{BagsbyBevy} I don't think you've ever met Maude!!

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:: Homespun Baby! Shoes ::

gifted to my cousin Sarah and Randy - for their little guy!!

:: Homespun Baby! Shoes ::

gifted to Mrs. G (my youngest's Kindergarten Teacher) 

:: Tea Wallet ::
small, holds 4 tea bags
gift to a sweet friend from church

~~

These are all gifts - but I wanted to show you what all has been happening in stolen moments, here and there!!

Basically, I needed to get these items done - before "packing up" shop.

Oh, and I don't know that I've ever shown you Maude...
I found "her" at a fabric sale for all but $12.00!!


Can I say - thrilled?  I've always wanted a dress form and now, I think I may have a second one on my  hands - here shortly!!  Can't wait.
I love these vintage things!!

**
That's the latest from BagsbyBevy!!!

Five Minute Friday :: Hands // Friday's Finds :: Busy Hands

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:Go:

Little hands. 

That fit in mine.

So small.

so soft.

So tender.

Willing.

Ready.

Eager.

Mine?

Big hands.

weathered

calloused.

Weary.

Tired.

Experienced.

Ready?

Willing? 

Eager?

Oh - I have so much to learn from these small hands.

I have much to teach, show, and aide with these here big hands, in return.

Where does the time go?  As we interlock hands.  It seems their hands fill mine more and more each day... they're not as little as they once were.  Will mine influence with good or "bad"?  It really does depend on matters of the heart what gets played out - handed out - handed over.  Hand -to -hand.

I grasp.

I cling.

I settle and rest... into the the very hands that hold mine

HIS HANDS...

Are all that matter.  They hold me, and my hands fit perfectly, learning from the Creator of these hands.

:Stop:

Joining up with Lisa-Jo Baker and Five Minute Friday.
Setting the timer for 5...and just typing it all out.  Unedited.  Unplanned. No stress.  I'm liking these one-word prompts...
Feel free to join along...see all the details there!  It's quite the encouraging community!  I'm really likin' it.

****

Welcome to Friday's Finds!  Where, today, we find a moment with busy hands..

Recently, I had been asking around if anyone would have an old, solid, tricycle, that they would be willing to let us buy or borrow, for a season, for Jayne to use this summer.  My Mom came to the rescue.  She had this one down in her basement for such times as this... when the grandkids would come over.  Well, currently - Jayne is the only "little one" and we often forget about it at Grandma's because there is always so much other fun stuff to do.

Grandma said we could have it for awhile.  Smile!!

Of course, this busy hand moment was a set up. Afterall, Old Tess is a vintage treasure. I've been wanting pictures...
But, it was a hot day, and the girls needed something to do and so they gave the bike a "carwash", per my suggestion. ;)  I had a couple of hands, on my hands, that needed some "busy work".  It didn't stop there. Soon EVERY BIKE - and scooter, we own and next the screen door and the porch all became part of the project... (Yes ~ I helped!!)

You should have seen our front yard...

Perfect way to spend a few moments outside cooling off... because you all know what eventually happened. Right?

***
Have yourself a wonderful weekend!

Give yourself and others a hand... :)

Friday's Finds :: Leave your tooth...and you'll be a Winner!! (smile)

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During a recent cleaning out of our spare room/storage, I came across this cute little pillow (dare I say vintage?) that once belonged to my husband when he was a small boy, of tooth-losin' age.
It was hand done by either his mom or grandma.
Both of whom were absolutely marvelous at hand stitching..

A perfect find for our kids as they continue to lose their teeth.
We're waiting for our son to lose a few more...
as he so badly wants to use this pillow.  I can't say, again! because the first two teeth he has lost - we didn't remember we had this lovely, little pillow stowed away.

What a fun find! 
And, a perfect theme for this time of year...too!

***
And, the lovely winner for the THINK PINK - (Mugs & Muffins) GIVEAWAY is:

::Anita::

Anita, please email me your mailing address - when you get a chance.  I'll get these canisters shipped to you as soon as they arrive, from Tupperware.  Congratulations!!

***
Have yourself a wonderful weekend!

Friday's Find :: Needled Notion

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Can you believe in all of my sewing years I have never had a pin cushion... to call my own?  That is, until this one came my way.

