Blue Monday

March 1, 2010
Today are you feeling BLUE?  Hope it's the kind you can share on Blue Monday with Sally @ Smiling Sally's.

I want to share a set of delft that I purchased years ago in Holland.  We went on a European trip with our two children and joined my sister and her husand and two children who lived in Heidleburg, Germany.  My brother in law rented a van and all 8 of us set out on a 22 day journey.  We visited 12 countries, Holland being one of them.  I purchased this cheese serving tray and utensils in one of the small towns.  I use it on special occassions.

The next picture is of a couple of blue pillows I just made to set on the wicker couch in the sunroom. 

The next little item is of a blue glass violin.  My husband was in 6th grade when he won this at his grade school carnival.  He was 11 years old and he was playing a game against his school principal, Mrs. Espenlaub.  My husand wanted it for his mother.  He won.  His mom gave this to him a few years ago when she was 97.  She passed away a year later.  It matches the blue in our sunroom, sits on a little antique corner shelf.

That's all the BLUE I have for today. Have a wonderful week.

Ann

Pink Saturday

Pink Saturday is the day we all join Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound and show all the pinks we love.

Today I am posting a picture of a painting I did for my granddaughter Sophia for her bedroom.  She was in dance class for a few years and loves ballet.  Her bedroom is decorated in pink and purple. (My favorite colors too).

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Ann

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Please join me and participate in Vintage Thingie Thursday with Suzanne @colorado lady.blogspot.

Several years ago I wanted to find a way to showcase some of the handmade items that I had received from grandmothers.  This was really before shadow boxes came along.  I actually like this better than a box with momentos.

I took two antique frames that I had already and lined the back with some upholstery fabric that I had kept.

I arranaged in each frame a picture of one of our grandmothers and included in each something that belonged to them.

The first one is of my maternal grandmother Jewell.  This is her white gloves that I saw her wear to church and shopping.  I also included one of her hankerchiefs.  The picture of her was taken in about 1948 in Missouri.

The next photo is of my husbands paternal  great grandparents, I believe this was taken on the day they were married.  This was taken around 1860 shortly after the end of the Civil War.  Their names were Northrup and Lucinda.  The items in the frame were made by Lucinda, a tatted colllar for a dress and a hand emborderied hankie.  Also included is a table runner that she added a tatted edging.

These pictures hang in my living room and are very special to me.

Have a wonderful Vintage Thingie Thursday.

Ann

Outdoor Wednesday

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer is our host for Outdoor Wednesday.  Please check out her blog for more outdoor shots.

Instead of showing more snow pictures, I think I will show you an outing my granddaughters and my husband I took a few summers ago.

THE SANTA FE TRAIL

If you remember studying the Santa Fe Trail, it goes right through a part of our city.  It started in 1821 in Franklin Missouri, a trader wanted to catch wild horses and trap fur and trade with Indians.  He traveled to Santa Fe New Mexico and after that thousands of wagon trains headed out west.  Finally reaching California later on.

A few years ago a sculptor, Charles Groslin sculpted this wagon train along with the various statues to depict the journey.  His grandmother was one of the travelers, he has depicted her walking along side the wagon holding his mother.

The day we were visiting he just happened to stop by and took a picture by our grandchildren. We were delighted to meet him.

\

These hooves are actual hooves from oxen.

It was a really neat experience.  Hope you enjoyed a little Ole West history.

Ann

BLUE MONDAY

Hook up with Sally @ Smiling Sally's for your BLUE MONDAY post.
I'm probably going to be inside most of the day, we had an ice storm yesterday before we had 2 inches of snow on top of that.  Hopefully we will get some sun to warm up the streets.

I've had this gumball machine several years and haven't used it for awhile.  Since we finished our sunroom I think it looks great in there.
I looked for gumballs the other day but didn't have much luck.  Sam's Club  had a big bag of peanut M&M's-Easter colors, so I gave them a try.  They look so colorful in there. 
Believe me this is NO money making venture, the machine takes $.01 and gives you about 6 pieces.  We keep pennies in a metal tin next to the machine.  My grandchildren love it---I try not to eat too many.
I think I'll try to find gumballs after Easter.

I went shopping at one of my favorite little thrift stores last week and found this blue and yellow vase.  It looks great in the sunroom also. I spent a whopping .79 cents on this.
Hope you all have a great week.
Ann
Tin and sparkle

PINK SATURDAY

Best wishes to Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound, our hostess for this post.  She has been under the weather so please remember her and check all the other pinks for today!!!

I just recently purchased this adorable little chalkware bunny family.  I think they look so cute sitting on my Easter tablecloth.  Is it too early to set them out?

Oh I don't think so.

Have a wonderful "pinky" day.

Ann

Silver Dollar Flakes

Wow!! I'm setting here responding to some comments from yesterday and just got a glimpse of the snowflakes from the sunroom windows.  I've never seen flakes this big---they are the size of silver dollars. Hope you can see how big they are.
My granddaughters are home today because of teacher inservice so I'm going to try and take them to the library and then for a quick lunch.

Have a great day all of my blog land friends.

Ann

VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY

Thursday is the day to show off you're vintage treasures.  Please join Suzanne @ Colorado Lady see all the other posts.

