LIVING IN THE WHIRL OF OZ

Branding Dancing Bumblebee Cottage

2012-01-29T12:31:00.000-06:00

I've been selling online for nearly a year for the third time (we know that means it's a charm!). Way back when, I was an antique dealer at a sweet antique shop in Paola, Kansas but then eBay came along and during its' heyday I was going gangbusters! I closed out my booth and sold strictly online. Even back in 1999-2001, I was attracted to vintage sewing patterns, linens and old household essentials.

After awhile, I took a break and my grandmother in 2004 decided to sell her estate full of antiques and wonderful vintage items, so from early 2004 through mid-2005, I went back to selling antiques online but at the end of that, I was pooped out and took a very long break until this past year when my husband and I stumbled on an estate auction in Missouri near the Lake of the Ozarks. I purchased 2 large boxes of vintage sewing patterns for $1 each box and from then on, I was hooked again.

I started selling again on eBay and opened up a shop on Etsy and have been loving every minute of it. But, it's time to step up my game and I felt it was time to brand my line of antique/vintage and homemade items.

Since I primarily search out farm auctions in the midwest, the thread of farm auctions continually run through my purchases. Items such as old farm tools, sweet kitchen wares, primitives and of course, feedsacks, are my attractions. Yesterday, I decided to revamp my profile on Etsy:

Welcome!

Step inside Dancing Bumblebee Cottage and look around. You'll notice most of our items come from farm auctions and for good reason! I want to step back in time to the midwest during the early-1900's. To walk in the shoes of the pioneering women as they traveled across the Santa Fe Trail and finding that piece of barren land to be made into a profitable venture.

The trials and tribulations were many, but the perseverance of the people was noble, indeed. Many women lived in newly-built farmhouses bordering the land that would become fruitful with crops and livestock. Starting from the ground up, they learned to make-do and create needful things by using their creativity with what was easily accessible.

Their husbands worked hard on the land and together they made a life that continues to this day through their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And sometimes, the farms are no longer wanted in the family and sadly, go to auction.

We purchase 99% of our items at farm auctions in Kansas and Missouri because it's my way of stepping back; of holding something tangible in my hands that was once held by our ancestors who toiled to bring us the midwest we know and love today!

Our handmade goods are made from vintage fabric and feed/grain sacks found at these auctions for the very same reason: I want you to be a part of the sisterhood of the early midwest.

When you visit Dancing Bumblebee Cottage, I want you to experience the best our rural midwest has to offer. It warms our hearts to pass along treasures to be loved and used once again.

Thank you!

- - -

This year, I plan to really hunker down and find items strictly off the farm. I want the ingredients of my homemade items coming off the farm, to the best of my ability, as well.

I think it may be time to trade out the roller skates to floral rubber boots and pick up a copy of Grass and Grain. Spring can't come fast enough!!

Feedsack Birdie Bookmark

2012-01-28T21:43:00.001-06:00

If you sew, you understand scraps are everywhere! If they're too small to really use, I throw them away, but if they're not, they go into a keep area. That keep area is overflowing and I decided that I'd make bookmarks because everyone has a favorite little book with a favorite quote that they want easily accessible like this 1938 Household Guide book.

I took the scraps of a small feedsack print of a pillowcase and cut it down to approximately a 2 1/2" X 7" inch piece, serged the edges and then cut out a tiny little bird. I attached the bird with machine stitching and then stitched a small swing for it to sit upon. The swing "attaches" to the tiny bow at the top.

And because I only used 2 pieces of fabric and nothing else, the bookmark sits flat and won't add bulk to your book.

Nifty!

More bookmarks will be added to the shop over time, but for now, here's the link to this one:

Birdie Bookmark

Windmill Fabric

2012-01-26T19:14:00.002-06:00

I love windmills, as you can see from some of my photography:

I knew I wanted to print most of my photography in a different medium other than photo paper and fabric, since I love to sew, seems like the perfect choice. Pillow covers are an easy item to make and they are fun for home decor when wall space may be at a premium, but I wanted to not only use my own photograph, but my own backing fabric, as well.

I came to this conclusion after spending the other day shopping at all the big-box fabric stores and coming away with nothing, even though I had 40% - 50% off coupons in hand. Everything looked, well, uninspired and in-the-box, so I knew my 1906 Montgomery Ward Catalogue that I bought from eBay back in 2002 might come in handy.

This advertisement from the catalogue naturally caught my eye:

. . . so I scanned it in and transferred the file to Spoonflower and wa-la, fabric!

Here's a link:

Windmill Fabric at Spoonflower

My e-mail shows that it was sent in today's mail, so watch for new creations coming soon!

Quaker Oats Chicago Laying Mash Pillow

2012-01-21T22:52:00.002-06:00

As a proud Illinois-born and mostly bred (I moved away when I was 12), I just couldn't pass by this awesome vintage Quaker Oats Laying Mash sack that was found in Columbia, Missouri. Needless to say, it sat atop my fabric stash for less than a month before being made into a pillow.

I search high and low for good, clean vintage pillow forms for my pillow covers because when you buy a pillow that you like, having to run to the fabric store to buy a pillow form is a nuisance. I'd like for you to open your purchase and be ready to use it straight away, so all of my pillow covers come with the pillow inside.

This pillow cover is sewn with an envelope-style backing complete with a vintage silver button! New blue and white ticking was chosen for the backing fabric since it complements the Quaker sack nicely.

As always, you can click over to my Etsy shop by the link in the right sidebar.

My Newest Dairy Feed Sack Pillow

2012-01-20T11:50:00.002-06:00

You can find it HERE.

White Cloud, Kansas

2012-01-10T17:34:00.000-06:00

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Decorating with Numbers

2012-01-10T12:01:00.001-06:00

If you enjoy decorating with the latest in home decor design, then you'll probably want a few numbers to accomplish your task. Numbers are everywhere!

Neat, huh? So, when I found this vintage set of cattle branding irons from 0-8 with the number 6 able to flip into a 9, I was thrilled!

If anyone is unsure what branding irons do, they are meant to "tattoo" livestock so if one would escape or get stolen, it would be easily traced back to the owner through the numbered or lettered system branded onto the animal.

The numbers were at one point wrapped with twine. My husband grew up on a cattle ranch and said it was supposed to be a bit more humane rather than the metal going directly against the skin. Branding is branding to me, though, and I'm sure it's painful no matter what.

From a Missouri farmstead, these irons have been used. I love the rusty handles and the worn look of the numbers! They look great together in a large vase or displayed separately.

I have them listed on Etsy at the moment:

Numbered Cattle Branding Irons

Items That Never Made It to the Sale Floor of the 'Net

2012-01-08T15:39:00.000-06:00

So when I started selling antiques again last year, I vowed to myself that when I was at an auction, everything purchased was for store stock. Our home is decorated and the cottage is stuffed full of vintage finds, so honestly, I don't need one more thing. Selling vintage and antique items is a source for me to fill my collecting tendencies in a way that satisfies me without A. Breaking the bank and B. Becoming the next star on Hoarders.

I've done very well with that vow and have not kept a single thing until I became obsessed with decorating in the farmhouse style. Everything else I had on hand, but would you believe I didn't have a single bovine or livestock animal to decorate with? And then one thing led to another. . .

When I redecorated after the Christmas holiday, I needed a lamp on the same table the antique scale sits on. The smaller lamp has been moved into the dining room and is now sitting on the buffet with an antique hanky on top of it:

So what was I to do?

Well, when my husband and I were down at the lake between Christmas and New Year's, I went shopping in our storage unit:

. . . and came out with this lamp and 1922 Agriculture book:

(Yes, I know the lamp needs to be wiped down and I didn't show the shade which is awesomely old and rockin')

The book was purchased at a farm auction in Cole Camp, MO this fall. I had plans on selling it, but really, I'm a farm girl at heart, who was I kidding? And the lamp, ah the lamp. This was bought at an auction in Sedalia, MO this fall with plans, again, of selling. It's made of chalkware and I love chalkware! I paid $1 for the book and a $1 for the lamp and shade, so it's not like I broke the bank!

And do you see that cute brown cow there in the middle? She was just purchased at the antique mall featured on The Travel Channel's Truck Stop Missouri. I paid $9. So this little corner was a total of $11! How's that for decorating on a budget? My storage unit ROCKS! And. . .I made room for more finds once the farm auctions kick back into high gear! Oooooo, the anticipation. ;)

The Cloche

2012-01-07T13:41:00.002-06:00

Cloches, or domes, are "in." So fashionable that you can search blogs, shops and even antique malls for varying ways to display the cloche.

An example from here:

I'm a bit more non-traditional and prefer the appearance of the cloche to be something other than what it was originally meant to be used for.

For example,

I love this idea of using old scientific flasks as found here.

So I knew that one of these days, I'd jump on the cloche bandwagon and ride it all the way home, but I was waiting for inspiration. A week ago, my husband and I were scouring the antique malls in Lincoln, Missouri and I came across a heavy clear glass cake stand. Since it was chipped (yay!), it was priced at just $2.00. I knew that would be the perfect base for my display.

My husband grew up on a Kansas ranch and he brought with him a few souvenirs of the days of yore. One of the items was a cattle muzzle that has most recently been used to hang in the kitchen to store wooden utensils. I was tired of the look, so I cut off the twine that I tied to it and flipped it over and wa-la: instant vignette of the cloche variety.

It's on the table next to the fireplace and mantle which are sporting a farmhouse theme. Underneath the "cloche", I placed a vintage stoneware pitcher. It's all sitting on our antique scale.

The cloche means something to both my husband and I, so that makes it even more special. So when you are out and about scouring the antique venues, why not find something to repurpose, as well. It provides a bit of unexpected pizzaz to home decor-which is the best kind!

Happy Hunting!

Vintage Seed Sack Bird Cage Pillow

2012-01-05T17:40:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! 2012 sounds so space-age, don't you agree? And yet, I'm still into vintage. I shall never be a girl of the future.

With that in mind, I just listed my newest creation over at Etsy! The link is to your right.

I have so many vintage feed and seed sacks from attending farm auctions over the warm months that I'm always looking for projects to make things with them. The Certified sack was perfect because the logo was still vibrantly blue and it looks just like a paper tag, which is really trendy right now.

To make the bird cage, I machine-stitched the design complete with a swing for the bird.

The sweet bird was created with a vintage cotton bed sheet. The eye is an antique glass button.

I'm loving the machine stitching to create designs. Here's the ornament I gave to our granddaughter:

Using the same design principle, I made an ornament instead of a pillow using all vintage fabrics, except for the body of the bird. However, the little wing was made from an old pair of polyester shorts that was at the bottom of a box full of vintage fabric purchased at a farm auction. Repurposing is so much fun!

Six Years Ago Today

2011-12-28T14:40:00.000-06:00

Today marks 6 years since my mother suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke that left her in a vegetative condition until her passing February 2009. In some respects, it's easier as time has a way of lessening the pain but in other respects, this day just plain sucks.

But then I remember all the happy times and I especially remember her telling me one day that if she passed away before I did, she would do things around me to let me know she's there.

Since she died, I've been receiving hearts in many forms, as I have outlined in this blog from time to time. However, she really outdid herself this Christmas, though. Christmas Eve I was sitting at the dining room table wrapping gifts. My husband was standing next to the front door which opens to the entry hall and the stairway that leads to the second floor. While I was sitting perfectly still and he was standing perfectly still, a pink marble literally and I mean literally fell from the ceiling.