 ~Friday's Finds~ 

{Welcome to Friday's Finds! For those of you who are new to this blog and/or just poppin' in - Hello! and welcome. On Friday's I like try to feature "a find" of no particular value or sentiment, no reason or rhyme and yet, exactly for all of those reasons I just mentioned.}

  

 

I happen to have a sweet little ole mother-in-law, who just so happened to have an extra pin cushion lying around.

A pin cushion given over with a warning: "Watch out for a few needles still stuck inside - I can feel `em!"

***

She was right!

Here is my Friday's Find!

 Now.  The first photo was taken back in August of 2010.  At the time that is what Susie-Mom said to me... when she handed over the pin cushion.

Yesterday.  I was upstairs sewing.  And - over the course of time, while using this vintage blessing, I know I have used it pretty hard.  Meaning needles and pins are certainly in and out of it.   A lot!
I also have a four year old daughter who likes to "play" - ahem, excuse me!... she is learning - in my sewing room.
But yesterday, I went for  my one particular needle when I discovered  it was gone ... along with a few others that I KNOW I have recently stuck in there.  Uhmm.  "Interesting... ", I thought to myself.

One thing I thought I had "learned", over time, is to try and keep a small piece of thread through the eye of the needle so that it won't go "swimming in sawdust". Which I did... You see the one with the white thread attached?  Yeah.

Well, this gave me a chuckle yesterday afternoon... I thought to myself, " there is nothing like this vintage tomato pin cushion notion getting all needled for no apparent reason".

Till it was all said and done.  I think I pulled 18-20 needles out of this pin cushion.  One of them being an actual sewing machine needle.  Great!  I needed one of those...

Either I didn't fully follow through on my own "observation", with the thread idea (which is possible), or my MIL lost some really good needles over time.  I mean there were some really good ones in there.  And, I wouldn't be surprised one bit, as there are probably a few more still in there ...

I wonder how many stitches each one has made?

Happy ~sewing~ Weekend, to all.

Friday's Finds :: Come over to my House (and pick green beans!)

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This might be a stretch for a typical Friday's Finds.  But, I thought I would bring it to you anyway.  I was trying to figure out how this post is going to come together as there is a lot I want to tie in here.

First off.

Welcome to Friday's Finds.  If you're new here...well, Welcome!  I know I've been having some new visitors/followers come by recently...maybe since the last time I posted one of these features?  If that's true and you're feeling a bit confused as to just what is Friday's Finds...?  Well this is where and when I like to (occasionally) post a featured find.   Nothing (too) special.  Nothing of unique or great value but at the same time for all of those same reasons.

I'm glad you're here today.

Today's post is going to feature a compilation of a lot of my loves.  Lots of things that I tend to write about.  All wrapped up into one.

Hospitality
Gardening
Books
Friends
Treasures


If you read the other day... you heard that I was asked to "come over and pick and keep" what I find.  My sweet Aunt Mary Ellen is like that.  My mom and I (and all "four" of my children - for those of you who don't know, I've preteen-sitting a young gal most every day this summer) headed up to her place, ah! about 9:30 am or so and this is what we found...

We found ourselves picking the most beautiful beans.  Hanging on by the handfuls. I won't tell you though, that we had to wade waist high in a field of Ground Cherry plants in order to find the rows of beans.  That was fine, however it was quite the conversation piece.  My poor aunt was fit to be tied and she nev NEVER gets like that.  The ground was soft, semi-wet and easy to pull weeds. Ahem, and a few of those ground cherries were pulled- at her request!  I was going to say "at her command" but if you know my aunt she never commands...she's too congenial for that.  I love my aunt!

What I wanted to pick was her hydrangeas. I really wanted to just pick the whole bush!
Her hydrangeas have to be the prettiest color of any I have seen in a long time.  I've always loved this color of blue/grey.

Yes!  So, this is what I came home with...
We found cucumbers, squash, zucchini, rhubarb and a green pepper (well she gave me that one!). Of course, the beans.

