Spread The Love

Time to Spread The Love for the month of August. I thank each of you for your contribution to The Blind Pig & The Acorn, you truly make it a better place to visit.

Susan, Miss Cindy, Brit, Dana, Amy, Teresa, Paula, Leslie, Jennifer in OR, Renna, Trisha Too, Noble Pig, Osagebluff Quilter, Egghead, Writer Lady, Meredith, Janera, Jessica, Beckynsc, Ms. Hillbilly, Carrie, Threecollie, Joan, Granny Sue, Valarie Lea, Christina, Debbie, Kathleen, Cathy, Farm Chick Paula, Renaedujour, City Mouse Country House, Razor Family Farms, GA Farm Woman, Dina in Jerusalem, Dejoni, Mary, Farmchick, TwoSquareMeals, Applie, Julie at Elisharose, Julie O'Neil, Kari & Kijsa, Paul, Carolyn A., Marlene, The Joy of Christina, The Texican, Pam, Shirley, Cowboys, Kids, & Sunsets, Mark Salinas, Sarah RSM, Carletta, The Fishing Guy, Marci, Louise, Dee from Tennessee, Madge, Stefani, Nicole, Lisa, Sandy Carlson, Missy K, Jan, Petra Michelle, WKF, Terry Thornton, Debbie, Miz Fit, Julie Curtis, Tootie, Queen Of Planet Hotflash, Eleanor, Peggy, Yolanda, Nanna Murakami, SharonLee, Marty, G Wetherington, Monica, Linda H, Sheila Bergeron, Mary-Life In A Cordwood Cabin, Darla, Matthew Burns, Kristi, Linda, Kayla, Terry, Stacey Hudson, Tracy, Tammy, and Dwayne Jenkins.

I'm addicted to yard sales. You never know what treasure you'll find waiting for you. My problem is, I can't bear to leave those treasures behind. Even if I don't need them, I can't bear to think they might just throw them away after I leave.

Earlier this summer I found the lovely assortment of doilies shown above. I would guess they were made in the 50s or 60s. When I realized they were obviously made by the same lady, I eagerly asked the young woman, who was selling them, if they were made by her grandmother. She said she had no clue where they came from or who made them. She was just cleaning out her house-getting rid of old stuff.

I'm fortunate to have lovely linens from Granny and Great Grandmother Dollie, so I knew I didn't really need them. As I stood there debating about buying something I shouldn't, the picture of the lady who made them begin to form in my mind:

After milking all the cows and feeding the chickens-she then had to wash clothes on a wash board. Probably fix dinner and take it to the fields. Come back to the house and can 10 runs of greenbeans, make 4 runs of jelly, churn butter, and fix supper (carrying water from the well to assist in all of this). Afterwards she had to make sure the children got their lessons and did their chores. Until finally she could sit down and do her needlework by lamp light.

See what a sucker I am! My mind weaves a total exaggeration about the hardship someone endured to get the items I think are treasures-all so I'll buy something I don't need.

But just in time, inspiration struck-I could use the doilies for Spreading the Love. So I bought them, and the winner of Spread the Love for August is...

              Farm Chick-It's A Small Town Life

Thank you again to all the August Commenters! And please click on one of the names in orange-and go for a visit-I know you'll be glad you did.

Now that you know my issues with yard sales-What about you-do you like yard sales? Do you think you have to save all the treasures like I do? Do you have yard sales yourself? Tell me something!!

Tipper

p.s. Thank you Beckynsc!

Comments

[Janet]

I just did a post a few days ago on my site about yard sales. I love them! I'm addicted. I also love old items. My Aunt Leatha was the one in our family who made the doilies. I love quilts, doilies, old tablecloths, crocheted pillowcases, etc. I could go on and on. Love your site, will come back often.

[Shirley]

Can't say I'm much on yard sales, but I have several of my mother's doilies and I wouldn't take a million dollars for them.

I love to use them and tell people where they came from. The history is perhaps the best part.

[Carletta]

These are beautiful!
I used to love yard sales but since retiring I stay away. When I moved I had to decide about so much to keep. A lot stays put away out of sight so I just don't need to collect any more at my age. I do miss 'THE find.'

[Osagebluffquilter]

I love the crocheted items. Makes me think of my very favorite late Aunt Faye. She was my mentor when it came to quilting. However me being left-handed, I never quite got the crochet thing from her.

I'm not fond of garage sales. I always feel obligated to buy something. But give me an auction and I can stay there all day. And yes there have been days where I stayed all day and still came home empty handed.

Have a great week and hoepfully some rain but not too much.

Osagebluffquilter

[Glenda]

Tipper, your story about the history of the doilies makes me thing of a poem by a friend, mary Mike, who loves flea markets, estate sales, etc.
At an estate sale she discovered a lovely shawl the young women were selling from the nearly empty house. She wrote the most beautiful poem about that shawl and it always brings a tear to my eyes. I'll find it and post it one day for everyone to read.

