GOOD-BYE SWEET NADINE

Once upon a time in a place far away, there lived a family with a momma, a daddy, a little boy, and a baby girl. The family lived in a sweet Texas town in an old house with steep gables and a friendly sit-a-spell front porch. The family was very happy, but the daddy decided it would be fun to have an old car to match their old house. The family got in their van and traveled the prairie looking for just the right old car. They went to Kansas, Nebraska, and even as far away as Iowa to find the perfect old car. But it was just not to be. So the family went back to their old house in their sweet Texas town, with fond vacation memories but no car. The next night the daddy checked the "for sale" ads on his laptop and much to his disbelief a new ad appeared for an old car near where he worked. He called the lady selling the old car to make an appointment for the very next day. He went to see the car and fell in love. He called his wife and told her he had found the perfect old car. She was delighted and told him to "buy it!" He did and he brought it home on a big trailer. The car was a 1929 Ford in its original completeness. This was a wonderful thing as it was quite hard to find an old car in such good shape. And magically the old car WAS the perfect car for the old house and even better -- for this family!

The baby girl with her cherub face surrounded by blond ringlets declared the old car's name was "Nadine." And so it was. Nadine lived happily with the family in the sweet Texas town. One day, the daddy went out to the garage to work on Nadine, and when he opened the door a wall of leaves fell out of the car. He asked his children if they knew why there were leaves in Nadine and his little girl said, "Daddy, Nadine needs to eat. She eats leaves, didn't you know that?"

When he saw how her eyes danced and her smile filled her face he couldn't do anything but smile back. Regardless of the leaves in the floorboard, the daddy got Nadine running after her 40 year nap. See, she'd last been used when the lady and her brother drove her while they were in high school in the 1950s. The daddy changed out many of Nadine's parts and polished her as well as he could and the little family went for rides in her in their old neighborhood in the sweet Texas town. At Christmas, the family decorated Nadine with a lighted wreath and took their friends for rides in her.

 As the children began to get older and life began to move faster and faster, the family drove Nadine less and less. The daddy took a new job in a new place way up in Washington and naturally, Nadine got to go too. First class, of course. But when the boy grew up and went to college and the girl began high school Nadine just sat in the garage and waited for her turn to be the center of attention again.

The daddy and momma decided Nadine looked sad just sitting there. The daddy decided it was time for another family to get Nadine so he put her up for sale.

A couple of weeks later, a man contacted the daddy and told him he wanted Nadine so he and his son could work on her. He drove all the way from Texas to Washington to see Nadine. He and his son checked her out, testing her frame and engine. They decided they really liked her and bought her on the spot. They loaded her onto their trailer and took her home with them to live happily ever after in Texas.

Peace, love, and blessed to have had Nadine in our lives for 12 years!

LOVIN' SPOONFULS

Hey, Y'all! Ever wonder what to do with that wonderful old silver-ware you find out on the junkin' trail? Me too.

I love the patina of silver-plated utensils and was down-right thrilled to find a generous supply recently at a local thrift store. I've had a lot of fun trying out my version of some ideas I've seen in so many creative blogs, shows, and magazines.

What I've learned is you have to be very strong or know a very strong person who's willing to work for chocolate chip cookies and/or beer. Next, you gotta get manly tools like pliers, hammers, and metal files and know how to use them correctly.

Then, you've got to don some funky eye protection and fire up some man-caveish, gen-u-ine power tools. Then, you gotta have a good place to swing a really BIG hammer and let off some steam without scaring your: 1)children; 2)pets; 3)neighbors; or basically, 4) neighbors, children, and/or pets. Once you've pounded, sanded, and drilled, the girly part of the project kicks in. It's time to dig through all those drawers, vats, and jars of shiny, glittering, sparkly BLING! Following the magic BLING moment, put it all together . . . Ta-Da!

Now, you've got some old silver-plated spoons transformed from their frumpy sad existences in a box on the floor of a thrift store to WOW-WOW, JUNKIFIED, BEJEWELED necklaces fit for any junkin' adventure, or dinner at the drive-in, or maybe even the infamous JUNK GYPSY Junk-a-Rama Prom.

And yes, being the type of rambling, junkin' girl I am, even my necklaces lean toward the wordy side. It seems, I've always got something to say. . . .

You can find your own bona fide Garden Cat Lovin' Spoonful Necklaces at FJS JUNK SALVATION NOV. 4 & 5 or Plucky Maidens Junk Fest NOV. 19.

Peace, love, and generous spoons full of all the good stuff to you dear friends!

THE JUNK HUNT

Like many Junkers, I enjoy the thrill of the treasure hunt . . . never knowing what I'll find next. Wednesday through Friday I pour over newspapers, Craigslist, and on-line estate sale sites to try and figure out the best JUNK HUNT route. Once I figure out a direction and begin the drive, I keep my eyes peeled for other signs of a great rummage or garage sale or other interesting places that look like they may have good junkin' potential.

Well, this past Friday, my route took me to the beautiful towns of Fall City, Carnation, and Monroe. It was one of those PERFECT days for drivin'. Jeweled leaves filled this scenic Washington valley full of lush orchards, fields of still bright summer flowers, and picturesque small towns. It was difficult to stay focused on my mission . . . but worth it a few hours later: Junkin' JACKPOT!!

Lots of fun stuff, including a large size wheely cart (great for tough terrain flea marketin',) a vintage metal vanity chair, and plenty of smalls including this funky rose paint-by-number.

At the M&M Antique Mall in Monroe(voted a readers' top 80 favorite antique mall in the current FALL/WINTER Flea Market Style magazine!) I found these kickin' Justin cowboy boots in just my size and they cost hardly anything!

Down the road I found this old 78 which makes me long for the big, open prairie . . .

I found a lovely English chintz plate (with a little chip) and some other beautiful English pieces. 

Then there were the vintage earrings . .  .these will become some kind of GARDEN CAT Good Ju-Ju Jewelry I'm sure.

Then there were the bits and pieces I just seem to gravitate to. . .the aged pages of a 1919 German almanac, the soft touch of a worn velvet jewelry box, and one of my worst (BEST) addictions -- faded vintage linen.

In addition, a sweet pair of vintage baby shoes, two vintage wicker floral baskets, a vintage round mirror, a pink floral needlepoint bench, and a really creative vanity/shelf and cabinet made out of old wooden crates got squeezed into my good ole SUV, Mattie Mae, and made the trek home with me.

Look for these treasures and oh, so many more when the GARDEN CAT joins many other fabulous vendors at FUNKY JUNK SISTERS JUNK SALVATION MARKET in Puyallup NOVEMBER 4 & 5 and also at the PLUCKY MAIDENS JUNK FEST NOVEMBER 19 in Forest Grove, OR. Stay tuned right here at PLAATGS for more info to come on these and many more incredible vintage fall shows and markets!!

So much JUNKIN', so little time!!

Peace, love, and hope YOU find the most wonderful treasures, my friends!