Resolution: Shop Drop Challenge 2016

I have joined the Shop Drop Challenge 2016 hosted by mommygreenest.com, text from her blog as follows:

"Need a New Year’s Resolution? Sign up for Shop Drop 2016! Take the Shop Drop Challenge and pledge not to buy any new clothes for 30 days, choosing like-new consignment, thrifted and swapped fashion instead. Shop Drop 2016 begins January 1st!

Why? To break the fast fashion cycle. The average American woman spends $60 on clothes and trashes six pounds of textile waste each month. If the 160 million women in America took our 30-day shop-and-drop pause, we could save nearly one billion pounds of landfill waste. Yes, that’s billion with a b.

Right now we have 213 people signed up, and our goal is 1,000… representing 6,000 pounds of landfill waste saved. Thanks to presenting sponsor thredUP.com, everyone who takes the Shop Drop Challenge is entered to win a $250 like-new consignment shopping spree and invited to our VIP party in Los Angeles. Sign up now!"

(All words are from mommygreenest.com.)

Black Friday Finds

I'm not much of a shopper, but I do enjoy getting out for a while on the biggest shopping day of the year.  Jenny and I went to Rayne to meet Meggan and her mom, and together we hit a few stores, had lunch, then ran errands before heading home.

It’s probably good that we didn't attempt any marathon shopping because after about three hours, I needed a nap to drive home!

 I hadn't purchased many items, so Jenny and Meggan suggested I go to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.  (Now that I think about it, I may have abandoned my crew a little too quickly.  Sorry girls.) 

They had a few other places to go, so I got dropped off with instructions to call when I'd be done.  Ha!  Are you kidding?  They called me twice.  On the third call they were waiting in the parking lot.  I understood and came running out with three bags of queen-size batting, which, by the way, gives the mistaken appearance of loads of stuff.

Two pillow forms in one really large bag sort of adds to that misconstrued image of one lone shopper purchasing a quilt shop.

I did buy a few other things: a ruler to replace the one I broke, a seam ripper to leave near the long arm machine (with the hope that I won't need it), and suction cup handles for rulers and templates.

 And because they were on sale ($1 each) and I've been a very good girl lately, I picked up solid fat quarters in every color of the rainbow to add to the stash.

What fun!  The girls' timing was perfect: any more and I may have started picking up things I may not need. 

What Black Friday finds did you bring home today?

a little Houston haul

While we were in Houston, perusing the beautiful quilts there, I did a tiny little bit of shopping.  Really, a tiny bit, not much at all.  Compared to the machine I bought three years ago, this was nothing!  But this time I could afford the shopping.

I picked up a few cones of thread.  Last year I bought several cones of neutrals from Superior Threads and loved Libby Lehman's "The Bottom Line" in the bobbins of my long arm.  

The problem became, though, that I didn't have any affordable cones for the top stitches.  After I picked up a few cones of this Omni brand, I spoke to the thread guy, and he confirmed my theory that this is the better-than-cheap but not "the Cadillac" of threads.  

I already have a bit of "the Cadillac" and prefer to buy that as needed.  I also have some of the cheap thread that manages to break every 12 inches or so.  What I needed is the in-between stuff.  

While walking through the vendor section, I happened to spot this package of buttons.  
I have no idea how I pulled that off, but I am very glad I did: I want to make a blouse and embellish it using the sewing motif buttons in the pack.  The tiny scissors, thimbles, a sewing machine, cards of thread, tape measure, and a needle will make for fun embellishments.  

I also picked up this laser cut fabric applique to make a quilt for the next Altar Society fundraiser.  It has fusible web already attached, so I just have to iron it onto a background and then add borders to enlarge the quilt.  The applique is 22 inches from top to bottom, so it will easily make a nice wall hanging.

And finally, this cute little pattern that I picked up was very affordable.  I bought it as a sample or experiment.  I want to make one small quilt with this pattern and, if it is something I really like, I'll invest in the barn quilt patterns by the same author, Prairie's Edge Patchworks.  

The pattern is a line drawing that I'll "embroider" on the Bernina using one of the specialty stitches.  It seems rather easy, but I didn't want to invest in the three more expensive patterns required for the twelve barns in the series.  

