Americana in December

Most folks have heard the saying 'Christmas in July',

well I'm writing about Americana in December,

 a tribute to my friend

Diana of  'The Faded Geranium'.

Diana is making a bittersweet life change.  

She's going to be the full time 'nanny' for her great-grandchildren.

She'll have a new great-grand-baby asleep in her arms

and a cuddle of others playing near by...what could be sweeter?

To accomplish this sweet change, she will be closing her shop

"The Faded Geranium" 

... the 'bitter' in bittersweet.

Her favorite 'style' is Americana, as you can see by these 'snaps'

of  Diana and The Faded Geranium last July 4rh.  

Once she gets settled in her 'nanny' role, 

Diana will be selling on line...so we will be watching for more

Faded Geraniums!

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I can't close an Americana post without another picture of

 'Old Glory', 

though sold & moved to a new home, still close at heart. 

 I also have to include a couple more snaps of 

 these dear little patriots.

Here they are on a lovely warm July 4th, only a few months ago...

 ...and only a few more months to the next warm days.

Christmas and a lot of other wonderful 'things' in between, 

but the warmth of summer only a few months away.

From Beyond the Clouds

I just read the Thanksgiving Day "Thanks" Marian Parsons

wrote on her blog Miss Mustard Seed (http://missmustardseed.com/).

It made me realize that there was one more

 'Thanks' I left off of my post from yesterday.

I have been fortunate to have Divine Intervention keep my life

from going totally off kilter after my own

"well thought out plans"!

My mother used to say 

"The Good Lord watches out for his idiots."

and I'm sure there were times

when thought I was at the top of his list.

Now she and my father are both Beyond the Clouds, 

giving Him a hand watching out for my 'plans'.

Here's sending little thoughts and prayers for

family and friends who could use a little

          Divine Intervention during this hectic Holy-day Season.          

 

My cup runneth over...

Today I am home, planning to spend this holiday with family...

a gift indeed.

This fall I had a chance to spend a week in North Carolina,

helping with and attending my niece's wedding...

treasured memories.

This summer a small group of old 'chums' gathered for 

an evening to dine and talk and remember.

We caught up on our own lives, and the lives of the children that 

have been born and grown and are now older than when we

first started 'hanging out'...

a rare and wonderful chance to reach back to old

treasured memories and build new ones.

 

Last spring I spent another week between North Carolina

and Florida with family and 'the nephew to be',

getting to meet some of his family,

playing at Disneyworld,

Para-sailing for the first time...

experiences and shared moments

 that are filled with immeasurable value.

At different times in the year, I have been afforded opportunities

 to talk with friends and family 

far and near, all as close as a cell phone away...

sharing a connection that time and distance does not challenge.

A little over a year ago I started this blog and

 in spite of my lack of faithful entry, 

I have family and friends who ask me to write more....

a support that comforts me and sustains me.

A little before that I opened my little 'booth' 

where sell my little 'wares'.

In so doing, I have met wonderful people and made new friends...

they are new silver in my treasure trove.

I have had the gift of time to chat and share with friends;

shopping trips to favorite haunts with those who share

my penchant for 'old';

 an adventurous scavenger hunt 

to the coast where rust was the treasure of the day;

we have had morning coffee, afternoon tea, ice cream in the sun;

some have cooked for me, we have dined out together...

I have been sated by the pleasure of good company.

I have a job that sustains me financially

 and in so many other ways...

I see the strength of the human spirit facing

the challenges of compromised health, a damaged body, 

loss of a loved one, or a life envisioned.

I see the power of the human connection in my

co-workers who continually surprise me

with the breadth of the ability to give of themselves...

At the end of the day,

 I know it is a blessing to just be able to go home.

I sit here in the comfort of my warm and quiet living room while

 others struggle against great challenges such as the destruction of

hurricane Sandy, or the bombing in the middle east

 and countless other personal, social, or environmental events

that are beyond my ken.

This evening I will enjoy the blessing of home and hearth

and for this  and all that I have been given through this year, 

I give heartfelt thanks to Heaven...

and lift up those who are facing challenges on this day of 

Thanksgiving.

Grateful

We had a great turnout for our Vintage Faire.

People were lined up before the opening;  

 friendly and enthusiastic.

After all the hard work, 

it was wonderful to have this great response.

It's hard to believe 5 days have passed already.  

I'll post more pictures when I get them from the others...

because I got distracted and didn't get pictures of everything..

and personally I think we had some very cute displays!

I only have one picture to share tonight...

 This is Greg & Don on Don's Wedding Day.

Greg was our cousin 

who lost his battle with Lymphoma several years ago.

Don participates in this climb every spring in Greg's honor; 

raising money to help find a cure.

Don now has a nice 'chunk of change' toward his next climb.

I appreciate all the vendors who participated:

Old Buckley Mercantile:  Brenda & Ed

Porter Antiques & Trading Company: Sharon & Glenlyn

The Quiet Nest: Ella

Sweat Pea:  Ann (Space at Porter Antiques)

 Bonnie Ugland (Space at Old Buckly Mercantile)

         

My greatest appreciation is for all the folks who stopped in, 

buying 'treasure',

eating snacks,

drinking lemonade,

taking pictures,

making donations,

visiting, laughing, giggling,

sharing & supporting.

Sending you all a very sincere 

Thank You!

Time

Too much if you're bored...
Painful if you're doing something you don't like...
Too little if you're busy...
Joyous when you're having 'the time of your life' ...
Passing too slowly if you're waiting for Christmas...
Passing too quickly when you're watching children grow...

All contributing to my inspiration for "Father Time's Sidekick"

A little 'side' table that I'm sure Father Time would luv to have beside his favorite chair; holding his reading light and the perfect place for setting the clock that he uses to manage World Time.  A little drawer to keep any spare minutes he happens to find.

