The T-Cozy

Spain Perspectives

Hannah has been in Spain for more than a month already. So far, she is having the time of her life --- living with a gracious family in Madrid, making new friends, traveling to beautiful cities, eating fabulous food, and settling into classes that are entirely in Spanish. However, today she is staying home from school because Spain is in the midst of a general strike. Hopefully things will be resolved and return to normal tomorrow.

Here are some of Hannah's pretty photos of Spain. She loves to photograph the stunning architecture and the delicious food. Who wouldn't? To see and read more, check out her blog, Yummy Street.

I am so proud of Hannah for going abroad and embracing this experience. I'm sure it's one she will remember always.

Susan

A Common Thread, the Second Annual Artsy Girls Show

I am so pleased to be a part of a very special art show that opened this weekend. Staged in a beautiful gallery in Stamford, Connecticut, this show has one common theme --- the contributors are all "Artsy Girls." This group was the brainchild of Jane Pollack, a successful entrepreneur, public speaker and business coach, who wanted to bring together like-minded colleagues and friends who have created a name for themselves in their respective fields. 

The Artsy Girls group consists of painters, illustrators, writers, graphic designers, photographers, quilters, and more. At quarterly dinners hosted by each member, we share our triumphs, gain insights from each other, and discuss our creative journeys. These meetings include an update from each member, as well as a here's-how-I-did-it talk from a selected member of the group. Over the last ten years, Artsy Girls has grown to include more than 50 diverse woman from the Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts area ranging in age from early 20's to 80's+. Needless to say, I am honored to be a part of this amazing array of creative women.

This year's art show features over 20 works in a wide range of media, from painting, mixed media, photography and sculpture, to illustration, quilts and clothing. The show is at Pierce Ball Gallery, a lovely exhibition space connected to the home of Artsy Girl member Liz Ball, shown above next to one of her photographs.

I contributed something a little different to this year's show --- my upcycled vintage lunch box! Doesn't it look distinguished encased in plexiglass, below? 

Denyse Schmidt contributed one of her fabulous quilts to this year's show. Called The Proverbial Quilt, she even sells a pattern for it that you can find here.

Here are more views from the show . . .

The Artsy Girls show will run from September 25 through October 10 and is open on Saturdays and Sundays only from 1 to 5 p.m. or by appointment. The Pierce Ball Gallery is located at 9 Webbs Hill Road in Stamford, Connecticut. If you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by.

Susan

It's All In The Details

Here's a little decorating inspiration to get you through the weekend. Colorful, happy, and always fun. These views of my home use favorite vintage elements that never fail to make me smile. 

Are you grinning yet? You can always count on vintage items to imbue your surroundings with warmth and whimsy.

Susan

Personal Collection Pass-Along

It's the first day of autumn, and the nice, crisp weather we've been having lately has inspired me to do some fall house cleaning and organizing. In doing so, I've weeded through and donated clothes I don't wear anymore. I also have a pile of electronics, like old cell phones and outdated modems, to recycle, too. And I've even decided to part with these vintage items . . .

A pretty tablecloth and some classic McCoy mixing bowls.

My fabulous multi-tier Nasturtium patterned cake carrier.

A faux woven picnic tin and a sweet ceramic baby shoe planter that's the perfect size to hold business cards.

Another picnic tin, a leafy chartreuse planting dish, and a kitschy teapot-shaped wall pocket.

These items have all been part of my personal collection for ages. But like I always say, I can't keep everything, so it's time to pass them along. Plus, it feels good to pare down my possessions and reorganize a bit. Now all I have to decide is where to sell them.

I tend to shy away from sending large, heavy mixing bowls in the mail, because no matter how well you cushion them, they can crack. So my four stoneware bowls may end up on Craigslist, or possibly on eBay with a "local pick-up." Everything else will most likely find its way into my Etsy shop sometime soon.

Happy autumn!

Susan

Smooth Sale-ing

Good morning!

I've just added several more goodies to the sale section of my Etsy shop. Here's a peek at some of my newly reduced items . . .

To visit my special Etsy sale section, click here.

Have a great Monday!

Susan

Heidi Who?

When you hear the name "Heidi", who do you think of? Heidi Klum, Heidi Montag, or maybe even Heidi Fleiss? Well, let's not forget about this Heidi . . .

One of the most beloved children's stories of all time, Heidi was a favorite of mine when I was a child, both in book and movie form. Didn't you love the 1937 film starring Shirley Temple?

I have "Heidi" on the brain because at an estate sale last week, I discovered this 1946 edition of Heidi by Johanna Spyri. 

I like the cover with its pattern of leaves, pine branches and pine cones. When not in use, it would look great placed face out on a shelf; perfect for an autumn display.

Inside, there are four wonderful full-color illustrations along with lots of black-and-white drawings.

The lovely illustrations were done by Leonard Weisgard.

Skimming through this book has made me want to read it again. And it certainly would be fun to see the movie sometime.

Gosh, I don't believe my kids have ever seen the film or read the book. Have yours?

Susan

Bye Bye, Betty Burton Transfers

Just yesterday, I sold this embroiderer's dream, an unused set of hot iron transfers designed by Betty Burton. It was produced in the 1920s or 30s by Sears Roebuck & Company.

