What does it mean to you?

The other day, I was at Lowe's throwing my money away on, Ooops! I mean buying, a few Little flowers for my dead garden. I was wearing a tiny gold cross that I usually wear when I'm not wearing "fashion" jewelry.

The clerk and I were making small talk, when all of a sudden she asked, "That's a pretty cross. What does it mean to you?"

No one had ever asked me that question. So many things went through my mind that I wanted to say. "It's an outward reflection of my faith." "It's a reminder of what He gave up for me." "It's a symbol of His strength." There were lots of things I should have/could have said. I wanted to get it all out in one simple but powerful statement. But all that came out was, "He is my savior" but it almost sounded like a question. She just nodded and smiled, gave me my receipt and told me to have a great day. I said, "Thanks. You too, and God bless." And that was it.

In a way I felt good that my little cross had attracted some attention in a place that used to sell "holiday" trees. In a way, I felt terrible that I didn't have the answer I would have liked to give.

What does it mean to you?

Love them Hankies!

I love vintage hankies. They're beautiful, practical, and the best thing about them is that they're easy to find and pretty inexpensive. I seem to find them everywhere: antique stores, thrift shops, flea markets, garage sales. But what do you do with them once you get them home. I used to put them in a hanky box and practically forget about them. It's a shame to but them where they can't be enjoyed.

There's lots of ways to use hankies. Beside using them for their intended purpose, you can also use them to:

1. Use a hanky, instead of tissue, to line a gift box. I took a pretty 99 cent box covered in purple and lavender florals and lined it with a matching hanky and tucked in my gift. All it needs now is a ribbon bow on the top. The hanky becomes part of the gift.

2. I often use hankies as doilies when I want to add a touch of color. It's easy to change them out to match the season or holiday. The hanky is covered in large pink carnation and the teapot has pink roses. Even though the flowers are different, I think it looks great together.

3. I use hankies as gift quiet often. When it's a friend's or teacher's or neighbor's birthday, I tuck a pretty hanky into their card and mail it away. It's not always possible (or affordable) to buy and send gifts. Sending a hanky with the card is a great economical way to tell them they were thought of.

4. Ever have a odd shaped little gift, but no box? Wrap it up in a hanky, tie it with a ribbon and pin a rhinestone brooch on it. So Cute! Problem is that your friend may not want to open the gift because it's wrapped so sweetly.

5. I tuck hankies everywhere, even under teacups. They look so pretty to display this way. They're like tiny napkins that can catch drips and spills. Easy to clean, too.

So if you ever come across a hanky that you love but don't know what to do with it, Get It!! You'll find a way to enjoy it.

Patricia :o)

BLUEBIRD embroidered runners

It's been a while since I posted about linens, so I think it's time. While sorting linens, I noticed that I seem to pick out a lot of bluebirds. They ARE among my favorite embroidered animals, though truth be told, I love it anytime I find an embroidered little dog, cat, horse, etc. I occasionally pick up other colored birds, but they just don't seem to be as cute.

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OK, so this little bird isn't blue, but it's sooooo cute! We have lots of cardinals in our yard, so maybe that's what attracted me to this one. Or maybe it's because it's just so sweet.

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What amazes me so much about these vintage linens, is the workmanship! I tried embroidery several times (and I'm not giving up yet), but I just don't have the talent and/or skill to make my stitches look like this. It's much easier to just find them and buy them than it is to make them. Plus there's still the crocheted trim to worry about. And that's something I can't do.

All the items listed are table runners and are in great condition. If you're interested in purchasing them, please visit my eBay site. Some are listed as auctions and some as Buy-it-Now. Be sure to let me know if you have any questions.

Hope you had fun looking at these pretty art works.

Blessings,

Patricia :o)

More finds...and then some

We live on the out skirts of San Antonio just barely in the country so there's not too much close by around here. Recently we were going to lunch to near-by Castroville, a tiny town about 15 miles or so from us. We decided to go the "long" way on country roads and went through a strip of road that was almost a town. There was a general store and a few homes and that's it. Luckily for us they were having a neighborhood yard sale and we picked up some great finds for next to nothing. Everything shown above came out to $11.00!! My favorite is the Elsie cow creamer. And the roses have little clips on the back so you can clip them on just about anything to add a touch of romance.

This cement cherub was only $30.00 at Round Top earlier this year. Doesn't sound like a bargain unless you've been out pricing large garden statuary. He's about 1 foot long and is VERY heavy. I love how cute he looks tucked into the bushes.

Not exactly pertaining to the found category, though they did find us...

Are these beautiful and amazingly colored little birds. They're painted buntings that visit our area in summer. We found out that they love millet so, of course, we go running to the bird store (only 25 miles away) to buy this not-so-cheap seed in the hopes of attracting them. We were shocked that they found us by the next day!

They're pretty shy, so we couldn't get close to get pictures. These photos don't do them justice at all!! They're to bright and colorful. The females are a solid green color that come to the pond and are much braver than the males. What's funny is that I haven't seen the males at the pond where the females are, and the females don't go to the feeders. I feel so blessed to have these beautiful little birds visit my garden. God is always giving me little gifts of His creation and it always thrilling to me.

Hugs and smiles!

Patricia :o)