This is the time of the year I love to get out and really snoop for some good buys at local flea markets, and believe me, there are tons this year. I suppose it may be the economy at present as I am seeing far more highly collectible items surfacing on the open tables.
Mechanical toys [...]
There are those who believe the small sewing machines are toys and those who believe they were mostly salesmans samples. They were actually both of the above items.
The toy sewing machines were not always really a toy. Quite a few were indeed a salesmans sample. The company would manufacture small versions of their products that was easier for the salesman [...]
With Easter creeping up before we know it, there is a tradition I want to share that you may also find fun. Back when I was quite young my mother made us a special lamb cake at Easter time. Her mold was one my grandmother once owned and was made of cast iron. [...]
The cast iron tea kettle was once used on a daily basis by our frontier women and ranchers. There was nothing like the warmth that came off that big old black tea kettle as it sat on the wood cookstove. When hot water was needed, it was always ready.
In todays home building, there has been [...]