The Other Side of the Window ~ A Favorite Thing

Last week my favorite thing was the window-less window over my kitchen sink that's full of some sweet things that make me happy while washing dishes. So today I'm sharing the other side of that mirrored window -- the not-so-pretty backside.

If the window were a real window, it would look out into the laundry room and then out the window beyond into the backyard. That would be OK, except for the laundry room in between that's not so lovely...

The mirror and shelves facing into the kitchen are backed by plain old plywood and then the glass of the original window. That brick is the original outside of the house.

Lovely, huh?

That glass canister that holds my laundry detergent

was my mother's -- she used it for flour.

It makes me smile too!

And those candles are my emergency when-the-lights-go-out candles.

They don't make me smile because if I'm using them

it means no electricity and a bad storm outside.

Not liking that!

But then I have a pretty sky and rainbow

and big yellow flowers

covering (most) of that plywood!

It's a poster that Stephanie painted when she was a little kid

She was just learning to spell that long name

and she wrote it backwards on the poster!

It makes me smile.

It makes doing laundry bearable enjoyable.

It makes me remember that sweet little girl

who will soon be 30!

Oliver! I was just going to write about the funny red and black house

and you're in the way!

>^.^<

Hewwo 

I am Oliver, the King Kitty

and I am taking over this blog!

Mommy brought the outside inside

but where are the birdies?

Hmmm, maybe it's a good place to hide... 

Now you can't see me, can you?

OK, I'm bored!

Giving the blog back to mommy.

>^.^<

Well! Thank you very much, Oliver, for your input....

So, about that house....

quite tall and skinny with many windows in an interesting arrangement,

and a garden that grows mammoth flowers!

But the best is her name

written right to left

and every letter backwards!

(and the child is left-handed -- can you imagine all that backwardness?!!)

Yep, definitely a favorite thing!

sharing at

Claudia's for A Favorite Thing
Smiling Sally's for Blue Monday 

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Teapots and Hummels ~ A Favorite Thing

I don't have a kitchen window.

Well, I have a window, but it's mirrored in. The people who owned the house before us added a sun porch and laundry room onto what was then the back of the house. While I love these additions, it did leave a missing window that would have looked out onto the laundry room. Of course, I would much rather have that mirrored window above my kitchen sink than to gaze out upon the laundry room!

The window is recessed, mirrored all the way around, and has glass shelves.

So my favorite thing today is what is on one of those glass shelves. I love what's on the top shelf too, but what's on the eye level shelf is what gives me the most smiles. One day I'll show you what's on the laundry room side of that window, 'cause that's a favorite thing too!

This is a teapot that I painted and glazed back in my ceramics days. Isn't it the cutest?!! I love the gnome cottage look of it and the backside is my favorite because of the cute kitty in the window. I sponged little blue flowers on it and did a paint on, wipe off process for the stones.

 My daughter wants it -- I have to watch her when she's here so that she doesn't make off with it!! Not really, but I did tell her I'd give it to her one day...  For now, and for quite a long time, it's staying in my pretend window!

She wants the other teapot too -- this dark blue one. It belonged to my mother-in-law and I dearly love it. Nothing so special about it -- just a blue pottery teapot. But I love it and think it's so sweet.

Now the Hummels -- well they are super special. Again, my mother-in-law's. They lived in Germany for several years when my father-in-law was in the army. She collected about ten of them, and designated that, after her death, they were to go to my daughter. Stephanie graciously lets me keep them (she knows how much I love them)!

Their cutie patootie backsides....

These three reside on the glass shelves -- they are kind of kitchen related -- Baker taking a little taste, Little Sweeper, and Busy Student who is writing her ABCs (which she would do in the kitchen, in front of the fireplace).

Hey! I just realized....

My daughter actually owns EVERYTHING on my favorite kitchen window shelf!!

(shhh..... don't remind her....)

sharing over at Claudia's for A Favorite Thing
and at Smiling Sally's for Blue Monday 


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Thrifting with a Theme

I'm so glad spring is finally arriving and the weather is nice most days. My hubby can play golf in shorts!!

To me, spring means GARAGE SALES!!  Estate sales and thrift stores are year-round, but garage sales tend to happen in the spring and summer. I'm sure its the same everywhere, but I'm just giddy with the thought of garage sales!

