Old Days - Old Ways

Thrift Thursday--Pink Sewing Box

2012-01-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

Love at first sight! This time-travel pink sewing box was on the thrift store shelf for$1.50, and went straight into my shopping basket.

The wicker box measures 11" across and 7" high, and is in amazing condition. The masonite lid opens over to the side on the cord handles. From the decal and the color, I figure it must date from the early 50's.

I'm keeping the box by my chair in the living room, set up with all I need to tempt me to work on my on-going Christmas blanket embroidery project.

You can just see the panel of organizing pockets I made from a matching vintage print fabric, glued to the font inside. I've had this ancient Sucrets tin in my craft stuff since I was a child--now it holds a book of needles and some knitting markers. A couple of the thread holders are missing, so I used one of the holes to anchor my embroidery scissors with a ribbon.

On with the project!

Homemade Bread--Cost Factors Again

2012-01-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

Mama Squirrel brought up an interesting point in her comment on an earlier post--how much does the cost of power affect the cost of baking a loaf of bread in the machine?

An internet search told me the cost of power locally--in the winter months, our electrical cost is 8.7 cents a kilowatt hour, and there is a sliding scale for the warmer months here. (I'm wondering how this compares to other areas.)

A calculator on the internet figured that for 600 watt usage, average for breadmakers, our cost is $.07 for an hour--I'm assuming that would be for the baking part of the cycle. (In comparison, the cost to run an electric oven would be about $.26 per hour here.) A good part of the 3.5 hour cycle is inactive, however.

So the answer is: I can't say definitively. Somewhere between 15 and 20 cents for the power cost? Input, anyone?

One plus for the machine is that it just might keep you out of the grocery store to avoid further spending!

Miniatures Monday --A Lazy Day

2012-01-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

Since my happy discovery that the LPS Blythes can use my old dollhouse furniture, the tiny girls are living in the lap of luxury!

Agatha is having a lazy afternoon on the couch with snacks, magazines, and the remote.

This little Indonesian carved wooden sofa is one of a set that came with a quantity of darling little colorful, carved animals to sit about on them--a gift from daughter Lol, and of course from the thrift store! The rug, pillow, snacks, cookie platter, and magazine came from my dollhouse collection. Agatha's darling outfit was made by my daughter, Care, and she's wearing Polly Pocket boots. I think the remote was originally Barbie's cell phone.

This is the life!

The Cost of the Loaf. . . More Bread Machine!

2012-01-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

In thinking about the bread machine, I began to wonder how the cost of a loaf of bread actually compares between a home-made and a commercial loaf. So we got out the calculator!

I recently re-stocked my flour supply, and paid $7.80 for 25 pounds. (I'm wondering how the price of flour varies in different locations--my price was apparently a pretty good buy, since on the same weekend flour was $10.00 for 25 pounds at the local grocery, on sale.)

Hubby and I calculated the number of 1-1/2 pound loaves the bag of flour could make, by weight, and divided the price of the flour by the number of loaves. Price of flour was about $.30, so with the other ingredients, we figure the cost is between $.40 and $.45 per loaf from this bag of flour.

Just for interest's sake, we figured the cost of a loaf from a $10.00 bag of flour--flour cost was $.50, so the cost of a loaf is $.55 to $.60 per loaf.

The rock-botton price for a 1-1/2 pound loaf of balloon bread this weekend was $.99--looks like there's a considerable savings on a home-made loaf, and the homemade bread actually tastes good!

Note: it hurts me to compare a flavorful, good-textured loaf of fresh homemade bread to a fluffy, washed-out loaf of commercial balloon bread, but since balloon (or Wonder-style) bread is the least expensive option, I'm willing to use it for comparison! Savings on actual bread would be much greater!

Thrift Thursday--Bread Machine, Part 3!

2012-01-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

Please allow me to introduce you to my beloved thrift store West Bend bread machine! I do love this bread machine! It's my favorite of the 6 or 7 machines I've tried--one of its big advantages is that it makes a traditional shaped loaf-- a huge plus!

I got my first machine in this model some years ago, when I needed to replace my old worn-out tall-loaf machine. I came across the West Bend at a yard sale, and picked it up for $10.00--with the manual, fortunately--and just loved it. Besides the loaf shape, another favorite feature is that the machine opens in the front rather than at the top--and there's a good window in the door. It's easy to reach in and adjust the dough if needed, and the pan and the paddles (it has two) are easy to clean. The pan releases well.

Homeless bread machines seem to abound at thrift stores, and my girls and I have watched for this model ever since. We've so far found three other machines like it, and we've paid anywhere from $8.00 to $12.00 each--about the going rate for thrift store bread machines around here. This machine come in two versions--the one I'm using now is a little more deluxe, and has a 'quick bread' cycle as well as all the standard cycles the other model has. (FYI--if you don't have the instructions, the manual is available at westbend.com).

I have to say that I think it's hard to utilize the machine well if it's not stored where it can be used--I suppose this is one big reason for the number of homeless bread machines out there. My machine measures 17-1/2"wide by 11-1/2" high by 11" deep--a little bigger than some standard machines, I think. Too much valuable space would be taken up by keeping it on the counter in my small kitchen, but I found a place for it on top of my vintage cookbook shelves, next to an outlet, where I can use it anytime. Poor Kitty lost her favorite viewpoint to the machine--but she's found a new spot!

I'm afraid I'm gushing . . . and I still have much to say! More later.

Another FYI: West Bend also makes conventional tall-loaf machines--while doing an internet search, I was fascinated to learn that some of them have been recalled due to fire danger! I believe these were all older, conventional machines, but it's easy to tell by tell by the machine's date, which is stamped on the back. Info is at
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml95/95106.html

Scrap Project--Hippo to Mermaid

2012-01-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

Joy-joy called to say her beloved hippo, Tasha (one of the Backyardigans), desperately needed a mermaid costume, so Tasha came to my house for a visit via U.S. Postal Service.

Being a sitting hippo, Tasha has some interesting fitting problems! I started by taking a pattern from her original sleeveless a-line dress for the bodice, then figured out the lower back by tracing around her as she sat. The back bodice connects to the lower back in a curve around her. . .ah, hips.

I shortened the front bodice pattern piece to about her waistline, then figured out the lower front--the lower front piece attaches smoothly to the upper front in a curve, then flares out to allow some space for her big hippo feet. The extra width in the leg area is controlled by gathers and stitched to the flat bottom piece, and the finished tail is encased in that seam.

I have to admit that if I ever make another hippo mermaid costume (and I don't really suppose that need will arise!), I will change the tail a bit--it could be more exaggerated and fabulous! Tasha started her journey home before I could get a back photo, but the center back closes with velcro.

Tasha's tiara is made from a scrap of memory wire and some beads from my stash. Her outfit is completed by a glittery, stretchy bead bracelet and a 'jewel' stitched to her finger for a ring!

It's all a scrap project--or maybe a stash project--since I only used materials used on previous projects.

Hope she and Joy-joy have fun!

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread--Cons?

2012-01-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

Since I've praised the bread machine, it's only fair to look at the other side--there must be a few minuses, since thrift stores are always full of rejected machines at bargain prices!

First: the machine may not automatically turn out perfect, tasty loaves.

Second: counter space being valuable real estate, the machine can be a space hogger--especially if it isn't turning out tasty treats.

Third: on the other hand, if the machine isn't easily accessible we are much less likely to drag it out and use it.

Fourth: the usual tall machine loaf is not nearly as satisfactory as the traditional long loaf shape. Slices can be too big, and they're more fragile.

Fifth: the bread machine does only make one loaf, which may not be enough for bigger families.

Difficulties--and I suppose someone really might be tempted to just toss the machine out. That said, I have to admit that in my mind, none of these difficulties outweighs the benefits. I have much more to say!

Miniatures Monday--Ballet Class

2012-01-15T17:27:00.000-08:00

Who could resist anything so cute and tiny? I have become enchanted with Littlest Pet Shop Blythe dolls! So far, twelve and counting. . .

L.P.S. Blythes are found in the toy aisle, and come with an outfit, a pet, and a pet accessory--I have to say that the Pet Shop pets do not speak to me, but they are very special to other girls in the family, so everyone is happy! The girls are 4.5 inches high, and also come with the cutest tiny shoes, and a stand.

Here, just a few of the girls are modeling the leotard-and-tutu sets I made for their ballet class, using bits and scraps from my stash. Working out the pattern was a fun challenge!

Too much fun!

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread!

2012-01-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

I love my dear bread machine, and use it all the time! My mechanical friend has repaid me many, many times over for the $8.00 I spent on it at the thrift store.

We're all being affected by the continuing rise in the cost of food--I propose that using that dusty bread machine can reduce the cost of food, and in many ways!

First, one of my basic rules for spending less at the grocery store: stay out of there as much as possible! We all know how hard it is to drop into the store for a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread, and not end up buying a few more things--and chances are that we could have got along without those extras just fine. Not to mention the time and gasoline consumed by the errand!

Second, a loaf of homemade bread is less expensive to make than to buy.

Third, the machine's dough setting makes practically foolproof pizza dough, dinner rolls, sweet rolls, coffee cakes, and crusts for main dishes (ideas to come!) .

Fourth, homemade bread is inexpensive, delicious, and satisfying--a plus for filling up teenage boys and hardworking men.

Fourth, homemade bread is wholesome--you know just what's in there because you put it in yourself And with a few tips and some practice, you can make your bread just the way you like it. Tune in later for further info!

Fifth, homemade bread just tastes better, and has great texture.

Last, (and not least) of all: nothing in the world beats the smell of bread baking when you come home. With your machine's timer, you can have fresh bread just when you need it. Or want it.

And so, I embark on a series: In Praise of the Bread Machine!

Avocado Joy!

2012-01-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

My sister's family came from California to this cold place over the holidays, bringing
good cheer--a box of avocados from their tree. . .

. . .and oranges, pomegranates, lemons, almonds, and persimmons! What bounty! I'm thinking of making some pomegranate jelly, and freezing cubes of lemon juice for later. I have to admit I have never personally met a persimmon before, and I pureed and froze a couple for smoothies later.

But the avocados! What luxury! I'll eat them on toast, make guacamole, put them in salads and sandwiches, eat them with a spoon. . .

I'm just remembering--years ago I worked at a juice bar where we made an avocado smoothie with orange juice and protein powder with just a little cinnamon--now I'm thinking avocado, orange juice, and yogurt. Yum!

If it comes right down to it and they get ahead of me, I understand avocado pulp freezes quite well. Might just give it a try!

Thanks, Bill!!

Kids Sleep Masks

2011-12-21T09:24:00.000-08:00

Deep into my annual pajamas-robes-slippers project for my grandkids, I have come up with a new variation this year--sleep masks!

I actually had all but two of these fleece colors in my stash, so it's almost a scrap project. I developed the patterns from a basic sleep mask pattern, with inspiration from Google Images. All credit to real artists!

Check out Care's clever, fast, and easy technique for working layered patterns in fleece--it's fun and works up fast! I worked the designs on a single layer of the basic fabric, then top-stitched the fronts to a second layer, sandwiching in the ends of the elastic at the sides--two rows of elastic help keep the mask on. The outside shape is cut out after the edges are stitched--much easier!

Merry Christmas!

11-11-11: Eleven-Eleven-Eleven Party!

2011-11-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

Since she was small, my sister's favorite number has always been eleven, so she's always found the hour of 11:11:11 on November 11 a fun moment.

And since this is a big year for elevens, we will be the ONES to celebrate 11:11:11 o'clock, on the date 11-11-11. We've invited the family to celebrate as ONE. Happily there are two opportunities to celebrate on that day!

My sister will be on her way to my state for the festivities, and we've had some fun coming up with ideas for the celebration--it's ONE party not to miss! As you know, the chance will come only ONES in a lifetime! Some ideas:

--Play Yahtzee, with a special 11-point bonus for a Yahtzee of 1's

--Play Uno--twice! Or maybe Phase 11?

