Piccalilli Days

Made a Lily - Step 2

2012-01-29T18:01:00.005-05:00

Step 2 - Start the "Lily Pad"

The lily pad is both the actual pincushion and the base upon which the doll will stand. For it you will need to select two prints from the pile of assorted fabrics you have already gathered up. I'm going to use the pink floral on the top and the black calico on the bottom. Once you've made your decision get ready because it's time to take a bit of a field trip. . . . .

. . . . .to the dish cupboard! Since the pattern for the lily pad is a circle I find it easiest to simply trace a plate. Of course, the fact that I long ago misplaced my compass may also have something to do with it!

I find the 6-inch diameter of my Blue Willow bread plate to be the perfect size. See if you can't find something similar in your cupboards....unless of course you know exactly where your compass is!

With plate in hand, let's head back to the sewing nook and get to work with some lightweight fusible interfacing. The interfacing will not only serve to make the fabric sturdier but also provides a great surface to mark the stitching line on.

Take two 8 inch squares of interfacing and place them with fusible sides together.

Center your plate on top and. . . . . .

. . . . trace away!!!

After tracing, cut away the excess interfacing leaving only an inch or so remaining beyond the drawn line.

Lay your fabrics out with wrong sides up. On top of each one place a cut piece of interfacing fusible side down and get ready to wield your iron.

Be sure to check with the directions that come with the interfacing. Mine, for instance, requires that you place another cloth over the interfacing itself before you actually press with the iron.

Trim the fabric down to the size of the interfacing.

With your fabrics right sides together it's time to sew. . . . .but first a quick suggestion on thread selection. . . . . .PICK TWO!!! One color to match the bottom of the cushion (put this on the bobbin) and another color to match the top of the cushion (thread this through the machine.) There will be quite a bit of pulling and stretching involved when the cushion is stuffed so a blend of the two colors will help camouflage any thread peeking out at the seam.

As far as stitch size goes this is where I "guesstimate" the setting on my featherweight. If I do an actual count of stitches per inch it seem to be around 18. In other words...make really tiny stitches!!!

Sew directly on the line leaving a small opening for turning.

Don't move yet because we're going to stitch a second seam 1/16" away from the first.

The edges can now be trimmed down to a 3/8" seam allowance.

Make lots of little clippings into the seam allowance, up to but not beyond the stitch line.

I prefer, however, not to clip the area near the turning opening as I've had some difficulties with fraying in the past when I've done so.

Carefully turn the cushion right side out. Hemostats are a fantastic tool for for doing so. I got mine here.

Congratulations! You now have one flat, floppy lily pad!

Looking ahead to next week you may want to gather up a small selection of coordinating embroidery flosses and a 3 3/4" round wooden clothespin (often called a doll pin.)

And as long as your out there looking for the doll pin you may what to pick up a doll pin head, a doll pin base, and a few 8mm wooden beads as your going to need them eventually. Most often these goodies can be located at a local craft store such as Joann's or Michael's.

Please let me know if you experience any difficulties sewing or shopping. I'll answer all questions right here in the comment section.

Happy Sewing!!!!

Made a Batch of Scones

2012-01-28T18:48:00.009-05:00

And you can too!

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Scones

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup craisins

1 1/4 - 1 1/3 cup whipping cream

2-3 tablespoons butter,melted

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add craisins and chocolate chips. Stir in cream with a fork until it holds together. Knead the dough on a floured board. Pat flat till 1" high and cut into desired shape (I like hearts!) Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2" apart. Brush scones with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

ENJOY!

Made Myself into a Couch Potato

2012-01-27T23:02:00.009-05:00

Succumbed to the rainy, dreary day it was. Donned a dowdy sweater, drank endless cups of tea ,and watched as many film adaptations of Jane Austin novels I could find.

Wonder if the fact that I crocheted throughout counts as being productive?

Made a Comfy Spot......

2012-01-26T23:25:00.003-05:00

. . . . .and it looked like this. The best thing about it, however, was how it felt and that was wonderful!

Thanks to this newest find, the days of standing at the ironing board doing my thing are behind me. For now. . . . .I have a throne upon which to rest my weary bones!

Considering my current reading material,
it was ever so exciting to salvage such a time worn treasure.
Not sure that red is a very wabi sabi color but hey. . . . .

. . . . .at this price who am I to be picky?
Besides, I think we were meant
to be together!

Made a Recovery

2012-01-25T19:02:00.005-05:00

Today I went bin diving in search of a favorite thread. This bin holds supplies used to make my little doll pillows and should have held the thread I needed to deck one out. What I found instead is that I need give my bins a good housekeeping!

Then my eye discovered something of interest. . . . . .

. . . . . and with a little digging I realized there were actually two somethings of interest.

The long lost makings of some pincushion pillows! How could I have forgotten about those?

I'll also have you know I also cleaned the bin and eventually found my pink thread (although it eventually turned up in the bin for name tags which I won't show you because I'd had enough of housekeeping by that time!)

Made My Listings in the Shop

2012-01-24T17:39:00.006-05:00

Since the sun decided to come out from behind the clouds today I made the time to take some pictures of the eggcups and get them listed in the shop. I never did pick a favorite and in fact I was ridiculously tormented by the process of attempting to do so! No matter which one I would have kept it would have made me think of how bad I felt about not picking one of the others. Therefore, I decided to release them all to fate. The green one has been spoken for but the other three are now in the shop.

Be free little cups!

Made My Featherweight Get a Little Exercise

2012-01-23T18:21:00.003-05:00

Today was a machine sewing day. . . . . .

. . . . .and resulted in the production of a pile of petite pillow toppers!

Made a Lily - Step 1

2012-01-22T20:18:00.008-05:00

My first step in the creation of a Pick-a-Lily pincushion doll is almost always to grab a basket. Into this I toss an assortment of fabrics, threads, trims, and baubles that will be the inspiration for the finished piece. Today, however, this basket inspired me with another idea. . . . . .

. . . . . .I thought perhaps you might be interested in joining me in the process of making a Lily?!!! I spent some time looking over my notes and it seems as if it could be broken down into about 15 steps. If we did one step a week, we would be done sometime in May. I know it seems an awful long time but I'm not sure how proficient I'll be in the "tutorial" department. And please, if you do decide to join in, let me know if I ever lead you astray.

Step 1 - Fabric Selection (my favorite part!)

In general I suggest you stick with good quality, 100% cotton fabrics. You are going to need a minimum of 3 different prints but having a larger assortment is much more fun. Variety is key so within your color palette include a range of dark and light fabrics. Feel free to mix up the prints into a collection of florals, checks, dots, geometrics, plaids or even solids. And finally, although I have a great fondness of small scale prints, I do always try to pick a few larger ones in the process. Sometimes they help create a bit of contrast but other times I find they contain the perfect element to fussy cut out!

Peeking ahead a bit.....you might want to have some lightweight fusible interfacing on hand as well we're going to use it when we create the pincushion base!

PS -oops! I forgot to mention you might want to run your fabrics through the wash before we start working with them. I find it much easier to work with pre-washed pieces and think you might too!

Made a Lily Supply Kit

2012-01-21T18:20:00.009-05:00

It snowed again today.

My doll club meeting up in New Hampshire was canceled as a result.

What to do with those now unaccounted for hours?

Well I could always do laundry, clean the bathrooms, or scrub the floors but none of those would be any fun at all! Much more enjoyable to play with this sweet little sewing cupboard gifted to me by my mother-in-law for Christmas.

It turned out to be just perfect for stashing all those little goodies that go into making up my pincushion dolls.....itty bitty pins, straw hats, baskets, bells, and even a broom. Now I suppose it's time to start making up some of those Pick-a-Lilies again!

Made it to the End

2012-01-20T18:56:00.003-05:00

Finished up the eggcups this afternoon. . . . . without making any mess I might add!

First I signed the bottoms.

A quick top coat really make the colors shine.

Coordinating cushions were secured in place.

And finally the Bitty Blossom pins from last weekend were planted!

Now all that's left to do is to decide which one's my favorite because I just might really need to have one of these!

Made a Mess

2012-01-19T17:51:00.003-05:00

What started as a little painting project. . . . .

. . . . . soon spread across the kitchen table. . . . .

. . . . . .unfortunately now it's time to make some dinner!

Made a Pair of Tiny Pillows

2012-01-18T18:53:00.001-05:00

Not exactly a matched set but a pair no less!

Made a Sale

2012-01-17T18:00:00.003-05:00

Normally this is a good thing. Today's sale, however, was the first of my fabric destash to be purchased. Why is it that I can send something I created from scratch out the door without a second thought but feel my heartstrings tug against the release of a few yards of fabric? Addiction perhaps? Sure hope this gets easier!

Made Some Color Choices

2012-01-16T18:22:00.001-05:00

Boy did this day fly by! Afraid this little line up was about the only thing I made today. Bet you can guess what I'll be doing next!

#15 Made a First Dent in My Stash

2012-01-15T17:44:00.009-05:00

So about that $10 purchase I made in the quilt shop yesterday. . . . my first thought was to grab up a few "oh so sweet" fat quarters I had scoped out on the way in. I remembered, however, my stash at home and how a good portion of it had literally fallen on my head earlier that morning while I was gathering up my supplies for the meeting. In that moment of frustration I had vowed to myself "No more fabric!" And yet, there I stood in line with several bundles of it clutched in my hand.

I am proud to say I put it all back and selected instead a packet of hexagon paper pieces and some of my favorite Sulky thread. Trouble is those "oh so sweet" fat quarters have been haunting me today. The scale and colors were just perfect for some little projects I have in mind. Boy do I want that fabric and am willing to take whatever steps I need in ordeer to get it.

And so I stepped. . . . .but not out the door, into the car, and down the road to Candlelite. Instead I made my way, step by step, up to my stash closet and began to clean house. I used to enjoyed sewing crib quilts, aprons, dresses and tote bags. Although that was years ago, I found I still have the yardage to prove it. Considering small scale work I do now, holding on to more than a half yard of any print is unnecessary (and a hindrance to new purchases!)

Sorting, folding. and ironing filled my afternoon and soon the piles of fabric will be filling up the destash section of my shop. My willpower is strong for my next trip to the quilt shop WILL involve the guilt-free filling of my hands with those oh so sweet fat quarters!

SOON THEY WILL BE MINE!!!

#14 Made a Date to Sew

2012-01-14T17:35:00.004-05:00

Most days find me very much like Mary Francis spending "hours in the sewing room." Today, however, those hours were not found by walking up a flight of stairs into my nook but rather by driving down the road to Candlelite Quilts. This past year the Farmer's Wife class I was taking at the shop transformed itself into a Hand Work Gathering group. We meet once a month to sew, shop, and socialize. . . . .although I must say the emphasis is most often on the latter two activities! It is great fun!

And so this morning I loaded up all my hand work goodies along with a few orders I had to deliver (including the pincushion with that Mary Francis fabric I've fallen in love with) and headed out the door.

Once there our cozy little group gathered round the table, drank coffee, ate candy, and caught up on all the post-holiday news. Many (including me!) made $10 purchases and by doing so enrolled in the "Stash Party Stars" block of the month program. Let's hope I'm more successful at this than I was at Farmer's Wife! And somehow, amidst all our fun, I even managed to make up a tiny bouquet of Bitty Blossom Pins. . . . yeah for me!

#13 Made Me Smile!

2012-01-13T13:58:00.007-05:00

I'm afraid the eggcups are due to be quite neglected today because look what came in the mail...my very first ever Tasha Tudor Museum Newsletter!

Once I get all the kiddies rounded up from their school day I'll be making myself a pot of tea, put my feet up, and thoroughly enjoy each and every page. What a sweet treat!

#12 Made It Work!

2012-01-12T19:26:00.002-05:00

There's no more jack-in-the-box shenanigans in the sewing nook this evening!

In fact everyone is all lined up. . . . .

and ready for the next step in their evolution.

(ps-it snowed today!)

#11 Made a First Attempt at a New Pincushion

2012-01-11T18:12:00.006-05:00

The idea was to make up a teenie weenie yo-yo cushion. . . . .

stuff it into one of the eggcups I picked up at a tag sale last summer,

and voila. . . . .pincushion on a pedestal!
Unfortunately, since the eggcup is very shallow and the cushion a smidgen too big it continually popped apart. Back to the drawing board for some slight alterations!

#10 Made a Pot of Soup and Cornbread

2012-01-10T17:50:00.010-05:00

Although the ground outside is STILL bare of snowflakes I was in the mood for some winter fare. The Mexican Chicken soup is an old standby,but the corn bread is my true accomplishment of the day.Made from scratch and gluten free I was expecting it to crumble at first touch of the knife.As you can see, however, it truly held its own.Tastes good too!

#9 Made a Bitty Batch of Yo-Yo Cushions.....

