Monday, May 24, 2010

Vintage Embroidery Transfers and Living Small...

Thank you all, so much for your encouragement! The Mister and I spent the last week doing our further 'looking into' and have come up with a plan! It does involve moving into the camper, but not until the end of this year. At that point, we will have 24 months left!

Yes, we have set a date for retirement! We did the math, (twenty different ways) consulted professionals, and I told my boss. So it is settled.

Of course, I may wind up with a 'second career' at some point, but that is a plan for another day...

In the meanwhile, we are going to spend the summer and fall downsizing, and moving things to storage at our retirement destination in Kansas.

Thinking about what things I will need in a very small space for 24 months (I know it is two years, but 24 months, sounds shorter!) is an interesting exercise. I will need clothes, but if I find myself without some necessity, there are all kinds of places to purchase whatever I might need. I will need some cotton yarn because travel knitting is almost always dishcloths. Again, not scarce, so if I underestimate, there are sources for more. Same with embroidery floss.

One area that will require much thought is books. I have a lot of books. Since I have some time, though, I am going through some of my quilting and craft books and scanning some projects so I can have them with me electronically.

It is hard to imagine, though, that if I had a hankering to start something, that I wouldn't be able to find a pattern or idea on line that would fill the bill!

And, in that vein, I have started scanning my vintage transfers, so that they will be available to me - and to you!

These bunnies apparently have stumbled across a nest of eggs. I wonder if one of them is the Easter Bunny, or if they are hoodlum bunnies that are plundering a chicken coop!

I love the yell-leader bunny! I can't quite figure out what he is wearing, though. Is it a tail coat that is flapping behind him? It doesn't look like he is wearing a coat, so maybe it is a scarf of some sort tucked into the waistband of his pants...

This little donkey cart reminds me of a plaster one that adorned our neighbors front yard when I was little! I think theirs usually had artificial flowers, though.

This one is another mystery. Is the bird decorating the hat, or has the kitty captured it? It kind of looks like he is licking his lips...

These are more of the Betty Burton group. (Since they are iron on transfers, they are meant to be reversed.) My scanner was covered in little flecks of the iron-on ink after I scanned them. I am glad that I have this incentive to do it, though. Some of them are kind of fragile.

I will upload them to my Flikr album and I plan to add more over the next few weeks. Or at least until my craft things get packed away!

12 comments:

Martha said...

It must feel good to have a plan -- and really...24 months is not that long. It just so happens that is the same amount of time until my prospective retirement date (although I am only working part-time now).

Those Burton transfers are so adorable -- thank you for scanning them. If you ever need supplies for a project, just let me know. I have plenty of stuff for both of us.

Gaynell said...

It is a relief when a plan comes together. You are right...24 months IS a smaller time than 2 years!!

Lynne said...

Downsizing and getting rid of things is very freeing. It's going to feel so good! We did that when we moved to NJ but we still have a basement full of stuff that we never look at, nor need. It's time for another purge because we won't be in this house for all that much longer, although longer than two years most likely.

Are you going to rent your house? I'm not sure how moving out into a camper reduces cost unless you don't have your house payment to contend with?

Who needs a lot of space anyway?? ;)

Allie said...

Glad you have a plan, sweetie, and yes, 24 mos sounds shorter than 2 years, lol. Congrats on telling your boss, that makes it official!

I wish you luck with the downsizing, with all the "stuff" we accumulate I know it won't be easy. I love your transfers, and you've given me incentive to start scanning mine - I have a pile that are loose that a couple of friends gave me, bought at auctions. I'll have to upload them too.

Iron Needles said...

I remember the little donkey and wagon. It seemed pretty fancy to me. Also, I think the cat caught the bird....

I know cats.

Patty said...

I bet those 24 months will fly by! Thank you for sharing these patterns and I have to tell you I love that donkey. This afternoon I transferred an embroidery pattern to start working on tomorrow and I ironed some x-stitch finishes so I could turn them into ornaments this week, but now all I want to do is stitch up that donkey. :)

Iron Needles said...

Also, did you notice the yell-leader bunny is cloven-hoofed? Which is a little scary...

So we have a scary cloven-hoofed 'bunny' (not...), an illustration of a cat's natural instincts toward carnivorism...yep...I think they are hoodlum, thieving bunnies.

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

I do love the vintage transfers! I love blue work and red work- The donkey and cart is my fave!
My hubby and I are thinking of downsizing so we can hopefully someday retire - may have to work part-time. We're tired of a two story house with rooms no one uses! I don't want to pay to heat and cool them either! Two cleared acreas with additional wooded, but mowing that 2 acreas is a pain because the lawn tractor always breaks! We've got some updating and repairing to do, but hopefully in a couple of years we can sell! That's the idea anyway!

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

What an adventure! Retirement! I can only dream of it, I'm afraid. I will be following you to share your adventure!

Kove the transfers...just got to get into the needle thing.. c

Miri said...

Sounds like a plan! Adorable transfers!

I've posted an unusual transfer for Vintage Thursday...I'd love it if you let me know if you've seen anything like this before.

Wunx~ said...

Geeze, 24 months in a trailer, hope you and The Mister really, really like each other. The Engineer and I spent close to a year in one bedroom while the house around us was gutted and remodeled. It was... interesting.

Love the red quilt. I agree with Iron about the kitteh and bird. Kittehs are like that. I think the two bunnies are Mafioso bunnies looking for egg protection money. Wicked buns!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

How exciting! You've got a plan and what a wonderful plan it is. If you want my advice, rent your house FOREVER. That's what I'm doing with my first house and it's quite nice to have someone else pay the mortgage. You will come visit, won't you? :D