DECEMBER 7, 1941
THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR
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I was 4 yrs old in 1941...
These are my ration stamp books...during the war, a lot of things were rationed...
Sugar, shoes, gasoline....
My mother said she traded shoe stamps for sugar stamps with my Aunt Bonnie..
Mom had only one little one to buy shoes for...Aunt Bonnie had two.
Mom would bake cookies with that sugar and take Aunt Bonnie half of them....:O)
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and.....Mom was a ROSIE THE RIVITER, working in air defense plants and helping to build airplanes.Isn't that just amazing.
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The top photo is my step-dad, the one I loved so much, that's me with a flower pot looking little hat...and my Uncle Otis...they were brothers and served in the army at the same time.
I can't remember just what we were doing that day...I think it was some sort of honoring the
veterans of WW2...The date on the back of the photo is 1946....
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My dad on the bottom left, leaving for war...
Going overseas, the ships were so crowded, some of the men had to sleep on deck....
My dad was one of them...with all the water rushing on board and him staying wet for so long,
he got very ill. He spent 2 1/2 years in a hospital in India...
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GOD BLESS THEM ALL...EVERY ONE!
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I've been seeing these fabulous STRIPES all over the place...*
**I just HAD to try it...
Spent the whole entire day...this time, I didn't hurt myself while trying to craft...
well....maybe MY FEELINGS...:(
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COUNTRY LIVING magazine had this cute photo.. 
The article told me to use a PAINTERS DROP CLOTH...but, OH NO....I had to use my new love....BURLAP..
Since BURLAP is nubby...not nearly as smooth as a drop cloth, I didn't get
as nice and even paint job as I should...but...
THE NESTER says "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful"...
and I believe it.......do you?
There is not much in my whole life that is PERFECT....
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The following photos show how I might use this crafty thang.....
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I used a yard of burlap...and I have NOT CUT IT YET...It would look pretty cute on my little round breakfast Bistro table...for a change...
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.......looks pretty cool on a country bench....**
It would look pretty cute on my dining table...a country look when I might want a country look...(REMEMBER....it's not cut and hemmed or even pressed here....)
*note...as I am a TableCloth person...it is so so hard for me to leave my table "nekked"....wonder why that is ??
Now, I THINK, if my dining table was a beautiful white, with white chairs, I would LOVE leaving it without clothes !!
"O, Mr. Sweeeet............"
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It would even look cute right down the center of my Country French tablecloth...***
OR....
I might cut it to make PILLOWS .........
altho, for pillows....I am thinking I might like the DARKER burlap...
and then again...
I most likely will never try this again....
*SIGH....i am just not very crafty..
doing them makes me more EDGY than relaxed....
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I'd rather BUY it from someone that IS crafty ....I'm just sayin'......
I am linking with KATHY for HOLIDAY CRAFTS...simply because it is the ONLY craft that I can share! :(
and with MARY for RUBY TUESDAY,
Ole ST. NICK looks like he is ready for CHRISTMAS.....
....me, too, Santa...
I want to send a Christmas Care Package to one of our service men/women...if YOU have someone in the service and would love for them to receive a package full of THE BESTEST STUFF, please let me have a name and an address....I have a list of the items acceptable to send and will not put anything in the package that is prohibited.
I know I can send the package to organizations that will see to it that it will go to a soldier...but I much prefer sending it to someone YOU know and love......You can email me at bjconklin@xanadoo.com
51 comments:
Good Morning BJ! Your painting projects turned out fabulous. I love them and now I have to try to do it too.
Girl, I'm loving the burlap myself.
One of the girls that has a booth near mine covered a wooden chair seat with burlap and it looked delish! So, I decided I had to try and make some pillows, you know the frency ones with the eifel tower and all.
I'll post them all on my blog later. I screwed up a few before I got a decent one. That iron on transfer thing is a bi....ch!
I love your stripes, every frency.
After I get over my last project mistakes, I might tackle one like yours. Good job!
Totally adore the dishes, the darling flatware, and that great little striped project of yours--how creative you were! Love it! The colors are just up my alley:)
This turned out beautiful. It looks very vintage. I think you are on to soemthing :)
Hugs, Sue
Thank goodness you are seeing them and not wearing them and if your had to wear them let's hope they would be vertical and NOT horizontal☺
I love your burlap, I think it is contagious. Great job! I have a project I am gonna do soon with mine.
