fabric and charms and spider cat.......

First of all, it is Furry Friends Friday! The brainchild of Laurie at Blue Waters...http://buttonslace.blogspot.com She decided to have a show off your pet day on Fridays..This is the second one and I thought I would post, because I think I have the most unusual and precious pets in the world...Today I will feature my new kitten, Joe Bobbin...aka jack rabbit, spider cat and crouching tiger....He hops, he romps and he climbs...just like spiderman with opposing limbs...it is the weirdest thing to see a cat climb that way...The other night I was sleeping and I heard a noise so I turned on the light. There was spider cat at the very top of the quilt hanging above my bed...he was walking along the wall and ceiling edge...strange, I thought I was dreaming but since then I have seen him do it again. He also goes on secret raids in my sewing room...Remember the little fabric tree ornaments? GONE! I had to make new ones, bottlecap pincushions? GONE.....The best thing about him? He loves me as much as I love him and is my little lap kitten....Next time I will write about Thomas who is sitting next to me getting aggravated...He came first after all....



I also got charms back....Oh I love these little beauties and I cant wait to make another necklace....so far I have an all pink one and a black and white one...This next one is going to have all different colors....I wore my pink one to the food and gift fair and five people asked me where they could buy one just like it...Pretty cool stuff and here is a picture of my pretty cool charms.......




Last of all, I have been collecting cowgirl/cowboy fabric for my cowgirl glam trailer redo....the bottom fabric is for the couch, the pin up fabric is going to become pinch pleated draperies with a lining...then I found this panel of old fashioned cowboy hankies...I am going to cut them out and line them, then build a quilt for the bed around them.....probably with forties reproduction fabrics in primary colors....Oh, I have all kinds of ideas!!!! Well, I have to go upstairs and put binding on a quilt......Go see Laurie and tell us all about your pet!!!!

Enchanted Swap and a baby boy haircut....

Today I worked on finishing my little projects for the Enchanted Ornament swap....It is all done and in the mail...Cant say to who, cause it's a secret....The swap called for one ornament but I sent three.....They were so fun to make and then I couldn't pick just one...Here is a pic of my latest one...It is a wood block , painted brown, papers modpodged on and then beeswaxed so it looks old...I used German scrap roses on top of the papers...What is more enchanted than a fairy in a rose garden?


I also included some wired Christmas ribbon, Christmas chocolates and some scented wax cubes to use in a candle burner.....I had a plain brown bag and dressed it up with paper and a tag....I love to wrap it up all cutie patootie....



Yesterday I got my Enchanted package from Valerie, the hostess herself...I gave her a challenge requesting the color pink...at least I thought it was...until I saw this bird spinner.....


and it is two birds in one, cause the other "Noel" sign is blue......



She also sent me some yummy hot cocoa and a sugarholics favorite healthy snack, snowman peeps....Can you see the ladybug in the picture? he is chocolate and according to Val, good luck so so far I have spared his little ladybug life and not succumbed to temptation.



Valerie has a swap blog and I have participated in several with her. They are always fun and I have met new people....http://yarnigrasswapperspot.blogspot.com
Thanks so much Val for the all the goodies! My beautiful pink bird spinner is already in it's new home on my front door!
I have been trying to get a quilt done too and I have been babysitting my little nephew Jace. He turned a year old in August....It has been good for me..I miss the kids so much that he helps ease some of the loss...He is so darn cute and he makes me laugh. He does a lot of sign language (we got him the baby sign language videos.)His little hands are always going...He doesn't say too much though...just with his fingers..Today I wanted to take a shower and I was worried he would get into something so I put him in the bathroom with me with some toys on the floor...I get in the shower and all of a sudden, the door rips open and there he is, screaming his head off...I take the handheld shower off the holder so he doesn't get wet and accidentally spray him down...he screams louder..I get shampoo in my eyes, cant see and spray him again...the screams at this point are piercing, somebody is killing me screams... The shower is over...all two minutes, soap still in my hair of it...I get out wrap him in a towel and love him....he calms right down...So my sister gets home and I tell her and she says "he doesn't like when you take a shower cause he wants you to take a bath so he can throw toys in the tub..." Well, gee , ok....I thought I had traumatized him for life seeing me naked in the tub then hosing him down........A bath it will be little Jace...I promise.......I gave him a haircut yesterday too....he has a ton of white blonde hair...It was everywhere...He is such a handsome little guy....Here he is in all his short hair glory.....

ornaments, hair and a fiber art challenge.....

On one of my Yahoo groups, Fiber Art Traders we had a five day, blind quilt challenge.....I am pretty pleased with how mine turned out and it was so fun seeing what everyone did! The first day was surface embellish a 9x7 piece of fabric for the top. I made fabric paper, a fabric base with tissue paper put on with diluted mod podge, threw on some dynaflow ink and added some acrylic paint....



Day two was quilt it to batting...



