Americana Style is Childs Play!

A couple of weeks ago I was visiting the blog of a gal who lives just down the road from me.  Shirley from, Zetta's Aprons.  Using her recent Ferris Wheel find she had created a fun vintage circus (Coney Island) display for the 4th. 

Love, love that Ferris Wheel!

Immediately I thought, “She needs one of my tops"!”  I have collected tin toys for quite a few years.  Four years ago my older sis, Dolores was down sizing and gave me more toys for my collection.  I have 5 tin tops and two of them were the same.

I told Shirley that I wanted to bring one to her and she graciously said that she would come to my home and pick it up.

Yesterday morning I went up to get the top and I noticed that alot of the toys were the perfect colors for the 4th of July.

I decided to do a display on my family room mantle.  The cute accordion I found at a thrift store for $5 and I’ve had the Bazooka tin for years.  I needed some height so I added the jar of poker chips. Wishing I had an old bicycle wheel like Carlene’s from  Organized Clutter. The other items were from my sis.  Notice the little VW hiding behind the soldier? 

I added my U.S.A. letters behind what has been one of America’s favorite past times for years – baseball.  The capital quiz game is so fun.  I need to practice up with it.  When we were traveling to Portugal from Spain to pass time we tried to name all of the states and their capitals.  I was a little rusty.

Today I decided that I needed a banner to hang from the mantle.  A few years ago my friend, Ann gave me a paper one that I had never used.  I thought it would be fun to doll it up a little.  I pulled from my craft stash and didn’t have to buy a thing.  Don’t you love it when you can create without spending money?

I tried to carry on the toy theme by adding bits and pieces like the Rummikub tile and the skate key.  I always pick up old Scrabble games just for the tiles.

A long time ago my sister, Jeanne traveled to Washington D.C.  She brought me home a book of postcards.  They worked perfect!

I love the touch of crepe paper and the vintage earring.

I had to decorate one of the pennants with cherries to tie in with my table décor.

Now I bet you’re wondering if I created this in my new craft room.  Nope, we have a problem.  We can’t get my craft table through the door.  :(  Hubby is going to take the legs off this weekend.  No easy task.  It’s an old laundry table with tons of nails.

Here’s the entire mantle.  A little busy, but then what kids don’t make a mess when they play? lol!  Now I just hope the grandies don’t try to climb up there.

And before I go, I’d like you to meet Shirley.  I was so happy to finally meet her in person.

I think she’s pretty tickled with her new (old) top!  She’s very creative and makes some wonderful vintage style crafts.  She’d love if you came and visited her!

Hugs,

Jann

p.s.  go here: Share Your Cup to check out my summer give away.

I will be sharing with these fun parties:

Rooted in thyme for Simple and Sweet Fridays

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

One More Time Events for Share it One More Time

Sunday View for Inspired Sunday

A Pinch of Joy for Busy Monday

Knick of Time Tuesday

Flusters Creative Muster

The Dedicated House for Anything Blue Friday

Common Ground for Be Inspired Patriotic Party

Share Your Cup Thursday #62 & a Giveaway. . .

Hi my friends and welcome to Share Your Cup.  The party where you share whatever it is in life that makes you happy.

I have to tell you that I was a tad worried that after being away for two weeks that no one would show up for SYC last week.  You, my friends did not let me down.  We had the most links to date.  Just gotta say, “Thanks”!  Means so much to me that you take time out from your busy schedules to party here at Daily Cup!

I have been so busy playing catch up since I got home, cutting back in the garden, changing seasonal décor inside my home, and decorating the basement.  It’s nice to relax and visit you.  Always amazed at the talent you all share!

Here’s what caught my eye from last weeks SYC.

To celebrate the arrival of summer, Teatime with Trina packed an old fashioned picnic and headed outdoors.  She shares her yummy recipes.

Pamela from Flower Patch Farm not only showed us her gorgeous Foxgloves, but also gave instructions on how to make an Easy Garden Obelisk.

