Happy Independence Day

I'll start with a quick Independence Day project.

As I looked around my house, I realized that I just had no signs that July 4th was upon us. So I opened my bag of tricks and happened to see 6 mini flags in there. and low and behold there were 2 old bed springs just waiting to be married.

This project is so quick and easy, it's embarrassed to be called a project.
Simply stick the flags in the spring and you are done. For a little added bling, I threw down some left over new years horns and I'm done.

Now that's the kind of holiday decorating I can get into :)


Now I'd like to reflect on the meaning of Independence Day.
Independence day is more than Hot Dogs and a day off of work. It is a day that we look back at the wisdom and courage of our country's founders. They went up against amazing odds to create this country. Not to mention risk, every signer of the Declaration of Independence was risking penalties of Treason. That penalty was to be Drawn & Quartered. If you don't know what that is, I'm not gonna tell you, but I will say it's not a pleasant way to die.

The people who followed and who settled in this land were a special kind of people. They left their comfort zones to venture out into an unknown place to make a new life. That takes courage, strength & perseverance. And that is where we come from. The blood of these ancestors runs through our veins and makes us strong. For me I have the blood of courageous Irish, Scotch, German, Welsh & Cherokee ancestors within me. I Thank them for their sacrifices and their courage. We can have this day to celebrate with family and friends because of what they did, the vision they had. Happy Independence Day to everyone

Now a few quotes from those wise Founding Fathers

"We must all hang together, or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy — "A republic," replied the Doctor, "if you can keep it."

"Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." Thomas Jefferson

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
- Thomas Jefferson

"The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale."
-Thomas Jefferson

This is a re-post from 2009

Recent Finds

It's been slim pickins for me recently, but I have managed to accumulate a few treasures to show you. First above I picked up an old display rack and some sort of dust pan with an advertisement on it. That basket is a perfect shade of beachy blue, and there is an old leather tool belt as well as a metal paper in-box. Love the yellow trim pieces and I'm adding hooks to them for sale (as shown).A folding Artists easel as well, it folds up completely compact. It's not terribly old but I can see loads of decorating uses for it. Below there is a time card slot and 2 expandable wooden framed vents,
and a lovely old wicker doll cradle

I'm always on the lookout for vintage Christmas items
This is several weeks worth of finds
I love the old Christmas stuff, I think I always will.


Look for these items soon in my Ruff Etsy store, or feel free to inquire.

It's what's on the inside

As I was wondering around aimlessly, at a local garage sale today, i spotted this wonderful old vintage Candy Box. A Treasure in itself- then I opened it...
It was full of the most fabulous collection of vintage hair barrettes. I didn't have my glasses with me so I examined them the best I could and I could see there were some amazing ones in there. So I paid my money for the box and the contents and skipped away happily with my treasure. Still not sure what I had.

At home I carefully cleaned and examined my loot. I was not disappointed. There are many fun ones in there, the bestest ones are below.
A kitty clock (the tail moves), 2 pencils and a ruler. Aren't these just wonderful. Wouldn't you have loved going to school with one of these in your hair???
I would have.

Watch for them soon in my Etsy boutique for the softer side of junking.

Old stuff

I know that most of you, like me, like to change things up from time to time. For several years I've had this bottle drying rack, and not known what to do with it. It's been use for stockings, and thread etc, but I was never quite happy with it. One of the problems was that it was too big. So after seeing this post over at French Larkspur I had Mr R cut off 2 layers and we shortened it up a bit.
Then I added cut plants... unlike Tracy I don't have herbs growing outside my back door, and if I did they'd probably be all dead. So I grabbed some dried flowers I had around the house and a few herb-like plants and voila. Margo's version, not nearly as pretty as Tracey's but it'll do.

Do you ever have something for awhile and just not know what to do with it... and then one day it clicks. Well this little store display has been in my etsy store, unclaimed and unloved. Today I decided to bring it in, dust it off and turn it onto a useful item in my dining room. Guess what, it's no longer in my etsy store :)

So my little hutch area has changed just a bit and I'm pleased. Still trying to please Mr R and not "overdo" it. When something comes in, something else needs to go out :(

I'd like to add a paint treatment to my hutch, any ideas of color? See the green piece next to it, the table in front is the same color. I'm thinking about leaving part of the hutch natural and part of it painted. But which parts for what???? advise please.


Pre-Ordering information

I'll be opening my store for FMS Fall issue pre-orders soon. If you want them even before most of the stores get them, you can order directly from me.

Watch for details.