2012-01-09T12:48:00.005-05:00

. . . . . and time willing, will also make them my first shop listings of 2012!

#8 Made Some Changes

2012-01-08T20:20:00.006-05:00

Actually we made the changes way back around Thanksgiving time. We were hosting the dinner and wanted a bigger space for the table as well as a bit of distance from the kitchen mess while eating. Turning our sun room into a temporary dining room was the perfect solution.

This meant our dining room would now host the sun room's wicker assemble where guests could gather and chat while cooks puttered about in the kitchen.

We were surprised to find how much we enjoyed having the work table from the sun room in the kitchen. What we at first thought might be a tad crowded actually proved to be quite functional and cozy.

A few steps down the hall a wee nook was discovered for geranium and step stool.

Again a blessing in disguise as I'm now able to reach the top shelf of the pantry!

With more entertaining in the forecast, we kept the new arrangement in place throughout the holiday season. No one was more pleased with the situation than Stormy who loved having a cozy perch from which to watch the kitchen activities. . . . .

. . . . .in between his busy schedule of cat naps that is!

With the festivities over and decorations stashed back in the attic it was time to get cleaned up and back to normal. Trouble was our new arrangement now felt like normal. A quick family pow wow at the table found us all in agreement to keep all furniture (and fairy lights) in place.

Stormy said he'd stay put too.

And just in case there was ever any debate as to where that spot should be,
dear hubby surprised everyone with this!

What a lucky bichon!

#7 Made a Sweet Find

2012-01-07T18:37:00.004-05:00

Was off to the consignment shop today with a pile of goodies to send out into the world. With the purpose being to clear out a bit of space in the house I had not planned to bring anything back home with me. Nothing at all. Nope, not one thing!

And then I spied this little sweetie. . . . . missing one hand and needing a wee bit of glue at the waist I feared she she was destined for the dust bin. Desperate measures were called for! I forked over a dollar and we headed out the door.

Being that she's barely twice a thimble and a half-pint to Lily Red she's actually a very good fit in any number of nooks and crannies.

Welcome Home!

#6 Made Many Trips Up and Down

2012-01-06T18:07:00.014-05:00

Today was undecorating day. Lucky for me, mom and dad popped in to help and many hands made for light work! Amazing how it took days to set out the Christmas trimmings but only hours to break it all down. Getting the 20 some boxes, 5 trees (don't ask!), and 3 wreaths up in the attic, however, was not a feat for the meek.

#5 Made a Cup of Coffee.....

2012-01-05T19:00:00.003-05:00

. . . . . and prepped everything to make another one round about 8:55. Need to keep my eyelids open for the premiere of Project Runway All Stars. Can't wait to hear Tim Gunn tell them to "Make it Work!"

#4 Made a Discovery

2012-01-04T16:06:00.004-05:00

A few fabrics made their way into my hands prior to Christmas along with a request to turn them into pincushions. With all the holiday hoopla going on I barely gave them a glance before stashing the bundle away for another day. . . . .which turned out to be today. I was already quite tickled to be back at work in the sewing nook, but when upon closer inspection of the prints I discovered "some things" looking back at me, my heart really began to flutter!

For there, you see, were the Thimble People! I'd read of them many times over in the Mary Frances Sewing Book and now here they were in person. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my afternoon companions. . . . .

Tommy (Tomato) Pin Cushion,

Mr. Silver Thimble,

and Scissor Shears.

#3 Made a Nightmare Disappear!

2012-01-03T18:54:00.010-05:00

Anyone remember Mercer Mayer's bedtime book about the nightmare in the closet? Well there used to be a nightmare by my bed. For a month now I've been telling it to "Go away!" but it just kept creeping toward me.

Finally I shot it with a good old dose of elbow grease,

tucked all it's pieces into order,

and once again found myself with a room ready for sweet dreams!

#2 Made an Effort

2012-01-02T18:25:00.003-05:00

I absolutely fell in love with this issue of "Jane Austin Knits" while out Christmas shopping last month. Don't tell but I actually picked it up at the time and tucked it away as a special New Year's surprise just for me. I gifted it to myself yesterday...SURPRISE!!! Today it inspired me to root around for an empty basket in which to make up a knitting supply kit to keep handy. I do not consider myself to be a knitter by any stretch of the imagination but I do hope to improve my skills enough to create at least one of the amazing pieces featured in the magazine. Lucky for me I located a long abandoned scarf project to toss in the basket and with only a few minutes time and minimal effort was able to refresh my knit and pearl techniques!

#1 Made......a Promise

2012-01-01T18:31:00.004-05:00

Last year flew by. Each of its 365 days seemed full to the brim with activity and yet as I pulled the covers up and over my head every night I did so in order to hide from the fact that not much ever seemed to get accomplished. Instead of counting sheep I counted piles of laundry and dishes yet to be washed and lamented the never ending to do list that danced in my head.

With the new year, however, I've decided to start a new practice or should I say endeavour? Either way I've decided to call it "Made" and leave it at that. No big plans or expectations and certainly no lists of things to accomplish! Instead it shall rely on a promise, a promise to myself to pause and take note of something I bring into being during the course of each day.

Today of course, I made that promise. . . . .

The Incredibly Shrinking Plans for a Quilt

2011-10-17T17:45:00.007-04:00

Oh the crazy joy of english paper piecing! I've been addicted to the wide assortment of geometric shapes for several months now. . . . . . diamonds, triangles, and of course hexagons. I love having a pile of fabric covered papers to play around with. The color and design possibilities are endless and I've a growing collection of very random block creations to prove it! My early intentions of creating a bed quilt out of all these, however, have shrunk. Still seeming a bit to overwhelming my second plan for a lap quilt was axed as were the plans for a table runner, pillow, and mug rug set. As usual I eventually decided I was most content turning them into pincushions! That was until I discovered I could purchase the paper pieces in even smaller sizes!

Meet here the 1/4" hexagon. . . . .

. . . . .which when combined with 18 other such creatures. . . . .

. . . . . and accessorized with a bit of quilting and picot crochet,

turned out the most delightful little pillow for one lucky doll!

Summer Sewing

2011-09-27T13:15:00.028-04:00

As much as I love my cozy little sewing nook at the top of the stairs, come summer the heat up there has me more than grumbling. This year I smartened up. . . . .

. . . . .and relocated to the sun room! The open windows provided not only a blessed breeze but also great light and a view outside. This new arrangement worked out so well that the nook has already made reservations to vacation there next year as well!

With our last "official" Farmer's Wife gathering scheduled in July, I first set up shop to work on getting something together for our final show and tell. There was quite a bit of sewing. . . . .

. . . . .and trimming involved.

Block #91, Strawberry Basket, was one of my favorite creations and fun to make but. . . . .

. . . . . upon completing Broken Sugar Bowl (block #12) I decided enough was enough. I had 20 of the 111 blocks made up and was itching to lay things out.

Inspired by the image of this quilt I decided to make the sashing strips and cornerstones a bit wider than those called for in the assembly directions for the sampler quilt in the Farmer's Wife book.

I had intended to to use a pink fabric for the sashing strips themselves. . . . .

. . . . . but then came across this print which I had fallen in love with years ago and yet never found the right project to use it in. Perhaps this was it?

I began laying it out and loved it. Soon after I started piecing it together, however, I learned the one downfall of relocating my sewing nook. . . . . .opinions! Being in the sun room put me much closer to the hub of daily activity. Lots of foot traffic through the space meant lots of mouths were walking by as well and each one seemed to have an opinion. While given individually the consensus was unanimous. . . . . .I was making something very ugly. Needless to say my seam ripper packed it's bag and joined us downstairs where I frantically attempted to remove as many of the stitches as I could.

The few raggedy blocks and sashes that remained intact were reluctantly revealed at our gathering the next morning. They met with many more opinions of. . . . . approval?!!! My Farmer Wife cohorts actually liked it! Well probably not the mess of dangling scraps I was displaying but the fabric choice was deemed a winner!

And so my Farmer's Wife blocks and blue sashing needed to be reassembled. I, however, decided to take a break on my quilt. . . . .

. . . . .and work on someone else's. Although I don't believe it to be very old I found this patchwork quilt at an antique mart for a mere $20. Considering it a bargain price for the fabric alone I snatched it up in order to re purpose it into smaller projects. Wanting to spruce it up a bit I decided to rewash it and hang it up to air dry.

Stringing a bit of rope between the sun room windows proved to be such a great impromptu clothesline that I decided to root out every last scrap of retro fabric in my possession. . . . .

. . . . . and give our clothespins a workout!

Believe it or not it was actually quite fun to take down each piece as it dried. One by one I ironed them, and cut them into even smaller scraps for use in my newest passion. . . . . English Paper Piecing! More on hexagons, triangles, and diamonds in a later blog. . . . .

. . . . .for now I'll turn to circles and the huge assortment of big and little ones I used to complete a very unique custom order.

While I thought of yo-yo button flowers as mere pincushion toppers someone else saw them as eye candy for her scrapbooking creations. I was a bit confused at first, weren't scrapbooks two dimensional? Shouldn't she be using flat, paper flowers? And then I saw her work. Seems I've been quite out of the loop as far as scrapbooking goes! Add in some felt leaves and a hefty bouquet of Bitty Blossom Pins and let the fun begin!

As one thing often leads to another, I soon found myself adding more felt, some gingham paper, and. . . . .

. . . . . tiny pin backings to the yo-yo flowers. . . . .

. . . . . for a batch of custom name tags! Perfect for a garden party. . . . .wish I was going!

And who doesn't like a few blue (and green) birds in their garden? This batch was actually for a baby shower but just as fun.

A celebration of a very different sort was held at Candlelite Quilts this summer. July marked the 5 year anniversary of their grand opening and so a birthday bash was announced. There were fun and prizes for everyone. . . . .even the employees! Now considering the fact that these employees are some of the very sweetest people you could hope to meet I was very excited to have a hand in creating something special for them. First I painted . . . . .

. . . . .while dear hubby went to work incorporating their candlestick logo into a fabric design I could print out on some cotton material.

Eventually the fabrics were cut, pieced, and embroidered to create a quilt block pincushions upon which the rest of the goodies would go.

Around about this point things start to get very messy in the nook!

The pincushions, however, seem to be falling into place. . . . .

. . . . .as they welcomed an entire tribe of Candlelite Sweeties! Happy Birthday!!!

Field Trip Part II

2011-09-08T12:29:00.006-04:00

Mid July found me headed back to Seawright Gardens in hopes of seeing some of those plein air painters busy at their craft.

Alas, while the daylily fields had indeed transformed from this. . . .

. . . . . to this abundance of blossoms,
not a single artist was in sight!

Good thing I brought a few of my own!
This beauty was by one of my all time favorite artists. . . . .

dear hubby!

Close on his heels, however, is a new and rising "all star" . . . . .

dear daughter!

Sorting. . . . .

2011-09-01T14:06:00.013-04:00

September 1st already?!!!

Delivered my (not-so) wee ones off to school this morning and returned to a house that was empty for the first time in 9 weeks. Strange coincidence that
I've been absent around these parts for that same duration?

I think not. . .
. . those kiddos did a great job keeping me hopping, skipping, jumping, and especially driving this summer!

Today, however, I had 5 blessed hours of freedom ahead of me.
I suppose I should have utilized this time tackling one of the 1,000,000's of
tasks on the ever growing "to -do" list.

I decided to sort buttons instead.

Lots of buttons.

Lots of quiet.

Lots of remembering all the things I had wanted to write here. . .
. . .but didn't.

And yet. . .

There are things I want to be able to look back on and share.
There are oodles of photos on my computer waiting to be sorted.
There are many more school days in September.

Therefore, bear with me if you will as I indulge myself
in a month of reminiscing. . . .

Field Trip!

2011-06-29T13:12:00.020-04:00

Have wellies. . . .

. . . . .will travel!

Thus without further ado we were off to the R. Seawright Gardens
where hostas and daylilies flourish,

. . . and little red wagons await a helping hand to lead them through the wooded paths!

The shady hosta gardens are cool and refreshing on a hot summer day,

feature a tremendous variety of plants,

and some new inspiration as to how one might arrange them!

The wee folk in our party, however, found this small pond . . . .

. . . . . and its residents of far greater interest.

Eventually the woods gave way to endless fields of daylilies.

Rumor has it they will be in full blossom round about the second week in July
and that plein air painters will flock
to the glorious site!

After numerous loops around the farm it was time to make our final selections.

Which came with a few would-be stowaway worms!

Kiosk in sight. . . . .

. . . . .the little red wagon was toted along the last leg of our adventure,

after which it happily returned to his comrades-in-arms.

Springtime Sluggishness

2011-05-04T12:39:00.013-04:00

The deep freeze of winter settled well into my bones this year and the defrosting process seemed to take forever. Most days found me scrambling to get a move on and accomplish something. . . . . . anything! Project baskets remained sparse, blog posts ideas floated away unwritten, laundry piled up, and the poor house longed for open windows and a bout of spring cleaning. With the arrival of May Day, however, I decided enough was enough and headed out to discover I wasn't the only mama in arrears. . . . .

