Punch Needle Embroidery

Have you ever tried punch needle embroidery? Well, I hadn't and have always wanted to try it -- so I entered into a challenge to try a new technique (from my Etsy blogging team, Blogging Business Artisans). This challenge was done by my "other self" and, if you'd like, you can read about it here.

Anyway, how does this tie in with a vintage thingie, you ask....

In the process, I remembered that I had found THIS at a garage sale (for all of $1.00!) -- it's from 1985.

It's an "Easy Punch Automatic Embroidery Machine" and we'll just have to see how "easy" it is!!

I plan on trying it out for another punch needle project sometime in the not-too-distant future and see how the older "automatic" technique compares with the newer "by hand" technique. That is, if I can keep from letting it run off my fabric and onto my fingers!!

This one is battery operated but has an adapter for electricity -- alas, the adapter was not included in my find. The instructions say that it goes faster with electricity though, so it's probably good that I only have the battery power!

Whoa! Looks like a submarine -- or a happy dolphin!

According to the brochure, the "automatic 'walking' needle ensures close, even stitching" -- I hope so, because that was the hardest part of doing the punching by hand. I had a tendency to lift the point of the needle off the fabric and that was a clear mistake! The backside of the work should look like small, even stitches..... didn't happen for me!

So, when I get around to using this smart little device, I'll show you my gorgeous project (which, of course, I know it will be)!! Just be aware that it (and I) may become even more vintage before that day comes!

Just for fun, here's the one I just completed using the newer "by hand" technique!!

♥♥♥ Linking my Punch Needle to Vintage Thingie Thursday over at Colorado Lady. Hop on over to find more vintage thingies!!


♥♥

Mixing It Up in Harvest Gold

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE going to garage/estate sales?  (don't you just love the ones that are advertised as an estate sale, but are really garage sales?) Thrift stores are right up there too, and, glory be!, there's a new one that's recently opened near me. Yahoo!!

Anyway, on a rummage trip, I found this fabulous Sunbeam mixer! With a tiny bit of difference, it's just like one I bought back in the very early 70s! I think it was my very first kitchen appliance purchase. It was when everything was Avocado Green and Harvest Gold!! My apartment was done in those fab colors (although I doubt that I could stand them now!) -- I wish I still had the flower power avocado/gold sheets I had back then!

So, back to the mixer....  I found it for $3.00 at an estate sale (yes, it was a true estate sale...) AND IT WORKS!!! I've needed a hand mixer for some time -- I have one of those huge all-in-one stand mixer, food processor, dough kneader things (vintage in itself) and just can't stand dragging it out just to mix up a little batch of something or other.

It has a long cord -- made back in the time that we could actually figure out by ourselves that the cord should be kept out of the way of small kids and animals, glassware and water. Oh, perish the thought! We apparently now are prone to run willy nilly with sharp objects unless there is a warning sign in HUGE letters on everything we buy.  Whoops! Down off my soapbox.... :p

I thought it would be cute perched on my little toy stove.

But I think I'll just keep it in the cabinet near its gigantic stand mixer big sister. I hope it doesn't feel small in comparison because it definitely will do some big mixing! And it's that cool Harvest Gold color....

Today I'm linking my "new" and fabulous and Harvest Gold mixer to Knick of Time Tuesday. Rush over there now and find some more vintage goodness!

♥♥

A Tale of Two Stoves

This was my little play stove when I was a kid, back in the dark ages. I have it in my kitchen on my baker's rack and it makes me smile whenever I look at it. Wouldn't it be fun to have a real stove like that, with the cool primary color buttons? How about the electrical outlet? Or the built-in salt shaker?

I had some metal pots and pans to cook with and my dolls had some very delicious meals! Can you see the deep fat fryer on the back?  In real life, that was a frying basket that was removable and the heat element was down at the bottom.

Goes to show you how much frying went on back in those days! No Fry Daddies needed, it was all in your stove!

I was looking at some old family pictures and came across this one of my mother, taken in 1958.  Doesn't it look like a photo out of a Ladies Home Journal or Good Housekeeping?  I remember this stove -- it was electric and had two really deep drawers at the bottom. She kept all her pot lids in one of them, and kitchen linens in the other.

