Congratulations Carmen! What a great win for your farm and animals too. Pesky flies be gone!

OMG. One of my readers (B) sent me over here. This is FANTASTIC! As an avid gelli printer and animal lover, this is fantastic. I’ve made homemade gel plates and the gelatin (which has always grossed me out) stunk to high heaven! No wonder, given what it’s made from. Artists don’t really like to use products that make them want to throw up 🙂

So I’m very happy to learn of your invention. And happy to see art and your work crossing paths.

Jean, you are going to love these quality clothes pins!! Congratulations and enjoy the upcoming cool fall days of perfect laundry drying outside.

Congratulations Amelia!! You are going to love all of MaryJanes tips and ideas to enhance your glamping fun. Enjoy!!

Congratulations Moma!! What a lovely story you tell about your neighbor Shelley. She sounds like a wonderful person to have in your life! Enjoy this great prize.

Just started my own little homestead this past spring. Over the years I’ve been collecting items I would need. We moved this past Feb. and it’s been great. So far 18 chickens and 2 ducks for the grandkids. My garden is great and next year I will start my flower gardens. I started selling my eggs already. It’s been hard work, but a great time. Thanks for the advise in your magazine it’s been so helpful.

Love Mary Janes Farm magazine because it reminds me that there are people all over the world who think like I do!

The thing I like most about MaryJanes is that it shows women ways to do things they thought were out of reach. These women can also brainstorm in the forums with others who live totally different lives but share a common denominator.

This is a pretty little tablecloth. I do love the crocheted edge. My favorite vintage linens are the ones that also have embroidery on them as well. I love old pillowcases with embroidery and colorful crocheted edges the best.

My favorite vintage linens come from my grandmother and her sister (great aunt)
they were passes to my mom and now I have them, most of them are used on a daily basis.

My favorite vintage linens are the ones I inherited from my mother and mother-in-law. Not only are they beautiful, but they are priceless with their rich family stories and history. Each one tells of a different event or tradition.

I enjoy thrift store shopping and antique malls, and love to collect doilies, tablecloths, tea cozies, dish towels, and Halloween potholders. I also have a big collection of cloth dinner napkins. Your coffee-stained tablecloth is just beautiful!

I love the colorful vintage embroidered kitchen towels! 🙂

I am privileged to have inherited my grandmother’s linens, many with her embroidered initials on them as they did back in the day. My personal favorites though were the 1920-30s cocktail sets, of placemats, tiny napkins, and even little petticoats for bases of the glasses, all intricately embroidered with what else, Roosters aka Cocks where the beverage’s name came from . Just so sweet.

My favorite linens are all the doilies I have from my Grandmother and also my Husband’s Grandmother. I inherited a bag from each of these ladies after their passing. What a real treasure and wonderful memory of each of them. Someday my daughter will have two of her Great Grandmother’s family treasures.

ohh…vintage linens…I collect and repurpose them into aprons, pillows and the such… I love the vintage pillowcases with embroidery, and if I find a single pillowcase at an antique store, etc., I will purchase it and repurpose it into an apron.. I never break up a set…those I would use on my bed! I have some of my mom’s and grandmothers linens that I use everyday….and, I tea dye linens to age them…my favorite would be the linen one on my bedside table made by my great grandmother…woven by her and intricately embroidered…I have a basket full of linen napkins on my kitchen table and one on the dining room table that are always in use at my house..even on “pizza day at Grammie’s”…stains soak out easily from vintage linens without harming them in oxyblast and cold water…overnight…the table cover pictured is really pretty!

When I was young, I enjoyed watching my Grandmothers, one loved to crochet doilies and the other favored embroidering on pillowcases, dresser scarves and tea-towels. Such sweet ladies, I treasure the linens I inherited from them!