We both said, "what was that?" He bent over and found the pink marble. I've never owned a pink marble in my life and we stared at it in amazement. I finally smiled and said, "that's mom wanting to wish us a Merry Christmas." Mom's favorite color was pink. Believe me, the pink marble was from her.

So while my mind replays the horrible events of December 28, 2005, one look at the pink marble now nestled safely in our china cabinet, I am quietly soothed knowing that the memories are just that; memories and the reality of her existence today is far more beautiful than you and I can ever imagine. And for that, I am grateful.

I love you, mom!

A Simple Christmas

2011-12-20T13:06:00.000-06:00

Normally I go all out for Christmas. Back in 2004, I think we had a total of 13 trees around the house-big and small. Every room was decorated to the hilt and it took 2 weeks to put up and 2 weeks to take down and clean.

That was the end of that.

Since then, some years were more festive than others, but still the house looked Christmasy and all was well. This year, however, I didn't do much. No full-size tree and no santa collection on display. There's just too much swirling around keeping my attention and Christmas decorating kept being put on the back burner.

But finally I decided to throw a few things together and I couldn't be happier.

I adore the fireplace this year:

Since it doesn't scream, "Christmas", the design can be left up through the end of January.

My favorite antique mannequin is decked out in a festive vintage apron and I placed a cow muzzle on her head to look like a hat. :)

The awesome cow sign was picked up in Springfield, Missouri this Spring for a whopping $5! I hung a pair of vintage denim overalls that is sized to fit a doll next to the cow sign.

It's sort of a farmhouse-themed mantle this year with greenery intertwined with snowflake fabric. A wooden barn stands at one end of the mantle and a house is at the other end with the vintage farm auction sign in the middle.

I stuck an old flower frog in the bottom of the white milk glass bowl to hold the candy cane and then I filled with colored lights. It's really pretty at night!

The last card my mother sent to me before she had a stroke is always displayed prominently each Christmas since 2005. Christmas was her favorite holiday and I like to think she decorates the heavens each year for the birthday of Jesus. :)

Not photographed are two tabletop fiber optic trees. They may be cheesy, but I enjoy them.

A simple Christmas. I like it.

Thyme in a Glass

2011-12-19T14:31:00.001-06:00

Happiness is continually forgetting to add "new kitchen plant" to the shopping list and then realizing that when I purchased thyme for a recipe, the plastic package I picked up from Target actually had the thyme still connected to its' root system with the dirt from a peat pot.

I then grabbed a tiny glass from the cupboard and plopped the thyme plant inside and wa-la: instant kitchen plant atop the vintage cherry tin.

I doubt I'll be able to keep this plant over the long haul, but I'm enjoying it every day thus far!

One Down

2011-12-18T13:04:00.000-06:00

So yesterday I worked on the handmade item that will be given to our daughter and son-in-law. Last year I made a pillow for them and this year, I wanted to do something different.

Here's the end result:

First, I took burlap and cut a long strip. I went over to the sewing machine and hand-crafted the burlap to resemble a nest by using some stitches and folding over the burlap until I was happy with the end result.

I purchased a roll of old apron tags a long time ago, and I cut off enough of the ribbon tags to sew onto the nest so the ornament can hang off a tree branch. Or, since the nest sits on the table well, one could fold the apron tags inside to resemble nesting material.

I hand-stamped their last name (ralston) onto the plain portion of an old feedsack and cut each out into block form. Slim copper wire was threaded through the pieces of material to resemble a banner and I affixed each end of the wire to the burlap.

Working with burlap to make nests is excellent because it naturally starts to unravel, which makes the nest look more authentic.

For the bird, I cut up an old Cornhusker brand corn seed sack and sewed the bird together to make it three-dimensional.

For the wings, I cut the corn logo out and then sewed it to the sides of the bird.

I made sure to use the printed portions of the seed sack to add visual interest to the bird.

The final product can be displayed together or separate.

I see a few more of these in my future and will most likely add a few to my Etsy shop, as well. :)

Since Thanksgiving. . .

2011-12-06T18:20:00.000-06:00

Since Thanksgiving:

I've had a root canal.

Finally finished decorating for Christmas today. It's simple and I like it.

Was told yesterday that all my blood tests sent to Mayo turned out GREAT and the most exciting news is that my numbers are the lowest they have ever been. We have concluded that the last really bad spell may have been a flare or most likely due to my primary giving me medication to control my cholesterol. Most cholesterol drugs work by absorption and so while they may have been taking out the bad fats, they were also taking out my medications making me very ill. Since switching to Niaspan, I have improved. Yay! I'm still needing my rescue meds a few times a week, but I can't complain at all. The tests confirmed no mutation and very, very low tryptase numbers. How great is that? The Gleevec is still working!

Have oral surgery scheduled for Monday. I'm 41 and still have my wisdom teeth. When I went to the dentist to inquire about the tooth that eventually needed a root canal done by an endodontist, I was told that I had cavities in all 4 of my wisdom teeth, which isn't unusual at all if the wisdom teeth are still in at this age. Also, while having those taken out, I had a molar fall out two years ago due to needing a root canal and I was too scared to have one done, so the tooth completely broke off and left the roots in, so the roots will now be taken out, as well.

Been busy selling on Etsy and eBay to pay for said dental services. We have insurance, but the costs far exceed the insurance coverage, so all my "fun" money is being paid to the great endodontist, the oral surgeon and my dentist.

Finally, I have done most of my Christmas shopping online and buying only handmade items from Etsy. There are a few on our list that will require shopping at the big box stores, but I'm pretty happy with the gifting this year thus far. I would like to make a few things before Christmas, but I'm not sure that will come together.

Tis a busy time! Hope you are all enjoying this blessed last month of the year!

A Thimble For Your Thoughts

2011-12-01T14:04:00.000-06:00

I was going through jars and jars of vintage buttons today to get ready for listing on Etsy when I came across this battered thimble. It's so tiny I can barely fit it over my finger.

Imagine the beautiful quilts and clothing it helped to sew by aiding a pioneering woman back in the early 1900's in the central Kansas prairie.

Perhaps she created a couple of the hand-sewn quilts I will be listing on eBay this weekend.

It's just a tiny piece of history, but one in which imaginations start to run wild while trying piece together a life lived so long ago.

Turkey Coma

2011-11-25T13:08:00.001-06:00

(Taken from a distance, so as not to wake sleeping beauty, by my iPhone 4S)

Helen was in the midst of a turkey coma.

We had a lovely, yet quiet Thanksgiving yesterday. My husband worked for most of the day, so we fixed a simple dinner and ate around 11 a.m. I used our Nesco Roaster and placed a 6 lb. turkey inside. I then poured orange juice, cranberry sauce and one packet of onion soup mix over the top of the turkey and slow-cooked it from 4 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

At around 7, I put an entire bag of stuffing inside the roaster and added more orange juice. The result was a deliciously tender turkey with very minimal work involved. I doubt I will ever bake a turkey again, unless I have one too large to fit in the roaster oven.

Here's a link to a roaster similar to ours. My parents gave us one for Christmas back in 2004, which is the one I used.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Rocky Mountain Livery Barn, Canon City, Colorado

2011-11-19T12:30:00.001-06:00

In a way, you can see by the lines of the architecture that this building was most likely the Rocky Mountain Livery Barn in the early 1900's:

View Larger Map

According to this old business / trade card, Stockton and Wood were the proprietors. I wonder if any of their offspring still call Canon City, Colorado their home?

Are you interested? Click here.

Early Pennsylvania Sheriff Trade / Business Card Warren, Pennsylvania

2011-11-18T12:11:00.001-06:00

From the early 1900's.

Edwardian Antique Lace Sash

2011-11-09T12:51:00.003-06:00

While in Emma, Missouri, I picked up a storage container full of odds and ends including antique lace still on the bolt, as well as vintage baby clothes and such. Near the bottom of the box, I noticed an antique lace sash.

It is in beautiful condition with rolls of exquisite cream-colored lace and pink ribbon. The sash comes from a time of beautiful Edwardian fashion:

The auction listing for the sash is here.

If you enjoy that period of time, you will probably find this video to be most pleasing (turn up your speakers):

Painted Advertising

2011-11-02T23:51:00.000-05:00

- - -

Blackwater, Missouri

Windmill on Main

2011-11-01T18:27:00.001-05:00

Shouldn't every town have a windmill in the center of Main Street?

And if every town had a windmill in the center of Main Street with 3 levels of flower boxes including blooming seasonal plantings, wouldn't that be even better?

And if every town had a windmill on Main Street with 3 levels of flower boxes, then a brisk wind should also be included so that every single person visiting would be visually awed by the twirling of the windmill and leaves flying through the air.

It's the simple things in life, really.

- - -
Blackwater, Missouri

Vintage Patterns FREE SHIPPING

2011-10-31T10:39:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder that these are the last 2 days for free shipping on ALL vintage sewing patterns HERE.

Me and Epi Sitting in a Tree. . . .

2011-10-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

It looks like EpiPen and I are a couple again after waking up last night in the throes of anaphylaxis. The night before I had a vomit fest and then last night came the 3 hour attack.

So a call went in to the doctor today to refill my expired EpiPen prescription since this is the second time in a month this has happened. Really, this on and off relationship business has got to stop! ;) Heehee. . .

These errant mast cells are totally cramping my style. I'm missing an auction this evening and I'm not sure I'll be able to attend the general store auction tomorrow, though I'm sure going to try. We were supposed to drive to the lake tonight, but I'm feeling just well enough to get out of bed at this time of day, so driving 2 hours south is not an option. Hopefully tomorrow morning I'll feel raring to go.

Yesterday I had blood taken to check for the mutation and to check the tryptase numbers again, but we won't know the results for at least 3 weeks.

All I have to say is that I'm so lucky to have such a supporting and loving husband. When I'm down he picks up the slack and that's so wonderful!!

Topeka, Kansas 1952

2011-10-27T11:15:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I woke up to thunder. I took that as a clue to stay home and work. It doesn't hurt that I spied an auction Sunday in southern Missouri which advertises. . . *be still my beating-out-of-my-chest heart*. . . feedsacks! Sigh. :) So, I skipped out on the farm auction north of Kansas City and was able to plan for this week's listings.

So, while I was pawing through my storage tubs, I came across a large bag of vintage feedsack quilting material cut up into various blocks, triangles, yo-yo's and such obtained way back in the Spring at a farm in Hiawatha, Kansas. That was the auction that had a plethora of deer heads as evidenced here:

Remember when I mentioned earlier that every single farm auction has deer heads? You may be interested to know, or you may not as I wish I didn't know, that the woman who purchased the slew of deer heads planned to "plant" them in her garden with just the antlers sticking out of the ground.

Hmmm. I'll let you stew on that for a bit before continuing.

So back to my delightful bag of feedsack fabric. . . while I was digging around, I noticed a few pieces with sharp edges, so I pulled them out.

Attached to heavy card stock were small squares likely cut out for use in a quilt block pattern, no doubt, but what I loved most is the story. It was 1952:

in Topeka, Kansas; March, to be exact, when Alice penned a letter to her mother. She wanted to be sure that her mother knew that Patti and Buell were written to alerting them of the Santa Fe sale. Alice mentioned that Babs and Leroy will be visiting in May and that the folks may come soon, too, but first are home selling off furniture, etc. It appears her husband's name is Jimmie, and he just talked with Karl about Karl's new calf which had yielded them 5 gallons of milk.

But most importantly, it was a beautiful day on March 28, 1952 in Topeka, Kansas.

