Junk Becomes Fun!

Have you seen a bottle tree? Do you have one? I've been wanting one all summer long. Last summer, I stuck landscape sticks in the ground in my flower beds and put bottles on them all over the place, along with some pretty old floral plates that I "planted" in the ground.

This year, I've been so busy with the booth, and with running north for vacation and my grandma, that I never got around to planting plates or bottles. I did however, talk Kevin in to a quick little welding job this afternoon!! He made me a bottle tree of out some scrap metal rods he had out in the barn.

I am still looking for some red, yellow and purple bottles that will fill in some of the green and brown spots, but I'm pretty excited with how it looks, and I haven't even scrubbed the weld spots with a wire brush or painted it yet!!

I went to a local store because I found a wine online that comes in a red bottle and it said they carried it...not any more I guess! I did find a cool white bottle that I bought. I poured the wine into a different jug in the fridge. I really could care less about the wine itself...I'm interested in the bottle only. The website for the wine in the red bottle listed another party store that might have it, so maybe next weekend when I am out looking for sales, I'll stop in to see if they have it. I won't make a special trip again.

I wonder if I could spray paint some dark green or brown bottles with high gloss bright colors...what do you think? Do you think it would turn out?

Busy Weekend!

Our weekend started off busy and has just kept on hopping! It started with the chickens going to a new home on Thursday night, then both Kevin and I being off on Friday-something that hasn't happened in a while. We went to a few sales together in the morning and then off to an indoor shooting range in the afternoon. He took an all day class last Sunday for his permit to carry a concealed weapon, so he wanted some practice.

He goes hiking a lot in the woods in the U.P. and has always been concerned about bears, so now, once he gets his permit, he can carry a pistol for protection. I got to shoot too. It was my first time at an indoor range, and my first time with a 9mm. I think I am a better shot with a rifle than a hand gun-but it was fun anyway.

Last night, Eric had a few friends over to hang out and eat, and play xbox, and eat, and hang out, and eat...LOL! He had invited the whole mission team from his mission trip in June, but a lot of them were either heading off to college or a last minute vacation with their families so only 3 guys showed up-but he still had fun.

Today we went to a couple of sales in the morning and then off to Adam's friend's wedding. It was waaaayyy out in the middle of nowhere in a little hall off of the fire department in Durand. It was probably the quickest wedding I've ever been to-less than15 minutes long! They only took about 30 minutes for pictures, and there was TONS of great homemade food. Her mom worked really hard and she made almost every dish you could imagine.

We are back home for a bit, then Kevin is off to a work picnic around 7. I think I am done with going to parties where I have to sit with people I don't know for today-so I'll just stay home. Besides, we might have someone coming to get the ducks (either tonight or tomorrow after church), so I have to be home for that!!

Homemade Alphabet Quilt...

Can you believe it's WEDNESDAY already? Are you ready for Would you Buy it Wednesday? Or how about Nifty Thrifty Tuesday? I am! What do you think of this homemade alphabet quilt?

It is about the size of a twin bed. The stitching is done by hand. Some of the stitches are so uniform they almost look to have been done by a machine, but a lot of them (even in the same row as the perfect stitches) are a little off-so you know it wasn't done by a machine. It is edged in all of the colors of the letters.

What do you think? Would you have bought it? How much would you have spent on it? How much do you think I spent?......Are you sitting down? $4!!! I originally bought it for the booth, but since I've had it, I think I kinda  like it and might just end up keeping it....

I'm linking up to Junker Newbie's Would you buy it Wednesday. Show us what you found this week and let us tell you if we would buy it by linking up too!

Also linking up to Nifty Thrifty Tuesday-over at Coastal Charm--check it out!

New Antique Shop in Whitmore Lake!

Here's a quick post for my Michigan friends! There's a new antique & collectibles shop in Whitmore Lake! Just out of town on Main Street on the Right (passed the school). It's called Mart's Treasures. It's a cute little shop with a main room and two small rooms. It is family owned and operated-no dealers renting booth space. The two ladies working today were very friendly and very excited about their new adventure.

