Blog Redo

I'm not sure who I'm addressing here. Blog Patrol tells me to expect zero visitors today, so this post is probably unnecessary. On the chance that there might actually be someone out there checking out my blog, I'm willing to bet that you've noticed the change in template, etc.. You can expect more changes as I'm playing until I find something I like and that represents me. The current template is too monochromatic for my tastes. I'm a color person, so it's not a good fit. What I'm trying to say is, bear with me. Changes might be frequent over the next few weeks and somewhat unsettling for the reader(s). My apologies in advance. Thank you for understanding.

The Table

So here it is. Like the chairs, it's marked Pennsylvania House, but the table has the additional identifying stencil "Lewisburg."  I guess it's entirely possible that the original owner bought the table and chairs together, but the scale seems a bit off. At any rate, it's a very nice table. Someone started to restore it, but they obviously abandoned the project and eventually the set found a new home at the Salvation Army. I think $90 for the whole shebang was a very good deal. The three leaves expand the table to a whopping 96 inches.

I'm still undecided about whether or not I'll keep it. I could probably sell the table for what I have in the whole set or at least half of what I have in the set. The guilt of not waiting for half-price Wednesday would certainly be alleviated if I were to go that route. Truthfully, I am becoming rather attached to the behemoth.

Green Things

Vintage suitcase from Habitat's thrift store. Okra from my neighbor's garden.

Score!

I found these beautiful Windsor chairs at the Salvation Army yesterday. Wednesdays are half-price days, but I was afraid they would be gone if I didn't grab them. They were a steal at full price. I actually made three trips to the store before I pulled the trigger. The set includes a table, one arm chair, and five side chairs. The table is awaiting pick-up, scheduled for Monday. The table is also Pennsylvania House, but I doubt it was original to the set and I may list it on craigslist. It is a very pretty table, oval and solid wood. Three leaves were included. I will refinish the chairs, and the table if I keep it.

Sew Serendipity

Crafter's Choice Book Club sent me an email offering two for $22 + free shipping. The last time they offered me this deal, it turned out to be a fiasco. I won't go into the details here. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I narrowed my choices to four books, one of those being Kay Whitt's Sew Serendipity. My craft book buying decisions are usually made more informed by researching Amazon for reviews. Sew Serendipity had only a few comments, but all were positive. Upon preview, I would have to concur with the Amazon reviewers.

Basically, the book bases the projects on three patterns: a skirt, dress, and jacket.  All of the patterns are included and can be found in an envelope at the back of the book. The patterns look simple enough. What really makes the clothing stand out is the use of fabric, pattern, and color. The samples in the book are beautiful and inspiring. Although many of the garments in the book are bright and colorful, there is certainly room for interpretation for the more neutrally inclined sewer.

Keep in mind that I have yet to create a project from the book, but it looks as though the directions are sufficiently detailed and illustrated. The drawn illustrations are every bit engaging as the photographs. The book includes a chapter on custom fitting. The models wearing the garments in the photographs are of all shapes and sizes. The clothing looks good on all of them.

I'm majorly impressed by this book, and I hope Kay Whitt is already working on a sequel.

Another Mail Sack

New Bag

Made with Pink Chalk's Mail Sack pattern . This is a great pattern that makes a very unfussy but striking bag. The pattern's simplicity invites all manner of embellishment. I've made the smaller version before, and I've been asked many times about its origin.
The larger bag is quite roomy, enough so for a full size laptop, I believe. I'm working on another one. More pictures to follow.

Unplugged: The Bedroom

This is my new sleeping space. It's substantially smaller than my other bedroom. As you can see, Buster has adapted. The ceiling fan was the only thing that I  purchased when I swapped spaces. The room doesn't have the airflow that my other bedroom has, so a ceiling fan was a necessity. I decided to keep the Capricorn picture in my bedroom since it ties in with the Palace Portrait quite well. The wardrobe is massive and ordinarily I would have thought the scale wrong for such a small space, but because of its reflective doors it works well. The wardrobe actually helps to enclose the sleeping area a bit and contributes to the coziness factor. As evident in the pictures, I still have wall patching to do. I'm also planning on hanging wall hooks to the right of the window so I'll have a place to hang my clothes before I get in bed.

Painting

I'm finally painting the base to my cutting table. This is a project that's been nagging me for a while. The red and yellow combination was hurting my eyes. Dismantling the table means displacing all of the books that the base holds, so I put it off for sanity's sake. Since I had to take the table apart to move it to its new location, I decided now is the time to paint.  Even with one sloppy coat it looks a thousand times improved.

Disheveled

I'm still trying to restore order after switching out my bedroom and office/sewing room. It's something I've been considering for months but didn't want to deal with the turmoil. Turned out to be a good move. Details soon.