Cute Apron Tags

I was really excited to get a package yesterday from Cindy at Rick Rack and Gingham. My first apron tag swap-My first any kind of swap actually. The first one is so cute, using all different papers and put together with rick rack and lace at the hem from Michelle and Ashley. Thanks -it's adorable.
The apron above and below are from Cindy. You are a talented lady. I got the pink apron because of our pink gingahm apron stories. I love it, Cindy!
This is the cute ME apron that she made. The little flowers are each painted and she even put little dots on the rick rack. What detail!
I strung them together and made a little banner. I may add to this in the future. This was a lot of fun-thanks again Cindy! I will be hanging this little banner in my craft room! I hope you all have a cheery weekend. It's supposed to be about 102 or 103 this weekend. I can't wait for fall!
Leslie

Happy Rednesday!

I'm joining Sue at It's a Very Cherry World for Rednesday! Above is a little shadow box I made using a vintage cover of a book I found and a little wooden house tree and plastic sheep. You know how I like wool!
Here are a few thrifted finds from this week. The spoon thingie has 3 hooks and I found the polka dot frame. I guess I've got dots on the brain lately. Have a fun Wednesday and enjoy all the reds!
Leslie

A Gift From My Mom

I have been on a mission. I've been searching for clues to my family history since the spring when I discovered Geneology. Last week when we went to visit my Dad, I decided to search through pictures and papers for clues. My Mom was the keeper of the family history and she died 4 years ago, so it's up to me and the stories she told me. As I was looking I decided to take some of the pic's on the wall down so I could copy them to take home and I found a gift!
I never knew she took the time to label these old photos that were in frames. It was exactly what I needed and it was if she was talking to me through her handwriting. It may seem like a small thing, but it was huge to me! Some of the relatives I knew, but there were others who I was guessing at. SO I had fun taking all the pic's off the wall and checking out the labels on the back-from my Mom.

I found some little newspaper clips that will really be helpful on our upcoming trip to Illinois. We are taking the Graduate to school in Chicago and stopping in the town where my relatives lived in the early 1900's and earlier. I'm really excited to find out more and be close to relatives I never knew. I grew up in the Chicago area , but had never been to the little southern Illinois towns where my great grandma's family had 4 farms.
So, anyway I'll keep you updated on my search as it unfolds. Please take the time to label your photos. As a scrapbooker I know how important it is. I am going to go and label my pictures that are hanging on the wall. If you label the back of a snap shot try to use an archival pen-they are available at any craft store or scrapbook store. Don't use any tape or glue that isn't safe. You can see the damage that it can do in the above photo. Products will say acid free or archival safe to use.
I treasure these vintage photos and hope my kids will someday. At least they'll know who's in the picture!
Above are my Mom and Dad-looks like she was pregnant. Love the little smootch on the cheek.
Don't forget to label your pic's! You don't want your family history to end up in a shoebox in some antiques store someday, with people saying-I wonder who those people were...
Have a good day,
Leslie

Red Polka Dots

It was Hubbys birthday so we are celebrating outside-although it's about 100 degrees. Thought I'd do a cheerful red polka dot theme.
I just layered red dots over more red dots.
The placemats are form Big Lots-kind of like oil cloth.
White dinner plates are my everyday plates.
Red polka dot plates from Home Goods.
Red flatware from Target bought a few years ago.
Napkins and napkin rings from thrify store.
The ME birdhouse was also bought at thrift store.
Giant red mug with flowers from Hobby Lobby.
I'm joining Sue for Rednesday and Between Naps on the Porch today. Please go over and check out more reds and some great tables. Happy 100 Tablescape Anniversary!

Hopefully the german chocolate cake won't melt.
Happy Birthday Hubby!

Hope you all have a great day!
Leslie

No Place Like Home!

It's nice to be home. We spent the weekend in Arkansas at my Dad's. Also took a side trip to Memphis, which we had never been to. Beale Street is a wild and crazy and fun place. Also visited the Civil Rights Museum while there. Of course we garage saled and hit the jack pot this weekend. Above is a little German house bank and a German or Swiss bottle stopper. I thought they looked cute together.
At an estate sale I found these linens including a Vera dish towel and a towel with the pattern printed on it. I love finding these, because I like to embroider them myself. The orange linen is a table runner with french words going around it. Really cute.
I found the green hankie above for 25 cents and the unique little salt and pepper at a different sale.
I bought the jar of buttons and bag of rick rack stuff and the lady told me to take whatever sewing stuff I wanted. So I came home with a pile of felt. I love vintage felt, because the texture is different and sometimes you find neat colors. We hit about 7 sales. I love going in a retirement area, because they have different stuff then around my house. Hubby scored a great set of binoculars so he was a happy camper. It was a fun weekend, but it's always great to get back home! It's about 100 degrees here and really humid-stay cool! Hope you all had a great weekend.
Leslie

Blogging Break

I've been checking my calendar and see that I'll be taking a Blogging break for a long weekend. Here is a cute image for you tag and scrapbookers out there to use. I bought this little diecut calendar because it was from my birth year. No secrets here! I will share the rest, as the year goes on. See you next week!
Leslie

This is The Way We Wash Our Clothes

I've been washing things at the kitchen sink-not dishes but linens.

