Samtiques ~ Clocks, Antiques and Collectibles Blog

If you are looking for antiques — please click on the link at the right.

“Dear Jane” — no, it’s not a salutation, it’s the name of a quilt. Not just ANY quilt — a quilt made by Jane Stickler during the Civil War. It has 225 little blocks — each one is different and all were designed by Jane. Some of the 4.5″ blocks have as many as 30 pieces, which means some of the pieces are very small.

So, here I am into my EARLY years of quilting thinking I should tackle Dear Jane. First, I needed the Dear Jane Book that illustrates each of the blocks, but NOT the patterns. So, after buying my “starter stash” of about 50 different pieces of fabric, I went with my dear friend, Betty, to a Dear Jane Quilt Retreat in April. We learned different techniques to use for this quilt including paper piecing, applique, reverse applique, and rotary cutting. We also met some fantastic “sister” quilters from the Waxahachie area. Our quilt teacher, Glenda, was very patient and very helpful. She arranged for us to stay in the 1890 House in Cedar Hill and what a fantastic place that was for a retreat. It was my first one, but if all are like this one, I’m ready to go again!

My Dear Jane quilt will be in blue tones with muslin background. Jane’s quilt was very colorful, and I am amazed at how many different fabrics she was able to use without having a JoAnn’s or quilt shop to find them. In that day, the ladies would recycle their fabric from their clothes. And you know, they didn’t have as many clothes in their “closet” as we do!

There is also a dedicated website to Dear Jane — www.dearjane.com

So, I have finished 10 blocks out of the 225 total — and when I get brave enough to post them here for ALL the world to see, I will. Looks like I’ll be working on this project for the next five years . . . or more!

How silly of me — a belated April’s Fool “wish” to you? Doesn’t make sense, right? Well, why not. I had an AF joke pulled on me the day BEFORE April 1 (seems some folks think all months only have 30 days, except for Febrrruary, as we ALL know). Hope everyone was kind to you that day.

Here to report on our Antique Show in Warrenton. First . . . it WAS GREAT! Many shoppers and more buyers than I expected, after listening to all the gloomy news the past few months. Seems like our antique-ers are not going to let a slow economy keep them away from what they love. Click on our Samtiques link to the right for more info about our business, please.

If you’ve never been to Warrenton during one of the two antique shows each year and if you love antiques — plan to come this Fall! Our booth is in the Cole’s Antiques building at the north end of town. We are only one of about 200 booths — and Mr. and Mrs. Cole only lease space to dealers with “good stuff.” You can spend several hours shopping in our air-conditioned building — free parking next to it and no entry fee to shop!

Then, you might want to check out some of fields, barns, other buildings with vendors who lease space in Warrenton. You can spend a few days there and not see it all. You are wise to wear COMFY shoes, bring lots of bottled water, and wear sunscreen along with a hat. Just remember, however, that prices in the fields are NOT necessarily better than those in our air-conditioned spaces!

A few miles down the road, you can pay to enter a show called Marburger — they have 7 or 8 football field size tents full of goodies. Along each side of the road headed to other little towns — like Round Top, Carmine, Fayetteville, and Shelby– you’ll see more fields full of tents or barns leased out; most are free entry but a couple have paid admission.

Since you will be in Antique Heaven and not want to leave the area — plan to reserve your motel/hotel room or RV spot early.

Hope to see you in the Fall — or come visit one of our booths at the Antique Gallery in Round Rock or the Stanley Theater in Luling.

Even though I’m a bit late in wishing all a Happy New Year – it’s January 4th — I’d like to do so now. After re-capping some special or memorable events of 2008 in my journal, I’d say that it was a very good year. The Palmer’s filled it with many family activities, which is the best kind of way to enjoy our lives and to count our blessings. No, the financial world and U. S. economy did not do well in ‘08, but compared to so many others in our world, we’re very well off. So, if we have more of the same in 2009, I’d say it was another very good year!

