Thanx Andrea

Day three of seven postings! I was asked to make a presentation to Bible School kids at the methodist church here in town. I don't really attend church so much, but I do have a history here. I was baptized, confirmed and married in this church. Lots of great memories. My momma has been gone for 22 years and I can still see her sitting in the last pew.
The theme of the week is Survivor. They asked me to speak on the survivorship of cancer. I survived with my co-survivor (husband) three and one half years ago. So, I am trying to prepare something that would be fitting for all four of the age groups. We survived through the faith that we have. I know that God guided my amazing journey so that I could talk about survivorship. Some days I feel terribly guilty that I am a survivor. That is when I have to take the time to pray. I am thankful that I am known as a survivor of breast cancer. I wear as much pink as I can and talk to as many as I can that early detection saved my life. My sister in law had cancer. We had a great conversation over the phone about all kinds of stuff. The last thing she said to me was "get your mammogram". She died five days later. As promised I made my appointment and had the procedure. It was one month to the date of her death that the doctor told me I had breast cancer. We prayed and cried. We had to tell our kids. So hard that was. But I knew that God was with us and I had to be strong. Two months to the date of her death, I had my bilateral mastectomy. I was lucky. They removed the cancer. I know that God was with us in every way. And my sister in law got the last word. Thanx Andrea.

Button, button, who's got the button?

Day two of my commitment of posting here on our blog for seven days in a row. Figure by day 7 it should become a habit!
I love buttons. Big, little, tiny, shiny, four hole, two hole, round and any other button I find. My dad used to go to so many auctions and in the treasures he found would almost always be a jar or card full of buttons. So, many years ago, I too started picking them up as they are so available. I have put them in jars, lamps, wreaths, on photos and crafts too. My latest button craze has been making little flowers out of them. I will try to get the junk photographer to snap a couple of pix and post here. I have sold over 200 of them. And now, I will be adding them to fun junk in the barn. They look so cute with a couple of them and a simple tied bow. Adorable on a little tree. I use 3-5 buttons varying in shapes and size. I put the largest one on a wire, following with the next one in size. Then I push the wire through the rest of the wire coming back down to form a stem. Wrap them up with a little flower tape and WA-LA! A cute little flower to nestle into a book mark, decorate a gift, glue them all together and make a bokay of them on a plan gift bag, barrettes for the hair. Here's hoping that you will get inspired and make your own little button flowers.

Got lot's of catching up to do!

I apologize for the lack of postings here. I am not sure where the time went, but there was alot going on, I guess! Welcome to all of the new readers that picked up our business cards with zealousness yesterday!
Huge shout out to Brenda and the gals (yes, you too Neil!)at JBKnacker. We feel so privileged to have been included on the first Breakfast Club in 2010. You guys always do it up right! The girls that came here were so fun and 95% of the customers were straight from your doors. THANX BUNCHES! Brenda posts and advertises in all the right spots and then shares with us little guys. I wonder how many made it back to Gilbert having completed the route. Great fun. If you haven't ever been to JBKnacker, they are at 123 main street in Gilbert. I only wish I had the eye for design and setting up the most fabulous displays.
We have began selling jewelry. And was that a hit yesterday. Sheri is the master of design for these quirky little sayings pounded into old spoons, trays or anything else you may want personalized. First day of selling and sold 6 or so.
Gale and Willie have made lamps out of interesting items and her pink melmac coffee cup lamp sold. Don't worry, if you want one, I have more pink (go figure...pink?) dishes to make more.
We have done alot of junkin and have a whole building to pull from to cover the empty spaces made yesterday. The best part of having these monthly sales is we have time to go looking for just the right rusty tool, lantern, ladders, garden decor, fancy smancy glass, furniture and all the other great finds.
I will be posting more often and the junk photographers will be posting new pics!
With all of the hub bub yesterday I forgot to tell people that there are a litter of baby kitties that we have not found yet. Mama kitty has hid them well this time. Hope you all visit here again and next posting will have hints for what you may find at the next sale...July 10th which happens to be junker Gale's bday. Maybe we will have cake! No candles in the barn, especially 51 of them!