Lee
I think you did a great job, but now I want to see where this thing is going to land permanently.
Justine :o )
Ohh BJ, you did a wonderful job. I love the cloth on your table,or folded..I love it everyway you've shown. Never say you're not creative and talented..because you most certainly are. I love how you decorate..you have a real flair for it.
BJ,
I love your tablecloth. What a neat idea to use the burlap!! It turned out SO nice! Isn't this a fun project? I still have 1000 yards of drop cloth and I am going to make my SIL a runner with blue fabric paint to match her kitchen and if I have time before Christmas, make matching napkins or tea towels.
Thanks for mentioning me, sweet lady friend! :-)
What a good idea about sending to a particular person! I feel that so much of our stuff gets shuffled so much that by the time it gets to the troops.... who knows? So! At least yours will go direct!
Your burlap tablecloth turned out wonderful! I love that you used burlap. I just love burlap too!
Did you know that one of our fellow bloggers was the one featured in Country Living? Jen at Sanctuary Arts...her blog is:
http://sanctuaryart.blogspot.com/
Hugs,
Penny
Love the stripes! You did good. They look good almost anywhere. Sounds like you just hem it and leave it as is and rotate it around the house, huh? I think you can run a stitch around the edges and let it fringe a little too?? (Less work than a hem?) Hey, I have a chair that needs some renewal ... (I see 'sissie's' comment to the side here.)
I love your santa at the top - he is like the one I wrote about the other day in "A Christmas Tale for a Friend ". Gorgeous. Jenn
I love burlap too! Your stripes are great.
Love the stripped cloth! I love crafts, just can't find the time to get some done lately!
Well, BJ, you didn't share HOW you did it! And, I read every word. You know, inquiring minds want to KNOW.
What do you mean , you're not crafty, I'm very impressed with your project. And God Bless you for sending a care package to a service person, you are wonderful.
Love Ya,
Chris
Oh I adore the vintage stripes BJ! So pretty! Love the beautiful dishes as well. :)
Love the burlap with stripes and I think you are plenty crafty:) Great googlymoogly your table is too cute! Get to painting Mr. Sweet, you know she isn't going to stop talking about it until you get out the old paint brush... Have a blessed day dear BJ!
Love the cloth you painted, I must give it a go myself. Thank you for the inspiration.
You did a great job doing the stripes on the burlap. Bravo!!
Your project is perfect jut the way it is.
God bless.
BJ I wouldn't cut that great burlap if I were you! It looks great so many ways. You did a wonderful job, you ARE crafty and you have a very artistic eye for beautiful things. I'll have to see what I can do about a pillow for you ;>)
Hi DEa BJness! What a sweet post about your Dad and uncle! You were so cute!
Now, don't sett yourself short. YOu did a good job on your stripes! Love all of your little set ups!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)
I think you did a great job with your painting project. I'm dangerous with paint...avoid it like crazy!
The rest of your post was very interesting. I'm glad you shared it.
Sue
I've been wanting to make one of these bj. Yours turned out so nice. I like the burlap. Your photo is so cute too. I have some of my mom's old ration stamps. Can you imagine people dealing with that today? I'm not sure we have it in us. Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Marcia
Oh wow, how amazing that you still have your ration stamps and all of these pictures! So your dad never even got to fight in the war? Instead he wound up in a hospital??? OMG, that's awful!
Justine :o )
I love your post about the war. Both of my grandfather's were WWII vets and I love reading and hearing about that time period. Thank you for sharing your story. The stripes look great...you really went to town! And I'm glad you didn't hurt yourself.
