Summer is almost here.  Time to find all my started (in progress) projects and finish them up.  Summer days are longer and temperatures make sewing outside on the patio a nice option.

Besides, ours is a quilty house and each summer the quilt count rises!  this summer will be the same.
Happy Sewing All

Vera's Vintage Blocks

Happy Summer!  okay it hasn't officially begun but these past few days have been so beautiful.... Perfect temperatures, the garden is green and lush, and most of my outdoor set up has been completed.  Time to enjoy the yard and weekends!

A dear friend of mine, Vera, from our Modern guild knows my passion for everything vintage!  I am a big thrift store hunter...a collector of old milk-glass & Pyrex, and old crocheted granny square afghans (seriously). She came across a collection of old quilt blocks, given to her a long time ago, but had never done anything with them.... So she gifted me with them!

 No one knows who made them... I have challenged myself to pull out some of my favourite fabrics and re-imagine all of them in new ways!

There are 25 rather plain nine-patch blocks that I am mixing with Denyse Schmidt picnic fabrics, white Kona cotton and some aurafil thread. I plan to make some cute granny square blocks.

They are beautiful.  So perfectly pieced.... I plan to use them all. Perfect summer projects.

Fabric Love

I returned to sewing and quilting in 2009. I have been a sewer since the 1970's - really serious about it.  But at the end of the 1990's I no longer sewed my children's clothing  - they were getting older and wouldn't wear what I made.....   But I missed sewing... something about fabric, thread, pins and scissors that I really missed!
And then.... quilting changed.... big time.  Everything was online. I discovered 'blogging' - wow it seemed better than any magazine could offer;  there were so many lovely pictures, and sweet stories to go along with those pictures.... I was inspired once again to sew.... for myself!  and soon  became fascinated with everything quilty!

But one lesson that I have learned in these past five years since my return to sewing..... learn to buy fabric in small amounts... 
I am serious.... there is so much really beautiful fabric to choose from....and quite frankly I want a lot of what I see.... so learn to buy small amounts..... fat 1/8th or fat 1/4s, no more than half yards!  Unless you are buying fabric to back a quilt....  
Trust me on this... cuz there is always going to be something new and exciting on the horizon.....

Happy Sewing All.

Modern Coffee Klatch

 I am a member of the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild. The modern quilt guild movement has been welcomed here with open arms!

Our guild meets once a month On the 2nd Thursday of each month; but additionally we are meeting up for coffee on Saturdays all over the Fraser Valley. We've named our group the Modern Coffee Klatch.  It is a casual meet up, open to anyone, to talk about modern quilting and meet the members. Also a great way to check out coffee houses all around the valley!

And the Show n TELLs are really great too!

Spring has Sprung

Easter has come, and gone.  Work deadlines have come, and gone. Now is the time to enjoy this wonderful time of year - heading into summer.

So this month of May has been spent washing down our deck, cleaning off the patio, washing fences and pulling out the outdoor furniture. Anticipating some warm days,sewing outside, naps on the lounger, finding all the vintage markets & some great thrift store finds, cutting lots of hydrangeas, smelling  my blooming lavender and vacation days to enjoy all of it!

May & June are my most favourite months

 

Summer is so fleeting....

Summer is so fleeting; heh! it is nearing the end of AUGUST and these are all my UFOs that I promised to finish.... 




Plus I have another not pictured that needs to be quilted.

 Apparently, I am very good at creating tops.....very good...but that is only the first stage of these lovely creations - they need to be quilted.

 So I will try to make the best use of the time I have been given.

Happy Sewing All !

It's beginning to feel alot like Christmas...

Ack, it has been such a long time since I have posted a word here.  But I am feeling pretty welled up with Christmas spirit and wanted to share what I love most about 2012.

I am thankful for having had loving parents in my life

 Thankful for my beautiful children, near and far from home this Christmas.

  Thankful for friendships that have defined me and sustained me over the years.

Thankful for a happy home with hub. Life is good.

Vintage September

Ah, what a lovely month this September is turning out to be! It seems silly to dread its' arrival, and now I am enthralled.  Enthralled with autumn arriving and under very sunny skies!  If you aren't familiar with our usual weather here in the Fraser Valley  - it is a very rainy valley. Not these past few months!
Now this should be my last (for a little while) post about my vintage kitchenware finds.  I just love perusing our local thrift stores looking for discarded 'treasures',  Cuz I usually find lots of them!  Yesterday, on my lunch break, I really lucked out. I fell hard for this little cup, then discovered it was part a snack-set, seven in all.  Oh so lovely & collectible.

