Turning 1 is a big deal

I can't believe I haven't shared the custom 1st birthday bibs I made for a couple clients this year!

They were super cute...and the special recipients were pretty adorable wearing them.

I love them.  I hope to make more...'cuz turning 1 is a big deal. 

The Lucky Ones

My cousins and I?  We are the lucky ones.

We got to spend summers at my grandparents farm, learning lots of useful skills, without actually knowing it.  I perfected my top stitching there.  I learned where the phrase "like a chicken with it's head cut off" comes from first hand.  I learned how to herd sheep (sort of).

We had popcorn and apples for dinner when cooking just wasn't on the menu.  There was always some kind of baked good stashed in the freezer, or if it was winter, on the stairs leading up to the north and blue rooms.  If you're lucky, I'll make you one of my favorite treats -- Bugles with peanut butter dipped in chocolate.  Salty sweet goodness.

We learned valuable math skills while playing gin rummy, spelling (with the assistance of a huge ancient dictionary sometimes) by playing Scrabble and all around sportsmanship because Grandma didn't let us win.

Later, while in college a funny shaped box would show up in my SPO now and again.  Always recognizable on site, Grandma liked to reuse boxes from granola bars, cut down cereal boxes, etc.  Friends would wonder why I was getting a box of granola bars in the mail, but I knew there was homemade goodness to be found inside.  And I was happy to share...if I had to.

The lessons we didn't know we were learning were about being strong, and independent.  Always willing to lend a hand to someone in need...but unwilling to take any guff from anyone.  The bank teller always greeting my grandfather with a smile, he with a twinkle in his eye, taught kindness...even though our eye was on getting the lollipop for the drive home.

Honesty.  Intrgrity.  Compassion.  Kindness.  

Some would say these lessons are rooted in small town, rural middle America.  I say they are rooted in family, and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

May I strive to be the kind of woman that has a stream of guests coming to see her because she's been away from them from too long.  With a twinkle in my eye, and kindness in my heart I hope to always be a living example of all these lessons, even in what seems to be the darkest of hours.

See?  I told you.

We are the lucky ones.

 

(This is a rendering of a drop for THE ORPHANS HOME CYCLE) which hangs in my office and reminds me of my Grandparent's farm.)

Mosaic

This is what happens when you find black dishcloth cotton on clearance, and the sale of the day is 50% off all red tag clearance items.  You KNOW how I can't pass up a good deal.  So much inspiration in .97 worth of yarn.

Four pink mosaic ballband dishcloths!  I love how the pink and white variegated yarn can produce such different results depending on where you start.  Plus, the cloth in the top left used up three tiny balls of left overs.  Some were so small to call them a ball is pushing it.  Gotta love NO WASTE!

I can't stop...three more small balls of leftovers is going into this one...

Coming soon to an etsy store near you!

Shoppes on Grand

I've been rearranging things lately. Furniture, cabinets, what have you.

I came across these gems and immediately was transported to visiting my grandparents. Most vividly, I remember getting lunch with my grandma on a girls only outing. It involved a cup of soup, and probably 1/2 a sandwich. But this was normally in the summer...did we really have a cup of soup in the summer? I guess we did.

And now, it's time for me to continue the tradition...even if it is in my own kitchen, after running errands and cleaning house.

Here's to you, Grandma!

Sometimes Trash is a Treasure

When I was in 6th grade, my mom picked me up from school in they alley that ran into the staff parking lot outside the 6th grade door.  To this day (and let's be honest, I was in 6th grade A WHILE ago) I can remember the day I got in the car and she said "we're going around the block and back down the alley."  As we drove down the alley, back toward the middle school I was instructed to get out and pick up the wheeled office chair that was out in someones trash. 

I was mortified.

That chair was missing a wheel (duh...it was in the trash) but otherwise in decent shape.  But not for long.  A replacement wheel (a wooden one at that) soon took it's place on that chair, and suddenly we had two chairs for the sewing room that had wheels.  Awesome.

Remember how I said I was mortified?

Sunday I was taking a box of things I no longer needed to goodwill...along the way I spotted an older blue suitcase on the left side of the road.  I passed it by, but continued to think about it.  I almost turned around.  But I felt like I'd gone too far.  Then I passed a huge basket on the right that looked like it was full of frames.  I'm in the market for some different, low cost artwork for my house, and since this was the second curbside find I'd driven past, I drove around the block and stopped back at the basket of frames.  I picked out two, put them in the trunk and went on my merry way to goodwill.

But I couldn't stop thinking about those suitcases!

On my way back home (after a trip to the grocery and a long line at the goodwill drop off) I drove home, fingers crossed that my blue suitcase would still be there.

It was.  And there was a bonus inside.  A smaller version of it's self.  Both are in excellent condition. 

I guess I owe my mom a big thank you for making me get over my own pride, and pick that chair out of the trash.  I scored some great new craft show display items!

Thrifting in your own home

Sometimes the thriftiest things don't cost you a dime.

I "discovered" a box in the basement this week which contained various antique linens that I didn't know I had.  Admittedly, once I started looking thru the box, I did vaguely remember where these items had come from, but hadn't considered them for years, and certainly wouldn't have remembered them if I was in the market for some linens for decorating.

Here are some of my faces

How sweet is that middle one with the hand appliquéd flowers?  It's currently trying out a new spot on top of my treadle sewing machine toped with my retro "rotary" dial phone.  See that plaid pile?  That is a card table tablecloth with matching napkins which have hand embroidered scottie dogs.  CUTE!  I feel the need to have a card party...hmmm...

This hankie has got to take the cake however.

Connecticut living.  Hilarious.  I actually found TWO of these...wonder who I should gift one to?

What'd you find on your latest thrifty excursion?

They're heeeeeeeeeere!

The droolies have arrived!

 




Check them out in our easy shop -- Boutique Girl -- the perfect gift for the next baby shower you need to attend.