The Windmill; Penn Yan, New York

Today I spent time with good friends in Penn Yan, New York.

www.thewindmill.com

 

Todays visit to Penn Yan had a real purpose. A dear friends mom had left three quilts in an Amish shop to be hand quilted. This was over a year ago and she was so excited to get the call that they were finished. It was a beautiful day for a ride and the quilts were simply beautiful. Now the only task for her is to bind them and she is ready for the task.

The Windmill itself is a marketplace full of vendors who sell every kind of meal, ice cream, food and or craft. We had a wonderful lunch and the most wonderful ice cream for desert and then walked around to see some of the wonderful shops.
 

 

People were just happy to walk around, or sit at a picnic table and enjoy the sun.

 

 

Shops filled with scarves, aprons, pot holders, towels, baby items and every kind of wine bag/gift bag and tote bags. There were cork screw people to hang as art,

 

 

pots, pans, shoes and boots made into lamps, bird houses and anything you can imagine.

 

 

Canned pickles, relishes, mustard's, ketchup's and all those summer picnic goodies.

 

 

Hats, scarfs, jewelry and all kinds of items to appeal to the fine ladies.

 

 

Plants of all kinds and fresh produce.

 

 

Several different Amish bakeries. Yes I brought home a pumpkin whip cream roll. It is a holiday you know and we needed another desert.

 

 

Gourmet coffee's and spices.

 

 

And last but not least the fun we had just spending a few minutes laughing and playing with this vendor's rubber ducks. Just when you think you can't have any more fun with good friends and family along comes a booth of rubber ducks. I'll leave it to your imagination.

I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday. Yes the true meaning of the day was celebrated at the Windmill too, including a stand still moment of silence for all of our fallen soldiers who have given us the freedom to be a part of this country. I hope everyone has had a great day and as summer has officially started, stays safe and enjoys themselves.

Around the Craft Zone this week.

 

 

This past week I've been getting to some of the projects that have been getting out of control. To be listed this week is a box of hundreds of 4.5 inch fabric squares cut from leftovers. I made a few pillow case dresses for charity and my daughter gave me a shoe box full of dresses she had cut out and I finished a couple she had started. Completed 12 and have at least 12 more to work on. Also still being up cycled is the curtain now apron project I started last week. Just the ties and waist band and that will be done. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and let's keep those in dangerous weather situations in our thoughts.

Vintage table cloth being re loved.

ON THE CUTTING TABLE

 

I just couldn't do it. It would have taken a life time to soak the stains out of this well loved vintage table cloth. I'm usually good at soaking items to give them new life. Even things everyone else would have thrown away years ago. My success rate has been great with soaking. This, however, I couldn't do. Instead I used it as a cutter for new projects. It was my goal to give myself time to get back to some sewing and I finally did this past week. There was so much that I salvaged from this table cloth.

 

 

The four corners of the table cloth were in almost excellent condition and I attached them to white muslin and cotton batting to make four place mats. I backed them in yellow checkered gingham. I had recently reclaimed a bed skirt for the eyelet lace trim and saved the 100% cotton fabric from it. From this I managed one dozen twelve inch napkins and just simply appliqued salvaged fruit pieces to them.

 

 

I made two fry pan handle pot holders and there will be two round pot holder/hot plate pads. So far that's twenty new items from this table cloth. I went through my stash and the two new curtain panels I found a couple of weeks ago with a bright colorful trim will be turned into aprons. I searched through my stash of fabric and found some fruit print fabric that I'll use for pockets and ties.

 

 

These items are not going to be sold or given away. They are for me. The next rebuild in my life is to get back into traveling and these will go in my camping, glamping, trailer or may I just call it my dream chest.

 

There was a trip to a neighborhood sale and I found two items. I spent all of $4 for both. I also got to the thrift store and found a few items. I know I took time for myself this past week and the stats on my stores show it, but it was a great mental health week and I did something green and kept stuff out of the landfill. It's back to work today and I would love for you to stop by and visit my stores and visit my Facebook page and check like to see my future updates. Have a great week.

 

butterflyplace.etsy.com

butterflyplace.storenvy.com

 

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Easing into summer thrifting.

As I'm getting into the swing of spring yard sales, estate sales and church sales I'm finding many items, which means that I can take my time and ease into summer thrifting and treasure hunting. I have been so busy that I sometimes forget what I've taken pictures of and what I have not. The Napco smiley face planter is on it's second photo session. This could also be a senior moment on my part, but it just tickles my fancy. The dainty floral juice pitcher and glasses were made in Japan by a company called Lego. They are simple but refreshing. I especially love the green and black floral pie plate also made in Japan.

