Vintage Collage & Quilts

Sewing Fun

Have you other vintage fabric lovers noticed how popular vintage European grain sacks have become?  I'm seeing them everywhere online.  Just the sack itself can range from $60 -$100 +.  If it is made into a pillow they run from $200 - $300!!  Especially the ones with the stenciled letters & designs.  Oh, look at this one! for $495.  American flour sacks are more reasonable & more available here in the U. S.  Look at these - Yum Yum!!

I decided to try to make something similar since a $300 pillow is way out of my pillow paying range.  I made mine from linen, black paint, stencils & vintage looking fabric.  They are not pillows yet but on their way.  The "B" of course is for my last name. 

I've also been making other small sewn projects with the thought to sell more hand made items on Etsy or elsewhere.  I've got way more fabrics than I can ever make into quilts.  Another future pillow.

Girl's Day Out

I had a fun day out this week with Miss Connie (CGS).  First I stopped off at an estate sale & then headed over to meet CGS.  Below are some of our finds, a sneak peak at a quilt of mine in progess & a b-day gift from Connie.  Those of you who read Somerset magazine will recogize her art in the center.

Here is a peek into the trunk of Connie's car.   You never know what goodies are lurking in that little V. W.  trunk. 

Also, take a peek at Robin's site (Paris Bebe).  She is having a give away of a kit of my Paper Doll pattern! 

 

Surprise!

I'm finally going to post some of my one day early surprise b-day pics from June 1st . My husband & I had planned to go out to dinner with two other couples.  Shirley & her husband Earl came over in the morning.  The guys were going to do some guy stuff & Shirley & I were going to garage sales & visit my mom at Assisted Living. 

When we arrived at home around 3:30 Shirley told me in the car that Don & Earl spent all day making something for me for my b-day & he was coming out to blind fold me.  He walked me through the house & out the patio door then took the blind fold off.  I was shocked & surprised to say the least.  I thought maybe a little something extra was up for dinner out but nothing like this.  He invited around 30 of my closest friends, neighbors & family.  He & Earl worked all day picking food & cleaning our patio furniture in preparation & I had no idea at all. 

THE LOOK OF SURPRISE: (If I'd known I would have cleaned the house a little better : ) 

HUGS & KISSES:

LETS EAT:   

PRESENTS & CAKE:  What would a party be without gag gifts such as toe spacers, false teeth holders, hemorrhoid cream, long poles to pick things up with, senior vitamins, etc.  : ) 

Someone made a mistake.  I can't really be 60??

 

Thank you Sweet Hubby! 

Thank you also to Sneaky Shirley (friend since 10th grade)  & Earl (the chef) , Eileen & John (drove all the way from Nevada), George & Liz, Diana (friend since 1st grade)  & Buzz (7th grade), Al & Anthony, Uncle Eddie & Carol, Donna & Ed, Enos & Brenda, Bob & Maria, Linda & Dave, Ed & Adele, Ray & Pat, Roni, Linda, Christina & Elizabeth. 

Fun Girl Weekend

Yesterday Shirley & I drove to Amador City to check out the annual Great American Porch Sale.  The woman who puts it on has a shop in town called Country Living.  Now once a year she has this fun sale on the giant wrap around porch at her home.  Here are a few of my porch finds.  After this we walked to the historic downtown & checked out the antique stores. 

 

 

 

After this we drove to the next darling town of Sutter Creek.  They have a wonderful historic main street as well loaded with antiques.  One store in particular we absolutely LOVED.  It is called Victorian Closets owned by Sally Knudson.  She has owned it since 1972 & it's beautiful.  Sally was gracious enough to allow me to take pictures for my blog.  Not only are her items for sale beautiful she displays them in the most wonderful way.  Here we go ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in heaven.  Beautiful antiques AND quilts!

 

I have a sweet pincushion doll just like this one at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Sutter Creek we went to a few thrift stores & then on to Jackson.  By then, 8 hrs later my feetsies were in flames so we only went to 4-5 antique stores in Jackson.  We came home.  Shirley spent the night & we went out this morning to Oakley & Brentwood garage sales.  Our last treasures below.

