Six Rescued Pillows

 

 

There are six pillows on this chair.  All came from the flea market or Good Will.

So, in my mind, I have rescued them.  And, they nearly all need a little refreshment of some kind. 

 

  

 

        First, the large ruffled one in the back.  Actually, all it needs is a good pressing of the ruffles.

 I don't think it was ever used...seems to me it was just packed away for a time and never ironed and spotlessly clean.

 

 

Then, there is the 'alphabet pillow' as I call it.  Woven fabric....loved it.  Could use a bit of clean up. 

           I'm going to take off that cording on the edge and either replace it, or try something else.  

I'm not sure I've ever said it here...but I love seeing the alphabet on just about any kind of needlework.

An old faded rose colored pillow.

It has a machine made lacey trim on the edge and an appliqued basket filled with ribbon roses.

It could use a little resewing in some places on the edge.

Still very sweet.  

 

I found this bird needlepoint pillow in a bin of linens and other textiles.

Of course, I had to have it...love the bird AND the green background.

 

 It needs a little bit of refreshment also...mainly re-stuffing.

 

  

Behind it is a burlap pillow with a lace band.  It's in very good condition...but I felt it needed a little          something extra, so I added the twine with a bird and heart charm, tied it in a bow, and pinned all to   the pillow with a golden bird/nest/egg pin.

 

 

This is the floral fabric sawdust stuffed pincushion found at the flea quite a while ago. 

It is stuffed so full, it weighs a ton.

Aside from being well used, the ruffle is coming undone on each end, so I'll repair that.

It's a very old fabric...of course in colors I just love.

So, there you are....six pillows in various stages of rescue/repair.

With a little work, they will last for a very long time.

And, they will be much loved.

Wherever You May Be This Day

BE WELL

from

 Bird Nest Cottage

                                                                           ❤️❤️❤️

                          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother's Day, 2018

 

 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

 2018

I found this print a couple years ago...yes, I've even shown it on this blog....but I love it, so thought I'd show it again and follow it with something from my quilt cottage.  In case you can't get it large enough for you to read....here:

"My Mother"

"You fill the world with kindness,

Your voice is soft and low;

Your face is like some picture,

A dream of long ago.

You are not great or famous,

Nor known in realms of art,

But you are rich in treasures

Which gild a kindly heart."

by

Mary Gold, a pseudonym for artist Marion Crowe

1896-1979

 

 

And, now, something from Bedroom #2 in my cottage...where this little painting resides.  Normally on the wall, of course, but I had to take it down to get a photo without glare.   It's a very sweet vintage watercolor from the 30's....and it goes so well with my other treasures.  That quilt, well, I showed it to you two posts back.......it's here for a while.  I don't want to put it on the bed until it is "rescued."

Of all places, that bird pillow came from Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago....just looked so good on the chair from the Junk House....where most of my "really neat stuff" comes from  there these days.

 A closer look.

 

 On the wall is a quilt you have all seen many times.  It's really at home here in this room, so, thought you might want to see it again.

 

 I'll probably never make another quilt even remotely like this one, so I like taking a good look at it now and again....and it hangs well here as there is no direct sun shining on it....

 

So....a few close-ups to give you a better look if you've never seen it before.  Silk Ribbon Embroidery can be a lot of fun, but no matter, it is also still WORK.  Good, fun work though.  This little basket is one of my favorite things I've made.  And, lots of French Knots on this quilt!!!  And, beading too!

 

Here, if you look closely, you can see the beads I added on the borders.  I added a bead now and again, here and there, as I quilted.  They don't show up very well, but then, I've always like to do work that a person would have to stand and look at for a while until all the elements were noticed.

Evidently, I don't make anything bright and colorful and shouts about what it is.   Guess I'm funny that way.

I always have liked that little heart with a plant coming out of the top of it.  For some reason.

 

 Another basket...and I like the leaves on the rose.  They are fun to stitch!

  

 The same with the leaves with the blue flowers.  Great fun!

 

 Those little pearl-ish beads on the border, were also a very faint pastels.  That quilting was really fun to do and I went through each bead twice to make sure they stayed in place.

 

 I LOVE the purple flowers here.  I usually call all my embroidered flowers "fantasy flowers" because they often don't resemble real ones.  But, these purple ones reminded me of lilacs, so I feel comfortable calling them that.  The round blue flowers...well, a fantasy for sure.  Buttonhole stitch was used.  They are so easy and fun too.

  

 Another rose.

  

 And, as always, I have to have hearts everywhere.....those large ribbon knots are French Knots done very loosely....and the heart itself is also French Knots...just tighter ones. 

 These needlepoint birds flew into my cottage on Friday....a gift from Jackie, my good friend in Waco.

I think I've said this before....I grew up in McGregor, Texas, just 'next door' to Waco.  Jackie started out as my sister's best friend...but, grew into my sweet friend also.  She is dear.  THANK YOU, Jackie!!!

  

 TWEET!!!

  

One sings, one listens....how cute!

So...hope you had a lovely Mother's Day!

until next time, 

from 

Bird Nest Cottage

 ♥️♥️♥️

 

Four Birds: A Recent Gift

 

"Everyone likes birds.  What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?"

David Attenborough

 

Recently, I was given this bell pull as a gift.  My friend, Kathy, a flea market owner, found it and presented it to me.  I love it so...as goes the saying - "I'm over the moon about it."  It came from an old house in a south Arkansas town....the house has a woman named 'birdie' in it's history.  I also picked up some old photos, papers and such from that old house.  How wonderful is it that I,  "Bird Nest on the Ground" person....have received such a gift!!!   THANK YOU, Kathy, for thinking of me!

