manitoba stitches

new cases

2012-02-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

Just finished an order for one of the galleries- new eyeglass cases. I have been playing with different threads, more variegated silk perle weight ones like the small blue flower in the case on the far left. They work up beautifully in crochet.Next time I am at the thread store I will stock up! By the way, the Hardanger piece I use for the background in the photos is a piece I did years ago. I don't know if my eyes can take that intricate work anymore! I am on to pincushions now, also working on a small quilt project I will share soon.

new etsy items

2011-12-20T09:49:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post showing a few new items listed on etsy. These mini pincushions measure slightly smaller than my standard pincushions- 3"x1 1/2" as opposed to 4"x2".
I think this size is perfect for tucking into a sewing basket or even for a travel size sewing kit.
I am also listing another felted tile. This has been crocheted and then felted, measures 4" square.
I have embellished it with hand crocheted flowers and embroidery. I have left the threads as little tassels on the edges. This can be used as a mug mat, trivet, or just for decoration. Well, that's it for now. Hope everyone has a happy holiday!!

custom order

2011-11-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished this handbag for a custom order and am really pleased with the results. The customer requested the deep eggplant color and specified that she likes the rust, apricot, buttery yellow, and purple colors for the flowers. What luck! My favorite colors to work with!
She also requested a velcro closure-which I don't usually do- but still wanted the corozo nut button as an accent. I love these buttons especially when I can layer them in the different colors. This one got a plum colored one topped with a sliver shaped one in orange.
Since the front was so heavily decorated I went a little sparser on the back.
It gives the purse two different looks.

Very time consuming, but very satisfying to work on. I have listed it in my etsy shop as a reserve-when my customer gets back she can purchase it there. If she decides against it I will remove the reserve and leave it in the shop. On to other projects!

holiday orders

2011-11-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post today-I'm using this blog to help keep track of things I am making. This is part of an order I am working on to stock some of the shops and galleries for the upcoming Holiday sales.
These are lavender filled sachets all neatly packaged and ready to go. I have been buying the lavender from an organic source and the scent is heady and long lasting.
If I have time I plan on putting these up on etsy, too.
These are so much fun to make, work up quickly and can look so different with just a change of color.
A sweet smelling array of blooms!
Back to work- so much more to make!

Fiber Art Almanac 2012

2011-09-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a gap in blog posts, but things have been busy around here. We did the Tangletown garden tour which was great. A bit of rain in the morning but lovely the rest of the day. Beautiful gardens- I wish we could have toured the rest of them! Since then the Fiber Art Almanac for next year has come out and I am very pleased to be included.
We met with Jenny for the photo shoot back in March at a local coffee shop/bakery. She did such a great job on the photos!
I love the way she displayed the pincushions like little cakes on the cake plate. My pillows and eyeglass cases were also included.
This Saturday there is a show at the Textile Center in Minneapolis showcasing the work in the almanac. I will be there for 3 hours in the morning for a 'meet and greet'. Should be fun!
In addition to that we have been very busy with long overdue household remodeling and repairs- 2 bathrooms remodeled, family room makeover, roof repairs and exterior painting. We are in the final week and I am so relieved! Workmen in and out can get so tiring. A lot of the work we were able to do ourselves and I am glad to get it done.
Next post will feature items I am working on getting ready to stock the galleries and shops for the holidays (already)!

applique towels

2011-07-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

I am still busy working on things for the upcoming Tangletown Garden tour. Since we will be
sitting in someone's beautiful garden I am making lots of floral items. I love working with flour sack towels- the texture is so wonderful.
Most of the fabrics for the applique are hand dyed cottons and purchased batiks.
As usual, one of my inspirations is Clarice Cliff pottery- so colorful!
Now on to pincushions, sachets, and eyeglass cases. Only 3 weeks left!

busy

2011-06-18T14:06:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I have not posted for over a month! We have such a short gardening season here that most of my time has been spent in the yard. The slow start to spring pushed everything back, but I did manage to get the window boxes done.
The back yard is mostly in maintenance mode; we have a few areas to work on but generally feel this shady area is complete. The front yard is our new project- we can add lots of sun loving perennials there. We started with lots of shrubs; I'll post pics later.
The two pots on the front steps are looking really good- thanks, Colette for the cannas!

About 15 years ago I laid a blue stone walk up to the front door. I meticulously cut the sod around each stone and fit it together like a puzzle leaving grass between each stone. Over the years it got mowed over but never trimmed and the stones started getting grown over. Well, we reclaimed the walk! I had forgotten how many stones there actually were. We thought we might plant some creeping thyme between the stones but I like the way it looks now so may have to give it some more time like this before I commit to anything.
I have also been busy with indoor projects- here's the new rug in the living room- my favorite rusts and greens.
We also removed the old victorian sofa( nice, but not very practical) from the sun room and got new rattan chairs and a new rug.
Also, I have lots to make for an upcoming show we are participating in on July 23rd- The Tangletown Garden tour in the Tangletown area of Minneapolis. Sponsored by the Tangletown Garden Center and about 3 art galleries each private garden on the tour will have two to three artists set up selling their art. Since it is a 'garden' environment I will have lots of floral items to sell, starting with my pillows:
Lots of my appliqued towels:
lavender filled sachets:
of course, my pincushions:
and the eyeglass cases. I can also include some handbags and the felted tiles/mug mats. Jim will have all of his leather bags, cases, and cuff bracelets. Should be lots of fun! Here's hoping for good weather and I better get busy!

re-do part 2

2011-05-07T04:34:00.001-07:00

I have wanted to give the living room a makeover for some time now and have wanted to see how inexpensively I could do it. I love a bargain and enjoy repainting, repairing, and sewing what I can myself. I started with the kitchen table turned into a coffee table in the last post and now it is a dresser to add storage to the room. This was found at an antique shop and is in very good shape. It even comes with a mirror which I'll use somewhere else! The color was a turquoise/ green- nice,but not what I wanted. The colors I am going for are more a celery or light spring green and shades of warm rust- the walls are a pale yellow. Lots of warm colors!
So the dresser is now a wonderful 'fired brick' color. I kept the glass knobs and handles on for now- I may change them later. A different decorative knob for each would be fun.
This dresser (and mirror) only cost $135. The coffee table was only $220. Both of those items came in under my budget so I bought lots of fabric to do pillows and a new swag for the windows (you can see a tiny bit in the photo-I'll show more later). All of it was on sale at the local fabric store; in fact the 8 yards I needed for the swag only cost $27! My beat up 35 year old wing back chair that has been hiding under a slip cover is in to the upholsterer right now and should be done on Friday. That is my big ticket expense- fabric $100 and the work done will be about $300. I should be done next week-wait til you see the rug I bought!

'before' and after

2011-04-26T04:32:00.001-07:00

There's probably no point to 'before and after' shots when you forget to take the 'before' pics, but I had to share my new/old coffee table. It was a standard height, rustic, farmhouse style kitchen table. We picked it up at an antique store and I knew it would be perfect. You can tell it was most likely handmade as the top is a little off from the base.
The base was painted a turquoise/green which wasn't bad, just not the color I wanted. I have used this lighter green on a few other things and just love it. The top was very dry, gray and stained from years of use. I like the worn look of it so just applied a clear varnish and the color changed to such a rich, warm brown. The reason I didn't get pics right away is because we had to saw the legs down in the parking lot just to get it in our rather small car! I have wanted a bigger coffee table because I do a lot of projects in this room and need the space to spread out.
My latest project is what I am calling 'felted tiles'. I have wanted to do some felting, but wanted a project I could still incorporate my embroidery and crochet into.
I crocheted the squares and then hand felted them. I like to leave some of the crocheting effect visible for added texture.
Then I added the embroidery leaving the knotted and tasseled ends for added interest.
I like polka dots so this one got crocheted dots.
I am not completely satisfied with these yet, but I have lots of ideas so will keep experimenting.
So this is what I have been doing lately. We still are having off and on miserable weather, still waiting to start gardening. Have to keep busy!

bags on etsy

2011-04-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

I decided to work on some pouch bags to list on etsy. These two were finished a while ago
and it's a nice break from the usual. I particularly like the deep red of this wool. The little two tone leaves were fun to do.
I used both size 8 and size 5 perle cotton on this one which gave it more texture.
Both are listed in my etsy shop. I'm currently working on one in blue that I might add some beautiful beads to from my ever increasing stash. I have a show in June I need to stock up for, so back to work!

lovely gifts from Liz

2011-04-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful surprise today to go out to the mail box and find a nice fat package from Liz. I so enjoy her blog and was very excited to see what goodies lied within!
I knew it would be beautifully wrapped- a lovely vintage lace piece and one of Liz' pretty handmade tags. I do admire her tags! The lace is hand crocheted so I can really appreciate the workmanship- such a pretty pattern.
I must confess I knew lavender was included because the package smelled divine even before I opened it! It is my absolute favorite! I was delighted to see these beautiful hand sewn sachets:
There are 4 of them! Even the ribbons are wonderful- I carefully wound them up and saved them for a future project. Just my colors!
Each one has such pretty seed packet pictures on them. As you can see from my last post I love the graphics on seed packets. This is such a special gift and came at just the right time. I think we all could use a lovely Springtime boost like this. While I am doing spring cleaning I will pop a sachet here and there and enjoy the scent of lavender. Thank you so much, Liz! Not only for these gifts, but also your friendship!

waiting for spring

2011-03-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

A week ago we were finally able to see some uncovered earth and then we got dumped on with more snow. This is not unusual, but always disheartening this late. Our growing season is short enough as it is! This is the year I tackle the front yard. I put in my fruit bed in the back in the one sunny spot and the rest of the back yard is lots of shady beds. Very little lawn left back there which is great. I have always thought any expanse of lawn was a waste of space so this year the front yard is going to be all raised beds and garden areas. Plenty of sun and since my neighbor's yard has an entire row of black walnut trees the raised beds should be a good way to handle that problem. As you can see I have bought plenty of seeds as the raised beds are going to be a mix of vegetables, herbs, fruits, annuals, and perennials. It's time to get the gardening magazines out for inspiration!