Most every time I say something about garage sales my hubby says "well, who's selling their garage and why do you want to buy it?" Ha! He's such a card -- he needs to be on that golf course!

BUT, have you ever gone to a estate sale or garage sale or thrift store and everything you bought followed a theme? That's what I realized when I got my treasures home -- it was a sewing theme.

A few patterns

This one is very cool in the sleeveless version and I love the fact that the model is wearing tennis shoes!

and is that a man's tie I see around her waist?!!

This pattern is pretty crazy and I would feel silly wearing it, but for the right person it would be awesome!

I dunno about those pants though....

Now on to the really cute stuff!

This adorable kitty string holder with its pretty blue and pink flowers

Who wouldn't love that sweet face!

A cutie mouse pin cushion and thimble

The thimble has a home on her tail!!

And this sweet tea pot shaped like a sewing machine!

Reminds me of my mother's sewing machine!  

When she was teaching me how to sew, I had to stitch on a sheet --

seam after seam to practice stitching in a straight line!

Totally boring -- I wanted to sew something!!

Aren't they all the cutest?!!

They'll be in my shop soon, whenever I can get a little research done on the ceramics!

Yay for nicer weather!!

Sharing at
Smiling Sally's for Blue Monday
The Nifty Thrifty at A Living Space
Knick of Time Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm


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Mama's Canning Strainer ~ A Favorite Thing

I remember my mother using this canning strainer when she made turnips or rutabagas -- she would take the pestle and squash the cooked vegetables against the sides and out they would come through the little holes (this fascinated me as a child)!  I'm sure she used it for canning since she canned and preserved a lot, but I only remember those rutabagas and turnips!

 Speaking of rutabagas and turnips, I couldn't stand the turnips (but duly ate them as a good little girl should) -- besides tasting yucky, they were WHITE for crying out loud. Who wants white food except for ice cream or milk? OK, sour cream and angel food cake -- but that's it!!!  Rutabagas, on the other hand, were a nice orange color and tasted good with some pepper and butter mixed in.

Anyway, I used the strainer now and then but have not used it in years -- poor thing was relegated to the back of the kitchen cabinet, never to see the light of day.

So, when my daughter was here weekend before last, she tackled the closet in my office. (An awesome undertaking!) And a strainer just like my mother's was back in the corner of the closet.

Can I have this, Mom?

Well, I say, I did buy it at an estate sale to sell in my vintage shop.....

But when I juice veggies in the blender, there are still lumps and this would reeealy help.

Puh-leese, Mom?

(like a little kid -- she knows that gets to me every time)

and then....

LIGHT BULB MOMENT!

I go to the kitchen, rummage around in the cabinets, 

and find my mother's strainer

I have my mother's strainer, I tell her.

I remember when she used it, I say.

You can have it if you want. The legs and handle are rusty and the strainer is a little dented....

The estate sale one is in better condition.... but you choose which one you want....

and she said, 

my grandmother's, of course.

The grandmother she never knew.

Makes my heart swell.

♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥   Linking my mother's strainer over at Claudia's for A Favorite Thing

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A Special Dress for Noli!

We had a sleepover this past weekend! Noli had an "event" at school -- a sock hop! Since it was over at 8:30 and going home would put them there pretty late, they slept over at my house (I'm conveniently about middle ways between Noli's two houses) and then they stayed over on Saturday too! It was a pretty fun time!!

Noli is still pretty sleepy on Saturday morning!

(Sorry about the yellow cast -- didn't do the proper settings!)

Wild woman!

I wish I had curls like that!

Stephanie got an attack of "clean-out-itis" and cleaned up the very cluttered closet in my office.... yay! I'd been fixin' to do it for a long time, but procrastination reared its ugly head and I put it off, and off, and off. So this was a HUGE help to me!

Anyway, in that closet were hanging the three dresses I had made for Stephanie's first day of school in Kindergarten and first and second grades. Naturally, Noli had to try them on! Kindergarten was way too short but the other two were a good fit.

The first grade dress is a red jumper with a white blouse and hearts and bows all over! And heart buttons. And ruffles! Oh my, I can't believe I did all those ruffles! 

Noli loved it and wanted to wear it to school on Valentine's Day! 

I just couldn't get the color right, but the red is like that first pic above.

