Wanna Hear a Funny?

These are not the photos I intended to post tonight but its a clue of whats been going on over here anyway. Here's the story-First i was over at "contemplations Amid Chaos" great blog by the way- when I was thinking the exact same thing lately! In good ol' blog world you dont see the pigpen craft room, the big pile of burnt cookies when you forgot the buzzer, the huge pile of dirty dishes in the sink you only see the pretties(usually), so this is why this was so funny today. I had washed all my white chennile blankets and bleached them back to a beautiful crisp white. I went over and started hanging them on the line. My they looked glorious blowing gently in the gentle wind. I thought to myself...hmmm. ....go get the camera for once and capture this moment. You know the smell of freshly hanging laundry..mmmmmm, yummy. I came back to click my picture and there they were in all they're flory...much to pitiful for a photo.... was all my whites laying in the dirty grass,all dirty! My line snapped from all the weight, lesson learned! SO here i am in the house rinsing all the blankets and ringing them out, not the evening I intended but oh well!

So on the other hand i m posting a few pix of some works in progress for my 6 months mail club goods. Girls (dont look) but these may be July's item, I m not sure yet. If you wanna know more about my gifty mailclub ,theres more info about it in my shop

under "6 month mailclub" So off I got to get the bumpkins to bed...nighty ,night!

Chocolate & Vintage Sewing Notions

I have searched near & far for the best & simple chocolate zucchini cake recipe, and have I ever found it. In case anyone would like it, an old german recipe for using up all of the wonderful zucchini from our gardens: Quick & Moist Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 cups grated peeled zucchini

3/4 Butter

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp.vannilla

2 1/2 Flour

1/2 c. cocoa

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp.baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tea cinnamon or apple pie spice

Cream butter & sugar,& add eggs & zucchini(if frozen & grated already-squeeze out all water)I grate up all my leftovers at the end of the summer garden and freeze in2 cup baggies just for this) Put all dry ingredients together and add 1/2 to butter mixture. ADD 1/2 CUP MILK. Add rest of dry ingredients. Gently stir only till moistened. Bake @350 for 1 hour in a well greased bundt pan! Enjoy!

I also thrifted a huge score of vintage sewing notions that i have broke up into 3 different goodybags....so I thought id share the wealth & put some for sale in my shop http://norththreads.etsy.com

And more aprons are there too...

and some yummy linens! If anyone tries the cake let me know!! Off to the sewing room where I have been seriously lacking in the last few days ........take care for now

xox

Special Order

My pictures are a little mixed up, I see! Ive been working on a special order for another stitching kit. This one is again made from a Moda fabric, but with "the poetry collection" . The other picture is of a bunch of linen tableclothes & other treasures I just put for sale in the shop. The link may not work because I sure dont know how i can screw it up, but none of my links work...???? Weird , anyway I thought if I waited awhile it would magically start working but apparently-no luck. But the kit is done & it's time to relax in a lawnchair on the lake!

Im off fishing & camping for a day or two so I will see ya'll again when i return on Sunday..hopefully with a couple of fish, a great tan , and happy, dirty babies!!

Thrifting treasure trove

Oh ,my goodness, I think i hit the jackpot today!!! Good, good thrifting day! These 4 aprons I listed together as the " 4 Assorted Vintage aprons treasure trove" tonight in my etsy shop. The rest I have to decide what I want...O.K. Um I mean need, yes...need. How adorable is this set of baby duckie pot holders!! Too Cute. Then there is this clown fabric,vintage blue tiny floral organza-like apron.
Huge score of a gazillion vintage zippers (perfect for adding in to all those great vintage swaps). Huge pile of ribbon, laces, and trims , and in the background-a beautiful orange embroidered tablecloth. Im so happy today.....but my most favorite goodie of all:
This delish baby apron (and I mean baby its so wee) Teeny tiny vintage apple slice apron, with lace edging ruffled shoulders! Im so in love with this , Im going to make a pattern for it!

Dolly Project

Had a chance today to finish my dolly blankie project. I just listed in my shop(and I wont bother with a link as they never work)here: www.norththreads.etsy.com anyways the gift set includes:

Doll blanket with vintage buttons-terry with pink flannel dots

Drawstring dolly clothes bag with pom-pom ends

Doll pillow with an apple, snail & mushrooms-that I loveeeeeee

I love it when a project turns out as good as you envision it to be(not to toot my own horn or anything) but Im pretty excited.....and the true test....my daughter loves it!

Forbidden Fountain Pit

Well here it is, I said I would post this horrid fountain area that I committed to re- landscaping for(yikes) $50.00! I kind of have no idea where to begin its so BAD, so Im jumping in starting from the middle out. I thought I would take some pictures so I can compare them to the finished results...If that ever happens! It feels like the never ending weed pit! Im the kind of person who can see past all this yuck & envision the beauty...but after 7 hours total(I know you cant tell , but around the big circle part I completely weeded and reworked already)It really looks as though I've done nothing, so my neighbor is getting a steel deal! Oh well , stop complaining & get to it! Thats my dog Sammy inside the fountain area, so you can see how big the area actually is! . Now I need to have a hot bubble bath, soak awhile, and get sewing too take my mind off looking out the window to all that! Is that funny how sewing is my stress relief? New picks of my baby doll project soon!

