PDX Gold Dust - Local Rustic Vintage Treasure

You know how it is when you discover a new and truly special gem of a shop, you just want tell everyone about it, or the flip side; you want to keep it a secret 'cause it's awesome and you kind of want to keep it all to yourself? Well, that just wouldn't be fair to y'all. You need to know, it's kind of my job really.

So, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to the gorgeous and fascinating 

PDX Gold Dust! 

Located at 3012 NE Alberta, Portland, Oregon

It's a beautiful space filled with vintage and rustic pieces, as well as hand crafted items by local artists. Open just over a month, I've already been there a few times, and walked out with treasures each time.

This unique shop has been the long time dream of owners and professional treasure hunters, Sarah King and Blest Von Weter. (Full disclosure: I have known these two fabulous people for quite a few years and can attest to their ability to curate the most amazing array of beautiful objects!) Sarah and Blest have been best friends since school days and make a fantastic team.

Every time I walk into the shop, I see so many new things and I am hard pressed to leave them behind. Seriously!

From the vibrant Kantha Quilts hanging from a hundred year old barn ladder, to the beautiful patinas on antique hand tools, to the unique pieces of hardware... it's quite the wonder.

Blest creates fantastic electrical lights from vintage lanterns, heaters, and hand built pendant lights from reclaimed wood. All the vintage pieces in the shop are carefully chosen and artfully displayed.
PDX Gold Dust truly is a special place, if you are local, or visiting from out of town, you owe it to yourself to stop in. Tell them Lola sent you!

If you want to learn more and take a gander at their latest acquisitions and upcoming events, I suggest you like their Facebook Page HERE  and follow their Instagram account at pdxgolddust

Welcome to the neighborhood PDX Gold Dust!

xo

Stitched Journal Project - July

The Stitched Journal Project is: Makers from around the world creating one "page" or piece of work per month and sharing. It is a project to get the ideas flowing, to process the days in a creative way, to try new techniques and to push past fears that keep us from making something.  It isn't about perfection, or getting it "just right," it is about process and perspective.

Fabric paint and dye on gauze

The stitching for this piece was done before the dying and painting process, then removed. I may add some other stitching to this, but I am really liking the effect of the paint and dye on the gauze. I am loving playing with different techniques and process with the paint and dyes, seeing what comes out in the end is always a bit of a surprise.

Below you will find links to the wonderful makers and their Stitched Journal Project pieces for July. Please keep your eyes on this spot in the next couple of days as more add their links. Be sure to visit them and leave comments!

If you think you would like to join in as well, it's not too late!  We will be sharing our pieces the last Friday of every month at least until the end of the year. We'd love to have you.

All of you wonderful Stitched Journal Project participants please link up below! Remember to add your photos to The Stitched Journal Flickr Group! and be sure to share with Facebook, Twitter, etc!

Stitched Journal Project - June

The Stitched Journal Project is: Makers from around the world creating one "page" or piece of work per month and sharing. It is a project to get the ideas flowing, to process the days in a creative way, to try new techniques and to push past fears that keep us from making something.  It isn't about perfection, or getting it "just right," it is about process and perspective.

June has been busy, big, and a little overwhelming. Full of highs and lows... and floods, both literal and metaphorical. The stitched quote in my piece is of course in reference to the 1975 iconic film, Jaws. 

I used a recycled brown paper bag and worked it until I got the texture I wanted. I printed the boat onto the bag and machine stitched the words next to the print. I really love a good brown paper bag, so many possibilities! 

Even the Engineer likes it, in fact, he wants to make a frame for it out of reclaimed pallet wood - continuing the recycled theme.

Below you will find links to the wonderful makers and their Stitched Journal Project pieces for June. Please keep your eyes on this spot in the next couple of days as more add their links. Be sure to visit them and leave comments!

If you think you would like to join in as well, it's not too late!  We will be sharing our pieces the last Friday of every month at least until the end of the year. We'd love to have you.

All of you wonderful Stitched Journal Project participants please link up below! Remember to add your photos to The Stitched Journal Flickr Group! and be sure to share with Facebook, Twitter, etc!

Stitched Journal Project - April

The Stitched Journal Project is: Makers from around the world creating one "page" or piece of work per month and sharing. It is a project to get the ideas flowing, to process the days in a creative way, to try new techniques and to push past fears that keep us from making something.  It isn't about perfection, or getting it "just right," it is about process and perspective.

Machine stitching with dupioni silk scraps on cotton

Stitched Journal Project confession: This piece is from March. I did not finish a piece for April. This was an alternate to the piece that I made and showed last month. When I was working on it, it didn't feel representative of the month, even though I really liked the end result. It seems more appropriate for this month, though I do not consider it a true part of the whole project, and not really my April piece.

April has been a bit busy, chaotic and dizzy like this piece, it has also been bright, colorful and surprising just like this piece. 

