Tap, Tap, Tap.....Ziiiiiiiip...

I love the sounds of a typewriter. Tap, Tap, Tapping along on the keys. There is a rhythm, a tempo, a decisiveness in action and a permanence to the words formed. This I write to you from the relatively quiet keys of my Dell laptop where I can add and delete words at will.

This typing beauty is a late 40's early 50's Remington that I bought this summer at a yard sale. A local family was emptying the contents of their elderly mother's home as she got ready to move after many years. The first thing that caught my eye was a large box of beautiful variegated wool granny squares framed in black. The box contained dozens of these beautiful squares and some extra skeins of the beautiful wool yarn - a project never finished, but made with love. I pictured the old woman sitting on cold New England winter evenings crocheting and enjoying the repetitiveness and sense of accomplishment that I find in needlework. So, I decided to take the squares home and finish it during this cold New England winter. I continued to meander up their driveway to find my Remington beauty. I fell in love at first sight. I could hear the Tap, Tap, Tap......Ziiiiiiiiiip... in my head and I tried to contain my excitement. One should never bug out one's eyes or jump for silly joy when one finds a gem at a yard sale. Instead, I asked its price in my most non-chalant manner. (I have never been able to witness my bargain hunting acting abilities, but hey anyone who knows me knows my record speaks for itself.) After a little bartering, I got my portable Remington and my box of wool granny squares for a neat 25. As I began to leave with my goods in hand, one of the sons about my age asked me with a somewhat baffled look, "What exactly are you going to do with that box of wool and an old typewriter?" Apparently, I'm 31 going on 81...

Website Updates - Mailing List

Every once in a while I just have to share a new artist that I have found. Emily Martin from Inside a Black Apple is one of the most unique and imaginative artists I have found doing her crafty thing in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has a sweet and sometimes haunting quality and I can't help but be drawn to these beautiful dolls she has begun making lately. The faces are handpainted and the dolls a so beautifully detailed down to their Mary Jane shoes and recycled wool sweater or hand painted dresses. I'm desperate to own one.

On a SimplyJune note, I have made a few updates to the website with many more to come. I have updated the "Customer Service" section to better describe my shipping policies and have lowered my shipping rates to compensate for some of the lower priced items I have added to the website lately. I have also added a Mailing List form. Simply fill it out and press Send and you will be on the SimplyJune mailing list. You can expect periodic updates about what is going on at SimplyJune as well as some extra goodies along the way. Sign up now and tell a friend!

Wool Felt

I have been admiring some of the things other crafters and artists have been doing with wool felt and am finally taking the plunge. I looked everywhere for a good supplier of wool felt. My local fabric stores carried a small selection of very drab colors and at very high prices. As I began looking online, I found a number of sources for wool felt, but was introduced to the fact that there are a number of types of wool felt available - 100% wool, 70/30 wool-rayon, 60/40, etc. There seemed to be benefits to each of them as far as durability, color selection, price, thickness, etc. I finally narrowed my choice down to two companies and my first order came in the mail today from The Silver Penny - might I also add that I ordered it yesterday! I get so excited when I have something on order - constantly peeking through my shutters at the mailbox. As a child, I lived in quite a rural area and our mailbox was at the end of our long driveway. We had a little red flag on the mailbox and would place it up in the morning when we had mail to go out. The postman would put it down when he had picked up the mail and made his delivery. I would peek out the window to look at that flag and run down when it had been lowered to see if there might be a letter for me! Now, I live in a much more populated area. We actually have street signs that read "Thickly Settled". So, our mailbox is actually attached to our house and the postman walks right up to our door to make his deliveries. So, my peeking through the shutters to look for mail sticking up out of the box replaces the little red flag, but my excitement is much the same.

Back on track...I excitedly opened the box, which also included a cute little Mary Engelbreit card as a gift (I love ordering from small businesses - when has Staples or L.L.Bean ever sent you a little gift?) Inside, I found this yummy selection of wool felt (60/40). I have not worked with it yet, but it has a nice wool texture, nice drape, wonderful colors, great price and I can't wait to start creating with it.

The second website that I found was The Twining Thread. They offer a beautiful selection of 100% wool felt and have the best selection of colors at this grade that I have found so far. The cost of wool felt is a bit more, so I thought I would try the blend first and then move up to the 100% to see which I am happier with.

