Last Block of Jewels on Black RR

I just completed the last block of our Jewels on Black DYB round robin for Crazy Quilting International. This one is for Debbie, and she requested seam treatments only and said she loves the encrusted look. So, that meant (to me) that many-layered seams were the order of the day. And this is how it turned out. I hope you like it, Debbie. It'll be winging its way home to you this week.

Sale-ing, Sale-ing..... a Great Haul

One of my favorite things to do in the summer season is to venture out on occasional Saturday mornings and go sale-ing. Yard sales. Estate sales. Oooooh.... I get excited just thinking about the thrill of the hunt! Armed with nothing more than 2 rolls of quarters that I'd saved (that's $40), I set out at 9:00 a.m.

First stop was an estate sale here in Murray which was being run by the family (not an estate dealer). I picked up a potting bench, a Dymo labeler (working, in box with refill label tapes) and a brand-new (packaging still on) heavy-duty wok. Six dollars total. Then I headed up to the Avenues area of Salt Lake City. This is an older area north of downtown, and it's a highly desirable area to live in. Old homes, mature neighborhoods on steep, narrow streets. Always good pickin's for treasures and I just was feeling good vibes today!

The estate sale started at 10:00 a.m. and I was the first one in the door. Quick scope of the living room showed no vintage paperweights and a scope of the kitchen showed no cookie jars (both of which I collect). .But there in the bedroom.......BINGO!! Linens. Hankies. Vintage Clothing. Lace. OMG. So, let me share some of my finds!

First up (above) is the Christmas stuff I snagged. The green piece is silk, all the pom-pom trim is vintage (and highly resellable - is that a word? - on Ebay. If I don't use it myself), and the two ornaments (the Santa and reindeer) are vintage. I love Santas (particularly Father Christmases) and really love reindeer! The flannel in back is probably only 10-20 years old, but there was a lot of it and it was clean, so I grabbed it for next to nothing.

Above is a daisy doily which needs a serious soak. If it doesn't come clean (and maybe even if it does), I may raid it for the motifs. The black lace is a vintage scrap, and the needlepoint (I think) peacock was too cute to pass up. I'm going to frame it and hang it in my studio - I need color on the white walls!!

I also grabbed these two aprons, probably from the Fifties or Sixties. A mother and daughter set. The smaller one has feather stitching on the waistband. The pocket of Mom's has been mended. I collect vintage aprons and sew and sell reproduction aprons. This patchwork on point really intrigues me!

Above is a scarf that reminded me of the Turkish scarves that the women embellish with needlelace oyas. This is NOT a fine scarf, nor is the trim fine and stiff like the oya flowers, but I do believe it is needlelace. The trim colors are rather wonky against the scarf, but this would make such a fun, bohemian-style wrap. As if I'd ever wear it...... ;-)

This is a lovely group of goodies. I got two pairs of vintage baby booties - one with blue trim and one with pink trim. I passed up several vintage christening sets. The loveliest dress was badly stained and the other stuff was very simple and overpriced. I did pick up all the interesting cutter linens I could, as I like to use those in pillows, tea-towels, aprons and other creations. (I'll probably post some pictures of that in August). But I digress......

See the fan above?? It is very delicate wood, carved into a rose pattern. It was the single most expensive purchase of the day. I bought it specifically for my CQI group Secret Sister. Now, if she reads this blog, I'm giving myself away. But hopefully she either doesn't or will forget......... I won't send it for a few months, hehehehe.

The lady of the house had a collection of hand mirrors. I picked up this circa-Fifties plastic mirror. Isn't it cute?!? She was also a collector of Japanese things (the fan is Japanese). There were two kimono (badly stained and only one was silk), lots of Japanese house shoes (those white things with two toes), wall hangings, yadda yadda, but nothing really, uh, NICE.


And look at those two cute hats!! Got those at the last yard sale I hit for $1 each!! One is actually more of a tiara. The hankie to the right of the two pink doilies is silk. Check out the vintage lace!!!!!!!!!!

