A Partridge in a Pear Tree - Fun Holiday Decor

Easy to sew birds made with quilt fabric make fun holiday decor.

This year I made a few dozen holiday decorations for home and work.  I found a pattern in a quilting book for little partridges made from three different fabrics and stuffed with lizard litter, which is ground walnut shells.  The original pattern created little birds, I'm talking really little, so I made two larger sizes as well.

My six fabrics

I picked up six different fabrics, just 1/3 yard of each, at the local fabric store and went to work.  I created a template of the bird bodies and another template of the bird bases.  I cut out different fabrics for different parts in different sizes.  The cutting was easy and the sewing was easy, especially with my quilting foot to measure the quarter inch seams.  After sewing a number of birds together and leaving a small area open at the base, I was ready for the lizard litter.  It is strange stuff that reptiles love - think what is on the bottom of an aquarium that mimics the desert.  The texture is more course than sand but just as hard to clean up so I did this part of the project in my backyard.

Since I had made the birds larger than the pattern recommended, I realized that if I filled them with only lizard litter then they would be quite heavy and a handy weapon if needed.  Instead I stuffed the top half with polyester fill and then added the lizard litter and hand sewed the opening.  The change worked just fine and the birds were nicely weighted at the bottom by not too heavy.

Although they were quite cute at that point, the little partridges still needed a little decoration.  I added sequins for eyes and wool pom poms glued to sewing pins or jewelry wire to finish things off.

All told the project was fairly time consuming given the diminutive size of the results.  I think they would look good tucked into a holiday wreath, also I'm considering leaving one or two on a co-workers desk for a little holiday cheer.  Imagine adding a bird to a holiday gift basket or putting one on top of a gift wrapped in coordinating paper.

Maybe I'll think about making some pears in the same fabric.  Maybe next year.

Sweet Silver and Gold Necklaces

Christmas Gifts

A few weeks back I went to the Los Angeles Gift Show and picked up some supplies to put together necklaces for Christmas gifts.  My vendor came with a great selection of chain, supplies and findings.  I was excited to get home to start putting things together.

I picked up a few yards of chain in varying sizes and metal tones. That way I could mix and match it with the charms I was putting together.  Inevitably some of the decisions I make while picking out my selections change by the time the project is done.  My practice is to buy a little extra of everything, so I have the flexibility to make changes if I want to. Having a little extra also prevents extra ordering or trips to the vendor.

Three charms

 In addition to the necklaces, I made a few bracelets with some chunky rolo chain.  I like to use rolo chain in small or large gauge.

Bracelet for a dog lover

When I showed my purchases to my 12-year old niece and asked her to guess which things I selected for my two sisters, her aunts, she guessed correctly.  Not bad since her aunts both live many states away from her.  I'd say it is a testament to the time my sisters spend connecting.  I wonder if my niece could pick one for me.  That's easy because I like them all.

Sometimes I like to hang a few charms from one necklace.  Other times I like to mix up a few chains on the same piece.  Also I like to wear multiple necklaces with different length chains.

Looking for a gift this holiday?  Check my Etsy site for the necklaces above.
 https://www.etsy.com/shop/pearlscottage?ref=si_shop



 

A Day in Los Angeles - Six Great Things To Do

Sweets at Pie Hole

I am fortunate to live in Southern California where the weather is beautiful year-round and there is always something fun to do.

Last weekend I spent the day with my dear friend and business partner, Michelle. She makes a great travel companion because she is adventuresome, plus no matter how often I get lost, she never gets mad.

Look at the menu on paper rolls

We have spent many Saturdays together scouring estate sales and working on projects. Last Saturday we ventured into Los Angeles with a list of things to do and see.  Our first stop was Pie Hole, a coffee and bakery in the Art's District; a recently gentrified area with older industrial and railroad buildings turned commercial space and loft living.  Pie Hole serves delicious and smooth coffee and tea and sells baked goods that are made on the premises.  We ordered lattes and asked the helpful server to pick a sweet item for us.  He picked the maple custard pie which he pronounced nirvana with no meditation necessary.