I love the look of these raised beds- all the leafy lettuces make such nice foliage accents.
This year I plan to start with 3 raised beds each measuring 4' by 8'. The perimeter of the yard has already been planted in a variety of shrubs- bridal veil, amur maple, and hydrangeas. This will be the privacy fence from the street. Once those have filled in I want to bring that border in some more with additional shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials.
While I am waiting to get started I have been getting ideas for climbing structures for peas, beans, malabar spinach, morning glories,etc.
They are trimming trees right now at the arboretum- I might see if I can take a few straight branches off their hands!
The magazines have some great ideas for all the fresh flowers to come. I especially like the use of this old bulb planter- just slip a glass votive or small vase inside. Such a pretty centerpiece!
The little bird cage with the tulips - another great idea.
Sunflowers and canning jars-simple and stunning.
And I don't know how many times I have come across an old oil lamp that is missing the chimney- this adds such height to an arrangement.
And for the kitchen table- sunny yellow blossoms in a glass juicer!
Cosmos in a wire egg basket:
Great ideas to be looking for at all the upcoming sales and antique stores. Hurry up Spring!

photo shoot

2011-03-06T09:33:00.001-08:00

It's nice to come across something that is not only beautiful but also useful. Last fall while I was dropping things off at the Textile Center shop I noticed this great day planner/journal devoted to local fiber arts. Not only is it practical but so interesting and beautifully photographed. The shops and artists included are mostly within driving distance of the Twin Cities- Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northeastern Iowa.
It is a nice resource book for many things- I was glad to see the hand dyed wools with the resources listed in the back.

It includes rug hookers, quilters, knitters, and dyers. I am so pleased My work will be in the 2012 edition! I met with Jenny this past week at a local coffee shop to take some photos. The cafe had some wonderful old cupboards and tables to use for props.
Before the shoot I finished some applique pillows I wanted highlighted. This is the red one I was working on before.

Then I decided to do a geometric one using more of my batik stash. I sold a number of these non floral pillows when we had the shop- a bit more contemporary feel.

And, of course I needed to include the 'bread and butter' items: pincushions and
eyeglass cases. It was a lot of fun watching the staging process and from what I could tell her photos will be quite a bit better than mine!

silk applique

2011-02-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

I am in applique mode right now trying to finish some pillows I have been working on. This piece is a wall hanging I finished a number of years ago and always loved the colors and the sheen of the silk.
All of this is dupioni silk- we have a warehouse fabric outlet in the area and everything is always 50% off. Some of these silks can normally run about $40 a yard but since I need such little amounts I can buy 1/4 yards and only pay $5.00! By the way, the bolts are 54" long- quite a nice deal!
I have also bought plain white dupioni and hand dyed it for a mottled effect.
If I were to do this one again I would probably add more background stitching- or maybe not!

neverending winter

2011-02-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

Just when we thought there was a light at the end of the tunnel ( it was 50 degrees three days ago with a little bit of melting) we are now awaiting the arrival of a huge storm that is expected to dump another 13" of snow and last through to sometime on Monday. This is the time of this very long season- we've been snow covered for about 4 months- that I am desperate for greenery and color. Thank goodness for the Como Conservatory in St. Paul and the orchid show at the Arboretum. We always hit both in February.
The Conservatory is about 100 years old and is located on the grounds of the Como Park Zoo. I've been coming here since I was little- at least 50 years. I remember when there was a huge tropical plant inside the front entrance labeled a "man eating" plant. I have no idea what it was but to a kid it was both scary and intriguing. I kept expecting it to reach out a tendril and grab an inattentive kid Addams family style. I always stepped lively coming in the door.
The ferns and palms lend such a tropical feel- warm, humid and with that wonderful scent of damp earth. It is hard to believe how cold and snowy it is just outside the glass.

Scattered throughout are lilies and orchids- little pockets of color. The lilies smell divine.

It can be so peaceful just sitting and listening to the trickling and bubbling water. We try to go during the week so we almost have the place to ourselves.
One area in the new section has varieties of tropical birds flying around. Warmth, greenery and birdsong- the perfect antidote to winter.

All these patterns and leaf shapes are inspirations for applique work.
And the colors and patterns in the orchids remind me of my batik fabrics.
All these orchids are in the orchid show at the Arboretum.
I can't believe the variety and the intensity of the color in some of them.

Well, the wind and snow has started now. Here's to at least another month of Winter!

the winner!!

2011-02-17T05:17:00.001-08:00

I have thoroughly enjoyed this year's OWOH event visiting as many blogs as I could and meeting so many like minded people. I've added a number to my blog roll and plan to visit often! I am looking forward to next year's new and slightly different event that Lisa is putting together-sounds like lots of fun! Read all about it and also how to sign up for info. on Lisa's blog. Thanks, again to Lisa for all her hard work hosting. Now for the winner of the pincushion- Morna Crites Moore at Wicked Waif. Congratulations! I will be emailing you for your shipping instructions. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left such nice comments- hope you visit again!

batik applique

2011-02-03T04:53:00.000-08:00

I have been having so much fun visiting blogs this week that I haven't had time to post. Now orders are coming in and I have to get busy. I recently dug out my stash of batik fabrics to experiment with Jude's weaving method and decided to do some applique work while I had it all out.

I use a very light fusible web when I cut out all my pieces. I don't like stitching around pins
and since I use a buttonhole (or,rather, a blanket stitch) on all the edges basting everything down is just one more step I can do without.
The batiks are just so perfect for leaves and flowers- they add such texture and color . This piece will become a pillow. This is my relaxing project to work on between all the eyeglass cases and pincushions I have to finish.
I have ideas worked out for two more pillows I need to finish this month- will show them later!

fifth and final OWOH

2011-01-31T00:05:00.000-08:00

The fifth and final One World One Heart giveaway is here! I participated the last two years and it is a great opportunity to visit lots and lots of wonderful blogs from all over the world. All you have to do to participate is have a blog, offer something as a giveaway, and leave a comment on each blog you visit to be eligible for their prize. The drawings will be on February 17th. Click on the badge at the end of this post or on the sidebar for all the info. as well as a list of all the participating blogs. I have decided my item will be the mini pincushion pictured. It is about 3 inches across and 1 1/2 inches high- a perfect size to tuck into a sewing basket.
Leave a comment and your name is entered in the giveaway. Have fun and a big thank you to Lisa at Whimsical Bohemian for hosting this again this year!

giveaway-OWOH

2011-01-28T16:54:00.001-08:00

The fifth and final One World One Heart blog event is starting this Sunday, January 30th
and runs until Feb. 17th. I am trying to decide what to offer for my giveaway- maybe a coaster,
a regular sized eyeglass case or a reader style eyeglass case;
Or maybe a pincushion (this is what my giveaway item was the last two years) or,finally:
a mini pincushion. I will decide and post the item on Sunday. See you then!

clarice cliff

2011-01-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

A little more progress on the hooked rug I've been working on for what seems like a very long time. It sits in the corner of the sewing room and I do a small section whenever the mood strikes.
I drew this design on a large piece of paper, transferred it to the monk's cloth and just started filling in with some of my hand dyed wools and solid mill dyed wools.
The large flowers and bold, bright colors are inspired by my favorite British pottery:
Clarice Cliff from the 1920's and 30's. Most people would be familiar with her pieces decorated with cottages and bizarre trees, which are wonderful, but I love her florals.

The following photos are examples of her work. The colors are so warm and vibrant:

AND are all my favorite colors!

Some of my applique work is also inspired by her work. I just love it!

seed catalogs

2011-01-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

We have been out to the Arboretum for the Seed Stories exhibit four times already and could go many more times, it is so fascinating. The Andersen Horticultural Library has an extensive collection of 57,000 historic seed and nursery catalogs and this exhibit is a tiny fraction highlighting many of the companies specific to the Midwest as well as elsewhere. I am amazed at how many are right here in Minnesota. This Landreth catalog below is the oldest in the collection dating from the early 1800's. In fact the Landreth Seed Company is just starting their 228th year of business- the oldest seed company in America. They are in Pennsylvania and I tried to get this year's commemorative catalog,but it is sold out.
Three of the companies shown were started and ran by women right here in Minneapolis- Lippincott, White, and Prior- in the early 1900's.

The artwork and detail are stunning. I think everyone would have been tempted to frame the catalog cover when they were done using them! I know I would have.

So many varieties of vegetables and fruits are ones I don't hear anymore. I wonder what has happened to all those varieties?

