Tuesday, August 31, 2021

The Coven

For those who do not know what a coven is.

Just a group of witches.


 Mystic Maven is her name.
She is my latest creation for Halloween.


Although I love making witches...
I really hat making witch hats.
It's because I am a bit of a perfectionist.
This year I realized that being prim
should not always be perfect though.


Once I get past the hats,
I can dress them.


Plus add fun accessories.


I loved creating these witches on cardstock,
and then framed.
First an old Hag.


Plus a bewitching young one.


This is Celeste.
Her hat is not perfect.


Around her neck is a cat cookie cutter.


Her hair whipped into a bun.
She is reversible to.
You just have to tuck in hanger part at the top of her dress,
turn the cookie around, and she will face
the other way.
Sorry forgot to take a pic the other way. 


Finally this is toothless Tara.
She is missing some teeth, and one is rotten.
 LOL
Her base is an antique door knob.

Well now I am working on a few Santa's.
Always have to be ahead of the seasons.

Taking my mom to her annual 
eye appt. this morning.
Living in a small town,
she hates driving in the city.
Truth is, I do not like it either.
We live in a rural area too,
but I feel better if I am driving
rather than her.
Afterwards, we will be doing a bit
of shopping and lunch.
She is spending a few days with us,
so it will be nice having her here.

Coven Blessings To All!
Janice

















Friday, August 27, 2021

August CupboarScape

Howdy Friends.

As Summer winds down August most reminds 

me of blue skies and yellow sunflowers.

The Bluejays are back squawking daily now.

Some of trees in the neighborhood are turning.

Could this be a sign of a bad Winter? 


This is my latest crock.
A true beauty!
It seems it was most everyone's favorite treasure
I took home from my antique treasure trip.
So I now am using it in this month's cupboardscape.
The rug came in second place for most favorite.


This is the mustard pantry box I also recently purchased.


Added  one of my blue pantry boxes.


Then I added faux blue hydrangeas
and my happy sunflowers.


Up close of my blue check 
Linsey Woolsey blanket.


Up close of my mustard check
Linsey Woolsey blanket.
Both are wool.


A simple August display to remind me
that Fall is just around the corner.

Have you begun your Autumn decorating?

I know I have!

Summers Almost End Blessings To All!
Janice







Monday, August 23, 2021

My Antique Finds

 How fun it was to find treasures 

with my mom as my co-pilot..



First let me thank you all for the prayers and thoughts
for my daughter.
She is out of the hospital and sees her surgeon today.
She had back surgery before, so not sure what is going to happen. I do believe though that the hospital milked her insurance for doing a few tests that was not needed.
Then released her just to see her own doctor.

Back to my antique finds.
This is an early child's boot form.


It is a rare one and it will hang in the spare room eventually.



This 6 gallon blue slip crock with handles
was a steal at $150.00
It is worth double the price.

Another rare find is this

mustard pantry box with bail handle.



Then I found this wood bucket.
The handle was missing,
so I might either leave as is or find a piece of leather
to add back to it.

The bottom has this mouse hole,

so no longer will hold anything.

Will be good for flowers or a Christmas tree.


For my rug hooking friends.
Lookie what I found!


Hooked on burlap the tag read it was hooked
between 1830 to 1870.


The back is just as nice too!
Another steal for $52.00.
It measures 24 x 19.
Although not my favorite colors of red and blue,
so nice to have for Autumn displays.
Colors are brown, black, greens and golds.
Plus I could not pass it up for this price.


Next I purchased this cast iron
(very heavy)
Victorian dresser mirror that swivels.
I plan on using this for a display at the gift shop,
and will sell in the Winter time.
It is antique white, so the color is way off.


Finally these vintage sweet child's rubber boots.
Again these will be sold at the gift shop next Spring.
I love how they came with the pussy willows inside too!

I save up money all year just for this trail.
There were so many other items I wish I could bring
home, but my money ran out.

There is always next year for the thrill of the hunt.


Arriving back to my moms, this doe
was in her back yard.


My mom had her sunroom windows open,
and every now and then she would call
to her twin fawns.
MA
MA
MA
This is what she would say.
We did not see the fawns that night,
but my mom has seen them in the past.

Although she was eating my moms flowers,
she said...they will grow back.
She loves seeing them!
She does have a fence around her veggie garden.

Do you have a favorite item you were able to score on?

Have a spectacular day my friends!

Antique Find Blessings To All!
Janice






Thursday, August 19, 2021

Friends Forever

 

Hello Friends!


