My Work Room... 

... the goal: to clean, paint, organize each & every little 

piece of "junk" that I might do something with some day

& decorate without spending any..., "nada"...,  "zippo" 

NO money!

Finally! It's done, completely organized... for now

... until the mess begins again!

I painted the walls & the trim with paint 

left over from other projects. It might not of

been my color of choice, but it didn't cost anything!

It cleaned & brightened up the room.

Couldn't do with out my "To Do" board!

Dusted off & drug in the old filing 

cabinet from the garage. Idea magazines, patterns

all filed away according to seasons!

Paint in a shoe pocket organizer! Can find 

the color I want in an instant! 

Paint brushes all in one place! 

A lazy susan organizer with "odds & ends"

at my finger tips.

Jars with game pieces, easily found.

Sewing center... 

My beloved Bernina sewing machine... 

I've had the "old gal" 20 years this July! 

How do I remember when I got her? 

It was a birthday gift on my 30th birthday.

My sister-in-law up graded the sewing machine I had, 

my husband gave me a diamond ring in a Cracker Jack box

(we had already been married 9 years!)

and there were clowns at my party! 

Pretty hard to forget! 

Yarns in a great big old wooden bowl.

Buttons sorted in old jars.

O.K. ... I broke my promise to not spend any money.

My $80.00 iron broke... so I bought this old gem

at a garage sale for .... drum roll please...

...$1.00!!! 

It works great!

A dresser from the furniture pile in the 

garage. My DH finished it for me. 

So many drawers!!!!  I love it!

An old cork board was given some style 

with odds & ends of scrapbook paper. 

The  Watchhorn Square sign is one I brought 

with me from California. It came from

Ports A Call in San Pedro, CA.

 It's always been a keeper! 

Now to get working... and try to keep it this way! 

Check back with me after 

the Fall & Holiday Season to see how I did! 

Mr. Postman...what did you bring?

"Junk" Surprises in the Mail!

I received a box in the mail the other day

from a friend in Oregon! 

We used to do craft shows together when 

we lived in So. California more than

twenty years ago!  

(o.k. ... so now you know we're no spring chicks!) 

The scrabble pieces say it all!

In the box was a bunch of fun things that

she picked up on her "junking" outings.

The next best thing to "junking" together 

is to get a box of "junkies" in the mail!

It included 8 scrabble tile holders & letters,

4 scrabble game boards, a bag of

 game cube letters, 3 little picture hangers

 and a cute little set of drawers!

And there is more!

 4 wooden bowls, a bag of game tiles,

a cute little wooden fruit bowl & an old box

 with great 1/2 circle cut outs on the sides! 

Look for a future post to see what these 

"junkin' gifts" repurpose will be!

Thanks again, Good Friend!  :)

What a Day for a Parade!

Elkhorn Days! 

The Whistle Stop sits right along the parade

route, so we opened up shop and joined in the festivities! 

A local boy scout troop led the parade.

I think you'd need a ladder to get in this jeep!

Pumpkin Patch Float... pretty cute!

Sam & Louie's a local Pizza Parlor...

My son's girl happens to manage the one here in town.

What's a parade without the animals?

These Golden-Doodles were adorable!

Elkhorn's first fire truck. 1926

Fireworks Fountains made from 

old newels.

Homemade strawberry shortcake! Yum!

A small town parade... priceless! 

Father's Day Outing!

My three guys!

 

 After each of my two sons & my husband

 having terrible car accidents

at three different times 

over the last 6 years,

 I am so blessed to have them all still here!

(I've probably mentioned that before a few times,

but I am just so grateful!)

Love you all!

With cloud covered skies we headed

off to Walnut, Iowa to the 

Amvet's Antique Show! My boys & their

girlfriends planned everything for 

their dad for Father's Day!

Like father, like son.

This house sat along the main street in Walnut

that was lined with vendors. It had the most 

awesome garden right in his front yard!

The sign read... Can you name the 15

different vegetables growing here? 

The proud owner of the garden told me

after I took a couple of pictures, it would be

$10.00 a picture! He was kidding!

 

This little tool display was adorable!

At over $100.00 it was left behind.

It tickles me that my son & his girlfriend

like some of this old stuff! 

This is my kid that was going to have only 

modern decorating at his house! 

My youngest... with a big smile because

he just had a yummy donut from a

local bakery! He did share a bite!

This set of little chairs and benches in

lime green & robins egg blue 

were adorable!

Mr. "O" taking my purchase of the 

day for a walk. Actually, my son bargained 

& bought them for me. They are going to

be a project for the Holidays.

There were so many cool things & lots

of primitives. Many thing I wanted were out

of my budget. Still fun to look at!

My youngest & his girl.

We stopped at Quaker Steak & Lube

on the way home for a very 

unhealthy lunch! 

At home there was a "Wedding Cake"

(like a strawberry shortcake, cake) from

the FarmHouse waiting for us. 

(oops... I forgot to take a picture)

That ended our day... everyone had a good time

and was worn out from the heat and all the walking.

It was a fun show to visit, but I  didn't feel too deprived, 

coming home with an empty truck. 

Thanks boys & girls for a fun day!

It felt like Mother's day too!

Ahh... The Lazy Days of Summer 

The weather did not feel like summer at all, 

but our loyal customers came anyway. 

Even in the downpour! 

Here are a few pic's from the show.

 

Cheery flowers on the gate greeted customers. 

Cammie from Daffadowndilly's made these

cute domino card holders!

I did say downpour, didn't I!?

Birdhouse garden decorations.

If you look at the previous post you 

will see a picture of the shop in a mess!

Well, Thursday evening it was still looking that way!

By 1:00 A.M.!!! it was finally put together!

This primitive table had an awesome

sage green color.

Flowers on old bed post legs with

old door pulls for flower centers.

Always a hit!

More goodies from Cammie.

License plate letters, just "charming"!

 

Rescued Furniture & buckets & garden signs.

With all the rain we had

our flowers should grow for sure!

Duty called... & I answered, reluctantly!

Since our little bit of a country store

(500 sq. feet @ most!) is open for events 

only, for each new show I try & re-event 

the wheel so the displays look different. 

And each time the store starts out a MESS!

Leftovers from the last show & new product

shoved in as it is done, leaves no room to move!

Look at the mess!

It boggles the mind, it boggles the creativity...

So, what's a girl to do? ...

... ponder... with her feet up!

This has become a tradition! 

Sit in my tall chair behind the counter, with my feet up

and just look around trying to envision 

where it all should go!  A little R&R before I even

get started seems to help the display ideas start to flow!

Once one piece of furniture is put into place, 

it all starts to come together! And then the FUN begins!!

As promised a peek at a few new things!

 

... old things

... Americana things

That's all for now! 

... until tomorrow.

CHOCOLATE CAKE! TO DIE FOR!!!

Chocolate Pudding Cake 

No, I don't have the recipe...

I don't bake!

Chocolate Pudding filling. Yum!

My husband is the baker... 

& the furniture maker!  

 

Layers, upon heavenly layers!!!

Ta Da!!!

Ganache frosting and fresh raspberries!

What more could one ask for?!!