CollectIn Texas Gal: 2018

12/31/18

Goodbye 2018...It Seems Like Yesterday

While making room for the NEW...I found a cache of beads, buttons, bows and more junk jewelry. All of it in my New Year 'Use It or Lose It' clean out....I'm Losing It. After all, if I haven't used it in more than 20 years, I think it's time to pay it forward. Actually, I have used some of it here and there in jewelry making, but I'm not seeing that style of jewelry in my future.

I'm paying it forward to a friends granddaughters who have been schooled in the Art of Creativity. When ever I do a purge of fabric, yarn, patterns and stuff like what is in the box above, I'm send it their way knowing how much fun they will have going through it and planning all the things they will make. I always, I mean always receive a handwritten Thank You note. They are also schooled in the 'Old School Arts of Manners & Acknowledgement'.

It's an 'Alice In Wonderland' down the rabbit ~~hole~~ box.

Would you like an adventure...or shall we have our tea first.

I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.

How long is Forever? Sometimes just one Second!

~Lewis Carroll~

Alice In Wonderland

Goodbye 2018...it seems like yesterday!

~CollectInTexas Gal~

12/28/18

Vintage Shoppers Are Few...Marketing Lesson

Just because I love Vintage Linens, Quilts, Doilies, Lace and Fabric doesn't mean everyone else does.

Looking back through 2018 photo files of my Shop, I see most of the 'Vintage' everything that was there in January is still there now.

It's not that people don't look at Vintage Stuff...they do...and remark, "That reminds me of my Grandmother"....or..."I have my Grandmothers Quilts and Doilies stored in a cedar chest in plastic zipper bags".

Yikes! You know that sends me in a 'Vintage Care Rant'. "Get it OUT of the cedar chest and for Pete's Sake never store it in plastic."

I give lots of Free advice on how to care for Vintage everything, and often am asked, "Would you repair my Grandmother's quilt?" Usually I say, "No, but here are some things you can do to preserve it...then I share my tips."

Of course there are the 'Few Vintage Shoppers' who have come through the door actually looking for 'Vintage Stuff'. And, I have sold several quilts, a few yards of lace, and a couple of crocheted table runners and doilies.

However, it seems people are more likely to buy the things 'I make from 'Vintage Stuff'. For example...

...who knew Chick Pincushions would sell out!
They were pretty cute and one of the ways I suggested to people as a way to use their in need of major repair Grandmother's quilts.

So, on to the 'Marketing Lesson'.
~Just because YOU love Vintage doesn't mean everyone else does or will.
~When you have limited space...limit Vintage to what sells.
~Use YOUR Vintage inventory and MAKE what sells.
~Use your Digital Photo Files to Display Vintage Items for interested Vintage Shoppers.
~Market Online specific to Vintage buyers.

Poodle Soap Scrubby...anyone? They were the bath rage in the 1950's!!!

12/27/18

Twas' All in the Trappings and Wrapping

Twas' the Season for less of the usual 'Trappings' and more about the 'Wrapping'.

A few days after Thanksgiving I had the best of intentions toward the usual trappings of tree, wreaths, stockings and all that decorating stuff. The tree came out of the closet and sat in the living room for a couple of weeks with one lone ornament hanging on it's fake fir...left from last year.

The Christmas Spirit was not moving me to get out the boxes and boxes of ornaments, lights and all that jazz, so back to the closet for a tiny tree...15" or so and fully decorated. Along with a Santa Quilt wall hanging, candles, a few Santa figures and a red and green rag rug runner on top of the Quilt Cupboard it was enough HoHoHo decorating. Am I becoming a Merry Minimalist? I guess so for this year anyway. Oh, about the fake fir...it did not go back to the closet, but to the front porch! I liked it there all lit up with one ornament.

Twas' all about the 'Wrapping'!

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

I'm gearing up for the New Year!

12/12/18

WordlessWed...Sweet Sewing Memorablia

12/8/18

Bows, Bags and Bits&Bobbles of Weaving

I have a Red Bow theme going on in my Shop this year. They are decorating the door wreath, the wire mannequin by the front steps and directing shoppers to the 'Red Bow & Tinsel' Sale.

For now the sale is 25% off...you know...that magic Christmas number. Before the last days before Christmas...which will be Saturday the 22nd...all the 'Red Bow & Tinsel' tags will be 50% off...at least most of them...for sure the ones that are for Christmas.

I've been collecting Christmas Gift Bags since the Thrift shops put them out. It's amazing how many people donate them to GW, SA and others I shop usually once a week. I only buy the ones that are that weeks half off tag or marked down and in excellent condition.

Of course I cleaned out my own collection of saved gift bags and added them to the thrift shopped ones. Shoppers at my Studio Shop seem to really appreciate getting the bags with their purchases. I'll continue this thrifty bag shopping throughout the year...for special occasions, holidays and birthdays. Always see lots of Birthday Bags.

And now for Bits&Bobbles of Weaving!

I'm having sooooo much fun weaving on Dorothy...my table loom. About 15 inches is as wide as the piece can be, but the length can be quite long depending on the warp...the white lines you see on this piece. All of the horizontal bits and bobbles are called the weave. This piece is about 14x16 and was made to finish off a 6 yard warp. It will be a wall hanging when finished. I have more bits and bobbles to embellish...probably will be an OverDoSue thingy!!

