Thrift Store Scores, Dreamy Hearts Quilt, Bathing Birds

                                               

This is a close up of phlox.  A few bunches are here and there all over the garden. There is white as well but not nearly as showy. It was an excellent year for phlox and it did well despite the July heat and drought. Another wonderful perennial for a little further back in a flower bed.

I was struck while out and about by how much violet/pink is represented in an autumn time garden. Here is a smattering.

The sedum which is coming into bloom. There are two kinds here.

This bull thistle

Still prized by a few slow moving bumblebees

The look of the meadow down by the pond

filled with this plant- I think it is loosestrife, something that has made quite a nuisance of itself in certain areas but its pretty colour cannot be denied. But I thought loosestrife was in single strands and there are some with these multi branches. The leaves have all the colours of fall right now and I hope to get some closeups of that.

Thrift Store Finds

I promised to show what I bought at the Thrift store last week.

This went right into my basket...an Old Foley Strawberry pitcher which is a vintage piece and I love strawberries on china. I paid $4.99 for it and my research Here at Ebay shows prices ranging from $40 to $70 Cdn. This pattern can still be found as a complete set of dishes which would make such a pretty summer set.

It's surrounded by my last tomato harvest...LOL.

No hesitation with buying these four 6 inch tea plates that are Laura Ashley Thistle pattern either. The 4 cost $3.99 and are perfect for Hubby's morning bickie with his tea. I found the same set on Ebay for $52. 22 Cdn which was a surprise. 

I always look through the books. This quilting book from Better Homes and Gardens, 501 Quilt Blocks, is one I've checked out of the library a few times so I'm quite familiar with it. It has a nice selection of both patchwork and applique blocks. It's on Amazon for $31.55 plus $3.95 shipping so I think it was a great deal for $2. 

And something to wear (cause I have nothing, LOL) a new blouse which actually seemed to be new.  Love paisley and I noticed the pretty rounded collar and how the cotton seemed to be brushed. When I tried it on, I was intrigued there was a hidden snap sewn onto the chest placket...and I realized this blouse had been tailor made. When I looked up Maxwell's, I found out they are custom clothiers so I figured my blouse was worth the $6.99 I paid for it.  I have a medium blue v necked sweater that this will match with well. 

So all in all, I had fun and caught enough good deals for less than twenty dollars to make me want to return.  Which with the way things are going, who knows when!

Here is how large my Dreamy Hearts quilt is now, about 55inches wide by 62 inches long.  I have two more rows to add to the length. 

I'm going to set this as a my OMG at Elm Street Quilts for October. To have it all ready for a bed. Yeah, we'll see how far I get with that.  But saying that, it is pretty close soooo...

Here are some robins enjoying the bird bath. They were part of a flock with about 20 of them hanging around the garden for three or four days last week. I've never seen so many together before so that was fun. They loved the bird bath and kept emptying it with their vigorous bathing. And I always knew when they'd been because of all the water on the patio.

I guess they wanted to be clean for the big flight. 

Speaking of which, I just loved when former First Lady, Laura Bush, went public asking Texas to dim lights overnight during the height of bird migration-  here is one of the articles about it.

Love to link up with Not Afraid of Color as always. Also linking with Paying Ready Attention, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Powered By Quilting, Kathy's Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Jaipur Gardening, Our World Tuesday and Viewing Nature With Eileen.