Hollyhocks

Show and Tell Sunday...Vintage Linens

Have I got a husband or what? Since I am unable to go to estate sales, he happened to see a sign and stopped in to see if there was anything I would like...

He got the embroidered runner, pristine A&P needle book and this tablecloth for $2!!!! The tablecloth needs a good soak but the colors are vivid and I just love it. I may have to send him out every week with a fistful of bills and a wish list. This guy is good!

Thanks to Cerri and Analise for sponsoring another show and tell Sunday. Check their blogs out for a complete list of participants. I apologize for the photo quality but my time upright is limited...to about 5 minutes...so there isn't a lot of time to fuss...

You've seen them before, but the tablecloths were the first linens I collected...

Hey, how did that sweet Moda fabric get in there? Just looking at it cheers me up! I debated and debated about ordering it...

This white cabinet is stuffed with Christmas and other linens...I must remember to sort it out once the twins are...in school...

A drawer of doilies... There are a few of these...

A sampler and some chenille...

...and some of the feedsacks...

...and 2 vintage peg bags. There's so much more...you'lljust have to stop in when I am off of bedrest. Speaking of...this is what bedrest looks like with a chocolate lab...he's a little protective...

Ignore the dark circles...I am certainly getting ENOUGH REST!!!! Thanks for visiting with Hollyhocks. Your notes make my day, every day.

24w, 5d...

Give Me Liberty and Give Me Betamethasone

Well, it's official, the twins are on steroids. We had our first shot yesterday and the last is scheduled for today. Of course, if a congressional committee asks...the twins will deny any involvement with said pharmaceuticals, although they are now pretty much assured a future in professional sports...or is that another kind of steroid? For the uninitiated, the steroids help to mature the babies' lungs and blood vessels in case they make an early, unscheduled appearance...which would result in a stern talking to from their mother who has told them to stay put until I tell them it's time to come out. The kids were up kicking at 3:30 last night, so I think professional soccer may be a real possibility for my retirement...I mean...their future.

But enough baby talk...what you see above is..

some Liberty fabric that I have been dying to show you...

I bought it a while back...only fat quarters (which the DH calls "fat corners") because I wanted lots of different prints. I plan to use them as trim on onesies and other baby basics (burp cloths, etc.) Any other ideas????

The best price and selection I could find for Liberty fabric was from this place

Would it be selfish of me to delete my registry at Babies R Us  and just register for Liberty fabric?(number 53198646 if you're nosy...I am, I always look at people's registries) ...and, I'm not as greedy as I look...almost, though. I put everything I could think of on there because A. Let's face it, I have nothing else taking up my time and B. I may have to send the DH out for supplies and didn't want to leave anything to chance. That having been said, I had quite a time looking at baby stuff, especially that Tea Time exersaucer (bottom of registry). Why don't they make those for adults? I could sit in there for hours.

I will leave you with the finished birds I posted about before...hand sewn as I whiled away the hours here at Camp Bedrest.

They are gifts for my coworkers to thank them for thinkng of me while I am away "on the nest". They sent over a wonderful care package yesterday. I'll post photos at some point. The Dr. appointment went well yesterday. No change...back to the sofa.

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks!

24 weeks, 1 day.

In Other News

Greetings!!! If you find yourself here at Hollyhocks as a result of the News 4 story on craft bloggers or the wivb.com link, WELCOME!!! You might want to go to the left side of the screen and click on August 2007 in the archives. Then click on July at the top of the screen and then June 2007. That post explains a little bit about Hollyhocks. It's also a bit more carefree, as we weren't expecting twins then and my biggest worry was figuring out which fun thing to do each weekend! This blog is heavy on the vintage finds and fabric of all kinds. Enjoy.

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks. Please check out the other local craft bloggers.

Happy Mother's Day

Whether your child has two legs or four or the child you mother is yours or someone else's. Whether you feed the hungry or smile at a person in need. Whether you have 1 child or a country of people to care for, Happy Mother's Day. Mothers, conventional and unconventional, Happy Mother's Day!!!!