These authentic vintage transfers were printed on tissue paper. There were ten sheets in all, with over 100 embroidery patterns in quite an assortment of subjects.

My favorites were the image above, along with anthropomorphic vegetable designs, all ready to embroider on kitchen towels for every day of the week.

There were charming nursery images, his and hers items, butterflies, floral motifs, monogram letters, cross-stitch cottages, the sweetest Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star design, and loads more.

Since I don't do stitchery myself, I decided to pass along this amazing set. It was purchased by someone in Georgia, who, I assume, likes to embroider. I hope she has fun with it.

Susan

Leafy Textiles

You can feel it in the air. Autumn is on the way. So in that spirit,  I've added some leafy textile listings in my Etsy shop.

 

At this time of year, it's fun to use fall-inspired textiles like these when decorating. Toss around some vintage bark cloth accent pillows. Or tuck a leafy hanky among a collection of vases on a mantlepiece. Subtle little touches of autumn can go a long way!

Susan

Bedtime Stories

With the cooler weather lately, there is nothing I like better then pulling up the covers and curling up with a good book before bed.

I've recently discovered a new author --- Sandra Kring. So far,  I'm really enjoying her novels. The first one I read is called Thank You for All Things. Loved it! Written in the voice of eleven-year-old Lucy McGowan, the author has the uncanny ability to think like a child. Right now, I'm in the middle of The Book of Bright Ideas. It, too, is written from the point of view of a young girl, nine-year-old Evelyn, called "Button" by her family and friends. So far this novel is equally compelling. I'm looking forward to reading a couple more of Kring's books that I have waiting for me on my Kindle: How High the Moon and Carry Me Home. 

If you'd like to grab a blanket and get cozy with any of these good books, you can read a synopsis of each one here: Thank You for All Things; The Book of Bright Ideas; How High the Moon; and Carry Me Home.

Happy reading!

Susan

Dressing Up My Vintage Shopping Cart

Look what just arrived! It's a pretty 1950s laundry bag that I ordered from Janet McCaffrey's website, Primrose Design.

Have you ever visited Janet's site? It's such a treat. I was browsing there the other day to see what Janet has been up to. She used to sell some of her wonderful hand sewn items in my shop and it's always fun to see her latest creations. While perusing, I came across a vintage bag sewn from cotton with a charming pattern of green leaves and red chrysanthemums. I realized it would make the perfect liner for my 1930s shopping cart that I use to store rolls of paper in my studio.

I had always intended to sew up a fabric liner for my cart. But when I discovered the laundry bag on Janet's website, I took the easy way out instead. The bag is a good fit. Doesn't it look sweet?

I also use this cart when I shop large outdoor flea markets. It's the perfect solution for lugging around my vintage finds. So the next time I head to the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market, my rolling market basket will accompany me in style. Thanks Janet!

Susan

Flower Power

Score! On an estate sale foray this holiday weekend, I came away with over ten yards of the prettiest vintage floral fabric.

This particular sale was in the home of a sewer. I love when that happens because it usually is the best place to discover wonderful old textiles. In perfect condition, the lively pink patterned fabric I found had been sewn into simple curtain panels.

To freshen them up, I machine washed and dried the fabric. Then I did some early morning ironing in my studio. 

Now they are all ready to list in my Etsy shop. I'll be listing two panels at a time. but if anyone needs additional fabric, I'll add more, as requested. 

This floral pattern is so 1960s. I just love it! It would be great to hang as curtains in a cottage kitchen or bedroom. Or it could be repurposed for sewing projects like tote bags or pillows.

On this holiday weekend that marks the official end of summer, it was fun to find this oh-so-summery textile.

Have a nice Labor Day!

Susan

Button Blossoms by the Dozen

Yesterday evening, John was away on a business trip and Jacob was busy doing homework. So I parked myself in my studio, cranked up GleeKast Radio, and broke out my new vintage button stash. Okay, I admit it. I'm a Gleek (a fan of Glee TV show).

I selected the cream of the crop from my new inventory and created a dozen button blossoms.

I made four clusters with three blossoms of stacked vintage buttons in each. Such fun! I find them so lighthearted and whimsical. Aren't they cute? They're super easy to make, too. Check out my button bouquet tutorial if you'd like to give them a try.

Not bad for one evening's work! You can find these newest button bouquets for sale in my Etsy shop here.

Susan

My Cheery New Chair

What a difference a new chair makes! 

I was long overdue for a new chair at the desk in my studio. I had my old one for close to 20 years. Very worn, it had lost its oomph in the seat's padding making it rather uncomfortable. After looking around for a while, I finally found one I liked at IKEA. By the way, did you ever notice how ugly desk chairs are? I wish some furniture designer out there would create some that are nicer looking with more interesting fabrics. But anyway, my new red swivel chair fits the bill. Not only was it affordable, it's super comfy and I love the color.

This new chair adds a cheerful touch to my studio. And it looks great with the checkerboard floor. Red and aqua are one of my favorite color combinations. Thanks IKEA!

Susan