Blacksmith Association of Missouri 30th Conference

Parked in the Missouri State Fair grounds. 

   

Catching up with my bestie, Margie. It had been way to long between in person visits.

The BAM Boutique that I run.  Me and a lot of wonderful volunteers. I'd be lost without them. 

Bernie and Steve unloading "Vern".

Bernie, Steve and Ken doing a wrought iron weld. 

 

Lisa Higgins from the Missouri Folk Art Program was there to recognize several people. Here is Bernie, Pat McCarty, and Bob Patrick, all previous recipients. 

 

Bernie receiving his certificate for teaching in the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program 2021-2022

Willy Bagley and Pheona were serenaded in a chorus of Happy Birthday!

 

Could you tell it was a cold May Day?

 Mike Gentzsch again made two beautiful toolboxes that were raffled off. 

Me and my two friends, Karen from Oklahoma and of course Margie.

Time to load it back up. 

You must read the description of Sid's knife. Quite the story! This was on display in our gallery. 

Gallery item.

Gallery item.

Gallery item.

Gallery item. I might have a little inside tip on what Doc is making for the conference next year! Stay tuned.

Kirk Sullens previous from Missouri, now living in Florida was one of our demonstrators. He made the neatest Octopus,

A few drinks were consumed and passed around at the Saturday night auction. 

 

Another Pat McCarty chest. This was number 69 that he's made.

 

Nathan made an auction item. Wished I had taken a picture of the bottom. It was for BAM's 30th conference. 

A beautiful Hummingbird feeder made by Eric Bartch of Colonial Iron. Picture does not do it justice. 

Another fantastic conference is in the books.

Garden walk

Onions, radishes and lettuce, it’s growing quickly. The tomato and pepper plants not so much. They were nearly drown last week. We hope they recover.

This poor grape vine has been here for probably over a decade and never produced.

The potatoes have grown quickly!

Tonight we enjoyed our first garden salad. I add green onions, mandarin oranges and a sweet vinegar and oil dressing with poppy seeds. We could eat this every meal!

It’s a dog life! Guess we wore her out between garden walking and helping in the blacksmith shop. (This was after we hosed the coal dust off)!
 

Great finds in my favorite antique place

It's been a hot, hot week in Mid-Missouri. Unseasonably high temperatures. So, what else is there to do but check out my favorite air-conditioned shop.    

J Street Vintage, which happens to be on Jefferson Street, in Jefferson City, thus the name, is a consignment shop. I needed to stop by and pick up my auction item I won, so I decided to stroll through the shop. You can find J Street Vintage on Facebook and Instagram.

  

I found this cute little windmill, that actually does spin. It's only 3 1/4 inches tall. For $4 I couldn't resist it. 

This is my auction item, a Davis basket. Not sure you can read the pencil writing on the handle, but the original price was $39.  

I won it on the auction for $30. It is 14 inches deep, to the top of the handle, and it is 14 inches across. 

Mr. Davis started making basket in the 1940's. He was born in Nebraska, but came to Harrisonville, Missouri sometimes before he graduated high school in 1944. His shop was along Highway 54 near Camdenton Missouri. I passed it countless times and never stopped in. My bad!

I found this article about him, Davis Baskets. 

I am now the proud owner of 2 of his baskets. Let the hunt continue . . . . 

 

 

As for today, it has cooled somewhat, storms are predicted later today. We are sitting one of our grand dogs. This is Rosie. Her family went to the National archery shoot in Louisville, Kentucky. Later today they will travel to West Plains for district track.  

Life is good.

God is good.

She’s back!!

It’s always so much fun when my friend Pattie comes to visit. She arrived Thursday evening after an almost 12-hour drive from Georgia. 

She brought us rocks! Yep, a basket of rocks. She would show Lizzie and I how to do some weaving on them. After all Pattie is a master basket maker. She’s taught for years at John C. Campbell Folk School, in Brasstown, North Carolina.

These were my two. The one on the right is called fish bones. 

Lizzie used one piece of dyed material. It was dyed multi-colors. It was so neat to see how the top was basically two colors only. This is the kimono pattern.

The teacher and her students.

Saturday Pattie and I along with Lori and Aaron went to Stark caverns. It’s been a tourist attraction for 72 years, most of that time I lived 30 miles away, yet I had never been there. It was the first time Pattie had been in a cave. 

The top of the cave entrance had these pretty flowers.  

Sunday, we went to my niece, Amber's baby shower. Here is the quilt I made her.

 

Come Monday we went to our farm to dig bloodroot. Bernie dug, we separated it. She wanted the bulb root and some young plants to transplant.

Only a few were still showing their blooms.

A wash tub was plenty for her! 

I bought this hickory rocker many years ago. There were a few pieces that were broken. If I remember correctly, I paid $12 for it. It's a very comfortable rocker. I was going to put it on the front porch of our hunting cabin. We decided it was too good to be out in the weather.  

Years ago we got some hickory from basket makers Alice and Joe Dudenhoeffer to repair in.  Pattie being the master basket weaver did her magic and repaired it. After we varnish it, I doubt you'll be able to tell the repair.  

Did I mention she is fun to have around?  I can't wait to see what we can find to do on her next visit.  

A Halloween quilt?

Why you ask a Halloween quilt?  Good question.  I have no clue why I made it. I know I saw some Halloween embroidery I liked, and then it turned into how to use the blocks. 

I added a few paper pieced blocks, because you know me, that's my favorite!

S

Here are the colored pencils I used. They come in different size sets. Both Hobby Lobby and Walmart sell them. 

There are all kinds of YouTube videos on the technique. It's fun to blend the colors. After all the coloring is finished you paint the textile extender on it and let dry. After pressing with a hot iron, you're ready to embroidery. 

 

I will now take it to Cindy Baker, who is a long arm quilter. She will work her magic with some Halloween designs.