The Stay-Home Shopper

Hi! What's up on this sorta-cold but not too awful Friday? I'm writing my blog for an hour before Mo's bedtime walk.

The past few days have been very productive in my little quilt room---I'll show you all on Monday. Now of course it's still wintery here and though I like to get out and see real humans [kids are away] but in many ways in this age of Amazon it's so much more efficient to stay home and shop online. Recently I went to CVS [drugstore/ pharmacy] with a long list of stock ups for winter, nothing glam, Tylenol, cold pills, Clorox, and Kleenex. Shampoo. I had a shopping cart FULL, got to the front to pay---not a cashier in the store.

Only self checkout.

No humans.

I stood there a moment, bewildered---I could roll my unpaid cart right out of the store and into my friend's double parked Jeep! Or I could leave it the aisle  in silent protest. Of course I left it, maybe $150.oo worth of ''sundries'' and toiletries, what my ex DH used to call beauty aids.  CVS has lost a faithful customer.

"If I wanted to do my own checkout, I'd stay home and shop on Amazon." I explained the tee shirt saying to my friend.

There are some things you don't think to order online. Today I ordered a new Dustbuster, mine has died.  The local vacuum shop had no parking; we couldn't find vacuums at Target or Costco. Amazon, go for it! It'll be here tomorrow morning, how simple is that.

Then there's things that are really great to buy online, like used books, either from Amazon or eBay.

I have a standing search for old books by quilt designers I like. The heyday of primitive quilting, maybe all quilting, seems to have been the eighties and especially the mid-90s. These are books and patterns I had no time to enjoy back then.  A find:

I have the Jackolantern book somewhere, so I'll resell it. But the second book is a rare early Cheri Payne book of small prim quilts that I love. Also has adorable pen sketches on the pages, good for inspiration.

A steal at 5.00 for both and free shipping. Cheri fans failed to see this bec the Halloween book was the eBay photo thumbnail. This book can sell for over $100.oo!

Then another 90s pattern,  recc by Humble Quilts' Lori. She has a darling winter quilt that is called Wear Warm Clothes---how cute for cold winters.

The pattern is here in this book along with some other fun designs. Well worth the less than 15.oo price.

Somehow I always thought this was Santa's clothes! But there is no Santa suit? Good bec it is then not a Christmas quilt, but I kinda loved the idea of Santa's longjohns and  mittens etc.

Last a gifted book, from a friend:

Gorgeous. All the blues I love.

I stayed here! But I am pretty sure it is grey not blue.

Some pages are very high style and far too fancy, but interesting.

Other pages are just, well, perfect.

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Another thing I enjoy looking for and buying online is fabric. I have no access to a real quilt shop, the closest is many miles away--maybe Broolyn?  Or out east. Hopeless. This was my winter treat to myself. I was as frugal as possible buying absolutely only things I need, hahaha. None of that no new fabric in 2019 crap for me.

 A group of batiks and a pineapple print, for a bed linens project for  a client to look through.Going for softly pale eclectic / serene but interesting. Touches of blue.

I'll keep the pineapples for myself, pillow cases, if they don't like.

A few daffodil yellow touches, for my living room, in late March.

The photos above  don't do the choices justice. The yellow really sings and is so sunny and happy.

Cute black and white irons and wash labels prints to give my ironing boards a spring makeover. I'm tired of using old sheet remnants.

Funny dishtowels for quilt backs or gifts,

Stash refresh---red, brown.
.

I love this brown, so vibrant and interesting. How about......Autumn pillow cases, or an apron, or tablecloth? Quilt backing?

Oh okay, the Mushrooms. Hadta have them though.Too too  cute.

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I did get to Costco for the Must Have tulips in the tall glass forcing jar.

Usually Costco doesn't take care of their live plants but these were lovely.

Mine are red with yellow fringed edges.

And TJ's for veggies and cheese. Look at the forsythia in the TJ galvanized bucket! If I was a rich girl I d just take the whole bucket and all the flowers on home with me!

As we loaded up the car, there on the mainland--the new Costco is built on a wetlands marsh [?!]---the sun was shining and the air had a softness. "Do you feel a hint of spring?" I asked L. She just shook her head:"Storm on Sunday." Oh well. Good thing I like winter. How about you?

Back to my little Sajou French quilt. Its finish-by date is February 28.

PS On Monday when we reveal our string quilts' progress, I am going to offer a bag of quilt scraps to anyone who wants them. Stay tuned.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

Remember the drifted bushel baskets I couldn't carry home? Still haven't been back to the beach to try to save them, high winds etc, trucks. But here are previous finds from a few years ago. The disks are about 16-18" diameter. Maybe tomorrow if I neglect Sajou.

Greening My [Blue] World ~ Earth Day

"Greenery" ~ Pantone's Color of the year for 2017.HERE  Recently I was asked to decorate  an imaginary room featuring Pantone's Color of the year Greenery, in honor of Earth Day.

This was a fun challenge from Douglas Elliman Real Estate ~ Florida and Pantone. Use the color of the year to decorate a fantasy beach home! I was inspired by our conversations about Hawaiian quilts. My dream is to own a Pineapple quilt, or make one, someday. My space would need to be tweaked into coordination, would it not?

Fantasy open plan beach room--living/ dining/ working/ relaxing area. As always, the walls are white, the floor white stained / bleached hardwood. Billowy white sheer curtains, white linen slipcovered sofas.

Could be a loft, an open plan gutted beach cottage, a brand new condo. A traditional home, even.  Our canvas is chalk white walls, white floors, white linen sofas. Chippy white cupboards.  

 My design palette has its focus of a bright yet softly soothing, cool "Greenery" green. I love the floral carpet on the right. It would anchor my green and white room.

Natural accents:

Lots of dense turquoise and cobalt.

Nautical finds and beachcomberdshells, below. The stripey rug would be used at least twice, under the dining table and by the front entrance. The cutie Crab rug would be under my computer desk, by my big windows with my treasured ocean view. The very traditional turquoise and lime toile would be table runners or napkins, not stuffy old-style draperies!

  Splashes of lemon yellow...

 and maybe an alternate accent of Mango coral. All the wonderful tropical fabrics would be throw pillows, easy to button on and off, for change of mood.

Lovely beachy candles from Bath and Body Works, graphic coastal artwork. I'd fill those turquoise pots with big indoor palms and ferns!

I love it! Now if only I could win the Lottery!

...

It's Earth Day this weekend. My town has a festival. This year we are getting free shopping bags since plastic bags will no longer be allowed. [OMG, whatever will Mo and I use?] It's barely 50* today, but in the city it's a balmy 70. Lovely. If I get off my blue and white island, I do see signs of spring, the oak trees along the parkways have the faintest lime green haze. By June "greenery" will have arrived, if only in my imagination. Do you like Greenery? Would you use it in your home?

Most photos from web, Pinterest. Fabrics from Fabric.com. Rugs from rugsusa.com.
 [btw I was in no way paid to do this post, i was a ''just for fun challenge]

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

https://www.elliman.com/florida