Past, present and upcoming

Well, we have some catching up to do. Our first sale went great. Fun to meet great friends, old and new. Sara with handmade jewelry and Mary with spa product were a great addition. So much fun, we have asked them back. Seriously it was so fun! Gale, Sheri and I have been working on new projects. We will be open on Saturday, June 26th from 9-noon for a special sale. Brenda from JB Knacker, 123 main street in Gilbert is having a Breakfast tour. You start at her shop and the treats and coffee are ALWAYS so good. She has a great shop filled with so many handmade items, repurposed junk, great ephemera and a real compassion for her shop and her customers. She is a gem. She will be giving out a map with several (4-7) barns, shops and a garage sale to die for. I will be giving out yard stones to the first 13 (love that number) customers. And I have a few other ideas up my sleeve. I have been gathering and the barn is so full we have little settings outside in the barnyard. I will promise to be more current, there is just so many things and so little time! Plan on a great day of junking on Saturday. It is sounds like alot fun, I want to go when we close. See you soon. Remember our sale is on the second saturday of each month. I will try to remember to let you know where the other sales are for the tour.

May is my favorite month!

Today is the first day of my favorite month. Growing up we had a great time making and delivering May Baskets. They were made out of plastic or paper cups, the plastic green baskets that strawberries came in, whatever we had on hand. The handles were always pipe cleaners. We filled them with popcorn, m&m's, gum drops, sprigs of lily of the valley, lilacs and any other goodies. The simple joy of delivering them was so great. Last year, Sheri and I made them out of scrapbook papers, filled them and delivered to several of the elderly ladies she cleaned house for. The conversations with these women were remarkable.
There is quite the fury going on in the barn. Displays torn down, switched up a bit, painting furniture and finding treasures that I had forgotten about.
We get so excited seeing our old friends and making new ones. Mary Nesset will be joining us this month. She will be sharing her spa products. And, she will be bringing her friend, Sarah, that has just began her own line of jewelry.
Between the weddings, graduation parties, mothers day, birthdays and anniversaries we will try to keep our sanity. (We all know better than that!)

Happy Monday!

I am forcing myself to do a quick post here this morning. I have grounded myself to the garage for creating and the barn for displaying! We have some tables, a beautiful wooden shadow box, and lots of window projects calling my name. Gotta get it all prettied or junked up for the opening of Barntiques. I am going to get fliers created and printed up this week. Can't believe how fast May 8th is approaching! Time to fly...fill ya in on the days progress!

IT'S A GIRL!

Yep, it is a girl. A five month old, blue merle, Australian Sheep Dog puppy! I really don't know what the hell I was thinking but when the grandsons asked if they could bring us a puppy. My heart melted, the brain went to mush and all of that even smoodged Papa Vern. He is the one that said,"Absolutely no more dogs." That turned in to "ok, but she has to stay outside!" The first two nights she slept on the deck. Then, we started introducing her to the resident k-9's. She started melting our hearts and on the third night, we both told her it was time to go to bed. She marched right behind the two little dogs that sleep in our bedroom and we both said "Good nite Maisy." She really slept well on the floor at the bottom of our bed! And, has continued to sleep there! So, we are now in the midst of puppy world. The common words are "no-no biting" (on my sleeves), "Maisy, come!", "Oh man, how am I gonna explain the shredded atlas? the ripped coffee table book that we had for three days? the foot cushion (which did have a tiny hole in it)? and a cleaning rag (didn't get into much trouble on that one, didn't really want to clean any way! And of course the positive lines like "good girl maisy (rhymes with daisy), nice poopies!" I am sure there will be more Maisy stories, but hopefully some successful stories!
We worked in the barn yesterday and had a great time. Gale (our photographer has many talents) moved a wood pile into a lovely stack. We made about four extra feet on each side of the hay loft for more display room. Worked on a couple of areas of garden-ish, pretty dishes and some mantiques displays. Pretty much tore up the whole up stairs. But, it is gonna be awesome when we are done.
Willie, the junk carpenter, worked his magic on a dining room table for my house. It is made from the barn door that was removed from our "brooder house" before my dad tore it down. Four fence post legs with spindles nailed on for trim. Yep, it is awesome. I white washed the legs and am ready to put a sealer on the table to keep the rest of the paint chippiness intact. I LOVE IT. Gale will be posting photos on here so keep checking back.
I think that I really get the best end of our bartering system. Actually, I mention an idea and before I know it, Willie is here measuring and scratching his head saying "yep, I can do that", and Gale is the hands on laborer. All I have to do when she says she "may want this or that for this or that", is say come and get it.
Great day of good hard work. Can't wait to get back out there. Gotta get, Maisy is pacing, that means gotta potty!