Hollyhocks

And How Was Your Weekend?

I was getting a little worried... There haven't been many great estate sales in the past few weeks and as I was leaving work on Friday...I decided to skip the estate sales and go TO THE GROCERY STORE instead. What was wrong with me? Friday estate sales are my favorite way to relax. They are the official start of the weekend... But alas, I went home with the ingredients for Pasta with Bolognese Sauce...recipe here (along with a great recipe for potato leek soup)... Saturday morning I decided to check out a couple of sales. The first had some mildly interesting items at very high prices. The second had these...

The interesting thing was that they wouldn't have been at the sale on Friday because the family had just decided to include them on Saturday...Divine intervention? You make the call...The fact that it was the second day of the sale also meant that I got the whole set for 1/2 off (of what the Friday price would have been). They are made by a company called Ransburg and they are in excellent+ condition. As I drove home with them I decided to stop at the Goodwill thrift shop just to have a look around...What I found was nearly the apex of my thrifting career...

A vintage made-in-Holland, in-wonderful-condition pram...for $10

...as lovely on the inside as the navy felt is outside...now, lest you remind me that I: 1. don't have children and: 2. Do have a 90 pound labrador retriever who will not fit into a pram...let me remind you that those are minor details when one happens upon such a find. For now I will fill it with vintage linens and someday it may be a special shower gift for some lucky vintage-loving friend. Today I drove back to the Goodwill shop to buy the purse at the top of this post...

I left without it yesterday and decided that I just had to go back...didn't I?

The apothecary panel was what sold me. I just love that word. So, do you see what I mean about hunting for treasures? There are just so many amazing things so close to home... Now if I could just get Hyman-Hendler to open a ribbon shop here...Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks. I took the "blog tour" this morning and you are all making, decorating and baking such wonderful things for Autumn/Halloween. Thanks for sharing them.

NYC Part Three: Celebrity Sightings and Purl Soho

You'll never guess who we saw at MoMa... (oh, and by the way...you should scroll down and start at the first NYC post, just to stay in chronological order).

Come on, guess...  (The museum lets you take pictures!)  Everybody was snapping away...

We loved MoMA. O.k., I'll tell you...we saw Salman Rushdie...of all people. With the hubby working in news and all, it couldn't have been more perfect. Yes, we're sure it was him, and no, I didn't take his picture...I was all blase and big city by then...

After Central Park, we went to FAO Schwartz... Loved it! The American Girl Store (delicious little-girl wretched excess) and Kate's Paperie. Loved that too. Right near Bergdorf Goodman we saw...from the David Letterman Show...Rupert from the Hello Deli. That was pretty fun.

We ate lunch here...charming... and had 2 great dinners at Rosie O'Grady's and Frankie and Johnny's (on W.37th) Wonderful risotto at both places. Both were busy but relaxing after WALKING OUR LEGS OFF! (FYI...Those Hello Kitty Band-Aids wear like iron!) I/ then we... felt very comfortable walking around Manhattan. It's not the big scary place I expected. The subway was clean and elderly women with purses were riding right along with us...

We rode the elevator to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building...saw 2 women have panic attacks and opened the door to the observation deck, to be greeted by gale force winds (I tested the bars, just in case...very sturdy). It was an emotional experience. The view is like nothing I have ever seen before. I think that view must be what God sees when she wakes up in the morning. (I imagine God to be an early riser)

We saw several of these...Sunday morning found us at the American Folk Art Museum. It's right next to MoMA, so you should stop by. Quilts and paintings and sculpture from chicken bones. I loved it. We hopped the subway to Soho and...

Teeny Tiny Purl Patchwork. The smallest store you'll ever love at first sight.The whole store is the size of my office! But, oh, the fabric choices...

 

I already had the book and the pencil roll is going to be my first project from it. Wish me luck... and then it was off to this place...a bit of a walk, but a real calorie burner. The Hello Kitty band-aid was still in service...

Magnolia Bakery, where we stood in line for cupcakes with about 200 other people. Cupcakes, pretty good, icing....Amazing! I still think that no bakery can come close to fresh-from-the-oven homemade...

Well, the last stop on the list was the World Trade Center and Ground Zero. We finally found someone who seemed to know which trains to take on the reduced Sunday schedule and off we went, then off we went again... and again...After the 3rd visit to Hoboken, New Jersey...we decided that the visit would have to wait until next time. We went back to Manhattan and made a quick stop at the World's Largest Department Store, met our car guy at the hotel and settled in for the ride to the airport. It was only a short visit, but it's easy to see how addictive New York can be.

Oh, and the meeting that was the whole reason I got to tag along to NY with the hubby...It went well thanks... Now, when is the next meeting....

NYC Part Two

Saturday morning found us here where I found these...

A vintage hanky and an old printer's stamp. Maybe it was a slow week and maybe I am just spoiled by the amazing vintage goods available in my little burg...but I left vaguely disappointed. I do have one regret. There was a table full of vintage clear soda siphon bottles for a good price and I passed them by because they would have been hard to get home...darn... here are some more things from a nearby antique mall...

