Auctioning Off a Lifetime.......

Spent the day, Saturday, at an auction, in the small town of Norway, Iowa... The woman selling her possessions, was 87 years old...and, attended the auction... After the sale.... I was hurrying, trying to get everything gathered up, and loaded... as I was sorting through quilts, and rugs... she came walking up to me...asked if I needed a hand, folding the quilts, so they wouldn't touch the ground...I told her, I would really appreciate a hand... The old quilts were quite worn...all of them, wool... She told me, her Grandmother had made one of them... and her Mother, the other one.... She said, they were sure warm.... It was important, back in those days, to have warm quilts...she said.

She had lived in the Old House, her entire life...She is a tiny woman... but strong... I was amazed at everything she had saved, over the years.... Others said that too... I reminded them... it seems if you lived through the Depression... You valued things... every thing... from string, to buttons... to jars of screws... pencils...scraps of fabric....paper... You simply didn't waste... after all... waste not...want not...{ I heard this, over and over... growing up... my Mother is 90}

I will be keeping, for a while, one of the quilts... and put it on the Old Rope Bed, John and I put in the spare bedroom, today... I'm finally getting a little done... I'll take a few images, as we get it together...

My heart is a little heavy, for the Charming Lady... I can't imagine watching your life, be sold at auction... Folks digging through your things... it didn't really sink in, until today, for me... I wonder how she is doing... today....

Barb C.

{This room is 10x14... The Old Rope Bed,{early to mid 1800's} fits perfectly... I'll be adding an 1840's chest of drawers, and maybe a chair, or two... but... lot's of wall coverings, and simple draperies... I have been saving them, for just a room like this... They are vintage, with a tatted edge...and wonderful...

It was hard not jumping into this wonderful bed....{I love the posts... they are nearly 7 feet tall} It still has everything original, a rope bed should, but the side rolls have been notched for slats, and will take a 3/4 size box, and mattress... I then added a wonderful, plush, down, vintage ticking, with it's original mustard and blue removable casing. Then, used the darling, quilt, that mixes a Log Cabin Quilt, and beautiful Floral border... The masses of pillows came from the same home, as the Ticking... They are all feather and down filled...{they are all at least 70 years old, and the Ticking, over a hundred...} I am asthmatic, and have been, for 40 years... yet, the Ticking, and feathers have never bothered...I sleep with them, and love them...This Old Bed is a Mile High.... On the foot board, I have 2 of the Quilts {comforters} from the auction... I think they are happy to see the light of day.... and yes... they would keep you warm...

I have a long way to go on this room... I'll keep you posted...}{ Polly was sad, she had to stay down... oh dear...}

Sweet Cheeks... Mmmm ...Cookies....

This is a new endeavor, my Sweet Little Pal, Audrey has taken on.... What a Whirl Wind! Full time Mom... Wife... Job... and... now this.... Her website is scrumptious...Go Visit!

Audrey used to be my photographer...for the shows... She even scooted down to Nashville, a few years back... and covered Heart of Country... Audrey has always had a passion for old stuff... She started collecting, when she was in High School...so much for young folks, not liking antiques!{ Audrey is borrowing some of my Gnarly Vintage Upholstered Chairs, for a Family Photo Shoot... How Cool Is That!}

Audrey brought me samples... oh my.... I am proud to say... I'm watching my sweets... and only ate one... One delicious, melt in your mouth...cookie... Wait til you see her Cup Cakes... oh my....

Iron Farm Re-Purposed Cake Stands... Gotta Love 'em!

I have been wanting to create some of these Gnarly Farm Fragment Cake Stands... Forever! Using spacers and disc's from an old piece of Farm Machinery, it was a snap... I haven't baked anything, to display on them... but... I will! These are the Coolest Things! I'll have them at the Fall Harvest Sale! I can see the Farmers, shaking their heads, now... Who would have thought!

Mmmm...Shortbread... Thanks Amy!

Friend, and follower, Amy N. popped out, last night, after work, to bring me some of her homemade Shortbread... She had seen our fresh red raspberries, I had posted earlier, and thought we might enjoy.... Yes, we did... Amy is such a thoughtful soul...She is talking about bringing some stuff out, for the Fall Harvest Sale...and lending a hand! Yeah! She is a laugh a minute... a real Sweetheart! {and... a Farm Girl!}

My Love to Ya!

Barb C.

{It was nice to see Carolyn A. I have missed her, the last few times she has stopped by... Carolyn, is also a Sweetheart! {and a great cook... I'm surrounded by geniuses, I tell ya!}

Iowa Farmhouse.... Room of Memories...

