The T-Cozy

A Charming Old Mystery Item Revealed

Every now and then, I feel lucky to come across a vintage find brimming with heart and soul. The item below is just that . . .

I purchased it thinking it was some sort of tea towel. I love the pretty floral "oven mitt" sewn onto the center of this large square of white cheesecloth-like fabric. But I began to think that perhaps this wasn't a tea towel after all, for when I tried to fold it into thirds, the oven mitt was awkwardly in the way. So exactly what is this item for?

I had my answer when I realized there was something inside the mitt.

The original gift card was still inside! How cool is that?

Many moons ago, a woman named Elizabeth Banks gave this little treasure as a Christmas gift to her friend Marie. And her dear hand written note gave me the answer I was looking for. This vintage item is actually a dusting cloth. Elizabeth's sweet poem reads, "Put your hand inside this mitt, and dust up your house a bit. For I know you love to do it!" Utterly charming.

And sure enough, when I gave it a try, this dusting cloth is quite handy indeed.

What fun to discover a little history about this treasure. Now I wonder . . . did Elizabeth make the cloth herself? Was the floral fabric recycled from an old feed sack? Did Marie ever use it, or tuck it away as a keepsake of their friendship? Were these dusting cloths a popular item? I've certainly never seen one before. Have you?

I love things like this, filled with abundant heartfelt goodness. I'll share a few more vintage treasures I recently acquired, destined for my Etsy shop, in my next post. 

Susan

When Seventeen Magazine Came to My Hometown High School

It's been fun having our daughter in Seventeen magazine recently. Here is the closest I've ever come to appearing in its pages . . .

Back in 1975, Seventeen headed to my high school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. They did a profile of the school, where 2,900 students of widely varying ethnic backgrounds were a barometer of prevailing student temperament at that time. They concentrated on the senior class. And since I was only a junior at the time, my fellow classmates and I had to watch from the sidelines as this remarkable profile of our school was created.

 

In Seventeen's extensive article, they wrote about how Cleveland Heights High School's seniors "related to a country gripped by run-away inflation, mounting unemployment, low public morale, uncertain moral guideposts and discredited national leadership." Hmm, sound familiar?

The article also covered clothing trends of the time. (After all, it is a fashion magazine.)  In these pages, you'll see some Farrah Fawcett hairdos, platform shoes, bell bottoms and more. They even shot a couple of spreads of makeovers --- for guys, too! And every model in every photo was a senior at my school.

 

 

 

 

 

In the spring of 1975, these young, fresh-faced seniors walked out the front doors and across the courtyard of Cleveland Heights High for their final time, ready to make their mark on the world. I do hope they have all led happy, healthy and productive lives.

Susan

Now on Newsstands!

Hannah is gracing the pages of Seventeen magazine once again.

She looks pretty calm, cool and collected considering this spread, showing winter's latest layered trends, took five hours to shoot during a heat wave back in August.

 

Like her other two Seventeen appearances, Hannah's photo spread is part of the "real girl" part of the magazine. This section is filled with regular teenagers, not professional models, who come in all shapes and sizes.

 

Though Hannah is not a pro and doesn't earn a cent from these photos, she has really enjoyed the chance to spend an afternoon every now and then with a real fashion photographer, make-up artist, and clothing stylist. Hey, who wouldn't?!

Susan

Workspace Whimsy

I am the queen of office supplies. I always have loads of markers and colored pencils on hand, plus things like paper clips, scrap paper, and rubber bands in every color of the rainbow. To corral all of these sundry items, I prefer to use vintage pieces. No plastic desktop organizers here!

 

Vintage planters and flower pots, perfect for pens and markers, add just the right touch of whimsy to my studio. I also like to use old napkin holders to store paper, mail or file folders in. And I love my ancient metal tape dispenser.

 

 

It's hard not to smile when greeted with these kitschy creatures. The grinning monkey, above, lives on the antique spinet desk in our master bedroom. The happy little fellow, below, is for sale on my website here.

 

 

Gosh. I really do have a lot of scissors! The pink pebble flower pot, above, does a good job of keeping them within easy reach. (It's also for sale on my website here.)

 

This sweet fawn planter resides in my kitchen next to a pad of paper and the telephone. You'll find the pretty blue glass flower pot, below, for sale on my website here. I really like its scalloped design and ruffled edge.