And, after the thunder and rain, the sun came out yesterday, October, 26, 2011, which made it a beautiful day here, too just about 60 miles east of Topeka, Kansas 59 years later.

To whoever cut out the blocks and attached them to this letter, thank you.

Zoey is one Popular Chick

2011-10-26T14:39:00.000-05:00

Quite awhile ago, I was invited to submit photography by Getty Images, so I submitted 6 photos and promptly forgot all about it. Last night, as I was checking e-mail, I noticed a substantial chunk of change from Getty that was transferred to my PayPal account for two photograph sales! Yay!

Zoey's picture was one of the photographs sold:

I knew she was going to be a rock star one day! :)

My Past, Present and Future

2011-10-24T13:08:00.003-05:00

Here's my "old" car if anyone is in the market for an HHR in the Kansas City area:

2011 Chevrolet HHR

Lovin' the new Equinox and tried it out this weekend in Hoisington, Kansas. Look at how nicely all the auction finds AND my bag fit in the back?

I may have seen my future in Russell, Kansas, however.

*Awesome*

Saturday's Farm Auction

2011-10-20T11:11:00.002-05:00

I was tickled pink when I read the auction listing for a farm auction just 35 miles away from our lake cottage. This meant that I drove down Friday and spent two nights. But better yet, I had access to our storage unit, which is a good thing right now as the last farm auction still needs to be sorted in my office.

Oh, what a fun time it was!

The house was very, very old and had 4 barns full of stuff so much so that there were two rings which I normally hate when I'm alone, but this time it worked perfectly because half of my competition was elsewhere!

Check out the bent lightening rod!

Boy did I ever get a workout! The parking was in a field past the 4 barns and house. I had to drive over worn, rutted paths with rocks sticking up to finally land in a field that had vegetation over the bottoms of my wheels that included thorny bushes.

I was so thankful I had my trusty cart purchased at an auction in 2001.

Sadly, one of the blue wheels just couldn't take the terrain one moment longer and on the way to the car to drop off a shipment, the wheel broke in half and thus ended the run of this trusty, little auction cart.

But not to fear, there was another cart still to be auctioned:

See it? It's on the left hand side of the white stove. The cart went for $7 ( money WELL spent) and the stove sold for $2, not to me, though.

The barns were old:

One had a deer head inside. It seems like every single farm auction has this type of deer head in the barn:

There were lots of interesting items I had no chance of bidding on because this was in the other ring:

But the auctioneers did pull out these items to sell in our ring such as this awesome wheelbarrow:

It went for $65.

I adored this box still partially covered with vintage wallpaper:

Look at these primitive pieces:

I thought this can was especially interesting because it had a glass ball on top that was broken at the bottom:

Finally, these glass bottles and tops were visually cool to look at, though I didn't stick around long enough to bid on one:

I did buy several quilts:

and other sundries, not photographed.

Everything went into the storage unit next to this pile of boxes purchased at the farm auction in Northern Missouri:

Now I'm headed back to the internet to plan for this weekend with my hubby who has the weekend off! Yay! I love having an auction partner!

Goodbye 2011 HHR. Hello 2012 Chevy Equinox

2011-10-19T21:47:00.000-05:00

The dealer got close enough to our car payment goal which meant that Monday evening we drove over to the dealership and signed papers for a new 2012 Chevy Equinox.

I drove my Honda Element for 6 years. When we first purchased it, I wasn't sold on the idea, but the Element slowly grew on me and I had a very hard time giving it up. In February, we traded in the Element for a 2011 Chevy HHR. I liked it. I didn't love it and over time, I started missing the extra room my Element had inside. I looked longingly at those who drove Elements and wished I would have traded Element for Element, but when we purchased the HHR I had OnStar for the very first time and now I wouldn't own a car without it.

So I started looking at the Equinox online and on the road, so we decided to see if one would fit into our budget and it did! The first time I sat in this vehicle, it was LOVE at first sight! It supersedes my Element 100-fold!

So say hello to our new family member who shall remain in our family for many happy years to come! Plus, it makes a most awesome auctionmobile!!

Mad Props Given to the HHR

2011-10-17T12:46:00.000-05:00

In the last month my Chevy HHR has driven in a newly-harvested corn field running over stalks that were left behind. It has driven down muddy, gravel country roads and Saturday, it drove over bumpy, rocky ruts in another farmer's field that was also full of scratchy high vegetation and thorny bushes. I have to give mad props (sometimes I sound so hip!) to the HHR for surviving everything I throw at it.

But still, I'm hesitant to drive leisurely down barren country roads like this:

And I'd never dream of driving down a dirt road after a heavy rain like my Element did one fateful day. :)

Though to be fair, I would never have driven down the mud road. I blame that on my husband. ;)

Anyway, I purchased the HHR in February before I jumped back in the antique business and now that I've been hunting down deals, I find the HHR is simply too small for my needs. But, I've been spoiled! I have every bell and whistle, but for a GPS, in the HHR that it would be hard to go back to an Element because I love knowing my tire pressures, having Bluetooth, changing music stations from my steering wheel, and having built-in OnStar is a most lovely attribute.

So, my husband is driving the HHR back to the dealer today to see what sort of deal they can give to us on a Chevrolet Equinox. I'm highly doubtful they'll offer a monthly payment as low as my HHR and I don't want to go much higher, so I think the HHR will be mine for years to come.

In that case, we'll install a hitch and search for a small covered trailer I can pull to the auctions, which in actuality would be a one-time only payment instead of one stretched out over 5 years and would most likely give me more room than buying a larger vehicle.

It is deals I had to pass by Saturday that is prompting this look-see at the dealer like the mid-century floor lamp with a most awesome shade in excellent condition for $1.00 at auction, or the early 1900's bed for $30, etc. It kills me to pass by deals because I don't have enough room to take them home!

FREE SHIPPING on ALL Vintage Patterns

2011-10-14T11:58:00.002-05:00

Free shipping to the USA on ALL vintage sewing patterns like this one:

Find the rest here. Use code PATTERNSHIP at the checkout to receive this special offer! Sale ends November 1, 2011

Monday's Consignment Auction

2011-10-13T08:58:00.000-05:00

After finally finding some relaxing time Sunday evening at the cottage and going to bed extra early, when the alarm clock rang the next morning, I was rarin' to go! Monday's auction was a fall consignment auction about 50 miles south of the cottage.

Truthfully, it wasn't the best auction by far, but did have a few interesting things to keep me long enough for them to auction off several tables of guns, rifles and coins. ::Boring!!!::

Finally, they started auctioning the things I was most interested in.

First was the 1950's PINK Atlas sewing machine:

Isn't she a beauty? It comes with the original carrying case and who knows what else. I won the bid and will be listing this awesome machine in the future most likely on eBay!

There was a full table of antique Singer sewing machines and their original wood cases:

What I loved most was the light on each sewing machine: *I apologize for the picture, I was using my cell phone camera*

Each machine went for around $17.00. I started bidding, but backed off when I noticed a Mennonite bidding. He bought most of the machines and I felt good that they were going to be used once again!

I didn't stay long enough for the very primitive cabinet top and possum-belly table to be auctioned, but I did take a photo of this piece of hardware attached to the cabinet top:

I can just imagine hot pads were attached to the clips. If I had room or an antique mall booth, I definitely would have bid on this piece!

Also purchased was a large, vintage General Electric clock, like the kind you probably grew up with in your school room or business office. We also bought an antique milking stool and metal pieces from old stoves. Not bad for about 3 hours worth of travel, standing around and bidding.

Saturday is another farm auction, but this time it's in the vicinity of our lake cottage! Yay! So, I'll drive down Friday afternoon, spend the night, go to the auction Saturday and go back to spend another night and head home Sunday! That's much easier than driving hours to an auction, standing around all day and having to drive back.

I don't know how many great deals there will be Saturday since we stopped at a few antique store haunts after Monday's auction and I discussed the auction with a few people who were really excited for Saturday. Prices will probably go high, but we'll see. The thrill of the hunt is half the fun!

Saturday's Farm Auction off Highway 36 and 151

2011-10-12T11:34:00.001-05:00

Our alarm clock woke us up extra early Saturday morning for the 3 hour drive to a farm outside Clarence, Missouri. I was extra lucky that my husband had the weekend off so I had a partner in crime which translates to a partner who could drive the truck while I rested my eyes. :) Heehee. . .

I was giddy with excitement when I read the auction listing because it included the word "primitives" and it was held at a farm, which lately has become a prerequisite that I use to weed through the numerous auctions that are held on Saturdays.

When we arrived, I knew that the drive had been worthwhile and I also could tell we had a long day ahead of us. Attending auctions is a science to me. I try and arrive at least an hour early which usually affords a decent parking space *usually* and it gives me time to leisurely obtain a buyer's number and scrounge through the boxes and numerous flat beds full of vintage lovelies.

I normally plot my plan of action and wait for the time to pounce. It's a rarity that the things I want auctioned first are, and that means a whole lot of standing around waiting, but it's a great time to people watch and also notice what prices the items are going for because I often miss things that are obviously collectible.

Saturday was one of the more interesting auctions in terms of the items up for auction and the people there. When I ran to the truck to apply more sunscreen, I saw this:

and pretty much matched the horse and buggy up with these people:

I'm not sure if they were Amish or Old Order Mennonite. There was another group of people there who dressed pretty much the same but they drove their own vehicles.

Some of the interesting items up for auction:

I didn't purchase any of the above items, but I did fill up the inside cab of the truck and 1/4 of the truck bed for $117, which is the most I've ever spent at an auction thus far. I purchased more sewing patterns, a primitive glazed pitcher, white with black banding graniteware in excellent condition, large lot of antique eyeglasses and cases *so, so cool!*, an egg basket, old wire basket, old wooden crates and boxes, antique milking stool with a red-painted top, white stoneware and an Elna Grasshopper sewing machine *be still my beating heart*!

It was a GREAT haul!

We were at the auction from 8:30-6:20 and then had another 3 hour drive back home only to get up early the next morning and drive down to the cottage, take the boat out of the water and drive it another hour south to the dealer to get winterized:

and then get up the next morning and head to Cross Timbers, MO for a Fall Consignment Auction! Whew! I'll write about that tomorrow.

Wool Needle Keep

2011-10-11T12:39:00.000-05:00

I loved this idea I saw at last Friday's farm auction in northern Missouri. Someone took wool and wound it around the arm of this antique sewing machine for a needle keep.

It's a great idea, though probably not a feasible one for those who use newer machines. Sadly, this beautiful machine and cabinet went for just $6. Can you imagine?

Hint of Summer

2011-10-07T08:36:00.003-05:00

At the end of August and through the first week or so of September, the weather turned cool. It was if one day the switch was flipped and we went from summer immediately into fall. But now the weather has switched back a bit and warm, mid-80 degree days have seeped in once again. Even though the leaves are changing and falling, there's still a hint of summer in the air.

So when I sat down to sew pillows yesterday, I grabbed a summery vintage table linen from my stash and couldn't resist creating a new piece with this adorable pattern:

The little birds with their pink undersides are simply adorable! I backed the pillow with vintage fabric in a pink and white-striped design.

The pillow is listed here.

It's Vogue to be Groovy in 2011

2011-10-05T11:46:00.002-05:00

I was born in 1970 and to me, fashions in the 70's consisted of scratchy polyester in a rainbow of colors, obnoxious patterns and chiffon ugliness.

