Happy Spring~Early Work Update~

Happy Spring, Friends! We have enjoyed a very mild winter here in Northwest Indiana and today the temperature reached an unseasonably warm, 80 degrees. As you can imagine, buds are bursting and flowers are sending up their tender shoots all around us. Today we uncovered the strawberry beds...I am SO ready for spring. I can't wait to get out in the garden and dig in the dirt. 

While I waited for warmer weather, I've been stitching up a few new offerings to help you welcome spring in primitive style.You can see my latest work tonight on Early Work Mercantile.

There are so many lovely things this month on Early Work Mercantile...I think everyone is ready for spring. :) I hope you'll stop to take a look!

Until Next time...

~Rhonda~

~Coming Home Again~

"There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again"  

(Margaret Elizabeth Sangster)

I've missed you. It's true. I'm so grateful that you've stuck around.

I really have been a blogger of the worst kind, and for that I must apologize. Spring here has been wild and wonderful...but mostly just wild. I suppose some of you are curious about what I've been up to. And for those of you who don't care, just ignore me...go ahead and scroll through the pretty pictures. 

Here's one to get you started.

This lovely ironstone pitcher was a gift from my sweet friend Emily. She arrived at my house just before Mother's day and presented me with a huge package. I have often coveted admired her beautiful collection of ironstone, and was shocked when she gifted a number of her pieces to me because, "You are such a good Mom". Her loving words and kind gesture sincerely overwhelmed me. 

These are few of the other pieces Em shared with me. 

I'm not worthy!

 

My new collection inspired me to de-clutter the buttery shelves and go with something simpler for summertime. But I'm such a clutter-bug...I have so much trouble keeping things to a minimum. I'm still not sure I got it right.

 

 Sometimes I wonder why I do the crazy things I do. What I mean is...why do I choose the busiest time of the year to embark on a huge home improvement project? Since the two oldest "boys" moved into their own place, Mr. Kattywhompus and I have been rethinking the way we use the space in our home. He encouraged me to move from my small studio sewing room, into two large rooms on the second floor. That might sound simple, but in reality it's quite an undertaking. Although he encouraged me, Mr. Kattywhompus, has been unavailable to help me accomplish such a daunting task. Between raindrops, he has been sowing and reaping (and mowing). And with my built in help cozily settled into their own bachelor pad, I am pretty much on my own. I have been painting, shampooing carpets, moving furniture, and sorting through the seemingly endless array of crafty "needfuls". 

When my back hurts and I am tired and whiny, I envision how it will look...all beautiful and pink and spacious, with room to invite friends over to play. 

It will be so worth it...but sometimes I still whine.

When I simply cannot force myself to sort through another box (or whenever I can sneak away) I have been hitting some wonderful summer garage sales. I bragged to Misi about one of my best, most amazing finds this year, and promised her a picture. 

So, this one's for you Misi.

You should have seen how fast I moved when I saw this on the table...and then I saw the price...$200. No, it says $20. NO- it says $2. !!! I thought I was imagining things. 

For less than I pay for a cup of coffee...it was mine.

Speaking of Misi...you may have noticed some of her delicious, scented wax fruit in the foreground. She very sweetly send me a delightful package including these. They are rustic and beautiful...and they smell wonderful.

I also purchased some of Misi's pansy bowl fillers for myself and for my Mother. They make an entire room smell heavenly and Mom loved them.

To experience Misi's wares for yourself go here.

Between Emily and Misi I have been very spoiled these last few weeks. I have one other wonderful thing to share...but it will have to wait, as I used it to create something special for my swap partner. Don't fret, you won't have to wait long, my package goes out tomorrow.

And for sticking with me...here's one more pretty picture for you.

~An ironstone pitcher filled with lilacs from the side yard~

Until next time...

Rhonda

~Tokens of Love~

 I ask you, is there anything more romantic than a man bearing vegetables from his own garden?

~A gift from Mr. Kattywhompus~

I think I'll cook something delicious to reward him for his efforts. This recipe from his great Aunt is on the dinner menu tonight.

Aunt Bob's Asparagus Casserole

3 cups fresh asparagus, chopped and steamed (water too)

OR

(2, 10 oz. cans of canned asparagus, with water)

1 cup cubed cheese

1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup roast red pepper

1 tsp salt (I use 1/2 tsp.)

1/4 cup melted butter

Set butter aside. Gently toss remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Place mixture in a 9"X 9" baking dish and drizzle butter over the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Aunt Bob is the wife of Uncle Louie, of  Uncle Louie's Apple Cake fame.

Until next time...

Rhonda

Tuesday Display Chain~ These Four Walls~

~These precious bunnies, from Cheryl at Patty Cake Primitives, are the newest addition to my Easter display~

~Tuesday Display Chain~

Each Tuesday Misi, of Gable House Musings selects a theme and invites bloggers to play along with her "Tuesday Display Chain". This week we are asked to show off our favorite walls.

This one was easy...I am blessed beyond measure to share my four walls with a man who adores me and three sons who make us look like better parents than we really are. Throw in three cats with big personalities and two comical dogs,  and we have enough to keep us entertained for a long while. Is it any wonder that home is my favorite place to be? 

