Columbia Kate's

Columbia Kate's Teahouse is one of my favorite places in Columbia. Yes, I have written about it before. But since I was there again recently, I wanted to share some pictures. Lori and I went in and  had a wonderful lunch there:

She had an egg salad sandwich with salad:

I had their "Tea Sandwich Trio" with salad:

These stands are on every table with mix and match china cups and saucers - you choose your favorites:

The Teahouse is located in an old house, and is decorated so nicely. It's perfect for cozy and comfortable dining; the atmosphere is welcoming:

The owner Clare Bazley recently opened Columbia Kate's Boutique nearby, as well as a bakery. The boutique has some really gorgeous things for sale:

Unique and fabulous clothing:

 Handmade jewelry, like these leather bracelets:

 And other accessories made by talented local crafters:

Unusual socks in such pretty patterns and colors:

 At the front door, a lacy confection:

 Head adornments:

 All sorts of lovely things:

Any one of her three great businesses are well worth a visit, if you happen to be visiting Columbia Historic State Park!

Okay, I Give Up... A Morning in Blogdom

Good morning. Tina here.

I started out this morning with a great plan for a post about Ishi and Chessie going for a walk.  I managed to load three pictures, which probably took me an hour, and then hit a wall. 

Gave up.

Then I was going to show you my hanging pots on the front porch, which are beginning to sport some lovely tulips.  Managed to load one lone photo, and then I lost my connection, and the post wouldn't save.

So here is my post (I hope).

Just a photo of the beginning of a mid-winter sunset.  Soon the maple tree will be sporting its flower buds and then it will lose those and start working on its leaves.  

Have a lovely Wednesday!

A Few More Things From My "Good-Buy" Box

 So, I believe this is my final post on the "box" full of stuff I bought from the guy at the storage space sale. This sale is held every other weekend or so, and people just open up their storage spaces and offer things for sale. And I think you could just go there and rent an area like at a flea market, too. I have only been a few times, but I have actually found some really neat stuff there. And I'll be back!
 When I spied this owl at the bottom of a box of stuff, I couldn't add it to my pile fast enough! He makes me happy:

 Gorgeous vintage bark cloth - on the bolt! There isn't a lot of it, but I was thrilled to get it, nonetheless. And a nice pair of taper candle holders . These are like the pillar candle holders I collect, but I do not find very many in the same style (and of the same vintage - sixties and seventies) for tapers:

Spools of velvety ribbon:
 

 Cute graphics on this card of snap fasteners:

 Photo corners and pattern booklets:

 Thread and eyelet ruffle trim, and more:

 A bucket-style vintage handbag and a wicker carrier - for wine, perhaps?

 And last - but certainly not least - this little cutie from Russia:

 With two more just like her inside!

These things, in addition to the patterns in my post on , and the Jiffy Stitchery kits - now you know why I call it my "good-buy" box, right?

Some Like It Hot ?

Sis Lori here:

I didn't know about this, and I like Dr. Pepper.
Of course, I was only 12 back in 1967, and we didn't drink a lot of sodas - or "pop", as it was called.
It sounds good, though - and I may just try it sometime!
                            (Are you a "Pepper", too?)

                   Source: an ad in a 1967 Look Magazine.

More Stuff From That Box I Bought

 I promised you more on the box of stuff I bought over a week ago at the storage space sale.

 This one guy said "Oh, just throw some stuff together and I'll give you a good deal on it", or something like that. He didn't even really look into the box I gathered up.

 Along with the patterns I showed you already - and more - there were these cute vintage Jiffy Stitchery kits from the 1970's.

 I think I got maybe fourteen of them? They aren't all pictured in this post.

 This one, below "Brownstone" - I am virtually positive that I stitched this one up way back then! Because it looks way too familiar to me:

                               (Wonder where it is now....?)

108 and 37

One hundred and eight years ago today, our Grandmother was born. She is pictured below with our Mother, circa - oh, about 1933 I believe:

And thirty-seven years ago, in 1976, my Grandma and Grandpa send me this pretty birthday card:

So, happy birthday Grandma! We love you and miss you.

Pink Party Garland

Sis Lori Here: My grand daughter turns 3 this month and we are preparing a Princess themed party soon. She takes a tiny tots dance class, so I found an idea on Pinterest for this ballerina garland. Heidi and I found pink copy paper at the Waste Management store and I cut the bodies on the fold, then folded squares and trimmed and cut for snowflake skirts. I already had some pom pom garland to hang it all from. I will return to show it hanging after the party has occurred. She will hang it in her bedroom against lavender walls when the party is over!! It was a fun project to work on evenings while watching TV.

