Vintage Pollyanna

Something Missing

2011-09-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

Well Hello, Blogland friends!

Can you tell I have been busy? Its only been six+ months since I've posted. Remember that job offer I accepted back in February? Well--let's say that I didn't really have a full understanding of how much time would be left at the end of the day for me when I took it.

Its a classic story, right? Getting back into the full-time world of work after five years of working from home and consulting. All of a sudden in this new world my time is not my own. It has taken some getting used to, and some strong organizational skills to navigate.

I haven't been wholly absent from the social media sphere, however. My Twitter account, though mostly geared toward my work at Ovation has been growing steadily. I am also a regular poster on our blog, OvationNation. And even though I am enjoying the job immensely, part of me is missing. I've been mulling it over for a few days.

I have a family blog, Under A Shady Tree. I have this blog, which combines my love of antiques, crafting, baking. But really, what it all is is storytelling. I am a storyteller through and through. But where do I blog when I have a few precious moments? Under A Shady Tree? Here? I feel pulled in two different directions. What I am considering is closing Under A Shady Tree and posting family content here. Why not? Those of you who read VP get the occasional family tidbit anyhow. And why not? Its part of the fabric of who I am.

And--I'm a marketer, through and through, and I gotta say, the ring that Vintage Pollyanna has as a blog name is so true. It resonates with me, and clearly with the thousands of readers who stop in here to lurk, or to read, or to say hello.

I've missed you guys. I think I am coming home. Stay tuned.

A Fun Ruffled Scarf from an Old T-Shirt

2011-02-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

So as I mentioned in the previous post I have been absolutely dying to buy one of Lindsey's scarves over at the Pleated Poppy. But, now that we are adding up the initial costs of full day preschool for James and daycare for Ella, my start-up clothes allowance for my new job is shrinking. So, I looked at her scarf, searched around Blogland a bit, begged a t-shirt off of my husband and tah-dah!! I made this scarf in about five minutes.

SERIOUSLY. No joke.

Make it!

I found a great tutorial here.

XOXO

a

A New Venture -- But Don't Worry, VP is Staying Put

2011-02-18T14:01:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, readers, I know you have been waiting on pins and needles to hear this, so here goes:

I GOT THE JOB!!!!

Whoo hoo!! I know, I know, it has been a simply CRAZY whirlwind of a month since I found out about the opportunity and went for it with guns-a-blazin'. I mean, I worked my HINEY OFF and with such a great result!

The position is a senior level Marketing Director for a company that I really admire. I'm not going to say who just yet, as I will be signing the paperwork to make it official next week. Then I'll let you know. But in the mean time, I need to start building a wardrobe!

Now, while the true, born-in-the-wrong-era Allison wishes she was going to be headed off to a Mad Men-esque office, I don't think I can really pull off the Joan look. I mean, auburn hair is SO HARD to maintain, right? (tee hee).

But I can remember to have little pops of Allison style coming through, which means I need to start pulling together some key items for my office wear!

It is time to shop! Of course I will need one of these, from my own collection:

And then I'll need to buy this pattern from V & Co. to make a fabulous skirt:

Of course I'll be sporting this necklace around the office:

But I also need one of these fabulous ruffled scarves from the Pleated Poppy:

And I DEFINITELY need one of these Pedal Pusher pins from the Pleated Poppy as well:

A girl needs a little funky jewelry, too, so I also have my eye on this pendant from SaraWaxWing on Etsy:

I am a little eclectic yet conservative to a point (especially in office wear) and I tend to wear a lot of black and grays but with nice pops of color or chunky accessories and of course the occasional ruffle!

Do you have any great suggestions for me from Etsy sellers or Blogger that you love? Tell me in the comments section, and be sure to give me a link!

a

So Long Tell me Tuesday, It's Been Fun!

2011-02-15T03:54:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends! If you are checking in to post for Tell me Tuesday, I have sad news. I am no longer going to be hosting the party.

There are a couple of reasons why this is the case.

The first is that McLinky Tools is now charging a subscription fee. While I understand that, I don't currently sell any of the items that I create here on VP, so I can't really justify the expense.

On another note, my current interviewing process for a job I would adore is winding down, and I am very close to finding out if I have received the position. If that is the case (and I have my fingers crossed) I will be returning to full time work and will need to let some things go, among them Tell Me Tuesday.

That said, I do not plan on ending my blogging here on Vintage Pollyanna. I have developed a nice group of followers, and I still enjoy having this space to share my treasures.

And speaking of vintage treasures, my Dad has some fabulous items in his Ebay auction this week! Here are a couple of them:

19th Century Needle Case

Vintage Wooden Painted Folk Art Bird

So again, I am sorry if you were coming to link up and I have disappointed you. I have really enjoyed making new friends, and hope that you will continue to come back and see what is going on here in the world of Vintage Pollyanna!

Best,

Happy Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-14T04:52:00.000-08:00

I hope your day is sweet!

I'm Back! with A Little Love Day Goodness

2011-02-12T07:09:00.001-08:00

Wow, readers, what a whirlwind of a week it was!

I am 85% sure that there will be some great news coming out for me at the end of this coming week, so I don't want to jinx it and mum's the word for right now. But THANK YOU for hanging in there with me!

Last Year's Valentine's Day Handmade Goodies

With all of the craziness going on the last few weeks with this possible new change, I have completely forgotten about Valentine's Day (or Love Day, as my boy calls it). Last year I was a sewing crazy lady and pumped out about ten fun gifts for family and friends. No such luck this year!

I know, me, the woman that always tries to make handmade cards and gifts took the store bought route this year. Sometimes you just have to know what to let go of to make your life simpler, and this year I thank Hallmark for stepping in and delivering my messages of love.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and a sweet as chocolate Love Day!

Taking A Little Break

2011-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends, remember when I mentioned that I have a lot of things going on, including the possibility of returning to full time work? Well next Friday I am giving a presentation that will hopefully seal the deal for this new position. That said, I am taking a little break from Vintage Pollyanna to work on my presentation. There will be no Tell Me Tuesday for February 8th, so that I can prepare.

Thanks for all of your support and stay tuned for new developments!

XOXO

Tell Me Tuesday #12

2011-02-01T04:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Tell Me Tuesday #12 here on Vintage Pollyanna!

What a crazy week we've had--another foot of snow on top of the two feet we already had, and as I type this the snow is falling again. They are forecasting another foot. I love the snow, and New England, but I think I am just about over it! The only good part about this storm is that they are calling it Winter Storm Ella, which is my daughter's name!

We didn't have as many partiers last week, maybe everyone is too busy digging out! However, we did have some new friends join us, and a great variety of entries!

Here's one of my faves from last week, and is from a new blogger I haven't seen before called Back 2 Vintage. In this post she talks about all of her recent vintage finds that begin with the letter "F".

My next fave is this sweet menu board from A Content Housewife. Lianne's blog is fresh and bright, and this craft is a great example of her look.

And my last fave from last week is this lovely Valentine's wall art from Redheads Have More Fun. Courtenay has been a regular participant in my Tell me Tuesday Party, and over and over again she has shared great crafts and ideas with us. Thanks!

Nice job everyone, and if I featured you, please grab a button! Now I'm off to shovel!

And hey, be sure to come to the Vintage Pollyanna Facebook page and say hello!

Now on to the party!

A Few Fabulous Fabric Rosette Pins

2011-01-31T04:27:00.001-08:00

I was busy last week knocking out a few Fabric Rosette Pins for some friends of mine. I have a little love affair with creating these pins, and it all started here.

Aren't they cute in this muffin pan?

My intention was to make some for Valentine's Day, but at the last minute I decided to make some from some new fabric I found. I knew right off the bat that this one with the little Japanese Lantern flowers was going to be my favorite.

I love these pins because they work great as accessories on sweaters, jackets, belts and purses.

Especially on purses! Especially on THIS purse!

I know exactly which friend is going to get this one.

Ahem--Leslie, be looking for this one to come your way!

Now excuse me while I head back to my machine to make one for myself!

Don't forget that tomorrow is Tell Me Tuesday here on Vintage Pollyanna, so be sure to come back and link up with whatever fun creations you worked on last week.

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Suff

A Little Friday Love for My Antique Secretary Desk

2011-01-28T04:19:00.000-08:00

Look what Dad got me for Christmas!

I don't have an office in this house, and I needed a workspace that would also prevent little hands from getting to my computer. This secretary was the perfect solution!

Across the top of it I placed a clock (not antique or vintage, but we have had it for over ten years), my pantry box, a great Victorian paper weight with a pic of my little ones and my sweet chalkware girl.

The paper weight was a gift from my Mom and Dad during the last Christmas we spent with my Mom before she passed. Dad put the photo of the kids in the paper weight--it was actually a photo from our Christmas card that year. I think about how little Ella was, and how I lost my Mom just two months later. It makes me a little sad when I look at it, but I like to be thinking of my Mom, sad or not.

I especially like the drawer pulls on this desk:

And of course all of the little compartments on the inside:

So when you think of me blogging, picture me here:

How have you incorporated your love for antiques or vintage into your daily workspace?

Tell Me Tuesday #11

2011-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Tell Me Tuesday #11 here on Vintage Pollyanna!

As I promised, if we hit 50 I will host a giveaway to celebrate!

Now on to some of my faves from last week. Let's start with Girl in Air's Mason Pendant Light. If you've been reading me for a while, you know that one of the things I collect is vintage Mason jars.

I just love the redo on this light, and I have a similarly talented husband in the electrical area. HINT HINT. Chris, can we do this over the sink in our kitchen?

Another fave is this fabulous T-Shirt Sleeve Flower from Simply Step Back.

This is the first time I have seen a ruffle flower from a shirt like this one, and I wll be making some of my own!

And last, a super frilly Valentine Topiary from Crazy Domestic.

I would never have thought to use the elastic on the back--but I am sure it really improves the ruffle effect! I have some lovely vintage fabric that would be perfect for this idea and so yet another project to add to my to do list!

Nice job everyone, and if I featured you, please grab a button!

And hey, be sure to come to the Vintage Pollyanna Facebook page and say hello!

Now on to the party!

Anthro-Inspired Valentine's Tea Towels

2011-01-24T04:26:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the fabulous vintage-inspired applique tea towels in Anthropologie lately? I love them all and they remind me of the real ones that my Mom carried in her shop for so many years. I have been wanting to make some of my own, and when I recently participated in a Pay it Forward Handmade Craft Challenge on Facebook I knew just what to make.

A friend of mine had this as her status:

Pay it Forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade
to the first 5 people who leave a comment here.
They must in turn post this and send something they make
to the first 5 people who comment on their status.
*The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it
must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011.

I love a challenge and I was intrigued by who might sign up with me so I went for it. I already knew that I was going to be working on some of these pins, but I also wanted to do something for Valentine's Day. I thought about the Anthroplogie tea towels and remembered that I had bought some tea towels at Target.

I was surprised when I opened them up that the towels were HUGE and far too big to be comfortably used as a tea towel, so I cut them in half and planned to bind the cut side later.

Next I needed to think about fabric. I went to my stash and found these two fun Valentine's Day appropriate prints:

Next I ironed some heat and bond to a large square of each piece of fabric, and then I drew up a template and began cutting out hearts.

I ironed the hearts to the tea towels and then I zig-zag stitch appliqued them to the towels. I finished them off with a little Fray Check to be sure they would make it through the wash.