. . . . . Mother Nature herself must have been playing hookie as well! Just look at the condition of the lilacs I discovered! A sad state of affairs when compared to . . . . .

. . . . . this glorious blossom that meet me on last year's May Day romp.

I did find violas in abundance but the hostas have just barely begun to unfold.

The faithful Forsythia was still in flower. . . . .

. . . . .and our runt of an apple tree had a special surprise. For the first time ever in its three years with us blossoms have actually made an appearance! Whether or not apples will follow matters not for this little miracle was enough to finally thaw me out to the core!

With motivation in hand I headed out back to our 4x4 garden plot. Anyone remember the brief mention I made of it last year? Unfortunately we had a bit of a late start on the square foot gardening endeavor and so missed out on a harvest of peas and spinach. This year, however, I'm just on time. With a quick once over to remove the bits of last year's plantings and a restringing of the plots, all was set for some early seeds. Now we have something to look forward to! Liking how that felt set me to work on a bit more in the planning department. . . . .

. . . . . dates were set to sow a few more flowers out and about the yard and a wish list of New England houses it would be fun to visit during the summer holiday was created.

A lucky find at an antique shop (thanks mom!) this book has me ever so excited to explore the delightful dwellings of Dickinson, Hawthorne, and Alcott. To be honest I've already been to Alcott's Orchard House several times but since hubby has yet to set foot in the enchanted domicile I think it would be fun to take him. If I sugar coat it with a lunch date I'm sure a good time will be had by all!

Another lucky find was this one made by me....(thanks me!) The buttons I snatched up without a second thought but the fabric had me in a tizzy. It was a lot of five pieces, four had been stitched at some point in time into curtain panels while the fifth was apparently the leftover yardage. I loved the print immediately and was envisioning cottage curtains before I even realized the preliminary stitching had already been done by someone else of like mind. Buying them, however, would mean a change up in my current window treatment situation and change of any sort I tend to avoid. I have come to learn that seemingly harmless purchases, such as a bundle of vintage fabric, can oh so easily lead to full scale redecorating endeavours involving furniture shifting, painting, chalking, and of course a catastrophe or two in the process.

But this little detail on the selvage was so endearing. . . . .

. . . . .as was the sweet pattern name of "Sunnyhill," that all caution was thrown to the wind and home it came with me. With the bright sunny days of summer ahead who knows, I might actually be inspired into a bit of redecorating. . . . .

With a Sigh of Relief.....

2011-03-22T18:52:00.004-04:00

. . . . . I have returned to let you know all's well, ends well. My portion of the program last Saturday went off without a hitch. The women at the doll club were so friendly and welcoming it felt more of a chat session than the school time oral presentation I was having nightmares over. The Lilies were well received and had an opportunity to meet up with some very exquisite Hitties at the tea party that followed. Such fun ensued that I stayed far longer than anticipated.

Upon my eventual return home that night I promised the kids I would not put a hand to needle, thread, keyboard, or mouse for the rest of the weekend. Instead a trip to the mall, a Mexican meal, and a movie marathon had been planned. In order to make a '"sweet" contribution to our family fun, I took to the baking cupboard. Having recently gone gluten-free this is not quite as simple as it once was. Our long standing favorites are greatly missed, especially Fanny Farmer's fabulous "Lazy Daisy Cake." Digging through the ingredients on hand, however, I found I had the makings for an "Easy French Apple Pie." I also found something else...look close...closer...do you see it?

My pen! I remember now this seemed a safe place to secretly stash it while I was putting away the few groceries I had also acquired during that outing. Seemed as if happy endings were abundant. . . . the Lilies were a success, I'd found my pen, and. . . .

. . . . .the apple pie was a success! So much so in fact, only a tiny sliver remained to accompany my tea time this afternoon.

Paired up with the task of preparing tags for some new listings I was able to stretch out the moments between spoonfuls, savoring each and every bite!

Finally, with prep work behind me and tummy content it was time to turn my attention to encouraging a few more happy endings. Lily June (seen back there with her knitting) was listed in the shop in hopes of finding her very own home sweet home. Hollie Belle will soon follow in her heals as she too looks for her happily ever after!

All Done!

2011-03-18T23:33:00.001-04:00

Well not quite. . . . . now I have to pack it all up!

Tiny Tags!

2011-03-17T21:03:00.004-04:00

Knowing I had a some tag making tasks ahead of me and also knowing all of my favorite Pigma Micron pens have gone missing ever since the kiddos discovered how well they work, I popped into Joann's this morning and picked up a brand new one just for me! I love the 0.25 mm size best as it is just right for delicate work. In order to keep it safe from all the heavy hands and sticky fingers in the house I squirreled it away someplace really safe and out of sight as soon as I came in the door. Unfortunately several hours later when I was ready to start scripting away I'd already forgotten where I'd put it! In the end I had to scrounge up an old, slightly mangled Micron from the crayon box and make it do.

Handy Helpers

2011-03-16T22:10:00.003-04:00

A few of the girlies worked on the display today

leaving me free to take a bit of a break!

Almost.....

2011-03-15T22:01:00.002-04:00

Late at night with Lily Lucinda. . . . .

have decided to leave the last little stitches for the light of a new day.

Sewing Aside....

2011-03-14T23:37:00.003-04:00

What to say, what to say? Am suddenly having flashbacks to my Oral Communications class in high school and wondering why in the world I didn't make the connection between "giving a presentation" and talking in front of a group of people. The homework table had an extra "student" this evening, unfortunately this one sat down and proceeded to plagiarize the article she wrote last year in order to assure she had some words to send out of her mouth come Saturday! The kids thought it was a riot. All I could think of was sweaty palms and a twisted tongue.

Pincushion Petite Fours

2011-03-13T20:41:00.002-04:00

The Bitty Belles are complete!

New Arrivals!

2011-03-12T17:05:00.003-05:00

A hearty welcome to Miss Lily Maud who made her first appearance earlier this afternoon. She was soon followed by our mail delivery in which I discovered a small parcel just for me! Inside was the most delightful copy of Rumer Godden's book The Doll's House, an absolute all time favorite of mine. The story centers on Tottie, a little wooden doll, and the dollhouse that arrives into the lives of her and the small family of dolls to which she belongs. The illustrations, by Tasha Tudor, are charming of course but the fact that some of them were originally printed in color something I never knew until today!

This and That

2011-03-11T22:38:00.005-05:00

Finding myself short a few little friendly faces brought the opportunity for some pleasant painting.

Finishing touches by way of signing Mary's cushion base and bestowing her lamb with a bitty blossom.

Affixing fabric tags to the ditty bags.

Hunting and Gathering

2011-03-10T19:11:00.003-05:00

Although my body was fairly stationary as I sat making tiny stitches today, my mind ran a marathon! At first I attempted putting my mental lists to paper but eventually decided putting my feet to action would be far more productive. Considering there are a mere 8 days left it wouldn't hurt to start working on a display and so I raided the house of a shelf or two, found a few props from when I did craft shows, and collected up all the bits and pieces that would go along with the presentation. It's all still a bit jumbled and in need of some organization but at least my brain is free and clear now to focus on finishing up all the WIPs that have taken over the sewing nook.

Handmade Husbandry

2011-03-09T21:32:00.004-05:00

Mary had a little lamb

whose fleece was made of felt,

And every time he looked at her

her heart was sure to melt!

Have Tray Will Travel

2011-03-08T20:49:00.005-05:00

With a wee one under the weather and home from school sequestering myself up in the nook for the day was out of the question. Instead I snagged a handy tray onto which I gathered up a pile of the pincushion bases (or "lily pads" as I've taken to calling them) along with an assortment of the threads, ruffles, and trims needed to deck them out properly. I then proceeded to plop myself downstairs where I could accompany my little sick friend. Its been our long standing rule that he who is sick gains control of the remote and so I stitched and he sniffled while we both shuddered at the creatures encountered through the space/time anomalies of BBC's Primeval!

Pint Sized Pillows

2011-03-07T22:11:00.006-05:00

Although it rained outside for a good portion of the day, the sewing nook was alive with busy bees. While I directed my attention to the completion of more pincushion dolls, Lucy and Lily Red put their tiny but talented hands to work in the production of patchwork pillows. At this rate they'll have a good sized pile ready for show and tell on the 19th. Hope I'm as proficient in my progress!

Miniature Millinery

2011-03-06T16:09:00.004-05:00

I spent far more time than expected in the creation of a hat for one of the Belles. It was my heart's desire for her to have a ruffled dust cap like the one worn by Lily Marie. Unfortunately scaling it down to the appropriate size remains beyond my capabilities. Someday I'll try again using a fine batiste which may prove easier to gather up than my quilting cotton did. As an alternative I created this petite pilgrim bonnet and do believe I like it so much I'll have to work next on scaling it up to a Lily size!

But for now I introduce you to Stella Belle, the first of the 11 pincushion dolls I plan to have ready for the program now just 13 days in the future!

Helping Hands

2011-03-05T19:30:00.003-05:00

I am happy to report last night's sewing agenda was completed without a glitch which means not only are Nellie and Sally Anne finally clothed but my Gail Wilson Basic Doll kit is now officially complete! Considering it's been more than two years since I first began posting my progress on this endeavour you can imagine those two were quite delighted. Wanting to spread their good cheer they volunteered to assist me this afternoon in designing some wee wearables for the Belles. . . . . . help for which I was quite grateful!

Story Hour

2011-03-04T17:29:00.005-05:00

News of the Hitty Tea Party has everyone in the sewing nook clamoring to join in on the adventure! My book was blatantly confiscated by the little group leaving me to turn my attention to the pressing matters of Miss Nellie and Sally Anne. . . . . .

. . . . for under no circumstances are they prepared to attend any function in their current state of undress! And so I shall spend the evening fashioning out their camisole and petticoats all the while telling myself that time's a plenty with 15 days to go.

Sewing Nook on the Move!

2011-03-03T18:59:00.004-05:00

Today I played "Taxi Mom." Between the kid's criss-cross schedules and my own fun visit to the dentist (ha ha) I do believe I spent more time in the car than at home. Lucky for me my handwork is quite portable and so those often wasted blocks of waiting could be put to good use. A few stitches here and there added up quite nicely giving me a good dent in the lace trim on little aprons and such. And in between those I treated myself to a bit of reading, or rereading to be precise. Yes, once again, I am dancing through the days of Hitty's adventures, this time in preparation of a special Hitty Tea Party to which the Lilies and I have been invited following their program 16 days from now!

Dolly Dishes.....

2011-03-02T18:34:00.005-05:00

Today I gathered up a trio of dessert dishes and set about filling them with the sweet makings of a few Bitty Belles. Smaller cousins to the Pick-a-Lilies, they not only perform pincushion duty but also "sing out" a little jingle when jiggled (I stitch a few tiny bells into the folds of their skirts!) You can pop over here for a peek at one I sold in the shop many moons ago or just wait a bit till I finish up these little dearies sometime in the next 17 days I have left!

18 Days and Counting......

2011-03-01T17:35:00.004-05:00

. . . . . down to the mid March deadline! I've decided possibly the best way to keep myself on track would be commit to a daily posting of each day's productivity and I'm happy to report that today's creativity has spilled beyond the "cuppa" and into an entire collection of bowls. The goal here being to create a mini army of Lilies for that is whom the deadline ultimately concerns. They've been asked to present a program for the Nellie W. Perkins Doll and Miniature Society and are hoping to do so en masse (strength in numbers you know!) Often the Lilies tend to be quite timid so I shall have to be sure to create a few with stronger personalities to help carry the show. We have another little helper in mind but that will wait for another day. . . . . .

A Cuppa......

2011-02-28T12:17:00.007-05:00

Most things around here start with a cuppa. Earl Grey helps me greet the sunrise and the day ahead while dear hubby never heads out on his commute without coffee from Little Peach. Company calls for the kettle to be put on so as to commence our cozy chit chat while the kiddies clamour for cocoa to initiate their warm up after a romp in the snow. And when the cold season comes a knocking on our door nothing sets about the healing process better than an herbal with lemon and honey.

February seems to have literally flown out the window. . . . . hopefully taking the worst of the weather and persistent flu bugs with it! But now, with a mid March deadline looming and a nearly depleted Esty shop its time to dig in and get down to work and so I've decided what better way to start than with a "cuppa creativity!"

Snowed in.....

2011-01-27T18:08:00.002-05:00

. . . . . AGAIN!!!

Although the sun eventually showed up the poor postman didn't.
Couldn't is probably more like it!

Missing...but in Action!

