Pink and Pretty

 

 So, here are a few of my favorite things......placed in front of one of my favorite quilts.  It's a family quilt, lots of names on it....so a cross-stitched LOVE ONE ANOTHER just seems to go there really well.   And, that reminder never hurts anyone, does it? I've no clue who did the cross-stitch, but I made the quilt long ago.  I got the cross-stitch from Sheila at the Junk House.....it really called my name....as you well know....the colors pink and green are always calling my name, so it was irresistible.  It's beautifully stitched.

 

 A recent acquistion was this pink ceramic flower vase from the 40's.........and a heart too....how could I go wrong?  Love it!!!  The little heart bowl I was given a few years ago....it is adorable and the little pink bowl is just dear also.  They sit atop a wonderful cake plate I got from Kathy a while back......it is wonderful.........a few meadow flowers amongst roses.  I love it.

 

 This lovely green vase is a recent purchase also.  From Charles, also at the Junk House.  Just lovely.

And, such a sweet bird perched on it's edge.  

 

 The yellow 'flower' bowl with pink bird....oh, my, I loved it at first sight, but have had it for a while now.

One filled with perle cotton in great colors....some pink.  The other filled with tiny paper roses.  Tickles my fancy....just saying.

 

 The yellow bowl,  underside.

 

 The green vase, underside.

 

 The pink heart vase is not marked, but I found it online under McCoy.

I really need to bake a cake and show it off on that cake plate sometime soon!

 

And, here they all are in my tiny dining room.......all that pink and green mixed in with lots of red and part of my flag collection. I hope you enjoyed seeing this little piece of Bird Nest Cottage, with it's new colorful ceramic pieces, all the stitching and my best wishes for a 

Happy Memorial Day. 

 And, a gentle reminder:

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Until next time

from

Bird Nest Cottage

♥️♥️♥️

A Little Pink on a Tuesday

 

I decided this a.m. to post a little something PINK here on my blog.  Just a little something.

I've taken this photo on the table at the foot of my bed....just in case you ask.  It's actually a worktable, for as you may or may not know....my studio is now in my bedroom.  Having left my wonderful backyard studio when I moved, and having nowhere here to put all my important "stuff," I've had to spread studio contents in just about every room in my new house, including the garage.  It works fine for me...for others, well, maybe not so much.

But, back to the PINK!  

I just quickly gathered up a few things that I thought you might enjoy seeing.

   

First the box of lace.  I seem to have a serious fondness for these beautiful boxes...a bunch of them live in my house.  I nearly always get them at TUESDAY MORNING, but have also found a few of them at the flea markets. 

  

 Here you can see a closeup of some of the lace pieces I have put in this box.  Just waiting to be used somehow in many future projects. 

   

 And, the box itself.  So pretty.

  

This neat jar of threads I bought at a flea market, complete with the threads and the stitched lid.

Well, really, how could you be a 'maker' of the stitching kind and not buy it? 

That pink and green doily was given to me by my sister...I received it in the mail just last week.

THANKS, Debbie!!  There is a crocheted pincushion, bought at the flea...I do own several of these, some with ribbon woven in the stitches, some not.  

Then, there is the doll.  I made it in 2006.

 

She was made from an vintage embroidered dinner napkin.  I used every bit of it....for the little bag, her arms and legs, and her body.  She has a glass button "pin" and for her hair, I tore strips of different colors of fabric, tied the strips in knots, then sewed the knots to her head.  Her face I drew on with a permanent pen.  She has a pin back, so I have actually worn her before, but my favorite way of wearing this little doll, is pinned onto my bag when shopping.  As you can see...she is also a shopper!

 

This crocheted bag is like a little clutch purse...it has no handles.  So cute!

  

 Here it is with the flap open.

 

 And, here it is with bits of lace tumbling out of it.  Makes a lovely place to save small pieces of lace, although that is definitely not why it was made.

 

 And, here it is with one of my vintage crocheted pincushions...this one without the ribbon woven through it you see on so many of these pincushions.

  

 I wanted you to see this length of vintage quilt.   It is about forty inches wide, eighteen inches deep and the little blocks are four inches square.  This is the way I bought it.  Naturally, I didn't pay much for it....but, I thought I could use it for collage stitching work...and it is a wonderfully faded pink color.  In the condition it's in...I would not hesitate to cut it up....and as you will see, someone else has already cut the quilt in pieces.

 

 Even in the poor condition of this quilt, there are things one could make from the 'usable fragments.'
So, here are some close-ups of it......and one day...I hope to make a few 'new items' from this old quilt.