Oh the Shame, Oh the sadness

During our recent Hot Rod Road Trip, Mr R and I stopped at a few antique stores along the way. Mr R spotted this beautiful retro very large disk vase and encouraged me to get it for my Etsy store. I thought it was metal and enamel and so did he. It's a beautiful shade of red, with a great art deco design. It even has a drain plug on the bottom.

We loaded it, and a nice retro drinking glass in the back of the hot rod trunk, and headed down the road. Continued our weekend Hot Rod get away, re-shifting items in the trunk now and again for safety.


And then... when I went to unload.... I discovered this tragedy...



Oh the shame of it!!!! Not to mention the retro drinking glass


Again I reminded myself that I do not buy and sell pottery or glass and this is why.

No use crying over spilled milk, but I sure want to Boo Hoo!!!

I just wanted to give you a heads up that I'll be opening my store for FMS Fall issue pre-orders in Mid July. If you want them even before most of the stores get them, you can order directly from me.

Watch for details.

Flea Market Style Fall Issue-Pre Orders

I just wanted to give you a heads up that I'll be opening my store for FMS Fall issue pre-orders in Mid July. If you want them even before most of the stores get them, you can order directly from me.

Watch for details.

Touring old Plantations- Day 2 Natichioches Louisiana

We spent the day touring a couple of fabulous old plantations

I love old houses, ad the Louisiana architecture is fabulous

But I was not allowed to take anything home with me :(

Except pictures





Did I say it was Hot, well it was and many of the buildings were outside.


It was fun, but I'd want to come in a cooler month to be able to enjoy the houses fully

Road Trip to Natchitoches Louisiana

Two middle aged couples ,pile into their respective mid life crisis hot rods and head to Natchitoches (Nac-a-tish) Louisiana.

Avoiding Cops along the route
Big ChairPhoto Op

Any advise for shopping or sight seeing while we are here??????

Just a few simple projects

I've had several questions about how I hung, my recent maps find. I must say that I got this idea from my friend Tamara over at Shabby Vintage Junk.

I had a rack already hung from a different display in the past. Actually the rack is from an old tool that I was fortunate to pick up. It was originally for picking up glass sheets but I modified it as a rack. Then I used old wooden pant hangers, pinched the maps in the pant hangers and hung it up on the rack. I did have to bend the hanger hook so that it would hook on the rack but that is it. It was really easy. Thanks Tamara for the great idea.

Remember those wonderful vintage scarves I found. Well until I come up with something I decided to drape it around an existing lamp shade. Folded it in 1/2 diagonally andwrapped it around the small lamp shade and just used a pin to hold it in place. I've not damaged the scarf or the lamp shade.

Note never, lay a scarf over a lamp shade, it can and will catch fire.
Always leave the opening at the top for the heat to escape.

And now for the other side of the room :)
Creativity ain't pretty!!!!!!
Have a great week.

Great Sale, Thanks for coming

Did i say it was Hot on Saturday? well it was, I don't know the exact temperature but it was over 100, and I heard it was our hottest day yet. This does not usually come until late July but it's a bit early this year. Heat or not, we went ahead with our Junke and Disorderly sale at Winnie & Tulula's and you came out.

This was the theme of the day



Flo found her little patch of shade outside

Debbie found a cool spot inside


Debbie always has Cat Daddy doing something :)

We're all a bit tired today and a few of us are a bit sunburned (oops!!) Thank you to everyone who came out and enjoyed the nice hot day with us. We are already discussing having it a bit earlier in the year next year. I'm all for that!!!!

I've enjoyed a Sunday inside in the Air-conditioning.
One of the best inventions on the face of the earth!

And Mr R and I just celebrated out 29th Wedding Anniversary and I just wanted to give a little shout-out to my fav guy and thank him for 29 great years.
Such a goof ball!!!! :)

My Father

All of these items belonged to my Dad. His boyscout handbook, Pilot Log book,
Slide Rules, Camera, Watch (there's a story behind that watch). The framed picture
is of his HAM radio group in College, and the little boy is him as a toddler.


When I was in the month of my 18th birthday, My Father passed away at the age of 39. He had a very short battle with Leukemia.


The best piece of advise my Dad ever game me..."Don't limit your options." He wasn't talking about life in general, but a specific thing. But with most of my decisions in my life those words reverberate in my head. "Don't limit your options!!"

He's been gone for 29 years, I've know life without him more than life with him. However, he was there through all those influential moments of my youth. Dispensing wisdom whether I wanted it or not.My youngest son once said "When I die I want to meet 2 people in heaven. Elija and Your Dad." Wow!!

Here's to you dad, you continue to influence me even though you are not here.

IF you still have your father, give him some of your time today. If not find the nearest Dad in your life and give him some time today.

Or spend some time with THE FATHER because he's always there!!!!