See the pens in the upper left corner?  Those are fabric pens that wash out.  I'm to use them to trace the pattern onto the background fabric.  Of course, I'll keep you posted on how both the pens and the pattern work for me.  

What do you think of my Houston haul?  Didn't I do a pretty good job of keeping the expenses down while getting some interesting items?  If you were lucky enough to get to Houston, what goodies did you pick up?  If you weren't quite so lucky as to visit Houston but did get some shopping in, what did you snag?

Winners all around!

I won!  Dusti won, actually.  A few weeks ago, I entered a giveaway at The Knotted Chain, an Etsy shop that specializes in hand-stamped personalized jewelry.  When Shellie contacted me to say that I'd won, I immediately thanked her and requested a chain for Dusti.  At thirteen, she loves pretties and what is prettier than this?  Not much, so it's perfect for our darling granddaughter.  

Although it was difficult, I managed to snap a photo of the piece.   It's sterling silver, which means it's very shiny and reflects the camera flash.  Oh yes, included in the little bag is a small piece of cleaning cloth so she can shine it if it should tarnish a bit.

Dusti's necklace has her initials (DM), her birthstone, and a cute little heart.  Each piece is separate on the chain and attached with it's own jump ring.  Talk about impressed!  Shellie has a fine taste for the pieces that work together and her hand stamping is exquisite.

Originally I was going to wait to give it to Dusti but, you know, I took one look at all that loveliness and just couldn't put it off: after all, Christmas is rather far away, and her birthday is even farther.  So, for no special reason, except to say we love you, we gave it to her yesterday.  She says she loves it.

It's been such a long time since my last shop profile, and because Shellie was so sweet about the whole process, I thought I'd do her a favor in return and tell you a bit about  The Knotted Chain and it's owner.  

Here's her interview:

Where/when did you learn to make such beautiful jewelry?

I wanted a mommy necklace after I had my first baby 7 years ago....So I got some supplies and taught myself.

What are some of your favorite designs to make? I really love the pieces that have a heart-warming story behind them. Some times they make me laugh and some make me cry.

Describe your creative process.

Well I have to wait till the boys are out of the house and it is quiet. haha 
Then I just sit down and start putting things together. I like to search for some great sayings on the computer. 

Who has influenced your art the most?  In what way(s) did this person influence you?  I think my kids and my husband. I was the girl that never wanted a family.  I went to art school and was going to move far away from everything.  Then I met my hubby about 10 years ago.  Everything changed.  He has always believed in me. 

What does "handmade" mean to you?  I think it comes from within, you have to feel it in your heart and care for it. 

Mary again: If you haven't visited The Knotted Chain, do so now and pick out a few pretties for someone to whom you would like to say "I love you."  They wil make darling Christmas gifts, bridesmaids gifts, birthday gifts or just "I love you" surprises.  I'll have to wait just a little longer to place my order since I'm not able to wait till the event to give away the prize!  

GSQA Show

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Gulf States Quilt Association (GQSA) show, "Charmingly Southern" in Slidell.  We boarded the small charter bus at 7 a.m. and took off with a couple of stops along the way to increase our numbers. Imagine the chatter and laughter as we played games and visited.

Photo from GSQA flyer by Ilaine Hartman.

Although we were there for only the day, I managed to see every quilt and even had a little time left over to sew in the community sewing.  We sewed strips together that will later be cut into blocks and made into charity quilts.


I only wish my camera were working as the quilts were stunning and I'd have loved to post at least a few.    I'm hopeful that I will get a few later from kind friends.  In the meantime, enjoy their website at http://gulfstatesquilting.org/index.html

I did pick up a few goodies and won a few prizes.  I'll share those later, for now I need some rest......my feet are tired!
Happy Quilting,
Mary

Etsy Shop Profile: Averylee Designs

I'm beginning to feel human again.  It's amazing how much a good night of rest will do for the body.  Since I am up to an interview today, say "hello" to Sheryl and Peggy, two grandmothers from Oregon who just happen to create some of the prettiest needlecrafts for their Etsy shop Averylee Designs.  They happen to be great friends who met in one of my favorite places....a quilt class!


