A Few More Treasures

I thought I'd share some of the other treasures I found last week while down visiting my brother. I can't wait to go back again. Gotta save my pennies, so I can bring home the adorable sock elephant I found and so much more!

Here's the rest of the loot I brought home. My favorite is the repro china head doll that I've named Josianne. I just love that name and I think it fits her. Miss Joisanne needs a new dress desperately as you can see by her scanty outfit she came in. (Oh and yes--that peach color is the color of our bedroom and the bathroom and the hallway--one of these days I would love to change it and no I'm not the one who painted it that color. LOL! ).

A little bit closer view of Josianne.....

......also found the cute little plastic jewlery box, a china hand for my hand collection and a pretty little doily with pink and white roses that I need to work on blocking....and I love Josianne's little pudgey legs!......

......a pink dresser box, pink rose teacup and a pink heart pincushion. I love these heart pincushions and have about 5 or 6 from very small to this larger one. I need oh about 50 or so more for my collection before it's complete. ;) ......

.....now this little piece I found a while back and hadn't shared it yet and my sister Rhonda wanted to see it. It's a little perfume bottle I had in the early 60's when I was about 5 years old and my mother was an Avon Lady----Ding Dong Avon Calling!--Anyone remember that! .......

.....then I found this beautiful blue and white platter. It fits perfectly with all of my other old mis-matched china pieces......

....last but not least is this adorable little Raggedy Ann & Andy book tote given to me by my sweet neice Melissa. She knows I love Raggedy Ann & Andy, so she knew I'd love this and I do.

I would say in the past few weeks I've definitely been well blessed with new found treasures!

PIF's, Gifts And Finds

Wow, I don't even know where to start. It's been so busy here and I have lots of things to share, so we'll start with just a few today........

First of all isn't this the most beautifully stitched heart! It came via Royal Mail all the way from Su of Contemplating My Needle & Thread in the UK. Su has done the most elegant and delicate stitching on a very fine linen for this beautiful little piece. My 9 year old daughter was intrigued with the Royal Mail stamp and wanted to know if my mail was from the queen and I told her yes! ;)

Another fun thing about this wonderfully stitched heart is that it is part of a PIF--Pay It Forward, which I will be posting about and starting the first of the week, so keep an eye out. A PIF is a really fun thing to join in on.

Thank you Su! I love it!

Oh be still my heart! LOOK! LOOK! This little gem was sent to me from my folks and I absolutely love it! Rust and all! My dad sent it out to me and he told me he found it at a garage sale this past summer and paid......get this now....... a whopping .50! Yup, 50 cents! Can you believe it! I guess garage sales in Missouri have super bargains! It will be finding a special home in my sewing room, where it can be enjoyed by all. This is so much better than diamonds and the like any day!

Last weekend we went to Utah to visit my brother and his family. They're just a short 3-hour jaunt away and we ended up going to a fabulous antiquety mall where I found this little piece for 1.00! I brought home a few other treasures too, that I still need to take pictures of, so hopefully I can do that over the next few days.

I love this, because it goes with my collection of "quilted" (not sure what the real term for this would be) pieces and my one piece of cottage ware--that I hope to expand on as soon as I find more.

And another big find.....this gorgeous brown Calico pitcher! I have been wanting a piece of this brown calico forever, but can never find an affordable piece. Well I found this one at my favorite thrift store for 8.00! A bit high for thrift stores, but terribly cheap if it were in an antiquety place. And it is stamped on the bottom--Staffordshire England--Calico. And of course the greed in me--I mean the collector part of me would love to find a blue piece--or more brown would be awesome too. hehee! Hey once I get 3 pieces I officially have a collection! Only 2 more to go! By the way I do have a birthday coming up in a couple of weeks, so if anyone needs a shopping idea here you go....
SHOP CALICO ON EBAY. HAAAAAAAAAAAA!

That's it for today until I can get some more pictures taken.................

Just a Little Something I Made This Week

This is just a little something that I made over the weekend. I love making these! I had lost my favorite pink rose fabric, but finally after much searching I found it hiding in a box in a closet and this is what I did with it......

One World One Heart Giveaway

It is time once again for Lisa Swifka's 3rd annual One World~One Heart Giveaway! This is my 2nd year to participate.

Make sure to click on the big blue ball above to go to the One World~One Heart Giveaway blog to see all of the blogs participating in the giveaway. There is still time for bloggers to offer giveaways in this huge event.

What to do!

All you have to do is leave a comment--on this post only if you would like to have a chance at winning one of my 2 offerings for this giveway. You may sign up now through February 11th and I will draw the winning names and post them here on February 12th.

Who Can Enter?

Everyone! You do not have to have an active blog, but you DO have to leave me an email, blog link or somehow to contact you if it doesn't already automatically link when you are signed in for commenting. This is open to anyone, anywhere in the world!

So what am I offering.......................

1. The first one is a little sewing caddy in a brown paisley with green floral print and a copy of my Vintage Sewing Ephemera Images CD. (please note that the contents of the sewing caddy are not part of the giveaway).