Stay tuned for some felted goodies at Simply June...

Savoring the Last Morsels of Summer

It is hard to believe that it is September already. I happen to adore the Fall, but there are always mixed emotions as one season leads into the next. I love New England for its seasons - each one offering its favorite clothing, foods, activities, etc. As I savor the last days of summer, I share with you some photos of favorite summer memories.

We spend many weekends during the summer at our family cottage. This shot captures a tiny bit of rainbow and those cotton candy evening skies of the South Shore. I think of so many things when I'm in this place. This is where my father spent many summer days as a child, where I did the same, where my husband proposed to me, where Kolya saw the ocean for the first time, where Lucas loves to run and roll in the sand and where I hope we will all have many more happy summers.

Go Red Sox!!! I went to my first Red Sox game last week! We went courtesy of the Scituate Mariner using the tickets I won through the Scituate Harbor Days logo contest. We had so much fun and so many new experiences. I have had a desire lately to really EXPERIENCE things in my life. I have so many things I daydream about and so many things I would like to try. I really want to take the time in my life to live these things. So, at Fenway Park I took in the sights (love the green green of the grass, red red of the soil, intimacy of the ballpark), the sounds (Let's Go Red Sox, Let's Go, Clap, Clap; Sweet Caroline, Bom, Bom, Bom...; the crack of the bat, the scream of the fans, the chatter throughout the game of game stats, fans cheering for players as if they were family) and the tastes(Fenway Frank, Popcorn - which they throw at you and then come get your money!)

I am working hard in the studio with some great surprises as I prepare for the holiday season and most importantly the SimplyJune Open House coming up in November! I'll keep you posted with dates and details...

What is Blick

I found this incredible site the other day called Blik. They design and produce these really unique wall decals. They come in a variety of trendy colors and come in a pack of 9. What you see in the photograph is one package of the Iron Vines design and costs $50.00. Jason and I have been planning a redesign of our bedroom for a while and have decided to do a blue and brown combination. I think the cocoa version of these would look great mounted on a blue wall. We don't have a lot of wall decorating options in our room because we have a Mansard roof - causing all exterior walls on our second floor to be angled. I had thought of tacking original canvas paintings to the walls, but I like this idea so much more. We are going for a somewhat modern look in the room with a platform bed and really simple colors and furniture. I want a clean, modern feel to the room and I think these elements will attain that.

Fabric Sources

I'm often asked where I find good sources for fabrics. I love being able to go to my local shops because nothing compares to being able to touch and feel the quality of the fabrics and to see the colors in person. But, I also find such a limited supply at my local shops and don't always have the time to browse through all of the bolts of material - you know what I mean if you have ever been pulled into the fabric store vortex. So, I have found quite a number of sources for fabric on the web (no comment one the hours I spend browsing fabrics and materials online). So, here are some of my favorite sources and I'm sure they will become yours.

Purl Soho
Repro Depot
Hancocks of Paducah
Flapper Girl Fabrics
Digs
Supper Buzzy

Also don't forget to be creative when looking for fabrics. A trip to your local thrift store can yield some great fabric finds. I love looking through the pajama section as you can find some fun quality cotton prints. Take another trip to your favorite bedding store and flip through the clearance bedding. Mismatched sheet sets make great yardage too. If your lucky enough to live near an IKEA, they sell fabric too and at a great price! Many of their bedding sets are also fabric designed by some the leading designers out there.

Here are some recent thrift store fabric finds... Happy creative fabric shopping!

More Nataliya Bags

I have added four more Nataliya bags to SimplyJune and have a stockpile of fabrics to try over the next weeks. I love pairing new fabrics together and the surprise of the finished bag. I think that is why I order small quantities of each print and design from there. It would be ghastly boring to make the same bag over and over again and isn't it more fun to buy a bag that all of your friends aren't carrying too?

Thank you, thank you to all of you who have given me such sweet and thoughtful feedback on
the new bags. I'm so glad you like them!