  

Like my toy stove, it also had the deep fat fryer on the outside back burner. Our kitchen had a swinging door that was next to the stove and opened into the dining room. The dining room was an extension of the living room which had a door leading into the hall (always kept open). From the hall was another open entrance into the kitchen. (Are you following this? I've never been good at directions!)  

Anyway, you could run in a complete circle from kitchen to dining room to hall and back to kitchen. Which, of course, I did with much regularity.

OK, back to the deep fat fryer, which (as a reminder) was on the outside of the stove, next to the swinging door.  So my mother was frying chicken -- I was running through the doors -- my long hair was billowing out behind me -- I know you know where this is leading -- I singed my hair!!! 

Fortunately nothing really bad happened -- except I wasn't allowed to run in the circle anymore.  My mother, however, did go on to fry more chicken!!

♥♥♥ Linking my stoves to Rednesday over at It's a Very Cherry World. Check it out for some more reds!

♥♥♥ Found a brand spankin' new link up party for vintage kitchen goodies and recipes -- it's called What's Cooking in the Cottage Kitchen (hosted by Etsy Cottage Style) and it sounds like fun! My stoves are linking up there, too!

♥♥♥ Yay!  Another new linky for me!! So now I'm linking my stoves to Knick of Time Tuesday over at Knick of Time Interiors! Have yourself a look, lots of vintage treasures to see!

♥♥

A Black Tie Affair

Are you ready for a fabulous New Year's Eve party? This just might give you some good ideas!



My "other self" put this together but I wanted to share here because there are a number of vintage items in the treasury. Enjoy!

♥♥

Today's Rednesday!!

It's Rednesday over on Magnolia Surprise!!

I usually post my Rednesday here, but decided to mix it up every now and then and post over on my other blog, Magnolia Surprise! 

So head over there and check out the super-duper lighted trees!

♥♥

Two Special Santas

Today, being Rednesday, I wanted to share these two very special Santas. They were made by my aunt many, many years ago.

I remember this jolly Santa sitting out every year -- she always told me that I could look at it, but not pick it up... I'm glad she did because, after I grew up, she gave it to me! And I could pick it up all I wanted! I've always been very careful with my special Santa, because so many happy memories are associated with him.

My aunt would occasionally spruce him up with a bit of paint here and there where needed -- no sprucing needed on my account I can tell you!! But I have chosen to leave him just as he is -- the little chippy areas just make him all the more special. I don't know his real birthday, but he's at least 60 something... or he could be in his 70s or 80s for all I know, depending on when she painted  him!

Side view -- isn't his tummy the best? Or, in his case, I believe that roundness might be officially called a "belly"!! He's made of plaster and is quite heavy, probably because of all those cookies he eats each year!


This cutie ceramic Santa is a bit newer -- my aunt only signed her name on the bottom but did not date him.  But she probably made him in the 60s. She gave him to me in the mid-80s.

Sometimes he carries Christmas cards in his pouch, sometimes candy canes, sometimes poinsettias -- you just can't ever tell what Santa will have in his bag!

I love his blue eyes -- and his cute bald head! Did you know that Santa was bald on top? Why else would he wear that hat all the time? And you know that every picture of him in his jammies shows him with a nightcap on. Bald, for sure!!


Linking up my special Santas to Rednesday on It's a Very Cherry World. Be sure to stop by and check out more reds!

♥♥

Old World Santas

I love the look of Old World Santas. They have so much character and charm, and the ones from other countries give a peek into other traditions and history.

That's not to say that the "jolly ho-ho-ho" Santa that the kids love isn't cool too, but you see the old guy everywhere! Maybe a mall Santa should dress in old world garb for a little something different.... OK, the kids probably wouldn't recognize him, so the round guy with the fluffy white beard stays! (And, I do have a bunch of his likeness around my house at Christmastime!)

Anyway.....

I used to do ceramics, even had my own kiln. Back in the 80s or early 90s one of the mold companies came out with Old World Santas, and I fell in love! I only painted two and wished I had done more!

During the Christmas season, these guys reside on my piano, along with an assortment of old Christmas music booklets sent out by businesses during the holidays.

There is also a book of "A Christmas Carol" sent out by a family and the solid red one has Christmas traditions from all over the world. They are all old but, unfortunately, none are dated. They may have originally belonged to my hubby's grandmother. I'll have to do a bit of research on them!

Linking my Santas to Rednesday hosted by It's a Very Cherry World. Link your something red  and read about other reds too!

♥♥