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 My time in the mountains of western North Carolina was over before

I could blink. But it is always time well spent. Lots of laughter, good food, beautiful scenery, drives through the countryside...

...an hour or so walking through the shops...you could spend days in this area going through hundreds of unique shops if you so chose...

...each visit I usually try to check out a place I've never been before... 

...most times I even remember to grab my camera...

...Mr. and I drove to one of my favorite antique shops tucked way back in the woods on a twisty, narrow mountain road that gives me the creeps because there are precious few guard rails...and someone in the car who shall remain nameless drives way too fast on those roads... 

...I was so happy to have survived the ride that even finding the place closed barely even caused my emotions to fluctuate one iota...of course, finding these beautiful pink roses growing along their fence was more than compensation for having driven so far...

  ...and wouldn't you know it? On our way back to the cabin we just happened to drive right by my favorite shoe store in Highlands. Look at my {SQUEAL} new shoes! They are incredibly comfortable and just plain FUN! Just what I needed for all the traveling I'll be doing in the coming days....

Where am I going, you ask? Why I'm off to visit creative spaces across the globe during theWHERE BLOGGERS CREATE PARTY! 
 

credit: free background image from rubyblossom [Flickr]

Giveaway Winner and Where Women {collect} Want to Create

I'm still plugging away in "my room" which is the bonus room over our garage. Dragging boxes from the basement and sorting through my stuff. As someone who has collected and crafted for over two decades the stash I've accumulated is.......I can't think of the right word.

Ridiculous?

Awesome?

Hideous?

A Royal Mess?

Oozing with Creative Potential?

Perhaps a mixture of all of the above! All I know is that right now, my work area looks more like where a woman collects and wants to create as opposed to my goal of where a woman actually does create...but I am making steady progress.

 
However, as I rediscover stuff that has been packed away, hidden from sight, my mind begins to fill with ideas. Organizing Angel and the We-Love-Chaos-Demon begin to do battle. It takes every ounce of willpower not to stop the sifting, sorting, pitching and organizing in exchange for running off to chase the latest creative muse.

But I have a huge incentive....On June 19th, Karen, at My Desert Cottage is hosting her second WHERE BLOGGERS CREATE party! As of this writing there are 390 signed up to showcase their creative work areas! How fun! Everyone is invited. You can read all about it by clicking on the link to her name.

I can only imagine all the eye candy and inspiration that will be showcased during that awesome tour of work spaces!

Are you loving that little pink metal doll case? Maybe a year ago [or more!] I bought it from Janna who is now involved in a HUGE antique shop up in North Carolina that I am itching to go and check out. It wouldn't be a bad drive from where I live...it's on my wish list. Janna is a great junker, with a fun blog if you love old, rusty, and antique items. The name of her blog, Artsy Fartsy Finds gives a little glimpse into her witty, and fun humor as well!

Before I ramble any further, let me announce the winner of the book WHERE WOMAN CREATE....

Counting down the comment list, that would be Anne! Congratulations and I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed it!

xo, Sue
 

Vintage buttons...or discovered treasure?

Have you seen the TV show Accidental Fortune? We watched it last evening...a first for us.  Last night's episode featured a brooch purchased for $12 at an antique store, but worth nearly a half a million dollars. Also showcased were stories on a Norman Rockwell painting, a rare cello worth 3.5 million {a curbside trash find}, and a bat signed by Babe Ruth. They did a great job in developing the stories and giving pertinent background information to make the show interesting & informative as well as entertaining. I'd definitely tune in again.

But it got me to thinking about those buttons I purchased recently...

 
They were on Ebay and I believe I paid around $11 for the lot of them. They definitely made no mention in the listing of being famous buttons....  {update: oops! me bad. there was mention of the writing. how does "one" miss something like that? answer: "one" only looked at the photos that were a bit out of focus and didn't read the written description of the item.}

...so imagine my surprise when they arrived to read the writing on this card.