I had a happy accident while I was sewing up the open side. I remembered seeing somewhere that I could zig-zag stitch up the side and the machine would sort of gather the material into what would eventually look as though I had used a Serger. It worked!

I am so happy with them!

Cute and sweet and handmade by me.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Tell Me Tuesday--we had 30 entries this past week and if we hit 50 I will host a giveaway.

And MANY THANKS to the ladies at Three Sisterz for guest posting for me over the weekend. I had a nasty virus on my computer and was out of commission for a bit. Thank you ladies for keeping my little place in Blogland vibrant over the weekend!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Making the World Cuter Monday
Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Mad in Crafts Mad Skills Mondays
Making Monday's Marvelous at CRAFT

Three Sisterz Guest Post: Valentines Gifts

2011-01-20T10:43:00.000-08:00

Hello--Three Sisterz here. Allison asked us to guest post this week because her computer is in the shop being fixed (tear). Shhh.....don't tell her BUT we're secretly thrilled to be here (no matter what the reason)! We're really getting in the mood for Valentine's Day and this post is Part I in a series of V-Day inspired posts we're doing. Hop on over to Three Sisterz on Monday for Part II.

We love to give little Valentine gifts to special people (daughters, nieces and nephews) but sometimes get stumped with what to give. If you get stumped too here's an idea to get you started... it won't break your bank... and then YOU can improvise!

First, we started with this darling polka dot bowl that we picked up at Pier 1 Imports in the clearance section. It was part of a set that cost about $3. You can also find lots of little containers at JoAnn's, Michaels, Target, etc. Then we added a Three Sisterz headband wrapped in a cellophane bag but you could add a small box of chocolates, a gift card, heart shaped earrings, conversation hearts, matchbox cars, playmobil figures, anything personal for your sweetheart. We tied it with our favorite grosgrain ribbon and added a handmade gift tag for extra goodness.

Gift tags? We did a Christmas tag tutorial a few weeks back. Here's our Valentines version!

Supplies:

cardstock, stamps from JoAnn's dollar bins,

stamp pads, scissors, hole punch,

any color ribbon that coordinates with cardstock and a cellophane bag

**Side note: Etsy has some ADORABLE and unique stamps. You can do a search under handmade for "Valentine rubber stamps" and find some handmade stamps that you won't find anywhere else. My favorite stamp seller is Nikoart. Her little critters would make a great addition to your Valentine gift card. I just love her owl, bunny, fox and hedgehog. Can't you just imagine a bunny stamp with the words, "Some bunny loves you!" on your gift card??!! So sweet!

Here are the stamps, stamp pad and bowl.

Stamp evenly on the cardstock, leaving room to cut them out. Then cut them out in circles and squares, with regular scissors and pinking shears. Love that zig zag edge!

Sign your name on the front or back of the card. Put a hole punch in the corner, slip ribbon through.

Put your gift in the cellophane, tie it up, add your personalized tag to it and you're done!

Now, wouldn't these handmade onesies make a cute gift for your little sweetheart?

You can find them in our Etsy shop.

Thank you to Allison for having us! Hope to see you over at Three Sisterz.

Bean Bag Tutorial

2011-01-19T05:52:00.001-08:00

I recently made bean bags for the first time for a little niece of mine that was turning one.

I thought they would be a fun gift for her, and pretty simple to whip up. I already had some sweet cupcake material on hand, and some white flannel with pink polka-dots from Ella's Baby Quilt.

First, I gathered all of my materials. (Enough material for four bean bags.)

4 squares of 6" x 6" fabric for the tops of the bags

4 squares of 6" x 6" fabric for the bottom

8 squares of 5" x 5" fabric (anything you have lying around and nothing fancy because it is for the inner bean bag pouch)

beans (I found Navy beans on sale in my grocery store for $.78 a bag, I used two bags and a half a bag for each bean bag)

First sew the four inner pouches. I don't sew these right-sides-together and flip, there isn't any point as they won't be seen. I sewed the inner bags just so that there wouldn't be a choking hazard if for some reason the baby was able to break open an outer bag. SAFETY FIRST!

I sew all the way around the bag, leave a 2" hold for filling the bag with the beans; fill and sew closed.

Next I sew the outer pouches by sewing right sides together, 1/4" all the way around leaving a good sized gap to turn inside out and also to be able to stuff the inner bag inside the outer bag.

Turn them inside out and press seams flat.

Stuff the inner pouches inside the outer trying to line up corners.

Sew a seam 1/4" from the edge all the way around the bag, sewing shut the opening as you go. I sewed over the opening twice.

Repeat for the last three and you're done!

So cute!

And homemade, with love, and original!

Now go make some for that little cutie patootie in your family!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

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Tell Me Tuesday #10

2011-01-18T04:35:00.000-08:00

Is it Tuesday already? Amazing. The week has flown by. I was really excited to see that we had 49 entries in last week's Tell Me Tuesday link party here at Vintage Pollyanna!

As I promised, if we hit 50 I will host a giveaway to celebrate!

And thanks to so many of you who left me comments about my job possibilities. I was actually scheduled for an interview this morning but it has been rescheduled to the fact that we ARE GETTING EVEN MORE SNOW TODAY (because last week's 23 inches wasn't enough). HA! Good thing I love the snow!

Now on to some of my faves from last week. Let's start with this Alphabet Wall from Girl in Air:

She was inspired to try this by some other bloggers, and I think hers turned out wonderfully! Beyond just painting or decoupaging the letters, she used some really interesting approaches like yarn wrapping. Fun!

I love it when a tutorial includes two crafts for the price of one, and this Snap Hair Clip and Display Card Tutorial from The Life of Jennifer Dawn does just that!

The ribbon wrapping part of the clip looks involved but the result is fabulous!

And my last fave from this past week is the amazing process I have never seen before called Acetone Transfer. You can see the idea here on Sarracino's blog where she describes how she made these display tags.

I think I really enjoy these tags because the feel is antiqued and romantic.

Nice job everyone, and if I featured you, please grab a button!

And hey, be sure to come to the Vintage Pollyanna Facebook page and say hello!

Now on to the party!

Christmas Stockings from Vintage Quilt Remnant

2011-01-14T05:51:00.000-08:00

Some how in the hustle and bustle of Christmas I forgot to blog about some stockings that I made for my Dad and my sister Amy. They were coming to spend Christmas day here in Connecticut. I wanted them to have some stockings hanging on the mantle, and so I got to work thinking about how to make them.

Ten years ago I ordered velvet stockings from Pottery Barn for Chris and I. As our children joined our family, I added a stocking for each of them. I decided to take a look at one of them and try and copy the design.

I actually went and bought fabric for them initially--I purchased fabric that had a vintage feel to it, and I was going to go with a quilted look. When I got home and laid the fabric out to begin the project, it hit me that I had a nice vintage red and white quilt remnant from my Dad in my stash.

Wouldn't it make a perfect stocking, I thought!

The process took me a few hours--I haven't ever really sewn anything quite as involved as a stocking, and it takes some figuring out about how to add the lining and the cuff, and how to put all of the pieces together and sew them correctly so that when the whole project is turned it is right.

Sure there is some damage, but it just adds to the lovely vintage look, don't you think? The cuff is just the reverse side of the quilt; I thought that the sewing was so beautiful against the aged white that it would look really sweet as the cuff.

I could kick myself that I didn't take photos of both of the stockings, the details of the lining and the backs. The back I made from a piece of green flannel that was my Mom's. I thought it was important to incorporate a little bit of her into these stockings. Comforting.

Anyhow, I wanted to post about these before it was too late. Now I want to make four more for Chris, James, Ella and I for next year!

I am linking up at the following parties:

The Shabby Nest
Chic on a Shoestring
My Romantic Home
A Few of My Favorite Things

Happy Weekend!

A

200 Followers and Blog Awards!

2011-01-13T06:01:00.001-08:00

Vintage Pollyanna hit 200 followers today!!!! Gosh, that AND 23" of snow? What could be better! Thanks so much to all of my followers for supporting me, and taking this journey with me. I appreciate each and every one of you!

Speaking of appreciation, I need to say thank you t the ladies over at Three Sisterz for awarding me the Inspiring Blogger Award!

Talk about inspiring--it was way back in November of 2009 that I met Flannery, one of the Three Sisterz, (who was also my neighbor at the time) and we began to chat about Three Sisterz and their business. Over the course of a few weeks I helped her and her sisterz with a new blog design and some thoughts about marketing and promotion and BAM! Look at them now! If you love fresh and sweet children's clothing with a classic twist you must RUSH over there now and see what they are up to.

Oh, and they have the most adorable Vintage Valentine's onesies in their Etsy store right now:

S.W.O.O.N.!!!

So, as recipient of the Inspiring Blogger Award, I need to pay it forward and pass this on to three bloggers that I feel deserve the same recognition!

First and foremost I must pass the award on to Katie at Eye Spy D.I.Y.

Though fairly new to blogland, Katie's blog is chock full of fun and quirky tutes that I just rave over. I was lucky to find Katie when she began posting in the Vintage Pollyanna Tell Me Tuesday Link Party. (Have you entered yet? Come on, what are you waiting for?) Go Visit Katie--she just posted a fabulous check book cover tute!

Next up, I must pass this award on to Stephanie at Built to Last.

I know I have mentioned her before, but I have been reading her blog since I began my personal blog, Under A Shady Tree 3 and a half years ago. I have followed Stephanie for the last three years and I consider her a true Bloggy friend. She was really there for me, as much as one can be virtually when I lost my Mom, and her words of kindness and thoughtful gifts came at a time when I really needed them Thank you, Stephanie!

And last but not least, I give the Inspiring Blogger Award to my dear friend Alice at The Sight of Morning.

Like Stephanie's blog, I began reading Alice's in 2007 and was immediately hooked. The sentiments, the photographs, the artwork she shared, LOVELY. But more than anything, I think her writing is what I love the most.

A friend once asked me to think about the phrase "Freedom is running easy in harness" when writing. I know he meant that I have a tendency to fill my sentences with unnecessary prose, and sometimes staying on track and picking my steps purposefully so that each.word.has.impact. is important. That is the way I feel about Alice's writing. Her prose is seemingly simple, but oh so powerful. Go and see for yourself. You will enjoy her blog so much, I am sure.

So now, if I have given you this award and you feel like passing it on, please do so, with the following things kept in mind:

--Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award

--Award 3 deserving Bloggers and share how they inspire you

--Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

Isn't Blogland wonderful? Community, camaraderie, shared triumphs and failures, the opportunity to make new friends, cherish old memories and dream about the future. What could be better?

Thanks for reading today!

Tell Me Tuesday #9

2011-01-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the week again--time for Tell Me Tuesday here at Vintage Pollyanna!

But before we get started, I want to share with you this photo I took the other morning. I was up early and my little girl, Ella, said "Moon, Mommy! Moon!" and she pointed out the window. I looked, and sure enough, saw a sliver of moon way up high above the treetops. I raced for my camera and . . .

*click*

It was a beautiful moment, one of the times that I call a gift. Just a simple moment in time, holding my daughter's hand and looking at the moon through her wide eyes.

I tell you this because my life feels a little out-of-balance right now since I lost my consulting job. I find myself at a crossroads. Do I go back to work full-time, (I am interviewing this week for a DREAM JOB) or do I stay at home and consult (those jobs are hard to come by) or do I really concentrate on the blog and sponsorships as a primary income?

