Blackwork Bookmarks

Finished up a couple of Blackwork bookmarks in July. 

 

 

We spent a couple of days at my In-Law's cabin on a lake.  If I wasn't helping with meals or reading, I was stitching under the trees.  It was such a relaxing couple of days.

 

The basic pattern, for the bookmark above, is from my Blackwork Made Easy Book by Leslie Wilkins.

The other bookmark shown below was a pattern I found on Pinterest.

They just need a nice little backing and then will be put into my Bible.

 

 

That's all for today.  Until another time, have a happy stitching day!

Dale and Martha Hawk Museum 2

Today we will explore a bit more of the Dale and Martha Hawk museum located near Wolford ND.

Inside the larger of the two school houses there were household displays such as the ones below.

 

 

 

Then we walked over to the old Nanson School house.  Vintage school houses are one of our favorite places in a pioneer museum.  They are always so bright and cheerful with their large windows, cute curtains and art projects hanging on the walls.  We enjoy looking at the old maps of North Dakota and sitting in the desks.  It's like stepping back in time for a few minutes.

 

 

Inside the small, one roomed school house.

 

 

 

Some nifty old school supplies.

 

 

Most pioneer museums have a cook car that were once used to feed threshing crews in fields across the county.  The cook car could move from field to field to feed the hungry crews.  It was probably very hot work for the gals who cooked in these cars..  Look at that beautiful, blue stove! 

 

Most pioneer museums have a little building with children's toys and dolls from yesteryear.

 

I thought this little baby doll had the cutest face of all the dolls in the building.

 

 

Autumn made the comment that some dolls are creepy, I disagreed. 

But then she pointed to this.

 

 

 

Touché Autumn.

 

After seeing that we ran for our lives to the little church for safety.  Just kidding, we walked along, lazily because it was that kind of a day. 

We looked around this beautiful little Lutheran Church, with it's embossed tin walls and ceiling, antique light fixtures, and green hymnals.  I miss the green hymnal.  Could it be that each generation misses the hymnal they grew up with?  They are proof that the times keep-a-changin' I suppose.

 

 

The photo below shows the embossed tin inside the church.

 

 

After stopping for a bite to eat, we walked over to what was once the home of Dale and Martha Hawk from 1937-1950.  Notice the tree to the right of the home is growing up through the bars of the windmill.  Amazing.

 

 

Vintage linoleum in the kitchen.

 

 

Most of my kitchen pictures turned out either blurry or fuzzy.  I learned a lesson to bring my better camera.

 

 

There were many things I loved about this kitchen but the sink was probably my favorite.  It is a single sink with single drain board.  And check out the green and yellow "tile" wall coverings that are so cool.

The tablecloth on the table (bottom of photo) is the same color as the tile wall covering.

 

 

Notice the interesting linoleum in the bedroom, along with the gorgeous furniture.

I'm not sure what the dresser with the mirror is called...maybe just a dresser, but it sure is beautiful.

 

 

The porch off the kitchen was where the wash day items lived including a very nice washing machine.

 

 

I liked this view from the porch into the kitchen.  I imagined it was probably quite inviting during the chilly, fall evenings to walk into the porch, at twilight, and see the kitchen lights glowing and a late supper on the table. 

 

 

The tree growing through the windmill stand.

 

 

We couldn't leave without treating ourselves to a Pride Dairy, Juneberry ice cream cone.

 

 

There were train rides for kids of every age.

 

Some creative person with a green thumb was selling flowers at the entry/exit.  A nice touch to a beautiful, sunny day.  We had such a fun time!

 

 

That was our trip to the Dale and Martha Hawk Museum.  Until another time, have a happy vintage day!



Dale and Martha Hawk Museum Part 1

Back in late June, we picked up the folks and headed to the Dale and Martha Hawk Museum located a few miles outside of the small town of Wolford, North Dakota.  It had been 18 years since we'd last visited this fun little pioneer museum and much had changed during that stretch of time.

 

Here is a LINK to the Dale and Martha Hawk Museum's website.  It's a nifty little place to visit.

 

   

There are quite a few buildings spread across the farm.

 

One of the first buildings we explored had a small flea market happening, live entertainment, ice cream and pie.  Autumn bought a bag of popcorn from a popcorn machine that served two different drive-in theaters, one in St. John and one in Rugby.  I don't know which theater closed first, but the machine outlasted both of them.

 

 

We headed into the flea market where, wouldn't you know, I found a real nice lady selling costume jewelry.  I bought a new sweater clip and two pairs of earrings.

 

 

There was another woman selling her crocheted doilies and I bought this little beauty from her.  It can be used year round, but I think using it at Christmas time will be especially nice.

