Rust Dust

If you are what you eat, today, I am rust. Is the term "rust dust" universal? Or did I make that up?

Rust dust: (n) the fine, orange film left on one's hands after handling metal items with corrosion.

So, I was moving some stuff around.

Unloading the truck. Pricing. Cleaning. Snacking on some cajun flavored nuts.

Figuring out where to put things until I find room in my barn or stores. I unloaded this kick booty candelabra and this big, oversized, rusty, planter holder thingy. (Do you hate the finial as much as I do?)

At some point, I looked at my fingers and I thought I'd clean that cajun seasoning off with my tongue. Much to my surprise. I got a mouthful of rust dust. Oh, man! I am a grown woman. I know I know better. It is good cajun seasoning, but not worth that mistake!

Have you ever accidentally ingested anything you'd like to tell us about?

Happy Weekend! Yee haw!
~Mindy

Happy Birds Day!

I wasn't looking for birds today. But, I sure found 'em.

I believe this is an old dove decoy. I have no idea why it's painted red. Any ideas? Function or fashion? (OH! I think the red is supposed to simulate a hurt, bleeding bird. Coyote bait or something like that. David, am I right?)

This fuzzy duck caught my attention. He has wire feet and such personality! He certainly takes me back to my primitive roots.

These doves (or whatever they are) are most certainly not primitive. I love their clean lines! Won't they be beautiful as decorations for Christmas?

I like the green at the bottom.

I got a few other things. But, today's post has gone to the birds. Which do you favor?

Happy Thursday/Birdsday!
~Mindy

ps. If you haven't already, please drop by David's blog and give him some love. It's been a rough week/month. Thanks!

Check her out

I think she's a beauty.



From what I can tell, she is old and made of horse hair plaster. She even has a built in hanger.

I do believe I will keep her. I just need to find a stud in the wall that will hold her, because she is heavy!

This weekend, as of this very moment, I plan on cleaning out my barn. You local folks need to be ready. I think I'm going to have a Barn Clearing Sale soon. I found a brown Christmas tree that I like and it costs more money than I have budgeted. So, maybe my barn sale will be a fundraiser for my tree this year. hmmm I better get busy!

Happy Wednesday!
~Mindy

Christmas Decor Desires

Yesterday was the 25th of October. I know. Two whole months away from Christmas. But, what am I thinking about with this cooler weather, besides egg nog? Christmas trees and decorations. I went to shop for a Christmas tree last week and came home with this tree instead:

I wish I had taken a picture of it with the lights off. It's very pretty on or off. But, it is not a Christmas tree.

I couldn't budget a $150+ concolor tree last year, so this is what I did for Christmas 2008 at my house:

It was good for a year. But, I long for something different this year. What I want is a brown tree. I don't know why. But, I do. But, when you can't find a brown Christmas tree at the World Trade Center or Dallas Market, it's probably not going to easily be found, let me tell ya.

So, with the advent of white on white on white in home decor, here is my question to you. Do you change your Christmas decorating scheme occasionally? Or do you do what your mother and her mother before her did, year after year, with your own personal slant?

When you come shopping at Primitiques in Poetry and at Winnie & Tulula's in Athens, what would you like to see for your home Christmas decor?

The Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving, which are November 27 and 28, Winnie & Tulula's is having a wonderful Christmas Open House. Friday evening, 4-9pm admission will be $5 and proceeds will go to a special cause. Saturday hours will be 10 am - 6 pm. All of the dealers are doing some special shopping for this occasion and you are sure to be WOW'd!

And as if that weren't enough to get you all excited, Saturday, December 5, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, we will host a Christmas Open House at Primitiques in Poetry. Need an excuse to discover Poetry? Well, here it is!

Get your pen out and mark your calendars. What better time to come out and play with your fellow bloggers?

Do you see why I was asking about your Christmas decor taste now? I need to stock up on what you like. Or, maybe I'll just stock up and surprise you with what I think you'll like. And you'll LOVE it! Hmmmm...

