McDreamy of the Junking World...

Here I am again, behind on blogging. In my defense, I have big plans of crafting for the weekend...so, hopefully, there will be lots of pictures in a post on either Sunday or Monday.

I also have goals of hitting the sewing machine pretty hard in the near future. I have an independent study Clothing class this semester and they bascially sew every day. So, I need to just bring all of my stuff to school and join in! The workspace at school is so much more spread out than my dark, cramped basement. I have lots of vintage fabrics that I am going sew into something wonderful...I hope!

As far as the crafting, I have been glitterfying everything lately. I bought a set of 18 bottles of assorted Martha Stewart glitter at Hobby Lobby. I have to say (and not just because I love the lady), that it IS the best glitter I have ever worked with! It is super ultra-fine and has AMAZING coverage. I have used other ultra-fine glitter, but nothing compares to Martha's. Say what you want about her, but she knows her glitter!!



Ok, I feel like I can finally post about these guys...I watched the first episode of "American Pickers" on The History Channel on January 18th and I fell in love and I even wrote up a post to put on here. THEN, I heard about the message boards the History Channel website and I quickly deleted my post. Many people were and are upset with what they feel is taking advatange of the elderly and their junk. They feel that Mike and Frank prey on and harass people into selling their possessions for far less than they are worth and then make a huge profit by reselling the items.

I watched all of the first episode. I did not feel uncomfortable with what they were doing. I admit that I don't go about it the way they do, but I am not as experienced and do not know quite as much about junk and antiques, either. As far as getting stuff really cheap and reselling to make a profit...isn't that the way it is done? Also, many of the times that I buy something really cheap it is something that needs to cleaned up and maybe even repaired. Therefore, I have put time and maybe even more money into it before I resell it. Just my thoughts, I guess...

Anyway, it does not hurt that Mike is very nice to look at. It is kind of nice to have a "McDreamy" in the junking world...

Before I go, here are some cute decorating/crafting/mommy blogs from some local girls that you should check out:

http://afarmgirlsluv4junk.blogspot.com/
http://mommagetsreal-nicky.blogspot.com/
http://littlehousefrau.blogspot.com/
http://dsdailylife.blogspot.com/

KISS, Etsy, and Ice...

It has been toooo long since my last post. So much for my new year's resolution to be a better blogger!

Anyway, I'll catch you up.

Here is my 5 year-old after watching his Scooby Doo DVD that he got from Santa Claus. However, since the DVD must have been shoved under the couch in all of the Christmas day excitement, it was not even watched until we discovered while rearranging furniture on Saturday. Little did I know that it included the episode where Scooby and the gang catch up with KISS...yes, the painted face, teased hair, leather pant wearing heavy metal band...Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with KISS, infact I enjoy their music with all of the other oldies that I love (Journey, Heart, BonJovi, Deff Leppard, etc). I was just surprised to find both of my boys head banging in the living room while toting their play guitars (one of which was a Wiggles guitar - didn't quite fit in with the KISS music!) and TRYING to sing along with KISS and Scooby....hilarious! And, as you can see below, Ben even discovered that thing they do with their fingers...
Aside from turning my children onto scary clown-like metal bands, I have been crafting for etsy...

Looks like the midwest is due for yet ANOTHER blast of winter weather - mostly ice! Oh, well, I guess I can stay home from school and be crafty with all that junk in my basement...garage...shed...chicken house...barn.....

Around the house...

Please excuse the appearance of my blog over the next few days...weeks...I am trying to add some fun things and maybe change the banners,etc.

Anyway, now that the Christmas decorations are gone the house seems a little blah.....So, I have been trying to freshen things up. I have left a few winter/snow items out, maybe for a few more weeks. Then I will add some vintage Valentine decorations.

This picture is a little blurry. Some white candles in an old galvanized hog feeder on my 'coffee table." These candles are actually from our wedding - over 11 years ago...STILL using them!

In the old cupboard in the living room

On top of the cupboard. Love this picture of my boys. Thanks Michelle McCord - she takes beautiful photographs!

Rusty, crusty ceiling tin in the entry way

Let it Snow!!!

Now onto the basement, where all the fun stuff is...

old Book of Psalms...WHAT will I do with this????

This, too... an old science book

old shutters, spindles, wire baskets...

can't wait to do some modge podge action on this lampshade...

Some vintage fabrics...

Looking like maybe another snow day tomorrow...so maybe some time to be creative!

Don't forget to leave your mailing/email address if you are interested in being on my mailing list. You can email it to me at thefarmerswifeiniowa@yahoo.com

MAILING LIST

As some of you may know I am adding several 'shed shows' to my schedule for 2010. I am hoping to be open every Friday night in the months of May, July, and September. I am already booked for Junk Bonanza and may also make an appearance at the What Cheer Flea Market. Finally, I plan to have a large holiday show in early November. Soooooo....with all of those shows I certainly need customers!

I am in the process of compiling a mailing list. In the past I mailed very few fliers/postcards out and relied solely on the ads in the newspaper. I have found that not to be the best PR for my business. Therefore, I will be doing mailings this year. If you would like to be on my mailing list, you can either leave it as a comment here or send it to me at thefarmerswifeiniowa@yahoo.com. Even if you are somewhat local and you regularly come to my shows, please let me know if you want to be added to the list. You can also send me the names and addresses of friends and family that you feel may be interested!

thanks & I look forward to eharing from you!!

still in my jammies

Yes, we're still in our jammies around here. Have been all week! At least I showered every day...and then put on clean jammie/lounge pants! I did not get nearly as much done as I had wanted to over Christmas break, but I never do! That is what the dreary months of January and February are for. I wanted to include several pictures of everything we did throughout the holiday season, but as you know my camera is pathetic (did NOT get a new one for Christmas), so I am just including some of the decent ones.

