I have nothing to wear...

Ok...Anyone who knows me, knows that's not entirely true! Since I own a resale clothing store, I ususally have something to wear. But, as I walked into the craft room this morning, I glanced upon the pile of tees with designs that need to be collaged and sewn on them...And since I have the red thread in the machine because of all the quilting that is being done around here, I whipped this top up really quick...

This design isn't as detailed as the other tees I made...Because I really enjoy the simplicity. I love that both the top is striped, and the "serenity" bird design has stripes behind it as well! And, I decided to sew my tag on top of the striped fabric, since I thought they compliment each other so very well!

PS...YAY about Project Runway!!

Worn out...

absolutely and entirely ...
YAWN ...
After coming home today, I thought I'd try to put the banner on the blog. Well, you know how you can sit in front of the computer for hours and loose time?
Time flew by...
In between the designing and layout of the banner ...And the attempt at putting it into the Html format, it got quite dark outside. And I still couldn't make it the right size, or put it in the right spot...Someone's going to have to give me a tutorial on this one... Is there anyone out there who can help?

Also, my MSM glass vitamin bottle came flying out of the cupboard for no reason whatsoever, and fell on to two of my sweet French fruit drinking glasses...Shattering them into pieces.

sigh

I can't replace these because I bought them so long ago. So, I guess it's new glasses for me. I think I'll take my time, and get some fun ones to replace these!

As you can see by the picture above...Guess what I started?
Yes, the quilting of the quilt! (This morning, even before I read the comment that my mom left yesterday) It is going quite well...I've got about 3/4 of the thing done, and I'm going to sit and clip thread during Project Runway tonight. I am also going to enjoy some Junior Mints because I have been looking forward to eating them all day...
And now's my chance!

Good Morning...

After quite a bit of blog tweaking (and re-publishing about...a million times) I'm mostly pleased with the results. And now for the banner (eeekkk...I'm taking it slow on that one!)

As a little reward, I decided to eat up a little more of the apple cake my mom brought over on Sunday for breakfast (because I certainly don't want it to go bad!) and have it with my "morning version" of the Hazelnut Romance...No blending, just the whole mix over ice! And, I wanted to mention that I found some really wonderful Whipped Topping...Using only SOY! I am really excited about this, the taste is nice...Not too sweet (like real whipped cream) so, it's a wonderful alternative, especially if you have a bit of a dairy allergy...

plus, you get to squirt it out of a can!
Always a lovely day to start the day...

A little bit of change...

...Never hurt anyone right? So, as you can see, I am changing the blog around and tweaking it a bit here and there. I was really feeling the need to stretch myself a little creatively and make a my own banner...And I thought this would be the perfect template to use! So, bear with me as I change this about...Breathe, breathe (for my benefit!)

Sunday August 28th...

Participants:

• Kate
• Megan
• Rozzilyn
• Sadira
• Susan

Yipee!! Wonderful fun Creative Sunday...All the girls, lots of inspiration, and some actual creating! Megan and Kate joined in today, and we all sat about and talked and got on the computer and shared all the things we've been doing and seeing around the world lately! I made Hazelnut Romances for the group...






and inbetween everything, we managed to make and eat a delicious lunch...Salad, veggies with guacamole and tortillas with hummus... My mom and I both made desserts (one to eat then and one for me to take to Kate's that night for Cribbage) I made the apple pie to take-away, and Mom made the apple cake...a French recipe from Joy of Cooking without eggs...Super healthy, and really rich and yummy! We both used...You guessed it...her apples, however, she climbed up in the accidental apple tree in my yard (one that sits in the back in a weird spot, and is watered by my grey water from the washing machine...Don't worry, I only use organic detergent) and got quite a few apples as well, so...I think something apple-ie is still on it's way!

I made this hoodie for Kate (as she requested it a long time ago, although it took me all this time to find a good hoodie for her) It is perfect because she lives in a warmer part of the state...and not only does it look good with a tank...but, I think it would look devine with long sleeves under it as well!












And, for whatever reason...this painting was so fast and fun, I really did more flowy things with it this time...and it really helped me fulfill Rhonna's challenge of the day for speed!





