Grommets

A lot of grommets.
Found these at a local tool sale. Still figuring out what to keep and what to sell. I don't need all of these grommets and selling some will pay for blowing my garage sale budget.
They came in a metal box about a foot square. Each box (2) has five drawers. Filled with an overwhelming display of grommets.
Each drawer has a hinged lid keeping the different types of grommet fasteners from fraternizing with their neighbors.
Each box came with a grommet press and the lid of each box shows the military designation of each type of fastener.
A lot of grommets.

I think that clutch purse I just made needs a couple of grommets.

Reminding you to send that package or postcard.

Deepwood Estate Vintage Flea Market

My friends, Miss Creative and Lavender Girl had a booth at this Vintage Fair this weekend.
They easily had one of the top vintage booths there with merchandise flying out of their chenille covered canopy.

Only a few of these photos are from their booth. I rather liked this black & red vignette from one of the other vendors.

I really liked the repeating roundness of the old records.

Difficult to get a good photo of the fresh hops hanging down from the booth top 

--- showcasing vintage furs.

Lavender Hill Cottage's Ladies Couch - only $225.

 I loved this vendor's apron. Re-purposed from a couch slip-cover(or was that a duvet cover?).
The apron can be worn long or buttoned up to the waist creating a pouch pocket.

Random Writings.

First of all, the race plane crash at the Reno Air Races involved people we know.
The flying world is small.
I am relieved at the outcome. I never like to know about plane crashes and I refuse to watch the youtube videos of this crash.
I am still stunned on quite a few levels about this crash. I have spoken to the people I know who were down at the races and just hearing their voices has helped tremendously.

Secondly- can I remind you to mail a letter this week? see my post on why.
I cannot emphasize enough why this is  important.


My job with benefits is leaving me with a bit of free time this fall. I am loving it as I can address my health problems a little more in depth and I have been spending more time in my sewing room.
I have a bunch of unfinished projects to show you.  --I  thought to wait until I actually finished one but these are a tad more in depth than my usual quickie projects.

 This is a very ambitious quilted sewing machine cover. I came across it here. Thimble was reviewing a quilting book and sewed one up herself. I loved hers.
It involves squares and log cabin strips. The squares end up wonky because of how you place the blocks.
I am hand-quilting this because I want it to be reversible. I wanted to emphasize these wonky  squares from small scraps of fabrics that tell a story of who I am.  Machine-quilting wouldn't do this plus I was afraid I would muck up the back side which is a fabric I love. After quilting it, I need to bind it. Still a few hours from being finished.

However - if I had seen it from the book- I would never have made it.  What is it about colors and design that inspire us?

Thimble.ca

Fresh Quilting - top right - sewing machine cover

Today's quick sewing:

  
Here is a small clutch purse I made today. I am not overly fond of the resulting bag but feel my second attempt will rectify those tiny problems.
     1. do not use metal zipper just because that is what you have in black.
     2. adding thin cardboard for structure sort-of worked but do we really need those credit card pockets and divider in this small bag? change up the interfacings.
     3. playing with those gathers - I wish there was a bit more of them.

 This is the fabric that is the reverse side of my sewing machine cover. 

Lovely shade of green highlighting old sewing advertisements.

 This is a kindle cover. Never mind that I do not own a Kindle nor am I likely to own one. But I have a friend who might like this. I was entranced with playing around with the gathering of fabric to create another textured textile.  You can manipulate the gathers to highlight the rooster, for instance.

Flock & Fiber Festival 2011

It's hard to believe that summer is disappearing at a rapid rate.  I am not missing those 90' days but instead am enjoying the beginning of a long Indian Summer season.

It's time for the Flock & Fiber Festival held at the Clackamas Fairgrounds in Canby, Oregon.
September 24 & 25, 2011 for the public with a whole lot of classes and behind the scene trading going on for those who raise sheep, rabbits & llamas.

Letter Writing

Getting something in the mail unexpectedly is one of life's little joys.

A national mail count takes place the last two weeks of September 2011. What does a mail count mean?
This is the primary means of determining a rural letter carriers wages. Each letter, each manila envelope, each package counts towards a formula. The heart of the post office is your rural mail carrier. If there isn't enough mail to deliver, carrier routes and paychecks will get cut.
I am proposing a grass-roots effort to up the volume of mail during the last two weeks of September. I am asking each person who reads this to send one item through the mail.

It could be a postcard to your friend: 29 cents (2012 price 32 cents).
It could be a letter to your mom: 44 cents ( 2012 : 45 cents).
Or, a get-well-soon card to your friend: 44 cents .
It could be a book to your dad: $2.38 Media mail rate(2012: 45 cents).
It could be a small package of Rubber Bandz to your nephew: $1.71 ( $1.95 for 2012)
It could be a huge Priority Flat-Rate package of candy to your favorite nephew: $10.95 ( $11.35 for 2012).
Or a more restrained Priority Flat-rate envelope: $4.95 ( 2012: $5.15).

One item from every person in the United States would ensure the continuation of Rural mail delivery without restrictions for the next four years. Even if only a few participate, every letter counts. Every postcard counts. Every package counts.

If you have ever dreamed on starting your own business or currently own one, chances are - part of it is on the internet. Chances are - you rely on the postal system as part of your delivery system. Please order USPS (FREE!) supplies during this period (free delivery too!).






This is a helpful & funny place to peruse if you have difficulty in starting a letter. The Bureau of Communication is here to help.




Plan on sending your mail during September 15 -28th. The mail count starts on the 17th and continues through September 30th.

FAQ's:
Does this have something to do with people too busy to send a letter?  yes.
Does this have something to do with me in the city?   Well no - but your recipient may be on a rural mail delivery route.
Does this really matter in the giant scheme of things?   It's a bit more permanent than a text message.
Is letter writing proven to make life more simple?   no.
Do I need to go to the post office?  Yes, to buy a stamp.
Do I need to send it asap?   Yes. The IDEA is to have mail volume increase during the last two weeks of September. Try to send it between Sept. 15th & Sept.23rd.
Will my mom like getting a letter from me?  No - she will LOVE it.
Will my nephews & Nieces love getting candy?  Duh.
Will this count towards random acts of kindness?  Yes.

Enough Tomatoes to Can

My first batch (Wednesday). By next week, I'll be swimming in tomatoes.

 For more info. on canning, go here.

Miss Ella

My practice grand-child #2, Miss Ella.
I found this chair at a garage sale for $5 before her sister was born.
I repainted the whole spindled chair and sewed up new monkey cushions.

So - it's now an heirloom.
This makes me feel better about tackling the biplane rocker my sister found.