I love to collect vintage doilies, tablecloths, pillowcases, actually anything vintage…

I have tried tea staining in the past, but never coffee staining. The results are lovely!
My favorite vintage linens are the ones that my great grandmother gave me. They were made by her and her mother. The have graced our family homes for well over a hundred years. Each stitch reminds me of her, and her love of our family and the care she showed to keeping a beautiful home.

I search out my vintage linens at yard sales, rummage sales, online auction sites, flea markets, etc. Unfortunately, my Mother did not hang on to the linens passed down to her and all I have are the things my grandmothers gave to me directly. Luckily, my Mother stayed out of my Hope Chest and my “findings” were safe while I was in the Air Force until I married. I remember my Mother writing and asking if I “really want me to send you all these old things I found in your Hope Chest?” Have been building on those early beginnings ever since.

Love the tea-stained tablecloth. I love all vintage things. I have many of my grandmothers and great-grandmothers.i have made two of my daughters quilts with hand-worked pieces from four generations past, their mother (me), grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. I framed pieces in barnwood frames for my third daughter. There were crocheted doilies, embroidered pieces, yo-yo squares, appliqes. Better to be displayed or used instead of hidden in a cedar chest.

I have this beautiful tablecloth that has fruit on it! It’s nice and heavy with peaches, blueberries, apples and strawberries. I’m drawn to things with fruit on it!

I love the look of vintage fabrics and would like to incorporate them into my scheme of things! Thanks for the many ideas!

Vintage tablecloths are beautiful. I really like the coffee/tea stained product. I tried once with an old chenille bedspread. Not as nice as yours.

I love vintage pillowcases with embroidery and crocheted trim. My daughters used pieces of my grandmother’s unused crocheted trim around their bridal bouquets.

My favorite vintage linens are beautiful tone-on-tone ones (i.e. ecru linen with ecru embroidery, white crochet on white cotton, etc.) especially if the patterns originated in the “Old Country”. There is something so sentimental, historical, and meaningful whether you know the person who made the piece or not. To me, vintage linens represent the interconnectedness between women and also generations.

My favorite vintage linens are the old crochet doilies and hankies that belonged to my mother & mother-in-law.

i have a beautiful embroidered doily that my husbands great grandmother created. We were all recipients of one when my husbands grandmother passed away. My dear husband made oak frames for each of his siblings with a description and gave one to each of them. what a beautiful memento for them all!

My grandmother and her sister and husband all crocheted so I have tablecloths and doilies and kitchen towels that they made that are dear to me. The tea stained tablecloth would look lovely on the claw footed parlor table that inhabits my living room.

The family trunk is full of little trinkets and heirlooms wrapped up in the old linens that protect them. The linens themselves are a work of art. I have a collection of my own now and can’t pass them by at thrift stores or auctions. Each piece makes me think of all the work someone did (I don’t sew or crochet). Thankfully someone else does! I’d love to add another piece to my collection. Thanks!

Beautifully crochet works always remind me of my dear grandmother and the beautiful things she created over the years.

I am picking up all kinds of linens and doilies and pieces of lace to piece together for a bed skirt to put on our antique twin bed. As I pick these up I do wonder what home they came from. I like them tea/coffee died also.

My favorite? That is a tough one! But I think one of the most beautiful things ever was an apron made from an old, linen, toile blouse dropped in rit dye that was supposed to be red but turned out to be fuchsia:)=joy!

These little aprons are pretty and fun. My entrance to wearing aprons started with my first copy of MJF with the Dec/Jan 2009 issue. Slowly, I am building a collection which I now wear every day when I am cooking or outside if I am doing clean-up. I love aprons that have nice big pockets too.

I’ve been in love with aprons since I was a little girl. My grandma always put an apron on me when she let me “help” in her kitchen. My mom wore them when she baked. I’ve continued to wear them throughout my married life. And now I’ve passed on the tradition to my daughters & grandgirls by making them ones for birthdays & Christmas. I simply love aprons! I even hate going to any fabric store, as I usually end up finding something to make a new one!