Luscious maple custard pie

Let me tell you, that pie transported me to a state of perfect happiness. Sweet but not too sweet, perfect silky smooth filling, set in a sturdy crust.  Savory options are available like the quiche, pot pie and onion roll.  We stopped in around 11:00 a.m. so we arrived after the breakfast crowd and before the lunch crowd.  Beware: It can get pretty crowded at meal times.  After eating delicious pie and drinking a smooth chai latte I declared my day a success.

Next we stopped into Silver Fox Architectural Salvage which is on Cesar Chavez Boulevard off the 10 freeway.  Owners Seth and Selina were there and showed us some of the new items that had been delivered from their New York location.  I'll be back for rough cut barn wood when I'm ready to make shelves in my bedroom.  I coveted some big glass jugs that originally came from Germany or Hungary - I can remember exactly.  Later, at home I was flipping through Country Living magazine, and there were the same jugs.  Should have bought them, but where would I put them?

The Gift Show was going on at the Convention Center so we popped in to pick up some great jewelry supplies. Stay tuned for pictures and prices on those items.  Suffice it to say, I have a bit of work ahead of me.

Needing a source of energy and something to quench our thirst, we headed to Grand Central Market on Broadway.  The Market has been a landmark in Los Angeles since it opened in 1917.  Note:  park in the Grand Central Market structure and get your ticket stamped and validated for the first hour.

Horse Thief BBQ at Grand Central Market

Michelle had not been there, so I wanted to show her the variety of food stands in the market including a few new vendors.  We considered Valerie's for a salad s and sandwiches and Sticky Rice for Thai cuisine, however we decided to eat at Horse Thief BBQ and enjoyed our lunch at the adjoining outdoor tables.  The Los Angeles Times had mentioned the restaurant in the morning paper so by 3:00 p.m. they were out of everything except a little brisket and some baked beans.  No big deal cuz we wanted brisket sandwiches.  Outside of Texas it was the best smoked meat I've eaten.  Delicious smokey meat with a bit of crunch on the exterior. Mmmm, I could go for a sandwich right now.

Smokey brisket sandwich from Horse Thief

Pleased with our meal and fueled for another few hours, we walked a few blocks to The Last Bookstore located on 435 Spring Street.  The store is an impressive two stories filled with both new and used books.  The existing architecture, coupled with art made from books, gave the space a comfortable feeling.  We enjoyed our time wandering around and picked out a few titles.  I would like to bring my book club members here and eat brunch across the street at KTCHN DTLA that sets up at The Gorbals on the weekends.

The Last Bookstore

Our last stop of the day was K&L wine store in Hollywood on Vine Street.  The selection was plentiful, the staff knowledgeable and price range wide with selections from $9.99 to 259.99.  I picked up a few affordable bottles of Chalone Chardonnay that has great complexity for $12.99 a bottle.  Michelle found an Italian red that she reported was "just right" for her husband, Mark.

Nearly eight hours later I dropped her off at home.  We were both tired yet happy that our day went so well.  Good shopping, good food and good friends.  What more could we ask for?

Make Each Day Count

We all have good intentions when it comes to accomplishing tasks that we hope to check off our lists. During holiday periods the lists just seem to get longer.  I have to remind myself to keep things in perspective and remember the things in my life that are important and suddenly the list becomes shorter and I become happier.

One year ago I attended the funeral of a young man named Sam who was born with muscular dystrophy. He had a fighting spirit, a wicked sense of humor and a big heart.  Life was difficult for Sam as his muscles mass deteriorated and he lost the ability to walk, sit comfortably and eat and breathe without assistance.  Sam never complained according to his lifelong friends.  Despite his medical condition, Sam attended and graduated from Santa Susanna High School and went on to graduate from California State University Northridge.  He loved his job at the local Boys and Girls Club were he worked with the after school program and had lots of friends and fans.  Sam touched many people throughout his life.

