Black Friday Sale! :)

I am one of those crazy people who wake up at 4:30 am on the day after Thanksgiving, bundle up and brave the crowds to shop for Christmas items for my family and friends.

So, to spread the Christmas cheer {and help avoid those big, long lines}, I'm hosting a SALE this weekend in my shop!

I'll be offering FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING on most items! :) {and $2.00 usd flat rate on international orders}

Plus, spend $24 or more and receive this lovely red silk butterfly {brand new to my shop}

FREE!

Plus, I'm also trying something new this year. WIN one of these 'instant winter scenes' in a GIVEAWAY! :) 

It's easy to enter! Just click HERE. 

Two ways to win:

1. FAVORITE THIS ITEM between Thursday, November 24th and Monday, November 28th. All "favoriters" will automatically be entered. :) On Tuesday, November 29th, I will draw names and THREE WINNERS will each receive one of these lovely "instant winter scenes" just like in this listing. I will contact the winners via Etsy convo.

2. CREATE A TREASURY WITH THIS ITEM between Thursday, November 24th and Monday, November 28th. All treasury curators will automatically be entered. :) Curators of my TWO FAVORITE TREASURIES that include this item will receive one of these lovely "instant winter scenes" just like in this listing. I will contact the winners via Etsy convo.

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And I couldn't help but add this cheerful little Santa sprite to my shop! He's SO cute! Currently available for Pre-Order {as he's still in production phase}, he'll be shipping out starting December 2nd, 2011!

. . . you can see him in all his glory in my shop HERE!

Many holiday blessings to you all, much joy, cheer and merriment. :)

Sweetly, Kate

My NEW Etsy Shoppe!

Well, I've been working for weeks and weeks now on opening a new shoppe on Etsy {forgot how time-consuming that process is} . . .

The time has come to unveil it . . .

Introducing Larkspur & Linen!

~I'll be offering glistening glass bottles and hanging glass vases~

{fond sentiments}

{sweet as honey}

{emily's posies}~named after my sister

I'm definitely a magpie! I've loved glass ever since I can remember! Milk glass is my favorite {I've a huge collection of it}, followed closely by cobalt glass, although any glass will do!

I'm hoping this shoppe will demonstrate my keen love of the simple, farmhouse feel of glass in all its facets. :)

Glistening wishes of happiness all around!

Fondly, Kate

Annual City-Wide Garage Sales

Every year, on the first weekend in June, a neighboring community holds their city-wide garage sales starting on Friday.

This is one of two annual events that I look forward to, stashing away a dollar here, five dollars there, all year long, knowing that I'll find great treasures!

For as long as I can remember, my mom and brother have come with me, on their own quests for great cast-offs!

Our day started early on Friday. After dropping the kids off at school, we packed up a yummy lunch of vegetarian roll-ups, gala apples, and cold water, and made the trek up to the small, sleepy little town of Litchfield about 15 miles away.

A lot of sales are within walking distance of each other. Here my mom and "little" brother are walking to the next garage sale down the street {I'm walking just behind}.

We found lots of vintage and antique wares and items like these GREAT old bicycles . . . 

I just LOVE that little trike!

We live in a community which has a large Amish population, so buggies and cars share the streets . . . especially on garage sale days! Amish love good deals too, and women with bonnets, and men with straw hats are busy finding wares to put to good use in their homes.

A majority of my finds came from one sale. An antiques dealer holds her annual garage sale on this weekend and I ALWAYS buy LOADS of great stuff {very reasonably priced} from her.

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After 5 1/2 hours of garage-saling, we headed home to unload all our treasures. 

{Most of my treasures lined up on the front lawn}

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Two of my favorite finds were these two matching ice cream shoppe chairs . . . for $3 apiece!!!:

 . . . and this printer's drawer used to hold old types for printing newspapers, ads and such:

Here's what I picked up on Friday {for less than $50}:

2 ice cream shoppe chairs . . . . . . . .    $6.00

3 rolling pins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $3.00

assorted vintage biscuit cutters . . . . .  $2.00

printer's drawer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $2.00

milk glass mixing bowl . . . . . . . . . . .   $ .50

watering can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $3.00

assorted linens . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.75

vintage lunchbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $1.00

Little House on the Prairie DVDs

     three seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $15.00

pair of shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.00

2 children's games . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2.00

gently used backpack . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2.00

antique butter pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $ .50

stack of unused cloth diapers

  {my earthy sister is having a baby} . .  $1.00

blouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.00

pants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ .25

3 vintage sewing patterns . . . . . . . . .  $ .75

vintage china bowl with rose pattern . .  $1.00

baby towel and robe . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $2.00

GRAND TOTAL:       $49.75

My mom ended up purchasing a baby crib for my sister, a bookshelf, some "new" clothing for herself and my kids, and various other treasures. My brother's best find was a pair of old "steampunk-style" green glasses.

