Placemats or Tablecloth...

In setting my table today for a small gathering of 4... 

I was contemplating using placemats in lieu of a tablecloth.

But it looked too crowded and busy for such a small table.  

Then it hit me - 

  

...one placemat in the center would be perfect! 

And it complemented a jar of irises and lilacs nicely.

The lilacs are not quite in full bloom - 

so they should get prettier as the week goes on.

And those would be 'ants on a log' hiding underneath - 

also known as celery with peanut butter and raisins.

This was my first fresh flower cutting of the season.  

 Soon we'll enjoy some picnic table dining and placemats will work there.  
Welcome warm weather!  ~Joyce 
Linking to Monday Funday

Finally - A Project... A Chalkboard Project...

 Feels like it's been a long winter and I just haven't gotten to projects 

 like I've wanted.  But this week I pulled out this nifty find and got to work.  

  

It's a clipboard/easel type artist's board.  
Also perfect for holding papers in a seminar

 or drafters may use it - not sure of all it's uses.

I think I found it curbside - abandoned...

I figured it would make a great chalk board. 

 But believe it or not - this was my first time using chalkboard paint!  

I'm very behind... just didn't get to it before...

So after quickly measuring & marking on all sides - 

laying down some painters tape - and filling in with paint - 

it was pretty much done.  

Some of the board patina was a little 'yucky' for my taste - so...

 

 I gave the edges a quick coat of beeswax furniture oil to darken it...

And as always with chalkboard paint - remember to season the whole painted area by
coloring in solid with chalk - then wiping off - before actually using it.
And now we have this...
 (on brick)

Or this...(on lace)

With great little fingers to hold whatever your heart desires...

 (cause they are strong!) 

 Hello chalkboard friend.  

Thanks for getting me back in the project groove

and allowing me to play 'artist' with you a bit.

 

This board is available in my Etsy shop here

cause everyone needs a chalkboard (or 2 or 3...)!  

 Thanks for stopping by today!  ~Joyce
Linking to Home Sweet Home
and DIY Salvaged Junk

Filling a Jar...

A few weeks ago - I picked up a bag of unused potpourri 

for $1 at an indoor sale.

I had a certain container I planned to fill in my living room - 

but there wasn't quite enough potpourri to do it justice.  

So they both just waited....

...until this weekend when another sale yielded another find.  

How about a bag of raffia balls for 50 cents?    That'll work!

  Potpourri + balls + a few seashells I found lying around = 

not a bad looking jar of goods.

And my living room smells amazing!

I think yard sales are the bestest things ever!  ~Joyce

Garden Things - My Day Outside...

It all began with a new pair of gloves... (a birthday gift from my daughter).  

I couldn't find garden gloves - they all get filthy immediately and they don't fit.  

These have rubber palms and fit fine!  New gloves means I can tackle areas 

that I've neglected for far too long without fear of contracting poison...

  

For starters... I figured I'd tackle 'Old Gray Faithful' 

(as my daughter referred to her rock in a school poem years ago).
  He's big!... and was covered in ivy.  Done...

 Then the plants I did move - including this wild raspberry plant 

and multiple Yucca or Spanish Dagger plants.

(both pictured)

Digging, digging and more digging.  

And my rock edge... I like the Lamium falling over it.

But all the wild lilies that were behind it?  Not so much.  Gone...

Then my little garden got some much needed compost.  

I carried bucket after bucket into this space.  

I'm determined to get green beans this years if nothing else... 

(I've not had the best gardening success - too much shade I think.)

Then there was watering... (more hauling) for all those new plantings & more...  

I haven't worked outdoors like this in over 24 years!  

I have a rare neuro disease that has plagued my arms for most
of that time - but they've been doing well.  So I 'went for it'...

I am exhausted.  I will be sore.  

But my sneakers (after a washing) are none the worse for wear...

It was a marvelous Spring day and I'm thankful for every moment of it!  

 I think I've found the cure to my insomnia...

I will surely sleep well tonight.

~Joyce

Selling My Youth - An 80s Music Post...

As a teenager and young adult - I was sucked into the

 Contemporary Christian Music scene.  I'm not much of a fan now -

 but I lived and breathed it then.   For some reason - I still have all

 my old records - decades later!  And I've decided it's time for a

 purge - so up on eBay they (some of them anyway) go.... 

Turns out I was a big fan of Evie - she was on the softer side.  

I actually bought 4 of her records new I believe!  Kinda a big deal

 for this gal who had a pretty limited budget at the time...

But always a study in contrasts - I was also a big fan of David and the Giants -

 a group with much more of an edge to their style.  

In fact much of my music had an edge. Why?  

I believe part of me was trying to prove something to those around me.  

I was raised in a somewhat conservative Christian home - but had

 my ways of trying to fit into the the 'liberal' crowd....

