MINT!!

I always know it is getting into the fall season because the fields on the outskirts of my town start to smell of Mint.
This photo was taken out the window of my ice cream truck yesterday. I take my camera along when I go out to sell
ice cream alot because I see the most interesting things while out and about. It could be a charming fence, a birdhouse,
a quirky tree in a yard, or whatever. So I usually pull over and take the picture. Since I am reminded of the mint at this time of year, thought I should get a quick shot of it. This is not very exciting...but I can smell it just from looking at this picture.

The Civil War Diary Quilt

Here is a picture of the book I mentioned on the MaryJanesFarm forum.
I am on page 65 and loving it. So impressed with how these people lived through this devastating time
in our American History. Not sure if I will ever make this quilt up, but maybe one of my daughters
or grandchildren will one day, who knows? I just enjoy knowing about the Civil War.

Vintage sewing goodies

These are the goodies I bought this weekend at the Buggy Barn Show, from some of the vendors there.
Included are some wood letters that spell SEW, my initials, my daughters initials, Corset cording, Singer
sewing tool, box of mini thread, package of gold curtain hoops, black trim on roll, optomitists lens. These
will all find a home in my studio. I will do some kind of altered art in the lens and wear it as a necklace.

Grand Birdhouses!

I loved these birdhouses that were outside of the Buggy Barn Shop. Very artistic!

Lovely view

Here is the side of the Buggy Barn Quilt Shop. You can see there are quilts lining both sides of the driveway to the right, it goes up to other barns, the farm house, and out buildings. More quilts are also hanging on a line and another small barn there. Love the old wagon in the foreground!
It is a lovely place to visit and I wouldn't mind living there either!

Me at the Buggy Barn

I am outside of the Buggy Barn Quilt Shop here. Even I ended up going alone, I enjoyed myself. The drive out there was peaceful and quite. I did find a few treasures, thus the bag in my hand, mostly vintage sewing goods. These goods were for sale in one of the barns by a vendor. There were about seven vendors. I wish there had been more! They ones there had lovely goods.

Barn of Quilts

Here is the big barn covered with quilts. They wrapped around the far side as well. There was a few things for sale inside, it appears they teach the classes in here.

Fence Full of Quilts

This is the literal fence lined with quilts at the Buggy Barn Quilt Show this passed week end. As you can see one of the barns in in the background, the other is behind me. There were many lovely quilts to be seen. It was windy, though and they were taking quite a beating from the wind and dirt blowing around. More quilts lined another fence and of course they hung all around the outsides of the barns.

Williamsburg Country Store

This is one of the general stores at Colonial Williamsburg. It was one of my favorite places we visited last fall. I had just gotten my new Cannon Rebel digital camera and took lots of pictures. Since I love general stores I had to have lots of pictures of this store. Oh, I would love to dress up in Colonial clothing to go to work everyday as the interperters there do. I have not posted much about our trip, thought it was time I did.

Yummy Cake!!!

My sweet hubby knows that Angel Food Cake is my favorite. When I was little my mom would make them and put chocolate frosting over the top, letting it drip and run down the sides. So now Tim likes to surprise me and makes this same cake for me. Of course, he buys the cake and a container of frosting and puts it together. But that is okay, at least he does it. He simply melts the frosting in the microwave for a few seconds just to soften it enough to pour easily. So here is the latest one. Oh, it is best with vanilla ice cream on the side! Thanks, my hunk of burnin' love!

Table Tray

This wood tray sits in the middle of my kitchen table and holds salt, pepper, sugar, napkins, pepper mill, soy candle, crock, another candle in a small crock. These items sit on a goldish towel with brick red stripes that I got at Cabbage Flat Mercantile...love that store...now the owner has retired and closed the store. Sad day for all of lovers of prim in this area. I got both of the crocks and the soy candle in the jar at this store too.
The wood box that holds paper napkins is an old pencil box, one that pencils came in from a company.

Do I Have Enough Jars?

