Ali forgot to poison the tea

"Ali forgot to poison the tea"

I finished this card earlier today, made from a vintage book illustration from a girls annual from the 1950's, rustically hand stamped (that translates as crapily hand stamped by me). I started the card a few days ago when I realized I forgot a friend's birthday, well I knew it was near mine but with the jet lag and unpacking I forgot to send her a present. I'm supposed to meet her tomorrow for a coffee and will give her the card and a little present before M takes me to see the new Wolverine flick and out to dinner for my birthday.

What else is new? well seeing as I got a huge phone bill for the time I was away visiting my parents I have knocked down the price of jewellery and art in my etsy shop and added the vintage doily scarf. In the hopes that a few things will sell and I will not get glowered at for texting, emailing, and twittering from my phone. I shall be adding and making more items for the shop soon, but not tomorrow, its my birthday so I won't be doing anything but enjoying the day...

Idaho and Seattle April 09

Seattle Space Needle

Random photos taken from our trip, these are only a few of what was taken, M hasn't finished editing them all yet. Most of the photos this time were taken of H and various dogs, but especially the latest addition of little Frankie to the pack. My dad found Frankie abandoned in the snow a few months ago. She was tiny and half frozen, had he not have brought her in warmed her and fed her by the fire she would not have made it through the night. If the snow and freezing temperatures didn't get her than most likely the predators would have. lynx, wolves, eagles, owls, coyotes, and other predators roam the woods, and deer and moose which can kill smaller animals.

Frankie

Frankie and H soon bonded and were inseparable most of the trip, when we weren't gallivanting about town to Starbucks, coffee huts, Old Navy and the cinema. The only crafting I got on the trip was knitting a headband to match a red shirt that I had brought with me. Little did I know that H would decide it was a Headband of Power and that it was actually meant to be for him and him alone...hmmm still not so sure about that but the daffodil tutu shot is priceless.

H with Headband of Power and Daffodil tutu

H on the top of the Space Needle (I was not present, i was in Barns and Nobles looking at books and journals)

Coffee Shack in Sand Point, they are everywhere I just adore the coffee junkie culture everywhere.

a little coffee hut in Cle Elum

The little coffee shop in Cle Elum we didn't stop at having been slightly jittery from the coffee at Denny's already.. this picture was taken on the first day as we were driving across Washington to get to Idaho. It was miserable and freezing and our anniversary too.

me

H and Frankie

Nico the pug being patriotic

things to do with doilies when you're dead

linen scarf with vintage doilie

well obviously not really dead because one would assume it would be very hard to sew what with the rigamortis and all....ahem..anyway...

I have had this idea bumbling around in my head for ages, since I found a vintage doily at the little junk shop at Cromford Mill, that I would make something with it. I wasn't entirely sure what it would be I thought about maybe a little tote bag, but then the idea for a scarf started forming in my wee little brain. I wasn't sure exactly how to start and dithered around before deciding today would be the day.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out, though I don't know what to do with it, keep it or give it away as a present or sell it, though I'm worried it wouldn't really sell as I'm not remotely the best seamstress. The buttons are vintage mother of pearl from Vintage Violet's Buttons, a fantastic Folksy shop run by the lovely Megan. The scarf needs photographing around someones neck (not mine) and possibly a better ironing job than I did in my hurry to get it photographed in the fading light.

craft goodies from the States and some lavender sachets

little lavender sachets

First before I get into the pile of crafty things I brought back from the states I would like to show off two little lavender sachets I made yesterday morning. The little owl is my favourite made with linen mix fabric, with onxy bead eyes, and "Owl" stamped on the back with my lovely alphabet stamps.I adore my abc stamp set

metal embroidery hoops

I don't know if you followed my twitter feed or not while I was away, it did tell more than drinking vast quantities of coffee, honest. While in Idaho we went to a few yard and estate sales, at the first one we visited in the "free" box by the door I found two metal embroidery hoops. They were in excellent conditio, I would have happily paid for them, but as they were free that was even better.