 

 

This Asian inspired planter made by Shawnee Pottery, above, is an item I sold just this week. Isn't he cute?

Fun vintage pottery pieces like these will keep scissors near-at-hand in your sewing room, markers at the ready in your studio, or crochet needles close by in your craft room. I hope I've inspired you to try using a few vintage relics like these in your workspace.

Susan

A Farmers Market with a Mission

Bright and early last Saturday morning, my family and I headed over to Baltimore's 32nd Street Farmers Market. Such luscious produce and beautiful baked goods! There is nothing better than enjoying these sights, smells and tastes on a crisp fall morning.

 

 

 

Baltimore's 32nd Street Farmers Market, founded in 1980, is a non-profit organization offering baked goods, produce, fruit, prepared foods, and flowers to patrons from all economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds. And like many outdoor independent markets around the country, they have a worthy mission. As stated on their website: Our Market's mission is to provide a vehicle for independent vendors to survive large agribusiness competition, while making available a variety of produce, meat, bread, and plant selections to an under-served city community. Our vendors provide an opportunity for farmers to sell their products directly to the public, and for the public to benefit from access to fresh food that they would not otherwise have available to them in the immediate area. All funds collected from Market vendor space fees and membership donations are put toward market expenses. Any profits after expenses are paid are donated back to the community in the form of annual grants to local nonprofits.

I hope you are able to frequent a market like this in your town. To find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, go to the Local Harvest website here.

Susan

Beautiful Baltimore Views

In Baltimore last weekend, my family and I did a little sight seeing. Our first stop was the George Peabody Library.

 

Renowned for its striking architectural interior, the Peabody Stack Room contains five tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies, which rise dramatically to the enormous skylight 61 feet above the floor.

Opened in 1878, this building was designed by Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind. So impressive! My camera couldn't do it justice.

 

Containing more than 300,000 titles dating from the eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries, The George Peabody Library is part of Johns Hopkins University's Special Collections Department. It is a non-circulating collection open to the general public.

 

Beautiful architecture, like the church below, abounds in this elegant Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore

 

Across the street from this church and around the corner from the Peabody Library is the first architectural monument built to honor George Washington.

 

Construction of this white marble column began in 1815 and was completed in 1829. Rising 178 feet on a hill 100 feet above sea level, Baltimore's Washington Monument contains 228 steps spiraling up inside the column.

 

And of course, we just had to climb them! Once we reached the top, we were treated to one of the best panoramic views of Baltimore.

 

Though my legs were sore for two days afterward, the view was definitely worth the climb.

Susan

A Junque Hunter's Paradise

More from Baltimore. Right across the street from Golden West Cafe is a tiny shop brimming with all things kitsch. Called Hampden Junque, this store is stuffed top to bottom. It's hard to know where to look first!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a nice chat with Michal Makarovich, one of the store's owners. His funky shop reminds me of some of my favorite stores along Route 7 in Connecticut that have closed. Places like this have been driven out of business due to high rents in my area. They, too, were exploding with junk/treasures (depending on your viewpoint). I do miss these little local shops. How nice to discover Hampden Junque.

Susan

Powdering My Nose in Baltimore

We spent this past weekend in Baltimore, a city brimming with creative and quirky inspiration. On a previous trip, I shared pictures of a spectacular powder room in a (now closed) restaurant called Ixia. And here's another! Below are photos of the unique ladies room ceiling in a beloved Baltimore cafe called Golden West.

 

Aren't these paper parasols beautiful? What a dramatic yet simple way to hide a not-so-pretty ceiling.

This week, be sure to stop back for more inspiration from Baltimore.

Susan

The Perfect Family House

Next week, we will have lived in our home for 19 years. When we moved here in November of 1990, Hannah was only seven months old. Now, she is a sophomore in college. Gosh, where did the time go?

Home ownership began for me in the mid 1980's. I was a single gal in my twenties when I bought a tiny cottage here in Rowayton, Connecticut. After John and I married in 1988, we began to search for a larger family home. Our housing needs seemed simple enough. We wanted a place that was in Rowayton, didn't require major renovations, had four bedrooms, three baths, and enough space for me to work at home comfortably. After seven years, I decided to forgo commuting to Manhattan and have a home-based graphic design business. I knew this would be a good arrangement once we had kids. But in the late 1980's, houses generally didn't have a dedicated home office. (That was before email and laptops.) Finding a house that fit our requirements was tougher than we expected.

