The Last of the Gifts

SEPTEMBER - MAKE A COVER FOR A JOURNAL  Using a sticky backed piece of artist canvas, I painted, stenciled, sewed on buttons and a little fabric square to create a journal.  On the front edge, I added beads using a blanket stitch.

OCTOBER - A POT HOLDER  This is the very first pot holder I have ever made, the binding was the hardest.

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER - A BOOK AND SOME CANDY  These items were purchased.

The year long swap was fun, I really enjoyed making something different each month.  Thank you Nathalie for organizing The Stocking Swap!

I also made 13 mug rugs as Christmas gifts.  It was fun selecting the fabrics to match each mug.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year - enjoy 2013!!!!

Swaps Continued

JULY - A CHRISTMAS STOCKING  I used a pattern by Nancy Halvorsen to create a little holiday stocking adorned with a handstitched angel.

AUGUST - A CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT  Using another pattern by Nancy Halvorsen, I reduced the pattern for a pot holder and made a little stuffed jolly Santa.

Oops - I just realized I left out two prior months

MAY - A TABLE RUNNER  This was easy, I made it pillowcase style and just turned it right side out.

JUNE - ANY TYPE OF BAG  I used a pattern from Alicia Paulson for a "Jane Market Bag".

More Swap Items

FEBRUARY - A 14" PILLOW COVER   I made the pillow cover using pastel selvages in a log cabin pattern.  After seeing other quilters make use of fabric selvages, I wanted to give it a try.  It's easy and I love the color dots on some of the edges.

MARCH - 2 STANDARD PILLOWCASES  I had made pillowcases once before, they are so much easier than I thought.  I chose soft Christmas colors, they would look great on my bed!!!

APRIL - A PIN CUSHION  Using a free pattern from Heather Bailey, I made a felt pin cushion with a sprig of violets sitting on top.  I found the cute heart straight pin on Etsy.

The Ultimate Swap

Last January, I signed up for a year long stocking swap through wastelandwallowing.blogspot.com.  We were given an item to create each month of the year and mailed off our swap gifts in December.

Look at all of the beautiful handmade goodies I received from Liz in Odessa, Texas.  It was so much fun to open a package and see all of the items Liz created over the year.  Thank you so much!

My stocking swap gifts were mailed to Nathalie, also from Odessa, Texas.  Now that Nathalie has received her package, I can share what I made each month for the past year.

JANUARY - A MUG AND MUG RUG  This was the first mug rug I had ever made.  I liked the idea of a round one to match the circles on the mug.

I'll post the other items over the next few days.

Tree Lights

How cool are these?  Last night, all of the lights went out on our Christmas tree!!  While I took every ornament off, my husband went out to buy new lights.  I had just seen these cute plumeria lights on my friends tree, so he purchased some for us.

Mele Kalikimaka!!

All Cookied Out



 Yesterday, I had a cookie making marathon.  I think I used every bowl, measuring cup and measuring spoon in the kitchen.  Luckily, my husband got take out from The Outback so I didn't have to fix dinner!

Maple pecan cookies

Country raisin ginger snaps

Oatmeal with white chocolate and dried apricots

Tuxedo brownie cookies

It was a cold, windy day and perfect to stay inside with wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen.

Sharing

I want to thank Alisa Burke from alisaburke.blogspot.com for a free download from her December 12th posting.  I love these gift tags - I made two sets.  The first one I printed on copy paper and glued onto red construction paper.  The next set, I printed on photo paper - they were sturdy enough just to cut and use.

What great colors and doodles to add to your packages.  Thanks Alisa!

Here Comes Santa

My dear friend Sherry, knows me too well.  She presented me with this charming, lime green suited Santa.  He fits right in with my collection of lime and teal ornaments.

Thank you Sherry!

Final Design

This is the pattern I decided on for my strip quilt.  Now, I just have to find the time to add the borders.

Like everyone else at this time, I'm busy, busy, busy.  I have finished all gift projects, packed out of town boxes ready for the post office, addressing cards, cleaning, shopping and having way too much fun socializing!!

Challenge Wall Hanging

I finished my fabric challenge quilt in just 2 days - I need to take down my sewing table from the guest room and get ready for the holidays.
The wall quilt is 12" x 23 " and I used almost all of the fabric Victoria sent.  It was a great challenge and I was very surprised how a piece of brown/black plaid with red roses fabric could be put to good use!

