Upcycling, Organizing, Cleaning, ETC. ETC.

I have been seeing alot of these on line. For the longest time I have wanted to make one. On my vacation I found an old vintage Bobbsey Twins book and a Nance Drew one for 25 cents each. Well I just couldn't bring myself to use the Nancy Drew book. I still read them!! I'm not sure if I'm gonna trim out the cover or leave it as is. I just made it today. It is so easy and I love how it turned out!! It will hold things like this and business and Moo cards I get.

 



 

Awhile back Sim and I went on a hike behind an old abandoned Grain Elevator up in the thumb. I was so excited cuz there is a special dumping ground behind there with a lot of goodies!! Especially jars! And they aren't broken! I carried as much as I could! LOL I washed this one and added twine some grubby lace and a rusty washer I had found. I put some rusty pieces inside along with this pic of two old farmers I got in a box at an auction. I just love it!! I've got more bottles to play with too!!

 

 

I am not done with this display yet. But I wanted to show you some of the dishes I got for 10 cents each, and I got the vintage dish drainer for 25 cents. I plan on changing it out with the seasons. I'm gonna add some Fall yumminess to this one and then change it for Christmas I have some more dishes for that. Anyways I know I'll have fun with it.

 

I am in a year long monthly tag swap and this is the tag I made for August for my partner. I gathered goodies from the beach on Lake Huron from our vaca. I used my vintage typewriter that Sim got me this summer at a church sale for $5.00. I also have another one. I love the font on these old typewriters. I love the way it turned out.

The other day Brooke brought me a package from the mail and in it was this surprise from Trace' http://www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com/ It is one of her awesome mats with cherries on it!! I love cherries!! She also sent me some really groovey buttons that are owls and fall leaves!! I can't wait to use them.
I have been organizing and cleaning my closet into a pantry that Sim has fixed up for me. I haven't had a real pantry before so I am excited. We get our furnace fixed next week and he is going to remodel the hallway for me and I can not wait for that! I will definitely be posting about it!! It is gonna have barn wood and we are going to be painting too. I sold "Betty Bow Wow" to a sweet Michigan friend so I am working on another dog doll. I can not believe August is almost over!! It's gotten hot again so I am hoping I can keep my mojo up and keep on keeping on!! I would love to do some baking!!
XOXO Love, Fran.



"Betty Bow Wow", Garden Veges, and I won a Giveaway!!

This is my newest Raggedy Fran Doll "BETTY BOW WOW"!! She was a hoot to make!! She turned out so cool and hip!! I love her!! I just listed her today in my Esty Shoppe (found on my sidebar). She has the cutest and sweet dog face!!!

Last night we had fresh tomatoes and fried zuchhni for dinner along with baked chicken. Always chicken!! LOL I'm sticking to it pretty good, cuz I don't want anymore kidney stones, ever!! My garden has grown quite good and it's always so awesome to have fresh veges. But with the crazy hot weather I'm not getting as much as I'd like to. But I am praising God for what we do get!!

A few weeks ago Karen at http://karensmondaymusings.blogspot.com/ had a giveaway. And guess what!! I won these little beauty!!! I love her!! Karen is the sweetest and talented lady!! I love Karen too!! She is taking online classes and rocks out the coolest jewelry. She also hangs out with other swappers and they have get togethers that are so awesome!! Check out her blog!!

I am so in the mood for Fall just like everyone!! Did alittle cleaning today. I won't let myself get the Fall goodies out til I am organized and cleaned!! It's good incentive!! I actually wore jeans and a t-shirt today!! Yay!!

XOXO Love, Fran. 





What I did this weekend!!

I went out on a dirt road and collected these little beauties to make center pieces for a 50th Birthday Party I was going to. I was so happy when my Cuzin Debbie asked me to do the center pieces for the tables for her husbands party. It was out at their Farm and going to be outside. I knew I wanted to use canning jars and wild weeds. 

 This is what they turned in to!! Debbie had given me some gold and cream tulle and I tied it around the top of the jar. I left them alittle long and the breeze was blowing them just alittle. It looked cool.



 

It was a beautiful party given with love.

And then today I had a baby shower to go to. Awhile back Trace' (http://www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com/) shared how she makes clothes pin bags. I have been making a few for gifts and to sell. I love to upcycle so I have put my own Fran style on them. Sim made me a hanger from a twig and wire. I hand stitched the bottom closed and upcycled from an onesie that was stained onto the front. I coffee stained it of course!! LOL I added clothes pins to the bagg. I didn't get pics from the shower but I thrifted alot of baby clothes from my trip in the thumb. I pinned them onto a clothes line and had her pull it out there was about six outfits on it and two pairs of socks. It was really cool. I was proud of it! Nice time not to get pics!! It was such a fun shower.



