Beach Cottage Re-Do - Minus Bin Laden!

Those of you who know me understand that I am usually in bed by 9:30, 10:00 at the latest.  Last night, I was up a tad later, finishing my overdue Blog Post.  I never even considered checking the news when I signed off (who wants to go to sleep on that stuff??),  and although I missed the excitement of the announcement about Bin Laden's Smack Down, I'm glad I didn't hear until this morning.  I would have stayed up until midnight, and I guess my thinking is this:  that idiot kept me up enough already.

Bin Laden has been planted on the bottom of the sea - where he will be finished off in tiny bites by creatures with sharp little teeth.  What a great finish to a real Scum Bag.


Thank you, Seals and Special Forces; Thank you, President Obama.  Now I can finish my Beach Cottage Re-do with a lighter heart.

So, to turn to the job at hand, today I got HUGE progress in the form of cabinets roughed in, bathroom with studs for walls, and finally picked my paint colours. 


Here's the kitchen today:

Monday night.  Looking more like cabinets.

And, here is the new refrigerator home and custom pantry tonight:

Just a little leveling to do - the fridge goes where the tools have been stacked.

Turns out that within 12 feet, the floor slants down 3 inches!  But this crew knows how to handle it.  My granite will be supremely level.  Here's a shot of that:

Kashmire Gold - it should pick up the floor color AND the stainless range.

This slab came in a little more orange than I wanted, but I think it will work beautifully - I had to go to a new shade of paint for the Bead Board walls, but it's gonna be beautiful!  I'm so tired, so I will sign off now for some good sleep before my 5:00 "outta bed" tomorrow morning!  Because, THIS is one of the things facing me tomorrow:

The much-dreaded basement organization so I can haul the old cabinets in there!

Tomorrow, I'll show you what happened to my sweet little sewing room and my graphic design studio - Much, much work to do there also.  Goodnight, sweet readers.

Crossing the Bridge & Flying Away

After crossing the bridge to Ocean Isle last Sunday, I have tried diligently to stay one step ahead of the contractors, but haven't always been successful.  They move like greased lightening, working on the clock, but always aware of the time spent on the job.  What a wonderful crew!  WB Properties in Calabash, NC is doing the work - here is a link to their website:  http://www.wbpropertiesofnc.com/

 We are so lucky to have them living next door to us!

Here's what our open plan living area in our beach cottage looked like before they arrived on Wednesday:

Check out the Parson's Chairs by B&R Upholstery, and the refinished (last year) floors by WB Properties.

And, here is what it looks like now:

Orderly Chaos.  Husband isn't happy, but there is a plan here.  Don't worry, they will refinish the floors again after everything is done.

You can see that everything is a mess, but moving on to something newer, fresher, and better.  Here is a shot of my old pantry space, which will be the new refrigerator space:

This was my pantry until two weeks ago!

 This used to be where my sushi rice, seaweed, sesame seeds, and nori hung out.  I can't wait for it to be my new refrigerator space, and for my new contiguous counter space to be installed in the old 'fridge space by the stove.


This isn't easy, but a necessary job to keep our 28-year-old island home in a livable condition.  What with hurricanes and winter storms, there is a lot of damage to unseen areas...not to mention that after 28 years, WE NEED NEW STUFF!  And yes, the Lime Green walls are going away.

Meantime, I shipped out several Mitzi Cornelius bags from the Shallotte UPS shipping center, and am basking in the glow of satisfied clients.  Emails, phone calls, and mountains of Thanks have absolutely been the highlight of this difficult week.  Thanks so much to all of you new bag owners! 


So, now, I want to talk about Flying Away.  Since around 2007, one of my original "Ladies of Tideline", Jan Caudill, has been battling a recurrence of cancer with all the gusto a woman can muster.  She helped us set the original store in the Spring of 2005, and gave us the huge smiles that you just need at any moment of the day.  Soft spoken, but with the most mischievous twinkle,  she donned crazy hats and flamboyant  scarves and pins with the most amazing, comfortable sense of style I've ever seen.  When she agreed with you, she would ponder the point and then give this breathy "Yeaaah", like it came from her toes.  And you didn't get that unless she agreed.  She traded cars with abandon - after choosing one and driving it for a few days, if she didn't like it she would take it back, and somehow, drive off with a new one.  Immensely spiritual,  she always responded to comments about God with a chuckle or intense look into your eyes, letting you know without words that she walked hand-in-hand with Him.  She knew Him.

