Picker Sale

I am helping one of my 4-H family's with their grandpa/great-grandpa's estate.  I did a "picker" type sale in September and it was a HUGE success.  Really!  I didn't know if the customers would understand this:  "go make a pile and we will come to a price" - but, they did and told me they had so much fun.  One lady took 4 van loads back - 30 miles one way to her house....now, she might have hoarding issues...LOL...not that I would recognize this...and she wasn't even one of my family members (wink, wink)!

This family had Carter Implement and Carter Grocery Store on this premise.  He also had a green bean farm - the property is 3 acres right in town - near Target.  When I walked around the buildings at this estate, I was already thinking it would make a great "picker sale."  You know the show American Pickers is so popular and many viewers want to try their hand at doing "this" - this is the perfect opportunity to try.  Heck, I might do "picker estate sales" from now on...who knows....only time will tell.  

I am doing the actual household estate sale on December 9, but we need to get these buildings picked before then - we couldn't do it or get back to them if we had snow.  So, if you live close and want to come to a picker sale, it is this Friday, November 10th from 2-5 ish pm at 3316 Schofield Avenue, Schofield, WI.  Dress warm, bring gloves, bring a flashlight, park in the parking lot next door and let's have some fun.  We will help you dig it out, make a pile, come to an agreeable price and help you load it.  Disclaimer...I haven't picked anything from this - I don't "need" anything...but, I do see plenty of things one could redo or resell.  If you know me or have been to one of my sales, you know I know HOW to move inventory...I'm an expert at it...just not my own!

For more information and pictures go to:  https://wausau.craigslist.org/gms/d/to-settle-an-estate-pick-of/6371971225.html

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

UPDATE:  POST SALE

The sale was an eye opener to say the least - in MANY ways...anyway...we did it!  Now we can move forward with less stuff in our way for the actual estate sale on December 9 from 9-4.  Unless a huge snow storm - then the 16th.  Hope to see you there!

Road Trip

Al had a great idea...to buy a car...rust free...from somewhere in the south west.  If you live up here, the cheapest way to get down there, is to fly to Las Vegas - there are some super deals!  So, we purchased 2 one way tickets 10 months ago.  He researched what he wanted and found a dealership in Las Vegas, NV to work with.  We had no problems and are VERY happy with the car.  

I told him, if we do this...I want to stop in Pawhuska, OK and go to the Pioneer Woman's Mercantile.  We also wanted to see the Grand Canyon on the way.  So, we did it - we are home now - it was a blast.  We have some great memories.  This was truly, probably, a once in a lifetime for us.  

Here are some pictures of our week:

  
These 2 pictures are both from Las Vegas, NV - the top is Red Rock Canyon Park - the other the strip....can you guess which one I liked best?  I now know why they say, "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" - it's too much!   We did go to Gold & Silver Pawn shop, an Elton John concert and ate some amazing food at Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsey's restaurants.  

The Grand Canyon was amazing!  We really liked the landscape in Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico - so different from the north woods of Wisconsin. 

We ventured off the interstate Hwy 40 on to the old Route 66 for a bit we ran into Winslow, AZ - claim to fame...Eagles song..."Take it Easy" - "standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona..."  

We drove through the panhandle of Texas - miles and miles of cotton fields and windmills...thousands of windmills...we don't really have those up here, too many trees.  Then we were off to Pawhuska, Oklahoma - an experience that I will devote a whole post to.  

America is an amazing country - filled with all kinds of beauty and people - no better way to experience that than drive through 11 states in 7 days.  (We had to "drive around" Kansas City - I just couldn't - even with the promise of BBQ on the other end - my nerves couldn't handle it!)

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Fields of Cotton

While driving through the panhandle of Texas, we noticed the fields and fields of white.  This isn't snow, that's what our fields and fields of white are.  It was cotton - I've never seen a cotton plant or raw cotton before.  So, I convinced Al to take the next exit so I could get a closer look.  It just happened that the truck ahead of us was doing the same and not only that....he was stopping in the field.  So, I jumped out and asked if I could take some pictures of his cotton.  He just nodded and then smiled as I told him we were from Wisconsin and I had never seen this before.  Did you know they bale cotton just like we do our round bales of hay?  I didn't!  He was telling us how they harvest it and that it was a "good" cotton harvest this year.  Texas is one of the top producing states.  Not just the cotton, but the seed and oil come from this very versatile plant.  Here are a few photos.

Did you know it is illegal to grow cotton in some states?  It isn't in Wisconsin - so, now Al and I want to give it a try.  You all know I love fiber...

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Cookie Of The Week 38 - Dicky Bird's Chunky Chocolate Chia

I made this recipe up - due to an "I don't know what I am craving" cookie...chocolate, peanut butter, raisin...I couldn't make up my mind, so I added them all together.  They turned out good - next time I might only put in 1 or 1 1/4 C flour.  I guess it would depend on how moist your coconut is or if you use creamy peanut butter.  

