I Listed a Bunch of Vintage in My Shop Today!

thejennigirl.etsy.com

I Am a Yard Sale Diva!

Cast Iron Cafe Set, $25

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100% Handsewn Twin-size Quilt for Korra's bed, $50

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Framed Picture for Korra's room, $1 (painting frame white)

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Brass Bed for Korra's room, $8

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Dress for Korra, $1; 8 Cloth Napkins for me, $2

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Vintage Fabric & Items, $4.50

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Little Tykes Toy Car, $3

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Eyelet Twin Sheet Set, $1

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Chandlier (sp?) for Korra's room, $1 (painting white, needs new crystals, & rewiring)

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Cloth Napkins for other people, $13
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Glass Salt & Pepper Shakers, $1

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Not photographed:
2 Blue & White Hand Crochet Doilies, $3
3 Wreaths, $5
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Twas a good day!

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First Came Father's Day, Then It Went to the Birds

True story.

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Sunday was, of course, Father's Day!

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We ate dinner at Fat Dogs, which is this obviously very awsome gormet on the side of the road and at the edge of a cliff hot dog joint. Napkins optional.

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Here's a proud Daddy, and his 3 kiddos:

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Monday, is the part that went to the birds.

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Er, the chickens anyway.

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J put the shingles on the roof!

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And since he was working on the coop, I thought that I'd hang with him and paint the primer on the coop's walls.

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Before paint:

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After paint:

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Can you tell a difference?

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The paint was left over from 4 years ago when we had to do touchups so that the house would pass the VA inspection. And it was left in the garage. Where it has froze and thawed more times than I want to know. I tried stirring it by hand, but that was a big fat FAIL. So J got me a beater that goes in your electric drill. And now, the paint is mixed!

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Me and my frizzy unstyled hair mixing paint with power tools:

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I mix paint like a girl.

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*wink*wink*
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And, finally, the 3 famous chickens:

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clockwise from left:

Penelope, Gertrude, & Ethel
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All I have to say is, get to layin, Ladies!

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Today's Yard Sale Finds!

I was happy as a clam this morning digging thru the delights other people want out of their houses, lol!

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So, short & sweet, here's the bargains:

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$4.75 for this pile of fabric & 2 embriodery hoops, plus a 3 yard section of Chriatmas fabric that my son dropped in the mud while helping carry things into the house that is, obviously, not pictured

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$2.25 for this shelf and handmade doily for Korra's room

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$5 for all these vintage hankies (either crafting with them or re-selling on Etsy)

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$10 Name brand clothes for Xavian, including 2 shirts with the tags still on them
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$1 for a couple sets of jammies for Korra
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$.25 for this wire basket for J and his gardens
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And, introducing my find of the day, a 1963 made in Canada, Singer Model # 285 J!
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The sticker said that it doesn't work
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So I asked if she knew what was broke on it. She said that the belt slips. So I looked at the belt:

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No wonder it slips! It's too old! That's an EASY fix!

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It's in really great shape, and has lots of neat details (besides the fun color!)

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The model number and serial number plate is in poerfect condition:

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The cast metal machine's bottom has easy to read identifying markers:

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It even came with lots of it's accessories, including the zipper foot and a yet to be identified foot:

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Did she sew with this thing??? The foot pedel shows absolutely NO wear!
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One last peek:
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Isn't she pretty?!
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My Sewing Space and the Return of the Decorating Bug

I know several people have been wondering where I sew. Well, I sew in the entryway of my home! It allows me to keep an eye on my family, have plenty of fresh air when the front door is open, and I have plenty of room to move around.

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Of course, since I work in the hub of my house, I have to try to keep my space neat. Which is a challange for my creative genious. But I do it. And I survive.

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Here, is where I create my sewn delights (as viewed from the grand staircase):

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Eventually, I hope to get a sewing table to keep my primary machine in, and a small cabinet fr my fabrics, instead of that lovely green tub.

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Wait! I did buy a table to keep my machine in! I just fell in love with the machine that came in it, lol! That beautiful piece of work now lives in front of the diningroom's front window, next to J's B&O RR switchstand signal light.

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Which brings me to the next order of business.

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The Decorating Bug has me in the grips of extreme fever right now! Just in case you couldn't tell with recent blogging posts.

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Right now, I am searching for a canopy bed for Korra's room, art for Korra's room, art for the entryway, a 16x20 oval frame for wall of the grand staircase, a sewing machine table, small wooden cabinet for my fabric, a tredle sewing machine table to use as a night stand for me, art for my bedroom, heavy crown moulding for my bedroom, a rug for the twin room, an outdoor rug for my front porch dining set, 2 tables for the new patio, a bistro set for the patio, the perfect fabric for the patio furniture's cushions, flooring for the laundry room, something clever to hang in the laundry room, a frame for a limited edition odd shaped print for over the dining room fireplace, blah, blah, blah...

