Quilting Retreat. . .Day 1

Last week I went to a fun quilting retreat in the small town of Huntington, Utah

This is Dolly, she was our fun-loving, ever-so-talented hostess.  What is she holding you ask?

It’s our scrap bowl.  Yes, she had a cute bowl sitting out for us to put scraps into whenever we were cutting with our rotaries.

I was so excited when I received her darling invite.

Before heading to Dolly’s, my sister, Jeanne and I drove to our sister Julies house to see all of the remodeling she had been doing.  Boy, had she been a busy little woman.  Everything looked great indoors.   BUT. . .

I swooned over her cute outdoor projects.

Her hubby helped her make these toadstools out of concrete.  Aren’t they the cutest?

And look at these stepping stones her and Dolly made with broken glass dishes that they got dump digging.  Gotta, gotta, make some of these!

I was having so much fun with all of her yard treasures that I almost forgot about the quilt retreat.  I said, almost.  Oh, and there’s more of these clever creations at Dolly’s house.  I’ll be sharing those with you tomorrow.

Each of us were presented with this precut Americana quilt topper

This stamped tag was hanging from the basket.  Yes, only the best for us. I wanted to say us girls, but as you will see there were a few men.  And boy can they quilt!

This is me posing with my new goods.

Each morning we awake to a fun surprise sitting by our machines.

Day 1 we got this sweet soda. . .

With a Cherry on top!

The company is so fun and the food is delicious.  It makes you feel as if you’ve died and gone to Heaven.

I will share a recipe with you each day.

                Antipasto Salad

1 10 oz. pkg. pepperoni slices

1 can (14 0z.) artichoke hearts, drained & quartered

1 c. halved cherry tomatoes or sm. quartered tomatoes

1 c. assorted olives (black, Greek, green stuffed)

4 oz. asst. mozzarella cheeses. (reg., Pepper Jack)

Combine and mix with a bottle of Zesty Italian dressing

(Can use some of the artichoke juice in with the dressing).  Marinate for a few hours.

This was so yummy!  I am going to make it for this Memorial Day weekend.

Enjoy, and till tomorrow (with more quilting adventures), TA-TA!

Bundle Me Baby!

I’ve been  gallivanting about as of late. For the past two weeks I have been away ten of the fourteen days.

I could hardly wait to show you some of my yard sale and D.I. treasures.

My NEW favorite thing to do at yard sales is to say,
“Can you give me a bundle deal?”  This is a little trick I learned from the show, PICKERS.  Thanks to Frank I found a fun way of getting a better price.

Here are a few of my BUNDLES

I got this bundle for $50

The plaid thermos was marked $13 and the turquoise one was $8.  I  love the plaid  just as it is, but think the tqs.  will be so cute filled with flowers.

This group would’ve been about $15.

marked $17.

$13-A few years ago I bought a collection of red dishes when vacationing in Virginia.  What is a red dish collection without a hobnail bowl?

$8-Not sure what this is.  Looks like maybe something from the ‘50’s’ that would hold oil or salad dressing.  It was red and white so it caught my eye.

There were also the two milk bottles ($8 each) and one with a metal clasp. I can’t remember the price.

Add it all up and I think you’ll agree, $50 was a great deal. 

Here is another bundle:

I heart vintage food items.

I collect old sprinklers.  Thought these were awfully cute.

Sweet little love doves on an old perfume bottle

All but the pitchfork ($1.00) were bought at D.I.  I already have some of these cherry plates so it will be fun to add to my collection.  I will be pulling out my cherry décor soon.  Can’t wait!

I went to a quilt retreat at the home of a very special lady.  I will be blogging more about it this week.  Her Aunt, Bunny is what you might call a “Queen Estate and Yard Sale Lady”.  On Sat. she brought items over for us to buy.  It was so much fun.  We were limited to one item each until everyone had a chance to get something.  My first choice was the turquoise pitcher. 

Love the hand mixer too!

Wanted the high chair, but wasn’t sure where I could put it.  When no one else nabbed it I thought, “gotta have it!”  The paint is to die for!

Look at that!  Red with turquoise underneath.

This is the seat.  I am just going to give it an old fashioned cleaning with soap and water and varnish it.  I love it just like it is!

Now for the fun part:

It converts into this darling rocker.

It wasn’t a bundle deal, but because I bought the high chair/rocker ($75 – which is what she said she paid for it).  She threw the pitcher and beater in for free.

So what do you think of my bundles?  Deal or NO Deal?

Linking up with:

Stuff and Nonsense for The Blog Party - Summer Sales

Front Porch Welcome

Come sit with me upon my porch
We’ll share a glance or two.
You never know what one might see;
Just know, that I would love to sit with you!

I love my vintage glider and chairs I purchased at the Star Mill Antiques.  They were real rusty, so I had them sand blasted and powder coated.





I’ll keep the light on!

Here are a few things that have happened in my little cul-de-sac in the past year and a half.
1.  Frequently we see deer just walking ever so nonchalantly up the road.
2.  Twice a car has pulled in here because the couple was having an argument.  I kept my fingers crossed that I didn’t have to call the police.  Luckily, both times they resolved it.   At least they had enough sense to pull off of the road.
3.  Probably the most exciting thing is that one morning I kept seeing more and more policeman dressed in SWAT attire gather in my circle.  When I went out to inquire whether or not this was a training op. the head guy informed me, “No mam, it’s the real deal.”
This soon became one of my favorite things to say. That and his 2nd quote.  “It’s just the way we roll.”  He said that when he informed me that they were going to be bringing in all kinds of big equipment.
I found out that there was an incident going on in a neighborhood close by. Our circle just happen to be a good place to gather.

Usually, my front porch is a very calm and relaxing place.
Every hour the town clock will chime.
But one never knows.
So please come by, whether quiet or noisy,
sitting with you would be sublime!

I am linking up with: