Monday, May 5, 2008

Love for Sale--$5.35

I had a nice, relaxing weekend "off" and feel refreshed and ready to start "chatting" again. No, I didn't make 15 quilts over the weekend; in fact, I only spent a few hours quilting. I read--I finished reading a suspenseful mystery called Birdman by Mo Hayder and started and finished The Ever-Running Man by Marcia Muller. If you haven't read her Sharon McCone series and you enjoy books like the Sue Grafton (A is for Alibi, etc.) series that feature female detectives/private investigators, I bet you'll enjoy Marcia Muller's books. Edwin of the Iron Shoes was the first in the series. If you're interested, click HERE for a list of the series in order. Then I started another book called Dead Past by Beverly Connor.

What else did I do? I packed away all the Easter and some of the spring decorations and got out my summer things. I'll probably show you a few pictures in the next week or so. I cleaned house--that's a given when rearranging and changing things around for the season. My husband and I went out to a late lunch on Sunday with his parents and had a lovely time. (I had some really good crab cakes--YUM!)

When we started getting hungry again around 8 p.m., I threw together a late night snack of pizza--easy to do with Trader Joe's pizza dough, some leftover alfredo sauce, and a little sliced tomato and basil, and a sprinkle of cheese.


I worked on the patriotic quilt a bit, but I don't have anything to show you yet. By the way, if you don't much like mitering corners, raise your hand. Okay, I think I'm not alone then. I've added one inner border with mitered corners and I have another one to do next. It's not that I don't understand the concept but where the corners meet the side seams--I almost always have a hard time making it look just right. So maybe I'll go back to it tonight, but I'm not making any promises.

I had a wonderful lunch hour today! I didn't have any hand work with me, so I thought I'd leave the office and go on an excursion. A thrift store sounded like a good way to spend the lunch hour, although I have to tell you--I very rarely find any of the great buys that other people seem to find. Still, it was a lunch hour with nothing else going on, so I headed down to a Goodwill store I hadn't been in before. What I had in mind was looking for a "vintage" apron--I had put up this "thing" on the wall that says "Fresh" and has four pegs--wouldn't an apron look good hanging where the towel is?


No, I didn't find an apron, but what a gold mine! I ended up with some stuff I'm really pretty excited about and I spent less than $30. I'll probably show you some of my "treasures" over the next few days as I clean and polish them up and put them to use. First, though, take a look at this:


It's not very old--I recognize the fabrics from when I started quilting about nine years ago. It's not very elaborate, nor is it very big, but in my son's former room, I have a nautical theme going on, and I just put a red, white, and blue quilt on the bed, so this cute sailboat throw looks great! But it IS hand quilted, and see?


It's stitched with love by Grandma Connie! All that love for only $5.35! This is the first time I've ever bought a quilt made by someone else, other than the inexpensive ones you can get at Target for $40, and that was only when I first started quilting and wanted something quick for the beds while I made quilted accessories and eventually worked my way up to covering the beds with my own handiwork. So I'm pretty excited about this. Grandma Connie embroidered the name "Tate" on the boat. Would you leave that as is or would you pick out the name? I'm of two minds over this, so I'd like a little input. Of course I'll leave the label on the back.

And, by the way, Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Look at what I picked up at Trader Joe's the other day--


Yes, this is the lazy gal's guacamole kit. Now if you're a purist like Vallen who actually learned to make guacamole in the land where it originated, you'd probably be pretty unimpressed--check out her recipe if you want to make the REAL good stuff. (She's not the Queen for nothin'!) But, hey, this kit from Trader Joe's is just fine for THIS lazy peasant gal!


And you know what? It tastes even better than it looks! (More thrift store buys, by the way--that little glass pot was 49 cents and the crock was $1.99. Can I get an OLE?!) Thanks for stopping in to see if I've come back from my little blogging vacation!

17 comments:

Carol said...

Kim, I just want to say, reading your blog really makes my day. How sad that Grandma Connie spent time making that little quilt for it to be given to Goodwill.

Mar said...

I agree with Carol, if someone finds one of my quilts at goodwill, I hope I don't find out!
I've read most of Marcia Muller's books, but it's been so long I don't remember which ones! OLE!!

Vallen said...

Love Marcia Muller and her husband Bill Pronzini. I do believe I've read most of her mysteries.
Any guacamole, or anything else with avocados is good by me. II just finished off some for dinner. Yum Don;t they just say summer's here.

Robin said...

I agree, the Grandma Connie quilt makes me sad!! I'd leave the name on there. It's the least she deserves...

Julie in the Barn said...

Sounds like you had a great weekend off. What great finds at your Goodwill! That crock is a steal. I'd leave the name on the little quilt. Grandma Connie would be pleased that you now love her gift. I have read Muller's books since way back when she started. Kinda dark in tone but well written. The pizza looks yummy! OLE!

Karen said...

Sounds like you had a great weekend - a little bit of everything and it sounds perfect. That pizza sure sounds and looks yummy. WOW 5 bucks for that quilt, what a shame but a great buy for you. Not sure what I would do about the name? it seems a shame to pick it out, I'm glad that you are leaving the tag.

I'll have a big ol slice of that pizza please, LOL.

Hugs - Karen

Paula, the quilter said...

Most boats have names, so why couldn't that one be called Tate? I would leave it on.

Nancy said...

You never know....Tate could be famous some day and that quilt could finance your retirement...LOL

Julia said...

I would leave the name on the boat! It is the least you could do for Grandma Connie, being since the family gave her love to the Goodwill.
Could I have a piece of that pizza please? And while you are at it, you might as well let me have a little of that guacamole. lol They both look yummy!

Rhonda said...

Sounds like you had a nice relaxing weekend with lots of reading. Sometimes we all need a weekend like that!
Great thrifty finds! I'd vote for leaving "Tate" in that quilt.
Gotta love Trader Joe's!

Kairle Oaks said...

What a find. I'd leave the name on the boat and then send to to the Ballerina, as that is her middle name. Okay...scratch that idea, it doesn't match her room. LOL!

Greenmare said...

Ole! good job you!
I'd leave the name on the boat, it's a better story that way.

Chocolate Cat said...

How sad to find the quilt lovingly made by Grandma Connie but how wonderful that you bought it. Think I would leave the name on. That guacomole kit looks great!

DPUTiger said...

Holy CRAP, I wonder if our one measly TJs has guacamole kits? I LOVE guacamole, but would have to make it at the Lake, since the Hubster is not nearly as much of a fan. And that TJ's pizza?

That's one of the very few things I miss about Cali. Either a Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods on every corner. :sigh::

Nan said...

What a great weekend! I wish there was a Trader Joe's nearby, because I'm so in love with that store! A guacamole kit? Pure genius! Looks yummy, too.
It makes me very sad that Grandma Connie went to all that work, and the quilt doesn't even look like it's been used! I'm glad you found it and will give it a loving home.

Red Geranium Cottage said...

If I were Grandma I'd be looking up TATE!!!! He'd be in a lot of trouble. That's a great little quilt and for that price. How could you just leave it lying there. Grandma even made it with LOVE!!!! LOL!!!

Sewing-Chick said...

I have a blue striped crock just like yours :) I am pretty sure I got mine new at the Roseville pottery store ... I have to buy "Ohio-proud" to support my fellow Ohioans! I use it as a rabbit food bowl. Now one might think that rabbit food bowls would be quite small, and he does have a small one too, but I put a half-head of lettuce or cabbage in the blue striped crock and he munches on it until it's gone!