Backyard Pond...errr Stream...

This is not my back yard.  But if I ever do a water feature 

in my back yard - I want it to be like this...

 There's no pool of water to get all cloudy and full of leaves.  

And there are no fish to worry about.  

(I have heard the horror stories of people's expensive fish being taken out 

by heron and the like.)

 

Calming water in your backyard?  With less maintenance?  

I'm thinking this should do it! 

I found this handmade stream bed on the grounds of a local 

retirement home.  But it seems very doable for a backyard to me.

~~~~~~

And today's Ebay listing - how about some lovely butter knives?  

In silverplate  - with an 'F' monogram?

Have an awesome day!  ~Joyce

Right Place, Right Time, Great Find...

Today - while volunteering at my local thrift shop - 

there was a lovely item sitting on the back counter waiting to be priced.  

I assumed it would be saved to put out till next week as this is 'half price' week.  

But a few minutes later - I found it sitting out on the shelf 

'for sale' at $10 (only $5 since half price).  

Really?  I scooped it up!

What fun I will have filling this terrarium with seasonal finds.  

For now it is holding candles...

Sorry - terrible lighting in this room makes for grainy pictures.

But tomorrow it may be holding seashells... or both...

A happy find for me!

New Listings...

I'm trying to get some listings in the Etsy shop and on eBay.  

Summertime is always a challenge for selling online - 

but if you don't list it - you for sure can't sell it.

So today we have... these wonderful ironstone butter pats - 

6 of them!  Available here...

I love old graphics - and something about the simplicity 

of the labels on these bottles appeals to me.  

It's vintage insect repellent that supposedly works for poison ivy too.  

(I wouldn't count on it.)  But they look like little perfume bottles...

While I'm on a streak of old bottles - here's an instant medicine cabinet for you.  

Eight items in one listing...

Do you like Beatrix Potter?  Her Tom Kitten character is 

available as a bar of soap by Crabtree & Evelyn from the 70's...

Switching gears a bit - gotta love the shabby

 chippyness of this wooden architectural piece...

And no longer available but sold to Shirley in Nevada...

 this American Woman's Cookbook has the neatest indexed pages.

I just love the charm of vintage!

Linking to the Let's Talk Vintage party where my patriotic 

thrift store vignette was featured several weeks ago...

Tale Of an Ikea Ektorp Chair...

 So - I've been wanting another chair for my living room.   

And on July 4th we made an impromptu trip to Ikea (1 1/2 hours away).  

I found a comfy chair...

But when I got it home I realized it was too big for my room.  

I actually realized this before I even took it out of the box but 

My Love says 'Oh we'll get it to work' and was putting 

it together before I could object... (can anybody relate?)

So now I've a too big chair that wasn't cheap that I need to make fit.  

And - I wish I would have gotten a different cover.

But - it's here - it's in the room - and in light of eternity - 

if it's not quite perfect -I realize it's a small thing.

   But I do have an extra piece of furniture or 2 now 

that will need to be moved or sold or something.

The chair IS comfy!   

Oh Ikea - everything looks so desirable in your store

and the prices seem so right that I spend more than I should.  

Good thing I don't go often!

Friday Finds...

There were not many garage sales in our area today

 which is often the case over July 4th weekend.  

BUT - there were a few and I found treasures at one of them.

All this - including that great condition antique quilt - for $23.

(There was was even a many-tiered wall shelf which isn't in the photo.)

Initially I wanted these old bottles of 'repellent' 

since I've not seen anything like them before -

 ... but the seller threw in all the bottles and tins for a total of 50 cents.  

Sure why not?  This tiny tin is just 15/16" across!

 And a nice little surprise...

So much was clumped together in the final cost that these 

still 'new' flavored coffee scented candles are essentially free!  

They'll be perfect for my gift closet. (Gotta keep that well stocked!)

White ironstone is always a great find.

This time its in the form of butter pats.  That'll work! 

I probably didn't need another laundry basket...

but I couldn't let it sit there.  They make great-looking storage!

Sigh...  I love me a good garage sale morning.  

Sock & Shirt Drawers - Done!...

A recent purchase inspired me to do a little drawer purging today.

I picked up this book this week for a whole 75 cents! 

(Red tags were half price.)

 I'm reading it in bits before I go to bed and yes - I'm actually 

learning a few things.  Its such an attractive book

 with great photos that it's certainly a pleasure-read.

  Today I hit my sock and long-sleeved shirts drawers.

 

Less 10 pair of socks and 7 shirts later...

...and I actually have a little room. 

Sometimes you just need a little 75-cent inspiration...

Psst - the quilt was made by my mother many, many moons ago.  She was not a quilter - 
but she made this one and I was blessed to inherit it.  It's on our bed daily as I refuse to not use it.  
Thank you Mommy!