February Things

I'm dreaming of spring things to come every time I smell my lovely freesias.  I had white freesia in my wedding  bouquet, and after seeing some last week at the store I told Mr. Crafty World that nothing takes me back to that day like the scent of freesia.  So guess who comes home from work and surprises me with a lovely bunch?  I cut them short so they will hopefully last longer and put them in my sweet Meakin jug I bought at a church sale.  They are on their last few days but have been such a lovely treat to smell these last few days.

I finished my cross stitch Sweetheart Sampler.  Yay!  After three years!  Now I'm not exactly sure what to do with it.  I could frame it I suppose, but as I will have to go out and find the perfect frame I suspect the work will have to sit in the "finished yet unfinished" pile of cross stitch I have in the cupboard.

This past weekend I had both Saturday and Sunday off.  No one was ill so we headed back to Port Perry for a little jaunt.  I was absolutely sure I was going to come home with my very own piece of Shelley chintzware; I just didn't know which piece.  After much hemming and hawing I didn't actually buy any!  There were too many lovely things at this little antique store that I couldn't spend all my money on just one dish.  Instead I came home with a magazine from 1952; a beautifully done cross stitch dresser scarf; and a vintage quilt.

The magazine has all its pages - including lots of recipes - and does not smell like musty basement.  Those are the two most important things to look for when buying vintage magazines in my opinion.  Many a time have I been disappointed in an ebay purchase because of that.  I wonder if my Grammie perused this same issue 60 years ago?

Buying a vintage quilt is not something I ever thought I would do.  I have a number of my own, made by my own Grammie.  I know the stories behind the fabrics used which I don't on a quilt made by someone else.  I couldn't resist this one I saw on Saturday though - I think the pink sashing had something to do with it.

This is just half of it folded over.  Stretched out it will fit a single bed.  There are some really sweet fabrics in the patchwork; my favourite is the blue one in this nine patch:

I don't think I need to explain why!

On Sunday we went skating and then just puttered around the house.  It was a perfect weekend in my opinion, and I hope my next full weekend off is the same.

Have a great day!
Jenn

Treasures

I always want to go thrifting when I hear of others who have had recent luck at it.  Yesterday I went to all three of my local thrift stores, and it was a pretty good day.

For metal pieces I got these:

I've got my shortbread in the tin on the right.  It's nice to have them out of a plastic container, and it's much prettier on my counter too.  The tray on the left reminded me of chintzware so I had to get it.  I thought the colours were a bit dull, but it turns out the tray was just really dirty!  It's called Daher Decorated Ware and it's from 1971.  Designed in the U.S: made in England.  I had a look on ebay for similar ones and there are some seriously beautiful patterns out there.  I will definitely be on the lookout for more.

It's a little hard to tell but this coffee container is actually pink and black!  I was seriously stoked to find it.  Even better was that it was something ridiculous like 79 cents.  Mr. Crafty World likes our current coffee container, so I put our Tassimo pods in there.  There was no way I was leaving that in the store.  It's American too: made by West Bend.  I think they used to make appliances?

For china I got two Wedgewood dishes.  I was only going to buy one but I found out it was was half price day for dishes.  Score!

The dish on the left is big enough to use as a sandwich or cake tray which is nice.  The bowl on the right was quite stained under the glaze, but I currently have it soaking in OxyClean and it's working to clean it up.

For the rest of it I got this big basket to hold the quilts and afghans in our family room.  I'm going to make a liner for it so the crocheted ones don't snag.  I got a few books and a new in package bath pillow and Dimensions cross stitch kit.  The kit was open but everything is there which is nice.

I could not resist the happy daisy and turquoise sheet.  It's going to make the cutest bunting I think.  Another project to add to the pile!

Thanks for visiting:)
J.

Even Shallow Dreams Come True

I am a shopper; plain and simple.  Always have been; more than likely always will be.  One of my little dreams - and I admit quite a shallow one - has been to attend a gift show.  Just to look.  Just to see all that wholesale product laid out for buyers to be tempted with.

 Guess what I did yesterday?

Getting to peruse the Buyer's Guide is like icing on the cake.  No wait; the icing on the cake is helping to decide what to buy:  the cherry on top is not having to pay for any of it!  I just have to sell it.  Not hard when it's all so darn pretty.
I was supposed to go today too, but the school bus company decided they could not possibly drive their busses in the two inches of snow that came down.  So the kiddos and I are at home today, doing "snow day" type stuff.

Part of that will be starting a new crochet project:

A simple wrap using Noro Kogarashi variegated yarn.  I couldn't resist the sale price - $10 a ball!  The yarn colours are hot pink and turquoise and olive.  Sounds gross, but looks nice.  I'm not sure yet what colour the flower will be.
After some much needed house cleaning it will be pyjama time with crochet and season 3 of Downton Abbey:  that makes two awesome days in a row.

Quiet Crafts

I have used a few of my quiet moments to make a few things.  Nothing huge, and more like puttering in the craft room with something to show for it.

I dug out some of the large, flat backed marbles and scrapbooking papers to make some Victorian inspired magnets.  I figured our refrigerator could use some new accessories:

My favourite is this one with the little chateau:  it reminds me of France and how much I want to go again.

I sorted through some of my fabrics and played with a new rubber stamp to come up with a heart decoration:

I used some of my vintage lace and even managed to stick an old, cancelled stamp onto it.  It was a fun afternoon, but it took hours just to get this one thing done!