I do intend to create another piece for April, once I get over a pesky stomach bug that has laid me out this week. This piece has since been framed and will wing it's way to an old friend in Canada for an Art Swap we arranged (yay for art swaps!).

Below you will find links to the wonderful makers and their Stitched Journal Project pieces for April. Please keep your eyes on this spot in the next couple of days as more add their links. Be sure to visit them and leave comments!

If you think you would like to join in as well, it's not too late!  We will be sharing our pieces the last Friday of every month at least until the end of the year. We'd love to have you.

All of you wonderful Stitched Journal Project participants please link up below! Remember to add your photos to The Stitched Journal Flickr Group! and be sure to share with Facebook, Twitter, etc!

Making Stuff

The creative sap did rise and I made.

A slap dash little quilted camera case for my point and shoot travel camera.

I managed a few good rows on my Granny Cowl with pretty but pesky gray cotton.

And I am eyeing this fabric for a bag, it's an unusual choice for me, but it is awfully pretty.

What are you making?

Have a happy weekend all!

Silly old bear

Meet Mr. Whiskers

Sometimes you get lucky and meet someone through this wild and wonderful world of bloggers that becomes a fast friend, even though you may be geographically challenged and sharing a cuppa face to face is not possible, you feel as though you have known each other for ages. I have been so lucky in this respect, I feel as though I have received a gift of great bounty in friends from far away places. The fact that these friends are also incredibly talented, terribly creative, and makers of magical things, is truly inspiring.

Jess from Teddy Bear's Wednesday is one such remarkable friend. She is a maker of extraordinary creatures, most notably of the bear variety, but she is hardly limited to just one species. You can take one look at her Etsy shop to see she has a gift for creating critters with personality and panache!


One day whilst perusing her instagram feed, I spied the beginnings of a bear, he was just a head at this point, but I knew he was going to be quite special. Later I saw that she had posted about him on her blog and I knew he had to come live with me. So, I promptly put in my application for adoption and was thrilled to be accepted. Fashioned after the old Steiff bears, Jess hand dyes the mohair, stitches all by hand, meticulously ages the bear and gives each one his/her own unique personality.

This is Mr. Whiskers settling in to his new home having a bit of jet lag and a laugh with an old straw hat he found in one of my closets.

Here is what Jess had to say about him:
"The moment Mr Whiskers became a head, i knew he was a Pop, he was a bit of an old man bear. And as he grew into more and more of a whole bear, i knew that he He likes his mocassins, his cups of teas with 4 sugars, tinkering in his shed and is a bit of a dunker ( biscuits/cookies in tea).
That every Saturday he likes to buy a lotto ticket, he's a long suffering Richmond supporter and is fond of the ocassional punt on the horses."


I have since discovered that his first name is Otis and he is a brilliant addition to the little green cottage. From the moment I held him in my hands, the perfect feel and weight of him, his funny old pop ways, his blue cardi...well, it was love.

Thank you Jess, you are an artist!

Oh, and we may be having that cuppa face to face after all!

Sewing for Love

It starts with a little thought, or a wish, or a desire, or perhaps even a need to make a dress. It is almost always a dress. A cotton print dress. The kind of dress forms in my mind, a loose idea. Fabric selection then, holding prints up to the light, running my hands over the weft and warp, and making decisions.

Looking through patterns to find a basic bodice that is suitable for what I have in mind, followed by pattern paper and colored pencils. Deepen the armscye, alter the neckline, lengthen the bodice, add ease to the side seams. I scrap the inset cap sleeve idea and instead create a gathered shoulder three quarter length with a princess cuff, oh yes much better.

As I cut out the pieces, my girl is home sick and she watches. She gets up close next to me and asks questions. "How do you know to cut like that and not make a mistake?" "Why do you pin the pieces together here, but not there?" "Can I do the marking with the wheelie thinger?" "Is it time to sew the ribbon on yet?" I answer her questions and tell her it takes practice and patience and love. I give her some tracing paper and the 'wheelie thinger' and show her how to use it, where to make the marks.

As I sew, there is focus and intent along with assuredness; this is what I know. It is in my hands, my head, my muscle memory, my heart and soul. This is how Lola Nova was born, making nice things for my girl; this is how I grew my skills, found my passion, and it is love.

It is a little like therapy; it quiets the chaos and brings me back to myself, it restores confidence and brings joy.

And then there's this...

Thank you for all of the lovely comments and well wishes this week, I truly appreciate them. I am on the mend now and looking forward to the days ahead.

xo

Giving and Receiving Handmade

Hello Lovelies! I do so hope that you enjoyed, and are enjoying your holidays. It has been quite sweet here at the little green cottage, if a tad busy and messy. There has been a glut of good food, a windfall of friends and family, and an all around feeling of being very fortunate. I offer one caveat; it may be some time before I am up for baking cookies again.