I don’t wear them all of the time, but aprons make me feel special when I do. There’s such a homey feeling to put one on when I start baking and cooking.

I’ve adored aprons since being a little girl and helping my grandma in the kitchen. She was a real farm woman, making everything for her family. My mother followed the tradition of apron wearing and growing a garden to provide for her family. I’ve made a few for my own use and taught my daughter how to sew so that she could make hers. She’ll be getting married next April, and I may be rushing this a bit (lol!), but I can’t wait until a I have a granddaughter that I can make a little apron for!

love aprons..they make me think of my grandma..the old days..old fashion ways..i like to make and wear my aprons..i want to introduce them to my grand-daughters when they are old enough..aprons are fun!

Aprons make me think of home, food, family and traditions.

Aprons bring back memories of helping my mother can fruits and vegetables or helping grandma cook in the restaurant back home. I still wear an apron when I cook and bake and especially when I can vegetables.

This is such a cute apron…from hankies! I have an old MJ back issue magazine with apron patterns in it…love those patterns…I love to craft aprons from vintage materials…and, I collect aprons…just can’t resist them in the antique stores…and, the ones that are embroidered along the check lines….I think how someone made those and now there they sit in the antique store for sale…all that time to make them…so, I have to buy them, ha ha! ….my grand girls have aprons to wear when they help me in the kitchen and even my grandsons…with camo trim, for sure!

If you mention the word apron, I immediately think of the apron that holds my mother’s clothspins. To me it is the embellishment of a woman that loves the outdoors and the smell of fresh air. I can’t hang my laundry outside but I can still have the enjoyment of the memory and imagine the smell associated with that apron.

I have a couple of aprons on a hook in the kitchen. My prettiest one is white with battenburg lace and embroidered flowers. I keep meaning to wear one since I drop and spill stuff frequently. I don’t think about them until it is too late. Started early today dropping a piece of pancake with syrup on my lap. Maybe it’s a bib I need.
Since I use cloth handkerchiefs, It would be nice to have one made of hankies and maybe this one would be worn.

I started wearing an apron when I helped the Women’s Association at Church serve one of their many fund-raising dinners to support the Building Fund. We (the waitresses) all had to wear an apron to be allowed out of the kitchen! Discovered when I was pregnant that I had to tie my apron strings under my armpits, to protect the few maternity outfits I had during my first pregnancy. That is a habit that has been hard to break until I discovered the full length aprons. The early training I received from those ‘church ladies’ about not being dressed correctly without an apron has certainly hung on. My collection today is not very large, but love finding aprons whenever I can, particularly if they are vintage aprons.

Reminds me good ol days and Gramma! When things were slower and better……

Wearing an apron transports me back to a time that I would love to be in! I just feel like so much more housework gets done once it’s on:)

Aprons are wonderful cherished items in my home. I have memories of my grandma wearing one everyday, as we would walk through her vegetable and flower gardens. I have them hanging in my kitchen. I also have some from my grandpas bakery ones he didn’t even get to use. I added lace and hankies on them and gave as Christmas presents to the girls in our family. My father (84) was just smiling as he realized these were the ones from the bakery. From generation to generation with a small story made these extra special. My daughter wears the one I made in my school home ec. class years ago and she has several of my mothers in her collection.

I’ve worn aprons that were either my grandmothers or my mothers since I was old enough to walk! My love for Aprons is at least 60 years old!!!

I remember in High School taking a sewing class and having to make an apron. I did it but it wasn’t exactly as perfect as this one. I used my Mother’s she had some special aprons from my Grandmother. I loved the personal touches on them it makes them very special.

These hankies look much larger? but I love using old embroidered pillow cases. Hankies make good pockets. I have a drawer full of old hankies, beautiful colors and prints. I’ll have to see if I have any larger ones to make apron with.

I have fond memories of cooking with my mother with both of us wearing aprons. Now I love to sew aprons for my daughters, son-in-law (for grilling) and granddaughters!