1. Explain your business partnership.  Our business partnership was birthed from a long term friendship. One that is seasoned with the joy's and challenges that life delivers. All it took for us to begin crafting together was taking a beginning quilt class. Since taking that class we have delighted in each other’s developing artistic skills and started Averylee Designs a year ago with the desire to help others grow in creativity and teach the skills we had to share. Recently we opened an Etsy shop to sell our creations.

2. Where/when did you learn to make such beautiful cross-stitch and needlework? Peggy was introduced to needlework while thumbing through a magazine about twenty five years ago and was inspired to learn the craft. Through trial and error it began to blossom in design and intricacy. Sheryl was first introduced to needlework as a young school girl. In the fifth grade her teacher had each student create an embroidered piece on burlap. She remembers very vividly the owl in the tree she stitched. The other wonderful gift of needlework is that it allows us to relax and have a peaceful moment.

3. What are some of your favorite designs to make?  Peggy chooses design by color. She is always drawn by the seasons and her favorite season is autumn. Sheryl really enjoys the French Country designs with the "hidden treasures", such as suddenly you see a squirrel in the center of the design. 

4. How would you describe your creative process?  The creative process is like an adventure, a discovery process. You cannot be overtly perfectionist when you are being creative. Auditioning each medium or project and then committing to starting and finishing fulfils the intrinsic desire in each of us to be creative.

5. Who has influenced your art the most? In what way(s) did this person influence you?   Both of us believe that creation itself speaks volumes and cries out to be duplicated in likeness. Sheryl also gives credit to her mom who allowed and encouraged her creativity as a child.

6. What does "handmade" mean to you?   Handmade is equal to a personal touch. When we hand stitch a piece we not only spend a lengthy amount of time creating, but we also find ourselves emotionally investing in the piece, curiously wondering who will be the recipient of this lovingly created artwork. 

Is there anything else you'd like others to know about yourself or your shop?   Our greatest treasure are our grandchildren of which our business name is created from. Avery is one of six grandsons that Sheryl has been blessed with and Rylee is Peggy’s granddaughter. If you put the two names together it forms the name AveRYlee.


To visit Sheryl and Peggy, go to their shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/AveryleeDesigns.

Etsy Shop Profile: Shazzabeth

1. Explain how the name of your Etsy store came about.  My name is Sharon with middle name Elizabeth, so Shazzabeth is a play on amalgamating these two names.


2. Where/when did you learn to make such beautiful jewelry?  I am primarily self taught. I started with a couple of classes at the local craft shop to learn the basics, and everything learnt since then has been through tutorials, in books, magazines and online. Once I have learnt a technique I like to play around and experiment with it. I don't follow tutorials as they are because I'm not interested in repeating someone else's design. I may use them to learn a new technique but then I come up with my own design.

3. Do you have any favorite techniques?  I love both chainmaille and wirework. I decided fairly on to focus on these two areas of jewellery making, the theory being that I would prefer this to being "a jack of all trades, master of none" in terms of jewellery making techniques. Thats not to say I am a master of either of these techniques yet. Having said that I have recently started working with pmc too as I think this is a good fit with both the chainmaille and the wirework.

4. What are some of your favorite designs?  That's a difficult question to answer because my favourite part of jewellery making is in coming up with new designs. I love the process of coming up with ideas and thoughts and then seeing those ideas grow and evolve into a completed piece of jewellery. For this reason most of my designs are one offs. Of my current pieces I would have to say my favourite designs are my Blue Kyanite Flower Necklace and my Oceania Necklace.

5. How would you describe your creative process?  My creative process can vary so much from piece to piece. Sometimes I have a very clear picture in my head of a design and it is then just a process of trying different things until I make my idea work. At other times I might have a slight idea of what I am aiming for but the piece and the design actually evolves as I am working it. I'm not afraid to discard along the way as I am not the sort of person who will settle for 'that will do'.6. Who has influenced your art the most? In what way(s) did this person influence you?  There hasn't been any single person. I think what has helped the most has been being part of a beading forum. This has challenged me to push myself, to not be afraid of trying new things, and to think outside the box. It has also helped to receive constructive criticism along the way.What does handmade" mean to you?  To me handmade means, original, quality, and made with love.Visit Sharon and see more of her beautiful jewelry at http://www.etsy.com/shop/shazzabeth.  Can you pick out a favorite?  I would definitely struggle to choose just  one piece, after all, there are so many to choose from!

