Tuesday Treasures...32

So now that I am 32, I thought that 32 would make a great treasury...WRONG!

I really had to work hard to find things that had 32 in the description and appealed to me.

Oh it could have all been paintings or photographs or baby blankets...but i am made of so much more than that!

A few of this weeks listing were sort of pushing the 32...I included things that were 32 count or .32 or 3.2...or that were in a shop that had a listing that had 32 in the description...but 32 is what it is...

and so are Tuesday Treasures! Enjoy!

Tuesday Treasure - My Dad!

Today is my dad’s birthday. He is a pretty amazing guy.

He is patient. He is kind. He can make anything. He is always busy, but not like in a million different directions, just never still. He thinks with his hands the way people talk with their hands. He loves me. He loves my mom. He loves my kids. I think he might even love my husband.

My dad is today’s Tuesday Treasure.

The Etsy treasury is made up of things that my dad loves like burgers and pizza and cookies and Pittsburgh Steelers football.

There are also jigsaw puzzles and kites flying on the beach, model trains, and lots of other good things that make me think of my dad.

And electricity because he loves his job, too.

Happy Birthday Pops!

Tuesday Treasures...Trucks!

Today’s treasure is sort of two-fold.

The treasure is officially TRUCKS – in honor of Touch aTruck this Saturday, which the kids and I will be attending. Let me just say that if you are in the Richmond area you should be sure to attend this gem of an event!

Which brings me to the second, unofficial treasure – those surprise moments that turn into lasting memories. The day that you thought was just going to be day and turned into magic! That is what Touch a Truck was for Grace and my folks last year.

We had seen an ad for it and it wasn’t very much to go. It was something for Grace and her Popsie and a chance for me and then teeny Jackson to get some rest and quite. I think the pictures speak for themselves, but they had a wonderful time and are so excited to go back this year and take Jackson!

I mean who doesn’t love trucks, right?

Enjoy the treasury!
And I hope to see you at Touch a Truck!

Tuesday Treasure – Books – and their characters

I recently read Little House on the Prairie to Grace. It was sad and scary and wonderful all at once. And I can’t help but smile when I hear her playing out scenes from the book. She wants a bonnet to let hang down her back like Laura, but she says she wants to be Mary because she is older.

We read a lot at our house. Nearly, constantly if Grace had her way.  At times it is hard to find things to read. We could read every picture book in the house ten times a day, so a while back we started reading chapter books.

We have read Little House on the Prairie, Charlotte’s Web, Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, Magician’s Nephew, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We have read most of the Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson Peter Pan series, as well.

Each new book brings a new set of playmates – imaginary ones for Grace to play with and make stories around. Each book adds new words (mostly good ones) to her vocabulary. Each book brings hours of questions.

So this week the Tuesday Treasury is things that call to mind some of our favorite literary characters. You will notice I included Anne of Green Gables – Grace has no interest in this book and it makes me sad, as it is my absolute favorite!

Enjoy!

Tuesday Treasures…

All of these things and then some will be in the shop soon!

Today’s treasure is Halloween…and since Halloween is my birthday all the great things in my Etsy Treasury have to do with both Halloween and  Birthday’s…even if it is just something I would like to get for my birthday!

I have started to put some Halloween things in my own Etsy shop, The Things I am Made of, but alas the weather has thwarted my attempts to finish up (start) photographing a few of the things. Please check back once the rain has past for newer photos. I will also try to get additional photos posted to Facebook, too!

As we head into this rainy Tuesday, enjoy a little spooky celebration and some Halloween Treasures!

Tuesday Treasures...Buttons

A few years ago my mom found some buttons that had belonged to her grandmother. They were fancy buttons and simple buttons, buttons her grandmother had cut off of shirts and coats, buttons still on the cards from the Five and Dime.

Mom used these buttons to make the sweetest little button bouquets. She made one for her, and then one for her sister and then several of her nieces. Next, she started buying buttons to make button bouquets for gifts. Soon other people started bringing her buttons to make them bouquets.

Each flower a little stack of buttons wired together and planted in the holes of a salt shaker was a treasure. 

While the button flowers bloomed, so did my mother's button collection. She hunted and shopped. She read and  researched. She cleaned and sorted. Buttons! Buttons! Buttons!

