The Stupsi joins her sister and mystery box of fabric

This looks so Voodoo

The Stupsi doll in the center of the image of the unintentional voodo-like display had to be purchased since I found her sister the week before. Her old-fashioned costume and beaded bag make me think she is mambo. I am photographing inside and my thrift shop finds of paper tiki towers, the doll, summer print fabric, a batik kit and More Quick Watercolor Quilts, including a couple of CDs, totaled less than $10. 

Heading into 100+ degree heat this weekend. It is an energy zapper. I feel like I should be downstairs working in my studio creating quilt-related things but it just isn't happening. Think I'll cut fabric for some Bento box blocks. 

As promised, here are the contents of Mystery Box of Fabric I bought online for $30 as a birthday present to myself. 

This was a small quilter's stash from Wichita, Kansas. I bid on it sight unseen, I figured there would be some fabric uglies I couldn't use. 

Laundered and folded

Surprisingly, there were a number of batiks, yardage for both an Americana-themed quilt and a seafaring-themed one (I have been collecting fabric for the latter). Lots of fat quarters and about 1/3 of the box unusable to me. 

In addition to the fabric, there was this piece I can supplement for a backing. I try to incorporate mystery quilter's creations into my current project. It is a nod to them that their work will live on. 

Thank you mystery quilter

One of the CDs I brought home was a classic compilation of


Continuing my birthday gifts to myself. I frequent a certain hospice thrift shop because 1) it is open on Sunday; 2) the prices are reasonable; 3) there is a half off sale at the beginning of each month; and 4) I have acquired numerous pieces of original artwork from this location. It is almost criminal that I spent $4.25 for this one.

Acrylic on fabric, double matted
professionally framed

Al Paque 7-1990

I call it Delicate Summer Flowers. 28 years old this July. I won't let myself hang it up at home because then it will never make it in to work. I want to hang it in my cubicle and replace a framed print that is just too green (said with gritted teeth).

About my buying secondhand fabric, one tip - When you have things shipped to you from across the country, don't bring the cardboard box in the house. We believe we had a nasty assassin bug get into our house that way. Now we open boxes outside and store them flattened outside. Just. In. Case. 

Happy birthday to Me

Hello internets - tooday is my birthday!

Inspecting the birthday cake

This is one of many 35mm slides I am scanning to my laptop. Preparing a slide show for my next mom visit.

The quilting is done in a flip flop pattern

I had entertained the thought of doing a cubicle wall hanging just for summer but have two bedsized quilts queued up for quilting. Weekend thrifting gifted me this sweet summer wall hanging made by a First Tuesday group of quilters from Amador and Calaveras County. It has found its forever home.

Too bad it isn't dated, there were signatures
I cropped from the image

While I used to pass up linens on my commando thrift runs, it is on my list now. I look for unfinished quilt tops and blocks, finished quilted pieces and quilts. 

Dolls are another area I routinely check. A certain thrift shop has dropped gems such as boxed Madame Alexanders, a bag of Storybooks and this Stupsi with tag. 

For stuffed animals I am on the lookout for Steiff (found one earlier this year) and Ty beanie babies with tags. Peace bear is one of my favorites and I will buy him tagged or not.

Original art - oil and acrylic paintings on canvas are near the top of my thrift shop list. Like buying clothes secondhand, you can't be swayed by the price, you've got to LOVE it. On the other hand, if the piece is so inexpensive, why not buy it and enjoy it and then upgrade if you find a higher quality work of art? I have done that numerous times, I donate the other piece back to thrift. After my collection room went from framed prints to original art, it now looks like an art gallery!

Clothing is is all about the cashmere, sweaters that is. I will buy cashmere any time of year. January is the best time to find this type of high quality sweater. 

My favorite pie is strawberry/rhubarb. One is going in the oven later today.

Thanking my audience for visiting my blog, giving me the opportunity to share all of my finds and creations. 

Summer Socials

Cameron Park Hospice Thrift held their Summer Solstice Event this weekend. There were Hawaiian shirts, beach items and kitsch galore. For just a few dollars, I picked up the flamingo tissue centerpiece, a souvenir ukelele, two strands of painted beads and a pink sarong. We have a summer social coming up next month at work and these items will jazz up one of the treat tables. 
 