2011-01-16T09:59:00.023-05:00

Was I ever surprised to pop on here and see I'd failed to post a single word since November! Boy did that time ever fly by. . . . with the days full of finish work, festivities, and feasting and the nights more of the same, sleep was minimal for a while there. Having now, however, granted myself a bit of a Rip Van Winkle respite I find myself awake and ready for action (or at least ready to share some tidbits of the activity that occurred in my absence!)

My exploration into the world of paperclay was great fun. Many different cat heads were sculpted and painted in the process. The whimsical and cartoonish ones were a blast but in order to best depict the features of a Siamese Snowshoe I decided to go in a different direction an thus ended up with a bit more realistic. . . . .

. . . . . Knittin' Kitten!

I also spent some time working with a feline of another sort. . . . . The Cat in the Hat!

The Dr. Seuss fabric line was a hoot to work with and simply hollered out for the fun addition of some red pom pom trim.

With orders completed and delivered it was finally time to welcome in the holidays and all of the goodies that arrive with them. The most frequently received gifts from under the tree this year were books (as usual) and Lego's. . . . . .which very quickly animated themselves. . . . .

. . . . . and took over the entire house!

Even the tree itself was stormed by a troop of Bioicles.

If only their forces could have been rounded up and put to use during one of the several snow events we've endured. With 15+ inches on the ground. . . . .

. . . . .all able bodies were needed in the shoveling department!

For awhile there it seemed if I wasn't shoveling, I was sewing and my project pile was about as deep as the snow.

So it was back to the ironing board in an attempt to fill a big ole basket up with some Itty Bitty pincushions. Enjoyable work though it was I found myself quite distracted by this. . . . .

. . . . . one of the more addicting books received in this year's booty. It's the first Bill Bryson book I've read but certainly not to be my last. You wouldn't believe how many tea time breaks I took in order to sneak down from the sewing nook and peruse a few more of it's pages. Until, that is, I came to his explanation of the phrase "room and board."

Apparently before dining tables were as we know them, meals were served from nothing more than a board of wood placed upon the diners' knees. Quite space efficient, the board could then be hung on a wall between services. To offer someone room and board therefore meant to house and feed them. My brain can't fathom feeding my gang from a plank of wood balanced on their knees but it did put the portable nature of a board to practical use.

And so my handy June Taylor pressing board went on a journey. Farewells were made to the sewing nook and we soon settled upon the dining room table. With such a wide open surface I was able to spread out my projects alongside of my book which allowed me to practically sew and read at the same time!

Before I knew it the tiny cushions were falling into place,

filling up,

and ready to head out to Candlelite Quilts where they'll happily await the delightful folks that pass through the doors. With their cheery disposition and shiny buttons I have no fear they'll do their best to entice someone sweet to give them a home, leaving me free to indulge in an afternoon "At Home" with Mr. Bryson!

Inspirations

2010-11-27T00:04:00.006-05:00

It's that time of the year when I find myself hunkered down and working in production line fashion on special orders for the upcoming holiday season. A fair majority of them are based on previous creations which gives a familiar "old hat" feel to the process. The bits and pieces here, for example, went into making dear little. . . . .

. . . . . Lily Beth, a brown-eyed version of Lily Olive. Lily Olive is actually the only Pick-a-Lily doll I have kept for myself. Having been lucky enough to have herself featured in the pages of Art Doll Quarterly last spring, however, has made her the inspiration behind several requests for such kissing cousin versions.

Other times special orders lead me to discover new frontiers. A request for a "Pick-a-Kitty" inspired me to purchase my very first package of paperclay from which I'm now attempting to sculpt the perfect head for the job.

The stuff is actually quite fun and has me pondering a plethora of possible paperclay projects for the future!

Often times the receipt of something special inspires me into action. This sweet mini quilt and coaster set, gifted to me by my dear quilt swap buddy over at Humble Needle, was the motivation behind. . . . .

. . . . .the hosting of an Autumnal Tea Party!

And this purchase of a vintage address book, in such perfect condition only its lack of notation columns for cell phones and e-mail addresses shows its age. . . . .

. . . . . is proving to be a wonderful incentive to get my Christmas cards out on time this year!

One of my favorite spots to visit for inspiration is over Flutterby Patch's way. She has always got something creative up her sleeve and is such a dear to share all the delightful details of her endeavours with us. Most recently she offered up a free pattern for a wee topsy turvey doll. Being that she designed it with the beginning knitter in mind and that I happened to have both the yarn and the needles required. . . . .

. . . . . how could I resist giving it a go? And with a bit more perseverance. . . . .

. . . . . I have no doubt I'll soon have a new dolly to hold up in my hands as well!

Painting in Progress.....

2010-11-07T17:00:00.003-05:00

. . . . . .of one sort. . . . .

. . . . . .and another!

Weaving...

2010-10-15T15:42:00.007-04:00

My favorite poem of all time is most definitely "The Lady of Shallot" by Tennyson. During my college years I took a class in Victorian poetry where this was but one of many that we dissected into bits and pieces. Lucky for me all that dreadful analyzing failed to burst the romantic bubble I'd created in my own mind concerning this piece. I first saw reference to it in the pages of "Anne of Green Gables." Then, several years later, when Keven Sullivan's adaptation of the book came out I was giddy with delight to see he chose to have Anne reading the poem in the opening scene. What a great job Megan Follows did in this role!

All romantic notions aside, however, I do believe it is the aspect of weaving in "The Lady of Shallot" that has made the most indelible mark on me. Now aside from childhood hours spent with my potholder loom and loops kit I have never in my life actually woven anything. I've drooled a lot though. . . . . especially in school where my adviser's office was at the back of the textile room. Walking through that sea of floor looms to meet with her made my head spin. Needless to say, when it came time to sit down and plan out the direction of my own future my focus was shot. For five years I floated through the studies of graphic design, illustration, and art education before finally settling myself in the field of art history. But not once did I ever consider Textile Design. And so I don't weave. . . . . but I love anything woven. . . . .things like gingham and baskets especially. Which must explain why I head directly to the pile of baskets first off at each and every yard sale I attend.

It's quite good when you find one to your liking with a handle because then you have the perfect tote for all the other goodies soon to be discovered.

Goodies like these for the making of a tea time get together. . . .

. . . . or these for the making of some dolly's wee wearable.

This item, however, stumped me. Being a basket, of course I loved it, but the color was what made it a must have! Unfortunately I was having difficultly reasoning out it's purpose...to find a way to weave it into the fabric of my days if you will.

And then I found treasure!

Now I really didn't need another sewing machine but oh that color! Combined with the fact that. . . . . .

. . . . it was made in England. . . . .

. . . . . in the year I was born. . . . . and cost only $25. . . . .SOLD!!!

In my excitement I made the purchase without a thought as to it's working condition. Once home, however, I set up shop only to discover it performed beautifully! I've since named her Bluebell and can't wait to dress up that little basket into a pincushion for her.

Maybe it's a good thing I'm not a weaver. Squeezing another Singer in the sewing nook is one thing, a floor loom on the other hand. . . . . I'd be hard pressed to even squeeze it into the house!

And so I'll stitch by night and day

A magic quilt of colors gay.

Farmer's Wife Follow Up.....

2010-09-18T17:51:00.006-04:00

I had such high hopes of playing the roll of Farmer's Wife in our yard this year. Endless days of weeding, transplanting, harvesting vegetables, and decorating the house with flowers from the dooryard stretched before me. Then, however, the heat arrived. . . . . . . .and never left! The much anticipated summer rainstorms were few and far between so while I languished in the house like a limp rag everything outside burnt to a crisp. Apparently my endurance level is nowhere near on par with that of Willa Cather's Antonia Shimerda, although I've often wished it were so! But no, I'm afraid my gardening endeavours this year consisted in not much more than the creation of endless Bitty Blossom Pins while planting myself directly in front of the fan!

Looking back, the only task I actually completed was that of cleaning up the shed. (No comment on the red gingham curtains.)

Oh well, maybe I'm more of a "Cowboy's Wife" like Grace Snyder. Probably not but I'm still looking forward to hunkering down into the long winter months with a quilt project and a good book!

Treasure Hunting

2010-09-12T19:58:00.005-04:00

I attended the Southern NH Doll Show and Sale today with my mom. We go every year and always discover the sweetest treasures to bring home. Today was no different. . . . . . just look at this amazing nursery rhyme cup and saucer from England! I'm still pinching myself to make sure I didn't dream up this lucky find.

My mom found quite a sweetheart in this wee wooden "paper dollie." I just love her sparkly eyes and rosy mouth. I also love the fact that mom gave her to me as an early birthday present!

And who could possibly resist a miniature village? Not me!

As if all this wasn't enough. . . . .

. . . . . there was even a bitty baby house just right for Lily Red!

Home Sweet Home!

Shop's Open.....

2010-09-03T13:18:00.006-04:00

. . . . . and I'm celebrating the event throughout the entire month of September. If interested pop on over to my wee little nook of Etsy for a look see at some of the new goodies. In addition to the daily listings of these items I've also planned a few extra fun surprises along the way.

September 6th marks my two year anniversary at Etsy! In honor of the occasion I'll be re-posting some of my pieces from those early days. . . . . only this time at reduced SALE prices.

September 16th is my birthday! Yipee for me!!! Especially exciting is the fact that Lily Red has offered to take over the shop for the day in order to gift me with a holiday break. Rumor has it she's got something special to share with you as well!

September 26th brings with it the return of the Pick-a-Lilies! They have been enjoying an extended summer break around and about, picking up some new friends along the way. It sure will be good to see their little faces in the sewing nook once again.

As before, Friday Finds will be posted weekly. Thursdays, however, may prove to be more exciting for on those days I will reveal a "Newfangled Notion" or some other such needful thing never before seen in the shop!

ENJOY!!!

Miniature Quilt Exchange...for the Second Time!

2010-08-01T07:06:00.011-04:00

After a week of great anticipation and excitement Karen and I have received our swap quilts from each other. My little package arrived on Friday and look what a treasure I found inside!

Do you recall the hint I told you about? Well, she also shared with me the fact that I would probably recognize the pattern of the little quilt once I set eyes on it. For the last few days before its arrival I racked my brain trying to guess what it could be, knowing it must be something quite familiar to me. Within minutes of having it in my hands, however, she was oh so right! In fact, I had only a quick trip to my bedside table to confirm my suspicion in the pages of Kathleen Tracy's delightful book, Prairie Children and their Quilts. Sure enough, there I discovered the vintage photo hint that had so haunted me as well as the Game Board Quilt I now had in my possession! Such a meticulous job she did in her fabric selections and placements one would have to do a double take to determine whether or not it was in fact the exact quilt featured in the book!

It wasn't until yesterday's photo shoot that I discovered this additional little tidbit of "coincidence?" For there, pictured on the back cover of Tracy's book I found not only my recently received Game Board Quilt but also an image of the Broken Dishes Quilt which inspired my piece to her last year! Have a look see for yourself!

And the similarities don't stop there. . . . . see this snippet of calico Karen placed in the corner here?

Well. . . . .in the early morning hours of those horrid, hot, and humid July days. . . . .

. . . . .as I sat down to my quilting and hoped for even the slightest breeze to pass through the window. . . . .

. . . . .I seem to recall a similar snippet in a corner awaiting my needle! Truth be told they both came from the same cut of fabric. I had found a bolt of it several years ago and fell in love! It was amazingly reminiscent of a favorite calico dress I'd worn to absolute shreds during college. I bought far more of the fabric than I needed and so eventually used up a good portion of it on quilt backings in some kits. When Karen caught sight of it in one such of these quilt kits she expressed a similar fondness for the print and asked if I might have some extra to spare, which of course I did! How funny that we both now re-shared the print with each other in our new quilts when it very easily could have turned out otherwise.

We first set up the terms and conditions of this second quilt swap in April. The following two months were abundant with false starts and numerous trips to the quilt store. While any excuse to buy fabric is most welcome I found I was unable to settle on a collection of prints or even a pattern to work with. I was becoming a Goldilocks of sorts. . . . .too bright, too dark. . . . . too abstract, too traditional. . . . . too disjointed, too much the same. And then, by chance I happened upon a reference to Russell H. Conwell and his most popular lecture, "Acres of Diamonds." Conwell retells the story of a farmer who, in his intense desire for riches, sells off his property and heads out in search of diamonds only to meet with misfortune and death in the end. Meanwhile, the man who purchased the farm from him spends his days tending to the work at hand in the fields and in doing so soon discovers his beloved acres are literally filled with diamonds.

Now, farm girl wannbe that I am, I took this "dig in your own backyard" philosophy to heart and promptly headed not to the store but to my fabric stash instead where numerous treasures were awaiting my discovery!

A sweet blue polka dot by Moda that so matched Lily Red's skirt that she promptly sent me right back to Candlelite to purchase two more yards of it just because we might need it someday!