I think this shop was called The Missing Link. I fell in love with the hand painted cuff links and the great vintage enamel links too.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention this place...a veritable trim and ribbon megastore...I also got these...

..and since you're in the neighborhood, stop at Grayline Linen, where you will find hundreds of gorgeous linens at unbelievable prices...I first heard about it here. Thanks Amanda! I was so overwhelmed that I bought 2 yards each of 3 different weights of periwinkle linen. I couldn't even begin to think about all of the other color choices...

I spotted this beauty from the street, went into the shop, bought one yard of its silk lusciousness and I plan to roll the edges and have a great scarf to rock all over town...

We saw so many wonderful things in NY...

Times Square is so bright and alive that you just want to turn to perfect strangers and say "Wow. Isn't it so great to be here?" I didn't...More Hollyhocks in NYC coming soon, just scroll up!!!!

NYC Part One

When you step off of the plane...there are 2 words you need to know...

Hyman Hendler... This place, on 38th Street, looks like any other ribbon/trim shop (and there are MANY ) when you see it from the street...You walk through the shop and then you see this...

Beautiful, wonderful French Ribbon! A HUGE display of it...

This is what I brought home (they sell online, too). I demonstrated TREMENDOUS restraint...only because it was my first store in NYC and I was afraid they'd all be this magical...many were...

Next stop, Tinsel Trading.

Tinsel is a beautiful, sparkly, glittery store. There is a whole wall of millinery flowers, many vintage...and bins of all kinds of ephemera...vintage tags, ribbon, glass glitter...I could go on. I was alone and I had all of the time in the world but I had a case of phantom husband. I kept feeling like I should hurry...

Now for the things that came home with me...

The last shopping stop of the day was...

Kinokuniya...a huge Japanese bookstore with stationery and HUNDREDS of Japanese craft books. It's right at Rockefeller Center (or should I say near). Unfortunately, it was a very warm, rainy day and they had no air conditioning. The store had reached steamroom proportions by the time we arrived. I stayed as long as I could, but with a sweaty husband waiting in the rain and the climate in the store, my only other option would have been to give him cab fare and start casting aside articles of clothing. It was THAT HOT...and did I mention humid? Still, I managed...

I'll post some photos from the books another time...oh, o.k., just one or 2...

Well, here ends Part One of the Hollyhocks tour of NYC...Part Two is next...Scroll up!

...and Boy are my Arms Tired

I just flew back from New York City...

( Tinsel Trading photo. A hint of things to come)

Later this week I will be posting about a visit to craft blogger paradise...the city so nice, they named it twice...In case you are wondering...I have a million little slogans like that...ask the poor guy who had to hear them all weekend.

I was a craft blogger in a candy store. It was my first visit ever to the City That Never Sleeps (frequently, however, it does take a short nap. Some things were closed on Sunday. Not many though.)But more about that later this week when I've had a good night's sleep. Before I left I made this...

Thanks to your advice (thanks for the advice, by the way), I mixed the 2 fabrics.

Using the tutorial here

I made a matching bag to go inside. I am now teaching my students how to make them. Thanks Purl Patchwork! I work with the gung-ho-est group of women ever. I thought that since my office now contains 7 lovely new sewing machines, I'd offer an after school tote bag class for 6 staff members. Well...14 signed up and I have officially run out of room. I'm going to do an afternoon and an evening class with pizza in between. Class members have varying skill levels, from "What is a presser foot?" to "I've made a few things from patterns". The classes are in November and I can't wait. 

Stay tuned for a craft, trim and fabric tour of Gotham as well as photos out and about in NYC. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks. A special thanks to Sandy who was a great sport about the last post! Check out the comments for an update on the woman who had no scissors...

I Have Scissors, But No Style

I worried because I had no style

Until I met a woman who had no scissors.

When I went to pick up the above fabrics, I realized that I have no discernible style. I have fabric ADHD. I can't settle on a look. Some of you are all linen and contemporary graphic prints. Some of you are Liberty flowers. Some are Amy Butler Midwestern Modern. Some are country calico. I like them all. Well, not too much country calico but that's because I like lavender and periwinkle so much...As I was pondering these deep thoughts... I met a woman who has no scissors.

Sandy, our neighborhood purveyor of the wonders of Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett, Marimekko and Alexander Henry, was deep in conversation with a young grad student type who wanted to make pillows for her apartment.

She had selected a few yards of a Lotus print and she was tring to convince Sandy to cut all of the fabric pieces to size for her.

Because she has no scissors.

No Fiskars, no pinking shears

No small trimmers, no embroidery scissors

No scallop, no deckle

No applique

And certainly no dressmaker shears...

Sandy asked if maybe she didn't have some paper scissors? ANY scissors?

No.

Oh.

(Sheepishly) How about pins?

No.

Oh.

I think she was afraid to ask about thread

This, my friends, was not only a novice sewer... She had a new-to-the-planet vibe. It definitely took my mind off of my dilemma, with which you may be able to assist...