Dana from the Star Fish Studio turned a reclaimed suitcase into the cutest organizing center for her sewing projects.  (I need a few of these!)

Lynn from Rose Vignettes took an inexpensive pair of flip flops and turned them into these darling spa slippers.

I love this mirror redo by Sumaya from Evocative Vintage.  She copied script on tissue paper and decoupaged it in places.  The post itself was so touching!

I just had to share this gift made by two cute kids for their dad on Fathers Day.  I’m sure they had a little help from mom, Janine from Simple Things.

Thanks everyone for sharing and please grab my button if you were featured.

Now for the giveaway:  In honor of the beginning of summer and almost 800 followers I am giving away a pair of Ropesouls sandals.  This pic is of Dustin and I wearing ours while walking the Camino de Santiago.

My daughter, Kylee and her hubby recently started a new on line business. They are hoping to travel to Ethiopia this Fall to teach young girls how to make ropesouls. go here to read About

At first glance you will think that these shoes do not look comfy.  But oh my are they ever!  They are the softest rope and just mold to your feet.  I love mine and some of my friends have bought them and love them too.

There are a number of ways to enter:

1.  Be a follower of Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

2.  Become a follower of Ropesouls and leave a comment on their blog.

3.  Visit their Shop and come back and tell which color is your favorite.  They also have a black pair available this month.

4.  Like them on Facebook

5.  Blog about or put this give away on your sidebar.

Be sure and leave a separate comment for each thing that you do.

Even if these shoes are not your style I say, give them a try.  You’ll be amazed!  Great for summer and the beach.

Now let’s party!

A few rules and then let the fun begin! 1. I would love for you to be a follower of Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson.
2. Link up a particular post and not your entire blog. Please limit your links to no more than three.
3. Please have a link back to this post. That way others will know where the party is. Feel free to grab my button on the sidebar if you’d like. Only those with a link back will be featured.
4. Please find time to visit at least two other participants. It’s a great way to find new friends.

After you link up please come back and leave a comment. They help to fill my cup

Romancing the Red, White, & Blue. . .

For the past few months I have been eyeing a white linen ruffled tablecloth at a local shop at Thanksgiving Point.

I wanted it so badly, but was not willing to pay the high price.  I know that linen fabric is pricey, but I just couldn’t do it.

Last Friday was my lucky day.  A couple of my friends and I rode over there just for fun.  Really not planning on buying anything.  They were having a great sale and I snagged the only one they had left.

I couldn’t wait to play with it.  I had an Americana topper on my table but I decided that I wanted to Romanticize the Red, White, & Blue.  Off came the topper, on went the ruffled tablecloth.

I wrapped a bit of vintage lace around my large chippy white urn.

Pulled out a faux berry topped cake and filled my blue fiesta ware pitcher (a thrift find from my friend, Amanda) with white roses from the garden.

The edges of the roses have turned a bit brown.  Not sure what has caused that, but I decided that it just gave them rustic charm.

I love houndstooth and the color red.  How could I resist this ribbon found at the same place as the tablecloth?

I love the soft sheer sweetness!

What could be more romantic than a luscious blue Hydrangea planted in the chippy urn?  Then I added a beautiful flag, the symbol of our country.

The cute little patriotic cupcake plates were a 50 cent find.  Each one is a little different.

Just today my friend, Joyce gave me the cherry garland.  I pulled away the chairs so you could get a better look.  Wouldn’t want you to miss this lovely ruffled beauty. Hee-hee!

Happy red, white and blue!

hugs,

Jann

psst, don’t tell, but that’s not all I bought.

I will be sharing at these fun parties:

Lavender Garden Cottage for Cottage Style Party

A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden Thursday

Rose Chintz Cottage for Home

Common Ground for Be Inspired

Shabby Art Boutique for Shabbilicious Friday

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Bernideens for Open House

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

 

Countin Sheep!