After a two year search, we finally found it --- a house that had everything on our wish list --- except a home office. So we decided to expand a small den by borrowing space from a large screened porch. Luckily, the house already had a recently renovated kitchen with a new adjoining family room, as well as a spacious master bedroom addition. Over the years, our home improvements were minor and mostly cosmetic.

This house has afforded me room to work and room for my many collections of vintage this and that. It has good bones with windows galore, making it light and bright even on the cloudiest days. Although after 19 years some of our furnishings are worn and dated, we think of them as having mellowed with age, kind of like us.

Come on in and have a look around . . .

 

 

 

 

 

Our mid-century colonial has been kind to us over the past two decades. It has graciously accommodated a growing family and enabled me to work at home near our children. It's everything we wanted and more.

Looking ahead, in less than two short years, Jacob will head off to college. Will our perfect family house then feel too big? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Susan

Cute or Ugly? Or Both?

Here's a face only a seven-year-old back in 1965 could love . . .

While rooting around in the attic this morning, I came across my troll dolls from the 1960's, complete with their vintage vinyl carrying case.

These odd looking dolls are just about the only toys I still have from my childhood. I remember carrying them in this handy case when I went over to play at friends' houses.

Back then, I was a budding fashion designer. I would collect the bits of fabric from my mother's sewing projects and create elaborate dresses for these unlikely models. None of my couture outfits have survived. However, the basic felt dress that came with the large troll is still intact. So is the circa 1965 braid I put in her hair.

I still find these kitschy troll dolls endearing. Just look at those faces! Are they ugly? Cute? Maybe a little of both.

Susan

Relics from Kitchens Past: Vintage Cook Booklets

Some of my favorite items offered in T-Party's Etsy shop are vintage cook booklets from the 1930's, 40's and 50's. Although times have changed since these gems were published, when it comes to feeding our families, we are still asked that familiar question, "What's for dinner?"

Back then, these booklets were offered free with the purchase of particular products. They were published by companies with extensive Home Economics Departments, led by Directors of Domestic Science, who were serious about not only hawking their wares but promoting healthful eating.

These relics from kitchens past are chock full of charming imagery, recipes and useful household hints and tips. I always get a kick out of thumbing through them. Every now and then, I find a recipe that, with a bit of tweaking (like substituting vegetable oil for lard, or using wheat instead of white flour), is worthy of being in today's best cookbook.

Susan

Views from an Autumn Morning

On this Halloween, I am sharing views from my morning walk with you. Along my way today, I took a little detour into a nature preserve. This forest and tidal marsh, called Farm Creek Preserve, is a parcel of land located on Hart Peninsula in the Rowayton section of Norwalk. What a lovely autumn morning! 

On my way out of the preserve, this cute little squirrel was kind enough to pose for me. He knows just how densely populated and over built this area of Connecticut is. Thank goodness for the Norwalk Land Trust and their initiative to save this open space from development. Now it will stay pristine and untouched so plant life, birds and animals can thrive.

I hope you've enjoyed these views from an autumn morning. Have a Happy Halloween!

Susan

A Birthday Celebration for John

I wanted to do something extra special for John's 50th birthday. Although my husband doesn't like being the center of attention, he gave me the thumbs up to plan a party for twenty of his closest friends and family members.

 

I found a unique venue for our little soirée. It's a new place in our town called Sugar & Olives, and I love its concept. Jennifer Balin, the owner and talented chef, provides happy, healthy food in a loft-like setting. An old warehouse had been transformed into a comfortable cafe/lounge with an impressive professional kitchen that is in full view. Sugar & Olives has an ever changing menu for breakfast, lunch and dessert made from local and fresh ingredients. In addition, Jennifer holds cooking classes for adults and kids at a long bar which overlooks the kitchen. And lucky for us, she also offers private parties.

I love the interior of Sugar & Olives. The space has been painted a warm shade of gray with bright orange accents. You'll find comfortable white leather sofas, coffee tables, Lucite bar stools and other mod furnishings giving the place a fun, 1960's vibe.