My friend (the one who arrived with a laudry basket full of food a couple of weeks ago) arrived at my door yesterday with her 12 year old son, gardening tools and a flat of flowers. They weeded and planted my front garden (and brought candy...orange slices...)

When I go on my next outing,  I can't wait to see how everything looks! Isn't lilac season a wonderful time of year? I have some summery Liberty fabric to show you soon and I am working on the birds from Last Minute Patchwork Gifts...7 down, 3 to go.

Lilacs down, Lilies of the Valley next... Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks.

23 weeks, 5 days

Edited to Add: If you live in the Western New York/Southern Ontario area, tune in to News 4 Buffalo Tuesday at 5 PM for a segment on local craft bloggers featuring Polka Dot Bug and Mr. Monkey Suit (she of the huge and incredibly neatly folded fabric collection. Josie is a transplant from England. Thanks England!!!!)

Belgium, Not Just for Chocolate Anymore

This wonderful box of goodies, sent by my Belgian fairy godmother Nicky, arrived late last week. It came at a perfect time and made me cry. Nicky and I have been reading (and commenting on) each other's blogs for months. The lavender sachet smells just wonderful and the tin contains tiny clothespins. They are not in the photo but Nicky also sent two adorable scalloped fabric bibs ( I'll have to take photos at some point). If you click on the photo you will see the SunBonnet Sue ruffled trim...so charming! Each bit was wrapped individually, so that was fun, and the presents came in a beautiful cloth box. I will use it to store momentos and sonogram pictures. It was a wonderful surprise and really made my day! In other news...

We have decided to change doctors...both of them. I was nervous about telling them but, we just felt that neither had a plan to intervene if things got worse. We found a wonderful high-risk (woman) Dr. and we're just crazy about her. She feels that things have stabilized for now but, will begin using a monitor for contractions next week and plans to hospitalize me if things change. I needed to know that everything possible would be done to keep these babies growing for as long as possible. She will also do the delivery. I didn't feel comfortable with my old OB saying that he would not do the delivery if the babies were premature. His plan was to leave me to show up at the emergency room and take whichever stranger was delivering babies that night. I have truly lost faith in him as far as this pregnancy goes. I feel so blessed to have found this new Dr. On her vacation, she's going to Appalachia with her church to build houses...

I'll be checking in on all of you soon. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.

23 weeks, 1 day

 

Bedrest Schmedrest

Sonogram yesterday and the cervix has started to shorten again. Not good news. I am to maintain bedrest and "hope for the best". If I make it 2 more weeks, I go back to the Dr. and get the steroid shots at that time. It is hard to accept, but we just have to wait and see. Thank you all for your thoughts and support. I may be scarce for a while but I will be looking in on your blogs.

22 weeks, 1 day.

Rainy Days and Mondays...Not Minding Bedrest Today

On a day like this, with 2 movies waiting on TiVo and some old Marie Claire Idees to page through, I kind of don't mind being on bedrest. (I never thought I'd say that!). My dear friend Anne arrived Saturday evening with a laundry basket full of food. Salad with homemade dressing, crusty, grainy bread, chicken paprikash and even sponge cream cake for dessert. The evening flew by and I actually went to bed tired. She noticed that I had ripped this recipe out of my Martha magazine and offered to make the cookies...Now that's a friend. Although after a clear side view in a full-length mirror this morning, I think I can safely say that I am eating enough!

When I am working, I spend my time trying to think up creative activities that will help my students reach their fine motor, gross motor and visual perceptual goals. Schools and families used to include such activities in their daily lives but, with the increased use of computers, video games and television, many children lack basic skills. So, my students learn to sew buttons onto a shirt, mend a hole and repair a hem. Imagine my joy when I came upon this at an estate sale...

 

The box holds a collection of sewing exercises completed by a child...

