In Line At McDonalds on a TGIF

So, every three months or so, I allow myself to go to McDonalds for breakfast on my way to work.  This morning was that morning.  When I got there the line for the drive thru was pretty long, and so I knew I'd be a few minutes late to work, but this was my quaterly treat to myself so I stayed.  My allergies were really bothering me this morning so I spent the majority of my time waiting-- looking in the mirror and dabbing my eyes, so my mascara wouldn't run.

When I got  to the payment window there was a surprise.  The lady in the car in front me had paid for my breakfast and left me a note.  It said, "Do something nice for someone!  Have a blessed Day!" Wow, wasn't that nice!  So I did.  I handed the note back to the McDonald's employee, paid for the person behind me, and asked them to pass the note along.

Now that was a good way to start TGIF!!  (The McDonald's employee told me that this happens all the time--so I'm wondering...has it happened to you?) (Side Note:  Did she see me dabbing my eyes and thought I was crying?--haha!)

New Fabric Inspiration

I can't wait to design a new bag from these selections!  The top fabric is a linen blend and the bottom fabric is woven!  I love the soft colors!  What kind of bag do you see this as?

GEORGIAPEACHEZ

Michelle (Pink Daisy's Blog) and I were chatting down at the Mercantile Antique Shoppe a few days ago about Zara's neat new retro "frames" she has been making.  (I'll post a picture sometime of her frames when I get a chance.)  I started to tell Michelle about a similar type of frame I had seen on Ebay a few years ago--to my utter amazement--Michelle remembered that same frame and remembered the maker --Georgiapeachez!  So that led to a few paragraphs of conversation, talking about all the different things that we remember Georgiapeachez making.  We laughed and agreed that we definitely had spent "a little bit of time" surfing.  But we both found out that we had followed Georgiapeachez from Ebay to now being on Etsy.

So, I "convo'd" Georgiapeachez (her first name is Suzy by the way) on Etsy and and told her about my conversation with two of her admirers. It was nice making the personal contact and hearing from her. She was very positive and allowed me to show off her sewing room--along with a few other pictures of her work.

It must have been four or five years ago that I first found Georgiepeachez. On her Ebay site, she posted these two pictures of her sewing room. I was intrigued and smitten. Her distinctive style and flair for vintage was evident. I saved them on my computer for inspiration! Don't we all want our sewing rooms to look this good?

It's been fun watching Georgiepeachez as she has made retro frames, purses, pin cushions, jewelry, aprons, handkerchief make up bags, retro Christmas frames, etc...here are a few samples of her amazing work.  It seems that whatever this talented lady puts her hand to is just beautiful.  Check out her Etsy shop when you have the chance here:  GEORGIAPEACHEZ

Who is Ume Komachi?

This has been forced on my bucket list...finding out who this person is and why their fabric has disappeared from stores!  I love love this fabric.  The Japanese know how to do cotton!  I love the weaving of the different cotton threads--it begs to be touched and admired.

The color combination, orange, red and --teal, aqua, seafoam--just what is that color supposed to be called any way?  It came in a few different color combos, but this was MY favorite.  The bead dangle was from the talented JoEllen of Ally Beads.  I love her style--I could hand her anything and say..go for it and I know I will love it.  It was a blast to put this together.  Unfortunately my stash of this is so tiny now, it will be the last offering of this fabric in anything I do...unless I stumble on more.  Please let me know if you have seen this anywhere.  Enjoy!

It's Sticky Business

I have a comparison to share, that I wished someone would have somewhere shared with me.  So you want to try your hand at making a some frame purses?  Here is my opinion of the glue to use.


First of all there is "Gutermann"  which touts itself as the "best". I used that first and then I stumbled across "UHU" which also boasts about being great for locking your material in the frames.  Since I was almost out of the Gutermann I thought..."oh why not, I'll try the UHU and just add it to my order." (This supplier doesn't sell Gutermann")  Well my supplier notified me that my shipment of frames and glue came back and the glue had burst and gotten all over the frames, but not to worry a new package was in the mail.  That was not pleasant but finally my order did arrive and no glue spillage.  So I'm making this short story long, but I finally got around to trying the UHU.  I have THREE TUBES of it.  And guess what!  It's messier and runnier and doesn't dry as fast as the Gutermann-- and I ruined a piece of fabric with it.  SO lesson learned...ONLY GUTERMANN will do for me from now on.  I hope this information helped someone else before they go trying the UHU!  If you have any other glue products or experiences, please share them, so we can all be the better.  Thanks!

Wisteria!

This is what I’ve been viewing as I drive to work for the past ten? days! Today I had the presence of mind to make sure my camera was in my bag and stop to take pictures. I’m sure they won’t last much longer and I had to capture a little of their beauty. As I was taking these this morning, the lady of the house nearby told me to break some off…so now my office smells like wisteria!

Wikipedia says that wisteria is a member of the pea family…who would have thought? It is a woody climbing vine that is common to the eastern US and other countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. Google also brought up a picture of a bonsai wisteria…now that was interesting. But I shall enjoy them today, and my all male office members will have to endure their perfume. Love it!

Bleeding Hearts

When I was a little girl I loved to visit my grandmother in the hills of Pennsylvania.  My grandmother, Elizabeth Ellen (for whom I'm named after) was a remarkable woman for her small stature. She weighed 88 lbs when she got married. (I have her wedding dress!).   Her little white house (with a white picket fence) was amazingly organized and she had a focus for each day of the week--you know--Monday for wash etc.  I would go down into the small walk-out basement and look at the huge tree trunk beems, all her homemade canned goods, fresh fruit, old fashioned washing machine, and snoop around like any kid would do.  The corner that held the huge coal furnace was the only place from which I stayed away. The smells are still very clear in my mind.  Every morning her breakfast was like a formal meal.  The table was set perfectly with a tablecloth and cloth napkins.  I thought it was the biggest deal when my grandfather taught  me to eat ketchup on my hash browns.  I could go on and on.


My grandmother's back yard was a sloping hill that ended up down at my uncle's house.  You could go through the evergreens or you could go on the stone laid path that meandered down between their huge garden. (I can still see my grandfather out there hoeing.)  On this path, every spring I would love to look at my grandmother's flowers.  The bleeding hearts were just beautiful.  Oh how I wanted to pick them, but that was off limits.  So, I've been meaning  to get this beautiful plant for myself and well now, "Look!".  I've got some, so I had to go lay down on the grass this morning before taking off for work and take a picture before they---can't say it--expire.  It's so befitting to have them flourish this spring (for the first time) with the passing of my mother last October.  Aren't they beautiful?