PACK RAT OR COLLECTOR??

Am I a pack rat or a collector?

A pack rat is defined as a rodent of the Rocky Mountain area. Well, my in laws may think of me as a rodent sometimes, and I do live in the Rocky Mountains.
A pack rat has well developed cheek pouches. Mine are pretty chubby!
A pack rat will drop what they are carrying, and exchange it for something else they see and want. That is definitely me in an antique mall.
A pack rat is particularly fond of shiny objects. I love my German lustre dishes.
They hoard miscellaneous & unneeded objects. Just how many different dishes does a person really need?

Now, a collector of objects is said to:
SEEK. I'm definitely out there looking.
LOCATE. There is no problem finding an object of desire.
ACQUIRE. It appears I buy plenty.
ORGANIZE. Well, I guess that is questionable.
CATALOG. Never, I don't want to know how many dishes I have!
DISPLAY: That I do.
STORE: Obviously.
MAINTAIN: I adore my dishes (isn't that maintenance?). Plus, if I ever need to have a sit down dinner for 120 people, I'm ready!!

So, what do you think? Am I a pack rat or a collector? (I purposely only opened the doors on just two of several cupboards holding my dishes. I didn't want to cloud your judgment of my obsession!!)

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally

MET MONDAY

It is the very first Metamorphosis Monday hosted by Susan at

Between Naps on the Porch. I have chosen a recent project of my husbands to share today. I've mentioned before that Bob loves to find a box of wooden parts at an auction for a dollar or two. Then, he sorts them to figure out just what he has. This chair came in pieces in one of those boxes. Once he had it laid out, there were only a couple of rungs missing. Sorry, I don't have a picture of all of the pieces; but this is what it looked like all assembled and still unfinished with the new rungs he made.

Early 20th century pressed-back chairs have always been a favorite of mine.

Here it is finished with its new seat.

I'm using the chair at my desk, so I had to make a cushion for comfort!!

Thanks for stopping by, now go and visit Susan for more wonderful makeovers.

Sally

VINTAGE VIGNETTE #8

The bird print with glorious colors and bamboo frame was recently found at Goodwill for $2.00. I have a small collection of vases made by Lee & Bonnie Wollard of West Coast Pottery in Burbank, California in the 1940s. They are all quite fluid and organic in style - this is my favorite with its green to brown glaze.

Under the dome is a hummingbird nest. When my children were young, they enjoyed watching the mother and baby hummingbirds in this nest in the eaves of my parent's carport for about four consecutive years. Then the nest was inactive for at least 10 years. When I sold my parent's house after their deaths, the last thing I did was cut this nest down. The nest was balanced between two wires. It is fluffy inside, but the outside is made of tiny paint chips gathered from the green colored house next door. Now, my grandchildren are fascinated with the nest.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally

MY ROLE MODEL FOR GROWING OLD

I was going through some old pictures and came across the above picture. This is my mother on the left and her cousin, Louise, on the right. The picture was taken in about 1923. They were adorable in their hats and my mother with her hankie and Louise with her little purse. Everyone in the family has always called my mother's cousin, "Pete". It seems that when she was a kid, she fell in the irrigation ditch and came out all covered in peat moss; so a great-uncle started calling her Pete.

Pete was my mother's first cousin - just four months younger than my mother. Both sets of their parents were divorced when they were young. This was pretty unusual for 1920s-1930s; so, they were raised together more like sisters on their grandparent's farm. In addition to being cousins/sisters, they were also best friends for more than 70 years from birth till the day my mother died. They hardly lived much more than a mile from each other their whole lives, and visited back and forth continually. Therefore, Pete has always been a part of my life. This is a picture of Pete and me taken in 1939.

Pete is the only person living that remembers the day I was born. That must mean that both of us are getting old!! Well, Pete is 89 years old this month and is my role model for aging.

She is sharp as a tack; always tells it like it is, but never is judgmental or complains. Her kids adore her, and she still takes as good care of them as they do of her. This last summer, Pete buried her middle son - he was only 51 years old. It must be terrible to bury one of your children; but Pete was so full of faith and grace, she made it easier for everyone else.

Pete and I live 90 miles from each other, but we regularly telephone and see one another occasionally. She always is interested in everything I'm up to, asking about my family, etc. and always wants to know what I'm cooking for supper. Her grandmother (my great-grandmother) was a great cook; but was terrible at cleaning up afterwards, as she thought that was what kids were for. Pete and I always laugh about Grandmother and her ways. Pete has lots of memories to share and is my link to my ancestors.

