Spinning out of control!

The whirlwind started with a button show in Wooster, Ohio , July 24. I haven't recovered yet!  We had contacted an auctioneer before we went to North Carolina to help us downsize our junk stuff. Seems that we spend an awful lot of time moving our stuff from place to place and trying to organize it. Mr. Wonderful wanted to get rid of some tools and actually be able to use his garage for woodworking projects. September 11th is the big day. I have been sorting thru my treasures and letting go of a lot of things. It is a freeing experience. Too many ideas and not enough time!

Winnie looking over a button display.

The Hollyhocks loved the heat. My flowers have never recovered from the hot dry weather we have had in Ohio.

Food has been the theme for this month. Gigi and I had dinner at Deer Ridge golf course.

Yummy salad!

Yummy funnel cake straws!

We celebrated my sister, Kathy's birthday there later the same week.

Friday of the same week, we had a little gathering at our house. The strawberries this year are sooo good!

 Mr. wonderful's dear friend, David and my sweet friend Gigi have both been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, cancer that develops from the plasma cells of the bone marrow. David is in his sixth year of treatment and Gigi started treatment this year. They both are doing awesome! Gigi has been so incredibly brave and has the best outllook. She is truly amazing! We got together with them and their ever so supportive spouses to compare notes. It is good to know someone else with the same diagnoses.

Saturday of the same week we ran to Columbus to celebrate the 19th anniversary of  our niece,Jill's 21st birthday.

More food! Quiche and strawberry soup.

Later that day we visited the Franklin Park Conservatory with our son and daughter-in-law. The flowers were almost as beautiful as Crystal! The glass sculptures are by the artist Chihuly.

Crystal has more photos on her blog at http://www.sevensphoto.com/.

Finally a picture of me that I like!

The following Monday was Button Study at my house. Mary Weinberg was our very special guest. She shared her collection of lighthouse buttons. She also helped us identify some of our mystery buttons. She came to us from the Polk Box Button Club in Dayton Ohio. I speak for all when I say Thank you for your generosity and knowledge!

Mary also brought a card of buttons depicting windows. So many beautiful buttons!

Roberta modeled a beautiful vintage dress that she found at an auction.  She said it was very dirty but she was able to wash it. Good hunting!

Our first time guest, Peggy, wore a beautiful china calico bracelet that she had made. I don't know how she escaped! We were all lusting!

My granddaughter and I found this treasure at the local thrift store on Tuesday.

This is how it looks now! Score!

We celebrated Morgan's 12th birthday with this decadent chocolate cake!

We also did a lot of crafting!

We kept 3 of our 4 grandchildren overnight while Morgan went to a Justin Bieber concert for her birthday. Grandpa cut down golf clubs for the two boys. Fore!

We kept Amber's two again the next weekend and Grandpa helped Ashtin assemble these pests.

Nice job, Guys!

Addy crowned Grandpa!

And last but not least, I got to see Wicked! Words can not describe! I felt like a little girl, trying to take it all in and not miss anything! My favorite musical! LOVED it!

We had dinner at Oscar's. Yummy! There were nine of us and a gab fest like no other! Good food, great company! Almost late to Wicked?

One of the most wonderful evenings of my life! My nose burns just thinking about it!

These two are the only ones that I could catch in front of the theater. Crystal, who planned the whole thing, and my sister Kathy! Look at those shoes! Thank you! I love you all! Now you understand why I haven't blogged in forever. I have felt like Dorothy in that dang tornado! Happy hunting! ~Robin!

Button, button, who's got the buttons?

The trip to my parent's home is a 9 hour drive. That is not including pee breaks and coffee stops. We stop overnight in Florence Kentucky. We get an early start and arrive in Florence a little after noon. Mr. Wonderful deposits me at the Florence Antique Mall and heads for the golf course. The picture above is one of those finds that give you goose bumps! They had me at the string of buttons. Then I read the small verse, I looked around to see if anyone had caught me wiping my eyes. Whoo! That was close.