Rozzilyn worked on a family photo album she's putting together (she may be the only one in the family that is into organizing photos...you go girlie!)










And, at some point, I wandered into the living room and found my mom under her embroidery project...







I found the time to whip up this bag also in the later part of the afternoon...I adore the Day Of The Dead material, and I actually found it at JoAnn's...this bag is for a member of my family who shall remain nameless...but will probably read the blog before I get it sent off...but you know who you are!!!


Kate worked on some new socks she's knitting (which I did not take a picture of...boo!) And Megan came to check everything out, connect and inspire! I am certainly hoping she'll find her way back as well...She is an extremely talented jewelry maker, and I have always been inspired by her continuous creative work...Anyway, she'd better come back, especially if she wants to learn how to embroider!

I ended the day by dragging myself off the bed where I was laying giggling with Mom and Rozzie...And heading to Kate's for dinner, a walk and cribbage. I love cribbage, and, I was just saying the other day, how much I really wanted to play again...and here was my opportunity! I also got to play with Zora...who is teething with those nasty 2 year molars...poor baby, but it didn't stop her from giggling and having fun!

Today I was up early hiking my 4 miles on Peavine (as a treat for myself) then in for an eye exam...where my eyes, are actually doing better (odd)...and as another treat for myself...new glasses! I can't wait to get them (14 days...sigh)...and now I'm off to Kate's for the afternoon with more food and hazelnut romances!

PHEW...I love this!

Friday's WIP

Well...here it is...the picnic quilt...
basted...
still...
ready... and waiting...
like it has been...
all
week
long.

I guess I'm a little um...Intimidated to start on this thing. Plus, it's been a little hectic this week for me, emotionally, and I'm still nursing the sniffles a little bit...And feeling much better today.
Rhona's challenge for today is repetition. I think the quilt would be the perfect thing to practice repitition on...Quilting each of these squares. And something that I will commit to starting on this weekend (I promise)
My weekend is shaping up to be fun and busy. Sat. Night out with the Amy's and perhaps Kate will join us too. She's visiting, and planning on coming on Sunday for Creative Sunday as well (with ms. baby girl...who said "bye-bye Sadie" today to me, and wanted me to pick her up...swoon my heart sweet girl!) Plus, we may get together with Megan (who um...needs to get her own blog thank you!)

wo-hoo...I love weekends like this!

Corners of my home

I love this little corner, it's right by my front window...next to the armoire that houses the TV. The Largest Sock Monkey in the World sits holding his two little compadres (no, he's not strangling them) Behind them on the window, sits an old wooden corbel from a home which is painted (peeling too...yum) black, red, white and green. And on the other side of them is the little CD tower that has my wooden hat form on it. I love this wooden hat form...and I really wish that I had some more! I remember seeing a whole collection in a Mary Engelbreit magazine that some woman has back east who actually makes hats and uses them (lucky her)


Today I had great hopes for myself...I didn't take my morning walk thinking that I would go to Peavine tonight after work...and the heavens opened up and it rained and rained...seriously, I thought I was going to have to grow webbed feet to walk home! Needless to say, I won't be wattering the yard tonight.

Also...I woke up with a stuffy nose and a little scritchy in the throat...so, after sneezing several times today, and feeling a bit more fatigued than normal, I am giving myself some time off tonight. I am going to sit here, drinking my Emer'gen-C (and tea...in my "It's good to be queen" mug) wearing my new vintage inspired cherry and blue-bird PJ's with the..um...really involved kneeding kitty on my lap.



So, for Rhonna's excersise today...the theme is inspriation...and as you can see...I will be inspired to just relax (something that I have a hard time doing) and feel better...so I can be even more creative tomorrow!


Sweet...Sweet life
sniff...
sniff...

Creativity Exercise-a-Day (2)

Ok...It's beat the clock time, because the countdown to project runway has started (half an hour!) but, I need to post (don't I?)