The shopper checking out in front of me purchased over $100 of truly amazing party goods - one item I didn't think to snag was a large ceramic conch shell, you could fill it with anything. 

My birthday is on June 25, so I treated myself to a mystery box of fabric purchased from one of my favorite online retailers. Course, I tried to convince myself I didn't need more fabric but I have been showing restraint at the thrift shops, not purchasing everything quilting cotton. I will catalog the treasures inside the box. Hoping it isn't a box of uglies. 

A log cabin square done in pinks and blues peeks out
along with a hint of a purple batik and a batik firefly
SOLD me on this collection

Mystery box in lineup

In other news, I continue to participate in the 2018 Monthly Color Challenge with June's block being purple. I goofed up and didn't save the image on my iPhone. It posted to IG but I can't copy it. 
June color block.  Link to host and pinwheel pattern june-color-challenge.

Awaiting word on my media access pass to the California State Fair. I am interested in what all that entails. 

Suffering through 100+ degree heat this weekend, I am more in the mood for scanning rather than sewing. The scanning is the project of converting 35 mm photo slides to digital images. I've just scheduled a visit in July to see my 90 year old mother. 

How have you been beating the heat?

Hippy jeans and media access

At $2.50 - who cares if it was mass produced?

Did my route of 4 secondhand shops and found yet another item on my thrift shop bucket list, a pair of embroidered-leg jeans. Coldwater Creek brand, reliable and well-made. Thrown in for good measure was a small painting, a Charter Club Hawaiian print shirt and some quilt blocks. Grand total spent - $12.

Thrifting treasures

I learned through another Sacramento blogger that, as bloggers, we could apply for media badges for early access and entrance into the California State Fair. I was all over that. I am more than curious to know where my quilted wall hanging the-encounter-abstract-in-fabric will be displayed.  

I have a long history with fairs - I can't hide the fact that I love them! I love the smells and the energy. Cotton candy and scones are my foodie downfalls. 

1962 Seattle World's Fair
My mom had this slide marked as "Poodle for Miss Peep Show"
I'm the little gal next petting the poodle, my brother next to me

I may have more of these retro fair images hiding in the next group  of slides I brought home on my last visit with my mom. 

Pattern of the Day is a 1960s Advance pattern.

The sleeveless version is my usual work look for summer days that reach 100 degrees. The forecast calls for heat and more heat in our Northern California climes.  

Are you a fan of the fairs? 

Curved piecing and other observations

This pre-cut kit of batik fabric is my entry into curved piecing. These fabric pieces are even notched and mystery quilter left detailed notes along with the instructions. 

My sturdy 457 is good for piecing but not for quilting. Course, I have been pushing it by using a standard foot and other sewing machine transgressions.  

Picnic quilt is in pinned basted stage but I am waiting until my Brother machine is repaired and tuned up. 

My attempt at abstract in fabric was not a state fair acceptance. *shrugs* I don't regret that it sports matchstick quilting. I will use that technique again for another quilted wall hanging. 

Update to post: So I believed all weekend that my entry wasn't selected, come to find out it earned an honorable mention. I'm in the fair after all!  

Pregnant doe captured on trail cam

Every Quilter Needs a Rack

How's that for a post title? A quilt rack had been on my thrift shop bucket list for some time. Sturdy and well-made it will hold three full-sized quilts. There are heart cutouts on each side. Hospice half off day meant I scored that and the following items:

Priced at $8, I paid $4

Another fun, obscure thing I collect are fortune teller toys and Tarot cards.

Muffy on the right joined Fortune Tellers
Barbie and M&M

Back to the quilting aspect of the finds, quilt and other books, fabric and looks to be the beginnings of a doll quilt.

What I am now calling the picnic quilt with pineapple and My Little Pony backing is in the basting stage. I am patting myself on the back for using less than $20 in retail fabric and the remainder from my stash. 

This quilt is destined for the spare bedroom/fabric stash room.

Next on my list of things to find secondhand - a quilt ladder.