My cherished "Red Daisy" print that arrived from who knows where but that I've carefully divvied up in order to have enough to someday complete a tiny hand stitched log cabin quilt featuring the blossoms in each center square.

The sage green and floral print fabrics used in the creation of Miss Lily Olive.

What I affectionately call "Periwinkle Rose" was acquired not from a bolt but by scavenging every last fat quarter from each of the three different Jo-ann Fabrics within driving distance of my house. I REALLY loved this print! You can imagine my excitement therefore when I purchased a bundle of vintage scraps off Etsy only to discover a small piece so similar I can't help but wonder if it wasn't the direct inspiration behind this newer version.

The green micro check was picked up long before I had received my Gail Wilson Hitty kit in hopes that it would someday serve as the perfect dress upon which an assortment of pinafores could be featured. Alas, almost a whole year has gone by since my birthday and poor Hitty is still awaiting my attention. Assortment of pinafores. . . . ha. . . . . the poor thing hasn't even got a body!

Along with collecting fabrics I've always enjoyed picking up bits and pieces of assorted dishware. After sorting through more than twenty boxes of the stuff stashed in the basement this week I have since decided I need to put a limit on this habit once and for all. Lids without sugar bowls, saucers with out cups, pitchers in duplicate (and I'm afraid to admit the occasional triplicate) have got to go. We are going to have one doozy of a yard sale next week! The one china pattern I won't be parting with is my Blue Willow, although I was more than happy to share a morsel of some matching fabric for Karen's quilt. I purchased a yard of it at the Lowell Quilt Festival more than seven years ago but can you believe this was the first cut I ever made into it!

I was amazed at how many fabric "gems" I found stashed away, more than enough for a miniature quilt. There was of course no question by this point as to the pattern choice and so the cutting began...in the shape of diamonds of course!

Summer Stitching

2010-07-28T13:39:00.005-04:00

As you may or may not have noticed from the sidebar I've decided to put my little Etsy shop on summer holiday. As a family we've dedicated the month of August to finally cleaning out our dungeon of a basement in hopes of creating a finished room down there for the kids. While I'll admit it's no small task (think Hoarders) we won't forget to throw in some fair weather fun as well. This, however, does not mean I intend to abandon my sewing nook. Instead I'm excited to use this time to work on some new projects and build up a bit of stock for a "Grand Re-Opening Celebration" come September when school starts up again.

The patchwork pincushion above is one such project. Do you recognize the fabrics from my pantry skirt? I loved working with them so much I put the scraps to good use! All that's left is to finish off the crochet picot trim and then I'll try some more cushions in different color schemes. Maybe something a little more cheery? I'm also debating trying out a bit of hand quilting across the patchwork tops . . . . . hmmm. . . . .could that be because. . . . .

. . . . .I've had such a good time quilting this! Unfortunately I can only show you this little snippet of the piece as it's currently en route to Karen from Humble Needle for our 2nd annual miniature quilt exchange. And since I imagine she might pop in here for a visit I want to keep it a surprise. I figure a little peek is ok, especially since she gave me this hint oh so long ago. I haven't the foggiest idea what to expect but I can't wait to see it!

Playing Hookie.....

2010-07-09T14:36:00.002-04:00

On our umpteenth day of excessive heat and humidity.

Can't sew.

Can't write.

Can't remember ever being this hot!

The only escape is in the pages of a good book . . .

. . . thank goodness for this one.

Two Down!

2010-06-16T17:47:00.006-04:00

While the kiddies are in their final count down to the end of school, I got to do something I haven't done in a very long time. . . . . head off to a classroom!!! Yes last Saturday was my first meeting of The Farmer's Wife Club. With great anticipation I loaded up my tote bag with goodies and made my way over to Candlelite Quilts.

While not officially a "class" there were plenty of new techniques for me to discover. Making templates from which to cut each piece individually was definitely an eye opener and has given me a far greater appreciation for all the patchwork done prior to the days of the rotary cutter! I'm sure they didn't have the pleasure of using a sandboard back then either and that's too bad because now that I've been introduced to it I can't imagine trying to trace onto fabric without one. The most surprising tidbit, however, was the concept that one shouldn't do more than to lightly press straight down on a piece of patchwork when using an iron. Shocking! Or at least for me, a huge fan of working my iron into all the little nooks and crannies of my patchwork blocks in order to make them lie flat as a pancake. Apparently, by doing so I am stretching the fabrics out of the proportions so carefully created by sticking to the seam allowances. Unfortunately, I do believe it's going to be very hard for me to kick the ironing habit. I've already cheated a teeny bit . . . . . but at least I know now why I can never seem to have precise piecing when it comes time to assemble my blocks all together!

By the end of the day I had two, slightly wrinkled, 6.5" blocks completed. I present you with Evening Star (#31) and Autumn Tints (#2). Now only 109 to go!

The Farmer's Wife

2010-06-05T19:31:00.014-04:00

Inspired by Lily Red's new quilt I've decided I want one for my bed as well. One small problem. . . . . the scale at which I tend to work is far from conducive to creating a queen sized patchwork piece. The idea of working in such a large scale, in fact, terrifies me. I'm not quite sure how to begin, am uncertain about maintaining my motivation, and find it difficult to even imagine being able to complete such a feat. So I've enlisted some help by joining The "Farmer's Wife" Club over at Candlelite Quilts. Based on the book by Laurie Aaron Hird, in which excerpts from real letters written by farm wives in the 1920's are paired up with inspired patchwork blocks, the group will meet once a month for the next year. At the end we will each have a minimum of 24 completed blocks and some new tips and tricks up our sleeves. I'll still have a ways to go in order to complete the 111 blocks needed for the queen sized version but hopefully I'll have developed the confidence to charge on to the end by myself. The very first meeting is next weekend and I can hardly wait to get started. In the meantime I'm gathering up fabrics, reading the letters, and imagining life as a farmer's wife.

Now considering our property consists of a mere 1700 square yards, the chances of cultivating such a lifestyle would seem quite slim but there is still plenty of outdoor work to occupy our time. In the short ten minutes it took me to survey our entire lot I found enough projects to last us the entire summer. The front dooryard for instance is in serious need of some tweaking. Bushes, flowers, and herbs that were planted several years ago have outgrown their locations and need to be either thinned or transplanted.

The walkways and cobblestone pathways are in desperate need of some weeding.

Pots everywhere are lacking a new selection of annuals and I'm thinking a few patchwork pillows would really cheer the bench up (and make it a bit more comfortable!)

Out back the shed stands as the keystone to a multitude of tasks. The very first thing I see every time I look at it is the lack of a curtain in the window. Lack of red gingham to make one is not, however, an issue so its time I buckled down and did it. The clematis on the corner has really thrived these past two years. Although originally a withered stick of a thing rescued from Walmart's clearance section, I now have visions of training it's vines to climb along the left hand wall of the shed. A small crop of sunflowers on the other side would be lovely as well.

Here a proper trash area made out of brick would hopefully make it a bit more difficult for the raccoons to topple the barrels over and wreak havoc with the contents.

Behold a mess of another sort, and one for which I can't blame on the raccoons. This definitely needs to reckoned with!

The removal of our yard debris remains to be dealt with. Times were that it could be bagged and delivered to a local tree nursery for use in their giant compost pile. Now, out of business, the moment has come for us to maintain a compost bin of our own. And the black gold we hope to mine from such and endeavor?

Why it will head directly into our raised garden beds. Actually we only have one this year. . . the square foot gardening concept was recommended to us by a friend so we figured we'd give it a trial run. If all goes well we hope to add two more beds next year and be able to have a full blown harvest.

And what is a farmer's wife to wear when she's out in the back 40. . . . .why a wrap dress of course! I've wanted one of these for ages, ever since discovering the romantic creations of MALPHIE. This version from Target doesn't have near the charm that her creations do but I thought replacing those jeans with a proper pair of bloomers might improve the look which led me directly to one of my favorite farmers of all times. . . . .

Mary Jane Butters! Her magazine is one of the prettiest around and I save each and every issue to reread over and over again. That must be how I remembered she once featured and article on pantaloons. And so it was that a brief respite spent poking through their pages provided not only the desired pattern but also a wonderful reminder that "farmgirl" is a condition of the heart and that no matter where you find yourself it is always best to "bloom where your planted."

Hands to Work

2010-05-22T18:51:00.006-04:00

I've had such fun on my little patchwork project! To my surprise, however, it was the process of crocheting a lace trim edge that gave me the most satisfaction.

So much so in fact that I convinced Lucy to let me have at her tiny quilt and add a bit of trim work there as well. That one whipped up in a jiffy so before I knew it I was free to head downstairs and complete the final step on my piece. . . . .

. . . . . by hanging it up in the pantry! If you recall I was bothered by a certain lack of "charm" once the pantry re-do was complete. I'm quite pleased with this result if I don't say so myself. Having always wanted a kitchen sink with a skirt hanging beneath it, but never the style of kitchen conducive to such a decorating delight, I find this to be a nice substitute. Unfortunately that trim work I was so fond of making earlier this morning seems to get lost in the shadow a bit.

Good thing for me I get to wash the floor every week. . . . .down there on my hands and knees I'll be sure to get a real good close up look!

No sooner had the pantry skirt gone up than Lucy could be heard calling for assistance with a bit of wrapping. Bundled up tidy in a wee bit of seam binding it was easy to tote over to Wayside Cottage where Lily Red welcomed her new gift with open arms!

And while those two wasted no time putting their hands to work making up a proper bed, I enlisted the help of another set of wee hands to help me with the last (and most exciting) task of the day. . . . .

. . . . .picking the winner of the Quilting Bee Giveaway! Happy, hearty congratulations to Lina!!!
I can't wait to post out your ditty bag of goodies so please e-mail me with your address.

Busy Bees

2010-05-20T19:06:00.005-04:00

The upcoming giveaway has everyone doing their part! Lovely comments and quite a few book recommendations are being shared by sweet readers as they enter to be the lucky winner.

One stitch at a time I'm making headway on a special patchwork project of my own...one I'm especially excited about because I'm going to give it to myself!

And finally, in true "Persian Pickle Club" fashion little Lucy is hosting an official quilting bee right here in the sewing nook. I do believe, given a few more stitches and some CAREFUL snipping of thread tails, Lily Red's big surprise will be complete!

Quilting Bee Giveaway!

2010-05-12T10:59:00.013-04:00

I must admit, Lucy's fabric jumble was quite a job to tackle! At long last, however, it was tamed, tidied, and trimmed well enough to be snuggled into a wee ditty bag and toted away. Arriving at Bogg's Cottage I found Lucy's spirits were much improved. . . . .

"Why good day! Good day to you," I heard her call out. "I've had such a lovely time this morning amongst the lilacs. I'm cutting blossoms to bring indoors and seem to be quite an expert at it. Having the cottage overrun with their sweet smell will be much more agreeable than the fabric fiasco I created."

In no time at all her blossoms were bundled. "Is that for me?" she asked finally spying the wee ditty bag I'd toted along. "I do believe it must be for I see my name there right up front! How exciting!"

Thus without delay the contents were revealed. "I'm afraid there will be no more cutting to perform for awhile Lucy," I cautioned. "Piecing shall be your new task at hand for with some tiny stitches and a bit of time you'll be able to create a cozy quilt for Lily Red. I was able to salvage quite a bit of the fabric and cut it into squares. You need only trace the template and sew them together. It will be fun. . . . . so much so that I've decided to make a patchwork of my own to sew along with you. But wait, that's not all. . . . . "

"While cutting piecing strips from my own stash," I continued, "I realized what an abundance I've acquired over the years. So I kept cutting until a second ditty bag could be filled with a wide assortment of scrap pieces. This I thought would be fun to share with someone. . . . ."

". . . . . in our very own Quilting Bee Giveaway! To round out the scrap bag I even added a copy of an all time favorite read, The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. It's a fantastic quilting novel and the perfect inspiration for making do with scraps."

Lucy was game. "Count me in," she chirped.

Anyone else wishing to be counted in? It's ever so easy. . . . . just leave a comment. Do you have a favorite read of your own, especially one pertaining to quilting? Share it's title with me and you'll be entered twice! Comments will remain open through May 21st. Be sure to check back on Saturday, May 22 when the lucky winner will be announced!

May Day Surprises!

2010-05-01T23:08:00.005-04:00

After a week full of days spent cooped up in the sewing nook trying to make some sense out of Lucy's oodles and oodles of scraps, May Day offered the perfect excuse to escape for a romp in the garden.

It was lovely to see the violets have run absolutely wild among the hostas and hyacinths!

The lilacs were noticeable by smell as soon as I stepped foot around back. Given a few more days for them to bloom in full and I'll be hankering after a vase of them for the bedside.

It's always delightful to see the forget-me-nots make their appearance but stumbling upon these in the daisy patch reminded me it was time to get back to work on Lucy's fabric lest she think I forgot her. Headed once again up to the nook, I prepared myself for the jumbled mess I'd left behind. Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I was met instead by. . . . . .

