Dog Days of Summer

It's hot here...and humid. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather stay inside and play on days like this.

~Patches, an early cloth dog, found looking sad at a garage sale...($6)~

  

I've always been a dog person. When I was a small child I wanted a dog so badly that I traded our cat for one. The problem was, we didn't have a cat. It was a hot, sticky summer day (much like this one) and my brother and I were outside playing together...he was ten and I was about six years old. We spent the morning plotting ways we could become dog owners without any money. While walking around the neighborhood we came across a house with a sign that said "Free Cat". We figured having a cat was almost as good as having a dog, right?

"Bone Eater", found lonely and scared at an antique mall~

On the way home with "our" new cat, we happened upon a woman with a large dog. Being the friendly and adventurous types, we stopped to inquire about her dog. Was it friendly? Could we pet it? And more importantly...would she be interested in a trade?

~Puppy, found abandoned and unloved at an antique shop~

Our Mother looked up from scrubbing the kitchen floor to see Bone Eater's scruffy face peering in the back door. We stood beaming, one on each side of his massive Irish Wolfhound body, while Mother asked a perfectly silly question..."Who does this dog belong to?" With a look of absolute pride on our dirty little faces...we answered, "He's ours." I'm sure Mother's, "NOOOOOOOO, he most certainly is NOT ours!", could be heard three blocks away. Much to our dismay, we were not allowed to keep Bone Eater...or the cat.

Eventually our Mother relented and we found a sweet little dog at the pound. Wendy adored me and the feeling was mutual. She slept in a baby cradle in my room and allowed me to dress her in doll's clothes and push her in a stroller. Wendy was very corgi-esque and is most likely responsible for my infatuation with corgis today. She was twenty-two years old, and I was a married lady of four years, when she crossed the bridge.

 Wendy, found sleeping on a pile of rags.

 I'll always be a dog person. And I've always had a soft spot for strays and rescue pups.

~A few of my strays~

And a few more...

~Maggie~ (Over the Rainbow Bridge, Summer 2007)

~Edith and Walter 
(Walter, Over the Rainbow Bridge, Summer 2009)~

~Murray and Edith~
(At home, Spring 2011)

Until next time...

Rhonda

Looking for your new BFF? Petfinder.com

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

~Giveaway Winners Announced~

Today was one of those doggone lazy dayz, dreary, overcast and only fit for napping. And that's exactly what my trusty assistants did. So I had to find another way to choose the giveaway winners. 

 ~You snooze, you lose.~

 In order to do things in a way that is fair & square, I assigned each person a number in the order they commented. Next, I used used the random number generator at Random.org to select three winners. And the winners are:

Wendy at Ravenwood Whimsies, you have won the primitive heart, framed silhouette and the spring issue of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine!

Becky Jean at Primitives n Stitchin', you have won the spring issue of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine!

Conni at Cabin Fever Primitives, you have also won the spring issue of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine!

Congratulations ladies, please send your mailing address to me at kattywhompusprimitives@gmail.com so I can get your prizes out to you!

 ~Did we miss something?~

Thank you to all who joined in the giveaway fun and most especially, thank you for your sweet comments! Until next time...

Snowy Tuesday Display Chain

Hello friends...I've missed you. We have so much catching up to do! I hope you have a cup of coffee or tea, and are settled in...this is going to be a long one.

~A sampler, stitched for me many years ago by a "true friend"~

What a pleasant surprise to return and find so many new followers here on my blog! A big welcome you to all of you who are new. I'm so glad you're here and hope you'll jump right in with your comments so that we can get to know each other. 

And to those of you who took time to comment on my last post regarding managing comments, a huge THANK YOU! It was so good to hear your thoughts on the subject. I've reached a couple of conclusions... first, there is no one right way to handle comments and second, that very few people really expect a reply to their comments. The most important thing I learned (thanks to you) is that I can have my comments sent to me via email...something I had not realized before. Silly me! So, that is exactly what I have opted to do...and I hope the discussion has helped some of you to manage your own blogger comments as well.

The last few weeks have been super busy. In addition to all my regular duties, I attended several estate sales, hosted a heavy metal band, kept dental appointments, celebrated birthdays and met a magazine deadline. I'm looking forward to a few snow days.

While I sit here at the desk, finishing up my summer article for Mercantile Gatherings, our region is experiencing a blizzard. The weather forecast is calling for two feet of snow in the next few days. Can you imagine?

I am looking forward to being snowbound, spending some time with my family and stitching up new goodies. It's nice to have an excuse to stay put and sew to my hearts content. I am thankful that my guys got in before the snow started...this mother hen likes all her chicks in the nest when the weather turns ugly. Plus, I can run the generator and slow-blower if I have to, but I prefer to bake and serve cocoa to those who brave the cold.

I'd prefer not to venture outdoors at all, but there are those who actually delight in the snow...and need my supervision.

~Edith, my snow baby~

~Ears back, FRAP!~

As I mentioned, last week I took an overnight trip to attend a fabulous estate sale in northern Illinois. Yes, I even got a motel room...the sale was just that good. It was the estate of an elderly woman who had a beautiful collection of old flow blue, quilts, sewing supplies and all manner of lovely "smalls" throughout the home. I drove up with a friend, and we met another friend there. It was a wonderful morning of discovering treasures, followed by lunch and lots of laughter. Oh...what did I buy? Lots of funny vintage housewares for my Etsy shop, some  little sewing goodies, and this...