Here's a little peek at our gathering for John . . .

 

 

 

The food at John's party was simply delicious. Brought out to us on small plates in several courses, it was a delight for both the eye and the palate. We finished off the evening with coffee, tea and, of course, our fondant covered fish cake. Plus, there was chocolate fondue. Yum!

Many thanks to Jennifer for making John's party so memorable. She has created a gem of a place that is absolutely refreshing. Maybe I'll check out her cooking classes sometime. Or we might stop by after a movie on a Saturday night. With a theater just up the road, Jennifer offers delectable desserts on Saturdays from 9:30 until midnight for the after movie crowd. Great idea, don't you think?

Susan

Feats of Fondant: A Fish Cake for John

You don't turn fifty every day. So for John's birthday party last Saturday night, I wanted to make a very special cake. Back in April, my friend Sherri, John and I made a fondant covered creation for my daughter. Now, with Hannah's help, we were ready to try something a little more challenging for John.

Hannah and I got up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning. The first task was to take the sheet cakes I baked the day before and carve them into the shape we wanted for John's cake.

Fishing is one of John's favorite pastimes so we decided to make the cake in the shape of a fish. I began carving while Hannah whipped up some Buttercream Icing. Then Sherri arrived to help. She and Hannah covered every square inch of the cake with frosting to smooth out any bumps and help the fondant adhere.

 

Sherri is very skilled at working with fondant; from kneading in the icing colors to rolling it out nice and thin. Once she had the piece large enough, we draped the fondant around the cake and tucked in all of the edges.

 

Hannah's forte was her attention to detail. She patiently cut out hundreds of tiny circles in a variety of colors for fish scales. I began to create the fins and other fishy details.

Then it was time to add these finishing touches. Lastly, we surrounded the fish with swirly blue fondant to look like water. That's when Sherri had a fabulous idea; while kneading the fondant for the water, she didn't blend the blue icing color in completely. That way, when she rolled it out, it would have a marbled effect that looked exactly like water. Brilliant!

Tada! Here's our finished fish cake, complete with a real hook and sidewinder lure in its mouth.

 

Hannah, Sherri and I made a good team. The cake took four hours to complete and we were all very pleased with how it turned out. John loved it, too. And it even tasted good!

Making this fondant cake was a lot of fun, as was the party later that evening. I'll share more of John's special birthday celebration with you in my next post.

Susan

A Weekend of Ups and Downs

What a weekend! On Friday, I was in the midst of preparations for a very special birthday celebration for my husband John when I got a phone call that every parent of a high school athlete dreads.

The sports trainer at my son's school called to inform me that Jacob, the goalie of his varsity soccer team, had been hit in the head. He needed to be taken to the Emergency Room, so I dropped everything and rushed to his school. When I picked him up, he was coherent but dazed. However, he had no recollection of how he was injured and didn't even know what day it was. Needless to say, that really freaked me out.

Off we raced to the hospital. We spent the next four hours in the ER where it was confirmed that he had a concussion. Fortunately, the CAT scan revealed that everything was fine and we were finally able to head home. Poor Jacob had some nausea and a wicked headache, but over the course of the evening, his condition improved. He slowly regained his memory, too.

By the next morning, he was feeling a lot better and was well enough for us to proceed with John's party that evening. To help us celebrate, Hannah took the train in from college. It had been two months since we had seen her and it was so wonderful to have her home. Plus, my sister and brother-in-law came in from Cleveland.

Surrounded by twenty of John's closest friends and family members, the party was a huge success. One highlight was the fondant-covered creation that Hannah and my good friend Sherri helped me make. I'll be sharing photos of this very special cake and the party with you in my next post.

But for now, I'm wiped out. I think I'll have a cup of Susan's Blend, read for a while, and turn in early.

Susan

Suzy's Keeper

What a busy week. I've been shipping tea, teapots, and vintage goodies all across the globe. Items have been flying out the door here at T-Party, like the vintage floral fabric, shown below.

I discovered several yards of it on Martha's Vineyard this summer. It's so pretty that I had a feeling it wouldn't be around for long. I just sold the last piece a couple of days ago, but I made sure to keep a tiny bit for myself.

My blogging buddy Suzy, of Georgia Peachez, bought some back in August. And feast your eyes on what she created with it . . .