And yesterday, around 4:30 in the afternoon, she left this earth to walk the Heavens forever.  Godspeed, Miss Jan.  We love you.  We will miss your presence, and your flair for life.  You will make a stir amongst the Angels with your hats, pins, and scarves and zippy cars, but they will be the better for it.  Godspeed.

Meet Penelope Robin!

MC800

I am so happy to post the new Penelope Robin Bag, photographed from the safety of a Goose-less location.  She is joining the line-up of new Mitzi Cornelius Handbags on the Lula Belle Tassels website, and I'll probably have to have one myself to take to the Surtex Show in New York in a couple of weeks.

Here are a couple more views:

This handbag is shipping out tomorrow morning to a new customer, along with one of the Butterfly Bags that you saw on one of my earlier posts.

Next up - Turtles and Polka Dots.

Also wanted to pass along this link to a really fabulous blog that I'm following daily:  http://colourmehappyblog.blogspot.com/ that is written by a talented designer named Maria Killam.  Lots of beautiful interior design photos,  and great information on the use of color.

Sorry for the short post, but it is Dinner Time!

Goose Throwdown

Well.  I never.  Will you just look at this and tell me if this is bad behavior, or what??  I was on my way out the door to shoot the Penelope Robin Bag, and caught the beginning of this goose fight on our idyllic little pond:

This couple LAUNCHED toward the other two.

They trumpeted taunts and goose curses all the way across the pond, with me and Penelope Robin hanging on to our hats.

Screeches and Honks and Bedlam as the fight begins, with Lucy Goosey egging them on.

It only got worse...

Words were flung that should never have passed those goose lips.  Never.

Then, realizing I was taking pictures of all this rude behavior, they climbed out of the pond and took the fight off behind the little boat house where I couldn't see them.  When husband went to see what the heck was going on back there, they chased HIM back around the boat house at a fast little clip, then resumed the yard fight.  It was, purely and simply, a Goose Throwdown.

As a result of all this bedlam and ill will, I was unable to get to the spot where I was going to photograph Penelope.  She simply refused to enter an arena that was filled with hissing, honks, lingering rage, residual goose-cursing, and damaged serenity.

So I guess we'll try again this afternoon, but I may have to hire security.  Good grief.

Lovely Chocolate and Squishy Goose Poop

As promised, here are better images of the newest Mitzi Bag - MC839:

Now, I'm sewing up a Penelope Robin Bag, and will post those images after photos in the LATE AFTERNOON light.  No more 1:00 photo shoots.  And, FYI- don't walk barefoot in the yard after the geese have hung out all day. 

Squishy Goose Poop Between Toes will result.  Just Saying.

Loving Chocolate, Loving Leather

So, here is the newest addition to the line...  I knew when I saw this brown fabric that I loved it, but had no idea how very much I was going to love it made up.  This is my new favorite bag - at least for today.




MC839



Here is another shot - I know that mid-day isn't the time to take outdoor photos, but I just HAD to show you this bag.  Better photos later for the website...

MC839 Peek at inside



In between packing up my Ocean Isle cottage for some badly needed repairs/renovation, zooming back to Atlanta to clean up the debris from Saturday's storms, and sewing like mad,  I also managed to snag an appointment with a leather cord manufacturer for tomorrow.  Hang on to your hats, LEATHER HANDLES may be coming to Lula Belle!

Here is a sneak preview of the cord I would use for handles in natural brown:

I'll know the minute I see it tomorrow if it will work for our bags - there are many colors to choose from - even pink! 

Pink Cord before being Braided

So, fingers crossed that it doesn't look too heavy; I've always wanted my Mitzi Cornelius Bags and Satchels to have leather handles.  Love the lightweight Bamboo, but we do need a different look on some fabrics, and especially our Fall Bags. 

Back to the workroom...so much to do!

Bo. Da. Cious Bags

Well.  Despite an overloaded day yesterday, I polished off these two new bags to add to the Mitzi Cornelius line, and shot them on the Rosemary Steps leading up to the  kitchen.  Now I can't wait to sew up the Chocolate Vine bag!  I think these look, well, Bo. Da. Cious!

Here's the inside fabric:

And, here is my own Butterfly Fabric on Oatmeal Linen, sewn up with dancing ruffles!

Now I'm off for breakfast, and some fast sewing before the carpet and tile  measurer man gets here!

Time Out for Strawberries

So, now that we are "at the beach", time changes in odd little ways from the way it works in Atlanta.  It's almost as if you are on a game board, and the roll of the dice determines what you will do, and at what speed!