--Invite 11 people

--Have an 11-themed gift exchange

--Have countdown to 11:11:11, am or pm --both at our house!
-
-Watch 'Ocean's 11' or

-- 'The Eleventh Hour' with Patrick Stewart

--Play our favorite dice game, Farkle

--Dine on delicious Kentucky Fried Chicken--made with 11 herbs and spices!
-
-When the kids get tired, read them 'The Eleventh Hour', by Graeme Base

We've invited everyone to come dressed in an 'eleven' theme, and bring eleven-themed refreshments--it will be fun to see what everyone comes up with!

Many thanks to Q.Clark and Chris for their fabulous logo!

Any more ideas? Happy 11-11-11 to all!

Quilt for Baby K, Next Phase--Ideas, Anyone?

2011-10-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Progress has been made on Baby K's quilt, according to kind suggestions received here!
(My apologies for the lame photo--the quilt top is actually quite square in real life!)

I think the two new borders set it off well--the new white border brings out the blocks, and the scrap border seems to frame the whole thing. I've also chosen the fabric for the back--think it ties the top together very nicely.

Now for the next phase--with the addition of the borders, the quilt will be 36" by36"--a little on the small side still. Another border? Two? Pieced? Single fabric? White? Print? Would another border or borders add or detract? I'll let the ideas incubate.

Any input?

Fall Food Rituals--Fire Roasted Green Chiles

2011-10-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

Late last month I indulged in my favorite of all fall food rituals--putting away my annual supply of fire-roasted green chiles.

I'm happy to say that beautiful, fresh green chiles are available locally here now--not too long ago, my dad would ship them to me from New Mexico via UPS (and I imagine the UPS truck smelled wonderful!) and I'd roast them on the charcoal grill. This year's local chiles were particularly delightful--very flavorful, and hot enough but not too hot.

We bought two burlap bags of chiles--about two bushels--which the vendor roasted for us in his rotary cage: the most wonderful fragrance in the world! After letting them steam in plastic bags for a while, the blackened peels slip right off, and we then freeze the chiles in bags of five or six, ready to use. We'll enjoy their smoky flavor in our southwest-style dishes throughout the winter!

Credit to 'Inside Nanabread's Head' for the photos!

Fall Food Rituals--Onions

2011-10-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

Last week I indulged in one of my favorite ways of celebrating the fall season--my annual purchase of a very big bag of onions.

Onions seem to me to be the essence of the fall harvest--I look forward to the 25-pound bags appearing in the produce department of my favorite small grocery store. The texture of the onions and of the bag make me happy--and I simply adore the labels and graphics!

(I will admit right here that I am developing quite a collection of onion bag labels--many of them definitely deserve to be recycled and celebrated, and a couple of projects are swirling around in the back of my mind. We will see what comes out!)

While I was horrified to note that my bag of onions this year cost $6.00 (much more than I've paid in the past), it still comes out to only $.25 a pound--a definite good buy!

A 25 pound bag gives me plenty of onions to share and cook with for some time to come, though it's sometimes a race to use them all before they start sprouting in late winter or early spring. It then becomes a challenge!

Now to bring out my collection of onion recipes: onion soup, baked onions, onion pie, grilled onions. . . what else?

Peach Harvest

2011-09-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

This week we picked four big boxes of beautiful peaches from my old, faithful peach tree--we had a very late spring this year and I was afraid the frost would come before they ripened, but my old friend came through again--one last time.

Many years ago my dad found a peach pit growing in his yard, nurtured it along with his wonderful green thumb, and then brought it 600 miles to plant it in my yard. Although it's hard to predict how a wild peach tree will produce, Dad was right--the little tree faithfully brought forth many bounteous crops of sweet and juicy peaches that ripened late in the season, as well as shading my kids (and then their kids) as they played and climbed.

I'm sad to say this will be its last harvest. Time, weather, and insects have taken their toll, and although we have babied it along, we now have to say goodby. There will be a big gap in our garden--how we will miss its fruit and shade!

My dad loved trees, and continued to plant them well into his eighties. He too is gone now, leaving a hole in our lives, but we still have his strong roots...the more lasting kind of roots we can keep and pass on!

Thanks, Daddy! I'm eating a peach for you. . .

Thrift Thursday--It Was Cabbage Day at the Thrift Sote

2011-09-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I must already have a ceramic example of each and every item found in the produce section. . .

. . .a bok choy leaf--a bok choy leaf divided relish dish! It's about 10 inches in diameter, divided in four sections by the raised ribs, and that perfect yellow-green bok choy color and texture. There are no marks on the back, but it's really very nicely made, and cost $1.50. It delights me!

We had just picked up the fabulous majolica cabbage teapot that I posted earlier, and then on the way to the door spotted a little cabbage creamer pitcher which had seen better days and stayed at the store. Cabbage Day at the thrift store! It almost seems like a sign from the Yard Sale Gods. . .but what could it mean?

If the little cabbage creamer is still there next time, it's coming home with me.

Scraping Wallpaper..and Scraping...and Scraping...

2011-09-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

I'm facing the consequences of past deeds--I need to replace the carpet in the bedroom, but before I can do that I have to paint. Sadly enough, before I can paint I have to deal with that dated 80's wallpaper. I've put it off too long.

I really don't get to complain at all. I chose the paper and I pasted it up, and now I must take it down. I can say, though, that I wish I hadn't done such a thorough job--the paper was pre-pasted, but I used a good-quality paste as well, just to make it last. And it did--not a single lifted seam or dangling spot. Both of which I could use at this point!

I can no longer lie in the bed each morning, staring with dread at the wall. I've made a goal to remove a few square feet a day. Each morning, I will take my old towel and red plastic Betty Crocker dough scraper ($1.00 at Dollar Tree), and soak and scrape away for an hour.

It's a contemplative job--plenty of time to think and plan the new decor!

Miniatures Monday--Pea Pod Salt and Pepper

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our family does love the thrift store--the adventure, the quest, the surprises! We sometimes declare a contest as to who can come up with the most needed, the most delightful, the most useful, or even the most bizarre find on any particular trip.

This trip daughter Ibu wins the Most Delightful Find Ever prize! Salt and pepper shakers--two tiny ceramic peas in a pod. I have to admit that in my rather extensive ceramic-fruits-and-vegetables collection, I haven't had a single example of peas, or their pods, and Ibu has magnanimously allowed me to add it to my collection.

Each little pea is one inch in diameter and nestles perfectly into the charming pod, which is very nicely detailed. They have a delightfully fresh-from-the-garden green color and texture and are beautifully made.

There are no markings, but the shakers have plastic plugs so they can't be too terribly old. I can hardly resist picking them up and enjoying them!

Thrift Thursday--Cabbage Teapot

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

A fabulous thrift store find this week--a beautiful green majolica teapot, made in Portugal.

What a great addition to my ceramic-fruit-and-vegetable collection--I love the deep green finish and the satisfying shape. It's marked 'Bordallo Pinheiro, Portugal' and measures 7 inches high and 9 inches wide, with no cracks or chips. The price: $3.00!

The four pretty little harvest-themed place card holders are from the same thrift store outing--their original price tags read $3.99 each, and the thrift store tag was $1.00 each--which seemed a little steep to me, especially compared to the teapot! The cashier thought so too, and charged me $.75 a each.

Now to decide where to display them. . .

My Bread

2011-09-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

I love the act of baking bread, the smell of baking bread, eating good crusty bread. . .and the library. Two loves came together this week!

This summer my sister-in-law Alice ( a fabulous baker) recommended the book 'My Bread', by Jim Lahey, and I've been eagerly awaiting a library copy. My turn at last!

Traditional baking expert Lahey has developed a unique and low-effort method for baking artisan-style bread at home--no kneading and a long, slow rise are the keys, as well as baking the bread inside a heavy pot. You simply stir the flour, water, and salt with a tiny amount of yeast in a bowl, and leave the dough to develop--up to 24 hours for the first rise.

My first try made a flavorful, crusty loaf with, great holey texture and a moist interior. Lahey recommends using a large, heavy, covered pot such as enameled cast iron, but I had pretty good first results using a large, covered casserole dish--none of my larger pots seemed to fit the bill.

'My Bread' is full of baking info and recipes. It's recommended!

Miniatures Monday--Erasers!

2011-09-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

Tired of dressing just like all the other Littlest Pet Shop girls, Lindsay takes matters into her own hands.

Tiny things! I love them--and so do many of my kids and grandkids. My grandsons recently shared with me their love of collectible erasers.

Maybe you aren't familiar with them--collectible Japanese erasers come in a unbelievable (and often puzzling) assortment of colorful shapes and forms--food, vehicles, and objects of every kind, all detailed and delightfully tiny.

I found the perfect set of erasers at the craft store last week! The sewing machine and dress form delight me---and they're perfect with the dollhouse furniture.

It's Project Runway in miniature!

A Quilt for Baby K--Suggestions?

2011-08-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm working with my collection of reproduction vintage fabrics to make a special Grandma quilt for our newest little granddaughter.

Repro vintage prints make me happy--they remind me so much of the treasured quilts, made by my own grandmas, that were in our house when I was a child. A couple of which are mine today!

I've spent some enjoyable time hovering over my stash, and came up with a pleasing group of colors and pieces. So far, I've made 13 random 9-patch squares, then chose 12 of the same pieces and made the alternating applique' hearts.

I always seek the advice of my expert quilt block arranger (daughter Lol) when laying out a quilt, but in this case it doesn't seem to matter too much how the blocks are arranged, the colors and pieces are so random!

So, I have the blocks dealt out on my dollar store design wall, ready to be stitched together. At that point, the quilt will measure 28 inches by 28 inches.

So. . .what next? It definitely needs to be larger, so I'm thinking borders. Pieced? Narrow? Print? Multiple? If so, how many? I'll audition a few ideas with my stash fabrics and think.

Any ideas?

Miniatures Monday--Tiny Picnic!

2011-08-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

Summer's end is on the horizon, and my Littlest Pet Shop Blythes wanted to squeeze in one last picnic before school starts. . .so we all went to the park!

Antonia and Dot apparently cooked all day--and it looks like we all had the same ideas as far as the menu goes.

The little girls are fortunate to have inherited the contents of my late, lamented dollhouse--the picnic table was a club project 'way back in the day, and their packaged food came from a club exchange. You can just barely see their tiny picnic basket, and most of their 'fresh' food is made from Fimo.

I can't remember where I got the soda cans, but they make me very happy! And the tiny Tupperware bowl is my favorite!

Thrift Thursday--Ikea Mirrors, $1.50!

2011-08-19T07:50:00.000-07:00

Ikea came to our area several years ago, and it's a delight to wander through the store thinking and dreaming. And stopping at the food shop.

Even more delightful, I found these three small Ikea mirrors at the thrift store for only $.50 each ($2.99 each at Ikea, and a bargain it that). And just the color I've been adding to my living room!

I have hung them in the narrow space next to the front door, above my dearly beloved Craftsman high chair--my maternal grandparents bought the chair for their oldest child in 1915, and it's now holding its fourth generation of children--all of whom are united by the memory of being bumped on the noggin by the hinged tray as it is lowered over their heads.

Being of solid Arts and Crafts construction, the chair is in pretty good condition after all these years. I keep a yard sale mirror on the tray, to hold our letters and keys next to the door.

It pleases me to think how the chair has been a part of daily lives across the generations--hope to see it go on to one more!

At the Knittin' Kitten in Portland. . .

2011-08-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

. . .wonderful vintage sewing (and knitting) finds!

In Portland, Oregon recently, we visited the wonderful Knittin' Kitten craft store, and it was a delight. What a great concept-- a sewing and knitting thrift store!

I was thinking small, and found these great small scale vintage fabrics, plus the lovely bamboo double-point knitting needles, size O and 1. And the graphics on the 'Starsnap' snaps are fabulous! Vintage trims are often so much nicer in quality than the current selection--witness the tiny rickrack and crochet trim. And I must confess that I bought the vintage Barbie outfit just for the boots--they are classic!

I can't wait to make small things--how I wish the Knittin' Kitten was in MY neighborhood!

Miniatures Monday--Tiny Teapots!