I purchased a few calendars so that I can enjoy the images all year long ( this is the one I sent to Liz over at Lululizinlalaland). Hope you enjoyed this little look at the exhibit!

new projects

2011-01-11T17:53:00.000-08:00

I love batik fabrics.I have quite a stash of them and sometimes use them for applique work. Lately it seems my time is spent making pincushions and eyeglass cases to fill orders and I would really like to stretch myself a little. I decided to treat myself at Christmas and purchase one of Jude Hill's online classes over at Spirit Cloth. I tried the cloth to cloth class which is an introductory course to her fabric weaving technique for quilting. The videos were wonderful- it is so interesting to watch an artist at work and see the process beginning to end.This type of quilting is so different from my usual work- much more spontaneous, it's nice to loosen up a bit. the first step was to tear strips of cloth- tear, not cut! That part alone was fun!
Then I started weaving sample pieces- some of these are the batiks and others are cottons I dyed myself. Playing with the colors was so much fun. the one above is a tiny piece using bright colors I'm especially drawn to and the one below has a dark blue purchased batik and a mottled sky blue that I dyed. Blue is not a color I use much, but this combo is so pretty. This piece will be the background for embellishing with embroidery and more. I would like to meld this technique with my crocheted flowers and embroidery.
I think the techniques will work well together. This is my 'work station'- the coffee table in front of me in the living room.
This is the green piece I decided to start with- the pieces are woven and now I'm stitching down the raw edges. When I made quilts before I would be chained to a sewing machine for the piecing and worked very hard on doing perfect, even quilting stitches. I soon realized I wouldn't be finishing very many quilts. What I love about this is handstitching everything is encouraged- a much freer form.
A few years ago my friend, Colette, was at a weaving demonstration and when the artist was discarding the selvage edge threads she scooped them up and very generously gave them to me. I have been waiting for the right project and this may be it.
The colors are just beautiful so, along with adding some flowers:
I'm going to use the threads for some of the embroidery- couching them done here and there.
It is early stages still and ,of course, I have to work around making more eyeglass cases:

and pincushions!

stitchville

2011-01-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

I go through a lot of thread making my pincushions ,etc. so I'm so glad I have a local needlework shop that carries everything I need and more. Stitchville USA is a small shop packed to the rafters with all manner of embroidery floss, hand dyed threads,
perle cottons in all sizes ( this is what I use mostly), silk ribbons, and anything else fiber related you might need. They specialize in embroidery and cross stitch as well as punch needle work so are well stocked on supplies. They also get their hand dyed wool from the same source I do.
Pattern books galore, kits, and even classes and stitching groups are available. The walls are covered in floor to ceiling examples of beautifully done needlework.
I have been shopping here for years and am happy to announce that they will now be carrying my pincushions. Since the shop carries both the thread and the wool that I use we thought it would be a good fit. My next step is to work up some patterns and instructions to sell-
buy one ready made or all the supplies to make your own. One stop shopping!

300 years of chairs and more

2010-12-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

We have officially broken the record for December snowfall surpassing the old record from 1969- a little over 33 inches and the possibility of more this week. Everyone everywhere seems to be having extreme weather this year. On one particularly snowy day we spent time at the Art Institute in Minneapolis to view two visiting exhibits. The first one was 300 years of chairs- this one is an 19th century leather upholstered example. Both the seat and the back are the warmest caramel color and look so soft ( of course I couldn't touch it!)
This 20th century one is made from one piece of laminated birch plywood- a couple of simple cuts, steamed and molded to shape.
It was made in 1934 (seems more contemporary!) and because it has no joins it was touted as being perfect for tropical regions - no joints popping.
This woven plywood chair is a Frank Gehry piece made in 1992.
This one is so delicate looking and had very pretty inlaid designs. I think this one was a late 18th century piece.
The one below is, of course, from Texas. Interesting but not very comfortable looking.
This one is an early English made chair made entirely for metal. Intricate designs and even the tufted upholstery look seat is metal.
And this last chair is made from an array of stuffed toys. Imagine how much fun kids would have with this one!
The other 'on loan' exhibit was a Native American collection. It was beautiful! Unfortunately, I couldn't take photos in this show ( I took one before I was asked to put the camera away), but I could take photos of the permanent collection.
There were lots of these intricate woven baskets- it is amazing the materials they used. Everything from pine needles and grasses to moose hairs and split plant roots and stems.
The flowers on these mocassins are made from dyed moose hair.
The bead work is incredible! You may not be able to tell from the photos but the entire surface is covered in beads- not just the flowers.
Aren't they beautiful! And so inspiring!
Lots of examples of silver and turquoise jewelry:
The Institute is a fantastic place to spend the afternoon, but definitely too large to see everything in one day; In fact, I usually get lost in the maze of galleries. There are some things I have to try and see each time we go and one of these is the Veiled Lady.
When we would come here as kids my aunt and mom would always search this one out- the delicacy and transparency of the veil worked in marble always leaves me intrigued. It is an Italian piece made in 1860.
A carved trunk that I couldn't resist.
And finally the Dale Chihuly glass sculpture hanging in the entrance. Every piece is hand blown and then was assembled and suspended on site. This piece is huge! So there is my day at the Institute.
I picked up a map this time and plan on plotting out future visits so I can explore some of the areas I tend to miss. I completely missed the textile exhibits! That's top on the list for next time. Hope you enjoyed the tour!

needlework magazine

2010-12-11T17:31:00.000-08:00

I did a little thrift store shopping this week before the big snow storm blew in and found this perfect magazine rack. The green color matches the green toile print wallpaper in my dining room. Speaking of magazines, I thought I would share some pages in another of my collection of vintage mags. This one is Home Arts needlecraft, October 1935- in the midst of the Depression.My mother was 1 year old and my dad was 3. Both sets of grandparents were raising kids ( my mom's family-4 kids, my dad's- 9 kids) on farms in northern Minnesota.
I love the art work in these old mags- and they can be quite amusing. Apparently only one guy makes the grade based on his brand of cigs.
Here we have a nice pattern for a chair set, mat, and table runner all done in applique and embroidery. The instructions are included elsewhere.
For the bedroom we have patchwork quilts done with floral applique. I wish this had been shown in color- the 1930's combinations are so fun.
And now for the dining room- gorgeous cutwork linens. It says these were done in buttonhole stitch in blue, green, gold,and orchid. I have done some cutwork and believe me it is time consuming.
Let's not forget a recipe page- these were all recipes using oysters- Creamed, Scalloped, Stew, and Bisque. I am not an oyster fan so I would have been disappointed these were the only recipes.
A little decorative stitching project to liven up the living room:
And, of course the fashion pages:I love the styles of the 30's, on this page I'm partial to the apron pattern.
And here's a few patterns for stepping out.The sizing is so odd, they are listed as 'years', such as "designed for 16,18,and 20 years".
The 'stove of your dreams' is a beautiful porcelain enamel combination coal and wood burning range. I like the look of these and have thought about buying one and having it converted.
And now for a contest- a chance to win $25 for first place with 22 more chances to win anywhere from $15 to $2.50. During those years that was probably pretty good. Plus, the first place winner also got a 9x12 Axminster rug awarded for 'promptness'. Just in case you needed a little help they give you some examples of words you could use- 'base', 'vase', 'ace', 'space', 'lace', 'face', etc.
And for all you ladies who can get 6 of your friends and neighbors to subscribe to Needlecraft magazine- you will be rewarded with this One and Only Shirley Temple doll. This would have been a big deal- I have pictures of my Mom and aunt at this time with those sausage curls: they endured frequent sessions of having their hair twisted up in rags to achieve this look.
Here are economical stamped linens ready to be assembled and embroidered. You can order any number of squares and stitch them together to make larger tablecloths.Prices range from .25 to.39 cents.
And now for some of the needlework I have finished . These pincushions are part of an order going to the shop in California.
I particularly like this one in shades of Flamingo pink and Orange sherbet.

And these eyeglass cases have been sent to the shop in Alaska. I have a few more to fill before Christmas and then hope to work on stockpiling so I don't always feel so rushed.
Hope you enjoyed the brief jaunt through 1935!

holiday odds and ends

2010-12-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

Very busy lately trying to get ready for the Holidays while also getting orders shipped. I put the tree up this weekend and dug out all the ornaments. The snow really came down on Friday night so it looked very festive. I had visions of a tree full of colorful old fashioned birds- the kind with the feathery tails- but this is not what I have been seeing in the shops. If only I had stocked up a couple of years ago when that was all I saw! I have also been doing a little baking- trying out recipes. First up is one of my all time favorites:
Gingerbread. I thought I might try a maple butter sauce on it, or a lemon sauce.
I froze a lot of fruit this summer and fall including blackberries. On a recipe search I found this blackberry bread pudding using a Challah loaf. It was delicious! This I will definitely make again.
What really turned out nicely and which I served at Thanksgiving (along with a pumpkin pie, of course) is this cranberry pecan bundt cake. The sour cream in it made it very moist.

As for projects, my pound of lavender from Mountain Rose Herbs has arrived and I will be making sachets. These I have sold on etsy and will relist. I'm also planning to do some embroidered ones. The next two weeks will be a bit more shopping, wrapping, and then baking. Can't wait to be done!

This post is linked to Metamorphosis Monday/Deck the Halls,www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com, or click on the icon on the sidebar. Enjoy the Holiday decorations!

Thanksgiving done, on to Christmas

2010-11-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is done, it's cold and snowy; time to think about Christmas. It was a great weekend to visit the 'Hall of Trees' at the arboretum- six large trees in the great hall decorated with handmade ornaments made from natural materials. I am an avid collector of natural materials, I'm always picking up pinecones, seedheads,leaves, and flowers when we go for a walk and now I have lots of ideas.
These little box cottages are simply made, covered in paper or birch bark and decorated with seeds, dried flowers,twigs, and the seedheads of ornamental grasses for the 'thatch' roof.
These looked like large flowers on the tree and are dyed or painted corn husks.
A couple more little cottages- I like the curly dried leaves on this one's roof.

This one below uses my favorite material- lightly pink tinged maple 'whirlygig' seeds.
They make such perfect little shingles.
Each tree is a little different, but all unlit- they didn't seem to need lights.
One tree had fanciful 'bugs' and 'butterflies' made from leaves and flowers and then varnished so they were shiny.

