Jesus is Free

a couple of weeks ago i actually took some time to check out a local estate sale. after just getting back from warrenton antique festival, and seeing the prices vendors were charging there; i decided i needed to start going direct instead of thru the middle man for getting some pieces to use in my art. so, here is what i found~2 great very old stamps. click on pic to see the gunk way down deep in the crevices. i love to see old, oily, dusty gunk like this. (this really makes allen laugh).

and, then the lady had a whole box of old patterns that were her and his mother's. i dug and dug, & pulled out just this one. i liked it best~an old butterick pattern. can you believe 35 cents? funnier yet, is i paid $1 for it!

but~the most coolest part of the conversation between the family and i went like this:

(first, you must know i collect manger scenes).

"so how much is the little wooden manger scene?" the dad said, " one dollar". I said, "one dollar?" hummm, "Jesus is a dollar?", so i put it back; and then gently laid all of my items down to pay. naturally I said, "so what kind of deal can you make for this?" the mother added it all up, and said, "well, it looks like $13 (because I also had 2 very old, sorta rusted wire cooling racks). i turned and said, "well, can I have Jesus; yes, can I have Jesus; because you know Jesus is Free!" they looked at each other, shook their heads, and said, "yes, yes, you can have Jesus ~ for Free!" we laughed for at least 10 minutes.

so, I still have the little manger scene sitting on the dresser in my spare bedroom. it should go up in the attic in my christmas decorations box.
but, i was thinking; you know, Jesus doesn't belong up there either. He needs to be right here with me.

*******

2 fabric stamps ~ $5 each

2 semi-rusty cooling racks ~ $2

1 vintage butterick pattern ~ $1

and

1 baby Jesus ~ FREE!