 Yesterday I cancelled all my commitments to have a "well" day at home.  Libby and I snuggled under the rainbow blanket and watched season one of 'Downton Abbey'.  I also worked a few more rows on my ripple blanket.  It was a great afternoon and I felt much better afterwards.

Wishing you some quiet well days,
J.

Don't Make Plans

'Don't make plans' really should be a mantra for Mr. Crafty World and I.  Every time we do, they end up going bust.  Like this weekend: for the first time since November 1 I had the whole weekend off.  Saturday and Sunday.  That's rare around these parts.  We had plans to drive out to Port Perry and do some shopping and eat at a cute little bakery.  We have been looking forward to this for weeks. Thursday morning saw me taking My Favourite Boy to the clinic to get an official Strep Throat diagnosis.  OK, he won't be contagious by Saturday, so we can go if he feels up to it.  By Friday he was feeling much better, and all looked good.  Then after supper on Friday night My Favourite Girl started throwing up and didn't stop until 5:30 a.m.  I ended up sleeping on her floor and holding a bucket for her every half hour or so.  Fun.  Saturday was a write off, and Sunday I couldn't get out of bed myself.  Today I'm home again because My Favourite Girl called me from school to come home, so I had to close the shop and get her.  OY!

Despite all this, I did manage to complete a project on Saturday I have been wanting to do.  It was nice, boring, repetitive work - perfect for an exhausted mama.
Months ago I bought some magnetic spice racks and mounted them inside my pantry door.  They have been a blessing because now I can find my spices.  Problem is, the containers themselves are not marked.  I put a label behind the container, but when you are using more than one at a time it can get a little dicey when you're not sure if you put your chili powder where the cayenne pepper is supposed to go.  And yes, it does make a difference!  So I prettied them up with a little scrapbook paper and rubber stamps and now there is no more confusion.

See, I didn't plan to make these this weekend, it just happened due to a series of (unfortunate) events.  Lesson learned - hopefully.

January 15, 2013 W.I.P's 'n Things

I used to have a great rule when I started cross stitching and that was to never start a new project until I finished what I was working on.  I actually followed that rule for a number of years and then for whatever reason I stopped.  It's amazing how much builds up on you when you're not paying attention!  Currently I am trying to finish up a work-in-progress about three years in the making; a Valentine band sampler in cross stitch.  The goal is to get it finished by this Valentine's day, but I'm not going to make any bold declarations or anything.  I'm getting closer to the end so it's quite possible:

My current crochet project is moving along slowly:

I am trying to be random with the colour placement, but I do have to watch out because some colours I only have one ball of and I don't want to run out half way through.

I have a new DIY project and it will remain a W.I.P until summer most likely:

I got it off the curb and it needs a new coat of paint.  I am sure what's on there right now is oil paint so it won't just be a matter of slapping on a new coat in situ.  It is going to be the new home for our TV and I would seriously love to paint a Union Jack over the drawers.  Very 2012 I know, but I still think it would be cool.  Mr. Crafty World will take some convincing though.

Remember when I said I was waiting for an order from Victorian Trading Company?  Well, it came this morning and it wasn't just new stationary I was waiting for:

Aren't they gorgeous?!!  I was a little nervous that they wouldn't fit, because tall rain boots can be funny that way.  However they fit perfectly and they're comfortable.  I can't wait for Spring!

January 10, 2013: Vintage Baking

I got some great books for Christmas.  Rather, I ordered some great books for myself for Christmas.  Today the sun was shining and it felt like a great day to dig into one of them and bake.  Here's what I worked from:

It really is a lovely book.   I have a small collection of vintage cookbooks and I love reading the recipes for the old fashioned baked goodies.  There is hardly a chocolate chip or package of cream cheese mentioned in most of them; mostly just butter, sugar, flour and lots of dried fruit.  This book is basically a collection of the most popular of the oldies, but with lovely photographs.  After reading through it the first time I just had to make a round of the thrift stores to see if I could find any lovely vintage baking treasures.

So today I dusted off my Mix Master and made the Victoria Sandwich Cake, which is the cake you see on the front cover.  It's like a strawberry shortcake but with jam instead of strawberries in the filling.  I didn't want to use just any red jam though.  No, indeed, I wanted to use this:

It's rose petal jelly from Provence and it's gooo-ood!  It smells like roses; it tastes like roses; it even has rose petals in it.  I bought a jar before Christmas and loved it so much I bought another jar and wrapped it up and told Mr. Crafty he was to put it in my stocking.  I am a little stingy with it though.  Today  I thought it would bring an extra vintage touch to a vintage cake so I let up a little.  I like it , and it got three out of four thumbs up.  Only three because My Favourite Boy has not tried the cake yet.

My Favourite Girl and I did not even wait until the boys got home from school/work to try it; we just got out the forks and indulged.  I had it with a cup of Zhena's Gypsy Rose tea and I was in rose heaven. Next time - and there will be a next time - I will not sweeten the whipped cream because the jam is sweet enough.  The recipe did not call for sweetened whipped cream but I did it anyway.

I was hoping to get a little sewing done with some new vintage style fabric afterwards, but it didn't pan out.  However, the laundry room is cleaner than it has been in months and lots of washing and ironing got done, so I can't complain about the way the day went.  Perhaps tomorrow:)