At his service the words of Chaim Potok were read:
I learned a long time ago, Reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives that span, he is something. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be insignificant. Do you understand what I am saying? A man must fill his life with meaning, meaning is not automatically given to life.

Sam's life was abbreviated, however the years he was alive were filled with meaning.

I ponder the meaning I have created with my life. My time on earth is insignificant, as am I.  What can I do, despite obstacles far smaller than Sam's, to improve the lives of others?

Vintage Silver Adds Personality to Decor

Silver adds personality to vintage decor including candelabras, Champagne buckets, vases, coffee and tea service, silverware, and jewelry.

An easy way to add instant personality and character to your decor is to find nostalgic items and intersperse them throughout your room.  Keeping with the same material or theme will create a cohesive look.  Also, make sure the items reflect your personality.  If you love them, as time goes on you will not grow weary of your selections.


Silver adds personality to vintage decor.  Tarnished silver pieces like candelabras, trays, champagne buckets, vases, coffee and tea pots, and water pitchers look great in shabby chic, farmhouse and vintage settings.  The shiny items above are now tarnished because I don't have time nor the inclination to polish silver with regularity. 

Feature a silver tray on a dining room table or coffee table layered with other finds like old books, figurines, votive candles and flowers in a silver vessel.

Add  mixed height candlesticks to a shelf or mantle.  Candelabras are stunning, especially when lit. One of my favorite items is diminutive tea pots with lots of detail work. 
 

These look lovely as flower receptacles tucked in here and there in any room. Consider using them as vases at bridal showers and vintage weddings.  We threw a bridal shower for my niece at the Rose Garden Tea Room at the Huntington Library and Gardens.  Since we were in a beautiful historic garden setting it seemed appropriate to have beautiful flowers in the little tea pots on the tables.  The guests wanted to take the arrangements home when the party was over.  Silver water pitchers are great for flower arrangements too.


Think outside the box and use your silver pieces in unusual ways.  I put my Yorkie Raleigh's dog treats in a silver bowl on my mantle so they are available when he comes in from the backyard. No one knows the treats are there except Raleigh, of course.

Pearl's Cottage has beautiful silver items for sale at Etsy including my favorite mini coffee pots.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/pearlscottage?ref=si_shop

Time to Decorate Your Mantle for Christmas

Consider switching things up this year when you decorate your mantle for Christmas.  Use beautiful items that you have around your home, grouped together, to create a beautiful display.

Consider using like materials for a cohesive look.  Here I have silver plate items that are for sale at Pearl's Cottage's Etsy site coupled with greenery with red accents and some peppermint candies.  My business partner, Michelle, set up these items in just a few minutes.  The pickle castors are my favorite items because they are so detailed in their design and they harken back to a day where pickles were held in high esteem.  Now they are filled with peppermint candies to give them a little holiday cheer.

The other items on the mantle include a mini tea pot, a creamer and a vase that are filled with flowers and greenery.  These beautiful items can stay on a mantle all year by simply removing the holiday themed items.

Rare Antique Pickle Castor

Crystal and glass collectibles including vases, creamers and bowls look pretty grouped together too.  Try milk glass, pottery or whatever items you appreciate

Find greenery and flowers at your local Michael's, Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's stores.  You don't have to spend a lot, just pick up a few things to drape across the mantle and fill your receptacles.

The same decor looks good on a buffet table and dining room table.  How do you plan to decorate your home this Christmas?

Antique Christmas Tree Ornaments

It's time to start thinking about holiday decor and setting the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Each year I like to do things a little differently from the previous year.  A while back I was lucky enough to find and buy hundreds of old glass Christmas tree ornaments.  It is a beautiful collection, from a woman that cherished her holiday decor.  I marvel each year at the beauty of the ornaments and the number of years that have passed since they were made.