Lot's of Pinterst and Etsy Decorations and ideals.



I won this groovy plant from one of the games!!





This was the side of the house I was at!! I am diggin those blue wine bottles! The house was gorgeous!! She has some of my creations and one of Sim's wind chimes!! It is made from 1930's kitchen utensils and a flour sifter. She has the wind chime inside the house cuz she loves it so much!! It was one of my favorites that he made!!



Here are two of my favorite Katie's!! Katie and her husband have decided not to know the sex of their baby til they have it!! She is due the 24th of September. She is so sweet. And that is my Kaitlin who just got her bangs cut this week. She hasn't had them since 6th grade. She's lost 50 pounds since January and felt like trying something new. I say "You go Girl"!! 

I am working on lot's of things right now, so it was a great break to stop and do something for someone else. I got my car back from car hospital. Thank God it wasn't anything major. It was a belt broken. Our weather was awesome this weekend alittle cooler but the sun was shining!!

XOXO Love, Fran.







Check out my groovey treasures!!

Here are some of my treasures I got from the Yard and Antique Sale. The bottle is an old Wine Bottle and I plan on putting all white and cream buttons in it. I got a couple of pieces of fabric. I fell in love with the old deer salt n pepper shakers. The glass candle holders will be made into Redneck Beer Glasses. Seems like lately alot of people have been having me make them for them. I got a prim candlestick light, alittle box for altering, and a twig basket.

In this bundle I got an old scrapbook with cool stuff inside. Some old Little Golden Books, three hangers with ads on them. The wooden butter scoop, roller, old vege brush, and slotted spoon I would like to put in an old crock. I love glass jars and these were really cute. As you can see I am going to take all of the lampshade material off and alter it up.

 

And these little beauties are gonna be pin cushions and birds nests. I got a few other things too. I didn't get alot of clothing but a I did get a few. I also got some goodies for a baby shower I am going to on Sunday. Like I said this always gets my mojo going and I can't wait to get busy!! I hate to keep blaming the heat on everything but I really need to organize my craft room! It has just been to darn hot to do it!! I had a few appointments this week and my little orange car is broken!! Sad face!! I am using my MIL's car. My car is in the shop. I can't wait to get it back, but I appreciate that I have a car I can use. Thanks for looking!! XOXO Love, Fran.  





I've been Travelin around the Thumb of Michigan!!!

We started out spending the weekend at a Civil War Days in Port Sanilac, Michigan!! This was a cute little area where a family was spending time just like they would in that time period.

 These little cuties belonged to the little girls. They were so cute and just little babies!!

Sim was feeding Lu Lu through a hole in the crib barn. Too cute!!!  

Lu Lu was like hey where'd ya go!!

(Trace' now I know why you want to get Goats!!)

This was really cool how they spin the yarn. She was explaining it to us how many steps there are. They have to wash it so many times and then repeat alot of the steps. There are about 13 steps I think she said!! Now I really appreciate yarn alot more. Has anyone ever used alpaca yarn? I would like to get some and make me a scarf.

Here are some of the ways they were just living outside in tents. These people actually eat sleep and live this community. They talk like the days. It was so hot and the ladies were dressed to the nines. Which means nine layers of clothing!!

And how cool is this dude!! He actually looks like this everyday. He goes around to alot of Civil War Days around our state. I think he lives down by Detroit.  This was a debate between Lincoln and Senator Douglas. The guy on the right side. We listened to it and the words were from the actual debate Lincoln and Douglas had. The real one was 21 hours they got this one down to an hour. Very interesting.

This is the South shooting at the North! But we all know how it went!! LOL That cannon is actually from the Civil War and that boom is so loud!!

 This is Governor Douglas of Michigan and his wife. Another great person. They live down by Detroit too. They travel all over and get alot of people involved.

 This is the Grand Ball they had that night. We came back and danced on the lawn with these people. Oh my gosh Sim and I had so much fun!! We were laughing at ourselves and with the other people.

Can ya dig it!! It was so hot that day. Sim caught me resting!! LOL

So this is were I was at the beginning of the week and I will have to get pics taken of the goodies I bought at the end of the week. We always go this time of year for the Antique and Yard Sale Trail around the Thumb of Michigan. I save my money so I can get supplies for making and getting items for my Etsy Shoppe. (check it out on my sidebar) I got some great stuff. It rained the first two days of the sale but we were still out there. I felt bad for the people who sat up. Alot of hard work cuz they had to keep covering up their stuff as it rained on and off. Now it is getting the time of year I start getting ready for the Craft Shows I do. I am like everyone else so ready for Fall!! This trip always gets my mojo going for creating!! Glad to be back and I missed ya all!!

XOXO Love, Fran.