~Handwoven Overshot Coverlet~

I was especially pleased to add this beauty to my collection...the weaving is exceptional. It's woven of black wool & creamy linen, and in pristine condition too.

 

In other news, Mr. Kattywhompus and I celebrated our birthdays last week. We spent time with precious family and friends and ate more than our share of desserts...but to have done otherwise would have been ungracious, no? Still, two cakes, three pies and a cheesecake might have been a bit extravagant.  

~Display Chain Tuesday~

During my absence these last few weeks, I've also missed participating in not one, but two, of Misi's display chains! Well, this week I'm ready with new things to show & tell, and I can't wait to see what everyone else has in store for us. It's always so much fun to see photos of each home and hear the stories behind each display.

Each Tuesday Misi, of Gable House Musings, chooses a theme and invites bloggers to play along with her "Tuesday Display Chain" by featuring items from their collections. The theme this week is "Displayed Sentiments". If I understand this theme correctly, we are to feature displays that give the reader a glimpse into who we are. Here's mine...

First is a quilt that hangs in our living room. To me, this represents my Faith and God's ever watchful, love and care over our family. Hubby's Mom has made us so many beautiful quilts over the years...this is my favorite.

~Stitched with love by Mary Bruce, 1993~

I love to sew and stitch and the next few photos are vignettes around the house that represent my obsession hobby.  I have a love for old sewing accessories, trims and my especial weakness...buttons. The wood sewing box below belonged to my Grandmother. It always sat on the dresser in her bedroom-ready to sew on a patch or a button. I feel so blessed to be able to use her things each day. My hands touching the things her hands touched...my hands moving the same way her hands moved. 

~Old sewing needfuls, a name tag, and Beulah's sewing box in the background~

~Bobbins, a little boot shaped pinny and a cabinet photo of two cherubic children~

~Fabric, sorted by color and ready to use~

~My overflowing project basket~

We were blessed to have our sons at home with us for school. Our youngest is seventeen and in his last year of homeschool.  This old fashion vignette represents that part of my life.

  As a young homemaker I became a weaver of both baskets and textiles. Thus began my love of handwoven things-be it a basket or a blanket.

~A handwoven basket perches atop a pile of coverlet remnants~

~Wool and flax mingle in a handwoven basket~

~Handwoven textiles soften an old hickory chair~

I have always dearly loved dolls, which inevitably led to me making my own. I like to say that I made this doll (below) "from scratch". This was my first attempt at designing a doll and hand-sculpting a papier mache head and limbs.

~Miz Kattywhompus~

And lastly, these next photos, taken in my studio/sewing room represent my love for anything pink & frilly. 
I am a girly girl at heart.

~Every corner of my studio lends inspiration~

~Old Lace~

~A pretty pink pinny, made from old feed-sack fabrics~

~A cotton dress, displayed on a turn of the century dress form~
Notice my gal has a little junk in the trunk...this form was designed at a time when women wore bustles under their skirts and dresses.

~Dreamy detail on dress~

Almost too good to eat, tiny bottles of shiny vintage dragees...a gift from a friend.

 This "vignette" represents our house, always full of music...and musicians. This just goes to show that even heavy metal guys can be lovable-and take their shoes off at the door.

I know, it's only Rock-n-Roll, but I like it, I like it, yes I do.

So, that's my life in photos. 
I'm a straight forward, what you see is what you get, heart on my sleeve kinda gal...

...beloved of God, wife, mother, teacher, artist, builder, dreamer, gardener, poet, student, and friend.

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

Until next time...

~Hearts~Tuesday Display Chain~

Each Tuesday Misi, of Gable House Musings, chooses a theme and invites bloggers to play along with her "Tuesday Display Chain" by featuring items from their collections. The theme this week is Valentines.

This one was easy for me. I've always loved hearts and have collected them in various forms over the years. It was hard to choose only a few to share. So I didn't...

~Old blue calico heart on Grandpa Ralph's chair~

~Orders, ready to ship~

~A small sampling of my Rowe Pottery collection~

~Old Tin Hearts~

~I'm the proud owner of the first quilt my Mother-in-law ever made. It's a tiny little thing, faded some, but a treasure to me~

~Another treasure. Miss Edith with her heart shaped bling. We rescued Edie from a local shelter...she was a runaway. Please microchip your pets and make sure they wear identification in case they are ever lost~

~A special gift from a dear friend. She knows me well~

~A pinny and a paper cutting (from 1996!)~

~A simple wax heart accents a garage sale find~

~A bowl of crazy quilt hearts~
 

~Beeswax hearts~

 

~A favorite old Valentine card~

~Pottery from our youth and sea shells from Sanibel Island. The creamy white Scotch Bonnet brings back memories of one of the best days I've ever had~

 

~A garden wedding and bad hair, in the original 1970's picture frame...a gift from my maid of honor~

~A second paper cutting and a Bennington Pottery heart from my Momma~

~A panda and a pinny~

~A treat from Mr.Kattywhompus...gotta love that man~

~The man who stole my heart. Then...

...and now~

 

 

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

Until next time...