 

 

Once again a second photo session for the cotton nautical themed napkins from India. I would have taken new pictures but these items are packaged and stored and have been listed on my stores. I didn't really want to get them undone and retake pictures.

In this group I found an old rusted lamp shade frame that is listed as a craft item, a clear glass Pyrex grab-it bowl and two bright orange and yellow rooster towels. Lately I have been finding many bright and lively kitchen towels.

 

 

At a community garage sale I found this apple shaped lazy Susan that I couldn't resist. It is so vintage and can you see the fresh vegetables and dip in it on that lazy afternoon lounging?

 

 

I found some Pyrex covers to go with some of my bowls, a vintage Pyrex tea pot, a pair of red salt and pepper shakers in the shape of a coffee pots made in Japan, and a 1920's Pyrex 205 mini pie plate that is 4 7/8 inches in diameter. Quite cute actually.

 

 

I found two sets of vintage fondue forks. One set is Oneida stainless steel. The owl is a votive candle holder. The vintage 11.5 inch doll pattern from 1972 was complete with just minimal wear. It includes everything including panties and a wedding dress, but not a Tuxedo. I found a Georges Briard bird print plate and my favorite find was the strawberry shortcake picnic basket tin which is in almost pristine condition from 1980.

 



These bright colored over sized linen and cotton kitchen towels are from Romania.

 

 

This was already a wonderful treasure hunt, but it was made even better with the Vera Neumann scarfs.

 

 

I wouldn't be who I am without looking at the linens and fabric. This week I found sheets, pillow cases curtains, yard goods and a table cloth. All of the items featured in this blog have been prepped and listed on my on line stores: butterflyplace.etsy.com and butterflyplace.storenvy.com.

 

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May already?

If I were to make a dumb statement like May already, when did that happen while my daughter was home she would reply with some remark like "this morning", so I'll say it in my blog. When did that happen? I'm still working on some April items that I found thrifting for my store.

 

Recently listed is this 5x7 tray, made in Japan that originally was going to hang on the wall. It wasn't quite the shade of blue we like so it is listed on the store.

 

A new Vera Bradley coin purse without the ribbon pulls. Some one added a lobster clip and chain so that's how it's listed.

 





 

Two large linen towels that were just too realistic to pass up. I thought about framing the fish towel for wall art, but I listed it instead.

 

 

This is a set of 100% cotton nautical themed 20 inch napkins. These were made in India.

 

Who can resist a vintage Napco smiley face planter? I have an original McCoy cookie jar that was given to me for my daughters first Christmas. She now has it and stores cookie cutters in it.

 

 

Last for this listing is my first ever piece of pink Pyrex. All of these items are listed on butterflyplace.etsy.com and butterflyplace.storenvy.com.

I can't believe that I have more items that I've found and listed for April that I haven't shared, but it is coming. Have a wonderful week everyone.

 

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Mid week happenings.

 

What a busy week I am having and this coming weekend is going to be even busier. I have plans to spend a few days on the hunt. We'll probably do a few thrift stores, estate sales and maybe a church sale or two. Spring fever has set in and the need to get out has too.

 

I found a few new finds that have proven to be good ones. My favorite is a 1920's Pyrex bean pot.

 

 

The most whimsical item is a turtle bank made in Japan. He is so cute and I had a hard time listing him on the store.

 

 

I found vintage Christmas fabric, African animal napkin rings, Garfield mugs and more Pyrex bowls. There's more, but for now this is what I have ready and I am busy listing them on the stores. Please stop by and visit butterflyplace.etsy.com and butterflyplace.storenvy.com .

 

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Thanks for visiting.



Letting it be.

The turmoil in my life seems to be fading into the sunset since I decided to just let it be and go with the flow. I'm finding time to take a break and get out some just for me. This week I got a surprise visit from my younger daughter and we went out for a good cup of free coffee and visited a local department store to just look. I saw some things I want but nothing I really need.

 

Earlier in the week I had done some thrifting and just found so many wonderful items. Of course there were linens and fabric. I found NIP double size pink sheets. One fitted and one flat. Unfortunately I had to take them out of the package because they appeared soiled and needed washing. They are perfect for the fabric squares I need to match other fabric I am using for sewing and selling projects. There was a vintage piece of Hollie Hobbie fabric and a bright yard of yellow and green fabric.

 

I found a Precious Moments Friends mug, two Pyrex Cinderella Early American pattern bowls, a vintage Pyrex coffee carafe with candle stand, and a lovely vintage set of green enamelware. The pool ball shot glass was added to a set of five I already had listed. This is one third of what I found. These items are listed on butterflyplace.storenvy.com. I have also added inventory to butterflyplace.etsy.com. I will be sharing more throughout the week so stay tuned. I have been so blessed in my full time venture as an on line reseller.