{source}   Franklin Delano Roosevelt w/mother, Sara Roosevelt-1887

Is it true? Do  I now own some of Sara's buttons? If so, why didn't Eleanor keep these pretty buttons? I answered that question myself with a little google reading on Sara Roosevelt. And I quote:

 After Sara died on September 7, 1941, ER wrote in her column that Sara's "strongest trait was loyalty to her family. . . . She was not just sweetness and light, for there was a streak of jealously and possessiveness in her when her own were concerned."⁽¹⁾  ER recognized Sara's fierce strength, but she could not love her. "It is dreadful," she wrote a friend, "to have lived so close to someone for 36 years & feel no deep affection or sense of loss. It is hard on Franklin however."⁽²⁾ {source}

Ouch. Very sad actually...if one can believe everything they read {and no, one can't!} Sara might have had some rough edges to her personality. But her buttons are pretty, aren't they?

Assuming of course {and never assume nothing!} that these actually were her buttons someone once tried to sell for $96. The fact that they spelled her name wrong {she doesn't have an "h" at the end} makes one a bit suspicious.

But even if I could prove they were Sara's buttons {which I can't} these wouldn't meet the criteria for TLC's new show, Accidental Fortune. I believe the value of an item needs to be at least $15,000. That being said, I have no desire to be on television. None. Ever! But hubby claims if I add one more item to my craft room I might qualify for the show that came on right before Accidental Fortune. It was called: Buried Alive. It's about people who have problems with hoarding.

I resemble that comment.

Stay tuned. A giveaway is soon to appear.....

Digital downloads...

 

 It's a fun dream, isn't it? Buying time in a bottle, that is....just think! of the possibilities. But that ain't going to happen and unfortunately, wish as I may, I won't be able to share any of those type of time bottles with you.

Instead, I'll have to make this share about the darling little "time bottle" I have in my stuff. From all indications it is old and has a patent number raised in glass on the bottom. Beyond that, I have no idea of its history, what it was used for, etc. And while I'm at it, I also wanted to share this source of where I found these taped frames and letter strips featured in my post today.

TIME to get back to the stuff that keeps me from having TIME to do the things I'd really like to do....

...like blog more often

...like put together a yummy giveaway....but guess what? I'm working on that, so stay tuned! It is TIME for this hoarder, i mean collector, to share some goodies.

xo, sue

p.s. Credit due to Jim Croce  [1943-73] for borrowing and altering the words to his hit song, Time in a Bottle.

Ready or not, here we go!

 
There are lists, and more lists, piles gathering here and there of what to bring, the washing machine is going, last minute errands, and my head is spinning. Someone must be getting ready to go on vacation! 

But since one of my dreams in life would be to live on a beach, I'll put up with the spinning head..................... 

....because I love the white sugar sand, the skies that stretch to the heavens....

 
 ...the constant wind and roar of the sea that seem to carry away and drown out the cares of the world......................

....and some of my favorite antique stores just happen to be in this area! In January, here are a few of the goodies I snagged at my favorite haunts......

Some old books printed in the 19th century...

When my eyes spotted these adorable french pencils my heart rate hit the danger zone. Practically squealing, I showed them to Mr. Fun who said, "Why don't you get one?"

One? JUST ONE? Is he kidding?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The whole drive home I was kicking myself for not having bought them all. Maybe they'll still be there? And maybe a flying donkey will drive me back to the store.....

 
 
  The last two photos are of two adorable little linen rompers that cost $6 each.

 There were more great finds, but the clock is ticking and I best keep focused on the packing. Mr. Fun, who was traveling today to see a client called me as he was driving down a mountain somewhere in the state of West Virginia and his day was not going well. So if I hope to buy more than ONE PENCIL on this trip, Little Red Hen better be ready to travel. Smile.....

Too full of love...

A few years back I spotted this old book published in 1896 in an antique store. Five dollars. Sold. To me.

 

It is filled with poetry, prose, and quotes scatttered here and there. Some are touching, others a bit too lovesick for my taste, if you know what I mean. But yesterday I

spotted this quote:

 

 

This spoke volumes.

That's what I need. That's what the world needs.

"too full of love..."
 

Having recently purchased some felted wool I grabbed

a needle and thread

and started stitching...

 

Not sure how I'll incorporate this into something bigger.

After I finish the stitching, of course...

But eventually it will find its place. 

 

And

speakin' of full of love...

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

Here's a little Valentine I've scanned in and want to share his cuteness for anyone to use for their own personal use. I've also extracted just him, but for some reason Typepad or my computer are not cooperating right now.