After slimming down by 50lbs in the last year, I suddenly want to wear feminine aprons again and celebrate my accomplishment! The aprons in the latest issue of MJF are so beautiful and inspiring! What I wouldn’t give to find my own pile of those hankies!!

Aprons, remind me of going to my Grandma’s Farm and she always wore one baking,canning,and working around the house. She would even let me wear one when I came to her house. She made all her aprons out of old flour sacks and leftover fabric she had from her quilting and sewing projects. So many good memories……

Aprons bring back memories of my maternal grandmother (called her Granny). She always worn an apron, even when she wasn’t cooking. I think sometimes when she had hers on outside she would put the “little chicks” in the pockets. Just kidding!!! I did put the chicks in a basket and tote them around myself. Seeing her in her apron meant she was doing something important, mainly cooking (on her wood stove-when I was really young) for her family. And, if I may mention, she was an awesome cook.

I enjoy making aprons and wearing them! I have made so many for friends and family! They just make everything cozier!

My first aprons were made by my grandma. I have several aprons hanging in my kitchen. From ones from my grandma to ones from friends. I have even designed children’s aprons and given them away. Besides having some for sentimental reasons, I use some to keep my clothes from getting stained. I’m a messy cook.

Finally, Hand soap for Land Girls! I love it!!!

A tip I have is if you have been clearing out an area where there was poison ivy, wash your hands, arms, and legs well with Fels-Naptha soap before showering. The soap helps remove all the poison ivy oils from your skin so you don’t spread it around to other areas of your body.

How lovely!
My favorite clean up tip is less about cleaning and MORE about how to keep things clean. I am a single mama to a two year old daughter. I own my own business, write from home, and spend most of my time…you guessed it! At home! It is SO easy for our houses to become a mess when they are cluttered, and having a young child- believe me! I get how fast that can happen. My tip is to learn that less IS more. You do not need all of those things that clutter your home and heart? Why let them stress you out? Learn to declutter your home and you will have less to clean! <3

Borax, its the best for good safe cleaning, and it even keeps fleas at bay. I add it to my washer when I do laundry and it really amps up the cleaning power.

I love to use natural products for cleaning as there are way to many harmful chemicals in our cleaning supplies. These chemicals harm our environment and also us… So lets all try to be more conscious of the things we use around our home for our families safety. Good old fashion Ivory Soap is very good at getting stains out of clothing.

I love the natural, big, soap bars. After working outside you can soap up your hands with a bar of soap and stick your nails into it to clean under them..of course, garden gloves are an option…but, I always seem to end up outdoors without them! I also like to clean with vinegar…vinegar and water..equal amounts with some pure essential lemon oil (like that from mountain rose herbs) about 10 drops or more…shake it up..put in a spray bottle..it cleans wood floors, glass, sinks, counter tops….my spray bottle says “Mrs. McKissic’s vinegar, water and lemon oil all purpose cleaner” on it…wrote on there by my grandson! Safe around the grandkids….I also like murphy’s oil soap for my wood floors….walls….a clean smell….like someone has been cleaning all day…

I use vinegar and water to clean most everything in the kitchen and bathrooms. I was making my own laundry soup using the recipe I found in your magazine but when I got a high energy washer, I was told not to use it. Is it safe? I loved the scent and how it cleaned the laundry!

To get the bottoms of copper pots back to their original shine just rub ketchup on bottom of pot let sit about 20 minutes,then wash . shinning again,works for me all the time.

Baking soda is a wonder! I like to sprinkle the carpet with it before vacuuming. Nice and fresh!

Don’t throw away your newspaper (black and white pages). I wad them up and use them to clean the inside glass of my lanterns after using them. Cleans them right up.

Baking soda! Baking soda! Under my arms, mixed with vinegar for the countertops, straight-up with elbow grease in the tub.

For cleaning me: I love castile soap! There are so many scents too…like lavender, which is my fav!

I just discovered norwex cloths for cleaning! Love them–only water is needed!

