ABC WEDNESDAY - K IS FOR KEEPSAKE

                                                            K IS FOR KEEPSAKE

How many you have kept things from your childhood or have been given gifts that you hang on to?  Merriam Webster defines keepsakes as something kept or given to be kept as a momento. Another source says something that serves to keep the memory alive of a person or event.

The origin of the word dates back to 1790 - keep + sake (as in namesake)

How many of you out there have kept their tassel from your motorboard from your high school or college graduation?  Well I have as well as my husband.

I collected a chrome table years ago and it's reminds me of when my Mom used to roll out homemade cinnamon rolls on it and the smell would permeate the whole house.

It's really odd what some of us keep, I have an old metal pan with lots of dents and breaks that my grandma Jewell had on her porch with flowers growing in it.

I have a billfold that my great-grandfather carried and it still has the old pictures of movie stars from the 1930's in it that he kept.

I have my childhood bicycle from 1957 and it was a beautiful gray with pink stripes and now it's so rusted you can't tell the original color but I can't bear to paint it.


When our children were small we had our baby's shoes bronzed. Is there anybody out there who also did this?

 

These kind of keepsakes are the most important thing that I own, I don't need  a large fancy home or lots of gems but memories that I can hold and remember.


Do you have keepsakes?

Linking withhttp://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com  for

Ann

Cupcake Christmas Wreath

I'm having so much fun making these wreaths for the craft fair I'm joining in October.  I found deco mesh at Sam's Wholesale Club at $7.99 per roll.  I bought a Christmas plaid, plain red and plain gold.

I found these adorabe cupcake ornaments at Hobby Lobby yesterday and really thought they were cute, all Christmas is now 40% off.  Here's what I came up with.

Linking with Sue@http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com  for Rednesday

Ann

Yardstick ornament

I am making quite a few items for a fall crafts show here in October.  I found this idea from Pinterest last year.  I purchased a vintage yardstick at a sale (they are hard to find). There are plenty of thinner ones but you need the wider ones to decorate.

Also you need the scrabble tiles from a scrabble game.  It was fun coming up with words to describe Christmas that would fit on a 5" piece.

I have my eye out at every antique store now, looking for these yardsticks.

Linking with Sally@http://smilingsally.blogspot.com  for Blue Monday.

Ann

J is for Jack-O-Lantern

Last October I took several pictures of carved Jack-O-Lanterns at my granddaughters school program.

I did some research on Jack-O-Laterns and was surprised by all the tradition and folklore concerning these creative carvings.

How creative is this one!!

OK maybe this is a really bad pumpkin with lots of acne. Or perhaps a gourd.

These two got pretty hungry.

This one is a little fountain that serves fruit punch.

 

From Wickipedia



 

 

TRADITION

 

 

.^[4] It was not until 1837 that jack-o'-lantern appeared as a term for a carved vegetable lantern,^[5] and the carved pumpkin lantern association with Halloween is recorded in 1866.^[6]

In the United States, the carved pumpkin was first associated with the harvest season in general, long before it became an emblem of Halloween.^[7] In 1900, an article on Thanksgiving entertaining recommended a lit jack-o'-lantern as part of the festivities.^[7] The poet John Greenleaf Whittier, who was born in Massachusetts in 1807, wrote "The Pumpkin" (1850):^[8]

“

Oh!—fruit loved of boyhood!—the old days recalling, When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling! When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin, Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!

”

 

FOLKLORE

 

A character named Stingy Jack was associated with the Jack-o-lantern in folklore.  He is quite the interesting guy, there is lots of reading on this guy if you are interested.  Hence Jack became connected to the pumpkin carved with candles.

 

I realize that Halloween is 6 weeks away, but I wanted to feature these cute Jack-O-Lanterns.

 

 

 

 

Linking withhttp://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com  for

 

Linking withhttp://thetablescaper.blogspot.com

 

Ann

Pink Flower Pump

Since I've shown just about everything at my house thats pink I'm always on the lookout for pink when we are in the car.

Yesterday, taking my grandgirls to Chick-Fil-A, they spoted this pink pump made from flowers.  It sits at the corner of one of the shopping malls here.

The flowers are pale pink on the tip of the shoe and on the back. I'm sure earlier this summer the colors were a lot more vibrant.

Hope everyone is enjoying their cooler weather. September is turning out to be a really nice month here for weather.


Linking with Beverly @http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog
for Pink Saturday

Ann

Fall in vintage

I like to incorporate my vintage items for holidays and not put them away.  I have been decorating for fall this week and would like to share with you.

My vintage birdcage dressed with fall stems.

Scales holding my pumpkin dressed in his halloween mask.

One of my lanterns.

 

Spool converted to vase.


Vintage wooden dough bowl filled with pumpkins.

It feels like fall here today, in the 50's.

Linking with Suzanne @http://coloradolady.blogspot.com   for Vintage Thingie Thursday

 

 

Also linking withhttp://RootedInThyme.blogspot.com  for Simple and Sweet Fridays

 

Linking withhttp://TheTablescaper.blogspot.com

 

 

Ann

ABC Wednesday - I is for Information

ABC WEDNESDAY - I IS FOR INFORMATION

 

 

 

INFORMATION - INFORMATION - INORMATION

 

 

I am turning 65 in a few months and I have major decisions to make on my healthcare.  I have INFORMATION OVERLOAD.