The green beans are there.  I picked a small plastic grocery bag full.  Semi-full, is more like it.  Yesterday I did them up.  I think I put away four quart bags of beans for the freezer.  Easy Peasy to do them up no problem.  I secretly was hoping for enough to make a canner full and to can them ... but that didn't happen.  It's okay.  There will likely be more in the future.  Who knows.  (In case you're wondering - I don't have a garden of my own.  Here.  There isn't place for one, which is so sad.)

***

So.  While I was cleaning the beans and putting them away, yesterday... I got a call from my close friend, Connie, asking if she could stop by.  She wanted to loan me a book.   She had found it one day at our local thrift store.  I guess you could say my friend found the Friday's Find!  Connie said, It's a must-read!

She had told me about it before... so I knew it was coming.  But I never had a chance to look it up or what have you, to learn anything about it, really.   All I knew, was that it was a children's book.

My sweet friend - Connie - told me that there is a part of the book that reminds her of me - my home - and she wanted me to have it, on loan, to read .... to enjoy... and reread again and again to the kids. ;)
((Psst.  That is what has been happening.))

I get the chill bumps that she thinks of me and my home this way.

This is where the hospitality and friends come in to the picture.

The book is called Come over to my House, by Theo. LeSieg, (also known as Dr. Suess) and there is a part in there that I want to share with you today.  The part that Connie suggested I make sure to read.

Every house in the world has a ceiling and floor.  But the ones you'll like best have a wide-open door.
Some houses are rich, full of silver and gold.  And some are quite poor, sort of empty and old.
Some houses are marble and some are just tin.  But they're all alike when a friend asks you in.
There are so many houses you'll meet on your way.  And wherever you go, you will hear someone say...

"Come over to my house!  Come over and play!"  ~ By Theo LeSieg (Dr. Suess)

I am blessed.  One, to have my aunt Mary, say this to me.  "Come over to my house (or garden, in this case), pick what you can find and keep it!"  And two, to have my friend loan me this semi-valuable book for a season. I did find out it is a pretty rare find.  I was a bit surprised at the price value on this book and so was she.  But in even more value is the opportunity to read it, again and again, encouraging the idea of hospitality with my children's rapt attention at hand.

To think of all the wide open doors there are in this world... I'm grateful mine is noted as being just one of them.  What a treasure!

Have yourself a wonderful weekend!! 

 Open wide that door of yours... invite someone over, today!  Will you? 

***
Lilla Rose Giveaway ends tonight at 10:00pm, EST.  Winner announced on Monday!
Best Wishes.

Friday's Finds :: the wooden stool

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It's time again for another feature of Friday's Finds!

Welcome!

If you're fairly new to reading here at Treasured Up and Pondered - you might like to be filled in on an "occasional read" that I like to present, something of what I call...Friday's Finds.

It's where...On Fridays, I like to try and feature "a find" of no particular value or sentiment, no reason or rhyme and yet, exactly for all of those reasons I just mentioned.

Thanks for coming by or just for sticking around.  It's good to have you here, today.

I have a little family-history story to share with you today, if you don't mind?

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:: The Wooden Stool ::

Recently, we inherited this here stool as a "pass-down" in the family. Quite the gift.

It's been told, to me, by my Mother-in-law, that this particular wooden stool was once a baby high chair, used in particular for her father and his two other siblings... back when they were babies/toddlers.

Imagine that!

This means it was my husband's grandfathers chair - which Grandpa is at least 89 years old, by now.  I think he'll turn 90 years of age this November. I'm not 100% sure where "PJ" fell in the family line.   I believe he was the youngest of the family.  I'm going to have to check on that.
But if all three of the children used this same stool as their highchair... then you figure it out.  It's old!

And, as you can tell.  There once had been arms on this chair - that held a tray - and at one point they both have gotten sawed off. 

When I asked about this... it was relayed to me that Scott's (my husband) great-grandmother had done this and that she then used this stool for herself, one because she was only about 4' 11" in height and two, she needed a stool to sit up to the table to make her butter and cottage cheese, as well as count out the chicken eggs before taking them to market, in the mornings, along with milk, to sell.

All it needs a bit of carpenter glue to hold the seat together, as there is a pretty large crack through the center of it. Maybe a touch-up of paint -but then again, I kinda like it like it is.  It adds to it's charm and character.