2. The same as the first one--- a little sewing caddy only in a pink paisley with green floral print and a copy of my Vintage Sewing Ephemera Images CD. (please note that the contents of the sewing caddy are not part of the giveaway).

So please leave me a comment and if you'd like you may say if you prefer the brown paisley or the pink paisley. And don't forget to go visit the other participants. Good Luck and Happy Stitching!

Thank You Cielo!

Thank you Cielo!

Sweet Cielo of The House in the Roses recently had a fabulous giveaway for this gorgeous teacup and saucer and plate in the most beautiful robin's egg blue color and beautiful detailing and I WON! I feel so honored and I just LOVE it! I plan to use this for my own personal breakfast setting each morning as I enjoy my personal quiet reading time. What a joy! Thank you so much Cielo for your kindness and generosity! One joy scatters a hundred gifts!

Rageddy Ann & Sock Monkeys

Who doesn't just love Raggedy Ann and the good old fashioned original Sock Monkey! Both all American and two of my very favorites! I thought I'd share what I brought home from my quilt guild loot the other night with you, because I know a lot of you love Sock Monkeys and Raggedy Ann too. I've added just 2 photos here, but if you'll click HERE it'll take you to my Flickr account where I've uploaded the Raggedy Ann embroidery tranfsers and pattern cover as well as the front and back of the Sock Monkey pattern. Once you're there click on the thumbnail of each pattern and then at the top above the photo click on All Sizes and it will bring it up bigger and then you can right click and save it to your computer.

I think the front of the Sock Monkey pattern is cute just for it graphics alone.

The pattern cover to the McCall's Raggedy Ann Kaumagraph Embroidery Transfer # 1287. I think just the cover of this would be darling framed and added to a Raggedy Ann collection.

Click HERE to go to my Flickr account where you can find all seven of the transfers. I have scanned them in, cleaned them up the best I could and converted them to black and white and also mirror imaged them, since I figure most of us will be using a tracing transfer method.

I've always wondered just what the word "kaumagraph" means and I can not find it anywhere in the dictionary--the online versions that is. The best that I can figure is that "kaumagraph" is actually a heat transfer that is applied to special paper. If anyone else knows a different definition I'd love to know.

Enjoy and Happy Stitching!

Quilt Guild Stash n Cash Loot

Last night my friend Trudy and I went to quilt guild and made a haul! It was their annual Stash n Cash and boy did I get a bunch of stuff! If you're not familiar with Stash n Cash, what they do is people bring their unwanted things, they place them in neat little piles on long tables with a brown paper bag taped to the table in front of each pile. We purchase tickets for .25 a piece and then you drop your ticket into the bag in front of the pile of treasures you hope to win and then they draw out one ticket per bag per pile. And my name was drawn out 6 times! And yes others had mulitiple wins too, so I wasn't being piggy--just lucky!

Here's my haul!

As the husband looks at it and says--another box of crap.

But I look at it and say--Oh yeah look at my big box of treasures!

I got..... a kit with fabric for a small quilt of some sort, the cat I'm not sure what it is, but it did come with punchneedle thread, although it's a little large for that, a panel of fabric with a cute sewing motif............

.....this poor orphaned group of fabric and lace for crazy quiliting. I didn't win this--it was left on the table, because no one wanted it, so those piles were up for grabs and I thought I could give it a good home with the rest of my stash......................

A big ol' stack of 22 pre-printed animal and doll panels! Too cute huh! ....................and good to help my youngest daughter learn to sew........

....several patterns..........

........ a stack of 6 feedsacks! Great for making aprons, that yes I do wear when I cook, because I'm so messy and it's just plain fun to wear an apron anyways.............

....and my biggest score! These vintage embroidery transfers--and yup the one in the center is Raggedy Ann! Love the vintage sock monkey pattern too.....

...and last, but not least.....even more! vintage embroidery transfers. I just seem to have a thing for these and can't get enough of them!

Needless to say I was quite happy and all for only a few bucks.

Designer Potato Handbags by Crystelle

How cool are these designer Potato Handbags! These are designed and handcrafted by a friend of ours, Marijke Mill of Crystelle Handbags. They are made right here in Southeast Idaho amidst the potato fields.

These are very well made and you should see the inside! Beautifully lined and with little pockets too. Click on any of the photos to see more about each bag. And these are just a few of Marijke's designs.

I think this one is my favorite! Love the pocket on the outside and more pockets on the inside. Ya just gotta have pockets!

And how cute is this one! I love it and it also comes in pink! Very hip and trendy! And it has outside, side pockets for your cell phone and keys! That's a biggie for me. The two most used items and Marijke's made them easy to get to and stylish too!

And get this---of every 10 handbags that are sold 1 is donated to The Ronald McDonald House!

So there you have it-Made in the USA, full of style, fun, useable and gives back to our communities!

The Procrastinator's Challenge

Well I missed it! Yup, I missed The Procrastinator's Challenge by 2 days! I guess that's what happens when you procrastinate. LOL! So I've decided to do take the challenge and do it on my own. The on time participants have until February 8th, so I will give myself until the 8th too--or maybe the 10th. We'll see.

