Campbell Soup Diary: August 2011

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Just a Notion

What sewing notions do you like to collect?... come on now, I know I'm not the only one, right? For some it's old thread & bobbins, for others vintage sewing patterns, while some swoon over antique sewing accessories, or maybe you're like my husband and only new technology interests you... but if you've gotten caught up in the world of creating then you must collect something. I must confess that I fell victim to another of my notion weaknesses... and I just couldn't resist adding these pretty buttons to the shop. It's even harder to resist using them all up!

I'm always on the lookout for how one can use these wonderful accents and project completers. Here's a few sweet button inspired projects that I found on Pinterest. 1. Turn those favorite one-of-a-kinds into wall art. 2. Never loose track of time with this colorful button clock. 3. Martha shows how to make cute as a button party favors 4. Turn plain buttons into a stylish and chic accessory.

So, how do you store your buttons? I can remember when I was a little girl digging through a small little cardboard box that my mom used to keep her buttons in. I was always fascinated with the unusual and vintage buttons that she had. Perhaps that's where my love for the notion came from. Aren't these great storage solutions? 1.Mason jar storage 2. Recycled bubblegum machine... just 10 cents! 3. Stylish glass containers to make buttons look as tasty as candy 4. Don't waste that under the shelving space.

auf dem Land II

When we're "auf dem Land" (in the country) my husband is mesmerized by the tractors, the fields, the harvest... but I can find a good number of other things that capture my attention.

auf dem Land

I guess from time to time I enjoy writing about something other than fabrics and sewing (yeah, I know, a little hard to believe, huh?) But since I've been much more occupied with other outside projects instead of my usual inside passion, this might seem just about as far away from fabrics as one can get. As I've shared before, my husband comes from a farming family, and he himself has had a passion for tractors, soil, and flat fields as far as the eye can see since he was about my son's age. One could defintately say in his case that you can take the boy out of the farm, but you can't take the "farmer" out of the boy.

Even though I have been around large machinery all my life (my grandfather and father both worked in the heavy equipment industry) I have never experienced farming to this degree. Really "auf dem Land" (in the country) is so different than anything that I have ever been a part of.

... the men up early, out with the machinery, and in the fields before breakfast, actually getting to experience the full result of hard labor returned. The women in the house, the kitchen, the garden, preparing meals, coffee and cake, moving from one task to the next to support those that are working hard. Often having a feel to it like it was in the old days, but just with a little bit of modern technology.

While talking to my mother-in-law, we mused at what things must have been like on the large farm hundreds of years ago. I cannot imagine working from daylight to dark with no washing machine, no diswasher, primtive baking appliances, and making it all happen.

... well, I caught the tail "end of making it happen", and I must say at the end of the day it is quite a fulfilling thing to have been just a small part of the process that puts bread on our daily table.

Do you have any stories or memories of times spent "auf dem Land"?( in the country)

Drumroll, please...

So, how long have you been sitting there this morning, like a perched, hungry lion waiting to hear who won? Hopefully you've been sitting perched on a sun chair somewhere warm... wheh, temperature shock for me coming back to Germany from the 95 (35) degree weather we were having in the States!

... what's that you say... stop rambling on and tell us for Pete's sake who won!?! O.K, O.K, ... a big Granddaddy of a congratulations goes out to Gill!

I really loved hearing about everyone's work in progress... so now that jet lag is somewhat manageable, I hope to get started on a few projects of my own.

Giveaway Reminder! (and more!)

If you happened to miss the big "Granddaddy of a Giveaway"... you still have a few days left to leave a comment to win Amy Butler's "Style Stitches" book, one meter of fabric from Anna Maria Horner's LouLouThi fabric, and Jessica Jones ribbons! Winner annoucned August 17th!

Speaking of giveaways, did you happen to see the fabulous book that Juliette is giving away on her blog? She's giving away a copy of "The Handmade Home" by interiors stylist and designer Sania Pell, and get this... the book is in English AND German! ("LieblingsDeko: Schöner woh nen mit kreativen Ideen")

Don't miss your chance for two great August giveaways!

Water, Cousins & Kisses

I find that summers can either be extremely busy and full of action, or really slow and relaxing... for me this summer has been both. For the little guy it has been a summer full of impressions and getting really attached to his family on the other side of the pond, especially the family members that are a little closer to his size.