turkey feathers

Holiday Finery

Parties for Hosting

Tidings of Comfort & Joy

Pinecone Cheer

Be Merry

White Christmas

Frosty the Snowman

Home for the Holidays

Yuletide Greetings

Hearts Will Be Glowing

Christmas Corners

Welcome to the downtown vintage mall where treats for the eyes and timeless treasures can be found at every turn.  Take your time strolling along memory lane.  I hope you enjoy your visit!  Come back tomorrow for a peek around the next corner...

Christmas Countdown

The season is here and I am scrambling around all over the place it seems.  But, I'm extremely happy to report that the elephant is out of the room and has in fact, left the building.  (Refer to this post if you missed that decorating dilemma.)  Huge sigh of relief.  Happy dancing.  Oh my, I didn't think I was ever going to get the room cleared and get our tree up.  And just as I thought I was going to lose my mind worrying about all this, a box of pure sunshine from the 'sweet mandarin grove of dreams' arrived from a dear California cousin.  This  thoughtful act of kindness pulled me right back from the edge.  Somebody loves us!  It's true:  Love Never Fails.  And so, I'm back on track with 12 days left 'til Christmas and making the most of every minute.  I'm hugging myself because yesterday I got all my Christmas cards in the mail and the last of my online orders placed. 

Last week, I visited my favorite thrift mall and have lots of eye candy to share with you.  Starting tomorrow, I'm going to post some lovely vintage Christmas inspiration using the auto-upload feature, letting the pictures speak for themselves. That way, I can continue to run around all crazy behind the scenes, possibly losing my mind from time to time--and no one's the wiser.  (wink wink)

Holiday Sparkle

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  After weeks of wild and blustery weather ending with what was being called a "cyclone bomb", Thanksgiving arrived in our neck of the woods all bright and sunny with crisp blue skies over the valley. Oh yes, the chilly air was frosty, but we were snug inside and happily so, preparing and then anticipating that scrumptious feast roasting in the oven all afternoon.  So worth the wait I tell ya--and now, we're loving the left-overs.  However, we've got to keep moving.  And not just to compensate for feasting overload, although that's not a bad idea, but because the count down to Christmas has begun.   With Thanksgiving falling rather late in the month there's no time to waste!

 

Fortunately, I have lots of help.  I am thrilled that Ginger has taken over most of the Christmas decorating around here.  I can always count on her to find  everything and display it so perfectly.  I love all the special touches she adds throughout the house.  This little gingerbread tinsel tree has become a favorite on the hall table just around the corner from the kitchen.  It was cobbled together from bits and bobs found and collected over the years.  I bought the wooden planter pot for $2 from a thrift store.  I didn't know what I was going to do with it at the time, I just knew I liked it and that it would come in handy.  For something.  Some day.  And eventually it did!  Don't ya just love when that happens? 

We don't have our big tree up yet and I'm getting rather anxious about it.  This has become a bit of a quandary actually.  I'm waiting on the removal of a large TV Armoire that was pushed temporarily into the corner of the room where our tree usually goes.  Since this is a large piece of heavy furniture no one here can move it, especially without a hand-cart or dolly. It's a beautiful piece, I have an identical one in my bedroom.

However, I am sadly finding out that it's become impossible to easily pass along a piece of furniture that everyone believes has become OBSOLETE thanks to the roll-out of the huge flat-screen tvs, although a smaller one fits inside it just fine and is perfect for the bedroom.  And it's only ten years old, hardly ready for the scrap heap.  This particular TV Armoire is larger than a double-wide refrigerator and twice as heavy.  So now I'm waiting on a number of things to happen, like professional movers coming to the rescue.  If they can get this to the garage I will be able to have a charity truck come pick it up.  If this cannot be accomplished, we will simply have to burn it.  Just kidding, of course.  But not really! 

On a much smaller and more manageable scale however, the tree is up in the dollhouse!  I must say, these tiny rooms are looking rather festive.  I've also been having a lovely time making more miniature decorations and little gift-wrapped presents.  If you need some cute faux presents to tuck under your own dollhouse tree or for a room box diorama there will be a few extra sets available through Grace's etsy shop: The Dainty House, where the dollhouse bakery oven has been working overtime! 

 

   

 

Miniature Inspirations

Hello Friends!  Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Autumn is here and  I've been quite busy at my worktable making miniature decorative accents for the dollhouses.  Mine and Yours!  My mini wreaths and porch baskets are fun for seasonal room-box displays too.  I'm handcrafting each one individually from "scratch" with natural and created elements, all in 12th scale.  My wreaths are approximately 1-1/4 inches in diameter, the baskets are slightly larger.  The wreaths have some sort of hanger, although I prefer to mount them temporarily with sticky wax or removable glue. But they can be hung by nail if necessary.

My porch baskets are filled with faux dried cobs, pods and pumpkins and are created from hemp cord and lined with fabric.  Everything is glued into place so nothing topples out.  I'm using a variety of fall fabrics to line them with.  I'm really loving the black and white stripes. 

 

Remember when we could actually spend a penny?  At least it can still be used for something, if only to show scale.  This wreath is SO tiny and yet full of texture, color and detail.

I've only got a few of these little lovelies made so far--each one is unique!  These can be found in my daughter's shop: The Dainty House 

Meanwhile, I'm offering a *special deal* to my MeadowSweet Etsy shop customers. Use coupon code: PUMPKIN5 to receive $5 off on any order of $25 or more.  This coupon expires 12/31/2019.  Orders of $35 or more will also receive FREE Shipping!  Please swing by and have a look around and let me know if there's anything in particular you're looking for.  Feel free to contact me thru Etsy if you would like to set up a special order. 

 

Golden Homescapes

As much as I love summer, I always look forward to fall and the warm glow it brings to the landscape--inside and out.  So far though, it's been damp with pearly gray skies here in the pacific northwest.  An early snowfall in the mountains has sent a chill down into the valley and we've been scrambling for sweaters and wool slippers and more blankets, but I'm still keeping my hopes up for some golden autumn sunshine and spectacular seasonal color even if I have to create it myself as "homescape". 

For instance, just as summer was coming to an end, I gathered up some long-stemmed daisies and Queen Ann's lace, a few sprigs of lavender and random bits of herbs and pressed them under a pair of large 16" x 20" glass frames.  I've got them propped behind the sofa because I haven't decided if I want to hang them or not; I'm liking the casual effect.

This tangled, weedy composition reminds me of walking through an overgrown field where plants have seeded themselves and everything is just sort of tossed together and growing wild in harmony with nature.

Creating a natural backdrop for my artificial acorns and pumpkins--a case of opposites that balance each other. 

Of course, you could just dispense with the pressed flowers and paper a framed section of wall with a larger, much more colorful version.  Love this!

More inspiration, a few pages from my idea scrapbook.

A gourd garland:

Country Living Magazine - November 2008

And more golden homescape in the form of a cozy reading room.