Here's a list of part of my UFO's that I've been putting off. I can't show you all of my UFO's, because not only would it be embarrassing, I don't know that Blogger has that much picture space. And keep in mind I am not commiting myself to finishing all of these (I mean let's be realistic!)---just one of these--I hope!

This is actually a new project---not officially a UFO, but it has that potential. It's the front panel of a tote bag that I'm working on and I'm already second guessing the way I'm doing it.

My little punchneedle dolls from a pattern by my friend Teresa Scharp of Aunt Polly's Attic When they're finished they'll be pincushions--now when will that be??? I started these late summer early fall of 2008.

Oh yes the heart in hand stitchery that only lacks about 15-20 more little french knots and a few button type embellishments--that was started in about 2002. Hmmm..that was 7 years ago? Really!? Oh now that's just bad! Oh and by the way all those hearts and that star were filled in with french knots--3 strands of floss--3 twists each. I have since discovered punchneedle and it would have worked beautifully, but I do love making french knots--obviously. LOL!

The Redwork Sewing Lady--I just love and now I forget the name of the pattern designer, so I need to re-find my pattern for her. All she needs is to be framed. I stitched her up, oh about 4 or 5 years ago and she's been living in my UFO drawer ever since. Tsk, tsk!

The Santa Claus stitchery is from a pattern by Country Friends and was a project in Create & Decorate magazine a couple of years ago. I started this one in the fall of 2007 and all it lacks is a few wool embellishments in the corners and then it too can be framed. I just knew I'd have it done for Christmas this last year--ok, so I'll shoot for Christmas of 2009. Do you think I'll make it!?

Now this one I am currently working on! I even stitched on it last night while I watched the husband watch tv. It's from a pattern by Cassie of Never Ending Thread . I started this one oh about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm a really slow stitcher. Hey sounds good!

I have 27 days--or add a few--to finish up at least one of these projects. Anyone wanna make any bets. LOL!

A Few New Treasures

I found a few new treasures at the local thrift store in the past couple of weeks and I've even left a few there--like the wedding dress that was covered in lace and pearls, but was a bit too pricey, but I did get a pretty little wedding head piece for only 5.00 and I got a skirt out of it too for Mae my wire dress form, so that was a pretty good bargain!

Found this beautiful little gravy boat for 1.00 and it matches the little repro square saucer pretty well.

I also got this odd little pink china child's teapot with an ugly dragon/sea monster thing on it for .50. The reason I bought it was because it reminded me of my grandmother. She used to have some ugly plates and a tea cup only in gray with the same ugly little dragon/ sea monster. Not at all like her style, so I have no idea why she had them. I'd like to find out more about it, so if anyone has any clue I hope you'll fill me in.

See Mae's new skirt from the wedding head piece. The headpiece had 2 layers of tuelle and the one was just too long, so I snipped it off and discovered it made a great skirt for my dressform. I'm hoping to someday find an affordable little antiquety china doll or paper mache doll--
Nicol Sayre style doll to display inside the dressform.

Then I also found this lovely orangey chair--yes it needs to be a new color! Something pinky or creamy--anything but this orangey color! I'm thinking of painting it or at the very least slip covering it. Chester the cat says it's comfy to sit in. I'm hoping he'll let me sit in it and stitch on occasion. Now I just need one more chair, so I can sit and stitch with a friend and Chester.

Ta dah! The Clean Sewing Room!

Ok, brace yourselves! The following pictures are disgraceful.......................... Donna Balfanz--don't look!

See I warned you! This is or WAS my messy, awful sewing room. So I decided that for 2009 I was going to get back on track and get re-organized! Beware--still a few more messy photos to follow......

Ok, now you can look! Ta Dah! See it's all cleaned up and nice and neat and I can think and work and find stuff!

I skirted the tables--something Donna talked me into a few years ago and now the tables have their skirts back. All I did was rip my fabric to the right size and hot glued it to the under edge of the table. Then if I need to remove the skirt for some odd reason I just peel it off and then it can re-glued when I'm ready.

I decided to add a row of lace to the top of the skirts, which doesn't show up here too well, but is very pretty in person.

My hutch, which still needs a bit of organizing and don't even ask about the insides of the drawers. However I will be organizing those too--but a little later.

I told the dear husband that I need something to fill this little corner that was wasted space and this is what he came up with--clever man! He had the pegboard in the garage just sitting, so he added a piece of wood to extend the table--which will get covered as soon as I find my wallpaper. Then he added the little wire baskets,which I am working on filling up. Yes, he is an amazing man and quite handy!

Mae in her new corner. Her skirt is part of a bridal veil that I trimmed down the fullness of and decided to make this piece her new skirt!

This corner had a big, ugly green couch sitting in it that we moved into a small room around the corner. I plan to add a couple of easy type chairs for sitting and sewing.

The biggest thing I did to help with my clean up this time was to purchase some storage totes and get rid of the old cardboard boxes I had, which not only looks nicer--even if they are hidden under the skirts--but the hold more than the boxes did.

The next big help was adding the skirting, so you can't see the ugly storage area under the tables.

Ah! I feel so much better!