Frills and Flowers

Hi! It's Monday! Another stunningly beautiful day here at the beach. And probably where you are too...the weather guy says yes?

Waking up to a house filled with sunshine really starts the week off perfectly, doesn't it!

I have hyacinths from Trader Joe's...5 stems/ $5.00.

I stood there in the market... in a quandry, yet again! Pink. Blue? Pink! Blue...oh for that price get both. Oooh and the scent....spring is in the air for sure.....

And how about a 2.99 pot of bright yellow tete a tete daffs! Love them with my blue and whites....

In my etsy shop, new: found treasures...for Valentine gifts, Mothers Day, treat yourself?

I find these tiny chandelier crystals now and then when I am hunting for the big icicle prisms for my Christmas ornaments. Last summer the woman who was selling asked me what I do with the crystals. I explained...and she poked the miniatures with a perfectly manicured NY fingernail:
"What about these?"
Well I don't know but they're pretty..., I said.
She held up the amethyst drop: "They'd make such amazing, romantic pendants," she said, holding it to her throat.
And so the prism necklaces were born. I hope you all like them!

This is my favorite---already sold. But I have many tiny vintage keys...just have to find my extra hearts....

Have a great week!

love

           lizzy 

gone to the beach....

February! the time of hearts and romance...

Hi! Hard to believe it is already February... I can't imagine what the Groundhog will think when he pops out later today and feels the soft warm west winds blowing, feels the sunshine on his little furry face! I think he'll throw on his boardshorts and head to the beach!
I know I did. I played hooky, spring fever ran rampant in the 65* sunshine. But I did finish a bunch of somewhat Valentine tardy hearts to share with you....

All kinds!
Sand fencing wire and beachcombed key....all deliciously rusty and tarnished form winters out on the beach!

sold!

Big prim red hearts!

Some with removable mottoes...

Stripey French ticking hears...

Small quilt hearts...plain, very plain...

...and  some with my"cutie" mottoes, this year's batch has paper mottoes inspired by sweetie hearts and fortune cookie!

More cuties..all different pink quilt bits!

A sting of tiny hearts...

to tie on something or snip apart and give to your girlfriends....

these are made with my best bubblegum pink quilt scraps, adorned with vintage buttons...

Then I did fancy hearts, with antique real velvet [silk?]: one red, one 'ashes of roses'...both with gorgeous old paste brooches...

sold

another in palest sage velveteen...with a paste and marquisette bird pin...

sold

And found object: keys/crystals/ and hearts jewelry...

Here's just a sample...I loved this teeny tiny key! Like for a Victorian dolly's roller skates! [watch key?]..strung with a vinatge silver metal heart on a tarnished silver chain.

sold

These will be on my etsy and or eBay sites, I hope by late tonight...but if anyone  sees a treasure they'd like, email me or leave me a comment here. No shipping charges for bloggy friends, remember.

PS None of these hearts is scented but on\\if requested I will add essential oil, very delicate and natural, in red hot cinnamon, bergamot, or lavender. And any can be ordered with 100% natural Cape Cod lavender buds.

Have a great week!

love

             lizzy

gone to the beach.....



Jupiter again,
 seen tonite withe half moon and ??? another planet!

                linked to Sarah's A Beach Cottage  good life wednesday

Pink Lemonade Auditions

 Hi! Today I am "auditioning" yellow calicoes for my doll quilt...
 

Yes! I am caught up, more or less, and have all the blocks made.
 

I love this quiltalong, from Lori at Humble Quilts...so fun.
Here is the antique inspiration quilt again:
 

Humble Quilts


And here is Lori's adorable version...
  

Humble Quilts

 Here's my choices:
 

I thought I'd want the cheddar-y yellow[far left] but it didn't work at all....
This is the closest to both the original and Lori's version; it's brighter than in my pix. It makes my tiny blocks ''pop'' without overwhelming them...
 

Looks good?

But I had the notion I don't exactly want a pink and bright yellow quilt, whatever will I do with it?
So I tried this odd black and purple repro...Oh my, no! And, tho I don't have photos, I also tried two wonderful antique fabrics :one was tan with tiny figurals in red and black; the other a classic tiny sprig shirting, black on white. Again, no. Not bad, just---blah?
 

So okay I have a print. But I'm not so fond of foulard type calicoes, they lack sweetness and charm for me. This is my absolute fav, below, a violent chrome yellow and black tiny floral. It doesn't 'pop' quite as perfectly, but I love the very old fashioned-y Pennsylvania Dutch look of it, just so out-there bright, who cares, we like it! look. Must be in my genes, lol.
 

So now again...choices.

And then the back! A feedsack? I have my eye on a cutie on eBay. Or wildly busy Prussian blue repro surprise? Both?

Not quite what I had in mind...but I like them!

And then of course I'll need a story: Who made this quilt? Why, when, where...whose mama sewed it, what dolly slept beneath it. Ideas? Scenario? Anyone?

Note: I found the cheddar yellows and chrome yellows at a site called: Common Threads . They were fast and efficient, great selection of antique-looking fabrics. However the new to me manufacturer of many of the yellows wouldn't be one I'd actively choose again. All their yellows faded noticeably when pre-washed. And they were ''finished'' so crookedly that the grain is about 4" off, so I am losing quite a lot of fabric when I square things up. Not sure how the foulard will cut, if it is printed crooked? Which may be a deciding factor for the other print.....

notice #1, and #3?
these are antique/vintage fabrics
that held their color perfectly!

Have a great weekend!

love

lizzy



self-portrait 8, January 12



gone to the beach...

Note: two inspiration photos and block design kindly and generously shared with permission form Lori at Humble Quilts . Thanks, Lori!