Country Living Magazine - November 2008

Plus, an embroidery idea:

I don't think my eyes will ever tire of looking at this wallpaper.  Or this room.  The whole design is so pleasing, right down to the sweet embroidered pillow.  Ready for sweet golden dreams.  This was the inspiration behind October's bonus transfer:

A fall wreath for a pillow top!  The wreath diameter is approximately 7-1/2-inches across and works for a variety of pillow shapes and sizes.  The border motifs can be used for cases or as table cloth borders.  Of course you can do this in other colors, but I'm keeping with my golden theme today.

Hearth & Haven

Hello Hello!  Well, it seems September has slipped in through the back door and Autumn is just a whisper away.  I'm detecting a hint of it on the wind and have noticed some of the trees have started to turn color.  Time to finish up our summer outdoor projects and plan some indoor ones.  Because . . . Fall is short.  And there's no time to waste when it comes to fall fun and cozy decorating. 

I don't actually do a whole lot of decorating, just small touches here and there--for inspiration sake.  It's a good incentive toward clearing out all the summer clutter and starting fresh with the coming season. 

I'm still finding a ton of ideas from my old magazines, which I've been endlessly scanning and preparing to part with.  I made a seller account called, HEARTH & HAVEN on Bonanza HERE.  Gosh, I really LOVE the mechanics of this site, listings are free and forever, but there's not a lot of traffic there.  So, I'm mentioning it for anyone who is interested in some back issues of women's magazines.  If you just want to browse and enjoy some pretty pictures that's fine too.  I've already uploaded quite a few to lend inspiration!  So anyway, that is where I am parking most of these lovely magazines for the time being. 

And although I didn't think my Etsy shop was the right venue for magazines, the first test listing I put up sold quickly, so I may add a few more over there too--if there's an interest.  I do have lots more and not just decorating issues, but crafts and food; some older 'Taste of Home' back issues (with Ted's Toothpick challenge) and ZAKKA Japanese crafting...is that still a thing?

Overall, I must say, it's been very entertaining looking back on all the decorating trends.  Some have endured while others have evolved.  I think my home style is pretty much the same as it's always been with a few modifications.  I still like bold color and pattern on pattern.  Still mad for plaid and Laura Ashley and English Cottage and Country French.  Having said that, at this stage in my life, I'm leaning a little more toward the less is more aesthetic with simplicity and comfort as the guiding factors.

Creative Home Fall 2003

 "Simplicity and comfort" . . . being a matter of interpretation, of course.  I still love this!

And so, with all the focus on  hearth and home, the new PatternBee Bonus transfer for September went straight to the heart.  This cozy cottage can be stitched as a framed picture to adorn the wall or made into a cushion to feather the nest. 

The original old motif (shown above) has been reproduced at about 8" x 10" and can be done using basic embroidery stitches.  A pleasant fall project to pick up when you are seeking a quiet diversion from modern hectic daily life.

On another note, I don't remember where I found this online image, but I thought it was such a great idea for curing onions.  In the past, we had just laid them out on a table covered with newspaper.  That works, but this is much better.

I looked around and discovered the bottom shelf of a workbench my husband had constructed years back, was perfect for a small crop of onions.  I was so tickled about it!  Hey, it's the little things, right?

Speaking of little things.  Just look at this perfect patch of chamomile flowers.  So pretty!

 

Best Wishes And . . .

Make a wish!

August Projects

Summer is back to a sizzle after a cool gray drizzle.  It was such a nice respite from the heat though.  The flowers and foliage were also revived a bit.  But the change in weather hardly slows us down.  We always have projects in and out of the house.  I wandered around and took a few snapshots of some of them. 

My first project:  I've been scanning a bunch of my old food and decorating magazines.  Scanning magazines is a BIG project because it's so time consuming.  I've been watching old B&W melodramas over my shoulder while hunched over the scanner.  Albeit, some 'mindless tasks' are therapeutic, but in my opinion, scanning isn't one of them.  If this device could only move a little faster.  Fortunately, the charming content is some measure of compensation.

The sitting porch (above) is from Country Living: August, 2007.  I really love simple rooms like this. White wicker is a summer classic and seems to never go out of style.

And have a look at this pretty little nook.  So perfect for an afternoon nap at the lakeside cottage. (We are using our imaginations here and day dreaming while the scanner hums). Upon closer inspection I spy some hand-stitched pillowcase embroidery. 

OK. How pretty is that?  And that quilt!  Such tiny colorful squares, seemingly random prints, but as a whole--it has the effect of a summer garden. 

Speaking of gardens. . . time to take a break from scanner detail and head outside for some fresh air and sunshine.

Oh look . . . I've found Grace in the greenhouse.  She's been collecting flowers from the garden to produce natural plant dye for wool.  The dried petals will produce soft natural colors for her homespun yarns.

In another corner, a harvest of hollyhock seeds from 'Black Night'.  The petals of which produce a pale mauve color like a dusk sky.

I'm SO happy to report that the tomatoes are doing well this year.  What isn't eaten fresh from the vine, becomes another project.  These tomatoes are an Italian plum variety that Grace started from seed in the spring.  They are good for sauces and for drying, as they're not as juicy as others.

Once dried, the tomato bits can be kept on the shelf for years, although they usually get devoured long before that, because they're so good.  Just wonderful in all kinds of dishes and full of flavor once reconstituted in hot water.  We will probably have a few large pint jars full by summer's end.  It's always great to see a row of red jars on the pantry shelf.

And over in the kitchen it's also . . . .

Here we have a quick batch of refrigerator garlic pickles. They should be ready in another week or two.  These have not been heat processed, but will be kept cold in the fridge to make crunchy dill pickles.  I made a few extra jars to share.  This project is super easy.  Just pack the cucumbers in sterilized jars, add chopped garlic, dill and a few white peppercorns (if you like them spicy), and cover with a salt and vinegar brine.  My full recipe: A Pickle if you Please. More pickle posts here and here.  One can never have too many pickles.

Visiting the upstairs studio . . . more crafting goodness.

 

With Autumn waiting in the wings, Ginger has been hand-crafting adorable things that celebrate the seasons. She just added this gorgeous charm bracelet to her Etsy shop Friendly Hollow.  She has an eye for detail and a keen color sense, and loves to create!

Making another comeback, her festive felt horse ornaments are another fun project. 

This 'project post' wouldn't be complete without a dollhouse update, so here's what's happening up in the ladies lounge.  A cozy little scene, with flowers from the garden, magazines and knitting at the ready.  However, some sort of nibbles are in order.  For that, we have to pay a visit to the Dainty House Dollhouse Bakery.

Yum!  Exactly what was needed.

We hope your own August projects are coming along nicely.  Thanks for stopping by!

Cottontail Cottage

By Bunny Hill Designs for Moda (2018)  "I wanted rolling hills, thatched roof houses, English country gardens, running bunnies, roaming sheep and an occasional cat. It is my idea of heaven and I found it in the Cotswolds. I love that area so it became the inspiration for Cottontail Cottage. The fabrics in this line are light and airy with happy colors that blend perfectly into a summer quilt. I hope you enjoy this line as much as I enjoyed designing it. Cottontail Cottage has just enough whimsy to make anyone smile." 