Etsy Shop Profile: Black Cat Hill

Today we get to say hello to Delaney of Black Cat Hill an Etsy shop that sells vintage items.  Since I'm so into vintage right now, I've been enjoying browsing through her beautiful shop.  It would be difficult to choose one favorite item, so I chose five!  Check out these photos!

1. What kind of items do you carry in your etsy shop?   I'm instantly drawn to tarnished silver, chippy paint and rusty wrought iron. I love things that really show their history, scratches, chips, and all. When things are not only beautiful and unique, but also useful everyday, I have a hard time letting it go. We hunt for things like farmhouse decor, old books, and tarnished silver. My father and I also make rustic style furniture and signs from reclaimed wood. 

2. What are some of your favorite designs or items?   Sometimes, when I find something I really love, I keep it for myself. I'm sure every vintage seller does this. I'm currently collecting white dishes and pretty much anything to do with birds. But I go through phases, so who knows what I'll be after in a few months. ;) 

3. How would you describe your creative process?  Vintage selling doesn't allow for much creativity, but I also work in photography and multi media artwork. I love that I can find unique old things and use them as props for a shoot. 

4. Who has influenced your art the most? In what way(s) did this person influence you?   I was raised by artists, and I grew up around artists so the influences are probably endless. Growing up, my dad used to give me cash for birthdays and a ride to the local thrift shops, so that's probably where my love/obsession for all things vintage comes from. But it was my mom and grandmother who taught me how to spot an estate sale from a mile away. ;)

5. What does "handmade" mean to you?  In a word, unique. Even if an artist tries to duplicate an item, it will never be just as the original. Handmade means you can see the craftsmanship and design that goes into something. It means that my handmade item is the only one in the world. 

6. Is there anything else you'd like others to know about yourself or your shop?   Mostly that Black Cat Hill isn't my only shop, and that I'm constantly delving into new things. I also love vintage clothing (AnotherSeason.etsy.com), and art is a huge part of myself. I started with photography (DelaneyLaFae.etsy.com), but I also can't help but explore early styles of art (WolfPackTribal.etsy.com). And just because I haven't totally worked myself crazy, I'm opening a soap shop later this year (SylvaPagana.etsy.com). 


Leave a comment to say hello to Delaney and click here to visit Black Cat Hill.

Antiquing Treasures

I haven't written much about the dishes that I collect, but I acquired a few more for that collection, so I thought it time to tell you a little about them.  Years ago, when my grandmother passed away, my mom gave me a few dishes and platters that had spent their lives in Ma-ma's small kitchen cabinet.  Most Louisiana kitchens of the time had few cabinets for storing dishes.  As a result, there were free-standing cabinets or pie safes with screen or glass front doors on top, a drawer or two in the center and wooden doors on the bottom.  My grandmother stored canned goods on the bottom, all manner of things in the small drawers, and her "pretty" dishes behind the glass doors.  

I have no idea what became of the cabinet, but her "Blue Willow" dishes went to my sister Angie and the dishes with roses came to me.  Because there was not one specific pattern, and I liked them all, I decided to add to her collection by simply collecting dishes with roses, mostly pink or red, but I do have a few yellow roses mixed in.  The majority of these dishes are older, vintage dishes from the years of my childhood, but there are a few that I purchased simply because I like them despite that they are very modern.

Since we had the opportunity to go antiquing in Washington (Louisiana) with Angie and Sid over the weekend, Richard and I decided that we would purchase one or two dishes to add to my collection.  We've done this before and it's proven a great way to add to my small collection without breaking the bank while also giving us something to shop for.
We found a few pieces at the first store and I seriously considered them, but we still had a few stores to visit.  I put off making my decision until I had the chance to see what the other stores offered and to see the price range of a few dishes.  


But at the second store I found this plate, and "it was on!' as my children say.  Sid tried to convince me that we still had lots more shopping to do and reminded me that I had not been to the largest place, but I would hear none of it.  


First, it fit exactly what I had been thinking of with the beautiful pink and red roses.  Most of my plates have one color although some have the same rose in different stages or sizes.  Secondly, and more importantly to me, this plate has ribbon holes.  I'm sure that there's a better term for the slots that are meant for ribbon to be woven through but I don't know the term.  I have been looking for a reasonably priced vintage ribbon plate for years.  The few I have found have been extremely high in price and I've had to pass each time.  Although the plate is a little steep for my wallet at $48, I could not put it down.  


