Estate Finds and Promised Pictures

Happy Monday everyone!  A new week is upon us already.  Can you believe it?  I'm still trying to recoup from my week of vacation.  I arrived at work to a loaded desk with lots of things to go through.  At least I know I'm still needed here at work!

As is typical of a Monday, I thought I share some of my recent estate finds with you.  Hubby and I managed to go to one Estate Sale before we went on vacation.  It was in a real nice neighborhood that was near our home.  (That is another thing that I like about Estate Sales.......we get to look at neighborhoods that we might not otherwise find......it will be helpful when we are ready to move to a larger home.)  The house was large and had lots of antiques in it.  In my opinion, they were overpriced, but then what do I know.  While I was in the sun room picking out a couple of clear glass flower frogs, Hubby was in the kitchen seeking out Ball Jars.  He found one of the bicentennial jars and so it got added to the collection.  We are now up to 3 old Ball Jars!  And, luckily enough, I had a great purple glass votive holder that has now become the base to one of the flower frogs that I bought.

On the way home from the Estate Sale, Hubby saw a sign for a Garage Sale in the neighborhood behind ours.  Can you believe it, he wanted to stop?  I think that I have created a monster!!!  I'm not as fond of Garage Sales, but you never know what you will find when you stop at one.  (Some of the Garage Sales I have been to have been better than some of the Estate Sales I have been to.)  Luckily enough, I found a nice frame to add to my collection.  The inside measures about 6x6.  Not too shabby for 50 cents!

This past Saturday I had to go Estate Sale shopping on my own since Hubby had to work.  I only hit one sale since I had other things that had to be done around the house before I went to visit my BFF for some stitching time in the afternoon.  Anyway, as I'm walking through the house I was becoming more and more disappointed.  After all, who are these people didn't know their cross stitch designs from their needlepoint?  They deal with estates every day, don't they?  And, all the items seemed to be way overpriced, especially for quilts that were thread bare!  Just because it is old or says "antique" doesn't mean that it has to be overpriced.  Soon I found myself down in the kitchen/dining area and what do my eyes fall upon but this:

Is that not the most amazing flower frog you have seen????  It is made of pottery!  I couldn't find a signature on the bottom, but there were marks on the bottom where it had been in a kiln.  And to boot I found a black glass frog and another clear frog in a configuration that I haven't seen yet.  I HIT THE FROG JACKPOT!!!   I've got quite the collection forming.  Now I will just be on the lookout for colored or unusual frogs since I have plenty of the clear glass ones.  I'm so excited and I can't wait to see if there are any good Estate Sales around next weekend.  I think I'm hooked!

Here is my first self-framed finish.  I spent the last part of my evening last night putting this bad boy together.  Whew!  What a task!  All I can say is "I love my framer" and I will never complain again about the cost of framing.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't too hard, but it was very time consuming.   I think I will continue to try and frame many of my small pieces, but I will be sure to send the bigger ones to my favorite framer.  (She's awesome!)  If you look close, you may be able to see where I "puffed" the piece instead of putting it behind glass.

Now I Know My ABC's

Blackbird Designs Reproduction Freebie

40ct Vintage Basketweave by Lakeside Lined

Colors were changed to the Crescent Colours Cottons that I had on hand

The frame was purchased at an Estate Sale

Here is the other thing I promised you.  Pictures of the RAK that I received from Faye over at Carolina Stitcher.  Thanks again Faye for the lovely gift!  I hope you don't mind, but I'm following in your footsteps with the RAKs and the pins.  I even tried my hand at creating a few pins last night and I think that they turned out well.  I will be sure to share pictures of my pins soon.

Stay tuned this week, as I have some vacation pictures and stitching to share!

Happy Stitching!