"Home is any four walls that enclose the right person(s)." 

~Helen Rowland~

~The buttery is still one of my favorite places in our home...so many possibilities for decorating. Here it is decked out for spring.~ 

"I'm not famous but my kids think I'm a star
  I'm not rich but I've made a million memories so far
I may not be a model
But my man thinks I could be
I may not be from royalty
But in these four walls
I'm the queen"

~Sara Evans~ 

Just for fun, here's another peek at those adorable bunnies.

 Details like the painted eyes and the little needle felted whiskers add extra charm to these sweet little bunnies.  And I just love the way Cheryl used stain to add contour to them.

"Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls."  

~Joseph Campbell~

Until next time...

Rhonda

Scavenger Hunt #4~ Parts 1,2 & 3

As the scavenger hunt at Gable House Musings comes to a close...I must say I'm surprised to still be in the running. It's been a lot of fun-and some weeks it's been a real challenge to find just the right items on Misi's list! There were a few times I just knew I was on my way out...but here here I am, coming into the home stretch. Yay!

I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to Misi for hosting the hunt and offering such a generous prize to the winner. And although it might sound corny, I already feel like a winner...because in the last few weeks, I've made new friends, shared some laughs, and even learned a few things along the way. And you can't beat that. Misi's game has entertained us, spurred our creativity, and even encouraged us to pamper ourselves a little bit now & then. So, thank you Misi...it's been F.U.N. 

Now, on with the show...

 ~Part 1~

For part one, Misi gave us her personal shopping list. We were to find at least two items on her list, and one item from her hubby's list. I'll tell you, honestly...I panicked when I first saw the list. Although I'm a girlie girl...I had no idea what half of the stuff was. Add to that, Misi is a brunette-I'm a blonde! And I have really curly hair...I don't paint my nails...and who on earth is Bill Compton!? What's a girl to do?

The save for me was soap. 

Yes, beautiful soap is my weakness, my Achilles Heel.

I set out for TJ Maxx with Misi's recommendations in hand...

I not only treated myself to three bars of the CST soap that Misi so esteems...I bought an extra bar of soap by Laura Ashley. Who could resist scents like Vanilla Tangerine, Lavender Rosemary, Eucalyptus Aloe, and Lily and Aloe Leaf? Not I. 

Do yourself a favor..."awaken your senses"...buy this soap. These are huge, silky soft, moisturizing bars...and they come wrapped like a present-just for you. You have to get clean with something, it might as well be this.

I added a small bottle of Bed Head brand hairspray for my second item, and finished part one with Bero's movie choice...

~Part 2~

Now this part wasn't required, but participating means an extra chance to win the grand prize. So you know I'd be crazy not to give it my best try, right? I needed four out of six items from the list. Here goes.

Ruby Slippers/Shoes

"I'm a little muddled. The Munchkins called me, because a new Witch has just dropped a house on the Wicked Witch of the East. And there's the house. And here you are. And that's all that's left of the Wicked Witch of the East."

"Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn't want them so badly."
~Glinda, the Good Witch of the North~

Wooden Shoes

It's obvious that these shoes are adorable...but, do shoes made of wood = wooden shoes? I'm hoping Misi thinks so.

Biscotti

Triple chocolate, no nuts...the perfect accompaniment to a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Christening Gown

Antique cotton eyelet gown with millions of tiny tucks...OK, not millions, but you've got to admit, that's a lot of tucks.

Here's a closer view. Just look at the amazing detail!

Dried Apple Gourd 

Nope, don't have one. I have every other kind of gourd, but not this one.

Heart Pantry Cakes

This was one of the things I learned along the way. It was high time I tried making pantry cakes. An easy project with almost instant gratification. I made several batches...these pretty hearts were my favorite.

Which brings me to the final part of the hunt...

Part 3

~Fun with Flowers and Furbabies~

Narcissus, Daffodils, call them what you will...they are one of my very favorite flowers. If you read my story in the spring issue of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine, you know that some of my best memories include these perky yellow blooms.

On the day our sons moved away from home, my sweet Mother-in-love, thoughtfully shared the first blossoms from her garden with me.

Now I'd like to share a few photos of my furbabies with you.

This is my Murray on the first day he came to live with us. He'd just had a bath and wasn't too sure about his new surroundings. He was twelve weeks old.

And this is Murray now, resting his chin on Edith. This is the first thing I see every morning when I wake up. It's a beautiful sight to this dog lovers eyes.

My kids know how to make me laugh...sometime they use cats.

 

Mattimeo fighting zombies.

Well, that concludes the scavenger hunt...best of luck to all of my worthy opponents! It's been such fun seeing what everyone comes up with each week. To be linked to the other participants please visit Misi at: 

http://1890gablehousemusings.blogspot.com/

Until next time...

Rhonda

~Early Work Mercantile Updated~

Things are hoppin' at Early Work Mercantile...hope you'll stop by! 

Bunnies are all *SOLD*~ Thank you kindly!