Day three was cut it in at least seven pieces and then sew it back together..



day four was embellish it...I couched on ribbon, more paint on fabric and added words and a few beads...




Day five was to turn it into some kind of a vessel or vase....mine was screaming to be a gift box or a funky little purse......here it is with the top open...



and a couple photos showing it closed with button and ribbon closures....





I also made ornaments for the Woodland Ornament swap....Don cut up a big branch into circles and I drew, painted, wood burned, ribboned and glued to make these mushroom.



then these little trees made out of selvadges from fabric...I saw them somewhere online and thought they were cute...



Last of all, today we went to a Christmas food and gift fair...I have gone before to the ones in Portland and Seattle so thought this would be fun. I took my camera in case there were any new crafty ideas I could sneak a picture of. Surprisingly, there was very little Christmasy things...Mostly gift things and vendors...We were walking down the aisle and a girl stopped me and said she wanted to do my hair. My feet were tired so I sat down and she took out a flat iron and started curling my hair with it...and it looked so shiny and pretty...took just a few minutes and I was hook lined and sinkered...As you all know, (or maybe you dont) I compalin about my hair all the time, frizzy curl...yuk...I have a straightener but it doesnt make my hair look like this one did and I could use it and make it work!



and it is so cute......tattoos all over it, almost like a piece of art....



and here is the real art.... my hair looks good...Even I am happy, so the gift show was a success, crafts or no....

Before and afters.....

Here it is, the upstairs room, I have mentioned it a zillion times, and now, the big reveal....Here is the before....ratty carpet, just kind of blah. This actually shows it after we cleared out all the stuff that was stored up here. There was only a little pathway to my sewing room.








We took out the nasty carpet and the old fifties tiles beneath the carpet. Underneath there were really nice planks but there were a lot of gaps. We cleaned them up and then pulled them up and moved them close together. Went to Lowes and bought a few more planks to fill in...




then I put primer on them and painted the planks and the stairs in the jungle green color. The orange paint was free...leftovers from my sister. Bf ran electricity and put in three outlets. I painted the door mural and made all the pillows and the curtains. We got the bedspreads on clearance for 20.00 a piece and the beds are heavy duty army cots...This room with everything, was under a 100.00 total and the cheap in me just loves it!!! The mural was inspired by an art quilt in a Quilting Arts magazine. The quilt was made by Tom Russell...I saw it and thought it would be perfect on the door...The kids toy bins fit under the beds and I am going to have them make pictures to frame for the walls....So what do you think?

The pillow queen....

I just came down from my sewing room and I am pooped. Tonight I finished the room upstairs and it looks great. My last project up there is done, woohoo! This evening I made four pillow shams and four throw pillows. The mural on the door is finished and sealed and the door is hung. I have two kitty's who are happily trying out the new beds upstairs. I feel a pretty big sense of accomplishment..This was our first project together as a couple and I think we make a great team...He does all the electrical and man labor and I sew and paint. I will post pictures, before and after, tomorrow...
Yesterday I made a journal page for the nature journal swap and I also made a bird card. The weather has been so beautiful that I took the pictures outside. It sure doesnt feel like November here and I am grateful for the blue sky and sunshine!



I have to show off the knitted scarf that I won from Robin in her blog giveaway too...It is really cute with my denim jacket...I know sooner or later the weather is going to get cold and I will enjoy wearing this litte beauty. They are little Christmas stockings...too cute!


I also wanted to share two blog giveaways with you all....The first one is Jeans...
http://quiltingranny.blogspot.com
She is giving away a bunch of stuff but the best thing is a Moda pack of Christmas fabrics..I am hoping I win that one! She has a giveaway every month and this is her November one....



Then there is a giveaway at http://prairieflowerfarm.blogspot.com for this beautiful frame with a saying...Go enter even though I still hope to win!

lots of projects....

I have my hands in so many things right now, you would think I am crazy..I am getting a few things finished though so maybe the end is in sight....Right after the room upstairs is finished, the interior of the trailer and everything in between. The upstairs is about complete and the main thing I have been doing is painting a mural on the door for the kids....I finished it tonight and it was a big undertaking! All I really have to do for the room is make pillows to tie it all together. It is bright and colorful, I will say that...My dad said he needed sunglasses..
I also am working on a quilt for a lady's 90th birthday..She wants a lap robe and she is pretty tiny so I am making a baby size yellow brick road and instead of using batting, I am going to put aqua colored minkee on the back...I have never done it before, but I think it will be nice and warm and snuggly for her..I am all about the snuggles

Today we went to Sandy Utah and I went to a couple of quilt stores...I had all kinds of fun and got all kinds of ideas...Didn't buy too much though, afraid to start anything else at the moment! On the way back, I saw a Home Fabric store and we decided to stop..We have been looking at fabric to recover the sofa and the dinette benches in the little trailer...With the cost of home dec fabric, we were thinking about 200.00. I was shocked and so happy when we went in this store! They had all the same beautiful fabrics but the top price was 9.00 a yard. I about fell over...I found the most incredible sale area and I got 7 yards of 54" home dec fabric for 21.00....holy crap! I even got fancy cording to use like welting around the edges for 1.00 a yard...They also have free classes that I would love to take. I will go back to that store for sure. It makes it worth it too sew....
I also wanted to let you know that Thomas has accepted little Joe Bobbin now...He tried to be aloof, but he finally gave in...They are so cute...

