Spent the past two days going through plastic containers and cardboard boxes "organizing" my things. Boy, I've got way too much stuff! I'm finding it difficult to part with these things I've had so much fun in collecting. Guess I need to just determine what I really want to focus on when we move. I really can't do it all - but I keep thinking I can.
Today I found some things that I had forgotten about. How about a bag full of metal clips for making bow-ties, must be 100 in there. Now everyone needs a bag of those. How about two dozen vintage wooden spools? Maybe a hundred or so hair combs - who can't use all of those? Came across a container full of yarn that I was going to make into dusters - sewing them on gloves at the end of the fingers. Saw one of those one time and decided it was such a good idea. I bought canvas gardening gloves, cut the yarn and tied it together to stitch on the fingers. Never made it that far, but there they are ready to go.
Also found a box with about 10 items I was going to sew. There are the patterns still attached to the fabric with the straight pins, wrapped around the actual pattern envelope. Some are blouses I was going to make maybe 50-60 pounds ago! That was a day or two back. There are also two items I was going to sew for some man - probably from the late 70's or early 80's. I have no idea. Perhaps someone wants to sew all these things up and use them? I doubt it, but of course I've saved them all in one box. Geez....this is getting ridiculous.
There are also several boxes of scrapbooking, rubber stamping and paper goods. There must be enough there to stock a small store. Hey that's an idea! I could open a small store and just sell my stuff. Probably cheaper than selling it all on ebay and certainly more fun than giving it away at a yard sale.
I did manage to put together a fairly large box of fabric and scraps to give to a senior center or a quilting place. One small step for woman, one giant leap for me! Going through the many, many containers of fabric will be a real chore for me to be sure. The same can be said for the many boxes of laces and trims I've accumulated. Once I hit that item on my "to do" list that will mean I'm down to the last of it. I'm saving the absolute hardest thing for the last.
I did find a box of aprons that I thought had been ruined. Some of them have the markings of being a little wet, but I think they can be laundered and salvaged. I will probably put them on ebay...will really try not to put them with my collection. These are the ones that didn't quite make the grade with me. I have a special selection of aprons that I will always keep and each is special in its own way. There is one in particular that seems to have started the collecting thing for me. It's the one to blame...ha-ha!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Tired ramblings - HA
I love cookbooks - old ones, new ones - you name it. I have so many that you would think I cook every minute of every day. Hardly! I like to cook a lot, but our kitchen is not the largest and most suitable place to do much in the way of cooking. Go figure. My most favorite thing is to bake. The local thrift stores and yard sales are good places to acquire the more unusual cookbooks. I recently got one just for Jello recipes. Some good looking desserts in that one. Once we move to our new home, I will have a very large kitchen. We're thinking we might even get a new stove with a double oven. That's when I will put those many cookbooks to good use. You can bet on that. I plan on baking some creative things and entering them in the local County Fair. Might win a ribbon or two.
Some of the really older cookbooks have some great recipes in them. The challenge is to find the ingredients listed. Some of the things mentioned don't seem to be around anymore. I guess that's when the creativity will come in - or maybe a recipe won't be attempted. We'll see.
I love to decorate cakes and make chocolate suckers. I have a large selection of cake pans and sucker molds that I have acquired over the years. My sister started me in this hobby. She took classes and then I did the same. I could prepare a cake or sucker for just about any occasion, I swear. Once you start looking at what's available, you see just how varied the supplies are. I just look forward to the day I have the room to really utilize all my pans and molds again. I've really put that all on the back burner for a long time. No reason really, guess it's that darn small kitchen.
At the holidays, decorating gingerbread houses is another fun thing we do. This was started as a family tradition. However with some of us moving away, and losing others, the tradition is not quite the same. A few of us still get together and keep the festivities going. It's just so darn much fun to decorate those cute little brown buildings! Once the stores put out the holiday candy, I try to buy about anything that is colorful or red & green. I generally use this candy year after year and it really adds up. It's fun to have such a large variety to decorate with, lots more options.