Happy Monday!
~Mindy

Random Ramblings

First order of bidness. It has been decided. I will be back in Warrenton, at Zapp Hall for the Spring Show. Yee haw! The Fall Show was so much fun! So, go ahead and pencil me in. March 27 - April 3. Heck. Use ink. You know you wanna!

I'll be at the same location, between Zapp Hall and Royer's. Just look for the tent with the knotted sheers. Be prepared. Bring a large trailer. I have doubled my space!

Next order of business. With the cooler weather and the holidays approaching, egg nog comes to mind, yes? Yesterday, I stopped by my local liquor store, and lo and behold, what did they just get in? Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog. Don't ask me how many cases I bought. Yes. Cases. I praised it last year, and I continue to brag on this amazing liquid gift to mankind. In this bottle of beauty, you will taste blended whisky, rum, and brandy in fresh dairy cream. Get out your fat pants and plant your booty at home, cuz, there's no need to be out and about drinking this unless you have a designated driver. Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog puts the Zing in amazing!

Next on my list of things to talk about. Debbie scared me today with a BOO!

According to Debbie, Tina at The Tattered Cottage is having a You've Been Boo'd Party.

You Have Been BOO'd The air is cool, the season is fall,Soon Halloween will come to all. Ghosts and goblins, spooks galore...Tricky witches at your door. The spooks are after things to do,In fact, a spook brought this "BOO" to you. The excitement comes when friends like you,Copy this note and make it two. We'll all have smiles on our faces,When we see who Boo'd who's places.

Listen here. I am not always a rules follower with tags and all. But, this one is cute. And I just love Debbie for playing with me. So, I am supposed to BOO 4 other bloggers and they are supposed to BOO 4 others and so on. If you are inclined to play, do so. If not, no Boo Hooing here. (aren't I funny?) I am going to BOO some bloggers who came by and visited with me at Zapp. Y'all have fun! And if you choose to play, head to Tina's blog and add your link to Mr. Linky.

Anne at Fiona and Twig...BOO!

Angelique at Six in One Hand...BOO!
Adrienne at The Flying Bee...BOO!
Amy at Gypsy Chix...BOO!

What an odd coincidence that everyone's name starts with an A. Hmmmm. BOO!

Happy Weekend!
~Mindy

Spooky Decor

I walked around my house today and took some pics of my spooky decorations. Or maybe they are just scary!

Here is Bob. I guess where he is, it's hot. Or, does he think he is attractive?

This little doll? Well, she has been beaten and mistreated. Isn't she scary?

And here, we have the collection of corks. With a hand coming from their midst. Wwaaaa ha ha ha ha!

Spooky!

Margo mentioned wanting to see some eyes. She knows I have a glass eye collection. So, I recently reset this shelf. Here is what it did look like:

And here is what it looks like now. Notice the hand. I have plenty of hands this year.

Have you ever seen so many glass eyes?

And I can't find a previous picture. But, here is my guest bathtub with the stole wearing, prego mannequin. Not real scary. But, funny, huh?

Happy Thursday!
~Mindy

More Changes

Last week, I shared a few changes going on in my house. Someone inquired about my motivation. Yes. I did have a party this last weekend that I was preparing for. Actually, I was supposed to be cleaning, not redecorating. But remember, this party was 2 weeks after my return from Warrenton. Warrenton, where I spent 12 days living in a 25" travel trailer. There, all of my clothes were in one closet. I didn't have a lot of luxuries. It was a simple life. This same phenomenon of de-cluttering happened years ago, when I came home from a 5 week backpacking trip to Greece and Turkey. When you survive for weeks with very little, you discover that you just don't need that much stuff! So, away goes a lot of clutter. I guess I should go on more long trips, huh? There's no telling what will end up for sale at Primitiques and Winnie & Tulula's before it's all said and done!

Wanna see? Here is the before of my bookshelf:

And here is the most recent. I don't want to call it the completed after, as I still need, want and desire to do something with that plywood in the back.

