A Haven for Vee

Monday, February 18, 2008

Vintage Bedside Organizer

Another Monday morning dawns... In the Northeast, the skies are gray and it's pouring buckets. The street is flooded because there's nowhere for the water to go with the snowbanks so high. This could get exciting. I know that others across the country have been dealing with all manner of weather woes including floods.

The tendency is to blame global warming, but I think of these things as cyclical. I've seen a lot of funny weather in my lifetime. A few days ago my grandmother told me about her wedding night away back on November 10, 1931. Noooooo, not that kind of story....gheessshhhhh. She was married in Moncton, New Brunswick on such a balmy evening that she and my grandfather and the entire wedding party walked to the train station in just their wedding garbs, no need for coats or sweaters.

***

Yesterday, I was visiting blogs — what else is new — and I found the most exciting thing at Knitty, Vintage and Rosy. It's a bed pocket!

It's so darling that I began to think what I could do to create one. I remembered the three or four pairs of vintage pillowcases that my grandmother passed along to me; they're so long and narrow that they haven't worked for my pillows, but they're quite lovely so I've been using them sometimes for dresser scarves. It wasn't a perfect solution, but I've found the perfect solution.



Since I despise bedside tables, the photo above shows how I've been getting along...an old purse slung over the bedpost. It works quite well and I'll probably keep it, but this works even better.



It's pretty neat in that by folding up the open pillow edge about 7 inches and stitching all around (I also reinforced it by stitching up the center), I have four pockets instead of two. Here's a close-up of another...



One big mistake that I made was this: I realized that one design didn't work for turning up...it would have been upside down. So I carefully deconstructed, put it together again, and then discovered that I had put it back together the very same way that it had been...brilliant I ain't. Oh well, not too bad for a day of creating four bed pockets.

Have a terrific Monday and stay warm and dry.

21 comments:

  1. Wonderful idea and so pretty too! Have a happy Monday even if it is raining cats and dogs!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Please think of me, holding my breath as I type this comment! No, this has nothing to do with your entry. It has to do with how Google declared me "dead in the water," this morning. And I was not allowed to do anything in Pretty Blog Land.

    I am seeming to be allowed to do things now. Comment in my own blog. Post in my own blog. Now I am trying the tie-breaker! Trying to comment in another/your blog.

    And I am holding my breath while I click on 'Publish your comment.' Eeeek!!!!

    Mari-Nanci

    ReplyDelete
  3. IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WooT!!!! Maybe I am .... *clean* again!! LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

    Mari-Nanci

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is funny because I just left your blog asking what in the world could be going on...glad that you're back in the land of the commenting. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I smiled when you said that the weather could get exciting Vee. I tend to feel excitement too when the weather gets really wacky.
    Interesting story about the balmy evening for your grandparents wedding day.
    I really like that pillowcase pocket idea. It looks very nice. Now .. .did you feel content when you had to deconstuct and begin again?. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great idea -- yours is very pretty, too! Don't you just love it when you find a new ue for something so beautiful?

    Have a wonderful week!
    xoxo,
    mary

    BTW, is that your home in the header? It's beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lovella, you know perfectly well that I was feeling anything but content!

    Mary, that photo is taken out of my dining room bay window...right through the glass. I have a wonderful view of my neighbors' homes. They're not nearly as fortunate as I am. ;>

    ReplyDelete
  8. That is brilliant!! I will be acquiring a sewing machine shortly and that is the first thing I am going to be doing! OooooH! I am just all a-twitter! *lol*
    I love when the weather gets exciting. Although, around here it's exciting when it just rains a little. This is the only place I've ever lived where people actually come out of their houses to watch it rain...it happens so rarely! *lol*
    Have a wonderful day!

    Jan

    ReplyDelete
  9. -giggles- You saw my Screaming! lol

    Well, I am so excited to be back in business, that I came back again. Nothing like checking for a 5th time, I always say! ,-)

    You are so crafty. You are just trying to make me jealous. And you are succeeding! No!!! I am not jealous of you people. I love it that you can 'see' how to do such things. And do them. It's wonderful.

    And I so agree with your saying... "The tendency is to blame global warming, but I think of these things as cyclical." Me too! Things like weather changes can be cyclical.

    And at the same time, I value not polluting the atmosphere too.

    But I don't buy the scare tactics of those who make a name for themselves, by screaming 'the sky is falling' and global warming.

    Mari-Nanci

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey that is a neat idea. Hope you have a great day...Smiles

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thats really neat Vee...I've seen those here and there...I hope it works for you!
    Hugs,
    Robin

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love your pockets - great idea - they are beautiful.
    Enjoyed reading and getting caught up with your blog. I've gotten far behind this past week.

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a creative talent you are!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Vee:

    Yours looks so wonderful. I'm glad others are putting their own spin on them. I asked Craftzine if they wanted to post it, assuming it was way too simplistic for their site, and they posted it. Night tables across the world are being cleared off as we speak;)

    Thanks for the mention,

    Lisa xo
    Knitty, Vintage and Rosy

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, very pretty and I must say very typical of my kind of work...taking it apart and putting it back exactly the same...guess I'm not so unique after all, lol. And I'm looking over a Mari-Nanci and fit bust to laughing! Like George could keep her out of blogland!!!
    hugs to ya
    Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  16. Shhhh! You are invited to a SURPRISE BLOGGY BIRTHDAY PARTY for kari this Wednesday, Feb 20.
    She is turning 40!!!

    Stop by the party on Wednesday to mingle a bit, enjoy a bite of cake, and check out the party favor giveaway!

    blessings,
    kijsa

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Vee...I had to pop over real quickly from Redding, Ca...I'm quite amazed that I can just plug in my laptop at the hotel and I'm on-line (you can tell I'm new to this!). After a full day of driving south through the sunshine & enjoying the beauty around me, I can say I am truly content.

    Neat pillowcase idea!

    ReplyDelete
  18. That is a wonderful idea!
    I wonder, though, if that would decrease the pile on my bedside table or just allow it to expand? LOL

    ReplyDelete
  19. Good morning Ms. Vee, I just wanted to stop by and wish you a happy day before toddle off to my Dr. appt. I hope the sunshine I see out my window this morning is shining on you also!
    Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love this idea, Vee. How long do you have to make the part that goes between the mattress? I thot maybe the weight of books, etc. might start pulling it out. Guess you could put one on both sides of the bed, and that way they could balance out... hmmmm.... Vickie

    ReplyDelete
  21. Vickie, the pillowcase measures about 31.5 inches. I turned it up 7inches from the open end. It's been on the bed only two nights, but it hasn't shifted so far. As you can see, I keep a water bottle there and the book. I've also added a bottle of lotion. If you check back at Lisa's site, you'll see what I suggested there for a double one. :>

    ReplyDelete

🕊
If comments disappear, please don't fret. A simple "hi" will do. The platform surely needs some maintenance.