A Blondie Day

A Fairy Spot

A few years ago, I came upon an old colander at the thrift shop.  She was a little beat up, missing her handles and had some dents and bruises, but I saw the beauty in her nonetheless.

She came home with me and promptly became a pretty pot for a lovely lantana for the rest of the season.

 

 

 

The following year, however, overwhelmed with the sad task of cleaning out and selling my parents' home, Miss Colander stayed in the shed - empty and sad.

So, to make up for it this year, she has been given a very special duty.

She has become a Spot for Fairies.

 

 

My Girl and I lined her lovingly with a shredded coconut liner, filled her with potting soil and planted a few tiny succulents, including aloe which can be quite useful in the summer.

 

 

We added little chairs, a wee birdbath and some other little friends, together with pretty colored beach glass we thought the fairies would like.

 

 

 

 

And lo and behold, we think we created the perfect spot that any Fairy would gladly come to rest and ponder and think Fairy-thoughts.

 

 

 

May you find a restful, happy spot in which to ponder and dream as well.

 

XO Helena

 

 

 

 

Tea Totes

New pretties are in the shop!  Tea totes are here...

 

 

 

Pretty, vintage-y, repurposed and useful...all my favorite things.

 

 

 

And lots of styles, from cute to funky to pretty...

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a moment, stop by and see them all.

 

Much love

and Light,

Helena

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty Find No. 2...

...sitting upon Pretty Find No. 3...

A lovely vintage tin and a beautiful woven vintage Mexican serape.  The colors and patterns have me doing a happy dance!  

 

 

I have plans for that serape IF I can possibly bring myself to cut it. OOh, I just don't know if I am that brave.

 

Also, coming soon to the shop...

 

 

And they are SO very cute and handy too, I must say.

 

Happy Day!

 

XO Helena

 

Pretty Find No. 1

Freshly back from a long weekend of treasure hunting in Virginia and Pennsylvania.  Such heaven!  I could lose myself in the aisles and booths of these vintage markets for hours and hours on end, and it would feel like only a moment had passed.

 

 

How I hoped upon hope I would find something with my beloved swallows upon it, which is not always an easy find.

And then, in a teeny tiny booth, stacked in a muddle of other various linens on a bottom shelf, there it was...

 

 

A pretty embroidery on a piece of broadcloth.

 

My heart sang!

It was mine.

 

There are a few stains here and there which I will attempt to soak out.

But really, I will love it any way.

 

 

XO Helena

 

 

 

New Thrift

The thrift shop has been nice to me lately, so I have some new findings to share with you.

First is this very handsome guy.

 

I couldn't believe my good fortune in finding him sitting there on the shelf, staring at me with an impatient gaze as if to say "well, it's about time you got here".  He is quite large and quite heavy, and has found a perfect home in my garden.  

 

And I love his blueness.

 

Also found were pretty glass flower shaped plates, which will also go in my garden as an edging.

To continue with the outdoor theme are these bright yellow daisy paper plate holders for BBQ's and such.

 

 

 

An old framed daisy watercolor and a funky green printed mug to take to my new office.

 

 

 

 

An old metal picture frame, pinkie peach plastic basket (always useful), some old upholstery fabric in a pleasing print and a New York World's Fair velvet pillow cover.

 

 

And lastly, an Aisian print metal tray - a little chippy and scratched, but pretty nontheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Am I.

 

Hope the thrift shop is being nice to you as well.

 

 

XO Helena

 

 

 

 

 

Brand New Sparks

Sometimes I like to look about me and take stock of the things that I am most excited, motivated and inspired about - creatively that is.

Here are a few things that I am spending time with, soaking up the creative energy that it is giving me (it's better than eating chocolate, with little sleeveless sundress season coming and all)...

Small, pretty prints.  I am all about these right now.  I still love (and always will) nice large, flowery fabrics, but right now - little is nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vintage Sari fabric I recently, happily acquired.

Oh My.

I am so in love with these, and my head is spinning with anticipation of what I will make.

 

 

 

Yum.  The colors, textures and patterns are heavenly to me.

 

 

 

 

 

Next, vintage linen tea towels.

What more can I say?? They speak perfectly for themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Asian shop has just opened up near me, and this is one of the pretties I purchased there...