. . . . . . a wild ruckus of Lilies! The mini troop of them had gathered around what appeared to be a new issue of Art Doll Quarterly, chattering and pointing with great enthusiasm.

And how could I blame them once the source of their excitement was revealed. A featured article on the Pick-a-Lily pincushion dolls was contained within its pages! I must admit, the news had me in a bit of a ruckus as well!

Pantry Love

2010-04-20T07:24:00.006-04:00

Last September this was an anniversary gift from dear hubby. Considering I have very little fondness for floral shop bouquets and even less of an interest in adorning myself in silver or gold this was absolutely perfect. However did he know exactly what to get me to make my heart swoon? It was quite simple really considering our long standing tradition of dinner and a shopping spree in which we each select our own gift. Most often we find ourselves in a bookstore on our special day, quite appropriate considering they have been a favorite date night destination throughout the entire twenty-five years we have known each other. This year was no different and so while I purchased a stinky old set of books on Russian history he paid for this little gem!

For months now I have drooled over the pages of The Pantry, wishing ever so much our little house had one of it's own. Catherine Seiberling Pond does an amazing job detailing all the glorious attributes of this architectural element of domestic order. There are numerous photos of butler's pantries, storerooms, larders, farmhouse butt'ries, Hoosiers, and "secret cupboards" where old closets with shelves have been outfitted as makeshift pantries. . . . . hold on one moment there....closets with shelves? Makeshift pantries? After numerous rereadings of the book, inspiration finally hit with my realization that I had a closet. . . . . old. . . with shelves. . . centrally located to the kitchen. I dashed down the hall and swung open the door to reveal. . . . .

. . . . .this. UGH! Luckily my stint with the bathroom redo had my confidence level peaking and so I dug in.

First things first, I removed the door which did a lot to brighten up the cubby and open up a new space for Stormy to explore. Although a bit concerned to discover his dog food had also been removed he didn't linger long since I'd decided the wire shelves had to go and that was not a pretty scene.

Each of the five shelves had five support brackets containing two screw anchors. Now I'm sure there's a tool out there specifically designed to remove unwanted screw anchors but I stubbornly tackled all 50 with pliers, several assorted screw drivers, and a drill. Needless to say a good amount of a wall putty was required to repair the damage but after several coats of paint it looked good as new.

I have to thank my dad for the installation of some "real" shelves and believe me this was no easy feat either!

Since the edges of the shelves had a rough cut to them I decided to finish them off a bit. I found Home Depot had a whole assortment of wooden trims to choose from which were easily cut to size and tacked on with a few finishing nails. A bit more painting followed by several days of drying and it was ready to go. . . . .

Canned goods, dry goods, fruits and vegetables all found a new home.

While crisp, clean, and a huge improvement over its previous state of existence, it's nowhere near as charming or nostalgic as those pictured in Pond's book. I've now set my mind on remedying the situation.

While contemplating what elements could be added Stormy returned to check on the status of his food storage. He was quite relieved to find it located second shelf from the bottom but it seemed another little soul was in distress. A wee whimpering could be heard in the distance and when followed lead me directly to . . . . .

. . . . . Bogg's Cottage. Upon first glance it was quite evident something was awry. My knocks went unnoticed, most likely due to the steady sobbing heard from within. After several calls up to little Lucy's window a faint response to let myself in was finally heard.

At the top of the stairs I found her, engulfed in a sea of fabric. "Oh I've ruined everything," she cried. "I was so excited to make something special for Lily Red that when I returned home from the store I couldn't wait to get started. But it seems once I began, I couldn't stop. I've gone absolutely scissor crazy and cut all the fabric into shreds and now there's not a single piece left big enough to make a bed cover out of. Whatever am I to do now with this mess?"

The poor thing! It truly was a mess, and a big one at that. But it's not as if I haven't tackled a mess or two in my time (remember my pre-pantry photo?) I actually had a glimmer of an idea but needed a bit of time to work out the details and Lucy needed a spell to calm down.

"It's going to be alright," I told her. "I got a plan and I think you'll be quite pleased in the end. For now lets gather up these scraps. I'll take them away while you dry you eyes and when I return we'll sit down with a pot of tea and have a chat."

Spinning Straw

2010-04-09T11:54:00.012-04:00

The last straw involved an unfortunate mishap with one of these little babies. For years our downstairs bath/laundry as been a room of much function and very little form (or fun for that matter!) The sink has been nursery to numerous "grow big"sponge creatures, the washer and dryer served together as a wonderful stash and dash catch all cubby, and the floor a great foundation for entire mountain ranges of laundry. As far back as last March I was making plans to reclaim that space, collecting an assortment of bits and bobs as inspiration for the project. For one reason or another, it never seemed quite the right time to actually take action. But then dear daughter discovered the amazing world of nail polish. . . . . .

. . . . . I won't deny the fact that the space was quite dreary and more than a little boring. It really did need a splash of color just not the "Wild Cherry Red" that literally leapt from the nail polish bottle to the wall one afternoon during a hasty clean up maneuver. Try as we might that stuff could not be removed and so we had what appeared to be a CSI crime scene on our hands.

Oh and just in case your wondering. . . . . all toilet paper had to be removed from the holder three years ago when we brought Stormy home to join our family. For some reason nothing delights that dog more than tearing into a spinning TP roll!

Unfortunately I can't say the view from this direction has anything much to offer either.

Considering the situation, it was time for action. The collected assortment of bathroom accoutrements were dug out of hiding, raw materials and equipment were gathered, and my mom came over for the day to join in the fun. The bathroom make do and redo had begun!

A couple coats of smokey blue paint on the walls and in the hutch did wonders to cheer up the room as did a fresh coat of white on all the woodwork.

One of my few purchases for this endeavor was a can of spray paint. I enjoy popping in over at Creative Little Daisy every so often as Autum always has the most amazing household projects going on, many of which involve spray paint. She is a genius with that stuff! So I thought I'd give it a go and change up my nasty brown vent cover. I think perhaps I was a bit heavy handed while spraying as that thing took two days to fully dry.

But the end result truly put a smile on my face. Thank you Autum!

And what you may ask did I do for two whole days while that paint dried? Plenty! What a mess of lost socks, missing mittens, Christmas linens, school art projects and much, much more I had to sort through.

Once cleared out it was quite evident that a fresh coat of paint was required on the laundry shelf as well, which in a past life existed as the door to the previously seen hutch (a long ago make do project that I seem to recall tickled me to no end at the time.)

My greatest feat of those days , however, was perhaps that of diminishing my ironing pile enough to house a small remainder here in a handy basket.

Trial #1 at wall decorating looked like this. Most successful was the 59 cent acquisition of an unfinished candlestick shelf from the Mill Store that was easily altered into a toilet paper holder. Without the spinning action Stormy doesn't give it the time of day. Least successful was my placement of a china bluebird platter above the peg shelf. Delightful to look at it may have been but resistant to the hammering I did the next day while installing a new back splash behind the sink. . . . .

. . . . . not very. And so another trip to the hardware store for some super glue was in order.

The new wall arrangement looks likes this now. The final detail here will arrive when lavender blossoms can be gathered to hang from the tiny pegs.

Broken or not I decided to keep the bluebird platter out as an added protection against water splashes in the sink area.

Perhaps I'm tempting fate in deciding to hang these three matching plates up over the laundry closet but it wasn't done without the added security of bendy wire looped through the plate hook and wall mount. A generous amount of adhesive wax was also applied. Those things don't budge an inch now!

And neither does this peg board. By this time I was out of mounting hardware and not about to make anymore trips to the store so I hung it the good old fashioned way with a hammer and nails. I'm sure I'll come to regret that decision the next time I repaint the walls, but for now I'm pleased.

The hutch stayed put with a slight variation in its position.

I find it great to have my collection of garden, cottage, and Tasha Tudor books here in the laundry if for nothing more than eye candy to feast on while folding clothes. They're great inspiration to keep me on task for if I follow through and tidy away all the clean laundry where it belongs I then treat myself to a spell in the reading chair with a cup of tea or. . . . .

. . . . . with these fair days ahead, some time in the garden planting a new crop of flowers.

Either way, it's nice to have the redo behind me and have the freedom to while away the afternoon. Unfortunately I can't say as much for little Lucy. She's still holed up at Boggs Cottage often burning the midnight oil on what I can only imagine to be her secret project.

A Tisket, A Tasket

2010-03-19T12:12:00.010-04:00

The lingering influence of The Forgotten Garden combined with beautiful sixty degree weather and my discovery of a hidden stash of morning glory seeds has had my hands hankering to work in the floral realm. Considering spring has yet to officially arrived and that weather here in New England has a devilish track record of surprising us with March snowstorms, I've promised to refrain myself from from all dirt digging activities until April. So instead I turned my attention to making more of these little flower pins. In order to have something to arrange the bitty blossoms in I then finished up a flower basket quilt square I had lingering around and. . . ta dah. . .

. . . . . the Tisket Tasket Pincushion Basket was created!

Because it was so much fun I'm now in the process of making a batch of them to start listing in the shop. It was while stitching up tiny circles that my little friend Lucy came round. Greetings were followed by a bit of chit chat. . . . .our fine weather, her plans for spring cleaning, and the discovery of a new favorite tea blend. Eventually, however, the true purpose of her visit was revealed. "I've a favor to ask of you," she said quite sheepishly.

"Do you remember the new pillow Lily Red made for herself?" she continued. "She was ever so pleased with the lace trim work and proudly displayed it for me to see. Lovely as it was, I cannot help but be haunted by the image of her bed barren of any other comforts. Even a little wooden doll should have a coverlet to cozy up in. I really want to make one for her and was hoping you would entertain the idea of helping me pick some fabric out for the job."

And so we were off. . . . .

. . . . . to the fabric shop where Lucy had quite a dilemma choosing something just right. There were ever so many prints to pick from and she would have liked them all!

I on the other hand never have a problem making selections. I find you can't go wrong with a bit more gingham added to your stash so I snatched up a yard or so along with this delightful black and periwinkle bluebonnets. I've decided to consider them lupines however in honor of Miss Rumphius, a favorite book by Barbara Cooney. My second red work penny square was also waiting there for me since I missed it's debut during my bout with the sniffles.

In the end Lucy made out just fine and toted home quite a handsome bundle. With a quick, "Tootles to you miss natalie jo," she was away through the door of Boggs Cottage anxious to get to work.

Made Not By Me...

2010-03-09T13:32:00.007-05:00

I've been out of commission this past week with a good old fashioned cold. Snuggled down with a box of Kleenex, endless cups of hot tea, and a cozy quilt I spent my days with a book so good the pages literally turned themselves. Picked up on a whim several weeks ago, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton proved for once I was right to judge a book by it's cover. Being full of secret gardens, English cottages, red headed damsels, and someone always at the ready to put the kettle on for a "cuppa," the novel was a delightful escape from my raw throat and drippy nose. 560 pages later, when I finally closed the book and looked around my surroundings it was hardly a surprise to find our home as overgrown with debris as any old forgotten garden ever dreamed of being!

Back now on my feet, I find myself in the process of "weeding" out and reclaiming the household domain. With groceries, laundry, and bills to catch up with as well, I'm sorry to say I've not one stitch to share from the sewing nook. So instead I thought it might be fun to take a peek through my photo stash and find some things to share that were made, but not by me.

Jackson's taste buds were in full swing when he made me this lettuce, cheese, salami, and mustard sandwich to feed my cold.

Dale worked her fingers to the bone making little felties for each and every member of the family.

Paul put his thinking cap to good use and made the grade.

Dear Hubby certainly warmed my heart by giving me this oil pastel of our sun room.

And finally, it seems even Lily Red has been back to her industrious ways creating a wonderful new pillow to rest her wee wooden head upon!

Snow Day

2010-02-16T18:32:00.005-05:00

It seems a bit more snow was on the agenda for today. Lucky for us it was the light and lovely snow globe variety rather than the heavy wet stuff we usually get. No back breaking session with the snow shovel required! In fact, other than a brief walk down the road to check our mailbox, we spent a slow cozy day inside.

Being that the kiddies are home on winter break we decided to hunker down with a game of RISK. I'd forgotten how vicious the play could become, especially when the board is taken over by a brutal 8 year old dictator! One by one the participants dropped off to lick their wounds. Left to my own devices I decided if I couldn't conquer the world. . . . .

. . . . . I'd conquer my sewing baskets instead! While I really love tossing handwork into a little handled basket I've discovered the lack of a lid can cause some serious overflow problems, especially when you have a habit of starting more projects than you finish.

Once dumped out onto the ironing board, however, I found it was quite easy to arrange piles of project scraps along with the coordinating threads, flosses, buttons, and baubles needed to complete each piece.