Here is Pete recently - we were looking and laughing at some old photos.

I'm sure Pete will never read this, as "computer" is not in her vocabulary; but I needed to write down how important she has been to me. Guess I had better go call her. Anyway ---- I want to ask her if I sucked my thumb as a baby. For some unknown reason, I want to find that out!!!

TABLESCAPE TUESDAY

It is Tablescape Tuesday once again hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

In the winter, we eat a lot of soups and stews for our main dish. So, today, I have set the table for two using some of my brown transferware.

The soup bowl is from the 19th century aesthetic period manufactured by W. H. Grindley and Co., England. I have several pieces of this pattern with its charming birds and asymmetrical Oriental banding. The 'manly' soup spoon and butter knife are from my great-grandmother's monogrammed silver. The bread plate at this setting is 19th Century, 'Stag' pattern from C.S. & Sons, England.

For an under plate, I have used a pair of 20th century brown transferware plates in the Tonquin pattern by Alfred Meakin, England.


The glassware is Fostoria, and the bread plate in the foreground is 19th century, in the 'Perak' pattern.


The two larger candle holders were made by Bob's grandfather from apple wood from his backyard. The smaller holder was made by my father from one of the original walnut trees planted by pioneers in the small town we grew up in.

Thanks for stopping by, and now head over to Susan's to check out all of the other great tablescapes!!!

Sally

I WON ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

Myrna at Heirlooms had a giveaway recently of one of her art pieces - in this case a charming mirror! I was thrilled to be the winner. It came with this cute tag that had the cutest pleated fringe on the bottom. The mirror is decorated with beautiful papers and sheet music then embellished with lace. I love it!! So did my 12-year old granddaughter. She said, "Oh, I want that!" We'll see - but for now it is quite at home in my sewing room. Thanks, Myrna.

AN AWARD AND POTHOLDERS

Susan at A Southern Daydreamer has bestowed upon me the Proximidade award just for being an encouraging commenter in her first month of blogging. How special is that? Thank you, Susan, for thinking of me. (see my sidebar for the beautiful award) The award comes with the following explanation:

"This award focuses on the friendships that blossom here in blog land.

Blogs who receive this award are 'exceedingly charming' say its authors. This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

I am privileged to be a part of this blogging community, and cherish all of you! If you have not received this award, please accept it from me!!


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I've been making potholders again from Irene Berry's (an editor at Quilter Newsletter
Magazine) paper piecing patterns. This time they are for a friend's birthday.

We have shared many cups of coffee over the last 20-plus years, so I made her a cup on one of the potholders. It is blue because we both have blue willow everyday dishes!


Susan has a very elusive cat that is black with a tuft of white hair under her chin. The cat runs and hides every time our Wednesday a.m. coffee group meets at her house!! I think this is what the cat looks like since I rarely see it.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally

VINTAGE VIGNETTE #7

After unloading my little cupboard of its Christmas stuff, I couldn't figure out what to put in there for January. It is a little too early to put in my antique valentines. Then, I decided that New Years was for looking back in TIME in addition to looking forward. So I gathered up some photos of Bob's & my grandparents and great grandparents and added their pocket watches, other jewelry, one of their old razors, and a pair of glasses that belonged to one of them.

We are enjoying looking back in TIME. Hope you enjoy it, too.

Sally

2008 TOP FOUR PROJECTS

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality is hosting a 2008 Top 10 Projects party. I came up with four projects around the Salmagundi house that are my favorites for 2008 (in reverse order)!!

NUMBER FOUR

Our guest bathroom paint job and update.

Before: Not bad, but needed repainted, crown molding, and a new counter top.

After: New shower curtain; a richer taupe color on the walls; mirror frame & cupboard repainted black; new lighter counter top; and not visible in picture - base cupboard painted and pictures of family's homesteads framed in black.

NUMBER THREE

Jelly Cupboard.

Before: One of my husband's hobbies is to buy old furniture that is in pieces, and restore it to its former glory. Here is a jelly cupboard he found in pieces laid out in his workshop.

He's figured it out and it is now back together again (almost).

And now, it is all finished and ready for resale. I wanted to keep this one, but it was sold in a flash!!

NUMBER TWO

Our computer room paint job and update.

Before: Nothing much had been done in here for 10 years. Time for a redo!

After: New crown molding, darker paint color on the walls, and all of the bookcases and the computer desk repainted in black.

AND NUMBER ONE

The kitchen paint job and update.