 

Isn't it yummy? Suzy decided to keep this purse for herself (who wouldn't?) but she has made other lovely bags in a similar style. You can see more of Suzy's beautiful handiwork in her Etsy shop here.

 

How fun for me to see what became of this textile in her talented hands. Suzy's keeper is an inspiring example of using "old" to make "new."

I wonder what will become of this fabric's other yardage that was sent off to folks in Virginia, Arizona and California.

Susan

Seven Weeks of Oil Painting

Today was my last painting class and I finally progressed to adding color to my second oil portrait. (You can view my first attempt, a monochromatic painting, here.) Working in color wasn't as scary as I expected; just very challenging and thrilling, actually.

Even though I have barely scratched the surface of all there is to learn about painting, I do feel I made some steady progress over the last seven weeks. Now that this once-a-week class is over, I hope to continue painting on my own. I'm told that after about 1,000 or so awful paintings, I should start to feel comfortable working in oils. I guess I'm on my way!

My sincere gratitude to my talented teacher, Joanne Roy. She has awakened my desire to revisited my artist roots. And thanks to my dear friend Nancy, who urged me to take the class with her.

Susan

Oodles of Etsy Listings

I've been busy, busy, busy. You'll now find most of the vintage goodness from my recent estate sale foray listed in my Etsy shop.

Whew! Oodles of great stuff takes oodles of time to list. A few items have even sold already. Yay!

I hope to have the remaining estate sale goodies (tea towels, a couple more tablecloths and lots of hankies) listed by week's end.

Susan

My Pretty Lillypilly Pendant

Yesterday, I spent almost the entire day listing some of my recent estate sale finds in my Etsy shop. But by early afternoon, I started to get a bit stir crazy. I took a little break and headed over to a bead shop, called Beadz Boutique, a couple of miles down the road. I've been looking for a pendant to wear with a particular sweater, but I've had no luck finding one I liked. So I decided, why not make one?

With the help of Amanda, who works at the boutique, here's what we created. I love it!

Strung on a simple cord with three beads as embellishment, my new pendant is a natural brown tab shell that has been engraved by Lillypilly Designs Inc. Isn't is beautiful?

 

The artist, Heidi Viau, began Lillypilly Designs in 2003. She uses a CO2 laser to intricately engrave beautiful designs into various natural materials (tab shell, mother of pearl and blacklip shell) in her Colorado studio. Below are more samples of her designs. Aren't they stunning? They really are little works of art.

To view more of Heidi's exquisite pendants, click here. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. For more interest, a smaller piece can be layered atop a larger one. Wouldn't that be pretty?

I plan to order more online and have some fun creating Lillypilly pendant necklaces for family and friends.

Susan

Pressed Flowers Revealed

Two weeks have passed and it's time to open my flower press. Here in Connecticut, the temperature is only in the 40's today, so it's nice to reveal these little reminders of summer.

Not too bad for a first attempt. I may try pressing some colorful autumn leaves next.

Susan

Estate Sale Bliss

I don't go to many estate sales. From past experience in my town, I usually find them a waste of time. One must arrive at the crack of dawn to get a number, wait in a long line, and when finally inside, discover that most items are overpriced.

But every now and then, I'll happen upon a neighborhood sale that is already underway and stop in, like last Thursday when I entered an older home that was chock full of items that spoke to me. It was estate sale bliss! There was a dazzling array of kitsch along with some wonderful vintage textiles.

Here's what came home with me . . .

The lovely floral tablecloths I purchased, below, scared most people off because they were yellowed and dingy. All they needed was some TLC. A weekend spent soaking in my laundry sink brightened them right up.

I love these old paper fans.

And here's a trio of colorful vintage tea towels.

 

I found some of the prettiest handkerchiefs, don't you think?

These vintage booklets are lots of fun.

And even more floral tablecloths. They had a good long soak, too. For more information about how I launder vintage linens, click here for my T-Party tutorial.

Great stuff! Is there something that has caught your eye from my estate sale foray? If so, be sure to stop by my Etsy shop. When time permits, I'll be listing these vintage goodies over the coming weeks.