As far as the latter is concerned, I want to say thanks to a few people, including the ladies at Three Sisterz, Tracie at Cleverly Inspired, and Marian at Miss Mustard Seed. I have been asking questions and soliciting feedback like crazy and these women have been very helpful. THANKS!

In the end, that moment and that photograph really helped me to clear my mind, prioritize, look up, and B.R.E.A.T.H.E. Does that mean I have come to a conclusion? Heck no, but it's a great photo, right?

Let's get back to the party and talk about my faves from last week. Here's a FABULOUS Card Wallet Tutorial from Katie over at Eye Spy DIY. The fabric is so adorable, and the step-by-step instructions are great. I may be trying this one!

I have to make these cute Upcycled Organizers from Yesterday on Tuesday. I think the one that is made with sweater material is my favorite! Malia's photography is gorgeous, too.

But my fave from last week? Just out of sheer madness? The choice is clear, these Faux Metal Wall Art pieces from Suzy's Artsy Crafty Sitcom are the winner. Why do you ask? Sure they are beautiful, but wait until you read the tutorial and find out that these are made from TOILET PAPER TUBES!

Seriously. That Suzy. I think she might be a little nuts. She is also pretty new to my party, so I am excited to have such a talent joining us!

If I featured you as a fave, please grab my button for your blog and CONGRATS!

Now on to the party!

We had 35 entries last week and the number keeps growing! Share the link party on Facebook, tell your friends, and feel free to blog about it if you want--the exposure helps us to keep the inspiring ideas flowing!

Be sure to grab a button and include it in your post, and leave me a comment to let me know how you found me.

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Homemade Peanut Butter Cups (on a Vintage Plate)

2011-01-07T08:02:00.000-08:00

Ha, don't you love my title? Truth be told, not every single thing that I blog about is vintage or antique.

I guess you could say that this recipe for Peanut Butter Cups is technically vintage, since I remember my Mom making them as a kid--but at least I photographed them on an antique plate so as not to be too far out of bounds of my blog's theme.

I was at a friend's house last weekend and she had put out a great array of Christmas cookies for us all to sample. One of the cookies made me think of the Homemade Peanut Butter Cups that my mom made as a kid. Well, they weren't really cups, more like shards. They are made in a pan and they have to be broken apart. I have seen them made in cups as well, but i wanted exactly what my Mom had made, and I think this recipe is it!

Peanut Butter Cups

2 sticks margarine
1 package graham cracker crumbs
1 cup peanut butter
2 1/3 cups confectioner's sugar
12 oz bag of chocolate chips

First, melt the margarine on the stove top. I think my Mom might have used butter, in fact I don;t ever remember her using margarine, but I wanted to keep true to this recipe. The end result was great, but I might try butter next time anyway.

Add the confectioner's sugar, graham cracker crumbs and peanut butter to the pan. I had a box of grahm cracker crumbs, and I use about 3/4 of it. I thought a whole box would be a bit dry. I also added another half cup of peanut butter.

Mix it in the pot with the melted margarine and it looks like this. Try really hard at this point not to sample it. (But that was impossible for me.)

Spread the mixture in a pan.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Follow the instructions on the package.

Spread the melted chocolate on to the peanut butter mixture and chill in the fridge until set.

Bust into pieces and serve.

I enjoyed this last night with a nice cup of hot coffee and watched three episodes of Mad Men. HEAVEN!

If you have made this recipe in the past and have some alterations to it, let me know. If you make it because you read the recipe on my blog, come back and leave me a comment about how it turned out.

And THANK YOU to my friend for bringing a little bit of nostalgia about my Mom back to me!

Vintage Auto-Collectibles

2011-01-05T07:01:00.001-08:00

I'm not the only one that benefits from my Dad's love for picking antiques and vintage items!

I just celebrated my 7th wedding anniversary with my husband, and over that time he has accumulated a nice collection of antique and vintage auto memorabilia from my Dad. If Christmas or his birthday was approaching, we could be sure that Chris would receive some great old oil can, or several license plates, or perhaps even a tire and tire stand from the 40s!

I think that pretty soon, Chris may have enough pieces to put together an entire car! Sure, it my have hubcaps from an old Nash, headlights from a Model T, spark plugs from an old Subaru and a Hudson Hornet hood ornament--but it sure would be unique!

I think my favorite piece among all of these is the Men Working road sign. I just love the color and the feel of it. It is painted on heavy canvas. I also really enjoy Chris' collection of old license plates. He only just began to get his collection displayed in the garage this week while he was on vacation--he must have upwards of 50 old plates!

The great old Ford center cap is also a favorite of mine--especially because that old logo is prominent in the movie Cars.

I am really happy that my Dad and Chris share this love of vintage auto memorabilia. Both of their faces light up when they talk about Dad's latest find. (I think Chris' collection of oil cans will soon be rivaling my collection of kitchen tins, so Dad, if you are reading this, be on the look out for more tins for me!!)

Tell Me Tuesday #8

2011-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first Tell Me Tuesday Link Party of the New Year!

We had wonderful entries in last week's party, and several new faces, whom I enjoyed visiting. Don't you love how you meet new people through blogging, and just when you think you've seen it all, yet another totally amazing blogger inspires you? I know I do.

Before Christmas I worked on a FABULOUS project which involved re-purposing a Victorian red and white quilt remnant. I only took one photo of the finished item before I gifted it, but I will be sharing it later in the week, along with some of the amazing vintage items that I received.

Speaking of inspiration, I am trying to really feel inspired in light of some bad news that I received yesterday. I officially received word that my consulting gig that I have had for the past year has ended. The non-profit that I was doing communications work for has decided to hand over its operations and administration to a non-profit management group. Of course I am sad to no longer be a part of the important work that was underway there, but I am really trying to see the positive in the situation.

I referenced some changes that I have been planning to make to Vintage Pollyanna in my last blog post, and now those changes really seem to be timely. I see a crossroads before me. One path is traditional, and has me casting my net for a new consulting gig or even possibly full-time work. The other path is so really make something of my blog--my hobby--and my love of vintage and crafting. A friend of mine posted a quote on Facebook the other day that said,

"Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."

I am really hoping that is the case this time. I know it will be.

Have you been let go from a job only to have found a way to take on an out-of-the-box, follow-your-dreams kind of opportunity? Leave me a comment and let me know about it. Right now I can use all of the inspiration I can get!

Anyhoo, let's take a moment to take a look at three of my favorite entries from last week's link party. Here is one I really loved, especially because it has been a project that has been in the back of my mind for over a year. I think this is a sign that I need to get off my duff and get to it! This is a Feltboard Tutorial from the Life of Jennifer Dawn.

Next is a truly fabulous Crocheted Cloche from RockNRegalia. LOVE IT! I actually have one similar to this that my daughter wore in the winter of 2009.

And lastly, just because these are silly and make me smile, I had to choose these Message Pancakes from Agape Love. I mean seriously, who knew it could be this EASY to make a kid smile?

If I featured you as a fave, please grab my button for your blog and CONGRATS!

Now on to the party!

Be sure to grab a button and include it in your post, and leave me a comment to let me know how you found me, or what your New Year's Resolutions are, or if you have any advice for me as I begin to dip my toe back into the land of job-seeking while I amp up my blog at the same time!

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Happy New Year, My Friends!

2010-12-31T16:03:00.000-08:00

To all of you who have been reading Vintage Pollyanna since I began this journey in July of this year, thank you!
Although I have had a personal blog for more than three years, Vintage Pollyanna has been a spot completely dedicated to exploring all of the vintage creativeness and crafty goodness swirling around in my head.

I believe that 2011 will be an important year for this blog and for me. I am taking steps to really explore turning this blog into my business. I can tell from all of the thoughtful feedback that you readers have left me that there is a real niche for a place that mixes vintage whimsy with fresh crafting ideas.

That said, I am working on bringing my 15 years of communications and marketing experience to bear on making Vintage Pollyanna profitable. Soon you will see a re-design of the blog, sponsored give-a-ways, blog hops, a regular weekly link to my Dad's antique auctions, and the availability of sponsor advertising space. There will also be the addition of an Etsy store--though that may not happen until the 2nd quarter of 2011, and a possible Face Book page.

I hope you will continue to take this journey with me--I believe that 2011 will be a thrilling year, and I hope that you join me for the ride!

All the best for a loving, prosperous and fun-filled 2011,

Tell Me Tuesday #7

2010-12-28T03:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone and welcome back to Blogland after what I am sure was a long weekend filled with family, friends and Christmas magic! We had a wonderful weekend, which you can read more about over at my family blog, Under A Shady Tree. I will be highlighting several antique and vintage gifts this week that my Dad brought down from Maine. Be sure to check back--they are whimsical and wonderful!

Here is a sneak peek:

Last week we had 26 entries in the link party--I was assuming we would have a low turnout, especially if everyone was busy with last minute Christmas preparations like I was! But for those of you who stuck with it and participated, THANK YOU!

Here are my faves from last week. Let's start with this fabulous Wine Bottle Christmas Display from Cleverly Inspired. A few wine bottles, some Epsom salt and a burst of creativity and WOW!

I had to include these sweet cookies--they are Palmiers from My Life as Prose. These look light, and sweet, and relatively simple, although it does seem like you really have to watch them while they are baking, and sometimes I'm not good at that with two little ones running around!

And here is my absolute favorite from last week--this is a Peace Wreath from Groovy Wine Lips. Like many of us, she found a fabulous wreath at Pier One, but the hefty price tag made her think about making one of her own. LOVE IT!

Thanks so much for supporting my link party--there are several of you who have been with me since the beginning, and I appreciate that!

If I featured you as a fave, please grab my button for your blog and CONGRATS!

Now on to the party!

Be sure to grab a button and include it in your post, and leave me a comment to let me know how your Christmas was!

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A Last Minute Bow-Making Tutorial

2010-12-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Last week my friend Yolanda posted a photo of a stunning present she had wrapped for Christmas on Face Book, and I just HAD to ask her to share a bow-making tutorial with us! (I will be wrapping into the wee hours of the morning, and I know I'm not the only one, so hopefully we can all put this tutorial to good use before Santa arrives!)

I went to high school with Yolanda, and now, years later, we have reconnected through Face Book. Yolanda lives in Dallas and is married with two beautiful children. Though not a blogger, Yolanda has been a supporter of my blog, and I am pleased to give her tutorial a home on Vintage Pollyanna.

Yolanda's Bow-Making Tutorial

Cut off 5 to six feet of ribbon, preferably a ribbon that has stiff edges/piping because it shapes better. Use 3 to 4 feet for smaller packages or bows.

Take one of the ends of ribbon and fold in about 6 to 7 inches.

Continuing folding ribbon end over end until you have no ribbon left.

Fold the folded portion in half.

You'll have a nice ribbon sandwich!

Snip the corners of the sandwich on the fold. Make sure to snip a big enough piece as this is what helps to shape and twist the ribbon into the bow.

Unfold the sandwich one time and it will look like this:

Cut off another piece of ribbon to tie around the folded ribbon at the notches. Cut as much for the tails as you would like hanging down from the bow. Tie this piece around the center of the unfolded sandwich where you snipped.

It's cute now, but just wait!

Start sliding out the folded pieces that are layered within one another. As you do you can twist them and shaped them to be puffy and pull them into the position you want.

The piping or wire helps to hold the shape you create.