Spring Scavenger Hunt #1

Remember when you were twelve and went to your best friend's birthday party? How her mother served tacos and always thought of the best games? For me, the scavenger hunt was the highlight of the party...running from door to door in the twilight, giggling with friends, knocking on doors...the list in one hand, your bag of booty in the other. Thank you Misi, for making me feel twelve again. 

*Giggle, Giggle* 
Here's the list for week one...

1. Old Jar of Garden seeds

"I wait at the window, sowing the seeds that I keep in a jar by the door (along with my face)." Oops...channeling a little Eleanor Rigby there...

 Sometimes the packaging is almost as pretty as the blooms.~

  ~These old seed jars were a gift from Aunt Annie. They were used in her father's feed store to dispense garden seeds. The original 1952 labels remain intact.~

~Mr. Kattywhompus now uses them to store his heirloom bean seeds for the coming year.~

2. Faceless Rag/Cloth Doll

~I traced a wooden spoon to create a pattern for this little doll and outfitted her in the most basic of dresses. 
Sew Simple.~



~And here's a little mini-makeover for you. I found these faceless clothespin dolls on clearance in a local antique booth last week. My first though was, "Hey that's real calico". My second thought was,"Ugh, hot glue...really?" But the little dolls alone were worth the $4 I paid, so I brought this piece home and gave it a face-lift. Now it looks like this...~

 ~The changes I made were simple, but I think, made this piece so much nicer. I repainted the frame black, sanded it a bit, then gave it a coat of dark Bri-wax. I turned the quilt scrap upside down to show off the little patch of red. I moved the little dolls (which were literally hanging by a thread) ever so slightly and then put  everything back together more securely.~

3. Homespun Pillow Case – (adult bed size or larger)

~When Misi listed homespun pillow cases, I gasped...I didn't HAVE homespun pillow cases! So I promptly made a set. Why make your own pillow cases? Because you can choose your favorite homespun fabric, and add special touches like feather stitching along the edge.~

~We are not amused...
 ~Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a large angry cat to perch on a bed pillow that you have precariously balanced on the counter top?~

4. Pastry Roller

~An old ironstone rolling pin from my Great, Great, Grandmother, Lucinda Bebe Jacobs, rests alongside my everyday rolling pin and a stoneware pastry crimper. My Gram told me the rolling pin was already missing it's wooden handles when she used it as a girl. The little crimper was one of the first antiques I ever bought. I bought the noodle board at an auction thirty years ago for $3. No one knew what it was at the time...including me.~

5. Doll Bed

~Here is Miss Kattywhompus looking out of sorts. She awoke to find herself sleeping in the buttery like a common servant. For someone who sleeps in a bed made from old crates, she certainly puts on airs.~

6. A piece of old Ironstone Pottery/Dishware

~I found this pretty green Meakin ironstone at a local thrift shop just last week. My intention was to sell it...until I got it home and saw how charming it looked alongside the narcissus and daffodils. The color says "springtime", wouldn't you agree?~

  These three pieces comprise my entire collection of all white antique ironstone...but I'm working on it.

Please stop by Misi's blog to share in the fun! 

Until next time...
Rhonda

~Tuesday Display Chain~ Spring Florals

Each Tuesday Misi, of Gable House Musings, chooses a theme and invites bloggers to play along with her "Tuesday Display Chain". This week, at Old Lady Morgan's request, we are sharing how we accent our displays with Springtime florals, picks and vines.

Now admittedly, I have not done much in the way of Spring decorating. And typically, I go with dried or fresh flowers from the garden and roadside. But as luck would have it, I picked up a few silks and artificial things at the end of the season last year. So, here goes... 

 ~Aged cheesecloth and twine add a realistic touch to a bouquet of silk daffodils and white dogwood on the kitchen table. Daffodils are one of my favorite flowers. I was really quite taken with these...even the stems look real.~

 

~I've switched out a dark bonnet for a lighter one and added some "snowdrops" to the greens already in this wooden box. Instant Springtime!~

One of the things I found on clearance last year were these wonderful herb bundles. They look so real that I was amazed...the foliage is variegated and some leaves are even fuzzy-just like the real thing!

The faux herb bundles are fabulous for tucking in baskets, crocks or softening up a wood shelf or box.

~This little vine basket makes a perfect nest for my favorite spun cotton chicklet.~

~A pretty dogwood pick accents English Abbey transferware and a pair of dancing rabbits.~

~In the living room, silk forsythia and pussy willows surround gourd eggs nestle in a bed of natural flax.~

~A nest, a bowl and a chick, lend some color to a dark step-back cupboard.~

A hand carved jenny wren, makes it's home in an abandoned birds nest. The little ironstone pedestal bowl was a thrift store find. 

~Sometimes simple is still best. Creamy white tulips from Trader Joes, displayed in an old graniteware pitcher.

And for our hostess Misi...a little vintage foo foo. The old basket has faded silk and paper flowers woven around the rim, and I collect these old plush bunnies. I'm not sure why I find them so sweet and endearing. But that's a collection for another day.

See the other Tuesday Display Chain participants at: http://1890gablehousemusings.blogspot.com/

Until next time...