Striving for...

Treetops

Letterpress

Know anyone looking for a vintage letterpress? I recently put one up for sale on ebay.



It is a Golding and Co. Boston letterpress, comes with chases, several trays of type, Baltimore Letterpress Book and loads more.





Anybody know what this piece is? I've been trying to figure it out.

Anyway, if ya'll could spread the word for me that would be great. Here is the link to it.

Score, Find, who-ho

These are finds from the previous weekend. Big weekend coming up for yard sales this week too.



Crazy kitsch shoes



Ponytail or neckties



These are actually mittens not boxing gloves. I still love them either way.



And I always wear my big shades when I box. I hit better that way.

Because when doesn't this make you happy?

Misty had a big adventure yesterday.

She had to be left at the vet so they could get a pee sample for an ongoing urinary problem. This was fine right? Right- except Misty is the greatest escape artist of all time.



They let her into the enclosed double fenced in- with a top fence area to play with the other dogs. Misty gets along very well with other dogs and is so cute- why not right?



Right. Except when we got the call that Misty is fine, but they found her in their parking lot covered, absolutely covered in mud. Apparently, she knows how to open locks. Not just one kind of lock, but two.



So she went for a romp through the woods and the mud. Then she came back. The vet had to give her a big bath because she was a complete mess.



They put a red tag on her file so know they know each time we drop her off - how smart she is about getting out.

Yellow for Tuesday

I am so proud of myself to actually take photos for this project. Still working with Color Week from Curious Bird. Yellow is Tuesday's color.



This is some fabric that I found at an amazing rummage last year. I would never cut this. It is just too amazing. Maybe stretch it over a canvas.

Sneak Peak

Still working on the binding for the small quilt. It will be my giveaway for later this week (I know I have been promising this one for a while now!)

Green Monday

Here is my Monday is green shot. The color week is going on over at Curious Bird. Check it out!





Okay, I am cheating a little since these two are from vacation. But the green is so vivid.

Face

Okay, here is a funny project I have been embarking on. It is pretty simple really. It is the Half Face Project. All you do is take a photo of half of someone's face. It is a lot of fun. More to come.

Made

I made this from the hand painted fabric. A nifty little bag. I picked up a handbag at a yard sale last weekend for 50 cents. I snipped away the rest of the bag and used the handles for this one. Also, I can't recall if I mentioned that this fabric was from a sheet from the Goodwill.



I have to open up the sides a bit more because the opening is pretty tight right now.



You'd all be proud. I hand stitched the part around the handles with embroidery floss. I hardly ever hand stitch so I felt like I deserved a little extra dessert last night.

More Gee

Still in love with this book The Quilts of Gee Bend's.







The stories of the women who made the quilts are just tremendous. So intriguing.

It has inspired me so much to forgetting about rules- cotton this cotton that, square this square that, and anything heavily quilted or pieced.

More

More from away that is. These are shots along Big Sur. We had to cross this stream, which was so cold our feet were cramping before we could get all the way across.



Also, found on the same stream.



These were at a window in Chinatown. An acupuncturist's window.

Weekend

Enjoyed a nice weekend. It has been super warm around here (60's-70's) and I have been soaking it up. I spent a good deal of the weekend walking Misty and mountain biking. Adam plays baseball in an over 30 baseball league, so he was gone most of the day Sunday. Normally I watch his games but it was nice to have the day mostly to do nothing.

Picked up a few wonderful reads at the library.



Turns out our local library has a great quilting and sewing section. The Gee Bend's book is so inspiring to me right now. I have viewed the quilts from there online before, but the book is so much more comphrensive.

I am currently adoring the denim quilts from the book. It is funny that one of the first things that got me interested in quilting (quilting denim) is suddenly new to me again.



I also tried some stencil printing on fabric that I read about in the new Lotta J. book. I cut a stencil from acetate. I would not recommend this particular stencil method to anyone though. I loved stenciling and I loved the pattern- but next time I will cut it from freezer paper or something. The acetate was too flimsy.



Yes, I am very messy.



But, I am super happy with the results. I used fabric paint and heat set it with an iron. I just have to test wash it to make sure it stays.





I also love the texture that the brush leaves behind.



I plan to try a lot more of printing on fabrics.

