Pink Roses

39 squares…

I know this project has been over for a few weeks, but I realized I never showed you my finished piece.  Of course as I sit here writing this, I realize why I never showed it, and it is because I never finished stitching the outline on the last few squares!  Oh well…I’ll get right on that :) So here’s my last row: squares 33 (lace), 34 (millinery from an old hat), 35 (seam binding)…

 

36 (glass button bought in Texas), 37 (crochet trim), 38 (muslin fabric, rubber stamped with a rose)…

39 (heart charm left over from a class with Kaari Meng), and the last block was for our initials.

 

I loved this little project inspired and led by Amy Powers.  Amy is getting ready to start a new stitching project, this time with 100 squares!  Yikes, I could barely finish 39!  If you want to join in, just go to her blog for more information…of course it is free, just nice to have someone to stitch with.  As you can tell from mine, I am not very good at embroidery, so I just made it a little sampler collage.  OK, now off to finish the outlines on the last few squares, and then I can officially be done! 

in the studio {today}…

I have a sign over the door to my studio…it’s actually an old flash card I bought years ago…

I have to remind myself sometimes.  Today spent a few hours cleaning up and organizing…

A few weeks ago I found the beautiful old pink velvet I used to make Elizabeth’s Christmas stocking years ago, and I have been making velvet strawberries with vintage seed beads and rhinestone buttons…

And today I hand washed all the lace & trims I bought at the flea market.  I let them dry outside in the sunshine, and now I’m wrapping them on shipping tags…

I didn’t actually “make something” as my sign encourages me to do, but I made progress.  Now almost everything is back where it belongs.  That means I could actually find something when I need it.  What a concept!

Nashville Flea Market…

My daughter and I were only at the flea market for a few hours, but managed to find some great deals.  She really has an eye for what we collect and the two of us can power shop!  Along with the shopping we managed to meet up with a few friends including Kana Conger who was there with Jenni Bowlin.

We found a stack of vintage hymnals ($1.00 each), lace hankies and jewels…

a huge bag of lace ($10.00), and linens (50 cents each)…

pale pink saucers and berry bowls…

a few hats and a hat box…

a vintage peach corset and satin hanger ($1.00 each)…

barkcloth and a few tins…

more assorted finds…

 

 

and don’t forget the fresh turkey eggs, complete with feathers!

Is it any wonder why the Nashville Flea Market is the happiest place on earth?

girl time…

Friday morning, Elizabeth and I got up early and drove to Nashville for the flea market.  It was a perfect day…sunny, warm, blue skies, a little breeze.  We drove for 4 hours without the radio, just talking…that was the greatest gift of all!  We shopped and met some friends, and had dinner that night with some friends of hers from college. Saturday was her birthday {23}, so we woke up early, grabbed a Starbucks, and headed home.  Another 4 hours, and a mountain top flea market stop, and we were home.

 

We found lots of treasures, like this tarnished metal compote for 50 cents, and the broken strand of pearls for a quarter…but the real treasure, I do not have to tell you.  Girl time with my first born, my love, my heart.  Talking, listening…reconnecting, and just being. A few minutes of quality “down time” with a loved one can do wonders for your soul.  My bucket is full. Try it for yourself…

my old pink Schwinn…

 

Thirty years ago, when I was in college at the University of California, everyone rode bikes.  Spiffy-brand-new 10 speed bikes.  When I would leave a large class, like a Chemistry lecture, there would be 500 red or blue or black bikes parked outside.  I didn’t like 10 speed bikes-I didn’t like bending over to reach the handlebars, and they just never felt safe to me.  Besides, everyone had one, and I was a Design major-we were supposed to be different:)

 

Every weekend my boyfriend (who later became my husband) and I would go to the flea market in Berkeley.  One weekend we found this old Schwinn for $10.00.  It needed a bit of repair, so he fixed it up for me and put on new tires, and I primed over the original paint and spray painted it pink.  We added white pinstripes, and I wrote my name in cursive on the back fender with white enamel paint.  He bought me a basket for the front and a bell and red glittered handlegrips with sparkle streamers.  It was the ONLY pink bike on campus, and it was the BEST BIKE EVER!

People would see me at the grocery store (the basket held one bag of groceries perfectly) or around town and say “So you’re the girl who rides that bike”, or just, “nice bike”  Strangers would sometimes leave flowers in my basket or tie on a piece of ribbon.  I even got a few notes that said…”your bike makes me happy!”.