For today's Creative Excercise-a-Day I was really excited because upon visiting Amazon.com's home page, there was a little blurb about Zach Braff, and his new movie The Last Kiss...and even more importantly the soundtrack! Which is already out, with the movie following next month. I have a serious crush on this guy Zach...Yes, I know he's only 31, but that's not too far off my age (and the crush is somewhat rivaling the crush I've had on John Cusak...I know, more my age...sigh) The thing about Zach is that he plays these really just weird characters...something I have been known to be attracted to, but since I don't seem to be living in Hollywood, I'll support his career by far and buy his soundtracks and see his movies instead. And, since today's challenge was to crank up the tunes and create, I bought this soundtrack from iTunes as a treat for myself, downloaded it onto the Nano...and burned a CD for myself. It is amazingly wonderful!! Just as good as Garden State, I think...I turned it up in the store and re-did the window (I also cried a little bit, because I've been doing that a lot lately...and the songs are just so good) I did not happen to have the camera with me...so you'll have to believe me when I say that it's inspired...in fact, I already sold something out of it...the true test!

I also carried my creativity farther and went to Amy's house tonight and cooked dinner for the family. The menu was: Summer spaghetti (spaghetti with olive oil, Parmesan, fresh garlic, basil and tomatoes...Served at room temperature for a nice summertime pasta) A lovely salad, some garlic bread, and The Hazelnut Romance (of course)

And...


fresh apple pie!
(yes that's Ellen's amazing harp in the background!)
sigh...I don't look as though I should be eating any of that pie, bleah pictures of me!

OH...sign update...I hung my new blingy signs today at the shop and I heard a little girl say, "wow...Look at her new sign...I love it!"
I'm a hit.

Creativity Exercise-a-Day

In the beginning...

Day One

Ok...So, Rhonna has a new challenge up...One that I definitely want to give a go! It is a Creativity Exercise-a-Day, which consists of (as far as I can tell) 10 days of creative challenges and to start it off was the challenge of using materials you wouldn't normaly use to be creative.

This really reminds me of a class I took in college to complete my degree (yes, I have a Creative Arts Advertising Degree, with a Psychology minor) When I switched my degree from psychology to Advertising...More importantly Creative Arts, I had to do a lot of art classes. There was a huge wall I had put up about art classes during and after high school, because I was so upset about having to do things the "right" way, and really leaving no room for my own creativity...Yes, the basics...But no room for me in them. So, I stopped being creative for quite a while there. Needless to say, I was really trying to take it slow and gentle with this art stuff...Sort of easing myself back into it...So to speak. I "accidentally" took a class with an amazing woman who recognized that I knew the basics and told me, and the 2 other students that I sat with "I trust you know what you're doing already...Do whatever you want, just make it fit with the assignments"

Yay!

Later, I took a 3-D art class with her. In this class we had to stretch our creativity into things we may have never done before...Explore our creativity. She encouraged us instead of buying our supplies, to dig in the trash and use found objects...And I really was surprised with what I came up with! I don't have anything I made for that class anymore, but I remember all the projects. I felt sorry for the people who just turned in the same types of things over and over, because I was getting so much out of what I was doing. (there was this one pottery major that kept turning in these headless, armless, legless torsos...it was disturbing)

So, tonight at Oh Knit...We did glitter...

Something I haven't done in a long while. Mama and Rozzie helped me glitter and glue these frighteningly blingy Open and Closed signs for the shop:





And while they may be WHOA-BOY...I am already thinking of a whole slew of things I can glitter-up in my life...By the way, the skull fabric is for another project I'm working on...It's not part of the signs (that may just be too much!)

Sunday August 20th...

Busy Busy Day...

Participants:

• Mr. Wyndham
• Mama
• Rozzilyn
• Sadira

This day started off with me baking...

a lovely apple pie! Yes, I have bags of yummy organic apples from my mother's trees...And finding stuff to make and bake with them is going to be a fun, and appetizing challenge...So, I started off with an apple pie, which both my mother and I (not Rozzie because she didn't try it) decided was very yummy, mostly because I am lazy and don't take the peels off the apples before I put them in the pie, but it turns out that it makes the pie have that wonderful tart taste...Plus, I use unrefined Sugar In The Raw, and I think that it gives it a taste between brown sugar and regular sugar! (and I cheat and use the Pillsbury crust, which is very good too...Probably not very healthy, but tasty!) I don't actually like crust, but I tend to spend a lot of time on crusts when I make a pie, either making them lattice, or using my canape cutters to cut out little shapes (this one had apples...Obviously) and putting them on the pies (wait till' you see my pumpkin pie!) Since I don't make pies all the time, I enjoy making them a little special.


