How To Clean Out A Shed the Easy Way - Friday Finds...

My Friday Finds are - well - come and see...

Loved this door...

...it went to this sweet shed...

...where everything inside was free!  Yippee!

Till I went inside.  Photo actually doesn't look bad.  But there were areas 

that looked like mice nests... and it didn't smell good... and I just couldn't go in.  

But hey - what a novel way to clean out your shed!

Here's what I did find...  

There's a wedding in my very near future - so as I'm seeing stuff I'm getting it.

I just may have a need for some sheer panels... so was happy 

to find fabric and some long curtains already made.  

That 'to do' tablet is still in its original package - 

great for my gift drawer...

These plastic figures are actually vintage cake decorations - a great find... 

And loved the patina of these old shoe shine brushes.  

Look at those bristles!

Twas a good little morning.  Just enough finds to make me smile! 

And remember that shed clean-out trick. 

Tomorrow is Saturday - a great day to try it out.  Ha!  ~Joyce

China Cabinet As Display Case Clear Out...

Last week I shared with you that it was high time to get my 

china closet cleared out. I prefer to use it as a display case 

for family mementos...

I have cleared out the pink transferware for a 

cleaner look. ('Before' on the left; 'after' on the right)

I'm enjoying my treasures all over again...

and uncovered some hidden gems.  

Like this penmanship award for my mother-in-law...

I have a few advertising collectibles from where my father 

used to work (A business which no longer exists)...

And a few collectibles that represent my father-in-law...

Every little completed clean-out project feels so good!

 

Many of the 'before' pink transferware pieces have landed 

in my Etsy shop.  Including this English Abbey plate.

It's all reason for a Happy Dance!  ~Joyce

Getting The 'To-Do' List Done...

We all have a to-do list a mile long.  

And we all feel we hardly have time to do them.

So what's the secret?

  It's simple really... plan to do it - and then do it!

Here are a few more tips to 'get stuff done'...

Make room in your schedule...

Don't bite off more than you can chew... (know your time/ability limits!)

Write it down (make a check-list)...

Tackle the most dreaded thing first...

Multi-task where possible but not overwhelming.  What can be done while something else is happening?  (ie - while something is cooking I can...)

Give yourself extra time if 'learning' is required... 

Do it as close to when you notice it as you can...

If a project is large (ie - flower beds) do just a portion each time...

Last evening I noticed a corner of our front flower bed that was

 quite overgrown and unattractive.

Sunday is our day of rest - so I didn't tackle it then -

 but I did write it down to tackle this morning...

I only have mornings to work on my list.  

So keeping the list small and simple is best for me.

Then 1st thing this morning (after throwing in a load of wash)  - 

I got out to that section of the garden and removed a bunch of

 overgrowth and several plants altogether.

Now it's ready to bounce back for fall.

 

Then I moved indoors to work on pasta salad and the rest of today's list...

 

I can't tell you how good it feels to have those things done!

A final tip:

Simplify according to your schedule...  (i.e. - don't have time to

keep up with the flower beds?  Don't have them or reduce to one.

Same with vegetable gardening, canning, or other noble things.  

We are us - we can't be someone else.  Let's be us well!

Tomorrow my list will have just one main thing... 

cause it will take me all morning.  Stay tuned!  ~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

 

A 'Girlie Things' Advertising Recipe Booklet...

Did you ever take Lydia Pinkham tablets?  They are touted to cure

 just about every 'girlie' issue out there.  i.e. getting pregnant,

 difficult 'monthlys', hot flashes, you name it - Lydia could fix you up.

Source

 Lydia was a local herbalist in the 1800's who served her neighbors well.   

In the midst of financial difficulties - her son suggested she 'sell' her 

concoction - and a business was born.  And what a thriving business it was... is!  

You can still buy Lydia Pinkham tablets - just check out Amazon!

  (Looks like today's variety has been altered a little... 

the original compound had 18% alcohol!) 

I happened upon a Lydia Pinkham advertising recipe booklet.

 This is one of several she published and the inside content is so charming. 

'Summer Time' consists mostly of sandwich and drink recipes.

Available here

The booklet is also loaded with testimonials about her product.  

I love the sweet flapper girl graphics...

 Allow me to leave you with one of the recipes -Sweet Sandwiches.  

Essentially - this sounds like a mocha frosting (with opt. coconut) that is served between graham crackers. 

Oh yum!!!

It'll be a few months yet till summer arrives - but these goodies

 would taste just as wonderful by the fireplace with hot chocolate!

Let me know if you tried it!~Joyce

Linking to Let's Talk Vintage

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!