Some of the really older cookbooks have some great recipes in them. The challenge is to find the ingredients listed. Some of the things mentioned don't seem to be around anymore. I guess that's when the creativity will come in - or maybe a recipe won't be attempted. We'll see.
I love to decorate cakes and make chocolate suckers. I have a large selection of cake pans and sucker molds that I have acquired over the years. My sister started me in this hobby. She took classes and then I did the same. I could prepare a cake or sucker for just about any occasion, I swear. Once you start looking at what's available, you see just how varied the supplies are. I just look forward to the day I have the room to really utilize all my pans and molds again. I've really put that all on the back burner for a long time. No reason really, guess it's that darn small kitchen.
At the holidays, decorating gingerbread houses is another fun thing we do. This was started as a family tradition. However with some of us moving away, and losing others, the tradition is not quite the same. A few of us still get together and keep the festivities going. It's just so darn much fun to decorate those cute little brown buildings! Once the stores put out the holiday candy, I try to buy about anything that is colorful or red & green. I generally use this candy year after year and it really adds up. It's fun to have such a large variety to decorate with, lots more options.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Another day, more ramblings...
It is amazing to me the things that people like and the things people like to collect. When I think of all the items I've seen in the past few years and the way people react to finding a particular treasure, it makes me chuckle. However, I'm sure that when I've found something I just HAVE to have I've maybe overreacted a time or two myself. Ha-ha-ha
We have a display cabinet in our garage that holds several unique items we have found over these past 10 years. Can't wait to move it into our new home next year so we can look at it more frequently. One of the items is from an old Frigidaire refrigerator. It's a plastic ice scraper that used to be used before they had self-defrosting or defrost-free freezers. It was amazing to me that this item actually survived the test of time. I'm sure more of these were broken than not. Don't know why that one stands out as a great find, but I don't think I've seen another one in all this time. Just had to have it! I will take another look in that cabinet and fill you in on some of the other things we are holding onto.
One thing that grabbed at my heartstrings is a World War II mobile desk. It is Army green and it was used on the back of trucks or jeeps. Inside are the most beautiful oak shelves and drawers. Something about this thing just grabbed me. I watched it at a few swap meets and it didn't sell for about a month. Even though it was an odd item to like, I bought it for $150 - a big splurge for me. The vendor who sold it to me said he would buy it back recently, but I said no sale. He has a military guy who would really like to have it. I suppose if I were really strapped for cash, I might consider...but no. We've had it for probably 6-7 years now.
I also have a fondness for vintage ladies hats. I've tried to pare down to only about a dozen now. Used to have many, many more. I have a classic Stetson that has a huge feather through it. Don't know if I'll ever wear it or not, but it sure is cool to look at. I had a hat made a few years ago at an event were people dress up in old-time western gear. Since purple is MY color, of course I had to get a purple western hat. The outfit that made it has an item called a conformiture. It's a contraption that fits over your head and the wooden spikes (dull of course) are fitted to the exact form of your head. These conformitures are very old and hard to find, but this gal had one. So she made me the most beautiful purple hat that fits perfectly. I've worn it a couple of times and it looks fabulous! I'm sure no woman in the 1860's had a purple hat, but that doesn't stop me. I don't like the mainstream usually anyway.
We have a display cabinet in our garage that holds several unique items we have found over these past 10 years. Can't wait to move it into our new home next year so we can look at it more frequently. One of the items is from an old Frigidaire refrigerator. It's a plastic ice scraper that used to be used before they had self-defrosting or defrost-free freezers. It was amazing to me that this item actually survived the test of time. I'm sure more of these were broken than not. Don't know why that one stands out as a great find, but I don't think I've seen another one in all this time. Just had to have it! I will take another look in that cabinet and fill you in on some of the other things we are holding onto.