Well, probably, but that does not stop me from picking up more when I see one I like.
These jars are all alike. I first started buying them when Target Stores got them in, some of them are hard to open, but I do notice that as time has gone on the newer ones open just fine. Many stores carry them now. Anyway, I am considering painting the lids black for a more primitive look.
I labeled them for hubby, as he was asking what was in each one...some of the things (flours, sugars, etc.) look alike. This labeling was done with my P-Touch labeler. Love that thing! I label everything with it.
Anyway...I can keep goods at hand in my kitchen using these jars. Everything else goes in the pantry.

Mother's Cupboard?

Here you can get a glimpse of some of the inside of my bowl and platter cupboard. Also at home here are the syrup servers, gravey boats, creamers, etc.
Some of these containers are old and some are not. I use the newer ones more as they do not have lead in them. Plus I want the old ones to be around for another hundred years.

Canner Inside

This canner holds 18 jars at a time. The lady who I got it from said it is a double decker canner. Never heard of that before, but think it is a good idea.
This canner is about the same size as one of those copper water boiling tubs. I have a couple of those, but this canner is is better condition than they are. I think must be because the canner sat on top of a stove and was cared for better, the copper boilers sat on an outdoor fire at times. Now I am not an expert, but this is the conclusion I came to...or the owners of this canner just took better care of it.

Now, That's a Canner

This canner is my most recent find. Yep, got this past weekend at a yard sale. Now I have not canned in some time, but ya' never know when I might need to. But I mainly wanted to add this to my collection of kitchen treasures. Next pic is of the inside.

Look at the Butcher Block now

Now the butcher block with the old canner I got this past weekend. It is it oval thing made of galvanzied metal. Later will post individual photos of it...have to leave now to go out and sell some ice cream to the kids in my town!

Under the butcher block

Here is a look at what is on the shelf under the butcher block table, up close.

Closeup of hutch mid shelf

Just a little closer look at the goodies on the center section of my hutch. See the little chicks? I got them to represent myself and my four children. We went it alone for ten years between first and second husband. They were so young when first hubby died, they really know their stepdad, Tim, far better. The little picture is me on one of those horses that came around to neighborhoods for photo shoots back in the 1950's. So glad my mom had this done.

Gift from my mother

My mom gave me this chair years ago. It sat with several chipped coats of paint on it for a long time. About two years ago, my sweet hubby, Tim stripped it down to the finish for me. I love it. It sits with a quilt over it near the kitchen table. Every time I look at it I think of my mother.

Drawer to the right

Can you tell that I really loved the color red? These tins are about two layers high, so you cannot see them all...but you get the idea!

Drawer to the left

Junk or treasures...depends on who you ask, I guess.

I told you so...

Yep, this is the under side part of the hutch that is all glassware in the uppers. Sorta organized...I even forget most of the time what is down here. Who knows how old those candy canes are...I think about five years. The blue graniteware was what filled my kitchen in the 80's, along with mammy's and watermelon things. My oldest daughter does not want me to get rid of this stuff cause it reminds her of her childhood. So I have much of it boxed up and in a spare bedroom closet downstairs. Some of it is also in trunks. The older I get the more I love the older antiques...so I keep going further back in time with what I collect.

Over the sink

Here are a few thingies that hang over the kitchen sink...I am always looking for places to display "stuff." So this is a new place, more will end here over time, I am sure

Household Reminders

This "Household Reminders" chart is not old, but a reproduction. Cute though, huh? You can just flip the little tab for each item needed to remind you of what to pick up at the market. The rocket shaped thing...is an unknown. The antique dealer whom I purchased it from did not know what it was either. But I loved it's primitiveness and had to buy it. It has pieced holes as it it were some kind of grater. Hard to see the other untensils, but they are other kitchen gadgets, all rather primitive. Love this look! The little girl you see to the right is vintage...think she goes in a fish bowl, but she seems to be quite happy on the ledge of my kitchen window.

Love green!

Here is the "green" in the wood handles of these kitchen helpers...sifters, shakers, measuring cups, scoops, and other utensils.
This wire unit is on the right of my sink.