Digging for Treasure

I found some thrifty goodies recently.  A couple of linen table runners with embroidery and lace insertion.

Some old, deep-ivory colored lace, pipe cleaners, and royal blue wool felt.

A basket full of vintage bias tape, rick rack, and seam binding.  The polka dots and stripes are great!

A fat-quarterish piece of vintage fabric, and some HUGE rick rack!  It doesn't appear to be cotton, probably used in upholstery or home dec, but it is amazing stuff!

Some vintage ticking, a green colored wooden spool, and two rather tattered potholders.  The potholders have seen a lot of use, but I fell in love with the patterns.  The ticking was looking a little worse for wear as well, but I have since washed it, and it came out looking bright and clean.

All of these were stuffed in a box at my local thrift shop - I paid less then $1.50 for the whole lot!  sometimes digging a little can turn up some nice surprises!

Edit post to add, I'm linking this up with Elizabeth's Vintage Quilt Thursday!

A Bowlful of Pom-Poms

 

I've got crocus all over my yard right now.  Purple and yellow and white.  Spring might actually be here!  The weekend is supposed to be sunny and warm - I can't wait!!

It's been a busy couple of weeks around here, and as such, not much sewing - or blogging for that matter - has gotten done.  The girls and I have a few of the Clover pom-pom makers and when we have a few minutes, it's been fun to wrap some yarn.  It can be a little addicting, though!

I have no idea what we will make with all of these.  I was sort of toying around with the idea of a bunting of sorts that we could use at birthdays and parties.  We'll have to see.  I saw that Clover also makes a heart shaped maker - how in the world does that work?!?  I have to admit when the tool came out, I was a little skeptical.  I mean, really, it is pretty easy to just wrap yarn around a circle of cardboard to make a pom-pom.  But, I am admittedly a convert now.  We have them in three sizes.  The extra large one is great, and makes some impressive pom-poms, but it takes quite a lot of yarn!  If nothing else, they are fun to use!

Hope it's getting warm in your neighborhood, too!  Happy Friday!

Gardening Thoughts

With all this warm winter weather we've had, I am looking forward to doing some spring time planting in my little garden space.  Truth be told, it's really more of a container space.  Last year was our first summer in this house, and some of my tiny garden didn't do as well as I hoped.  This year, I am hoping to learn from last year and improve my results.  I have a lot of shade, so I'm going to need to move my containers around to best maximize the sun.  I'm currently on the lookout for some great make-do planters at the thrift store.  

I have found some great ideas at Life on the Balcony.  I like to have some flowers too, but buying a couple flats of annuals can be pretty pricey.  I usually wait until they are marked down, but then I don't always get the largest plants and they just never seem to quite catch up in size.  I don't have the space, or enough sunlight, inside to start my own seedlings, so I'm trying to come up with a solution.  Any ideas?  

Happy springtime dreaming!