It takes me hours to set up the tree and it feels like days to take the ornaments off the tree and put them away.  I love them so much I keep them under my bed for the remainder of the year.  No attic time for these beauties.  One of my favorites is the bird ornaments that clip onto the tree boughs.  They are extremely fragile and so I only have a few of them.

Since I've redecorated my house this year, I'm planning to make a tree skirt out of a drop cloth. I found this one at http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/ruffled-drop-cloth-christmas-tree-skirt.  I like the way the ruffles move from the center to the edge of the skirt.  Drop clothes come in large sizes so it is easy to make a really big skirt without any seams.

Antique ornaments can be found on Ebay and at auctions and estate sales.  It took me more than a year to collect enough to fill the tree.  When I found an abundant, pristine collection at an auction, I was willing to pay whatever it took to make them mine.  My advice is to pass up the beat up ones that you come across.  I bought some because I was happy to finally find them, but in retrospect I shouldn't have wasted the money because they were too scratched up or plain.

Once you have them, be VERY careful because they are delicate.  It is amazing that things can last for a century in someone else's house and then be in dire straights when they get to my house.

Share your holiday decorating ideas with me.  I need some new ideas.

Pickled Vegetables are Easy to Make

Pickled vegetables are colorful, flavorful, and delicious!  When I was at Tom Douglas' Lola restaurant in Seattle, I enjoyed one of his delicious spreads with pita bread and on the plate was a little bowl of julienne pickled vegetables.  They were a nice addition to the plate and added a little punch to the plate.  They also went well with the martini I was drinking.

Of course, I immediately started thinking about making my own pickled vegetable. I looked at recipes and settled on one by Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill, Ciudad and Street restaurant fame.  I made mine with carrots, cauliflower, red peppers, summer squash, and cucumber.  RECIPE

Cooked in boiling water and cooled in a water bath

The process took a little more time then I anticipated, but it was easy to do.  I pickled carrots, cauliflower, red pepper, summer squash and pickles all together.  Here is my finished product.

I have six 1-quart jars that will stay fresh in the refrigerator for the next month.  Maybe next time I will look for a recipe that utilizes the canning process so that I can store them in the pantry and eat them over a longer period of time.  That is if I still want pickled vegetables after eating six quarts of them.

If you are a pickle lover, stop by Joan's on Third in West Los Angeles for lunch.  She makes the most delicious pickles.  I dream of the short rib sandwich and a side of pickles from Joan's.  My plan is to make pickles that good some time soon.

Delicious pickles form Joan's on Third

Short rib sandwich that is so good it was featured on the cover of Bon Appetit magazine

  If you like pickled food, jump in and make your own pickled vegetables.  It's easy, cheap and delicious.

Silver Spoon Jewelry Adds a Special Touch to Christmas Stockings

Cuff bracelet is $63

Great price point, free shipping and complimentary gift wrapping.

Buy on my eBay site.

A few years ago I discovered a company in Los Angeles called Silver Spoon Jewelry that makes great quality jewelry fashioned after silverware from the late 1800's and early 1900's.  It fit in with Pearl's Cottage design and decor so I started carrying the line.  It sold quickly and women were very happy with the feminine look and the length and size proportions.

I have restocked my inventory to have it available for the 2013 holiday season.

Alicia Necklace is $56

Pricing
Necklaces are $56
Rings are $32
Bracelet with charms are $33
Bracelet cuffs are $63
Specialty bracelets are $84

Shipping is free and complimentary gift wrapping, for any occasion, is available.

Charlotte Necklace is $56

The hearts and crosses hanging from rolo or double link chains are perfect for dress up or dress down and they have enough weight to the design that they become a statement piece.

Abigail Cross Necklace is $56

Delilah Cross Necklace is $56

All necklaces come in adjustable 16-18" lengths, pendants are varying sizes and all are silver plate that may need a periodic rub with a silver cloth to keep them shiny.

