My Granny Cupboard!

Many years ago, my friend, Raeann, gave me a step back or Granny cupboard.  I might have told you already but my dining room is a room of cupboards.

My Mom's cupboard is a Early American maple hutch - filled to overflowing with treasures.  After my Mom's death, I decided I needed this piece of furniture that meant so much to her.  Now its filled with my art pottery, linens, her glassware and fancy pieces.

My doll hutch that my hubby made for me stands tall in the corner filled with my dolls from my very first doll, storybook dolls, Ginny dolls, Tony dolls, to more recent purchases.  Another post in the future on this collection.

The cupboard that stood in my Gram's house is still filled with her tea cups.  Occasionally, the wicker rocker, now in my bedroom, would rock right through the glass front...things were a little tight in her dining room too.  I haven't put the table back in its place so this is just a narrow little view of it.

Hubby's little wardrobe stands watch in case the temporary louvered doors into our bedroom, should waver.  We moved our bedroom into the original livingroom and now the livingroom is in the four season porch.  I have the French Doors for this winter project - I hope its this winter!

And last but not least, my Gram's little mahogany hutch that held her prized dishes now resides in my youngest daughter's house along with Gram's table and chairs that match.

So for a year or so, I borrowed a cupboard from the shop and for the Christmas sale it made its way out to the barn.  It was great fun displaying the jewelry and accessories in it.

The bottom of my Granny cupboard managed to get painted in between sales.  Now I have finished the top so Gram's dishes can be moved from the dining room table to their place of honor.  I had to post this - even though I'm not done arranging and decorating my new aqua lovely cupboard!

The bottom of the cupboard used to have bins and hubby made them into doors.  They still need work but we're almost there!  I'm going to look for baskets for the drawer area and if I can't find them, hubby will make drawers. 

Take care,
Bonnie

A Few of My Vintage Quilts...

Today is the first day of real snow at our house.  We probably got 10 inches.  So Mr. J spent a lot of time snow blowing our driveway and of course, a path to the new barn.  I haven't quite wrapped things up in there yet - takes me a while to get back out there after our intense days surrounding our sales.  But it is supposed to warm up this week with Thanksgiving being about 52 degrees!  So that will be very nice for every one who is traveling to a great dinner some place.

A while ago I decided I would feature my vintage quilts on my blog.  So I took a picture of four of them.  I'm not sure that this is the best way to show them but for now I will show you how I display them in my home.

MY hubby makes these quilt ladders and supplies a local shop.  I love them because I can take them out of the quilt cupboard and display them a little better.  It's always good to unfold and refold quilts differently so they don't develop permanent lines that will weaken them.   

I bought all of these quilts on ebay sometime in the early 2000's.  They are all forties quilts except for the red and white one that is a variation of a Red Cross quilt that was given to soldiers returning from WWI by the Red Cross c. 1920.  I'm not sure of the names of the patterns but the red and white is a diamond in a square.  I had this quilt appraised and the appraiser called it an economy patch variation - I like diamond in a square better.

The top quilt is a four pointed star and the fabrics are so interesting - some large prints and others are smaller - visually very interesting.

The third one down on the ladder is some kind of Dresden Plate I think - I can't find it anywhere in my quilt books.  Again the fabric is wonderful and the old green and lavender colors in the appliqued circles are bright and light up a dark room.  I've heard that is why those colors were used.  The lighting wasn't very good in the olden days and those quilts really brightened a room. 

The aqua and white is a nine patch and snowball combination.  This was a top that I bought and had quilted.  The fabric is very crisp and has a bit of a shine like a polished cotton.  My favorite green color - it was called a mint but is a little duller than mint I think.

I will add more quilts to this blog as I research them a little more.  I have to figure out how to hang them up so the whole quilt can be appreciated. 

I do love my quilt collection.

Bonnie

What a difference a day makes...

Yesterday I wrote of the drab countryside but today we are dressed in a beautiful fluffy, white gown!  As long as I don't have to venture out, I'm good with this scene!

No red Barberries to be seen but Old Glory is still waving!

This lump of snow is my little Hello Fall Beaver
featured in yesterday's blog!

 We are tucked in for the night now that we've had at least 7 hours of fine snow at first and then huge flakes most of the afternoon.  We spent a nice day with family - life is good!

Take care,
Bonnie

Hello Winter!

Goodbye Fall!  (My new raised bed!)

Winter is on the way...the clouds are icy gray.  The wind is cold and steady.  Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow.  The yard is empty of everything decorative...no colorful flowers and what is left is beige and brown.  The seed pods of my plants feed the birds this winter.  They eat some and scatter the rest making more plants for the spring.

Found some red barberries and of course, Old Glory lends
 some color into an otherwise colorless landscape.

Now begins the sewing season...and reading and movie season.  While friends take off for warmer climates, I stay here and relish the time indoors where I can create new things and finish those things begun last year or the years before or before that. 

I know that by February I will want out - out of the house - out of the cold - out of my rut.  But until then, I will wallow in my fabric and books and movies.

Hello Winter!  I'm ready!

Bonnie

Two Blogs - Am I Crazy???

I created this blog because my other one Farmgirl Musings...wasn't working.  It still doesn't allow me to preview my post before I publish it.  But I suddenly have lots of readers on that blog.  But I will plunge ahead here until I figure out what I'm doing...or not.

I haven't been posting regularly because I am down to the wire getting ready for our last Farmgirls Country Christmas Sale of the year - yay!!!  Except for making some/most meals and checking my laptop, I am working on projects for the sale.

Ok - so here are a few pictures of what has been going on in the barn.

One of our Snowmen welcoming you to the barn!

A Snowpeople couple made out of salt shakers!

Wouldn't it be lovely to have Christmas dinner on these dishes???

So now its time to call it a day and hit the hay!   This will be my favorite sale with all the twinkle lights, Christmas trees, ornaments, and festive decor but I will be glad to live with less pressure and act like the retiree that I am in just a few more days!!!

Take care,
Bonnie

Making Ornaments!!!

Here I am playing on the computer instead of finishing my projects.  I am so not a morning person and here it is 2:45 p.m. and I'm still not focused on the tasks at hand.

Ok - so here is a sneak peek of things I'm working on for our Farmgirls Country Christmas sale (Nov. 11 and 12).

I found this idea on Pinterest...where I spend way too much time finding fun things to make instead of actually making things!!!  I used vintage wooden spools, strips of music sheets from a very old song book, glass beads, wire normally used in electric fences (good deal at a garage sale!), and diamond dust!

Its just a sneak peek so you can't see the whole ornament.  That would be next week when I finish a whole bunch more projects (I hope, I hope!)

We are having another gorgeous day in MN in early November - 50 degrees and sun!  Yay! 

Gotta go do something - after I check on new ideas on Pinterest!

Take care,
Bonnie