Ever since I started  decorating my basement with the farmhouse style I’ve been dreaming of sheep.

At times. . .even counting them in my sleep.

I had purchased a rustic cabinet that I thought would be the perfect place for the sheep to reside.  Sort of their place to lay to pasture.

Over Memorial Day weekend my friend, Joyce and I headed to Spring City, Utah to order a sheep painting from a local artist, Joan Durfey.

Sweet Joan hand delivered our sheep today.

I didn’t think that the larger canvas would work, but it did.  Definitely need to spray the black easel so it doesn’t stand out.  Or do you think I should hang it on the wall?  I really want a primitive sheep to go by it.  I have been looking for a few months, but so far haven’t found one.

I love the rustic charm of this cabinet and it’s the perfect place to store some of my quilts.

A couple of thrifted bottles in a wooden box that I picked up at a yard sale for $2.  The color matches the sheep so well.

I love the bits of turquoise showing through!

Loving my new sheep so BAAAdly!  lol!  And the cupboard, well it’s everything I knew it would be!

hugs,

Jann

I will be sharing with these fun parties:

Cozy Little House for Tweak it Tuesday

The Scoop

A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday

Knick of Time Tuesday

Kathe with an e for You're Gonna Love it Tuesday

Our Home Away From Home for Tuesdays at our Home

Sunny in Tucson for the Post Office link party

The Paths we Take. . .

As long as I can remember, I have always been intrigued by pathways.  When you see one doesn’t it just make you want to see where it may lead you?

Creating various paths in your garden makes it more inviting.

Whenever you explore a pathway you never know what you might find or who you might meet. 

Recently we walked 110 km. of the Camino de Santiago in Spain.  Along the way we treaded upon many a paths.

In this post I will share pathways as well as a little about the people we met.

Just gotta ask, “does this back pack make my butt look fat?”  lol!

This pathway led us through a dense forest where the tree trunks were covered with moss and ivy.  A winding trail that took us across a wood planked bridge.

This one led us along a path lined with a stone wall.

The first night (yes, we started at night.  Something we realized afterwards that you don’t do).  We almost had to sleep on the ground.  That’s a story for another post.  We only crossed paths with one pilgrim that evening. (Should have been our first clue about not hiking at night) He had a dog with leather tied around his feet and a sign on his humble one man tent that said, “For Rent”.

Often we would trod past water.  It tempted us to stop and dip our feet.  But we knew that we must trek forward,

When this coke machine crossed my path I knew then that I COULD make it!  Hee-hee!

We crossed this stone path at dusk.  It didn’t get dark until between 10-10:30 p.m.

We walked through cemeteries.

Some paths were steep while others meandered.

Many stone paths led us through quaint villages.  Sometimes the farmers would be outside to encourage us or just to say, “hola”.

Sometimes we passed (very close I might add) cows along the path.

We met one 71 year old  man from Portugal.  He had started from the beginning, 800 km.  His name was Emilio.  He was an amazing man who was on day 25 of walking.  He could out walk even our daughter and sil.

At times we saw lots of pilgrims.  Often visiting along the way.  Whenever someone passed you would hear the words, “Bueno Camino!”

We met a couple from Germany that had walked 1/3 of the camino in ‘2009’.  They returned in ‘2011’ and walked another third.  This year they finished.

One couple were on their honeymoon.

We met a large group from Ireland.  They walk the Camino every year.  People sponsor them and they raise money for MS.  A disease that seems to be prevalent in their country.

We met a lot of people from Virginia Tech.  The Spanish teacher seemed to be staying in the same places we were each evening.  She told us that they teach a class on the Camino and that they had asked her to come along.

In the end, this is where all of our many paths led us.  Simply Breathtaking!

 

I hope that you find many paths to explore in your lifetime.  With the Lords blessing, hopefully we’ll stay on the right path.

hugs,

Jann