A Vintage Friend

I  just found out my best friend is flying out to visit me this summer!

I couldn't be more excited, this is good news, really.  Now I won't need to find that therapist.

For soon I will be laughing so hard that it will turn silent, with tears streaming down my face.

I will tilt my head back with my mouth wide open making wierd goose like noises.

I will be laughing so hard my body will go limp and I'll fall to the floor, my face will wrinkle up.

Rach and I call that the "face of pain".  Although it is pure pleasure, laughing that hard with your buddy.

That kind of laughing gives your abs a workout, your lungs a workout.  It really negates any calories you have consumed that day.

You know what else my best friend and I do?  We pray together, we talk about our Heavenly Father, what a great dad He is.  We reminisce about miracles past.  We wonder if her dad and my mom are hanging out in heaven.  They are probably discussing all the trouble we caused in our teenage years.

I have known Rachael since the second grade, and by the sixth grade we were inseperable. 

Do you have a friend like this?  A friend who puts no expectations on you?  Who loves you unconditionally?

A friend with whom you can go weeks without a word and nobody thinks your mad?  You can just pick right up?  Rach and I are different that way, we only e-mail and have the odd trip to see each other.  We talk on the phone just a few times a year, if that.  But when we see each other, it's like we live right next door.

I am blessed to have her.  She has got me through the worst times in my life and has been there in the best times. 

She let me grab her hair and pull her head into the bedrail when I was giving birth to my first child, I still feel like apologizing for that.

I can vent and whine and complain and the next day get super excited and brag about something and she listens to it all. 

I hope you gals have a friend like that too.  My best friend is Rachael and we've been friends for 30 years.

How long have you known your besty and what's her name?

Tablecloth....DONE!!

So I finally finished my Lollibag tablecloth for the Vintage Barn Sale.

Keep in mind it is wrinkled :)

I am not planning on ironing it till I take it out of the suitcase in Idaho!

Also the table I have it on now, is way to small but I just wanted to show you.

I made it out of denim and added two huge flowers on either side of the Lollibag's banner.

Since I am not driving, (hubby didn't want me to) I won't be able to bring really cute display pieces.

Oh well I am going to use my vintage baby blue suitcases so I can use those for display.

But then again, will they get ruined being tossed around in the airplane?  yes.

ugh, oh well, I am happy that it will only take an hour on the plane compared to a 10 hour drive!

Any ideas for display?

I really want to have a good display.  What could I pack in a suitcase that would make a huge impact?

Update on Grandpa

My dad went to visit Grandpa last night.

He asked him if he had thought anymore on the conversation about dying without God.

My Grandpa said I believe in God, but not Jesus.

I'll admit my hopes were dashed.  But I still have faith.

I have faith that my Grandpa will have a death bed conversion.

He is literally in his death bed in hospice care.

He has not eaten in days.  In hospice they just make you comfortable, so they are not feeding him through an IV.  He has no appetite.

I figure it can't be much longer, but I pray God will keep him alive until he recieves Jesus.

My dad said, this is the great deception.  Believing in God but not Jesus.

You must believe God sent His son Jesus to die for your sins on the cross.

Only God can reveal this to Grandpa, it must occur in the heart.

Thanks for continued prayers and I'll keep you posted.

On a lighter note.....

remember pink sponge curlers??

I need your prayers

I have been praying for my Grandpa to be saved since I was 5.

There have been years where I have just given up and stopped.

My Grandpa has always made fun of my dad for trying to tell him about Jesus.

For the first time tonight, my Grandpa was receptive to hearing about Jesus!

He knows he is dying and is scared.

He said to my dad, but I am evil, how can God accept me?

My dad said God will.

Tomorrow night my dad is going back to visit my Grandpa.

Please pray for the next 24 hours, that God will prepare my Grandpa's heart and draw him close and save him!

I will let you know when I hear from my dad tomorrow.

Thanks guys!

Olde Farmhouse

I stopped by The Olde Farmhouse sale this morning and took some pictures.

This is where Lollibag's are till Saturday.

I put my etsy shop on vacation till then.

Not that people are lining up to buy them!!! But I just knew if I left my etsy shop open,

then the same bag would be sold twice....just cuz.

Don't you love that mailbox?  Good idea!

I love flags.

I love birdhouses too, the rustic shabby ones.

Isn't her house great?  It was built in 1895.  History.