Oh yes, and the church rummages? Divine I tell you. I'll show goodies soon.

Luck

"Luck is a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person's control. Luck can be good or bad" (Wikipedia)

I have been thinking a lot about luck lately. See I was amazingly lucky enough to win this from Orange You Lucky’s blog among other things lately. (and holy man do I love it)

My mom has always been a lucky person. She constantly was getting calls that she won the gift basket, the pack of tickets, a year’s supply of animal cookies. She would buy a purse or a jacket at the flea market and find $5 in it. It was really endless her winnings.

A sweet aunt of mine, was the type of person who would find money everywhere. A walk around the city with her would easily produce a few dollars in change- and we weren’t even looking for it!

So did I get the lucky gene? I have always thought that it must have passed me by. I mean I have had my fair share of awful circumstances to hideous to even list to you here.

But last year I looked up luck on google and I kept coming across descriptions such as this:

"One way is to be open to new experiences. Unlucky people are stuck in routines. When they see something new, they want no part of it. Lucky people always want something new. They're prepared to take risks and relaxed enough to see the opportunities in the first place." (this site is the reference, Flip Top Head?)

Was I stuck in a routine? Awful! But then I thought more about it and yes, I was stuck in a routine. I got up, got ready, went to work, then the gym maybe or the grocery store and then back home. And nothing lucky ever happened to me.

I think luck is two fold- part kharma, part your own making. If I don’t make an opportunity for kharma to give a little luck to me then it doesn’t happen. I am not going to suddenly get a call saying I won a million bucks or that I win a seasons worth of tickets to the Red Sox. (unless I believe all those junk emails I get)

Makes sense that my mom is constantly signing up for raffles, and giveaways. She never once passed by a Boy Scout selling raffle tickets without buying one.

So lately, I have been signing up for every darn thing that comes my way. And you know what? It is working.

So what about you? Are you lucky or not lucky? Got any great lucky stories to share? I’d love to hear.

Lists

A few random lists that are running through my head.

Things I want, love or need to try:

• Love these shoes.
• Need to try the Macro Box thanks Chickpea and Orange Flower
• Could this top by Angry Chicken be any cuter?
• These are amazing little embroideries from Cornflower Blue's blog. She was inspired by early 1900's anatomy illustrations. Does it get more creative then that? I think not.
• Little sad I didn't win Bec's amazing bag. But this cute reversible one is so making me think about splurging.

The list could go on and on, but I will keep it short for today.

Next, this weekend list. I'm trying to keep it simple.

• mountain bike (yes! the trails are pretty dry for such a wet winter)
• Church rummages
• Try to print on some fabric (from the new Lotta book)
• Start an Alabama Stitch skirt
• Photograph more little animals for Nellie (lions and tigers)

Here are a few things that I rip from magazines and catalogs.

This is an ad from the Horny Toad catalog. Can someone please tell me where I can ride in a water car like that because I so want to. Horny Toad is my summer clothes, heck even winter clothes, staple. Their shorts and skirts fit perfectly and are so cute.

I also love this ad too. The words say: Dogs Need Weekends Too.

I think I also like it because the dog looks just like Misty. Have you seen Small Stump's dogs? They are so cute- just like Misty but in two different sizes. I know you have seen her etsy shop, because it rocks.

Man, that dog just oozes happiness.

And

Thank you! Everyone is so supportive of my different posts (one day this another day that). It is great to have you all on my team!

Some more polaroids.



My boyfriend. He fits right in when he goes to Norway.

Bubbly

I am just bubbling over with excitement at the moment- because not only do I have a church rummage to visit on Friday, but on my way to work this morning I saw a sign for one this Saturday at one of my all time favorites! Seriously- it makes me all nervous and sweaty. I know very weird.

Back to sewing and finds from San Fran. Fat Orange Cat also included these amazing bias trims in my little stash.



They just bring me back! I feel like I am ten when I see these patterns. I am planning an apron and maybe small doll quilt to showcase these great patterns.

These may be old news to some folks, but I am so inspired by these books from Lotta.



Picked 'em up in Japantown in San Fran. Dang I love that place.



I love the photography and the projects.



and my fingers.

This book has me all excited to start printing on fabric. What a better way to use what you have? I have the paints and this weekend I hope to have the time.







I also bought these fabrics while there.