June 23, 2011

A Scare & New Thrifty Finds...

Tuesday night we had the worst storm that I can remember.



We eventually took shelter in our basement while the winds and rain ripped apart our yard.

Luckily, the treehouse withstood the storm.

We lost significant trees around our garden. Chris spent Wednesday rebuilding the fencing and clearing trees. We're missing one tree that framed the treehouse deck, but it could have been much worse. The garden took the brunt of the storm.


We definitely had a few fairies & angels protecting our special little dwelling.

Now, onto thrifty news...

When we were in Detroit visiting family recently, Chris noticed a garage sale going on down the street from his parent's home. I spotted these washboards and thought they would make a nice addition to our laundry room.

He added picture hooks to the back of the washboards and hung them on the laundry room wall for me. I really liked them, but it felt like I needed something more to go with them.

I dug through my stash of vintage doll dresses in my craft room (you probably will recognize one of them from my blog banner) and attached a few of my favorite ones onto the washboards with string and clothes pins.

I added a framed print of a little girl ironing from Round the Mulberry Bush by Marion McNeil illustrated by one of my favorite children's illustrators, Fern Bisel Peat (copyright 1933).

By the way, this book is about a playhouse that was built for two little girls. I've owned the book for several years (way before the girl's treehouse became a reality).

The woman that sold the washboards to us, said they used to be her mother's and she remembers helping her mother with the weekly laundry. I promised her that they had found a good home.

XOXO
♥
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23 comments:

  1. JodeeJune 23, 2011 at 6:57 AM

    Oh my word! What an awful storm! We have had several similar here. So glad the treehouse hung in there though!

    Love your laundry room makeover!

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  2. vivianJune 23, 2011 at 7:06 AM

    WOW!! I would have been a wreck during that storm. I'm glad you all were safe and that the precious treehouse stood strong and tall! (a testament to your hubbys carpentry skills!) Here I am running late again.. need to leave at 7:15.. and I'm not even dressed!! lol!
    have a delightful day!
    xo
    vivian

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  3. DearHelenHartmanJune 23, 2011 at 8:00 AM

    Thank heavens you were safe from the storm. The laundry room make over is cuter than a lot of my living area! Very clever putting the doll clothes with the washboards.

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  4. Michelle @ Dream Home DIYJune 23, 2011 at 8:16 AM

    So so sooooo scary!! We dont get storms that bad very often here in VA.

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  5. CourtneyJune 23, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    So glad you guys are safe. We have had some nasty storms here. They are just now finishing the repairs from the storm that hit my apartment complex last fall. My grandmas farm took a major hit earlier this spring. Love the new laundry room make over.

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  6. BucksCountyFolkArtJune 23, 2011 at 9:29 AM

    We've had some bad storms that have taken down several trees on our property, thank God they never hurt anyone. But, we've never had one so bad that we had to take refuge in the basement.

    Those washboards are so adorable, especially how you decorated them. It's funny. Years ago, a woman used them to wash her clothes. Could she ever have imagined something so utilitarian would become an art piece on somebody's wall?!!

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  7. DiannJune 23, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    That storm was wicked! We didn't have much damage. I am so sorry to see the damage you guys got. thank goodness the treehouse was untouched!! Good eye Chris with those washboards! And your little added treasures are just perfect Kim!

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  8. HeatherJune 23, 2011 at 12:26 PM

    How scary that must have been! I am glad that everyone is safe.

    The washboards are adorable. The laundry is looking very cute...like all that you do! :)

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  9. birdie blueJune 23, 2011 at 1:56 PM

    the same storm hit us, on it's way across the lake. lots of my neighbors are still cleaning up and without power. one of my girls is deathly afraid of tornadoes, she really gets scared when the siren goes off...

    love your new washboards, perfect for your laundry room.

    xo
    ~molly

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  10. GardenOfDaisiesJune 23, 2011 at 3:00 PM

    This is the time of year for those bad storms. Sorry you lost a tree. Hopefully your garden will recover.
    Your washboards and dolly dresses look so cute! And it's the perfect solution for what to do with my little crocheted dresses. Now I just need to find a washboard and glue some magnets to some little clothespins.

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  11. My Vintage MendingJune 23, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    Kim what a gift the tree house was spared. My husband loves to watch the storms I however find refuge in the basement. The wash boards and prints are darling....smiles..Renee

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  12. BarbaraJune 23, 2011 at 5:58 PM

    I have a couple of washboards with faded graphics, and your project would be perfect for them. I am so glad your treehouse is OK!

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  13. LauraJune 23, 2011 at 6:07 PM

    Well we're happy that you and your family were safe during the storm! Those washboards are very nice finds, and they sure found a lovely way to decorate your room!

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  14. LVJune 23, 2011 at 8:02 PM

    The weather all over the word has been out of control. Glad your home was spared and no one injured. I have an old wash board that is very vintage as well. I do not have a laundry room so it just hangs in the garage.

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  15. SusanJune 23, 2011 at 8:34 PM

    This is so very cute!~!

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  16. JanetJune 23, 2011 at 9:46 PM

    That storm looked really scary, but glad you were all okay! Those washboards look adorable with the little dresses!
    Blessings,
    Janet

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  17. KJ@letsgoflyakiteJune 23, 2011 at 10:04 PM

    Kim - I am so glad you, your family and home are okay. We have been having some unpredictable weather as well on our mature tree lined street. We actually have to bring the girls inside, because it is unsafe to play during these windstorms.
    I love all of your thrify finds - I have never been so fortunate to find a washboard (maybe one day - sigh!) of course they have found a home where they will be treasured - and thank you for sharing the story of round the mulberry bush .

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  18. AnonymousJune 24, 2011 at 12:21 AM

    WOW! What a storm! Thankfully, you're all OK and things didn't turn out worse.
    Have a great time away on your little vacation! I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable time!!
    :)

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  19. Faye HenryJune 24, 2011 at 8:24 AM

    Hi.. Just found your lovely blog and must say that you were so blessed to have protection in that terrrible storm..
    I love your thrift finds and even more how you decorated with them.. Lovely...

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  20. AnonymousJune 24, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    Storms like that are very scary. We've had a number of them this year, more than any other year I can remember.

    Those washboards were a great find, especially since you also learned a little history of them and that they had actually been used. I love how you have accented them with the doll dresses and added that sweet picture, too.

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  21. ChristieJune 24, 2011 at 11:32 AM

    Oh Kim! Those little washboards are darling! Love that you hung the little vintage dresses from them...that makes them extra cute :)

    Thank goodness you all were safe during that storm...that looked scary!

    Take care and thank you for stopping by to say hi...it always makes my day that you stopped over :) Talk to you again soon...
    Big hugs,
    Queenie

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  22. Pam KesslerJune 28, 2011 at 10:57 PM

    Wow! Glad you and the kids are OK. That had to have been scary. I have a washboard in the basement that I really didn't know what to do with, but yours look so cute that I'm going to dig it out and put it to good use.

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  23. Life in RehabJune 29, 2011 at 4:04 PM

    I know I watched this footage with the kids, and just didn't remember to comment- OMG I'm so glad you guys are okay!

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Thank you for following our adventures. I always enjoy reading your comments. Happy crafting! Happy thrifting! PS. Ignore that "robot" verification. You can ignore/skip that step since I can't seem to remove it from blogger.