Saturday, December 3, 2011

A Kitchen Sink Post

These are the posts that have a little bit of everything thrown in. Sewing and weaving projects are off limits right now since it's been all gifts. This one is going to actually start near the kitchen sink!

After I painted my kitchen I mentioned that it would be fun to do some vintage dishes. I was tired of my old set. Like all of my dish sets, it was pretty cheap and I do that on purpose. I never feel guilty about changing them out and moving them on. So the hunt was on for some fun vintage dishes and I settled on restaurant ware. Many manufacturers used similar patterns and so, I was able to find an assortment from Syracuse, McNichol, Jackson and Shenago china companies.


I have multiples of all of these and again a well stocked china cabinet. I'm still on the hunt for some fill in pieces but we've been enjoying them a lot.

Cold weather gear. For most of us, winter is starting to settle in and I feel it's worth mentioning products that have worked for farm use in our cold and wet area.
Bogs Boots! I am heading into year 3 on these boots and I can't say enough about them. They keep my feet warm and dry even though I may be out there for quite some time. They are very comfortable too. If I had a complaint it would be I wish for a little more heel for riding.

Neoprene gloves. I found a pair of diver gloves in a heavy neoprene in one of our local outdoor stores. They are tops for keeping hands dry and I do a lot of work with water outside in the winter for the critters. They are not terribly warm, so if you find a pair, get a warm thin liner glove too. I didn't like the high snug cuff so I cut it off. It's still snug but not like one would need for a wet suit.

Lands End turtlenecks. Still the nicest made for a good price. I have LE t-necks that must be 10 years old. They wear like iron, keep their shape and while over that much time and use, still look pretty decent color wise. I buy the men's since they are cut longer.

Dog beds. If you have dogs or cats that like the sofa and chairs, throw a bed on them. They will use them and it offers some protection to the furniture both with mud/grit/hair and the nesting and scratching my dogs love to do ( and spin around 3 times at least), before they settle into snooze mode.


Rodger the cat likes them too, he just doesn't always get a free one in time. Musical beds anyone? They are easily washable and hold up remarkably well no matter what the make.

I love new little gadgets and doodads. Either for sewing, knitting or weaving. Clover has come out with some fun little clips that have proved useful on the sewing and the weaving fronts.


They really make working with slippery or fine fabrics easy. No more distortion or pin marks. You can also get them in packs of 10.

That about covers the non-gift highlights for this post! Except of course...Parting shot:
Grrrr Baby Grrrrrrrrrr!
He's really not growling..we took advantage of dry lip and stuck them up there. Robin was quite happy to stay like that as long as I was rubbing his tummy. Such a mellow fellow!

10 comments:

LA said...

I had to chuckle when I saw Robin...belly rubs are important!!!! And, I agree about the necessity of good turtleneck tops! To me, they are a staple of my winter clothes!!!!

Mary said...

hi Theresa, Thanks for the comment on my blog. It's fun that we can find so many connections through the blogosphere (locale, PR, dogs, horses...) Lands End turtlenecks are wonderful-I need a few. As for boots, I use Miller's Warm Toes winter riding boots which have a heel and "leather" on the calf. They are waterproof and cozy. However, only for riding, not muck boots.

Laura said...

I have a pair of Muck boots that are "riders" - they are cut kind of like a spanish top dress boot, with a spur-rest and everything. They're comfortable, but I need a boot jack to get them off. I wear thick socks with them, as they aren't terribly warm. They are waterproof up to about 4" below my knees, a must where I used to live!

Now I wear them when I help out at the local dairy, where they are just as servicable. Since it's dry here, I bought a pair of Iron Horse winter paddock boots - they have thinsulate, etc. in them, and are also waterproof, but really warm!

Love the parting shot - aren't our furkids just too much fun!

Theresa said...

LA, Belly rubs ARE important aren't they? Yep, same here with the turtlenecks. They come out in late Sept. and often don't go away until May.

Mary, I'll have to check those boots out. I use to have Brit Riders, which worked like a muck/riding boot. Handy when you have to cross a muddy pasture to get the horse..but they didn't last. I just got 2 more LE t-necks, they are always running fairly good sales.

Laura, thanks for the boot tips. I have a number now to check out! Yep, furkids are an endless source of comfort and entertainment

ladyoftheloom said...

I love dishes too. I thrift shop for them. Amazing what you can find at GoodWill.

As for Robin, there might be a movie deal in the works....could he be the Robert Pattinson of the dog kingdom?

Love LE turtles and have since they used real people in the catalogs! And I am the owner of a 25 yr old pair of Bean boots but then I don't have muck or horses. I love them! It was popular in my college days to wear them on sunny days with corduroy skirts and fair isle sweaters, Yikes. I can safely say I got them AFTER those days. I was a blue suede clog girl back then.

Life Looms Large said...

Lots of good stuff in this post: cool dishes, winter advice, and the very toothy picture are definitely highlights!

Stay warm!!
Sue

Leigh said...

I love your dishes, great choice. The other good thing about cheap dishes is that if they break, who cares. The dog bed photos are priceless. Thanks for the tip on LE turtlenecks too.

Judy said...

What a hilarious photo! It is fun to collect dishes, isn't it?

Sharon said...

Oh, good tip on the turtlenecks. That's been my complaint - too short. I shall try again. Thanks. As for dishes, the only requirement is that they have cobalt blue in them. We can serve two dozen but we can only seat eight :)

Long Ridge Farm said...

ha ha ha! the grrr look. every night Kalie, one of our shelties does this and she means it! she is just tired and cranky and we get the message loud and clear! she works hard and deserves the rest (so she says).

as for the dog bed on furniture, so sweet!