CQI Retreat Photos

 

I returned home from the Crazy Quilt International's Retreat near Kansas City, MO yesterday.  There was so much talent there and such nice ladies.  They made me feel so welcome and after just a few days I felt like I had know several of them for years.  I am still recovering and playing catch-up at home so this is mostly photos from the retreat.  I think there were about five of us attending this retreat for the first time and about as many that have attended since their retreats began.

Above is my roomy, another Connie (Kalina).  She was so much fun.  She has attended every retreat this group has had.  (She is the 'evil' Connie though so if you happen to know her don't let her tell you otherwise).  The piece she is holding is of her female ancestors and was stunning.

Above shows the International blocks the group had worked on.  They too were amazing and as you can see received a lot of attention and close viewing.  So much detail!

This was a class in progress and obviously an interesting one by the attention the instructor is receiving.  Several mini classes were offered free throughout the retreat.

This is Cathy who created a beautiful block for Pamela Kellogg's 2015 CQ Calendar.  Cathy is also the one who (tried) to keep us in line and informed throughout the retreat.

Activities other than mini sessions included introductions/orientation, show and tell, gift exchange and a stash swap.  Vendors within the group had tables of luscious supplies set up that we could purchase and many (if not all?) of them contributed to a gift bag of goodies we each got to bring home with us.

Photos of my stash dash, purchases, and gifts or handouts are shown below... 

The box and some of the supplies inside are from the gift exchange.  When I got home I organized all my trims, fibers, beads/buttons, silkies, laces etc. inside the handy and pretty box.

Thankfully I can say I did not come home with near as much fabric as I contributed for the stash dash! 

I am determined to do something with all the goodies and not let them just sit around unused.  My first retreat was a very positive experience and I hope to participate in more in the future.  A special 'Thank You' to all the CQI stitchers for making me feel welcome!

Garage Sale Treasures!

I just had to share this treasure trove of fabrics I bought...all for a dollar!  It is all now washed and folded and ready to play with.  There was an attic full of totes, all full of denim, gingham, pillow tucking etc.   Considering the abundance and the price I think I used a great deal of restraint, don't you.  I have been wanting to go to the fabric store and buy a few chunks of gingham so that I could create samples of chicken scratch and pin tucking.  This definitely saves me the trouble and money. 

I had purged my fabric stash so I could have more room and had it boxed up to take for the 'stash dash' at the CQ retreat I will be attending later this week.  I guess I took care of the empty space.  I really can't wait to get started!

More Stuff vs. Downsizing

I keep telling myself I need to downsize and then I run into a "bargain" I can't pass up.  I recently shared my perfume bottle collection.  Well, it just got bigger and outgrew the cabinet.  I just love this set though.  One perfume bottle has slight damage on the lip but the other is in perfect shape.

My husband wanted to go to a garage sale this past weekend to look at a Victrola.  He came home empty handed and I came home with these beauties for $2 a piece!

My mother has collected carnival glass for years and keeps trying to give me pieces so I'm not sure what prompted me to buy this piece other than the price and it was really pretty.  Anyone know the name of this pattern?  I did get it home and found a obvious chip on the edge but now I won't be afraid to use it.

I am always attracted to footed pieces and fell in love with this one.  It appears to be undamaged and will make a beautiful holder for...something.

Like many of you I have a weakness for roses.  I prefer hand-painted and this is a painted band with beautiful yellow roses which are decals, but at $2 who cares if it is pretty, right?  No damage on this piece either.

Downsizing is tough!

The CQ block I posted last is getting more stitches.  I kept looking at it and couldn't leave it alone.  I will post an updated version soon.

I am heading to my studio now to work out a design for some roses a friend wants me to paint on a china cabinet for her.  She and I share the same taste but I still get a bit anxious doing projects like this for someone else.  I am also adding some finishing touches to a silver teapot I am painting.  I will probably add it and some more jewelry to my Etsy shop soon.

Have a great day my friends!

Collections - Perfume Bottle Love

One of my favorite things to collect is perfume bottles.  Any color, any size, any style and I am hooked.  I thought I would get away from the CQ blocks for a minute and share my collection.  Some are gifts from special people, some are mementos from trips, and some are just bottles I couldn't resist.

Above I have one from China that is painted inside and also a small perfume bottle from the World's Fair in Germany which we attended I believe in 2001/2002.

