Blueberry Cake, Blueberry Jam

This is what I did yesterday - picked blueberries.  When blueberry picking season rolls around, I can't wait to get out, I get obsessed about it and I can't stop picking - blueberries grow wild everywhere around here, you don't have to drive far, I started picking at 9:45 and left about 1:30 - the blueberries were everywhere and like always, I couldn't stop.  I picked a basket and a half, a basket holds 3 litres.  The blueberries are so plentiful that you will see people selling the baskets of berries all over the roads and in parking lots, there's good money in blueberries, I guess - I know they're not cheap to buy.  But, I am too cheap to buy them, I'll pick my own, thank you! It is hard on the back though and the terrain is sometimes not the best, but all in the name of the blueberry!! 

Blueberries are classed as superfoods - they're filled with nutrients to keep you healthy and feeling great.  Personally, I don't care for any other blueberries but these, the wild ones!

Last night I made a blueberry cake - it's Mom's old recipe, it's fast, it's easy and it's good.  Notice it's sitting on a Pyrex Delphite plate!

1 c. white sugar

1/2 c. margarine, it called for shortening, I substituted

3/4 c. milk

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. flour

2 eggs

3 tsp. b. powder

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. blueberries

TOPPING

1/2 c. white sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c. butter

Blend together margarine and sugar, then add the rest of the ingredients, stir until moistened, pour into 8x8 greased pan.  Sprinkle topping .  Bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes or until tester comes clean.  

This morning I made a batch of blueberry jam, I just used the recipe in the Certo box.  I missed out on blueberry jam last year because it was so hot and the blueberries were not plentiful, I only was able to freeze one bag which we used throughout the year for pancakes.  

We had a bowl of blueberries last night for dessert, I had another bowl for breakfast.  I'll have to pick again as we're heading to Darcy's and he loves them too, so I have to give him some. 

There's still plenty more to ripen!

I'm linking my blueberry post up with Thursday Favorite Things and Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook

Just a Few More Little Things

Saturday I headed out to the yard sales, with my husband in tow - most Saturday's he's at the golf course and Sunday's too, but six weeks ago he pinched a nerve in his back/neck area - he hasn't been able to golf since - thankfully, it is improving daily and the chiropractor has helped him so much.  The poor guy, that's about all I can say, it's a very painful thing!     

It ended up to be great though, we bought a few things, had breakfast out, went to a Mennonite farm and got a bunch of vegetables, which are just oh so good!!!  Last week I did a SMASH page on The Pop Shoppe, I used to love going there and getting all the flavors of pop, it's in very selective stores now, well, he went into a convenience store and came out with a cool Pop Shoppe Lime Ricky - it was so so good!!!

SMASH page on The Pop Shoppe - do you remember it?

Love Lime Ricky - what a treat!!!

Green & yellow beans, peas, onions, carrots, potatoes, zucchini and cucumbers - so good!

He picked this one up - made in the Chun Yee Toy Factory, Shanghai, China

It looks like it was hardly used - al the marbles are there and the board is not worn at all

I had this very Bingo game!!  I know people use bingo cards in their SMASH books, if you're looking for an old one, let me know and I'll mail one off to you.  This game was made in London, Ontario - it's not very often you find things like this made in Canada anymore

The wooden checkers were made in London, Ontario

Just an empty match box

We were looking at these, I wasn't really thinking of buying them, he said " you better get those" so I did - click on the pic so you can read the note - poor Scott did not get to keep his set.  The spoon is an odd shape and the other utensil - I guess it's for smashing food, I don't know - do you?The set was made in Germany by Wirths

How cute is this made in Japan little deer?

More scarves on the fence!  These I will be listing for sale - I thought maybe I had a Chanel scarf, no such luck, it's an imitation!  I used to find signature scarves always when I went thrifting, not so much anymore and my Vera's are even harder to find.

Check out the link ups at Thriftasaurus, The Penny Worthy Project and The Nifty Thrifty

Some Vintage Things

This is a miss match of vintage things - some that I brought from home, some that I purchased....  Vintage finds have been few and far between at the thrifts lately, but then, I really don't need much but it's still fun to hunt..

This doll was mine - I don't really remember playing with her too much, I think she was "too good" - I remember that a US relative had given it to me.  I imagine she bought it because she's a Jill doll and Jill is my name!!  The Jill doll was produced by Vogue Dolls from 1957 to 1965, her popularity waned after the introduction of the Barbie doll.  I looked through a site that has many of the outfits, for the life of me, I can't remember any of them.

Back then we could never find anything with my name on it so this would have been very special.

