"Hey, if I had somewhere to go, I certainly wouldn't be in Cleve-Land." -Howard the Duck

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Quilts

Anyone who enters our house can see my love of quilts.  They're everywhere. 
On the walls...as pillows...on the bed...piled up on window benches. 
Some are hand made.  Some are store bought.  All of them are beautiful. 
All of them get used...that's what they're for after all.
This quilt is my most prized one.  My Mom told me how she cut every little hexagon to make this Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.  Her Mom...my Grandma...then pieced it all by hand into a twin size quilt.  It was also hand quilted by a quilting bee at their church. 
 
Every stitch by hand...every one. 
I love how Grandma combined such unusual colors and prints, yet they all work together.  I'm sure she used what she could find as she was a single Mom raising 2 kids during the Depression.  My Mom was born in the 1920s, so I figure this quilt was made during the 1930s.
 
When I moved out on my own, I begged Mom to let me have this quilt.  My timing wasn't quite right...she wasn't ready to part with it.  So...I decided I'd make my own version of Grandma's quilt.
I started my quilt back in the 1970s...then it got packed away as I moved to San Diego, then all around the country.  One year while I was still living in San Diego, Mom gifted her treasured quilt to me.  No reason to continue with mine, right?
Well, lately I've been feeling the pull to work on my quilt again.  I've pulled together the 1930s prints I had packed away.  I added to my supply with reproduction 1930s prints found in Etsy shops.  I'm working on my quilt again!
My quilt is an interpretation of Grandma's.  She always had a solid color flower with the yellow center in each of her blocks.  I'm combining solids & prints with no pattern to how I do them.  My quilt is unified by the 1970s gold & white print centers that are the same print as the green & white print paths through the flower garden. 
I'm hoping to eventually finish a queen size quilt for our bed...with each stitch done by hand. 
 
Just like Mom & Grandma.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Asparagus & Leek Quiche

Yes, I know I have a cooking blog.  No, I don't keep it updated.  I've been busy here this week between taxes & clearing out stuff to donate through Freecycle...but we have to eat, right? 
 
Well, this yummy quiche above is sort of a work of art, no?  I think it qualifies to be on this blog.  No recipe, really...just 4 eggs, some half & half...whisked & poured into a store bought pie shell that was filled with sautéed leeks, Swiss cheese & bits of leftover asparagus.  I reserved some of the asparagus spears to decorate the top...left it all in just a bit too long, but it sure was yummy...just a bit more "golden" than I would have liked.  Even tasted good the next day...out of the fridge & left to warm to room temperature.  YUMMY!
 
I plan to get back to art stuff next week...today I'm searching for the book tape I bought on Etsy & put somewhere so I would be sure to find it...but now I can't find it.  I know it's hiding where I least expect it to be...and I will find it...I have to.  I guess it's back to the studio to search. 
 
I hope you can have more fun with your Saturday...but it's way too cold here for me to go outside, so at least I can be productive in here. 
 

Friday, April 5, 2013

More Spring Cleaning...

So...I'm still at it...and will be for quite some time.  SPRING is being fickle here, so I'm occupying my time with finding vintage treasures to sell as well as giving things away through our local Freecycle group.  If you haven't found your local group, it's easy with the link I've provided. 
 
It amazes me that I am still finding things I didn't know were still here as I clean through this place.  My Mom was definitely a hoarder...not in the trash all over the place & dead animals kind of way, but boy did she buy things!  I've inherited some of those tendencies, but I try to keep mine in check.  Luckily, I am able to help others as well as offer the best stuff for sale in my Etsy shop.
 
Back in the 1970s, my Dad worked on a contract with Anheuser Busch.  Dad was an Electrical Engineer & that contract took him to many of the AB brewery locations across the country.  He always came back with a souvenir for Mom...but she wasn't a beer fan, so I'm finding some of them as I explore.  Bud is not my beer...but maybe you know someone who would appreciate these. 
There are 6 of the glasses above in their original box...they have never been used...maybe you know someone who has a home bar...these would be perfect or that...and they have SOLD!  Thanks!
 
I've also uncovered some souvenirs of a trip my Mom & Grandma took to Florida in the 1940s.  The little ATC sized pix in this set are fabulous...and are that old fashioned linen texture that was so popular for postcards of that era.  It took 1.5cents to mail this back in the day!
I've also started to part with some of my vintage cookbooks.  I love to cook, but some of these just have to find new homes. 
From 1970..."465 Quick-to-Fix Recipes Using Campbell's Convenience Foods".  There's even a page about adding a special touch to TV Dinners to make them even better!
And from 1954...The Pillsbury 5th Grand National Baking contest...there were $100,000 in prizes & this one received $2,500...that was a HUGE amount back in 1954!
 
I'm adding quite an assortment of vintage treasures these days...as well as supplies from my overwhelming stash in my studio.  Please stop by & take a look...you may find a special gift for someone dear...or for yourself! 
 
Mention that you found me through my blog in the order comments...
and I'll include a special gift for you.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, April 1, 2013

Spring Cleaning in my Studio

While I sure wish I were on a beach like this kitty...I've been hard at work in my studio...clearing out some wonderful supplies that I no longer use.  I now have quite an assortment of rubber stamps listed for sale in my Etsy shop.  There are cute stamps, like the one above...and some from places such as Stampington & Co. and Stampers Anonymous. 
I'm selling some House Mouse stamps...
...and so many more...I'd be honored if you would stop by and take a look.  Some of the stamps are gently used & others are brand new.  I'm happy to combine shipping on these stamps as wood mounted stamps can get quite heavy.  I'm great at fitting a bunch of them into flat rate priority boxes. 
 
It's time for me to admit my collection is out of control & put it out there so someone else can enjoy and use these stamps.