Vintage Jars & Egg Baskets

The last thing I needed on my junk hunting list was canning jars. Or, so I thought. I have boxes of my own, my Moms, my Aunts, and my Grandmothers. Why in the world would I even look at another box of jars? Because the jar in the above photo was sitting on top!!!!!!

Yes, I have lots of "real" jars for my own canning. . . . I have few beauties like this one--a Kerr Self Sealing Mason--thick blown glass--raised lettering. . . .I have no idea how old it is. . . .Maybe one of you could tell me. . . .I just know I loved it. . . .

As I dug down into this "Box of Jars For Sale" at a local flea market, I also found a little half pint Atlas jar and. . . .

several more oldies. . . .There were quite a few of the waffle-like design. . . .So, I totally ignored John when he asked why I wanted ANOTHER box of jars. . . .After all, if we're planning a big garden next year, we need plenty of jars, don't we?. . . . I didn't bother to tell him I'd never actually USE these jars for canning. . . . But, I did know how I WOULD use them. . . .

I'd spotted the old egg basket when we first arrived but forced myself to walk on by without checking the price. I figured it was pretty pricey. . . .Now, with my vintage jar buy (which was a steal, by the way), I went back to check on the egg basket. . . .I couldn't believe my eyes. . . . .$15?????. . . .I stood there, trying to stay composed, when the gentleman told me if I was interested, he'd let me have it for $12!!!!!!!. . . .Before I could say "Sold", he asked if I was interested in two? . . . . He could give me a good price for both. . . .$20!!!!!!!!
Well, you know what I did. . . .Those baskets were in my possession and a $20 bill was in his hand before he could change his mind. . . .or his wife returned. . . .or both. . . .I figured a woman would know the value of my find. . . .

I brought my "steals" for the day home, cleaned them up, and put them in the farmhouse kitchen--one basket filled with a few of the vintage jars. . . .

one basket filled with my blue jar collection. . . . .

and two prize jars for a kitchen counter vignette. . . .

What a fantastic day. . . .

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Old Time Party @ Old Time Farmhouse

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Come join in the fun!!!!!!!

Is It Hopscotch? Checkerboard Floor Inspirations

Is it Hopscotch?

That was the question from a neighbor yesterday. 

Nope. . . . .It's our keeping room floor. . . .

Before. . . .

 

Taped half-way. . . .

Taping is slow-going for us. . . .I had this idea in my head to follow the cabinets and I wanted the squares on the diagonal. . . .Neither John nor I excelled in math,  so we're having to adjust as we go. . . .
I rarely do anything the easy way, but John is good natured and patient. . . .
This was his only blueprint. . . .

It's taken both of us to figure it out. . . .

But, once we get the taping finished, it should go a lot faster. . . .

 I thought I'd share some Checkerboard Floor Inspirations, 

while we continue working on our own floor. . . .

I discovered that checker-boarding is an historic way to finish a floor.

Colonial Americans often used the technique, adding a dramatic effect to a room.

It was considered mostly for the wealthy, since paint was expensive back then--

just the opposite of today's floor treatment.

 Look how the black and white makes this kitchen "Pop". . . .

 I love this one. . . .It has a sophisticated farmhouse flare. . . .

 John is threatening to only paint the black squares
and leave the wood squares as they are. . . .

I don't know about that. . . .

 Don't you love it on the diagonal?

Look at that chandelier. . . .

I have Mom's. . . .It came from Italy. . . .Hmmmmmm. . . .

No, I'm sticking to plain & simple. . . .
The other kitchens are beautiful, but this one is more my taste. . . .
Plain & Simple Farmhouse Style. . . .

Looks like our weekend will be spent on our knees. . . .
We don't mind, though. . . .We're anxious to see the results. . . .

Sharing with: * DIY by Design * Make It Pretty Monday

White Gold and Be Funky

I love harvest time in the Delta.

Fields and fields of white as far as the eye can see. . . .

the chug, chug, chug of the cotton gin close by. . . .

the activity up and down the road as farmers and their machinery go from field to field,

picking into the evenings what the Old Timers called "White Gold". . . .

There's just an excitement in the air that harvest brings. . . .

This week is proving to be a busy one. . . . .