Its All In The Details

One of the goals I have for Simply June is to keep things personal...to relish in the details...to make every product with the attention, love and sincerity I would when making a gift for a friend. I want those details to show and I continue to strive to put more of myself in everything I create. Perhaps this is a lofty goal as I try to grow a business. There was a time when I would be afraid to acknowledge these words, much less write them to the masses. I have always been terrible at keeping a journal of any kind. Even starting this blog was intimidating to me as a journal makes thoughts so permanent. What will I think when I look back on my thoughts, dreams and aspirations? Will I be embarassed or disspointed in how things have turned out? Somewhere along the line I realized that it is looking back on our thoughts and ideas that we learn and grow the most. I have also found the magic and accountability in letting others know my goals so that they will happen. So, this is my wish as I grow Simply June. I can't wait to read these thoughts in a year...

The little purse card is being included with a recently purchased birthday present (handmade to match the purse being shipped). If you would like us to include a card along with any gift, just make a note in the "Shipping Instructions" comment box when you are checking out in our online shop.

Thriftstore Therapy

Nikolai and I went to a thrift store this morning. I'm not exactly why he likes this one so much, but he practically runs to get into the cart when we get there. A lot of people shop there and it is huge, so I think he gets some good people watching in. I of course get my retail therapy. Today included an Ann Taylor Loft Black Blazer, Levi Strauss Jeans, J Crew wool sweater, cute cotton blanket for Nikolai with brown and blue stripes and little monkeys on it and a CD - all for $11.45. There was a crazy lady volunteering there today. Nikolai of course loved her. He is very attracted to eccentric and slightly insane people. She had a frosted sort of disheveled haircut and huge dark rimmed glasses with rhinestones all over them. She kept trying to get me to buy a bright coral lacy slip that she thought I could wear as a skirt. She was very disappointed when I said no. Honestly, there was a day when I would have taken the slip just to avoid the awkward conversation. Of course, I would have hung it back up when she wasn't looking. However, today I stood firm and told her that I wouldn't likely wear the "skirt". Ahh, thrift shop therapy...

Oooh, here is a picture of some recent finds. The napkin holder is from a local thrift shop and the feedsack fabric is from eBay. I LOVE the green and blue cherries and was hoping to make a little valance for my kitchen with them, but the greens just didn't mesh well. I think these are now going to be aprons.

Nataliya Bag

The Nataliya Bags are finally up in the SimplyJune shop. I am hoping to have more by the end of next week, but wanted to get some in the shop in the meantime. The Natliya Bag is a nice every day handbag. The shoulder strap measures approximately 24" and the bag tucks nicely under one's arm. The inside of this bag also features three pockets perfect for your cell phone, keys and other small items. The Nataliya Bag is named after our son Nikolai's favorite caretaker at his orphanage in Moscow. She took especially great care of our son and loved him dearly. Special people inspire creativity and I can't think of anyone more special than Nataliya.

FTP Blip

The embroidered buttons are now up in the SimplyJune store and I hope to have six Nataliya Bags up later today. I'll keep you all posted. The embroidered buttons were ready to go up yesterday when I posted in my Blog, but I had a slight FTP blip. I called my hosting company this morning and the blip ( Websters: A temporary or insignificant phenomenon, especially a brief departure from the normal) is fixed. Sorry for all of the technical jargon... hee, hee, hee.

Embroidered Buttons

I think I have mentioned that I have been doing some embroiderey lately. I learned how to do this as a child, but really needed a refresher. My Mom came up for a visit recently and we went through some of the basic stitches together. I forgot how much I love to embroider and especially freeform. I have always liked to cross stitch, but find it tedious to check the pattern and then skip all around with one color of thread only to forget what I was doing and go back to the pattern and then back to counting again and on and on and on. It is so nice to sit down with a blank "canvas" and design as you go. I have added these fun button sets to the SimplyJune shop. They are so much fun to add to your favorite knit sweater or to embellish your clothing, handbags, ponytail holders, bobbypins, etc. Each set of three comes wired to a cute card with the SimplyJune logo. They are the perfect little thank you gift to have on hand and easy to pop in a little bubble mailer for a cheery hello.

My fabric order came in last week from Hancocks of Paducah. I love everything that I ordered. Most are Michael Miller, Amy Butler and Free Spirit fabrics. I picked a bunch of fabrics in various color combinations and I'm really excited about how they are combining in the new purse design. I have six purses done and hope to make six more before I put them in the shop. Sorry for the fuzzy pictures.