I still have my old pink Schwinn, and still rode her up until a few years ago. Sadly I left her out in the rain a few too many times and she rusted, so now she’s a garden accessory. I have her parked in the backyard near the pink azaleas in the spring, and move her to the back patio in the summer and fill her basket with flowers.  Still the best bike ever! 

from a dear friend…

Lisa Johnson is one of the reasons why I love blogging.  We’ve never met in real life, but we email, and have exchanged gifts over the years, and I just know that when I do meet her, she will be like a long lost friend reunited.  She sent me this gift via Tiffany, and of course, I love every single bit of it.  The box, with vintage wallpaper, is gorgeous, and when I opened it…

I just gasped! The perfect pink rose, and lace and ribbon on hand dyed tags…

a rhinestone bow pin, and vintage buttons, rhinestone and mother of pearl buckles…

a stack of postcards with pink roses, including this one…from a dear friend…

more ribbon, and fabrics…everything with pink roses!

These are the “good things” that I save and hate to use, and she gave them to me.

 

Like I said, I LOVE everything, and am overwhelmed by her generosity and thoughtfulness. Someday we will meet in “real life”. Thanks Lisa, for being such a dear friend! 

Tiff-tastic!

I need to catch my breath and find the right words to tell you about the great time I had with my friend Tiffany. Tiff-tastic comes to mind!  We laughed and talked (till 4:00am) and shopped and ate, and yes, she loves her some coffee :)  She made me this chicken wire crown, which I simply LOVE.

love, love, love…

She also brought me a gorgeous gift from Lisa Johnson which I will photograph and show you tomorrow, along with some of our finds from Rowann’s GORGEOUS shop Antiques in Old Town.  I dropped Tiffany off this morning at Jennifer Hayslip's to-die-for home…even prettier in person, if you can possibly imagine.  Tiffany and Jenn were headed to Savannah for Jenn’s Petticoats and Parasols event…should be a great weekend and I wish them all a ton of fun!  I’ll be back tomorrow with some vintage goodies!

Spring has sprung…

Hi friends!  My apologies for being the worlds worst blogger these days.  Much has been going on here, and I have been spending every free moment working in the yard.  Spring is here (and so is the pollen and weeds), and I have made my usual trips to the garden center and purchased every blooming flower I can find! Reality hits me when I get home and I remember that plants don’t automatically PLANT themselves!  Needless to say I’ve had dirt under my fingernails and a sore back for 2 weeks!  I’ve been trying to straighten up the house too, because my friend  Tiffany is coming tomorrow to stay for 4 days!  I am so excited to see her, and although I don’t have to fuss for my Fancy Farmgirl friend, I thought at the least she should have clean sheets and coffee!  Of course most of my cleaning will go out the window, because Christopher and Katie are home from college this weekend.  Oh well, I tried! In other news, I signed up for Silver Bella for my fourth year…

I hope to see some of you there!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Georgia Bloggers…

Yesterday I had the honor of spending the day with these beautiful, talented women…all fellow bloggers who live in Georgia. Sharon had the idea of arranging a Georgia Bloggers meetup, and I jumped at the chance to meet some blogging friends “in real life”!  We met in a charming small town outside of Atlanta, and talked and laughed, had lunch, exchanged gifts, and went antiquing!  A perfect day!  I feel so blessed to have met each of these special women and hope this is the beginning of many new friendships.  We look forward to meeting again, having swaps, and expanding our little circle.  If you are a blogger and live in Georgia, we would love to have you join us next time…send me an email and I will put you on our contact list!  Here are a few pictures of our day:  Susan’s apron {worthy of Apron-ology!}…

 

the pocket of Tammy’s dress, purchased at Farm Chicks…

Debbie with her gift from Dawn…

Susan’s gift, made by Yvette…

I received this from Sharon…

 

If you would like to “meet” my fellow Georgia bloggers, you can find them here:

Dawn Edmonson-The Feathered Nest

Sharon Kyser-SharDon Exclusives

Lynn Cliburn-Lynn's Lovelies

Kathy Lowry-Country Chintz

Yvette Adams-The Charm House

Debbie Saenz-Debbies Designs

Susan McDowell-Art of Mine

Janice Young-Handiworks by Janice

Marcy Antle-Queen Marcy Originals

Hero Mason-las creaciones de boricua

Tammy Lucik-The Other Side of Me

one row to go…

I just realized I cut off the far left row in this photo! 32 squares done…7 to go!