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Our day ended with a taco salad dinner, conversation around the dinner table with our family, and my eight-year-old playing one of the games I picked up earlier that day. :)

Overall, it was a long, but fruitful day!

Here's to the beginning of treasure-hunting season!

Fondly, Kate

Bold to Beautiful

I admit it, I'm a junkaholic! 

One morning, as I was taking kids to school last year, I saw this cute little aqua dresser sitting out front of a neighbor's house with a 'FREE' sign taped to it. 

I did a double take, at which time, my wonderful husband said, "Don't even think about it". I promised him I wouldn't come back and pick it up . . . 

so, I dropped everyone off at school, drove right back, and threw it in the back of our minivan. Took it home and hid it in the garage for awhile until I could get to it.

We were in sore need of a quilt chest in the livingroom. So I removed two drawers and the cross-beams, gave it a fresh coat of white paint, and filled it full of quilts.

Although I thought the aqua was wonderful, most furniture that is to stay in my house MUST be painted white!

I think it turned out pretty great! {and my husband liked it too}!

Three cheers for turning junk into junque! :)

Fondly, Kate

a sleigh ride

A month ago {yep, I'm that far behind}, on my husband's birthday, we were invited to some friends' for a bonafide sleigh ride {our first ever}! It was a perfect day in a perfect setting! Good friends, great food, a woodstove to warm up at, and lots of hot cocoa and hot apple cider, made for a memorable day!

walking to the horse barn

conversing with the horses

loading up with some friends

our farmer friends have several teams of horses, these ones took us out

Sadie follows behind. 

Sasha, the other german shepherd was smart and climbed aboard the sleigh!

into the woods with our driver, Barney, and some friends with their granddaughter

it was the PERFECT day! 22 degrees, and snow falling all around!

snowflakes that stay on our nose and eyelashes!

out of the woods and back to the farm

Sasha giving Ethan doggy kisses

going out on another run

If you get the opportunity, NEVER turn it down! It was an utterly magical day!

Looking forward to our next invitation . . . NEXT winter! :)

Fondly, Kate

A tisket, a tasket . . .

HAPPY NEW YEAR, lovelies!

Well, embarrassingly enough, it has been a month and a half since I last blogged! 

{looking sheepish}

To my credit, I was OVERWHELMINGLY busy shipping out items through December at the rate of about 12 items a day from my Etsy shop! {HOORAY for sales!}

As it is the new year, I've been {and still am} rethinking what exactly I'd like my blog to be.

In the meantime, and in the spirit of something new, just thought I'd introduce my new little posy baskets in perfect Valentine's colors! Inspired by papier mache candy containers of yesteryear, and delightful painted sap buckets . . .

. . . in cottage pink

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. . . whitewashed

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. . . and poppy red

{I've three other colors in production at the moment and hope to begin listing them by next week!}

. . . and list a few personal resolutions . . .

1. become balanced

2. laugh . . . out loud . . . more! {I used to be so good at this}

3. really SEE things . . . instead of just LOOKING at them

4. organize . . . my whole house . . . one bit at a time

Here's to a BRAND NEW year full of possibilities! :)

Fondly, Kate

Coming Soon and Something New!

Maybe it's because Christmas is in the air . . . I feel like one of Santa's elves! {giggle}

I've been busy creating more items!

Coming soon to my shop!

{whither I wander set of 5 silk butterfly hair clips}

And . . . now you'll be able to buy butterflies individually! Your choice of one . . . they make great stocking-stuffers! :)

{through fields of buttercups set of 3 clips}

I'll add a few more butterflies this next week also! :)

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And something new I've been working on . . . little sprites!

{snow sprite: juggling snowballs}

I think she turned out adorable! She's all handsewn, with vintage shell buttons, bits of fabric, and a little vintage millinery flower! She's standing on a little glittery snowflake. And I think the most fun part . . . she's juggling snowballs!!! About 5 inches tall. 

Not sure how well she'll fit into my shop, but she might enjoy it there! 

Will be working on a few more of these little figures in the next few evenings.

Plus, I've got "seaglass" and "soft pink" glittered bottlebrush christmas trees on the assembly line right now! :)

Well, back to the workbench! {humming "I'll Be Home for Christmas"}

Take care, lovelies!

Fondly, Kate