(That's me in lovely, powder-blue polyester pants)

My mother was a representative for Sarah Coventry and also as a lover of up-to-date fashions, so she often wore a floor-length bright pink dress in a satin-type material with an overlay of the brightest-colored floral designed chiffon you'd ever want to meet, especially to her parties. This dress often was hanging on the clothesline in our basement, I think because the clothesline was hung up near the rafters and therefore the dress wouldn't touch the ground. At the time, I thought that was the ugliest dress I had ever seen.

Now, I covet the dress, wherever it landed.

1970's fashions are coming back and with it, I'm reminded of my childhood days and as the years have passed, I'm starting to see beauty in the designs of the 1970's. It was with particular interest that I opened an e-mail from BurdaStyle outlining the trends for Fall 2011 consisting of fashions from the '70's.

I am loving the look:

BurdaStyle links to a few of their 1970-inspired fashions for Fall. If you want complete authenticity, though, why not sew from a real 1970's pattern?

And let's not forget the hip dudes out there:

The patterns above can be found in my Etsy shop here.

I have a few boxes full of vintage patterns yet to list; many from the era that is becoming so fashionable today, so please check back often! Etsy is another wonderful resource to find the vintage fabric to complete your project. Just run a search for "1970's fabric" or "Vintage polyester" in the search engine to select the perfect fabric for the vintage patterns!

Not Just an Auction, But a Life Lesson

2011-10-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was spent at a Missouri farm auction; a lovely, sunny and warm Fall day full of vintage goodness! It was a massive auction and included not only personal belongings, but farm implements, trucks, car parts, a horse trailer and the home, as well; all on 42 acres. But the best surprise of all, I was getting some terrific deals!

This is the first auction I attended this year where people tried to buy things off of me after I won the bid. "Hey. What'd you get that old crazy quilt for?"

"$2.00."

"Really? Wow! Would you take $10 for it?"

"No."

"Really?"

"No."

Then later, "Bet you don't know what you just bought."

"Yep, it's an egg basket."

"Oh. You do know."

"Yes."

"Would you take $15 for it?"

"No."

"Really? What'd you pay?"

"$6.00."

"Oh. OK."

I was livin' off an auction high enjoying every moment. As I was taking another shipment to my car I noticed an elderly woman slowly walking across the front porch of the home hanging on tightly to her walker and eyeing the action and I wondered if she was the owner of the home. It wasn't listed as an estate auction, as they often do when the owner is deceased. It was advertised as a public farm auction.

When it came time for the auctioneer to sell the house, he stood on the front porch and went through the specifics of the property and then began the auctioneering process. The bidding ended with a sharp, young couple holding hands as the high bidder and the auctioneer went in the house to check the price with the owner. After he reappeared, he ushered the young couple inside saying that they were close and the owner wanted to talk with them. Later, I noticed the sweet couple out on the lawn talking on their cell phones. I'm not sure they came to an agreement, but I started getting goosebumps realizing that the older woman I saw earlier was the owner and now the couple who want to take over her estate were just starting out.

Near the end of the auction, when there were just a handful of bidders left, when most of the attendees had gone and left behind what they weren't interested in, I glanced back up on the front porch and saw her again, rocking ever so gently on the swing. She was staring at the vast wasteland that was her life, witnessing the last few items of her days gone by such as silver trays, glasses, dishes and silverware all going for just $1, and I could see the sadness in her eyes.

And I suddenly felt like the "deals" that filled up my car weren't just "deals" anymore, they were a part of this sweet woman's life. The crazy quilt, likely made by her mother or aunt, was probably used to keep her warm on those cold Missouri winter nights when the only thing in the old farmhouse to keep warm was the wood-burning stove. And the wonderful egg basket that I purchased for $6 was not the cool industrial find that I was excited about, it became the very worn egg basket that she used so much as a child growing up on the farm that the yellow rubber rubbed off leaving only a faint hint of color in a few places. The battered metal sprinkling cans most likely watered many a garden plant that she so thankfully tended to so that her family ate well. Finally, the antique yellow and tan-striped suitcase probably was filled full of her special belongings for the night when she took his last name.

When I go to an auction, I rarely have feelings. I bid. I win or lose and I come home ready to prepare the newly-acquired items to resell. It's a fun business to be in. But yesterday was different. It was a good reminder that everything comes with a story and every story has a person behind it. Someone who laughed and cried. Who rejoiced and mourned. Who is living or has died. Auctions have a life and I'll do my best never, ever to forget that.

As far as the woman on the porch, I said a little prayer of strength and a healthy realization that she lived a good and bountiful life. And I promised that I would take good care of the few items that were luckily passed down to me.

White Bowl=Black Dress

2011-10-01T15:15:00.002-05:00

A simple white bowl is like that little black dress hanging in your closet; it goes everywhere! A white bowl can be dressed up or down, used for holidays or every single day. You get the idea!

I don't often sell glassware, but this little white bowl, recently discovered at a rainy, farm auction in northern Missouri, called my name. I love the fact that it's only 3 1/2" tall by 7" wide because it's the perfect size for your morning bowl of Cheerios or your evening bowl of chili straight from the crock pot. It's even dishwasher safe, which is a super deal considering its' vintage nature.

But what I love about simple white bowls is their ability to be used around the house, as well. Set it on the middle of your dining room table flanked by hurricane lamps and fill with acorns, pine cones and a touch of greenery for Fall. Place antique colorful Christmas ornaments inside for the holidays. I even love the idea of placing an antique garden frog at the bottom and attaching a favorite black and white photo of a long-lost relative inside. The ideas are truly endless.

The bowl is currently listed here.

Possibly Boston-Bound

2011-09-30T23:01:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day. I decided I would take the hours spent in my life watching, "What Not to Wear" and incorporate what I've learned into my wardrobe. I felt well enough to hit a few stores and try on patterns I would never have otherwise decided to wear and was surprised at how good they looked on. Fashion Bug is running a great sale and I had an additional coupon, so I made out pretty well. I then hightailed it over to Macy's and purchased a leopard-print sweater. When I tried it in, I suddenly saw a glimpse of my mother in the mirror looking back at me.

This has been happening quite frequently. I glance at myself in the mirror and I see my mother in me. I am 40 and steadily holding for the next few days when I'll turn 41. Maybe it was during this time when my mother was my age, I started looking at her differently. I noticed her hairstyle, her clothing, her shoes, purses and what perfume she wore. So when I step outside my normal frumpy appearance of plain clothes and into something different with pizazz, I see my mother. I love that.

It seems like forever since I've heard her voice (December 27, 2005). Her death in February of 2009 seems like a distant memory and yet so much of her remains. On the days I don't feel well, which to be honest has been quite a few recently, I think of the trials her body went through from her stroke in 2005 which led to her vegetative condition until her death in 2009, and I remember those times when I start to feel aggravated at my own condition. Compared with her last few years, I'm sailing through life swimmingly.

Even so, my doctor's appointment Monday revealed the truth I've tried to hide for so long. The disease appears to be progressing, of sorts, and the medication is barely holding on. He finally told me that he's at the end of his rope, that there's nothing left but continuing on the current path and monitoring the tryptase levels and the C-kit mutation, or visiting the experts in Boston. He suggested that maybe it's time to search trial medications and further studies.

I know this needs to be done. My body is telling me with the nausea, vomiting and intense flushing coming back in force. The flu-like symptoms that occur with just the slightest workload. A month ago, I was having a particularly hard day and concluded I had eaten grapes. Grapes are a high-histamine food, so I've stayed away from grapes. This evening I made chili with canned tomatoes and my body told me it was having none of it, so Benadryl to the rescue, again. This is really the first time I've noticed marked triggers to the disease. And yet, when I take a day off Gleevec, my body goes into overdrive and I'm 10X worse, so I know it's doing a job, perhaps not the best one, but it's working somewhat.

I have one last visit to another doctor to discuss one more lead and then it's Boston-bound. But I'll put on my new duds, slap some makeup on my pale face and go forward with gusto because my mother never had that chance after her stroke. I don't want to take this lying down anymore and I will prevail; systemic mastocytosis be damned.

Vintage Mail Order Clothing Patterns

2011-09-27T13:19:00.001-05:00

Two weekends ago, I attended a farm auction in a very rural area in northern Missouri. I stayed most of the auction to purchase a box of vintage sewing patterns primarily because I noticed brands other than the normal Butterick, Simplicity and McCall's.

There were two large envelopes inside the box; one from Anne Adams:

and the other from Marian Martin:

This intrigued me so I did some research (have I mentioned lately how much I love the internet?) and found that "mail order patterns were the answer for rural homemakers for the most of the 20th century. Each magazine had a section for the homemaker to order patterns, and this included Progressive Farmer and Grit. The list is enormous and some patterns had the designer's name and some were generic with simply a number. The most popular collectible designer are Anne Adams and Marian Martin."

Copied from this website.

Also, "the list of designers of vintage mail order patterns is very large. Magazines such as Ladies Home Journal had sections set aside for homemakers. These sections often included vintage mail order patterns. Mail order patterns were also available in local newspapers."

Copied from this website.

An example of a generic dress pattern is this:

This smashing dress is a sleeveless design with instructions to crochet a cape.

Here's a Marian Martin design:

I love this dress belted.

And finally, here's a Leslie Fay mail order dress pattern:

This design is especially vogue with the buttoned flap at the neckline.

So now it makes sense why I found a large collection of mail order patterns at a rural farm auction. Today things aren't much different; instead of ordering from magazines and newspapers, people order from internet sites. There's a world of vintage patterns out there! Isn't that grand?

1950's Wall Heater Decor

2011-09-25T15:24:00.003-05:00

Our lake cottage has a 1950's wall heater in the corner of the living room. It's not horrible, by any stretch of the imagination, but I look at it as another area to stage my vintage finds.

I took this vintage grocery store advertising apron for Post Toasties and used magnetic clips to attach it to the heater. You'll also notice at the top I placed a carbon monoxide detecter in a vintage white milk glass planter.

- - -

Oh, my. This reminds me to send off some money to the gas company so they can start filling our expensive monstrosity of a propane tank. If and when we move down to the lake permanently, I'm going to invest in an all-electric heating system.

Saturday Morning

2011-09-24T17:05:00.002-05:00

Gorgeous morning for a drive to another farm auction; this one in Kansas.

Sleeping on the Job

2011-09-21T12:46:00.000-05:00

Speaking of feedsacks, I'm working on pillows today made from authentically old, stained and awesome seed, grain and feed sacks.

I will, however, need to discuss with my part-time employee that sleeping on the job is really not acceptable. ::wink::wink::

The Week of Feedsack Love

2011-09-20T11:16:00.001-05:00

It's all about the feedsacks this week on Etsy.

Ebay is seeing some feedsack action, as well.

One Step in Auction Heaven

2011-09-19T22:13:00.001-05:00

Saturday I decided I would hit up a farm auction on the Missouri/Iowa border Sunday morning. It was to settle the estate of a woman named Mary and advertised linens. That's all I needed to read to make the 185 mile+ trek north.

By myself.

In the pouring rain.

It's a sickness, I tell you. *Smirk*

I left the house at 6:30 and headed on up.

In the pouring rain.

As an indication to how rural it really was, when I turned off of I-35 onto 136 Highway and drove several miles and only saw a sign to Mt. Moriah and not Princeton, which was the starting point to the directions given, I called my trusty OnStar peeps. I asked how long it would be before I intersected B Highway. The guy fumbled around and asked me if B Highway had an alternate name. I read the directions to him which included the county name and then B Highway and after a few moments he informed me that the maps didn't show me intersecting B Highway. I then asked if the road I was on goes into Princeton and he said yes and it would be another 35 miles.