Your bow is finished!

Now go wrap some presents!

Thanks Yolanda! This was fun--let's do it again sometime! And to all of you,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

xoxo

Allison

PS. this post is also seen in the Today's Creative Blog Get Your Craft On link party.

Stocking Garland & A Vintage Card

2010-12-23T05:11:00.000-08:00

My dear friends over at Three Sisterz made some beautiful little Rosette Stockings for Christmas. I loved them, and they had some of the red felt stockings left over and sent them to me. Here's my little Stocking Garland!

I made the rosettes the way I made my Christmas Rosette Pins. Cute!

I didn't use Fray Check on them, can you tell?

I also wanted to share this vintage Christmas card with you. My parents always sent me vintage cards for special occasions. This one was for James' second Christmas, I think.

It says "Toot! Toot! Chug! Chug! All Aboard for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

I have just finished a super top secret project that I can't share here until after Christmas. But I can tell you that it involves a damaged antique quilt that had found a new life! This was my last project before Christmas--so all of my sewing is done!

And I have a special news bulletin--on Christmas Eve day I am having my first guest post--be sure to check back and see this great post which will be useful for all of you last-minute package wrappers!

Tell Me Tuesday #6

2010-12-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hi! How is everyone, and how is the Christmas crafting going? Have you seen all of the things I have been churning out lately? I am a maniac--and that is surprising considering that I've had some cruddy cold, sinus, fever thing stalking me for the last two weeks!

I do need to start by saying that I do miss your comments, my dear readers. I am so happy that you are linking, but please leave me a comment to give me some feedback and let me know you are out there. And don't forget to visit other folks and say hi! I know we can all use a little feedback to let us know if you like what we have been working on, if one of our projects inspired one of yours, etc.

So last week we had some really amazing, fabulous, terrific, SO STINKIN' CREATIVE entries!! I love this link party thing, I mean, how could I not--I host a little party, all of these sweet guests arrive, we hang out and "chat" about our projects, and everybody leaves with an inspired mind. Love it.

Anyhow, here are my faves from last week. Let's start with this Sweet Fabric Gift Bow from See Kate Sew. First of all, have you visited her blog before? I can't get over how much I like it--her fresh and quirky style is really fun. I actually had also earmarked her pink ornament necklace as a runner up, and then had to laugh out loud when I saw that two her projects were in my top 10 from the whole list!

Fave #2 is this Peppermint Lip Balm from Eye Spy D.I.Y. One of the reasons I really like this entry is because I NEED SOME LIP BALM RIGHT NOW and because it actually looks doable. Plus the packaging is cute. Nice work, Katie!

And here is Fave #1, and I picked this just for the sheer whimsy of it--these Snowman Treats from Flexible Dreams just make me giggle. That's all. And if you aren't at least cracking a teensy weensy smile when you read her post about these little guys, then you are a GRINCH!

If I featured you as a fave, please grab my button for your blog and CONGRATS!

Now on to the party! I really hope we make it to fifty this week--as I promised before, I will have a giveaway to celebrate hitting 50 entries in the Tell Me Tuesday Party! We had 38 entries last week, the most ever--I know you can do it! And lastly, if I don;t have a chance to say hello before your holiday count down gets to crazy, let me say thanks for reading, thank you for your support of this party and my blog, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Quilted Potholders and Mug Rugs

2010-12-20T03:30:00.000-08:00

I am super excited to share these Christmas Quilted Potholders and Mug Rugs that I made last week!

I have been crafting for Christmas like CRAZY and I even lie in bed at night, thinking about my next project. Something has really clicked for me with sewing in the last few months and I am really enjoying my moments at the machine.

Anyhow, remember these Scrappy Quilted Potholders that I posted about last week?

I followed a tutorial that I found over at Texas Freckles. But, the whole potholder sewing frenzy started when I was looking at the potholders that my friend Stephanie over at Built to Last had made for me. Here they are:

I couldn't really find a tutorial that I liked, so I just looked at hers and whipped up my own version!

I used the crazy zig-zag on the back that I learned from the crazy potholders tutorial.

They were so much fun that I made another pair a few days later!

They are made with two layers of Insul-brite on the inside.

After that I had some small pieces of Insul-brite left over, so I made two Scrappy Quilted Mug Rugs!

How cute is this?

I think the little Santa peeking out from the middle with his gifts is SO SWEET!

If you have been keeping up with me this month, you have seen a lot of this Christmas fabric that I have been using for my projects. I only bought a yard of each, and I have made:

1 Shabby Ruffle Holiday Wreath
2 Crazy Scrappy Quilted Christmas Potholders
4 Traditional Quilted Christmas Potholders
1 Christmas Headband
14 Christmas Rosette Pins
2 Quilted Mug Rugs
5 Mini Rosette Christmas Stockings (will share later in the week)

I'd say that was a pretty good use of all of that fabric!

What have you been working on? Don't forget to share with me tomorrow for Tell Me Tuesday!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Talent Tuesday at Vintage Wanna Bee

Holiday Fabric Rosette Pins Tutorial

2010-12-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

I have just finished making twelve of these fabulous little Holiday Fabric Ruffle Pins as a gift for the teacher's at my son's pre-school. Here's the tutorial for you!

I wanted to give them something handmade, quirky, and fun. One day last week I was looking at my all-time favorite accessory, this fabulous Ruffle Pin from Flannery over at Three Sisterz.

You might remember my post about the night that she and I made rosettes from fabric and zippers. You can also find the tutorial for the actual ruffle making process there. I'm not sure how hers turned out so much curlier than mine--but mine are pretty cute, right?

Sp basically, I cut about an 18" by 2" strip of fabric. I then set my tension to the highest number and my stitch length to 4. Then I folded the strip in half and sewed down the strip vertically, about 1/4" away from the folded side. This creates a long ruffle. Next, I cut out a square piece of felt, placed one end of the strip in the middle, and then start sewing the ruffle down, turning the square as I go. You really have to feel the process out. This is what it looks like from the back (after I trim down the felt.)

Next, I cut a circle of felt to cover the back, which is a little messy. I will also give me a clean surface to which I can hot glue my pin.

A little glue,

Press it to the back of the rosette, and let it dry.

Here is a view of my assembly line:

Next, I apply a few dots of fray check around the rosette. I actually like a few threads coming off of it, I think it makes it look a little shabby.

Here are the pins that I use, I got them from Michael's.

They come with a sticky strip and foam backing. I peel off both (please ignore my markered up finger tips!)

I turn all of the rosettes over, and put strips of hot glue on the backs of two of them at a time.

Next I position the pin, and press lightly.

Here they all are, ready to go!

This morning I asked James to make a card for his teachers to go with the pins.
It says "I love PSA" which is Pre-School of the Arts. I drew the outline of the tree, but he did all the rest!

He wrote the message inside, all by himself!

All done and ready to go!

Merry Christmas to the teachers at PSA--thanks for all that you do!

This post is a part of the following parties:

Look at Me, I'm So Crafty at It's Fun to Craft
Favorite Things Friday
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest
Talent Tuesday at Vintage Wanna Bee

Tell Me Tuesday #5

2010-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to Tell Me Tuesday! First, if you are new here, please comment and let me know you stopped in, how you found me, and be sure to follow.

Last week I had 31 entries in the Tell Me Tuesday party and that is FABULOUS! That means that I get to see more great, creative and inspiring projects that like minded friends all over Blogland are busy with this holiday season! Here are my faves from last week:

My Tell Me Tuesday Fave #3 is this entry from Happy Go Lucy--Fun Subway Art Ornaments. Are you like me and you've been seeing terrific subway art-inspired projects cropping up everywhere? Well this is a great way to get into the mix and try your hand at it.

The Tell Me Tuesday Fave #2 is this amazing Refashioned Sweater Bag. I am in love with this project! I think that the red trim and the flower embellishment make his project so perfect. Thanks to Michelle Dean over at Polka Dots and Pizza for bringing this cute project to the party!

And drum roll please, here is my Tell Me Tuesday Fave #1-- a GORGEOUS Vintage Sheet Music Tree Topper! This submission is from Sarah over at Forever Newlyweds. I have got to get my hands on some old sheet music. I think this would be stunning with pages from an old Atlas as well.

Thanks ladies, be sure to grab your button for your blog to let everyone know that you were featured in the Tell Me Tuesday Link Party.

Now on to the party!

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Show me what you have been working on, and I will pick the three highest visited links and share them with you next week. Tell Me Tuesday!

Tell Me Tuesday Faves -- Tomorrow!

2010-12-13T04:35:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends, I have decided to combine the Tell Me Tuesday Faves with the actual link party. So, if you are here checking to see if the post you submitted in last week's party has been featured, please check back tomorrow!

Thanks for participating in Tell Me Tuesday! I can't wait to see what you all have been working on!

Scrappy Quilted Christmas Potholders

2010-12-10T04:21:00.000-08:00

I think I might really have caught the crafting and sewing bug. I am actually lying awake in bed at night, thinking about the long list of projects that I want to complete. (Well, that and that Katy Perry song that I can't get out of my head.)

Anyhow, my friend Stephanie from Built to Last sent me some adorable quilted potholders last year. I proudly hang them on my Hoosier cabinet so that I can look at them every day.

Since I look at her gorgeous potholders everyday, I have been thinking about making some of them. I was happy to notice that Stephanie's do not have binding. I made my own binding for the first quilt I ever made and it was a long haul, and one I am not ready to repeat.

I looked around on the Web for a tutorial that would make a potholder similar to hers, and I just couldn't find one. But I did find this one, made by Melanie at Texas Freckles, and I felt like I could do it!

Tah-dah!!!

Melanie's tutorial involves piecing scraps one piece at a time and sewing them across the Insulbrite, then laying the next scrap right sides together on top of the first scrap, and so on, and so on. In this potholder below I started with the Santa scrap in the center and then kept moving along.

I used a piece of the green and white polka-dot on the back. And look, binding!!!

Aren't they cute???

Oh, and yes, I know they don't look like Stephanie's. I actually ended up making two more yesterday afternoon, and based on hers. Wouldn't you know, I simply looked at hers and USED MY BRAIN to figure out how to copy them. I'll show them to you next week!

Happy creating!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Get Your Craft on at Today's Creative Blog

Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

Take A Look Tuesday at the Sugar Bee

Upcycled Toddler T-Shirt Dress

2010-12-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to a FABULOUS toddler t-shirt dress a few weeks ago, and I couldn't get the tutorial out of my head. Cheri put it together from I Am Momma Hear Me Roar. You can find the tutorial here.

This is my version:

Cheri actually handpainted some of the t-shirt material that she used. I knew I had some fun old shirts that I hadn't worn in a while, so I grabbed them and got started. I made two dresses in under two hours, using a turtleneck as the top for one and a long-sleeve t-shirt top for the other. The strips all came from the same shirts.

When I finished the dress for my daughter (the other is for a friend's daughter) I asked her to model it for me. From the start the shoot was not going well. My model was being camera shy:

Here you can at least see how the dress falls:

My model was getting delirious at this point. I think its funny that it looks like her tights match her sheet.

Awww . . . this is better!

Here is the finished dress. In Cheri's tutorial she sews the strips wrong sides together to have the horizontal seams show. I did this on the first dress, but sort of forgot on Ella's.

I showed the dress to my husband and he said he recognized the strips in the dress right away! Notice that the last strip is actually from the bottom of a shirt so that you don't have to hem the dress!

