inventory...

As is typically the case, any time I set out to locate some thing I haven't seen for years but think I absolutely must find, I run across another thing, wholly unanticipated and invariably more interesting than the thing I was determined to find in the first place.   This time I unearthed a tin that used to contain Grether's Blackcurrant Pastilles, a treasured commodity that in recent years has become so scarce and stratospherically expensive that it will be a long time before I make this a staple of my diet again.  Just as well.  Inside, I found something perhaps more dear...

...more buttons from my grandmother's collection.  I vaguely remember squirrelling these away because they were the few examples that were decorated with animals and they are pretty fantastic. There are some lovely images of fruit and flowers as well. 

Beautiful enamel work.

This button strikes me as quite old.  The central disk is velvet.

experiment...

First, one thing needs to be clear: I know nothing about quilting, but I'm fascinated by nontraditional quilt design and some recent visits to contemporary quilting blogs have inspired me to give it a go.  Realistically, I can't qualify my rudimentary efforts as "quilting". Better to call it "patchwork" even though "aimlessly sewing together strips of fabric" is really more to the point.  I have long admired the work of Denyse Schmidt with her use of striking color combinations and seemingly improvisational piecing.  I like that minimal, unfussy look, although I've since learned that her technique is anything but impromptu.

There are two other things that I must admit.  1:  I am guilty of the most strenuous and disabling overthinking.  It's a self defeating tendency I'm determined to exorcise.  2:  I have a substantial cache of fabric that I've collected impulsively without any purpose other than to take home material I really like.   None of it is designed to work together, but I seem to have acquired quite of lot of blue, a habit I'm trying to curb.

Here are my first attempts.   Those of you who are experienced quilters may feel the need to avert your eyes.  But, I have to say, I really enjoyed myself and I'm rather pleased with this first modest effort. 

Postscript : This...is...positively...addictive!