I had a great weekend of estate and yard sales and will post some photos soon. My favorite find was a circa 1940's Remington Portable Typewriter with white keys. It needs just a little cleaning, but it works really well and I have been punching away at the keys. I'm thinking of typing all of my hang tags on it for my Simply June holiday shopping party. I love the nostalgia of the typewriter font.

Simply June - Temporarily Offline

I just wanted to note that our SimplyJune website and e-mail accounts were down for a number of hours yesterday. If you placed an order or sent an e-mail, we did not receive them. We apologize for any inconvenience. The problem was caused by a construction accident near our hosting company and has since been fixed.

Thanks!

Vintage Button Swap

I finally got a chance to photograph the wonderful goodies I received from the lovely Nicole in a recent Vintage Button Swap. This was my first swap and I was just BLOWN AWAY by Nicole's generosity and creativity as well as everyone who posted photos on the FLIKR account (I've got to figure out how to do that). She made all of the cute little paper envelopes containing the buttons. She also included some beautiful fabric from my favorite designer, Amy Butler. There was also a cute cute cute little apple and pear tray that I am currently using to hold some of my embroidery threads and needles while I make embroidery covered buttons. I am in love with the decal. I love that it is in the original package labeled 19cents (Am I missing something or is there no cent sign on a keyboard?) Hmmm, anyway the decal is sure to adorn something in my kitchen soon. Every button is so utterly beautiful and unique. And they are all MINE! :) I'm a little giddy today... So, silly me sent off my first swap package and I made a cute little travel sewing kit with the vintage buttons sewn into it. But, I just had no idea how much other fun stuff people send in addition to the swap, so a second package is on its way to Nicole. I get a redo right? Now that I have the hang of this swap thing, I am surely hooked. I've already signed up for an international vintage craft book swap. Hee, hee, hee....




















Yummy Yummy colors and ooh, cherries!





















19 cents (There is no cents sign - I Googled it on the chance that I'm going blind!)




















Ooh, sparkly. I can't wait to use these. Just look at all the detail in the largest black button!





















Pretty envelopes and bity pretty trim!





















Thank you Nicole! Oh, and the Cram Cream tape on the box - so cute.

H is for Howard
I put together this gift for Kolya's buddy Howard who turns 2 on the 20th. We had the wonderful experience of attending Howard's baby naming ceremony this weekend and to wish him an early Happy Birthday. His gift later included some homemade orange playdough. Here you see a little cotton/linen-like tote lined with the fun colorful design with which I made his initial. Also, included was an oilcloth apron which you can find in my shop SimplyJune. I used the apron's colors to inspire those in the tote. Happy Birthday Howard!

Daydreams

This is my truck. Well, not exactly mine, but the truck of my daydreams. On a recent beach weekend, Jason took a picture of this beauty for me. As I ogled it and daydreamed aloud about meandering trips down country roads with my dog Lucas in the front seat, hair/fur blowing in the wildflower sweetened wind and some acoustical sounds resonating from my radio... Jason then asked where exactly he and Kolya were going to sit. Hmm, hadn't really thought that one through exactly. I really think this is just a girl and her dog kind of truck... plus its just a daydream. In realty Jason, Kolya, Lucas and I meander down country roads in a Jeep Liberty filled with stuffed animals, cracker crumbs and toddler toys with acoustical sounds resonating from our radio - interrupted by bursts and blips of screaming, whining and barking, but with that safe feeling of family enclosing us. Daydreams are fun, but reality is so much better...

I stopped in to pick something up at my local fabric store the other day and they were having a sale on patterns for $1.99. I have been wanting to make some clothes lately, but haven't found a lot of extra time. I'm thinking I may make it a point to make a few outfits after the holidays when I can slow down and enjoy some personal projects during the cold winter months. I have also been doing some embroidery and thought it would be fun to add some embroidered details to some of these patterns. Anyway, into storage for a snowy day...

Creative Moments

I'm working a bit today on getting my blog name out there to bring new visitors to Simply Blog and ultimately to Simply June. Here is a banner I created for some webslog directories. Feel free to add it to your blog and I would love to reciprocate!