Again, like the kitchen, it's a cleaner look with the whites.

This hand digging in the pearls cracks me up every time I see it. This is my quirky way of decorating for Halloween, since I have yet to get my decorations out.

Now. Here is my mantle before:

It's true. That shelf isn't really a mantle, is it? So, it's the shelf over my fireplace. I dislike it. But, it's what I have at the moment. Ignore the shelf. Look at the stuff on it. Now, check out the new "shelf":

You want to know who those people are, don't you? I have no earthly idea. I bought them. The picture is dated 1950. The couple is just scared enough looking to be a good Halloween decoration, don't you think?

Happy Wednesday!
~Mindy

2009 Pumpkinfest

The 4th Annual Pumpkinfest was at my place this past weekend. Good times in Poetry! This event included the making of Junk Pumpkins, a Scavenger Hunt, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, and reading ghost stories by the campfire at my pond. Fun! There was a good turn out of friends and family.

Here is my very own mother's junk pumpkin.

David's aunt & uncle (left) and mom (right) were quite creative:

David's junk pumpkin wore "glasses":

Here is a group shot. As always, click on the picture to see better.

Have you ever made a Junk Pumpkin? I collect junk throughout the year. Hardware, wire, nails, screws, buttons, random junk. I put everything out on the work tables and then it gets really, really quiet as everyone begins creating. I bet you could go through your junk drawer right now and find enough "junk" to give your pumpkin personality.

Here is my sister's junk pumpkin. It's a double decker.

If you'd like to see all the pictures from the party, go here. And here is last year's Junk Pumpkin post with more fun creations.

Happy Monday!
~Mindy

I won!

The lovely ladies, Diana and Donna, at Annie, Fannie and Abigail Antique Studio, had a drawing. Guess who won. Moi! Me! I did! I did! When this package came, I got so giddy! Did I mention that there were 101 goodies in the box? Oh, yeah! Wanna see?

Crystals. Buttons. Stamps. Shoe buckles. Stickers. Ephemera galore!

Lace. Ribbon. Pictures. Game cards. Dominoes. An old key.

Did I mention how much fun it was going through all these goodies?

Thanks for picking me Diana and Donna!

If you aren't a regular reader, you do want to check out these fun ladies. They happen to be twin sisters. Who doesn't love twins???

Happy Thursday!
~Mindy

ps. Thanks to all of you for your birthday wishes yesterday. I had a wonderful day with friends and family.

Dining Room Changes

My dining room. Not as cluttered as the kitchen was. But, there are plenty of smalls on those shelves. See that cash register in the corner? Neat piece. It's home has been the back right corner of my dining room for years.

This white shelf has been in the back left corner of the dining room for quite some time.

I hung the chain last Christmas. The balls were removed shortly thereafter, but the chain has remained all year. Also, note the mismatched ladder back chairs.

So, now. Not all of the chairs match, but I changed out the red chair pads for chocolate brown chair pads.

Oops! Need to remove the white tags now that I've settled on the brown. I removed the chain from the windows and replaced it with pearl swags over sheers. No. The sheers don't match. I'm not that grown up! *wink* I also removed the cash register and the white shelf from the corners.

This old, gold floral container now holds old metal "twigs". I think the metal pieces came from an old, mattress box spring.

I realize the blue stripes on the old gym floor aren't the soothing neutral I might prefer. But, I am not real hip on sanding down the floors.

I removed most everything from the wall. Maybe I should have taken it all down and started over. Who knows? I am probably not finished with this wall. Just waiting for inspiration.

The sheers actually puddle on the floor, but me and my cats like to see outside, so a knot keeps us all happy.

I hate that I didn't have better "before" pictures. The semi-matching chairs are a good thing. Removing the corner clutter and the wall stuff also opens the room up.

I may be in the market for 8 matching chairs in the near future. But, in the meantime...Whew! This room looks much better!

Happy Tuesday!
~Mindy