Before: We put this wallpaper & border up 11 years ago - time to let go!! In this picture, the border was starting to be stripped off; we had already replaced the old blue counter top with this lighter one; installed several new recessed light fixtures; replaced four of the upper cabinet doors with glass; and we had installed the hardwood floor. The kitchen was always so dark - only one window that looks out on our screened-in porch. The oak builder-grade cupboards from the 1980s were worn and dreary.

After: The crown molding is installed, the cupboards and walls have been repainted, and a new micro hood is installed over the stove. It is so much lighter and pleasant in the kitchen now.

When I talk about projects, I always say we; but in reality, it is Bob who does all of the painting and carpentry work. I am so fortunate, all I do is think things up; and he does it! I am part of the clean-up, shopping, and furniture moving crew, however.

Hope you enjoyed seeing our top four projects for 2008. Now go visit
Southern Hospitality
to see all of the other great projects listed.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally

OLD TOYS ARE THE BEST TOYS

It has just been a week since the Christmas toys were opened, and look what our 6-year old grandson is playing with? A wooden box, marbles, and an old tractor and trailer that was mine as a child!!!

It was a pumpkin patch to be harvested!

He played and played forever, and never even realized I was taking pictures.

A bulldozer removing snow! Can you hear his sound effects?

May his childhood imagination never end!!

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally!

I WAS A QUILTER ONCE UPON A TIME!!

I have mentioned in this blog before that I spent 20 years making quilts for publication in books and magazines. In addition, I traveled to conferences and to teach quiltmaking throughout the U.S. The above quilt, entitled "Starshine", was the first quilt I had on a cover of a magazine - way back in 1990. Whenever I would speak to a group of non-quilters, I always got the same question, "How long does it take to make a quilt?" Well, of course, it varies on the complexity and size of the quilt. But for this particular quilt which is 78" x 78", I kept track of the statistics so I could answer the usual questions. So, for you non-quilters out there, "Starshine" took a little over 800 hours from conception to completion. The 3001 individual pieces are sewn together on the sewing machine, but the layers (top, batting, and backing) were hand-quilted together. There are 96 different fabrics used in the quilt and it took about 500 yards of thread to just hand-quilt the layers together. (You can click on picture to enlarge.)



Over those 20 years, I made a bunch of quilts which I have stored in "the quilt closet"! Be forewarned, if and when my blogging brain goes dead (like today); I will probably drag out another quilt to show you. If you get tired of seeing my quilts, please let me know. Hopefully, they won't show up on the blog too often.

LOOK WHAT I FOUND & I WON CAMI'S GIVEAWAY!!

Yesterday noon, the grand kids were fussing at each other; Uncle Mike, the teacher, was mediating; the noise level was just a tad above my tolerance level. I had this uncontrollable urge to escape! So, I announced, " I HAVE to go to the grocery store!" Men accept that as an emergency. I left the house, knowing full well I was headed to Goodwill to see if there were any bargains. As I entered the store, I spotted clear across the building some pink on the dish shelves. I quickly surveyed the competition - no one was fondling the plates, yet; but I better not dawdle. There was no time to untangle a shopping cart. I'm hoping that what I see will be the usual Goodwill price of $1 or less per dish. Oh my, my blood pressure is rising - could it be? Yes, it is pink transferware; and it's Johnson Bros. Old Britain Castles. There are 16 pieces; but, oh no, the price is $24 for the lot of 16. Still, that's a bargain price, isn't it?? Reconsider, Sally, do you really need them? Of course not, I already have service for 12 of this very pattern. Do I want them? Of course I do!! Did I buy them? Naturally. How could I leave them there? These beauties had already been abandoned by their former owner on the cold doorstep of Goodwill during the Christmas season. I couldn't just leave them there; they must come home with me to join their brothers and sisters.

P.S.: I did go to the grocery store and spent much more there than at Goodwill.


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I WON CAMI'S GIVEAWAY!

The first part of December, Cami at Creating Myself had a giveaway for a beautiful painting of pansies in a basket. And, I, who has never won anything, was the lucky winner. My friendly postman in his Santa hat delivered it to me on Christmas Eve. I was knee-deep in cooking green chile for Christmas Eve supper, but was so excited to receive this special gift from Cami!! It came all wrapped in red and green with a luscious white lace bow and with this Christmas Joy card.

And look how special this painting is with it's green hanging ribbon.

This is what my pansies looked like outside - poor things!

Now, I can have pansies year around.

Thank you, Cami, for this special gift!