Cleaning Up The Kitchen and Elsewhere...

My faithful companion, Annie, on her perch
while I make a creative mess in the kitchen!

It's just time to clear off the kitchen table and island and bring everything upstairs to my cluttered craft room. I tricked myself into getting this done by inviting friends for supper. Procrastinating for this long is now over...

It's not that I'm just sitting here doing nothing...but regular, every day things get pushed way to the side while I create stuff. This is nothing new - I've been working this angle since the '70's with a brief pause in the '90's when I actually worked at a big corporation. It was time to get benefits and a regular check. So when I retired, I once again was possessed with creating...creating messes throughout my whole house. No, I mean projects in every room - on every flat surface...regularly.

It's not even Thanksgiving but the shop I supply crafts to just had their Holiday Open House. I am not complaining in the least bit but its still a good four weeks to Christmas and things are still flying out of the door and into people's homes.

Job security...but a messy house. All of this is changing tomorrow. It will be a Saturday filled with hauling things up the steps and into my almost filled craft room. Sigh!

I'm so lucky to be so busy doing what I love to do...making creative messes all over my house...except in the kitchen - starting tomorrow.

Take care,

Bonnie

Punkins For Sale!

So many ways to make pumpkins...so I made three out of fabric for fall decorating.  I'm already on to making stuff for the Christmas Open House but really we need to decorate for fall now!!!

A patch of punkins'

 

Gingham..."give comfort"

 



Burlap..."blessed"

 



Corduroy..."inspire memories"

So take your pick in the punkin' patch and decorate before the snow flies and piles up!!!

Take care,

Bonnie

 

Burlap Wreath...

I made another burlap wreath on a wire frame.  I cut and tied a bizillion strips of burlap to the form.  I like the way it turned out.  The other one I made was narrower strips and took way longer to cover a smaller frame

 

 

Now I have to embellish it...not much - just a little something.

Thought you'd like to see the process...I still don't know how I'll embellish it but I can look later again and see which one strikes me!

Tomorrow better be more fruitful than today...I hope, I hope!

Take care,
Bonnie

Another Quilt Camp Over...

Just wrapped up another successful Stitchin' Chicks Quilt Camp...and since I've been home, a nice long nap!  We dragged a car full of stuff in the house...made a pizza for lunch...started to watch the Vikings football game...and fell asleep until it was over!  But while I slept - we won!!!  Yay!

I was pretty worn out from our last two weekend Farmgirls sales so I came home with some dread disease...actually probably just a cold but ache all over, sore throat, yada, yada, yada. 

I finished two quilt tops - one for me for my nap time and one for my granddaughter Addy's nap and TV time!

I love Scottie dogs!  Made from Woolies flannel...
"Remembering Katie" designed by Grace Wilson for Maywood Studio
purchased at Keepsake Quilting.

 

 

 Addy picked out the fabrics and Gram sewed it at camp! 

She loves Barbie!

 

Addy will help me tie her quilt soon!

 

 

The Christmas burlap items going to Zimmermann's in Mora!

 

Annie missed me - she took her post at the back door for a couple of days just waiting for me to come home...missed my little family.  January is our next camp and its 6 nights and 7 days...might have to have lunch with Hubby and Annie half way through camp!

 

Take care,

 

Bonnie

Fall Swap

Look at what I received from Karen in the Fall Banner Swap!!!  Thanks so much, Karen!  It was like Christmas around here when her package arrived!

 

Karen sent such cute things and I love the burlap banner!
Now I have to decorate my mantel!

Look at all the goodies!!!  I love white pumpkins and the candles
smell so good!  That medallion makes me want to make some to
share!  I think the blackbird needs to hang on the banner along
with the medallion...

 

Here are the rules that Deb at Garage Sale Gal (her blog) set up for us:

Swap "rules": spell out F-A-L-L on the banner made with either paper or fabric. That means 4 pieces. Include 5 fall related items, one NEW one. Contact your partner to meet her and find our her likes. Get her address too! Wrap pretty and mail out on or before Sept 11th. Post Sept 25th.

So you see - I'm late in posting!!! Darn! 

Karen has a lovely blog also - check out her blog Shabby Brocante  When you get there you can see what a great photographer she is also.  Quite a talented lady.  So glad we met and now I can see her treasures - we both love transferware amongst other things!

Thanks again to Karen for all the fun stuff and to Deb for setting things up for us!!!

Take care,

Bonnie



 

The Miss Emily Kae is Home!!!

Yesterday, Miss Emily Kae came home to roost!  My new vintage 1968 Manorette trailer is now sitting outside by my gardens where I can see her from my computer.

My son and daughter in law bringing her home!!!

 

This is what I see when I'm at my computer!

 

Nestled in by my raised gardens... 

 

My trailer-warming gift from my friend, Judy!

 



A few things going out to the trailer

 after I get it cleaned up!

 

I have my little four cup coffee pot ready.  I'm looking for a small toaster oven and microwave.  I have a couple of shelves that need to be painted red, a small aqua corner cabinet and a red magazine rack. 

 

Pretty soon she will be so filled up that I won't be able to move it out of the yard...I am trying to limit my decorating items!!!

 

Take care - I'll be updating "Miss Em" soon!

 

Bonnie 

 

 

 



 

Fall Has Arrived!

It's fall in Minnesota!  It was summer forever with all the heat and no rain.  But now I bet the fall will fly by bringing in winter before we want it!

I took some pictures of the wonderful colors at the shop...