Susan

The Lucky Giveaway Winner

Bonnie! Congratulations, you are the winner of the latest T-Cozy giveaway! (Please email me at info@tpartyantiques.com with your mailing address so that I can send you your items.) This morning, I used an online random number generator to select a number between 1 and 44. It selected #20, so the giveaway goodies will go to Bonnie as she was the person who left the twentieth comment. 

My sincere gratitude to those who were kind enough to leave a comment and enter my giveaway. It was so nice to hear from you. 

And to all of you out there, thank you. Please know that I truly appreciate your readership, comments, and kind support.

Susan

Picture Perfect Pink

Happy Pink Saturday! These photos say it all . . . fabulous hats, Audrey Hepburn, and the color pink. 

Pink perfection.

Beverly of the blog How Sweet the Sound, is once again graciously hosting Pink Saturday today. Pop over to How Sweet the Sound for links to everyone getting in on the pink fun this week.

And don't forget to enter my giveaway. Simply leave a comment on the previous post by tomorrow for a chance to win.

Susan

A "Just Because I Want to Say Thank You" Giveaway

I'm having a giveaway! Why, you might ask? Just because every now and then I like to express my gratitude to all of you out there --- my loyal T-Cozy readers, friends and T-Party patrons.

Here's what you could win . . .

A lined notebook with a vintage bark cloth cover. This 80-page blank journal is nestled inside my handmade floral bark cloth notebook cozy embellished with two vintage buttons and bright yellow rick rack trim.

A two-ounce tin of T-Party's popular Vintage Rose loose leaf tea. This fragrant blend is a Victorian Earl Grey of black teas, rose petals, lavender, rosemary and Bergamot oil.

A stainless steel tea ball. This 2-cup fine mesh ball with clamp closure, chain and hook comes in its own pink organza storage bag. To use, fill to half its capacity with loose leaf tea and steep for at least three minutes.

A fluffy and fun novel. High Tea by Sandra Harper is a story about four women working together in an English tea shop in Los Angeles. It includes recipes, too.

If you'd like a chance to win these items, please leave a comment on this post by midnight Sunday, October 11. I'll announce the winner on Monday, October 12. For those of you who are shy about leaving a comment, please don't be. I'd love to hear from you. And if you're new to leaving comments and are not sure how to do so, I have simple instructions shown on the right.

Even if you choose not to enter this giveaway, please know that I appreciate your readership, comments and kind support over these last 2-1/2 years and 520 posts. Many thanks!

Susan

Kindling a Love of Reading

I love to read. How about you? Right now, I'm in the middle of My Life in France by Julia Child. It's my book group's selection for this month and, so far, I'm loving it.

The Kindle that my family bought me for my birthday last May has helped make reading a lot easier. No more trips to the library or bookstore. Anywhere, any time, day or night, I can order a book and have it arrive on my Kindle within seconds. Plus, I can download a sample of a book for free, usually about a chapter or two, so I can decide if I want to go forward and read the entire book. What a great feature. And best of all, most of my books have been free by using the points on my credit card toward Amazon gift cards.

My Kindle has become my constant companion. Waiting for my son in the parking lot after school, I read. In the doctor's waiting room, I read. While having my cup of afternoon tea, I read. Looking back, I've read ten books on my Kindle since it arrived four months ago. Here's what's on my Kindle bookshelf so far . . .

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Be prepared to meet three unforgettable women in a story of social awakening as seen from both sides of the American racial divide.

Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz
A memoir about the complexities of forgiveness when a young widow discovers her husband's secret life after his death.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
In the winter of 1909, Ralph Truitt waits on a train platform for the woman who answered his ad for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train, she's not what he is expecting.

The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman
Three sisters have a fate each must meet alone: one on a country road, one in the streets of Paris, and one in the corridors of her own imagination.

Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman
The engaging tale of three generations of a family haunted by love.

The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman
A magical and stunningly original story that charts the lives of three women in love with the wrong men.

The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman
A miraculous, enthralling tale of a woman who is struck by lightning, and finds her frozen heart is suddenly burning.

(Yes, I'm a big Alice Hoffman fan!)

The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason
The mesmerizing story of Edgar Drake, commissioned by the British War Office in 1886 to travel to hostile Burma to repair a rare piano vital to the Crown's strategic interests.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
A retired school teacher is the axix around which thirteen narratives offer profound insights into the human condition.