 

 

Which Medicare Plan do  I take, Plan A, B, C, D, E, F -it's all so confusing.  Do I take A and B or just A, do I need a Medicare Supplement Plan, an Prescription Supplement Plan?

 

The booklet from the Medicare Organization is 148 pages!!!!!!

Maybe if I ordered everything with




Will they accept all the allergy shots I have to take weekly and the prescriptions I take daily. Will I reach that INFAMOUS DOUNUT HOLE some people fall into.


After studying for about a week, I think I have come to my decision for my choice of a supplemental insurance.

I am thankful that we have a choice, it just takes awhile to figure it all out.


ONE THING FOR SURE, I'M GOING TO TAKE EVERY SENIOR CITIZENS DISCOUT I CAN FROM NOW ON.




Linking withhttp://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com

Ann

 

Deco Mesh

Deco Mesh is a fabric that is very popular this season for wreaths.  I've seen quite a few on Pinterest and other craft sites. 

I just finished a wreath for my SIL and Daughter, they are big LSU fans.

I purchased a roll of fall colored mesh today for an autumn wreath which was on sale at Hobby Lobby. In fact all of the fall decorations are 40% off right now.

I gave the unfinished wood letters a purple color and then dotted them with the yellow.


Happy Crafting.


Ann

Toile hat boxes

Want to share my  hat boxes that I purchased at Sparks Flea Market.  I belong to the Red Hat Society so I have around 15 hats. I never have enough boxes so these will help keep their shape.

 

The boxes are covered in a heavy toile fabric and will look nice sitting in my craftroom.

 

 

Linking with Sally @http://smilingsally.blogspot.com

for Blue Monday

 

 

Ann

 

 

Front door welcomers

I started decorating for fall this weekend and the weather feels like fall today. In the 70's with a wonderful cool breeze.

My little tin pumpkin man just hanging on the wagon wheel is saying coming on up the stairs.

Another welcome on the weathered bench.

There will be plenty more fall inside in the following weeks.  Have a wonderful week.




Linking withhttp://TheTablescaper.blogspot.com  for Seasonal Sundays

Ann

Pink Flamingo from garden tools

Last weekend my sisters and I went to the Sparks Kansas  Flea Market that is held twice a year in the spring and fall.  They have 500 booths with vendors there serving food and drinks.  The kettle corn was wonderful and the funnel cakes scented the air.

I spotted a pink flamingo made out of gardening tools. 

Looks like his eyes are washers and his ears an old pair of scissors or pliers.  I did not inspect the beak close enough, not sure what it's made of.

I did not purchase this one but it gave me lots of ideas.


I did spot a vintage spice rack that I did purchase and I am using it for my acrylic paints. Have to be honest and say I found the idea on Pinterest.

Just happened to be painted pink and I really LOVE it.  I would like to make several of these for a craft fair in October. I do have a perfect pattern.

Getting my fall decorations out, I'm excited for the crisp cool air.  Have a wonderful Saturday.

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog

Ann

Vintage Postage Scale

Today I am linking with Suzanne @http://coloradolady.blogspot.com  for VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY.

A few weeks ago I purchased this vintage postage scale at a local shop.  It has been tole painted which I wish it hadn't been but I still enjoy the chart on the scale.

It is a  postal machine manufactured by the Triner Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Ill..  Local first class mail was 2 cents per  ounce and   air mail 5 cents.  There is no date on the machine.

After doing some research on Wickipedia for the history of postal rates, the machine could be as old as 1919.  The rates on the charts match the dates on the machine.

It is a fun item to have around and makes for some interesting conversation.

 

 

 

Ann

 

ABC Wednesday - Her Hands

ABC WEDNESDAY       H   IS FOR  HANDS

  Her Hands by Maggie Pittman

Her hands held me gently from the day I took my first breath
Her hands helped to guide me as I took my first step.
Her hands held me close when the tears would start to fall.
Her hands were quick to show me that she would take care of it all.

Her hands were there to brush my hair, or straighten a wayward bow.
Her hands were often there to comfort the hurts that didn't always show.
Her hands helped hold the stars in place, and encouraged me to reach.
Her hands would clap and cheer and praise when I captured them at length.

Her hands would also push me, though not down or in harms way.
Her hands would punctuate the words, just do what I say.
Her hands sometimes had to discipline, to help bend this young tree.
Her hands would shape and mold me into all she knew I could be.

Her hands are now twisting with age and years of work,
Her hand now needs my gentle touch to rub away the hurt.
Her hands are more beautiful than anything can be.
Her hands are the reason I am me.

My Mom Nellie

This poem describes my beautiful Mom who is now 86.  Her hands are twisted with arthritis but she dosen't complain.  I can remember as a child how she made so many of my school clothes and put my hair in a ponytail.  How she clapped her HANDS when I performed in my school programs or played my violin in a school concert.

Her hands were busy helping others in our church, cooking all of our meals, waving goodby all the way down the street when we were going somewhere and anxious for us to get back.


Another poem written in 1865 by William Ross Wallace was written to praise motherhood.  "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world", the poem was written to show that mothers were a preeminent force for change in the world.


I've got to give a HAND to the team members of ABC Wednesday who I am linking with today for ABC Wednesday.

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com

Ann