Here is the one I made for my little friend Mary Larkin, complete with the now-famous ruffle pin that her mother made:

Here is a close-up of the shirt fabrics, which came from:

Target
Old Navy
Marshalls
Old Navy

And isn't the twirly turtleneck so sweet with the ruffle pin?

Thanks for the great tutorial Cheri! I will definitely be making more of these in the future. To see my other two upcycled dresses, visit these links:

Ruffle Dress / Tunic Tutorial

Upcycled T-shirt to Toddler Dress Tutorial

This post can be found at the following link parties:

Tell Me Tuesday Link Party #4

2010-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here we are for Tell Me Tuesday Link Party #4--has it really been a month since I started this party?

I made a few fun things this week, and I have a few more still to go. Some were inspired by entries in last week's party, and some I have been thinking about for a while.

My Sweetheart Ella in her Santa Headband

My friend Flan over at Three Sisterz made a fabulous fabric headband that ~~I stole from her~~ she gave me, and I have been meaning to make one based on hers. This week I did it, and made it for the Christmas photos I took of the kids for the Shutterfly offer.

I made two FABULOUS dresses today out of upcycled t-shirts that I will be sharing on Wednesday. I am also making a garland for the Christmas tree out of Disney princess books that I bought at the dollar store.

Now on to the party!

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Show me what you have been working on, and I will pick the three highest visited links and share them with you next Monday. Tell Me Tuesday!

This post is a part of the following parties:

Topsy Turvey Tuesday

Lucky Linky Tuesday

Tell Me Tuesday #3 Faves

2010-12-06T04:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, and welcome to the Tell Me Tuesday Faves from last week's party!

Here is Fave #3! This is a Merry Christmas Banner from Red Heads Craft More Fun! She writes that she saw a similar one in a store with the initials "P.B." so she made one for herself. Go check out the tutorial!

Fave #2 is this Pieced Ribbon Applique T-Shirt from Leafy Tree Top Spot. I have never seen one made from ribbon, and I think it has a nice luster that you wouldn't get from fabric.

And here's my pick for #1 Fave--it is a Fabric Necklace from Mr. & Mrs. Phillips. The tutorial is great--and I will be very torn as to whether or not I wear one of these, or a big ruffle pin for the New Year's Open House I am planning!

Thanks ladies, be sure to grab your button for your blog to let everyone know that you were featured in the Tell Me Tuesday Link Party.

And to everyone else that participated--thanks for making this such a fun event! We had 18 participants--I look forward to everyone's contributions tomorrow--and please spread the word and tell your friends. If I can get 50 entries, I will host a giveaway!

Have a wonderful week! I am working on no less than three projects that have been shared in Tell Me Tuesday over these last few weeks. I will be sharing them this week, so stay tuned!

A Little Friday Love for My Antique Sewing Cabinet

2010-12-03T04:52:00.000-08:00

I was lucky to receive this antique "Make Do" 19th century Sewing Cabinet on my last trip to see my Dad. He had the little cabinet, and he added the dowels and the vegetable ivory pin cushion to make a little sewing cabinet.

The vegetable ivory pin cushion is so sweet--the needles that are in it are from my Grandmother's sewing basket. She made dresses for my sister and I when we were little girls. I like to think about Meemaw when I am working on some small piece of hand sewing.

I recently purchased some Guterman thread, which came in a clear plastic case. I think the spools are so much cozier in their little drawers, don't you?

My Dad embodies the term "Yankee ingenuity." According to Wikipedia, Yankee ingenuity is an American English reference to the self-reliance of early colonial settlers of New England, United States. It describes an attitude of make-do with materials on hand.

Another wonderful addition to my collection. Thanks again, Dad for bringing me these little treasures.

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Chocolate Bark Recipe - - The Best Holiday Treat EVER

2010-12-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite holiday treat recipe. IT IS SO GOOD. It is simple and easy and usually can be made with staples that you have on hand in your pantry. I started making it last year and immediately began to get requests for the recipe. I just made it earlier this week for my son's first-ever pre-k concert and the teachers at his school began to ask for it. So here is the recipe!

If you are visiting my blog for the first time, be sure to say hello at the end of this post in the comment section.

CHOCOLATE BARK

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Line two baking sheets with tinfoil, and place Saltine crackers in a single layer.

Set a saucepan to medium high and add four sticks of butter.

Then add 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar.

Bring it to boil for just a minute.

Remember those saltines? Pour the butter toffee mixture over the saltines.

Put the sheets in the oven for ten minutes. I rotate the pans at the 5 minute mark. They'll come out all brown and bubbly.

Next get some chocolate, either 2 bags of Nestle morsels, or you can use Hershey Bars. After the sheet pans come out, put the chocolate on top of the crackers, and pop them back in the oven for a couple of minutes--just long enough to soften the chocolate.

Next chop some nuts. Whatever you like. I use that awesome Pampered Chef chopper. Got one? Get one!

Now, take the sheets out of the oven and with a spatula, spread the chocolate evenly over the saltines. (Honestly, I didn't have as much chocolate here as I wanted.) I would have liked to have had twice as much.

Next sprinkle the chocolatey goodness with the nuts. Or if you don't like nuts, skip that step altogether.

Place the baking sheets in the fridge or in a cold place so that they candy can set up for a few hours. After that, peel the bark away from the tinfoil and break into pieces.

Next? enjoy, hoover it like crazy, eat it for three meals a day, put it over vanilla ice cream, what have you. And be prepared to be the baker of the most popular treat at any holiday party you attend!

Enjoy!

This post is apart of the fun over at Tea Rose Home's Link Party #32!

Shabby Ruffle Fabric Holiday Wreath Tutorial

2010-12-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

I've been hosting a link party here called "Tell Me Tuesday, and I have seen some great projects that I am going to make, like this mobile and a pieced applique t-shirt for my daughter based on this tutorial and this one.

The minute I clicked over to Polka Dots and Pizza and saw Michelle's Christmas Wreath, I immediately ran out to get the materials I would need to make my own. Seriously--hers is SO CUTE that I was jealous and had to have one of my very own. Michelle says that her Mom taught her how to make the project when she was 8. That made me smile from ear to ear!

Oh, and Michelle is also hosting a Tuesday Link Party, so after you submit your project to mine, hop over to hers!

Here's the Vintage Pollyanna version. I call it the Shabby Ruffle Fabric Holiday Wreath.

You'll need a few different coordinating fabrics, not much. I just was at the fabric store and bought some fun Christmas fabric that was 50% off SCORE!!!! You will also need a foam wreath, a rotary cutter with a pinking blade (or pinking shears), a cutting mat and guide, and a pencil with a sharpened tip.

First I began to cut 2" strips of fabric with my rotary cutter. I cut one strip of fabric (which was folded from the store) from each of five fabrics.

Next I approximated between 2" and 21/2" horizontal cuts across the strips to make (ahem) squares. (Hey, I did say this was a shabby wreath--and YOU KNOW I'm not exact about ANYTHING.)

Here is a completely unnecessary pic of the little fabric squares arranged OCD-like around the wreath.

Take a square of fabric, lay it on the wreath, and push the sharp end of the pencil down into the wreath.

VOILA. It sticks. AND STAYS! (I was a little shocked.) No messy glue gun? Yup. I'm a happy crafter.

Here I am about a 5th of the way around.

All the fabric is in! And folks--this took me about 15 minutes. NO JOKE. (Michelle, I LOVE YOU!!!)

I added a little grosgrain bow that I made, and another bit of ribbon to hang it.

SO CUTE!!!

Now go make one!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

We Did It Wednesday at Sew Much Ado

Creation Corner's Friday Link Party

Tell Me Tuesday #3 & A Sweet Fabric Rosette Headband

2010-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

How sweet is this headband?

I made right before the frenzy of our move got under way. I have yards and yards of this old muslin that has some age to it, and it makes pretty rosettes. The headbands I bought at Target.

I have been immersed in the rosette craze that has taken over lately--I started with fabric glue, migrated to hand-sewing and now am using a trusty glue gun.

Remember this tutorial I did for a Fabric Rosette Necklace on a Silver Chain?

This post has been visited regularly since I put it up. I think these necklaces are pretty popular on the web right now--next I am going to try one with several rosettes, I am just a little unsure of how to make it lay properly. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Now on to the party!

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Show me what you have been working on, and I will pick the three highest visited links and share them with you next Monday. Tell Me Tuesday!

Tell Me Tuesday Link Party #2 Faves

2010-11-29T03:37:00.001-08:00

Happy Monday, and welcome to the Tell Me Tuesday Faves from last week's party!

Here is Fave #3, an Embellished Ruffle Top from Simply Step Back.

I have made several ruffle shirts, but this one is fun in that the ruffles are placed asymmetrically on one shoulder. Sarah says "Seriously, I couldn't think of an easier thing to make." and she is SO RIGHT! These are fun, quick and have a great WOW result.

Tell Me Tuesday Fave #2 is from Three Sisterz and is a Wooden Beaded Wreath.

I have to disclose of course that my friend Flan made this--I got to see it right after she finished it and was CRAZY in love with it. Now it is hanging in her front widow. A thing of beauty! Visit the Three Sisterz blog to get the how-to.

And finally, Tell Me Tuesday Fave #1 is . . .

Stephanie's Embellished Deer Holiday Pillow from Built to Last!

You must, must MUST zip over to her blog to read about this sweet little project. A re-purposed sweater and some favorite flannel and WOW just a wonderful holiday pillow. And the back is a little surprise--go check it out to see how clever Stephanie was with the closure!

Thanks ladies, be sure to grab your button for your blog to let everyone know that you were featured in the Tell Me Tuesday Link Party.

And to everyone else that participated--thanks for making this such a fun event! I look forward to everyone's contributions tomorrow--and please spread the word and tell your friends. If I can get 50 entries, I will host a giveaway!

A Small, Beautiful Pantry Box

2010-11-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to post about a beautiful gift that my Dad gave me for my birthday this past October. It is a small, oval, antique pantry box. He has had several of them in his space over at Cabot Mill, and has been selling some in his Ebay auction as well. I am always admiring them, and he knew that I liked this particular one that I saw on a recent visit home.

My readers know that I have a chimney cupboard--I can envision it in an older time, filled with these boxes. Here is an excerpt about their history that I found online:

"Colonial women kept dairy products and grains well away from the cooking hearth, in small rooms called “butteries.” Like today’s homemakers, they fought an ongoing battle to keep bugs and mice away from flour, sugar, and other dry comestibles whose storage posed a problem until the introduction of covered stoneware crocks and their even more expedient successor, the pantry box." You can read more about them here.

This pantry box is not large, but in my eyes it is truly beautiful. It was made during a time when things were simpler.

Thanks Dad. I love it.

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Making the World Cuter Monday

Happy Thanksgiving from My Two Little Turkeys

2010-11-25T04:02:00.001-08:00

We are settled in the new place! It was a pretty smooth move. Other than a few boxes and some window treatments to hang, it is feeling like home. Just in time for Thanksgiving!

I hope you have a wonderful day visiting with your family and your friends. Enjoy the day--the opportunity for togetherness, sharing love, and giving thanks for all that is important to you. I know that my day will be filled with thankful thoughts, too.

