A new Shower Curtain

Earlier this year, when we were remodeling our kids' bathroom, I was grumbling about the cost of the shower curtain that I wanted. (Orginal post can be found HERE) I decided to take matters into my own hands and make one.  Of course, I had lots of help measuring! 

Thank you Frito!  Shadow isn't in these pictures because I made this prior to his arrival at our house, whew...I might have had too much help!

 I had seen a curtain similar to this one in Country Sampler, but just couldn't bring myself to pay the $88.00 for it.  If I couldn't sew, maybe...  My friend Melissa (Farm Field Primitives blogspot) and I took a shopping trip early in the summer and I found the perfect material for the curtain. 

I used three different fabrics; a navy windowpane homespun, a solid navy and a solid butter colored cotton. The butter colored fabric is actually  folded over and it hangs over the navy.  I used grommets for the top - never used those before, but they were fun and easy to do.  Sorry I can't get a large picture of the curtain, but the bathroom is so small I can't get far enough away to get a better picture - you'll just have to imagine it - or come over and I'll give you a tour of the bathroom!  

I mentioned on the last bathroom post that I needed to make a basket to fit between the mirrors, which I did.  I made a large sized weed pouch, tied it with the leftovers from the curtain and attached a cream colored star to the front of the basket.   

 Check this out!  I have new tallow berries thanks to my follower  Sherri (no blog).  Sherri read my last post about my purchasing tallow berries on eBay and she sent me a whole box of them.  THANK YOU Sherri!  I love them and have them all over in different baskets. 

 To thank Sherri for her kindness, I made her this tote basket that she can carry to work.  Sherri it should be to you by Saturday. 

I have to leave you with an update on Shadow.  He's home from his surgeries, he's now an "it" and has no front claws.  He is feeling much better this week and is tearing around the house causing havoc.  Frito missed him terribly while he was gone for 2 nights/3 days (sounds like a vacation - don't you think?  Shadow will tell you it was NOT a vacation!)  Now that he doesn't have those daggers he's not nearly as terrifying! 

Hope you are all having a good week.  ~Ann



The winner is......

Congratulations to Evelyn at Lee Hill Primitives - you've won my fall giveaway!

 Thank you to all that read my previous post and entered to win the above grouping.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  ~Ann

I FOUND It!!!

When I started this blog almost 2 years ago, I shared the inspiration for the name of my blog.  Here's an excerpt from that post

One summer day Dad and I attended an auction "downtown". The auction was the accumulation of a lifetime of household "junk". Dad and I were having a good old chuckle over all the items being sold and commented several times "that should have been thrown out - who's going to buy that?" Up for auction comes a very large chore/utility basket with the entire bottom corner missing. At that point in my life (maybe I was 12 or 13) I certainly didn't want an old basket with a HUGE hole in it! I think about that day often, wishing I had that basket today in my home. It would fit perfectly and I could imagine all the work that the wife accomplished during her lifetime using that basket; carrying laundry to the line, picking apples, digging potatoes, hauling feed to the animals. Someday I will find a similar basket at an auction or antique store and it will grace my home. Dad isn't here anymore, but hopefully he'll be looking down from above laughing and saying "Why didn't someone throw that out?"

I found the basket with a hole in it!  It's not the same basket, not the same style or even size, but it's a basket with a hole in it!  I know my Dad IS saying "why did you buy that?"

It's a great antique basket that was used and used.  I have a thing about handles and this one is no exception  It's been worn smooth with handling. 

Even the god's eye on this side is beat up.  I know most people would throw this away and there are LOTS of people who don't understand my love and appreciation of this wonderful old basket - but I am happy!

In celebration of finding the "Hole in the Basket" basket, I'm having a little giveaway!  I will include this little wooden tray with orange putka pods and candy corn salt dough ornaments.  Sitting in the middle of this tray is a small pillar candle that I've blackened with beeswax and grunged up with spices.  The tea light is battery operated.  The glass bottle in the back has a label reading "1771 Magic Spell Remover"

I would like to add just a couple of "rules" to this giveaway -

1.  Sign up on this post only.

2.  You must be a follower of my blog - if you don't have your own blog that's ok, but you must follow mine!

3.  PLEASE DO NOT post this on your own blog,  I want this giveaway to be for my followers only.

I will draw a name out next Friday night and ship out the winnings right away so you have time to enjoy before October is over! 

Have a great weekend.  ~Ann

Tallow Berries Anyone?

I just love Tallow Berries.  I thought I'd buy some on eBay, here's a photo of the auction

This is what I got

I'm fuming just a little bit!  Why on earth do they show a picture of several stems all held together and then I only get one?  The description does say that the auction is for a bundle of over 30+ stems.  My bad, live and learn with some eBay sellers.  I will not leave negative feedback - I'm just not going to leave any feedback. If I was selling one of something, I'd only show one of that item!! 

