Thursday, December 18, 2014

Vintage Junkin - My Favorite Past-time!

Hop on in my vintage grocery buggy and join me as I stroll through one of my favorite stores.
By the way, who remembers these buggies?  My brothers and I used to ride on the bottom. It made grocery shopping a much more enjoyable experience.

The store is Mr. Darby's Emporium in North Lima, OH.  If you like vintage/antiques you will love this place.  They have over 90 vendors inside an old department store.  Give yourself plenty of time because it's no place for rushing.

I got a feeling the other day that this place would be festive with all the vintage Christmas stuff sitting around and I just had to go for a stroll.  I'm glad I did cause I found 8 little treasures that I'll show you later :)

Lots of red and white filling the entrance. Love the Coca Cola cooler. That would be fun sitting on my porch keeping our pop icy cold.
Check out that red telephone (drool)

Before I go much farther, maybe you should know that if you don't like "junk" then don't bore yourself with this blog post :) Cause its quite lengthy.
Back to the fun at hand. These shabby lamp shades have been here quite awhile. They are fun to look at in this setting but not sure I'd want it for myself - they'd probably hurt the eyes.
Check out all the milk glass!! I especially like the small knobby cup tucked in the back and the iron stone pitcher in the top. Pretty Pretty!


Over here is a box of kitchen goodies. I'm especially fond of the hand mixers. 


This is a beautiful piece of furniture. I love antique furniture - the vast majority is a quality that far surpasses the press-board junk of today.

Some of you just got hit with a good dose of deja vu LOL

Neat gift tags. I especially like the jar ones.

Don't ask me why but I love these buck saws. And the wash boards. My one son shakes his head at me and asks "what would you do with that stuff".  He doesn't understand his mother's love for old things.  He's pretty sure I come from the pioneer days.

Every porch needs at least one rocker to sit in and sip southern sweet tea. And that giant, metal water can is amazing.

Not all the furniture pieces are antique. Lots of primitive pieces in this store and they are so much fun to look at and get ideas.  I like this one for it's punched tin.

A couple pieces of yellow ware tucked in the corner. These vintage dishes are sure to bring sunshine to any hutch/table.

The name is Anne - Anne Shirley :)
Some hats from the Victorian era - wish we still dressed that feminine. 

What??  I thought I was in Ohio :) To think I could have sold mine!! (tsk tsk)

Here's another new piece. I love the chicken wire and this would make a really cute pantry in a country kitchen.  Too bad I don't have enough room or I might try to twist Mr. Z's arm to build me one :)

One of the things I've started collecting is salt glazed pottery. It started with my mom giving me a couple pieces. I fell in love and Mr. Z and I have fun buying them at yard sales.  I especially like this one with the heart. So country!

Anyone looking to start a printing business :) :)

I love the little, glass knobs on this end table.  They match the door knobs in my house.

This pump organ makes me think of Mary Ingalls.  Out there on the Dakota Territory. 

No doubt these steamer trunks have a story to tell. What ocean vessels did they sail on or what railroad did they travel.

No thanks! I think I'll pass! No wait, the last I knew I was a mom. I do need this. LOL

A wooden and worn Coca Cola crate - YES please!

Hmm, I wonder what I could do with this old ceiling tile. Ideas ideas... :)

This spice rack journeys me back to Greene County Pennsylvania.  Back when white geese with little blue ribbons tied around their necks was the latest style.  Mom had these in her kitchen :)

These my friends, are the 8 little treasures I found. Kool-ade cups.  All of us kids had one of these back in the early 80s. Chocolate milk always tasted best from this cup :)
Can you believe it? Those little sweeties jumped off the shelf and right into my basket :) Got in my van and came home with me :)

Smile!

Are you looking for Anne Sloan's chalk paint?  This is the only local place I know of. I noticed this vendor's booth has grown. That's exciting!

I don't care how shiny, sparkly new doll houses are now a-days. They don't hold a candle to the quality of a vintage house.  I bought a modern one this summer at a yard sale. It was a tall, 2 story house with a elevator and only spent $5.00.  Let me tell you, I should have saved my $5.00.  

Take a close look at the original price sticker. Do you recognize that old department store? Hills Department Store.  They were the store before Wal-mart took over the monopoly board. Not sure the date of this Ken but he's definitely from my childhood :)

Last but not least, a piece of sunshine for your living room :)

It has been fun sharing just a smidgen of my favorite shop. If you ever get the chance, stop in and stroll down yesterday's lane. (This is not a paid post)

Good night all!!
















Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Memories of Christmas Past

Disclaimer:  Some of the pictures in this post are not mine. They are from my Pinterest boards.


I admit I'm human and sometimes I find myself feeling just a wee but melancholy.  It can be the most random thing that will trigger that part of my brain and throw me for a loop. Today, it was a video that I watched



I encourage you to watch this video. It is an awesome story that is current (not from decades ago) on the power of prayer. God is still performing miracles!! But I must tell ya, it will not be a hilarious moment, it is quite sobering. 

With that in mind, I've been in a sober state of mind the rest of the day. Which usually always takes me down memory lane.  So pardon me while I try to clear my head. I'm sure my kids will appreciate it if it works :)

Can you tell I'm an 80s kid :) 
Back when I was this age all (or most) of my dad's siblings and other relatives used to get together for Christmas. Not sure what those 2 were trying to do to me besides steal what I thought was mine. :) :)  My memories are pretty vague of these get togethers. But give me a few years when I have full blown Alzheimer and I'll remember everything. 