One thing that grabbed at my heartstrings is a World War II mobile desk. It is Army green and it was used on the back of trucks or jeeps. Inside are the most beautiful oak shelves and drawers. Something about this thing just grabbed me. I watched it at a few swap meets and it didn't sell for about a month. Even though it was an odd item to like, I bought it for $150 - a big splurge for me. The vendor who sold it to me said he would buy it back recently, but I said no sale. He has a military guy who would really like to have it. I suppose if I were really strapped for cash, I might consider...but no. We've had it for probably 6-7 years now.
I also have a fondness for vintage ladies hats. I've tried to pare down to only about a dozen now. Used to have many, many more. I have a classic Stetson that has a huge feather through it. Don't know if I'll ever wear it or not, but it sure is cool to look at. I had a hat made a few years ago at an event were people dress up in old-time western gear. Since purple is MY color, of course I had to get a purple western hat. The outfit that made it has an item called a conformiture. It's a contraption that fits over your head and the wooden spikes (dull of course) are fitted to the exact form of your head. These conformitures are very old and hard to find, but this gal had one. So she made me the most beautiful purple hat that fits perfectly. I've worn it a couple of times and it looks fabulous! I'm sure no woman in the 1860's had a purple hat, but that doesn't stop me. I don't like the mainstream usually anyway.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
A time for sharing....
For several years now I have been a collector of many things. My husband and I started selling things in an antique mall and I found that I wanted to keep more than I wanted to sell. It has taken me some time to determine that I just can't keep it all. Imagine that....
I have so many interests in old things, crafty things, new hobbies - you name it. Since we are going to be moving in a little over a year, the time has come to really unload and not drag some of my "stuff" with me. My husband has accepted my promise to keep my collectables at a minimum and not overload our new home with them. So the time has come. As I start to unload my least-loved treasures, thought I would share some of my most-loved treasures. I like to take my things out and show them off but have found a lot of people don't seem to share my varied interests. So I will photograph them and show them off here. The least-loved ones will be sold on ebay or donated to a local thrift shop. Some things I just can't seem to part with.
One of my most favorite things are vintage aprons. I have collection of aprons and vintage apron patterns. My hope is that when we retire I will actually start making and selling some aprons. Oh yeah, another passion is vintage sewing patterns and I am also a fabriholic (collector of more fabric than any one person could ever use - trust me). I like old sewing notions, trims, ribbons, rick-rack, buttons, elastic, you name it I probably have tons or at least one of some old sewing item. I even have an old Singer sewing machine in its original cabinet from the early 20's and an old Domestic sewing machine in its original cabinet from the 40's. They both work, but I don't use them. I have another machine that I actually use that I got in the early 70's...yes it still works and works well. I bought a Serger at an estate sale but haven't learned how to use it yet. That will be a retirement project (or at least one of them). This is the tip of the iceburg, but I won't get into more than this right now.
I have so many interests in old things, crafty things, new hobbies - you name it. Since we are going to be moving in a little over a year, the time has come to really unload and not drag some of my "stuff" with me. My husband has accepted my promise to keep my collectables at a minimum and not overload our new home with them. So the time has come. As I start to unload my least-loved treasures, thought I would share some of my most-loved treasures. I like to take my things out and show them off but have found a lot of people don't seem to share my varied interests. So I will photograph them and show them off here. The least-loved ones will be sold on ebay or donated to a local thrift shop. Some things I just can't seem to part with.
One of my most favorite things are vintage aprons. I have collection of aprons and vintage apron patterns. My hope is that when we retire I will actually start making and selling some aprons. Oh yeah, another passion is vintage sewing patterns and I am also a fabriholic (collector of more fabric than any one person could ever use - trust me). I like old sewing notions, trims, ribbons, rick-rack, buttons, elastic, you name it I probably have tons or at least one of some old sewing item. I even have an old Singer sewing machine in its original cabinet from the early 20's and an old Domestic sewing machine in its original cabinet from the 40's. They both work, but I don't use them. I have another machine that I actually use that I got in the early 70's...yes it still works and works well. I bought a Serger at an estate sale but haven't learned how to use it yet. That will be a retirement project (or at least one of them). This is the tip of the iceburg, but I won't get into more than this right now.
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