Here are few pix of this little table...all dressed up and waiting for our Vintage Faire tomorrow.
            

 

                 Wonderful corners...A few decorations on top...

 

And a few decorations for inside the drawer. 

 The perfect knob...

The perfect stencil...

 And the overall piece after distressing and waxing...

 giving the impression of having been around for a long time.

 

Move over Jack...Old Glory's coming Back

I've seen several Union Jack dressers, 

all of them skillfully painted.

But this year, we're in London for the Olympics...

(The only city where I could actually live in the city, and did...another story!)

We'll be competing with the Brits and the rest of the world, 

so I just couldn't paint a Union Jack.

Then I chanced upon a garage sale 

where a tired lass kept whispering

 "Old Glory"!

I didn't listen at first...

but I was drawn back at the end of the day.

They had 'closed' and yet she was still in the driveway...

still whispering...

"Old Glory".

I went to the door...and she was mine.

The only problem being, I didn't have room!

It took me 2 more days to get a space cleared...

Thank Heaven the previous 'care-takers' were patient...

space was made...and home she came!

I don't have a picture of her in her tired state but here 

she's got her 'drawers' spread out,  drying in the sun.

 

A little water and TSP Substitute 

and the years faded away from her tired finish.

My brother Brian sanded her top to a silky touch

and then I added walnut stain.

It was the first time I've used the water based stain. 

 It came in a tube and was the consistency of pudding 

which applied smoothly with a rag. 

It seemed to require a little more than  the liquid

but the consistency would work well on things like chair spindles.

(I'll have to try it.)

  Since there were 4 colors, 

it was nice to be able to get samples.

I used Behr from HD.  They will even color matches their samples 

and these are about twice the size of the premixed brands I've found.

I used a little detail brush for the stars...

 Here she is in her fresh new paint...

However, fresh is never the look I'm after...

so sandpaper...

clear wax...

dark wax...

more clear wax...

and...of course it took longer than I thought it would!

And finally...I finished just after dark last night.

This morning I pulled her out and 

had some fun staging Red, White & Blue

Can't pass a chance to display my 58!

 

You'll notice the morning  we 

still had a little marine air obscuring the sun,

so I had to take a couple more shots after the sun came out!

 The fine lady was interestingly assymetrical. 

 The left drawers divided by frame work, with a   

groove under the bottom front edge for pulling instead of any knobs.

The right drawers without the framework, all nesting together

 and there were brass & wood handles...

(Currently rusting in a bucket out front!)

The left side has 4 point star cut-outs and vertical grain...

 

The right side without stars and horizontal grain...

 

...and her whispered "Old Glory" was exactly right!

  

                     Remember my Inspiration Photo?...Do you think it's a match? 

....long  may  she  wave!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The lovely "Old Glory" 

and all the wonderful staging pieces

will all be on sale at the 

Vintage Faire.

Here's a new picture of my driveway...

the display is blooming...(pun intended)

They don't call me "CorneeDee" for nothin'.

I'll be moving

 "Old Glory" 

& all her accoutrements 

to Pioneer Street 

tonight...

and if you're in the area.

remember to stop by Porter Antiques on Cole Street 

check out the Vintage Washers on Silent Auction...

Gotta take some new pix...they are both planted and looking great!

Hope to see you Saturday....I'm getting excited!

Vintage Faire - One Week from Today!

 Oh My....I've got some paintin' to do!

For the full effect, that should be said with 

Ricky Ricardo's Cuban accent;

you know, when he says...

Lucy, You've got some 'splainin' to do! 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you all had a wonderful 

Independence Day!

 

From my Summer Pinboard:  sundayinbed.tumblr.com

  

From my Summer Pinboard:  countrygirlsworldd.tumblr.com

  

These photos are my inspiration...Reveal to follow later today!

but before committing, I have to say that things always seem

to take me longer than I think they should!

Am I the only one with that problem?

 Stop by again to see the inspired piece! 

It will be for sale at Vintage Faire!

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And...Remember to Mark your Calendars:

 Bring you pocket money along with bags and boxes

for all the treasure you will find.

Changing a lump of coal into

 the diamond that is

Grace

Yesterday I included a picture of an old rocking chair. 

 I've had her for awhile;  

standing outside,  patiently awaiting my inspiration.  

Definitely a 'she'; petite and showing

 signs of her lingering grace that was abundant in her youth.

Hmmm...Grace seems the perfect name for her!

I knew from looking at Grace that she had once been 

beautiful as well as functional.

 Much of her construction is held with wood pegs. 

 I have to admit, that I didn't check out all her  nooks & crannies

(One doesn't look under all the folds of a ladies skirt)

 so can't make any statements to her overall construction.  

Either way, Grace was a glorious piece that had seen better days. 

 She had greyed with age,

her wood was cracked and she'd lost her caning..  

The ages had left Grace as little more than a frame;

a frame that wouldn't allow her to ever again hold someone in her lap. 

Grace definitely needed a day at the spa! 

A good scrub and a rub down with deep walnut stain 

remedied the dull grey color she had been reduced to wearing. 

A little chicken wire-n-burlap and her lap will

continue with bountiful purpose as she cradles petunia blooms,

the soft cascade of lobelia, 

 and the promise of future

that whispers from the little bird nest which snuggles under the foliage.

 

The jute lacing accentuates Grace's tall and regal back, 

giving support the the treasure she holds and nurtures. 

And she wears a flower on her lapel, 

reminding us of the beauty she once displayed in her very structure. 

Not all furniture remains furniture 

but if we look closely we may find

the beauty and 'Grace' they still have to share. 

PS~Remember to mark your calendar for:

 Vintage Faire,

Enumclaw, WA

 July 14th, 10A-eP