I put some vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher before I run it. Helps to keep D/W clean and with rinsing.

One of my favorite ways to clean or things to clean with is lemon! It smells great and acidity is perfect for the job! Especially on the cutting board. Also a standard borax all purpose cleaner, mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon water. Store and keep. You can use it for removing water deposit stains on shower panels, bathroom fixtures ect.

My clean up tip using vinegar and dawn soap to clean the shower. Boil the vinegar in the microwave, put in a spray bottle, add dawn soap, shake to incorporate. Spray in the shower, wait awhile then scrub and rinse. First time you may have to scrub more, but if you continue to use it gets easier.

I am a stickler for clean windows. Especially with little wet dog & cat noses constantly smudging them up, I end up cleaning certain windows every day! I use newspaper to clean the windows instead of paper towels or cloth rag. When I need to clean windows inside and out I stick with the vertical swipes when inside, horizontal swipes outside. Then if I notice any streaks later, I will know which side to clean.

Vinegar and lemon Essential Oils are my favorites. The vinegar cuts through some pretty nasty grime and disinfects at the same time.

Borax in the laundry and baking soda and salt for cleaning an old, much loved, and much abused porcelain kitchen sink.

Keep the dogs out of the house! (Of course that doesn’t happen, but if it did, my house sure would be cleaner!:)

My two most used items around the house for cleaning are vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. For the dryer I use wool drier balls and hang clothes out otherwise. Love Mary Janes Forum and magazines.

Wonderful Graphics!

Save pieces of soap,tie them tightly in a piece of soft flannel,and dip in boiling water until soft. Place in cold water until firm. Remove the flannel and a good ball of soap is ready for use.

To get musty smells out of wet farm clothes, I soak them in vinegar for an hour and then regular wash.

I like to use my old pumice stones to clean the lime rings around my toilets.

I’m a big believer in the power of white vinegar! Cleans everything and is so natural!

If I win the paint, I’d like to re-purpose an old milk can that I purchased at a garage sale last year. It would look great at my campsite to put my campfire forks and pie makers in!

I’d love to add these paints to my ongoing (10 year!) armoire project. 🙂 I’ve been adding layer after layer of pattern to turn a plain hotel piece into a luscious Moroccan-inspired extravaganza!

I would love to win the free paint as I have a very old antique chair that needs painting and would look adorable in those colors for my garden shed porch.

Using scraps of wood and pallets, I want to build an outdoor kitchen for my kids (and myself) to play with!

I would love to paint an old wooden display for my miniatures that I collect!

Within a week of each other, I was given a couple “farmhouse” chairs — a Momma Bear size and a Baby Bear size. I’d like to paint one turquoise and one red — see if that catches the eyes of shoppers in my little antiques/collectibles booth! Yay!

The trial-sized paints will be perfect to refinish an old wooden picture frame for my very first pastel painting. It’s of a line-up of old canning jars in various sizes and colors that hold staples on my kitchen counter. I loved the challenge of painting the jars to look “see through” like real glass!

If I win the paint, I would love to re paint a vanity that I found online. The middle flips up and reveals a mirror on the lid and a secret storage area!

I would love to win Cari’s paints! Red and turquoise are truly my favorite colors.I plan to paint my Mother’s old drrssor in turquoise and my porch swing red!!!

I would like to try my hand doing a redo on an old end table. It is light oak and has a v shape shelve. Help me make it “mine”.

I would repurpose and old end table.

a church pew in my garage.

i just purchased this fabu round dining room table with drawers and a secret compartment! That is my next paint/re-purpose project!

Love the colors! Would use on a Chippendale garden bench.

I have an old, solid wood arm chair that was made for a mental institution in Maine. It weighs a ton…and wants to be happy and red ;)!

I love “Cash and Cari” and would like to try her paints. I do a lot of crafting so these paints would be great!

i have a vintage picnic basket that is looking a little shabby.

Repurpose a bench into a quaint storage container