Sometimes during the course of a busy day at the shop I stop and gaze into my little hand made shop and ponder the many blessings I've been handed from God. I like to touch on that every now and then. I'm also thankful for the kind gentle folks that walk through my shop door.
Today a customer told me that she needed her Bittersweet fix. That makes me feel unbelievably happy and forever grateful for my customers and my hand made life.
I've created some new floral cotton aprons and they're hanging out at the hand made shop.
I've been rearranging things and making preparations for the new market venue. It's a joy to hear the many positive comments regarding the upcoming vintage market. I love it! Julie will attest, it's getting me more than excited, more than!
I've been putting the finishing touches on the hand made rosettes. A flower to wear on your jean jacket or sweater created from vintage bits and pieces.
Putting together a few wood crates filled with soap. What we need is lots of soap!
We're grilling tonight. I ordered these so that we can roast some fresh mushrooms and veggies. Lennis is cutting red peppers as I type.
I purchased this vintage Singer some twenty years ago at an antique shop in town with the intention of using it. It cost me twenty dollars! I've used it many times to sew aprons and such. The little motor hums a sweet harmony as I hit the foot pedal. It creates the best stitches in the world! It also has a ruffle attachment! I've made oodles of ruffles with this machine! You know how I love ruffles, right?
I was able to locate parts on the Internet so if anything breaks, I can fix it. Isn't that a comforting feeling? Having the ability to fix an object of affection. Nowadays and most always if something breaks it's usually replaced with a new model rather than repairing it. In some cases it can't be fixed, only replaced. That seems like manufacturing is moving backwards instead of forward to me.
That little Singer was built in 1921. My favorite era. I always thought it had been modified electric, but after researching I found that this was the first year Singer manufactured electric sewing machines. They made 1500 of this model, make in New York. Today, it's market value is over five-hundred dollars. However, I"m not interested in selling it, never, never! This is where I located all the Singer information.
White Tent thoughts...
It's getting closer now...
I love these miniature flower crates! I found the image on Pinterest. Thinking about how I'd love to recreate this look at the new market place.
I love the look of these steeple tents. I searched high and low to locate them. Notice the little scalloped trim that surrounds the tents. Thinking it could be recreated. I'm also drawn to the outdoor marketing, tables and flowers sitting here and there. Thinking about a straw floor layed inside my tent.
Exciting!
Making new hand made items to offer at the market.
Adding Dead Sea Salt, Mix your Own at the soap shop on water street.
A little heat wave is coming. This is when I begin wishing, yearning for fall. Well, not quite yet, but if it stays hot those thoughts won't be far behind. Autumn dreaming soon, soon.
Denim and skirts and boots and hats and well I'm not ready for glove thoughts. Soon, soon though.
Straw flower love...
A few bars of Jardin Savon quietly sitting.
New ribbon and pretty paper doilies coming. Cutting patterns from tiny floral prints. Planning new and exciting things, changes and not the same old same.
That cinnamon hued straw-flower caught my brown eye's! I realize Autumn is not quite here, but I'm dreaming about cinnamon straw-flowers this summer.
I'm putting together small fall bouquets arranged in recycled tin cans. I'm painting the cans with white chalk-paint. Kind of cool and the little bunches of everlasting flowers will add some prairie charm to your decor. A mixture of straw flowers, cinnamon and cream,yarrow, avena, sunflowers in the arrangement. Love em!
Easy breezy scan the back qr code. Takes you to the new Crawford House Market Place blog and face-book page. Love that too!
Some baking today... One of these and last night one of these.
Last year's dip into the hydrangea crop. I must have had over one-hundred blooms. This summer, not a one! We had a really cold winter. That's what stumped the blooms. Customers have been telling me they don't have any blooms either. Darn it! Hoping next summer will catch up and make up because it just isn't summer without those floppy blooms!
I purchased a white tent. Getting ready for the pop-up! New items being made. I want a variety of different things for the tent shop. Kind of like having two shops. Lennis is making weights for the tent. On a breezy day I can see that baby breaking in half and headed for the sky! No, no, no...
Fabric by the bolt to add to the tent, simple white muslin, because I want to fancy up the abode. I'll definitely be sharing those ideas and pictures because I believe you might like to take a peek. Why am I envisioning a opium tent? Silly girl! I'm not really but for some reason that thought was pondered briefly. I do love the Bohemian look of it. That's what I'm thinking. Candles and pillows and tapestry and some cinnamon colored straw flowers. Yeah!
Caramel is in the fridge cooling and then I'm pouring it on the cheesecake. Yummy with a big summer Y!
Lots of exclamation points because summer does that to me!
