My Thrifting Antiquing Kit

ADDED NOTE: Sandra, my SC friend and S2 as Dave called her, reminded me a magnifying glass is ever so useful in my kit. She's correct; thanks, Sandra, one has been added!

For years I've been saying I needed a little kit to take with me when I visited thrift stores, auctions, consignment or antique stores. Here it is! It's jam packed with little goodies to make it easier for me to make wise buying decisions. It's small enough it can fit into a purse or, better, my backpack which is what I try to carry so my hands and arms are left free. My camera is also part of this kit but lives in its own little case and hung around my neck. I'm sure to have forgotten something but, for now, it's perfect. You'll need to look carefully as I took these photos on my Chinese checker board table. I've got my skates on and am beavering away on the Preparedness Training book so am slinging up this blog entry in the hopes of giving my thrifting kit a trial run soon. The Muse has been lashing away at me with her whip and I'm encouraging her mightily! grin

From the upper left corner...a small notebook with pen to keep measurements, sizes, styles, colors, fabrics, make notes, etc. Next, a red mag light to peer into dark corners and drawers. The yellow sticky pad and black magic marker are used to write SOLD on something to keep others from wishing in vain and to prevent me from having to make several trips to the cash register. smile 
Continuing clockwise: several packets of eye glass cleaner for my eyeglasses and to clean glassware in order for me to better see scratches, imperfections, etc. A red-tipped magnet allows me to tell if something is metal...or not. Scissors take small, out of the way snips of fabric or yarn so I can run outside and do the burn test to ascertain fabric content. Wool will only smolder, it won't burn; everything else will burn. Above the scissors are wet ones to clean my hands. While I dearly love to shop at thrifts stores, I always feel in need of a shower when I leave. The anti-bacterial wipes give me the feeling of cleanliness. 
Above the wipes is a screwdriver with two different sizes of flat head screw driver and two different sizes of Phillips. 
Lastly, a tape measure on a lanyard. The tape measure has a button so it can be stopped in place; very helpful when I'm not shopping with a friend to lend assistance by holding the other end of the tape measure.
That's it; if you have a suggestion for something you find necessary, please let me know.
By the way, the 1 Wife to Widow blog has a new post. I'm telling you, the Muse is working overtime today! smile

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." ~ Albert Einstein ~

Today's Miracles ~ snow! ~ ice ugh ~ the sun is shining even though I can't see if for the clouds ~ safety when going to the barn to do chores this morning ~ fire in the wood stove ~ cookies, recipe tomorrow ~ 

Ocean for Mountains and Hand Crank Singer

~ Surfside Beach, SC sand dunes ~

~ Beach at Surfside Beach, SC ~

~ Condo away from home, lower right ~

We've been missing from the farm for a few days; we're in Surfside Beach, SC and having a lovely time. It's been splendid to sleep past the sun's awakening, to wander at will, find shells on the beach, eat delicious seafood, find bargains, and, best of all, visit with friend Sandra. Mom always told me if a person died with a handful of True Friends, they would die the most fortunate of folks. I've got just a bit fewer than a handful and all distant but these women make up for any loss I might think I have. Sandra is one of those friends and sometime later this week I'll blog about her amazing life and artwork.

When Dave and I travel, we usually find accommodations via VRBO or Holiday Lettings. We've found some incredible places to stay and have never, Thank God, been ripped off. We stayed at a 14th century apartment in Tarifa, Spain and never met nor spoke with the owner; every bit of our business was accomplished via i-net and Paypal. Our keys were left under the mat although we did have a "go to gal" in Tarifa should any problems arise. This time, we did speak with the owner as she lives in Ohio but we've never met her. We retrieved our keys from a rental agency so it's been just as pleasant but different. A good thing as the a.c. broke the second day and we had to have an emergency fix.


Sandra and I have a number of interests in common and one of the most exciting is frequenting thrift, consignment and antique stores. We both value old things and love to drag home our latest finds to, lovingly, restore to use and loveliness. Thus far this trip my Find has been this old Singer sewing machine. The box has some sadness but is still in, relatively, good shape considering it was made in either the late 1800's or early 1900's. I'm still not sure because I've done only preliminary research but did find a similar machine, circa early 1900's with rather dear price of $1200. OUCH!

~ Hand crank Singer Sewing Machine ~

~ Side view, showing hand crank and original attachment box ~


~ Original box of attachments including extra bobbins ~

~ Oil can held in slot in box top ~

~ Back view ~

This sewing machine is in excellent condition; the box has a bit of damage, probably due to heat as the wood is veneer and has popped loose a bit. Nothing that can't be fixed with a bit of glue. The gold detailing isn't worn at all and the silver plate on the back is practically pristine. I'm over the moon with my Find especially as it cost $30! The gent at the consignment shop was grateful to be rid of it, tried to sell me a few others as well, including a wonderful little Featherweight and metal table but, for me, this hand crank Singer was the one that needed to go home with me. Thank You, God!