 

 

 

Colorful, patterned chopsticks - too lovely to be left in a drawer.

 

 

 

 

I picked up this printer's drawer at a yard sale for $1 about 2 years ago and have finally hung it up.  Procrastination, thy name is me.

 But better late then never.

 

 

Filled with little doodads and what-not, including My Girl's beloved Gromit, who looks like he is pondering something - like how to get off this shelf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And off I go to see if I have the courage to cut up my pretty Sari fabric.

 

Hoping sparks of inspiration are finding you today.

 

XO Helena

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today's Doings

Wings are growing here.  Spring is in the air, and although we have a forecast for snow tomorrow night, we are feeling optimistic.

I am working on my Etsy listings while listening to Motown on Pandora. The back door is propped open.  The sun is shining in and a warmish breeze is blowing.  Gretel is ecstatic with the open door and has gone in and out into the backyard too many times to count, poking her head inside now and then to make sure I am still here and that there aren't any tasty tidbits floating around that she should know about.

 

 

 

As excited as I am about the arrival of spring, I am also quite OK with a little more snow one more time.  I don't mind being warm and cozy inside while the cold wind and white stuff whips through the air outside, making me feel extra grateful to be warm, secure and loved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also wouldn't mind another day of school being closed.  Another bonus day of having My Girl home with me so we can make macaroni art and snuggle and watch The Smurf Movie for the 128th time.

 

 

 

But at the same time, I am excited about spring.  Excited about new beginnings and new possibilities.

 

My little Blondie Blu office will be up and running in April, and this is the lovely place in which it will be.

 

 

I am over the moon happy about The Little Spot That Will Be All Mine.  There is something to be said for working at home, and I will still have my sewing studio there.  But it is also nice to have a place away from home, out and about, that will give me a fresh perspective and a clean slate to start from.  I will be working on a different Blondie Blu project there, and I think it will be the perfect spot to do so.

 

At home, I have begun spring cleaning and spring brightening...

 

 

 

...while still making sure my snow shovel is near.

 

 

XO Helena

 

Royalty

Today I made a quick stop by at the thrift shop. Today's plan did not include that.  I was to take Gretel for her morning walk, do the food shopping and then head right home to begin pic taking of the new goods for the shop. 

But before I knew it, there I was.  And so glad am I, because look who was waiting for me.

 

 

 

At one time, this little fellow was some kind of lamp.

 

 

 

But now the part that used to give light appears to be like a crown upon his head.

 

 

 

 

So I've named him Prince, and he currently rules upon my nightstand.

 

 

XO Helena

 

Wings

In winter I am a very happy hermit.

I think nature plans it that way, don't you think?

Winter, for me, is a time to rest, rejunenate and re-dream those dreams, maybe even tweak them a little or dream brand new ones. And then when spring comes, we are fresh and rested and ready to go into action.

Every year after the holidays, I go into hermit mode.  During the day, while the sun is up, I am out and about running my errands, popping into thrift shops and doing whatever else needs to be done. But by the time the sun goes down, wild horses couldn't drag me out. There is no place I would rather be then wrapped in my old shawl, cup of tea in one hand, pen in the other while I scribble in my black and white speckled composition book. There is never one of those far from me. I've had a composition notebook in my life since I was 11 years old, and it's where I keep thoughts, plans, lists and dreams.  Right now it is full of ideas. Ideas for the shop, for craft shows in the spring and summer, for the garden and for writing a book.  

I love losing myself in all my hermit-y glory.

But usually by the end of February something happens. It's subtle at first, but by early March there is no denying it. 

My Spring Wings start to flutter.

It starts with a feather or two, quietly growing so I hardly notice.  But before long, my wings are full and ready to fly and my hermit self goes to sleep and waits until next winter to raise its sleepy, cozy, comfy head.

 

 

 

Miss Gretel also believes she has wings of a kind.  She is convinced that if she practices hard enough, she can fly with her ears.

 

 

 

 

Far be it from me to not be supportive of someone else's dreams.

 

 

XO Helena

 

Hearts

 

Happy Valentines Day!!!

 

 

 

May you give (and receive) lots of love today.

 

XO