A Vintage Book Cover, A Surprise Puzzle, and More Quotes

 

On one visit to the flea and a little while ago...I found this book.  Old.  And, falling apart.  Actually, you could not have read the complete title as it was so faded.  But, isn't it beautiful?  Yesterday, I decided to at least make the word Poetry legible.  

  

 The cloudy part there is where the cover material has just worn away.

  

 I used this Pilot Silver Marker to go over the very faded lettering.  It's like writing with liquid silver....in other words...FUN!  I've had that marker for YEARS....using it sparingly each time.

I need to see if they are still made...perhaps IMPROVED, as if you press too hard on the point, you can wind up with a silver blob.  Oh, they came in gold also...and may still.  You can be sure I'm going to find out.  

(Funny how you can renew an interest in something over time.)

Anyway....now, at least, you can tell it's a book of poetry.

I didn't even try to draw over the filigree pattern, as the pen point is too wide.

 

 A Surprise Puzzle

 My daughter took some photos from my blog posts to use in my mystery Christmas gift.

So, when I opened my gift at Christmas, I was quite surprised to see photos of some of my collections looking back at me!

She had used a section of this trunk photo

 

 

     and also of this basket of buttons to order

  of all things, two jigsaw puzzles.  Who would have thought of that???

    And, I, being totally behind the times, didn't even know you could do that if you had thought of it!                     Amazing!!!                       

  

 And, here are the puzzles!

When put together, each should measure 20" x 30"

and there are 1014 pieces in each.

Do you like jigsaw puzzles?

I do.

Many hours (weeks, months?) of fun ahead!!

 I wanted to include a selection of some of my favorite quotes today.

January being "the most quiet" month to me...means I lean toward reading and writing more quotes in my little 'quote books.'

"A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses."

A Chinese Proverb

 "The earth laughs in flowers."

 Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds round my neck."

Emma Goldman 

"Use the talents you possess for the woods would be silent if no birds sang except the best."

Henry Van Dyke 

"Where flowers bloom - so does hope."

Lady Bird Johnson 

until next time

BE WELL

from 

Bird Nest Cottage

❤️❤️❤️

 

A Giveaway WINNER, Something Pretty and a New Quote

 

First things first:  A Giveaway WINNER!!! 

She is:

LOU ANNE

Lou Anne, I will need your mailing address...could you kindly email it to me and I will get the quilt blocks to you one day this week.

Thank you all for wanting to rescue these sweet animal quilt blocks.

A new Winter Quote:

 

 

In case you have trouble reading this photo: 

"Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand

and for a talk beside the fire;

it is the time for HOME."

Edith Sitwell 

I have a small chalkboard on my front porch on which I often write one of my favorite quotes.  It was overdue for a change....and this one called my name, so I wanted to share it with you.

 

And, now, some pretty things.  I took these photos from my archives this evening...I may have shown them before...but if so...well, they still look good.  Sometimes it is fun to unload a box or two and come up with an interesting mixture of ingredients.  

  

So, I hope you enjoy looking at these.

  

 

 

 I find these to be treasures indeed!

Hope you are enjoying January and since it seems to be flying by,

here's another quote I just decided this instant to post here:

"Art is long and time is fleeting."

 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

until next time

BE WELL

from 

Bird Nest Cottage

❤️❤️❤️

 

 

RESCUE THE PERISHING: A Quilt Block Giveaway

 

 Friday I received a package in the mail from my friend, J., who lives in Waco, Texas.

J. is my sister's best friend and has been for practically my sister's whole life.  And, since my sister is so nice...she lets me in on the friendship also.  I suppose you could call it a win-win for the three of us! 

Well, J. is always doing the nicest things....for instance, the package she sent was full of embroidered quilt blocks.  Twenty-five to be exact.

Yes, 25!

And, here is what she said:  

"I rescued these from a trash heap.  Use them, gift them or sell them - just please don't send them back!!!"

She knows I have this 'rescue thing' going on....and really...someone THREW these away!

Having many rescue projects here already, and magic not one of my talents, it occurred to me that maybe I could enlist one of you to rescue them.

So, how about it, might you be in?

I will be giving these blocks away on Sunday, January 19, 2020.

All you have to do is make a comment on this blog post sometime between now and noon next Sunday, at which time the winner will be chosen.

I will announce the winner on my Sunday night post.

 

So, here they all are.  An assortment of bears, cats, dogs, monkeys, ducks, elephants,

rabbits, lambs, a mouse, a deer and a hippo.  Plus the clowns.

  

  

 

  

  

 

  

 A nice way to start the year on my blog....a Rescue, for sure, and a good way to share something with you.

 Just make a comment and let's see where this goes!!!

 

And, THANK YOU, J.,  for stepping right up and removing these blocks from the trash heap!!! 

The right thing to do!!!

 See you next Sunday!

until next time

BE WELL

from

Bird Nest Cottage

❤️❤️❤️

 

MEMORIES OF LAURA

 

 MEMORIES OF LAURA

a quilt

made in 1988

by 

Patricia Eaton 

The last time I posted was in September of 2019.  I intended to carry on, really I did, but

 last year was not the happiest year I have lived through and it got the best of me.  My heart just wasn't in it. My blog posts suffered because of it...I could no longer come up with anything I thought interesting enough to mention to you.    So, I let things go.  I thought many times of just closing my blog. 

I'm so sorry about that.

The holidays came.  They are always hard for me. I'm not sure I've ever told you that.

And, I thought a lot about things during the last two months.

Being kind of a hermit....there is lots of time to think.  It can wear you out, especially during hard times.

 And, oh...there is also that OCD thing.  

Yes, I AM my own worst enemy.

Do you ever talk to yourself?  I do.  One day, recently this just came right out of my mouth:

"It's hard to be me....even I have trouble doing it."  

Now that is a quote from actress Tallulah Bankhead.

But, that day, it seemed clear as a bell that it actually fit me.

It IS hard to be me....and it may ALSO be hard to be you.  We are going through tough times.

So, I need to just get a grip and get on with it.  

You want to try it with me?

Right then, I decided to get out a quilt and show it to you, even if I have shown it many times before. 

And, this quilt got my attention one more time.

Yes, I made it in 1988...a lifetime ago.

I wanted to remember Laura Ingalls Wilder as I had read all her books in my youth and loved them dearly...then watched all the Little House of the Prairie shows on tv too. 

Below a quote from her I believe to be quite fitting for current times.

 

 Below, take a closer look at all parts of this quilt.

The quilt hasn't changed either...after all these years.

So, once again, Laura can inspire us with her words.

And, maybe this quilt will also inspire us in it's own way.

 

  Hand appliqued, embroidered and quilted.

  

One stitch at a time.

Each one, as I've always said, a prayer, a meditation, a poem.

 The sky fabric and all those shades of blue....hand-dyed specially for me by my dear friend, Mary Morgan.  Upon giving it to me, she told me "don't make a scene."

 What she meant was she didn't want me to try and pay her for it.

So, I just made another kind of scene!

 

 

 One of my favorite parts of the quilt is Laura's tiny pocket, it's a real pocket.

 

 The label on the back of the quilt.

(Gosh, it seems like only yesterday when I sewed that label on!!!)

I just may read these all over AGAIN.

 

 Yes, studying this quilt again and thinking of Laura also...I like to think she was right and the "real things" haven't changed.  

I will carry that with me through this year.

So, a HAPPIER New Year to you too!

 until next time

BE WELL

from

Bird Nest Cottage

❤️❤️❤️