Sewing Project - Tea Station Mat

I made another mat for the kitchen Tea Station because they need laundering and I like to have one on the counter all the time.

The piece of woodland fabric I got at the ReUse Center a couple of weeks ago.  I tea dyed it in black tea for a couple of hours. 

I added yellow embroidery on the flowers in the print to bring the yellow from the backing piece to the front. 

I put a couple of layers of flannel in the middle.  The back piece is a cotton poly in a golden yellow leopard print.

I cut the front and flannel 7.75" x 13.75" because that was the limit of the back print.

The back print was cut 1.25 inches larger in both directions (9.00 x 15") as I will be self binding the piece.

I pinned all the layers together. With yellow thread I sewed several seams along the length to hold all the layers together. 

I then fold the extra on the back layer to the front once and the again to frame the front piece. I used a fancy stitch to sew down the binding.  Trimmed all the threads and I am done!

Gift - Table Runner Trivet

A table runner trivet is a quilted piece one can place in the center of a table or other serving area to protect the surface from hot dishes.  It replaces the use of several trivets and looks pretty.  Upon doing some on-line research I found a place that recommended layers of terry cloth as good insulation.

I wanted to make this runner reversible so I took my fabric to my sisters a while back and we checked out her collection of fabric and found several pieces that would compliment the fabrics I had chosen.  In the end, I rejected some of the ones I had selected so that both side would work together.

I had just purchased the printed sunshine yellow piece of fabric.

The solid fabric was a left over from a quilt I made a couple of years ago.  The color name I would use is Soft Suede which is a green brown color.  

The cork fabric and the circle fabric came from my sister.  I have now swapped her some from my stash.  

All the fabric is 100% cotton.  

The layers involved are

• cotton quilted layer
• terry towel fabric
• 100% cotton quilted batting piece
• terry towel fabric
• cotton quilted layer

I chose to put the quilted piece in the center of the trivet, the terry cloth goes the full width of the runner.

The front and back pretty quilted layers were stitched to the terry cloth layers.  The front and back are different designs and therefore quilted differently.  I needed to come up with a way to hold the quilted piece to the center of the runner. 

The final measurements of the piece is 14x40 inches and the center is 12 x 37.5 inches. 

The seam in the yellow is the one which goes through all the layers and holds the center batting piece in place. Each side had a yellow in this space.  The sunshine yellow piece on the cork side and a more lemony yellow on the circle side.  Allowed me to have yellow thread in the top and bobbin of the machine.

It would have been really nice to have my walking foot fo rthis project but the order is still on hold awaiting a shipment from over seas.

I decided based on my fabric to make the warm sunshine yellow side in a ladder pattern.  I cut strips of varying heights and 10 inches wide.  The Soft Suede, the cork fabric, some solid burgundy make up the pattern on this side.  

The other side features the circle fabric and this piece was larger and I did not want to cut it up into smaller pieces.  It was also getting late in the day and I wanted to get the project finished. I added some teal from my scrap stash which worked out well. 

I wanted Soft Suede to be on the edges of both side so they would make it the same color no matter which side was showing.

I stitched all the way around with the good sides together leaving an opening then turned the trivet runner inside out.  I top stitched very close to the edge where there was only the terry towel layers.  

The last seam was the one in the yellow that holds it all together.

I hope my niece likes it and it comes in handy for serving from the kitchen island or the middle of her dining room table. 

Garage Sale Bonanza

During a visit with my sister and brother in law and niece on the weekend we attended a community garage sale.  What a hoot!  All outside, a good amount of walking, and a ton of interesting things to look at.

I had a Tupperware Ultra21 Quiche pan on my list because I dropped mine last weekend.  It lost a piece and gained a crack so it's days are numbered.

I managed to find a brand new one for 3 dollars with the lid.

I use this to roast root vegetables.  Just love this ovenware.

It is no longer made and in a search on line I was looking at over $50 to replace it.  At the last house we visited!

I had a silicone trivet on the list for camping.  

This one will do nicely.  No brand name on it but the right size and material.  Nice color and pattern.

I think it was .25 cents.

They had one place with lots of books so maybe it was books from the library along with others that were donated.

Books were fill a bag for $5.  The three of us share the bag and cost.

I have not been to a library since the pandemic started so I 

I have been using small free libraries to get my reading material.  I quarantine the books for a week.  

I return them to the free libraries when I am done reading them.  I am sure there are others in the same place that I am.

I am happy with this selection.

I have always wanted a miniature tea set but to buy new they are pretty expensive.  This one is blue and white which is my favorite colors.  The tray is 4.5 inches wide and holds the 2 teacup and saucers, the cream and sugar and the teapot.  

This was a good score. This is a Hallmark 2007 Gingerbread Ornament Set and Display Stand.  

All the pieces are still there in their original packaging so I don't think it was every used.  Each of the gingerbread layers has small hooks on the underside for the ornaments. I believe it holds 12 ornaments.  No doubt at the time you could buy additional ornaments in the gingerbread style.

The three ornaments - angel, heart and snowman cookie ornaments are included.

I am always in for Christmas decorations.

I bought a rain stick.  

Yes, it is designed for kids but it makes a great sound.