It's hard to tell in the photos but grass seed heads form the bodies and the leaves are multiple wings.
The one below uses a dried chili pepper for the body.
They are so pretty even if you can't see the 'insect' in them.
Some were just a simple bouquet of dried flowers sprayed with shellac- so pretty.
Nestled in the branches were little gift boxes decorated with shellacked leaves and flowers. This would be beautiful on gifts under the tree.
This butterfly was gorgeous!
Of course the arboretum is the perfect place to gather all these materials. Our long Fall lulled me into thinking I had lots of time to do a little foraging myself- I had my eye on some really big magnolia leaves- but then the snow hit and I missed my chance. Next year I will be prepared.
This idea for packages was one of my favorites.
Another great idea was the dried and painted milk weed pods coupled with a pinecone to form a poinsettia.
A couple more pretty little 'bugs':

Dried berries attached to a pinecone:
A corn husk doll:
Pumpkin seeds varnished to a shine :
This little plane made from a corn cob is so cute:
These milkweed pod poinsettias have been lightly painted a pinkish red:

A little birch bark and seed star:
Candy canes from dried and pressed flowers:

The garlands on this tree are made from the feathery heads of ornamental grasses:
Dried seed heads:
and more grass heads formed into star shapes with a little square of mirror in the center for sparkle:

A very tall, very snowy white looking tree:
All in all a very inspiring display!

wrist warmers

2010-11-20T06:42:00.000-08:00

I finished my eyeglass cases and ornaments to restock the Textile Center's gift shop and brought them down yesterday. While browsing through all the beautiful items there I came across some lovely knitted fingerless gloves. I have been meaning to make some for myself as I like to keep stitching no matter what and this cold weather does a number on my hands. I tried them on and realized for doing any stitching, be it embroidery or crocheting, I don't like the material around my thumb. I have small hands and all that bulky yarn around my thumb was uncomfortable even though they were wonderfully warm. I needed a bit lighter weight yarn and wrist warmers instead of fingerless gloves.
So, when I got home I had my day planned. A cup of tea, my pattern book, and yarn. I chose the hempathy yarn I have been using for afghan squares. It is lightweight and made of cotton and hemp- warm but not bulky. The pattern I chose was a fan,or shell stitch.
This book is great for choosing textural patterns. I worked out how wide the swatch should be to fit around my wrist and hand and then worked it until it was the length I wanted. Stitch up the seam and done.
It worked up fairly quickly and feels really nice. I have full use of my hands with no bulkiness. Most of the aching in my hands is along the back so this covers that plus there is an added benefit:
I bought these stones that can be warmed in hot water and placed wherever you need a little warmth. They are basalt- flat and really hold heat.
I can slip one in the wrist warmer and it holds it nicely in place. Nice warm therapy!

staying in

2010-11-15T19:08:00.000-08:00

We have had a beautiful, warm, lengthy (for us) fall this year. Believe me I have nothing to complain about, but this weekend the other shoe dropped:
winter arrived with an 8 to 10 inch snowfall. The temps haven't dropped into the deep freeze yet so hopefully most of this will melt, but we've been known to start winter in Oct. and not come out of it completely until April. It was a good weekend to stay indoors and read-
I decided to start with this old supplement to Woman's Weekly from 1923- The Home.
Only a few of the pages are in color, but it is chock full of helpful household hints, decorating tips,but mostly floor plans and room designs.
A poem by Edgar A. Guest:
There is even a long article on the new availability of the radio for every home including instructions for making your own radio receiving set. My dad told me about making his own crystal radio set when he was a kid in the 40's.
When watching the Home and Garden channel I am always amazed by what first time home buyers expect in there first home. Apparently the term 'starter home' means something else these days. I wonder how well these cozy little numbers would go over today.

In this one the space for the cars seems bigger then the living space. I wonder how many people owned 2 cars?
This is one of my favorite articles. I had never heard of 'garlows' before- a combination of garage and bungalow. Apparently you built this with partitions for walls and one of the exterior walls could be easily disassembled. When the money was more plentiful you added on the permanent structure and this original building became the garage! Ingenious!
You bought what you could afford rather then starting out with way too much house. We started out in a house almost exactly like this one.
I love this interpretation of an English cottage:
The interiors in the book look so cozy. I love this sunroom:
and this sunny kitchen.
How nice that every home aspired to having a sewing room.
And look at the modern conveniences for the laundry room!
A helpful color chart for your decorating decisions:
and a nice example of a porch pictured in color.
It even includes ideas for the garden. This page shows beautiful annuals to plant. I may be looking at this page for a long time!

eyeglass cases

2010-11-09T20:38:00.001-08:00

I am trying to keep all the shops well stocked for this Holiday shopping season ( it seems to start earlier all the time), but let's face it, my items are a bit time consuming. I only make ornaments at this time of year although with a few alterations these make great mini pincushions. The Textile center expands their gift shop for the holidays and I took a bunch of ornaments down last week along with other things and hoped to work on eyeglass cases for a couple of other places. Well, they sold out in 5 days!
So, in the middle of making these- the above ones went to Alaska and the unfinished reader sized ones below are going to Lanesboro- I have to switch gears and 'quickly' make more ornaments for the Textile center. We had to cancel doing the No Coast show because of this- just not enough time to be well stocked. Starting in January I will try to set things aside all year for at least a couple shows as well as all the shops. The best laid plans!

african flower

2010-11-07T16:09:00.000-08:00

I haven't worked on an afghan for a long time, but I saw the most beautiful pattern while reading one of my favorite blogs- www.lululizinlalaland.blogspot.com. It is called an African Flower pattern and there are lots of variations. Liz very graciously sent me the pattern and
as I have wanted a light weight cotton throw for my bed I tried the square with a variety of cotton and hemp yarns. This pattern makes an eight petal flower, but there are others that form a hexagon.
The colors Liz chose for her's are absolutely gorgeous. My favorite colors are yellows and pale greens and autumnal hues so I experimented with what I had on hand.
I recently bought some Hempathy yarns in just those colors and decided to use the hexagon version of the pattern. These motifs are smaller and could be used for a blanket, a scarf, or maybe a pillow.
I just love the little flower that forms in the center and can picture it in lots of colors.
I even 'googled' African flower Hexagons at Liz's suggestion and found some beautiful examples. Thank you so much,Liz, for the inspiration!

piecework and lace trims

2010-10-31T15:42:00.001-07:00

Piecework has become one of my favorite publications; so many articles on vintage needlework.The article that attracted my attention this month was on crocheted edgings for linens. There are, of course, lots of machine made laces to use and antique pieces if you're lucky enough to find them.
I especially like the trims used on pillowcases, they look so fresh and delicate.
I do collect the vintage ones, but they always seem to be too short a length to use for anything.
By chance I just happen to be working on a simple fan pattern, maybe to use on pillowcases or sachets. There is something nice about plain white trim.
A few years ago I found this instruction booklet at a second hand store and fell in love with the very colorful 40's style edgings. Embroidered pillowcases, curtains, sachets, and table linens galore. The above white trim is made with crochet cotton:
and these bright ones are made with perle cotton #8. These trims are a little 'meatier' and the perle cotton comes in so many more colors. The sunny yellow one in the middle is my favorite. The advantage to making your own is that not only can you choose the color but can make it whatever length you need.
I ordered a pound of lavender last week and when it arrives I will make some sachets,perhaps embroidering them and edging them with homemade lace. The morning glory embroidery below is on a yet to be finished lingerie bag and I plan to adapt it as well as the orange flower one to pillowcases- trim them in handmade lace-
and while I'm at it maybe I should finish the bags!

Quilt show

2010-10-26T14:38:00.001-07:00

Today was a cold and blustery day, a good time to check out the quilt exhibit at our local Minnetonka Art Center. This show included quilts from 1830 to contemporary ones. The theme was Star Power- quilts with the always popular star motifs. This antique one is from 1850:
This blue and white one is a contemporary one, I love the asymmetry of the design.
This one has won awards at numerous quilt shows and is inspired by Paula Nadelstern's kaleidescope quilts.
The piecing is amazing- the photos don't do it justice.
This one is from 1945 and you can tell it uses lots of leftover fabrics, some from the 30's.
Many of these have come back as retro fabric patterns.
This one, also contemporary, is one of my favorites, especially the soft, subdued parts.
I love how the colors flow together.

The bolder, brighter areas are beautiful,too.
This is another stunning, award winning quilt. There is alot going on in this quilt.
The birds and feather appliques just jump out at you,
and I love the saw tooth look to the stars.
This antique one was started by a mother and finished by her daughter, a wonderful example of crazy quilting.
Being someone who does so much embroidery this one was really intriguing.
It dates from the late 1800's- early 1900.
This one is described as a strippy quilt made from long strips of polished chintz alternated with pieced star strips and was probably made in England.
This is a modern example of a Baltimore Album quilt- beautifully done.
The next two are examples of antique star patterns:
It is surprising how vivid the colors are in these older quilts.
Imagine piecing this one!
It was interesting to note that the contemporary quilts are almost all machine quilted and usually by someone other than the person who pieced the top. Of course, the antique ones were hand quilted, probably by the woman who had pieced it or maybe at a quilting bee.
Naturally one can make so many more quilts when you send it out to be machine quilted, but I've always enjoyed the feel and look of a hand quilted one. I know the process is slow and that I will never make many quilts,but the ones I do will be special.
This final one is a small, contemporary one, another award winner and so much fun. The black and white checkerboard border is a favorite design of mine- I think it complements almost anything. I hope you enjoyed the show!

restocking

2010-10-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

It's time to start thinking about the holidays, which is difficult with this beautiful weather. The first shop I need to restock is the Textile center's gift shop. The holiday show begins on Nov. 1st
and I'm working on ornaments first. I will need to make some for Swan Song and Lanesboro within the next few weeks. Thankfully they work up quickly, at least compared to pincushions.
I love using nontraditional colors, I think they show up nicely against the greenery.
I left some items at Swan Song when we were there a week ago- embroidered towels and crocheted potholders for gift sets,
and a couple of embroidered pouch bags. These are so much fun to make, but really time consuming.
All I need to stock for that gallery is ornaments. Lanesboro needs everything-
including more pincushions. Busy month!