Good enough.

Finally I saw a little red sign and started to follow it.

Not so bad of a road, only major ruts from the local farm machinery, but otherwise fine.

Then the signs pointed right to a gravel road.

It was a little narrow, but the scenery was quite pretty even on a rainy day.

And then the signs indicated I was to turn another right onto this "road."

Which, at this point, was pretty much a one-lane road. I prayed no one would come from the opposite direction.

After passing by a small, white clapboard church that was no longer used and the church cemetery right across the street, and 2 other awesome abandonments, I arrived at the auction.

Oh, the auction. If my husband ever loses the desire to dispense pills as a pharmacist he could truly become an auctioneer. I am in LOVE with the sing-songy verbage of an auctioneer. And even more excited about the awesome prices things were going for at this rural auction on a rainy Sunday morning. Most of the attendees were there for the farm machinery, but there were a few dealers that I lost bids to, however I filled up my HHR (which truly doesn't hold much like my Honda Element).

After I filled up the car, I left before the auction ended after spending just $18.75 and called OnStar to find my way out. It should be no surprise that it took two calls before they could figure out where I was in order to give me directions but that was OK. I was driving down roads like this:

and honestly, I enjoyed every minute of it.

When I arrived back in civilization, I stopped in to my favorite Bethany Antique Mall:

and found more treasures for my business, Dancing Bumblebee Cottage .

The first thing I did when I arrived back to the big city?

Washed my car in preparation for my next farm auction. Now where's that Grass and Grain publication?

The Belle of the Orange Snow Ball

2011-09-17T18:18:00.000-05:00

She's all decked out for the Orange Snow Ball in her floral hat and lace tie.

And she's ready to be whisked to a new home.

Snowman Pillow

Vintage Jean Coveralls Make Great Vintage Fabric for Your Sewing Projects

2011-09-16T09:12:00.000-05:00

Trips to the fabric shops are full of eye candy. Bolts of varying colors, textures and designs give me ideas and spurn my love of creating something from scratch. However, unless there is a sale, I usually just browse because good fabric per yard can be pricey. This is one of the reasons why I'm always on the hunt for vintage fabric. And remember, fabric can come in many different ways.

Visiting a thrift store is a good start. Prices are reasonable and the larger thrifts often carry a sewing section where you can find vintage fabric. Browse the linen aisle because vintage bed sheets, comforters and blankets can be a source of fabric. Clothing can also offer you exciting patterns and material not seen in today's market.

I'm a particular sucker for old, worn jean coveralls. The varying degrees of wear are evident and I think that makes a story.

An old pair of coveralls yields quite a bit of fabric for projects such as my snowman pillows. I started working on them last night. I really never have an idea in mind until I start. First I assemble the wool roving and use my Janome Needle Felting machine to create the snowman:

I then go through my collection of vintage fabric scraps. In the past, I have purchased bulk pieces of fabric from eBay, but now I keep my eyes peeled for scraps at the thrift and antique stores.

Sometimes I find pre-cut fabric pieces that someone has assembled in hopes of making a quilt, but never getting around to it. That's where I found the two fabric pieces I used in this pillow.

I cut a smaller piece of the fabric below for the ground and then I matched the color combination back to this 1940's floral fabric and cut out a flower hat for my snowman, or woman as it really is. :)

Using a decorative stitch to sew the fabric on the pillow is always an added touch.

I placed two grommets on the neck of the snowman and used antique lace trim for a tie and then sewed the pillow together.

All that's left is to sew up the side seam! I like to keep some of the original seams showing in my work, so when I list this pillow, I'll take pictures to show the seaming that's at the bottom of the pillow. The more stains and wear, the better I like the fabric when it comes to jean coveralls.

So if you enjoy sewing, remember to expand your horizons when looking for material in your next project. To be even thriftier, open your closets and use what you already own! It's mighty fun to repurpose fabric into sweet works of art.

Reuse by Redoing

2011-09-15T13:21:00.001-05:00

When we purchased Moonlight Cocktail Cottage at the Lake of the Ozarks in June 2005, I had plans of decorating sparsely because our main objective when visiting was the lake. As with most things, my finely-laid plans fell by the wayside and the cottage became an extension of my love for vintage and because it was built in the early 1930's, it was meant to be, you know?

But originally, when we first started to decorate, we ran to Wal-Mart *gasp* and purchased lamps and even a futon sofa **double gasp**. Since then, however, we have slowly replaced the Wal-Mart mass-produced crap-ola items and brought in sweet vintage replacements. However, the lamp on the mantle continued to elude me. The lamp was OK with a metal swirly base and a basic lampshade. It provided the light we needed at that end of the cottage and it was the perfect size.

A few weeks ago, I found myself standing in front of a booth in an antique mall in Lincoln, MO staring at an adorable vintage glass lamp from the 40's about the same size of the current mantle lamp. It would work perfectly and was a good price at only $8, but it had a cloth cord. Normally this isn't a problem as my husband is handy-dandy, but something just ate at my core because the lamp I had was perfectly fine. Maybe I could find a way to disguise it, which is just what I did.

Here's the lamp at Christmas:

And here is the changed lamp:

I took an antique stoneware bowl and filled it with plastic gourds and a vintage rag ball. I then clipped an old hankie to the shade with vintage clothespins. I can change the hankie and the contents of the bowl according to the seasons. Christmas time could include antique glass Christmas tree ornaments, Spring time might include sprays of pastel-colored flowers and Summer might be nice with a vintage flag draped inside.

So while buying vintage is a great alternative to new items, reconfiguring what you currently own is even better!

George's Skelly Uniform

2011-09-11T14:01:00.001-05:00

His name was George and he worked as an attendant at the Skelly Gas Station on the corner in Small Town, USA. That was back in the day when a full-service experience was still in vogue; you know, when someone pumped your gas with a smile, washed the windows and checked the oil. I barely recall that era, however I often got gas at a station in Sycamore, Illinois from one of the last dying breeds back around 1990, but that's about it.

Somehow I miss those days, even though I didn't truly experience them. It was a time of cordial greetings, a smile and the assurance that someone was looking out for your welfare and it is a far cry from today's trip to the gas station.

The uniforms of yesteryear are now stored in the back of closets, sitting at the bottom of boxes and completely forgotten. George's Skelly uniform, however, is still around even though he isn't.

The holes and ground-in dirt recall a hard-working man.

Sewn-in patches covering holes.

Original Skelly Uniform Coat

A Day Trip to a Truck Stop. We Live So Lavishly. HA!

2011-09-08T16:16:00.000-05:00

It was a perfect ending to the summer: a long boat ride with my husband and father to our favorite restaurant on the lake: Plain Jane's. It was perfectly cool out and my crop pants and sweatshirt barely chased the goosebumps away.

The jet ski was taken out of the lake but the boat stayed in because there are a few more boating days left in the season and why rush things, right? I'm kicking and screaming all the way out of summer, however the last few days with no humidity and cool temperatures was a welcome respite.

Tuesday my husband and I kicked up our heels and drove to Columbia, MO to visit Travel Channel's, Truck Stop Missouri. I was there shopping at the antique mall back in April and that was before the joint became famous. Of course I didn't have my camera, so cell phone shots will have to do:

The antique mall recently underwent a huge expansion and along with the fame came many quality dealers. I was in heaven!!!

We then headed down to eat lunch and my husband photographed the back wall where there was a large TV playing the Travel Channel:

Here's an overview shot of the motel on the left and the truck stop and fireworks building on the right:

We had loads of fun and will be back if just for the awesome antique mall! Columbia is full of great antique malls, so it's a nice day trip from the lake. We hope to make the trek again this fall when I have my camera. We stopped in Boonville and Rocheport and there were lots of great things to photograph. Doesn't that always seem the case? I bring my camera and there's nothing to shoot. I leave it at home and I see the motherlode of photography ideas.

Snow Woman Pillows, Oh My!

2011-09-03T11:37:00.002-05:00

I burned the midnight oil last year sewing gifts for friends and family right before Christmas. I am not going to make the same mistake twice. In a week or so, I'm going to start sewing gifts and also shop items like these pillows I made last year:

Most of the fabric and trim I use is vintage. I then take wool roving and use my Janome Needle Felting Machine to compose the snow and snow"women". I'll sew a few of these up for my Etsy shop and also for my website this year.

If you are interested in particular colors of material, please send an e-mail and we can work together on design and pricing. Prices vary according to the vintage material used and the size, but small pillows like the ones above will run approximately $12.99 and a bit more when listed on Etsy.

They are great for gift-giving and fit nicely in a nook and cranny!

Remember, Dancing Bumblebee Cottage is now on facebook! Like us for updates. Thanks!

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Last Lake Hurrah

2011-09-02T11:37:00.000-05:00

I cannot conceive that this weekend is Labor Day Weekend; the end of "summer." It's totally not possible. Perhaps it's due to the fact that I rarely swam in the lake- just 3 times to be exact. Or that the furthest boat ride has been to Rebel Harbor and Warsaw, but not up to my favorite restaurant on the lake, Plain Jane's.

This summer has been an odd one. It was either too hot or we ventured out to do other things during our times at the lake or the docks were being remodeled and then a horrible storm blew in and tore the docks away from their moorings, which then knocked the electricity out.

During our last summer vacation we went out on the lake to swim once. We took Helen Pearl for her first real swim which was a real blast:

She did very well and since this picture was taken at the start of August, she has outgrown this life jacket and now wears Emmy Lou's life jacket, which is just fine since Emmy Lou can't stand the lake. :) And I only know about the life jacket because I still put one on Helen when we go down to the docks, just in case she falls in.

During that last swim, I captured this fine fellow who enjoyed floating with me:

After swimming, we got back in the boat and dried off:

and then took a "long" boat ride (cue Rebel Harbor and Warsaw):

Now that Labor Day weekend is here, I hope to get my fill of boating and maybe even a ride on the jet ski, which I haven't had the pleasure of riding this year, either. We're headed down at the end of the weekend for a few days and I don't expect to swim, though. The temperatures will be around 75 degrees, which is lovely but too cold to swim.

And then it will be time to at least take the jet ski off the lift and to the dealer to be winterized. We'll leave the boat on the lift for a week or two longer and then it will meet the same fate, though it will also have its' fiberglass fixed from the horrendous storm my husband and I rode out in someone's dock:

So one last lake hurrah and Fall will set in. After receiving at $355 power and light bill yesterday, I'm ready for the cooler temperatures! Have a safe weekend!

Fun Vintage Finds

2011-09-01T10:09:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I find things at antique malls that I would LOVE to have but either don't have the room or don't have the extra money to spend. These two items fall into into both categories, so I took pictures instead.

I ADORE this amusement ride that was probably parked outside a Five and Dime or maybe a grocery store. You don't see too many of these anymore and I've never seen this particular one ever. It was tagged $895 and it still works, but you can see the cord is new, so I'm sure it was rewired over time. But still, who needs a River Queen ride in one's house? If I had the room . . .

And who would have thought of this?

The painted cowboy head makes the door. It was tagged $395. I stood and pondered and pondered and pondered, but couldn't figure out a good place to put this in our decor, so I took a picture because I can at least enjoy it this way.

Both items are at Keepers Antique Mall in Harrisonville, Missouri right off 71 Highway.