This is one of those lap cushions that you can do projects on like sewing.

 This garage sale clock will look cute in mom's little apartment.  They let me set my own price on the antique photo! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't believe I found ANOTHER pretty floral vintage shoe bag.  Now I have one in shabby blue & shabby pink.  Aren't these colors dreamy ~~~~~

 

My next post will be about the surprise party my husband threw for me last weekend.  The photos are not yet on my computer.

Till next time : ) 

Shopping in Brentwood (Northern, CA not Southern)

 I had heard there was a new vintage shop in Brentwood called "The Vintage House".  Ohh, the very next town - so I had to check it out with Shirley.  One of the owners let me take pics to blog about.  It is located at 735 Second Street, Brentwood, CA 94513.  Brentwood is such a fun town.  Old town has the cute little shops & new town has the malls & usual shops you have come to know.  Brentwood is also still part farming community & there are fun fruit & veg stands to buy fresh picked or U-Pick items. 

Here are some photos of "The Vintage House": 

Lots of aqua & white which I LOVE!  This cabinet speaks to me - take me home. 

This chair is DEvine!

 

I love this blue pillow fabric~

 

 

 

THEN - I FOUND ANOTHER SHOP RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER I HADN'T BEEN IN TO.

MARIA NEU INTERIORS - A Interior Design Studio & Boutique

220 Oak Street, Brentwood, CA 94513

 

 

 

 

 

A FUN THRIFT STORE FIND:  I had to share these mini vintage perfume bottles which are only 1" - 1 1/2" tall.  Aren't they sweet?

Prayers

 Prayers please for my aunt who passed away last week.  Also for my sweet cousin who found out she has Stage IV Liver cancer the same week she lost her mother.  Every day when we wake up know it is a gift to be here.  Try not to waste a single day & be kind to those around you.

 

Friday Finds

Today I headed out to San Ramon for an estate sale.  I heard they had Storybook dolls so I had to see those little cuties.  They were all nestled in their little polka dot pink & blue boxes.

 

Bridesmaid doll

Another Bridesmaid doll

I think Shirley has referred to this type as the "pinch face" NASB doll.  Notice her longer narrower chin.  I've seen taller ones but this one was very tiny. This one didn't have a tag & I'm not sure she was in the correct box. 

 

Western series doll

The lady who owned the house had a lot of sewing articles, patterns & of course the doll collection.  By the style of her clothes & the bisque dolls I'm guessing she was probably about 10 yrs older than me.  It is kind of weird going to estate sales & going through someone else's personal possesions.  I think she would be happy her dolls are going to someone who loves them. 

I also found this cool shelf today at a thrift store.  It needs to be cleaned up.  I think I'll paint it in the shabby style.  It looks quite old to me.

A pretty french fabric boudoir pillow & a white battenburg pillow for $2.50 each.  I think I'm going to sew pretty buttons all over the white one. 

A  fun bag o' buttons.

I ran into Ms Connie Govea Stuart today while shopping.  She is busy these days giving classes & of course Somerset work.   And last but not least have you seen the brand new self published book by six talented ladies.  Amy Hanna, Pam Garrison, Teresa McFayden, Carolyn Peeler, Rebecca Sower & Charlotte Lyons.  Wonderful book with lots of pretty pictures & projects.  See their blogs for purchasing info & some sneak peaks.

 

Vacation Part II

The pitfalls of packing & being gone for a whole month.  Here is the pile of sewing, books & magazines & just had to bring with me. 

Sometimes it's hot weather.  Sometimes it's cold weather.  Did we really need this many clothes?  Now they have to be put back in the closet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bills still do have to be paid, even on vacation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piles of stuff still in the motorhome after a week.  Must finish that today.

 

***********************VINTAGE FINDS ************************

 

Margaritas anyone?  

I brought my yoyo maker & made these little treats.

 

 

 

 

 

Shirley & I must have hit at least a dozen thrift & antique stores in the Redding area.  What a sweet little vintage half doll pincushion. She needs a little dust removal & I think a ribbon with millinery flowers at her waist. 