I took Lauren and Sophie with me to the sale and while we were inside a little old lady went up to Lauren..

She had my vintage zipper Lollibag in her hand. 

And she said to Lauren..... isn't this a clever idea?  Good way to use up those old zippers.

Lauren and I just giggled a little bit, she had no idea I made that bag :)

I sure hope she bought it!

I bought 2 birdhouses, the prices were good.  I'm going to add them to the pasture fence.

As you can see the grey sky is still here in Oregon, it even hailed the other day.

I do wish for sun!

Thank you, giveaway, what's going on...

Thanks to everyone who has left a comment and given me advice on my migraines.

I appreciate it so much! 

I have even received  some e-mails, and I know you took time out of your day to write :)

I am actually using the advice.

I have met alot of new friends through blogs and I can't

believe the love and kindess you guys show!

Some of you even take time to pray for me!

Thank you for being my followers and more so, my friends.

I'm so excited about this summer, not that I have huge plans, but that summer is actually here.

Well, I do get to go to Idaho for The Vintage Barn  sale.

So that will be fun, but also I'd like to take my girls to the coast to hunt for sea shells.

You may wonder why I rarely talk about my boys, well I do love my boys so much.

They are just at the age where they are working all the time and honestly I miss them.  I barely see them anymore.  But this is how you raise good hard working husbands who take care of their families, right?

It starts out with a good work ethic as a teen, so I couldn't be more proud of them.

This week I am making the "table cloth", for the above sale...  I'll post pictures as I go.

I have cookies in the oven of course,  and I'm still sewing Lollibags. 

Remember in the spring I said I was on a mission to sew 100 or was it 50?? Lollibag's??

I had no idea how long that would take! I don't think I've even reached 50 yet!

So for the past couple weeks I have been tossing around the idea of a giveaway.

Would you like to see a Lollibag giveaway?

Or a charm bracelet giveaway?

Or a vintage finds giveaway, some stuff I bring back from The Vintage Barn show?

I want to hear from you!

Lollibag Banner

OK, so I've been working on this all afternoon. 

And I cannot believe how much fun it was!

I made this banner to put on the front of the tablecloth.  I'm not sure how I will attatch it yet.

But I cut letters out of Amy Butler fabric to spell Lollibag's.

And then I decided to put them on some vintage white cotton.

I did put interfacing on the back of the the letters to stiffen them up a bit.

And I think I ruined my new iron doing it too, shoot.

I am wondering if I should cut the white cotton closer in?  Or leave it? 

I am still going to embellish the table cloth with ruffles and maybe some flowers.

Flowers are time consuming for me cuz I am not real good at them.

Thanks for all the table cloth tips and migraine advice.

I do think I need to drink more water.  I always think I am but then when I really think about it, am I?

I woke up with a bad headache again today, but it wasn't quite a migraine, and the good thing

was I took some excedrin and it actually worked.  Normally, I'll take excedrin, relpax, advil, and nothing works.

So hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow feeling great!

Thanks guys :)

Ideas?

Idea's Idea's

I need some.

I need to make a cute table cloth for my display table for The Vintage Barn Show.

I am thinking of something ruffly with canvas and cotton.

another idea I need:

how to remove my head from my body during a migraine,

so I can continue being a mom and homemaker during that week of pain.

I have an appointment with a neurologist in a couple weeks.

I'll read and cherish every idea you send me :)

I'm Promoting YOU! and Lollibags

Today I am promoting two women who I think are so talented!

They are both really nice too.

First is Deborah from Art and Soul by Deborah.

Deborah paints watercolors and incorporates scriptures in them, which I love.

I don't remember how I came across her blog, but I did and now I consider her my friend.

She always has some encouraging comment to leave for me.

I even won a giveaway!

Here are a couple of my favorite things from her etsy shop.

A watercolor pendant.

A beautiful watercolor with a scripture.

I love this painting, I love the swirly colors!

So hop over to Deborah's blog and etsy shop and see all of her fabulous stuff!

My next person, you have probably heard of, I think she is quite popular in the blog world....

Becky from Farm Girl Paints!

I guess I tend to gravitate to blogs with the word "farm" in them

because I live on a farm.

I just purchased a couple necklaces from Becky as gifts.  When I got my package, she mistakenly

sent a different necklace than I had ordered.