She's very pretty

I do remember she had drop earrings in the shape of a heart, I think they were the same as her hair band.

I bought a few pieces of doll clothing one day at Value Village, only because they were old - this seems to fit her, sadly she has no shoes to slip her painted toenails in.  I found my Jill doll in a bag in a drawer, with a few plastic doll skiis but no clothes....

This came from my mother in laws house, it's so pretty..

In honour of Queen Elizabeth's Coronation in 1953

I bought this when I was home at flea market - it was $1 - it's part of a Fire King Range Set.  There were the two pieces from the tulip pattern there too, I sent my great aunt back to get them for me the next week - they were still there, also $1 each.

I found this when I came back home - at a Christmas in July sale at a local flea market - it's tiny, it has the G in a wreath on the bottom,  what is that?  Right now, I can't remember!!!  It's just a tiny little boot, only 2 inches high.

Just a neat old Barbie book by Wonder, copyright 1964

I'm linking this post up with Thrifty Things Friday and Junkin Joe

A SMASHing box of Goodies

I first "met" Sharon through our love of Pyrex - we were commenting on each others Pyrex finds on Flickr and then on my blog - we struck up a friendship and it's still going strong.   I owe this current SMASHing addiction to Sharon - she started before me, I resisted at first, I was never interested in scrapbooking but she kept telling me this was different and I should try it - I did and I'm so glad she got me started - I love it!

We are always looking out for different SMASH items to trade - I just sent her a bunch of washi tape and stickers - our packages crossed in the mail, it was just like Christmas when this box of goodies arrived -  I am so lucky to have met such a nice person and such a generous person  - thank you so much - I appreciate all you do for me!! 

A new stash of Thickers - clicking on any pic will get you a better view

Stickers, embellishments, and flair - oh, my..  I've already used some..

Everything is just too cute!

And, some washi, of course.

And she sent me this sweet little Gooseberry fridgie - Gooseberry is such a sweet pattern!!

Some of my readers that are not on Instagram or Facebook have asked me to share some of my recent SMASH pages on my blog, so here are a few that I whipped up - I don't put much thought into my pages - just SMASH it down!  I think they turn out pretty good!  I've been working on my books quite a bit because it's so hot, you really can't be outside!  Which is a shame - it's summer!!

I use my International book for any and all trips - so, SMASHED some PEI from a couple of weeks ago.

Another page in the International book

We love seafood!  SMASHed in the Tasty book

Ice cream made it to the Tasty book too

I brought my old autograph books back with me - SMASHed into the Nostalgia book

Canada Day in the 365

I stopped the car when I was at Carla's this week when I saw this sign - look at that - A Little Bit of Everything!!!

Summer Fashions in 1958

I went for an overnight stay to Carla's on the weekend - our big plan was to hit up the yard sales, we did but it was a great big bust - we bought nothing!!  Last year we went and we found some half decent things, this year it was loads and loads of clothing, toys, buck store stuff and just junk in general that we surely are not interested in. That's why I said that the two yard sales I struck gold at this year would probably be it for the summer - that could very well be true!

We did venture to an antique shop that we had wanted to check out before but never did, it was just ok, don't think I will need to go back again for another year.  I am always on the lookout for a Christmas catalogue, none again but I picked this Simpsons Sears catalogue up, there's no cover on it, but I had to buy it, it's from the year of my birth - 1958.  Vintage fashions always make for a good blog post - here's what my Mom must have been wearing that summer....  There are so many great things in these catalogues to share - hope you enjoy the fashion show.

I love the dress on the upper left - drip-dry tie print cotton - it cost a whopping $8.99

The coral dress on the bottom left came with a personally monogrammed hankie - the dress was only $6.99

Many of the pages are in black and white - aren't they all just so Mad Men??

Maternity Styles - to look your very best!

You could buy the "Heather Glen" coat for $39.95 cash or $4.00 down with payments of $5.00

These seemed to be a lot of drip dry clothing - the most expensive shirt on the page is $2.98

Here's some drip-dry skirts - they're all pretty cute!!

I like the turquoise "boxy "popover" in cotton corduroy

"Slims"

There are six pages of hats - so many styles and so fashionable!

Elegance in leather and plastic!!!

Love the "baby dolls" 

These slips could pass for dresses now...

Notice the briefs with "Jax" Active Back!!  No bikinis or thongs back then..

This looks painful to wear!!

I remember Mom having these buckles and bows to go on shoes, I think Carla has a pair of them now...

These don't look so different from what we might see now.

What do you think of the styles back then?

I'm joining in today at Sunny Simple Monday, Junkin Joe , Thriftasaurus and Vintage Thingie Thursday