Well, it certainly makes me smile seeing this cute fabric, admittedly a little late to the party, but worth adding to my collection here on the blog, under Fabric Finds.  (I guess I have a thing for bunnies.)

Blue Skies & Blueberry Pies

Summer is the time to enjoy simple country pleasures and picking blueberries is something my daughters and I always look forward to.  Best done in the cool of the morning, preferably under fluffy clouds to shade the hot August sun, we don straw hats, tie on aprons and grab our baskets to fill. 

Look at this.  Filling our baskets did not take long!  In no time, we were headed back home with our bounty of blueberry goodness.  Blueberries generally don't have a lot of flavor until they're cooked or frozen.  So after freezing a bunch I threw together a cobbler.

Because of my past health issues, I'm still experimenting with vegan recipes and this cobbler turned out pretty good.  The ice cream (not vegan) is my husband's addition.  However, he declared the whole thing delicious, and I trust him as my number one official "taster", so here ya go--with or without the ice cream, my recipe for:

Vegan Blueberry Cobbler

Berries:

• 3 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. sugar

Biscuit Topping:

• 1-1/4 cup flour 
• 1 teas. baking powder
• 1/2 teas. sea salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• pinch of cinnamon & nutmeg
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
  
• 1/2 teas. vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray non-stick oil into a deep 9-inch baking dish.  Add blueberries, lemon juice, sugar; toss to coat.
• In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, spice; mix well.
• Add the coconut milk and vanilla to the dry mixture; stir gently just until moistened.  Do not over mix or it can become doughy.
  
• Pour the thick batter over the top of the blueberries; use the back of a fork to even it out--leave some blueberries exposed around the edges.  Sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the top. (optional)

• Bake for 35 mins. or until biscuit topping is golden brown and berries are bubbling.
  
• Remove from the oven, let cool about 20 min.  The juices will thicken a little as it cools.  Spoon out into bowls while warm.  YUM!

And over here in my dollhouse kitchen . . .  another basket of blueberries and more pies in the making.  The miniature flour sacks and baking ingredients are NEW items from The Dainty House .  There's a *free sample pattern* on Grace's blog--and a link to her PDF pattern for the entire DELUXE DOLLHOUSE BAKING SET of 22 baking supplies.  Each item is quite realistic and a nice addition to all her tiny baked goods.  Perfect for doll house bakeries, kitchens and diorama displays in 1:12 scale.  Just print, cut and glue.  Good, easy fun!

Now for a picnic!

Summer Savor

Somehow we survived the commotion of having the old roof replaced and the sound of silence is golden.  I've been able to return to the serenity of the backyard garden--and my stitching.  Just hanging out and enjoying the summer now.  Early morning is a lovely time to visit the garden.  Found a little sunflower struggling behind the comfrey, the first to bloom along the fence.  (The deer keep getting in here and laying on everything, thus the wire cage).

Something new:  I've been perfecting the "art" of making vegan spring rolls.  It takes a bit of practice, but I'm finally getting the hang of it.  I roll them into tasty bundles with a variety of lettuces picked fresh from the garden along with rice noodles and other shredded veggies.  The vitamin-dense micro sprouts add heart.  I love how these look! 

My low-fat peanut dipping sauce recipe:

1/4 c. dry roasted peanuts, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1T. fresh grated ginger, 1T. Tamari sauce, 2T. Gramma's Sweet Chili Sauce.  Combine ingredients in blender until smooth (I use NutriBullet).  Makes 1 cup.

What to do with all those cute vintage embroidery motifs?  How about eco friendly cloth gift bags.  This was a fun project.  These and my honeycomb flower bags are in my shop.

It's hard to believe, but August starts tomorrow.  I know...Summer is sailing along isn't it?  Here's a sneak peek at the new bonus transfer.  The applique lamb is one of my favorites.  

Well, I'm off to the kitchen to make lunch. Hope your day is delightful--whether you are on vacation at the beach, boating on the lake or in your own backyard.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Diversions

Just checking in here.  We have entered day four of "operation roof replacement".  Oh it's been fun.  I try not to look.  Not the first rodeo, but a bigger one, requiring more man and machine power this time around.  The roofers arrive about 6 am and work non-stop all day.  God Bless each one.  Fortunately for them it's been under cloudy skies and not the searing heat of the summer sun.  The noise, of coarse, is the main issue.  I think everyone (including the surrounding neighborhood) will be relieved when this roof business is over. When it all gets to be too much I can leave the house, and I do. But it's still early and I haven't lost my mind (yet) so carry on, I shall. A test of endurance.  

So, despite a power generator fifteen feet from where I'm sitting and another one behind me on another side of the house, both blasting away for all they're worth along with a transistor radio blaring Mariachi music above the din, sometimes accompanied by robust heartfelt crooning, I found a few diversions.

First I took an unexpected journey down memory lane with Country Living magazine.  I ran out of shelf space and decided to weed out some "older" magazines to make room for the new ones stacking up, and was surprised to discover some dating back to the 1990's.  I sat down right there on the floor and started flipping through them. Ah, the good old days, when 'everything old was new again' and furnishings were colorful and bright.

"Country" style today means different things to different folks, but I still find many aspects of it from it's hay-day charming and appealing. 

The old issues are substantial; chock full of articles, recipes and beautiful photos.  I've scanned and archived what I wanted to save, but I'm a bit reluctant to just toss them into the recycle bin.  Because now they are considered "vintage". 

I refuse to think on that too long.  (sigh)

More merch for the Etsy shop I guess.

Another diversion; off to the local farm stand for marionberries! Oh how we tarried in the solitude of that peaceful farm community let me tell you. Then back home with our bounty to make jam.  I think the pantry shelves have been sufficiently stocked with enough jammy goodness to get us through winter.  Next will be pickles once the dill is ready to gather up.

It's growing so much better this year compared to last season.  Overcast skies and humidity and summer rain has helped it flourish. 

The garden is a nice respite and another diversion from the commotion when the workmen take their break.  I sit out here and relish the quiet and feel restored.

If only for a moment or two.  Yikes.

In the meantime, there's been some embroidery diversion as well!  I finished this set of four Scottie tea towels last night and am very pleased with how they turned out.  Will be adding them to my Etsy shop soon.

That's all for now...gotta run!!

 

My Scrap Basket Runneth Over

Summer sewing projects are underway! 

I like to keep organized and tidy up regularly, so I've been sorting through my stash of fabric scraps and realized the time has come to part with some again so I can make way for new stuff.  You know the drill.  

In doing so, I put together a bunch of mini bundles and scrap packs of older and newer prints. These are *small remnants*, strips, scraps, bits and pieces in a variety of colors, for small sewing projects like doll clothes, dollhouse decor, yo-yo's, hexagons, patchwork, applique and quilting projects, etc.

