Queen Bees Zine Swap

 

This swap has dragged on for months and I am the reason.

I have 3 zines piled up on my desk and I should only have one! For one thing, I am a procrastinator and for another, Inspiration has been more elusive than usual.

This is Carole's zine.

"Memories from my Childhood".

I've had it since the the beginning of August (umm, that means, a month?) and it took that long for an idea to perculate to the surface.
Patty's lingered in my possesion for two months before I came up with something and sent it off without a photograph or post.
I am vowing to do better.
It's helped that summer is nearly over and my head it back in the game.
But back to Carole's zine.....
 

It's  not like her zine wasn't inspiring enough!

Each of the tabs had a prompt,

"memories", "stories", "jokes", "wisdom".

She had some fabric hanging out, which encouraged me to not worry about perfection.

Here is my spread.

One month of mulling over it.

Two and a half hours to execute.

 

 

A short anecdote about home made play clothes, made from double polyester and hideous contrasting colors.

What can I say.

It was the 1960s.

 

 

I am very happy with my pages.

Just wish I didn't drag my heels so long before getting down to business!

Packed it and mailed it before the glue was completely dry.

Nearly forgot to photograph it in my haste to move it on to Linda!

Next on the drawing board-

Margaret's "The Bra That Could Turn Back Time".

I have a germ of an idea for it.

Hopefully I can get it done before this month is out!

Oh,  by the way, my own zine has returned to me.

It has already made the rounds (literally around the world) which is all the more embarrassing that I am not moving everyone else's along in a timely fashion!

I haven't opened it, letting it sit until I fullfill my obligations.

Yes, the envelope from Switzerland is still sealed!

It wouldn't be fair or right for me to enjoy my zine when no one else can enjoy theirs!

Watch this space for future reveals.



The Pincushion Winner Is.... And Lest We Forget

Congratulations!
Patty of Magpie's Nest won my pincushion.

And thank you all, again, for stopping by and participating.

I wish I could have sent one to each of you.
 

 

 

And lest we forget...

 



Hauntingly beautiful raku fired helmet by Pinet Pottery on etsy.

Souvenir of Kansas and one more Pincushion

You will never guess, in a million years, what this figurine is.

You won't.

Ear of corn?

Nope.

Sunflower?

Nope.

An Ottawa Indian?

Nope.

 

Here's a picture clue.

Guess again.

Mr. Green Jeans in flips flops?

Nope.

A farmer in flip flops?

Nope.

 

One last clue before the reveal.

Guess again.

A girl with a ponytail?

Nope.

Give up?

 

 

 

 

 

 

What?

I'm as clueless as you are, but when I saw it at a garage sale a couple weeks ago,

I had to have it!

Today I Googled "Ottawa, Kansas Chinese" and found listings for restaurants. ha!

"Ottawa, Kansas history" gave me Ottawa Indians and WWII internment camps populated by German and Italian prisoners of war.

No Chinese.

By the way, the figurine is marked "Japan".

It's not even made in Kansas! ha!

He is made of "china" though! heehee.

Just had to share one of my more unusual aquisitions.

There is no accounting for my taste in bric-a-brac! 

 

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And now here's that other pincushion.

 

I just bought it .

I love old tomato pincushions.

This one is velveteen and came with the pins and needles you see pictured.

$1.00 at a local antiques flea market.

I couldn't pass it up!

And speaking of pincushions,

don't miss my hand made pincushion giveaway in my previous post!

You have until Monday night to join in!

 



TEA(Cup Pincushion) TUESDAY GIVEAWAY

I've been in a pincushion making mood and now want to share

some of my wealth.

One lucky winner will receive the little cup and saucer above with the pins shown.

All you have to do is browse my etsy shop, Ruby Floy and leave a comment saying what your favorite item in my etsy shop is.

That's it!

Your comment enters you in the drawing for the cup and saucer pincushion.

Want more chances at winning?

Post about this drawing on your blog, Facebook or tweet about it and leave a comment that you've linked back to me.

Pin it on your Pinterest.

You may borrow my photo for the occasion.

Please name drop.

I love to read Ruby Floy (my etsy shop!) bantered about.

I'm shameless. ha!

 

 

The cushion of my pincushion is a yummy, paisley patterned, velour that can be coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

It's open to interpretation.

The porcelain cup is firmly attached to its saucer.

*************

International bloggers welcome to join in the fun!

*************

Contest closes next Monday night and I will announce the winner next Tuesday.

Please make sure that I can contact you if you win.

Cheers!

Making More Pincushions

This quirky little porcelain bunny has a secret.

 

 

He's a pincushion!

The figurine was a spontaneous gift from my friend Gretchen and her 2 girls.

They said the bunny looked like something I would like.

Go figure!

They were right!

I don't know what the tiny opening in the tree stump was meant for, but I made him into something more useful than a toothpick holder.

And while I was at it, I made another pincushion...

 

It's only been on my "to do" list forever!

My mother had sent me a doll leg, geez, almost a year ago?

But you know how you just don't get around to something.

 

 

This particular pincushion is already for sale in my etsy shop.

The rabbit I will hold onto for a little bit.

He was a gift!

Quilt Show at the Octagon House

While in Michigan last month, my mother and I went to a quilt show at the historic Octagon House in Romeo, MI.  I hadn't been to the house itself since I was in high school (field trip)so seeing the place again was a thrill.

The quilts were a bonus.

 

 

I wish I could tell you the name of the organization and the guilds that participated, but I am not that great of a reporter. ha!

I was too busy taking it all in to worry about documenting details.

Quilts were displayed inside the main house on beds, draped on quilt stands, hanging on the walls and one was even draped on a Victorian display easel, but the best part of the show was seen while walking the grounds and viewing quilts hanging in the barn.

As we walked the short distance from the house to the barn, my mom and I passed quilts hanging on lines strung between trees.

They billowed and flapped in the summer breeze, wafting an amazing domestic serenity.

Ah, bliss!

The open barn doors painted with a quilt design, beckoned us from a distance.

And oh my, what we found inside!

 

A rustic gallery.

I have never seen quilts displayed in better surroundings.

 

One of my very favorite quilts, entitled, "Dots Enough", was pieced from 99% polka dotted fabrics.  I loved it because it looked like something that could easily hang in the modern art wing of a museum.

 

 

Another of my favorites was part of their "Second Hand Rose" division (recycled materials). The main patches were cut from old t-shirts.  I loved the bright, bold colors, hip paisley patterned outer border, and how traditional quilt patterns like flying geese and checker boards were added around each main square. 

The quilt just made me happy when I looked at it! 

 

.

 

This quilt was not part of the main exhibit, but advertised the possibilties for some of the fabrics one of the vendors sold.  I was naturally drawn to the ephemera prints and vintage colors. No surprise!

I didn't buy anything since I already had far too much stuff to ship back to Missouri.

At the quilt show I only walked away with photos and memories.

 

 

I'm not a fabric stashing, fanatical quilter, but I could relate to the humor in this quilt.

Personally, my husband's ashes would have to scattered at the local flea market...

ha!

 

Summer's End

We are back from the Great Lakes State.

I'll be sharing photos from our Michigan trip in the next few blog posts.

For now, suffice to say, we had a wonderful time.

Cooler weather, large bodies of water, what's not to love?

I dreaded returning "home" to Missouri.

We came back to Missouri's blistering heat, drought and the reality of our summer ending.

Then the kids started school yesterday and I started my vacation!

Woohoo!

Too bad there isn't Lake Michigan nearby.

The Great Lakes are the next best thing to the Oceans.

Just no salt.