 

This casserole set by Fire King has a milk glass lid!  Oh my.
I also found more glass bakeware to add to my collection & more Visions cookware too(both not pictured); sometimes thrifting can be like having dollars to spend in a penny candy store. So much to choose from; I am learning to be selective. Sigh, but am still amazed at what I can find! 

Yup, I found another chicken to add to my chicken collection... I know but what can I say?

 

These vintage milk glass snack sets just captured my heart. Oh how I love milk glass.
Now this coming weekend I will be at a sewing/quilting retreat with a wonderful group of creative women. So next week, lots & lots of sewing project to be shared.

Have a great week all !

Vintage Love continues

Welcome September!

To be honest, I really didn't want to see you for at least another month. I never want summer to end, but that is the 'middle-age' me talking cuz when I was a kid I just loved back to school.  I really did - I loved everything about it. The routine, new teachers, homework (yes, I was a geek) and I especially loved back-to-school clothes and supplies.
Now I am (much) older, and summertime represents many lovely things that I didn't realize when I was young.  
When I was a young mom - summer represented fun days with my kids and summer vacations. More time with my garden and long visits with my parents and no school lunches nor school activities that I had to drive to.... Summer was my favourite time. 
Now, 'middle age me' sees that life is short, and sometimes the 'busyness' of our daily routines can take us away from what really matters.... So I am trying to not waste time, and make the most of every day.

  But all that said, the reality of 'September' must be enjoyed along with all carefree days that came before it. And, this all ties into my 'life theme'(as of late) of Vintage Love. Er... I am just going with it!  So I will be sewing quilts, cleaning up my garden for fall, buying those jumbo mums at Costco, and packing up all my summer clothes.

HAVE A FABULOUS SEPTEMBER ALL !!

Vintage Friends & Finds

Last Saturday was a near perfect day. Met up with an old friend, someone I've known more than 40 years, to check out a few vintage sales in the back country of Langley. There are some very talented women in the Fraser Valley who put together great vintage items and beautifully refurbished furniture pieces for a vintage inspired yard sale. It is exciting to discover what they will make available to buy. These tag sales are very well received! I never fail to come home with great treasure.

 So the plan was to meet up in Langley at Porter's store for breakfast. We were delighted to discover the 'corner store' from my friend’s childhood (1970's) has been converted into a great cafe; so breakfast and vintage market shopping was the plan.

But the morning was a vintage adventure of its own. The five corners of Murrayville hold many sweet memories from when we were young. And it is a signpost – marking who we were, all we hoped for and where we are now. It was a middle-aged moment!

The floor hadn't changed, that was a 'trip' as we used to say when we were teens, to walk across a threshold from your past.

  The vintage yard sales did not disappoint either. First stop was Red Door Farm. Amazing, and must be experienced.

We followed with a visit to Nostalgic Nest- what a treat.  Found some beautiful kitchen wares, Pyrex and lovely furnishings.

Vintage Find projects & collectibles...

Okay... last post... for awhile...regarding thrift store/vintage market finds.... I intend to be busy sewing and completing painting projects over the next few days!

This box is full of finds from a recent thrift store hunt - lots of fun things! See that kitchy tray? It has a map of Lake Okanagan painted on it in really great colours. It is in mint condition and my hub is from the Okanagan. Perfect find.

My find for the week - this glass hen.  I seem to be falling into the trap of falling in 'love' with certain types of items. For instance I have developed a deep crush on salt & pepper shakers - old ones from the mid 20th century. As well, creamers & sugar bowl sets, and chickens / hens too.  It is fun to find something .

I am so sorry to not have taken a 'before' picture of this little wooden toolbox.  It was paint spattered, but solid. It had the name 'Jacob' written on the bottom in pencil.  Loved it; sanded it abit, painted it black, sanded it more and waxed it!  It is beautiful. I love a useful object.

It can hold anything - fits nicely on any table or bookshelf - here it is full of sewing notions. Again, how I wish I had a 'before' picture as it is a great transformation.

Again, oh how I wish I had taken a 'before' pic.  This little spice jar set was a great find: but the glass jars still had their labels, the little shelf was raw wood and not in great shape.  Scouring, sanding and some 'DewDrop' colored paint and a good waxing. And here is the 'after'.  Those green ceramic tops on the jars are sweet.

 

Again, my colored knitting needle collection is growing... another collection. But oh so fun. 
Love this brightly colored table topper - vintage & found at Red Door Farm in Langley.

The colors are bright and beautiful.

Last up is my growing collection of 'Pyro - rey' ware. These milk glass pieces are popping up all over and they are great to use in the kitchen.

See you in a week or so 

- in August !