Hello! Last week a dear friend came to visit. We curtailed our usual thrifting expedition since I didn't want to leave Mo home alone too long. Especially with the early darkness. He is rarely left home alone at night, needs to be acclimated. [He barks frantically at the suddenly visible lights of helicopters and planes headed for JKF and the city. Every November it's a new training protocol til he relearns to ignore the active skies.]
Instead we opted for a trip to Home Goods--I needed new soup bowls.
The Marshes were quiet, the egrets that gather like ghosts in autumn were long gone. The marsh grass bronze-y brown and drought scorched now.
Home Goods is always fun for me, but on the just after Halloween day it was jam packed to the rafters with tatty Christmas --um, junk.
Lots of pastels.
Gingerbread is a big theme.
Blue or black offerings for the minimalists.
I loved the Swedish tomtes [elves], but look at that price for a stocking stuffer that a 21st century child will instantly toss aside.
I treasured my tomtes* and Dala horses, one brought carefully each year from a Chicago or NYC shop by my dad. One for each of us, I wonder if my brother still has his?
No soup bowls, all was Christmas cookware.
I did get some needed Christmas supplies, velvet ribbon and wrapping paper, stocking stuffers. And my friend found a lovely toile comforter for her winter bedroom. I also added a box of Shiny Brites minis to my collection. There were no garlands which are on my wish list.
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Another fun outing was craft night and dinner with my little artist friend. The project was a somewhat odd but popular family craft seen in preschool and now kindergarten. A family project, hahaha. (some are very slick! obviously made by adults)
''Disguise the Turkey'' [i envision all sorts of tears and food refusal on the big day!]
D wanted her turkey to wear a Furby costume.
This is the kit I put together. We had so much fun. She did such a great job and added her own touches, was a great gluer, and was all smiles--to me that is the whole point. She refuses to call it the Turby though. Furky?
And I adore Japanese food, delish.
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Googly Eyed Jacks top is mostly complete.
The sideways flying geese blocks as jaggy pennants worked perfectly. But there's really no seam allowance to accomodate after-quilting straightening and trimming. A small border is needed or the bunting triangles points will be lost.
I had my heart set on the bellybutton cheddar print. But it overwhelms the Jacks.
I like the black calico okay.
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.A freeze was briefly predicted earlier in the week. Instead we had dense fog and a warm night but I brought in the last tiny flowers when I went out to yet again bungee everything down.
Wouldn't it be great if we had a few more warm sunny days. Mo and I have three more stars and the Moon to applique , then Noah's Ark / stage one/ hand app/ is done.
The frost never happened, the pots bravely bloom on.
Have a great weekend.
love
lizzy
gone to the beach...
The skies are filled with flocks of birds. Geese, ocean ducks, even swans--and these dense gatherings of tiny ''black'' birds.
One year I investigated a flock that landed to feed in the dunes and was amazed that they were, in that case, snow buntings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHrgHeUS_uM
A painting and a poem by an artist I admire, recently passed away but his gallery continues to show his work.
TOMTE : A tomte is a solitary, mischievous mythical creature from Scandinavian folklore that is believed to protect farms and households. Traditionally, a tomte is a small, older man with a long beard who wears a red cap and grey clothes, and resides in the barn or pantry. He is responsible for the welfare of the farm animals and the property, and expects a bowl of porridge with butter on Christmas Eve in return for his work. [from Wiki]
snow bunting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHrgHeUS_uM
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Jacks are really looking so great; I like the shirting plaid idea;)))
ReplyDeleteAren't those huge flocks of birds in the skies just so heart warming? I love to watch the duck Vees winging across the skies above...
"Furkey" is so adorable and funny...out of the mouths of babes, right?
It must be much warmer and sheltered at your place to still have flowers...the last vestiges....
I also am a fan of Gary Bunt's works...
hugs, Julierose
Two very fun outings for you, especially the second one with your little friend. So rewarding to have a young one to play with occasionally. She sounds like a very determined young artist who knows exactly what she wants. Maybe you could use the cheddar bellybutton print as a narrow stop border before adding the wider black calico print as the final border? Both you and the quilt really seem determined to add it, and I think the quilt needs that extra bit of bright fall splendor. Second great-granddaughter made her arrival this week, hopefully we will see her in person on Thanksgiving. I had not heard of Gary Bunt but I like that poem. Enjoy your weekend, I'll be playing with batik triangles again.
ReplyDeleteOh how wonderful to see one Snow Bunting let alone a flick of them. I am bird spotting here in N Z and heard a Bell Bird today which made my day. Enjoyed going to the store with you. Enjoy choosing that border for your Googly Eyed Jacks.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to be birdwatching in far away NZ! I hope you're keeping a written travel diary, maybe w sketches to be finished later?
Delete'Tis the season for all those shelves to be full of Christmas items. We used to have a Christmas store nearby that had Christmas keepsake type items. I miss that. I really like how the flying geese border looks with the jacks. I think I'd use the plaid so the "geese can float" as you say. Then it would look like a banner. Our weather keeps forecasting storms and cold but they never come. I'm still on team HOPEFUL for the upcoming storm tomorrow. I'm getting anxious to take down the fall decor and begin ornamenting everything in green, red, and gold. I never tire of seeing the blackbirds pepper the sky (whether they are sparrows or starlings, or cowbirds). And I love seeing the long line of birds on the telephone wires.
ReplyDeleteAfter a week or so of FRIGID weather it is now back in the 70s during the day. Good thing, as we are still trying to get the garage cleaned out!! And I still need to get my bulbs planted. But I gave in and got meds for my bronchitis or whatever and it is getting better fast, yay. Hopefully I can get more done soon.
ReplyDeleteI like the black calico for Jack's but I think you're right about the points disappearing.
I wish you were closer, as I found my sister's quilt that my mom made and it has mouse damage. I told her I'd try to fix it... would be nice to have advice and moral support, lol. Hopefully I can at least keep the fill inside!
I hope you get some more nice days before the cold sets in. This year has sure gone by fast! Take care!