For Travelin' In Style

Here's another find from that storage space sale last weekend.  This lady had her space set up inside like a retail shop. I was impressed.

And I was happy to find this great vintage suitcase for about one-third the price of others I had been desiring when I saw them downtown at a gallery before Christmas. I decided against buying one of those, because they were truly more than I wanted to spend. Not to mention the fact that I was supposed to be shopping for Christmas gifts at the time - not for myself!

Very cool sort of tiki-style abstract design in bright colors:

I like it.

Where's Luna?

Good morning, hopefully. Tina here. I am sorry I am so late, but I am distracted this morning. 

Our lovely little kitty girl, Luna, is missing. She was outside late last night, she doesn't like to come in when Ishi is around, she really doesn't like him, and growls rather gloriously when he gets near.

Luna is a native of Garden Valley, just up the highway from Kelsey, and she will be 10 years old in July, but you would never know it. She could lie about her age and no one would guess.

  

She has stayed outside at night before, but last night a big storm came in "like a lion" as they say about March, and this morning she is no where to be found.  I am hoping my hubby let her inside when he got up at 5:00 am and she is hunkered down somewhere in our house (where hidey-holes abound) and just not answering my call.  Outside it is blustery and wet and if she is still out there, I hope she is in a good spot to stay warm.

I have tried calling her, with her special call: "Luna poots, puss in boots, Luna, come on Luna!, Come on pretty girl!" Nothing.

Anyway, that is about all I can think about this morning. Come on Luna!

Update: At about 4 pm all the cats decided to gather at the foot of the stairs asking to go outside... including Luna! So she was hiding inside all day. No idea where, and I will probably never know. She slept inside last night, under the covers and really close to me. Thank you to everyone for their concern!

Patterns From My Box Lot

Lori and I went to a sale at a storage facility, and I was surprised at some of the things I found.  I gathered up a box full and a few other assorted things that wouldn't fit in the box, and the guy quoted me what I felt was a fair price. Today I am showing you only the vintage patterns that were in the box:

A nice assortment of vintage styles:

Sleeveless dresses for spring and summer:

Robes and housecoats:

And more dresses:

Patterns Pacifica - from Hawaii:

This one has to be the cutest, though - check out the calico cat!

I'll show you more of what was in the box I bought in future posts.

What's Penny Wearing? #87 Inexpensive Attire

Penny is stylin' today, wearing some clothing I've scored recently at the thrift shops.
I love this jacket. I was delighted when I tried it on and found that it fit me perfectly:




 I really like this floral jacket, too:
 

 This pretty pink blouse, below,  has a couple of minor issues - which won't stop me from wearing it: 

Honestly, I have been able to dress a lot nicer since I've been shopping at thrift shops! Funny how that works, isn't it?

Takahashi Handblown Glass

 

I found the first two photos in this post on the internet somewhere, to show you examples of Takahashi hand blown glass canisters with the original labels intact.

 In the photo below are the pair I found at a thrift store here in town. The larger one has a very faded label remaining, and a little damage on the handle, as you can see:

  

Another example (in amber glass) with the label intact is seen below:



Mine again, shown from a different angle:

I was lucky to find them. I think if the labels had been complete and legible, they would have been priced far higher than they were!
I love 70's glassware, and the fact that they are this pretty tangerine color makes them even more special , in my opinion.
I think you already know how tickled I get when I find great things at great prices!
Love it!

An Illuminating Find

I have loved this blue lamp since the day I found it.
On a half-price day, at a thrift store in Angel's Camp.
It never had the right shade on it, though, so it didn't look quite right:
I found this one, below on another half-price day at a shop in Jackson. I didn't like the shade that was on it, so I switched it for another right out there in the open , in front of God and everybody. Nobody noticed, nobody cared. They were both old lamps with old shades, and I knew it wouldn't make any difference to anyone - except me. I was hoping the shade I switched to would work for my blue lamp at home.
When I got it home, I switched shades again, and the one that had looked rather ridiculous atop my precious blue pottery lamp looks pretty darned good on the mustard-colored ceramic mid-century style lamp.
And the one that WAS on it is the best I have found yet for my blue lamp:
 Pretty cool.