So I e-mailed her and said I would send it back.

She is just so sweet, she said no don't send it back, bless someone with it! 

I thought that was the most wonderful thing to do.

You just don't see business owners act like that.  Everyone is out for themselves and

how much money they can get.

Not Becky.

So thank you Becky, I have given it to someone and I'm sure they have been blessed by it!

Here are a couple of my favorite things from Becky's etsy shop.

Beloved necklace.

Do it Afraid painting.  This painting has sold, but I saw it and just loved it!

Blessed necklace.

There are so many more photo's from Deborah and Becky that I could share, but you need to check out both of their blogs and etsy shops.

I am a big believer in women supporting each other in business!

Lollibags are going to be here  on June 17-19. 

Here are a couple I've been working on.

Linen ruffles with an Amy Butler fabric flower.

Again, dark gloomy photo's, do reflect the weather in Oregon!

Lord, please send sun!!

Tattered cotton ruffles Lollibag.

If your in the area stop by the sale!

Brownies to lift any mood & total randomness

How perfect are these eggs?  Do you love them?

I do.

My dad's wife, Jean, took this photo.  This nest is on their deck.

And here are two hatched.  So sweet.

I'm going to give you a brownie recipe that is DANGEROUS!

So beware, you can use these brownies for anything.

These brownies will make you:

stop crying

reverse PMS

become happy

see the world in a new way

You may also use them to:

get what you want from your husband

bribe your children

make laundry folding fun

give you the energy to clean a toilet

So with the utmost care and trust I am placing in you.......

CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES

5 ounces semisweet chocolate

1/2 C oil

1 C light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2/3 C flour

4 T. cocoa powder

4 T. chocolate chips (more if your really sad or angry)

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 8x8 square pan.  I use a glass one.

Melt the semisweet choc. in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of hot water.

Ya, I just throw it in the micro for 1 min. then stir and throw it in again for 1 min.

With a wisk, beat the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a bowl. 

Stir in the melted chocolate, then beat well until evenly mixed.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl.  OK again I just throw it into the mixture you just whipped up.

no problemo.

Mix throroughly.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan, spread evenly.

Bake for 30-35 min. until top is firm and crusty.  Cool in the pan before cutting into squares.

Or in our family just get a fork and start eating. The brownies last no more than 2 hours at our house.

Which really pisses me off!  Because I want to enjoy these for more than one day, but the boys will eat half the pan in one sitting.

I was going to post more promotions of women in business. 

But maybe this is to much info. 

These brownies are a really big deal. 

Women in business, coming soon!!

Leave me a comment and let me know how your brownies turned out!

Garage Sale

Just a few things that will be at my garge sale in June.

Chalkboard windows I used to sell at a store.

Lauren's old store sign.

Let It Snow sign.

I have about 15 antique doors.

Cottage Sign.

Childs metal rocker, should I sell this?

Old post, not sure about this one either.  But I am sure about the shutter, or am I?

Old war signs.  Anyone know what language this is and what they say?

When God answers a why?

A favorite picture of mine.  That's my little guy on the left, standing by grandpa's work van.

That was in 1992.

  When I had Josh at 18, I just had no idea what to do. 

But I remember always praying.... praying he would become a man of God.

And praying for God to protect him.

When I divorced his father and remarried and battled over visitation, the praying increased.

Anything you would not want your child around, he was around on a visitation weekend. 

Josh would scream and cry not to have to go.

All I would do is cry and pray, cry and pray, pleading with the Lord to protect him.

To keep him safe.

 To not become like his father.

Those were probably the most nightmarish years of my life.

Then in 2002, we felt like God wanted us to move, for my hubby to accept a job with a new company.

I was so excited, I would think why is God having us move?  How will we serve Him in Oregon?

Are we going to be wildly successful?  Why does God move you out of state?

Turns out, we love it out here.  There are draw backs but there is with anything. 

But all these years I've wondered, have I missed my opportunity to serve God out here?

What was it?  What is it?  Why did we move?

Now I suppose I can be dense, but a couple months ago I was driving, running my errands.

I was probably angry at a cashier.

And I had this thought...

Did God move us out here to protect Josh? 

And I tossed it around in my head for a while and thought sure that could be it.

But surely there is something more, some grand way I am going to serve God, that I've yet to discover.

And then I just let it go.

Well I don't know if you have teenagers, but Josh is 19 now.  He'll be 20 in September.

