a picture of it last year...

I hope the nest & precious eggs aren't abandoned.  The exposure & disturbance may have caused it!  I'll keep checking, and if the birds don't return....I'll be using the nest in my home for decoration!  The last time I checked on it, a frog was in the nest on top of the eggs.  It's not looking good for those eggs.

This post is linked to Faded Charm Cottage White Wed.

Summer Summer Summertime!

How is YOUR summer going?

My family has been enjoying summer in many ways!

The best beach in our area!

Raising 3 Monarchs!

Jeep Rides!

Family Picnics!

Geocaching!

Aren't my boys handsome?  I am really enjoying the summer & encouraging them to enjoy life to it's fullest!

Recipe Box

I've been waiting, ever so patiently for the right sized recipe box to surface. I've been using the same box, from my aunt Sandy.  I think it was a wedding shower present, at least 11 years old now.  But has been used to death.  In fact, the top cover ripped off.

The box I chose was only a dollar at a flea market.  It's kind of rustic, but it is BIG.

I added the word with a vinyl stencil & watered down white paint. 



The box contained a few index cards, when I got it.  Including two social security numbers!  Yikes!  That's not a good thing these days.  It also revealed the origin of the box.  Apparently it was used in some sort of book keeping in Winnebago County.

Now, I should have ample room to go through my cookbooks & copy down my most commonly used recipes.  I'm sick of looking through 5 books trying to find that one certain recipe.

This post is linked to Dittle Dattle's Amaze Me Monday #33 & Today's Creative Blog's Get Your Craft On.

Bread Box

My aunt gave me THEE most awesome bread box from her garage sale.  It has found a home on my kitchen counter & become a useful storage piece.  Here is a BEFORE picture:

Now here is the AFTER:

Ah yes, I have stashed away my ugly green dishwasher detergent!  The box makes a perfect place for several kitchen  items!  I was surprised to find that the shelves are removable!

The Rex begonia that sits on top is still recovering from major neglect.  It has since been repotted & doing much better.  It looks pretty quaint in the lard can.

I crock full of utensils got nestled in the corner. 

The compost bucket MUST stay by the sink, even if it is ridiculously shiny. 

By the sink is the ONLY place I can grow a fern.  It must like the humidity there.  This is my husband's grandma Gert's fern.

I made some seed packet magnets out of scrapbooking paper.  I cut chipboard to back them & added a strip of sticky magnet.  These will cover the holes on the side of the bread box.

I hope you've enjoyed my vintage nook on the kitchen counter! 

THANK YOU Aunt Marie for the wonderful box!

This post is listed on My Romantic Home's Show & Tell Friday !!!