Other then that, it's quite the sturdy, little stool.

And still quite useful.

Oh!  how fun to have a piece of history in our home. 

A chair used quite a bit by my children's great-grandfather and by their great-great grandmother over the years.

By this photo, you can tell, the stool  is currently being used, in our home, as a piano seat, mostly by Caleb (and Aubrey when she wants to!) as he sits to the piano - for his famous concert piano pieces he so graciously attunes our ears to.

Lovely. 

Really...it is!  And to further encourage his interest - I do my best to applaud and comment on Caleb's creative musical renditions - no matter how soft & pretty or how long and how loud.  He always asks if I like.  Yes!  Yes, I do.

I honestly can't wait for the real music lessons to be in place.  We'll see if his wooden seat of choice and his enthusatic interest in playing the piano are in complete harmony by the time his music classes begin (hopefully!) sometime this fall.

So far, they compliment one another nicely. Perfect size and heighth.  It's the most wonderful little wooden stool.  Don't you think?
***
I hope I got all my facts straight...regarding Scott's great-grandmother, Katherine Mae.  If not, I'll be back to edit. ;)

In the meantime. 

Enjoy your weekend! 

Try to stay cool today!  Its blazin' hot and humid around here this afternoon. 

Shew-weee!

A Quilt

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"A quilt is far more than three layers of materials held together by meticulous stitches.  For many quilters it is the thread that connects them to others, whether in day to day quilting activities or to stitchers of past generations."  ~ Nancy J. Martin

 

-----------------------------

 

Today is just one of those days...where I wish, oh how I wish...I would have place and space enough to set up a quilt frame.  Where I would invite a few ladies over, to sit around the beauty - connecting more then just three layers of materials with meticulous stitches - but to sit, side by side and chat it up.  Enjoying the commorodity of one another, creating an art form with mere needle and thread, ultimately bonding heart and soul with the colorful woven thread of fellowship.

 

If it could happen... I'd serve up Black Bean Chili and Cornbread, for lunch, with

Apple Cake with Hot Carmel Sauce, on the side.

 

Of course, there would always be hot coffee and tea at the beckon call.

With a Chocolate Truffle or two to pop in your mouth, when you pass by.

 

The kiddo's they would simply play quietly off in another room... (wink*wink*) and...

 

Anyway.  My imagination is running wild and getting the best of me.

 

But.  Seriously.  If you have an old quilt.  Pull it out today and really take a look at it.  Quilting is by far a lost piece of art and I hate how true that is.  Just take time to observe the intricate stitches, the feel of the fabric, the color combination(s), the overall design...is there one?

 

Imagine the laughter and stories that flowed around the frame as the quilt was being quilted ... back in it's time.

 

You're holding a gift in your hand.

 

 

 

Friday's Finds | button love

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{Welcome to Friday's Finds! For those of you who are new to this blog and/or just poppin' in - Hello! and welcome.
On Friday's I like to try and feature "a find" of no particular value or sentiment, no reason or rhyme and yet, exactly for all of those reasons I just mentioned.  You'll never guess what I'm going to find, next.}


I feel like I'm the luckiest gal in the world...

All of these buttons were all given to me by a dear friend.  I had no words.  I could not believe my friend let me hand pick through several jars of buttons from her Mother-in-law's own "passed- down" collection - which had been given to my friend, some time ago.

I'm sure.  I almost can't use them.  They're such a find. Do you realize how old some of these buttons must be?  Button makers DO NOT make buttons like this anymore; the colors, the styles, etc.  I'm serious.   Such a "fun" gift.

Thank you, Kristy.

By the way, the last time I talked about BUTTONS - well, I just wanted you to know... nothing has really changed.   My button bin looks pretty much the same, as it's been. 

They're all still in Ziploc bags, but for the most part, the buttons are sorted by colors.  And.  It's comfortable! It might not look so charming - but it's working.

But.  I have been cleaning out my button collection, here of late...believe it or not. I've been doing various other gifts with them.  I can't show yet - due to "highly secretive" reasons.  However, I'll show you soon, enough.  Hang in there...

In the meantime... here is this awesome idea.