fresh art fall tour

2010-10-06T03:47:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was the fall Fresh Art Tour along the river in Wisconsin. The weather was pretty good, especially on Friday- sunny and warm. We started in the village of Maiden Rock where two galleries were participating- Secret Heart and Swan Song. The latter carries some of our work so we set up a table outside for a few hours on Friday. Of course my most favorite thing to do was sit on the porch of the Smiling Pelican Bakery, drink coffee, eat the most delicious quiche and banana cream pie, and soak up the sun.This bakery is always our first stop when we come down and it has been closed all of this year for remodeling.
The porch has been extended outwards and wrapped around the side to increase seating. Usually it is so crowded by 9:00 the line extends out the door and you're lucky to get a table. The food is so good I have never seen anyone leave the line out of frustration. Well worth the wait! We drove up into the bluffs- colors just changing beautifully so we should have a couple more drives to enjoy peak color- and bought goat cheese at a family farm on the tour. The woman there also weaves rugs.
A stop in Stockholm netted me homemade fudge at the candy store and a visit to the antique store where I bought this 'cat' basket for only $3.00! I loved the green color and the cute little wooden carved cat.
I'm putting it in my kitchen for now, but it would be ideal for holding yarn so it may end up elsewhere.
The Abode Gallery is another must when in Stockholm. This visit I purchased some repurposed ornaments made from recycled steel.
They are made by a young woman,Tammy Roy, and as you can see they are fashioned from bits and pieces of steel and wire bent into leaf shapes.
I hung them with another of my purchases- a handmade punctured tin star ornament from another shop in Pepin.This shop carried hand forged iron cooking utensils and tinwork along with handwoven baskets and redware pottery. It was like a step back to the 18th-19th century. I thought the dark patina of the steel leaves contrasted with the shiny tin star was so pretty.
I also purchased some bird and leaf shaped tin cookie cutters. Decorating these cookies should be fun!
I also picked up some sarongs at a shop in Stockholm. I really like using them for table runners.
The colors are so beautiful and I have never paid more then $15.00 for one.
All in all it was a wonderful tour!

autumn blooms

2010-10-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

We are just starting to reach peak foliage color here and it is making for some beautiful walks and drives, especially at the arboretum. Instead of showing the usual fall colors I thought I would highlight some of the beautiful flowers still blooming at this time of year.
These dahlias are in the trial area so don't have names yet, just numbers. The plants are nearly as tall as I am and the blooms can be as large as a small plate.
I find the variety and range of color amazing!
The stripey ones and bicolor ones are lovely, but my favorites are the apricot and orange-yellow ones.

The one above is spectacular!
I love how twisty this one looks.

Many of the roses are still blooming and smelling wonderfully.

The candy cane looking one is so pretty.

Again, my favorite color:
The annual beds are looking great- I love the castor bean in the background.
The limey green of the potato vine complements everything- one of my most used plants for pots at home.
In not too many weeks this area will be all dug up and planted with bulbs for next spring. It has been a gorgeous year in the gardens!

kitchen redo

2010-09-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

My small kitchen area redo started with my desire to display some of my colorful fiesta ware. I have been lucky enough to acquire these pieces ( and more) from friends who collect and sell Fiesta. They have given me pieces that have small nicks or defects that may make them hard to sell. Some of these 'defects' are almost impossible to see and the colors are glorious!
This is the corner of the kitchen I wanted to de-clutter and lighten up a little. It is near the back door and the table becomes a catch-all. I also wanted to change the dark table and chairs for something lighter.
The table was also a bit bigger than I needed, no one actually eats in the kitchen.
I removed the shelves, added two more and painted them all my favorite light green.
The 'new' table was a library table of my grandmother's and it also got a fresh coat of the green paint. I took one of the dark chairs and painted it a pale buttery yellow.
Next it was time to arrange the dishware on the shelves- my favorite part!
Since my kitchen is in the northwest corner of the house it doesn't get a lot of sunlight, but this area now works nicely as a cozy, convenient desk and the lamplight is very inviting! Click on the badge below to see other before and after projects on Metamorphosis Monday at www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com.

Iris Towels

2010-09-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

Just finished these appliqued towels as a special order for someone who's favorite flower is the iris.
One towel is done with blues and purples- a darker palette.
The other one is in paler blues with yellow bands- lighter and sunnier. I used hand dyed cottons for the applique pieces which gives them a nice mottled look. I think I'll do more of these, lots in different patterns, for our upcoming shows.

Metamorphosis Monday

2010-09-05T09:46:00.000-07:00

I am participating in Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorphosis Monday event hosted by Susan. Take an item or decorating project and transform it into something new and improved.I have had this chair for many years, it has spent most of that time in the basement (understandably).Time for a facelift!
A few coats of paint later and I think much improved! This is the color I painted most of my outdoor furniture this year, it has become my favorite green-it complements almost any color.
It is going to find a new home in my living room (though not right in the middle!), but of course now I see many more projects in the room that need to be improved to coordinate with my new addition.
I am very happy with the result! Now to reupholster another old chair and ottoman and make some new pillows. If you would like to view some other makeover projects just click on the pic below or go to www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com. Have fun!

coasters/mug mats

2010-08-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

We are currently getting ready for a couple of art fairs we've decided to do this fall. The first one is the first week of October- the Fresh Art tour along the Mississippi River on the Wisconsin side. We will be setting up a booth outside of Swan Song Gallery. We have some of our things there now, but will be adding new items for the start of holiday buying. These are all examples of coasters/mug mats I have started making.
They measure 5" across, so plenty big for even the largest mug. It is an economical use of any left over wool pieces and are simply backed with felt. All handwork from beginning to end- just what I like to work on. No machine sewing so it is a completely portable project.
I'm also going to do ornaments, small pouch bags, pincushions, eyeglass cases, and appliqued flour sack towels. Lots to do!

New Look

2010-07-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'm playing around with a new look for this blog and thought I would post some pictures I took at home and at the arboretum this late spring and summer.
We've had plenty of rain and heat this summer and the plants have really flourished.
Peonies are some of my absolute favorites and they were spectacular.

It is such a treat to see the combinations at the arboretum, very inspiring.
I love the colors of the azaleas even though I'm not fond of the plant in general. Once the blooming is over it is ho-hum if not downright ugly.
But, you can't beat the colors!

Even though it is just the beginning of August I am looking forward to fall and our drives in the bluff country-beautiful foliage colors! Next week I hope to go picking blackberries for more jam making. The freezer is filling up with fruit and veggies for jams and chutneys. I'm hoping to make small gift baskets as gifts for the holidays and would rather do it once the weather cools down. Hope you enjoy the photos!

projects

2010-07-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

It seems I have been spending all my time making the same thing over and over again, namely pincushions, to fill orders. It's nice to take a look at other projects, finished or not,from time to time. The above is a centerpiece of hardangar I made a number of years ago. I love the intricacy of this type of embroidery, but I'm not sure my eyesight's up to it anymore! Those are crabapples I picked today. Don't they look like cherries?
Among my current unfinished projects are these eyeglass cases waiting to be sewn up, 12 more to make and then sent to Alaska.
I have also been working on a hooked rug I started a couple of years(!) ago. I'm not sure what color to use for the background, I'm leaning toward a cream color.
The design was inspired by a book I have on Clarice Cliff pottery- the ones with floral designs. For pottery made in the 20's and 30's it is so bright and funky.
Now for some finished projects. I made two batches of jam- strawberry and raspberry/blueberry along with bread and butter pickles. The cucumbers came from the garden, but the berries I had to buy from the farmer's market. Next year some of the raspberries and blueberries will be from the backyard!
I have also kept busy painting the outdoor furniture- all in new colors.
The light green color has become a favorite- in fact I'm going to incorporate it in the kitchen when I do a little ( just painting and rearranging) remodel this fall.
It is amazing to me that all this furniture was stored away- the only thing I bought this year was a new umbrella.
And ,finally, a birdhouse I painted long ago and just recently reclaimed from storage. Well, back to sewing!

Gala in the Garden

2010-06-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Our nearly daily visits to the Arboretum gave us the opportunity to watch them set up for the Gala in the Garden fund raiser. It was an incredibly hot and humid day, in fact the very next day we had terrible storms and 20 tornadoes touching down in the state. This summer has been a study in extremes- cold and wet or hot and humid with wicked storms. It seems so unfair when we only get about 3-4 months of summery weather in any given year. That's about 12 weekends only! The tent set up was immense. I think it could seat 200 easily.
The flowers were gorgeous- mostly peonies and hydrangeas for the swags and arbors.
I loved the hanging balls of peonies. So many varieties! I wish they could have been labeled.

The table arrangements were a little different on each table.

And there were two special guests attending. Since we had such violent weather the very next day I'm sure these didn't last long.
I think the faces might be a bit scary on their own ( or should I say demented?)
All in all it was a beautiful display.

Birds and flowers

2010-06-08T06:53:00.001-07:00

This is the batch of pincushions I just finished for the Textile center. To break up the routine a little I decided to do a bit of embroidery on a flour sack towel. I want to have a large variety of items finished to do a show in November at the Midtown Global Market. I'd like to have an entire collection of retro style household items- dishtowels, dishcloths, aprons, etc. in addition to my pincushions, handbags, and pillows.Of course Jim will do his leather purses and bags. It should be fun and is at a great time of the year- the beginning of holiday shopping.It's not that far away!
I tend to use so many images of birds and flowers in my designs I thought I would take a little tour around the house and show some of the inspiration or obsession I have with bird imagery. The following are items I have made:

and things around the house: I love these wooden shorebirds. This is one of many.
A glass plate which is one we sold at the shop.
The bluebird topped sugar bowl is from a pottery works in Missouri and the other pieces are from the Stockholm Pottery shop.
I have owned this chicken pitcher for years.
This little bird was bought just last weekend at the Stockholm Garden center. He will be living outside on the patio.
And last but not least my Mexican painted tin bird I purchased in Maiden Rock a few weeks ago. Just a small example of my love of birds!

