Ring, Ring,...Yesteryear...

There was a time when a RINNNNNNNNGGGGGGING sound echoed throughout the house! One (that's right 1) telephone, to be shared by all family members, was centrally located. In my childhood home the phone was situated in the hall in a nook in the wall. ("Am I dating myself?" Oh yeah...)

Many of you may remember the old black and white television shows depicting homes where the telephone was located just inside the front door. (maybe for easy access from the front porch! just sayin'...) I've always thought the tables and benches the phones rested on were so cooool! ("Cool? my friend asks. 'Oh yeah', I'm dating myself again")




Imagine my excitement to find this gossip bench to refurbish! It was in pretty rough condition and needed a little TLC ("rough condition, says my friend, are we talking about the same piece?") I'm sorry I don't have a before photo but just look at the results!

This bench can once again be a place for many young girls to sit for hours and gossip about all the exciting things that young girls now find exciting!! (Of course the phones are now cells, the radios are now Ipods, the 'talking' is now texting...you get my drift!) But this gossip bench can find a new place of honor in the home.



Gossip bench is displayed at Vendor #671, Cottage Chic & a Little Antique
Encore Resales, Pelham, Al.


Have a Blessed Day!! And see ya down the junkin' road!!
Jan

Nate Berkus Show & DIY Project...

Nate Berkus is an award winning decorator and now has his own television show. I think he came into the public eye through his association with Oprah! (And girl that Oprah can put anyone on the map!!)

Several times I have caught an episode of Nate's show. (It really comes on TV at the wrong time of day for me to be a follower...usually too busy!) However I was tuned in one day and caught Mindy Weiss' party planning tips. One BIG ONE, shop the 99 Cent Store! Well, who would have thought it?! As a J-GRITS (junkin' girl raised in the south!) I've known for many years to shop cheap for the biggest bang for your buck!


Many of you will remember the 5 and 10 cent stores that all small southern towns had when we were growing up. A person could buy anything from toys to needle and thread in the 5 & Dime! But I digress...


Miss Mindy had set up several party ideas displayed with all invitations, decorations, favors, flowers, you name it, coming from the 99 Cent Store. And of course I had recently visited our local Dollar Tree and picked up several items; artists' pencils, flower pot, twine, bundle of Easter grass, paper lanterns! Then Miss Mindy showed the cutest favor for a child's birthday...



This is my rendition of her DIY favor:

The cutest little pot o'pencils! I've placed it on a corner shelf with some old 45's and standing black letters. Love it!


Wishing y'all a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day!


Have a Blessed Day!! And see ya down the junkin' road!!
Jan

It Ain't Your Grandma's Pickles!!

I remember as many of you standing in your grandmother's kitchen and PARTICIPATING watching her make pickles! It was an all day process and the kitchen was so hot (she didn't have air conditioning, only fans, and the house smelled like vinegar!)

Busy, busy, busy 21st century and now my time is limited. I do not have a day to devote to pickle making nor do I grow my own cucumbers! Imagine my delight when I saw this magazine article declaring I could have homemade pickles if I could just spare 10 minutes to slice, sugar and season pre-packaged pickles! 10 minutes? Just 10 minutes? You bettcha I had 10 minutes!!


Here is the recipe that I followed and it really is as easy as 1-2-3!


I arranged my ingredients and followed step by step (I asked my friend to slice the jalapenos! Wasn't that nice?!!)

Sweet-Hot No-Cook Pickles
MAKES 1 QT.; PREP: 10 MIN;
STAND: 1 HR.; CHILL: 8 HR.
Wear plastic gloves when working with the peppers. For equally great taste without the hotness, make the Sweet No-Cook Pickles just omit the peppers.

1 (46-oz.) jar dill pickles, drained
(For mine I used Vlastic Dill)
18 Thai chile peppers OR 2 large jalapeno peppers, sliced
(For mine I used jalapeno peppers sliced thin and removed the seeds)
2 cups sugar
1 TBSP. white wine vinegar

1. Cut pickles into 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer slices alternately with peppers in pickle jar.

2. Gradually add sugar, tapping bottom of jar gently on a flat surface to allow sugar to settle in jar.

3. Add vinegar.

4. Cover with lid, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour, shaking jar occasionally.

5. Chill 8 hours, shaking jar occasionally to ensure even pepper heat distribution. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

(copyright, Southern Living,August 2009)


I printed a tag from The Graphics Fairy and labeled my pickles with the name and date. (my Mema always dated all her can goods)


And voila! hot, sweet pickles that taste homemade!!

Today, if I close my eyes, think real hard, I can recapture those memories of my Mema's kitchen and the special closeness we shared! I can almost smell the vinegar drifting throughout the house!

Have a Blessed Day!! And see ya down the junkin' road!!
Jan

ADD A LITTLE ZING...

Put a little "pop" in your home decor by arranging in vignettes! You can add groupings on top of tables, shelves, mantles or any flat surface.

Recently on one of our journeys, my friend and I hurriedly stumbled (it was raining!) walked into a new consignment store and was amazed at the tablescapes and vignettes that had been created!

Love it!!

The use of color is one way to achieve a pleasing look in your home...

Try it...start with an uncluttered surface, and start placing items, rearrange until you have an end result that makes you say "ummmmmmm! oh yes!"


It has been brought to my attention that "my friend and me" is NOT being used grammatically correct! (Imagine that from a retired educator...but my blog is titled "my friend and me " I say; makes no difference...) SOOOOOO I will try to be more correct!! Gotta go! (I know, I know, not a word...) My Friend and I have to "refurbish" a cabinet we just picked up!

Have a Blessed Day!! And see ya down the junkin' road!!
Jan


(Thanks to all who are commenting on my new blog!)

Spring Forward in the SPRING!!

I'm sure by now you've moved your clocks forward one hour! (if not go now and do this!) It has been a beautiful day for my friend and me to laze away on the lake! Not too windy, not too cold and with the right amount of sunshine. The plants are budding with many trees in early bloom. It is a blessing to see the earth renew.

Here are some photos that my friend and me hurriedly shot snapped recently as reminders that spring is really on its way...

Although these are artificial if you add a bouquet of live flowers (you know the ones you can pick up at your local grocery) they would bring that added touch of sunshine to your home...

Looking over my own garden I am amazed that my pansies have weathered the storm of snow, sleet, wind, and rain...

And by the way, I love LOVE, LOVE the daylight savings time! It gives my friend and me more time to go junkin'!!

Have a Blessed Day!! And see ya down the junkin' road!!
Jan

(Let me know how you adjust to the time changing!)