I discovered that Tideline Fabrics is now closed on Mondays to give Todd and Sally a break, sew up some window treatments, and tend to their beautiful store so it will be ready for the Tuesday-Saturday dance.  Being unable to go take photos for you, I used Monday to pack up more of the studio for transfer to Atlanta, cleaned out my closet in preparation for the upcoming renovation, and strolled on into Tuesday, hoping for more control over my day.

Delightfully, I lost all control again, this time to Strawberries and another Grandma party!  Visiting Holden Brother's Produce out on Hwy. 17 yielded baby lettuce, baby spinach, and these lovely berries:

Husband and daughter-in-law, Amy, had declared an impromptu party over at Grandma Mac's, so I sliced these beauties up and headed over to the event with those yummy little retro shortcakes that come in a cellophane pack - and of course, some squirt-on whipped creme.  We had a take-out sushi feast, followed very quickly by a dive into the strawberry bowl.  Just yummy!  Of course, the squirt-on whipped creme was exhausted very quickly, and licking fingers was the order of the day.

Then home for some couch time before bed with a regular spur of the moment visitor -  Old Grand Dog:

Who demands his own blankie for the wood floor, and position right under the TV so that he can listen and doze at the same time...

Today, I am declaring a studio day.  Period.  More later to show you the progress on the bags!

Ruffles, Blessings & Gratitude

Now that I have the Binding Blues behind me, I feel like tackling some Ruffles...I have Handbag orders, and the perfect ruffle color for my Back & White Houndstooth bag is eluding me.  I've searched high and low at my favorite trimming haunts, and pure-T black just isn't doing it for me.   Not happening.


So I decided to have another go at Ruffles, Ruffling, Ruffled.  Not pleated, not gathered...Ruffled.


Here is what evolved out of my shopping trip:

I'll sew it on, and see how THAT looks.


Meantime, I want to tell you that the young couple who bought my store have simply blown my socks off.  Last night, they staged a Grand Re-Opening for after hours, complete with Ribbon Cutting,  Catered Food, Open Bar, and the most fabulous display of Home Decor, Fabrics, and Window Treatments and celebratory Floral Arrangements I have ever, ever seen!  They had a huge turnout,  and as I wandered through the crowd and listened to the happy hubbub and bright laughter, I just kept getting wave upon wave of chills up my arms to see what they have done.  It's as if they sent my old store off to Finishing School!  Simply amazing.  I will go tomorrow and take photos of the store and post them...you just have to see it to believe the transformation they have achieved in such a short time. 

And to look at all my former employees, lined up and dressed up so beautifully - receiving every attendee with such charm and regal grace --- well, I was flabbergasted to think that such royalty actually worked for ME for six years.  I am truly, truly blessed.

Turf Battles Before Daylight

Just another quick note before I head off to the workroom...out the window of my graphic design nook, I can see out over the pond.  Very early in the morning, it is beautiful as the sun begins to lighten up the sky and wake up the day. 

In the pre-dawn glow, the water ripples and sometimes, literally churns with the morning activities of wild life of various sorts; geese, ducks, frogs, fish, and... the most irritable hawk I've ever seen. 

Yesterday morning, I was startled out of my reverie by an explosion of wings, water, and outraged quacks erupting from the pond.  Thrusting myself almost through the window to see what was going on, I beheld this soppy-wet guy coming in for a landing on the swing cross-bar:

and, this huffy duck, who was circling under him with indignant strokes of his paddle feet and who was giving him the business with all the duck curse words he could remember:

Turf Battle.  Before full daylight.  Geeze.  Some days just get started off on the wrong foot...

Binding Blues

Well.  I am here to tell you that binding ANYTHING, whether it is a napkin or a quilt is NOT my favorite thing to do. However, after searching the internet from stem to stern, watching about a dozen binding videos, and applying myself rigorously to learn how to do this - since I love piecing things together and they have to be finished somehow - I have cobbled together a binding for my runner.

After all my research, I decided that bias cut was the only way to go.  I worked furiously on Sunday to cut, piece together, and press mountains of binding:

And then thanks to Julie, over at Jaybirdquilts.com, I picked up the following fabulous tip:

Hair clips to hold everything together!  Here's another shot:

Feeling pretty smug with the clip trick, I began sewing the binding to the back...after which I brought it around to the front and machine stitched it close to the edge to finish...I am NOT into hand stitching anything.  What resulted was a roller-coaster edge, wavy and just ugly.  So, rip out, press again, and start over.  After two rounds of that battle, I wound up using Steam-A-Seam to attach it to the front.  Nothing I did would remove the waviness, and it is still slightly wavy (although pretty) on my dining room table.  I've resolved to go with straight cut seam binding from now on - I think it was too stretchy from being cut on the bias!