Best to you and yours on this day,

Allison

Antiques Roadshow & Tell Me Tuesday Link Party #2

2010-11-23T04:03:00.000-08:00

I have always been a fan of Antiques Roadshow. Whenever I was home visiting my parents and we watched it, I loved hearing my Dad and Mom guessing how much items were and usually being right on the money!

Roadshow came through Las Vegas in 2007 when I lived there and I told Mom and Dad they needed to ship me some great items so that I would get picked to get on--and I did!

Here is a link to my personal blog--you can see a You Tube video of my appearance!
Don't Blink Or You'll Miss My Roadshow Appearance

Now on to the party!

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Show me what you have been working on, and I will pick the three highest visited links and share them with you next Monday. Tell Me Tuesday!

Remember, please grab my button for your post, or at least put this post as a hyperlink in the text of your post. Please visit at least the entry before yours and after yours to say hello!

Tell Me Tuesday Link Party Faves and A Great Old Milk Jug

2010-11-22T05:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! What a weekend we have had! We spent last week finishing packing up the house, on Saturday we packed the moving truck (thanks to all of our friends and family that lent a hand) and Sunday we started settling in. Now Monday is here, I am sitting in our new family room next to the pellet stove writing this post!

I was so excited to have as many entries as I did in the link party last Monday--I have always felt like crafty link parties have given me great inspiration--and hosting one myself is so much fun! But before I share my three favorite entries, I wanted to share with you a great antique that we picked up in Maine a few months ago.

The shining star of the new place is a stone chimney and fireplace. (Pics of that to come) and it has a great mantle and hearth. We knew the minute that we saw this old milk jug that it would look great on the hearth!

The best part? It says "Christopher" on it, which is my husband's name!

I like the old paint on it, too, and the great wear and tear from over the years. The top is stamped "Rodar So, Cal." It was $15 bucks!

Nice little sneak peek of the stonework I gave you on the fireplace, eh?

And now to my three favorite entries from last week's party:

CoBabe in Suburbia's Coffee Filter Wreath:

I made some coffee filter peonies last summer in preparation for my daughter's Lemonade and Sunshine Social Birthday Party, and this wreath reminds me of the simplicity of the project!

Oopsey Daisy's T is for Thanksgiving Kid's Packet:

I was happy to share this link with my friends on Facebook--so many of them have young children that will be home for vacation this week, and I thought that all of the fun printables, coloring pages and food crafts would be a hit!

And finally my favorite, Pleasant Home's Scrappy Selvage Quilt:

Seriously-- I am drooling over this project! A friend just turned me on to all of the small selvage edge projects that are all over Etsy--I can't imagine the work it entails to make a selvage edge project of this size!

So thanks to everyone for participating--and if I featured you as one of my faves, please grab a Feature Button from my Buttons page.

I hope you found a new project to inspire you--and don't forget to join me tomorrow for Tell Me Tuesday!

Thanks and See You Monday

2010-11-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

First of all, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated in my Tell Me Tuesday link party!! I was very excited to have so many entries my first time out of the gate. I also learned about a lot of fun new projects, browsed around some incredible blogs, and hopefully made a few new friends in the process!

As promised I will post Monday on my top three faves from the link party. But in the meantime I have to get back to PACKING. We move this Saturday to a bigger home about 25 minutes away from our current home. I am knee deep in boxes, boxes, boxes!

So keep working on those great projects, and don't forget to visit other people in the link party if you haven't already. And did you take advantage of the Shutterfly offer yet? I will (as soon as I find out what box I packed my camera in . . .)

Tell Me Tuesday Link Party #1

2010-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Introducing . . .

Vintage Pollyanna's Tell Me Tuesday Link Party!

I have been inspired by so many great link parties that I have decided to start one here at Vintage Pollyanna. I enter several parties each week, and have made a number of great bloggy friends doing so. Maybe you will too!

Special Offer from Shutterfly

To begin this week's link party and as a thank you for participating, I sharing an offer that bloggers can get for posting about a great giveaway from Shutterfly! Simply put, you blog about the new line of Shutterfly photo card designs, and you get 50 free holiday photo cards!

Some years I design my own card, some years I use Shutterfly, and other times I find a blank insert-your-card-here type of set up from Costco. This year I am going to use the Shutterfly promotion.

Now, not to give anything away, but I will tell you that I am interested in this design:

Hey, I've got two kids, I can shoot nicely in black and white, and my kids will smile nicely ~~right after Ella pinches James so hard he cries and then punches her~~ for the camera! (But maybe I won't use it so that family members that read this will remain surprised!)

Shutterfly also makes a nice line of bi-fold Christmas cards. Take a look!

Every year I also make a personalized photo calendar for my Dad, sister and grandparents. You can to! Here is the link for the customizable photo albums.

Want to get in on the fun? You still have time to apply for this great deal for 50 Free Photo Cards from Shutterfly!

Now back to the party!!

So link up your latest and greatest, and each Monday following the link party I will highlight the top three favorites! And be sure to grab a button for your post--we want people to know where they can go to find great inspiration, or just post a text link in the body of your post.

Please follow me and leave a comment if this is the first time you have visited Vintage Pollyanna! I'd love to get to know you all better--I will visit each of you that links and or comments later this week!

Here are two of my very favorite Tuesday link parties--so I know I will be in great company!

Whatever you did recently--be it craft, design, bake, draw, or sew--please share your creation with us. And don't forget to at least visit the entry before and after yours to say hello and introduce yourself. Welcome to Tell Me Tuesday!

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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list...

Join Me On Tuesdays for A New Link Party!

2010-11-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I am doing it--I am taking the plunge and hosting my own link party on Tuesdays!

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So come back tomorrow and read all the details, grab a button for your post, and Tell Me Tuesday about all of the great new projects you have been working on!

Vintage Pollyanna Featured on Yellow Blackbird

2010-11-14T18:48:00.001-08:00

I am excited to report that my Vintage Button Necklace was just featured (or should I say her necklace) on Yellow Blackbird's blog!

A few months ago I followed Aubree's tutorial for making one of these beautiful necklaces. You can see my necklace here. Yesterday she did a round up of people who had sent her photos of projects they had made based on her tutorials, and my necklace was one of them! The post is called You Tried It!!

Thanks Aubree! Aubree has a fantastic blog, filled with refashions and great tutorials, plus her writing style is great. Oh yeah--and she has a sweet Etsy shop. Go see for yourself!

Today's post can be found over a Market Yourself Monday On Sumo's Sweet Stuff!

Fabric Rosette Necklace on A Silver Chain Tutorial

2010-11-11T03:39:00.000-08:00

I have been seeing fabric rosette necklaces all over the Web, but they are usually pretty big pieces with three or more rosettes. I wanted something really clean and simple with just one rosette.

I have made vintage button necklaces in the past, and so I had some hardware, but when I was in Target yesterday I checked out the clearance jewelry section and found this necklace for $4.99.

It is cute, and there was a time when I used to wear a lot of hammered silver, but instead I got to thinking that the circle would give some nice structure and a little bit of weight to a fabric rosette necklace!

Here is the rosette I used--I made a few from muslin scraps and I liked the way they came out. I went to You Tube and looked at a few videos and then combined methods.

What works for me is tearing 2" scraps about 15" to 20" long out of fabric (I really like using muslin.) Tearing creates more natural fraying and looks great. Then I take one end of the strip and using hot glue I fold each side to the middle, and then I fold the strip in half and start rolling and gluing the center of the rosette. Next I twist and turn the rosette gluing as I go along. Trust me--go to You Tube and look for fabric flower tutorials.

I ran some hot glue around the outside of the circle and pressed the rosette onto it. Then I ran hot glue around the backside of it,

And I added a denim circle to cover up the mess. Lastly I added a little hot glue around the outside and sort of pulled the rosette toward the back to make the muslin meet the denim. (Truthfully it's not pretty--but hey, its for me and it doesn't have to be perfect--just sweet!)

And here it is:

Do I look pleased with myself, or what?

I was wearing my new favorite tee shirt yesterday--a charcoal boatneck, and I think it looked great. Stay tuned for another post about the pin and the headband that I made with the remaining rosettes!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Marketplace Monday at Finding Fabulous

Sew Cute Tuesday at the Creative Itch

Lucky Linky Tuesday at Lucky Star Lane

Hoo's Got Talent at Night Owl Crafting

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

We Did It Wednesday at Sew Much Ado

Show Off Your Stuff at Fireflies & Jellybeans

Let's Sew at Whimsy Couture

Get Your Craft on Thursday with Life as Lori

Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest

Frugalicious Friday at the Shabby Nest

Sweet Vintage Tablecloth

2010-11-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

I feel a new urge coming on for another vintage collection. This time for vintage tablecloths. Look at this new (old) one that I brought home from Maine a few weeks ago.

It was in a great pile of miscellaneous textiles that my Dad had. He asked my sister and I to go through it and pull out any items we wanted. I saw this tablecloth and knew I had to have it. While my sister went through the pile first I crossed my fingers hoping she wouldn't take it. Boy was I lucky!!

Doesn't it make you feel happy and sunny? On closer inspection it does confuse me a little--I think the larger red fruit is cherries that are running around the inside border--but around the outside I am pretty sure those are bunches of grapes. What do you think?

I already collect vintage and antique kitchen tins, buttons, storybooks, homespun and laundry items (oh, and baby clothes, fabric, pillowcases and canning jars . . .) Hmm . . . looks like I am going to need a bigger house!

A Vintage Fabric Rosette Wreath for Thanksgiving

2010-11-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

I was so excited about the sewn fabric rosette pin that Flannery gave me last week that immediately I taught myself how to make the rosettes and I got busy making a Thanksgiving wreath for my front door.

These sewn rosettes are made on the machine by stitching a long ruffle from 1 1/2" fabric, and then sewing them on a circle of fabric, starting along the outside and twisting and turning the rosette beneath the sewing foot until you get to the middle.

I used vintage green upholstery fabric and plain muslin for the flowers. I finished them off with vintage buttons and a few new wooden beads from my stash that I had purchased to make these vintage button necklaces.

I purchased the grapevine wreath from Michael's for $3.99, and the two ribbons I used were on sale in the $1 bin.

Welcome to my home! And Happy Thanksgiving!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Making the World Cuter Monday
Market Yourself Monday with Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Just Something I Whipped Up at the Girl Creative
Made by You Monday at Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts' Mad Skills Party

Rosettes from Fabric and Zippers

2010-11-02T04:25:00.000-07:00

I love it when a crafty friend writes on my Facebook wall first thing in the morning, "Rosettes tonight?" That means I get to look forward to an evening of inspired crafty fun all day! And a fun evening it was. Flannery from # Sisterz came over after all fo our little ones were tucked into bed for a fun night of rosette making.

I've been taken with the whole zipper rosette trend that has been spreading across Etsy like wildfire. While scrounging my vintage fabrics for material for last night, I ran across a bag filled with zippers! (Thanks Dad!) Here is my first zipper rosette-turned barrette:

I tried a few tutorials to make them, including this one that uses hand sewing and this one that uses hot glue. I tried both methods and found that the hand sewing was less messy and I had more control in how the flower turns out. This tutorial at That's Sew Me is another great resource, especially when it comes to how to affix the rosette to a bobby pin or a brooch pin.

Flannery started making fabric flowers out of scraps that she brought over--she got the hang of it right away. This is the best tutorial I could find on how to make them. Flannery used a tutorial from Little Birdie Secrets, which also works well, but the one I found today utilizes a cardstock baking, which I think would do wonders in helping me to keep my attempts flat.

