Under construction ...

This year the decorations will be about toys. I have to admit, I like toys.
My toys will have a chance to come out and play.

A lot of my toys and some of the decorations are items that have fond memories associated with them. I'm sure this is true for most of us who have had children and who've seen them grow up.

The red jointed teddy bear is one I made many years ago while making many teddy bears and other toys. I couldn't afford the price of a Care Bear when the boys wanted one for Christmas so I tried my hand at making toys. I found out that I couldn't sew a dress or pants, but could certainly whip together a difficult toy! 

The Christmas Teddy bear is sitting on a Turtle stool.

The stool was made by a man named Orlando Potts who was an uncle or grand uncle to Rich's daughter. He handmade that turtle stool. It is dated.... and signed. I found it in the garage years ago. It was under a pile of junk and it was very dirty. Rich commented that his daughter no longer had a use for it and he didn't know why he saved it, he just did.

I cleaned the Turtle up and put it in our house. The Turtle has a story and a history. Besides, when little people play at my house, they always drag out the Turtle to sit on!

The nesting box for chickens was an item used as a coffee table in my mother in laws house as long as I could recall.

My father in law knew I loved it and promised to build me a replica. He cut up all the boards and was set to do the woodworking when he died.

I coveted this odd piece of furniture for years. When it came up for auction at my mother in law's estate sale I went for it. I probably paid too much money for it. But I wanted it. It suits my house in all seasons.

The boxes on top of the stack are actually drawers from old fancy pedal sewing machines. I found most of them in the shed or garage filled with rusty nails and bolts. I spent a lot of time cleaning them up. I found ones like them for sale at an antique store for a ridiculous amount of money.

Below the drawers is a bolt shipping crate.

On the bottom is a Dynamite box. I'd love to know more about who got a box of dynamite and how it was shipped! The tiny button bears I made live there right now with a cowboy snowman and a felt needled snowman I'd used to decorate my MIL's nursing home room.

I suspect that those toys will move around. The tiny teddy bears will no doubt get into things when I am not looking.

Those gnomes sound like they are plotting against their nemesis: The Elf on the Shelf.

The Lego people are just waiting until I turn my back.

I saw this just before I went to bed!

Santa! It isn't time yet.

He yelled out that he was just taking the reindeer out for a spin to get them warmed up for the big night...

What surprises will the toys have for me? 

Found things

I was going to show off my Infrared photos from our little get away, but instead I got busy looking through the boxes of 'stuff' my cousin gave me. She said no one was really interested in most of the stuff and did I want to look through it?
Sure. I mean, what kind of junk or treasures would I find?

I sorted things out here and there laying them out to look at odd things. Mixed in with Sewing Machine parts for a pedal Singer Sewing Machine and some odd thimbles I found this.
Curious. I was more interested in the advertising on the hook. But I couldn't find any info, so I started digging some more and came up with a 'Shoe Hook' or button hook.

People actually collect these things?

So I set up some thimbles and wooden thread spools.

I can recall playing stack the wooden spools as a kid. We kept them and reused them for all sorts of things.

Instruction books for the Singer No. 27, a rubber belt for the machine, bobbins, a sewing foot, and another book of instructions. The book with the No. 27 is dated November 9, 1896.
The ads on the belt are circa 1918, the year my father was born.

Photo Master? The back of it is unique and has two view holes in it. I've looked it up, doubt it works, but it is possible this was made in the 1940's.

Even the Needle holder I got was interesting in that is was an ad for Gambles...

Inside are nickel plated needles with gold eyes. I imagine these were given away when the men folk bought paint for the house to keep the wife happy?
I don't really know, but I found all of this pretty fascinating.

The advertising on the sewing belt was neat also.

I'm sure the belt is no good to anyone, but I find the ads pretty neat. Advertising has been around forever hasn't it?

There are some other things I found but I'll address them at another time.