fabrics from Bear Paw

Near Fred Meyer's grocery store there was a quilt shop, Bear Paw Quilting and Bernina, I only got to go in for half an hour but I had a fab time. I don't quilt, I'm sure Katy or Leah will say I should add "yet" to that statement, but I had fun looking at fabrics and bought two fat quarters one with little numbers and a retro-y one with children and toys (I know I'm bad at descriptions today). There were some really fantastic fabrics and quilt patterns, and classes too, I may have the chance to visit my parents in summer and it would be fun to take a class or just buy a few more pieces of fabric.

vintage button assortment

My mother found these vintage buttons at a few yard sales she visit last summer and kept them for me. I don't know what I will be making with them but they are very pretty, the mother of pearl ones I found in Wiggits antiques in Coeur d Alene and as they were only small and cheap I treated myself to them, before going to get an iced latte, from Starbucks naturally. I also visited a Michael's crafts and bought some lowercase alphabet stamps that were on sale and some embroidery floss, I attempted to do some embrodiery while at my parents house but it didn't work out.

pretty little fabrics

My last stop for craft things was to Esther's Fabrics on Bainbridge Island, Wa. We met up with Selena of Apron Thrift Girl on the Island after meeting her and her husband for lunch the day before in the University District of Seattle. Selena lives on the island and we met for coffee and pastries at the lovely Blackbird Bakery and She showed us around the little town and then took me to Esther's Fabrics for a nose around all the pretty fabrics, I was spoiled for choice, especially with the cute selection of japanese fabrics.

Alexander Henry Tattoo fabric

After heming and hawing for an indeterminate time I bought a small selection of pretty fabrics to play with, under the guise of them being an birthday present. I have ideas for the tattoo fabric, a very belated birthday present for a friend because what I made for her just wasn't quite right, the rest I don't know butI'm happy just looking at them.

vintage copy of the Wizard of Oz

One last item, Selena gave me this fantastic abused vintage copy of the Wizard of Oz, its great I never read the book so I'm going to read it then take it apart for my art as its in very poor condition which is exactly what I have been serching for for months. You just can't find a copy around here anywhere. I read the first few pages aloud to H on the ferry back to Seattle so I will see if he wants me to read him any more. Though if he likes it I will probably have trouble taking it apart for my art. Selena also found a art neveau book in Polish that should though would look pretty painted on. I'll be dragging my paints out in the next week I think, though I still have pleny of pages from a vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland to work with first.

random chapter

back home and back dated crafts

tea towel drawn by H and hand stamped with a little help

Were back from our holiday to visit my parents in Idaho, jet lagged all to hell and H currently having a major hissy fit as there is cheese on his sandwich...? We had a great time, though not enough of it and I will blog pictures later on in the week when I have stolen them from M, and can be bothered to sort them out. For now I will show you a few things I made the week before going away and didn't have a chance to blog.

lavender and rice warm bags hand stamped with Pappy and Grammy

H helped sew the lavender and rice bags, picked out the fabrics himself, and filled them with the aforementioned dried lavender and rice, then together we stamped the ribbon with "PAPPY" and "GRAMMY" least they forget, as well as getting him to draw a picture to trace onto a simple cotton tea towel from ikea, and then stamped it with my alphabet stamps and fabric ink.

a slightly better picture of the warmbag for my Mother

A few days before heading to the airport was my friend Flamesparrow's birthday, so in an effort to cheer her up I sent her a parcel of books, with a homemade card (which I think is one of the best I have ever done) and a small faceted onyx bracelet. The parcel didn't arrive until we were at our airport hotel so i never blogged about them either. I suppose I could have set the posts to post at certain dates then things would have been secret until my creations were in the hands of who there were meant for but the week before going away was chaotic to say the least.

onyx bracelet for flame

I know in my last post I promised a giveaway, but you will have to give me a few days as I have nothing made to actually giveaway. I did buy some crafty treats, fabric and stamps while away so I do have supplies to make some lovely things, and hopefully inspiration to get them made as well. And I have a lot of writing to do to, somebody kick me up the backside please, in a day or two though when I'm not so lethargic and jetlagged.

Flamesparrow's birthday card