Flan made three and grouped them together for a pin:

Here it is close-up. I found that they look great on everything from jean jackets to blouses, plain t-shirts and bags!

Here is a flower pin that she brought over with her, a different tutorial that requires machine stitching.

Doesn't it look FABULOUS on my bag?

And GORGEOUS on my blouse?

As soon as I can find the tutorial she used I'll post it! Meanwhile, go visit her over at 3 Sisterz for her wrap-up from last night!!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Tuesday's Get Your Craft on at Today's Creative Blog
Sew Cute Tuesday at Creative Itch
Take A Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee
Topsy Turvey Tuesdays at I'm Topsy Turvey

A Peek at My Dad's Space at Cabot Mill Antiques

2010-11-01T05:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have read this blog for a bit, you know that it us inspired by the antique shop that my parents ran for nearly 20 years in Bath, Maine and the Ebay auction site that they held for nearly as many years.

Since my Mom's passing in 2009, my Dad closed the shop in Bath, but opened a space in Brunswick Maine's Cabot Mill Antiques. He has also kept the Pollyanna's Antiques Ebay site active. On a recent visit back home to Maine, Chris and the kids and I visited my Dad's space.

Here he is with James standing in his space--surrounded by all of the antiques he loves--creels, lures, early tools, baseballs, tins, duck decoys, and early furniture.

I really love how he has displayed the creels on some branches he brought in from home. Decorating a small space like this--after having an entire shop of his own means that every inch has to be organized to tell the story in a way that is efficient.

Dad's duck decoys have always been a favorite of James'--since he could walk every time we visited home he could be found walking around the house with a decoy in his hand!

And check out the high chair! Take a look in the basket: anyone need a vintage baseball glove? I also love the floor--Cabot Mill is housed in a 15,000 square foot space in Fort Andross, which was originally a textile mill. The floor tells the story of years of labor!

My Dad makes the checkerboards from old breadboards. See, a little old, a little new, a little new and old, a little handmade and I love it all! Take a look on top of the table below, there are two pantry boxes stacked on top of one another--Dad gave me one for my birthday and I will be featuring it this coming Friday. I especially love the paint on this old table:

A close up of some of the many tins that Dad has available for sale:

If you are ever in Brunswick , Maine and want to take a look at the great antiques available at Cabot Mill, visit this link to learn more.

And if you want to take a look at Pollyanna's Antiques' Ebay store, click here. Dad has some fun items on right now:

19th Century Vegetable Ivory Thimble Holder

1842 Sewing Book "Handbook of Needlework"

Lot of Ten 1890 Victorian Calling Cards

Last week he had a beautiful antique white Fiesta-ware bowl with three red stripes on his auction. Apparently it was a sought-after piece because it sold for over $1,000!

I am happy that my Dad can keep his love of antiques alive with his space at the mill and in his Ebay auctions. And hey--his brithday is this Friday. Happy Birthday, Dad!

Another Fun Toddler Tunic Dress Made from T-Shirts

2010-10-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

I just loved the dress I made last week for my friend Flannery's daughter, so I knew I wanted to make one for Ella. The dress from last week cost $24.00; the toddler long-sleeved t-shirt was $8 and the two women's purple t-shirts were also $8 each. I took a ride over to Target to browse the huge clearance racks they have set up, to see if I could find something funky and fun and even cheaper to work with.

I bought the same long-sleeved white t-shirt to start with, but then in the girl's section I found these great little t-shirts with embellishments--blue and lavender roses with black pen and ink type vine illustration and tons of sparkles. In my mind I started to cobble together a funky, Ed Hardy-inspired dress, and I think I really hit the mark! Paired with purple leggings and her trademark pink cowboy boots, I think Ella loves her new dress!

Oh, and the pink t-shirts were on clearance for $3.98! So my total for this dress was $15.96! (And I made it in under an hour!!!) Talk about instant gratification!

If you'd like the tutorial I posted for this dress last week, click here. The only difference is that instead of a ruffle around the neck, I put one around the waist, and I also cut out one of the roses and appliqued it on the top of the dress.

If you try my tutorial, let me know, and please e-mail me photos of your one-of-a-kind creation!

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Get Your Craft on Tuesdays over at Today's Creative Blog

Girl's Ruffle Dress / Tunic Tutorial

2010-10-21T06:56:00.001-07:00

I wanted to make a fun dress for my friend's daughter, Eleanor, who was turning five last week. Since I enjoyed making the Ruffle T-shirts so much, I decided to try my hand at incorporating what I learned with that project and making a dress.

I went to Target and I bout a girl's long sleeved white tee. I also purchased two purple short sleeved women's v-neck pocket tees. Initially I was planning to use the flowered fabric for some kind of rosette, but I chucked that idea at the last minute because I thought the dress worked well without it. As Tim Gunn says on Project Runway, "Edit!"

First, I cut the tee about two inches beneath the armpit seams. Then I cut several 2" wide strips to make ruffles with.

Next, I cut one of the women's tees, the lower half of which will be the skirt. I then cut the other tee into about 8 strips of 2" wide each for more ruffles.

Next I sewed down the middle of each strip, being careful not to back-stitch, with the tension on the highest setting and the widest straight stitch length.

This way the ruffle basically makes itself. I just kept adding strips to each ruffle a few inches before one strip would end. I needed about three strips to make one ruffle long enough to go all the way around the skirt.

With right sides facing, I inserted the skirt into the shirt top, and sewed 1/4" around the whole piece. This was tough and required some pinning to give me a gathered effect.

I turned it right side out and yahoo!!! I did add a ruffle embellishment around the neck just for fun.

Here's a recent post about another Ruffle Toddler Dress that I made in August.

Many thanks to the following links for ideas and inspiration for this dress:

Tea Rose Home

Happy Together

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Wow! Where Does the Time Go?

2010-10-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

I'm still here, I promise--just a lot going on. I did just get back from a great trip to Maine, and have TONS of wonderful items to share with you, including a peek at my Dad's antique space at Cabot Mill in Brunswick. Stay tuned while I get my ducks in a row!

An Apple A Day

2010-10-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

I made this applique apple tee for Ella back in August right before school started. My friend Flannery had me over for an afternoon of sewing, and this is what I made for Ella (even though she isn't even in school yet.) SO CUTE!!!

The Photoshop Action I used for this is called Sun Kissed.

It's been a busy day, so this post is pretty short--but I wanted to share this cute photo of my girl rocking her new shirt and her famous pink cowboy boots! Yeehaw!

A Sweet Little New Baby Project

2010-10-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine was expecting her baby to arrive about mid-October, so last week I sewed a onesie, a bib and a matching burp cloth for the little man!

I had some scraps of this super cute baby flannel that I used, and for the bib and burp cloth I paired it with a clean white towel for extra absorbency.

I was going to give it to her last week, but woke up that morning with a migraine and had to cancel. We rescheduled for this week, Wednesday, but SURPRISE!!!!

The little man made his appearance this past weekend!

Baby and Mommy are still in the hospital, so I won't share any details, but BOY AM I EXCITED to meet the little man and give his Mom a great big HUG!

A Little Bit of Love Sewn into An Upcycled Quilt for My Boy

2010-10-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

In the previous post I showed you that I was upcycling some of James' old t-shirts for a new project. Well, it turned into a little lap quilt! So far he has played a caped superhero with it, made a tent with it, and snuggled in his bed with it.

He loves it. And I love that he loves it. (sigh)

Please visit the following link parties for more crafty inspiration!

Beginnings

2010-10-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

I have a sweet little upcycle project underway, made from James' too-small t-shirts. Stay tuned!

A Little Friday Love for My Mom's Baking

2010-10-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

This blog is dedicated to my Mom--it is filled with her memory and her spirit, and I know that it us a way to connect with her now that she is no longer here. I lost her in February of 2009 and I miss her terribly.

I am my own person, but I do know that there are a number of things about me, my personality, the things I take an interest in, etc., that are so clearly her. Baking is one of them. I can't say that I am the marvelous baker that she was, but I do try. And when I make these rolls, I feel like she is standing right next to me.

Mom gave me a cookbook that had a recipe in it for one Hour Buttermilk Rolls. She had made them for Christmas dinner in 2002. Here is her own hand, marking the recipe's significance and a few small changes she made to it.

The book is called "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Cooking."

The recipe makes two pans of rolls. And let me tell you, they are GOOD.

Especially with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce!

Now you have to go make them, don't you?

PS--Mom always buttered them a few minutes before they came out of the oven. Enjoy!

Thanks Mom, for all that you did, all that you taught me, and for helping me to become the woman that I am today. Miss you like crazy.

Flowering Vine Applique T-Shirt Tutorial

2010-09-27T03:30:00.001-07:00

Hi! If you are visiting from One Pretty Thing's Daily DIY, WELCOME and please be sure to follow me if you like my blog, and leave me a comment to let you know who you are and a link back to your blog so that I can visit!

I have been wanting to make an appliqued t-shirt of my own since I have been doing so many kid versions. Target has these fabulous v-neck pocket tees that I love--they fit me well, they layer with my Yummie Tummie well, and they come in great colors. Here is the finished shirt:

Hmm? That dust on my mirror? I'm just keeping it real, folks. LOL

So to begin, pick a shirt.

Next, pick a contrasting fabric to use. Looking back at my finished shirt, I am thinking that it would look great with the flowering vine in an Amy Butler fabric. This was my first one, so to practice, I used some old pillowcase material that I have scraps of.

Next I went to istockphoto.com and searched out "flowering vine illustration" to give me some artwork from which to base my design on. Here is one that I found that I liked. You don't have to pay for it, just do a print screen and then you can blow it up on your printer if you need to.

I am decent at freehanding, so I just applied my Heat n' Bond to one side of the pillowcase material, and then drew elements of the design onto the fabric to be cut out.

First I started by laying out the vine pieces. You can see that I have that pesky pocket to deal with. I guess I could have ripped it out with my seam ripper, but I was worried about creating a great big hole.

Here's a neat trick--once I got the layout I liked, I just rolled up the shirt and took it to my ironing board to then iron the pieces to the shirt. (My board isn't wide enough for me to be able to lay it out the way I would like, so I use my dining room table.)

Here is is ironed:

Next I started to choose thread colors. I knew I wanted to use two colors, to give it an interesting look.

Then it was time to begin laying out the leaves and flowers.

Sewing the flowers was a little rough, but I like the sort of grungy, messy look. It made the whole project feel very free-spirited and not tight.

I also had these sort of bud-like flowers:

And here is a close up of two contrasting leaves:

And here is the finished shirt again, with a Yummie Tummie and leggings!

This project took me a few days--I really needed to pay attention as I was turning the shirt this way and that under the sewing foot constantly. Now I think I should look at a free motion quilting foot--some of that technique would lend itself well to a project like this!

Thanks for visiting, and be sure to check out these fabulous Monday Link Parties!

Market Yourself Mondays at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do

Sneak Peek

2010-09-22T07:53:00.001-07:00

So since I can't bear to be silent for a whole week, I took a quick pic of the project I am working on for Monday's post. Think vintage pillow case remnants and free-flowing applique. Be sure to check back Monday to see the project revealed!

Today I have linked up over at Tea Rose Home. Go visit and check out all of the great crafting things being posted!