If you are in the market for bits and bobs, go check them out in my Etsy shop under the Craft & Sewing Supplies category or just click on the image to go directly to the item page.  I'll be adding more as well.  Here's what I have listed so far:

SUNNY BRIGHTS

PINKS & PASTELS

. . . MINI FABRIC BUNDLES . . .

VINTAGE ROSE GARDEN

COUNTRY FRENCH BLUES

SERENE GREEN + BLUE

ROOSTER REDS

Besides all these yummy scraps, I've also listed larger cuts of sewing fabric, curtain lace and home decor pieces.  More to come! 

Side Note:  Fabric packs & bundles are shipped 'Priority Mail' since they weigh in close to a "postal pound", but any order of $35 or more  --  ships FREE! 

Catch of the Day

The NEW July BONUS Transfer is "hot off the press" and includes this cute kitty and her, albeit teeny, catch of the day. 

I'm always amazed at the number of stitching patterns that were produced over the years and just when I think I've seen them all, another little dandy comes along.  Like this one.

A few months back, I was contacted by a stitching friend who had seen this motif embroidered on an old tea towel and asked if I had it.  I didn't; thought maybe it was one of those pre-stamped Vogart towels that were so popular in the 1960's since I couldn't find an actual pattern number for it.  (If anyone reading this has any information about it, please let me know.)  Anyway, I was provided a photo to work from to reproduce it for her. 

Having done that, and tickled with how it turned out, I decided it would make a great summer addition for the 2019 Bonus Collection.  I added a few more details along with the catch phrase and proceeded to stitch one up for my dear cousin who just happens to live on a lake and has spent a lifetime fishing--and loves cats.  It was perfect.

Before personally delivering it to her last week, I snapped a few pictures of it first.  As you can see, it looks quite dashing with my red plaid dish towels as a backdrop. 

So, here we have the July line up. 

Along with kitschy kitty motif, there are darling water ducklings, an apron wearing bear-cub hostess and a few other small embellishments for your stitching pleasure. 

This BONUS transfer is FREE with any purchase from the PatternBee website for the month of July.  After that, it will be added to this year's Bonus Collection (available next year).

Back to the Garden

Summer is off to a good start here!  With sunny, warm weather mixed with the occasional light rain that passes through from time to time--the backyard garden is coming alive.  The snap peas are almost ready for picking and an array of flowers are putting on a show.

Grace has been patiently waiting on her hollyhocks to bloom and yesterday they finally did.  It was all very exciting.  She planted them from seeds months ago, and tended them under grow-lights in the kitchen through early spring.  Once they went into the ground, she had to guard them from all sorts of critters and scoundrels,  but it was well worth the effort.

These are called, 'Black Night' and they are spectacular looking. 

The flower petals, once they fall off, will be collected to make a mauve-colored dye for her hand spun wool.  In the meantime, we are just enjoying the dramatic beauty of the flower spires and marveling, as we often do, at the wonder of it all. 

Even the peas are showing off their pretty petal finery.

Anticipating an abundance of tomatoes this year.

Spotting ladybugs.

And other entertaining visitors. 

My heart skipped a beat when I looked up from the kitchen window and saw this wobbly little fawn just standing there curiously looking around. 

And then there were two.  Double delight!

After awhile, their mama came back for them. 

Yep.  Summer has arrived.

Berry Good

I do LOVE a good strawberry!

And the more the merrier, I say!  With help from my two lovely daughters yesterday, we already have a dozen jars of jammy strawberry goodness for the pantry shelves, plus a wee bit more for our toast and tea today.  So good.  We made two batches.  This is the recipe we used:

Strawberry Jam

Yields: 6-7 (8 oz. jelly jars)

Directions:

Into a tall stainless-steel stockpot add:

8 cups crushed or sliced strawberries
2 cups granulated sugar

Combine in a small bowl and set aside:

1-1/2 T. agar agar powder
1 T. granulated sugar
1 teas. citric acid powder

Bring strawberries and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Gradually sprinkle in the agar mixture a little at a time,
stirring constantly so it doesn’t lump.

Boil rapidly for 3 minutes--keep stirring!

Remove from heat and pour jam into hot sterilized jars.

Jam will be runny, but will set-up as it cools. 

If you are looking for a natural low-sugar alternative, try my recipe using xylitol.

Happy Summer!

 

 

Stitch by Stitch

click to enlarge

My (crazy epic) embroidered table topper is coming along nicely.  So far, I've put thousands of stitches into this thing!  Imagine that.   

Be true to what you love. 

Carrying On

Hello Friends . . .

Sometimes, it's hard to get back over to this amazing crafty blogasphere--this happy place.  Life gets busy, or complicated.  Or tragedy strikes.  I'm sad to have to tell you, that my dear "little brother" bravely passed away on May 3rd after an 18-month battle with cancer.  Naturally, I'm devastated.  Grief still coming in waves.  Distracted.  I'm taking time to reflect on the happy moments when I need to.  I know that only time will minimize the loss and that he's in a better place, for eternity, with those we love.  And that is a comfort.

So, that's my excuse for not getting much done these days.  I'm slowly coming back around to some unfinished projects and have picked up my (therapeutic) embroidery needle again; working on a table covering display for the Craft Fair table.  A little 'wishful thinking' in motion; these grand plans keep me motivated.  

Work in progress so far . . .

 

Spring Stitching

Shop News:  I'm tooting my horn for finally getting the 2018 Bonus Collection finished and added to the PatternBee website!  Looking back at those, month by month, it's amazing how fast the year went by.

This Redwork motif (Ingall's late 1800's), with a wording modification, was part of the Bonus pattern for February 2018.  I wanted to stitch it up as soon as I saw it.  I think it works nicely as a decorative towel.  I'll be adding it to my Etsy shop soon, along with some more adorable tea towels that Ginger stitched up (below).  This one from a 1940's Laura Wheeler embroidery pattern:  Dog & Cat Dishes #628. 

Aren't these sweet?  And another one, a vintage mail-order newspaper pattern: Kitchen Songbird #524.

She's been doing them up in pairs for the shop, rather than stitching an entire set.  And I've got some more *fresh* vintage patterns to finish up.  I'm still working my way through that shoe box!  So stayed tuned for those. 

The dollhouse make-over is nearly done.  Will have more pictures to share soon.  Gosh.  I'm all over the place these days--still just having fun.  Hope you are too!

Hip Hopping

We are more than halfway through winter now (yay!) with spring right around the corner.  Some wild cottontails were spotted in the yard yesterday--a sure sign!

LOVE this . . . Bunny Trail, from Michael Miller Fabrics. 

Snow Holiday

We had an unexpected snow storm overnight.  Nothing major, just enough to halt regular activities--like driving to the post office.  My shops will be closed until next week.  Hopefully, a quick thaw will follow and business will resume.  In the meantime, I'm getting a lot of housework accomplished!  I'll also be taking some time to work on a few of my miniature and stitching projects.  It's always so peaceful and quiet without road noise.  Just the sound of tweeters at the feeders.  Love it! 

