Vintage Christmas Items for Sale

I'm offering this collectible

Santa Hot Chocolate Pitcher/Jug

for sale on My Ebay. (the link is found on my sidebar)

Isn't he just the Cutest?

Now SOLD, Thank You

I have a few more vintage Christmas

items I plan to list over the next week

as well as more vintage vanity 

such as perfumers and 

some beautiful vintage 1950's& 60's ladies hats.

Hope you can stop by,

Betty

Happy Fall Y'All

Mmm, Fall, 

my most Favorite time of year!!!

Love the crisp mornings 

and the cooler daytime temps.

Time to add some of those 

 rich golden harvest colors to my

home decor.

click any photo to enlarge

I can't wait for the leaves

 to turn colors.

I love to hear the rustle and 

crunch when I walk in the fallen leaves.

And I love how they smell;

so earthy and fresh.

 

Have you visited an apple or pumpkin farm yet???

I'm looking forward to taking a trip there
in the next upcoming weekends.

I've yet to get my usual pumpkins,
corn stalks and big straw bale to
decorate the entry and front yard.
Then I'll get my scarecrows out of storage
and string up some orange lights.

Oooo, apple cider donuts!
and who knew Casey's has the absolute
best pumpkin donuts with cream cheese icing!

Next weekend is the annual
Autumn on Parade in Oregon Illinois. 
I'll be there shopping the 200 or so crafters' booths
and of course Sunday is Parade Day.
We always look forward to the Jesse White
Tumblers and the South Shore Drill Team performers.

But we have to get there before the
Oregon Methodist Church Ladies run out of their
famous Apple Fritters, YUM!

After strolling through hundreds of
crafters' booths on a sunny but cool fall day ..
Sitting back along the parade route, amidst the sights, sounds and smells...food vendors with their kettle corn, pizza, nachos,
brats, tacos, pork chop sandwiches and more...

 the parade going by... marching bands, shouts and cheers, sirens...

Munchin' on Piping hot fritters rolled in powdered sugar
all sticky and gooey and finger lickin' good,

...Oh, ya!!!!  I'll be there!


BettyJean

Happy National Watermelon Day!!

Did  you know today is National Watermelon Day?

Doesn't that look good?

I'm still trying to learn how to pick the

perfect watermelon...bright red and sweet.

Do you have any tips you'd like to share?

I love summer foods...

We've had corn on the cob a few times

since the 4th of July. 

To this farm girl there's nothing better than

fresh picked...

I have memories spending entire days 

of preparing corn to put in the freezer

with my mom and sisters.

My dad would bring it up from the field

by the bushels and we'd sit outside

in the heat peeling corn. 

Then in to the kitchen where it was just

as hot due to two or more stock pots of

corn boiling away on the stovetop.

Then all the cutting off of the cobs,

cooling and bagging.

I sure was worth it though 

to have fresh tasty corn until the next

harvest season.

And garden ripened tomatoes

there is no comparison to the hard,

crunchy tasteless ones you find at the supermarket...

cucumber pickles...

something from the grill...

YUM

What kind of summer meals

do you enjoy?

Hugs, 

BettyJean

Estate Sale Find and a Recipe

Hi, thanks for stopping over.

You're just in time for tea!

Ice tea? or would you prefer lemonade?

Lets sit on the screen porch.

It's a little warm today but there's a breeze

which makes it comfortable.

I made a recipe new to me and I L-O-V-E it!

It's chef Tyler Florence's recipe called

Lemon Pudding Cake found online here.

You just mix it up and bake in ramekins. 
It creates the pudding layer 
all by itself while it bakes.
It's like Magic!!!!
and So yummy served warm.

Now I want to show you my latest

estate sale find.  

This Lefton Bluebird Cookie Jar.

Isn't she adorable?

I've made her available for sale on my ebay site here.

UPDATE:  
This Bluebird cookie jar is now SOLD, as is
the sweet little sugar bowl of the same pattern.  
Thank You!  

I'm so glad you could join me for 

tea and dessert today.

Please stop back soon.

I party here, won't you join us?
Vintage Inspiration Party
What's It Wednesday

Hugs,

BettyJean

A Baby Shower Hot Air Balloon

Hello and thank you for coming today.

I'm always glad to have you join me for tea.

I've made up a big pitcher of 

ice tea today as the weather has been

uncomfortably hot and muggy
these past few days.

So let me pour you a glass with a slice of lemon.

I 'm excited to show you a

little hot air balloon I put together

this week.

So sorry I didn't take any "before" pictures.