I then scooted over to my mother's where she also had baking on the mind as she made these yummy apple turnovers using her biscuit recipe...Which were very good, not too sweet, perfect to have with a meal, or even for breakfast or a snack...Not too much sugar...Which I love! (especially for breakfast) We both used recipes from The Joy of Cooking...Which lead to a lengthy discussion entitled "what would we do without that cookbook?" It is just priceless, full of the most perfect basic recipes, I can't even tell you how many times I have consulted that book...Plus, most of the recipes are so simple, they easily adapt into our no wheat, no dairy, no refined sugar favorites!

We then moved on to making some curtains for my mother's living room...

this is the most beautiful fabric (at almost $30/yard...It's well worth it!) Kind of like taffeta, tanish with light pink stripes and embroidered flowers all over it. There are 3 or 4 different designs in this fabric series at JoAnn's and while we coveted all of them, my mother was able to choose just 2...One for her living room, and one for the parlor.

We finished these today for the living room, and hung them up using wire stretched between the window sash...a very good idea that she's already utilized in her kitchen using vintage inspired embroidered dish towels for curtains! All of the curtains will be half window curtains (probably because of the expense of the fabric) The other fabric is beautiful too, embroidered flowers on striped silk...Wait till' you see them!

And then we got to laying my quilt out on the floor, where upon my mother taught me how to baste...And then helped me baste the quilt back, batting and front together...It's all ready to quilt now! So, you can probably guess what my project for this next week will be. (Sorry, I do not have a picture of us crawling around on the floor with our hieners up in the air...Something I'm sure you're sorry you missed) Rozzilyn spent this time practicing sewing with thread on paper, and I am telling you now, she's a mean needle threader! As I was tying the ends of her thread into knots, I remembered how many times I had to ask my mom to do that for me, even though I could embroider and sew and thread a needle...I could not figure out how to tie a knot...It's really a special feeling to do this now for Rozzilyn.

Then Rozzie and I played a board game together, and we all had our afternoon tea/snack accompanied by a wonderful downpour of rain...And some thunder and lightning. We packed it up and went over to my grandmother's house to deliver some pie and turnovers...And Rozz decided to stay with her for the rest of the afternoon while my mother and I escaped to the Peavine trail for a 3 mile hike.

This trail was once part of the extensive railroad system we had up here in the north country, but has since been abandoned...And incidentally made into a non-motorized hiking trail. There are lots of flat parts of the trail that follow along the water...And then you just come upon the most amazing rock canyons you've ever seen and get to hike among them for quite a while.




I told my mom that since it's such a nice flat trail, with some little hills, I feel like I can walk and walk for hours. Plus, the miles are well marked, and there are all sorts of little side trails up into the boulders of Granite Dells...And paths down to the water, bridges and little benches all along the way! There is also tons of wildlife, including (but not limited to...And some things we saw today): Herons, Hawks, birds of all kinds...a baby bunny...And lots of lizards, and some rattlesnakes, and other snakes.

I'm really wanting to pack in a lunch some day soon, and see how far I can go on this trail...It is just beautiful. There are parts of Arizona that can just take your breath away...Water and trees, huge rocks and rainbows:



All dramatic in their own way, and all beautiful! I am lucky to have lived here for so long, and now fortunate that I am out hiking and enjoying the country side even more than before. I heard we have the most beautiful sunsets in the world here...I've been a lot of places, and find that I like the sunsets over the ocean maybe a little more beautiful (the waves and whatnot)

...But this will do in a pinch won't it?

A small burst of decorating...

Look at this space...In my house? A blank white wall?

Say it isn't so...

OK...It's not,

not anymore!

I jumped out of bed this morning, and started picking up piles of stuff...The piles that have collected about the house all this week...And putting them away, in their special places (no less!) When I stumbled into the kitchen and by the doorway to the basement/bottom floor of the manse.



And, HELLO, what's this? an ugly blank space...With not much room to decorate!

