Time Flies, eh?

So much for keeping up with my blog.

I've been making lots of pincushions since January. One I made was a crazy quilted cat I designed. It was for a swap. My swap partner lives in England. It was made entirely out of velvets. I actually hand sewed all the crazy quilting on it instead of using some of the crazy quilting stitches on my machine. I enjoyed making Mr. Cat. I learned quite a bit designing him. Next time I will make him wider and his face will be a bit diferent. I liked how I made his front. His back was crazy quilted instead of formed to look like a cat sitting as his front was. I've been meaning to make another one just like him for me, but haven't found the time. Perhaps his picture will just have to do.

I also made a dragon from a pattern I bought several months ago. I though I could make"Daisy" dragon and use her as a pincushion, but after she was completed, I knew she would never be a pincushion. She's just too adorable to have pins put in her. Her arms and legs are movable and bendable. Her wings are bendable as is her tail. But the most adorable part of her is her eyes. They are glass eyes, covered with eyelids, which have eyelashes attached. Her tummy has flowers sewn on and her tail has yarn and fibers coming out of it, as does her head. She definitely was a challenge to make, but she was well worth it!

Of course, in between making pincushions and dolls, I've been taking care of my sweet little granddaughters. Amanda is now 4 months old and she is a dear! She had put on lots of weight and has grown quite a few inches. She's always smiling and laughing tries to talk with little coo's. Her big sister, Mia, is still learning to share but she does love her little sister.

I'm working on painting some boxes that I want to make into pincushions. I hope to finish them soon and as soon as they're completed I will post pictures.

Happy New Year!

I didn't do very well at keeping up my blog more often, did I? So much to do and so little time to get it all done.

Since the last time I posted I have a new granddaughter, Amanda Rose, born on December 1, 2010. She is so beautiful and so tiny! I forgot how tiny newborns are. She was three weeks early so she really was a tiny little thing...5lbs, 13 ozs. I saw her being born and it was the most beautiful site! I didn't think I could handle it, but it happened so quickly I didn't have time to get queezy or anything! My son cut the cord and DIL held her. She has beautiful blue eyes, long eyelashes and auburn hair. Her big sister, who just turned 3, is thrilled too!

In November we had a baby shower for her. Amanda's due date was December 25th so I painted pink Christmas ornaments with a lace design and put her initials on the bottom for everyone to take home. I think they were a big hit.

My online group, Art4Mail, had a pincushion swap for December with a holiday theme and I received some really wonderful pincushions from my swap partners. Aren't these adorable?

I made each of them a cardinal out of wool felt, sitting in a nest, holding a pom-pom snowball. It was rather large for a pincushion but I had seen a decoration similar to it somewhere and re-interpreted it into a pincushion. I made several muslin patterns for the body before I got it right. Then, of course, legs were out of the question because it wouldn't make for a very steady pincushion. So I had to come up with something to set the cardinal on that would steady him (it had to be a him...they are the colorful ones!). The hat was made from an old felted sweater. The snowflakes were punched out of felt. The beak was a challenge. I took some tim-tex and used a black permanent marker to color it black and cut out the beak shape, upper and lower and glued the pieces together and onto the face. The one in the photo is one I made for myself to keep. I made a total of four of these little guys and it will be a while before I make anymore. They weren't hard, but they were quite a challenge to figure out.

I'm still trying to move my scrapbooking/painting room from the first floor down to the basement and turn that room back into a bedroom for guests and for my granddaughters to stay in overnight. I've been working on it for months, it seems, but it's difficult to take everything I had in the little room and build the shelves I need in the basement, while trying to work around the stuff that's still in the basement. There is just too much "stuff" in this little house and I know I need to purge some of it, but that's a very difficult thing to do. Now mind you, I have carried out at least 4 huge garbage bags full of stuff from the little bedroom, but that's still not enough purging. I come from a family who has a history of saving "things". My father had a three-car garage and could only fit one car in it. When my dad passed on, my brother spent a year cleaning out that garage and a lot of that "stuff" found it's way to brother's garage. You can't even fit a car in his garage.

I'm working on a dragon right now. I found a pattern for a wonderful little dragon (doll) when I was up north this fall with my friends. I don't usually make dolls, and this is a jointed pattern made with chenille for the fingers and wire in the body parts so they can be shaped. It's been quite a challenge. As soon as I'm finished, I'll post a picture. I'm learning quite a bit making him. I might even be inspired enough to take out some of the other doll patterns I've collected over the years and try to make those.

Till later.....