What do you think of this??

Button Flowers. {tutorial}

{source}

I'm kinda likin' it.

Hope you have a Happy Friday!!

Simply Saturday | Coming Clean

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If it wasn't for this dear treasure in my home... I don't know...this home would be a  sincere disaster. 

Just kidding. 

But... once again, I'm just being honest coming clean when I say I really don't LOVE to clean. 

This bissel sweeper has been a super duper blessing to me and our family.  I use it nearly every. single. day.  Sometimes twice a day.

If you would like to read a couple of previous posts that I've done on this subject see HERE (minus the giveaway- sorry!) and HERE.  Enjoy.

***

Linking up today with Jenn, from A Country Girl's Ramblings.

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.  It's cold here today.  A good day to stay in and clean.  Ha!

these are a few of my favorite things

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Snow flakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes...

It's snowing as I type this and the lyrics of this song are dancing through my head - these are a few of my favorite things...

I just thought I would share a few photos with you today... some old, some new.  Mixing it up with a rhyme or two.  I know it, I can't help it.  It's like, what I do... ;)

****

Here's a picture of Aubrey, in last season's snow...

My honey, all frosty, after shoveling - not slow...

((hard worker = heavy sweat-er))

The hanging of ornaments, so random, what fun!

Kids rearranging these ornament's never gets done...

((ahem!))

((This was last year's tree.  See not much changed.))

Fragile vintage pretties all gathered like so...

Creating homemade gifts - that I like to sew...

((there is more I wish I could show you))

A steaming cup of hot coffee ... to help open my eyes

Little lights in the windows - like stars in night's sky.

****

What are a few of your favorite things?

Friday's Finds: {no. 38/10}

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{Welcome to Friday's Finds! For those of you who are new to this blog and/or just poppin' in - Hello! and welcome. On Friday's I like to try and feature "a find" of no particular value or sentiment, no reason or rhyme and yet, exactly for all of those reasons I just mentioned.}





Here is today's Friday's Finds: Vintage Christmas Ornaments.
 
 

 
Last weekend, as Scott left to go deer hunting.  I planned to stay up late, Sunday night - just to decorate the house while the little ones were in bed, asleep.
 
It didn't dawn on me until later, this week, that, I remembered I had all of these delicate Vintage Christmas Ornaments wrapped up tight, in storage, for when?  a rainy day? Perhaps, Christmas?  - I decided these treasures needed to get implemented into my decor Someway.  Somehow.  Right now.
 
This was not an original idea with me... because several different bloggie friends (Monica, Melissa - just to name a couple off the top of my head) truly inspired me to think outside the box.  Get those things out of their boxes  and/or miles of cellophane whichever the case, and fill this empty beautiful, large jar with ornaments.  They're safe from little hands and aren't going anywhere.  At least, I hope.
By the way, these were 'handed down' to us from my MIL - who bless her heart - loves to dote on me/us with family heirlooms, so to speak. 

I. am. not. complaining.

Wait.  Just to clarify something here.  I don't exactly remember where I got the crocheted lace snowflakes from.  I think, my sister gave them to me.  And, actually, come to think of it... I'm pretty sure she gave them to me as something from one of the residents of the nursing home where she works... and you can only imagine the lovely hands that once made these snowflake ornaments. 
 

Do you think maybe I'm starting to finally "feel in the mood" for Christmas?

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

The good ole days of summer!

: : The old wash tub, bought at my grandparents sale : : 

I can remember this was used for many a thing...

* washing their dog * cooling corn * hauling apples * grand-kids playing in & cooling off * summer time baths *

I'm so glad I have this tangible memory.

***

Just letting pictures speak for themselves...today!

Here's to just making a few tangible memories of our own... and thank-you, Amanda, for your inspiration in Summer's Simple Things.

Friday's Finds: {no. 24/10}

Can you believe in all of my sewing years I have never had a pin cushion... to call my own?

~Friday's Finds~

A mother-in-law who just so happens to have an extra pin cushion lying around.

A pin cushion given over with a warning: "Watch out for a few needles still stuck inside - I can feel `em!"

Happy ~sewing~ Weekend, to all.

I might... get some sewing in. We'll see...