[Egghead]

Tipper,

My grandmother used to make doilies by the dozens.I just don't see them much any more. I have to stay away from garage sales....I just tote home all kinds of stuff if I go.

[SandyCarlson]

All of those doilies are just lovely. I am the same way at those sales. Your loving attention surely must make the days of the people you visit!

[Mary]

Oh Tipper, I'm the same way for almost anything old! Especially for something that is handmade. I can't help but think of all the work and love that went in to those pieces, whether doilies, quilts, embroidery, paintings. . the list goes on. I've finally started 'rotating' some things around my house, so at least they are used and loved.

Congrats to Farm Chick!

R~Mary

[noble pig]

Oh man these are so beautiful I love yard sales to. I love old dishes.

I loved your story too!

[Renna]

I love the way your mind works, Tipper. You took something pretty, but ordinary, and wove a (likely true!) story around it, giving it new life. That's the mark of a true storyteller!

Congratulations to Farm Chick! :-)

[Darla]

I too enjoy letting my mind create stories about people and things.........imagination is a wonderful place! Really enjoy reading your stories.

[farmchick]

I am soooo excited! I don't think I have ever won anything in my adult life! This is awesome!

[RazorFamilyFarms.com]

Thanks for the love!!! I need to do one of these posts!

I love finding handmade items at yard sales, church bizarres, and flea markets.

Blessings!
Lacy

[Mark Salinas]

I always look forward to your journey updates. Thanks for the link love!

[petra michelle]

Morning Tipper! What beautiful doilies! Your thoughts about the history of women who sat at the lamplight crocheting, knitting, or
needlepointing after a very grueling day are so vivid and true. These finds are priceless, in my humble opinion. And love, love, love yard sales. Whatever jumped out at me, I'd buy it. No hemmming & a hawing! Whether it would be an antique piece of jewelry, or a beautiful vase or bowl (my favorite finds), I was thrilled! A touching post, Tipper! Have a wonderful day!

[Fishing Guy]

Tipper: You are so nice to your readers by sharing so much more then your stories and music. It is a shame that something so nice is passed on without the knowledge of who did the work.

[Applie]

What a find! I just love those old doilies. My grandmother use to have the kind that had the stiff curly sides. I have always wanted to make some of those, but haven't done it yet.

Congratulations Farm Chic!

[Sarah]

Congratulations to Farm Chick! Tipper, I love the quilt under your basket and winner's name ~ did Granny or Great Grandmother Dollie make it? By the way, when I looked back at the "Granny" post you link to I realized that your girls look JUST LIKE YOU when you were their age. I thought the picture of you and your brothers was one of the girls until I read underneath it! I didn't catch that when it first posted. As my friend's mother would say, "Count the day lost you don't learn somethin' new" :-)

[cathy]

Yard sales can be a lot of fun!
C

[Louise]

Would you believe I hate garage sales and never, EVER go! I know there are finds to be had, but it's so not worth it to me to weed through the ones with no finds. Too much time. I should probably slow down.

You had a great find!

[Valarie Lea]

I love yard sales! I think I like them so much, because you really can find something that someone else thinks is trash and really make it your treasure. :)

[Beckynsc]

Congratulations, Farm Chick!
You are very welcome, Tipper!
I love yard sales. And yes, I must keep all the little treasures. They are taking over my home. Help!!!
My Mother liked to crochet with thread rather than yarn. So I have many treasures like the ones above. We lost several that my Great Grandmother tatted, in a housefire. Made me sad, because I treasured them, even at a young age, even thought I never knew her.

[Miss Cindy]

Oh my, those are beautiful. Congratulations to Farm Chick!
Yes, I like yard sales and yes, I sometimes buy old things just to rescue them. Then later I think, why in the world did I buy that!
I'm always tempted with the old things. I think it is my longing for a simpler way of life. I have the ability to completely block out the reality that that simpler time was also a hard time!

[Dee from Tennessee]

I'm like Julie....I would love to know the "history" of some furniture we've picked up throughout the years. I love children's chairs and I think about some daddy making them.

We often take a drive in the evenings through a small cove close to our house...looking for deer and their fawns and there are several horses that I like to look at. There is a log cabin in that little cove...and my mind wonders about the family that live there. How did they stay warm...how many children...where was the spring?

(Tell Pap that although Sweet Sweet Corn doesn't automatically play first when I now open your blog, I click on Sweet Sweet Corn before I start reading...grin.)

[Jennifer in OR]

Congrats to Farm Chick! I, too, am a sucker for yard sales! I love old things, and most recently added to my collection of old student desks. I found three with the old inkwells, and then another one just like I sat in as a child. I need to stop with the desks, though, I'm running out of space to put them! Old books are another favorite, especially the old prairie primers from colonial America - I just found one of these in FREE bin at a garage sale, it you can believe it!!