It seemed nearly daily the packages of buttons arrived or she was coming home from some little out of the way shop with buttons.

This might sound like a bad thing, but it wasn't. If anyone can find a gem it is my mom! A gem and a deal!

Then surrounded by all these beautiful buttons, she started creating things other than button bouquets, but alas there are still to many buttons to use - realistically, anyway. She has been generous and offered to make some of her wonderful buttons available through my etsy shop, The Things I am Made of.

I hope you will enjoy today's treasury, as well. The uses for buttons is never ending and certainly inspiring. And nothing says you have to make a coat to chose the buttons. Why not switch out the buttons on an old coat or sweater or dress and breath a little new life into them.

Tuesday Treasures...

Tuesday Treasures

I am working on keeping my house clean, which for me means getting rid of a few things and making room for living. This is really hard for me. I see potential in so many things. (This is where my husband starts “coughing” hoarder loudly in my direction!)

 In my cleaning, I came across a treasure – an old wallpaper sample book. It came from the attic of the dear old lady my daughter got her nose from. I have had it sitting here for nearly 2 years – moving it from house to house, from house to storage and back to house.

My plan was to make cards with it, but as I started tearing it apart yesterday I had a friend and her baby on my mind and I was struck…I could make this wallpaper into bibs! Sounds a bit farfetched, I know, but the wallpaper is from 1978 at my best estimate and its all fabric backed and “scrubable” according to the book.

Another project added to the list, but it is one where I have the supplies on hand and will be making good use of something that would have otherwise been trash. Aren’t those some of the best projects?

There are a few pieces that really aren’t bib worthy…but would be great for any number of other things. I will be posting them over at the TIAMO etsy shop.

Be sure to check out the Tuesday Treasure Treasury, too.

Tuesday Treasures!

Last week’s beautiful junk post and plastic bags yielded some Gymboree bags – Perfect! Each has lots of colorful polka dots!

 

This week – Ribbon.

Ribbon is one of my favorite treasures and often remnants can be found in our beautiful junk box.  I love to buy ribbon because often for less than a dollar you can get a yard or two of something beautifuI that has so much potential. You can put fancy ribbon on something plain and it is suddenly fancy. You can put simple ribbon on something over the top and it is suddenly just right. It can blend two seemingly unrelated things together. Ribbon can be functional – tying things together, holding something closed, or it can just be pretty.

 I was inspired this week to clean out my stash of ribbon – and my husband was kind enough to help. (I love shared projects!) I really should post a before picture, but that would be embarrassing, so I will post the after picture. In the process I picked two (more) projects.  I also put together two listings of ribbon for Etsy. If you have a need for some great ribbon check them out.

Oh and as a special treat, I put together an Etsy treasury of items featuring ribbon. Hope you find something there that inspires you.

See you tomorrow.

P.S.  Thank you so much to the incredible response to yesterday’s post about need. I am truly blessed to  be surrounded by such caring and supportive women !

Tuesday Treasures

It’s time for Tuesday Treasures….oh the possibilities for a statement like that! 

But for today is about Beautiful Junk -  the things you find, keep, come across that are just too beautiful, too useful to let go. (Wow, that sounds like the beginning of a hoarder support group!)

My mom has always had a beautiful junk box that had little bits of fabric and lace, buttons, fun things clipped from magazines, wrapping paper, anything found that would send a young crafter's heart a flutter.  I am hoping that Tuesday can be a day all about things found or sought…

And you wonder why I have a never ending
stash of  fabric and vintage buttons...

Today I would like to tell you about something I am looking for…and maybe you can help me find it!

I have come across several projects that I would like to undertake (that is a choice word!) that call for plastic bags –like plastic shopping bags. The more colors I can find the better, but so far I have found the standards Target, Macy’s, Kroger – so I have red with white and brown with blue. I think boutique and small shops are going to be the ticket to finding really great colors, but the one place I do that sort of shopping has passed a law prohibiting plastic bags- it is all paper now, which I commend, but what about my project!?!?

Any suggestions on where to find great colors of plastic bags – I only need a handful or so? Any one have any they would like to share? I am sure I have some sort of beautiful junk I could send your way, too.

Have a great Tuesday. I hope you find something treasured today.