Primary colors are find with me.

  

A set of vintage miniature fluted metal moulds also came home with me.  They measure about 1.25 inches to 1.5 inches tall.

Today, they can be used for candy, cookies, fondant, pastry, soap, tartlets, petit fours and a bunch more for sure.

I don't know what their original use would have been.  It must have been something very special because with only a few tins making any amount would have been very time consuming.

Again, just the right size for macro photography.   I'm not sure I will ever bake something in them.  You never know I might get inspired.

Small bottle vases are wonderful.  The first set was a scented oil diffuser set with the small ceramic discs for the oil.  The three glass vases are great.  I will not use the oil.  The set on the right hand side have a very nice feel.  About 2 inches tall so will do again for macro photography. 

Another small flower vase in a gorgeous red color.

I believe it is handmade.

It measures under 2 inches tall.  

I did get a package of dried flowers as well which will work well with these small vases and bottles for still life photography.

I have used the solid brass business card holder on the left in my purse for the last few years.   Gold is not really my color so when I saw the shiny silver chrome one I decided I would prefer that one.

The cost for the silver one again was less than a dollar.  After a bit of research turns out the brass one maybe worth a few dollars so I will see about selling it.

This is a battery operated candle. I have several plastic ones in white and red for photography.   

I seldom burn candles just because of the open flame.  There are times where nothing but the real thing will do. I use a wax warmer rather than scented candles.

This one is the best of both worlds because it is made of wax so it looks "real" from that point of view and is also battery operated.

Again, the price was a song.

A tiny blue glass swan in perfect condition.

Can be used for macro photography, love cobalt blue glass, and a beautiful object.

I have been wanting something to write quotes or words for my photography.

This turns out to be a My Cinema Light Box which came with letters originally.  I did look for the letters but they were not close by.  Of course they were clear so the light would show them nicely.  I did put batteries in and that works.

Here I have used Scrabble letters and I have other wood ones I can used.  I may consider printing letters on acetate so I could slide them in the slots. We shall see.

I used to have a large and small whisk and a while back I made the decision to get rid of the large one.

I have since regretted that decision.

A Pampered Chef Whisk still in the packaging.

Yes, please.

It has a skinny handle so it fits into my utensil caddy nicely.

A useful tool to have during a pandemic.

It allows me to open doors with out touching them, to use the bank machine with the touch screen stylus, bottle opener, elevator button pusher, and will hold my keys as well.

I have not been doing a lot of shopping in the last year and half.  The drugstore and the grocery store primarily.  I had not heard of these tools but at my last visit to the drug store the teller was promoting such a tool for $13.00.  I did not purchase one at the price but this one was .50 and still in the box.

For less than $20 dollars and a morning spent with family this was a great.  Checked off a few things from my shopping list with out going inside a store. The weather cooperated and it did not rain. It was cool but we were dressed for the weather. 

Easter & Tea Today

I see that I have not set up tea in a long while. It is the pits to be sick and just have no energy for the extras.  I am feeling better just in time for Easter with extended family.

We have a tradition that plan a get together for Mom and her 6 girls on the Saturday of the Easter weekend.  Everyone brings their projects, we share, eat potluck lunch and supper, visit, and generally have a great time.  A few things had to change since Mom & Dad are in a new place but we had such a great time.  We had grand daughters and  great grand daughters drop by for a visit. A grandson and his family came for supper.  We were 30 for supper.  The men join us for the meals and I picked Dad up and made sure he was on time for eating.  Mom was thrilled.

One sister brought her Christmas Tree hanging, Mom had a baby quilt, another sister was working on a quilt for a grad gift, a grand daughter brought her abstract art which she will be in a craft sale in a few weeks.  One granddaughter was working on shadow boxes with hearts for care workers.  One of the new babies made an appearance which meant Dad got to see him which was great.

This teapot napkin holder was a find by my sister and she gifted it to me.  It's great because it can become my summer holder which is not breakable.  It can go out on the balcony with no concerns.  Love it.

We took a walk to the local thrift store in the afternoon.  I continue to add to my cobalt glass collection and this tea light holder was perfect at .50 cents.

It is a Tulip Tea Light Holder by Partylite. It needed a really good washing but as you can see it is shiny and sparkly now.

Mom found something she was looking for, my sister and her daughter chose tops with the kind of fabric she needed to make flowers.  I forgot to take a photo.

I found a couple of fleece items for more pot protectors.

This trivet fits right in.  It was a gift from a friend who made a trip to Hawaii in February.  I love the turtles!!!  My favorites in the sea.

The blue color of the letters worked really well with the blue in the napkin I used for a table cover.

The sunflower blue and yellow napkins were from the same sister as the napkin holder.  Works perfectly into my kitchen color scheme.

I was able to quick set up tea today with these wonderful gifts.

The tea is Earl Grey wit a bit of honey and cream in a yellow mug.  Yummy.

We had quite a few leftovers from our potluck on the weekend.

One of my contributions was drinks.  I brought my 12 cup coffee maker, my stainless steel tea pot ( no worries about that one breaking), honey, white sugar, brown sugar, a variety of tea, cream and milk.

There was juice for the kids.