2011-08-15T10:33:00.001-07:00

My dollhouse miniatures have been put away for a while now, but I was recently drawn to that particular row of boxes on the shelf, and had a happy time reconnecting with some of my tiny things.

I originally made this tiny teapot collection for the dining room of my dollhouse--it all started out as beads, jewelry findings, paint, and Fimo. And it occurs to me only now that some of them are small versions of my ceramic-fruits and-vegetables collection!

Thrift Thursday--'50's Girl Makes a Comeback!

2011-08-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

On a thrift store outing several years ago, I found this sad 1950's girl, and snatched her up--for only $1.00, and in a vintage dress! She was in excellent shape, except for her poor, sad hair. I'm afraid her last owner must have been a scissors-happy child, and I've been thinking how best to help her ever since. (My apologies to her for the extremely unflattering photo.)

She has blue sleep eyes that still work well, and is nicely made but unmarked. 8" dolls were very popular in the 1950's--happy childhood memories! (I still have my own '50's girl, and many of her little things.)

So, I have finally become brave, and decided to just go ahead and re-root her hair. Since this is a thrift-store project, I found a long haired donor doll for only $2.00--we need not feel sad for her, as she had met with an accident and will continue on in a new form! Armed with on-line instructions, I have cut off all remaining hair and proceeded.

'50's girl is all vinyl, so I was able to take off her head and work from inside with a fine crochet hook. The donor doll provided plenty of hair--the whole thing was a little tricky, but my technique is improving! (Hope the graphic photo doesn't make anyone queasy!)

Next step--her hairstyle. It seems that 1950's 8-inch dolls all had wavy or curly hair--not sure what to do about that.

We'll see.

Apricot Jam--Part 2!

2011-08-09T18:31:00.001-07:00

I was unable to resist thawing out my tiny bottle of jam and having a post-freezer taste! Very tasty-- the pineapple flavor is somehow stronger than it had been, the texture is definitely fresher and softer than most jam, and I believe the color is brighter. I think its fresh flavor is the best feature!

And I got to wondering from Jane's comment (thanks, Jane!)--what preserving traditions do others have? I come from a long line of canners and preservers-- I remember both of my grandmas canning, and my parents canned fresh produce in the summer.

(One happy canning memory: when we were young and lived closer to the Mexican border, my mom and her friends would order a truckload of fresh Mexican pineapples--yum!-- and spend days canning a year's worth of pineapple chunks.)

According to my brother who lives in Manhattan, jam-making is making a comeback there. Beautiful fruit is available for preserving at the farmers' market in the city, and it makes me happy to think of young urban professionals coming home to slave over their kettles and bottles!

A lot of people here use powdered pectin to make jam--boiled and sealed as well as frozen from fresh fruit. Is it available in other places? Do people make freezer jam where you live?

The fruits that I, at least, preserve are pretty standard--apricots, plums, peaches, apples, pears--I like to think that in other places there are (what would seem at least to me) more exotic choices.

What kinds of jam do people make where you live?

Small Odd Jars and Free Apricot Jam (Almost)!

2011-08-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

I just love small, odd jars. I am completely unable to resist them, and they accumulate throughout each year on a shelf downstairs. I love their size and shape and shine. Small jam jars, jelly jars, maraschino cherry jars, artichoke jars--they make me happy!

When fruit season comes, I like to fill them with freezer jam and stash them away for the winter. A little taste of summer is a good thing when it's cold and dark outside!

This week the apricots on the tree at the abandoned house around the corner were finally ripe--it's been a very late year for fruit. I've been eying them on my walks, and finally couldn't resist picking a few to make a batch of jam--I do hate to see food wasted!

Most freezer jam uses pectin and corn syrup, but since this is a low- to no-cost project, I decided to try a more bare-bones approach. I found a recipe for sugar-free, artificially sweetened freezer jam, which I haven't tried before, and added some canned crushed pineapple--this recipe uses ClearGel, an instant powder, for thickening.

There was about 8 cups of jam in the end: jars, lids and fruit were free, and the ClearGel, sweetener and pineapple were on hand. Pretty inexpensive--but I'll have to get back to you on the flavor. I tend to think that the flavor of apricots is improved and intensified by cooking, but maybe the fresh fruit flavor will balance out that factor!

We'll see when winter comes.

Fruit Scrap Vinegar!

2011-07-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

What a fascinating and amazing process! A few fruit scraps became 3 cups of beautiful and truly delicious fruity vinegar, with next to no active effort.

In the round bottle above is my pineapple vinegar, my first try, from Sandor Katz's book, 'Wild Fermentation'--(thanks for the recommendation, Linds!) Here's the process:

After eating a fresh pineapple, chop up the peel and put it in a glass or plastic bowl. Dissolve ¼ cup sugar in 1 quart of water and pour over the peel. Stir, cover with a cloth, and set aside. Stir occasionally—or not! You could weight the fruit with a plate if you like. In a day or so, wild yeast will begin to work on the sugars and you will see foaming as the yeast produces alcohol--it’s becoming wine. In a week or so, foaming will subside, and wild bacteria will begin to make the alcohol into acid, producing vinegar. You can strain out the fruit at this point. Let it mature for a couple of weeks in the bowl, covered by a cloth. You have pineapple vinegar!

The vinegar is rather mild and has a lovely, amber color and a definite, delicious pineapple aroma and flavor. I looked forward to watching the process day by day--it was fascinating! I do abhor waste, so the whole idea of using odd bits makes me very happy!

In the tall bottle is my next attempt, strawberry vinegar. After our recent family reunion, we ended up with several cups of rather iffy strawberries--not spoiled, just not in prime condition--so we crushed the fruit and started the vinegar process with them. It's just finishing up, and the vinegar is a lovely rosy color, with a nice strawberry aroma and flavor. We ended up again with about 3 cups.

Now I'm wondering. . .what next? My neighbor's apricots are almost ripe. Plums are coming along, then grapes. . .apple peels for sure. . .

Thrift Thursday--Carroty Watering Can!

2011-07-28T11:12:00.001-07:00

At long last there was a moment to stop in the thrift store recently--summer always seems to offer a lot to occupy time and brain space. And what a delightful find! I can now water my one surviving house plant in style!

I love the the carroty bright orange color and shape! They make it a great addition to my fruit-and-vegetable collection. The glaze varies a bit in texture and shine--very satisfying. It's signed 'Katrina' in glaze on the bottom--I googled it, but didn't really learn much. Any thoughts?

And only $1.50! My apologies for the way the green onion seems to be growing out the top--I was hoping my photography was improving!

Miniatures Monday--a Tea Party!

2011-07-25T09:40:00.001-07:00

The furniture from my dear, departed dollhouse has been packed away for quite some time, but I do get it all out now and then to dream over it and think of playing again.

And inspiration struck! My 1/12 dollhouse furniture, (lovingly crafted years ago by me) is just the right proportion for my Littlest Pet Shop Blythe dolls!! Too fun!

So, last week my two girls Jane and Dot (on the left) invited two of Care's girls, Lolly and Soleil (on the right) to a tea party at my house. A good time was had by all--especially Care and me!

It's fun to think again about all these parts of my dollhouse furniture collection--I do love tiny things, especially making them! I made many of the things here--the teapot and dishes are a treasured souvenir from the Washington, DC Dollshouse Museum, and the dining table is a splurge from a shop. My friend Vickie painted the tiny oil painting (thanks, Vickie!) and a few of the accessories were gifts from friends.

The shelves and the Arts and Crafts chairs are made of basswood, and the rug is made from one side of a BigLots handbag (I have another just like it!) The chandelier was a club project. The shelves display my miniature teapot collection, made of beads and scraps--I hope to post a better photo of them another time. Dot is holding her doll, Nancy--you could see a couple more photos of the girls on my Flickr photostream, if you like!

Thrift Thursday--Shaker Collection!

2011-07-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

I just love odd glass salt and pepper shakers, and always watch for them at the thrift store--I'm forced to admit that I can hardly resist them!

Over several years now, I've accumulated a group--I love their similarities and their contrasts in shape, size, style, and age. It occurs to me I can officially call this a collection. And I'm quite pleased that none of them cost over a dollar!

I like the way the slightly tarnished but shiny silver plate tray ties in with the slightly tarnished and shiny shakers--they add a little sparkle to the day!

More Onion Bags!

2011-05-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

Here's the next incarnation of my Onion Label Market Tote project!

I thought I might try a couple of labels from my onion bag collection with some of my vintage 1970's Levi-Strauss denim remnants, and I think these bags may be among my favorites.

These Levi remnants have indeed been around since the '70's--my dad got them from the factory way back when, used a bunch, and sent the rest home with me a few years ago. I knew I would come up with just the right project for them . . . eventually.

So, it is a true recycle project, fabric and labels both. I did purchase the red webbing handles (how I love them!), and I can assure you that I used a 50% off coupon for the purchase!

The details are still evolving just a bit--still having fun!

Onion Label Market Totes!

2011-04-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

I'm all about re-using materials in sewing, and I was inspired a while back by the great graphics on my annual autumn bag of onions--how to utilize the bright, eye-catching, and durable label?

I started checking out onion bag graphics and collecting bags wherever possible! The labels can be delightful. With a little time, and a few incarnations, my idea has fully emerged from the back of my mind-an Onion Bag Market Tote! And I have to say it's fabulous. I've even opened my own Etsy shop and put a few up for sale!

I'm just finishing a couple more in denim--I'll try to post them soon. Back to the sewing machine!

One Last Spiral Flower Project--Dollar Store T-Shirt Recycle!

2011-04-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, just one last post involving my spiral flower project.

Like most everyone, I have a long list of projected projects in the back of my mind. Among them was this delightful idea from Cal Patch in the Craftstylish newsletter--a cute, summery shrug recycled from a t-shirt. I wanted to make one for Joy-joy!

I used a white, child's size 7 dollar-store t-shirt I had on hand. The shrug instructions are great--it's a fun, fast project that Joy-joy can wear with everything.

Since I've had my spiral flower samples/experiments pinned to my design board, I began to wonder how they could be used as embellishment, and the pink vintage seam-binding flower seemed like it would make a perfect pin for the shrug!

I just trimmed the backing (which was stabilized knit) close to the edge of the flower and pinned it to the shrug from the inside with two safety pins--putting a pin back on the flower itself would work, but in this case I wanted it to sit very close to the garment and to still be removable. I think it's really cute!

It was fun adding the 'label' at the back neck of the shrug-it's a scrap of cute ribbon that coordinates nicely with the flower.

Very spring-y!

Spiral Flower Onesie!

2011-04-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Just one more spiral flower project--an embellished dollar store onesie for baby K.

The onesie is light weight, so I stabilized the front by fusing a circle of knit to the underside, then sketched a few lines on the right side as a guide for stitching. The flower is made from 3/4" strips of a lightweight white knit mesh ($1.00 a yard on sale at Hancock's!)

The center of the flower is a yellow button from my button box, with leaves made from scraps of green knit mesh. So cute on Baby K!

Spiral Flowers, Part 2!

2011-04-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

Further rumination on spiral flowers. . .

I decided to try making a flower with some blue vintage bias tape from my stash, pressed open and stitched along the middle. This flower is my favorite! I love the ruffly raw edges.

Here is a version made from torn strips of some pink silk organza--this one is my least favorite try, but it might be better in a color that contrasts more. I do love the torn edges, though.

Still contemplating a tutorial. . .

Nice to See You!

2011-03-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hello, little blog--I hope you've been well! We really haven't spent a lot of time together lately--please don't feel neglected. I've been hanging out with some of my other friends, but that doesn't mean you aren't important to me! How about if we talk about our projects?

I'm still thinking about spiral flowers, blog, so I made a few samples just to carry out my ideas. This pink one uses vintage rayon hem tape from my stash. I love it! Made me wonder: how would lace hem tape work out?

Very pretty!

Hmm..how about bias tape? Or torn fabric strips? I'll try them and get back to you, blog! And don't forget, we're still working on that flower tutorial!

Renaissance Head Gear--for Pennies!

