Grandma's Laundry Basket

One of the things I remember about my Grandma's farmhouse was her laundry basket.

It was a pretty basket, filled with beautiful linens and doilies and things, waiting to be hung on the clothesline.

I would help her by picking out the wooden clothespins, two at a time.

I don't have a clothesline, but I'm going to...

and when I do...

you all will be the first to know!

If you are wondering where I got the pretty floral linens and fabric, here it is...

whimsiedots.etsy.com

I got this fun fabric there too.

She has tons of really awesome fabric and it's reclaimed, which makes it even better.

Oh, and the prices are great!

One more thing...

if you go there, save some for me.

I'll be heading over there for some more.

Thanks for visiting!

Please say hi if you'd like.

I always appreciate your comments.

Karen Ann

Handmade Flea Market Bag

You know how once you get your sewing  area all clean and organized...

 you just want to dive right in and make something....

well...

That's just what I did.

With the FLEA MARKET season upon us......

I decided a new bag was in order.

Inspired by Magnolia Pearl's creations...

I put together this random type bag, made from last season's flea market finds.

The base for this bag is a heavy, antique, feed sack...

Just like the ones from Grandma's farm.

 

Brimfield, MA...here I come!

Is anyone else going to the Brimfield Flea Market in May?

Maybe I'll see you there.

If you are here visiting, I am very happy that you stopped by!

It would make my day if you could take a moment to say hello!

Thanks so much!

Karen Ann

Repurposed Fabric

If you've been here before, you know that I'm all about repurposing.

I'd rather go to a thrift shop than a mall, any day.

Cotton fabric that is soft and worn, is one of my favorite things to search for.

Recently, I happened upon two beautiful pieces that resemble watercolor paintings.

This is actually a discarded remnant of some new fabric.

I love the soft colors of this and already have a plan for it.

This next fabric was a dress when I found it.

I washed it, tore it apart, and bundled it up for later use in a craft project.

All soft and worn, just the way I like it.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit my blog.

Please leave a comment before you go.

I so appreciate hearing from you.

Karen Ann

Antique Crochet

Last weekend I found the most lovely antique petticoat.

The lady who sold it to me said it was over 100 years old.

I'm not so sure about that, but it is old, in great condition, has a beautiful crocheted bodice and I love it.

Have a great day!

Karen

Simple Curtain Tutorial

 Here is a simple tutorial for making curtains using repurposed materials. 

 Choose your fabric. Please use recycled fabric, such as vintage sheets from your local thrift shop. They are inexpensive and there are so many pretty vintage patterns to choose from. Be sure to launder them before using. I purchased this one with a rose pattern for under a dollar. It's one less thing that will end up in a land fill so this makes your curtains earth friendly.

 I made a valance, but you can make them any length . First measure the width of your window. You should cut your fabric twice as wide as your window by however long you want your curtain to be, plus about 4 to 6 inches for hemming and making  the rod casing.

 Make a one inch hem across the bottom and sides of your fabric. Make the rod casing next. Be sure to make it wide enough to fit your curtain rod.

Leave the ends open for the curtain rod to go through.

That's all. You now have a new valance for your window.

I went one step further with mine and added buttons along the bottom.

Do use recycled buttons if possible. I chose some bright colored ones for mine so it will coordinate with the bright colored odds and ends that I've collected for my kitchen decor.

Now your curtain is ready for hanging.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

The Last Hutch

In an earlier post I mentioned that my husband had rescued some antiques from an abandoned farm house that was scheduled to be demolished.

For the past week I've been working to remove the dirt and grime from a few pieces to incorporate them into my dining room.

I know there may be a few too many large pieces crammed in there, but it feels good to me.

There's plenty of storage space now for all of my favorite things.

We only use this room for it's intended purpose on holidays and the rest of the time I like to do my crafting here. And speaking of crafting...I even have room to display some of my finished pieces now.

Most of the things I've made have been hidden away in boxes, but not any more.

It's nice to be able to display some of the things I've been collecting too.

I love the bright white clean feel of it all.

And the simple country elements.

Just a little bit of color.

And last but not least, this sweet ironstone bowl that was also rescued from the old farmhouse.

Since I've neglected everything else for the past week, I have a lot of catching up to do.

Hope you've all had a happy and productive week.

Thanks for stopping in.

Karen

Revamping

I've been working like crazy all week, trying to give my dining room that old farmhouse feel.

It should be ready for some photos tomorrow.

I am definitely feeling my age right now.

And to think I want to do this to every room in the house.

Karen

The Hutch

You know how it goes...One thing leads to another...So the quick paint job on the beat up old hutch turned into painting my dining room walls, washing windows and curtains, sorting and organizing...

Anyway here's what I've gotten done so far.

More painting tomorrow.

Karen

Poor Little Bird

I was awakened this morning by a poor little bird who thought he could fly through the window.

I found him lying on the deck upside down.

I carefully picked him up and moved him to a safe place where Jack wouldn't find him and think he was a toy. A little while later, I went out to check on him and he was gone. I do hope he's okay.

Hope you're having a wonderful day!

Karen

Hutch One Ready

Hutch number one is ready to be stacked and filled.

I'm so excited about having some more storage space.

Until now, I had been cramming a lot into one little hutch.

It has been moved to the other side of the dining room.

Everything is a mess right now, but this will all be worth it in the end.

Everything will be so much neater.

It all takes time.

Todays happy colors:

A bit of crafting fabric.

What makes you happy?

Karen