While I'm busy crafting ... check out this crafty blog: 52 Projects. Jeffrey Yamaguchi, author of "52 Projects: Random Acts of Everyday Creativity" has a wonderful blog that is sure to get those creative juices flowing. Check out his photo album titled "Tree", where he frequently takes photographs of the same tree on his daily run. Jeffrey reminds us to find creative ways of experiencing our every day activities. So, find some creative moments in your day...

From Cram Cream to Squid Jerky...

I promise I'm crafting away for SimplyJune. There just hasn't been a lot of time to take pictures. I also have a huge fabric order coming in from Hancock's of Paducah to spice up my stash so that I can launch my new handbag design shortly. I'm also working on some freebies for the website to give you a little taste of all things SimplyJune.

In the meantime...check out this great blog that I just stumbled upon Gimme Your Stuff! I love it and love the idea. From Cram Cream to Squid Jerky...I have got to try this out!

Craft Sanity

If you are a crafter or just interested in the current DIY (Do It Yourself) movement, you have got to check out Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood's website www.craftsanity.com. In her weekly podcasts, Jennifer interviews some of the most amazing crafters making an impact in the crafting community. Recent interviews include Debbie Stoller (co-creator of BUST magazine as well as author of the "Stitch 'N Bitch" books), Amy Karol (of Tie One On, Angry Chicken and King Pod), and Linda Permann (editor of the new magazine Adorn). Jennifer takes an hour with each guest to talk about how they started crafting, what they are doing currently and what they hope to do in the future. It is fascinating to hear how these men and women are contributing to this wonderful movement. I have really been blown away by the knowledge, sincerity, creativity, imagination, resourcefulness and business sense that these crafters have. I have learned so much and enjoy the inspiration I gain from Jennifer's insightful interviews. It also doesn't hurt to craft sanity!

Summer Days

There are lots of things happening in the studio and on the homefront. We spent another beautiful part of our weekend at the family summer cottage along the South Shore of Massachusetts. This weekend was Scituate Heritage Days, an event I have attended since my childhood. It is a fun weekend with a huge street fair, bands performing, butterfly release etc. On a whim, I entered this years logo contest and won! So, Kolya and I were part of the Opening Ceremonies!

We also had an incredible time as a family walking around and looking at the various craft vendors. One designer I just have to point out because of her incredible talent, imagination and eye for colors and design was Jen Jen Jewelry. I seriously regret not buying a beautiful piece while I was there, but will definitely have to order something soon. Not to be missed are her stained glass necklaces in which she encloses beautiful papers in glass.

Children's Oilcloth Aprons on Simply June

The children's aprons are up at www.simplyjune.com - stop on by.

I finally finished picking out my buttons for the vintage button swap I am participating in and added a little extra SimplyJune touch to the swap. The amazingly creative Sally at http://shimandsons.typepad.com/shimandsons/ set up this lovely swap and over 70 participants signed up from all over the world! I am so excited as this is my first swap and I have watched many with great anticipation on other blogs. I love everyone's different creative expressions and vintage finds. Now, I will actually have a happy little package coming to my door!

Children's Apron/Smock

I finished a handful of children's aprons/smocks for SimplyJune. As I mentioned yesterday, they are made of oilcloth and are easy to wipe clean - perfect for the aspiring painter, baker, playdough sculptor or current messy kid. I added cotton twill ties and the neck strap can be adjusted simply by tying a knot. The main color on each apron varies from orange, to pink, to lime green. I'm still editing some photographs, but check them out in the shop soon.

Nikolai and I had a nice visit this morning with the lovely ladies at our adoption agency. I love visiting and especially with Nikolai, but I had a quiet moment as I arrived remembering the dozens of times I drove there before Nikolai was ours.

A Sneak Peek

I'm busy in my studio working on quite a number of things this week. Here is a sneak peek at one project for Simply June - Oilcloth Children's Aprons/Smocks. I love this vibrant wipe-clean cloth and started by making one for my little tyke and now I'm going to share them with you. I hope to have these up in the shop by the end of the week, but I'm also working on Nikolai's 2nd Birthday Party coming up this weekend! We are going to celebrate with just our immediate families this year - our first birthday with Nikolai!

