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Thursday, January 15, 2026

Re use, Recycle, re everything, grow your own....

Yesterday i went to the new location of Ragfinery. it is smaller and has changed , understandably. The entire front of the shop is  second or third hand clothing on a $3.00 rack - clothing too good to chop up into bits of fabric for other uses. 

Dressing rooms ,protected from view with quilts  quilted  from shop scraps,  seem too  large for the space. The new space is limited  with fewer options.   Still- no complaints- we are so pleased  that it is back! 

The bins of bulk fabric sorted into types- wool, cotton, silk, terry, linen, etc. the front bins are sorted and rolled fabric scraps, launered and ironed. In the middle are tables of made items, like felted scarves, purses, bags, mittens, toys- all hand made and offered for affordable few dollars. 

There are notions- a wall full of  spooled thread  on.  pegs- Patterns, cutters, measuring tapes, stuffing, batts- all sorts as well as drawers of buttons sorted by color. Sort of. 


I bought yarn for Fresca for her God's eye project- filling   her corner  of Minneapolis with brightness , hope   as she does. I chose the brightest yarn in the bin.  She has made hundreds of God's eyes, hung them on the chain link fence by her shop, for anyone to take. They go quickly- they are needed for spirit purposes- to know that there is care and art for one's heart. Thank you Fresca- angel.
From the Ragfinery I drove  to the thrift store down the road in the busy part of hiway town. I missed an entire day after Renee was murdered- I zoned out, went to bed, hollowed out, shock and grief...you know what I mean I am sure. so I thought it was Tuesday, senior day, IT was not. That is when. I realized that I had zonked out an entire day without notice. 

A roam around, I bought even more fabric and an apron. A mindless   wander, brain on hold- avoidance of any reality . 
 


You know, the usual....pigs, chairs, tea cups, strange bird....





From there, drove to the Assistance league, not much there but I did buy a clown, hand made by some Gramma, I am sure, Brought it home for the orphans , at least for a little while. Not sure that clown will not end up in the arms of Flora or Emmett. 


This morning the sky returned, there is sunshine and a violet popped out! 

Worthy of celebration!

This afternoon we will have tea and violet creams left over from Christmas.

Windows are full of light- dirt and dust on furniture and in corners shows up  clearly. There will be a bit of cleaning going on. 

To end my day out I went to the grocery and bought a tiny bag full of "groceries'- carrots with the stems and dirt  still on, blueberries from an organic garden, local dairy milk, a bag of chips small enough to fit in the palm of your hand  and a chicken. $$$$ came to 52 . Bloody hell!


 Globby oranges from somewhere not on this earth...They are huge , each one the size of a baby's head- probably one million and forty dollars each. I left them .

Since moving to this house,  years ago, I have wanted a fence and a raised garden. I am a patient woman...Dennis is finally realizing the value of that idea. Of course he will take another 40 years to actually accept it- it's a start.  At least it has been an open discussion...

 

"Choose your battles"...said every married woman on the planet.  

 Leaving you with one of the rather large pieces of fabric in  scrap bin- unfolded it was large enough for a frock.   If I had an idea it would be here now, but I don't and it isn't. 

Lala, Po and Lala in the morning  dried rain splash  window . sun shining through  plastic . Radiant! You could probably get  eye cancer from looking at them for too long.  The sun has shifted, travels along the   horizon in  northern winter, so - no. eye cancer here!  It is already gone.  The sun 
AND my eye sight.


 

 


 


 

20 comments:

  1. Lala, Po, AND Lala?!? I’m jealous. They glow like gems.
    Omg, I must do some Teletubby-inspired God’s eyes. The colors you got me would be perfect, I think.

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    1. I hope that the yarn is OK. It is acrylic and not wool- hard on fingers I should think but will last longer on the fence.

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  2. Your shops are fantastic. I could be very happy browsing, finding treasures and things to love and bring home.
    The yarns are great colors, you chose well.
    That is an adorable clown. It will be well loved by the orphans, Flora and Emmett.
    Grocery prices are ever increasing. I am spending like you multiple times a week.
    Installing a fence and a raised bed garden sounds wonderful.
    I am also thinking I want a fence but have not decided on the design. Spring projects are nice to look forward to.

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    1. Thrift shops are fabulous here- buying new,not so fabulous. The mall is a dead zone and there are no dress shops. Suits us just fine- nothing quite so soft as a used flannet shirt!
      I would like a deer fence- allowing breezes to flow through and keeping critters out. A raisied bed so that stooping in not a thing.

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  3. Ragfinery looks like a fabulous place to browse and I love all the quilted pieces.

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    1. Ragfinery is so affordable and inspiring! One does not even need to know how to sew or knit to make things in there work! Great pieces!

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  4. This looks like a super fun and productive day. Ragfinery is a great store. I'd go nuts! You always find the most fun things! That's great about the raised garden. I think you'll love that. With the cost of food we all be wishing we did it!

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    1. I have wished it for one thousand years now...like I said, I am a patient woman...You would probably like to live in the ragfinery! It is so inspiring.

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  5. Ragfinery would probably cause me to pass out from ecstasy. Now. Would I DO anything with whatever treasures I might buy? Oh, probably not really. I bought a beautiful silk sari cloth two summers ago in NC. It is still lovingly folded and lying in wait for me to have an inspiration of some sort. I just don't want to cut it but that's a huge piece of cloth. This is all to say I admire and respect you for leaving behind that gorgeous phoenix. Sometimes I comfort myself when I leave treasures behind by thinking someone else will find them, recognize them for what they are, and be so happy.
    As to the raised gardening beds- as you know, I love and adore my garden and spend many happy (and also miserable, in the summer) hours there and the food we get from it is frequently the very best food BUT, we probably spend more money on growing that food than we would buying it. The bought food might not be as good, but it would probably be cheaper. And it is a lot of work, especially if you decide to can or freeze some of it.

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    1. You know, I probably won't do anything with the fvbric either but IT is SO good! I have ideas...As for a garden It does not have to be on a grand scale- not as large as yours. When everyone's gardens are ready to harvest - vegetables are abundant and free so , Yes You are right. We are probably too old and feeble to be farmers...

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  6. Loved seeing the items available for cheap. Pretty colors all today, cheerful for me.

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    1. Cheap is the word of the day! Quality is the second word of the day and re-use is the third. We are doing it!

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  7. i think i love everything about your Ragfinery shop. Oh for something like that to lose myself in here.

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    1. It is pretty great, I am so glad that they have re-opened! Now I have a small bag full of (?) to do (?) with...

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  8. Wow, that Ragfinery shop sounds like fun. And I don't even sew! Not well, anyway.

    Your blog is always so fun, Linda Sue. Even when you're complaining of the dreary winter days your posts are full of color and adventure.

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    1. In one large bin there are costumes!! Wonderful - I must go back and get at least ONE! Something flamboyant for people's marches , something colorful and" in your face ,ICE! " Cheerful just rubs them the wrong way, as you know from a smiling Renee.
      Today is sunny and crispy cold- am I out in it? Nope, conditioned to stay in and grumble- it seems to be my Go-to.

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  9. That shop makes one want to put more beauty and color in the world. I’m so glad I get to come here where you do just that. You needed that day to mend the rip in your soul after Renee was gone. Makes no sense. But we keep on. Sending love to you vivid Linda Sue

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    1. More color most certainly needed- More joy! Though I do understand people who like to live in a bland, calm , sparse setting- Room to think, perhaps. Not my cup of tea, clearly!
      Renee and George Floyd , same town , same area, same brutality of enforcement, same bullshit. America -violent , cruel nation.

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