Animal Crackers - Thanksgiving Week

Howdy - 

What a week! LOL Only Hubby and I decided the weekend before Thanksgiving to totally repaint our kitchen! Oh My... 

Took down my antique yelloware bowls from on top of my kitchen cabinets. Seriously needed washing for sure! After clean we set them on the floor so Hubby could paint above the cabinets... Bubba was happy and comfortable! 

 

He was so happy and I hated to tell him they were not put there for him a new bed. And then - Ferrari decided the size smaller was just right for her! 

They slept there very happily until we had to remove them and put the bowls back. Now we just pray they don't find them on the tops of the cabinets - so far they have not ever gotten up there! That I know of.... 

Would you like to see the finished kitchen? I know it really isn't animals... but I am really thrilled with how it turned out - Hubby out did himself and it it was all done before Thanksgiving Dinner! Whew.. .wasn't sure that was going to happen.

New paint, and new backsplash. Which I adore! Love that vintage tin! The kitchen is brighter, cleaner feeling, and I still get to show off my collectibles. Yelloware, and Cobalt Blue and White Graniteware. 

 

 

OH! And he also got up this antique door I've been saving for years! I wanted this barn door on my utility room forever, and this was the perfect time and I love it! 

 

 

 

So so happy how it all turned out! And I have some room to do a bit more collecting too :0) 

 

Now I thought I should show off  few animals this week along with my excitement of my new kitchen. 

Snapped this funny one of Miss Juliet - She was waking up from a bit of a nap when she realized I was coming. The funny part was the background. 

 

Patti is back there flirting with Raffie! Poking her head through the fence and just teasing Raffie... Oh Patti! LOL

To finish off this week Thelma wanted to say thanks so much for visiting! Pretty girl!  

Hope you have your weekend Animal Crackers Smile! 

HUGS and
 

Animal Crackers - Before Breakfast

Howdy - 

 Well this week I got out before breakfast!! Early Early..  

 Macie did end up calling out and getting excited that I was out so early... until she realized that I was not there to bring her breakfast. 

As I was walking out they were all giving me the look... Breakfast please. NOW. They didn't believe me that "Dad" was coming out right behind me.

Ellie Mae was trying hard to be so calm and wait. It really was tough though. As soon as they saw Hubby coming out of the backyard towards the hay barn.. everyone was trotting and moving towards the barn.

Juliet was giving me her look... And that look has more personality! Ha! She is so funny, love that big silly girl!

 

 

And what a fabulous pose! Of course it only lasted seconds - as the hay bale hit the ground and it was more than she could handle! I got a slight glance as she turned and ran off - "Bye Mom.. breakfast time!" 

 

Crissy knew that the goats were next! She stood in her favorite spot keeping a close watch - chewing on her cud... no reason to hurry it takes a few minutes to feed those other girls. Then our turn. 

 

Moxie followed me to all the pens as she always does. But it was early remember. She laid down each time I stopped. Looking down at her I asked if she was still sleepy. Then I got the Moxie belly rub pose. Even if covered in grass and dirt it is a must... you have to stop and rub that belly!!

One more photo.. had to show off a present from a dear friend. She found this vintage sterling pin and said it had to be mine. Oh my I love it! Looks like Raffie's smile donkey pose! 

 Such a sweet friend! I love it!

Hope you have a wonderfully blessed weekend - and it started off with Animal Crackers Smiles! 

HUGS and -

Animal Crackers - Pretty Girls

Howdy - 

The other morning I went out to visit with the Girls and say Hi. They were still finishing up their breakfast, but a few had enough to stop and visit with me. 

Vicki was the first to look up and acknowledge me. 

Look at those eyes staring up at me. So beautiful. Macie and Ellie Mae just kept on eating as if no one was there... 

Then she came over for some lovin'. 

Ok, so she was a dirty mess. But she still got lots of lovin' from me. I am use to dirty donkeys. Really she is a beautiful girl isn't she... then she brought over her little friend Pepita.

Pepita is just as sweet but just a bit more timid at times, others she is pushy friendly. So I loved on both girls, they didn't end up having babies this year. We will try again next year I suppose. 

I then went over to talk to Irene about a baby in the future. She really wasn't in the talking mood. She was still more interested in breakfast. 

But I did get her to look up for a pretty photograph. She has such a calm personality. Then at times she is right up front and demanding all the attention. I love how they all have such different personalities, all wonderful on their own, but as a group they all have their place. 

Ok one more collectible to show off this week. This is a porcelain donkey baby that Hubby got me right after we got Raffie, he looks just like Raffie as a baby. 

I pass it in the cabinet and grin thinking about my little "boy" ... and now we have a son from him that also looks just like him. "Big Al" 

Hope you got a smile this week - They sure make us smile. 