2011-03-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Renaissance headgear is needed for the annual conference of our church women's group, and I've been having big fun coming up with easy and inexpensive ideas--from the dollar store and thrift store, of course!

Now, I'm not claiming that any of these ideas are particularly authentic, though I did do my research--but what can you expect for 25 to 50 cents each? And after the big day they can all go straight into the costume box.

The first hat above is a ring, cut and stapled into a circle, from a roll of wired velvet ribbon I found at the thrift store for a dollar. The veil is made from a golden thrift store sheet--the sheet cost $2.00 and made a pile of veils when cut into squares. It was polyester, so I was able to avoid hemming the edges by fusing them--just pass the cut edge near a candle flame. Keep it moving to avoid potential problems! I gathered one edge of the veil and stitched it to the ribbon, but it could be stapled on just as well, and the veil could be attached at the back.

Hat #2 above is a scrap project--the brim is a scrap left over from a project involving a different gold thrift store sheet. I folded a long strip of fabric lengthwise, and stitched along the raw edges, making a 2-3/4" casing, then threaded through a piece of 2-1/2" elastic, 22" long. I sewed this strip into a circle, then cut a big circle (about 24" in diameter) from some scrap velour left over from a robe project. The circle is gathered around the edges, then seamed to the brim section right sides together. Voila!

Hat #3 was inspired by the glittery party hats shown above. I used the party hat cardboard to make a pattern and cut a base from poster board. The poster board base is covered with some brocade I had in my stash, front and back, and stapled to the metal band from the party hat. This veil is one of a pile I cut from a thrift store curtain panel, price $1.00. The edges of these veils are fused in the same manner as above.

Hat #4 is easiest of all, and pretty much a freebie. Plastic swamp cooler tubing is cut to length and joined into a circle--I used short pieces of sucker sticks, inserted in both ends, to join the tubes--somehow the sucker sticks were just the right diameter. The circle is covered with scrap ribbon, wound around and hot-glued on, and lengths of ribbon from my stash trail from the back. Curly ribbon would work just as well here.

Now for a step back in time. . .

Dollar Store T-Shirt--Updated!

2011-03-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Last year my local dollar store had a great supply of good-quality t-shirt seconds, so I bought several in the biggest size available--some pretty colors, and plenty of material to work with.

On a trip to Hancock's recently (my current favorite fabric store), the clearance fabrics were on sale for 50% off--always a fun prospect. Among other possibilities, I found a green, sheer mesh knit that it seemed to me would go well with one of the shirts from my t-shirt hoard, so I bought 1/8 yard. Price for yardage: $.25!

Since spiral-flower motifs are all the rage right now, I've been wanting to try a dollar-store version. Posted above is my first attempt, and I'm excited to try some others and make a few improvements. Tutorial coming up!

Note: Since a standard t-shirt never provides a good fit, I've been fitting them for years--I've used different commercial patterns and taken patterns from my favorite shirts. Recently, I invested in the Perfect T-Shirt pattern from Pamela's Patterns, and I'm here to say it's great! The pattern comes in a full range of sizes, is easy to follow, and produces a great fit. So--I've been making (and re-making) a few T's for myself, and having fun.

Thrift Store Decor #3--Ceramic Fruits and Vegetables!

2011-02-28T10:12:00.001-08:00

My favorite thrift store collection, hands down, is my ceramic fruits and vegetables--they make me very happy! I have them displayed all around my kitchen, and lately they seem to be making small inroads into the hall and the living room--but I think I can live with that.

It all started with the yellow pear teapot on the top left shelf--I saw it at Thrift Town years ago and was hooked! The collection has all come from thrift stores and yard sales, except for a few exceptions, mostly gifts--Chris fought hard to win the watermelon bowl (center shelf right) for me in a white elephant game (who could possibly have thought such a lovely item could be a white elephant?)

Of course, now that the collection has grown, I can be a bit more particular! I try to stay with items that are ceramic, are figural, and have a function--they are also at least somewhat realistic and have pleasing color and finish. I generally don't pay more than about a dollar, but I've paid up to $5.00 for some of the larger pieces that I really love.

I keep my small appliances and bulk foods behind the green curtain, which really is a more delightful color than it seems in the picture. And you can check out my Christmas cactus, the only plant that has managed to survive here--you can't tell, but it's about to bloom!

Wool Owlets!

2011-02-25T18:10:00.000-08:00

I've been amassing a collection of wool fabric, both new and used, for years now--so when Linds showed me these charming little owls on line, I knew I had to make them for her birthday.

If you visit the above site, you will find an excellent tutowlrial for making these guys--the little ones, whoo are about 2-1/2" high, are made according to the pattern. I enlarged the pattern to make the parents, whoo are about 5" high. Note the squidgy-looking one--I thought I would try him as a little rice hand-warmer to heat in the microwave.

The grandkids had big fun helping me go through the button box to choose and place the eyes--I love their expressions!

Happy birthday to Linds!

Thrift Store Decor #2--Bamboo Tray Arrangement!

2011-02-17T10:59:00.001-08:00

Hmm. . .I think I may have posted this tray and figurine before, but I've been having fun re-arranging things since I painted, so here they are in their new incarnation.

I found the large bamboo tray (24" in diameter) at the thrift store for $3.00. I love this tray! The color and texture make me happy. The plate (9-1/2" in diameter) was $1.50 at the thrift store, and I like the way the color of the robin echoes the color of the tray--the same color is in other places in the room.

I'm enjoying the way the cat and the bird seem to be ignoring each other--the cat figurine (11" tall) was $1.50 at the thrift store, and is marked 'San Pacific International'. My friend Pam says I should put Swedish Fish in his little dish.

Or maybe KitKat bars.

Thrift Store Decor, #1!

2011-02-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

I do believe I will feature some of my thrift-store decor for the next little while--welcome to Thrift Store Decor, #1!

While out and about on thrift store outings I generally have several ideas in the back of my mind--things to look for and think about. They're often ideas for small collections or arrangements, and it's fun to see how the different ideas work out over the course of time.

I was captivated last year by a picture in a magazine of an arrangement of three brightly-colored (and quite expensive) glass vases of different sizes and shapes, and (naturally) asked myself what the thrift-store equivalent might be. I added 'colored glass vases' to my mental thrift store list and, with a little seeking over the course of several months, found three I quite like!

I think they work together in several ways--first, there is a pleasing contrast in the shape, the color, and the size, and second, there is a pleasing continuity in the material and the intensity of color. Note how I did raise the green one slightly with a little old thrift-store copy of 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran.

The vases range from 8" to 10" high, and although they are more interesting than most, I suppose they must be florists' vases. I must admit that the inspiration vases in the magazine were somewhat bigger--and so was the price!

Mine averaged $1.00 each, and they look great on my piano!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T08:36:00.000-08:00

Chocolate being a classic Valentine's Day gift, Ibu made me these fabulous crochet chocolates to celebrate the day--and they go so very nicely with my fabric Valentine strawberries, seen here with Care's tiny quilt.

Check out the candy's delightful details--you can just see the edge of the white chocolate-covered pretzel. The white chocolate has a pale pink flower on top, and they're all displayed in valentine papers--I'll try to post a link to the pattern Ibu used.

The two ceramic baking dishes were thrift store finds, found in different stores and months apart--I love it when that happens!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Uphostery Sample Heart--a Question!

2011-02-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

My husband and daughter Lol once came home from a yard-sale outing with a gift for me--a BIG box, full of good-sized upholstery samples! I'm still having fun pulling them out occasionally for use in my scrap projects.

Last Valentine's day I saw a fun heart-shaped fabric door decoration--a slightly irregular-shaped, lightly padded heart. This year I decided to make my own version from scraps, so I pulled out my box of samples.

I love this floral--very romantic! I sketched a heart on a scrap of dollar-store foam core (mine is about 16" tall by 14" wide), and cut it out, then cut a couple of layers of scrap quilt batting in the same shape, plus one somewhat smaller to go underneath and make it more puffy. I cut out the heart shape from my fabric and added 1" all around to allow me to glue it to the back of the foam core.

I made 1/2" snips all around the fabric piece , about 1" apart, to help the back to lie smooth, layered it all together, and glued the edges of the fabric to the back of the foam core with my glue gun, then I hot-glued the whole thing to a heart cut from mat board to make it more sturdy and add dimension.

And now I'm a little stuck--it certainly needs some embellishment. I'm thinking fat cording around the edges? Green? A sheer bow at the center top? Tufting. . .?

Thrift Thursday--Recycle Frame!

2011-02-03T16:01:00.000-08:00

Just inside our back door are two rows of hooks which have captured jackets, hats, and school bags for many years now. There is a lack of such items around here these days, so I guess I'll consider it an opportunity to change things up a bit!

This lovely, matted apple watercolor came from a yard sale some time ago, and has been needing a frame. I finally found a green-framed, burlap-covered bulletin board at the thrift store for $1.00--the height was exactly right, but the width was much too long. (Sorry I got so excited and forgot the 'before' picture!)

I disassembled the bulletin board, used my trusty miter box to cut the top and bottom to the right size, then tacked it back together--fits the painting just right! I love it!

The step ladder was $2.00 at the thrift store, perfect for reaching in the upper cabinets. The apple hanger was a gift--and you can read about my dollar store picnic bag here.

Draft a Twirly Skirt Pattern--It's Easy!

2011-01-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

Joy-Joy has been telling me how she admires her sister W-R's fabulous velvety dress--it seems it has the ultimate twirly skirt. So, by special request, I have set out to duplicate the dress in J-J's size. This necessitates creating a pattern for that ultimate twirlyness, so we will draft a simple pattern that creates plenty of fullness and eliminates the bulk of gathers at the top.

First, the fabric--my favorite option being the thrift store, I was lucky enough to find just the item to transform, first try--and only$2.00!

I found a nice-quality velour girls' dress in a larger size, wide enough and long enough to fit my pattern pieces, and I picked apart the seams--only $2.00!

Now for the pattern--this is an easily adapted style, so I have used a basic pattern from my t-shirt pattern collection. ( I keep every size up to size 12 together in a zip-loc bag, size chart included--pajama pants handy in another bag. Let me just say that I found many of these at the thrift store!)

I folded up the lower edge of the bodice pattern to the desired length, plus seam allowance.

Now to draft the twirly skirt--the fullness is all in the flare of the pattern:

l. Make a simple rectangle (above) representing the width of the bodice pattern piece by the desired length of the skirt. Add a seam allowance for the top seam (I'm using 3/8") and the desired hem depth (3/4" here).

2. Slash the skirt pattern lengthwise every inch or so, leaving a tiny 'hinge' at the top edge of each slash--don't worry too much about making even slashes!

3. Spread the slashes apart at the hem edge to create the flare. For my pattern, the original center front edge remains on the fold, and the flare spreads out from there. (If you were to treat the center front as a seam, you could spread out the flare in both directions and really get some twirl-- you would then have four skirt panels.)

Note how the profile of the upper seamline changes as the width of the hemline increases. Spread the slashes evenly to your desired hemline width--you could trace this on another piece of paper for a finished pattern piece if you wish. In this case, front and back will be the same. Pattern complete!

4. The bodice is assembled just like a t-shirt, except that I bound the neckline and made a faced slit at the center back, with a hook and eye closure. To assemble the skirt, stitch the side seams and match the lower bodice seam to the upper skirt seam and stitch--they should be just the same size. I used a straight-stitch, visible hem.

5. Hemming a flared skirt: this can be a little tricky, since the cut edge is significantly wider than the line where it will be stitched. Two thoughts:

--the hem of W-R's dress was finished with a satin stitch, eliminating the problem. It would be easy to give the hem a lettuce edge by stretching slightly as you overcast--best to practice on a scrap first!

--the narrower the hem the better, since a wider hem creates a bigger problem--3/4" deep would be plenty.

--For a stitched hem, pin it up carefully, about every 3". Stitch with the hem edge up and the right side against the feed dogs, easing the hem to the dress by putting a little drag on the bottom layer with your finger as you stitch--this helps the extra fullness work itself in. A little practice helps!