Not-So-Fun Side Effect of Gleevec

2011-08-28T12:48:00.001-05:00

I drove home from the lake Thursday evening after securing the fireplace and finding no other evidence of snakes. Our contractor extraordinaire scooped years of soot out of the fireplace and capped off the chimney so nothing could get in. I then placed a kitty litter pan with 10 moth balls inside hoping to ward off any other critters who find their way into our 1930's cottage and decide the fireplace is a good place to hide. Tuesday at 10 a.m., our exterminator is coming to make sure if snakes get in the house they will meet an untimely end, though I'm not sure how he plans to do that. It's not that ringneck snakes are a bad thing, but I don't want them inside. Our contractor feels this was an isolated incident and in the 6 years we've owned the cottage nothing like this has happened, but I can't put the image of the slithering snake out of my mind so better safe than sorry.

On the drive home, my feet started to cramp and I felt my legs tense up. Luckily much of the drive is on 4-lane highways, so I was able to use the cruise control much of the way. Thursday evening was horrible. I started having full leg cramps overnight to the point that my legs were turning inwards and my feet were curling over and there wasn't a darn thing I could do. I'd jump out of bed and had to lean against it to stay upright because I had no control over my legs. The pain was incredible, so much that I had to take 16 mg of zofran to keep from vomiting. I finally crept down the stairs to the first floor and rested in the easy chair. I'd get maybe an hour of sleep before the pain would begin again.

By Friday morning I was spent. My body felt like I had run a marathon, I felt like I had the flu and the muscle pains continued throughout the day. I'm sure this is a side effect of the gleevec.

I have occasionally gone through periods of muscle cramps; most notably in my feet. However, this went to a whole different level. My arms, hands, legs and feet were cramping to the point that I had no control and the pain was incredible. Caremark, who I get my gleevec through, called on Friday for a refill and I talked with the pharmacist who didn't seem to have any other tricks up her sleeves to alleviate the cramping other than the magnesium pills, which I take, and she even suggested tylenol, which is actually a no-no with gleevec. My husband wanted me to make an appointment to see the doctor because maybe my potassium level had dropped, but I couldn't even drive the car with my cramping and he had to work.

He drove to the pharmacy and purchased a bottle of potassium pills and I took one the second night and one last night and then doubled up on my magnesium. I am now able to sleep at night, but my muscles are still very tense, however they are not fully going into the cramping mode, which is good.

I think with the cramping, my mast cells then went nutso in the process, which made these past few days pretty tumultuous. Luckily this all occurred while I was home and not at the lake, so I have much to be thankful for.

Systemic Mastocytosis is a funny thing. With the gleevec on board, there are so many days I nearly forget I have a chronic disease. I feel almost normal and I'm able to tackle life full-on! Then there are other days in which crawling from the bed to the first floor is an effort. The good news is that I have more good days than bad and even after all of this, gleevec is still worth it. :)

A Mostly Comedy of Errors

2011-08-25T13:34:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was the last day of my 3-week summer vacation and yet I'm blogging to you from the sofa of our lake cottage looking at the fireplace which is covered with black and blue trash bags. Why?

Well, it seems like ringneck snakes are appreciating the stone/brick fireplace. Last night as we were cleaning, my husband noticed a small "worm" near the fireplace and promptly killed it. He then started sweeping near the fireplace and a baby snake with a red ring around its' neck poked its' head out of a crack in the insert and then back in which then sent us into freak-out mode.

Freak-out mode occurs when I raise my voice about 5 octaves and my husband puts on his shoes and races around the house trying to figure out how to temporarily block any types of entrances and exits from the fireplace into the house. After two cans of spray foam which ceased to work, trash bags seemed like the next logical step.

Our contractor extraordinaire will be coming here in a few to clean out the fireplace and attempt to find out how baby snakes entered the fireplace and I have a call into the exterminator to see if he can come out to place traps.

This morning after our contractor extraordinaire assessed the situation, I came back indoors to see the slithering snake on the hearth; most likely the same one that peeked its' head out last evening. It was maybe 4 inches long and 1/2 the thickness of a pencil-very much still a youngster. After jumping around the greatroom and screaming, I grabbed the vacuum hose, which was hooked up just in case and sucked that thing right up. I then jumped around trying to get the courage to take the canister out to the garbage and finally, after seeing the snake inside the canister, I ran outside and did the duty.

Needless to say, I'm not going home and closing up the cottage until I know the snake situation is finished, which hopefully will be this evening.

I love living in the lake country. I love living in the lake country. I love living in the lake country.

This excitement proceeded yesterday afternoon's earlier excitement when my husband's tire blew out on his Dodge Ram. In the country. On a gravel road. Completely flat as flat can get.

Miracle of extreme miracles, we had cell service so I called our trusty insurance company and utilized roadside assistance which might have bruised my husband's ego a bit, but I got over that quickly (him, not so much) and the tire was changed and taken into town to be patched up for a mere $12.

So this vacation has ended with a comedy of errors. I'm still trying to find the comedy of the snakes, but I'm sure there's a chuckle to be found somewhere.

Vintage Sewing Trims

2011-08-23T09:24:00.001-05:00

I often pick up bags of miscellaneous sewing supplies at flea markets, antique shops and auctions. Just one trip to the big-box sewing stores such as Hancock Fabrics and Jo-Ann Fabrics, one can see the benefits of buying cast-offs rather than new supplies just for the monetary benefit alone.

However, to be honest, I love sewing with vintage material and trims. There's just something cosmic about it all, as if I am somehow channeling the woman who used a half-yard of lace trim before carefully storing the rest away never to be used again, until it found its' way to me.

During the past week, I've dusted off the sewing machine and started sewing again. The holidays are fast approaching and gifts must be made instead of burning the midnight oil a few days before gift-giving occurs. (I'm having flashbacks of Christmas 2010) **Smile**

I also plan to create items to fill up a few spaces on Dancing Bumblebee Cottage's website as well as in my Etsy account. So the other day as I was sewing, I opened a bag of vintage trims and pulled out a few selections of black rick rack trim and instantly became enamored with one of the packages which was already opened and partially used.

Truly, this is just too sweet to use, so I set it aside and will be on the hunt for a vintage frame in which to display this treasure in my sewing room. I'm very thankful for the person before me who decided to save the paper label after using part of the rick rack. I have to think this is a bit rare, since most of the vintage trim I have come across is made by Wrights.

While this package is quite old, as well, the clip-art isn't nearly as adorable, so I have no problem tearing it open and using, which is what I did.

If you are a crafter, broaden your horizons and look for vintage items to use in your craft. They can be found at nearly every flea market, antique shop and of course eBay.

Hunting is half the fun!

Something You Don't See Every Day

2011-08-20T10:57:00.000-05:00

Walking the Llama

Missouri State Fair

Sedalia, Missouri

The Horse Auction

2011-08-19T21:54:00.001-05:00

The spectators at the horse auction.

Missouri State Fair

Sedalia, Missouri

The Dairy Barn

2011-08-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

We attended the Missouri State Fair yesterday in Sedalia.

Heavy Traffic. . .

2011-08-16T11:41:00.001-05:00

. . . in Lead Mine, Missouri. :)

(Amish/Mennonite Community)

A Little Bit of Kansas

2011-08-15T11:12:00.000-05:00

. . . in Tunas, Missouri.

Flora's Cafe

2011-08-06T11:07:00.001-05:00

I was going through my flickr account deciding which photographs to print and list on Etsy when I came across a link to one of my pictures taken in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Flora's Cafe

If you'd like a copy of Flora's Cafe for yourself, especially fun if your name is Flora, it's listed on Etsy:

Flora's Cafe on Etsy

Perfectly suited for kitchen decor, don't you agree?

Kansas City, Missouri West Bottoms

2011-08-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

Birds taking flight and the short contrail of a passing jet coupled with the buildings, which at the time were abandoned, brings to mind the many souls who passed through the doors of the once-thriving businesses which inhabited these buildings.

And now, for various reasons, the buildings stand quieted and yet one can feel the strength still emanating from the structures. Strength that will one day bring eager souls through the front doors of newly-created businesses ready to welcome a new century.

Available here:

West Bottoms Photograph

Abandonment Photography for Sale

2011-08-03T14:45:00.001-05:00

I don't know what I like better: the Jim Pogg sign painted on the side of an old brick building, or the moss-encrusted blue awnings on the abandoned storefront. Put the two of them together and you've got a "wow" factor!

It was nearing the end of the day and we pulled into town to take a few pictures before the sun set on another day of exploration. Just a few moments earlier and the sun's rays would have actually illuminated the Jim Pogg sign, but I'm not complaining.

This is just another glimpse from the past I was not a part of, but find it just as interesting as if I had.

- - -

A few of my fine art photography prints are available on Etsy . The link is to your right or you can click below:

My Photography at Etsy

Vacation Photography

2011-07-30T19:13:00.000-05:00

I hope during our last summer vacation looming on the horizon that we will take time for my long lost love: photography. Scenes like this are essential to capture:

because life changes fast, just like this sign. It's been replaced by something far less intriguing.

1930's Quilt Patterns

2011-07-29T09:47:00.001-05:00

Among several finished quilt blocks from a farm auction in north-central Kansas, I found newspaper clippings from the 1930's that contained various quilt block patterns. Here is some information gathered from PickleDish:

The American Midwest has been dubbed the heart of quilting country, and Kansas City is no exception. In 1928,The Kansas City Star newspaper began printing traditional quilt patterns that would become world famous and remain favorites for generations to come.

The patterns were a weekly feature in The Star or sister publications The Weekly Star and The Star Farmer from 1928 until the mid-1930s, then less regularly until 1961. By the time the last one ran, more than 1,000 had been published in the papers, which circulated in seven Midwestern states as well as North Carolina, Kentucky and Texas.

Kansas City Star Quilts

Not only are the quilt patterns interesting to look at, but the advertising and articles that were included in each clipping are captivating, as well.

I especially got a kick out of the article, "A Missouri Farmer Tried for Keeping 'Boarder Cow.'"

I have several more original newspaper clippings to scan and they will all be available on Etsy. The link is on the right sidebar. The clippings are a great piece of history. Framed, the clippings would look great in a sewing or craft room!

Day Three WonderSlim

2011-07-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

This will be my last daily post about this particular diet. I'll probably update every week or so hereafter. Yesterday was my 3rd day on the diet and I have to say that the daytime hours go great. I feel satisfied after every meal and snack. The nighttime, however, is still horrible. I'm constantly hungry after eating dinner and find that I fall off the bandwagon a bit. Last night I ate a bit more steak than I was supposed to. The rice cakes tasted wonderful, so I ate a few more than I was supposed to. When I went to bed, my stomach was still growling.

I'm really hoping that these feelings will subside as my body grows used to the reduced caloric intake. Still, just like the past 2 days, I'm staying well under 2,000 calories, so I'm not gaining. This just means I won't lose as quickly until I am 100% on this diet with no cheating whatsoever.

Today is another day and I will try again.

Day Two WonderSlim

2011-07-24T10:24:00.000-05:00

And so it goes. I didn't follow the diet exactly and was so hungry for my dinner at lunch, so I switched the two out, which directions say is possible. I purchased fresh scallops from Hy-Vee the other day and had them for dinner the night before along with freshly-made salsa. Yum!! The thought of the remainder of the scallops kept rolling around in my head, so I made them for lunch. When dinner rolled around, and especially the time after dinner, my stomach was growling. I ate 2 protein bars, instead of one, and I ate maybe 5 rice cakes at 35 calories each and the rest of my husband's salad complete with ranch dressing.

So, all in all, I still stayed way under 2000 calories but went above the 1,000-1,300 calories I'm trying to stay between. With all that said, I weighed myself this morning and I'm almost 3 lbs. down, so I can't complain, considering I haven't worked out yet and I just started Friday.