Fresh Art Spring Tour

2010-05-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

It was the spring art tour in Wisconsin along the Mississippi River a couple of weekends ago. As I've said before the small towns and bluff country here are some of our favorite places to go. Private studios and galleries open their doors to the public and show everything from pottery to glass, paintings, and fiber arts.
Of course, on of the first places we stopped was the Stockholm Garden Center. They sell perennnials,annuals, and shrubs. I found my Coral Charm peony here so grabbed that right away! Also picked up a red variety peony, a scarlet flowering geum, and a clematis. My next purchase will include some of these icelandic poppies for my cutting garden strip. I love the orange!
I also may include some oriental poppies if I think I can keep them under control.
I don't think you can beat orange and purple as a combination.
This is the icelandic poppies with some euphorbia.
The alliums were really banging it out! These look great with anything silvery gray.
I love the idea of these bird forms that were outside one of the shops. Filled with soil and moss
and then planted with sempervivums they will be so pretty when they fill in. I personally think they need a few more plants though.
This shop (Palate) has a wonderful collection of gourmet items and kitchen goods.
And this is the gallery (Abode) and the Stockholm Pie Shop. We plan to work our way through all the pies!
This building use to be an antique store and has just recently opened as a B&B.
This little shop next to the gallery specializes in Wisconsin made cheeses, preserves, wine, and beer. Their spicy tomato currant jam is fantastic!
One town further south, the town of Pepin, is where you find this gallery. Saw some beautiful hooked rugs done by a local author/ fiber artist, Mary Logue.
And now for my one and only purchase of the day- a pottery wren house from Stockholm Pottery. Looks great in one of my gardens and will remind me of such a great day!

garden

2010-05-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful, warm weather took a turn this last week or so. Much cooler and rainy, but this might have helped the lilacs last longer. My 3 favorite flowers in the yard are lilacs,lilies of the valley, and peonies. Two of the three are blooming now.
The little saucer behind the flowers is the only plate I have seen with lilies of the valley on it and unfortunately I didn't find the matching cup.
The gardens are beginning to pop. I have a shady backyard so there are plenty of hostas and ferns. The yellow green of this variety is one of the best.
While weeding we opened up lots of spots to add new plants- more in the yellow green and also some deep purples- heucheras and ligularias and maybe some astilbes. The sunny area of the yard is now home to the fruit garden- raspberries, blueberries, purple raspberries, and rhubarb. We picked up our strawberries and tomatoes today and will get the cucumbers and peppers on Sunday.
I think the worst of the cool temps are over and it should be safe to get the annuals next week. I have several pots to fill and would like to add a small cutting flower area. I'll add more photos later!

Bluff Country Art Tour

2010-04-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

The Bluff Country Studio Art tour is this weekend and it is a wonderful excuse to drive through what I consider the prettiest part of the state. The bluffs, valleys,and rivers are breathtaking. The tour includes galleries and 31 artists who open their private studios. Our items are in the Lanesboro Art Center. Lanesboro is a quaint little town on the Root River
that is really booming in the summer and fall and really quiet in the winter. A very popular biking and hiking trail runs right through town.
The falls are also right in town and there are lots of shops and B&B's and even a theater. I brought down some of my eyeglass cases which I now do in two sizes ; smaller ones for reading glasses:
and the bigger ones for regular sized glasses.
The flowers are hand crocheted and then I add embroidery.
I am especially pleased with the blue one since I have trouble working with blue. Of course, I had to add orange!

When I delivered them I thought the gallery was still stocked with pincushions, but they were nearly sold out so I will have to replenish that supply. I also have to send cases to California and we have a new shop in Anchorage, Alaska that has put in an order. There is also another studio art tour in Wisconsin along the Mississippi in May and we will have to restock the Swan Song gallery in Maiden Rock before that. Before I get too stressed at all this work in such a little amount of time I am going to enjoy how well these turned out.

blooming

2010-04-23T04:49:00.001-07:00

In the last week or so things have really been blooming at the arboretum and one of the earliest is the magnolias. I still have a hard time believing they are hardy here in Minnesota, it seems like such a southern tree. It always looks like paper stuck in the bare branches as the flowers come out before the leaves. They have such a variety at the arboretum-one of my favorites is an "anise" magnolia. The flowers have the typical perfumey scent, but if you crush the twigs it smells like licorice!Two bangs for the buck!
Everyone has been out to see the tulips and other bulbs blooming. It has been such an early and unusually warm spring- if we're not careful we could get spoiled. At least it doesn't look like we will get our typical late smack of snow.

One of the first plant to really pop in my garden is the 'Gold heart Dicentra', my favorite bleeding heart. The picture below is from my garden. The limey green, yellowish foliage is one of my favorite colors. As much as I adore flowers, in my own garden I lean towards texture and beautiful foliage- so serene.
But, of course, another of my favorites are the flowering crabapple trees and other fruit trees. There is a plum tree that is just incredible and the crabapples below are just starting to open. By next week the hillside should be gorgeous!
I will post more photos when they are all in full flower.

piecework

2010-04-11T04:59:00.000-07:00

There are certain magazines that I so look forward to,Piecework in particular, and especially this March/April issue. I love handworked household items and this issue is loaded with them.
There is also a lengthy article on vintage women's magazines, a wonderful source for old patterns and household tips. Many of these magazines kept women apprised of the important social and political matters of the day,especially rural women confined to home and family.
They also encouraged women to develop their needlework skills for the production of added income- a benefit during the Depression. The article above is of particular interest to me, I love collecting potholders and also make quite a few for the online shops.
The workmanship on this simple, everyday item is amazing.This is what I so appreciate about vintage linens- the time and effort put into everything from kitchen towels and bed linens to clothes pin bags.
I have quite a few old magazines from the turn of the last century through the 40's and will share some of them here from time to time. The illustrations and graphics are beautiful and some even frame worthy!

The Textile Center

2010-04-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

We are lucky to have a wonderful textile center in Minneapolis, a place dedicated to fiber arts. There are classes in knitting, crochet, weaving(pictured above), felting, mixed media and much more. There is also a dye kitchen for instruction in fabric and fiber dying.

The center has a gallery for exhibits, a very extensive library, and a gift shop. They just had a juried call for inclusion in the shop and some of my items have been accepted.

These are some of the pincushions I brought down and also some of the eyeglass cases I have been doing. The cases now come in two sizes- a size for standard glasses and a smaller size for reading glasses. I am also going to do some embroidered bags for the fall. The shop is a little empty right now as they are restocking, but there are some beautiful items there ranging from felted cases and crocheted pins, hand dyed fabrics and silk scarves, books and dyes. I am thrilled to be involved in this great center.

Early Spring At the Arboretum

2010-03-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

We are so glad to have become members of our Landscape Arboretum. What a great resource to have so close at hand. With all our snow gone now the bulbs are emerging. First to bloom are the dwarf iris pictured above. Such a beautiful color! The snowdrops are also in bloom. I am going to be doing quite a bit of planting this year; mainly digging up an old perennial bed and replacing it with all fruit and vegetables. I want raspberries, blueberries,strawberries and blackberries for jam making and cucumbers for pickles. I am researching the blackberries for one that will be hardy for our zone 4. I am also going to help put in a large fruit garden at my mother's way north of here and she's a zone 3. I know I won't have problems with most of it except for the blackberries. This is where the Arboretum will be invaluable. I will do my tomatoes, peppers, etc. in pots, this always works best for me.

This is the only spot out there that still has a bit of snow as of last week- the woodland area near a babbling creek. We take the 3 mile walk first every time we go and then get off on some of the other walking paths- the Forest walk, Bog walk, Woodland walk- and then take a look at all the demonstration gardens. I am amazed at the variety of plant material there.

In addition to my fruit and veggie garden I have plenty of other areas that need attention. I am planting shrubs along the street front for more privacy and would like to add this tree to the front yard- a Prunus Maackii or Amur Cherry. It is the bark that I just love, it shines in the sun as though it were wrapped in copper. Apparently it has creamy white flowers in the spring and fruit for the birds that I can also use for jam! I will keep taking photos out there and post them- the hillside of crabapple trees should be spectacular!

Trip To Northfield

2010-03-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

We went to one of our favorite places last weekend, Northfield. Spring has finally arrived- the Cannon River that runs right through town was roaring over the falls. Just the week before there was still a layer of ice there. the building in the background is the original Malt-O-Meal building.

Northfield has plenty of old, historic buildings. This is the entry to a restaurant/bar in the lower level of the Archer House which is on the river.

This is another view of the river from near the tavern. This is the highest I've seen it in all the times we've been down here. There doesn't seem to be any worry of flooding here, but there is plenty to worry about in other parts of the state.

This is the corner of the block where the old bank buildingis located. It now houses a museum dedicated to Northfield history, most notably the thwarted bank robbery attempt by the Jesse James gang.

I love the architecture here. They have not torn everything down to make way for generic new buildings. The town also is home to two colleges- St. Olaf's and Carleton. Beautiful campuses. Another great day trip which also included some birdwatching-it is that time of year!

Colette's Jewelry

2010-03-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to introduce a line of beautiful jewelry handmade by our friend,Colette. Some pieces like these pictured are made with hand painted glass beads, natural shells and stones, and vintage beads and buttons.

Other pieces use vintage costume jewelry put together in interesting and beautiful combinations. These items are currently available on our website. Check them out!