 

 

Next, we looked at some of the museum pieces that were in another large building.

Autumn discovered this beautiful collections cabinet full of rocks and minerals

donated by Norman Gilje.

 

 

Of course I was drawn to the antique radios on display.

 

 

 

Wait, what?!  A radio, cassette deck from the 1980s...Now I feel old! 

 

 

And I just love antique refrigerators.

 

 

We walked over to what used to be the Nanson Store.  The store was moved to the museum grounds many years ago and is quite an interesting trip down memory lane.

 

 

Inside the store, one could find objects from many past decades, the 19-teens through the 1980s.

 

 

 

And there was a post office in the back of the store.

 

 

 That's all for today.  Next time we will visit the house that Dale and Martha Hawk lived in until the 1950s, a building that housed many beautiful furnishings, and a Church.
Until then, have a happy, vintage day! 

Red White and Blue--Just For Fun

Even though the month of July is at its closing, just for fun, I thought I'd repost this "Red White and Blue" photo from a couple of years ago.

 

Our kitchen has a dark blue wall and I really like the Red White & Blue color scheme. 
We are actually thinking of doing something like this to our kitchen.  (Photo from Pinterest).

 

 

It's just taking us awhile to "pull the trigger" so-to-speak.  It would be a mighty big change and a lot of hard work, therefore, I don't think we will tackle it this year...but maybe next summer!

 

Until then I will enjoy my kitchen as it is with all of it's happy little Red White & Blue accents!

 

 

And here's a photo for my mom, of the fun little Androck sifter I bought at the flea a few years ago.

 

That's all for this girl's ramblings. Until another time, have a happy vintage day!



Homemade Circle Skirt

I've always wanted a vintage circle skirt.  The thrift shops and consignment stores around town don't have much for vintage clothing, and no vintage looking circle skirts, so my only other option is to make one.

 

I'm not a seamstress....at all.  My husband bought me a sewing machine for Christmas one year.  I think our daughter uses it more than I, and that's okay.  I'm glad she is learning to use a machine.

 

I started by watching a You Tube Video by The Vintage Vanity (I just love her videos and tutorials).  In her 4 step video tutorial she shows us how to make a circle skirt!

 

The first step was to pick my fabric.  It took me DAYS to pick just the right one for my skirt.

There were so many choices!

 

I finally decided upon this flowery fabric found at JoAnns. 

 

 

I learned that if you have a 40% off coupon, you get 40% off a single cut of fabric, no matter how many yards the fabric is.  For some reason I thought you only got one yard at the sale price, and paid full price for the extra yards.  So that was good news for my pocketbook!

 

Next I taped large pieces of tissue paper together to form a large sheet.  I measured my waist and did the calculations.  Then measured the length and used my measuring tape as a large compass.

 

 

After it was drawn, I cut out this cone shape and that was my pattern.  I would need to cut FOUR of these "cones" out of my fabric.

 

 

I laid my fabric out on the table, pinned the pattern and cute out four identical "cones".

I think my little vintage table was very happy to have someone doing a sewing project on its surface...especially a vintage sewing project.  Maybe someone did a sewing project or quilting project many years ago on this very same table.

 

 

I won't go into detail about stitching the fabric.  To be honest, once I was into the thick of it I didn't stop to take photographs.  The waistband seam had to be ripped out and redone, and the bottom hem was done the next day.  Let's just say it wasn't easy and leave it at that.  Hopefully I've learned from my mistakes, and if I ever make another circle skirt things will go a lot better.

 

Here is the finished skirt with two of the cardigans I already owned.  They match wonderfully, but I really wanted a green cardigan.

 

Daughter and I stopped into the local consignment store and, wouldn't you know, there was a green sweater...in my size!  Yea!

 

The photo (farther below) is the only one I have of me wearing the skirt and sweater.  The sweater is Christopher and Banks, the skirt homemade (duh) the white blouse is from Kmart, the vintage sweater chain and screw/clip earrings I bought at a flea market, and the white belt was (I believe) my mothers from the 1980s. 
Sadly, when this photo was taken, I was not holding the little white wicker purse that somewhat matches the belt. 

The skirt doesn't really need the belt, I just like that it adds a little something. Next, I'd like to purchase a shorter crinoline to give the skirt a bit more fluff.

 

 

The skirt REALLY isn't perfect, it has its flaws, but it's good enough for me to wear around the house on those days when I'm feeling especially "vintage".  I'll throw on some Kitty Wells, sit in my sorta vintage kitchen and flip through one of my 1950s Ladies Home Journals.  Now if I only had a clothesline!

Until another time, have a happy vintage day!