So, I flashed on the various bits of vintage fabric that has been hanging and drying since I washed it on Sunday (ok, yes, they've been dry for some time now!) And lo and behold...I picked up these 3 vintage full aprons at a sale for about $1 (that's for all 3 of them folks) and my apron bin is full...I know, can you believe it? (Ha...It's not as bad as my vintage towels...But I can't hardly choose between any of them, so mostly they just stay!) So, I hung up a hook...And there they are...Beautiful and on display and handy too!




These are a close-up of the patterns...The story is, they came from the basement of a house someone in town bought (all I found here is an old key to one of my inside doors...Oh and a little message on the roof when I re-roofed that said "I...don't know his name...Moved to Prescott in 1913, and built this house for my family in 1926" my neighbor, who's father built this house...Said there's more little messages in the house, but I have yet to find them! Sweet, I know!) So, the yellow and blue floral one has Rick-rack trim and was starched within an inch of it's life...And the red one has gingham checks...And the blue striped one is really special because...





That little ultra white square you see in the picture there? It's a little patched up place! Yes, someone used this apron so much, they hand patched it with white thread...I know this was a common practice, but I can't help but think how often we now day's would just throw something away...Plus, I wonder if our fabric is good enough quality now-day's to hold up to patching and washing?




I love full aprons, because they remind me of my mom, and spending time with her in the kitchen (same thing with big vintage mixing bowls...I'll post them later.) My mom used to let me help her bake, and sit on the countertop and help mix and do things in the kitchen. We spent a lot of time together when I was little, as she was stay at home with me...Not so much with my sister, but our situation had changed by that time (she got to spend a lot more time with my grandmother, who is now 92, and lives right close to me too!) So, these are extremely fond memories...Plus both my mom and dad love antiques, and that may be where I get my love for all things vintage...Oh, and my grandmother was an incredible seamstress as well.

I tell you, it's in the blood!

So, as I stumble through this part of my life, I laugh at myself constantly because it's like I'm trying to recreate parts of my childhood, and trying to hang onto those little bits of happiness in what was sometimes a troubling time in my life. Just a little reminder of the joy in parts of my life gone by...And the heart pounding excitement when I find this stuff is so wonderful! Since my mom lives down the street and we are almost mostly together when I find things...We both get a little shared thrill...As we do when she shares the things she finds for herself with me...Another way to bond beyond breastfeeding!

Astrology bags

I wanted to post these 2 bags...They are both a bit unusual in the sense that they are astrological!

The square one on the left has the 12 signs all in coins with little fortunes on the backs of them...My sister found this at the thrift when she was here visiting...And MADE me buy it (yeah right!)






And the one on the right the odd shaped wooden one is hand made and says:

To: T.S
From: M.B.
Durham, NC 1970

Written on the inside of the lid with gold ink (no less) and lined in red velvet! If you're wondering, the little signs are cut out and shellacked on with sayings like "I'm Pices, I'm sensitive" and "I'm cancer, I'm sympathetic" and "I'm Virgo, I'm particular" and "I'm Aries, I'm fabulous"
(ok...I made that one up, can you tell which sign I am?)

Total Money spent:
$6.00
enjoyment gazing at them:
Priceless!

Quilt update: Last night I got rockin' on the quilt and sewed up all the little squares, and just need to sew the 9 patches (and 12 patches...because of the measurment of the squares) to each other...and then, both the front and back of the quilt will be ready to be basted together with the batting and quilted! I did this right before the Project Runway episode that kind of pissed me off! Grrrr...I can't believe Alison is off...she is so cute and tallented. But luckily I'll bet after all this exposure someone in the fashion industry will just snap her right up! And as my sister says...they just really want ready to wear people on there...and then when the contestants make anything ready to wear they say their too boring...and if it's anything creative they freak out (mostly because Michael Koors won't be able to copy it!)

I NEED...

...A Foot Massage!

Seriously...I have been on my feet all day at the shop for the past 2 days...Digging myself out from under these various piles of clothing...And just when I thought I was making a dent...Several more people would run in with even more stuff for me to buy!