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I could go on and on all day. My list is HUGE!

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And because my list is huge, I know I have to be frugal. Which means big box stores are probably not where I am going to shop. I don't like shopping there anyway. Instead, I adore shopping at yardsales, flea markets, antique malls, and etsy. I window shop online all.the.time.

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Lately, while surfing etsy and design blogs, I have come across one or two cute things.

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I really like this painted ceiling tin tile that says, "Bless this house"

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I think it would look adorable over my entry way's brass switch plate! I discoved the etsy store Embellished Bayou (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6874265) after learning about a new blog (http://cprojectpretty.blogspot.com/). You like? She's doing a giveaway right now! (http://cprojectpretty.blogspot.com/2009/06/embellished-giveaway_18.html)

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I found a great website full of fabulous picture frames that suit my tastes and this house perfectly, but not so much for the pocket book. The Victorian Frame Company (http://victorian-frames.stores.yahoo.net/oval-frames.html) has lots to choose from in all sorts of sizes. And I like. A lot. But I know J would fall over dead if I spent $200+ on a picture frame! I am really going to have to do some digging at some yardsales this summer. And see about attending a few more estate sales. Estate sales would probably be the best bet, but you never know!

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So, for now, tonight, I sit and drool over things on the internet and the pictures of what I want in my mind. But have no fear, I already have today's newspaper open and have circled some yardsales for tomarrow morning. Gotta get there quick for the good stuff!

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Operation Save the Front Porch Summer, Part 1

The front porch is in sad condition, and has been for a couple years, but the house had more pressing concerns up to now. This summer has been declared "Save the Front Porch Summer!" by the H & I. He's replacing the roof over the 4th of July weekend, and I am currently removing 100+ years of paint from the rails and around the windows, and on rainy days (like today) I work on the decor. We are also remortering (is that a word?) between bricks and stripping and repainting the floor and the lattice work that goes around the bottom of the porch.
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More before pictures are located here: http://thejenni.girl.googlepages.com/home.
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So, here is the before pictures of how thick 100+ years of paint can be:
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Here is what it looks like stripped down (It took me about 3.5 hours to get that much done):
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Look close, and (hopefully) see all the details that have covered by so much paint:
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And, here is the handmade cushions in their current progress (I still have to add gromets and ribbons for ties, and dimple the cushions w/ the pictured glass beads):
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(I got the table & chairs at a yardsale for $20, and scrubbed them w/ a wire brush and repainted glossy black w/ rustolium paint)
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(My FIL got us the 2 matching loveseat sized benches)
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And, just for fun, my hanging baskets I got from a local nursery for $10 each!

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I Loves WAHM Trades! (Lucy's Pants)

Tommigirle (http://valleygirlhasbabygoescrunchy.blogspot.com/, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7112304) & I made a fun trade!

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She made Saxton this adorable vintage diaper (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25825525):

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Taking a stroll

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Smelling the flowers

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Enough pictures! He's gone!

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And I made these shabby chic beach pants (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25590109) for her little Lucy:

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Looking sweet

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Close-up of the drawstring details
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The view from the rear
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Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms

20 large muchrooms
1/2 c. broccoli, finely chopped
1/4 c. carrot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
1 c. seasoned croutons, crushed (about 1/2 c.)
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Core/scoop stems out of mushrooms, reserve 1/4 c. chopped
Place mushroom caps rounded sides down in deep dish
Mix finely chopped ingredients, salt, cheese, & crushed croutons
Stir in melted butter well
Scoop stuffing into rounded piles in caps
Bake 15-20 minutes
Serve warm


YUM!!!
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Who Likes Corn on the Cob?

Not Saxton. We had to put Pitstacio Fluff on it to get this shot. How sad! Xavian and Korra both LOVED their first ears of corn. He is definately his own person!
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We hosted our 3rd annual Family and Friends "Let's Have an Excuse to Get-together" party on Saturday, and we had a blast!
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The day wasn't without it's casualties. Xavian lost control of his moter bike and took out some of Korra's sunflowers in the garden, then teased the dog while riding the same moter bike and Alco ripped his new denim shorts and Xavian gained a cut above his left eye:
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Of course, that wasn't the end of the crashes. After nearly running over Saxton, I took the moter bike away. Xavian then hopped on his new (to him) 10 speed and took off at a break neck speed down the driveway and promptly wiped out. His knee now has a lovely gash.
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:::sighhhhhhhhhhh:::
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Summer just started too!
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