Birthday and Baby Goodies

I love making things, but I especially love creating when I have someone particular in mind. You know how a certain style or fabric can remind you of someone. We all have our own personal style and I think without meaning to, that is how identify people. I don't mean in a materialistic way. But, I identify with people in a very visual way - colors, experiences together, styles, etc. You can learn a lot about someone by the way they express themselves. So, when this
Amy Butler fabric arrived, it had by friend Elizabeth written all over it. Here it is as a purse and delivered yesterday for a special birthday.

And to a new Miss Elizabeth Rose, these onsies are on their way to you for your summer wardrobe. I made these using iron-on applique paper and some rose fabric from my stash. I sealed off the fabric edges with Fray-Check and machine outlined the applique both for added wearability and detail.

Happy Summer Weekend!

Candlelit Evening - Part III

Now this is just getting ridiculous. The transformer blew yet again on our street, which has suddenly become a hoppin' place on a hot summer night. Jason ran to the basement this time to flip off the circuit breaker as we still had a bit of electricity literally buzzing through our wires. This time we flew out of our homes in droves looking to see what on earth could have happened this time. As we stood on the sidewalk we were rewarded with firework type display as wires popped and snapped and burned. After we all exchanged our plesantries, we wandered back to our dark homes to light candles and ponder yet again what people did before electricity. Here's hoping for a well lit evening!

As you can imagine, I haven't been getting much done in the evenings, but I have been busy working on a number of gifts and ideas for SimplyJune. I promise to share soon!

A Candlelit Evening - Part II

I wish I were writing this second excerpt because there were fascinating details left out of Part I. However, we spent a second evening by candlelight as the transformer blew on our street again. Such an event causes quite a phenomenon even on our busy street. People who have been hunkered down in their homes telling tales by their air conditioners, actually emerge from their dwellings and stand in somewhat of a stupor on the sidewalks while the shock of the summer heat wears off. Jason, Kolya and I of course hightailed it to our local air conditioned Target to pick up survival supplies - three flashlights and a new lighter. After, returning home and tucking our babe into bed with flashlights, we settled down to another night of storytelling and mending - I mean watching another movie on my laptop.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I took a trip to Global Thrift in Waltham last weekend and here is one of my delicious finds (49 cents each!). I love this shade of petal pink. The cup is creme on the outside and petal pink on the inside. I want to sip strawberry milk from it and eat shortbread biscuits. Mmmm.

A Candlelit Evening

It sounds romantic, maybe even a step into the past for an evening. Our power went out around 7 last night. As the sun began to set, we rushed around looking for some flashlights with no success. I light some candles and some lanterns and with a peaceful sigh, looked around my home and thought about what it might have been like to live in the days before electricity. It seemed romantic and quaint. That was until I began to sweat without the air conditioners and ceiling fan. We have been having a heat wave here in the Boston area and the house heated up quickly even in the evening hours. You don't realize how reliant you become on electricity. The phone no longer worked, the TV, microwave, ICE MAKER, etc. So Jason and I sat down to a candlelit dinner of sandwich wraps and tortilla chips and reminisced about the days of old... ok, we watched a movie on my laptop. Pretty sad...

It was a nice weekend however, we enjoyed time with friends and family. Took a trip to the library and to a great thrift shop in Waltham called Global Thrift. I'll share some of my finds in the next few days. I keep meaning to add a photo of a cute vintage etched glass that I found at a church sale. It is tiny and etched with a beautiful floral and striped design. The sides of the glass are beveled adding to its charm. The perfect glass for a bedside table.

A Simply June Summer

I have been putting a great deal of work into the SimplyJune website this week. On Sunday, Jason helped me take some product photographs and patiently arranged clothespins, held up laundry line, suggested camera angles, etc. I'm pleased with what we accomplished and am now adding those products to the website. The last few days have been spent only on the computer, with no sewing time. So, I am hoping to get in a tiny bit of sewing during nap time today once the magnet sets are up.

I hope to add a few more products this summer as well and I am busy in my studio coming up with ideas and trying new things out. I would really like to add some embroidered goods to SimplyJune as well. Keep visiting the shop for new additions!