Richard agreed that I should get the plate, even though he had no idea why I wanted it so badly and he had already decided to purchase the antique sewing machine we found at the first store.  The poor guy really didn't have much choice since he wanted to surprise me with the machine.


We ate a delicious lunch at Cafe Opera right in downtown Washington and were off to the Schoolhouse Antique Market, which is set up flea market style with many vendors in one building.  This building is the old Washington High School, which is a two story building with every little nook and hallway filled to the brim with antiques.  Don't stop though, there's still the gym, including the stage areas, also filled.  


Well, guess what, this bowl was at one of the vendor booths in the main building and a perfect match to the plate I'd purchased earlier.  The difference between the two?  The ribbon slots.  The bowl has two rows of slots, one exactly like those in the plate and another for a much smaller ribbon on the edge.  But take a close look and you'll see that the edges are different as well.  The bowl has a very curvy edge while the plate edge is divided into ten straight lines.  The roses, however, are exactly the same and both have the gold edging.  


I got one other surprise while on our little outing, but you'll have to wait till tomorrow to meet that and hear it's story. 


Isn't this a great story?  Won't my grandchildren want to know why or how I acquired these beautiful items?  I surely hope so.


 I love to hear stories that tell about both the items in the story and the person who collects those items.  And that brings us to you--tell us what you collect and what inspired you to begin your collection.  How do you add to your collection?   How do you display your collection?  

Time's Awastin' and a summer afternoon

Assuming you're reading this at a decent time of day, which would likely be Thursday, tomorrow is the final day to enter the giveaway: Friday, August 5, 2011, 11:59 P.M. is the magic date/time.  After midnight it will be too late to enter.  I'll choose a winner on Saturday morning, email the winner then post the info for everyone to see on Saturday sometime in the afternoon.  You will find everything you need to enter here!

Photo from The Borne Quilter website.

Very special thanks to my darling daughters-in-law, Stacey and Meggan for a fun afternoon and supper.  My sister, Sid and her daughter Kaitie are visiting for a while.  This afternoon they, Stacey and Dusti all accompanied me to The Borne Quilter in Lafayette for a little fabric shopping.  I'll post a picture of the lovely fat quarters I picked up.  Kaitie bought a couple yards of a beautiful yellow solid so I can make some pillow shams to match her new Pottery Barn duvet covers.

 In case fabric shopping with a purpose wasn't enough, we then caravaned to Rayne for a lovely supper with Rory and Meggan.  Poor darlings ended up with about 15 people eating hamburgers, hot dogs and wings just all over the house.  On that note, here's a shout out to a wonderful friend, who reads my blog daily and keeps the kids abreast of what's going on in our lives.  Sorry we missed you, Syl.  I'd love to be able to visit for a few minutes at least.


Finally, this little sad face was waiting for us when we got home.  Having spent last week alone in the house with no one but Cotton for company, Candy is quite unhappy when we all leave, even if it's just for a few minutes.


Richard's nickname for her is Thing 2 from the Dr. Suess books. I rather think he's on to something there.  Could she resemble the good doctor's critters any more with that hairdo?


And who could take a photo of Thing 2 without snapping at least one photo of Thing 1?  Certainly not I as I love both Things equally and could not show partiality to either.  So, though this little thing is quite shy in front of the camera, he agreed to a couple of shots provided I zoomed in rather than get in his face with the camera.   Notice he does not look directly at the camera.  That is a rare photo indeed.  No, Cotton may be bold and ferocious when strangers are near his mama, he is meek in front of a camera.....leaves the diva doings to Candy.


So, goodnight, since it is really night-time when I write my blog posts.  The house gets quiet and settled after everyone goes to bed.  That's my favorite time for writing and thinking and quieting my mind.  I get lots of quilts planned and reworked at this time also.  Surprisingly, however, it's not the time for writing poetry....that happens early in the morning as I awaken.  I couldn't explain it.  Instead I just accept it.


Don't forget to enter the giveaway: here!  Thanks Stacey for encouraging your coupon friends to visit and enter.