Countdown to Crafty

I was in the mood to make something today so I made a list of 'Crafty Vintage Resolutions'. Nine things that sound like they'd be fun to do which gives me hope I might be tempted to accomplish them. Or at least start them. Sounds like there's a procrastination resolution lurking in there too.

1). Learn to Crochet

After all, I work in a Doily Factory.

2). Make a Duvet.

I've been trying to cross this off my list for a couple of years. I think I've put it off because of the avalanche of related projects that will come with the duvet - making a dust ruffle and pillows, painting the nightstands, new shades for the lamps and finding a new-to-me vintage dresser (this is a plus because of the vintage treasure hunting involved).

3)., 4). and 5). Make a Dust Ruffle & Pillows and Paint the Nightstands.

6). Make a Slipcover for the Couch. Stat.

 Don't even know if I can show you the 'before' pictures. Ack.

7). Take a Thrifting/Junking Roadtrip.

One car, one week and as many stops as possible. Maybe one passenger too. Anyone want to join in? You okay with holding stuff on your lap?

8). Go to Farm Chicks.

I missed it in 2009 so I'd love to go in 2010 and hang out with the other vintage-loving people.

9). De-Stash.
Less hoarding and more sewing as I'm now running out of space for new vintage fabric and that simply cannot happen. And then where will my as-yet-unpurchased crochet supplies go?

The vintage Christmas fabrics are now packed away and I'm starting to see colors again other than red and green. I've been working on new designs for my etsy shop and I'll do an update after January 1st. This is a little sneak peek of what's currently in the works in the Doily Factory (see Resolution No. 9).

My neighborhood today. Add 12" of snow and that's what tomorrow will look like.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year!

Holiday Greetings

Baked a bunch of these

One of these is dozing on the sofa

Keeping warm next to this

While waiting for this

Wishing you one of these

Happy Holidays!  

Christmas Wedgies

With family members far and wide, Christmas dinner this year will be with a group of friends, about a dozen of us. My assignment is appetizers and while researching some options in a vintage Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cook Book (I am all for 'good' and definitely prefer 'easy'), I came across a snack recipe for "Wedgies."

As in, "Would you like a Wedgie with your glass of wine?" So very tempting for all the wrong reasons! If I didn't suspect the main ingredient, bologna, to be on the Things-I-Won't-Eat-List of several of the dinner guests, I'd be showing up with a Santa platter piled high with Wedgies. If only for all the dorky jokes we could make.

Some other suggestions from this cookbook that I won't be making include Anchovy-Wrapped-Olive Rolls and something called Angels on Horseback*. I can't recall any holiday meal I've attended or prepared where things like this were served. Can you? Maybe you've been served something even worse? I hope it wasn't the Stuffed Heart or Broiled Lamb Kidneys on page 108. Ack!

Oddly enough, Betty C. herself wrote a note at the beginning of this cook book asking,  "What can I serve that my family and friends will enjoy?" I don't think it's going to be the Wedgies this year, Mrs. Crocker. Guess I'll just make cheese puffs again. Or maybe you can suggest something that's good and easy.

*My apologies to any bacon-wrapped-toothpick-speared-oyster fans.

Dear Goodwill Store,

I think we need to talk.

Maybe it's me but lately you seem distant and overpriced. I always used to look forward to the time we spent together but now I feel like I'm only pretending to be interested in what you have to offer.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you've let yourself go.

Stopping by to see you just isn't the same. Remember the old days when I barely had to spend a dollar and we still had fun? What happened to us? I only have so much to give.

Maybe we just need to take a break.

(snowy view from my living room window today)

 At least I'll always have these Shiny Brites to remember you by. Sigh.

Did You Win?

A big, huge thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered my vintage Christmas giveaway.

Somehow I managed to turn a 'simple' selection process into a crafty project but I am what I am.

First I made the numbers, sewn of course.

Followed by this little village of number tents.

Which naturally led to this numbers Christmas tree.

Complete with ornaments I might point out, because I am occasionally 'detail oriented.'

Realizing this could eventually spiral out of control, it was time to move on to the drawing. I brought in an independent auditor/party bird to oversee the results and with my trusty Japanese chopsticks in hand...

 

Lucky No. 59 was drawn.

Congratulations to Linda at LBP SEWS!

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by and I wish you all Happy Holidays!

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Here are some additional giveaways going on, all with wonderful things to win. Good Luck!

 

rose hip is giving away some of her fantastic crochet-trimmed pillowcases.

creativebreathing has this charming little advent calendar.

 

Kim from Daisy Cottage has a guest blogger this month ... it's my friend Becky from Sweet Cottage Dreams! Becky has a giveaway but also shares the very moving story of the events of her life this past year.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

I'll be shopping at Crafty Wonderland in Portland, OR this Sunday.

How I Spent My Portland Vacation

Not so much a vacation as it was 48 hours spent avoiding frostbite and lip-chapping winds while sprinting from heated car to heated building during this current 'arctic blast'.

One of the heated buildings I spent time in was Monticello Antique Marketplace. This is where I like to go to unwind a bit while doing nothing but staring at lots of vintage eye candy. Here's just a little bit of what I enjoyed while successfully avoiding any 'deep thoughts'.