 

Vintage Fabric...Part I

 

Tucked away in the basement level, in the far corner, was a pile of them. Love at first sight. With merely seconds to decide, the tock clicking, and my arms loaded with more than I could already carry, I decided three would be enough.

Three luscious rag balls made of vintage fabric--about the size of a grapefruit--in an antique store--1200 miles from home--and I only bought three. Was it because they were so expensive? No. It's because...I don't know why, because they were only $2 a piece. Sigh.  

 
Do you see the tiny stitches someone made in order to join the strips into one continuous piece? My guess would be someone intended to use these to make rag rugs. Growing up, we had them scattered at all spots throughout the house wherever dirty feet might trod.

But before you feel too sorry for me, I made quite the haul at this store. The prices were so reasonable on so many different items.

But still...there was a rag ball the size of a basketball made up of numerous old prints, and the price was $6. I didn't buy it because I couldn't carry it along with my other items up to the checkout. Due to the fact that I needed to be somewhere and was already running late, there wasn't any time to make two trips to the checkout from the basement.

 One option that came to mind was to yell for help hoping one of the employees upstairs would come to my resuce. The only thing that stopped me from doing so {besides personal humiliation of stooping so low} was knowing that two of my sisters have a booth in the shop. Perhaps a little embarrassing for them if these two employees didn't have a sense of humor? 

Seriously, this antique shopping disease can cause one to consider extreme behavior, can't it?

Vintage Finds

 

There she sat high on a display case, hidden from view. Stuffed in a box no less with an assortment of other broken dolls. I smiled at her and said dolly, today is your lucky day. You're coming home with me. And don't you worry...I'll put you where the puppy can't touch you!

  

Just look at your sweet little eyelashes and those two little front teeth. Despite your signs of aging, it is evident that someone took very good care of you at one time.

 

Is this not the sweetest little shoe, or what?

 

In the same antique store, in another booth, I spied this little baby bonnet. Love at first sight. It was exquisite in its day...and still is, but in a different sort of way.

 

A view of the back of the hat...

 

 

   Another sweet find this weekend was this adorable photo of Evelyn Lyke. Like so many of you, I adore these old vintage photos. Don't you wonder WHY they ever ended up in the hands of strangers? Didn't someone in the family want them?

  Please feel free to adopt Evelyn for  yourself. Save her to a file in your computer and perhaps she'll find a use in your future creations.

 Speaking of futures, I better go tend to mine. After being away for the weekend, I have lots of catch up to tend to if I hope to have an immdediate  future that runs more smoothly.

Until next time...

Guest Room Makeover

 

 

Oh baby, I'm feeling it! I'm getting excited with the "coming together" of my guest room makeover. Back in July I posted here about this amazing {to me} headboard. At the time, I wasn't sure where I would be using it, I just knew I would be!

While there's miles to go before I'll be finished {satisfied?} with the final rendition, I'm happy where it's headed. "PRICE" is of utmost concern and I'm gathering pieces I've had forever, as well as a few additions I purchased at thrift and antique stores. All for thrifty prices, of course. For instance, the chest beside the bed...it's an Ethan Allen piece from their discontinued French Country line. Not sure of its original retail price tag, although there is a used one available here that is identical to mine, save that mine is in their painted version which I much prefer for my purposes. Their price tag? $799. Plus the $160 shipping cost.

I paid $150 [in mint condition] and the cost of delivery for me was treating my son and three of his strong friends to a breakfast at I-Hop!

Like many of the things I have throughout my home, the framed print was a snag during our spring break vacation in Florida. The minute I saw it, it spoke to me. The focal point of the print is a white lab. Immediately I knew I could get away with this purchase. You see, my little white lab is the apple of my DH's eye. He loves, loves, loves that pooch. As I was checking out, another customer in the store with this beautiful British accent informed me that the artist of this print was Andrew Wyeth. The name of the print, I later learned, is called Master Bedroom.

But truly, I was initially drawn to the piece because of the gorgeous frame. I love detail and scrumptious patina...

 

To demonstrate this love for patina, take a look at these old stools I bought in Tennessee at an antique store. $35 for the pair. My DH rolled his eyes when he spotted these little treasures. I could read his mind and it was thinking, "she's not bringing these in the house, is she?"

So there you have it...the beginnings of a room makeover. As it evolves, I'll keep you posted [pun intended].