Here I Go Again

I just can't seem to resist a challenge!  Victoria, at "15 minutes play", challenged the first 20 people that responded on her blog to create something from this "Charlie Brown fabric".  My 12" square arrived in yesterdays mail.

I pulled some reds and greens from my stash last night, laid awake thinking of ideas and started cutting and sewing this morning.  I love a good challenge!

Labels

My daughter wanted me to sew labels on the mini wallets I made for her craft booth.  I ordered these through Etsy at the beginning of October and the vender mailed them on October 5th.  I just received them yesterday, November 27th!!  She posted them registured mail and I kept checking with my mailman and asking at my local post office - no luck!!

They are finally here and I love them - too cute!

Making Progress

Making the blocks for my latest quilt was so easy, I whipped out 48 8 1/2" blocks in no time - a piece of cake!

Making the quilt top - not as easy!!  After rearranging the blocks into every conceivable pattern, I finally chose the one I wanted.  Sewing them together has been a slow progress.  I usually chain stitch my blocks  but I'm having to sew each of them together one at a time so I don't lose my pattern.  Also after cutting the HSTs, the blocks became very stretchy so I am taking extra care when sewing them so they don't lose their shape.

I'm 1/4 done with joining the blocks and the quilt is looking really great.

Happy Thanksgiving

What's For Supper?

Creamy potato soup and warm cornbread muffins made with pepper jack cheese - yum!

Decisions

I'm having a lot of fun making the easy strip blocks, but now I can't decide which layout I like the best, so far I leaning towards the diagonal stripes.  Another great way to use up fabric so I can go out and buy MORE!!!!

Too Easy!

I saw this mini tutorial on butterflyquilting.blogspot.com and it looked so easy I had to give it a try.

I cut 6 strips each of lights and darks, 9" x 2" (butterfly quilting used jelly roll strips).  Sew each group together to form 2 separate blocks.  I squared the blocks to 8 1/2".

Place your blocks on top of each other, right sides together.  Make sure one block is vertical and the other is horizontal.

Sew the two blocks together using 1/4" seam around the entire block.

Cut the block diagonally in both directions.

You end up with 4 HSTs.  Press open.

Wow!! What a great idea!  I love this quick and easy method!

It is really fun to see what creative people are doing, I have learned so much from wonderful ideas shared on blogs.

Just Photos

I received this orchid plant as a gift last September.  It still has 8 blossoms on it and there is a new flower spike appearing.

These are spider webs covered with morning dew in our neighbors yard.  Delicate little doilies by Mother Nature.

Sweet dreams.

Ribbon

I ordered these beautiful ribbons from The Sundance Catalog.  Those dots on the lime green are beads - gorgeous!  I really got excited with the 3" x 2" wooden spools!  I think they will get painted with acrylics and hang in the garden.  Too cool!!

For The Love Of Dots

I can't resist anything by Kaffe Fassett and just received this 6" charm pack of 30 different dot fabrics. I may just gaze at them for months before cutting into these little beauties!

EEEEEEK!!!

Boo!

                                        
Our daughter Paige and her boyfriend Parris - Dia de los Muertos celebration at Hollywood Forever Cemetery last weekend.

Happy Halloween to everyone!

Lots of Little Wallets

Here are the little wallets I have made for my daughter's booth at a craft fair.  They are so much fun to make and I hope they are a big success in sales.  I also made 6 others that I have given as gifts to friends and family.

Here's the custom one I made for myself - too cute!!

The pattern is "Little Wallet" sewing card by Valori Wells and is available through Stitchin' Post Publications.

The Prayer Flag Project Blog

The prayer flags I made for Marina are featured today on theprayerflagproject.blogspot.com  It's a wonderful blog with a great tutorial for creating the flags and for sharing them with others.

Creative Pumpkins

Knowing my love of VW's, my friend Michelle couldn't resist sending me a photo from the internet of this clever VW bus.  What a cool idea!

Jane LaFazio shared this great Day of the Dead pumpkin on Facebook.  How creative!

Storm and I have our pumpkins ready to carve next week, Red can hardly wait!