It all started Monday, when my mom called me at about 3:30 to say that she had a lot of clothes come in...So I popped down (because she sounded a little overwhelmed) and there was a large pile on the counter and 2 large ones in various places on the floor... So, I just organized clothes for a little bit...And came up with 2 large piles on the floor and one large one on my chair!

So, they were waiting for me to price them on Tuesday when I came into work...Let's just say that there is no room on the $1 rack outside, or the men's sale rack...And I've used up all my pants hangars...


Now, don't get me wrong, because I am absolutely not complaining, I just happened to be tired and achey (heeheehee) although, I have a lot of new great stuff in the shop right now, which I love to offer to all my customers...And incidentally, a lot of new great stuff in my own wardrobe (which I love to offer myself, because it's so fun having new clothes!) And, by the time I left work today, I almost could see the floor by my chair! Talk about progress!

Also, on the quilt front, I had a fun burst of energy after my walk today and sewed the back and border/binding together...And now for the layout...I think I will attempt to do that tonight, as Project Runway is on, and I always seem to get a burst of creative energy on Wednesday nights!

Tues...Today...

Well...I've been trying for some time to upload some more video...But have not had any luck yet today...So, by default, I will tell you about my day instead!


I started out my day by hanging out with Ms. Rozz...As mama had a dentist appointment to reshape and save some teeth!

So, we ran down to the shop to drop off the daily supplies, and then went to the thrift to find some fun stuff, and then walked/ran among the trees at the square


...Threw a penny in the fountain and made a wish...then off to the bank...And finally...back to open the shop! Mama picked up the Rozz...She was fine after the time at the dentist...And off they went!

I later met up with them at the other house for OH Knit...However, much like last week, we did a lot of other things besides crafting...Played with the neighbors next door, watching them paint, and me holding the new baby (sweet!)











I had actually hauled along all my quilt squares to do a preliminary layout design...But did not quite get to that. Last night, I finished cutting the border/binding for the back and pinned it all together, and although I know it will only take about 15 minutes to sew together, I haven't quite made it to the sewing machine either, I um...Keep finding myself sidetracked!

Ahhh Life...

Sunday August 13th...

Participants:

• Mama
• Me
• Rozzilyn

We woke up to sunny skies that quickly turned into rainy fun! It was dark, cool, and wet...YAY!!


Rozzie decided today would be the day she would try sewing with a needle...She received a wonderful new sewing basket along with a kit that consisted of needles, pins, a pin cushion, a thimble and scissors (all pink I'll have you know) So, mama helped her cut out a pattern for a skirt for her little doll...And explained seams and sewing things inside out (I can remember thinking that was a weird concept when I learned to sew...In fact, I still think it is) then she showed her how to thread the needle, knot it...And helped her put on a thimble so that she could then poke the wrong finger with the needle and decide that indeed, today was not the day she would sew with a needle! She did sew up one side of the skirt...And with a little more help from mama (including the dreaded "darts" in the skirt...)
they made this:

Certainly a cute pink skirt with a lovely trim belt...And was much needed according to Rozz, as the doll has been laying around naked for quite some time!



















This was a little challenging...as this doll has larger hips than her waist (I thought she was a little young for that, but since they say that the butt are the new boobs this season...maybe she'll be "in fashion" when she grows up!)

Rozzie and mama then retired to their own separate projects...
Rozzie drew:

Snow White...

and mama worked on a embroidered tablecloth she's been working on for quite some time now (and I forgot to take a picture of...But it was hardly my fault, because she was also sewing the tail, and arms back onto a little wonky sock monkey I got recently...I should also mention that she tried to embroidered eyebrows that quickly turned into a monacle...And then glasses, which she later ripped out because no one really liked them...It could be because the thread was red...But then again, maybe not!)

She also teamed up with me to figure out all the dimensions and measurements of the picnic quilt/blankey I'm making, and since she was the only one who's made a quilt in the room, I desperately needed her help! It took some adding and sketching and planning...And so much time, that I fear I will not let anyone use this thing!

So...I really only had time to cut up squares...And material (I actually had to go get some extra material for a border and binding too!)


So, I am looking forward to some actual sewing today...Although, there are various other projects that are needing my immediate attention...Organizing and cleaning and sorting and getting rid of...

and on...

and on...

and on...