Am I the only one who can't get the image of Sanjaya's ponytails out of my brain? For heaven's sake. I just 'cheated' and checked an online msg board where some east-coasters were talking about who got voted off tonight...(I'm not very good about waiting if I don't have to). It's bad enough Sanjaya is still safe, he was in the top three?! I'm not all that broke up about Chris goin home, but I reckon we're about 2 weeks out from REAL talent being sent home just so this guy can stay and THAT'S when I'm gonna get cranky and turn the damn thing off!

On to better things. Not long ago (about three posts down from here) I showed you a baby quilt I'd made with some dismantled vintage butterfly squares. That very week at the monthly Quilt Guild meeting Cheryl Malkowski was a guest speaker and I thought her groovy 'color sticks' technique of creating chenille might be just the ticket for finishing off those empty squares. The real 'wow' of the whole process was to learn there is such a thing as fusible thread! Who'd have thought? It actually disappears when you iron it. First you sandwich six layers of fabric sew rows and rows on the bias like this

Then cut them in strips. Shape these strips with the fusible thread (bobbin) side down and iron in place. Then sew in place.

Looks pretty weird, huh? Kinda blah. Cheryl had suggested those squares would become nice little dots but it didn't work out for me so I ended up taking them off. Here's how it looked after a wash and dry

And here's the entire blanket in the 'after' state.

                                                                  

I like it alright...just not sure I'll do it again anytime soon.

I spent a good week or so redecorating the kitchen recently. Here's a sweet shot of the dinette area.

I'm pretty sure I bought this house largely because I knew how good this 1920's dinette would look in this nook! I'm usually not very good with color. When I get it right I consider it sheer luck. I think I hit it just right with this aqua. It's not green and it's not blue. The kitchen is now my 'happy' room. :-)

I adore that fabric that is used on the tablecloth. I spied it amidst a stack of 20 bolts on a JoAnn's sale paper a couple three weeks ago. I ran down to my J's and sure enough found the same fabric! Bought all 8 yards and then came home and called my mom and had her go buy the 8 yards at her store, too. So far I've made two tablecloths and this halter style apron

I like how so many colors can look so good with it. Red (obviously), turquoise blue, yellow, pink. I'll be sad when/if I run out of it.

Am gearing up for an antique sale in a couple of weeks. I'm combining booths with a couple other gals who own stores in old town. We're splitting two booths three ways. I don't have a LOT, but what I have I think will be worth my while to go sell. I spent a day or so carding a few dozen vintage rhinestone pieces last week. I think they look so much nicer carded

but I really need to come up with a better display than shoving them in this box

Any clever ideas out there?

Tonight I'm working on soldering glass charms. I'll get back to it now and post some pics soon.

Oh: John's doing AMAZINGLY well at his new location. He's sold more real estate in the two or three months that he's been at ReMax than he had either last year or the year before when working by himself. And even better; he's really happy. So of course, we're happy for him. If he keeps it up at this rate, I'm gonna make a pitch for building me a studio up over the garage (like we should've done when it was new construction! I just wasn't thinking I guess) I've got sewing in the upstairs landing, papercrafting in the front parlor, soldering in the guest room, beads at the dining table. It's nuts. And I plan on doing all this til the day I die so I oughta have a space for it, right? ;-) Fingers crossed that John will agree!

Comments

[Cherry Menlove]

I just found you. REALLY glad I did too. Beautiful kitchen, soooo good looking.

Cherry Menlove

[Tracey]

Aha! I just found your blog and was reading back a bit when I spied my dishes! Those are so fabulous I almost died right on the spot when I spotted 'em at the store. (And if they're not the same ones then they're dead ringers!) That little nook is adorable. :)

[Barbara]

I am SO WITH YOU on the Sanjaya thing. It is just WRONG that he is still on AI. If he manages to win, or even get much higher I think I will just stop watching. Melinda just HAS to win, although even if she doesn't win, I think she will get a record deal...she is just AWESOME. OK, now to the quilt...LOVE IT. Kitchen...LOVE IT!! Apron...LOVE IT!!! Are you sensing a theme here? Oh, and you have one of those UBER-COOL dressforms!!! I want one. Don't know why, but I do. The jewelry looks FANTASTIC on the cards!!! I see a few mighty interesting pieces. Too bad I live so far away. Sounds like the antique sale could be loads of fun. Can't wait to see the soldering. And CONGRATS to John on his sales!!! Looking forward to hearing about a new studio for you!!!

[michelle infantino]

I love the quilt. I really do love all your sewing so I'm sure you're not surprised by my comment. lol.

That's a pretty apron---a bit sexier that most. lol.

Sanjaya is killing me.

[Pam]

Wow those are great photos.. I love the fabric too! And the apron...darling!

[jenny holiday]

Ohhh my gooodnesss!!! So so so so cute!! Everything!! I am just loving your super sweet kitchen to bits!! So so lovely! Why can't you live next door? We could have a crafting and cucpakes party!! Loving the apron sooo much too!! My oh my!!

and the vintage bling...yowser!!

And really..your blanket is just the sweetest thing ever!! Love it!!

I will post your kitchen pic on Flickr for you!! : )

xoxo Jenny