A Green and Yellow Basket

My little dollhouse porch got a face-lift with a wood floor, fresh paint, and window trim.  I'm especially pleased with the door repair/make-over too--so pretty in pink!  That tiny pristine doorknob set traveled all the way from Oxford, England by way of Bits and Pieces by Julie.  I've been following her excellent online tutorials and learning how to make furniture and all kinds of tiny things.  Her method of making baskets gave me some ideas of my own, resulting in these two "Easter Baskets". 

She builds her baskets from scratch, but I started mine with a foundation of metal and plastic bottle caps.  Trash to treasure!  Pass your mouse over the image to see what these started out as. 

So far, I've got the knitting basket filled.  Now for the others . . .

Hearts & Houses

Grace and I were recently invited to join a miniature craft group here in our area and this is the little picnic table I made while attending the first meeting.  It made a nice prop to photograph my Valentine candy box.  I'm working on a few more.  Like a good box of chocolates, my revised interest in crafting miniatures has become addicting!

As you can see, the candy box made a sweet addition to the pink bedroom.  I also added a "tuffet" made from a plastic recycled lid (from a jar) and a heart-shaped basket fashioned from a bit of wired burlap ribbon glued to a wood heart-shaped base, perfect for collecting the Valentine greetings that are arriving for the Mistress of this miniature manor.  I am also happy to report that the lost slipper has been found (thank you Ginger) and they are once again a proper pair. 

So, as I wrap things up on my dollhouse makeover I'm already thinking about the next challenge.  For one, our original dollhouse bakery, the inspiration for The Dainty House could use a few upgrades.  Grace uses it for some of her product pictures and also takes it to doll shows for display.  So, I'll probably do that one next.  While thinking on that, and researching for ideas and attempting to learn some new crafting techniques, I discovered some cute and fun things. . .  

Coming from the Netherlands . . . a huge "dollhouse", het muisenhuis (Dutch I think, for 'the mouse house') captured my heart.  I love that it's built on a base that can be maneuvered about on wheels and displayed so beautifully.  I really wished this video was longer.  I wanted to study each and every nook and cranny of this towering adorable mouse habitat and then--had to know more about it.  So after a bit of poking around, I found a website and the usual online platforms and had a good long look at some of the most amazing details all done up in miniature scale.  If you are so inclined to make a virtual visit yourself, before you go, fill the tea pot and plan on staying awhile.  There's a lot of see! Apparently this has all been created as part of a marketing tool to sell books, theater tickets, merchandise (there's a shop) and even a TV series (primarily for children--but hey, I found it quite entertaining and perhaps you will too!)

Closer to home, and along similar mouse tracks, I recently ran across Maggie Rudy's website, an artist in Portland, Oregon who's created an enchanting tiny world she calls MouseLand.  This premise is used as a backdrop for the amazing children's books she's been creating for about a decade.  And I must say, her set creations (mostly crafted from found and recycled objects) and her tiny mouse characters are just so exquisite and expressive it's hard to believe they aren't real.  Her latest book, City Mouse, Country Mouse is sweet and charming, and complete with a traveling diorama in the form of a miniature city that precedes and accompanies her book tours and special venues.  There's a schedule on her website if you want to see it and meet the author/artist.  I may just have to go and take a peek.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Stepping It Up

My Newburg dollhouse make-over is nearly finished.  I've been having SO much silly fun with it.  At the moment it's sitting in the middle of my desk, so it's next to impossible to walk by without a glance and a bit of attention.  It's hard to know when to stop, when enough is enough.  This is the type of project that could go on forever.  And probably will in some form or fashion.  I still want to craft a mini piano for the attic music room (next to the library).  At the moment, I'm white-washing the exterior, adding porch steps and repairing the door. 

The boy's room just got a "new" hamster habitat.  Miss Ginger made this darling little thing years ago and was just going to throw it out.  Can you imagine?  Well, I rescued it, squirreled it away and recently discovered it again.  I'm happy to have found a permanent home for it here.  We've all contributed to this dollhouse in one way or another and the memories will live on.

The girl's bedroom is pretty much done.  I painted the dresser, hung a sparkly mirror (a candle holder), and made some accessories.  I'm still trying to figure out how to make lamps.  These two turned out pretty good.  Getting the scale right is always a challenge.  The pink miniature tree is from The Dainty House--all sold now.  Most of the rooms are still decked out for Christmas, and will most likely remain decorated since I plan to display this during the holidays.  My tiny wall calendar can be changed to reflect the current month.  I made a few extras to put in my MeadowSweet shop.  Hope to get them added one of these days.  

Finished the bed.  Such as it is.  It's not as refined as I'd like, but will do.  The pillow I made is way too large, unless intended for a mini-Blythe dolly with a ginormous head.  Which is not entirely out of the question, actually, since one was last seen in here.  LOL... 

I'm still hunting for that other lost pink slipper amongst the Barbie doll remnants.  Two would be very nice paired next to the bed.  But then again, one single slipper can also suggest a story.   Perhaps the little dollhouse dog ran off with it . . .

The sparkly bead rug is a coaster from K-Mart.  Our K-Mart is closing its doors March 24th and everything is on clearance--so naturally, I had to go and have a look around.  You just never know what you'll find that can fulfill a need in a dollhouse!  Now what to do with the rest of the set?

Thanks for visiting me here and for your kind comments.  I do appreciate hearing from you even though I am a bit slow on the uptake and can't always respond like I'd wish to you are in my thoughts. 

  

 

 

Make-Over Magic

We are more than halfway through January now, and I do think it's time to take down the Christmas decorations and do some serious housekeeping around here.  Well, maybe not too serious.  Christmas may stay awhile longer at the dollhouse.  For one thing, this make-over is still in full swing. . . 

And there's still lots of yummy things to nibble on.

This box of cookies for instance.  Too cute to put away just yet.  Or ever!  Compliments of The Dainty House.

My slip-covered chairs and table set are new additions.

Here's a peek upstairs.  As you can see, a couple of rogue dolls have claimed these rooms.  They really don't belong in here at all, and I tried to tell them, as gently as possible, that they are the wrong size, but they only giggle and jump on the beds and leave cookie crumbs everywhere!  Sigh.

What could I say?  Look at the fun they are having.  

So, I went to work on the attic spaces instead.   

These awkward upper spaces are a challenge with the slanted walls and odd sized openings.  I've never known quite what to do with them.  The larger one on the left was a bathroom at one time, but I wanted to do something a little more fun with it.  After a bit of pondering, I decided to turn it into a library with a "secret door" that opens into an attic space. 

It started with a new wood floor, which was easy enough.  With the addition of some attic junk, and a tiny visitor.

And lots of books had to be crafted to fill the bookcases that I made from foam-board.  These were painted with chalkboard paint.  I intend to trim them out nicely once I find the right molding for them. 

Here's the final placement.  I'm pretty happy with how everything turned out.

Here's a close-up of the secret door--that swings open to reveal a tiny mouse staring back.  I keep a miniature flashlight nearby should one care to explore inside.

Squeak!