My secret weapon was hidden in the dark recess of a closet, an honest to goodness sewing basket. I snapped it up on clearance at Jo-Ann's ages ago but for some reason resisted putting it to good use until now. Why I don't know. . . . .

. . . . .for look how tidy and portable it is!

And so with basket in hand I headed down to my window seat. It was great to snuggle in there stitching and watching the snow and not once having to run back up to the sewing nook in search of this or that. Instead I was able to put all that saved energy into completing my first Mini Penny Square. Eventually there will be twelve, one small victory a month for the next year ahead.

Technological Advances!

2010-01-26T10:09:00.004-05:00

Its seems to have become a January tradition that some such item of technology peter out on me. Last year it was the digital camera. . . . . .this year my computer! While the event proved to be one of great excitement for hubby and eldest son, I found myself stressed beyond belief. The more they went on about bits, processors, ram, and hard drives, the more I wanted to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head. Finally, I ditched the two techno geniuses and headed out on my own, determined not to come home without something I felt comfortable with. Six hours, ten stores, and one fantastic salesman later I returned with this little beauty. . . a CQ61-42US Notebook. There was a bit of snickering on the part of the two smarty pants but it didn't stop the biggest one from diving right in to set the thing up. I'm sure he was looking to prove I'd selected nothing more than a glorified typewriter. The anticipated mumbles and grumbles, however, were never uttered. Instead, there were "oohs" and "aahs" followed by a "wow" or two. The next day I even caught him telling one of the kiddies he LOVED mom's new computer!

While those two went about installing programs and creating wireless setups, I spent my time carving out a new nook for my quite portable laptop. A shelf from the consignment shop and a gathering of trinkets seemed to do the job nicely. I was especially thrilled to be able to display this new wee one. Of the same clan as dear Lucy, she was a very welcome gift from my mom at Christmas. It was quite appropriate that she came bearing those two little houses in her basket for I had just been in the midst of a project involving such items. . . . .

. . . . . it all began with a request to create something special for my friends at Candlelite Quilts. Something that would reflect the kind hearts and creative spirits that are housed within its walls. Looking no further than the store's logo I knew the foundation could be none other than a chamber stick holder! A concept that proved to be much easier said than done, for although I've stumbled upon them quite often at flea markets, not a single one could be had when I needed it. And to make it even worse, for this endeavour I needed a matching set! Week after week, every trail lead to a dead end. Just when I was about to give up hope, however, I meet Stacey from Steam Dreams over Etsy way. At first I thought it was luck that lead me to her listing for a matched set of copper chamber stick holders but I was soon to learn it was pure providence. For a wonderful telling of A Tale of Two Candlesticks I highly recommend you pop on over to her blog, Art Snark. I promise you won't be disappointed!

With chamber sticks in hand, I was able to make short work of the project. . . . . or at least it seemed like short work because they were so much fun to create!

I actually had to rein myself in when stitching up the little flower pins. I made them movable in order to allow them to be planted wherever the heart desired. And with that in mind. . . . .

. . . . . I then made the wee dollies with stick pin bodies so they could be made to walk down the cobblestone path, up the brick walk, and. . . . .

. . . . .through the green door. I myself will be headed through that very same door come February 1st and I can't wait! It's always fun to pop in for a visit but his time something extra exciting is about to begin.

Here are a few clues, but if you can't guess or wait to find out you can head on over to Candlelite Quilts yourself by clicking here!

Christmas Tidbits

2009-12-29T23:31:00.005-05:00

Christmas has come and gone for yet another year and the crazy chaos that filled the days leading up to the big event has been forgotten. Memories instead focus on those moments that brought a special sparkle to the season like decorating the tree with our favorite ornaments.

Making up batches of sweet treats to share with friends and family, but only after abundant taste testing has been performed of course!

Wearing a favorite Christmas ensemble.

Taking a trip to grandma's house. . . . .

. . . . .where every room is filled with Christmas joy!

Finding your name on Santa's list is always a good thing,

...but receiving an unexpected gift is particularly exciting!

Especially when it turns out to be a doll of your very own.

Out with the New Agenda!

2009-12-04T19:56:00.008-05:00

This is me. The me that still had her milk teeth and had yet to create even one agenda. Both of which I wish were still true! Let me say that the excitement of losing one's baby teeth is definitely NOT repeated when one must part with a permanent tooth as an adult. For one thing, the tooth fairy does not visit you and leave shiny coins under your pillow! Instead you practically move into your dentist's office and contribute abundantly to his coffer. And as for those agendas. . . . . all the comfort and confidence I had acquired by following my carefully scripted plan for the months leading up to Christmas took a dramatic nosedive in direct proportion to my escalating dental dilemma. It seemed I had set myself up for failure and yet another hassle filled holiday season. How was I ever going to complete everything on all those lists I had made? The answer was actually quite simple, I wasn't. And so I tossed them out. . . . .

. . . . .it felt really good! Which lead me to go upstairs and begin throwing out a bunch of other clutter and in the process look what I found. It's the skirt from my picture, made for me by my grandmother many, many years ago. She used to get these little square fabric samples in the mail that she saved for me to play with when I was at her house. By the time I was five the collection was large enough for her to compile it into a patchwork skirt for me to wear on my birthday. I felt like a princess in it. It's been with me ever since, popping up from time to time in the various attics of homes I've lived in. With a "use it or lose it" frame of mind I decided to put some creative inspiration into this most recent discovery and. . . . .

. . . . .VOILA! A new sewing machine cover! My featherweight has been in dire need of a cover for ages, in fact, I'm positive the task to create one has been on more than one list or another of mine. And here, with nothing more than a simple ribbon tied up near the waist band the job is done.

If you want to see what else is done you'll have to peek around the corner into my bedroom. . . . .

. . . .where I've staked a claimed and created an extension of the sewing nook. I've decided to call this new area my "cozy corner." Not to say I've cheated dear hubby out of his fair share. He's got an equal portion of space on the other side for his treasures. I affectionately refer to his area as the "black hole" which should give some indication as to why you won't see a picture of it here.

And yes. . . . I did finally reclaim the bottom portion of the bookshelf and made a hefty donation to our library's book sale in the process.

Hubby's old computer cabinet has become the perfect spot to store a whole assortment of craft supplies. It's neat enough now, but great to know those doors can be closed to conceal any piles that do develop over time!

A doll's hutch discarded by my daughter was destined for the attic but, having cleared some piles from atop the file cabinet, I found a much happier role for it as storage for all the little Lilies in progress.

I had intended to carry my organizing frenzy over into other areas of the house in preparation of holiday decorating, but sans agenda I'm now free of such restraints. It doesn't mean I'm always happy about it. I do wish I'd gotten my dining room painted, I feel bad about the lack of attention I've given to stocking my Esty shop with Christmas items, and I hope you'll forgive me for not getting to the 3rd giveaway I had said I would hold this year. Painting has been limited to the Lilies, Etsy listings are for reserved custom orders only, and the only giving in the works involves Christmas presents. . . . .

. . . .with one exception. . . . .Lily Olive. She was made up in a batch of Lilies but not selected for purchase. Planning to put her in the shop for Christmas I added the finishing touches. In doing so, however, I found I couldn't bear to part with her and so I decided give her to myself!

Ouch!

2009-11-08T18:54:00.004-05:00

Toothache.

Abscess.

Extraction.

Oh woe is me...

A New Agenda

2009-10-30T22:30:00.009-04:00

One thing I've discovered by having my little Etsy shop is how many of you are so good at planning ahead! I began receiving a sprinkling of orders for items to give as Christmas gifts over the summer but as the fall settled in it became serious business for some! Knowing all my Christmas hiding spots were currently barren of secrets, I could feel a twinge of panic in the pit of my stomach not usually familiar to me until mid December. How many shopping days did I actually have left? Not enough I'm sure!

Armed with pen, paper, and a hot cup of tea I tackled the remaining pages of our 2009 calendar and created a holiday game plan. Lists were created, prioritized, edited, and compiled to create an agenda of sorts. In the end I decided it would be best to begin with a bit of organizing and simplifying, especially in regard to all the custom orders that needed my attention (especially considering I added a few more to the list for my own gift giving plans!)

I soon reclaimed the top portion of a bookshelf in our bedroom onto which an assortment of small baskets and boxes could be stored. All of the tiny pieces used in my pincushions, Lilies, and quilts can easily be cut in multiples now and stored safely away until it's their turn to be put into use. It's ever so easy now to grab a basket and head out to the sewing nook knowing everything I need is right on hand. I've even begun tossing in the coordinating thread, floss, beads, and trim as well. I'm feeling so on top of things. . . . .

. . . . . as long as I look up that is! If you recall, I did say I reclaimed the TOP portion of the bookshelf! This is what lies below. Believe it or not I do love books, I just don't treat them as well as I should.

Fearing I will be in dire need of encouragement as I tackle the next steps, I posted up one of the sweet little postcards I got at the antiquarian book fair last summer. Who knew at the time it would be so appropriate to my future agenda? And so inspirational! The process of clearing out is becoming almost a daily activity. I've been purging and tossing right and left. Drop offs at the consignment shop, donations to the library, and if all else fails, deposits in the recycle bin have not come without their rewards. More space, less dust, and. . . . .

. . . . .these treasures! I first saw these adorable wooden coasters over at Wyldhare's Hollow. She found her set on a "goodie hunting" excursion earlier this month. I feel in love with them and let her know in a comment on her post. Sweet as always, she said she would keep her eyes open for another set for me. I can't begin to tell you my amazement over the fact that she not only found another set but sent it off to me as a belated birthday surprise! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I especially love the fact that they have the little evergreen trees on them since this whole re-organization process developed out of my Christmas Agenda!

Not to be excluded. . . . . an additional surprise was tucked in for Lily Red as well! This tiny wooden basket is now one of her very favorite possessions. Being ever so sturdy and with a nice flat bottom I'm told it's uses tally in the hundreds.

It seems Lily Red's newest acquaintance, Red Riding Hood (#2) is quite an expert on baskets and many such conversations were had on the topic while hair braiding and other finishing touches were attended to.

Red Riding Hood even gave a demonstration on picking the finest flowers for making an arrangement to put in one's basket. Lucy had the special task of cutting a lining cloth for tucking around the blossoms. Both girls were quite impressed with their new friend, so much so in fact. . . . .

. . . . . that they were inspired to pay tribute to her frightful tale on Halloween. A bit of sewing was required but easily accomplished in their skillful hands. It was the generous loan of a key element, however, that added the perfect touch to their costume ensemble.

Happy Trick or Treat

from

Lily Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf!

Winter Weather - a Taste of What's to Come!

2009-10-19T22:22:00.007-04:00

The second nor'easter of the season paid a visit to our neighborhood yesterday. Several hours of snowflakes whipping every which way outside our windows was more exciting than anything to be found on the telly! By the early evening hours, however, all the white fluff was replaced with a bone chilling rain.

Luckily I was armed with my new dutch oven and a special recipe for french onion soup that had only just arrived by post. Believe it or not it was made by me, entirely from scratch and tasted as good as it looks! Bon Appetit!

Birthday Buffet

2009-10-03T02:09:00.005-04:00

I don't know about you, but the stores around here have been gearing up for the Halloween season since the last weeks of August. Ever since his first glimpse of the orange and black display at Jo-Ann's, Jackson has been counting down the days until we can pick pumpkins and get the costumes ready. With the exception of stocking up on Halloween Oreos (which are generally sold out by September leaving you with a glass pumpkin cookie jar that is either empty or filled with the Christmas Oreos that have begun creeping onto the shelves) the wee lad has had to be very patient waiting for the ghoulish preparations to begin.

This week, with the arrival of the first of October, I figured it was time to start. First things first,however, I knew a bit of pre-decorating house "clearing" was in order. . . . . which leads me here to my pile of birthday gifts on display in the living room. Now considering more than two weeks have passed since my special day it was definitely time to relocate my goodies but not before I did a bit of show and tell.

A manicure coupon, a much loved CD, and some very friendly popsicle bookmarks from the kids. . . . .

and everything I need to become a French Chef from the hubby. Now you should know right up front that I cook about as well as he speaks french (did you notice his pink sticky notes?) Therefore, the chances of me going in the whole Julie and Julia direction are next to zero although I bet I could fit about ten cans of Campbell's French Onion Soup in that dutch oven and serve the whole family from one giant crock!

Almost every year, as a special birthday treat, I go to a doll show up in New Hampshire. This time while my mom searched for some tiny dolls to put in her Christmas dollhouse, Dale scoured every table for a doll that looked just like her, and I kept watch for any little wooden treasures to be had. As it turned out only the birthday girl had any luck on that day. A Raikes Hitty along with a companion book stuffed with an assortment of paper ephemera was found neglected amongst all the more glamorous Betsy McCalls and Madame Alexanders. Mass produced she may be, but how could I pass her up, especially with mom as a co-conspirator in the purchase.