Placing some of my friends here at home
together in a display.
The doll on the left is made from wax.
I always need to keep her away from the sun. 


Two of my bisque dolls together.


All taking center stage near their horse friend.


Such a sweet display I created
in our spare room for my mom  
when she visited last week.


It has been over a year since she has spent
any time with us.
Tundra even forgot who she was at first.


I also added my grandpa's hat into
this display.
I wonder if my mom remembered she gave
me her dads hat. 


Another friend on the closet door.


Another sitting in the shelf.



Well in other news,
my daughter is in the hospital.
She was involved in an accident
on her friends motorcycle.
She thought she just had road rash.
A week later she was in so much back pain,
and then her foot went numb.
They have admitted her for observation.
Taken x-rays, and drugged her up.
Waiting to hear some news of what
 the plan will be to correct the issue.
I just have this bad feeling that surgery 
may be in her near future again.
Please say a wee prayer for her.
Thanks a bunch!

Remember all of you are 
my blogging friends forever!

Friends Forever Blessings To All!
Janice



Sunday, August 15, 2021

Witch Stitch

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend thus far.


Awhile ago I purchased a witch pattern
from Notforgotten Farm.
Using Lori's witches and the letters
from one of my antique samplers
I created these lil pillows.


(Spring, Summer, Halloween, Christmas and Winter)
Our five season room as we call it.
For this Halloween my theme is all
things Witch and Witchcraft.
The primary colors are purple and green.


Thus the reason why these three pillows are
stitched in these colors.
I wanted to do something other than orange
to be different this year.


My next stitchery started
with this lil saying.


Decided to make it into a witch boot shape pillow.


This is a OOAK as well
with antique buttons on the side to mimic 
a Victorian boot.


Finally this is the animated witch that sold.
Her finger on the right taps on the window
when turned on.
The customer who purchased this
has allowed us to keep it up for
our display as long as we leave it off now.
He will pick her up in late September.

I picked my mom up on Thursday evening
and brought her back to our house.
Then Friday morning we were off on our
antique yard trail sale.
I purchased a few things for the stores,
and a few things for our home.
Will show off in another post.
We had fun and she likes that I call her my co-pilot.

Halloween store sales have gone through
the roof since our opening on Wednesday.
A big thank you to all of our customers.
I do my best to find unusual items.
Unfortunately I think I outdid myself
on my witch themed room,
and not sure how I will be able to top it next year.
Oh well...at least I have a year to figure it out.

Well off to work the store now.
The last day of the antique trail, so hopefully
lots of foot traffic again today.

Witch Stitch Blessings To All!
Janice 








Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Being Sheepish

 Cannot believe it is Wednesday already!

24 full hours at working on the Halloween decor since Sunday night and still counting...


Today I figured I would show some of my
progress on my Animal Cracker rug.

.

I chose a sheep because my Great Uncle Billy
(paternal gramdpa's brother)
raised sheep on his farm.
Its hard to explain, but the side of Uncle Billy's farm
was across the street from my grandparents farm.
When the sheep were in the back pasture,
this was when I could see them.


All fluffy and a dirty white,
until  they were sheared.
Then they looked so skinny and under fed,
just because they lost their wool.
I loved watching Uncle Billy's collie
herd them up when he wanted them back
up front.
I always watched his collie do it,
and was so amazed at his job as a sheep herder.
I dont remember his name,
however my granparents collie was named Shaggy.


Do you remember this carrot?
I so hated it.


Take 2 and still did not like it.


Take 3 was not much better.


Finally take 4 I decided it was going to stay put.

In other news,
Today would have been my dad's 92nd birthday 
if he were still alive.
He was the best dad ever and I miss him so!
We lost him at 64.

I finished the 5 season room for Halloween
as we call it in our gift shop....
we opened it up to customers yesterday.
I did not want to make it known yet,
but 3 of my regulars came on Monday
hoping to be able to take a peek and purchase.
Sorry Charlie. 
I did tell them they could come back yesterday...
and 2 of the 3 did and purchased lots.
One even purchased one of my main displays,
but he told me I could keep it until mid September.
Thank goodness, because it makes the room.
I just placed a sold tag on it.
  Front windows are done now.
All I have left is the kitchen area now,
which is what I will be doing today.

Thanks Saundra for corrected me on my flamingo.
Not sure why I said it was a swan from my last post. 
Oh well.

Thanks to everyone else for your sweet comments!
Means a lot!

Being Sheepish Blessings To All!
Janice