 

 

 

 

Miniature Mania

Christmas was lovely and low-key just the way we like it, and now we're ready to take a sleigh ride into the New Year--and like everyone, we're hoping for  a thrilling fun-filled journey!  I'm getting back to some little projects again.  My dollhouse is still sitting on top of my work table in various stages of completion.  I forgot how much fun it was and can't seem to think about anything else at the moment.  It's rather comical. 

In fact, I woke up one fine and glorious morning with nothing more on my mind except making a wreathed mirror to hang over the tiny fireplace inside my dollhouse living room.  

I had been pondering this before I fell asleep--having been unable to find the raw  materials I needed to make such a thing, and was thinking 'outside the box' of possibilities.  By morning, it suddenly occurred to me that the solution was in my makeup drawer!  So, out of bed I sprang, eyes barely open, half-focused on my dressing table, to find that empty face-powder compact. 

I remembered I had an empty one I hadn't thrown out yet . . . it being a visual reminder for me to replace it.  (Just wait until your in your sixties and you'll understand that logic.)   Anyway, after breakfast I got to work and removed the compact cover, plugged in the hot-glue gun and found some greenery stashed away in my craft corner.  In no time it began to take shape.

I love those tiny sequin pins (from Hobby Lobby), they sparkle like fairy lights, so I added them too, along with a miniature snowflake for extra cuteness, then lightly brushed the whole thing with gold glitter nail polish.  The effect was exactly what I was looking for.

Simple and festive.  Exactly what I wanted.  I used a padded-foam mounting dot to stick it to the wall. 

And voila!  It worked perfectly.  For me, one of the fascinations of building miniatures is discovering novel uses for discarded items; another way of recycling 'trash into treasure'.  It's fun looking at things in a different way and seeing the possibilities.  Sometimes, when you can't find what you're looking for you have to make it.  Necessity being the Mother of Invention.  Speaking of that, here's another peek at the progress and compromises I've made in the dollhouse kitchen.

This cute work-table is made from an unfinished $1.oo "sofa table" I found at the Dollar Tree.  I purchased two; glued them together back to back and added slats underneath.  Some whitewash and light sanding added a nice time-worn effect.  It's perfect for displaying the treats I got for Christmas from my favorite miniature bakery: The Dainty House.   

After much image perusing, I chose an AGA Rayburn-style wood-burning range, and added a "tiled" back-splash and plate shelf like they have in old English houses.  This I made primarily from foam-board and painted it with chalkboard paint to make it look like cast-iron.  It's actually light as a feather.  The minty-green fifties-style fridge was fashioned from an egg-carton.  A metal clasp from a pen fell off in my hand one day and I found it made a great door handle for it.  See what I mean?  It's all about how you look at things.  As they say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure".

I was explaining this to The Mister and his face lit up.  Apparently, he had this wonderful collection of odds and ends he was about to throw out, but thought maybe I might be able to do something with them.  I do so love a challenge.  We shall see . . . 

Thrift Mall Corners

Oh my--December is sure flying by.  Like everyone, I've got my work cut out for me.  It's that time of year after all!  Between all the busy work that the holidays bring, the girls and I took some time out to run over to our favorite thrift mall just outside of town.  This has become a bit of a tradition for us to kick off the season.  In all the rush and excitement, I forgot my camera!  But Grace stepped in with hers, and got some wonderful little corners to share with you.  Enjoy the eye candy!

This vintage ornament made me laugh.  It's an awkward ice-skating elf sprawled (on the ice).  Yes.  WE do have days like this!

Well, I've got a lot of stuff I need to do, so I'm heading out into the fray.  Hopefully, I will keep my footing and my wits about me. 

Thanks for stopping by!  

 

 

 

 

 

Little Things

Hello again . . . and with the flip of a page, it's December already!  Whoosh.  2018 is nearly a memory.  But not yet.  There's still lots to do in the next few weeks.  Having some fun and making merriment is high on my list.  And I've already started.  Here are some of my helpers.

After participating in a couple of doll shows recently, I got inspired to dust off my old dollhouse and give it a much needed make-over.  The girls have been prompting me to do this for years, but I just never had time for it.  I still don't, not really, but it's either now or never--so I've taken the plunge.  I looked around at my already full to the brim workspace and miraculously managed to clear a corner for it.  It didn't take long however, before I had teensy projects in various stages of construction spanning three rooms!  Not entirely sure how this happened, except that one thing always seems to lead to another.  While glue is drying--another place is needed, and so on.  So I'm trying to keep it all moving along at a steady pace because if I don't I will inevitably run out of places to move.

Here she is all cleaned out.  A new starting point.  The rooms are small, but the possibilities loom large in my mind.  I assembled this 4 room + attic Victorian house from a kit in (gasp) 1992.  Little did I know just how much time a dollhouse would take or the amount of space it would need while under construction, but I soon found out--it needed a lot of both.  Our family home at the time was adequate, but had little room to spare with two teenagers and a toddler; so I worked on a picnic table under the covered patio outside.  As I recall, the directions weren't much help and I made some mistakes. but somehow, many months later it all came together.  A little wonky perhaps, but OK for my purposes. 

The kids have had fun playing with it over the years.  We've collected little things here and there.  Always keeping an eye out for any small treasure to tuck into a room.  It was never meant to be a showcase or anything, just a fun hobby for us to share.

So I've been busy sprucing up the place!  Here's one side of the new updated kitchen.  I removed things and added things, but decided to leave the wall paper alone.  Wall coverings are generally applied to dollhouse walls before they are assembled for a very good reason!  Besides, I still like pink and blue and the patterns and colors are easy to work with.  

TIP:  I have my dollhouse on a large (older) computer table that rolls, so I can move it around from place to place to work on it.  This saves time going back and forth, because sometimes I need it to be next to the cutting table when I'm fitting things, or near the sewing machine, or just out of the way.  I can also turn it around (front facing) and make it look like it's part of the décor! 

Anyway, I started with the kitchen floor.  It wasn't hard, but I won't kid you--it was rather tedious.  I rolled the dollhouse over to my easy chair in the family room and every evening for a full week I watched movies while I cut lolly stix at various intervals and painstakingly glued them to the foundation.  It really turned out great though.  I love how it looks and just left it natural--no stain or varnish needed.  I suppose you could paint it, but for now I'm pretty happy with it like this. 

Next came the window treatments.  For the bay area, I used core-board to make covered valances; wrapped them in batting and fabric and secured it all with hot-glue.  The "curtains" are made from two matching lengths of 1-3/4 inch wide lace trim, glued side-by-side inside the front panel of the valance.  No sewing required!  The scalloped edges are effective--they look like matching lace panels even up close. 

The kitchen café curtain did require some sewing and glue and a few tricks to get it to hang correctly in the way of wood stays to weight the sides--to keep them from flaring out.  It turned out darling in spite of all the fiddling I had to do with it. 