Happy dancing and twirling, girls!

Thrift Thursday--Still Life with 'Gold' Mirror!

2011-01-20T15:02:00.000-08:00

There's been a little interruption in my plans to post my new 'gold' mirror--a new grandbaby, born just a little before expected. Everyone is doing fine, and I'm home.

Back to my mirror project--I was just a little concerned about the effect of my E6000 on the mirror backing, but the label stated no cautions, and after a week everything looks fine. I like it quite a bit!

Please also note my $.50 orange thrift store tray, holding my fabulous assortment of very realistic ceramic vegetables--a thrift store score of Ibu's. She knows I'm always on the lookout for wonderful ceramic fruits and vegetables, and here we have eggplant, cauliflower, cabbage, potato, corn, beet, summer squash, onion, yam, and yes--okra, all very realistic and in lovely colors with a shiny finish, and found in a big plastic bag for a couple of dollars. I love them! Though they puzzle me slightly--I have to wonder who thought of this. And why. They make me very happy!

There was actually one more vegetable, a nice little jalapeno which was loved to death by small hands. It was my least favorite--no loss!

Good Idea. . .? Bad Idea. . . ?

2011-01-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me on a thrift store outing some time ago that this $1.00 plastic 'gold' charger plate might make a great mirror frame, combined with a round craft mirror. I've been thinking it over in the back of my mind for some time, while watching out for a deal on the mirror.

I have finally committed myself and settled on the above beveled craft mirror, here complete with image of my camera-wielding arm--plain, unadorned mirrors of this size (8" diameter) seem to be unavailable. Original mirror price, $5.00, with 40% off coupon, more reasonable!

Today I'll glue the two pieces together with my trusty E6000, and tomorrow I'll post the finished product. I still just don't know--I think it's a good idea, but maybe it's just lame. . .

Sphere Collection!

2010-12-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

Bowls of decorative spheres have been a popular home accent for some time now, and this inspired an idea earlier this year--what might be their thrift-store equivalent? I added 'small round things' to my mental thrift store list, and it's been fun making a collection! They seem to be quite festive, so I think I'll just post them before Christmas comes.

This wooden plate was a thrift store find, and I like how the balls nestle on it, as well as how the different textures and colors of the balls contrast and coordinate.

My first find was the bigger middle ball--it seems to be a Central American ceramic of some kind, with a small firing hole in the back. The gold ball is a candle, and the green textured ball next to it really is a Christmas ornament. Next is a set of New-World-themed nesting balls, and then the baseball.

After the baseball is a large green jingle bell, and then what seems to be a carved wooden pineapple--at least it was with some other wooden fruit--and then a leather-covered and stitched ball of some kind. Bocce ball? Maybe someone knows.

As usual, I collected a few more things that didn't make the cut, at least in this grouping, but things often evolve--we'll see. I paid about$.50 for each item and $1.00 for the plate. Lots of fun, very little money!

Felted Sweater Slippers!

2010-12-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

I dearly love my annual pajama project for my grandkids, carrying on the family Grandma Christmas Pajama tradition for the third generation. And I seem to have an parallel annual tradition--the one where I tell myself, "This year I'll just have that all finished early and be ready." And then find myself sewing madly in the middle of December.

This week, I'm sewing like crazy. (Family, avert your eyes!)

This year I thought I might change it up a bit--I've been collecting and felting wool thrift-store sweaters for projects, and thought they'd make warm and festive slippers. Martha Stewart Crafts has a great on-line pattern for slippers made of felt, which seemed adaptable (you can make any size pattern by enlarging with a photocopier). I added the cuff.

One big concern: this plan sounds slippery. Thinking of non-slip soles, I found a vinyl upholstery remnant at Hancock's ($6.00 a yard) in a very neutral gray-beige that seems durable and goes with other colors well, and also appeared less slippery than the others. My test pair proved it was a good choice.

Martha's pattern worked very well--I added an insole of felted sweater, basting the it to the vinyl sole right sides together, and the contrast band is stitched to the top of the slipper, right sides together. The seam allowance is then turned down inside and stitched in place.

I feel a tutorial coming up--but not this week!

Birthday Quilt for T!

2010-12-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

Grand-daughter T recently celebrated her birthday, and it was her turn for a quilt from Grandma. I have at last dipped into my I-Spy hoard (collected with Care's assistance) and created my first I-Spy project!

It was fun choosing just the right spies to delight T--since she has limited vision, we tried to choose pictures that are fairly good sized, bright colored, and crisply drawn. Lots of contrast works for T, and we found many of her favorite things in our piles! I used Care's excellent Disappearing Four Patch instructions found here, and the top went together smoothly.

As often happens, time grew short, and I took the top to Care's for quilting--she's much faster than I--and we worked on the borders and binding together. (Thanks, Aunt Care!) And check out the fabulous backing she had in her stash:

I love how the hippos march between the I-spies! There's a blue scrap border on the front, with a red scrap binding.

I'm happy to report that T loves her quilt, and was able to identify all the I-Spies with only a very little coaching--not surprisingly, the broccoli (a great T favorite) eluded her a bit.

Don't miss another of T's delightful gifts on Care's blog--Happy Birthday, T!!

Two Curtain Rod Finials--$.33!

2010-12-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

I've at last carried out a very small project I have been anticipating happily--new finials for my much-updated living room curtain rod. Recognize them?

This is actually the original rod I hung in the living room years ago, and has had many incarnations over the years:

--a brown traverse drapery rod with plastic 'wood' finials (70's)
--a plain rod covered with a puffy valance, traverse works removed (80's)
--spray-painted gold, then supported by 'new' gold wood thrift-store brackets (90's)

Along the way it lost its dated finials, and since the rod is a hollow tube, the difficulty has been in attaching any new (or 'new') finials to its ends.

Earlier this year,inspiration struck, and I have been happily anticipating the advent of the Christmas decorations at the dollar store. A tube of six plastic ornaments for $1.00, and I'm set! I snipped off the nub holding the hook, cut a one inch circle in the ball with my kitchen shears, and put it over the end of the rod. I think I'm so smart!

And I still have 4 more ornaments!

Vinyl Revival Project #10--Hair Elastic Holder!

2010-11-29T08:40:00.000-08:00

Yet another vinyl recycle zipper bag--this one holds a cute selection of dollar store hair elastics and keeps them easily visible!

I actually use these for sewing and craft projects, a couple of which I hope to post before too long--the bag keeps them all together and easy to find in my elastic-and-trim drawer. Could be a fun and inexpensive stocking stuffer as well--there are some pretty fun hair ornaments at the dollar store these days!

I really think I am coming to the conclusion of my epic and on-going living room and kitchen remodeling/redecorating project. The carpet should come this week, and then it's basically finished. And I'll have brain space for other things, like Christmas...and projects...and blogging...photos to be included!

Vinyl Revival Project #9--Speed Scrabble!

2010-11-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

We do love our word games in this family! Scrabble is a big favorite, and when time is short there's always Speed Scrabble, which is similar to another commercial word game called Bananagrams.

Daughters Lol, Ibu, and I have collecting old Scrabble games from yard sales and thrift stores. We've come up with 4 or 5 games--some complete, some partial--to carry out our crafty plans. What better than our own Speed Scrabble game from our bounty of tiles, complete with it's own recycled vinyl pouch? And let me point out the Scrabble-box colored zipper from my stash!

This pouch is about 8" by5"--could have been just slightly deeper. I think that Speed Scrabble is another game where many people have house rules, but instructions are available on line. We tallied the letters from a Bananagrams game, and chose our tiles accordingly.

This will not be a fun and inexpensive gift--it's mine, all mine!

Vinyle Revival Project #8--Greedy Guts!!

2010-11-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

One more vinyl recycle--our family loves to play a dice game we call Greedy Guts, which you may know as Farkle or maybe Zilch. When the dollar store had some clear, colored, luscious--looking dice this fall, I just had to make a Greedy Guts pouch to keep the game together.

I made the the little pouch (directions here) 5" by 2-1/2', and used a red zipper from my stash to set off the colorful dice. To play the game, all you need are dice, paper, and a pencil--I have a tiny pad of paper and a pencil that I'll add to the pouch.

This is one game where it seems many people have house rules, but directions (even video) are on the internet if you just search 'farkle'.

Another fun and inexpensive stocking stuffer!

Vinyl Revival Project #7--Manicure Set!

2010-11-13T08:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, I do have a few more vinyl-recycle projects--I'll admit that I haven't put it down yet! Now for a few fun and inexpensive gifts inspired by the dollar store!

My original vinyl-recycle zipper bag was fun and fast to make, and I love the look of the exposed zipper in the clear vinyl--so when I found a cute, colorful manicure set at the dollar store I rifled through my stash for a matching zipper.

This little pouch is 6" by 3-1/2" and took only a few minutes to make. I'm just thinking I'll find a bit of pink ribbon or trim from my stash to tie into the zipper pull--a quick, cute, and inexpensive stocking stuffer!

Thrift Store Table--Finished at Last!

2010-11-10T14:08:00.000-08:00

I've been laboring away these many days to finish my epic and on-going living room and kitchen remodeling/redecorating project, and I'm happy to report that progress is being made--and I have at last finished updating my thrift store table, last seen here.

I had to stare at it again and think some more--sand? Strip? Paint? Stain? Too much work. Perfect solution: gel stain! Although apparently it's not made for the purpose, my brother tells me that gel stain, being fairly opaque, can be used over other finishes--and when brushed on, it can give the impression of wood grain.

The stain covered the ugly old finish, and brushed easily onto all the turnings. I have to say I love the new rich color!

Blogger's Quilt Festival!

2010-11-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's Amy fourth Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side--I do believe I will join in the fun!

My Stack-and-Whack Star quilt, which I now love, had its beginnings (at least in my mind) as my Unfinished Quilt of Horror, or as Care dubbed it, the Vomit Quilt.

It truly began with the best of intentions, and then went swiftly awry. I had done a few stack-and-whack projects, and happily contemplated a stack-and-whack star quilt. I chose a pile of fabric pieces from my stash (how I do love a scrap project!) then stacked, whacked, shuffled, and began to sew my way through the pile. I was excited to see the random combination of fabrics in the blocks, but then some of them turned out seriously less than cute, and almost disturbing. Queasy, I quickly put it all away.

Over the next couple of years, I would take it out and wonder where I had gone wrong, then put it back in horror. At last, Care helped my put my finger on the problem--the fabric she ruthlessly called the 'vomit print', which had contaminated everything it had touched--and I am sure you can tell which it is. (Warning--you may want to shield your eyes at this point!)

With the worst of the blocks firmly eliminated, I was able to make progress--you could read more about the process here--and finished with a cute, girlie birthday quilt, now beloved by my grand-daughter Joy-joy. Here's a view of the back:

Since I was determined to make this a scrap project, I scrounged up the backing from scraps and my available yellow fabrics, and pieced the batting from scraps. I even had the perfect stripe for the binding! It was a fun learning process--triumph at last!

Mario Mushrooms!

2010-10-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

So, I am deep in the middle of a few big projects around the house and yard that have to be done before bad weather sets in. Progress is being made, but smaller creative projects are on hold for now--with the exception of a few mushrooms!

Mr. S.'s fourth birthday party was a Super Mario bash--check Care's blog, I'm hoping she'll share her fun ideas! A few Mario mushrooms seemed in order for Mr. S., so I referred back to Rose Langlitz's fun book 'Tasty Crochet', a library favorite , and adapted her cute crochet mushroom pattern into Mario's companions. (Grandma confession: not being too familiar with Mario and his world, I had to check Google images for details!)

Each little guy is about 2-1/2 inches tall. (Of course the blue one is a little smaller.) All the yarn was dug from my stash--I stitched on the white crochet circles, and their eyes are single stitches of black yarn. I love how jolly and friendly they look!

Back to other projects. . .

Second Cabin Project--Sweater Flower!

2010-10-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

One more product of Karen's sweater-project bag at her cabin--she has been making fabulous flowers from bits of sweater and scraps of fabric. Here's one made with a bit of our pumpkin-colored sweater!