I love my prairie quilts! We're having strange fall like temperatures in August. I don't mind it, because I'm not a fan of the hot dog days of August. Not to mention, it feels good to dig out another prairie quilt from the stash.
It's a soap making day today. Normally Sundays are reserved for minimal work, but I'm falling behind on manufacturing. I'm also approaching the busiest manufacturing time of the year.
Our little spare bedroom has a new fixture. My sewing machine moved from the studio to the extra room. The piles of linen that hung over the bed, folded and put away but for only a short time. I really want to sew some new skirts!
Taking pictures of the vintage boutique all last week. Do you like my polka dot dress?
Pondering flower thoughts lately. Mustard colored tansy and cream larkspur. I think the two dried flowers would create a pretty mix.
A gathering of business to business Tuesday evening. I'm preparing light finger food including the bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese. My taste-buds are anticipating those! This puff pastry dish also on the menu.
I'll never forget how this single bloom forget me not shot up from seeds I planted several years ago! Usually and almost always, forget- me- nots don't bloom until the following season after the seeds are planted. As I look at the picture above and reminisce about the thoughts that surrounded me on that day my heart sings a happy song! I considered the single bloom a miracle of such and was thankful not just for the tiny cluster of beauty but also for something else that I felt the tiny stem represented. It exhibited faith and trust. It sprouted and grew tall when all odds were against it. When I captured this picture those thoughts were very much with me. Isn't that something?
Before and after shots of the lemon meringue pie. My family loved this pie! Not only did my family love the pie so did I! Here's the recipe I used. I'd never used this recipe before and it turned out great except I added two more egg whites for the meringue. I like it piled high! I always make this pie crust, the best. The pie gets its color from the egg yolks in the recipe. Did you know that?
The new Beard Balm is scrumptious. Well, I didn't eat it, but it certainly smells out of this world! Since I'm a spice girl I prefer cedar and vetiver and balsam, pine infusions. The vetiver is kind of smoky and mysterious smelling, I think.
A thought...
Since opening my shop downtown I've noticed my posts usually reflect the shop going ons. I'm going to try and add a mix up of topics so that I don't bore you.
Oh, some exciting news! Exciting to me anyway. I'm starting another cookbook. My tastes in food and preparation in food has changed tremendously since my last cookbook was published. I want to share. That's not entirely true... I want to have ONE book that holds all my favorite recipes so that I don't have to sort through the hundreds of printed receipts piled in my pantry! We've been preparing Mediterranean meals the past few months. Fresh fruit, veggies, fish, chicken, mostly grilled. Easy to make and delicious to eat! I'll keep you posted with the cookbook ideas and post a few recipes from the new book.
Projects flowing like a river around here! It's official too... The Crawford House Vintage Pop-Up Market Place is taking form and center stage above all the other things going on. This month is reserved and dedicated to soap making, usually. However, with the new venue in place my focus is pretty much dead center on that.
I'm really getting excited about the new once a month emporium idea. Signage has been created, banners, postcards, designed and on their merry way!
Now it's time to make things. My passion, desire, yearning and this probably best describes how I feel at the moment and most other moments in between.
We're also planning, both of us, Aggieal's Attic Vintage Boutique and Bittersweet shops a "business to business" open house. I'm preparing the food. I've dug up some great recipes for the event one of which will be Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese, need I say more. Here's the recipe. I'm almost certain it is a yummy and tasty appetizer to serve to our guests.
When we went to the summer solstice party these were served and oh my gee golly goat milk, they were good! Here's that reciept. A little time consuming to prepare, but let me tell you first hand, they're worth it!
Home Sweet Home... We've almost completed our outdoor summer project. The new dormer. Yippee! The neighbor stopped by to chat the other day and complimented the new work. As I'm looking out the window and typing a car just pulled up and another neighbor has stopped to talk with Lennis as he cuts the front lawn. I would imagine he's either exclaiming how great it looks or wants a home project done on his own home.
Lennis jumped off on his own over a year ago. I'm so very proud of him and the quality and craftsmanship of his work. That is prov-en by the number of folks that want him to do their home remodeling jobs.
Summer is in full swing and I'm enjoying the ride, no pun intended.
The fourth of July parade and a shot of this little cutie that I spotted from afar. She was really dressed for the occasion. Isn't she sweet?
We spent the afternoon, evening with my brother and his wife, family. I am blessed to have such a caring, loving brother and sister in law. Thank you God.
Charcoal Soap is cut and curing! Interesting, very interesting. I flavored the purification soap with tea tree oil. It seemed like the appropriate choice. The new soap will be an ideal facial bar for troubled skin or acne.
Recent Comments