T-SHIRT MORPHED INTO A PILLOW

A couple of years ago while we were in Paris, we went to this department store called 'Galleries Lafayette'. The architecture was amazing.

While there I bought my granddaughter a sparkly, Paris t-shirt. She came bounding in the other day with this pink and bling t-shirt on. After I commented that she had just about out-grown the shirt; she said, "But, I love it sooooo much!"

So, it was decided that it would live on in a pillow. I found some fabric that coordinates with her shams and comforter and added them to the knit of the shirt. This is the result:

I cut out the label and put it on the back of the pillow.

She was excited today when she came after school to find her new pillow.

This is a good solution for those much-loved t-shirts that just won't disappear!

A couple of hints:

When combining knits with a woven fabric, it helps to stabilize the knit with an iron-on interfacing before sewing to your fabric. This eliminates any stretching that might occur.

If you don't want to spend the money for a down pillow insert, or even for a quality fiber-fill insert; check the pillow section at Wal-mart. I found this 14" x 20" travel pillow to use for the insert and it was just $2.00. You certainly can't make it for that money; and they are great for teen-age rough and tumble!

I'm linking to Donna's Saturday Night Special
on Funky Junk Interiors.

and

Susan's Metamorphosis Monday
on Between Naps on the Porch.

Check these two blogs out for inspiration beyond belief!!

MY BOYS OF SUMMER!

There has been considerable discussion at my house the last two years about the possibility of a treehouse. You are only eight years old once, so it was decided that this was the year to make it happen. When you combine an eight-year old dreamer (Wyatt) with a seventy-one-year old engineer (his papa), there is a lot of talk about possibilities versus structure/buildability/safety/etc.
And then the supplies had to be gathered - trips to yard sales for reclaimed lumber, to the lumber yard and to the Habitat for Humanity restore for bolts, etc., and to one of our own hidey-holes for necessary pieces!

Finally, they got started.

A left-handed hammer and a right-handed drill.

Learning a few skills along the way.

Safety first - a railing, gate, and a sturdy ladder so the old-folks can climb up there, too.

Every castle needs a shield and every pirate boat needs a flag.

You need a supply of rope because you might decide you want to surf under the treehouse. In arid Colorado, you have to pretend to surf on a rope and board.

Where will this happy boy's imagination take him next?

Hopefully, when he is seventy-one years old; he will remember the summer he and his papa built the treehouse.

I'm linking up to Mosaic Monday with Mary at
Little Red House

and

Outdoor Wednesday with Susan at
A Southern Daydreamer

Please stop by these two blogs as I'm sure you will enjoy your visit!

APOTHECARY LOVE!

It is time for Marty's annual Fall Cloche/Apothecary Jar party. I decided to join in this time not with a cloche vignette, but using my antique apothecary jars. I had my eye on these four jars at a local antique store for a couple of years; and finally around my birthday and Christmas last year, we bought them. I've sure enjoyed them as versatile containers for all kinds of stuff!

Today, they hold grocery store flowers in Fall colors.

Be sure to go by Marty's A Stroll Thru Life
where you will find a plethora of ideas for your cloches and jars.

LAST REPORT ON THE ESTATE SALE

I bet all of you are tired of hearing about the estate sale that I have been helping with the last two months. I promise this is the last post on the subject! We are ready to open the doors for the two-day sale this coming weekend. The ad in the paper says, "Treasures from 34 Countries; Tools to Tuxedos; The Elegant to the Ordinary!" That about sums it up.

And now, to finish up showing you the rest of the things I bought at the presale.

The deceased was a well-traveled, accomplished woman.
I bought these three watercolors that she had done as a teenager in the 1920s. They are inscribed on the back as gifts to her mother.

I've always been attracted to amateur paintings, plus these three have nice, old frames.

Then, from the $.50 - $1.00 table I bought the following:
An old red tea tin and a little Tum's container.

A small snuff bottle with the cork intact and a great label. The large brown jar used for canning was originally a cocoa jar.

Also, from the $.50 - $1.00 table a wooden hanger from the Grand Hotel in Paris. I love this as we have stayed by the St. Lazare Station in Paris (but not at the Grand Hotel)!

For $10, I bought this Irish wool throw.

AND NOW -------- my big purchase!

I bought 101 pieces of Johnson Bros. Friendly Village dishes. I had a few pieces of this pattern that I had picked up in the past, but now I have enough to feed an army. You can't have too many dishes, can you?

I really had to work at moving dishes around to find room for 101 more. But, like I told my husband -- you can always find room for more dishes.

And that is it -- I have pretty well shot my wad, for a while anyways!

I'm joining in with Rhoda at Southern Hospitality
for the Thrifty Treasures party

and

Linda at Coastal Charm
for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays.

Please check out these two wonderful blogs for more thrifty treasures.

IN WITH THE OLD, OUT WITH THE OLDER!

I have a new-to-me china cupboard. It fits the space perfectly, and holds almost all of my hand-painted china collection.

It has pretty details, all original. I've seen similar china cupboards around the blog world painted white and distressed, which I loved; but somehow this natural finish just seems to suit our personal aesthetic better.

The new cupboard replaced this older, Victorian era curved-glass cupboard which we have had for almost 20 years. Whereas it served us well, it had some unpleasant memories attached. It was time to replace it, so I could walk past it without bringing up those memories every time.

Sometimes, you just have to move on!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch
for Metamorphosis Monday

and

Marian at Miss Mustard Seed
for Furniture Feature Friday.

Check these two popular blogs out for lots of inspiration.

MORE TREASURES

Continuing with a few more treasures I purchased from the endless estate sale, the plate below is a souvenir plate from Boston. The plate is from an English Staffordshire pottery and shows the Boston Library. It was right in my budget for transferware souvenir plates of $3.00.

I've been attracted for several months now with Victorian era quadruple-plate silver serving pieces. These two are my first purchases, however, both for $10 a piece. The spooner on the left holds some of my collection of Victorian sugar spoons and the cream pitcher on the right has an attached lid. I'm smitten with both pieces!!

In front of the spooner and creamer are three sugar spoons that I bought at the estate sale for $3 a piece.

More treasures to come on future posts.

Marty-- does a shelf in my china cupboard count as a tabletop? Hope so as I'm linking to your Table Top Tuesday event. Be sure to check out
A Stroll Thru Life
for more table top inspiration.


I'm also linking to the following parties:

Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Thrifty Treasures

and

Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Be sure to check them out for other thrifty finds.

IS THIS A TREASURE OR NOT?

Here is one of the things I bought from the endless estate sale. It is a huge pot measuring 12" wide by 10" high. It has the feel and look of art pottery from the 1920s and 1930s.

It has pretty molded leaves on all sides. There are no maker marks on the bottom.

What do you think? Do any of you have any idea of its age or maker?

I figured that for $5; at the very least, it would look pretty with a poinsettia in it for Christmas!