Until next time,

Blessings ~ friends ~ sewing machines ~ vacations ~ ocean ~ sea shells ~ slow living ~ seafood ~

The Gleaners

Jean-Francois Millet painted The Gleaners in 1857 and the above print hangs in our kitchen. It's a fairly old print, you can see the wear at the top of the print, but it's one of my favorites. Three peasant women are gleaning a field of wheat after the harvest and it reminds me of the story of Ruth in the Old Testament.

I've been gleaning information regarding the proposed health care reform and I still have more questions than answers. Perhaps you can help me...?

Peter Fleckenstein has been blogging about his findings on the 1018 PDF pages of "A BILL to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes."

Before getting into the above, Medical News Today reported in May '09 that Medicare and Medicaid loses $60 BILLION dollars in fraud Every Year! That's absolutely obscene, imo. My gray cells are having a bit of a tussel wooling over that fact. So the same government that is losing $60 BILLION dollars in fraud every year in Medicare and Medicaid is now proposing to 'revamp' health care...? I'd rather they fix the Medicare and Medicaid fraud problem before going on to yet another problem they can't solve. Prove to me you're capable and then we'll discuss more responsibility. That's the way it happened with me and my parents when I was a teenager and I turned out fairly well. No substance abuse or alcohol problems, never been arrested so, needless to say, never been in jail, am an honest, law abiding, tax paying citizen. My parents started out giving me small amounts of responsibility and then, when I proved myself, they increased the responsibility.

Why can't the government do the same? Why can't our legislators and representatives do likewise? Are they better than me and don't have to abide by the same laws, rules and regulations?

Oh. Nevermind. For a moment, I forgot that President Obama, every Senator, Congressman and Congresswoman has EXEMPTED THEMSELVES from this fabulous health care plan they are trying to ram down my throat. Well Sirs and Ladies: if it's that dang great, why aren't you including yourselves? What do you know that you're not telling me and the rest of the US public?

Please don't think I'm against change IF it's positive change. However, I am totally against change that threatens my very existence as well as the life of everyone who is in poor health, elderly or quite young. Here's where I refer back to Mr. Fleckenstein. He's a former Marine...thank you, Sir, for serving our country..., a husband and a father and has been updating information regarding this health care plan on both his blog and on Twitter. As stated, the document is 1,018 pages long and I am indebted to him for doing an excellent job...but then, I wouldn't expect anything else from a Marine!

He begins his blog entry by stating, "the President & Congress are YOUR servants, not the other way around." Amen and Amen! Except I don't think the President and Congress agree with this sentiment.

Please go to his links and read...READ! I'm going to point out only a few bullet points, enough to entice you to do your own research and then, tell your friends, write your own blog entry, and CALL AND WRITE your Senators and Congress Representatives! They are out of session for the entire month of August but when they return to Washington, they will VOTE on Obamacare. Let them know your opinion. If you're done your research and you have no problem giving up your rights as a US Citizen, by all means let your representatives know you approve.

If, however, you do NOT want to give up your rights...as an individual, as a married person, as a employee, as an employer, as a doctor, as a vet, as a small business owner, as an entrepreneur, as a ____ fill in the blank YES it is THAT encompassing! By all means, contact your legislators and tell them Vote NO! We only have the month of August, a few measly days and then the vote happens and then, dear ones, it's all over but the tears.

Now for some bullet points:

Page 829-833 "Government will impose a fee on ALL private health insurance plans including self insured to pay for Trust Fund."

Hello?! I'm paying now without all the additional grief tacked onto this plan! Tax, TAX!

Page 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services - "increasing birth intervals between pregnancies."

Doesn't China do this now? Limit the number of children a couple may have? What tha...???

Page 765 Sec 1711 - "government will require Preventative Services including vaccines."

You don't believe in intrusive vaccinations; tough! Your child gets them anyway! I suppose no one read the report that suggest early vaccinations are a probable cause for autism.

Oh, wait! The President, Senators and Congress representatives have OPTED OUT of this "health care plan!" So, I suppose it's only YOUR child that's at risk.

Page 624 - "Quality" measures shall be designed to profile you including race, age, gender, place of residents, etc.

Wait a minute...I thought profiling was wrong...airlines can't profile those of Middle Eastern descent when loading airplanes. Why is it okay now?

"Page 524 18-22 Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund set up."

Uh...besides taxes and more taxes, what the hedoublehockeysticks does this MEAN???