Today I will follow the diet exactly as it is written and will look forward to tonight's dinner of Amana tenderloin steak.

I have tried a few new things that came in my shipment. The berry yogurt smoothie was good, but I prefer the strawberry smoothie. The vanilla and mocha cream shakes are delicious! I especially LOVE the caramel protein bars! With a cup of coffee, I feel like I'm in heaven! :) I made the oatmeal this morning and since our microwave is at least 17 years old and I no longer have the directions for it, I couldn't figure out how to cook at medium heat, so I cooked the oatmeal on defrost for 8 minutes and the oatmeal came out looking like rubber. Despite that, the taste was very good, so that was a relief! I think for lunch today I'm going to try the vegetarian joe.

Day One WonderSlim

2011-07-23T09:43:00.000-05:00

Day one of the new diet went well. I was surprised how often I was able to eat and how delicious the food was.

I started out the morning with a cup of cereal, which was yummy and a strawberry smoothie. I was surprised that the food tasted as normal as it did. The cereal was just like eating the Kashi brand and the smoothie could have been served at any restaurant, it was THAT good!

For my morning snack I had a chocolate shake and an apple.

Lunch time rolled around and I ate a spicy noodle dish that tasted a bit like Hamburger Helper. After it was zapped in the microwave, I thought maybe I wasn't going to love the taste because it didn't look wonderful, but it sure tasted great! I will definitely be reordering that dish. I then chose a chocomint bar, as well. It tasted like the protein bars we eat during bike rides, so it was good.

For an afternoon snack, I made a chocomint shake.

Dinner I purchased scallops, so I made 4 oz. of scallops and served it with homemade salsa. SO DELISH! Dinner is on your own with this diet, so it felt good to have some control over what I can eat. I also had some cucumber and rice cakes, as my vegetables and starch.

For dessert I had cheesecake, which was actually not my favorite and will not be reordered. It had a sugar substitute aftertaste, which I hate.

So that's day one in a nutshell. Was I hungry? Yes, a bit at night, but I had another rice cake at 35 calories each and that helped. I read somewhere that the first 3 days on this diet are the hardest and then the body won't feel hungry after that. But seriously, the food was much better than I ever anticipated it would be.

So far, so good!

Jumping on the Bandwagon Again

2011-07-22T12:35:00.000-05:00

I have fallen so far off the bandwagon it's not even funny. Last year I was all about the gym, eating healthy and losing weight. Then I started Gleevec in October and while I don't want to put the blame on anything but myself, I do have to say I tire more easily on the Gleevec, even though it helps my symptoms tremendously!

So this means I haven't been to the gym since March, even though the YMCA still gets their dues each month. And diet? What's that? I have eaten whatever I want, whenever I want which means that everything I did in the past has been erased, sadly. The weight has packed back on and I'm not pleased with that one bit. But it's not the easiest thing in the world to just hippity-hop back to the gym and start over. I need a jump-start, so I did a tremendous amount of research. At first I looked into the bariatric surgeries, even though I swore I'd never do it. And once again, I don't think that's the correct step to take for me. It's drastic, expensive and just will prove to me that I have no will power. It's time to try something that will enable me to live a healthier lifestyle for the long-term.

I looked at the different diet programs out there and decided I didn't want to join a club and meet once a week to weigh myself in front of others or to have a session with someone who will try to be my cheerleader, much like the Mary Kay meetings I hated when I was a rep. (Gag) That left me with the diets that provide the food. I almost went with NutriSystem but decided upon WonderSlim from Diet Direct.

I ordered the 4-week starter box last week and it was shipped promptly and received yesterday. This morning I started the diet and I will keep track of my weight loss on this blog under the label, "Getting Fit." I'm not going to post my beginning weight because I'm ashamed I let it get to this point, which is basically back to where I started. No more and no less, so I'm used to this weight, I just don't like it.

And remember this dog?

She's the little beast we adopted in February of 2010 in hopes of being my active dog who likes to takes walks and swim in the lake except she hates taking walks and loathes the lake. Emmy Lou is the Sheltie who loves being at home and will protect the house like nobody's business, but is terrified of any new experiences including going out and meeting the public. She will, but she hates it no matter how much we work with her.

I love Emmy Lou to death. She's my homegirl! But. . . . . . . . . I still want a dog who will go on nighttime walks with me and will just be the rough and tumble type of a dog like a Lab. So several weeks ago, we began the search for our final dog at this point in our lives. I wasn't anxious to train a new puppy, but I wanted to make sure we adopted a dog who would fit our description of a playmate for Emmy Lou and Zoey, and who loved the outdoors.

I really wanted a Lab and we looked at Labs and Goldendoodles and Golden Retrievers and such, but in the end, I was always scared to bring a large dog into our household with little Zoey. Remember how small Zoey is?

She's pretty much 5 lbs. soaking wet.

That meant I just wasn't comfortable with a big dog. So I researched what kind of dog has a big dog personality in a smaller package and came across the American Eskimo breed. The Miniature American Eskimo will grow about the same size as our Sheltie and has the same double coat as Emmy Lou. They used to be called a German Spitz and were circus dogs in the past. They are touted as being very smart, easy to house train, loves to bark and have a good time. I read somewhere that American Eskimos are for people who want a Labrador Retriever, but don't have the room for one. Well, that signed, sealed and delivered the verdict.

So, without further adieu, here is our newest addition, Helen.

She is everything that an American Eskimo is supposed to be: SMART, beautiful white coat, adventurous and shows no fear. In fact, the first time I put her collar and leash on, she went for a walk. I didn't even have to show her what a leash meant and she stayed right at my side without tripping me. WOW! Finally!

Emmy Lou loves her. Zoey loved her at first, then hated her for awhile and is now warming back up to her. Helen is a happy puppy who wants to please her family. She fits right in and is my new walking companion. She is also 90% house-trained, which is impressive.

Helen is now going on 12 weeks old and can only walk a half mile right now, much like her mama, so we get along just fine. As she matures and grows, her walking distances will increase and as I lose and become fitter, my walking distances will increase and that will be just perfect.

Emmy Lou and I would call that a match made in Heaven. Just don't ask Zoey yet, because she's not totally on the same page. :)

On the Water

2011-07-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't your men look dapper this summer sporting the 1950's-era shirt and swim shorts? If you agree, click on over to my Etsy page and check out this original vintage sewing pattern:

1950's Men's Shirt and Swim Shorts

I think any man would look great in this ensemble while jet skiing at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri like my Dad and husband in these photographs taken last week:

This pattern is appropriate for all eras, just like the lake:

Vintage Sewing Patterns

2011-06-26T17:57:00.002-05:00

Remember a few posts ago when I mentioned that there was a large box full of vintage clothing sewing patterns waiting to be listed? Instead of going through eBay or listing all of them on this website, I have re-opened my Etsy.com account and will be selling the large majority of the patterns through that avenue.

Here is the link if you're interested:

Dancing Bumblebee Cottage on Etsy

If you enjoy sewing with vintage patterns, keep watch because I have many, many, many more to list!

Here's a sneak peek:

Old McCall's Fancy Work Envelope and Advertisements

2011-06-25T13:23:00.001-05:00

More finds from in between my vintage fabric haul from a Kansas farm auction, this is an old McCall's shipping envelope. From The McCall Company. . .Fashion Publishers. . . it probably contained fancy work patterns since the return address indicates it came from the Fancy Work Department.

Inside of the envelope was a nearly-perfect advertisement that with McCall's subscriptions, certain offers were attached in which a person could choose an umbrella, teaspoons, jewelry and more:

Unfortunately I couldn't find dates on anything. The postal stamps on the envelope were smudged and the advertisements didn't yield anything, either. With the looks of the items offered, I would guess this was between 1900-1910.

1932 St. Joseph, Missouri Advertisement for Girls with Tanned Legs

2011-06-22T14:57:00.001-05:00

As I was going through all of the fabric I purchased at the recent farm auction, I came across a plethora of newspaper clippings from the early 1930's. The clippings were taken out of the Kansas City Star and featured various quilt patterns. On the other side of one particular clipping, I saw this ad for the Gem Spangled Girl Show in St. Joseph, Missouri that advertises tanned legs! My oh my would the audience of 1932 be aghast at what beach goers wear today! Oh, and also notice "All talking pictures." Cool, huh? - - -

For those history nuts, like myself, I'll be scanning in lots of great stuff in the coming weeks. :)

Sale(s)

2011-06-19T16:18:00.000-05:00

Because the back of my HHR is packed to the gills (I still need to unload it), and because I went to this awesome farm auction in Kansas yesterday:

and because eBay has slowed to a c.r.a.w.l., I am having a sale on eBay! Many re-listed items are reduced and have Buy-It-Now prices! What doesn't sell this time around will be put up on my website, Dancing Bumblebee Cottage. See my sidebar for the link.

Many great new items have been obtained and will be ready to list soon. I need the extra room, so check out the bargains!

Dancing*Bumblebee*Cottage on eBay

Vintage Clothing Sewing Patterns

2011-06-17T11:29:00.000-05:00

Do you sew?

Vintage sewing patterns: do they send you into a tizzy?

I sew.

Vintage sewing patterns excite me greatly, which is why I picked up 2 full boxes of them at a recent estate auction in mid-Missouri.

Click the "Dancing Bumblebee Cottage" link on my sidebar and keep watch. I'll be listing patterns on eBay as well as my website. Summer is a great time to sit next to the air-conditioner vent and sew fun dresses, blouses and skirts! There are even vintage men's clothing patterns!

Moonlight Cocktail Cottage June 2011

2011-06-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

I didn't take many vacation pictures this trip because, frankly, the men stayed on the lake most days and I was either out antiquing, auctioning, sewing or setting up my sewing room in the cottage. That meant many of my pictures were taken around the cottage and here are a few:

This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. Last year my lovely hubby took out the wooden clothesline with the golf cart. So we had metal cross posts made and installed in concrete. This time the clothesline has 4 lines and is longer than the first one, so I was a happy camper. (The foundation you see is also on our property. The previous owner had planned on building a large garage on it and he already placed a septic tank and plumbed water in, but unfortunately he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and passed away shortly thereafter. When funds are available, we hope to fulfill the original plan, but that will be several years down the line.)

I brought down feedsacks from my own collection and washed them and hung them out to dry. They needed freshening up, but it also was so pretty to see them hanging in the breeze!

This is outside the kitchen bay window. The little table and chairs was originally purchased to be our kitchen table. But after using it a few times, we decided it was way too small, so outside it went after painting it black.

I had grandiose plans on planting more shade plantings in this shade garden, but didn't get around to it this year. The heart shutter came from a house down the street that was being remodeled. We rescued two shutters from their burn pile. Sometimes it pays off to roam burn piles. Heehee. . . .

This little guy was a gift from a friend last year. My husband took him out of the shed this year and decided the grasshopper would look nice in the perennial grasses. We've gotten quite a few compliments so far! :)

I'm working on a table runner using vintage fabric.

Above our kitchen sink.

The pig and duck were in a $1 box lot from an auction in La Cygne, Kansas several weeks ago.

Found the vintage metal children's cabinet knobs at an antique shop off I-44 in southern Missouri. I thought they'd look great on the cabinet above the oven. :)

This was a practice shot on my Nikon L120. I was sitting at the far end of the living room and shooting the far end of the kitchen using the 21X zoom. I decided it was a good enough picture to keep. :)

First Rides of the Season

2011-06-14T20:24:00.000-05:00

A few pictures from my one golf cart and boat ride of our 10-day vacation. The rest of the time was spent going to 3 estate auctions and sewing. My husband and dad spent the time out on the lake every single day.