 

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Treasure Hunting

It wasn't a super week for finds until this past weekend. Believe it or not I got out three times this week to thrift. I won't be able to include those items in this post because I am still cleaning and prepping them. I got out more because my daughter needed items for a collage class she's taking to finish her degree. She needed weird things. I found the larger Pyrex bowl with the wrong cover, but I cleaned it up and added it to the smaller bowl on butterflyplace.etsy.com. One of those item in which you find one and go back a few days or weeks later and find more. It's been happening a lot lately. I feel lucky in that way.

 

I found a couple of ribbed refrigerator dish covers number 503c. They are not perfect, but for the price some one may need them and I cleaned them and listed them.

 

This Vera Bradley bag was waiting for me to clean and prepare to be re loved. It is a retired Pink Pansy Molly bag which I listed on butterflyplace.storenvy.com.

 

 

I really couldn't pass up this darling divided dish. I fell in love with the pattern and could see it being used for dainty finger foods on a summer deck setting. I thought it was flowers by a fence.

 

 

 

I don't remember this golden book from my son's era, lol, or my grandson's younger years, but when I saw it I just fell in love with the graphics. It is now on the shelf above my desk because I have so few golden books I read to them. It's a keeper for me.

Right now I have well over two dozen items sitting on my table ready to be photographed. I can't wait to show you all the treasures from my hunt. I am truly blessed with finding wonderful vintage items to resell on my stores. I wish I could keep more for myself, but that's just the way it is. Until later blog friends. Have a wonderful week.

 

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Spending time enjoying family and thrifting.

It isn't always easy to spend time with family these days. Most of the time we are all so busy and we forget what's important. Changes happen and we want to run from them. When they say you can run but you can't hide, they mean it. I personally have changed in just the past few months. I've slowed down and realized that the important things are those around me and not the stuff or the money. My body is physically unable to do what I used to do and being a divorced older women unable to find good employment and living without medical benefits to get the help I need,  I've grown to know that I need to spend more time with my family while I can and do what I can now. I think that this is becoming important to them too. This past weekend I spent time with my younger daughter and her children. She is realizing with her own struggles what mine have been and she is making sure I have more time with my grandchildren. We aren't super close my younger daughter and I and I hope this changes but I see it starting.
Friday the boys, my eldest daughter and I went to dinner and yes they learned a few manners. They were really just being boys, but they relearned Grams rules. Gentlemen hold doors. This was a tough one, but by the time they left they were doing better. Saturday we took them out to breakfast and did some thrifting. They found Nike sneakers and sports shorts and T's and I think the most expensive item was $7 after discount. I couldn't believe the condition of some of the items we got for just .99. I hope they learned a lot too.
Saturday afternoon we did the child swap so that the children could spend equal time with Gramps. We dropped off the boys and picked up my granddaughter and yes we took her thrifting. She found one pair of shoes, but not any articles of clothing. She is leaving for college in August so she is being careful about how much stuff she has. I think I will be getting her a large supply of different Command Hooks for her dorm room. It looked so small from the pictures and these may come in handy. I am so proud of them learning how to thrift shop and learn to re love items. It was fun watching them search for what they would use and not just want. It was nice to see that they understood what I did when I reinvented myself as a reseller with two on line stores and selling on eBay. I gained a lot more respect from them and at the same time taught them a little more about life. I'm changing the world one little step at a time.
I did get some time last week to thrift for items to add to my inventory. I have been letting things just happen and what I find I find and if I don't I don't worry. Believe it or not I have been finding more with this attitude.

I found shoes. Name brand new and slightly used shoes. I found Sketchers, Clarks, Tommy Hilfiger and St. Johns Bay along with those Nike's that the boy's got. I kept a pair for myself, my younger daughter took the Tommy's and I listed two pair on butterflyplace.storenvy.com .

 

 

My favorite find was this vintage gold with brown design stoneware bowl  with a lovely brown design on it. I couldn't believe that it was in pristine condition. I listed this on butterflyplace.etsy.com .

 

 

My elder daughter pointed out this vintage holiday Daher tin made in England. Once I saw the graphics on it I was in love.

 

 

These vintage heavy duty plastic plates that were made in Japan led me to believe that gold was the color of the week.

 

 

 

And of course I wouldn't be me unless I found some fabric and linens. When I need 100% percent white cotton fabric I will have all I need and still be able to sell some because I have found quite a few NIP white sheets lately. That's about it for this week. I know I written a lot today, but sometimes sharing is necessary. Life is good. Have an awesome week everyone.

 

 

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Linking to: http://joyfultreasurehunting.blogspot.com/, http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/2013/04/time-travel-thursday-143-talented-time.html