Purses: Pretty in Pink

I have been working on designing a new purse for SimplyJune - just the right size to be used every day. I love a purse with one strap that tucks right under the arm and here it is. I have made a few small design changes along the way from my initial concept and I think I have found that perfect balance of pretty and practical. This cutie is on its way as a belated birthday present..., but look for more in the SimplyJune shop soon. I have ordered a nice palette of fabrics and some may feature vintage buttons and trim. You will have to wait and see...

A Blueberry Summer

When I was a little girl growing up in New York state, my family and I would visit the south shore of Massachusetts every summer and stay in a cottage right on the beach. The cottage, loving named "Merry Gale" was built in 1940 by my Great Great Uncle for my Great Aunt Mary. He used lumber from his land surrounding the family cranberry bogs. The cottage is quite simple and the rooms are partitioned with walls, but the roof is the only ceiling. I would lie quietly each night as a child staring at the wood roof, discovering different figures and designs in the knotty planks. Those images were as clear as day to me and still are - my favorite being a pig with an eye patch wearing a striped bandana. My bed was the best part of my room though, it was built into the wall and pulled down lengthwise suspended by ropes and metal pulleys. We spent two weeks every summer at Mary's cottage nestled between the river and ocean and now Kolya will do the same.

Another favorite pastime at the beach was blueberry picking. There was a beautiful blueberry farm nearby and we would go there at the beginning of our stay every year to pick buckets of blueberries to enjoy with cream and sugar and in a bread pudding recipe I fondly called "Blueberry Stuff." Over the years, my father purchased blueberry bushes from this orchard and others and now has his own "blueberry farm". But, blueberries still always remind me of the summers at the beach.

I was recently talking with a friend who has started decorating her kitchen with a blueberry theme, so these blueberry tea towels are off to her. Enjoy!

On another blueberry note, if you have never read a copy of Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey, pick one up today! This is a favorite children's book to many and the illustrations a must see for any blueberry lover. It is sure to be Kolya's favorite book too as we sit on a beach blanket eating blueberries and reading...

Church Fairs

One of my favorite types of rummage sales are church fairs. The selection is usually large and varied - people emptying out the contents of their attic and basement to raise funds. The owners of these items are not usually present at the sale and therefore prices don't tend to reflect sentimental value.

I take my yearly pilgrimage to a church fair in a small town on the south shore of Massachusetts every July. They boast a huge variety of events and sales and fill a whole tent with treasures from books to glassware and other ephemera. However, the real treasures I believe are found in the basement sale they fondly call "Attic Treasures." I take my first tour on Friday afternoon, but the real deals can be found on Saturday afternoon when one can fill a bag (huge shopping bag) for $1! I start with the glassware and other knickknacks including old stationery and Christmas decorations and make my way over the tables piled with clothing. Some would have no interest in digging through others "trash" to find their treasures, but I consider it a challenge and am always rewarded. I fill my treasure bag until it is bursting at the seams and with a happy sigh leave my favorite basement until next year. (I should also mention that this was my first toddler toting year at the fair and while I have a delightful son, no toddler is all that interested in rummage sales. My wonderful husband donned our baby sling and entertained our tyke while I relished in my bargaining glory. Thank you Jason!)

This year, however the fun did not end in the basement. As we were leaving I noticed a sign on a tree reading "FREE". I tried to casually stroll toward the tree as there was no one around, but in actuality, that stroll was probably more of a dash. Okay, I dropped everything and ran... I looked down into the boxes as the base of the tree and couldn't believe my eyes, three beautiful glass punch bowl sets including, as I later would discover, 59 punch glasses! I have been mentally planning a SimplyJune shopping party for the Fall. I daydream about glasses of egg nog, funky jazz renditions of old Christmas carols and hostesses with vintage aprons and scrumptious hors d'oeuvres. Now I can serve punch! Further scouting through the "free" boxes revealed a set of plates marked "Rhythm by Homer Laughlin". The bowls are a bit worn and the platter has a small chip, but the design just drew me in. I did a little research and found that this pattern came out in 1955, but I think you will find its beauty transcends 50 years and could just as easily be sold today. I may have to search out some more of this set for my collection. As I sit here typing at the dining room table, I have it set with my new dinnerware. Jason, commented upon arriving home yesterday, "Are we having guests?". Though, I would gladly entertain guests, the table setting was merely for my own enjoyment.