It's Gonna Be a Slow Week Around Here

2010-09-20T11:07:00.001-07:00

Ella and James rocking away on the porch at our favorite apple orchard.

So sit back and rock on your porches a bit--I have lots of work to catch up on so I won't be posting much this week. But be sure to come back and check on me--I have something really fun planned for Monday next week!

A Little Friday Love for My Vintage Rolling Pin

2010-09-17T04:07:00.000-07:00

Is that weird that I adore my rolling pin so much that I want to dedicate this week's "A Little Friday Love" post to it?

Bah. Who cares. How could I not adore it? Just look at how gorgeous it is! That aged blue detail on the handles is my favorite part.

The wood is so warm, so homey, so inviting . . . it says "Welcome to my kitchen. Have a seat. Have a slice of pie."

Or in today's case, have some homemade noodles that I just lovingly made from scratch and rolled out with my favorite kitchen tool.

Old-fashioned Chicken and Noodles, anyone?

E-mail me if you'd like the recipe. It was a great meal for one of the first cool Fall days this year!

This post is part of a few linky parties. Please visit them--you will fill your head with so much inspiration that you'll be crafting or baking or decorating or re-purposing for YEARS! (Plus, some of them are my newest friends--so if you like me, you're bound to like them, too!)

And a little note, I won't be back until Monday--we are readying for our yard sale--so I'm going to be knee deep in boxes for three days! (And hopefully knee deep in cash at the end!)

This is Why Need A Crafting Room . . .

2010-09-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

. . . with a door and a LOCK ON IT!

But then again, I'd never see my cute little assistant in action, would I?

A Fabulous Vintage Button Necklace

2010-09-14T06:10:00.000-07:00

I have been very excited to begin a tutorial that a friend pointed out to me earlier in the summer for a necklace made from old buttons. I made my first one this morning and I love it!

I have made button bracelets and rings, but never attempted a larger piece. The minute I read about this tutorial from Yellow Blackbird I knew I had to try one for myself!

Aubree discovered a button necklace over at Lenora Dame for $70! Here it is:

Here is the one she made for herself:

Isn't it great? And $70 bucks? Are you kidding me? If I could sell mine for $70 I'd be a crazy-rich jewelry artist! I have millions of buttons from my Mom's shop!

Here are a few that I pulled out this morning to work with:

Here it is all finished! (I went a little nutso on mine--I think I have twice as many buttons on there as Aubree does.)

Do I look pleased with myself OR WHAT??? (That is a brave pic--no makeup and bed-head hair!)

Oh my goodness I am in love with these.

I could just stare at this thing all day. I can't wear it--I won't be able to see it!

So I do actually have a job (I work from home as a communications consultant) and I do have a big project today--but you can bet that as soon as I complete it, and as soon as the kids are fed, and the laundry is done, and the grocery shopping finished, and the baths taken, and the books read . . . I will be making more!!! LOL

Update 2 hrs later . . . I made ANOTHER ONE!!! (This may end up being a worse obsession than the Ruffle T-shirts!!!)

I am linking up today to the Creative Chick Parade, a blog hop supported by several of my most favorite funky and crafty blogs.

This post can also be found at:

Happy Tuesday!

A Little Friday Love for My Vintage Stuffed Toys

2010-09-10T04:33:00.000-07:00

I have a few old stuffed toys that I think are really sweet. Actually, I don;t have them, my daughter Ella who is 2 years old does. (Gifts from Grandpa).

The newest one is this cute curly-headed doll holding a flower. She reminds me of some stuffed cats that my Mom made when I was little--I think the fabric was pre-printed with the cats, and all Mom had to do was cut out the back and the front and sew them together. This doll looks like that. I can't guess the age--maybe 40s? The best part about her is how vibrant her colors are.

When Ella was just a baby she received this stuffed chicken--poor chick had kept her comb and beak on for 50+ years, only to lose them within a week of being handled by a drooly baby. Oh well--such is life, right? I love the hand embroidery on this chick.

Here is my favorite--the little sheep. His expression is so neat--like he's on the sly. I also appreciate the method for his wool--it looks intricate and complicated. It seems as though he was well-loved in his time. Maybe that expression is saying "I'm real, you know." Like in the Velveteen Rabbit, my favorite children's book by Marjorie Williams.

I guess they make a sort of motley crew together, here on my most-favorite vintage blue step stool. Keep a look out for an upcoming "A Little Love Friday" post about my vintage stools!

Happy Friday!

This post is a part of:

Fun Applique Tees for James

2010-09-09T04:52:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago my fun friend and craft neighbor Flannery invited me over to do some appliqued t-shirts. Let's just say that after I finished the first one I was HOOKED!

The first one I made was this fun lowercase j for James. The shirt is from Target ($6) and the applique fabric is from one of Flan's husband's old seersucker shirts. (Thanks Garland!)

We just found a font that we liked in word, printed out the letters (a few hundred times) to get them the right size, cut them out, traced them on heat 'n bond that was ironed to the wrong side of the applique fabric, cut the letter out, ironed it on to the shirt and then zi-zag stitched around it!

One of the reasons I love my sewing sessions with Flan is that I learn a lot. This time I learned three important things:

1. She has a self-threading needle doo-hickey on her machine. Grrrr . . . why don't I have that???

2. Once you iron the Heat 'n Bond to the wrong side of the fabric you have to peel away some paper stuff to then affix the applique to the shirt when you iron it. (Thus "Heat" and "Bond" DUH. (Stephanie--not sure how those applique onesies I made you are holding up . . . LOL)

3. Flan showed me that if you kine up the edge of the applique with the inside right edge of the sewing foot, the zig zag stitch will perfectly overlap the teeniest bit right to the edge of the applique (see poorly-drawn diagram below)

So needless to say, after that first "j" shirt I became a sewing fool. You know how I get obsessed. Like with the Ruffle Shirts. I couldn't make just one ruffle shirt. OH NO. I had to make 8. Well, it was no different this time. I made four shirts for James, one for Ella, and two for my youngest nephews.

Here is a #4 shirt for James (I was pretty happy when he asked if he could wear it on his first day of school!)

Remember the 80s Solar System curtain panel fabric project? Well I made a shirt from that, too!

Here are some shirts I made for my littlest nephews, Garrin and Matthew and one for James. I found these long -sleeved t-shirts at Old Navy for $6.

I found this great tough-guy but still cute for a little boy fabric for the appliques. Just look at that precision stitching. I know! I can't believe it either!

Here's James on the first day of school in his #4 shirt. I just love that I made him something special that no one else had!

This post is part of a few link up parties. Go and visit!

Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake

2010-09-08T04:43:00.000-07:00

For today's link up party I decided to blog about my favorite baked good--Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake! My Mom made it every year for my birthday.

She used a recipe from Marjorie Standish's Keep Cooking the Maine Way. I blogged about Mrs. Standish's cookbooks here.

This is unbelievably moist. I think it's due to the fact that you separate the eggs first, whip the whites with some sugar and then fold them into the batter at the very end.

The cream cheese frosting is out of this world--and so simple to make! I could never eat it out of a can when I know how amazing this frosting is. (Oh, and I double the cream cheese and the butter but I use less sugar.)

Sometimes I make two 8 inch rounds, other times I just use a sheet pan. That's what I did this time around.

Yum! Make one--and if you do, let me know how you like it! (I think I have one piece left--breakfast, anyone?)

Please go visit these fun link parties for more great recipes and crafting ideas! And don;t forget to follow me and leave me a comment.

Thanks!

I'm A Finalist in the Great Ugly Knit Upcycle!

2010-09-04T05:27:00.001-07:00

Blog friends I REALLY need your help--

My Toddler Dress Tutorial was picked as a finalist in a national upcycling sewing contest!

(It's gotta be because my model is so dang cute!)

Click this link and vote for me--Finalist #7!

If I win I will get a Singer 2932 Sewing Machine!

Thanks everyone!

Here are the fun link parties that I am participating in today!

I am also playing with a blog hop today!

Allison

A Little Friday Love for My Antique Bench

2010-09-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

One of my most prized possessions is my antique bench.

Just ask my husband. We have moved out West and back in the 12 years that I have owned it, and it was lovingly wrapped with layer upon layer of bubble wrap and moving blankets, swaddled like a newborn each trip.

The bench was a present from my parents. What a gift! I look at it every day and I think of them. I think of the day I walked into the shop and it was sitting there, adorned with white ribbons and vintage silk roses, waiting for me.

How old is it? I don;t really know. Deacon's bench? Parson's bench? Just a bench? I don't know. It is one of those things that I should have asked my Mom while I still could. Where did she get it? Not sure. I will need to ask my Dad when I talk to him this weekend. Then I will post back about what he says. My guess? They found it at a flea market or an estate sale. I am sure it came out of a sweet New England farm house.

I love the little details. The patina. The craftsmanship.

The antique hardware.

I have it filled with pillows made from beautiful carpet or quilt or homespun remnants.

It is simply beautiful and it brings me such pleasure.

Won't you come and sit enjoy a cup of coffee and some conversation with me?

What is your most prized vintage or antique piece?

This post is a part of:

A Little Twisted Vintage Golden Book Humor

2010-09-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

I am so fortunate in that my Dad sends James and Ella storybooks that he finds at the flea market. Boxes and boxes of books arrive from Maine for the kids, and we never know what we might find inside. Sometimes there is a real gem, like this sweet Golden Book, "My Baby Sister."

Awww, how sweet. Don't you love her little push cart, her Mary Janes, the bear. Adorable!

What? You didn't notice what the real title is?

That's right. Somebody decided a better name for the story would be "My Baby Sister Smells." I tried to change the contrast in the photo so you can really see it.

I was laughing out loud when I discovered it. I had just sat down, gotten all cozy with the kids to read the book. Little did I know that I was in for a twisted surprise.

Let's start right inside the first page, with this adorable little girl holding her dear teddy bear:

Oh boy.

Looks innocent enough, but then you have to put the book right up to your nose and start reading those little conversation bubbles that some child started adding to each page.

Here Baby Sister is saying "I killed the bear." Oh my. Someone has some anger issues.

Here big brother is feeding the kittens. But someone has written "How can they eat pewk." NICE.

Here's another page about sweet Big Brother putting on a puppet show for Baby Sister.

"I'm going to EAT you" it says.

Here's a classic early look at brother sister relationships!

Here was my first hint that the bubbles were written pre-1970. I mean, who says "fink" anymore?

Here's my favorite page, and the one that really brings this child's twisted humor to light.

"Let's kill the dog and bury it." and "I'll bury you alive." Does that one make you as uncomfortable as it does me? Well, in between bouts of snorting laughter, I mean.

Here Big Brother says "I'm going to tip the table over."

Awww . . . if this is any indication of how teddy bears were treated in this child's home, I feel bad for the poor things! "I'll pull it's leg off." and "Leave him alone!"

So who do we think was the owner of this book, back in 1958?

Oh, Becky. Dear, dear girl. I hope you aren't locked up in a women's penitentiary right now, serving time for some unimaginable crime. And little did you know that as a little girl you would have provided us with so much fun 52 YEARS LATER!

Hmm, UNLESS this was done by poor Becky's older brother, in an attempt to further terrorize her when tipping the tea table, teasing the kittens and pulling arms off teddy bears wasn't enough!

Okay, hope you enjoyed that little blast from the past. I'm off to look through the hundred or so other Golden Books I have for another gem!