an antique find and some hand crafting...

Note: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

For awhile, I have been looking for a piece to use as a vanity in the powder room of our soon-{I hope}-to-be-built new home...the basement of which has yet again been postponed due to excessive rains :(

Finally, on Craigslist, I found a walnut piece with the perfect measurements to fit the antique marble sink top.  It was about an hour and a half away, so we took a nice country drive to the antique shop, found it in good shape, and brought it home...

What I really like about it, is that what look like lower drawers, is actually a cabinet door.  The undermount sink will consume the top drawer, but the cabinet below will offer plenty of storage.

Oldest child asked recently if I would mind coming up with some baby things to go along with a shower gift.  I was happy to oblige, and since I had some white cotton chenille on hand and plenty of leftover fabrics, I made some burp cloths...

I used this tutorial.

I was also happy to have an excuse to knit some booties that look like little moccasins.

I'm close to being finished with the first one--the design details will be added after, using duplicate stitch.  The tutorial is from Purl Bee.

Having finally removed all of the old, Harvest Gold, nubby upholstery fabric from the Eastlake chair, I started with the reupholstering.  I'm using a moderately heavy linen and decided to keep it simple with upholstery nails and no gimp.  I don't think I have ever redone this style of armchair, so am referring to this book on my shelf, How to Repair, Reupholster, and Refinish Furniture, for guidance.

One tip in the book I found helpful, was to use a strip of cardboard placed in the fold of the fabric to get a nice straight edge.  The curves were just free-handed and a bit more of a challenge...

Hoping today to get the top front done...

Deb

flea market treasure

After a long, cold winter, Memorial Day weekend is a great time to get out 

and hit the yard sales and flea markets.

I was able to stock back up on some vintage fabrics including

this heavy, blue striped ticking and some floral quilting fabrics...

Also found a grain sack with some cows 

that seem to have a slightly startled expression...

I am always happy to find some barkcloth,

which is perfect for making vintage floral and leather shoulder bags.

Large clay pots always come in handy--this one I found, 

has been planted with a cherry tomato.

{Since moving, I am really missing my gardens!!}

I grabbed this old funnel with the idea of making a pendant lamp...no idea at

the time as to where I would use it,

then I had a thought--a potting shed. It would be perfect lighting

for a little potting shed on our new property...it may be some

time though before a potting shed happens, with our house yet to be built.

Some antlers we found,

always displayed up high, safe from pups who think they would 

make perfect chewing material.

And, this little blue-green plant stand.  The paint is in rough condition, so I just

sanded it down and cleaned it up 

until I can decide whether it needs repainting???

Hope your weekend is a good one,

Deb

'our building adventure' update

Building our new home should begin in a few weeks--we are just waiting for the basement people to give us the date they plan to dig and install the pre-cast walls--and I can't wait to get going!

Meanwhile, we have been gathering some materials.  Above, a before picture of a marble vanity top for the powder room.  It was sitting outside an antique shop for probably quite some time.  An internet search offered information on cleaning old marble, and it seems to be working.  I still have to apply a poultice on a couple stubborn stains.  Another center hole will be drilled for the faucet, but that is a job for the professionals!  I have not yet found the perfect base for the vanity, but if need be, we will probably build something...

A couple weeks ago, we found these American soapstone countertops and slab sink at a salvage warehouse.  The soapstone is marked Alberene Soapstone, a company formed in the late 1800's and located in central Virginia.  These countertops and sink were reclaimed from a university and, though they look rough, with a gentle sanding and cleaning I know that they will look beautiful in our new kitchen!

Here is a link to an identical soapstone sink so you can see the potential :)

Now, I have a great announcement...there is a giveaway coming up and a sneak peek into Where Women Create's latest issue.  So, please stop back later this week for a chance to win,  

Deb

an update from this week...

I have {another} new houseplant--a spider plant--which loves the light from the front window in my workroom.  Surrounding myself with plants is becoming a new Spring ritual that cheers me up when it's still too cold/wet/snowy to get outside and do any real gardening. In the sunroom I've added a split leaf philodendron, and a Hirt's Fiddleleaf Fig Tree - Ficus - Great Indoor Tree - 4" Pot/Decorative Cover* that I ordered online--it arrived in the frigid month of February, miraculously lived to tell about it, and, so far, appears quite healthy.
A couple projects that I've finished this winter are the drawstring dress 3C, made as a tunic, from Interweave Press Simple Modern Sewing* and the Artfully Simple Infinity Scarf.  The tunic is sewn from a somewhat sheer linen-weave fabric that I had on hand; I think it will be great for summer over a tank top or camisole.  The scarf is crocheted with an indigo heather, baby alpaca yarn from mooglyblog's pattern--it will be the perfect scarf for Spring.  More information is available on my Ravelry page here.  There are also new bags in progress for the shop--a new-style lined leather bag and another Indian stripe blanket tote.
The muffins pictured are from a new-to-me recipe, flourless peanut butter chocolate chip mini blender muffins.  I double the recipe and make a dozen regular size muffins, which I bake for about 13 - 15 minutes.  They are a new favorite around here...delicious!
A visit to the library this week was especially worthwhile--the Birds, Insects, and Outdoor Cookbook were found on the sale shelves. I could not resist the illustrations on that cookbook cover!  The rest are borrowed, and I will be reading up on quilting and house building--a perfect way to spend a cold weekend.  Hope yours is a good one,

Deb 


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catching up...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May has been such busy month here { busy in a good sense },

that today's rainy weather seems a good time to sit and catch up.

