My Carpal Has Been Tunneled

I had carpal tunnel surgery a few weeks ago which forced me to take a little sewing/crafting break. At 30, I’d like to think I am a little on the young side for these sort of procedures but better to get it fixed now than wait until I had a dead hand. The carpal tunnel was dear gift from Lenora brought on by pregnancy and at the end was so bad I could barely hold a wad of toilet paper. Imagine that, hugely pregnant, constantly on the toilet and barely able to use my hand. Not a pretty sight. It was supposed to resolve itself after birth but she just turned a year old and my right hand never went back to normal. We want more kids and I would like to be able to wipe my own bum so a little snip snip, by a surgeon with the most beautiful hair I have ever seen, and I am on the mend.

What struck me is that he used what we call a ladder stitch in the sewing world to close up the incision. It looked a little ugly and I thought to myself “I bet his mamma didn’t teach him how to sew”. Once removed you can hardly tell where he cut. I thought of how many of my sewing or mending projects started off like that, cut up and ugly. But with a few stitches of some well placed thread they turn out rather nice. That being said I scored some really neat vintage clothes this past week “junking” in Omaha here with the grandmas. They need a little cutting and mending but I am sure with some well placed stitches they will turn out rather nice.

How can you resist this face? The hand was worth it any day.

The Holy Grail: Day 7

I saved the best find for my final day of a week of thrifting reveals. Last weekend I had an hour before my brother showed up for dinner, and since he is always late I figured I had close to 2 hours. I was bored so off to the Goodwill Lenora and I went. Its really dangerous around these parts since they just opened one a few miles from my house. In the beginning the pickings were slim but not anymore. On this trip my eyes caught the below beauties. This is one of my favorite Pyrex colors and patterns. Behold...a pristine set of pink gooseberry casserole dishes. No lids but I picked up a stray small Pyrex lid a few weeks ago just in case, so now I only have 2 more to find.

Day 7: Pink Gooseberry Pyrex Casserole Dishes

Price: 10$ (a little steep in my opinion for Goodwill, but there was no way these babies were getting away)

Ladylike Linens: Day 6

Vintage linens hold a soft spot in my heart, for they are beautiful, old, glorified textiles. I love their patterns, colors and quirkiness not found in your everyday Bed Bath and Beyond.

Until now I have not been too lucky in the towel department at my local thrift store. Then the other day it was as if the heavens parted and I hit the mother load. Pink and green fluffy towels galore, plus a sheet and some pillowcases. I am in love.

I always look for these with the idea that I will turn them into these sweet vintage towel cosmetic bags I found on flickr. Great Christmas gift ideas. Maybe for this years 100% handmade Christmas, that is if I ever get around to it.

Or I could turn them into really neat retro baby bibs like the Liberty Bibs on The Purl Bee.
But then I am overcome by their beauty and the thought of cutting them sends shivers down my spine. So for now I will stack them neatly in my closet. I really want the set of pink towels to be Lenora's. There are the perfect little lady like size for her tiny toes.

Ahhhh, lovely sheets. What shall I make with you?

Farm Boy Fetch Me That Pitcher: Day 5

I love a good drink. Not of the booze variety. You know, the whole pregnant, nursing baby, mom thing gets in the way of my boozing these days. But I do love a nice tall glass of iced tea. You know whats better than a nice tall glass of iced tea....a pretty pitcher to serve it in. A pretty Pyrex pitcher at that. I found the pair of these playing nicely together on the shelf at my local Goodwill.

Not a week later I found their little sister at another local Goodwill. Imagine that. Can you believe they all had the original tops. What a find. Go me.

Day 5: 3 Pyrex Lemon Pitchers

Price: $3 each for the 2 large sizes and $5 for the small one

I sometimes wonder where they come up with their pricing methodology at Goodwill.

Pretty Frocks: Day 4

It absolutely kills me to go clothes shopping for Lenora and find that her little outfits and shoes cost just as much as mine. $45 for a baby dress. I think not. I have been on the lookout for some easy summer dresses and hit the jackpot with the 4 below. I am not sure any of them have ever been worn, they are practically brand new. I love the 2 Mexican dresses. The embroidery and stripe details are so sweet. I might have to try my hand at making something similar in a larger size.

Day 4: 4 Little Girl Dresses

Price: $3 each

Bottoms Up: Day 3

In case you have not already noticed I am a sucker for dishes, mainly Pyrex and Fiesta. Now and then something else will just beg me to take it home. Such is the case with these glasses. There were five of them on the shelf and I grabbed every one. They are in perfect condition and really pretty shades of yellow, peach and green. Not quite sure where in the cupboards I will fit them but I am sure we can make room.

Day 3: Vintage drinking glasses.

Price: .50 cents each

Warm and Snuggly: Day 2

My daughter was well past the swaddling stage when I discovered Aden and Anais muslin blankets, but that did not make me covet them any less. They make excellent woobies or light summer blankets. However, at $20 and up for one I just could not take the plunge. Then smiling back at me on the rack at my local goodwill were these. Not one, but 2 of them.

Day 2: Aden and Anais Classic Red Star Muslin Swaddle

Price: 1$ each. Yes you heard that right.

I just might have to swaddle myself.