I'm also realizing in my older and wiser? years - that music can be a bit of a drug.  

Diving music carries you along.  

I heard some of  the words - but I really heard the music.  

As I'm relistening to these albums to make sure they play well - 

I'm realizing that the messages in many of them were a bit - well - shallow.

Others tho - have stayed with me for life.

'Casual Christian' by DeGarmo & Key left a strong impact.

I don't wanna be, I don't wanna be a casual Christian
I don't wanna live, I don't wanna live a lukewarm life
Because I wanna light up the night
With an everlasting light
I don't wanna live the casual Christian life

I'm also finding it amusing that my bargain hunting endeavors

 started very early in life.  I 'd go to my local Christian bookstore

 and search through their discounted bins looking for overlooked treasures.

And I found some!  

Stuff that I took a chance on but wasn't stuff I had ever heard of.   

I believe The Hope was one of those groups...

So it's a trip down memory lane for me this week.   

A bit of a soul searching time...  

Life in the 80's... it was what it was.   

~Joyce

 

Farmhouse Listings in Blue and White...

Allow me to share a few new listings in the shop.

 I'm not sure what took me so long to list these gems - but I have 

2 pieces of old ticking up for sale.  The first is in nice condition -

 some minor spotting - but still a great piece of fabric in almost 2 yards...

The 2nd piece is much more faded - has more spotting - and is

 about half the size.  But is still some great old ticking...

   And while I didn't just list this today - 

this white crocheted edge bolster pillow cover fits right in...

  

Back to the farmhouse style blue... how about this old 

enamel ware funnel...

I also added this old nurse photo today.  I've had it in my personal

 stash for years (I had to leave my nursing career early on due to health reasons) 

and just liked the reminder of what 'once was'.  I'm ready to let her go now...

 I thought this metal post card was neat - so it's in the shop too...

And not exactly farmhouse - but it is white - how cute is this little 

 Czech almost coin sized beaded purse.   It is not big - but sure is sweet...

And the last item I'm going to highlight is apparently called a number of things.

Believe it or not I've seen this called a candy container, a spooner

 (will hold your teaspoons for a tea party), a creamer and even a pipe holder.   

So I guess the choice is yours.  

No matter what - it's a cute piece if you're a Scottie dog fan...

Hopefully that whet's your appetite a bit.  

Now I'm ready for a relaxing evening but there's a bit more 'stuff' to process.  

I've got a porch sale to get ready for!  ~Joyce

Domino Sugar and A Toy Stove Display...

Recently - I sold a little sample box of Domino Sugar...

The happy buyer was Kim in North Carolina.  Her plan?  

To include it in her child's vintage stove display in her kitchen .

It fits right in!  That's one sweet 'Little Lady'!

I love it when customers follow up regarding a purchase.  

Makes my day!

And there's still one more little sample box left...

Gerber Oatmeal Sample sized box available here

Anybody have a kitchen display that needs a box of baby cereal?

Hope you're having an awesome day!  ~Joyce

Got Scarves? ... More Vignettes...

Today's thrift store vignettes feature lots of scarves.

They seem to be my signature ingredient.  They soften 

the hard edges and vintage scarves are aplenty in a thrift shop.

For my first grouping, I noticed we had a whole bunch of 

milk white vases and compotes  that aren't selling.  

So I paired some of them with sage green

and we'll see if any of them move this week. (note - scarf #1)...

 In the 'games' area - a pricer had bagged these donated Scrabble signs.  

They're all glued and ready for Mother's Day.  

I couldn't let them in the 'games' area.  So I moved them front and center...

..in a novelty 'mom' display. (note - scarf #2)...

I found this pillow hiding in a basket.  It's a beautiful silky coral

 beaded fabric - but has some imperfections.  

In a grouping though?  Perfect!  (note - scarf #3)...

 I've been trying to get this set of wildlife books 

to sell for several weeks now.  No go!

 But just maybe paired with the ducks and a canoe scene mug - 

this will be the week...

And nope - no scarf in this vignette - (since it's on the men's rack).

But there's a foliage printed napkin underneath.

Would any of these catch your eye?

Thanks for stopping today!  ~Joyce

Pony & Cart - Yard Sale Transport...

 This should be a Saturday Sightings post - but this is Monday.

   I took on a huge development yard sale on Saturday.  Cars and 

people everywhere!  In among all the congestion traversed this little pony...

...and cart... and wagon pull behind.

 Can't believe a contraption like this is road legal.  But apparently

 the Amish have different rules.   It was pulling a mother and 2 children.

But when I spotted it - was simply tied and waiting.

  You'd think he'd be happy to rest - but nope - was busy stomping at 

the ground.  Perhaps he was doing exercises in case they bought too much!

Was a cute sight.  But for a drizzly morning I was very glad for my little car.

 Did you spot any cuteness over the weekend?  ~Joyce