 

* Mother's Day brunch was celebrated here with family.  Mother Nature provided lots of blooms-- including tulips, lilacs, and blossoming trees.  Mike cooked and washed up, and the kids gave me 2 gorgeous hanging baskets

and a book I wanted, An Amish Garden: A Year in the Life of an Amish Garden . 

 

* We set off on a road trip to attend an out-of-state wedding in a charming little chapel set in the woods in Tennessee.   We took a week off and did some

sightseeing along the way--places I've never been to, like

Berea and Lexington, KY and Kingwood Center in Ohio.  I'll

have some pictures soon to post.

 

*Upon our return, I've been planting and weeding, but still haven't

finished either.  Most of the tomato plants are in, seed potatoes are planted,

and cucumber, string bean, nasturtium, and sunflower seeds are sown.

 

*Yesterday was our annual visit to a local flea market, and as always

I found some good stuff--

grain & feed sacks for totes,

vintage curtain fabric,

knitting needles,

old books for journal-making,

linen napkins to replace the ones we've worn out,

pads of cardstock for shop tags,

a $1 ironstone platter,

some silver spoons for plant markers,

embroidered linens for pouches,

and a little $2 lamp in need of a shade.

 

*And, last but not least, the baby chicks have arrived...I love Spring!

 

 

 

 

the Singer

  

  

 

 

Our weather lately has been more gloomy than usual for this time of year, a mix of rain and snow, though temps have warmed up a bit.  Boots are a must for for my daily walk as we're either slogging through standing water or snow, and the path through the woods is quite flooded.  We saw the first robins last weekend, and the Canadian geese have been flying overhead--a truly encouraging sight as Spring cannot be too far off...

In the kitchen I've been baking this Special banana bread - {excellent!}, zucchini muffins,
dutch oven bread, these Thai chicken wraps, and a birthday pie from cherries frozen last year.

In my workroom, I have a new helper--she's a 1930's era Singer 101-4 sewing machine which I found sitting out in front of an antique barn last summer.  As it was a bit of a gamble--the couple in charge couldn't remember if she was in working order--they offered to discount the price to $10.  Of course she was loaded up with her bag of accessories and brought home, where she has sat until just recently getting thoroughly cleaned up and oiled.  She needs a new light bulb and new rubber for the bobbin winder, but otherwise is running smoothly. She is controlled by a knee lever instead of a pedal, but I am getting used to it.   I have tested her out on a couple bags, {mainly just for the leather work}, one of which is the wool bag pictured, a messenger tote for me, made out of an old wool blazer of mine, a thrifted leather belt, and some leather scraps I had on hand.  It has a recessed zipper closure and lots of useful pockets inside and out.  I will now be looking at thrift store clothing with all sorts of possibilities in mind--my next recycling attempt is a bag from a Goodwill-found leather jacket!

work apron totes

 

I was so happy to find two old work aprons

at an estate sale--perfect tote material!

Not sure of their age,

but I think it's been quite a while since

we've had 4-digit phone numbers?

Both are now listed in the SHOP.

~

Deb 

some of my summer handiwork and a giveaway

         Over the course of the summer, many spare moments were spent working on some homespun goodness for a local craft festival.  The week of the event quickly arrived, and with it an unexpected family event for that very same day.  I never made it to the craft festival, but that turned out just fine as I now have some things to offer at firefly farm goods, which has been sitting quite empty all summer. 
Here's a bit of what I've been working on over the summer:

{ drawstring pouches }

{ recycled book cover journals }

{ some flea market treasures }

{ sugar sack & leather tote bag }

{ some zipper pouches }

Best of all, I would like to give away one of the

recycled book cover journals to one of you!

This journal is 5.25 inches wide x 7.5 inches tall.

Inside you'll find 100 sheets of acid-free blank white paper

plus pages of black & white nature illustrations

from an old book. 

It can hold your writing, drawing, or scrapbooking momentos... 

To enter the giveaway drawing,

just leave me a comment.

This is open to all readers, even if you

are outside the US.

And, if you are an anonymous commenter,

be sure to leave your email address.

Comments will be accepted until

end of day tomorrow, Tuesday October 9, and I will announce a winner

on Wednesday, October 10.

Thank you all for taking the time to stop by and visit!

Deb

*Note:  Comments are now closed and a winner will soon be announced--thanks for entering!!