The prices seemed pretty reasonable, it was displayed very nicely and it was clean and organized. They told me to stop back in October, they are planning a customer appreciation day. If you are near Whitmore Lake, stop by and check it out!

Retro Napkin Holder...and Some Other Fun Things...

I found this at a local Goodwill along with some other fun things. I've never seen a napkin holder like this and I thought it was really cute-especially at 60¢. 

 I found a couple of other things at other sales, these pictures have seen better days, but I was thinking of painting the frames, off white-it might brighten them up a bit. I got this old record box for a quarter since the handle was broken. I don't even have any records-I just liked the red and white box!

I also found this guy...I know it's out of season, but I thought he was really cute!

Last but not least...an old grocery cart-or granny cart as I call them. I couldn't walk away from it once I saw it-especially at $3. 

I am linking up to Stephanie over at Junker Newbie for Would You Buy it Wednesday. C'mon over! You know you want to! It's FUN!

Busy Sunday!

Last night Eric, his friends Jake and Brent and I met Kevin's sister and her husband at the DTE Energy Music Theater and we saw Chris August, Michael W. Smith and Third Day!! The concert only cost $10 per person and parking was free!

It is an outdoor venue and we were worried about the weather, but it was perfect-even a little chilly-but no rain! We had been out earlier at the outlet mall shopping for school clothes and got soaked because it was pouring. The outlet mall is about 12 minutes from our house, and the rain never made it to our house-and never made it to DTE either.

We saw a few other people from church there too. We found a great spot to sit on the lawn-just outside of the pavilion-thankfully my sister-in-law had 6 beach chairs-otherwise our backs would have been really sore from sitting on the ground for so long-Thanks Dawn!

We dropped Brent and Jake off at their car at the church at midnight. I really didn't want to get up this morning when the alarm went off at 5:30-but it was worth it! We had a lot of fun! Chris August didn't get to sing enough, Michael W. Smith wasn't all that great, (he seemed tired), but Third Day was AWESOME!!! They really gave a great concert!!!

All I had was my phone, but here are a couple of shots...

They're pretty bad pictures-LOL-oh well, it was a fun night!

My Michigan's Antique Yard Sale Trail Adventure...

I found out about Michigan's Antique Yard Sale Trail a few years ago and have been wondered what it would be like. I think it is supposed to be Michigan's version of the World's Longest Yard Sale. Some times it did remind me of it, but mostly it was just a LOT of driving and not enough sales! Maybe there will be more sales tomorrow with it being Saturday and more people having the day off...

It took an hour and fifteen minutes to get to the start and then another several hours of driving north along M29 and M25. Some of the scenery was just breathtaking! Lots of views of Lake Huron, lots of gorgeous stately homes-and lots of wonderful farms and farmland. All of the sites were worth the drive-once---not something I plan to repeat.

I'm glad I went, because I would have always wondered what it was like and what I was missing. The first sale I stopped at had a ton of funky painted furniture. Hot pink with polka dots on a child's rocker, all kinds of wild colors on wood furniture, but tastefully done (if you can imagine that) with a fun and funky twist to it. I would have bought some of the pieces but they were really expensive! As I was walking through the front yard to cross the street to my car, I walked past a casket that was painted with horizontal rainbow stripes that were about 3" wide with about a 1" wide white stripe in between each color. It was on a stand with the top half propped open and blankets and stuff spilling out of it.

Of course, I forgot my phone in the car for that sale! I still am scratching my head over that one! How did they come up with that idea? Where in the world did they get a casket? It was very artsy and kinda cool, but what would you do with it? Save it for your funeral? Seems like it would be always in the way!

I stopped at several other sales along the route. The longest stretch without any sales was about 24 miles. Then around Caseville they just dried up pretty much all together. I think I only saw 3 sales from Caseville to Sebewaing-that was a LOT of driving for no sales!