This will always be one of my favorites.  (I really need to take typing lessons on a computer. I keep forgetting that you can't hit the space bar twice and get an instance period at the end of my sentences) This was Christmas Eve either 1986 or 1987. There was no date so I'm going by how old I think I was.  We lived in good ole Greene County Pennsylvania and the little hamlet, Rogersville (I wish we'd never moved from there).  It has always been a tradition in my family to open our gifts on Christmas Eve. This particular year my parents wanted to wait till Christmas Day. That was killing us kids and we begged to open just one :)

One of the things we always got in abundance every year was clothes. Mom was a clothes kinda person and she loved nothing more than to load us up :) 
As I got older I helped her with all the wrapping.  A day or 2 before we unwrapped we went to her room of the garage and we had a wrapping marathon. She would neatly place them in boxes and I would not so neatly wrap them. Whenever it came to my gifts she say "close your eyes". By the time we gathered around the living room to rip into them I basically knew what everyone was getting except me. 

My littlest bro and I - Me in my new Christmas sweater and him in his pj's :)  I so miss this little guy :( We were best of buddies.

In 1985 I got my first sewing machine. This was a big girl moment for me.  My mom sewed a lot and obviously, I wanted to be just like her.  Unfortunately, my sewing career hasn't gone much farther than that. I think my skills have improved some though... :)

I was always the dolly kinda girl. Had to have my baby dolls.  I smile now when I watch my own daughter repeating the same age old love for babies.  That maternal instinct starts at a very young age. This was probably 1984.

I know I know, I don't look very excited in this picture. I think that was the age when showing your true emotions was not cool.  LOL I don't really know but maybe that was my problem.  Anywho! This Christmas gift was for both Todd and I.  They brought that baby right inside the house :) We loved that thing and drove it to it's death. Thankfully, we were both small enough we could ride it together so we didn't have to worry about unfair turns :)

It's been 14 Christmases since my family started to shrink.  I remember that Christmas as though it were yesterday. Have you ever felt like you could crawl right out of your skin because the lump in your throat hurt so bad?  Yeah, that was a dark Christmas. 4 Christmases ago the numbers around the living room had once again decreased.  Needless to say, this time of year tends to lend an air of melancholyness (yes, I know, that's not a word). 
My heart goes out to those who are facing their first Christmas with an empty place at the table.  Their favorite spot around the Christmas tree is going to look like a huge chasm.  You will automatically start to making their favorite Christmas foods only to realize they won't be there.  Their corny jokes and laughter will be an echo. And you will wish for just one more Christmas to all be together. 

I pray that as you face this challenge that you will feel the comforting arms of the unseen Father wrapped around you. 
"When God hides His face that doesn't mean He isn't there.
And though your searching eyes can't see Him, that's no sign He doesn't care.
So with faith's arm reach up to Heaven, embrace that hand so fair..."

Good night all and thanks for letting me share a few short memories of Christmas past!








Sunday, December 14, 2014

Christmas 2014 - Tis the Season

 
Christmas greetings from the former Ellsworth Cottage. We are now "Down Blueberry Lane". You will find that nothing has changed except our title. The author took a sabbatical from blogging for a few months and has come back feeling the need to change the name.
 
I thought I better clear the air there so no one is confused and wondering whose blog they are reading :)
Can you believe it! 2014 is just a few days short of becoming part of history.  No sense in trying to wrap your head around that thought. Once again its Christmas and parts of the house has been decked with a touch of greenery and lights. Enjoy the tour.
 
I have never had a Christmas village until this year. I mentioned to Mr. Z at the end of last Christmas that I would like to have a village some day. Well, he wasted no time in buying me pieces from yard sales and the Restore. By the time I decorated for this year I had the perfect amount for the mantel.
 
I love the blue lights. They give a wintery feel to the whole scene.
Everything makes me think of the story behind Silent Night. It's a quiet little village that is nestled in the "mountains" of my fireplace mantel :)
Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child
Holy infant, tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace.
 
Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
 
Silent night, Holy night
Shepherds quake, at thy sight
Glories stream from heaven above
Heavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born.
 
My old window is sporting a pair of ice skates with pine tucked inside. It's all different from what I did last year. But that's the way I do things. I find it boring to do the same thing over and over :)
 
 
My Christmas Cactus is loaded with blooms this year.
 
Moving into the kitchen. This is the top of the fridge. My 2 foot tree that I have decorated with gingerbread boy and girls. There's a gingerbread cookie pan sitting on an easel. Some pine tucked around everything. It brings a cozy touch to the kitchen.
 
Obviously, it was daylight outside when I took these pictures so the icicle lights hanging in the dining room window aren't showing up as good. But you get the idea :)
 
My kid's chair that hangs on the wall is decked with pine greens. It lends the perfect, simple touch to such a rustic display.
 
Got my snowmen all in a row.
 
As I've been known to say on here before, it's the little details/touches that make the big impact. For example: the twiggy star and doily scream country charm to my winter décor.
Roo is wearing his scarf from last year. In face, that silly bird loved the scarf so much he wore it all year. (shakes her head)
 
This is a terrible picture but it's the only one that turned out. This is my snowman tree and it sits on the hope chest near the front door. Last year it was in the dining room but as I said, I like change.
 
Believe it or not, that's all I have of this year's Christmas. I kept it simple this year. The main tree which  goes in the living room will be purchased this weekend. We do fresh, real. I have special company coming from the west coast this Christmas. Enjoying their presence is what I plan to do this Christmas. I am so looking forward to it.
 
Christmas is not about how much $$ you can spend to put under the tree. It's all about His presence and those you spend the day with. I pray your Christmas is merry and bright with those you love.
 
Here's your random thought:
I've been hunting since I was 13. This year I harvest my first deer. His name is Highosilver  :)
 
Good night all!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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