The cupboards and shelf over the window are made from light-weight wood from the craft store; painted and lightly sanded for a worn weathered look.  The "peg board" is really just a piece of scrapbook paper glued to core board to fit that space behind the sink area. Another secret is that just about everything is mounted with dental wax and can be easily removed if need be.  I still need to furnish the other side of the kitchen, but in the meantime . . . 

I'm having so much fun making little things that make a house a home.  Aren't these so cute?

And I made a feather tree.  I'm still working out so many of the details.  Hope you are having fun doing all the little things that you love to do too. 

Until next time . . . happy crafting!    

Happy Thanksgiving Day

 

I'm thankful for a lot of things, including my dear blog pals "out there".   Here's wishing you all a good Thanksgiving wherever you are today.  

Thank you for stopping by.

Cheers!  

Turning a Corner

Greetings Everyone . . .

Well, here it is Thanksgiving time again!  I bet you've been busy getting ready too, in some form or fashion.  I just finished cutting a whole French baguette into cubes for my stuffing tomorrow.  I put the cubed bread in a shallow roasting pan and popped it into the oven (on low heat) to toast.  Pretty soon the kitchen will start to smell like fresh baked bread.  Hopefully, that will help remind me not to forget about it!    

 
So. I'm excited to share the news that I just finished my Field & Forest quilt project!  I've been so busy these last few weeks, with doll shows (I was Grace's assistant for The Dainty House at the last one) and too many other fun projects.  But I finally got back around to my quilt this morning.  I must say it turned out beautifully.  I'm quite pleased with it.  The colors, everything.  I chose not to line it, but used a sturdy "cotton homespun" for the backing to compensate.  There's a bit of a tooth to the fabric which clings to the quilt top quite well, so no ties or quilting were necessary either.  And since I have classified this as a fancy throw, meaning more decorative than utilitarian, it works just fine and dandy. 

I did feather-stitching around each of the embroidered blocks, in random colors.  The whole quilt was a random scrap project so that just enhanced the effect, besides being able to just dip into my thread box and choose any color that tickled my fancy.

Today, it's very gray and rainy outside. Not ideal for picture taking.  Very little natural light coming in through the windows; had to use various lighting here.  It changes the colors a little. 

This quilt was a lot of fun to make.  And relatively easy, as quilts go.  I cut corners, broke rules.  Just used what I had and enjoyed the process. 

Another shortcut; I didn't use bias binding.  Instead, the raw edges are enclosed with a self-binding technique.  

Here's how to do it:

Cut the backing fabric two-inches wider all the way around the quilt top.  Fold over twice, so that one-inch extends over the edge of the quilt top. 

The corners are mitered like so:  First fold and press corner edges, so that points meet (as shown above).

Second step:  Fold and press again, matching up sides to perpendicular edges, like so.

Third step, fold binding edge over itself twice; pin into place. 

Match up the corner points; press.

Top-stitch close to the edge of the "binding", removing pins as you go.  Pivot in the ditch at the corner.  It's OK to leave the miter "as-is", but I like to close the gap with a few blind stitches, for an extra neat finish.

One down, three corners to go!

Friendly Hollow

 

Hello Friends!

Well, I may be just a wee bit biased, and rightly so, but isn't this phone cover adorable?  Ginger, our youngest daughter (who I can't believe will be turning 21 in a couple of weeks . . . ACK!  My "baby" is all grown up!), has been quietly developing a line of sweet little things over the past few years, inspired by her love of animals and nature.  And now, she's recently opened her own Etsy shop, called Friendly Hollow, with a focus on 'charming gifts and keepsakes'.  I'm pretty excited (naturally) and couldn't wait to tell you all about it.   

 

Her product line consists of sewn, stitched, and sketched items; some made by hand and others print-on-demand phone covers, coffee mugs and tote bags using her own artwork.  

Her aesthetic is whimsical and gentle and quite appealing to all ages.  I particularly love this mushroom mug.  It makes sipping my hot cocoa even more special. 

 

 

Ginger's woodland animal mugs are precious as well and make fun gifts.  If you decide to order mugs (or any of the other printed items ) to give for Christmas, please do so early as they are printed off-site, and then there's the shipping--which we all know can be slower during the seasonal rush.  If you wish, you can even order these and have them shipped directly to your special someone. 

Ginger also loves to sew and create pretty things.  Her felt woodland animal ornaments are quite detailed and very charming with the tiniest of embroidery stitches.

Flashback! Maybe some of you remember this little fellow? 

My petite pony from 2008 when I was making things out of a thrifted wool blanket.  

Ginger, who was about 10 at the time, fell in love with it and began making them as small felt ornaments.  We even sold a few sets in my old Etsy shop. 

And . . . now they're back!   She's added a neck ribbon for extra cuteness and a gold cord for hanging up on the Christmas tree.  Sold in sets of 3 as before.  Check them out here.  Ginger is always busy making new things and will be adding more to her shop. 

So, if you are in the market for cute handmade items, please stop by and favorite Friendly Hollow to get the updates and first dibs, as quantities are limited. 

November Flash

November is off to a busy start!  I'm going in all directions.  Happily so.  But at times, I feel like I can't catch my breath.  I'm reminded of the words spoken by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."  That just about sums it up I guess.  It's that enthusiasm that keeps me up and running and spinning in dizzy circles.  Three cheers for enthusiasm!  Hip hip hurray!  Enthusiasm is key.

And speaking of enthusiasm . . this week, I received a wonderful HUGE box of vintage embroidery patterns.  They were generously donated to the PatternBee archive and online vintage embroidery shop, by a sweet and generous lady from Arizona who just wanted to make sure they got a good home.  And did they ever!  They are all right at home on my desk, in that little room at the back of my house we call 'PatternBee Headquarters'.

I'm taking my time and carefully sorting through all these amazing works of art.  Some are so brittle from age that I'm afraid to open them.  Like really, really old Walker's, before they were Walker's dating them at least 75 years old!  Found some other gems too that I hadn't seen before.  The plan is to repair and reprint some of these after the holidays. 

Actually, I haven't been adding as many new patterns to the site these past months because of all the other projects I've taken on.  But I still try and do at least one "new" pattern each month.  This month, it was Peasant Folk Dancers.

Just look how cute they are!  Kicking up their heels and all.  I can almost hear the lively fiddles and the old kitchen spoons clicking and clacking keeping time. 

Moving into the kitchen . . . I promised to share the recipe for the gingerbread cookies in the last post and here it is.  I'm not surprised.

The girls often make treats from this special cookie edition of Everyday Food and it's where they found the gingerbread cookie recipe they like the best.   This is a few years old now, but they return to it again and again.  You know a recipe book is good when it's dog-eared and spattered with ingredients, right? 

Well, that's what we've got here folks.  A well-worn, tried and true, family favorite.  I hope you can read it to copy down if you need to.  If you click on it, you might be able to print it out.  They made the icing with powdered sugar thinned with water and a few drops of Watkins natural food coloring. 

Enjoy!