As for the rest of the little wooden wonders pictured. . . . they were rescued from an "as is" junk box for a quarter a piece! One man's trash truly is another's treasure, and at a dollar for the lot my wallet still felt rich too.

And finally, from mom and dad. . . . .a whole stash of Hitty treats! My Gail Wilson kit as well as an extra wardrobe pattern had been stashed away since our visit to the Sunapee Fair. The braided rug and quit hoop were a completed surprise, however. They too started as Gail Wilson kits but my mom was sweet enough to complete them for me. Those along with a few little consignment finds added in have me thinking it won't be long before Hitty's going to need a house!

But first. . . it looks as if I've got my work cut out for me!

Summer Ends...

2009-09-21T21:40:00.010-04:00

School began for the youngsters in our neck of the woods the first week of September but it won't be until the clock strikes twelve this evening that I will finally concede to the fact that summer is over. With autumn only hours away I suppose I should prepare for it by removing our Summer Fun List from its prominent position on the refrigerator door. As usual, we seem to have accomplished barely half of our good intentions. While there might have been a bit of belly aching over the fact that we never did get to go to Martha's Vineyard this year (#20), I never once heard a complaint over the lack of time spent cleaning out the basement (#31)!

The morning glories have proven to be the saving grace of #37's desire to enjoy the garden. What with all the rain bestowed upon us things were a bit meager, except of course for the slugs. The few tomatoes and peas were long ago eaten, the basil went moldy, and the fairy roses bloomed but once the whole season. The morning glories, however, began to greet me every morning in July and continue to due so to this day.

Our annual strawberry and blueberry picking adventures were also hindered by the wet weather. Week after week we waited for the perfect day to head out, but unfortunately most of the fruit rotted in place. While disappointed, to say the least, I was not about to let the holidays come round without a batch of freezer jam tucked away for our traditional thumbprint cookies.

And so, yes, my strawberries this year were picked not from the vine put from the grocery shelf.

It's bad enough I don't know how to make up "proper" jam in tiny little jars that can be decorated with calico and ribbons, but to know the berries themselves had such a dismal origin definitely adds insult to injury. It's somewhat romantic to think of the wee ones biting into their Christmas jam cookies and being magically carried back to a warm summer day out in the strawberry fields with their family. Unfortunately I think that only happens in fairy tales for I was informed, by quite reliable sources I might add, that they don't give a hoot where the jam, or the cookies for that matter, come from as long as they get their fair share!

The family puzzle (#17) was eventually completely, although mostly by my hand alone. Note to self, "I Spy puzzles featuring storybook characters are not a hit with teenagers. Must find one of the periodic table or perhaps a floor plan of the mall. "

A bonus activity during the month of August was the "Block Party Swap" I participated in. If you haven't been over to visit Elizabeth at Creative Breathing be sure to pop in someday soon. There is always something wonderful in the works over there to be oohed and aahed at. The swap was in celebration of her 301st post and involved decorating a 5x5 inch card stock block in your creative style. In return one would be created especially for you by Elizabeth. I just love the little girl in the bonnet she selected for me. The red gingham bow tie is just perfect!

It seems as if old book stores are becoming fewer and farther between. . . . .and so while we didn't actually get around to visiting one (#3), we did manage to stumble upon an antiquarian book show. Surprisingly hubby came out empty handed but have no fear I gladly made up the difference!

The Butt'ry Shelf Almanac was a very welcome surprise. . . . . I've had the companion cookbook to it for years and years and always wondered what delights awaited me within the pages of its mate. I suppose I could have ordered it off Amazon long ago but it's so much more fun to stumble across one that's waiting for you to find it!

This, however, was the true treasure of the day. . . . . The Mary Francis Sewing Book! I can't wait to follow along on her "adventures among the thimble people." Intended for young girls, each chapter introduces a new sewing skill along with a project that utilizes that skill. By the time the book is completed an entire wardrobe for one's special doll has been created, everything from an apron and a nightgown to a fancy dress and coat. I'm trying not to peek to much into it but it does seem as if all work is done by hand AND that all the pattern pieces are intact! Of course now I'll have to be on the lookout for my own special doll in the appropriate size to make all these pieces for.

In the meantime, however, there is no shortage of fun to be had with Lily Red around. Her tea party (#42) was a huge success. Lucy arrived with a basket full of confetti which was a great way to get the party started. Lucky for me I had that adequate supply of freezer jam, as Lily Red asked specifically for me to bring some as a side to her scones. Miss Prim Rose came, parasol in hand, and ready to share her sunny disposition with everyone! And not only was Lily Red the most gracious hostess, she also had a little something special for all her guests. . . . .

. . . . . the recipe to her special Cranberry Chocolate Scones! The ingredients are quite common,

and the directions none to difficult. I can't think Of anything better to make now that the cool autumn days are on their way.

Lily Red Riding Hood

2009-09-10T09:54:00.004-04:00

Humor me if you will in the presentation of yet another Lily. Being a special order, Red Riding Hood is actually in route to her new home, and more so than usual I am finding myself missing her presence in the sewing nook. As of yet I haven't created a single Lily to call my own but am thinking this one may have inspired me to do so. Perhaps it's the combination of the red gingham, the embroidered cape, and the mohair braids. Whatever the case may be, bear with me while I post a few photos to reference back to.

I have to say my favorite part was making the embroidered cape. I had so much fun stitching those little vines and leaves and found it was much easier than anticipated. The mind is now making a metal list of any and all things I could put needle and floss to in such a manner. . . . . . currently a new valance for the kitchen window holds fast to first place while my offer to adorn the new school clothes was firmly refused!

I made the cape removable primarily because its fun to play dress up, but it also allows you to see her lovely auburn braids. I was able to buy the dyed mohair from Gail Wilson Designs to make a wig similar to the ones I attempted in her basic doll kit. My braiding skills still leave quite a bit to be desired but in this case I actually prefer to have them more "relaxed" in order to be in better proportion to her head. Now if I could only get my hands on some curly blond hair to work with I'm sure Goldilocks would come round for a visit!

Two Lilies and a Field Trip

2009-09-04T21:13:00.015-04:00

In amongst the bouquet of lilies to come out of my sewing nook this summer were these two kindred spirits, Lily Cathy and Lily Joanie. With bonnets in place and a current project ready for show and tell they were quite excited to be part of a special adventure.

As quickly as possible the last minute details of ditty bags and tags were attended to.

Soon enough they were gently tucked into a handy basket and headed out the door. There was not to be any peeking but I did catch one little head peering about on occasion.

A hop, skip, and a jump down the road and we arrived at our destination. I don't know about you, but any time I find myself passing through a white picket fence and following along a garden path I am filled with certainty that something delightful is in store . . . . .

. . . . .as is the case every time I call on Candlelite Quilts. I absolutely love the sight of this little shop. It always seems so happy to have it's "OPEN" sign hanging out front. And it's no wonder, for the place is perpetually inhabited by the most delightful folk and filled with creative treasure galore.

As you step through the door a myriad of rooms await exploration.

Even if you were to visit the shop on a weekly basis I do believe something new will have arrived each and every time. On this particular day I discovered the first signs of Christmas on display.

I vaguely recalled a promise to myself to begin those holiday projects early on this year. Try as I might to convince myself to pick up a bit of this and that to get started, my feet kept walking. Unfortunately, it will be those same two feet that I'll be kicking myself with come December 21st when I'm frantic for lack of enough time.

The Kaffe Fassett corner is always a favorite for me now after my adventure in creating with his fabrics last spring. At least one of his fat quarters seems to make it into my pile each time I visit with the idea that someday I will make a "real" quilt like the ones I'm always drooling over in his books.

Speaking of drooling. . . . . .I LOVE this pineapple quilt! If it were on my bed I just know I would have the best dreams ever and wake up feeling inspired for whatever the day ahead held. A class in it's construction is scheduled for this month but unfortunately I won't be available to attend. . . . . so for now it will have to wait on my "someday" list along with my Fassett plans.

Around the corner and up the stairs is a whole other world of wool penny mats, red work, and rug punching.

This happens to be the room I find most intriguing. I am fascinated by rug punching and perpetually working hard to find a way to justify squeezing another craft and all it's accouterments back at home. If only we didn't have to eat I could take over the kitchen counters to create a storage system like this!

It does help when you have a partner in crime by your side. My mom once had an interest in making a set of chair pads so perhaps if I team up with her it could happen sooner than expected. I swear she doesn't have an ounce of procrastination in her, so once her mind is set on a task, mountains will be moved to achieve her goal! My plan is to simply follow in her wake.

And just in case dear hubby is at a loss for some birthday ideas this pattern along with a few skeins of wool yarn would get him off the hook for another year!

Having found themselves quite at home the Lilies decided to set down roots. Have no fear, however, for leaving Candlelite with an empty basket would never be in my plans!

Playing Dolls

2009-08-16T00:36:00.012-04:00

Summer Fun item #41 was to attend the Sunapee Fair up in New Hampshire, and so we did! Creativity abounded under each and every tent there. . . . . .wood carvers, basket makers, jewelers, and fiber artists galore. We even got to see a glassblowing demonstration and try our hand at weaving on a loom. But of course, as you well know, the main event for me was the Gail Wilson booth. Lily Red spied it first and headed directly for the dollhouse display. We both shared a few moments of silent awe and then proceeded to make quite a spectacle of ourselves oohing and ahing over every little detail.

Gail Wilson herself was there, for which I feel I must interject a mighty little "yippee!" Unfortunately, the excitement of the moment had me practically tongue tied but I did manage some sort of request to take photos to which she kindly responded in a positive manner and even gave me some tips to avoid the glare from the glass cases in which the items were displayed. At this point let me say, photographer I am not, so any help I can get is most appreciated! I use my little blue Canon ELPH which I have permanently set to "Digital Macro" with no flash. I aim, click and hope for the best.

It was quite humbling to see the amazing quality of her work. I am especially impressed with those braids!

After seeing her doll's doll I'm afraid my little Sally Anne is in desperate need of a makeover in the hair department! And some clothes wouldn't hurt either.

I fell in love with this wonderful wee wooden dolly! Her creation will have to wait, however, as someone else is next in line. . . . .

. . . . .Hitty! She was so lovely I wanted to just snatch her up and take her home with me that very day. But it was necessary that restraint be employed in this matter as I had it from a very reliable source that one such doll kit would be awaiting me at my birthday celebration next month (thanks mom. . . .and dad too although I'm sure he's not aware of it yet!)

Another Hitty and wee wooden to ooh over.

Hitty actually had her own display case filled with little treasures to collect for her. This tiny quilt and sewing set was my favorite.

Eventually it was time to return home where I meet with a small troop of my own creations awaiting completion. Many of them were quite anxious as they have places to go and people to see. Some undivided attention was promised but not before this little Maybelle Sweetie. . . . .

. . . . . .was delivered down to Cape Cod!

After that the real work began. Fabric choices were made. . . . .

. . . . . fittings were conducted. . . . .

. . . . .and final touches were deliberated.

I do believe I see the influence of the Gail Wilson basic doll kit popping up in my own work here what with the wee doll's doll and the braids!

This little one was actually a hoot to make. She could possibly be the first of the Pick-a-Little Pals to come down the path.

Petite in stature she may be, but short in personality she's not! Barely a day old and already she's a hit with the the other girls in the neighborhood.

Just in the Nick of Time!

2009-08-04T06:34:00.004-04:00

What you see here is the status of my basic doll kit as of 12:30 last night. I know, I know. . . . . I haven't completed their underthings yet but since it's an absolutely lovely day, with not a drop of rain in sight, I've given myself permission to head on up to the Sunapee Fair and spend my budget at the Gail Wilson booth!

I must say, for all my bellyaching and hesitation over sewing on the arms it was actually quite easy. The use of pliers to accomplish the task was not even required as I had so feared. Instead I discovered the needle slid quite smoothly through the painted surfaces with only a bit of assistance from one of my handy thimbles. With that success under my belt I found my confidence level soring and set out to tackle the wig constructions without a moment to spare. It took me all of ten minutes to have them ready to attach to the heads and another ten to glue them on. All this and it was only 10:00! I wish now I had remembered to take a picture of them at this point as they looked as if they had just popped out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting. They were very lovely indeed! But no. . . . . I hopped right on to the final step of braiding the hair. I considered it all downhill from here as I've made endless braids in my lifetime, what could be easier?

Two hours later, numerous dos and redos had me pulling out my own hair! I could not get those braids to lay correctly or even finish up to an equal length with one another. I finally found this updo to be my salvation as I was able to tuck away all the imperfections and raggedy edges once and for all.

The doll's wee doll I had better luck with so she got to keep her Anne of Green Gables look. And now, while their state of undress causes no great concern at the moment, mine does! In less than an hour and I'm due to be out the door and on my way north to see what goodies await!