I'm So Happy for You by Lucinda Rosenfeld
What if your best friend, whom you've always counted on to flounder in life and love, suddenly starts to surpass you in every way?

Some of these recent reads were for my book group, others were recommended to me by the readers of this blog (thank you!), and some I happened upon on my own. I've enjoyed each and every one of them. Have you read any good books lately? Please leave a comment and let me know.

Susan

Giving Clothes a Second Life

I spent the morning parked in front of my dresser and closet. Now that autumn is here, I performed the annual task of switching my lighter, summer weight clothes over to heavier, winter ones.

I love doing this switch because my dresser drawers get a much needed clean up. And it feels like a fresh start when I reacquaint myself with favorite winter clothes I haven't seen in a while. I make sure to remove the clothes I no longer wear. I just took those over to Goodwill and the homeless shelter in my town.

Remember the book I sometimes mention called 365 Ways to Save the Earth? Here's what it says about unwanted clothes . . .

Give your clothes a second life.
Fashions change and clothes gradually accumulate in wardrobes. If they are in good condition, they can be put back into circulation on the second-hand market, sold cheaply, or distributed to charities. The second-hand market offers an economic, environmentally friendly alternative to new clothes. On average, the manufacture of 1,000 items of clothing produces 500 pounds of waste cloth, paper, and packaging. To work, however, the second-hand market needs consumers.
Sift through your clothes, and donate those that have gone out of fashion to charitable organizations (such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill Industries International, Inc.) that put out collection containers, or organize door-to-door collections. Your town hall can also tell you about clothing collections. And remember to patronize second-hand shops.

For more simple ways to be kinder to our planet, click on the category in the right-hand column of this blog entitled "Save the Earth Saturdays."

Susan

Trying Out My Vintage Flower Press

Before I sell the flower press I found, I thought I'd give it a try.

Here are the blossoms I collected from my garden. Into the press they go, four layers of pretty blooms. It's like making a flower sandwich!

I don't have any flower pressing experience, so I'm curious to see how these will turn out. I have a feeling a few varieties will be too juicy to dry out well. We'll see in a couple of weeks. It will be hard not to peek before then!

Susan

Parting with Personal Favorites

As a collector and seller of all things vintage, I've learned over the years that, as much as I would like to, I just can't keep everything.

In the spirit of sharing great finds, here are some of my personal favorites that I'm passing along in my sweet little Etsy shop and on The T-Cozy's sister blog, Kitsch Encounter. I do hope they will all find happy new homes.

Susan

Learning the Fine Art of Portrait Painting

So far, I have three oil painting classes under my belt. What a wonderful experience this portrait class has been for me.

So much to learn. Although I have a fine arts degree, my focus was commercial design and I never really learned to paint. I love to draw, but painting is another skill entirely. To say it is difficult is putting it mildly!

For our first few classes, our talented teacher, Joanne Roy, guided us through painting mono-chromatically so that we would focus on areas of light and dark without getting bogged down with color. Gillian Marshall, our model, is a gifted artist in her own right. See her amazing photographs here.

During class, I struggled along and tried my best to capture Gillian. Joanne began to show us how to add color, as you can glimpse in her painting to the right of mine. Her paintings are magical. You can view Joanne's work on her web site here.

This Rowayton Arts Center class has been a refreshing departure for me. It's an enormous challenge and I'm enjoying using my brain power in a new way. In next week's class, we'll have a new model and begin to work in full color. Yikes! I'm nervous!

Susan

The Well-Dressed Toaster

I had a guest in my studio this past weekend. It was a toaster!

Appliances aren't that attractive and some people prefer to keep theirs concealed under a decorative cover. Marjorie, a patron from my former antiques shop and tea room, gave me a call last week. A few years back, I made a cover for her two slice toaster, shown here. Marjorie has just upgraded to a four slice model, so she wanted a new custom made toaster cozy.  

When she stopped by to select the fabric for her new cozy, she chose the cheerful floral tablecloth, above. I always like to rescue less than perfect vintage linens and reuse them in sewing projects. This one is a cutter with some issues, but it still has plenty of usable yardage. 

I spent the morning on Monday sewing up the new cozy. I really like how it turned out. And when Marjorie picked it up yesterday, she was pleased with it, too. Isn't it sweet?

Now that's a well-dressed toaster!

Susan