12/4/18

YeOle Shope...Ready for Yule

I've done it again...missed the first day of the month! However, I have a good excuse. You see December 1st was 'First Saturday at The Chicken Farm Art Center, and YeOle Shope took precedence over everything else. Here's how it looked to greet Shoppers....

I think I'll be back before the month/year is over, but just in case....

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S!!!

11/29/18

Short Fall Ya'll

The view from my Studio at The Chicken Farm Art Center. Doesn't Texas Mother Nature bring a new meaning to Fall Colors? Of course the day before the leaves turned it was near 80 degrees. An overnight low of 29 degrees snapped the green right outta them and in the next few days...well, it's a wonderful concoction of reds, yellows and oranges.

A few greens are still hanging on. It happens when the weather changes from freezing to hot in a flash! People ask is it cold or hot in Texas...the answer...Yes!

Fall didn't last very long this year, but I was ready with a colorful array of Fall items.

Aren't those the cutest pumpkins with their spool stems?

11/28/18

WordlessWed....Dragonfly Window View

11/15/18

LeButon Bracelets Bragging Rights

I'm on a November posting roll....3 in a row! It's gotta be one of two things...one 'Guilt' and two 'Bragging Rights'...likely both. So, let's start with Bragging Rights or a term I like better...'Back Patting'...without breaking my arm.

Aren't these too cute? I think the 'Tweens and Teens' will love them for an upgrade 'Friendship Bracelet'. Remember those? Notice the LeButon Bird Button from yesterdays Wordless Wednesday? I found these buttons a few years ago on clearance and knew they would be good for a future project. They worked out perfectly for my version of a video that popped up on my Facebook page. I'll share it with you....

Click HERE to view video on Facebook

There...that takes care of 'Guilt'.

11/14/18

WordlessWed...LeBouton Bird Button

11/12/18

Make My Jig List

It's nearly Mid-November...in a few days...and for the first time in years of blogging, I did not start a month off on the first day of the month. Sure glad I didn't declare back in January to be a daily poster which has often come to mind as each New Year begins. I've for sure fallen short of even posting for half of the days of the month...most months of 2018. Funny how blogging has changed for me over the last couple of years. At one time, I rarely missed a day of at least checking in, reading on my blog list and posting more often than not. Now days...I rarely check in. Poor blog, it's really taken a back seat to .... well, everything. My apologies blog list and readers.

What I've been doing is enticing, cajoling and pretty much pleading with folks to 'Make My Jig List'. They do that by buying 'Handmade', and in order to do so, I have been making sure there are lots and lots of my 'Handmade' do be 'Jigging' over. That's basically why I'm 12 days late in starting November blogging.

Here's a few pictures of what can get the 'Jigging' going...

Watch out Big Box Stores.

I'm on a 'Jig List' Roll.

10/17/18

WordlessWed...WrapUp...Winter Is Coming

10/15/18

The Artisans and Crafters Gathering

And so it begins! The holiday shopping season with the Artisans & Crafters Gathering. I haven't participated in a show since opening a Studio at The Chicken Farm Art Center. So, it was a different mindset in choosing what to take, planning and setting up the space, and trying to think of everything needed...like bags, change, Square Sign, and on and on. Needless to say, I had to make several trips back and forth from the Studio to the show site.

Finally....all set after moving things around several times. My space was 10' wide by 5' deep and fortunately I was next to my spinning group so got to spread out a bit more. As I look at this picture, I see several things that I will not have to take back to the Studio. Yay! It was a good show and worth the time and effort to be there.

This year's new line of knitted and crocheted items....Cowls and Capes. Last year I did Shawls and Ponchos, and am in hopes they will go again this year. I think I'm done with hooks and needles for the season....famous last words...ya know!

Will definitely have to get back to Rag Rugs...both crocheted and loomed. Especially the loomed as I sold the last one at this show. Have one on the loom now....time, time, time!!!

You can see some of the ones I have made on Sue's MadeWith Fabric&Fiber website where I have a LibbyLula Custom Rug Tab.

10/3/18

WordlessWed...Saori Moon&Stars

10/1/18

Hello October

I'm so glad I live in a world where there is October!

The Trees are in their autumn beauty,

The woodland paths are dry,

Under the October twilight,

The water mirrors a still sky.

William Butler Yeats

Abilene State Park ~ Abilene, Texas

9/10/18

Autum Blending, Spinning and Looming

Autumn is quickly becoming one of my favorite seasons! Summer used to be! I'm over Summer...whew, it's been such a long hot one! During the last week of August I began sorting through fabric strip bins, yarn bins and roving bins pulling out Fall colors. So, now I am definitely in the OverDoSue Fall Mode.

I'm hoping for orders on the Autumn Boreal Rolags. I spun and plied them as an example of how beautiful they work up into yarn. I think the Spinners who are going to be my 'Guest Artists' for October's First Saturday at The Chicken Farm are going to love these fall colors.

How's this for screaming Autumn? This LibbyLula Loomed Rag Rug Runner sold while it was still on the Loom. When it was finished the buyer came right over and picked it up and promptly took it home and set up her Fall Ya'll table...take a look...