But the basic elements are 

a honeycomb party ball and a little basket.
The one I used here is a woven 

basket made from something that looks
like a heavy  fabric ribbon.

The ball is suspended by 

hot gluing a small dowel rod in each

of the four corners of the basket and 

then hot gluing to the honeycomb ball.

I covered the wooden dowel rod

with a decorative art paper before 

attaching to the the basket and ball.

I knotted together a little net made from

1/8 inch ribbon to lay over the top

of the balloon and let the long ends of 

the ribbon hang down.

I wrapped a 1 inch ribbon around the 

circumference  and decorated it with paper flags.

Then I tucked a few baby items

in the basket....
a baby onesie, packet of wipes, a bib,
a teether, a soft book (see Cookie Monster on the cover)
and then perched a little brown bear
on top.

I incorporated two pairs of tiny baby socks
by stuffing one sock into each
little "sandbag" (which were really
organza drawstring bags) tied to 
the wooden dowels at each of the four 
corners of the basket.

This was a fun project and very versatile, it
could be used for any age birthday, wedding shower, etc.


I hope you enjoyed your visit today 
and will stop back very soon.

You'll find me at the below parties.
Just click to come along, you'll be glad you did:
Share Your Cup
What's It Wednesday

Warm Hugs,
BettyJean

July 4th Patriotic Pie

This Patriotic Pie

is perfect for a July Tea Party.

Just roll out your favorite pie crust recipe

to fit a rectangle baking dish so that

it turns up all four sides about one inch

to hold the pie filling.

Spoon in canned pie filling.

Blueberry Pie Filling in a small rectangle 

in the upper left corner. 

Fill in the rest with Cherry Pie Filling.

Roll out remaining pie crust into approx.1/2 inch

strips, cut 6 stars with a small cookie cutter.

Position stars in the blueberry section.

Twist and place strips across the cherry.

Bake according to pie recipe instructions.

When cool, carefully spoon a vanilla icing glaze onto 

pie crust strips and stars. 

YUM!!

See more of my July 4th related posts here.

You can find me at these amazing parties,
won't you join us?
Fabulous Friday
Share Your Cup Thursday
What's It Wednesday
Sew Darn Crafty

Hugs, 
BettyJean

Garden Hose Wreath

I'm so glad you could stop by today.
Please pour a cup of tea and take a 
comfortable chair.

I'm excited to show you
another fun piece I made and

donated to a silent auction fundraiser.

Image it hanging on a garden gate 

or potting shed.  Cute, huh?

Wish I'd taken a photo of it

hanging before donating it to the auction.

I assembled it in my laundry room

so it's laying on my washer here.

The hose itself is actually used.

A $2.00 estate sale purchase from

 an elderly gentleman who was moving

into an apartment.

I added a burlap ribbon 

with a pair of garden gloves purchased new

 and coffee stained to look well-used. 

I added a pod and twigs to the bow.

Next, two terracotta pots.

Craft paint dabbed around the edges make them

 appear time worn and crusted with salt.

I glued in some faux succulents.

and added vintage garden hand tools.

Love this little birdie.  

Isn't she sweet?  

She looks to be chirping a happy

song to welcome the season..

although, it has been a bit chilly again with

overnight temperatures dipping back into the 

high 30s and today's high reaching only

in the mid 60s.

Warm Hugs,

BettyJean

You can find me at these parties, 
won't you please come along 

Sew Darn Crafty

Ivy & Elephants What's It Wednesday

Share Your Cup Thursday

Knick of Time Inspiration Party

Fabulous Friday

The Fairy Garden

I know a place 

where there is a garden

and in the garden there are fragrant  

brightly colored flowers

A white picket fence surrounds the garden

and in the middle of the fence

there is a white picket arched arbor,

and beneath the picket arch

 there is a pathway of brightly colored stones

leading into the garden.

And at the end of the colored stone path,

there sits a pretty little fairy tale-style cottage

with a blue roof and blue chimney.

They say a fairy lives in the 

pretty little fairy tale cottage 

tucked deep in the garden 

amongst the flowers and ferns.

They say she has golden hair

and wings the color of dew.

They say she loves to sit in the cottage garden 

and watch butterflies

 while she dreams the day away

Sometimes when she dreams too long,

you can see her if you tiptoe quietly

not to disturb her,

and peek through the picket arch.

She takes a long moment

to enjoy the warmth of the sun

seated on her white picket garden bench.

I hope you've enjoyed the tour

of my little fairy garden

which I created 

and donated

to a silent auction fundraiser.

Warm Hugs,

             BettyJean

Joining the Party at
Share Your Cup