This is just a top to something.  I love the little forget me nots.  I'll find a jar or bottom for it, I just know it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little box of vintage rhinestone buttons came home with me as well as this pretty blue & white creamer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This dish is a reproduction but just LOVED IT!

Can you believe Shirley found this gem at a garage sale.  It wasn't even out but she asked if they had any dolls.  The lady went into her house & brought out this beautiful china head doll & asked $5.00 for it!!!!  Shirley snapped her up.  She brought it to Lake Shasta to show me & before you knew it we made a trade.  Generous Shirley!

 

Isn't she just the prettiest? And look at this pretty chintz cup also from the Beave.  She certainly knows my likes : )  Thanks Shirley!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pam sent me a text message while I was away to look for the new Quilt Sampler spring issue as they had a sample of my quilt & book in one of the shops.  I hunted for a week & finally got a copy.  Thanks PKM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's it for now folks : )  Now I'm trying to catch up on my blog reading - YIKES!

Back from Vacation : )

We just got back from a MONTH at Lake Shasta yesterday.  It will probably take the rest of the week to unpack & have everything back in place.  Lots of friends came up to join us & we also joined some old friends for dinners & potlucks, regulars that we have been camping with there for over 20 yrs. 

One of the ladies there had a portable GPS & I fell in love so got one of my own.  I was just zipping all over Redding & neighboring towns while my little robot friend told me how to get there & when to turn. 

Here is our home away from home, our vacation home on wheels.

 

 

 

 

As you can see the water was way down.  You can only see the last 50 steps here to the dock.  There are another 50 plus above these.  With the water so low & the trees so high up there was NO shade & the last week there was boiling hot.

 They did build some new docks for us this year which was super.

 

 

One of our neighboring camper brought along his parrot.  Isn't he pretty.  His name is Max.  His owner, an elderly gentleman would play classical music & French music & dance in front of the parrot.  Max would dance along with him on the perch.  What a crack up. 

 

Aside from fishing for Bass I love reading on the boat or just floating along soaking up the sun & looking at the scenery.  I love the look of the green trees, red dirt & turquoise water. 

There were also Dogwood trees just finishing up with their blooms.

When we come to this one section of cabins it takes me back to childhood days.  We would spend summer vacations at Clear Lake  at the same cabin with my mom, aunts & cousins &  have such fun. 

When we first arrived at the lake there was a goose on a floating dock that was sitting on her nest. Hubby goose would walk around our dock keeping his eye on anyone who got too close.  She finally had 5 little goslings.  I think my husband has pics on his camera not yet downloaded.  I did get a pic of a duck with her little ducklings.

Story to be continued on my next post with some pretties I found antiquing & thrifting in Redding with Shirley. 

I'll close with a few of my summer blog themed Cafe Press shirt designs

 

I'm still here

Hi Blog Peeps,

No, I didn't drop off the face of the earth.  I just have been so busy lately no time to blog.  We are getting ready to take off for a vacation at Lake Shasta soon & so I'll be quite a while not posting.  This may be my last pre vacation post.

We went to Minden Nevada last weekend & visited some friends.  Shirley, myself & Eileen went antiquing & shopping most of one day.  We visited The Quilt House in Gardenerville & they had a sample from my book on display.  Shirley & Eileen spilled the beans that I was the author so I had an impromptu book signing.  Lots of fun & a great shop!  Eileen asked me to bring my quilt so she could see it in person so we ran back to her house as the shop ladies wanted to see it.

 

And ... speaking of quilt shops, on Tuesday I dropped off the doll quilt & some patterns at In Between Stitches in Livermore & ran into Elizabeth.  She has a brand new short hair do which is so cute.  I miss seeing PKM there though.  Boo hoo. 

Cheshire Antiques is one of the greatest antique shops there! What fun we had looking : ) Check out some of the beautiful pics on their website.

I'm also throwing in some photos from around the house to tide everyone over till I'm back.

Pretty vintage millinery & ribbons from France.  I just discovered a wonderful French shop in Alamo that has antiques & new French inventory.  It has been there for YEARS & I didn't know about it.  It's called Friendship Farm Antiques.  If you love French you have to go.  It's only open Tues - Fri. 