Have a wonderfully blessed weekend - 

HUGS and

Gardening Sunday - Peach Trees and Old Stuff

Howdy -

One evening this last week I went out with Hubby and "helped" him water. I followed around and asked dumb questions and we chatted about the garden. It had been a little while since I had walked out to the "orchard" and I was shocked when I saw the trees. They are looking so good! Full of leaves and tons of new growth on them. All despite the high winds, cold nights and yes... that pesky hail storm. He had told me we had some pretty peaches on the trees, but that some had holes and damage due to the hail. But still ... LOOK how pretty the peaches are!

About half of them are damaged pretty good.. but I would say that next year we should have some great fruit! 

I am so proud of Hubby and his orchard and garden.  He is out there every evening checking and watering. 

We even got our first "produce"... three green beans and one squash! LOL

I thought I might share some photos that I took of the Antique show yesterday morning - I snapped just a few quick photos just as the show opened.

This is a new display we got ... trying out Hubby's antique duck decoys on it -

And of course lots of dolls....

Hope you have something fun planned for today - Maybe an Antique Show? Or out to enjoy the outdoors? Was gorgeous weather yesterday... hope today is the same.

Have a wonderful blessed day -
HUGS and

Animal Crackers - Its Dark Here!

Howdy -

Well this past week we were doing an Antique Show... we left before the sun came up and came home after the sun was down... I haven't seen my fur babies without a flash light all week!! Just kills me, and I think they are missing us as much as we are missing them. Will be spending some quality time later this weekend for sure!

I was planning ahead and thought I would have lots of photos that I took last weekend for you - I am just so organized and prepared you know... I took almost 60 photos Sunday afternoon.... NOT ONE came out!!!! There is something seriously wrong with my camera and I am very upset about it. I haven't had a moment to figure it out this week - but I plan on working on it ASAP as I can't not have a camera around here can I?

So this week is thin - I have a couple from my phone, one from last week, and then one from the show that I took of part of our booth.....

Here is what has been referred to as the "girls" side of our booth.

LOL yes they actually do say our booth looks like 1/2 is "girlie" and then the other 1/2 is for "big boys" you know .... military, duck decoys, manly looking items. I say one side is toys for little kids and the other is toys for big kids... girls can hunt and do military things too? LOL  Was a good show - tired, but happy to move on to the next now. Glad I took this photo before the show started... it was different at the end of the show :0) -

Here is a photo I don't think I showed last week - I love that I didn't get her all in the frame when I snapped quickly - kind of artsy...

Sweet Mary - She has gotten all grown up - And I do believe she is going to have her grandma's "pop" eyes.... sigh... LOL

Found this one on my phone from last week -

 Alice and her big ice blue eyes... Hubby and I have been talking and this next week we are going to start putting some of the girls in with Frank and Peso.... So start the count down!!! just over 5 months we should have bouncing kids!!! YEA!!! Alice will be a first time Mom - can't wait to see what her and Franks babies look like!!!

I snapped this one with my phone as well... I loved the coloring.

Isn't the best photo - little blurry... but the sun was setting behind me, and Fraidy Cat and Big Moe were out enjoying the nice evening, and watching the gorgeous orange sunset...  Nice life huh? Lounging watching life is the big activity of the day - nice...

One more photo...

Hubby brought this in too me this week - He checked on the garden in the dark after we got home... was very proud that he brought this in to me...

First strawberry from this crop. I have pouted and made fun of him because of the last crop - You see we got LOTS of yummy strawberries... but I say "We" loosely.... I only got maybe 3 or 4 of them. So he was very generous and brought in this gorgeous 1st strawberry for me to have... I was so proud that I really hated to eat it, but it looked so yummy.. so I snapped a photo of it, then washed it and took a big bite... OMG... It was so BITTER it gave me the shivers!!! LOL It was just a day or too early I think.... LOL Hubby said he would test the next ones that are ready before he brings them in to me. Great... now I may never get more... LOL  He says I need to be in the garden when he picks them. LOL Guess so huh?

Hope you have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend -
HUGS and-

Me and My Space - My New OLD hanging Cabinet

Howdy -

For months now Hubby and I have been looking for a hanging cabinet to put in my kitchen dining area to display and keep safe my Antique German Stick Leg Animals - Hubby was at the point of making me one and that would be great but he has such a long list of "to do's" that that cabinet was pretty far down the list.

Well last weekend while taking the neighbors around to a few of our favorite antique stores we found a perfect cabinet!!

I love it! It use to have that bright green old paint on it. The people who was selling it took the time and stripped it! Whew! Hate doing that. It holds my stick leg animals fabulously! Top shelf inside is stick leg Donkeys - Middle shelf is Stick leg Goats and bottom shelf is Misc. Farm animals... LOL On the top I have some of the horses from our "Show" box. I have a bunch I take for sale at shows. We don't have a show for a while now so I might as well enjoy them a little while right?

We have really gone nuts for these little animals. Most of them date late 1800's to early 1900's. They are a fun smaller collectible. I have seen collection's that have scenes created of total landscapes or farms.... oh if only I had the space!! LOL But for now these are safe closed up and I can still enjoy them. But wait... cabinet is pretty full... may need a second cabinet!! ;0) Better let the new on this wear off then say that out loud for Hubby to hear.