Karen says instructions are most likely available on the web--for our version, we cut an 8" piece, 1-1/2" wide, along the finished edge of the sweater's ribbing, and stitched it into a ring. We gathered the cut edge and pulled the stitches up tight, making a flower shape.

We stitched a torn strip of scrap fabric into a ring and folded it along the center of the strip, then gathered the folded edge in the same way, pulled it tight, and stitched the fabric circle securely to the sweater circle.

By then it was looking a lot like a poppy, but we had no black scraps for the poppy's center, and then Care had a brilliant idea: we clipped the black tag from the back of the sweater's neckline, and made another tiny flower shape for the center! (Good thinking, Care!) The printing is almost invisible. When I got home, I glued some gold-washed black seed beads (scrounged from a tacky old ear ring in my stash) to the center, for some poppy-like texture.

I'll stitch a safety pin to the back, and wear my new fall creation! Or maybe it will become a magnet for the fridge. . .

Back Home Again--With Recycle Pumpkins!

2010-10-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

We've been away, spending time with family at their beautiful cabin far away from it all--in peace, quiet, and perfect autumn weather! Lots of cooking, eating, talking, relaxing, and beautiful fall scenery, some cactus spines in a couple of small boys--and, a few projects!

Karen pulled out her sweater-project bag, stashed with thrift store sweaters, fabric scraps and a few other odds and ends, and we were inspired to create! A burnt-orange sweater shouted 'pumpkin' to us, and we ended up with an entire pumpkin-patch worth--with green stems fashioned from bits of another knit top.

The pumpkins are fashioned from various-size rectangles of sweater, stitched into tubes and then gathered tightly at one end. We turned them tight-side out and stuffed them with cut-up bits of another sweater until they were nice and plump, and tucked the remaining raw edge to the inside, gathering it closed.

I happened to have a little brown yarn in my knitting bag, and used it to give the sweater balls a pumpkin shape by stitching up through the center of the pumpkin, bringing the yarn around the side, and back up through the center repeatedly (think of a tomato pincushion). The stems are strips of green knit, folded long way, rolled up, and stitched raw-edges-down into the top hollow.

We also snitched a piece of wire from the on-going electrical project downstairs and covered it with green twill tape picked off our knit top, and added the green spiraled tendrils to a few of the pumpkins--sorry no photo, but it was indeed cute! We stitched the end of the spiral under the stem.

Big fun creating with just what's around! I love how the little guys look so velvety. The little pumpkins went home with various people, and it looks like it's back to regular life for us-- rested and refreshed!

Vinyl Revival Project #6--Sleepover Backpack!

2010-09-20T14:08:00.001-07:00

Felicity's sleepover gear is now complete, with her matching pajama pants and her new recycled backpack to hold Project #5 (her sleeping bag and pillow)--and I think I may be about finished for now with vinyl recycle projects! A few more ideas for later, though. . .

This little backpack measures 7" by 3". I started by cutting a rectangle of vinyl, 9-1/2" tall by 12-1/2 around, and a vinyl circle 4-1/2" in diameter for the set-in bottom. (I had hoped to make a tutorial--it turns out clear materials don't really lend themselves to photography!)

The straps are scraps of black ribbon stitched down the center of wider scraps of pink ribbon, then rolled up in 1-1/2 inch strips of vinyl and stitched again. I stitched the straps to the flat main piece before sewing it into a tube, and then set in the bottom circle. The top of the backpack is finished with a 5/8" casing, and more scrap pink ribbon is threaded through the casing for the tie. (I've used 1/4" seam allowances here.)

And how about a very odd coincidence: head over and check out Care's Dollar Dolly Duffel Bag post for today. As we were describing our projects to each other over the phone yesterday, we realized that, strangely enough, my sleeping bag would just fit in her duffel bag! Who knew? It must be a sign. Of what, it's hard to say!

On to other, non-vinyl projects, I think!

Vinyl Revival Challenge--Project #5: the Zipper!

2010-09-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

I've been happily anticipating and working on the recycle project for the lovely, long 58" zipper from my Challenge Item-- andso here is my Recycle Felicity doll's

Slumber Party Sleeping Bag!

Felicity is almost (but not quite!) ready for a fun night with friends. I was inspired by Care's fun toy sleeping bag tutorial to make a bigger version that fits an 18" doll--I followed her excellent instructions exactly, but used 13" by 19" pieces for the outer fabric and lining. The finished bag measures 12" by 18", and takes a zipper at least 28" long.

As much as I hate to buy anything new for a recycle project, in this case I just didn't have any fabric that seemed to work, so I bought (gasp!) 3/4 yard of pink leopard fabric and spent $3.74. Sigh. For the lining, a used a piece of soft white polar fleece that I had on hand, so no batting was needed.

Of course Felicity needs a matching pillow case, and there was plenty of fabric to make one, set off with a black rick-rack insert from my ribbon-and-trim stash. Her pillow is 5" by 7", and Felicity is wearing her pj's from my doll-clothes-from-undies project here.

Next, the rest of Felicity's slumber party preparations--more Vinyl Revival!

Vinyl Revival Challenge--Project #4!

2010-09-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

Something-from-nothing is my favorite kind of creation! Inside yesterday's vinyl recycle project, the gift bag, is a little vinyl backpack that holds a set of 24 crayons--the straps and ties match the trim on the gift bag, and the beads are from my stash. The crayons were at back-to-school prices recently, so this little gift cost $.75--a fun and inexpensive gift! Click on the button above for other Vinyl Revival projects.

I was curious to know if a casing would work in my recycled vinyl, so I did a test run--the light weight vinyl seems to pull up with a ribbon very nicely! I made the body of the backpack the same size as the crayon box, plus 1-1/4" or so for the fold-over and casing at the top. The straps are made in the same way as the handles for the gift bag, and were stitched down before sewing the side seams.

Next I stitched the side and bottom seam and boxed the bottom to make it square, then stitched the casing for the ribbon--I snipped a slit in the center front to run the ribbon through and tied on the beads, which as I recall were scrounged from an old project and have been waiting in my stash. Big fun!

On to another vinyl recycle!

Vinyl Revival Challenge--Project #3!

2010-09-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

For project #3, I've made a small vinyl gift bag with cute ribbon trim from my stash. The little bag measures 6-1/2" by 4" by 2",and holds a little matching gift--made with vinyl, of course!

I started with a rectangle of my recycled vinyl, and stitched the top hem on one long side, using yellow-green thread to match my color theme. I decided to top-stitch my two ribbons together and ran them through my hem with a safety pin, then realized the hem needed another line of stitching to hold the ribbon in place--I like the decorative effect of the stitching lines!

Second, I stitched the side seam--in this case, I have set in the bottom rectangle, but a good option would be to cut the bag longer and box the corners by stitching across them as shown here. To figure the extra length for a boxed bottom, take one-half of the desired bottom width, plus the seam allowance, and add this amount to the length before cutting.

Next, the handles are made from lengths of ribbon, rolled up in strips of vinyl and top-stitched. You can just see that they are attached by running them through a pair of slits in the bag, with the buttons stitched on to keep them from pulling out. I was thinking clear oxygen tubing would make a pretty cute handle here--I gave up and sent my piece to the thrift store too soon!

All in all, a fun project to do--it would be fun to mass produce these in a holiday theme, to hold little gifts for the neighbors.

Tomorrow, the little gift inside the bag!

Vinyl Revival Challenge--Project #2!

2010-09-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

Project #2 from my vinyl recycle challenge: a cute baby bib that wipes clean!

The bib, measuring 9" x 9"", is made with two layers of my recycled vinyl, with cute little plastic baby-themed trinkets between the layers. (The trinkets are recycled from a baby shower, of course!)

I traced an existing bib for the pattern, and cut the two layers of vinyl at the same time--judicious pinning was required here, but holes don't seem to show too much. I stitched around the outer edges to secure the layers, then bound them with bias tape--I actually used my Clover bias tape maker to make the tape from scraps of pink dotted fabric, but commercial bias would certainly do the job. After dropping the plastic trinkets inside, I use the same bias to bind the neckline and make the ties. The bow is from my mom's ribbon-and-trim stash.

So . . . it's pretty cute, right? Let me just say, however, that I realize this is not an especially practical concept. A wipe-off bib would seem to be an excellent idea, but bibs get messy, and the binding would definitely need to be washed. Water would certainly get inside the vinyl layers and never dry. I suppose that an absorbent bib is a better overall plan anyway as far as capturing a mess--how about a layer of fabric with one of vinyl? Ideas?

Not to mention the fact that leaning against the trinkets might be pretty uncomfortable for the baby!

I suppose I just couldn't resist carrying the project out as an exercise!

Vinyl Revival Challenge--Project #1!

2010-09-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

I've cut up my plastic cover, and decided to use the smaller panels first--there were two pieces about 12" by 24", and one piece about 36" by 12", plus the 9" by 36" black mesh panel.

First up is a zipper pouch for my knitting bag--it's 9" by 4" with boxed lower corners. This would also make a great pencil pouch, or a holder for barrettes and elastics!

I used:
--a square of clear vinyl, 10" by 10"
--A stray zipper from my stash: the length doesn't matter as long as it is over 10"
(The existing zipper would have worked well, but I have plans for it!)
--2-1/2" piece of ribbon for the tab or label
--thread

l. With right sides together, stitch the zipper to one side of the vinyl piece, using a 1/4" seam allowance. If your zipper is longer, let the excess extend on either side.

2. Pull the opposite side of the vinyl over and stitch it to the opposite side of the zipper, right sides together, with a 1/4" seam allowance--this will be easier with the zipper closed! If your zipper is longer, be sure the second seam is directly across from the first.

3. With the zipper closed, place the pouch right sides together, with the zipper opening about 1-1/4" from the top fold. Fold the ribbon with raw edges together, and place it between the layers of vinyl against the pull side of the zipper, matching raw edges of the ribbon to the cut edges of the vinyl.

4.. Stitch the side seams, using a 1/4" seam allowance--use care in stitching over the zipper if yours is longer than needed. Be sure the pull is within the sides of the pouch! Trim away excess zipper, if needed. Open the pouch.

5. To box the lower corners, crease the lower fold of the bag with your fingers, next to the seam. Opening up the corner of the bag, carefully match this crease to the side seam as shown in the photo above, and stitch across the corner about 5/8" from the point. Repeat for other corner. Turn bag right side out. Finished!

All my knitting tools will be together, but still visible!

Vinyl Revival Challenge Item!

2010-09-06T11:37:00.001-07:00

Quite some time ago, Care gave me this clear vinyl bag which was the packaging for a 'Hide-a-Mat', measuring a generous 36" by 24" by 12" and including a nice 58" black nylon zipper. The seams are stitched and bound with the same clear plastic, and on the back is a panel of black knit mesh.

The challenge: to re-use and re-cycle the materials!

The bag has since been lying idle in my Things-I-Might-Recycle bin, with the challenge lying idly in the back of my brain until just recently. I think ideas must have been jogged by Care's fun crayon pouch posting, because several have popped out of the back of the brain!

Notes for recycling vinyl packaging:

--the vinyl is fairly light weight, and so not exceptionally durable, but much easier to handle than the heavier stuff.
--the vinyl is a bit crinkly from storage, so
-- a very short spin in the dryer or a quick blast with the hair dryer helps.
--to stitch clear plastic, use longer stitches and handle the seam from the front and the back of the presser foot, helping it move along.
--definitely do cut with the rotary cutter, using an older blade.
--I have a couple of ideas for re-using the zipper, so I'll probably add in some zippers from my notions stash.

I think I'm set to sew!

Inspiration Strikes!

2010-09-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

There just haven't been any projects going around here for a while--I have to think the old creativity has been in the incubation stage. Of course, there is always plenty to do--took a little trip to help with projects and hang out at the kids' house one state over, sorted through my fall clothes, read a book or two, pursued a couple of cooking projects. . .

