Hi! It's a sort of stormy night here at the beach, but the storm seems to be staying out to sea and far away. Mo is oblivious. He's having fun burrowing in the sofa cushions with his Gator. He likes to hide Gator then attack and pounce!
Here he is earlier, our walk on the hottest day so far, around 88*.
Mo usually waits for me to hold his ice water cup for him but yesterday he ran over and stood there gulping like a little kid at the school drinking fountain!
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But anyway. I come from a family of avid flea marketers and collectors. My brother and sister in law have more collections than anyone I've ever known, even my more than my parents. And during a recent move, my SIL sorted out a box of treasures to share with me!
What a thrill! Not only do they collect more but they go to better fleas all over the USA, so there were treasures indeed. SIL collects sewing things like I do. She had filled this vintage c 1950 sewing box.
It's so cute, very 50s and plastic, yet dainty, even elegant? It must have been so loved.
If you look closely there are spaces for bobbins, spindles for threads, a square for buttons, etc.
Then it was packed with special things like seam ribbon:
lace:
fabric:
pearl cotton...These will be used on my next sewing strawberry emeries!
The hem ribbon was wrapped around heavy very collectible lead flower frogs. [I always have wanted some, never see to buy. Wondered what happened to my mom's frogs---hers were the scary prong type, a bit newer than these.]
Buttons! Including a large collectible hand carved mother of pearl.
A tiny shot glass sized beer mug, presumably for an itty bitty pin cushion?
A vintage leather small scissors sheath, stamped Gingher.
The other theme of the flea box was Christmas.
A bag of wooden beads for primitive feather tree garlands.
Little Christmas cards and tags, so cute on my etsy packages that I tie with bakers twine at Christmas.
Little berries for repairing feather tree tips.
And maybe the BEST--four Dala horses from Sweden.
Coincidentally I had just begun a Dala horse Pinterest board, and was thinking that if I don't do a big Christmas tree again this year, I might dig out my Horses for my Christmas display. These are certainly inspiring, all four vintage and so cute.
Then at the bottom of the shipping box was a wonderful book!
I don't buy books so any gifted book is special to me. This is a really great book of Civil War Inspired small quilts. Great inspiration for Lori/ Humble Quilts next little quilt swap.
This is first on my To Make list:
I love how each quilt has its own story:
...
Okay, I haven't been to the flea but I do always check out the curbside freebies [aka dumpster diving] when folks move in or out or do rehab. One evening I found this cool wire basket! I love the rustiness.
I had to keep it outside until I could clean it then varnish the rusty painted wire.
I wanted it for my glass fishing float collection.
Not sure if I love the result, but it's fun for now and it can go live on the deck later to collect seashells and driftwood too.
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On a quilting note: I goofed off from binding sewing and finished my personal little quilt [not quilted though] that I call Sand Pails and Starfish.
I love the colors.
It was fast and fun and a good preliminary to Bitty, helping me get into the soft blue colors and gentle style.
Look closely [on the chair] for my Target find of a duck egg blue big graniteware bowl. [better for the floaties?].
Have a fun weekend!
love
lizzy
gone to the beach....
More about Dala horses HERE and here
My Pinterest board has pictures of some very early horses too, so charming! And a Dala horse quilt or two! here
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Can you post videos on your blog? I would, one day, like to see Mo in action wrestling Gator into submission.
ReplyDeleteHow very thoughtful of your SIL to send the box to you, filled with fun things. Ok, gotta Google flower frog ;) The green Christmas tags with the poinsettias on them look very familiar. Oh, and the mittens! Stick a fork in me, I'm done. Those are way too cute.
The little quilt is looking good. Gentle is a very good word to describe it. The colors are very relaxing.
Neat wire bowl find. Yeah, I think the shells look nice in it. Give us a better look at your new Target bowl with the floats when you get to it.
Ahhh, the hearts :)
Kel
Hi! Did you google flower frog? They are weighted devices that go in the bottom of vases to hold stems of flowers in place. Often heavy , lead or pot metal, tho glass and ceramic are collectible too.
DeleteI took a pic of the floats in the bowl, I ll postit Tuesday, but decided the floats were better in the wore basket. Just not on the table! I put the wire basket on the little pine bench.
Hearts are slow toget finished, I had a medical treatment this past week, you know it sets me back, too bad.
Have a great week!
What treasures! And Mo, as always, is such a cutie.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh. I bet I looked just like that when I got home this afternoon. I headed for the freezer for ice water. I would have climbed in!
Hugs and kisses.
Hunter
What a lovely treasure trove. Christmas in July. The ribbon colours themselves could start a quilt. I wonder if the glass tot measure is metric or imperial? Mine is imperial I think. The pictures of Mo always make me smile - such a photogenic pup! Your new little quilt is a gem. Such understated colour with that unexpected dash of brighter tone at the bottom is magic. It's like you've taken the beach and put it into fabric.Your colour sense is really wonderful. Thank you for sharing your creativity. Penny
ReplyDeleteChristmas in July is a perfect description!
DeleteThe glass shot/ stein is about our US traditional size, so I m pretty sure it s what you d call imperial. Metric items don t show up very often in the US esp if they re vintage. It has no markings except an Anchor-Hocking logo on the base.[ manufacturer].
Thanks for kind words about my little quilt! It s so fun to have a small personal project sometimes, I m enjoying making it.
lizzy
What a great surprise for you! Everything is so cool. Especially the sewing case. Your SIL is a keeper. :) Kit
ReplyDeleteLOL. Yes, my SIL is wonderful, a good friend.
DeleteOh, Mo, lol. I hate hot weather! This week it's hitting 98 here so I'm finding reasons not to go outside!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice gift! Everything seems specially chosen for you, things that you would have bought for yourself. Your SIL must like you! I'm glad you told us what the lead frogs were, I was wondering. They are very cool. The box looks familiar, I have one of my mom's sewing boxes that's similar. I think hers might have been from the mid-60s or maybe 70s, maybe it was 'bought' with Green Stamps. Are you old enough to remember those? Mine is full of lace.
I love the wire basket for the floats, it lets you see them from all angles! It would be great for shells, too, although small ones would fall through.
Love your finished little quilt! Once it's quilted I hope you find a place for it where you can see it every day.
Love the blue and white hearts! Thanks for sharing with us!
We want to see your mother's sewing box, esp filled with lace!
DeleteWow! You really hit the jackpot with that box full of treasures! That is so thoughtful of them to think of you.
ReplyDeleteI have one new Dala horse from Sweden that my son brought home for me- I love it. Yours are lovely!!
My swap quilt was made from that book. I don't own it, but started it at my winter visit to Randy's while perusing her books.