Handmade Ornament

I have turned off comments to my posts. Random posts of mine kept creeping into the most popular blog posts. When I clicked on one of my Christmas eve posts from 2019, one comment was a string of language I could not read. 

Looking further into past comments, another post that kept popping up was from many years ago. On each of the comments, a small combination of letters and numbers were posted. That was it. Apparently, evil actors were posting those funky comments on my blog and directing others to it. If you click on the comments tab in blogger, you can view all comments on your posts. 

Gonna fix their wagons. I deleted all of the suspicious comments. Now, no one can comment. Even if you email me, I rarely check that email inbox. 

Moving on to seller update: I removed the one test item I had for sale on Etsy. It was a tiki bar quilt. Etsy seems to be having its problems. I figure nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

Sourcing during my vacation produced over 50 sewing patterns for me to list. There was one colorful needlepoint I put with my keeper projects. 

Pattern of the Day from the coastal sourcing lot is one from 1966. It is a keeper too because it is cut, cut, cut, the Gonks Galore!

 

Online auction observation - seems people get the idea of jewelry crafting and then abandon the projects. There are bags and bags of jewelry "remnants" for sale. Of course, the same could be said for any craft. Good intentions with dreams of 💰 

Greenhouse update: The plants have eluded animal attack so far. 

Leading off with a couple of artistic gems from a Fort Bragg, California thrift shop. 

These weird and wacky paintings were displayed at Scout Living in Sacramento. 

I had saved the Patchwork Cupcake reveal for the California State Fair in the Almost Edible special crafts category but it was not chosen for exhibition. Approximate total time invested on the patchwork piecing, quilting, and beadwork: 50 hours. 

Fabric as a medium in crafting is not the easiest. The material will skew as it is quilted maybe even more so when it is straight-line. You can see some of that in the lead-off image. 

On improving technique, I am on a notification list for sewing lessons at the sewing center. Since I am self-taught, there is always something I can learn. I am looking forward to taking classes during the day, any day of the week. One month to go until I am a newly-minted retiree. 

Enjoy Patchwork Cupcake's reveal. I am striving for a State Fair ribbon, maybe it will happen someday. 

I saw Sunday Chat on another blog and enjoyed her post. frommycarolinahome.com/2024/05/19/sunday-chat-garden-and-quilt-show Her format is similar to mine. She had a skosh of quilting tidbits and a bit of gardening news. 

Garlic chives in bloom. A deer-proof item in my greenhouse. 

I have been dragging my feet on the completion of this Fan Quilt. I have changed my mind three times on the design of the outer border. 

First, I had these blocks I was going to add. But their purple was too purple and they overshadowed the purple inner border.  

Then, I had a couple of jelly rolls that I combined thinking it would make up a piano key border. It just didn't mesh. I will save that piece for another project. 

I decided on a 2" batik border. This fabric I had pulled from the very beginning but wasn't sure how to work it in. 

I completed the backing long before I completed the quilt top. Photographed sideways, you get the drift. The middle section was a pieced portion bought in an online auction lot. 

Greenhouse update: All of the plants are coming along fine. Hope and pray an animal won't break in and ravage them, thus the chicken wire. The front entrance to the greenhouse is open but blocked by the former greenhouse door. Nearly all of the roof panels are missing so sunflowers can grow right through the roof. 

Pattern of the Day from 2009 - the best of the bunch from my latest eBay listing session of 36 sewing patterns. So colorful and spring-like. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186438806078

The Mr. and I came late to the party using an air fryer to cook food. What a delight! Grilled cheese sandwiches are now air fried. A great invention. 

A month to go to retirement. Actually, less days working days as there is a 9-day vacation planned for the end of this month. 

I am taking another couple of bags of clothing and shoes to the clothing exchange. Winnowing down my clothing even further. My go-to outfits are winter: corduroy pants, lightweight long-sleeved t-shirt, cashmere sweater; summer: T-shirt, skirt (preferably made in an irresistible print fabric), and Birki sandals. 

My Women in Art college class is completed. I really enjoyed this one. It was a revisit of those female artists I already knew, and some new ones. 

Treated myself to thrifted piece of artwork. I paid $24.99, framed, matted, and under glass. An unusual piece - I love it 😍 

Outfitting the summer place is the focus now. This ship's porthole clock was a $20 hospice thrift shop find.  

Those blocks are destined for my fan quilt if my instincts prove right that they will fit right in. 

Pattern of the Day is from 1974. A keeper because it is cut and in such bad shape. Patterns from the seventies have moved into the rare category. 

Each month I like to highlight weird and wacky items in the world of thrift and beyond. These stunners were offered for sale at Freestyle Clothing Exchange in Sacramento, California. 

Stuffed animal mounts

These cookies are more Wonderful than weird or wacky. The Limited Edition Dirt Cake Oreo Cookies. They even sparkle!

Not a sponsored Ad - just an Addiction! 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186418464333

Ending the post with a pre-Mother's Day thrift shop find - a $1.99 Cross pen, still with its ink. I have had them over the years, usually losing them someplace. This one is MINE!

Greenhouse gardening - Not for the faint hearted. Inclement weather has blown away half of the panels, all of the roof, and the entire front doorway. Last year, I brought home a tray full of plant starts, put them in the greenhouse, and some critter got in and ATE the ENTIRE contents. Prior to preparing the beds for planting, one of my cats had decided it was her personal litter box. These next images will make sense, garden beds protected by chicken wire.  

Tomatoes

Before

After

Peppers +1 Kale

Seller update - slow movers in sewing patterns. 

Now that I have sold sewing patterns for a number of years now, I have a sense of what is and isn't popular. Patterns I won't pick up even if they are factory folded:

1.    The brands New Look and See & Sew.
2.    Doll clothing.
3.    Infant baby accessories. 
4,    Curtains and valances. 

I will list them if they come from a lot, but I won't pick those up as singles. 

Pattern of the Day is Pelicans! It fell into the Keeper category. 

Will I ever use this pattern? Probably never but like any good crafter, I have it on hand, just in case. 

My usual practice listing eBay items is to photograph one day, edit photos on another day, and then prepare the listings on yet another day.  I tried to do it all in one day, but I took not one but two naps. 😴 So I listed the next day, still not a slouch. 

Sourcing for product is ultimately more fun than listing. While I catch up on a couple of categories, I lurk on the online auctions. My latest purchase this $40 mystery box (shipping cost included). It was described as "Box of various assorted size and themed fabric patterns." I can name that tune in 2 notes! It will only take a sale of two items to make my money back on this purchase. There might be a Holy Grail of a Folkwear sewing pattern and perhaps some folded pieced fabric. These are the items I look for - mystery boxes at low prices. Auctions that seemed to be ignored by other purchasers. 

Sometimes I keep a kit. This fish one came across priced at $5.99. Hard to get a good image, it is still sealed in package. I particularly like the needlework roping framing the fish.

Yarn has been in my deathpile queue for a few weeks. Here is the best of it listed. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186410113423

I've had good luck in locating needle kits at thrift, this one is the best of that group. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186410333785

There will be another sewing pattern listing session before I move into Barbie clothes, books, and CDs awaiting in the wings. 

I am also culling for spring cleaning. Things need to be ship shape for summer so I can enjoy every minute of it. 🌞

Fan quilt is up next. All it needs is the borders and I can send it off to the longarmer. 

Wedding update: It is my goal to have 8 completed pet/car quilts for the bridal party as gifts. Here is an example of one used in the truck when the dog rides in the back seat. 

Ending the post with a Beyonce song bringing back country western, sort of. In the 80s, I was boot scooting on sawdust in bars in Phoenix, Arizona.