Here's a link to Julie's tutorial on binding:     Binding tutorial at Jaybird Quilts

Now, back to the workroom!

Up In My Attic!

While my fabric pieces are drying, I thought I would show you my new(old) digs.  Here is my backyard with the creek running through it...

             

And, here is the back of my house...

             

Being Spring and all, of course we have Robin Red Breast and all his clan...

It rained all night last night, along with thunder and lightening, so it was cozy sleeping, and this morning I had these views out of my new Graphic/Office/Studio window...

                   

And this is the view from my desk:

         

So that is the tour for today - I'm off to check the dryer, and to figure out how to link to the binding tutorial that I'm going to use for my project!

Cranking the Engines

So, now it's time to work!  This is what I've been doing since coming to Atlanta...cleaning out six years of neglect, mold, mildew, dust and -UGH!- rat and squirrel poop from my poor house.

Here's a before shot of the graphics and sewing side of my workroom/studio on March 3:

Pretty awful.  Just open the door and throw it in for years while I tended to the store in North Carolina.  After a couple of day's work, this is what it looked like:

Getting better!  So, today, after spending ALL DAY yesterday cleaning up the new office area I will be using for the graphics and computer work, I decided to crank my creative engines and get started on some multi-panel table runners:

I'm going to make these quilted runners about 90" long and they'll finish out at about 14" wide.  Now that they're all cut, I'm going to put them in the washer for a few minutes to take the sizing out.  After they've dried, I'll start sewing them together and figuring out what to use for the backs.  And the binding!  I have to find enough fabric to be able to cut it on the bias without buying any more fabric.  That's the rule.  I just sold a fabric store, for crying out loud!                                



                                
                                    

Life Does Go On

It has been a month since my husband's surgery - the doc says all the cancer was contained in one area, and no further treatment is necessary.  I guess that good old Guardian Angel includes my loved ones, too.  Thanks, dude!

I could (and probably should) write a book now on the immediate aftercare of a man who has undergone prostate removal.  Just to give everyone a Head's Up if you are facing this situation any time soon - take your pajamas to the hospital when you check in for his surgery, and be prepared to set up camp in his room.  During the surgery, don't sit in the hospital - give all the attendants your cell phone number, then go find some peace and comfort for three to four hours while he is in their hands.  You will need your reserves so that you can be alert every second of the first night to support and comfort your man.  The nurses will check on him periodically, but you need to be there every second for the next 48 hours.  Just sayin'.

We are in Atlanta now, and loving it.  There is a beautiful Spring going on over here that just doesn't happen at the beach...on the island, there's no verdant grass, no tender blossoms, and no sunny corners to curl up in out of the still-chilly breeze.  The island has its own charms in the Spring, but I guess I'm just a woodsy kind of girl, and love the smell of all the trees and vines waking up, stretching, and shaking off the Winter.

Yesterday, my husband called me to look out at an abandoned flower bed that is overgrown with ivy now (so much to do!) to show me a single tulip that had arisen and bloomed 12 years after being planted, just at this particular time.  He remarked that if you were Japanese, you would probably place deep spiritual significance to that bloom; you would probably translate that as a sign that life would go on.

I'm thinking he's about right.

                                                                  

It's A Man Thing

It's Sunday morning, I'm finishing off my zucchini/onion/egg pancake over jasmine rice upstairs, and I hear husband rustling around in the kitchen.  

Refrigerator door opens....silence.  Then, "Where are the flour tortillas?" comes wafting up the stairs.

Is this a man thing, or what?

Stars and Guardian Angels

I was born at a tiny little clinic in Leighton, Alabama.  The doctor who had delivered me was the only one in attendance besides my Dad, and as he was cleaning me up he smiled and held up my foot to my Mom.  "Look at this", he says.  "She will always be lucky in life!"

What he was pointing out was a perfect five-point star, made by lines converging on the bottom of my foot.  When I was a teen, I stared at that star many times, wondering where the heck the luck was.  More than once, Mom told me that it was the sign of my Guardian Angel, and that he was watching over me, never fear.  When I was barely 20 years old, I got married and left my parents and childhood home and flew away to live in Hawaii.  Right about then, my Angel went to work, and hasn't stopped since.

