WHAT I AM DOING ON MY SUMMER VACATION

First: I'm purchasing lots of cool stuff for low, low prices at country auctions! I am planning to host a Christmas sale this year featuring boutique and handmade items. Did this two years in a row back when my kids were small. It was a huge success so I thought I'd begin stocking up for another try this year! Below are some featured items!

A lovely lacelike vase with roses. Won't it look great filled with dried roses and peacock feathers, sitting on a tatted doily?

Not selling this gem--a 1928 brand locket. 1928 has always been one of my favorite jewelry companies since I first owned several pieces in the 1970's.

An interesting art-deco (?) style bar pin.

A lovely chair for my porch for $5--not selling this one either--it's now my favorite chair for comfort!

Not selling this little find either! I paid $10 for this antique caned sewing rocker and they threw in a footstool to boot! I'll recover the footstool for the front porch. (See below)

More of the glassware bargains that I collected. The ruby glass plate was thrown in in a stack of items, so I essentially got that for free. I love ruby glass! These will probably all be in my sale.

This picture doesn't do this necklace justice. It absolutely sparkles! This is a gorgeous item.

 

A collection of very cool rings that will be featured at the Christmas sale. Can you see my hands are garden-weary?

An old 40's style table cloth. It is not really in good enough shape for the sale, but adorns a porch table this summer and looks quite nice with the porch flowers and throw rug.

The free, soon-to-be-recovered footstool, I hope.

More glassware I obtained at an auction. That stack of bowls is quite interesting. They are footed. Some very nice items here plus a huge stack of paper doilies I gave to my mother-in-law who uses them profusely in her china cabinets

This find--an old canister ($3)--will stay in Mom's kitchen since it matches perfectly. I have it on top of her cupboards with the other farm items that adorn her kitchen. (Underneath is an old placemat I wove on my loom years ago!)

Out to the garden! This pretty flower is a favorite. I am not sure of the name, but it is a lovely shade of peach/pink.

Some more pretty flowers by my Grandma's old garden urn. I love a "dellicate," airy look to a garden.

Here is the new-mown hay behind our house. Ten acres of it. I love the farm and couldn't resist sharing this picture with you. Our ground is said to grow good alfalfa. My clothesline post accidentally made it into the photo.

My garden beds with the new 40X70 sweet corn plot behind. You talk about a lot of work. I felt like a pioneer the day I planted that plot because only days before it was sod. I haven't worked that hard in ages. And it was raining, but I had to get the corn in soon. This is the first year we've planted corn in ages--now I know why!

Pea pods that Emma helped plant back in April.

And, finally....everybody's favorite, strawberries.I've been picking them out of our little plot. Aren't these pretty?And next is a picture of me at the Grand Rapids Public Museum last Saturday. I'm staring longingly into the display of an old general store filled with dry goods. Lace, hats, shoes, needlework items, etc. We went on a day-cation to the museum to view the relics from the Titanic! It was an awesome trip! No pictures allowed in the Titanic exhibit.

I hope you are having a blessed summer. In addition to all this, I'm working two days/week and we are now involved in helping a church about 30 miles from us by preaching there about twice a month. Two weeks ago we attended an area church where Clint was asked to teach a Sunday school class. I'm still on our church worship team occasionally and have several sewing projects going. Taking care of chickens and contemplating adding some beehives soon. It's a busy summer, but so far lots of fun. I hope you are enjoying a fun summer!

Blessings, LORI