The weather is giving us a few very nice days. . . .

Time to store summer furniture and yard ornaments,

prepare the gardens for winter, 

prune the fruit trees and mulch the flower beds. 

 It's fun to be outside and enjoy the excitement of the season,

even though there's a lot of work involved. . . .

But, I thought I'd take a few minutes from my chores 

and share these photos from a few years back with you.

 I've been playing with them using BeFunky.com.

Until now, I've used PicMonkey--and still will for some things--

but, I've fallen in love with Be Funky. . . .

This one is my favorite--
After all these years, I've finally painted a "canvas" that I like. . . .
It almost feels like cheating. . .

It's amazing what can be done to a digital photograph with just a few clicks on the computer.

Daddy's hobby was photography, but he did it the old way--

with a 35mm camera and a dark room.

He would have had so much fun with a program like Be Funky.

Well, I hear the "ole cotton fields calling". . . .time to get back to work. . . .

Hope you, too, are having an exciting harvest season. . . .
I know this Farmer's Daughter is. . . .


Sharing with: * Barn Charm * Rural Thursday

A Wonderful Quilt Show in the Delta

It was such a beautiful Fall weekend. . . .No way did I want to stay inside. . . .

so we headed west to Monette, AR for the Second Annual Quilt Show 

at the Buffalo Island Museum.

I attended and assisted in numerous quilt shows when I was a member of the National Quilting Association and lived within 30 miles of Little Rock, AR, where many of the national and state shows were held. When I moved to Virginia and worked at Colonial Williamsburg, I was fortunate to have viewed first hand many historic and rare quilts of our nation's founding families. . . .But, I was never more excited about a show than I was about this one. . . .

True, the patterns were the same as many elsewhere in the country. . . . and, most of the vintage quilts were made with the same type of patterned feed sacks that I've found in other states. . . .But, these quilts were made in the Delta, by women whose last names I recognized. . . .That makes them special to me. . . . .The Delta is where I was born and raised. . . . .My roots are here. . . .

At most quilt shows I've attended, the entries were hung one way or another on the wall or from poles. That's what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the ladies at the Buffalo Island Museum did things a little different--they incorporated the quilts into their museum displays. For me, it added so much more to the overall experience.

We were asked to vote on our favorite in each category--vintage, handmade, machine quilted, hand quilted, baby, and artistic.  It was certainly very hard decisions. I walked through each division many times before I could decide.

The ladies allowed me to take photographs--probably a hundred or more shots. . . .
I'd love to show them all to you--but had to pick just a few. . . .

Be sure to read the comment on the one below. . . .It's priceless. . . .

Aren't they all beautiful?

Lots of skilled needlework went into each and every one . . . .

It was a perfect afternoon spent with the ladies at the Buffalo Island Museum.

 What a wonderful Fall escape into the past. 

We promised them we'd be back and tour the museum again. . . . .

I'm sure we missed a lot of local history and memorabilia under all those quilts. . .  .

Hmmm. . . .I feel another road trip coming up. . . . Soon. . . .

Sharing with: Rural Thursday

Barn Charm: The Moore-Cook Barn

It's been a while since I've posted a local barn--mainly because there are so few left.

Then it dawned on me--I'd never featured one of the prettiest barns in the area. . . .

Isn't she a beauty?

Leslie Moore, brother-in-law to my Grandfather Magers, owned this property

 back in the early part of the twentieth century--30s-40s. 

His daughter and son-in-law now own the farm 

and have restored this structure back to it's original grandeur. 

The barn is located on Arkansas Highway 18 at Dell.

 A piece of Americana at it's finest. . . .

"Picture Perfect"

If you love barns, check out Tricia's Barn Charm

We'll be linking up Monday. . . .

Two Ravens Came A Calling. . .

A Fall vignette for you. . .

Excerpts from Edgar Allen Poe's THE RAVEN

When two ravens came a calling,
Through the farmhouse open door,
I think I heard them loudly squalling,
Nevermore. . . .Nevermore. . .
 

We'll all agree--I'm no Edgar Allen Poe!!!!!!!

Just having some FALL fun. . . . 
Hope you are, too. . . . 


Sharing with: *Make It Pretty Monday * Tweak It Tuesday