 

 

 

 

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  I also stopped in at the Knittn'Kitten, an *amazing* craft supply thrift store and the only vintage fabric store in the Pacific NW. It's everything you might dream a thrift store could be starting with Clean! Featuring clean merchandise! Owned by nice people! Selling great stuff! At thrift store prices!

Knittn'Kitten has a terrific mix of vintage & new craft items with lots & lots to choose from. Also, in case you're like me and tend to hoard things that sometimes never get used, Knittn'Kitten buys previously owned craft supplies and crafter's estates. I should also mention their Vintage Linen Room but I kind of want to keep that a secret. I know, I'm selfish.

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My final stop in Portland-feels-like-Iceland was at Value Village. I came across a few items to add to my 'things I find' etsy shop including two pretty cloches and a silver creamer & sugar set. My 'thing I find' storage cabinet is bursting with vintage stuff I need to list on etsy so that'll be a good indoor project as I wait for this 'arctic blast' to blast on out of here.

 

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Thanks to all of you who left a comment on my giveaway post. Today is the last day to enter so please leave a comment on that post if you'd like to be included in the drawing. Good luck!

'Tis the Season Giveaway

 

No time like the present for a present!

Happy Holidays! I've created a vintage Christmas tablecloth banner and little table runner especially for this giveaway - each is one-of-a-kind and handmade by me for you from my vintage tablecloth cutter stash. I used some of my vintage favorites including candy canes & snow-covered cottages and both the runner and banner have candy-cane-striped details. They 'coordinate' but they do not 'match'. (That last sentence tells me I watch entirely too much HGTV).

 

click on this photo to see the entire table runner

To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post between now and midnight PST December 10th. I'll announce the winner on Friday, December 11th. This is open to anyone, anywhere - I'll ship to the North Pole if I need to. One winner will receive both items and a few extra surprises. It is Christmas, after all...

See the little snowman cloche? He's a new addition to my holiday decor this year - he's from Magpie Ethel and I love him. After he's done modeling for this photo shoot, he'll spend his Christmas holiday on my mantle. If the weather forecast is correct, I may be making a real snowman here very soon.

Wishing you all a warm & cozy weekend.

Merry Thrifty Christmas

The last time I did my local-ish thrift store circuit was before Thanksgiving and there wasn't even a speck of Christmas to be found. Do most thrift shops wait until after Thanksgiving to sell their Christmas items or is that some sort of local phenomenon?

 The St. Vincent de Paul store had bags and bags of ornaments for 99 cents - there were so many ornaments I almost ran to Michael's to buy a glue gun so I could start making wreaths right there in the store aisle. Then I remembered I don't make ornament wreaths. I did find these little red ones at the bottom of a 99 cent bag. They're perfect for my mini vintage tinsel tree.

This poor little guy was having a terrible day. Someone put a paperclip leash around his neck and plucked all his tail feathers. Fortunately it only cost 25 cents to bring him home with me and he's now a fully feathered, free range hummingbird after I performed a successful tail feather-ectomy to remove the feathers from his insides. The things I'll do for vintage.

 I must warn you, the next sentence contains some strongly worded language. I found these vintage bulb-shaped ornaments at a shop where I was told "Whatever ornaments don't sell will probably get tossed in the trash after the holidays." What?! I rescued as many as I could and told the others I would try to come back for them.

If you look closely, you'll see yours truly reflected. Bedhead, reading glasses and all.

No plans yet for this spun head heavenly quartet. I'm just happy to have added 'spun head' to my vintage vocabulary this year.

Looking forward to a little snow later this week. Maybe it'll be a white Christmas...

Hope you'll join me here tomorrow for my giveaway.

Girl with a Pearl Earring (and matching bracelet)

Thanks to several cups of coffee and a brisk walk in the 32 degree (but sunny!) weather here today, I am definitely feeling more 'with it' now. Not coincidentally, the sugar rush called Thanksgiving has finally tapered off and I've purged the refrigerator of any lingering pie, tarts or cheesecake to avoid further temptation and sugar-induced headaches. Besides, she said optimistically, Christmas cookie baking will be firing up soon enough.

 

I wish I could say I made this beautiful jewelry but I only took the photos. These pieces are handmade by etsy seller alicehaggerty using freshwater pearls and sterling silver.

I wear these little pearl earrings all the time and had a 'situation' develop with them one rainy, muddy day. I knew better but was in a hurry* and didn't put those little rubber things on the ear wires, the things that prevent the earrings from coming out of your earlobes. I ran a bunch of errands and of course, by the time I got home there was only one lonely earring hanging from my empty head.

I retraced all of my steps (*effective time management), including the one where I petted the neighbor cat in the earring-colored, mucky gravel driveway, scoured all the spots where I got in & out of the car, scoured the car itself and when I arrived at the last place left to look - ta da! - there was my earring! (at the reception desk of the vet). I am all about the rubber things now.

this photo is from alicehaggerty

I don't know if Santa Claus is reading many blogs this time of year but if you are Santa, I love these pink pearls. 

Don't forget to check back on Friday for my ~*Giveaway*~.