dreaming

- 12 Celsius here.....the sort of weather that freezes the nostrils. 

 So I am amusing myself by listing vintage souvenir scarves to my shop.

 and dreaming of where is a better ( warmer)  place to be.  Perhaps not Blackpool this time of year.

Maybe Siena, though I don't think the weather would be guaranteed, but the food would be good.

 Sicily might be more like it.

Now we are talking....Africa.

--shameless self promotion--

Christmas Day

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.......

The snow started Christmas Eve and it was still snowing Boxing Day morning. Guess who dug the front path?

Our street survived well.

The only picture I managed to take of Oliver, 3 years old next week, clambering out of his high chair so he could get back to his new yellow truck.

Trust you all had a lovely day.

Milestones

Hurrah....1000 sales in Fabriquefantastique.

504 in Foulardfantastique, as predicted the 500 mark was passed with a multiple sale.

 Boutiquefantastique, still languishing at 298, but perhaps folks will have some Christmas money.

AND....I believe this is post 505.....however did I miss post 500??????

 !

 Brrrrr.....250,000 without power in Toronto and they may not get it back by Christmas!!!

Colder than???

Its colder than a witches tit here in Toronto

 But it does not do my new found quilts any harm.....freshens ' em up. I say.

 I believe this is called ' Tulip Pot' .....Encyclopedia of Applique   40.24.  It has a nice Pennsylvania Dutch feel about it and perfect 1930s colours.....in good condition too.

A somewhat pedestrian Dresden Plate, 1940s perhaps. Good condition, I might put it in my etsy shop, not sure yet.  

999

So near and yet so far in my etsy shops.

 Fabriquefantastique is at 999 sales.

Foulardfantastique....494 sales.....though it might only take one more order to reach 500 as folks often buy multiples.

Boutiquefantastique..198 sales, this is my slowest shop, tons of competition.

I shall put a stop press announcement here when I reach the milestones.

encyclopedia

I have been unable to find any name for this quilt block , now for sale in my etsy shop.    

Even my trusty 'Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt  Patterns' by Barbara Brackman is not providing me with the answer. Barbara is my heroine and EoPQP is my bible.

 What a shame it is out of print,

Look at the condition of my copy....see the prices on used copies!  If you spy a copy anywhere, snap it up.

It appears that this pattern is a 9 patch with a small center square, but I may be wrong.

Sacred Stitches

At the end of October I caught the last day of Sacred Stitches,

a multi-faith week-long exhibit of ecclesiastical embroideries and textile art to mark the 100th anniversary of the Ecclesiastical Needleworkers of the Diocese of Toronto,held at St James Cathedral, here in Toronto.

My photos do not do this rich exhibition justice as no flash photography was allowed , and anyway, I was too interested in the textiles to think about pics. It was a thrill to see them up close and personal.

   Textile arts from across Canada and all faiths were on display. Rather than me banging on about it you may want to click on some if the links below, much better pictures too.

http://archives-archtoronto.blogspot.ca/2013/10/darn-it-sacred-stitches-is-sew-worth.html

http://cep.anglican.ca/tag/sacred-stitches-exhibit/

https://www.temc.ca/sites/temc.ca/files/0159_001.pdf

http://pomegranateguild.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/so-much-going-on/

My blanket label collection

   This little guy  I met on the street

reminded me I have not undated my vintage blanket label collection.

Just  photographs of the labels...if I kept all the blankets I would have no where to actually sleep.

Unless I slept on top of them like The Princess and the Pea.

Not sure where the above blanket comes from. Research is needed, that 'V' looks familiar. 

I think all the old Eatons of Canada stores have gone now.

Whoops.....edit. Forgot  this one.

Hermes alert.....

Hermes alert!!.....Given to me by my neighbor to add to my collection.

She bought it in Paris in the late 70s.

I must say it is the most gorgeous, flattering colours, I love the coral pink border.

Also found this week a Liberty silk scarf for my collection. I call this pattern 'redcurrant' and I have it in at least 4 other colourways.

Alas, it is in dire condition,even I would not wear it. 

walking to the Post Office

The local Post Office is a 10 minute walk away. I go several times a week  and yesterday I took my camera.

 First up, the flower pots on out front steps. This year a fancy arrangement chosen by my sister, I usually just pick up some chrysanthemums from my local supermarket of choice.

  A brand new playground at the top of the road, all natural colors unlike the primary colours of the early 80s equipment that it replaced.

Like most bloggers I stop to admire the fall leaves.....

 but not the changing landscape. Toronto's population is growing by 100,000 a year and the high rise/ condominium boom shows no sign of abating.

Unlike our neighbors to the south, Canadians are not supplied with free postal boxes.

I took a different route  home and found this on the library wall.... no one in the library seemed to know anything about it so it came home with me.

Brickworks Farmers Matket

I was bemoaning the fact that my Saturday morning market day was finished for the year.

 The farmers have moved inside for the winter and space is limited.

But all is not lost....

Yesterday I was notified that there is a small space available in the BMO Atrium this Saturday morning

and I am going to give it a shot.  Certainly I will not have the sort of space I have enjoyed in the summer,

but it will give me the chance to re-connect with some of my customers.....seen here modelling their purchases.

It is the social interaction I miss.

Quince Jelly

I thought that 2013 was going to be the first time in several decades that I have not put up some kind of jam or preserves. I have  just been run off my feet this summer.

But, my good friend Sandy stole a few quinces from a neighbours bush for me, they have been sitting in the fridge for a few weeks. My canning supplies live at the cottage up north.

I was able to find  a few jars,  labels bought some years ago in Mapua and lid toppers from a boot fair in Wakefield NZ. tucked away in a back cupboard at home.

Quince goes a long way as it is full of pectin. I must say the jelly turned out well....if a bit hard!

But the labels have a life or death of their own.