Then, oddly, last night I was lying in the bed not quite thinking or sleeping, and Inspiration Struck! Ideas were springing fully formed to mind about a recycling project I have had on the back burner for a while-- spit from the subconscious processor at the back of the mind. Inscrutable notes were scrawled on the back of my crossword puzzle by iPod light, and I think I'll be ready to post a week of projects made from an item that Care gave me (some time ago!) as a challenge.

Stay tuned!

Thrift Thursday--Vintage Kitchen Chair!

2010-09-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

As I have stated before, I am a sucker for cute thrift store chairs and small tables, and when I found this one several years ago now, I knew it was mine, all mine.

I think from the style it must be from about the 1930's or 40's--what do you think? And just look at that old red oilcloth seat cover! The scroll work on the flared back! The bentwood details! The small-scale proportion just right for shorter people! I love you, chair!

The finish has worn over the years until it almost looks purposely antiqued, and the seat and scroll work are plywood. Couldn't say what the hardwood is, but it's fairly heavy. It's long since retired from the kitchen, and is living out its golden years on light duty as a desk chair.

It makes me happy!

Thrift Thursday--The Green Stool

2010-08-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I was delighted to find this bentwood stool at the thrift store for $5.oo--a little steep, I thought, but it does appear to be authentically vintage and is solid and in good condition. And I am a sucker for fun stools and chairs and small tables!

It had been spray-painted this light green, including the leather seat, which is actually in very good shape considering its age. And for added glamour, when Joy-joy sat on it in her sparkly dress-up gown, the stars printed off on the green seat, and have lasted for months!

It turns out The Green Stool is the seat of choice for visiting grandkids, and they have devised a strict rotation for taking turns--the rules do vary slightly in the different families.

I guess $5.oo was a pretty good buy after all!

Little Quilt for Panda, Part 3

2010-08-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Joy-joy's special panda's quilt is at last finished and ready to be dropped off tomorrow, and I must say it matches Joy-joy's new quilt quite nicely!

Our design dilemma was solved quite neatly by exchanging the borders of the two lower blocks. I was concerned about the stars and borders in those two blocks matching too closely, but I think it works well, after all.

The outer borders and binding match those on the bigger quilt, and the quilting matches, too. The little quilt turned out to be 20" by 20"--and let me just say it is more square than the photo would seem to show!

All in all, quite a satisfying scrap project. Hope the colors don't keep them up all night.

. . .From a Single Pair of Ear Rings???

2010-08-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

I do love beads! I've been admiring the longer bead-and-chain necklaces that are so popular, and thought I might come up with some of my own to wear this fall.

In spreading my bead stash around and admiring it, I found an astonishing pair of ear rings that I could not resist bringing home from my dad's craft stash after he died--I'm thinking he got them from a yard sale. My great regret is that I neglected to take a photo to document their fabulousity-ALL the beads for this necklace, except the two crystal shaped ones (cut off a beaded napkin ring from the thrift store), are from the one pair of ear rings. And there are significant parts left over! It almost boggles the mind.

I just wasn't able to work in the bead clusters--they sent the whole project right over the edge. And, I still have one fabulous round bead! I suppose the clusters could be ear rings by themselves, but I have to confess that I. . .well, I just don't consider them tasteful.

Even the many jump rings and brass washers were a part of the original ear rings, so I just had to re-configure it all and add the chain. I made mine 30" long, so no clasp is needed.

From fabulous ear rings to fabulous necklace!

Reboot Mode, I Guess.

2010-08-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to sew a stitch, and my projects have no appeal--it all seems a little familiar, though. It happens periodically, so I guess my brain is in reboot mode again!

I'm fascinated by the nature of creativity--I know, at least for me, a lot of the process is sub-conscious and seems to go on 'behind the scenes'. There's no point fighting it--things will all come flowing out when the process (whatever it may be) is finished!

I have been staring at my accumulation of beads, though, spread out over my sewing tables. I have amassed them here and there, mostly scrounged from thrift items and odd bits, with a few souvenir beads thrown in. I've mostly had fun sorting them and running my hands through them like a miser, but a few projects are beginning to emerge!

Thrift Thursday--Little Ceramic Stand!

2010-08-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

I've been watching for ceramic plates and trays to use in displaying my ceramic-fruits-and-vegetables collection-- I like to look for colors and shapes that complement the fruit colors.

So, I was delighted to find the above little 4-1/2" green plate at the thrift store for only$.50, and brought it home to put underneath a ceramic apple. Very cute!

Several months later, on a thrift store foray, I found the above 3'' high green ceramic stick candlestick and knew it was meant to go with said little green plate--$.50 again. Even cuter! Sure enough, when I got it home it was a perfect match, and I glued them together with my trusty E6000 before I even thought to take a 'before' photo.

A cupcake-sized cake stand!

Quilt for Panda, Part 2

2010-08-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

Still working on the re-arrangement of Panda's quilt squares.

Joy-joy says she 'needs' the pink fabrics to be diagonal from each other, and I completely agree. The balance is just off, and if we trade the two bottom blocks we will have the yellow and the blue frames side by side. Probably the best plan is to pick off the frames of the two bottom blocks and switch them. Sadly, this will put a blue frame on the blue star and a yellow frame on the yellow star. We'll see what happens.

I wonder if I am going into over-tweak on this!

Little Quilt for Panda, Part 1

2010-08-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

Joy-joy now tells me her special stuffed animal friend, Panda, needs a small quilt of his own. (It seems he sleeps on a pillow at the foot of her bed and can get rather cold.)

She would like him to have a quilt that matches her own star quilt, so I've made four six-inch Nine Patch Star blocks in those same fabric scraps. As we discussed the layout of the blocks, Joy-joy and I agreed that there is a fundamental design problem--the two blocks with pink simply can not be side by side, and they can't be diagonal either.

I can see that I won't be happy with this project unless I trade the borders of the two bottom blocks. Shoot. Guess I'll be picking out the stitching.

Thrift Thursday--Red Sugar and Creamer Tray

2010-08-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

When I was small, for everyday dishware my grandma Genevieve used a gray and maroon set of Fiestaware--I'm wondering now if this is where my love of ceramic kitchenware began.

When I saw this reminiscent and retro-style maroon platter for $1.00 at the thrift store, it seemed like a great tray for an arrangement of some of my ceramic kitchenware, so I pulled out some red and green pieces and came up with a tea tray of sorts.

The red cow creamer, with a nod to P.G. Wodehouse, was a $1.00 thrift store find, as was the raspberry sugar bowl and plate. The grape and eggplant sugar and fork are from Salvation Army, and I think the salt cellars and French child's teacup (or toothpick holder!) are both from a yard sale. The chicken salt and pepper set was a gift and seems to round out the arrangement nicely!

Miniatures Monday--Victorian Vignette!

2010-08-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

I love the complete Victorian vignette! It's definitely a little perfect world where I would like to spend some time. I think, for me, that's a lot of the appeal of the hobby!
Although I still come up with miniature needlework, it's been a while since I've put together any miniature scenes. I do love making tiny things, but really, fabric is my medium. I am compelled to work with fabric!

This is not to say that I have given away all my unused tiny items, though! In the back of my mind, I see a delightful collectibles shop, where all the odd bits could fit in.

Or perhaps a tiny garage sale . . .

Pipe Cleaner Critters!

2010-08-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

While at Joy-joy's birthday lat week, we saw her dad's favorite new creative pursuit--working with pipe cleaners! It seems he picked up a few pipe cleaners one day, started doodling, and came up with his own techniques for creating creatures. I'm posting a flock of his birds.

I myself had not thought beyond the spindly nature of pipe cleaners, but I like how the birds have substance and dimension, and personality of their own. I love the details! Check out Mr. Ostrich's sweet face and expression, and his sturdy feet. He's about 3" high.

How happy and smug the chicken is!

Check out the phoenix's feathery wings and fantasy colors. They all make me happy! Fun stuff, Chris!

Thrift Thursday--Sugar Bowl and Shaker Tray!

2010-07-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

I dearly love ceramic kitchenware! The shapes, color, and smooth shiny finish are so satisfying. When I found this shapely green lobed dish at the thrift store, it seemed just the thing to display some of my odd sugar bowls, jam jars, and shakers.

I believe I paid $1.00 for the green dish--it seems quite vintage to me, but it's marked 'microwave safe' on the bottom, so perhaps not. I enjoyed taking some time to group things from my collection, coming up with just the right combination of shapes, sizes, and colors.The banana and the cherry salt shakers make me especially happy!

All these fruits were picked up over the years on thrift store forages, except the tiny watermelon tea pot, which was a special gift. I love them!

Quilt of Horror, Part 6--Horrible No More!

2010-07-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

With a great surge of relief, I have met the challenge--my misguided stack-and-whack project is redeemed, and passed along to a happy new owner! I have to say all horror has been eliminated--it's charming! Many thanks to all who participated in its transformation.

The back was fun to work out--I decided on yellow, and since this is a scrap project, I searched my stash, but was disgruntled to find that my existing piece was not long enough. I was forced to buy another piece of yellow, and set the two checkerboard style to echo the front a bit, with a strip of scrap rectangles to add some color and focus.

The back and front are layered with batting pieced together from extra pieces of Warm and Natural--I loosely zigzagged the edges of the off-cuts together. It seemed the quilting should be curved and organic to contrast with the angular design of the top, so I quilted giant sunflowers in the center of each block, surrounded by leafy vines. The outer border is also quilted in a vine pattern.

The binding makes me very happy! I found a striped piece in my stash in just the colors needed--you have to love a striped binding.

Joy-joy is the happy new owner, and requests a small matching quilt for her beloved stuffed panda--I hope to find my scraps and just by-pass the horror phase.

Miniatures Monday--Victorian Armoire!

2010-07-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

The centerpiece of my Victorian vignette is this beautiful armoire, made (with many of the small and elegant projects it displays) in our club meetings.

I loved arranging all the small details, walking around the room in my mind. The 'ivory' elephant in the glass dome (the end of a test tube on a button) is a1930's celluloid charm given to me by my grandma Hilda when I was small. Our Victorian lady must love perfume (or maybe she's a hand lotion addict like me)--there are many more perfume and cosmetic bottles made from beads, and her plants are made from green floral tape. Caps from ointment and toothpaste tubes can make great planters and pots!

The ribbon-wrapped linens on the top shelf are actually Kleenex--they'd be great in many colors. The 'gold' frame nest to the bottles is a sticker, and its
photo is clipped from a magazine.

The pink ribbon-wrapped tray on the third shelf down holds her wonderful tiny jewelry made of the tiniest beads--wish it showed better. Next to it is a tiny hand mirror and hair brush. On the bottom shelf is a set of floral bed linens with lace trim, and the corner of a lace shawl is hanging from the drawer. I love the lace shelf edging!

On the top shelf inside the door is a decorated commercial miniatures hat to shade our Victorian lady from the sun, with her elegant clothes hanging below. Her high-necked lace blouse is made from a bit of lace trim, and her long, full skirt is in a tiny pink check print. She has another lacy blouse folded next to a box of treasures. The tiny suitcase was a gift, along with the work basket containing her petit point project.

It's the perfect retreat.

The Pickle Tie

2010-07-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

While Care and I were out scouting for I-spy prints recently,we found this fabulous pickle print. We knew its destiny immediately--a new tie for Grandpa!!

Since my husband loves bread-and-butter pickles above almost anything, and it's tricky, really, to find small sewing projects for men, it's just the thing.

Does anyone remember the great menswear sewing interest in the 1970's? Leisure suits, polyester knit shirts, and wide, wacky ties? Mom made ties (and leisure suits!) back then, and I've had occasion to make them as well over the years--matching ties in wedding color themes, theme ties for gifts, holiday ties, etc. It's difficult to find lightweight woven silks in appropriate weights and prints for ties, but I have used some dress fabrics and even some drapery fabrics with good results. It's a quick project, really, once you know a few tips. Perhaps a tutorial is in order!

This particular fabric is indeed a quilt-weight cotton, which I think makes a good choice for a more casual tie, and also is more friendly to work with than silk. For this tie, we bought 5/8 yard. One advantage (or disadvantage?) of buying yardage for ties is that since they are cut on the bias, there's a lot of unused fabric left over. But that's easy to cope with--another tie, or more scraps for other 'free' projects!