I love that this useful and developmental exercise was a part of this child's education...

I think the name is Georgia Arnliff. Does that seem right? All of you who sew with your children should feel great about the fact that you are helping them develop manual dexterity  skills that will serve them as they grow...as well as a practical skill and pastime.

I also like to weave simple things with students, so I was very excited to find this vintage loom...

this website has information about the Weave-It looms. Another company makes a reproduction of the original Weave-it, called the Weavette. Martha Stewart did a wonderful article on hand looms a few years ago. These little looms are great for weaving wool yarn into small pieces of cloth to make sewing projects.

What I love most about craft work is that it is universal. We all have our ethnic flavors, but the base skills are the same. Thank you for stopping by Hollyhocks.

21 weeks 6 days.

Birds and Vintage Baby Gowns...A View From the Nest

I hope this finds all of you enjoying your weekend. A good friend is bringing homemade Chicken Paprikash to me for dinner so I have a nice visit to look forward to this evening. It's good to have friends who like to cook! The baby dresses were an estate sale find. They were dirty and rolled into balls in the bottom of a box with this...

A beautiful handmade peachy pink silk dress.

I think these old baby hangers are just adorable. Why were things so much more detailed and charming when we were kids?

I can't remember when I picked up the little embroidered flannel jacket but I see them at estate sales pretty frequently.

A thrifted sheet and, recently I was walking around Amvets, silently lamenting the fact that I rarely see wool blankets anymore when I found this perfect pink wool blanket. I felted it and can't bring myself to cut into it yet but, I was inspired by Vicki at Turkey Feathers who found an off-white wool blanket and started what she calls her "blanket statement". She has challenged herself to make as many unique projects as possible from the one blanket. She is even writing a craft book about her endeavors...

These little darlings are what's keeping me occupied this weekend. The idea is to make and stuff them (love that "Touch of Silk" stuffing from JoAnns) sew little ribbons on them and send a rustic basket full of them to work to thank my coworkers for their cards and care packages while I am "on the nest". By the way, the birds are resting on another thrifted cashmere sweater. Yipee, more tiny cashmere sweaters to make. I can't wait to see what you're making. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.

21 weeks, 4 days.

Meet my Friends Ben and Jerry

My neighbor stopped by with these. What a perfect present! Dr. visit yesterday. Everything continues to stay the same, which is good news. They gave us a peek at the babies who are "stacked like cord wood" according to the DH. They were kicking and punching away...and so adorable and baby-like. I am doing my part by eating an entire order of spinach-artichoke dip for dinner...extra chips....

Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks.

21 weeks, 1 day.

Show and Tell Sunday...On Sunday This Time!

Just a few things I love. Please check out the list of people participating in Show and Tell Sunday. This cameo was my maternal grandmother's. I love cameos. I envision this one as a choker on a wide black velvet ribbon with a strapless black taffeta dress. Remember that breathtaking black strapless dress Princess Diana wore that time? She stepped out of the limousine and the papparazzi gasped...Now that's an entrance.

Cameo earrings found at an estate sale for $1.50

Faux pearls that were my grandmother's resting on a gorgeous 1950s dress of my mom's that I thought was lost forever. I knew that I would never have thrown it out...Mr. Hollyhocks found it packed away in the basement...along with...

This little silver dog pin. You can see it pinned to my grandma's coat in the photo. I am so glad to have it back. She wore it all winter and I remember admiring it when I was really little.

More grandma sparkle...

...and more...

...and 2 estate sale find pins...I have a few more things which I will save for another time...I really want to show you these...

These are an estate sale find. Aren't they just the best? I've worn them a couple of times. I'll leave you with...

A few things that arrived in the mail this week from Andrea's Shop.  Have you ordered from her yet? Everything arrives wrapped like a present and with some yummy pink candy. She is sending a free almond-scented Italian glue stick with every order placed in April.

Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks.

20 weeks, 5 days.