New Pincushions

I read lots of other people's blogs but somehow don't update mine as often as I should. I do keep busy with family and friends and sewing and painting. My granddaughter is growing by leaps and bounds and talking up a storm. She's getting close to being 3 years old. Her new favorite show to watch is Dora the Explorer. She loves to play in the yard with me and pretend the growth at the side of the shed is the Spooky Forest. She makes up Dora stories about the Spooky Forest and the Troll Bridge and makes me laugh. Of course, I don't understand most of what she says because she talks so fast, but if I follow her she's happy.

When she's not here, I spend time making lots of pincushions and other "things". I had great fun making a mouse in a matchbox.

I didn't have an actual matchbox, so I had to make one out of cardboard and cover it with left-over bits and pieces of fabric. Then I found a small piece of fabric I had already quilted and used it for the blanket over the mouse head. Stuffing under the blanket and tacking the blanket down so the stuffing wouldn't stick out completed the top. I then found some color coordinated buttons and stacked them on the four corners of the bottom of the box for feet for the bed to complete the pincushion. It turned out rather cute, I thought. This was sent to someone for a swap, so I couldn't even keep it for myself. I'm working on making another box so I can make one of these for myself. I'll get it completed eventually.

I'm working on a swap right now from CAPC where I was sent two fat quarters of fabric and I have to create a pincushion or pinkeep from the fat quarters. I have two pincushions made already. I just have to take pictures of them. I want to still make a small needlebook for one of the pincushions before I take a picture.

Another swap I'm a bit late sending out was to use hexagons, prarie points, or some other typing of piecing in the pincushion. I just took pictures of my pincushion tonight. I have to upload it and mail it out. Hopefully that will get done tomorow.

Great news....I will have a new granddaughter in December!!!! Yeah!!! My son and DIL are expecting and we found out early this month they are expecting a little girl. We thought she was expecting a boy because of how sick she had been throughout her pregnancy, but we were wrong. I'm thrilled. Little girls are wonderful to spoil and make pretty things for. And her big sister wants to have a little sister to play with!

Well, hopefully it won't be so long before I post again. Perhaps I'll get those pictures uploaded tomorrow and get them on this blog. Until then, have a great day!

Back Again

It's been quite awhile since I've posted anything. I was disheartened about a situation with one of my pincushions which I was going to teach at our local Sewing Guild back in January and I didn't feel like sharing very much after that situation.
I had shared a pattern for a pincushion with my group, Crazy About Pincushions, and had asked that it be used for personal use only. Someone used it to make pincushions to sell on Etsy. Someone else called to tell me they had a copyright on the design. I couldn't teach the pattern to the Sewing Guild and had less than 24 hours to come up with a whole new program.
Sooo, from now on I probably won't be sharing patterns. I can't be sure they aren't copyrighted even if I think I've designed them myself.
Despite the setback to the class at the Sewing Guild, it went well and everyone was happy with their completed pincushion. I talked a bit about the history of pincushions and pins and brought samples from my collection of pincushions.
I've been busy making lots more pincushions these days as the 3rd weekend of this month the Lansing Area Patchers are hosting a Quilt Show at the Summit and the Heart of Michigan Decorative Artists will have a booth at the quilt show. We will be selling raffle tickets for a beautiful hand painted quilt PLUS we are allowing our members to bring items they have made or painted to sell. I will be bringing lots of pincushions to sell. I've been slowly working on them for months, and now I am panicking and trying to make a whole lot more to have available for sale. I'm doing my best to design them myself so no one complains of copyright infringement.
Right now I have to get back to sewing! I'll take pictures to share in a few days.

Welcome to a Brand New Year!

So much has happened since I last blogged about anything. So glad it's a brand new year. I'm going to keep positive thoughts...this will be a good year, this will be a good year!

The sweetest two year old around got a guitar for Christmas from her step-daddy. She used to watch him play and would try to help him pick the strings. When she opened her present and saw she had her very own guitar, the look on her face was priceless. She patiently waited for him to try to tune the little guitar and then sat right down and held it properly and tried to play a tune. She sang, "Down on it" and the faces she made were perfect. Do we have a future SuperStar in our midst?

Leading up to Christmas was chaotic. So much to do and never allowing myself enough time to finish in time. I vow to start gifts at least in October this year instead of waiting till two weeks before Christmas.

Of course, I was in charge of the HOMDA Christmas Party again this year. It was wonderful as always. Our centerpieces this year were votive globes painted with a blue snow scene. The gifts for all attendees were large clothespins that are used as Memo Holders. We had 24 attendees.

Once that was over I felt I could actually concentrate on my own Christmas needs.

Earlier this year I joined a new (to me) on line group called Art4Mail--Ladies who Share Common Threads. This group is for anyone from beginners to the more advanced who are interested in making fabric postcards, ATC's, Inchies, Quilties, Art Dolls, Dotee's, Button Fairies, and other fiber art to be exchanged through the mail. Swapping is with people from all over the world. I joined this group because they have a pincushion swap also, and I'm addicted to pincushions. Plus I had heard about Dotee's and they have Dotee Swaps.