Looks lots different from all the white and burlap!

 

Orange burlap pumpkin embellished with a little bird's nest
and green Spanish moss and cute berries!

 

Love black pumpkins 'n doily

on top of a coiled orange bowl!

 

After some pickin' tomorrow, its cleaning time in the barn to get ready for our series of October Farmgirls Country Sales - Oct. 5, 6, 12, & 13th!

 

Time to clean the paint off myself after an evening of paintin'!

 

Take care,

 

Bonnie 

 

I'm Talking Junk Bonanza!

Junk is more popular than ever!  Of course, my house is evidence of this phenomena! In the new barn and the old pole barn and the pole barn behind the pole barn...we're knee deep in JUNK!

So my visit to Junk Bonanza in Shakopee this last week was a little bit of heaven.  Hundreds of junk vendors to visit - basically all under one big roof.  Yay!

Ki Nassauer, in sage green jacket, is the creator of Junk Bonanza

Junk I bought to make more Junk for our sales!

Ki Nassauer is also editor of the Flea Market Style magazine, our junk bible!

It was so much fun to hang out with fellow Junk Queens - now to get busy and reimagine!

Take care,
Bonnie

Vintage Camper Love...

Today we finally got to go see the little vintage 1968 Manorette camper made in Chilton, WI, that my friend's son has for sale!  It's 16' long and I'm in love.  It's all wood interior - usually birch I guess.  The wood needs some repair but on the way home we discussed how to keep it intact and restore it.

I see the stainless steel stripe changing to red.

 



Curtains and cover on cushion

probably aqua/old green and red something.

 



Jadeite and red transferware belong here somewhere.

 



 

Microwave on the end of the counter. 

Going to contact paper the oven that doesn't work

with old green and white checks.

Now I know the restorer, my friend,

loves this Route 66 motif, but its not me at all. 

So I'm thinking 40's tablecloth and curtains to match.

 

The cushions are sage green

and that will be perfect with my red stuff.

So I'm still dreaming but as soon as I can find someone (Bob?) to haul it home - its probably going to be mine.  It will serve as a writers nook, guest cottage and grandkids hideaway!!!  Oh ya - and my own Margaritavilla to share with my friends!
Take care,

Bonnie

Nests and Feathers and Birds...

There is something fascinating about the world of birds.  I love their antics outside  my window, their varied homes, their offspring before and after hatching and their lovely feathers.

And those birdcages...the old ones are the best ones but can't get enough of different designs.  Standing or hanging those cages are so captivating - no really - they are captivating!!!

The little Dove sitting in a doily nest filled with music!

 

A little birdcage with little lights that holds the little Dove.
Two doily nests with speckled eggs!

Book page Feathers!

So I spend some time replicating things in the bird world.

Take care and remember our feathered friends!

Bonnie

Making Wool Roses...

After many months of looking at my felted wool and thinking it was time to use some of it, I made some wool roses.  Mary Engelbreit is a favorite illustrator of mine and I think these roses look like the ones she draws for her wonderful illustrations.

I used felted wool and cut 4 1/2" dia. circles. 
Then I cut as example shows, trying to keep width of cut equal as I could. 

 

Begin on the outside of the circle cut and roll up
 - the bottom should be flat.

 

This is the bottom and the edges are flat/even.

Beginning in the middle with needle and thread,

stitch to outside and then back to middle all the way around

so all the layers are secured.



I stitch down the little flap from the inside of the curve

and around part way so the bottom layer will curl up the flower.

 

Now you can trim the top edges

 if you have little frays like this one.

 

I haven't embellished anything yet but stay tuned.

The blue flower is a larger circle so you can see

how much fuller they can get! 

The wool I used is a true red...

some pics are pink and some are pinker!

I could add one to a sweater or pillow

or headband or bracelet or journal. 

In fact I just might add them to all of the above!!!

 

 

So there you are - a wool rose or two or three or five!!!  Let me know if you have a question!

 

Take care,

Bonnie

 

 

 

I'm Kinda Awesome Some Days...

I'm so proud of myself...last week my printer stopped - like wouldn't turn on.  So I putzed around for a couple of days, uninstalled the software, got terrible error messages, tried to reinstall, etc.  So today was the day...if I couldn't get it going, I was going to order a new one. 

 

Well – this morning I pushed the button and it came on!!!  The light lit up and so did I!  So I reinstalled the software and whew!  It works. 

 

Now I can use up the ink cartridges I had stockpiled.  In my search to determine what new printer to buy, I couldn’t find one that took my cartridges that I had in the drawer…around $100 worth or so. 

 

So now I can go shopping for something more fun - like a new electric toothbrush because that stopped working last week too!  I guess I could try downloading something from Oral B and see if that would revive my toothbrush!

I love this time of year…we had our first fresh corn on the cob with salad with our fresh from the garden tomatoes in it!  I could eat just corn...so good for the diet!!!  Not!

  

 

 

Well - we're off to go garagin' to find more treasures for our October sales!!!  I do love to shop!

 

Take care,

 

Bonnie

Whew! Now for a few days off...

I took a bunch of pics before Crazy Daze in Mora yesterday so I thought I would share a couple...

We sold the 1800's wedding dress so I brought this
dress in - I think cowgirl boots would complete this outfit!!!



Wouldn't this look cute on a screen porch?  or bedroom area?

A 1940's glove box completes this little vignette!

Well - off to play with a couple of my grandkids!  Time off for good behavior.

Take care and have a great weekend!!!

Bonnie