A few days ago, my friend Betty forwarded an article that included this quote from Shawshank Redemption: “Get busy living, or get busy dying.” That quote just struck me right between the eyes — smack! It was the same feeling I had when my senior English teacher, Miss Smoot , wrote a quote on the blackboard — “This is the first day of the rest of your life.” What? Whoa . . . just a minute, I’m not going to think about that! But I think it WAS at that time, I did start thinking about “the future.” Up until that time, thinking about the future for me was not too important. Yes, I had plans — to finish high school, get a State job as a stenographer, and maybe marry this guy I’d been dating steadily. But was THAT really what I wanted for the rest of my life? Evidently, NOT!

Several things had to fall in place for a big change in direction for me. First, I would not JUST finish high school, but I would receive a $100 scholarship. College was now part of the plan — mainly because I didn’t want to let down my teachers who had nominated me for this award. So, it was off to the University of Texas for a semester, or maybe two. Four years later, I proudly showed my family what a Bachelor’s degree looked like, since I was the first one to have that opportunity.

Next, I would add a second major to my graduation plan in Business Administration — in the field of Education. So, I graduated with skills to work in Office Administration, which I loved, OR I could enter the teaching field. This decision was made after the urging and encouragement of another teacher — Miss Stengel, a professor at The University. She was so helpful to me and all of her other students — she was interested in us personally as well as professionally, and she was the best mentor any of us ever had.

Then, I met the love of my life during the last two years at UT, and we were married the month before I graduated. We’ll celebrate our 44th anniversary in April.

Now, I’ll make this short — but again, as I look back over the past and forward to the future, I hope that somehow I can influence someone to “get busy living” and to remember “this is the first day of the rest of your life.” As a teacher, like the ones who influenced me, I could make a difference in some students’ lives, and hopefully I did during those 32 years. Now, who knows what a word or an action will do to move someone in a better direction. So, that’s something to think about for 2009!

Lunch with Paula was wonderful — not Paula Deen, but another Paula who is as good a cook as PD.

Actually, it was a luncheon last week that included nine retired business teachers. We taught in various high schools in the Austin school district and became good friends during those years. As each of us retired, we took a place at the monthly luncheon meetings usually held at a favorite catfish cafe. We especially love meeting there during the first week that school starts and watching the “goings-on” at the high school across the street from the cafe. Our number who meet regularly is up to fourteen — and we missed those who could not be at Paula’s this month.

Our menu was salad based — each of us took a dish — with the dessert table provided by Paula. Her Chocolate Italian Cream Cake cannot be beat — we chocoholics were in heaven as we enjoyed big slices of it! I was hoping to take a slice or two home with me, but alas none left with me — maybe next time.

Even though we weren’t sipping out of wine glasses, too, we were laughing and carrying on just like we always have whenever we get the chance. If we’re not laughing as we reminisce, we’re laughing at each other’s stories about our aging process. Our conversation keywords these days include: medicare, grandkids, social security or pension check, or some remedy for an ache. We also seem to keep up-to-date with computer technology (we are ex-business teachers, after all). But, we’re not too hip with itunes or text messaging stuff.

I feel very special being a part of this wonderful group of ladies — yep, we’re one gender only. If we added up all of our years of teaching experience, I guess it would average 30 years times 14 — whatever that number is (I didn’t teach math, you know)! We spent a week together each summer and another few days during the school years together at conventions or conferences. Since the school district gave us a very limited travel expense budget, we usually stayed four to a room in hotels. Then, one room full would invite another room full over to play Pictionary or cards. More than once a hotel manager has called our room to ask us to QUIETEN DOWN — our hotel neighbors didn’t enjoy our loud laughing as we enjoyed each other’s company. This is a group of non-drinkers —
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— but we might leave other impressions sometimes.

Some of us are having health issues that are serious — but with encouragement and support from each other, we are blessed!

Standing L-R: Sandra, Sue Ella, Billie, Ann, and Doris
Sitting L-R: Me (Sam), Paula, Rose, Beverly