What a Pleasure

Why thank-you Kristy! it was a pleasure, a vintage pleasure that is! You were only supposed to swap me vintage clothespegs but wait....look at all the other yummieness, a clothespin bag,lovely vintage haberdashery & trims, and neato old avon thingy (it smells real good but Im not sure what it is!)and some vintage doilies! Thank you so much for your generosity! I hope you recieve your little package soon too, what a doll! The old clothespegs found a new home in my pin jar.
I was noticing a couple people comment on my liking of pina colodas & other beverages , so i thought i better clear the air , its mostly in the summer & please know i m really not an alkey or anything!!! Hahahahaha ...i do love a sip now & then. How else do you think I can pump out the crafts so fast?(just kiddin) Anyways I thought that was a hoot, and I really love all your comments!
The weather has gone yucky so I am actually happy to be stuck in the house, alot of cleaning to catch up on, crafts,sewing to get done. I happy because If it was sunny I would have to be working in my neighbors garden. He hired me for some yard cleanup. He has this huge fountain/garden thing going on he wants me to rake and landscape. Ive already spent 4 hours over there, baby in stroller, digging & raking when I realized this is way beyond me, and way over my head! I didn't even scratch the surface! iMaybe I should take some pics of it and someone out there can give me some suggestions!! . I think it would take 4 proffessionals 2 weeks, working 8 hours a day, to clean all this up & remove everthing. Im not really complaining because i looooove gardening but this is left to overgrow for 5 years, so its my fault I said yes I'd do it, before i saw it! Im not sure if i can do this but there is no turning back now! Next day of sun=back to the pit!

Back On Track

I'm finally feeling as though Im getting back on track. I have had non stop company to entertain for 2 weeks. Its been hot and beautiful & we've been enjoying every ounce of the sun! Even my new little Boo-Boo is going to have his first baby cookie (with no teeth) in his little chair, out on the picnic blanket. I know he's huge for just turning 5 months! And look at the size of his hands & feet! I also had a wee bit of time to create a personal pizza for my shop. It includes 4 pizza slices,tomatoe sauce, & toppings complete with pizza box, thanks to the kind people at little ceasars! I hope I can get back on track & get some bags done this week as well, that Ive been trying to get started...but for now sunshines, picnics, ....and pina coladas!

Finished,(well one)

O.k` So heres my first project with my new labels!
Pencil/markers/ or crochet hook organizers, Im actually in process but Im having alot of company coming this week so i may not get anything finished, but after that its going to be full-on turbo crafting mode! I also found some great vintage aprons and linens i will post up for grabs soon.... back to my strawberry daquiri...Summer is wonderful! Such a treat!

Labels, & Vintage Transfers!

I love my mailman!!! Today in the mail I recieved my silk labels I custom ordered, and they turned out to be amazing! I ordered 3 colors for sewing on to my stuff, Im just so excited(and they were cheap) so what's better then that, and she sent them in this little adorable box!
On my way home from town today,I hit my fave thrift store, & I found some wonderful vintage transfers, and anyone that knows me, knows I cant pass up this kind of stuff! Some are from 1956! Most are cut up & used but thats OK because they're repeat patterns, and some are brand new & never used,its abig assortment. Anyways, I listed the whole lot of 7 of them for sale in my etsy shop tonight if anyones interested. Someone emailed me from Australia about a bunch of my transfers and I apologize that I must have deleted your email addy by accident, so if your out there, Yes i found more-www.norththreads.etsy.com .....For now, and an extra thank-you to all the wonderful crafty bloggers out there leaving me such generous comments! Thank-you so much! Till next time....

Milk & Cookies

I finally got a chance to sit down & sew the carton I have been thinking about forever making. I have all these ideas, so sometimes I fell like if I dont make them right at that very second-ooops-ideas gone, and it usally is! Im starting to keep a journal of ideas so I can actually stop this terrible habit. Because actually I end up with more unfinished projects than any completed ones! I have an expectation of what i want to accomplish, and well, with a baby it just isn't possible! I guess sometimes we just have to give ourselves a break and enjoy all these wonderful moments we have now while he's still little, as he is our last baby! I do love you so much, Layne, Avery & Tyler............................. just so you know.
ps- this set is also available in my shop- www.norththreads.etsy.com

O.K. Kristin, here's the frosted chocolate dessert square I made using that brown trim from you! I stitched ricrac along it, pictures not very clear but it's nicer in person. My camera isn't great ,I have to depend on nice weather or the flash automatically always comes on & there is no way to shut it off....drives me nutty! And this beautiful jar of paper flowers I found at the scrapbooking store. I just love the paper flowers for embellishments, but the jar is fantastic as well, almost as pretty. They come in assorted colors for each month of the year!

My son Tyler is at his first night in youth night tonight, and Im here at home praying he isnt lonely in the corner or anything,as it's his first night at church with all the teens (he's 12) Man they grow fast! Time is flying, and tonight hopefully someone befriends him or it will make it or break it for youth night futures! They have pizza,pepsi, and tons of games & keeps them out of harms way & in a safeenviroment on Friday nights so Im excited! 2 hours alone( while baby's sleeping that is) to do whatever! Yeahhhhhhh!!!!

Vintage Swap Package!

I have been waiting for time to take a picture of my fantastic goodies from Kristin!! Thanks so much, girl this is wonderful! It's amazing the kindness and thought that some people go into with these swaps! Great linens, an adorable vintage smock, trims, cute kitten papers, my favorite-that blue embellished ribbon!! Oh yes~ the brown trim I used on a chocolate pincushion (I'll post later) ,Tons of other goodies,thank you so much !! I hope you enjoyed your package as much as i did mine! So very generous, and man what fun to shop for others-hard because your not 100% sure of their taste-but too fun none the less! Now i better go & get busy, Im making spagetti & meatballs for dinner, not that I wanna cook in this glorious heat, buut the children need to eat!