Can I mix the 2 chocolate prints in one tote bag? Not the beach balls silly. I know they won't go...although any number of craft bloggers could probably mix them and come out with something smashing!

I won't even ask about trim...

What do you think?

So... the next time you want to cry because you have no Japanese craft books...remember the woman who has no scissors...

Thanks for stopping by. Sorry Sandy, but you knew I'd have to blog about this one, didn't you?

Apple Pie Famous

Last year at this time, I was rolling out pastry and sprinkling cinnamon and nutmeg on apples on a regular basis. Now that it's apple pie season again, I thought I'd share with you what turned out to be a pretty exciting autumn.  My original apple pie recipe won a contest in Country Home magazine. If I never do another noteworthy thing, I can be quite happy being "the apple pie lady".

The local paper did a story on the contest and my recipe box collection... which has grown since then...

A lady looked me up and called from Nebraska to ask some questions about the recipe... Many people wanted to know where to get the maple sugar...

...and my third grade teacher called to catch up!(That was probably the most exciting part!). The magazine tested the entries and baked this pie several times to be sure that they could get consistent results. They say that you can use brown sugar, but maple sugar really makes the recipe. The turbinado sugar also adds an amazing crunch to the pastry top, and I love to cut a maple leaf out of the top pastry crust.

I think the best part about making apple pie is the buttery, cinnamony, nutmegy aroma wafting from the oven during the last 15 minutes of baking time...So...close your eyes, get the butter, cream and maple sugar out, forget the calories for the day and bake an apple pie. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks!

The Plastic Chair Replacement Program

We all think about what we'd do if we won the lottery. Some of us would help the poor, feed the hungry or cheer the downtrodden. I would set up a supervised grant program to replace plastic chairs on the world's porches. Until then...

Gentle readers...I implore you...help these people.

Offer to help them find vintage metal or wrought iron chairs...

...or lovely wicker...

Imagine the possibilities such a porch poses...

Doesn't this look cozy? (Photoshop the recycling out)

Don't ask. I think it's an office chair...

Only you can stop this...use your vintage aesthetic, your cushion design skills and your desire to create a warm welcome for visitors...help these porches...

Just $20.00 (10 British pounds!) will help a needy porch. The best part is that you will see where every dollar you donate goes, every time you walk by. I would like to share some of my favorite porches.

Wouldn't you just like to stop by for a glass of lemonade?

A glass of Reisling?

A 12 year old Scotch?...

Wouldn't it be nice to read your October Country Living on this adorable porch, mulled cider in hand? Please think about how blessed your porch is and help other, less fortunate, porches. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks...

Quilt Show Food and Ready for my Red Hat

Happy Sunday all! I went to a charming little quilt show yesterday and thought I'd share a few photos...I went for a haircut before the quilt show and my haircut guy said that he was surprised that a young person would be interested in quilts. I didn't launch into my "quilts are for everybody" speech. What I told him was that I was just planning early for my retirement. I love all of the things retired people love to do. By the time I hit the rocking chair, I will be way ahead of the Joanie-come-lately quilters, bakers and estate salers...Who'll be laughing then?

My favorite! I think I need to make one of these...Feedsacks...meet the Ginghers...

Quilt shows and antique shows always have the best food...chili, stew, soup...

Yesterday, they had sweets...you can always count on lemon squares and pie...often strawberry rhubarb pie...

This guild has 25 very busy members. As you can see, they love 30s and they dabble in batiks...

I loved this one.

 

This one is an antique...which reminds me...it's about time for a redwork post. I dream of making a Pan-Am quilt. I have the pattern and everything. Which reminds me of a quote I heard recently. It about sums up my current state of creating... "Working on a 5 Year Plan, Just Need to Choose a Font"

Thank you, KQP, for a really nice quilt show experience. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks! Happy Columbus Day!

What's Cookin' at Hollyhocks

It's Tablecloth Thursday! The weeks are going by so fast that I might have to change the idea to Tablecloth "season" and post one 4 times a year...the pressure...As you may have noticed, the strawberry was an important theme in tablecloths way-back-when. Please visit some fellow collectors at The misadventures.. and Bren's blog. I'd also like to say hi to Jessica. I hope you stop by often. Hey, since you're here...let me show you a little collection of vintage pillow ticking that I just LOVE!!!

 

As I mentioned before, I get strange looks when I gleefully buy "used" pillows at estate sales...and if I may offer a bit of advice...when you return home with your pillow treasure, it is NEVER a good idea to open the end and "shake the feathers" into a garbage can outside. Unfortunately, when I had occasion to do just that, the neighbor child yelled "dad it's snowing" (in May) and dad ordered him into the house in case the particles were hazardous. I hid in the garage until they went inside.

 

This set was a particularly nice find. I love it when people buy things and refrain from using them throughout their lives so that I may pick them up at their estate sales old, but fresh and new...

These 4 are my favorites. Well, thanks for stopping by, I wish I could ask you to stay, but I have to get over to mom's to shampoo her carpet. I will leave you with a little something from Superbuzzy that came today. Hansel, Gretel...it's been decades, when will you learn?...

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks!!!