Sundry Sunday - Vol. 46

I'm over the funk, thank goodness.  Whether it was a matter of time, a shift in the tide, or the mailman bearing squishies, it's gone.  Besides, who can be down on a day like this?

We did some hiking around Devil's Lake State Park on Saturday, enjoying the sunshine and last remnants of fall foliage.

Temps were on the cool side, but as we walked, the layers came off.

The first trail was called Tumbling Rocks.  You can see why.

It was a paved path, though.  Nothing strenuous, just a nice stroll along the shoreline.

I'm not sure how this happened, but Norm is actually smiling here.  It looks genuine, even.  Was my hair goofy?  Some spinach from lunch lingering in my teeth?  (That link is to an awesome restaurant, if you're anywhere near Baraboo, WI.  I had the Moroccan chicken, yum.  The decor is retro fun too.)  

Anyway, this one's a keeper.

Yes, he is wearing gloves that look like skeletal bones.  Quite the sense of style (and humor).

We also did a little trail in Parfrey's Glen nearby.  The trail was quite different than last time we were there five or so years ago.

It used to wind its way to a big waterfall (that's just a tiny one we passed along the way, above), but the path and improvements got washed out with some major flood damage a couple years ago.

The new trail only goes so far, and neither of us were wearing the right footwear to cross the stream and navigate the mud and rocks to get to the falls.  Maybe next time.

Still, it was a nice walk.

Other nice things arrived in the mail this week.  One I can't show you yet because it may be a gift for someone who reads this.  But here is a surprise that arrived from Shay.  She sent me one of her fabric baskets and a fridgie notepad.  So sweet of her!

And how did she know the sorry state of affairs on my refrigerator prior to her new notepad arriving to spruce up the joint?  The woman must be psychic, I tell ya.

I saw these on Generation Q this week and my mouse made a beeline to the site to order myself a necklace.  It arrived in my mailbox almost blindingly fast.  I love-love-love it!

 

The red/black/white project underneath the necklace is a sewing machine cover I started on Friday night.  The apron fabric was another treasure from Jenny's goodie box of scraps—a entire fat quarter of fabulosity!

Here's hoping you all go forth and be fabulous today!

Py, Oh My!

Don't you just love it when you're junkin' and round the corner to another room, and there it is.  Pyrex!

Lots and lots of Pyrex!  You hear the angelic choir in your head singing, "Aaaahhh!"  

I love when that happens.

But then you approach the shelves closer and start to see price tags.  "What were they smoking?" price tags.  Ridiculously high price tags.  Suddenly, the sound in your head becomes the loser music on a game show, "Wah-wah-wah..."

I hate when that happens.

In the interest of full disclosure, this wasn't a thrift shop in Red Wing, Minnesota; it was an antique mall.  Even still, the prices were much higher than the antique malls at home.  I didn't buy anything here, but I enjoyed gorging on the eye candy, and I brought some home for you, too.  See, I was thinking about you.

Fortunately, I had plotted out a map to a Salvation Army thrift store on the opposite end of town, so we made our way there.  The Pyrex pickin's were slim, but I did snap up this beaut for $3.00.

It's a Gold Acorn oblong space saver casserole #548, 1-1/4 quart size.  According to Pyrex Love, it was manufactured from 1960-?  Very nice condition too, no chips or cracks.

In Winona, I found these two little treasures.  A Bluebird promotional 1-1/2 quart casserole with serving caddy (1959-1961) and a Pyrex Pink Flamingo 8-oz individual round casserole with lid.

On the way home, there was a fabulous Goodwill store in Onalaska, Wisconsin—clean, bright, not smelly.  But most importantly, there was some nice, gleaming Pyrex for cheap.  Under two bucks for this coffee carafe!

Ninety-nine cents for this clear #501 refrigerator dish.  I think this may be an early one (1950-1952) because the Pyrex stamp on the bottom is round, not square.  No lid for it though.  What do you want for $0.99?  

I also bought a random Pyrex lid (no pic) for the round casserole I will find on some future day that is missing its lid.  You know you're in deep when you buy the lid in advance!

That was the extent of my Pyrex adventures on this little road trip.  Next up, a bit more about Red Wing...pottery that is.  For more adventures in Pyrex, visit The Pyrex Collective, and for more vintage fun, check out Vintage Thingie Thursday at Colorado Lady!

Further On Up The Road

If you're a blues fan, like me, that title may bring to mind a great song.  In fact, I'll put the YouTube link below.

But what I'm talking about today is further on up the road on our little getaway last week, wherein I visited a couple of quilt stores.  The first was a neat place in Sparta, Wisconsin called Quilter's Corner.  It was in an older home with two stories of fabric and a basement of finished quilts, table runners, purses, etc. for sale.  Found a pattern and some black & white FQs.  



Also bought some FQs of this fabric, but the designer's name escapes me at the moment.  Someone remind me, if you recognize it.  I really don't remember.  Anyway, I liked it a lot!  (Edited to add: It's Sanibel by Heather Mulder Peterson.  Thanks, Jenny!)



Leaving Sparta, and even further on up the road, we stopped at Rather Bee Quilting in Lake City, Minnesota.  Another great shop! But first, here's what our driving view was off to the right for much of that leg of the trip.  



This is a view of the Mississippi from Hwy. 61 somewhere between Winona and Lake City.  I think it may actually be Lake Pepin we're looking at below.  These fishermen were friendly.  They waved right after I snapped their pic.



I bought two half-yard cuts of black & white fabric, another pattern, and a yard of this cool red/black/white print.  



Then Norm found something he liked.  I bought a couple yards of that.  I'm thinking it'll be worked into a Christmas present for someone we know (and I hope he's not reading this!).



The backdrop for the fabric pics today is the new flooring.  Also, here is an update on what the bathroom walls look like for those who have asked.  Sorry about the dim lighting in there.  We still have to get the new lights mounted.



This is what I was working on today—the first coat of who knows how many on the bathroom cupboard.  



Tried spray painting it yesterday (fail). So I had a quart of enamel mixed today and am brush painting now.  I need to get  this done so I can get back to sewing soon!