My sister-in-law, mother-in-law, and my husband's aunt and two cousins took all the little kids to Boone the weekend of Thanksgiving for the Polar Express train ride.

We did lots of baking during those three snow days in December...

Darth Vader even joined us for some cookie baking!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies: a family favorite!

Ben's job: take all the wrappers of the PB cups!

He loved the shiny red, green, and gold wrappers and wanted to keep all of them! Of course, I talked him out of it!

Showing off his Dale Jr apron and mini silpin...

Another fave from the holiday season... the boys went to a Holiday Fun Day at the high school the first Saturday in December. It was a fundraiser for the Spanish Club. They did crafts, played games and watched Rudolph. They made these fruit loop necklaces. I think that Sam ate part of his and then gave the remaining to his Grandma. Ben gave me his and it hangs on the hutch in our dining room. He asks me to wear it quite often when we are home. I had to wear it every snow day. I am waiting for him to ask me to to wear it to work, which I totally will do!!

Some more decorating...not the greatest pictures. I REALLY NEED A NEW CAMERA!!!!!!

I love these bottle brush trees! They were on the one spot last year at Target. I did not see any this year. I didn't get nearly as many I should have!

Two projects Sam made at school. I love elementary made holiday decorations. I will use these every year!
AND....the after Christmas sales!!! Actually, I picked these up BEFORE Christmas at Hobby Lobby. Peace, Love, Joy. I can't wait to shabby them up a bit, give them a vintage touch.

And, more bling. Picked up several glittery snowflakes, reindeer, etc from Target. Can't wait to get projects started for next year.

Well, it is back to the real world on Monday. I am kind of looking forward to it. I do much better in a regular routine. I have enjoyed being home with my boys. They have been really good most of the time and we have had lots of fun playing the new wii and other games.

I am also really looking forward to everything that 2010 has to bring. I am eagerly anticipating my second trip to Junk Bonanza and my shed shows for May, July, and September. I am also going to put all of my effort into this blog and my etsy site. I am have lots of ideas and changes that I will be sharing with you over the next few months. Can't wait to get started!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmases Past & Winter Weather

So the winter weather just won't give up...the Midwest (or at least Iowa anyway) is expecting another blast of snow, sleet and ice over the next few days. I hate that this will just wreak havoc on everyone's holiday travel plans. I have a feeling that our Christmas program at church is probably in jeopardy as well.

I remember one Christmas Eve program that was postponed to New Year's Eve when I was a child. I think that I was 7 or 8. It was also the Christmas that I got the Barbie Dream Home from my parents. So, I was not so disappointed that our program was not going on as planned because I had just received one of my favorite gifts of all time!

I remember those programs vividly. You see, my family attended an old country church that was absolutely beautiful - especially on Christmas Eve. My brother and I also attended the school that was affiliated with the church. It was a two-room school, built in 1954. My dad and his three sisters and brother also attended the school. It had a little gymnasium, a small kitchen, and a "confirmation" room where the older kids learned the cathechism. The classrooms were divided up kindergarten-4th grade and 5th-8th grade. We never probably had more than 50 kids in k-8 at one time. It was a very different experience...but one I will never forget!

This is also the church that my husband and I got married in. It was and still is amazing. It has all of the original woodwork, tin ceilings, and a gi-normous (teen slang I pick up from teaching high school kids) wrap around balcony and huge old organ. The Christmas Eve program was a HUGE event. We practiced EVERY Sunday in December and we practiced at school, too. Every kid had an individual speaking part and we sang all of the traditional Christmas hymns. And, of course, at the end you received your paper bag full of peanuts, fruit, and candy! The excitement in that church every Christmas Eve was unbelievable....The picture below is NOT that church but it looks something like it

My family still attended that church every Christmas Eve up until two years ago. We decided that we did not want to leave my Grandfather alone on Christmas Eve. He was in his 90s and my mom would pick him up from assisted living around 4 in the afternoon and we just did not feel comfortable leaving him at the house while we went to church 15 miles away. Now, we have a 6-year old that will be in our Christmas program where we attend now. He doesn't have an individual part, rather a group part. And, he attends public school, therefore he is not practicing the songs at school. So, it is a lot different for him than it was for me. 

I think that Christmas is different all around, compared to what it was 25 years ago. I know that I get very caught up in the commercialism and the chaos. I do it every year. I think it gets worse every year. I think that I have do more and more...more baking, decorating, wrapping, shopping...In a weird way, maybe it will be good if we are snowed in...maybe we will get to spend some serious quality time together and remember what Christmas is all about!

Merry Christmas and...

EVERYONE BE SAFE in the WINTER STORM!!!!!

Stomach Flu

yes...that's right. Stomach flu. 3 out of the 4 of us in this house have had it. My lucky husband never gets sick! Sam started it off Saturday night and then Ben got it early Tuesday morning, followed by me getting it later on Tuesday morning. I missed work yesterday and today, but am hopefully going back tomorrow!

Soooooo....that's why I didn't get the giveaway announced! Since only two people posted by the deadline...I am giving away two prizes! Julie will get the "CHEERS" Banner and Jill will get another banner - not sure what, I will dig through my pile of banners once I get out of this bed! I hope to have them mailed tomorrow!