Mid-January Miscellaneous

        

                          Hello friends on this frigid Friday evening. Are you as cold as I am?

                                 

I dream of moving somewhere warm.

The Cottage is in its most drab winter season, just blue, white, mercury glass and drieds. Nothing new,  old faves, revisited.

This ruffled linen runner should be on the sideboard, replacing the red stripe. But I am lazy and here it sits so hopefully/

I use this runner a lot, a favorite of things I have made, a personally satisfying mix of seashell toile, vintage Japanese indigos/ kimono remnants, and tiny slivers of bright batik. 

                                                                       

                                            

No pattern, no angst, tossed together one day long ago. Its subconscious inspiration, below?---a snow day sky?

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My bleached pine cones were so successful, I decided to experiment with the unattractive brown heads of leftover hydrangeas.

before

after, just one, a try-out

Mo and I went out just now and gathered a few more to work on tomorrow morning.

Gallon baggie filled with a lot of water and bleach, left in a bucket on the deck for a day or two. Be sure all the flowers are submerged. Wear gloves. Rinse, dry on paper towels. If long stems are needed, I attach bamboo skewers with hot glue.

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Books: During the Time of Covid, I unfortunately rediscovered the allure of buying used books online! Buying books is an addiction of mine, mostly cured by an enormous clear-out maybe ten years ago now, and the use of a Kindle to read free or borrowed books. But then! Thrift Books! Abe's Books!, all via Amazon's resale offerings. The free shipping is a curse. Recent finds, old books:

I don't really click with the designs of Sue Spargo, too much embroidery, too folkloric, but this early work with Jan Patek is, on close inspection, quite inspiring.

I think I owned this one. below, before. Modern use of computer media to sell and show antique quilts makes this large beautiful book seem a smidge ho-hum. [been there, saw it, dime a dozen]. 

More finds....

Most years I buy a new Christmas book for my collection. My dad read The Night Before Christmas to us [even when we were adults, lol!]every year, right before we put out Santa's cookies and milk. 

And today's temptation. Instead of just click/ buy, I downloaded a free trial on my Kindle. Other people's essays may not be to my taste. here

And finally, random screen shots. Just to remind me of ideas I've saved for someday. Maybe, who knows, they'll become something tangible at some point. [remember these are screen shots and NOT MY QUILTS!].

Acorns: 🧡! Though I would do modern prints but deeper more traditional colors, do we really need a wishy washy pastel Fall? Maybe this group, without the bugs and rats? here

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Out and about: Baby Mo enjoys a snowy morning.

And L and I did a fast run through our Dollar Store instead of going to Home Goods yesterday. This place is fun, but they need shopping carts, because like at the indoor farm market, I just can't juggle a step stool in Tiffany blue, a very large sticker book for a very small girl, polka dot sheet set, sewing stuff, pompom hats, faux fur throw pillows for Mo, cheap birthday cards and a dozen realistic but VERY expensive faux tulips at 2.oo a stem. Tulips like THESE, but cost more. Dollar Store?--all while wearing a huge parka, fogged up glasses, and the new unbreathable face mask.

I thought these real glass stemless wineglasses would be so fun for a birthday  party or new years celebration 3.99 each.

Have great weekend and coming week. 

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

our deck time sewing is curtailed til June,-ish how sad.