This set is Vaseline glass.  One of the stoppers (on the right) is damaged but I still think it is a beautiful set.  Maybe one day I can have a glass blower friend try to fix it.

I love the color of the tall one on the right.

I tend to be drawn to glass bottles on decorative metal bases also, like the two above.

I have several clear glass perfume bottles, some antique and some new.  I just purchased a dresser set with two perfume bottles, a vanity jar and a tray.  I will be picking it up after Ragbrai.  Then to find a place for it...

I couldn't resist this little set even though the lid was missing.

My son was married in the Bahamas and I had to pick up this sea shell shaped set while there as a memento of the occasion.  I also have a similar set from a trip to Cancun.

More of my clear set.  Love the large decorative stoppers.

Had to have this trinket box with hidden bottle.

Some of the small bottle collections I couldn't resist along with a long-stemmed single rose perfume bottle.

And, of course, what would any perfume bottle collection be without a couple of iridescent pink bottles.

These are a few of my favorite things.  Anyone else out there collect perfume bottles?  What is your favorite collectible?

Sneak Peak at CQJP 2013 March Block

It never ceases to surprise me as to the huge difference made by adding seam treatments.  Below is the before and after of one of my CQJP 2013 blocks for March.  I really don't worry too much about how patches look next to each other on a block because I know the stitching will unify the block.

Last Monday and Tuesday my boss was out of town so DH and I decided to take a mini vacation to Kansas City just to get away.  We stayed near and shopped at the Crown Center and toured Hallmark, visited Union Station and the WWI Museum.  There is so much to do in the KC area.  Unfortunately the museum was closed both days so I guess we will have to plan another trip soon.  On the way home we went to Parkville, MO and shopped at Florilgium (my all time favorite!) and a couple of antique shops.  I drooled a lot and purchased some heart shaped crystals at Florilgium.  I bought more doilies and this dainty little fresh water pearl necklace (for a quarter!) at the antique shops.  We also stopped at an antique mall in St. Joe on the way home and I bought a couple more doilies and some beautiful copper fabric and some taffeta in subtle reds and golds.  The weather was beautiful and we had a wonderful time.

Do you have a special shop you love to visit?  Please share and if I am in the area I will be sure to visit it too.  I love visiting new places and quaint little shops.  My DH and I are planning to drive down to Florida to meet our daughter's family at Disney World and also do a little exploring in route, taking our time.  That will be in November some time.  I traveled a lot for my previous employer, but my DH hasn't seen a lot of the southeast and I look forward to seeing more.  This will be my first trip to Florida.  Can't wait!!!

It's The Little Things...

I have this (not dirty) little secret.  I have been stashing away small doll sized items for a doll trunk.  I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I love normal items either way over sized or really small.  I guess normal is boring?  I don't know what that tells you about me, if anything.  I guess (hope) we all have our little idiosyncrasies. 

I couldn't help but smile to myself then when at a garage sale I found this small Child's Bible.  It is about 1 1/2" wide by 2" high.  It is made of the same materials as a regular Bible from around the 1930s.

Above it is show with a pair of earrings I purchased at the Corn Palace Shop in Mitchell, SD.  The coins, which are about 3/8" diameter, are actually copper and look and feel real!  I will remove the tabs and keep them in my doll trunk.  But back to the Bible which will also go into the trunk.  Someone actually filled out some of the family history of a baby and information on the baby's parents!  What family would not cherish this?!?

The Bible has stories of Jesus' life and guidance for a child to live a good and faithful life and has some illustrations just as you would find in an actual full-sized Bible.  It is perfect for the doll trunk!

Although not nearly as special, I also found some other small items that needed to come home with me, including this tiny rose tac pin,

a bag of doll size plastic clothes hangers, and

four little doilies that want to be part of a crazy quilt one day.

Speaking of crazy quilts, I am working on a small crazy quilt that will also go into the doll trunk one day.  When I think about it sometime I will share some of the other items I have collected over the years for my trunk.  Somewhere down my bucket list is 'making old fashioned vintage looking clothes' for the doll.  I was enamored with Barbie when she first came out and fell in love with the shoes, purses, hats and other accessories.  Maybe that is the root of this obsession, but this doll is about 16" to 18".

Isn't it interesting what drives us to be who we are, what we like and some of our personality traits?  It is almost eerie, and extremely fascinating, when you read studies of twins separated at birth who have lived parallel lives even though they didn't know each other (or maybe even about each other) and lived totally separate lives with different parents.