Bali baskets.....

My very good friend, Sherri, from Alaska, sent me some beautiful handmade baskets from Bali.

The different villages in Bali are known for different handiwork.

Some are known for jewelry making, some for wood carving, and some for basket making.

 

 

They start with bamboo...

 

 

They pull the bamboo strip through a bottle cap that has holes made in it with a certain size nail.

This is "quality control" so that the strips are all the same size. 

 

 

They start weaving.

 

 

Sherri is getting instructions from her friend, the basket maker.

Sherri loved every single minute of the process.

 

A very technical process!

 

 

Smoking them creates the lovely color, which comes after the basket is made, in the huge ovens.

 

 

When I opened my package I could smell the smokiness of the baskets - mmmmm!

Such a beautiful craft.  

 

I keep my thimble collection in the smallest basket.

 

 

These are little gift cards my friend, Kathy, from Kathy's Cottage made for me.

I keep them in my hexagon shaped basket.

 

 

 I have a couple of my very small pin cushions and a tape measure in the largest basket. 

(My friends, Sally & Vicky, from England gave me the floral pin cushion & matching tape measure - so cute!)

 

 

So beautiful - thank you, my dear friend.  I love them.

Treasures......

 

 

Valentine's approaching.....

My sweet friend, Kathy, from Michigan sent me this heart swag.

 

 

I love it so much.

I keep thinking I'm going to make some of these, but I never do.

 

 

I'm so glad she made this one!

I have it hanging on my fireplace mantel....perfect!

 

You can read all about Kathy on her blog, Kathy's Cottage....she's so talented!

 

 

Trish, of Mississippi, made this darling heart wall hanging for her home.

 

 

I can't imagine sewing all those little two inch squares together, but it works!

I quilted the red areas with loops, outlined the hearts and stippled the centers.

 

 

What are your plans for Valentine's?

happy kitchenaid

My friend, Kathy, over at Kathy's Cottage, has the cutest kitchenaid decals you've ever seen! 

She knows I love vintage so she created these feed sack decals I just had to have!

I ordered two different styles (one is for a gift)...

 

But, here's the thing with Kathy - when she sends you your order it comes all packaged up in tissue with lovely little stickers...

 

                                    

With this package I could immediately smell one of my favorite smells.....LEMON!  Yes, she made this amazing little ticking (as in fabric - not the beating kind), heart pillow with lemon incense and attached a beautiful little birds nest.

I had ordered some other items that came with this pillow but I'll blog about them later.  

 

She didn't know I love to collect birds nests, in fact, at Christmas time when we are looking for the best Christmas tree ever we try to find one with a birds nest tucked inside. 

 

 I have it sitting by my very old Jadite lamp - perfect together.

 

OK - back to the kitchenaid decals.

This is a picture of my kitchen aid BEFORE.....

 

 

This is AFTER....

 

See how happy she is! 

Kathy let me choose the ric-rac color - love this vintage blue color!

They were easy to apply and are washable.

 

 

I'm over the top happy with my spring-y kitchenaid!

Thank you so much, Miss Kathy.

Go here to order a set for yourself! 

There are a lot of different styles to choose from.

winter pillow...

I was looking for a winter pillow cover and I knew my friend, Kathleen, from Kathy's Cottage, had one.  
She did a perfect job on the design. 
It just so happened to be snowing the day I finished the pillow form so I had to go outside to snap a photo of it.
Kathleen does a beautiful job - it has a darling dot binding and a zipper on the back for inserting a pillow form.
And she is so delightful to work with. 



Here is her Etsy shop, Hens in Daisies.
Even though it's so cold outside, this pillow makes me warm inside. 
Thank you, Kathleen, I love it!