Fabulous Fabric Find!

2010-07-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a pillowcase, really. Found in the Idea as-is department, this fabulous piece:

I hardly know what to say! The print seems to be food labels...sort of.

The pictures are of soup. (Maybe).

The brand is #%/&))??@. (Bad Word Brand?)

The description is 'asjfajfadsklfjdkslfjakly'.

The colors are fabulous.

Barcodes are included!

I love it more than I can say, and for $2.99 I have 2-1/4 yards of 18" width to work with! Oh, the possibilities. . .

Miniatures Monday--Victorian Scene!

2010-07-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

In our miniature society meetings one year, club members (who I don't really quite want to refer to as my miniature friends!) each made a beautiful dollhouse armoire in 1/12 scale, and then took turns providing monthly projects to go with the project. I'm excited to post some bits of my completed scene--a vignette from a Victorian lady's room.

The scene is filled with little items from our Victorian lady's everyday life--every Victorian lady had houseplants, and our lady's are made from green floral tape and wire. She's just left her shawl (from a bit of lace yardage and trim) on her chaise lounge, with her jewel case made of ribbon-covered wood bits. Her handbag (a scrap and a jewelry finding) is leaning by a pile of hat boxes (like the wallpaper on the walls, they came from a wallpaper sample book).

Her ornate paintings and frames came just as they are from a dime store, and her chaise and pillows are made from scraps of fabric and trim. She's left a box of chocolates (Fimo and greeting card bits) on the floor at the foot of the chaise--hope the miniature dog doesn't wander by!

My favorite things to make were the tiny perfume and lotion bottles next to the fancy little bath basket (made from petit point canvas), which is complete with sponge, soap, and bubble bath. The jars and bottles are glued-up beads.

It's the perfect corner to sit and read or sew!

Library note: two of my absolute favorite miniatures how-to books are 'The Doll's House Do-it-Yourself Book', by Venus and Martin Dodge, and 'The Book of Miniatures', by Helen Ruthberg--my all-time favorite!

For kids, 'Tiny Treasures', an American Girls book, is a delight!

Thrift Store Projects, Review

2010-07-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

A few in-progress thrift store creations are now complete--and, I think, may lead to others!

Monkey #1 has undergone a bit of plastic surgery around the eyes, and now seems much more approachable and less creepy. Her friend, Monkey #2, now looking rather ethereal, sports a hat and sweater vest made from the last bits of glove that were left over from #1's attire. Now that I have a pattern, more little monkeys may make an appearance!

(Monkey #1 needs to pull up her socks, as my mom would say when we needed to buckle down and work.)

I've added the tiny buttons to my miniature pink thrift store yarn project, and they're perfect! It makes me happy. The bigger white doll sweater is for granddaughter Joyelle's birthday, to keep her dolly warm.

I'm thinking some little patterned sweaters are next--maybe cables or color patterns. We'll see. . .

Thrift Thursday--Pocket Sock Monkey Kit!

2010-07-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

A recent thrift store outing turned up a project I could not resist-- a 'Curiosity Kit' for two hand-sized sock monkeys! At a quick glance, it seemed to be all or mostly complete, so I made the $.50 investment.

It turns out both monkeys are made from one sock, and they had been cut out and partially stitched--the kit includes instructions, sock, pattern, stuffing, thread, and felt for features and clothes.I've finished this guy up and his friend is in process. Monkey #1 is decked out in hat, scarf, and socks (it is a sock monkey, after all!), made from a striped stretchy glove that I had on hand, and I added the little button eyes. (Sorry--I'm not quite sure what accounts for the ethereal appearance of his feet.)

A fun, quick project--sadly, as monkeys mostly do, he seems very slightly creepy to me. Maybe it's just his expression! He's 6" in length over all, just the size to tuck in a pocket or hold in a hand, and I think I know kids (big and small) who might love to do it!

A Landmark Day in Grandma World

2010-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

I'm a sad and happy Grandma today--we have been fortunate enough to have all six of our children and their families living within three states of each other, but today marks a big change for us: our middle son is just finishing his PhD, and he and his family are moving away, Far Away, to work and teach at a university.

I am so very proud and excited for them, and I know they will thrive. Just let me say it's also a little sad for mom and grandma.

I remember other landmark days quite vividly--first days of school, graduations, sending them off to college, weddings--proud and exciting days all, with a little bit of letting go in each one as they walk away. And that's our job--letting go.

And after all, what is the goal of being a parent? Helping children to launch successfully into life--but it does tug at the heart. To be successful, we work ourselves out of a job!

You're doing a Good Job, kids--keep us posted!

Miniatures Monday--Quilting Studio Cutting Table!

2010-07-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

I've done a bit of deconstruction so I can post a corner view of my miniature quilting studio and all its delightful details. Let me give a guided tour!

The scene is in 1/12 scale--one foot, full size, is represented by one inch. The sewing table is about 3" high and the backs of both sides of the table are 5" wide, so the miniature quilter has plenty of room to work. You can see that she has displayed some of her completed projects on the wall above the table for inspiration. Under the table are her waste basket and some of her batting supply, stored in the corner.

She has a basket (made of manila folder) of 'fat quarters' in the corner of the table, ready for her next project, and several books for reference (made from a craft book ad). Her cutting mats, tiny rotary cutters and rulers ready to go. She has her tiny scissors, pincushions, and thread (tiny sections of fine dowel wrapped with thread), and microscopic measuring tape handy, with several cards of itty bitty buttons and tiny spools of ribbon. Her colored pencils are snips of colored electrical wire. Sewing time is limited (as it is for all of us!), so she keeps a clock handy!

Looks like she's ready for a new creative project!

Unfinished Quilt of Horror, Part 5

2010-07-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

Scrap pink borders are attached, and I think they finish the top off nicely!

I didn't quite have enough pink scraps for the entire border, so I actually had to buy a small piece of the mottled pink fabric. Shoot.

The pinks blend a little better than the photo shows--and I can hardly wait to post the fabulous piece I found in my stash for the borders! Since this officially a scrap project, I hope I do have enough Warm and Natural batting scraps for the whole project--I'll join the scraps together with a zigzag stitch.

I think maybe this project can be formally declared un-horrible at last!

Unfinished Project of Horror, Part 4

2010-07-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I took my updated blocks and consulted daughter Lol, my official Consultant for Block Layout--Lol has an excellent eye for color and flow.

We came up with what we think is a pleasing, balanced arrangement, with yellow and blue bordered blocks alternating checkerboard-style. And a peculiarly unbalanced photo. Sorry!

One difficulty in the arrangement was that with so few pleasing combinations of fabrics left in the 'good' selection of blocks, several of the them are negative images of each other--background/star with star/background--and others are similar enough to seem alike to the eye. The challenge is to separate them enough that they don't seem redundant.

Another major factor are the four blocks with pink background--we knew there would need to be one pink background in each row of three in order to distribute them pleasingly. It took some shuffling, since moving one block usually produces a domino effect as the combination of colors changes.

I have to say that I think our plan is very pleasing--the colors and shapes flow very nicely to the eye. One thing that surprised us is how the orange and the green flow together so well. The whole thing may be starting to become quite un-horrible!

We are thinking the whole thing will need an outer border to confine and outline it. I'm thinking a scrap border of bright pinks, slightly wider than the inner borders. I'll consult my stash.

Unfinished Project of Horror, Part 3

2010-07-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

I tripped over my cat and wrenched my sore knee, so this week I've been somewhat less eager to hobble down the stairs to my sewing room. This does mean a little more time to sit and knit, BUT I think I am ready to steel myself and work on my awful stack-and-whack stars! I have decided to approach this on two fronts:

l. I'll frame each block with a solid color--thanks for the comments and suggestions! Thank you, ladies--I think you're right. The solids should calm and confine the blocks, yet still help them to relate to each other.

2. Although I kept telling myself I could make a second quilt that wouldn't be THAT bad, I have hobbled out to the dumpster and tossed in the twelve most offensive blocks. Yes--didn't even inflict them on some unsuspecting thrift store shopper! The buck stops here. It was tricky, since I absolutely abhor waste, but sometimes you just have to take a stand! (I think that when I'm tempted to say something 'isn't THAT bad', it probably is.) I will not be contaminating someone else's world with blocks of horror.

(And, on an aside, does this seem familiar?

It occurs to me that this, the worst of the departed blocks, is the fabric equivalent of Edvard Munch's well-known painting, 'The Scream'.)

So, I have auditioned the twelve more acceptable blocks on three backgrounds: blue, green, and yellow. Each of the pieces is from my stash, since this is a strictly a scrap project. I like the effect of the all the colors with the blocks, but I think the blue and the yellow make the best combination, so I'll frame half the blocks in each color and plan to set them together checkerboard-style.

I'm thinking a fairly wide strip to frame each block--2-1/2"? Off to the sewing machine!

Navajo Quilt--Finished!

2010-06-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

At last! My mom's (or my dad's??) Navajo quilt project is finished--pieced, quilted, and bound. And very dramatic and graphic it is!

I've used my favorite Warm and Natural batting, and the backing is the matching red that was included with all the cut pieces. It seemed to me that quilting along the seam lines was the only real option-any other lines, especially curved lines, would only detract. So each seam line is machine quilted, and I have to say it has been borne out to me again that using polyester fabric in quilting is less than optimal! It just doesn't cooperate like 100% cotton fabric--it's ravelly and harder to work with.

After quilting I did decide to trim the width of the outer black border by about an inch--I think it seems more in proportion and sets the quilt off better.

Mom and Dad have been gone about two years now, and I think that I do still have another unfinished project or two from my parents. I suppose, though, that in a way the family is their biggest project, and unfinished at that! But turning out pretty well so far, and getting bigger all the time.

All in all, a beautiful quilt-- I think my parents would approve.

Miniatures Monday--Thrift Store Yarn Project #4: More Tiny Sweaters!

2010-06-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

As my portable project for our recent road trip, I brought along a my current thrift store yarn knitting project--practice variations on my tiny sweaters. It was a fun and successful project, and now I can see how my ideas need to be refined!

I've been thinking about how my pattern might be adapted to be more detailed, so I tried adding the snowflake pattern from my tiny mitten project to the front of the red sweater. I think it definitely works, but as Red Sweater Version One shows, the motif needs to me moved up just a bit from the imaginary person's tummy to his chest! Hope to find a few more small motifs to try.

All three sweaters were made with the same pattern and the same #1 needles, and it's interesting to see how the seemingly small difference in the yarn weight changes the size of the finished item--this could definitely be a problem in an item meant to actually worn! The bodies range from 1-1/2" wide and 2" high to 2-1/4" high by 2" wide. Apparently the blue yarn is just a little heavier than the red.

The deep pink cardigan is also a variation on the same basic pattern, divided down the front with a knit-on ribbing added. I think the ribbing seems a little wide, even though it's only tow rows. Hmmm--we'll see. I do think I have some very tiny buttons that will be just the thing!

I suppose this whole project is about research, since I'm not sure how I'll use the tiny sweaters except as Christmas ornaments, but I'm having fun and accumulating information. Maybe I'll work toward small doll sweaters! I'll have to get out Grandma Barbie, my own 1961 doll. . .

Thrift Thursday--Avocado and Asparagus!

2010-06-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

I just love these two dishes, and I have to say I think the combination of their color and shape is fabulous!

Let me also say that I did not previously have an avocado-shaped OR an asparagus-themed dish, so it was quite the find when I found them both on the same thrift-store outing! I'm displaying them nested together--I love the contrast. The interior color and shading of the avocado and the texture and color of its rind just make me happy!

The aparagus dish is 10-1/2" by 4", and the avocado dish is 7" long, and I think I paid $1.75 for them together.

I often wonder, when I see like-themed items at the thrift store, if they came from the same person. More likely, it's just the random fortuity of it all!

I've been quilting like mad on my Navajo quilt whenever opportunity arises, but my work has picked up at last and there's slightly less scope for projects. And the yard always calls! But there will always be time to sew. . .