I received these fun charms from Lilli's Etsy shop.  She enclosed a few crocheted pretty flowers for me.  What a sweetie.  Can't wait to put photos in the charms.  Thanks Lillli!

I've been going through my china cabinet & have things from eons ago that no longer appeal to me that I am going to sell but I also pulled out all the blue pottery I had & made new vignettes in the kitchen. I just love the way blue & yellow look together.

 

These lovely china groupings are some of my mother's collection. The demitasse & chocolate cups are antiques. The coffee cups & saucers are vintage mostly from the 1950's.  Every year on Mother's Day my father used to take my brother & myself to pick out a new one for her.  I gravitated to the chintz ones. 

That's about it folks.  I'll be lurking on your blogs for another week before I leave : )   

Recycle - Thrifting Finds

Shirley & I had a couple of fun days this week.  On Weds we met in Martinez & hit the antique stores.  On Saturday we were going to have a joint garage sale but the weather was so crummy we decided to SHOP instead.  We went to estate sales, garage sales & thrift stores in the Danville area.  What fun.

First of all I want to show you this picture of the thrift store shoes I've found this last year.  These shoes are either NEW or maybe worn once or twice.  My husband was showing a friend his fishing picture & up popped my shoe pic & wondered what the heck is that?  I wondered what happened to it.  I guess I used his camera. 

Look at the brands!  Shirley gave me the Ferragamos that she found thrifting.  She is a Ferragamo sleuth.  Woo hoo!  My husband now calls me Imelda : )

I found this wonderful little vanity set at a garage sale yesterday.  The colors go perfect for my bathroom.  Got them for a steal. Fine bone china made in England We also popped into Cottage Jewel for a looky loo & Quilters Inn.  Found these pretty Kaffee Fasset fabrics that I loved so got a half yard of each.

I love these frames & this one with the vintage pic was only $8.  The pic is around 1900 & all the people are camping or something with a tent behind.  Kind of dressy camping.

The pretty purple bottle - $1.99 at Good Will.  Isn't this a fun reproduction Izannah Walker doll.  She/he was plain but I sewed some vintage labels on the muslin body, tied a steel cut button around the neck (a necklace or medal depending on the sex) & gave him a belly "button".

Thrift store brand new vest for $3.  Softest material.  The price tag & extra button were still hanging on it - $49.00.

 

The softest courdoroy jacket with grosgrain trim. Thrift store for $3.00

It's done - finally!  My "Paper Doll Dresses" pattern.   I have added the pattern to my Etsy website.  You may also order by contacting me by email with your paypal email address & full name & I will send you a paypal invoice.  The china doll heads photo is included in the pattern! 

HAPPY EASTER!!!

I hope everyone is having a nice relaxing Easter Sunday. 

Run don't walk to Michaels!

I found this wonderful shadow box at Michaels about a month or so ago.  I was just admiring Andrea's blog today where she showed hers filled with vintage jewelry so I thought I'd show mine.  They come with the pink/brown background paper & also blue/brown.  I just LOVE it!

Here it is with the cover opened.

Cover closed (a little harder to see)

This pair of satin baby shoes are my own little baby shoes.  Hard to imagine my feet that small. 

Progress "IS" Being Made

As for the dresser sanding caper, this is it's latest state.  I had to stop for a while to rest up my arm but it's coming along.  It's no longer going into the sewing room.  It will live in the kitchen with some of my pottery collection. 

Isn't this the prettiest color & design on this bowl/pot.  I wonder if it was a chamber pot?  Ewww!   

I'm going to move the little dry sink out of this corner to another spot, put the big dresser in here where the kitchen chairs won't bump it. 

For those of you who have been asking when the paper doll quilt will be done, believe it or not I have been working on it again.  The diagrams & written pattern should be done in about a week & hopefully ready for sale.  Sorry I've been such a slow poke.  Life happens & I've got too many irons in the fire.

I've quilted around the appliques & now just need to quilt the background & add a few embellishments. 

As for today, DHL is supposed to be delivering my 2nd new computer today.  Then we can pack up the 1st new broken computer & return it.  DH is out doing errands & I sit here still in my jammies (noon) waiting for the doorbell as I have to sign for it.