The next few lines refer to "collection of data on citizens; data collection from any department or agency of the USA and would allow for public access of data. Registries and data networks would be built from YOUR electronic medical records and a Comparative Effectiveness Research Established."

Uh Oh. Uncle Sam just morphed into Big Brother.

Page 432 Lines 18-21 - the government will publish "quality measures" for an individual's end of life!

and

Page 430 Lines 11-15 - "the government will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life."

and

Page 429 Lines 13-25 - "the government will specify which doctors can write an End of Life Order."

and

Page 429 Lines 10-12 - "advance care consultation" may include an ORDER for "end of life plans".

and

Page 429 Lines 1-9 - "advance care planning consultant" will be used frequently as patient's health deteriorates.

and

Page 427 Lines 15-24 government mandates program for orders for end of life. IOW, the government employee has a say in how/when your life ends.

and

Page 429 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 - government provides approved list of end of life resources, "guiding" you in death.

Well, at the end of MY life I want it to be family, loved ones and GOD; NOT a government employee! Dear Lord, it sounds like we're all going to be dieing in the motor vehicles building!

I'm tired and will draw to an end by saying, no matter how I feel about the individual bullet points, above and on Mr. Fleckenstein's blog, I Absolutely Am Against this plan due to its Extreme Intrusiveness into my life, your life and the life of every one in this country. Oh, almost forgot to say...this plan covers Everyone in this country...legal, illegal, tax paying, tax dodging...doesn't matter; it covers Everyone. Well, everyone Except the President, Senators and Congress Representatives. They have opted out.

Ahem. Do you think $60 BILLION will even begin to cover this plan? I think not. It's already been estimated it will cost trillions and, knowing the government, that's probably a low ball figure.

Please, don't listen to the thirty second soundbites. Arm yourself with some facts and knowledge and then CALL AND WRITE your legislators! Remember, there's only thirty days to contact them.

Time is of the essence!

Blessings ~ Mr. Fleckenstein ~ people who arm themselves with facts, not emotions ~ fine art ~

May the Good Lord take a liking to you and the government leave you alone!

One World One Heart

I am late. Woefully late but, hopefully, as it's said, better late than never. I'm a self taught person in, just about, everything I do. While it's true I do have an undergrad degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Recreation, Parks and Tourism, it's also true that program no longer exists at VCU. Why, you ask? Good question. Some person, somewhere along the line decided it was no longer useful or needed. Frankly, that boggles my mind. Tourism is the Number One industry in Virginia, and just about every other state as well, and it amazes me people have no vision. Proverbs 29:18 says, "without a vision the people perish" and it's just as true today as it was some few thousand years ago.This tea cozy is my offering in the One World One Heart 2009 event. Using wool sweaters, bought from thrift stores, I felt them and then use them for various projects. Tea cozies are one of my favorites. They offer a large canvas that's forgiving and easy on my poor hands. My hands take a beating and, right now, I'm still suffering from a fall in January of last year. My left hand broke, somewhat, my fall but it still pains me and there are days it's, virtually, unusable. Lately there have been many such days. I've been getting ready for sheep shearing and my hands have taken a beating and have given me pain in return, especially the left one.

The tea cozy is a felted wool sweater embellished with ribbons, beads, felted flowers, wire ribbon, rick rack, embroidery, angel pin and whatever else I turned my hand to. It's going to Katie S. in Springfield, MO and I'm sure she's wondering if it was all a bad joke. Nope, Katie, it's not a bad joke and you should receive it by early week. I hope you enjoy.

My work in fiber and textiles is from trial and error. I did try taking spinning lessons, once, but the "teacher" was abrupt, hasty and lacking patience...do you think I've gotten that across yet? -smile- so I took the one "lesson", left and never returned. I like my work, I enjoy my work and others have told me they do as well. Still and all, there are times I question what I do but then...don't we all at times?The back of the tea cozy has a small, felted heart button. I could have tarted it up a bit more but felt this little heart button said what I wanted to say. The tea cozy was made with love and prayers in the hopes it will get lots of use. Perhaps Katie will even say a prayer for me when she uses it. I hope so.

Blessings ~ OWOH ~ felted sweaters ~ the fits of our hands and heart as well as the work of our hands and hearts ~

New to me teapot

This is the aforementioned, new to me, teapot. Isn't it adorable? I enjoy a pot of tea, as well as a pot of coffee, but tea settles me more, makes me slow down and take stock in a way that coffee does not.

I mentioned it in the post where I had trouble entering photos, thought I'd catch up a bit.






Blessings ~ tea ~ new to me teapot ~ lovely cups ~ friends to share ~ thrift stores ~