I've visited many Farmhouses, over the years... and been lucky enough, to be invited, to stay a day or two... Seems like, my spare bedroom, fits right in, with the Farmhouse Guest Room's I've stayed at.....

This room, was once the kids' room... then, we repainted, and made it a spare room.. It's on the main floor, of the old house, I walk by it, a million times a day... look into the room, {I put the french door on, a few years ago, to let light into the hall...}It's always a gentle room... I love the color... No matter how hot it is, in the house... when you walk into this room, the temperature drops, 10 degrees... It's full of dust, and cob webs... Certainly not ready for company... but, would be, in a jiffy! It's probably my favorite room, in the house...and I never realized it, 'til today...It's where our memories have come to roost... The old China Cupboard, in the corner, with the broken door glass...{ this happened on a Sunday morning, about 20 years ago... I worked, as a waitress, from 5 a.m. 'til 1 p.m., and the first thing I saw, when I walked in the door, at home, was my Mother's China Cupboard, with a broken glass... I just stood there... John, watching a race... the kids, taring around... and... Mom's broken Cupboard... I remembered Mom, refinishing that Old Cupboard, when I was 7 years old... Outside, our old Farmhouse, near Keystone, Iowa...in the Spring, of the year...it was beautiful... during one of the most favorite periods in my life... I just stood there... asked what happened to Mom's Cupboard.... Everyone looked stunned... "What cupboard?"... "What?...Where?..."... I turned...and walked back out the door.... in tears... Jumped in the car...and drove.... I drove out to the old Farm, near Keystone....Only... it was gone.... I had been there, on that Easter Sunday... I always revisited the old Farm, on the anniversary of us, moving in, in 1971...It must have been, 1991, when they took it down...I was crushed...but... somehow... just standing, where it once stood... made everything o.k.

We never repaired the glass... I'm kind of glad, we didn't... Inside, I found the bottle of water, I collected, on the shore, while visiting my Sister, Merry Jo, in San Francisco, when I was 9... Flew out, by myself...and stayed for several weeks... it was grand... The old Cupboard drawers are filled with old Valentines, and Birthday Cards....from way back... The room, is a 'catch all'... like a treasure chest... I have collected Grant Wood prints... and Grandma Moses prints, for several years.... I was always going to re-do, this room, make it a bit more Country, a little more 'Folksy'...... but... think I'll do Justin's old room, with all of that... Leave the missed matched, soft, and a little Victorian room, alone... after all... every Farmhouse has to have a room of Memories...

'til next time,

Barb C.

Iowa Farmhouse Style....

This is my favorite Farmhouse, that, I'm sure, will be gone...soon... I can only imagine how wonderful it is... but... my imagination is quite grand...I can see it, when it was the most happy place... I think... I could almost draw the floor plan... tho, I've never been inside... It is... amazing...It 'is'...'Iowa Farmhouse Style'...
Our Treasures that Rest... on the Old Pie Safe...

As Wanda and I were headed home, from a long day, Gathering... We were discussing the term... 'Iowa Farmhouse Style'... I asked her, her interpretation... It was a clean, white, and off white palate, with bone, beige, tans, and muted browns...a slick, and cleaned down version of country... a Pottery Barn, feel... hmmm... This is Not, what I am referring to...I'm referring to the 'Emma Vislechel', style...the... 'Flora Belle Shuck', style....I'll be sharing that look with you, in weeks ahead...After hearing Wanda's interpretation...well... I'm a bit apprehensive about sharing Emma's Style... But... I knew Emma... when I was 5 years old... Her home has always... always... been in my soul...ever since... I never felt more, safe, loved and wanted, than when I was in Frank and Emma's Farmhouse... Our home, looks much like it... I'll share... soon...But... here's a fair warning... It's not something you see in magazines, today... Trendy... ah, nope... I'm in it for the long haul...

Come on in... sit awhile... have a slice of fresh Dill Bread, and we'll leave all of the World's problems, outside the old screen door......

'til next time...

Barb C.

Wooden Ware...

These are wooden pieces I purchased yesterday... I use all of mine, in the house.... Just be sure, if you use your bowls, and spoons, to season them with lard, or solid vegetable shortening.... Never use oil... they will become very sticky.... I have a few bowls, I want to remain 'dry'... If I put rolls, or chips, or anything, that has the least bit of oil, grease or butter in them, I use a sheet of plastic wrap, under a linen cloth, before I put anything in them... If you don't, your 'dry' bowl, will have splotches... I prefer to use my seasoned bowls, for anything that may soil a dry bowl.... Better safe than sorry!

'til next time,

Barb C.