Good Morning BJ, Thanks for coming by and visiting me... I am much better and thank goodness since now my husband has come down with it... Thanks for remembering me and the chef Santa... I loved him so much and I appreciate you looking for him for me... What a sweet thing you are doing by sending a care package out for a young military person. I know that will mean a lot to them. Have a very special day my friend... Love Ya
(((HUGS)))
Donna
Oh B.J...coming over here is like a trip back home,made me think of my sweet Mom,you just have that way about you,I feel as though I have known you forever...and that is a huge compliment!! Love all your photos,from days gone by to your decor..you know how I love burlap!! Oh,and by the way...I do cheat and use bags too..but of course Jess and Meg love theirs wrapped....because that is TRADITION ....hope you have a wonderful week and I am going to make a point of stopping by way more ofte,x0x00x0x0 SEA
Enjoyed you WWII tribute - I had just turned 3 on Pearl Harbor day, but I remember lots of things from the war. My dad was a farmer so was exempt from the service, but I had uncles who showered me with Juicy Fruit gum when they came home on leave. I still have my ration books, also. Take care, Sally
I think its very pretty. I like it everywhere. My dad and all my uncles served in WWII. The stories he told would give you nightmares forever. Shortly before he passed away he was getting a bit senile, and thought everyone was a Nazi. What a horrible experience it must have been for him. How sweet of you to think of our loved ones overseas. Rosie
yes, I remember it well. My mother worked in the ship yards in Portland Oregon. She was an electrician's mate. I remember when she fell off a scaffolding into a pile of sheetmetal and broke her shoulder and a few ribs. My dad was just getting ready to go into the army.
I also remember the rationing of everything nearly. I especially remember the shoes and gas. NO bananas also :) Remember the black outs? I was five at the time.
It is nice to know someone who shares those memories.
I hope you find your skates! It took me a long time!
Hugs,
Mona
I'm sorry bj, I got all carried away down memory lane and forgot to comment on your wonderful stripes... :) So cute.
Your dishes and flatware are so cute too...love it all! Every single bit of it!! But then I love everything you do. :):)
Mona
Everything looks great! I would never attempt a project that required straight lines. :) You did good!
That is a wonderful tribute to men who fought for us without question. Someone on the radio pointed out how few remember 68 years ago but forgot about 8 years ago (9-11). In WWII, no questions were asked by the enlistees...
Nice decorations in your abode. Countrt French seems a beautiful style...
Totally enjoyed the memorable photos and narrative. Thank you!
Jenn
Nice post BJ ~ My Grandfather was in the Navy during that time - Love your stripes !
Kammy
While cleaning out my grandparent's attic today I found my great-grandfather's gas rationing card from WWII. I knew what it was because I had read your post last night. :) I made sure it didn't get thrown away.
BJ, I love your crafted burlap! It looks so sweet folded up on your table. You ARE crafty, girl! It's just amazing that you have your old ration book!
hugs, Sue
BJ, great job, I loved it on the table and bench. Thanks for sharing.
Sandy
BJ...Your such a doll...You can craft girl...Look at how cute those stripes turned out! Loved your post with the family photos and your dad= priceless. You have such a sweet heart, love you, xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...
really nice!
Check out our Ruby Tuesday Travel from the land of the morning calm to the land of the free.
Bj! What amazing photos from WWII you have and those ration books...wow what a time that was. I can't imagine being in a hospital in India for that long...
Your red stripes are great B.J. Happy Ruby Tuesday to you!
beautiful table arrangement.
Here's my Snowy Chinese RT
BJ-I am so glad you linked to the party and glad I did not miss this post. I am fascinated by the "greatest generation" and loved your anecdotes. Thanks for sharing them--love St. Nick and the stripes too :)
Hi BJ, I found you via Kathy's cottage and I'm glad I did!
Burlap is a favorite of mine; I'm not a fancy girl. You did a great job with it...and you inspired me to boot because I'm not a crafter either; I'm a buyer.
I'm your newest follower. ;)
This turned out beautifully, I love burlap and the look of everything vintage. Your painting projects turned out wonderful too.
Karen
Your pictures took my breath away. I have not seen the stamps or heard a story so personal. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. :o)
Your stripes look great! Very simple and festive. :o)
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne
Hi Bj! those photos are really lovely! thanks much for sharing these to us :)
u may view mine here
Your stripes look good in many venues. If I had done that, the hardest part would be to decide where to use them--that is, if I had to choose only one place!
Thank you for honoring our armed forces. My grandfathers fought in WWI, my father in WWII, my husband in Viet-Nam, and I have nephews currently serving. Without them our country would be vastly different, and probably not for the better.
Love your stripes! Great post! We visited Pearl Harbor a few years ago. That day means more now to us.
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