Gee! Did someone see me coming or what? The picture was priced at 29.99. There was a sign in the booth 30% off all items over $20. Score! I would have paid full price. I will have to rearrange the sewing room to get it hung but a girls got to do what a girls got to do!

I think the style of clothing is what drew my eye to this piece. The tag said "news print fashion ad". I saw the word button and couldn't resist. When I got home I noticed a signature and date, Ethel Hays, 1929. I did a little research and found that Ethel Hayes was an American syndicated cartoonist specializing in flapper-themed comic strips in the 1920s and 1950s. She became one of the country's most accomplished children's book illustrators.

What a talented artist!

This beautiful handpainted rose on an oval canvas was found at Dutch Valley Antiques in Knoxville, TN.

It came from the amazing booth #504 of Cindy Corum! Cindy has a knack for displaying her gorgeous treasures! We were on the way home when we came upon this Antique Store and the truck was quite full or I could have done some real damage in this booth! As Arnold says "I'll be back!"

                                                                              

I did find a spot for this treasure!

I found this sweet sign in my Mother's hoarding area garage. She didn't make me beg too long for it!

I had the empty frame hanging in my "Girlfriend's Cafe". Perfect spot, perfect name!

I tease my Mother that I get all my hoarding junking skills from her! She is The Queen! She had almost all of these buttons waiting for me! Can you believe? Mind boggling isn't it!

 

Let the sorting begin!

Lots of plastic and metal!

 

  

Don't you just love white buttons?

What a treasure hunt! Ohh how I love the vintage ones!

 

Bling Bling as my sweet granddaughters call them.

The cutest little plastic hats.

A curious find from Antiques and Accents in Corbin Kentucky. I think this is celluloid.

My Mother gave me this sweet bracelet! It has 12 blue glass buttons on it! Thanks Mom!  You talk about thrill of the hunt! I have overdosed! Don't tell anyone but I am going on the Lincoln Highway yard sale the 5th of August. It is a yearly event for my sister, sister-in-law and me. We laugh until we pee ourselves then we get a room and drink fuzzy navels! Good times! Happy hunting! ~Robin~

North Carolina

The mountains were calling us. Actually it was my Dad calling every other day asking when we were coming to visit.

We love the mountains. The beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains is breath taking!

My parent's home is tucked back in the mountains. We love setting in one of the two swings on their screened in porch just taking in the view!

My Dad built himself a workshop at the bottom of their driveway. This is where he carves and hides from my Mother.

My Dad built this water wheel.

The flowers were gorgeous! I have never seen so many bees, butterflies and Hummingbirds on one tree!

This is my Mother's rolling pin collection. My Father built the wooden rack to hold them. I know she has more somewhere. I wonder where they are hiding?

Hi, Dad!

These two are partners in crime. They are best buddies! They worked on building a bridge the whole time we were there. I have never heard my Dad laugh so much. Mr. Wonderful and Dad really know how to have a good time. Mother and I went junking everyday. She is the Queen of thrifting!  The last day her sweet neighbor, Andrea, went with us. We had a blast! I will show you some of my loot soon. Be ready for button overkill! Happy Hunting! ~Robin~

A little Hanky Panky!

Have you been thinking about putting some of those hankies that you've been hoarding collecting to use? Here is a fun way to use some of those that are not perfect. How many you use will depend on the size of your dressform. For my girl I used 54 stained and torn hankies.

I am very happy with the way she turned out. I must tell you this was my second try. The first time I didn't make her a slip and the dressform fabric showed thru at the waist. This time I took 6 hankies, ironed them flat,then straight pinned them on the dressform.

Like this.

Then I chose 12 white hankies,ironed them flat,then pinched the center and pinned them about 1 inch from the bottom.

This is what she looks like with the first row on.

I used print hankies for the next row, spacing them between the white hankies. There are a total of 4 rows.

I then chose a hanky for the top of her dress, folded it point to point and pinned from underneath.

Attach the back one first then the front.

Add ribbon for a belt, stick in a little posy and give her a necklace. Voila! That's what I call Hanky Panky! Happy hunting! ~Robin!