It was a very handmade holiday 'round here, though I did very little of the hand making myself, wait... I take that back, the food was all hand made; the treats, the dinners, the bread, etc. and my hands were definitely involved in the making. Except for the traditional Christmas Morning Belgium Waffles which were all The Engineer (thank you again darlin', perfect as usual!)

Because I didn't have time to make much for the holiday, I purchased some handmade goodness to give. I thought I should share a little of the goodness with you.

This gorgeous hand crafted ceramic horse ornament came from Christine's shop Shepherds Grove Studio. She was a joy to buy from and I couldn't be happier with the ornament. Pony Girl was pretty thrilled too!

Photo by Claire Moxon

A stunning bracelet made by Claire from Scotia Spinner. Claire spins amazing yarn and beautiful fibre creations, and she makes wonderful jewelry. Claire is one of the first blog friends I met when Lola Nova started out. Please check out her great shop! I was very tempted to keep this for myself, but I did give it to my sister in the end.

On the receiving end of things - there were hand made earrings from my beautiful sister, handcrafted beeswax candles from the divine Crystal, art from my dear friend Tricia and more!

I did want to show a very special gift that was made for Pony Girl by Aunt Lydia.

This amazing paper doll kit made from fabric! Dolls and outfits, a quilted panel with pockets to keep the clothes in and all in a quilted carrying tote! The pictures don't do it justice. The amount of work and love that went into this is amazing, I am completely in awe! Thank you so very much Aunt Lydia, you are a doll!

Lastly, I did manage to make one gift for the Engineer. He is a big fan of Waylon Jennings so I made him some wall art.

Here is a link to the original album cover I used for inspiration. My version is totally wonky, but my heart was in it.

Well, that's enough of my rambling on for today. All I can say is, I love handmade!

A Perfectly Peachy Book

The other day as I was returning home from my run-arounds, I saw that our rakishly handsome postman was just leaving our front porch. I waved a hi-ho to him and he in return waved a hi-ho with a double take sideways glance at my mop. I mean my hair, which had suddenly, since the day before become a bright Dark Cherry Red. I gathered up my bundles from the car and made may way to my door. Mr. Postman said in passing, "You have a package today." Ooh, indeedy I did! There is nothing like a nice looking package in the post to make one's heart do a little happy skip. I put away my things and went through the everyday mail first, saving my package for last. After pouring myself an icy tea, I sat down to see what treasure was waiting for me.

Lo and behold! It was the new dottie angel book! From UPPERCASE, the Suitcase Series Vol. II by Tif Fussell. Oh what a thing of beauty! As I opened up it's pages and looked, I welled up with joy and pride, what a magical book by a friend of the utmost kind!

Tif was nice enough to sign my book personally and I couldn't be happier. It truly is the loveliest book I have had in my hands in quite a long while.

If you are familiar with the ramblings of dottie angel, and certainly most of you are, you will find within these pages more of her wonderful words and stories. Hows about I just give you a little peek at the pretty stuff inside.


I am also deeply honored that she asked me to contribute a little page for her 'nice folks' section.

The attention to detail, the stunning images and Tif Fussell's engaging humor and insights make this a book that I will return to many times over the coming years. Surely it will bring a smile to your dial as well. You can get your own copy HERE. If you are in or around the area of Seattle on Sept. 30th, there will be a book launch for the book with the author.

Well, I think this wraps up my book report. Next time I'll have to tell you all about the tomatoes! Take care.

Unearthing

I have a feeling that some of you, like me, have a pile, a drawer, a cupboard, a corner, or a box of unfinished projects hidden somewhere amongst your crafty things. Perhaps you have bits of knitting, crochet with undone ends, scraps of quilts, little soft creatures missing ears and eyes, shirts that have needed mending since 2005, some ambitious embroidery that has gone untended maybe?

I was down in my spidery lair in the basement (otherwise known as my "studio"), shifting things about, when I came across one such pile. Long forgotten stitching in various stages of completion, and I do mean forgotten, like completely. I found there, this sweet little toddler deer dress. It's only missing button holes and a hem, why on earth was it never finished? Is there a 4 year old out there that never received her 1st birthday gift from me? Well, the only thing for it is to finish it off and add it to the drawer of future gifts to give, or pop it in the shop.

I wonder what else I might find...

What might you have in your "Undone" pile?

Call Me

It seems 'blogger' was having a few hiccups the last couple of days, let's hope it's all sorted out and we can get back to business!
And speaking of...I got down to the business of finishing up my cushion for Vic's - Punky and Me swap. I have to tell you, I was completely stuck for ideas for a while there. I was a wee bit worried until I just got over myself and decided to have fun with it. I had fun for sure with the theme of 'communication'!

and graphic prints, bold color play, and stitchery.

Hopefully, the recipient will enjoy it too.

If you want to see some more cushion goodness, check out the links at the end of this post.

I wish you a joyful weekend my friends!