Cookie Cutters, Candles and Castrating Pigs

Everyone has been whining about the weather.  It had been cool-ish during the days and even dropped into the 40's for a few nights.  Plus, we had buckets and buckets of rain that resulted in flooding.  People were griping that they couldn't use their pools (oh boohoo rich folk).  Anyway, I knew it would get hot one of these days and BAM did it ever.  Yuck.  They said today the the heat index not far from here was 115.  To this I say, "Pbthhhhh!"  It's here people, I hope you are happy.  I'm not.  :(

This week I have decluttered about six giant bags of stuff.  Today I tackled the gift bag/gift wrap/ribbon/tissue paper/greeting card hoard.  I used to go to Target and hit the 90% of sales and I sort of overdid it on buying gift wrap and tissue paper.  I had 15 unopened rolls of red, white and green curling ribbon.  Fifteen rolls, people!  I kept three.  I had hoards of gift bags.  I really only give gifts to my immediate family and upon retrieving their gift from the gift bag, they promptly hand it back to me "for the next time".  So, I didn't really need 300 gift bags.  Okay, I didn't really have 300 gift bags.  I had 298.  But, I gave most of them away.  Okay, not most.  But a lot.  I swear.  I sorted out the greeting cards.  I love buying cutesy notecards.  But, seeing as how I just used my last Santa Stamp - I don't exactly mail out a lot of cards these days.  Also, I just hit a store closing last week and bought 100 brand new greeting cards for $10.00.  So, I culled out all the older ones I had (not vintage, mind you, just ones I have had for awhile.  Now they are all organized by holiday or subject and filed away in a box.  *Patting myself on the back*.  

I also organized my cookie cutters.  Now, who in their right mind has so many cookie cutters that they actually have to organize them?  Me.  That's who.  Me.  Have you ever seen those crazy big Cheez Ball containers at Sam's?  The ones that fill the cart up and that no one in their right mind should ever buy?  Well, I have TWO of them chock full of cookie cutters.  And, that doesn't even include the giant two gallon jar in the kitchen full of my vintage cookie cutters.  But, they all fit in the Cheez ball jars and they have a place in closet, so they are staying.  Now, I really need to bake some cookies.  Anyone want cookies shaped like a tractor?  A dog bone?  A duck?  A starfish?  A car?  The Number 9?  The Letter Q?  A big heart?  A little heart?  A huge heart?  A mini heart? Let me know.  I'm your gal.

After the cookie cutters came the candles.  I have two terrible awful candle problems.  Problem #1: I like to buy candles.  #2:  I never burn candles.  Whoops.  Also, have you hear of Hanna's Candles?  They make the candles they sell on QVC and other places.  They are made not far from here and once a year they have these killer warehouse candle sales.  You can get those giant three layer cake candles for 50¢, Hershey's Chocolate Jar Candles for $1.50, big pillar candles for 25¢ and so on.  I go bananas there buying candles for me, my Mom, my Dad, the cat up the street, homeless people, Obama.  You know, anyone that might like a candle. ;)  So, today I sorted them out and sent a huge bag out to my Mom's since she actually burns them.  (How clever of her!)  I still kept more than I need seeing as how I rarely burn the darn things.  *I recently received a Yankee Movie Night Buttered Popcorn candle as a gift.  I DO burn that one and it makes me starved for popcorn.  It is delicious!

You know that even though I have been culling things out, things have still been coming in.  I mean, what's the fun of making room if you can't find something new to take it's place?  

I bought a vintage farming book called "Pasturing" that featured this photo.  

"How to hold a piglet to castrate it."  

In case you've ever wondered how to hold your pig.  You know. While you're castrating it.

You're welcome.

A neat old green Thermos.  I've never seen a green one.  I want to save it for the Barn Sale and put it with my vintage Christmas wares.

A Lucite owl napkin holder.  I used to sell plenty of owl things in my big city booth, but not so much in he small town booth.  But, he is just kitschy enough that I think he will sell.

A wire magazine rack that was nearly impossible to photograph.  It will go to the booth this weekend.

This wire basket is really big and it collapses for storage.  I think it will be handy for a number of uses.  

This set of puzzles came to my by way of Etsy.  I had planned on making magnets to sell out of the pieces.  

But, my goodness, the pictures are so cute.  

Images that a child in twenty years will not be able to even identify.  The radio and the phonograph, for instance.

The old fashioned telephone and politically incorrect "Indian Head".

The roller skates are gone, which makes me sad.  I might make magnets out of this puzzle.  But, I think the other three are going to be framed.  I just can't part them out.  They are too sweet!

There are lots sales listed this weekend. but I'm not sure if I will go to any or not.  I don't enjoy getting all hot and sweaty.  But, if I do, I must remember.....no gift bags, curling ribbon, greeting cards, cookie cutters or candles!