Orchid Show

2010-02-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

We are finally seeing an end to winter here. The temps are in the 40's (finally!), but we are not completely out of the woods yet. A few weeks ago when spring didn't seem quite so imminent the Minnesota Arboretum held an orchid show.

Each one is so delicate, exotic and colorful.

The one above was one of my favorites. It was in a glass case as part of a collection of smaller orchids.

I have tried to grow them, but have never had much luck. The cat knocking them over probably didn't help.

I am in such a mood for flowers that I completed a set of eyeglass cases covered in blooms. These go to California and will also be for sale on our website soon. Here's to Spring!

Embroidery Project

2010-02-22T14:03:00.000-08:00

I decided to revisit a type of needlework I did years ago; a purely decorative item for my first 'bedroom' piece. The samplers I did in the past were mostly cross stitch. This one is truly embroidered using satin, stem,chain, and french knot stitches. The design is original and I still have some work to do in the corners.

When I finish that I will stretch and frame it and it will be ready to hang. I think the next bedroom piece will be embroidered pillow cases with possibly crocheted trim.

OWOH winner

2010-02-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Zan Asha of beyondvagabond.blogspot.com, the winner of this year's giveaway! Her name was selected using a random number generator. I enjoyed this year's event and thank everyone for stopping by and visiting. Thanks to Lisa for another successful year, I hope to do it again next time.
Our new website/online store is up and running. We will be adding new products all the time and hope everyone will check it out often! www.manitobagifts.com- it is also on my sidebar. The next posts will continue my household chest projects. See you then!

One World One Heart 2010 Giveaway

2010-01-25T06:36:00.000-08:00

I am participating in the One World One Heart Giveaway sponsored by Lisa Swifka again this year. It runs from today to February 15th. My giveaway this year is another handmade (by me!) pincushion. To enter just leave a comment on this post and I will draw a winner on Feb. 15th. The purpose of the OWOH is to give the blogging community a chance to visit other blogs with the added bonus of winning something fun! Click on the badge on this post or my sidebar for more information and the how-to to participate. Good luck!

Homemaking Chest

2010-01-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

I recently did a little redecorating on my porch ( there was a large, unusable table at that end of the room). The walls were already a sunny yellow and the two new rockers make the room more accessible. I had the beautiful burgundy bark cloth in my stash and decided to use it to recover the seat cushions and make pillows for these chairs and the other two rockers in the room. There is an electric cast iron stove in the corner which has turned a chilly room into a very inviting one. I love making things for the home and am reminded of the hope chests of the past. Of course these were started by young girls with the goal of marriage rather than just accumulating items for a beautiful, comfortable home. I would bet that if they didn't marry these things did not get used or were passed on to someone else. How sad. Even though I have lived in this house for 28 years, raised 3 boys I am giving myself the challenge this year of making items for a housekeeping chest- linens and decorative items for the average home.

I am going to divide it up by room, starting with the kitchen. These things were made recently to sell in the shop and I will have some of them for sale on etsy and our new online store when we have it up and running. The above are appliqued flour sack towels using print fabrics and batiks.

These are my crocheted potholders- both useful and decorative. I have a few of them hanging in the kitchen near the stove. By using perle cotton I can make just about any color.

The fastest and easiest things to work up are the crocheted dishcloths. These sold very well in the shop and can be done while watching TV. I use 100% cotton yarn for these.

And since I love flour sack towels I had to add some embroidered ones. I think I will do some bedroom linens next and continue throughout the year. I collect old household manuals and cookbooks and will refer to them for what was traditionally included in a household chest to offer some comparison. Nowadays, no marriage required!

closing shop

2009-12-26T09:46:00.000-08:00

This is our last month in our physical shop. We have had a wonderful 3 years here, but the economy and expense of running a shop has gotten to both of us. It will be a pleasure to spend our time doing what we love which is creating our own items. We will do some shows and markets and will be updating and improving our website online store- as well as continue on etsy and artfire. I will miss our loyal customers, it has been a pleasure working with them. I will also miss this beautiful porch and the summer days spent stitching in those rocking chairs! On to new experiences and Happy New Year!

Lavender Pincushion

2009-12-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

A new pincushion using some of the overdyed wool from a shop in St. Croix Falls. I made two, one went to California and one went to Lanesboro. We drove down there yesterday to make a delivery-Cornucopia Art Center is a beautiful gallery. We are looking forward to being members there.
As you can see from the sidebar I will be participating in One World One Heart blog giveaway again this year. It is a great way to find and visit others blogs. Last year my giveaway was one of my pincushions and it will be again this year. I now just have to decide on the color and design! Click on the badge on the sidebar to get all the details about participating. OWOH starts on Jan. 25th and ends on Feb.15th. Thanks to Lisa Swifka for all her hard work hosting this! And please come visit, Leave a comment on that particular post and maybe win a pincushion!

catching up on projects

2009-11-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

Things have been so busy lately. We are in the midst of closing our physical shop and, of course, the closing sale is really bringing in the customers. We will run it through the end of the year and then get our new online shop up and running. In the meantime I have been making Christmas ornaments- these are a special order going to North Carolina.

I have also been making some changes at home. I used some of the silk flowers from the shop to make this arrangement. The container is an old aluminum pitcher that I painted and decoupaged a number of years ago. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed doing that- I might do some pieces for the online shop. We might do some art fairs and farmers markets next year. There are quite a few good local ones. It will give me the opportunity to make cookies, handmade soap, and jams.

These are jars of my raspberry/blueberry jam and some of my bread and butter pickles. I also just finished some cranberry/raspberry jam and candied apple jelly. The candied apple jelly has a hot cinnamon flavor and should work well in thumbprint cookies. With Thanksgiving this week there will be plenty of cooking to do. Then it is cookie baking time!

Swan Song Pincushions

2009-11-05T13:23:00.001-08:00

It has been a somewhat disappointing fall this year if only for the shortness of color. This picture was taken a few weeks ago in October and we were looking forward to many drives in the bluff country along the Mississippi, but weeks of cold and wet(it even snowed a little) caused many of the leaves to drop quickly. We drove down to Maiden Rock to deliver pincushions to Swan Song Gallery and all the trees are bare. It is still beautiful countryside and we saw plenty of eagles, but I miss the color.

These are part of the order we left at the gallery. This is one of our consignment orders so I hope this holiday season the spending is better everywhere than it was last year. Suprisingly, even though today is November 7th the temp. is in the 60's and sunny. Apparently October and November have decided to switch.

pincushions to California

2009-10-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

I've gotten another wholesale order! These pincushions are headed for a shop in Santa Monica called Artful. Since we have decided to close our physical shop and concentrate on wholesale and internet sales this is another step in the right direction. We drove aways down the Mississippi River on Sunday checking out possible shops and galleries and found a delightful one in Maiden Rock,Wi. called Swan Song. As soon as I can make about 12 more pincushions we will be taking them down there. Delivering them ourselves gives us an excuse to stop at the Smiling Pelican bakery across the street from the gallery- wonderful bread and the best Apple Cardamom cakes! Tomorrow we are taking half a day to visit Stillwater and look into those galleries. I love daytrips!

early works mercantile

2009-09-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is one of the pincushions I'm saving to sell as part of a set with a needlebook on a new site-http://www.earlyworkmercantile.com. It specializes in items that evoke the 18th and 19th centuries. The name of my shop will be The Needlewoman and should be up and running November 1st. I'm also working on an embroidered sampler and possibly a wool penny rug.

Hearts

2009-09-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

Piecework magazine is going to have a Heart ornament contest in the spring. All the details will be available in October and the deadline is in April. There is to be 4 catagories all involving a different form of needlework-knit/crochet, embroidery/surface design, lacework, and quilting. The maximum size is 4", so this one is too large.

Since I'm going to be thinking about ornaments for Christmas now anyways I might as well think about hearts,too! I might try one for each catagory. Details about the piece above are on my lollishop site.

Citron and Plaid Pincushion

2009-09-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is two views of the new pincushion. The side piece is the overdyed plaid from Merry Hooker Woolens. I love the visual texture of the plaid.

I am going to start Christmas ornaments soon and thought I might do some primitive styled ones in wool as well as my mini hanging pincushions.I'll also do some embroidered birds. It seems too early to think about the holidays, but if I don't I won't get it all done.

2009-08-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

A new pincushion finished today. I also found another source for hand dyed wool-Merry Hooker Woolens- and bought some beautiful overdyed plaids and herringbone wool. I think they will add a nice textural look to pincushions and I plan to start rug hooking again. The blog for Merry Hooker is on my side bar, check it out!
It has been a sad day today watching Ted Kennedy's funeral. I am old enough to have seen all 3 brothers funerals( I was 7 when JFK was killed) and it doesn't seem possible they're all gone. A remarkable family.

Garden Flower Lavender Sachets

2009-08-26T12:49:00.001-07:00

I love the scent of lavender.I've made these 4" sachets in a variety of colors and crocheted them for a vintage feel. These are listed in my Artfire and Lollishop shops.
As the retail business continues to be challenging in our brick and mortar shop we have decided to move the whole thing online. Our current,unused website will go away as a new one is constructed. Everything in our shop will be available, not just our own handmade items. This will allow us to highlight our other artists work- pottery, jewelry,wood turned bowls,handbags, blown glass,handmade cards, and much more! There will also be lots of other gift items including kitchen items, books, puzzles,and children's things. I will update here and link to the new site when it is ready.

crocheted gifts and cookbooks

2009-08-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last few days replenishing my supply of crocheted soap bags. I had a young woman in the shop who dislikes the feel of a bar of soap against her skin and was thrilled to
see the bags. An average size bar of soap(or scraps) fit nicely inside and then use it as a washcloth. The little crocheted sachets are lined and filled with lavender- smell wonderful!

