rose hip

woolly wip...

Thank you so much for showering my last post with so many truly wonderful comments! I really had a ton of fun making those bags -- so much so, that I feel like I must re-visit "this babushka thing" again, very soon...

Since my last post though, I've been putting together some cushion designs which will complement this duvet cover. I was hoping to have a few covers in this style finished by now, but my serger has spent most of its summer so far at the repair shop - I finally got it back today! With no serger in hand, I decided to focus on the cushions and have come up with three different woolly house motifs, one of which being the one below -

Yes, I'm still getting my kicks by shrinking sweaters and making wool felt out of them - the resulting colors and textures are hard to beat and delicious to work with, especially in appliqué design! In fact, I've had so much fun, I've probably cut enough houses to make forty cushions! (Whether I actually make up forty cushions, that's another story altogether...)

I will definitely be showing you more woolly houses, but first -- we're packing up and heading doing south to sunny Southern California -- Yippee!!  We'll be spending our holidays along the coast between L.A. and San Diego, and I hope the weather will be bleachy, beachy stinkin' hot! Although I know some of you would disagree with me, I think that summer in Vancouver this year, so far, has been O.K., but certainly not the best....of course, still tons better than summer in Europe -- what's up with all that rain?!...   

One more thing before I go off packing...a wee little favor: if any of you have any suggestions as to shops, sites, markets, restaurants, beaches, etc., to visit in Southern California, please - oh please - drop me a comment -- I have a feeling that some of you might have some good local knowledge about the area... I will be able to check my comments while there and I'd absolutely love to hear from you! I'll be back in about two weeks with hopefully a few good snap shots to show you...See you then!

I love you, babushka...

I have always been drawn to Russian nested dolls; I remember first playing with them when visiting Poland as a little girl (my father and my maternal grand-parents were born in Poland). It's only recently that I've been introduced to what I think is their more Russian name -- matryoshka dolls; I've always known them as babushka dolls. I think each doll's little painted details as well as the way the paintwork changes with the next doll has always caught my eye, even as a child.

Not surprisingly then, a serious wave of nostalgia hit me when I spotted this set -- made in Russia -- at a local shop...of course, I had to have it! Same goes for when I saw these prints from Heather Ross' West Hill collection! Even though I have no idea how I'll use these adorable prints ('love her choice of color streams, don't you?), I'm happy they're sitting (three bolts) in my workspace so I can look at them as much as I want...yup, I'm a bit nutty when it comes to fabric!

A few years ago, I made some little backpacks which I embellished with babushka appliques; unfortunately, I didn't save one for myself... So, I thought it was high time to re-visit the babushka motif in bag format. And, this is what I came up with this time 'round -

As you see, I've "nested" the bags: each bag fits into the next sized-up one ! I used felted wool sweaters for the babushka bodies and flowers...yup, I'm still having fun throwing thrifted wool sweaters into the washing machine and wondering how they'll look when I pull them out! Anyhow, the totes could be used as carry bags or also as storage bags, hung up on hooks or knobs like in this lovely room shown in the July issue of Country Homes & Interiors -

Now, I had to throw in the photo with the bed (I think it's all part of the same room) because I absolutely love the way it's been styled -- it all looks so casually (I'm sure it wasn't though!) but beautifully put together with a great color combo...shhh...I actually bought this issue only for this photo spread!

If you're like me and love all things babushka, check out tsktsk....I very happily wandered onto this blog just the other day and was instantly smitten....and, added bonus: you can buy her beautiful work at her Etsy shop!  I'm impatiently waiting for my Ivanov Girls to arrive...Enjoy!