Thank you for being a friend

And if you threw a party, and invited everyone you knew, you would see the homemade gift would be from me and the card attached would be appropriate to the occasion, but not homemade as I have too many interests already.

For better or for worse, I have been trying to make most of my gifts over the last year.  It certainly was a crafty Christmas.  If you nail the homemade gift, there is nothing more personal or treasured.  Of course, if you goof, there is nothing more awkward (and nonreturnable).  So, you've been warned.  One day, you may be gifted with an awkward and nonreturnable craft project that I slaved over and thought you would love.  And my earnest little face will shine as you stare at it in horror wondering what in God's name I was thinking.  And you will feel obliged to dig it out of the deep recesses of your closet to display it when you know I'm coming over, to avoid crushing my delicate soul.  But, hopefully, I'll knock it out of the park.

Christmas, birthdays, babies, weddings, housewarming are all fair game to my crafty gifts.  I've had a number of projects on the go, including:

My favourite recipes on cards and hand embellished tea towels for weddings;
Homemade preserves, teacup candles and aprons for housewarming/hostess gifts;
Quilts, sweaters and hats for babies:

Rainbow Quilt and log cabin pillow

And a little girl being carried away to dreamland

For birthdays, it really depends on the person.  For instance, I made my niece a little frock and crochet collar that looks equally adorable on the hanger, hung as it is meant to be worn, and on her with the collar worn as a crown, because, well, because.

 

My favourite of late has been an attempt at cross-stitch.  This is my first real foray into the thready arts since a mother's day project at Girl Guides.  I don't even remember if that was particularly successful, as I hated stitching (and given the number of badges I had, you would have thought I had gotten somewhat used to it - not so humble brag).  I preferred my crafts executable with a hot glue gun.

 

Picture it, Ucluelet, 1992.  We didn't have a lot in the way of TV signals making it to us.  One of the only consistent TV stations that we had was the CBC.  And, for whatever bizarre reason, despite being below the 49th, we only had access to CBC North.  This meant that we had nightly news that was based in Yellowknife and was often in one of the Aboriginal languages of the North.  However, everyday after school, my girlfriends and I would rush home for one particular program - The Golden Girls.  It was awesome, and it was in English.  Long before there was Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha, there was Dorothy, Rose, Sophia and Blanche.  Oh, we loved them so.  In particular, my friend Z was taken with them. 



Inspire your prayers

One day, I was on the twitter and someone posted a set of prayer candles emblazoned with these remarkable women.  I immediately started an Etsy search, but alas, they had sold out.  I was now convinced, like a sign from St Estelle Getty herself, that I needed to make a gift by hand.

 

I've been thinking of starting to explore embroidery for some time.  I love the look of a little bit of embellishment on the corners of napkins, little flowers on pretty dresses, and the woolly tattoos that Dottie Angel has been busily adding to her thrifted finds.  However, as I have explored elsewhere, I don't really have a ton of patience and my hand stitching always starts off ragged, becomes great and ends rushed.  But whilst searching out gifts for Z, I came across a cross-stitch pattern for the Florida quartet, and I knew I had to give it a whirl.  It took time, and I got annoyed (and stabbed) but in the end, I think it turned out magnificently.  And while I'm in no rush to get there, I do look forward to being a subversive senior, running amok with my besties.

Just Bliss

Value Village beckoned a couple of weeks back.  It had been a while since I'd been on a good bargain hunt, and I was craving the chase.  And so, it would seem, was half of the city on the day I finally made it.  There was, apparently, a 50% off sale, and the place was an absolute zoo.  It was also pretty picked over, but I did find the following treasures:

I have a bit of an owl thing, and I also have a bit of a kitschy Japanese figurine things, so, these amazing salt and pepper shakers have found an honoured place in the kitchen.

I have stacks of beautiful vintage teacups, but I do like having spares for projects.  This set of four are gorgeous and will make a very pretty something or other.

I also have piles of vintage linens, which I convert into various things.  I'm currently crocheting another rag rug, and I have plans on quilting some throw pillows using the granny-chic prints.  But I really had to pick these up for the nostalgia; we had sheets like these growing up, and I still love them.

My collection of vintage pattern books is getting out of hand, but I just can't resist!  And look at these beauties.  Inspiration abounds.

Happy Hunting!

xo

s.



Crochet beachwear is all the rage. 
These guys look hot.  Like sunstrokey.

Nothing chic here, just straight up granny. 
And I still kind of want to make them.

When quilting (and lady mullets) go too far.

The family that wears matching sweaters has no choice but to stick together.

Projects and inspiration - quilting

Last year, my New Year's goal was to learn how to crochet.  Check.  This year, I want to learn how to quilt.  Part of my interest in doing so is the legacy left to us by Jeff's grandmother.  We have been very fortunate to have inherited some of Winifred's magical quilts.  The first was this stunner that she made for Jeff in advance of his wedding day.  Sadly, she passed away many years before Jeff and I even met, but somehow, she managed to capture some of me in the quilt too.

Mountains and trees and deer.  Amazing.

 

A little threadbare, but I love the fabric and colours she chose. 

Others are more utilitarian, but my favourite is one that was more or less relegated to a junk pile.  After collecting one of her beautiful old bookshelves from its place of storage, I was delighted to find this beauty being used as a storage cover.  It has been, as they say, well loved.  I desperately want to revitalise it, and I also want to start a legacy of my own.

Gus loves the quilt. 
Gus also loves eating the quilt.

 

I'm less concerned about 'theme' than most.

Knowing this (and because he is wonderful) Jeff bought me a certificate for a quilting class at Patch Halifax.  I had a tremendous amount of creating a quilt as you go pillowcase.  I immediately went out and picked myself up the necessary accessories (I do love accessories) to be able to quilt at home.  The class also inspired me to begin working on the restoration of the quilt.  First, I trimmed the torn, aged and dissolving edges.  I hope to patch the threadbare sections with bits and bobs leftover from other projects, and edge the quilt in bias tape that was in a grab-bag of goodies at Value Village.  I feel like it will be slow going, but that it will be a truly granny-chic masterpiece when all is said and done!

Granny chic to the max.

Here's to inspiration.

xoxo

s.