Have a wonderful Sunday -
HUGS and-

Me and My Space - Antique Dolls in my DonkeySmiles Store

Howdy -

It has been awhile since I showed some of my latest Antique treasures that I have found and now selling. Today I thought I would show off a few of my dolls - I have gotten a few that really make me happy. One or two that will be sad to see go. But that is the nature of the business - I get to have it for a little while then it goes on to a new home.

First I thought I would show a little sweet doll - A Kestner Mold 257  Bent Limb Baby Character Doll.

Mouth full for a little doll - but even with all that info she has one other thing that just sent me over the moon when I found it as part of her  -

I purchased her at an auction. Was told all the above in her description, but also that she was a sleep eye bisque doll. No rare thing at all - but after I got her home and started looking closer she is really rare -

Let me show her first .. then I'll tell you her rare quality if you don't see it right off -

 Those that know dolls might say "oh she is a google eye" and if you only look at one photo that could be.

She does look off to the left side -

 BUT with just a little tilt of her head she will then look off to the right!!

 She is a FLIRTY EYE doll! And a Kestner! Which is a very collected maker. When the auction house listed her as a sleep eye that was correct, when they laid her back her eyes closed. But they did not realize that there was tissue paper in her head, ( a good practice when shipping bisque dolls with movable weighted glass eyes as they can break very easily ) But when I pulled the tissue out to make sure she was solid and working properly I saw all of this!!

Hubby thought I was nuts.. well many times he does... but I was yelling to come and see quick! Very detailed workings for such an old bisque doll. The weights move up and down for the sleep eyes, then side to side for the flirty eyes. OH and the sleep part... that has a rare feature too!! Usually the glass eyes just roll 1/2 way and the top part of the eye is painted flesh color. But these eyes have small metal eye lids that slide down just like eye lids! So totally cool!

Anyway... was really exciting to me, I have read about these dolls, but to have gotten one at auction as a bonus feature was really fabulous! And after I sat and played with her for a while... leaning her left to right and making her eyes move around I took all the photos and got her listed in my eBay store. There are a whole bunch of photos in the listing if you would like to know more... HA... that sounded like the movie Starship Troopers... love that movie! You can see the Kestner Flirty Eye Doll HERE in my EBay store.

I actually am listing quite a few dolls lately. We don't have too many shows over the summer - and I want to buy more dolls and different dolls for the Fall shows - so I am moving stock on eBay...

I have a tiny little Kestner doll listed - she is only 4.75" inches. Sweet little thing -

She is listed HERE -

A much larger Kestner - She measures 23" tall! And is that a hairdo or what!!

She is listed HERE -

A totally adorable little guy listed too - A Scotsman in his full tartan kilt costume! He is only 7 1/2" tall

He is listed HERE- 

And even a much later but just as sweet - Storybook Doll - mid 1940's for this cutie - 

 She is listed HERE -

There are lots of things going on now in my eBay store - I think I have way over 100 items now! See I have been very busy!

 I have Dolls - Toys - Cher Items - Toy Cars - Vintage Fashion Clothing - Old Creamware Ironstone - Antique Etching Art - OH... and a whole bunch of crafting items! Mostly smaller 6x6, 8x8 paper pads, Stamps and even a few Dies.

Got lots listed - I think this weekend I deserve a little crafting stamping coloring time for fun! After I do a little house cleaning ... sigh.

I'll be back Saturday for Animal Crackers -

Hugs and -

Me and My Space - Gone with the Wind

Howdy - Now that title could go a lot of different directions here again! Has it been windy where you are? Man I feel like we are going to have to tie down the animals out side some days! And just about the time it calms down and is nice... another front comes around and it blows like a hurricane again. Oh well it has kept it cool and the animals do love that, it won't be long and it will be 100 degrees and I'll wish the wind was here.

But today's title is about a few dolls I just listed last night from the estate. I fell in love with them when I found them. They are just so cute.

These are 8 inch Madame Alexander dolls from the 1980's Gone with the Wind series. I have listed three of them. I think there may be a couple more in one of the boxes, but for now I just had to get these on Ebay -

There are two Scarlett's -

My favorite is the one in the fabulous Green Curtains Dress - only Scarlett could get away with wearing the family curtains!

But she is gorgeous in her Red and white Ashley's farewell dress

The third one is Mammy - You just have to love Mammy - 

 She is really pretty but my favorite thing is that they have her wearing a bright red pedi coat! Love that.

They are fun and not huge money to collect, that is why I think Madame Alexander Dolls are still so popular. Of course the older ones are really collectible and can get pricey, but the newer ones are just fun and decorative small investment items.

Now this estate has lots of KEN dolls from all eras - I have sold quite a few of them. I have one listed right now that is just too many memories from my childhood...

Long Hair Mod Ken.. he is too wonderful! Hysterical! He has on a red and silver Tuxedo Jacket from the 1970's... He just makes you smile doesn't he? LOL

So did you have Ken doll? Or Madame Alexander? Which ones?

HUGS and-