Usually I do laundry on Sunday.
But today I'm washing vintage linens in Biz and Oxyclean. I've read about this on other blogs and it really does work. Last Friday my good friend and I visited a small town north of Gainsville called Whitesboro. Sorry I didn't take any pictures.It has a tiny main street and not too much there except a wonderful scrapbook store, quilt store. and 2 antique stores. We also hit an estate sale. I ended up buying mostly linens. Then I came home and tried the soaking technique and it works! Some of the towels below had brown stains on them and after soaking I can't see any on there. Now I want to go into my stash and see if I can get them all clean. It does take awhile but persistence pays off!
Next I need to iron-haven't gotten to that yet. For some reason when I'm washing old linens or washing old dishes by hand it's kind of fun. I would never say that on new stuff, but you kind of appreciate handling the vintage things. Anyway below is a nice piece of fabric that will soon become a tablecloth. I even got the yellow napkins at the same estate sale.
Off to the kitchen sink and than onward to the ironing board! I need to get a life! The first pic is from an old book-it's quite large about 12' by 20'. Bought it at one of the antique stores. Couldn't pass it up-the colors are perfect for my kitchen and I love that sink!
Getting ready to send my Graduate off to Europe tomorrow-many last minute details to take care of for him.
Have a great Monday!
Leslie

Thrifty Tropical Vintage Table for Two

Please join the party at Tablescape Thursday. to see many more wonderful tablescapes.
Tonight Hubby and I will be alone, so I thought I'd set a casual table for two.
The idea came from the thrifted salad plates. I snagged a set of 8. Something just drew me to them-kind of retro vintage. Found out the pattern is Homer Laughlin-Desert Lily. I thought they kind of looked tropical. The chargers were also thrifted-I only have 2, so I'll be on the lookout for something similar. Green plates-Good Will.
Wooden plates I've had for ages-I got them at a garage sale.
The flatware is Bakelite. I bid on a silent auction years ago at my local thrift store and won these.
The day I bought the Homer Laughlin plates I saw this. I'm not sure what it is-if anybody knows, please let me know. I thought the colors went perfect with the plates. It opens and there is a small accent piece on the other side of the flowers. I cut some oleander because I think it kind of ties in with the look.
Later I found this plate at a thrift store. I've seen the pattern out there, but don't know what it's called. I just got the one bowl.
The pineapple was made by my Aunt Ruth. I think it's a fun addition and will use it for our salad tonight. I made the placemats and napkins-fabric from Hancock Fabrics. Wooden napkin rings-thrift store found yesterday.
Thanks for all the bloggy love last week on my first scape. You guys are awesome! My goal is to use mostly what I have and supplement things from GW or thrift stores. So far so good.
Have a great weekend!
Leslie

Small Reds

Hi All,
It's Rednesday ! You can link on to other Reds at A Very Cherry World.
Thanks Sue!
This is an Apron tag that I made for Cindy at Rick Rack and Gingham- Mary Englebreit Apron Tag Swap. I put them in the mail today. My first swap and my first tag. It was fun to make. Thanks Cindy.
This is a red vignette in my craft room. The little dress form pin cushion was my Mom's. She was quite a sewer. The little girl figure I picked up at an antiques store-I love her polka
dot dress and red shoes.
I found this at a thrift store and added the yummy gum balls-great when you need a pick me up!
Last Red for today is also in my craft room. A little doll coat and hat and the little chubby girl in the pic is Yours Truly. I only had the best clothes for Easter-I' was all decked out! It looks like I'm wearing a paper plate on my head! hope you enjoyed my Reds.


Hope you have a great day!
Leslie

Hammered Aluminum and Decal

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. We are getting ready to watch fireworks tonight after we have a hotdog cookout. Hubby's already eating the cherry pie! Above is a wood paper holder that I found at GW. It used to be painted with cherries and was yellow, but I decided to redo. I used a decal from Sandy at 521 Lake Street to transform this. It was fun and easy to do and looks vintage now, don't you think?
I saw a hammered aluminum tray on Tablescape Thursdays and thought I'd share my collection. Hammered aluminum was called poor mans silver and was made during the war years when silver was not available. There are many serving pieces and trays as shown above.
This ice bucket is what started it for me. I picked this up at a thrift store years ago and got hooked. I love the look and feel of these pieces.
I do use these pieces especially when entertaining. I really don't have any silver, but I pull out the old aluminum when I need big trays or tiered servers.
Some pieces are marked on the bottom and numbered. Two of the most common markings are Everlast and Continental. The pieces were stamped out and they look embossed. Many times the edges look as is they were cut with pinking shears.
I love these servers for hors d'oeuvres and desserts.
I also have some cute small trays for snacks. For Christmas my Mom used to give me money and I would buy what I liked. I bought a set of snack trays and wrapped them up to me. Little did I know that she also had bought me a set of trays-same size -different pattern. That was a surprise to me and her on that Christmas! I love these pieces. Let me know what kind of serving stuff you use. Do you use silver, pewter, aluminum or ceramic stuff to serve in? If I missed something let me know.
Thanks for the wonderful comments for Rednesday and Tablescape Thursday. I love reading them and feel like I'm really getting to know some of you. I think that's the great thing about blogging.
Have a great day!
Leslie