mountains from molehills

I have piles of vintage linen, lace and scrap cotton which I keep in the back of my mind, and brainstorm projects. A few weeks ago, I got an idea and left it to incubate. Finally, on a free evening I began. Here's a bit. More to follow:

brown paper packages tied up with string. favorite things one: egg cups

My sewing machine took a bit of a respite during the beginning of 2010. Thanks to a wayward patch falling from O's cubscout uniform, I finally pulled it out again last week.

My plan for this week was to update with the new mini-sewing project I'm working on - full of bits and pieces of lace, vintage cotton & silk.


But the morning and afternoon light lately have been soul swelling and I've pulled out all of my favorite things to photograph.



And so begins a series I've been meaning to start anyway:
my favorite things (, a few of).

Number One: Egg Cups

 
I began collecting these a few summers ago. There is something about the sweetness of their shape that always catches my eye. Especially those with that tiny gold rim.

 
Though the simple plain ones are just lovely.

This set came as a pair though they have a crooked symmetry.

My mom says I used to love what she called an "eggie chopped up in a cuppie."

If nothing else, I still devour the cup.

Peonies: Real & Sewn

I bought peonies a few weeks ago. I love bulbous fluttery flowers and peonies never let me down. I snapped a few photos to catch them as the petals started threatening to fall:
They managed to photograph with a lot of fluttery drama, which is saying something considering the lame cantaloupe color of our kitchen (of which I am really not a fan) and the fact that in person they were well on their way to decay. Never underestimate the beauty you can get with $9 at the grocery store.

Since taking them, I've wanted to recreate some textile peonies in some way and started a little project. First up, some 3-d petals wired together to make flowers (or, more accurately: A flower)
Project two: sewn peony pillows. They took some planning, but managed to stay pretty organic and roughly formed:

Each petal is topstiched to the linen. Here's a shot of the underside that belies the process a little:

Great Bellies, Shady Math

So, I am thirty + It is springtime. This seems to = a lot of babies in bellies.

I'm pretty clear on how this happens, though of late, I have been given several colorful crash courses in sex ed from my favorite 5 & 7 year old boys.  These days the preconditions of pregnancy involve 1) being a teacher and 2) having a husband. So I'm not in the running. Nor is our loyal dog, Casey, who had some sort of procedure involving tubes and , it was noted, does not have a husband (though several dog friends have been suggested).

What this new phenomenon really equals is a lot of baby sewing projects. I'm stuck on the Elephants. Here we are on the way into Burlington on our way to Kathy's babyshower. Sewing was, of course, finished in the car.

Elephant got off at Exit 14.