We also got our restock of retro cookbooks in. These are full of recipes and helpful hints compiled from Barbara Swell's extensive collection. Since I am attempting my first jam making session with my mother and sister this weekend these have been fun to look at.Unfortunately we are experiencing the hottest week of the summer right now after what has been a very cool season. Oh well.

I think I might do thumbprint cookies using my jam. If I do raspberry jam I would do lemon flavored cookies with the raspberry center. Even with the heat I am looking forward to this!

More pincushions

2009-07-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

This is the newest pincushion. I would have to say this is my favorite color combo so far. I gradated the colors of thread in the large flower to give it an ombre effect.

These were also finished this week and have found a new home in a shop in northern Wisconsin.

New Pincushion and granny squares

2009-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Finished another pincushion. This one is a larger version of one of my mini pincushions. I am still trying to pump up my stock of these, they are still selling quite well here in the shop and online. I do try to shake things up with other projects just so I don't burn out on one thing.

That's why I am starting a granny square blanket just for fun. I have been really enjoying visiting other blogs- they are so inspiring! Attic24 has shown the most beautiful crocheted blankets I had to do one. This was something we did in the 70's and 80's and I haven't done one in years. It makes for a nice break. Of course I also have my quilt to get back to as well as many other things to stock the shop. I'm also going to try jam making with my sister and mother in a few weeks, first time ever! That's why I've added some food blogs and canning blogs to my side bar-lots of fun!

Dish Towel in Progress

2009-07-17T10:50:00.001-07:00

I recently sold a towel with this pattern so I decided to make another! I love the pale aqua color(or is it a pale robin's egg blue?) and the deep rusty red color together. Again I have used a flour sack towel. Next post will be a couple of new pincushions.

Fresh Produce

2009-07-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, we have a brick and mortar store in addition to our 4 online shops. Called 'Manitoba' it is named for the street we are on as we are in Minnesota, not Canada. Maybe not as far north, but just about- we get just as cold! That's why we enjoy the short summers and growing season as much as we can. Our shop carries many local products and works by local artists as well as our own handmade items.

Ames Honey is locally produced and single source. The buckwheat honey is as dark as caramel.There is Basswood, Melon, Summer Blossoms, Clover, and more. The honey book is full of recipes.

We decided to plant a few vegetables in pots behind the shop. I've been able to harvest these over the last few weeks even though it has been cool and dry. We placed the pots on the edge of the parking lot where the heat reflected up on the plants and they have done very well! I'm headed up to my sewing room to stitch pillows for my bedroom and porch out of some lovely bark cloth..
I almost forgot- we were the featured artisans on handmadenews. The link is http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1577. Thanks for visiting!

Finished Pincushions

2009-07-10T13:51:00.001-07:00

The pincushions I started the other day are now finished. The pink one was a real departure for me colorwise, but it's good to work outside the norm occasionally.

This one is also a little more pastel than usual, but I did use my favorite citronella green and a very light orange. I have quite a few more cut out and ready to work on- this is pincushion month!

Pincushions in Progress

2009-07-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

Recent sales have depleted my pincushion supply so I have put other projects aside for awhile to restock. I do enjoy going through my stash of wool and coming up with new color combinations. Most of them will have 3 to 4 colors of wool and some with silk plus coordinating or contrasting colors of thread for the embroidery and crochet.

One of these will be for sale on my etsy and artfire sites and the other in my lollishops . I will post pictures of the completed ones later this week.

Candy Colored Potholders

2009-06-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have always had a bit of an obsession with vintage style kitchen items, so I decided to do a little crocheting and make some colorful potholders. These sell well in the shops and I have found some people like to collect them. I hang them from little magnetic hooks on the side of my fridge near the stove; they brighten up that corner nicely! I'm also going to pair these with embroidered towels and crocheted dishcloths for gift sets. I have started working on the border of the tree quilt and will post pictures soon.

Cotton Print Tree Quilt

2009-06-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

I started this wall hanging size quilt awhile ago to use some of my stash of pastel cotton prints. They have such a soft, old feel. The base fabric is, again, a flour sack towel. I just love the texture of these towels and at a dollar apiece a real bargain.

Of course I can't leave it alone at this stage , so I plan to add birds and flowers before I start quilting. I haven't quilted in a number of years and was very meticulous about perfect, tiny stitches (or at least that was my goal). I may loosen up a little with this one and embroider and quilt with floss instead of traditional quilting thread! Radical departure!

Kitchen Sets

2009-06-11T10:19:00.001-07:00

Another method used on flour sack towels. Some of these are adapted patterns from old embroidery magazines and others are original designs. I love the look of what I think of as farmhouse or cottage style, especially in the kitchen.

I plan to do more of these sets in a variety of colors and patterns. Some will have the nailbrushes and others will include a pack of recipe cards, handmade soap or maybe a vintage kitchen item. These are for sale in our lollishop and on etsy.

flea market finds

2009-06-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

We went to Buffalo, Mn. for a look around the markets and antique stores a couple of weekends ago. The above packet of bird prints was too good to pass up. My favorite, the baltimore oriole, is included (orange again!)

I did not personally purchase the above linens, a good friend of mine who works many local estate sales has been getting me bags and bags of embroidered pieces and lace. It will be a new experience to work with items I have not crocheted or embroidered myself- should be fun! I think I'm going to have to redesign my workspace to include more storage space- some open shelving because I like to see all my materials and not have to dig for things. Unfortunately my room is not that big, will have to get creative.

More applique towels

2009-06-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

When I start appliquing flour sack towels it can become addicting! The towels themselves are such a pleasure to work with, such a nice feel to the cotton. The one above is in more subdued(for me) colors and the one below uses my favorite orange.

I will be posting all these towels on either http://www.manitobagifts.etsy.com/ or http://www.lollishops.com/manitobagifts. I am also working on some farmhouse gift sets which I have already posted two of on lollishops. I'll show them here next time along with some flea market finds.

Summer Blossoms

2009-05-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

It felt like time to do some summer themed items and work with something lighter than wool.I love using flour sack towels and the batiks work nicely against the white.

The pots we planted outside the shop are coming along nicely.

These pots should be even fuller come the middle of July. You can't beat sitting on the porch and stitching towels as part of your workday!

Magazine Photo of Pincushion

2009-05-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

Another way to use small pieces of left over wool. These also work up fairly quickly and I can do as much or as little crochet and embroidery as I want.
The newest Artful Blogging magazine came out this month and I am thrilled that my pincushion giveaway for OWOH was included in the wonderful article about Lisa Swifka. The entire magazine is beautiful and very inspiring.

I have been digging out some unfinished projects and contemplating additions to some of them. I haven't done any quilting for a while and have one wallhanging size I might pick up again. It needs more applique and some other embellishments. Will post the work in progress next time.

Mini Pincushions Group

2009-05-05T10:03:00.001-07:00

We have been very busy trying to decide which direction to take our shop. The slow economy still is an issue, yet this past week has been very good. We were contemplating a move to a location with better traffic but hate to give up on this little cottage. Especially with Spring upon us and our pots planted on the porch it would be hard to move. The internet sales continue and we are testing the possibility of selling some of our items wholesale- anything to keep ourselves self employed and making our handcrafted items!
I am trying my pincushions in a smaller size( actually, I made some similar as ornaments for Christmas) which would be perfect size for sewing baskets. These are available in our etsy shop, www.manitobagifts.etsy.com . I'm also working on bookmarks and bracelets which I'll try posting next time. We also have been taking our Sunday day trips down to bluff country along the Mississppi River birdwatching and wildflower searching. I recently got a flower press my mother had 30 years ago and hope to put it to good use. Will post pictures soon!

Tropical Colors on Deep Blue Sea Pillow

2009-03-27T10:55:00.001-07:00

This is the finished pillow. It measures 14x14. I don't usually use much blue, but this hand dyed color is called 'deep blue sea' and I think it sets off the bright batiks perfectly. I had to add my favorite little bird in the corner. I think my next pillow will be geometric-circles again- using wool, silk,and the batiks. I'm also thinking of doing one with embroidery and all crocheted flowers. Also need to finish some pincushions and maybe some floral crochet bracelets for summer. I found out from Lisa Swifka, organizer of OWOH, that there is going to be an article about the OWOH event in Somerset Studios ' Artful Blogging" magazine and that the pincushion I offered for my giveaway is going to be included. It should be in the summer issue that comes out in May! Back to sewing!

Group eyeglass cases

2009-03-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

Another use for the abundant amount of hand dyed wool I have. These work up fairly quickly and I can do the crocheted flowers and as little or as much embroidery as I want. I might add buttons or beads to some of them. I have added fleece to the inner lining to give it some padding.
The batik appliqued pillow is underway, I'm doing the blanket stitching now. Slow work,but relaxing. I also just picked up 'A Homemade Life' by Molly Wizenberg and plan to spend some nonstitching time reading it. She writes the blog 'Orangette' at www.orangette.blogspot.com which I stumbled upon by accident and just love. A great food blog!
Hopefully I will have the pillow done by my next post. All these things are available at our etsy, artfire,1000market, and lollishops sites.

batiks

2009-02-28T08:12:00.000-08:00

My order of batiks arrived yesterday, such gorgeous colors! I use these (plus some silks) for the appliques on pillows,etc. I have a pillow in mind- a pretty deep sea blue hand dyed wool for the background and appliques in all the yellow and orange batiks.I am not much of a 'blue' person, but my favorite colors of yellow and orange go so well with it I use it when I can. My other plan is for a simple, pieced table runner that I hope will somewhat resemble an enamel on copper piece I recently saw. Beautiful! My problem is getting started. I hate to cut into such gorgeous fabric until I'm absolutely positive.