Setting the Stage

The sun came out this morning!  Only for a few moments, but it was heavenly while it lasted.  This redbud, 'forest pansy' is still putting on a show.  It's been raining on and off for over a week now, and although I don't mind the Oregon rain, I am disappointed with the timing, as it brings down all the lovely autumn tree color with it.  Fall is short enough as it is.  A few more dry golden days would be awesome. 

As a consolation, we do have some colorful gingerbread cookies though.  And that's something right?

There's sure been a lot going on here baking, crafting and sewing-wise.  I've been helping Grace get ready for the next doll show (coming up November 10th), and have been busy building a display for her dollhouse bakery goods. 

Here she was at her very first doll show earlier this month.  Participating was sort of a last minute decision and this display was cobbled together with boxes.  It did the job, but wasn't as sturdy as she would've liked.  Since the items are so very tiny, she also needed something BIG to display them to their full advantage.  We brain-stormed a bit and came up with a design similar to this. 

So, starting last week, without a moment to waste, I got out the glue and got going.  

Here's what I've managed to build so far.  Please, don't look too close!  I had no blueprint or pattern to follow, just sort of made it up as I went along. 

This display, made entirely from core-board, can be used for a variety of things.  It's light-weight and portable and comes apart in two pieces; and it's super easy to take down and set up.  I put "hair-net" Barbie up there to show the scale, but I think Grace is planning a Christmas setting with smaller dolls (1:12 scale) around a table or something like this.  How adorable is that? 

This display piece will do for now.  At this point, I think the upper level is ready for some cute decorating.  Oh, this should be fun! 

Fall Folk Towel

More fun fall stitching!  This pattern is new to the website this month:  Finnish Folk #8012 

This old Finnish embroidery pattern was gleaned from a 1960's Woman's Day magazine.  There are six motifs in all, featuring country folk sharing chores on the farm.  I found this motif especially charming. 

 I think it was probably intended to represent spring, but with bright autumn colors it works well for fall too. 

This plain olive-green dish towel made a lovely background!  I wish I could find more soft cotton dish towels like this.  They came in a set of different colors. 

The border is optional.  I like it!

Autumn Stitching

So far this week, the weather here has been amazing!  For awhile there, I thought maybe autumn would escape us, with all the rain, wind, fog and frost.  But, it looks like we may have some more good days ahead.  I took the opportunity to get some fresh pictures of my Field & Forest quilt in progress while the light was good. I've started on the feather-stitched borders around the embroidered blocks.  It's coming along nicely.  There's something meditative about the rhythmic repetition of feather-stitching that I find rather relaxing.

The contrasting colors are so pretty too.  I rarely work with orange, gold and green for some reason.  They're not usually my first choices.  I need to break from routine more often.  Oh how I love these combinations.

As I mentioned previously, Grace and I participated in our first doll show and I am happy to report that it went well!  We really didn't know what to expect and were pleasantly surprised.  Earlier that morning, still half-awake and sipping coffee as we rambled up the old highway through a dark pre-dawn fog, we looked at each other.  I said, "Are we really doing this?"  She laughed and said, "Yes!  I think we are!" 

Somehow we got ourselves there and set up our tables.  It was actually more fun that I thought it would be.  The best part of course, is meeting so many lovely people who share your enthusiasm and passion for all things cute.  Which is why we've decided to do another show next month!

To get ready, I'm sewing new outfits for Grace's Barbie table models for her 1:6 scale dollhouse wares.  I don't mind sewing the tiny clothes, but trying to work around and manage all the hair these dolls have is a challenge.  It's everywhere. 

Before I knew it I'd made a hairnet!  It did the trick.

The thing is actually pretty cute and compliments her new bakery uniform quite nicely! 

Peek-A-Boo!

New in my etsy shop--one bundle of autumn sachet peeps!

Thanks for the quilt love.  A random pieced scrap quilt is often full of surprises, so glad it turned out nice.  I may do a little more embroidery on it before I add the backing.  While I'm thinking on that, I'm getting stuff ready for a local doll show coming up this weekend.  Trying not to procrastinate until the very last moment.  Like I usually do! 

Field & Forest Quilt Update

 

Quilt top is done!  Somehow, miraculously, all my little bits and bobs, odds and ends, and jellyroll scraps came together to make a vibrant autumn-themed patchwork. 

Greeting Autumn

Hello October!  The weather here has turned much cooler with gray skies and scattered sprinkles.  The perfect backdrop for the emerging autumnal show--which is just starting in my front yard.  It's all so exciting!

Maybe I have already shared about our redbud tree (Cercis Canadensis), also known as 'Forest Pansy' in past blog posts, but it really bears mentioning again (and again!), because it's such a gorgeous thing of beauty. 

If you are ever looking for a fast-growing landscape tree for zones 5-9, this is it (in my opinion), not only because of its lovely shape and manageable size, but mostly because of the dramatic colors it produces. 

During spring and summer the leaves are dark purple, which creates a nice contrast amongst the green foliage that surrounds it, making it a stand out feature in our front yard.  In the fall it puts on quite a show as the pretty heart-shaped leaves come alive with splashes of green, orange, deep pink, yellow, gold and red. 

Not only is this tree beautiful, it's hardy.  Because, unlike both my beloved Glory Bowers ("peanut butter" trees) that just up and died after the severe frost events three years ago (I know--so sad), this tree not only survived that frost--but much worse early on, which makes me love and appreciate it even more. 

Shortly after planting it, some eight or nine years ago, when it was putting down roots and spreading it's lovely vertical branches, a wild west-wind blew in and literally tore it from limb to limb, splitting it right down the middle!  

It looked pretty pathetic with its one side stripped off, its perfect symmetrical shape ruined.  Being that it was to be the feature and focus of the front yard landscape, we were in a bit of a quandary over what to do about it; replace or repair?  After staring at it for a few days, we decided to take the wait and see approach, did what we could to support the remaining branches and gave it another year to see what it was going to do before making a final decision about it.  

To our amazement and delight, it recovered rather quickly and within a few years had grown into a fine looking tree.

Today I'm looking at this tree, admiring its astounding colors, its cute heart-shaped leaves and its hardy constitution, so happy that we made the right decision to give it another chance.   

Fawn Memories

Here's a sweet cotton print from the Studio Christmas collection by Michael Miller Fabrics 2018.  Fawns, bunnies, butterflies, mistletoe berries and spotty mushrooms.  What's not to love? 

Piece by Piece

It's been a busy month so far!  But in between gasps for air, I'm still making steady progress on my Fields and Forests quilt.  Because this is a willy-nilly kind of quilt, mostly randomly pieced in a spontaneous manner, there have naturally been times when nothing seemed to work.  Reminding me that there are many things to appreciate about well-planned quilts. 

So when color choices weren't harmonizing or pieces weren't lining up exactly right, and my idle staring didn't solve the problems, I just walked away and didn't worry about it at all.  I've learned that time away from any project can provide fresh perspective.  It breaks that old, "can't see the forest for the trees" syndrome when you lose direction.  Or patience. 

I've had to walk away from this project a few times already.  But each time, when I come back to it, things just fall into place and everything hums right along.