And last but not least - the rest of the hankies. The mostly cream-colored one on the right is silk. The embroidered figural hankie is badly stained, but the embroidery is clean and intact, so it can go into a project. I love collecting the monogrammed hankies. I have lots of "H" hankies, a majority of which came from my late mom, Helen. Those I'll keep, but who knows what I'll eventually use this one for..........

There were a couple other things I nabbed as well today that I didn't take pictures of, but all in all it sure was a good haul!!! Now I've got to get back to saving my quarters so I can go out again before the Sale-ing Season ends!!

Good CQ Reading

The latest issue of CQMagOnline is out! It's always a wealth of great ideas and eye candy, and this issue is no exception. Of course, I'm particularly excited because I have an article in it. I wrote a how-to article on making caddies (or carriers) for storing hot curling irons when you travel. The curling iron caddy I pieced is highly functional if not too lovely (I was more interested in using colors that would photograph well!). The article actually shows several that I've completed.

Happy stitching!

Block Finished for Susan

Today I finished a Jewels on Black-themed block for Susan. This is a 6-inch block for our round robin on Crazy Quilting International, a Yahoo group.
Those are Turkish needlelace oyas on the left, vintage tatting around the silk pictures and vintage lace under the button grouping. Following are all four blocks (to date) shown together.

They were stitched by (L-R, top to bottom): Hideko , Jo , myself and Clairee. Lovely grouping, isn't it??

And the Winner is....

Karrin Hurd!!!!!!!!!!!!! My DH just drew your name as the winner in my Pay it Forward contest. Will you please contact me by private email and let me know your address and what you like???? Congratulations!!! I hope that you, too, will be inspired to pay a kind deed forward in some way!! Hugs to all - Cathy

Crazily Cream Round Robin

I've joined another round robin on Crazy Quilting International called Crazily Cream. The five participants have all created their blocks and will be mailing them around for others to work on them. All stitching and embellishments will also be in the cream colorway. When completed, this look is very elegant (and fits into just about any decor!). Here is my block, naked:

Also, I just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow we'll draw the winner's name on my Pay it Forward drawing. See the post from a couple days ago about the goodies sent to me by Lilla LeVine. If you leave a comment on that post, I'll enter your name into a drawing. Tomorrow (Sunday) around noon, I'll have DH draw a name from those who left comments. The winner will receive a small gifty from me (but whatever it is - and I reserve the right to tailor it to the recipient - I promise it'll be *nice*).

My Secret Sister ROCKS !!!

In Crazy Quilting International (Yahoo group), we have assigned Secret Sisters this year. My SS, who is unknown to me (but identities will be revealed at the end of the year), has been such a great friend. Beyond the obvious generosity and forethought she's given to everything - her gifts and her words alike, there is an uncanny sense of timing. Her packages and notes always seem to arrive when I'm feeling emotionally "needy". They never fail to either (1) rev up my spirits or (2) bring me to tears of joy (and THEN rev up my spirits!).

So, whoever you are, dear one, you are VERY much appreciated. And you know, I'd love for you to write me some time - just write - and tell me something about you. Something that wouldn't reveal your identity, but would help me to get to know YOU better. Or maybe some obscure clues that I can begin putting together for the Grand Revelation.

The picture shows what my dear SS has sent to me just in the last two months. In June, she sent the rolls of vintage rayon ribbons. OMG. I'd been looking *everywhere* for that stuff to include as fringing on some purses. I've so far just fondled it a lot (I know you all understand....), but I feel a Creative Weekend coming on, LOL. The two books arrived today. I had neither and LOVE both. I've got another of Helan Pearce's books, and didn't even know about this one. What eye candy!! And the scents - they are so DO-able; I can't wait to read and study this book in more detail!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I'll leave you with a picture of Boomer that I snapped tonight. He's sitting on my ironing board, facing me as I was sitting in the armchair in my studio, stitching. Very obviously, he's thinking, "Gee Mom, I was hoping to get some attention from you tonight...."