Ragamuffin Yarn

Ragamuffin Yarn, originally uploaded by confections.

I've been busy lately dyeing and spinning fiber, as well as my signature premium cotton rag yarn, Ragamuffin. Spring always seems to open up new possibilities, and to my mind, is the real beginning of the new year. Cheers to the joys of spring!

Owlets on Camera

I have been watching Mama Owl Molly, her mate McGee, and two of their newly hatched owlets, Max and Pattison, on this site off and on over the last day. Another owlet is expected to hatch later on this evening.

For more information, check out this blog.

"Secret Garden" by Jessie Willcox Smith

Secret Garden by Jessie Willcox Smith, originally uploaded by confections.

This is one of my favorite images printed by the Green Tiger Press back in its heyday. "Secret Garden" by Jessie Willcox Smith (1863 -1935) appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine in 1922.

This notecard was exactingly reproduced by the legendary Green Tiger Press in San Diego, California, in-house on a four-color Heidelberg printing press in the early 1980's. It displays all the attention to detail for which the Green Tiger Press was justifiably famous.

It is a reminder of childhood days and encourages me to cultivate my garden this spring.

Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia) in Alcazar Garden, Balboa Park, San Diego,

Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia) in Alcazar Garden, Balboa Park, San Diego, California, originally uploaded by confections.

My sister and I had lunch together on Monday and then visited the spectacular spring display in the Alcazar Garden in Balboa Park, San Diego, California.

The delphinium, foxglove, and lavender were resplendent and these glowing angel trumpets were eye-catching as well. While we were there, the carillon chimed six o'clock--a haunting sound that I recorded.

Hope you are enjoying the bursts of color everywhere this spring!

March Winds--Vintage Ephemera Coming Soon to My Etsy Shop

 

 

 

The first lovely vintage image shown above, entitled "March", comes from Kate Greenaway's 1890 Almanac. It was reproduced by the Green Tiger Press in the early 1980's as a postcard and is from my collection of vintage ephemera.

I worked for the legendary Green Tiger Press for a short time in 1980-81 and was an avid collector of their images from children's books. When the business was sold in 1986, I went to their huge sale and stocked up on books, notecards, bookplates, and postcards.

The second image is called "The Real Princess" and is an illustration by Dion Calthrop from The Guide to Fairyland. The third postcard (one of my all-time favorites) is "Poppy Picking Vegetables" by Florence Upton from The Vege-men's Revenge.

I have had these treasures in my archives for all these years and have enjoyed them, but I will be offering some of them to discerning collectors in my Etsy shop beginning this spring. As soon as they are listed, I will let you know.

Enjoy the last little bit of winter and have fun anticipating the arrival of the Easter bunny!