But doesn't she look cute in her mama's dress!

Still showing off that lost tooth!

When Stephanie was in first grade, they celebrated Johnny Appleseed Day -- wore red, bobbed for apples, played apple games. 

The newspaper took photos and the kids were in the paper! 

You can see Stephanie in her red dress!

I did a blog post about it a year or so ago --

  click here if you'd like to read it!

Ha! If Noli were bobbing for apples, she'd have a hard time with only one front tooth!!

And, it's loose!!

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♥♥  Linking Noli's dress over at Claudia's for A Favorite Thing. Because the dress is definitely a favorite thing.... and so is Noli!

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Letters to Santa and the BIG QUESTION ~ A Favorite Thing

I was going through a box of old school stuff of my kids..... 

and came across their letters to Santa back in 1989! 

Adam was in 3rd grade, and Stephanie was in Kindergarten. I'm not sure if they did these in school or if I had a sneaky plan in mind, but if you promise not to tell them..... shhh.... I was Santa!!  I apparently tried to write with flourishes and make my letters nothing like I really wrote them. I can tell it was me, but I think they were fooled!

 I was able to darken them somewhat to be readable
but you might click on the pics to make them larger and easier to read

We always left milk and cookies for Santa (do you think he ever got tired of milk and cookies and just wanted a beer and peanuts instead?!!) Of course, Santa had to eat it all and leave crumbs and traces of milk behind!

I love it that they each drew a picture of Santa -- 

Adam's is so skinny (he always drew skinny people for some reason) 

and notice the RED mustache and NO BEARD!

and Stephanie's is just a big head....

and hmmm, no beard either!

I really cherish these Santa letters because the next year was the year of the

BIG QUESTION!

Adam told me he wanted to ask me something ..... and led me into the garage.....

He leaned against the car, me against the washing machine.  I knew this would be a BIG QUESTION.
Big intake of breath. Serious looks.

So, Mom, tell me the truth   (uh-oh)
Is Santa real??

OK, quick thinking here -- but I knew the only thing to do was to come clean. This kid was SERIOUS.
So I launched into the "Santa isn't a real person, but is the spirit of giving" talk. That he's fun for everyone to be excited about.  etc, etc.

Adam seemed to take all this in pretty well -- and agreed that he wouldn't let on to Stephanie.

And then he said.....

So I guess it's the same for the TOOTH FAIRY and the EASTER BUNNY too.....

All gone, in one fell swoop......

♥♥♥  Linking my Letters to Santa over at Mockingbird Hill for A Favorite Thing

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Done with the flu-cation!!! (and a special heart) ~ A Favorite Thing

I can honestly say, and with much enthusiasm, that my favorite thing right this minute is that I am finally bouncing back from the flu!!!  Yay!!!

This bug got me down a couple of weeks ago and even though, body-wise, I am feeling pretty good, there is still a persistent cough which is kind enough to wake me up several times during the night -- thus, I still feel tired and worn out (I'm sure being well over the hill has something to do with that too, but we won't mention it at this point.....) It seems that the older one gets, the harder it is to shake off an illness and get back to normal.

After dragging myself a few times to the computer to check on sales, I finally wised up and put my shops on vacation. On flu-cation, as it were.... But they are back in business now since I think I can tackle the boxing and shipping again.

So, imagine a picture of me throwing off the ice pack on my head and the thermometer from my mouth!
And, blogging again!

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My other favorite thing this week is this sweet heart shaped trinket box -- it's hand painted with lovely little flowers reminiscent of the china painting done by a dear aunt. I have several of her china painted pieces -- I'll show you those another time since I'm not up to a lot of picture taking right now -- and this trinket box is exactly like one she would have painted.

I found it at an estate sale and simply had to get it. It may make its way into my shop, but for now it is residing on my dresser.

I love the little blue flowers and the swirling vines with their tiny pink dots.

It is signed M. Austin and I think that Ms. Austin did a beautiful job on her trinket box. I would love to know the story behind this little heart -- did M. Austin give it as a gift to a special friend or family member? Did she paint it just for her pleasure? Did she use it for her bits and bobs? Whatever its story, I'm happy to use it for my bits and bobs for now, and to think of my aunt whenever I look at it.

♥♥♥ Linking my trinket box to A Favorite Thing over at Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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