 

 And, here are a couple of photos showing you what the 'good parts' look like.   I do like the 'something good from something old and worn' idea.  I definitely would call it 'previously loved to death.'  I'm looking forward to stitching something on it....sometime soon!

(Actually it should provide enough pieces to make more than one project.)

What would you do?

 

 

 So, there you are...a bit of Pink on a Tuesday.  Have a wonderful day!!!

from 

BIRD NEST COTTAGE

 until next time

♥♥♥

More Pink: These Made by Me

 

 Continuing along with my Pink "mood" here are some things I have made over time.  Using many different techniques, you might begin to see how much I love embroidery.  Some of these things I still have, but some have been sold.  Actually,  I wish I had known to take more photos of these pieces to better show them to you...well, you'll notice as we go along there could have been more photos.

This little rectangular pincushion...if I remember, is about 3" x 6."  The flowers are silk ribbon embroidery, with seed beads in the centers.  I used a beautiful varigated green DMC thread for the leaves and the fabric itself was faintly painted.  And,  a ribbon and beaded edge, sewn on by hand.  You know that is the way I prefer to work.  It was FUN!

 

This is just a smaller version.  I think it was about 3" square.  I remember liking it a lot.  

 

 

 This is a mixed media piece.  First I painted some Warm and Natural quilt batting.  Then, I embroidered it with this little "scene."  Then it was stitched to a painted canvas, continuing out with the grass and flower idea.  French Knots for the trees, flowers.  I think it was 5" x 8."  Really enjoyed making this...one of several, all different.  I own none of them.  How weird is that?

 

 I cross-stitched this several years ago from a chart I made from a stitched piece I saw on a blog, with the owner's permission, of course.  That blog is no longer being published, but I still remember the kindness of that particular blogger.  This background is also painted lightly.  I still have not framed this piece, but do intend to try and finish this and lots of pieces I have in "limbo."  The green border is about 5" x 5" or so.

 

This is the center of a quilt I made...and one of my favorites.  This is a nine inch block.  I loved making it.

 

 These three little pincushions are made with appliqued pieces which have been held in place by an iron on interfacing...then embroidered with a single strand of DMC Floss, using a Chain Stitch.  Very tiny Chain Stitches.  Very easy, but tedious and great fun!  I think the larger one is about 5" x 5." 

 

 Another pincushion.....I can't remember the size, but do know it wasn't very big....perhaps 4" x 8."

An appliqued heart attached with the applique stitch.  Embroidered vines and a beaded edge. 

 

Now, this I still own.  A vintage cup, filled with sand, with an embroidered  wreath of pink flowers on top....a length of flower 'ribbon' sewn in place and beads threaded and stitched between the flowers.    I have a selection of cups, sugar bowls, and such saved up to make more of these.  Expect them at some point...I just can't promise when.

 

 This piece is a mixed media piece...a canvas about 12" x 15" or so.  It's hanging in my guest bath at this very moment.  I painted a canvas for the background, adding a page from a vintage ledger, roses and butterflies from paper napkins, a lady from a magazine, a hand drawn and painted tree. 

 

 This tiny farm "scene" is about 3" x 4."  The little barn is very tiny, appliqued, then decorated with many French Knot flowers and trees.  This is one of my very favorite things I've ever made.  Yes, I still own it.  I made several of these, somewhat larger,  with different elements in them.  As I prefer to make only one of a kind items,  I did keep this one. 

 

This is an ATC card.  2 1/2" x 3 1/2"  Embroidered in Satin Stitch, using DMC floss, with a beaded edge.  Those little hearts are the kind that will be in my tutorial in February.

 

 I should have shown a photo of this piece after it was framed.  But....

I used a piece of painter's canvas that was my "paint rag" for the background of this piece.  (Never throw out anything!!!!)  Then, I painted the old tree, then the birds.  I painted some paper in bright colors, cut tiny leaves from it and sewed the leaves on with machine stitches and the piece was finished.  Oh, and added a funky little flower too.  Great fun!!

 

And, finally, pretty pink flowers in silk ribbon embroidery. This is a piece of a Crazy Quilt I made...lots of pink in it.  Yes, I've got a variety of things on this post...all with some pink....all FUN...and hopefully, interesting and enjoyable for you to see.

Next, a single pink item....I will show it to you by special request.  Not nearly so dramatic as that sounds...but maybe you will find it very interesting....as it sort of comes under the heading of what   to do when cleaning up a vintage purchase isn't quite as easy as you thought.

Until then,

♥♥♥