He rarely says anything deep to me.  He will talk about his motorcycle or his car or his day at work.

But not much else, certianly not God.

So one day I was taking Josh to a dr. appointment, and we were talking....

And just out of the blue he said,

Mom, I think we moved out here so I didn't get into trouble with my family.

(meaning his biological father and his cousins)

I do believe I started crying right then.

For it was a confirmation to me of what God had just told me!

pause....need a tissue

All those years of praying came rushing to my mind.

God heard me!

He answered me!

God protected my son!

How am I so blessed that he did that for me??

What if we had not listened and moved?

And the thought that God cares so much for my son to move our whole family out of state,

is overwhelming to me!

The fact that God loves me enough to answer my cries for my child....

I'm not sure I grasp the Love of God.

I don't think I understand how deep it is.

I tell you I am not over this, I keep saying

WOW, thank you Jesus!

I feel blessed that God chose to reveal the answer to this why.

I have so many other why's

why did my mom have to die?

why did you bless me with 5 children while others have none?

why won't you take my migraines away?

But the answer to one, is enough.

God tells me with that answer...

I love you

I have your best interest at heart

I am sovereign

I hold the future in My hands

Trust Me

True Love

Psalm 139

O Lord, You have searched me and You know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar, You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths,

You are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your

hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.

For You created my inmost being;  You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be!

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.

When I awake, I am still with You.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

With all the tragedy  going on in the world, take a moment and really read these words and know the love God has for you, that He cared about you before you were born.

That He knows all that has happened to you and all that will happen to you.

If you do not know of this love...

Accept Jesus as your Savior,

Believe that Jesus died for YOU on the cross and rose 3 days later

Confess your sins and repent.

Calling Cards

Hi

I saw these cards on the front page of etsy.

I just fell in love with all of her "calling cards".

I guess that what business cards are called now.

I like that name much better.

So I ordered some from pixelimpress.

I love the old time type writer font.  Mine will read:

dear prudence

lollibags

http://www.lollipookiesoap.etsy.com/

http://www.avintagemom.blogspot.com/

Do you love them?

Life on the Vintage Farm

Sometimes after supper, the girls and I will go out and help hubby with farm chores.

This night hubby had to check the pump that he thought was broke, but really

a turkey vulture landed on the overhead wires and was electrocuted and that in turn blew out the pump.

The pump goes down to the river to pump up water for the cows.

The water goes into a big tub.

This is all down in the lower pasture.

We have water rights from the river that were grandfathered to us.

When we bought the farm we had NO IDEA, any of this farmy stuff.

We found out about them in the nick of time just a couple days before they were set to expire.

Thank you Jesus!!

They do not hand out water rights any more, ever.

The right to pump out of the river, means we can irrigate our crops with river water.

So anyway that was a long time ago, but just thought I'd throw that tidbit out.

Our property sits on the confluence of two rivers.  The Mohawk River and The McKenzie River.

The picture above is the Mohawk River.  The McKenzie river is much larger.

Lauren practiced her sling shot while we waited.

Sophie has an instant "ham" light switch, that turns on when I pull out the camera.

She starts doing all these poses.

So after we got the pump taken care of.  It was time to go back up and send the cows down.

Hubby is in the left field getting them into the field your seeing.

They all come running because they like going down there!

Lauren and her dad opening the gates.

I know it looks boring in photo's, but it really is fun to see.

I love watching the baby calves run to try and keep up with their mama's.

Do you want a hat update?

Lollihats is not to be..... most likely ever.

There are just to many variables. 

I had to take the hat apart

FOUR TIMES

yes 4 times. 

If it was any other material besides Amy Butler I would have thought a

couple of swear words and tossed it in the corner.

But I could not waste Amy Butler fabric!!

With handbags they are pretty much one size fits all, you just find the one you like.

With hats there are different sizes, then the crown part is to big for the brim, or vice versa.

UGH, I tell you I cannot follow patterns.

Here's the pic's.

I am actually under there :)

I love that about it, that it hides you well.

I know what your going to say....

oh it's so cute!  Yes it is cute, but your not seeing it close up.

You can tell it's my first hat.

I will wear it, but won't be attempting to sell them....yet.

And now it is

THE GOLDEN HOUR

yes, Sophie is down for a nap!

gotta run

toodle loo