Does anyone have a source where I can purchase some?  (That come from a home that is non-smoking - another item that I neglected to pay attention to - the berries, box and packaging were all pickled in smoke)  I always just assume since we don't smoke and are honest that everyone is - am I naive or what?

Off to a Cross Country meet!  ~Ann

I've been Stitchin'

I've been in a stitching mood lately - let me share with you what I've made...

From a pattern from The Stitcherhood - Salem Semetary #8 found here.  I thought this was just too cute - I  love going to cemeteries and looking at old tombstones.  There are only 3 colors used in this design, I think it really makes the pumpkins and vines stand out.  

                                      

This next one - Autumn is a freebie design from The Stitcherhood, found here  I made a mistake in reading the floss colors on this one - the word Autumn is supposed to be stitched in 3012 and I stitched in 3021!  I like the mistake - 3021 is actually a darker green. 

I have LOTS of little frames that need filling so I took design elements from the above chart and stitched only portions to come up with these two little pieces.  I absolutely LOVE the frame on the left.

This next little pinkeep is a Stacy Nash pattern - Jack Treat Bag and Pinkeep.  This was a quick stitchery and I made 2 other ones to send in swaps I've joined this fall. 

This next one is another freebie from Lizzie Kate - Spooky Time and can be found here  I did not have the spider charm that was called for in the pattern so  I substituted a stitched pumpkin in it's place.  In 25 years of cross stitching I've never stitched on black cloth - it is a challenge and I had to sit right under the lamp!  Maybe my eyes are getting old...

This last one is a needle punch that I made from a book I checked out of the library last year - I don't remember who the designer was - I am sorry - I didn't make a note of it.  I glued the edges of the punching fabric and cut close to the design.  I then glued it to a plaid homespun that my friend, Melissa from Farm Field Primitives gave me.  Thanks Melissa. 

Got to get back to my stitching - actually I have a couple of basket orders that need to be completed so my needle will have to wait.  Have a great weekend ~Ann

Meet our new baby

Meet Shadow!  He's our newest family member.  We adopted him from our county humane society the second week in August. 

We had been a 2 cat home for 15 years, when 4 years ago both our cats died within 4 months of each other. (Teppe and Riley were our babies before we had babies!)  We purchased Frito 4 years ago on Halloween and thought we could live with just one cat.  Frito also thought it was a good idea to have just one cat! 

  Do you see the size of those paws in the above picture - we are thinking he might turn out to be a panther!

Shadow has good prim taste - sleeping in a wooden bowl.

Frito did not think much of having to share his bed in the dry sink or his pink princess blankie!  There was a lot of hissing, swatting and growling at first.

Now it's a different story,  they seem to be the best of friends. Frito has even been giving Shadow baths. 

We really think that Frito only tolerates him because now there is an extra food dish in the house!   Talk about spoiled cats, they have one dish on the main level of the house and one in the kids' upstairs bathroom. 

Shadow has been a great new helper - he thinks basket reed is a perfect bed. He also thinks it's lots of fun to get all tangled up in the reed and run around the house dragging it all with him. 

He loves to drink condensation from any bottle left out!

 

  You quickly forget how active a kitten can be - when all you have is a lazy, fat orange cat.  Shadow was the perfect name - he is so hard to see and likes to hide and ambush us when we are least expecting it.    

Secret Fall Swap

I signed up to participate in the Secret Fall Swap hosted by Jenn at Yankee Ridge Primitives. 

When I got home from school today I had a package waiting for me.  My secret partner was Denise from Florida and check out what she sent to me: 

Denise, you were far to kind!  I LOVE everything. 

First she made this adorable autumn pillow.  I put it in a chair in our living room with the pumpkin guy that my friend Melissa made for me.  They are the perfect compliment for this antique chair my Mom gave me earlier this month. 

I absolutely LOVE this Autumn pin keep.  The colors are perfect:

This little gingham pumpkin is done in maroon (my favorite color) - check out the tiny mouse on the top - how cute is that?

I put both the pinkeep and pumpkin in my bowl rack - perfect! 

Denise made me ANOTHER pinkeep - this one says "A haunting we will go".  I took it's picture in the bowl rack, but I have to find a perfect home for it on a shelf -maybe it will be in the dining room.

Cinnamon dough ornaments painted, 3 pumpkins and 3 black cats (with green eyes) are a great fall accent for my bowl of dried black walnuts...

A Prim stitchery - this one might go in the downstairs half bath...

To round out this generous gift, she sent along wax tarts in Pumpkin spice, 2 grungy pumpkins, a little bag of rosehips and a great Indian corn made from a neat fall plaid. 

Denise,  THANK YOU so much for the wonderful Secret Fall Swap box. 

My partner ( I can't tell you who it is - it's a secret!)  is still waiting on her package - I have something in it that might melt and won't mail it out until Friday or Saturday when the weather cools off just a little.