After I ended my last post on November 14, I got in the van to go to Jamie's Spot Fry and saw messages on my cell phone.  Heading down the street, I listened to them and learned that a young couple was driving around the island, trying to find me.  What followed next has changed the track of my life at exactly the right time in my life...which can only be attributed to that good old Guardian Angel who put his stamp on my foot and claimed me while I was still in the womb.

They wanted to buy my fabric store, Tideline Fabrics, which is located in Shallotte.  We talked for about an hour in a parking lot (I missed the Spot Fry) and to skip over all the details and get to the present, we are moving toward closing in mid-February.  

That will release me to move my home base back to Georgia - to my beloved home, gardens  and studio there, and most importantly, it will release me to be with my husband 24-7 as he enters the battle against cancer.  He was diagnosed November 30, and last night his surgery was scheduled for February 17.  He has chosen a doctor in Atlanta rather than Duke...see how all this works?





 

Unending Parties

This is me today:

It is over a week later - what a 90th Birthday celebration!  I wound up with 10 gallons of gumbo (took two days to make), 3 dozen steamed crabs, 30 pounds of marinated shrimp, and a bushel of oysters done up every way you can think.  And somehow, a different dinner party every single night until Saturday.  That is 8 days of cooking, cleaning, and hanging out with family - in addition to going to work every day!  Good Lord.
So today is down time, and I've been browsing through books, mags, and blogs that I love, trying to gear down.   Except I've been invited to a North Carolina Spot Fry over at Jamie's, to celebrate HIS mom's birthday.  Maybe a little nap, then off to another party!

Shrimp Throwdown!

Today is the big Cooking Day for Grandma Mac's Birthday Party - which is tomorrow evening.  My house is spic and span, and my husband's bubbly cousin is going to stay with us.  I think the rest of the crowd is spreading out into other homes, including the house next door that our lovely neighbor turned over to us.  Take a look:

I will be cooking 40 pounds of shrimp today, and peeling most of it for a marinated shrimp dish, and should sign off now and get started!

Now We Are Cookin'

Okay, I figured it out.  Had to check a box on my settings!  Now I'm off to early bed, in order to be up before the sun to finish hanging pictures and then move over to the house next door to clean and freshen for the big party!

No Blog List?

Well, I guess I DIDN'T figure out how to list the blogs I'm following!  So, here are a few:
Marmite lover
The Washerwoman
Sheep and Chick
Suzy's Vintage Attic
Abuncandance
Textile Treasure Seeker
   All are at .Blogspot.com...

Cowgirls, Cleaning, and Blogging

I've spent the better part of the day cleaning like crazy and wrestling two window treatments up on the windows in my upstairs, in anticipation of all folks who are coming into town for my Mother-In-Law's 90th Birthday Bash.  I felt like a dingle-bunny as I dashed down to the basement two dozen times to retrieve the tools actually needed to properly hang a window treatment.  My legs are tired.

Everytime I needed a time-out to rest, I would return to the computer to roam through a few of my favorite blogs, and finally figured out how to post them on my "Blog List".  You should check these blogs out if you love textiles, food and gorgeous photos.

And then I started combing through my artwork to see what I could find to adorn the newly cleaned and still-being-decorated bedrooms, and somehow, the cowgirls just look perfect in there with all those fishy motifs.  That would be the Cowgirl Canvases/Pillows that I showed at the Atlanta Market in January.

That led me to search out the Cow Tassel to see if she would fit anywhere in the scheme.  Don't tell her, but I don't think she's going to make the cut.  Wrong color dress.

Market Basket goes to Australia

I've been conversing (emailing!) with a very nice lady from Australia, who tracked me down from a photo of a French Market Basket she found online.  We haven't done those in years, but the warehouse has some - partially finished - lingering on the shelves, slumbering in their protective covers.  

She pleaded for the one with the horse on it - she's an equestrian, and simply HAD TO HAVE IT.   So I whipped up a liner/bag on Sunday, popped it into the one remaining equestrian basket, and here is the finished product on my workbench, getting ready for it's long trip to Australia.

Now I am psyched to get the rest of the Market Baskets down from their shelves and finish them off!
 

Mitzi Cornelius Wakes Up From Her Long Nap

So.  Last weekend, after almost two years of tiptoeing around all the mitzi Cornelius parts stored in my studio, slumbering in what was an increasingly restless Nap, I gently woke them up.
On Saturday, we just got to know one another again, as they stretched and yawned, and grumbled a  bit about how long I'd left them in bed.
By Sunday, we were dancing, and very chummy again.  Here are the first ladies out of the dressing rooms: