When did my baby grow up?????

 

It is with overwhelming pride and a HUGE lump in my throat that I announce that I am officially the mother of a United States Air Force Airman, Tyler Allen.  Wow, what emotions are going thru my head and heart!  Yesterday he was just a tiny thing and today he signed to help to defend our country for the next 8 years during some of the most turbulent times my generation has ever seen.  One thing is for sure, he doesn't go alone.........he takes with him the abundant love of his family and friends and prayers that will be constantly sent up for him from generations of loved ones present and past. He also takes with him pride in his country and his belief that he defends a nation that is still "Under God" whether or not you choose to believe in Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He symbolizes the wise youth of today who still believe that the American dream lives in those who choose to Pursue it with honesty and integrity and hard work. He represents the American Soldier who thru the ages has given all to ensure freedom for those of us whom they love and even for those who don't respect or value their huge sacrifices.  He embodies those who still stand with hat in hand and tears in their eyes when they hear the words of our National Anthem ring out to symbolize Freedom, Faith and Family. Today, I stand in awe of a Great young man who has only just begun to make a difference in these still great United States of America. As his mother and as a fellow United States Citizen, I ask that you support and pray for him and that you stand behind him as he will be standing between you and harms way as he protects all of our freedom.  Today he made the decision to stand and fight for his country and to serve his nation in the Air Force.  It is an HONOR to be called his mother!

"Flying men, guarding the nation's border,
We'll be there, followed by more!
In echelon we carry on. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force"


From this:

 

To this:

To all the PYREX I've loved before......

...To all the Pyrex I've loved before, that has traveled in and out my door, I'm glad it came along, I dedicate this song, To all the Pyrex I've loved before.

 

LOL.....I have no idea why in the world this tune came into my head the other day while I was cleaning up some Pyrex that I found at the local flea market .......but boy it really does fit a Pyrex collector like me to a T!! I was getting together a few extra pieces for a co-worker who has seen me collect Pyrex for the better part of 20 years now and decided that they would like to own some too. For someone like me who absolutely loves this stuff, it can be down right hard to let pieces of pyrex go to other homes because of the fear of it being "mistreated".  I feel like the pyrex "social worker" who checks out the person first and makes sure it is going to a "pyrex friendly" home where it will be taken care of and appreciated and treated lovingly. They must promise NO DISHWASHER use on these pieces...then and only then will I let them "adopt" my cherished pyrex...lol. 

Hopefully this will be the beginning of a new Pyrex collector among us.
I hope these pieces have a long and happy life in their new home.......you are free little buddies....live long and prosper! 

"IT" is kind of scary...but I kind of like it......

 

Ever come across a vintage piece that gives you mixed emotions.....I felt sorry for this poor Ole clown reamer, he has definitely seen his better days for sure. But then again, I was drawn to "IT" (aka Pennywise the Clown).....I find myself wavering from the "I like it" to the "it's a really sort of Stephen King kind of creepy" feeling.  He is old and cracked but good grief some days that is exactly how I feel and I would hope that someone would have pity on me and show some kindness and not let me end up in the trash.  He is pretty much un-usable but I still couldn't watch them throw him in the trash so I brought him home and cleaned him up and set him on a shelf.

 

Someday you may see me on an episode of "Haunted Collector" with this reamer as a source of mysterious happenings in our house. But for now the closest thing to a scary clown at our house is my husband.

 

 

I also found this old 1958 Buttermints tin with wooden sewing spools in it. 

  

I don't know much about nesting dolls but I like them and when I come across them really cheap (like for $1) I bring them home.

 

But my biggest weakness (besides Pyrex of course) is vintage cameras.

 

 

 

Hopefully next week's flea market finds will be as much fun as these were. Good luck to all in your vintage hunts.!

 



Pyrex-ing the Flea Market

What a great weekend! Sunshine and hundreds of tables of treasures just waiting to be found. I have been collecting Pyrex for over 15 years and have a pretty extensive collection so whenever I find pieces that I don't already have atleast one of, it makes me very happy. Plus I met a fellow pyrexer in the process. She was out looking for good deals too.  It is so nice to meet people that you share the love of pyrex with, especially since my husband and children don't share the same appreciation of it that I do.
I found these "Friendship" mixing bowls on the way out of the flea market, I didn't see them on the first trip thru the tables and boy was I so glad they caught my eye.  The lady said she had just gotten them out of her car and put them on the table when I saw them. She had them all wrapped so carefully and I knew they were mine as soon as I looked at them............they were perfect...not a scratch!

 

I also came across this "New Holland" casserole for $2, and I love it!

 

 

I also brought home extra pieces that I already have but just could not pass up because they were only $1-2 each and you can never have too much!

 

I am already looking forward to this next weekend and to the next great pyrex treasure that is out there just waiting to come home with me! 

 

Good luck to all and may this weekend be filled with your greatest finds yet!

 

Lisa Jones Allen

That time of year again.....

I am so glad that spring is here and yard sale and flea markets are all abuzz.  Yep, picking, thrifting, it is a sickness......but what a way to go.......pyrex in one hand and a vintage camera in the other. My husband will never understand the attraction of the good ole american yard sale and that my suv just automatically knows to pull over when it sees one.  Last week was not a huge pick but I did find some things that I like.  I have collected lots of silhouettes over the years and I came across these at the flea market. These are old thermometer advertising silhouettes. I love the one with the red, white and blue colors.

                 When was the last time you saw a 4-digit telephone number on an advertising????????

 I also found this little guy, it is a 1966 Bosson's Poodle head, he is a little worse for wear but he was cheap and I brought him home......can't resist those puppy dog eyes....lol...good thing is you don't have to feed him or clean up after him.

 I also came across this old gem a few weeks back..............whew it made my back hurt just thinking about ironing my husband and childrens clothes with it, but one thing is for sure, you wouldn't have messed with a woman who could iron with that baby every day. Makes me thankful for the dewrinkle cycle on my dryer. 

No matter how much I love my antiques, I am thankful for all the new time saving inventions that the years since have given us.  I don't think I would have survived as the essential pioneer wife. But that is why they say necessity is the mother of invention and you do what you have to do.

So I will still go "picking" for my old treasures with an even more thankful heart for my new treasures.

Looking into the eyes of the past......

Gosh, where do the hours and days go?  This year is already down a whole month and spring is approaching fast.......which is great for us yard sale lovers.  Thrift stores are great, but they are all seemingly increasing their prices daily.  I am looking forward to those spring cleaning yard sales where you can negotiate prices and hear some great stories all at the same time. 

Since I haven't posted in a good while, I decided to share some photos of some great old photographs that I have come across over the past several months.  I LOVE pictures!  Sometimes when I come across these, I just can't believe that someone would get rid of these, but I guess there are people who aren't as sentimental (or hoardish) like I am.  I think about who these people were and did they not have any family that wanted these keepsakes or were they accidentally lost in the shuffle some where.  One thing is for sure, they have found a home at my house.


                                      

                                      To me this lady looks like the ideal picture of a grandmother

                                                            This is probably a civil war era tin type

                                                              These 2 are also tin types

             These are B&W proofs of an ENTIRE wedding......I got the entire box from beginning to end.

The look on the bride's face in the mirror........I wonder if her life turned out the way she expected it would or even better than she dreamed.......

As the weather warms up, I will be out and about looking for all things vintage and just maybe I will find some more really great reminders of the past that have been lucky enough to be preserved in a photograph.

Are you ready, Freddy???

Goodness, it has been so busy around here lately that I haven't had time to post. Funny how life just seems to fly by and next thing you know you are looking straight in the face of the holiday season again.  Why didn't Christmas come this fast when I was a little girl??  I am ahead of the game this year, seeing as I have a couple boxes of Christmas stuff already sitting in the living room ready to be put out.............I even told my hubby to look and see the greatness of being AHEAD this year........what I got in return was a Grinch style smile and a head shake of irritation.  That might be because I have failed to mention that those decorations have been sitting in that same spot since I took them down after Christmas last year, but good heavens, I am trying to keep up with 3 sons (ages 21,19,17), a husband (age 44 going on 12), 4 horses, 4 dogs and work a full time job plus am trying to get my own photography business started and still find time to cook, blog, thrift and sleep...........some of the above are done all at the same time it seems.  Plus Christmas usually requires the moving of about 47 boxes to find the Christmas tree and it NEVER fails that I have to do the spider dance a couple times because for some reason they always seem to migrate towards me when I am pulling out decorations.

The other day while thrifting I came across this great old rocker and for me it had a dual appeal..........I loved it because it was vintage and for the fact that I can use it in some of my photos as well and was quite surprised at the price tag of only $15.  Needless to say, it came home with me.  My SUV was full but I always manage to make my treasures fit....where there is a will, there is a way!  My husband says if I am ever in a car wreck that it won't be the actual wreck that kills me, it will be all the "shrapnel" that's flying around that will get me. But I have learned to carry a few empty boxes and bubble wrap, a couple quilts and even a couple tie down straps because if it can't go in it, it most certainly can go on top of it....LOL!  Even as we speak there is a 1950's baby doll bed, a 1960's Christie doll, some assorted vintage glassware, a very old miniature saddle and a big orange enameled pot in the back of my explorer, along with some photo props and some more stuff I am sure I have forgotten that I bought.......all of which were products of very good yard sales.

I also managed to come home the other week from a flea market with 5 more vintage cameras to add to my mounting collection (50 and counting).  I don't care how old or how dusty or how weird they look, I just love these cameras. Someday I hope to have my own mini camera museum, and I am well on my way.

I also got these neat old sewing notions. I have an old singer sewing machine in a wooden case and lots of other vintage sewing stuff like old patterns, buttons, darning eggs, etc..... that this goes perfect with.

Even though I love all my vintage junk as my husband calls it, most of all I love this time of year and I am hoping for good health and a great time with family and friends. 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! May God bless you with what matters most....peace, joy and love!