Rings are super popular with women and girls beginning around age 16.  My daughter likes to wear one on her thumb and two more on other fingers.  The different designs look great mixed together and they are comfortable to wear.  Because the rings are adjustable, they can fit on any finger or thumb.  Be careful that the rings aren't pushed and pulled too much so that they keep their nice round look

Hazel Ring $32 - our best seller

Consider Silver Spoon Jewelry for your holiday gifts.  They are the perfect size for a stocking.  Consider giving a necklace to your son's girlfriend, your best friend, to the woman in your book club, your boss, your mother-in-law, etc.  The rings, bracelets and necklaces make the perfect gifts.

Their most impressive bracelet $84

Linen and Cotton Throw Pillows

My business partner, Michelle, and I were trying to find our niche in the retail market.  One item that sold well was linen, cotton, and burlap throw pillows made with a floral embellishment in the same or coordinating fabric. 

We found that although they were popular, we didn't charge enough to make them worth our while.  A friend of mine bought three of them for her recently redecorated living room.  Every time we see each other she comments how much she loves the way the pillow look in her home.

These linen and cotton pillows are not difficult to make and they add texture to a vanilla color scheme.

I made a pieced quilt in red, white and blue that I throw over my slip-covered love seat.  With left over fabric I made a few throw pillows.  The first pillow with the circles is a shout-out to Anthropologie.  As I cut, ironed and sewed, I praised the workers who made more than the one pillow I put together.

 My other pillow is an antique tea towel surrounded by my quilt fabric.  The embroidery is beautiful and the colors really pop.  I am a sucker for anything with a bird on it too.

Let me know what pillows you've made or like.

Hunting for Treasure - Salvage Yards Can Mean Treasure and Trash

Salvage Yards Can Net One of a Kind Treasures

In Downtown Los Angeles there are a few salvage yards to poke through in search of hidden treasure.  When I pulled up outside this place, I was glad I had my husband along instead of my business partner.  While no harm came to us, and we picked up a few interesting items, it was a good reminder to be aware and travel cautiously into unknown territory.

The main lot for this salvage yard is across the street.  I picked up an old paned window with milky glass that now hangs in my guest bathroom and some old and rusty ceiling tin that my husband made into shelves and I sold.  See the tin on the top and that's a bed frame rail on the bottom.  The headboards are below

Shelves made of bed rails and ceiling tin

Silver Fox Architectural Salvage is my favorite salvage store in Los Angeles.  The owners have a clear vision for what is valuable and beautiful.  Seth takes reclaimed lumber, metal, whatever and creates lighting fixtures, tables, kitchen carts and more.  Selina has creative skills too which are evident in the way the store is set up.  Yelpers really like them too.  http://www.yelp.com/biz/silver-fox-architectural-salvage-los-angeles-2

Check out this cart that Seth made.  I wish I had a place in my house for it.

I bought some huge doors at Silver Fox that came from an old church in upstate New York.  I framed the opening between my dining room and living room in the shape of the doors and will eventually get them hung on hardware like sliding barn doors.  This is the project that started out with two affordable doors and then cost a fortune to have the room framed.  When I get the project finished, I'll share the pictures, but until then I just appreciate the beauty of the doors as they lean against the wall.

8 1/2' reclaimed church doors for my dining room

Lots of windows and doors at Silver Fox Architectural Salvage in Los Angeles

I found these flags for my sister's nautical themed baby's room

I look everywhere for interesting pieces.  I picked up some antique bed frames at an auction and used them for all sorts of projects.  Here is the headboard.

 

I had the mirror cut and installed at Van Nuys Glass and Mirror in Pacoima.  They did an awesome job.  I think it would be perfect in an entry way or a good sized guest bathroom.  It is a one of a kind piece that gets people talking.

I have a second one that is painted and glazed.

I would like to get these sold and moved out so I have room for more projects.  If you live in Southern California and need something special for your home, send me an email at pearlscottage@sbcglobal.net.  I'm asking $399 for the wood finished mirror and $499 for the painted and glazed one.