I am the one person in our extended family who people feel is a "junk collector".  Anytime anyone see's a vintage item they say "oh I bet Ann would like that!".   Well it has paid off for me numerous times.  The last two beautiful bird cages I have is because a sister or two saw one in a garage sale.  They wouldn't put them in their house but they know I will.  Should that make me feel funny or bad?  I SAY NO.

Today I am sharing a cabinet that my brother-in-law gave me about 20 years ago.  It has been in the bedroom, family room and now is in the storage area.  I really want a craft room to put this in so I can use it on a daily basis.
This is an old printers cabinet, when my brother-in-laws business was re-building, these were in the basement and they we're throwing them out.  Up came my name again "Ann" and he called me and asked if I wanted it.

Inside  of the drawers were these bolier maker plates.

Right now I keep all my handmade doilees, pillow cases, cloth napkins and tablecloths in the drawers.   I keep them wrapped in tissue so they stay clean and dust free. Don't you think it would look good sitting along side my sewing machine, cricket machine and all the trimmings. I sure do.

Have a great "VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY"

Ann
tin and sparkle

OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY

It's Wednesday and today I am posting with Susan over @ Southern Daydreamer, please see her blog for more outdoor pictures.

SUNSHINE - BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE- it's going to shine today and i'm sorely in need for some Vitamin D.  It's still only in the low 30's so I donned my jacket  and went out to take a snapshot of my favorite tree for the winter.  We planted a "Dogwood Bush" about 5 years ago and it gives a show of different color each season.  In the winter it's branches all turn a beautiful red.  It will bloom in the spring and flower a little white flower until fall. The fall leaves are pretty too.  My husband wants to move this bush to put in a privacy fence and I cringe everytime I think of it.

We are suppose to get more snow coming in for a few days staring  tommorow through the weekend so I think I will go stand outside the in sun.

Have a great "Outdoor Wednesday"

Ann
tin and sparkle

BLUE MONDAY THROUGH THE SNOW

Today belongs to Sally @ Smiling Sally's - please visit her site for additonal posts.

I was contemplating what to post for Blue Monday and I looked out my windows and found the answer.  Yesterday we had a sudden blizzard around 2:30 pm, on our highways-we had two seperate pileups-thank the Lord no one was killed.  We had a 40 car accident and a 25 car accident.  We had a Life Group Valentine Dinner to go to last night, so we took side streets all the way and stayed off the highways.  Living here in the Midwest that's just one of the hazzards of winter. 
It snowed most of the night and this is what our neighboorhood looks like this morning.
Looking out our front windows:

To my backyard

Our nextdoor neighboors little picnic table

Now our backyard:

Our grandchildrens playhouse

One of my birdhouses-can you see the roof?

OUR BELOVED JAYHAWKS -Our grillcover lets you know we are fans of the #1 team.

Hope you all have a glorious BLUE MONDAY

Ann

Tin and Sparkle

LOVE IS THE GREATEST

VALENTINE PINK SATURDAY POST

Joining Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday.  Today she would like us to post a valentine message.

I have been contemplating all week what I should post and what Valentine's Day actually means to me.

First I will start out with a scripture from 2 Corinthians 13:  13  "Three things will last forever--faith, hope and LOVE--and the greatest of these is love."

I've received many bouquets of flowers over the years, and  store bought cards but what is most important to me is what is given to me that was made in love by someone's own hand.  Here is a picture off a calendar around 1950 of a small boy presenting his mom with a handmade valentine.

The picture above is a collection of potholders (I've never used them-I don't want to get them dirty).  My grandmother Jewell made these and gave them to me.

Hopefully this speaks to many of you.  The simplist little thing we can do for another can make the most difference in their lives.  Hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day.

Ann

Tin and Sparkle

VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY

Vintage Thingie Thursday is the place to find all kinds of antiques and collectibles.  Please join  Suzanne @ Colorado Lady for todays post.

I've been going  to church my entire life, usually three times a week.  The church was not like todays mega churches which I belong to.  They did not have all the eminites we have today, coffee shops, book stores, several meeting rooms.  They had usually one worship chapel, a baby nursery, sunday school rooms and sometimes a meeting hall downstairs for receptions etc.  I'm  not saying they were any less of a spiritual place to be -just different.  We sure didn't have all the air conditioning we have now, I actually have to have a jacket sometimes in the summer, it's so cold in the santuary.

My grandmother as I said before kept everything and the other day I was going through one of my keepsake boxes and found these beautiful fans she gave me.  Churches and Funeral Homes used to give these out at the door so you could "fan" yourself during the service. They would advertise on the back of the fan so you would keep them in mind.  Here are a few.

These type opened up like an accordian.

These were just one solid part with a handle, I copied one of the back to show you the advertising.

Have a wonderful day-hope you enjoy a trip down memory lane

Ann
Tin and Sparkle

FOURTEEN DAYS OF LOVE

Wednesday, Day 10- Fourteen Days of Love with Liz @ Brambleberry Cottage-please check out all of the other ways people use their flower power.

I am showing a little valentine centerpiece I made to sit on my dining room table.  I am using my McCoy Heart Vase and I added some pink paper ruffles.  I dusted some white flowers with pink sparkle ( my favorite thing) and added a little handmade heart valentine.  On each side I have a pink candle.  These are the ones that are battery operated.  I should be able to use these all through the spring.

During the summer I use my cutting garden and have fresh flowers, but this time of year, I tend to rely on silk flowers.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Ann
Tin and Sparkle