In a bowl combine

1 C old fashioned oats
1 C coconut
1/2 C chia seeds
1 C raisins
1 1/2 C Flour
1/2 C cocoa
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon

Cream together

1 C shortening I used this: 

1 C chunky peanut butter
1 C sugar
add:  
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Combine the dry with the creamed mixture

I rolled them into 1 T size balls and baked for 13-14 min at 350.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

October - My Favorite Time of Year

I love October, crisp air, colorful trees, crunchy leaves, pumpkins and of course, the Ringle Harvest Day:  http://ringleharvestday.blogspot.com/

October is a busy month for me.  The Ringle Harvest Day started 21 years ago....21!...here at our farm.  At that first sale, I had a garage full of auction extra goodies.  My sister Lynn and my friend Lisa set up in the driveway and on my porch.  I remember I had this bear skin rug hanging on the porch - oh, how I wish I wouldn't have sold that...anyway...from that small beginning, it has grown into over 100 vendors.  We outgrew my yard and insurance coverage (smile), so we moved it to the "downtown" part of Ringle in 2005.  From that move on to this year we have grown.  I think the estimate for attendance last year was over 5,000.  I don't know, it's a free event and is supported by the whole community.  I do know it was a beautiful day and very busy.  We have had great days even in the snow...this is Wisconsin...it happens.  Pray that it doesn't this year, please.

For my "picker" blogging friends....this is a great place to shop!  We have a wide variety of vendors with a wide variety of stuff.  Come on out to Ringle, we are 12 miles east of Wausau, a bit over an hour west of Green Bay and we are just off Hwy 29.  

The event is always the 2nd Saturday in October - this year, October 14th.  We start at 9, but truthfully, there are shoppers with flashlights and wagons in the dark.  By 9 some of the die hard pickers have taken a load back to their trucks.  I don't even get to see what is there....but, that's O.K. I have my own booth that is usually getting picked ...thanks!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.    

What I'm Working on Wednesday

I have 1 - 2 shows a month until the end of the year in addition to my 2 booths.  I have been working on painting some furniture.  Last week, I was canning tomatoes and Shannon (my intern...) was washing, sanding and painting first coats on some furniture pieces.  It was hot and humid, so she was doing this at the kitchen table.  I turned from my 2 sinks, kettles and jars of tomatoes and said..."boy, I'm sure glad I am able to do what I have to do and you are doing what I have to do too...It's nice to have a 'Shannon.'"  She said, "I wish I had a Shannon too..."  We laughed!  She says she likes working here with me...even though I give her my least favorite jobs.  (wink)  I told my daughters "I'm sure going to miss having Shannon, I don't know if I can afford to keep her" (sounds like I'm talking about a puppy)...anyway, Anna messages me back..."well, just keep finding stuff she likes for trade!"  

With all that said, we worked on several pieces this past week.  I'm not sure what will go where yet, but these are only 2 of the pieces we worked on - they were both our favorites.  

The first table I bought from my old boss' wife, it was her grandmother's and needed some TLC.  The second one was from an estate buyout I did well over a year ago.  Both pieces were waiting for a new look.  I forgot to take the before pictures of each, I need to do that from now on!

Thanks for reading my blog.  I was so humbled by the kind words of a follower, actually, I don't have a large number of "follow along" people, but I must have many that do.   Anyway, while working that estate sale in Birnamwood, I had two ladies come up to me and tell me they like reading my blog posts.  It was nice to hear.  I've not been writing too much lately, but that made me want to keep going.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Product Review - Plantscape, Inc.

One of the "perks" of writing a blog is when you are asked to do a product review and receive FREE merchandise!  This post is about just that!  

Plantscape, Inc., http://www.plantscapeinc.com/ approached me to do a product review.  I generally use real plants, branches and boughs in my creations that I sell for my business.  However, sometimes it is not possible to do so.  Also, many of my customers consider the items they buy from me for their decorating as an investment.  They intend to buy, decorate for the season, save and reuse them again.  Artificial materials make that possible.    

Plantscape, Inc. at http://www.silkplantsdirect.com/ sent me a fall wreath.

Isn't it pretty!  

First, I was impressed with the packaging.  The wreath was wired into the box so that it didn't move around in shipping.

The wreath is well made, tightly secured to the back and I had no loss of material even when I shook it...I had to make sure it was well made.  The only loss of decoration I had was when I tried to hang it on the horse fence and fell against the posts because of the pumpkin vines as they wrapped around my feet.  I fell on it and broke off one of the berry bunches.  Which wasn't their fault...

I did a photo shoot around the farm to show many different ideas of how and where you could use this wreath.  It would also look beautiful on a table with a pumpkin or candle in the middle.

On my front door....

On my shop/studio.....

Around the junk that decorates the outhouse....

The other antiques around the farm.

I can honestly say, that I would rate this product a 10 out of 10.  Their use of quality materials, construction of the wreath and their packaging were top notch.  Thank you Plantscape, Inc. for the opportunity to serve you and inform my followers of your products and how they can order them too.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

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