So far I've been involved in two pincushion swaps, one Dotee Doll swap, one crazy quilt block swap, and two Circle Art swaps. That's in a little over two months. Those swaps have certainly kept me busy! I've loved the pincushion swaps. The dotee was a new experience and taught me a bit about painting faces on fabric. The circle Art swap was also a learning experience but gave me a chance to try new media I've heard about but never tried.

The top block is the one I made to swap and the one below it is the one I received.

This orange pincushion is the one I made for the October swap. It's supposed to be a chrysanthemum on the top and pumpkins and oak leaves on the side.

Here is the one I made for the November swap. A pointsettia adorns the top and snowflakes and beading on the sides. The veining on the pointsettia leaves were added with color pencils. The center of the pointsettia was beaded. I really liked this and should have made a second one for me to keep.

Both of them were made from wool felt

This pincushion is one I received from my swap partner for the November swap from Art4Mail. The silk ribbon embroidery along with the beading is awesome!

The Snowqueen Dotee Doll below is what I made to send to 3 different swap partners in December.

It was lots of fun to design and make this doll and I learned a lot from this experience.

For 2010, no one jumped right in to take on the task of being Pincushion Swap Hostess for Art4Mail. Since I wanted continue the Pincushion Swap, I jumped right in and decided to be Hostess. I can't imagine it will be any problem at all. Yeah! Two pincushions a month. One at Art4Mail and one at Crazy About Pincushions.

I also belong to another list, Crazy About Pincushions, which is primarily a list devoted to making and swapping, what else, but pincushions! I joined this list about two years ago and have made friends from all over the world. They have a pincushion swap about once every month and a half or so. Usually there is a theme to their swap.

Another pincushion related item...the local Sewing Guild has asked me to put on a demo/lecture about pincushions and their history next week. I've known about this for the last month. I plan on having everyone make a pincushion at the meeting. It's one that I wrote the directions to and have shared with the members of Crazy About Pincushions, a flower pincushion. Plus I'll share my pincushion collection and show them how they can re-use some of their everyday stuff, such as cans, lids, leftover linens, embroideries, tatting, etc, and make them into pincushions. I'll definitely let you all in on how it turns out after next week.

Learning Everyday - Even Old Dogs Can

Well I entered all the giveaways from the nine designers sites late last night. I got to learn all kinds of "how to's" for linking things from my site. Granted, I've done a lot with computers and programs in my past work life, so it wasn't too awful hard to figure out especially with the tools available. I've also thought about actually going back to college in the winter semester to learn how to set up websites....retirement isn't what I dreamed it would be in this economy.

It sure would be nice if I could figure out how to "create" and sell my creations. Problem is I like to do way too many things. I'd have to concentrate on one or two things instead of 27. I'd also have to figure out which thing other people are interested in right now and would be willing to buy. There are sooooo many quilt patterns out there these days I definitely don't want to go that way. I like making clothing, but there's a limited number of people who do that because they need to have patterns fitted to them. I did that for awhile (taught pattern fitting) but that's not the fun, creative part of sewing.

I really enjoy making pincushions and needlebooks and they can be so creative. It seems that's something everyone needs. And of course that can be extended to purses. Maybe that's the area I want to go towards. I also really enjoy making teddy bears so I'd somehow have to figure out how to fit that into the scheme of things.

Or, I could go back to school and learn how to develop websites. I suppose that could be a creative endeavor too. So many choices...so little time.

NINE New Giveaways From Our Australian Neighbors

I don't know what it is that draws me to Australian sites and blogs, but I love the stitchery and use of color I see from our Aussie neighbors. I recently came upon a new to me site that is having a wonderful give away at the end of September and it involves NINE different talented ladies.

Among the Gum Trees has 9 talented Australian designers sharing a few of their original and varied designs freely everyones personal use! It is the brainchild of Jenny of ELEFANTZ, who brought together nine established and emerging designers, who offer their own original designs to download free of charge! WOW!!

The Designers are: Cheryl of Willowberry Designs , Dawn of Dawn Hay Designs ,Fiona of Mothers Cupboard , Jenny of ELEFANTZ , Joy of Joypatch , Judith of Creative Studio, Paula of Sew Little Fabric, Vicki of Tozz's Corner, and Vikki of Sew Useful Designs.

Check out their blogs to find out how to get entered in their give-aways and check out their free downloads. They also have wonderful patterns and designs you can purchase from their Etsy shops.

Jenny of ELEFANTZ has a lovely download for some rosebud coasters, but I can see the design used on the top of a pincushion! Another design to add to my long list of things to do! Thank you Jenny!