 

 What is so wonderful to me about these birds is that they are done in petit point.  Look closely at them...such tiny stitches!  And, I love the colors!

 

 

 Just adorable!!!

 

In that first photo you will also see a very old mirror....I thought you might want to see what's in the top part of it.........you know I just love sentimental things...it says: 

"From Your Son in the Service."

Just dear!   

Hope you enjoyed the birds!  BTW, if you live in this area, you can visit Kathy and her husband, Morgan, at

THE JUNK HOUSE

115 West Idaho St.

Beebe, Arkansas 72012

You just never know what you might find there!

from

BIRD NEST COTTAGE

until next time

❤️❤️❤️

THIS and THAT

 

 OK...now, you are in for some 'THIS and THAT' which means I couldn't think of one good thing to talk about....instead rambling on about as assortment of 'stuff.'  I really have been meaning to show you this nest.  The larger one you've seen recently, it's a gift from a robin making her nest on the drain pipe of MY Nest this Spring.  The little one...well, it has a little story.  (Of course!)

 One day, a couple of months ago....my daughter called to ask if I could go to her house and take Trixie, her cute Jack Russell, for a walk as she had some house showings and couldn't get home at her usual time to walk the dog.  Of course, I could go...so promptly went out to visit my 'grand-dog.'  Trixie is a sweetheart.  While in the course of walking her, we went around to the side of the house and I saw something on the ground, shining in the sun.  On approach, I saw that it was a TINY bird nest.  

 It only measures 2 1/2 inches across and is just full of the tiniest bird feathers, dog fur, which I think is Trixie's, grass, and lots of other stuff.  It is just the sweetest little nest.  I love finding a 'bird nest on the ground' which in Texas, where I grew up, means you are having a lucky day, and why I chose it as a name for my studio and then, my blog!  I'll say.  One question though....what kind of bird do you think made this nest?  I've no idea, as I don't think it's like one a hummingbird would make, which was my first thought.  Let me know if you recognize it.

 

On a recent trip to the flea market, I found a few neat things and didn't spend much money...a good thing since I'm trying to limit the amount I will spend there.  (It's like going on a diet...hard to do!)

I found this lace doily there and thought you might like to see it.  These days, I find myself absolutely nuts over ecru and white needlework....so elegant and maybe VINTAGE, although I'm not so sure of that these days.  I plan on doing more stitching in these colors when I can manage a bit more time to work on something...in what I call 'the heirloom embroidery' style.  I'll show you a pillow I made....which pretty much shows what I mean...well, maybe in the next post.

This is just so beautiful and delicate looking.........LOVE!!!!!

 And, more of it.  By the way....this piece is seventeen inches from point to point....and weighs almost nothing.

 

This is one of the things I also found....there is now a 'paperweight collection' going on in the Nest.  I have been given some and FOUND some and made some, therefore a collection is born!

Fitting that I would find BIRDS!

This one is 4 inches from end to end.  And, lovely.

 Found this little cabinet.  It's eight x eleven inches...so cute.  

 

This is the inside which I find a bit bare....so will try to find something different to do to it...at some point...crying for a bird picture of some kind inside that door! 

 Something I rarely buy - this needlepoint, but couldn't resist this one.  It's very pretty.  The design is six inches x eight inches and just delightful.  Normally, I would prefer old well worn ones to use in some way in other pieces, but this one interested me because...A, it was only $5 and B, I have decided I want to try and use it in a totally different way....perhaps in a mixed media piece so as NOT to require the background to be stitched.  Now to figure all that out!

 The entire background canvas is nineteen x twenty-three inches....lots of canvas there.

And, here are some close-ups.  Really pretty!

 

I think I like this little 'vine' the best!

 

 I also found this little set of Demitasse spoons.  So sweet.  I've no idea what to do with them, but will give them some thought......I may include them in some mixed media pieces....or...well, NOT.  We will see.  Aren't they cute!

 And, in the original box!

I cleaned one so you and I could see the difference.    The pattern is called "Amsterdam.'  Set is from Sweden.  Paid $8.

Such a dainty design....and of course, my favorite thing - floral!

 I'm trying to decide if I want to clean them all....or leave them alone.  You know how I love things to look old and "previously loved".... we'll see.

 

Also found was this little paper file box.  Just like the larger expandable ones you use for bills and such.  This one is so cute and small...recipe file size.  Complete with blank cards and alphabet dividers...$1.  Couldn't resist!  And, then, on a trip to WallyWorld  on Friday, I made a quick walk through the school supplies.  No, I have NO ONE in school....but I always make at least one trip through the school supplies at the beginning of each school year...just because I have to treat myself to some of them....one more time.  So....I purchased three Composition notebooks for .50 cents each and a tiny set of three for .88 cents.  Remember the tiny ones were a base for the little quote book in my last post.  Cheap enough and now I am 'restocked!'

 A peek inside.

Dear friend Jim gave me this tiny little baby shoe.  Isn't it cute?  So...at some point, this will become a pincushion.  So dear!

 

These little buttons are just wonderful...they have a lovely glow to them.  Glass and milky white...so pretty!

To finish off this blog, I'm showing you this lovely old GREEN wooden box.  Actually, the other day when I bought it....I chose it first, then found the other items.  You know I have an awful time turning down something in my favorite green...especially when it's in this condition...yes, my favorite 'previously loved' state.  The box is six inches deep and twelve inches x seventeen inches.  Perfect!

So, there you go...a little trip to the flea - hunting and gathering - and walking the dog....amazing what you can find when you take a good look at your surroundings.  Hope you enjoyed the 'trip'!!  Now, do take care til next time.  pat