Here is the day I joined them:

Riding down to the lake in the golf cart

Leaving our cove

Jubilee Days was getting set up in Warsaw, Missouri

My Dad at the beginning of the lake at Truman Dam

Talking on his iPhone.

It was a short boat ride to Warsaw and back, but delightful all the same.

When Still-Life Meets Real Life

2011-06-13T13:30:00.005-05:00

We've been at the lake cottage for 10 days now. I filled up the bird feeder located right outside the kitchen's bay windows at least 5 days ago and there have been no takers up until this morning, as I am cleaning up the cottage at vacation's end.

With the sweet porcelain birds which are perched upon a chippy white-painted mini-stool against the backdrop of the vintage white lace drapes and the bird outside happily eating its' breakfast, this scene just begged to be photographed.

It also helps to have a new point-and-shoot camera on which to practice, as well. I'm having a bit of trouble figuring the Nikon L120 out, but once I sit down and read the directions cover-to-cover, I'm sure the photo quality will greatly improve.

Let Summer Begin

2011-06-09T13:57:00.003-05:00

First boat ride of the season, at least for me.

The boys have been playing for the past several days in the mid-90 degree heat.

- - -

Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Sewing Salvation

2011-06-01T23:19:00.002-05:00

My HHR is already full in the back and the suitcase and other essentials are awaiting final packing, which means I probably won't see out of the back window on the drive down to the cottage for the summer months. I'm packing 3 grocery bags of vintage and new fabric, a stack of patterns and other things which make up a sewing room. This weekend is slated to be in the upper 90's and you won't find me lakeside during the heat of the day or actually any part of the day in which the sun is out. I'll be happily sewing away and hope to punch out the things I've been planning on making since, I don't know, months ago?

I don't doubt on our next trip down, my Singer sewing machine will make the trek, as well. This is the upside of having mast cell disease. I have a great excuse to stay indoors and sew.

The downside? I have mast cell disease and that means, at the most inconvenient times, I have an attack. I haven't had a full-fledge attack since I've been on Gleevec, which is great, but I have had one minor/major rash this winter. However, today it decided to rear its' ugly head as I was driving Emmy Lou home from the groomers.

Another upside? I have a wonderful husband who picks up the slack when I'm down. He really lives out the "for better or worse" part of the marriage vow that we exchanged 16 years ago on the 27th of May. I'd say all-in-all, I'm a pretty lucky gal-systemic mastocytosis and all!

And that dog is pretty darn wonderful, too!

Cheater Cloth Feedsack Top

2011-05-29T13:11:00.002-05:00

As I have stated before, I'm a huge nut when it comes to feedsack fabric. I think I like its' history the best followed by the grain of the fabric and finally the prints. Oh, the prints! There are so many designs to whet a palate that it's hard to decide which one becomes a favorite.

A few weeks ago, we were traveling down I-44 in southern Missouri and stopped at Lebanon. Along the quaint streets we came upon a shop that was a cross between a flea market and garage sale. Frankly, those are my most favorite because there are usually deals to be had!

I found an entire aisle full of sewing notions and fabric ranging from recent to vintage. I piled up a handful of vintage fabric and made my way to the register. The woman who helped me check out mentioned she had several boxes of fabric in the back and asked if I was interested in looking through them.

You don't have to ask me twice!

I followed her back and started rummaging through boxes of fabric. She mentioned the woman she received these from was in her 80's and was an avid sewist until her eyesight became too poor to sew. As I rummaged, I found what appeared to be a feedsack with blue flowers that will need to be soaked but then I grabbed a piece of fabric that I recognized as a "cheater quilt" feedsack. When I opened it up I noticed it was already cut out and sewn together to be a tank top. I immediately purchased the piece:

I was extremely excited because this is another use for feedsacks other than using them for quilts. I can't tell you the number of times I have talked to the older generation who have told me that they grew up wearing feedsack dresses. Many have said that they hated the feedsack clothes because they were a bit itchy and people knew that the dresses were homemade instead of purchased at a clothing store. Those same people don't show much interest in the old fabric anymore, but I sure do!

I plan on finishing up this top with some vintage bias trim and then I'll offer it up for sale. The cheater cloth pattern has some interesting history. I found this website with some great information:

Cheater Cloth Information

Sadness and Sewing

2011-05-23T17:13:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, before the tragedy unfolded in Joplin, Missouri, I was up at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri setting up the sewing machine and making a cart liner.

Saturday evening I sat by the TV watching The Weather Channel monitoring the tornadic activity in Kansas and watching our county go into a tornado warning. Luckily, as far as our neighborhood goes, we were spared but Reading, Kansas wasn't so lucky.

The following evening I sat in front of The Weather Channel and watched the horrific coverage from Joplin while monitoring the severe weather heading our way at the lake. Again, we were spared.

I am home now and my heart feels very heavy over everything that has happened the past few days. My prayers are with those who feel the loss of friends and family. And to those who lost everything.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Since taking Gleevec, my skin has grown very sensitive of the sun even moreso than normal. That means this summer at the lake won't include as much water activity as in the past, so on our trip down this past weekend, I packed up the Janome sewing machine and set up a little corner of the master bedroom for my sewing room. And while I talk about it being just for this summer, I have a feeling I'll be keeping that sewing machine down there for good.

My little sewing corner

I set up shop in front of the window which faces our wooded back yard. I love the view:

Published Picher Photographs

2011-05-18T13:51:00.000-05:00

Remember this post?

Publishing Picher Photographs

Guess what arrived on my front porch yesterday?

Inside the authors signed the book:

I'm credited in the back of the book:

for the 4 pages, including a spread, from Picher, Oklahoma:

I'm beyond tickled! I hope they will start working on a Weird Kansas book! This was a thrill I wouldn't mind repeating. :)

Collecting Vintage Religious Plates

2011-05-17T11:13:00.001-05:00

I'm going to start a new series of blogs under the label, "Collections." If you've landed here through a link on eBay, you probably have the collecting bug like myself. The thrill of the hunt is half the fun and coming home to fit your newfound piece in a current collection is the other half of fun.

Before I started selling vintage items, I was a collector of many things. Seventeen years ago when I moved into my first house, I started to decorate immediately with finds from antique malls and flea markets. First came the chippy jadeite-painted post office boxes to hold my porcelain cat collection my grandparents' purchased for me years ago at a garage sale. Then came the composition dolls followed by DeKalb Corn collecting as well as anything DeKalb, Illinois. Finally, I started collecting vintage religious items and ended up by loving the sweet plates with the Lord's Prayer on the front and God Bless Our Home plates.

These were easily obtainable and very reasonable. I'm sure I haven't paid over $5 for any one plate. I hung my husband's parents' crucifix by the front door with one plate and after filling that area up, I moved to a corner of the dining room.

When we decorated the lake cottage, I started a collection of plates for the kitchen:

This picture is a bit older. I have since added 2 more plates to the wall area above the counter top. When remodeling the kitchen, I pondered adding a tiled backsplash, but I prefer the visual interest of vintage plates instead.

This collection is really two-fold. I enjoy the artwork greatly but more importantly, they are wonderful reminders to lead a God-filled life.

82 year-old Doll

2011-05-12T13:11:00.000-05:00

Want to know more?

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1933 Colonial Quilts Catalog

2011-05-10T10:44:00.000-05:00

I love this resurgence of handmade items. Perhaps the birth of Etsy helped drive the market or maybe many of us long to go back to a simpler time. A time when there were less distractions. A time when "keeping up with the Joneses" didn't exist.

Before I became a dealer, I was a buyer of antiques. My first purchase after my first job and checking account was a jar of vintage buttons from an antique mall in Martin City, Missouri. I have always been drawn to things related to sewing. Old embroidered runners, doilies and quilts always makes my heart pitter-patter.

So it is with great happiness I came across this piece in Camdenton, Missouri:

The Colonial Quilts catalog has a copyright date of 1933. Seventy-eight years have passed since the printing and it's good to know that while so much has changed, the feelings of putting needle and thread through material hasn't budged one bit .

Nancy Lee states in the beginning of the catalog:

"Join the happy throng of women who are finding companionship, peace, contentment, and above all joy of creating with their own hands a fresh, new quilt of lasting daintiness."

While I do not possess the patience to make a quilt, I do have the knowledge and love of the art. Anytime I have the opportunity to purchase vintage quilts and handiwork, I jump at the chance. This gives me an opportunity to enjoy my business in passing along pieces of history to someone who appreciates the time and love put into each stitch of handiwork. What can be better than that?

Currently on eBay

LIVING IN THE WHIRL OF OZ

Branding Dancing Bumblebee Cottage

Feedsack Birdie Bookmark

Windmill Fabric

Quaker Oats Chicago Laying Mash Pillow

My Newest Dairy Feed Sack Pillow

White Cloud, Kansas

Decorating with Numbers

Items That Never Made It to the Sale Floor of the 'Net

The Cloche

Vintage Seed Sack Bird Cage Pillow

Six Years Ago Today

A Simple Christmas

Thyme in a Glass

One Down

Since Thanksgiving. . .

A Thimble For Your Thoughts

Turkey Coma

Rocky Mountain Livery Barn, Canon City, Colorado

Early Pennsylvania Sheriff Trade / Business Card Warren, Pennsylvania

Edwardian Antique Lace Sash

Painted Advertising

Windmill on Main

Vintage Patterns FREE SHIPPING

Me and Epi Sitting in a Tree. . . .

Topeka, Kansas 1952

Zoey is one Popular Chick

My Past, Present and Future

Saturday's Farm Auction

Goodbye 2011 HHR. Hello 2012 Chevy Equinox

Mad Props Given to the HHR

FREE SHIPPING on ALL Vintage Patterns

Monday's Consignment Auction

Saturday's Farm Auction off Highway 36 and 151

Wool Needle Keep

Hint of Summer

It's Vogue to be Groovy in 2011

Not Just an Auction, But a Life Lesson

White Bowl=Black Dress

Possibly Boston-Bound

Vintage Mail Order Clothing Patterns

1950's Wall Heater Decor

Saturday Morning

Sleeping on the Job

The Week of Feedsack Love

One Step in Auction Heaven

The Belle of the Orange Snow Ball

Vintage Jean Coveralls Make Great Vintage Fabric for Your Sewing Projects

Reuse by Redoing

George's Skelly Uniform

A Day Trip to a Truck Stop. We Live So Lavishly. HA!

Snow Woman Pillows, Oh My!

Last Lake Hurrah

Fun Vintage Finds

Not-So-Fun Side Effect of Gleevec

A *Mostly* Comedy of Errors

Vintage Sewing Trims

Something You Don't See Every Day

The Horse Auction

The Dairy Barn

Heavy Traffic. . .

A Little Bit of Kansas

Flora's Cafe

Kansas City, Missouri West Bottoms

Abandonment Photography for Sale

Vacation Photography

1930's Quilt Patterns

Day Three WonderSlim

Day Two WonderSlim

Day One WonderSlim

Jumping on the Bandwagon Again

On the Water

Vintage Sewing Patterns

Old McCall's Fancy Work Envelope and Advertisements

1932 St. Joseph, Missouri Advertisement for Girls with Tanned Legs

Sale(s)

Vintage Clothing Sewing Patterns

Moonlight Cocktail Cottage June 2011

First Rides of the Season

When Still-Life Meets Real Life

A Mostly Comedy of Errors