After the "trail", I went further north to West Branch and met my parents and Eric at Home Depot, so I could pick him up and bring him home after a summer up north with Grandma and Grandpa. It's about the half way point for both of us, so it works out well to meet there.

So, by the time I got home, it was 12 hours after I left! My behind doesn't want to see the car seat again for a couple of days!!!

This is what I brought home...I only spent about $20 on stuff-and I'm not even going to mention what I spent on gas-LOL! Almost everything I bought was either $2 or twenty five cents. I also got a giant blow mold snowman holding a broom-it's still in the car...I'm avoiding the car for a while!

This is what I saw...

I only came across a few big, big sales like the ones I took pictures of. The rest were smaller individual sales. For the most part, prices were really high-more than what you could get things for in our antique mall, but every once in a while I found a treasure in my cheap price range!

Would you Buy it Wednesday...Unfinished Baby Blanket...

I picked this up at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago. I didn't pull it out of the package to check it out, so I didn't notice the stains...now that I got it, I'm not so sure it was a good idea to but it. What do you think? Would you buy it?

I bought it to put in the booth, but now I am not so sure anyone would want to buy it...it came with a few extra skeins of floss that I think were original.

Linking up to Junker Newbie's Would you Buy it Wednesday-check out all the other fun stuff people have been finding!

Some Great Things You Might Not Know About...

Just a quick post to share a couple of things that I recently found that I LOVE and thought you might too!

 Solar powered dragonfly garden stakes that come on at dark and rotate through all the colors! I have two that I got as gifts from my mom earlier this summer-they are so fun when they come on at night! They are clear during the day-no batteries, no special care.

Toad-Ally Hanky Panky and Triple Play. Chocolate drizzled caramel or butter toffee popcorn with peanuts and mini chocolate covered pretzels! YUM!!! I have only found them at Meijer-they are by the chips. They are a little pricey, for the size bag you get, but they are so sweet you only eat about a handful and then you are done. YUM!

Much Appreciated! Thank You!

Thanks everyone for your kind words of encouragement and support and for your prayers and good thoughts for my grandma. She passed away peacefully this morning around 11:15. My mom and my grandpa were with her. If they happen to cross your mind in the next few days, please say a little prayer for each of them. Grandpa is without his wife and life partner of 65 years. My mom, never really knew approval, love or respect from her mother, and now she never will.

Thanks again friends! Your kind words and prayers have really meant a LOT!!!

What is Your Collecting Obsession?

I am addicted to kitchenware. I can't stay away, no matter how much I tell myself that I don't need another bowl, gadget, tablecloth, plate or Pyrex piece! I thought having a booth in an antiques/collectibles mall would help me grow tired of these things, but I think it has only added fuel to the fire!

I pick up all of these neat little items-usually at super prices, lately with the intention of reselling them, but a lot of times, when I get them home and start getting them ready for the booth, I have premature seller's remorse. Sometimes, and item will make it all the way through the cleaning, pricing packed up and taken to the booth process, and as I am there unwrapping and displaying-I wrap it back up and take it home.

Do any of you do that? Or am I the only one?

I came home the other day with a set of melmac stacking mixing bowls in bright colors. They are brand new, not vintage and my oldest son said to my husband, "It's a good thing mom got those, because we really don't have enough bowls around here!"

So that got me thinking about the kitchenware collections that I have that have sprung up from this obsession...

Warning! Viewer discretion is advised...

I have started two more vintage Fiesta mixing bowl sets that I didn't picture. The bowl sets all started out as just something to hunt for, and I'm getting to the point where I have completed most of the sets I set out to find, but when I see them, my heart still speeds up-even when I know I don't need them and shouldn't buy them!

I've actually joined a group on facebook called "I need a 12 step program for my Fiesta Addiction!" I wonder if I should start a group called, "I need a 12 step program for my kitcheware addiction!".

What are the things you are draw to the most? What are the things you just can't walk away from-even if you have a few (or a bunch) of them at home already?