My ghost story......

When my mom was young my Grandma and Grandpa moved into a house in Manzanita Oregon. They lived there the rest of their lives and I spent many hours in the house...it is a big house with a main floor, and unfinished basement and then the upstairs with two bedrooms, a tiny little bathroom and a sitting area at the top of the landing..my mom slept on the bedroom on the right and she told me she never liked it because she saw ghosts come from the cubbyhole in the room and up the stairs. She also told me that there were a few times where she wet the bed because she was too afraid to get up and go to the bathroom. As a kid, when I went to stay with my grandparents, I would stay in the other bedroom. After my grandparents passed away, my parents remodeled the house and moved in it. I went down for a weekend and that was the only bedroom available so I slept in it...It felt strange but I wasnt too worried...after all, I was about 35 at the time. I went to sleep thinking about my grandma and how much I missed her..I had the best dream that night..she was sitting on the bed and stroking my head and talking...Great dream, I didnt want to wake up. When I woke up, I noticed the whole room smelled like flowers..I hadnt noticed it the night before which was weird..It was so strong and pretty that I actually looked for a glade plug in or some kind of room freshener. I went down and asked my mom about it and she gave me a strange look...We went up together and the fragrance was still there. She got a weird look on her face and said it smelled just like a perfume that my grandma wore when she was a kid and then the smell just went away...We both just smiled all day...that night I went to bed feeling pretty good and I went to sleep. I woke up about three in the morning freezing cold...I felt someone in the room with me and thought, "grandma?' All of a sudden, I felt the hair stand up on my arms and I felt choked for air...I could hear breathing and felt something bad, real bad was in the room...I felt frozen and terrified..I finally got up and raced down the stairs and got in bed with my mom...."mom can I sleep with you? I'm scared......My dad scoffed and laughed but later on after my mom had died, he moved for a short time into that room and then he moved out and into the other room...the ghost would turn the wall heater on high in the middle of the night...a fire also started in that room...he wont say much else about it....creepy and true!

ornament swap, ghost story Friday and Finishes....

What are finishes? It is when you get a project done! The best feeling in the world, and yesterday I finished several of them and it feels good.....I finished my charms for the Amusing Muses charm swap...I made little tiles and a few fabric ones with beads.






Here are my charms all packaged up and ready to go.....







I made two sets of pillowcases for Barb in American Samoa...There are some villages there that still are having a really hard time and she has become the blogging distributor for that area...I also am sending a set of sheets, and some toiletries...Most families have lost everything so she has put out the call...If you are interested in doing something, please leave me a comment stating so and I will direct you to her....Barb even gave her Janome sewing machine to a lady who had lost hers....I always want to do something huge, cause I feel so bad but sometimes I can only do something little....If you are in the same situation, do something small and all of our small things will add up to really big things....thanks again Barb for making me aware of the need and you can find her at http://bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com







I also finished a 6x8 quiltie for Mary S from Australia....It is part of our round robin quiltie group and her theme is vintage with soft colors...This is probably one of the most popular themes out there for altered art and one of the hardest for me...I think it is the color schemes that throw me...I am more of a "retro girl.....by retro I mean 40's, 50's and 60's...I love the color schemes, the kitschy stuff and the old trailers!!!!!! Anyway, this is what I came up with....




Last of all, two fun events for bloggers....First of all Laurie from http://indulgeyourshelf.blogspot.com is having a ghost story telling on Friday.....It is going to be SCARY for sure......Go visit her to play and then we all can share scary stories on Friday!! I have a couple of really good ones to share...Phantom Friday!!!!!!I cant wait....









Then Val is hosting a Woodland Ornament swap that will be really fun...It is for a handmade ornament, woodland themed and a treat for your secret swap partner...Just something fun and easy and she is a great hostess....you can sign up at http://yarnisgrasswapperspot.blogspot.com

pillows and naps...

I finally caught a picture of Cooper with the little kitten, Joe Bobbin curled up with him..Every time I get a camera, Cooper leaps up and grabs his blue stuffed bunny...The only time it isn't in his mouth is when he is asleep. I think he has OCD...bunny obsession...weird. Anyway, Aren't they adorable....Thomas is off sulking somewhere, otherwise he would be in the picture too!



Today was project day around here...We are still working on the upstairs...The floor was ripped up and put back together and I primed the stairs...It has been fun seeing it come together. When it is done, I will definitely post pictures...I am excited for the kids to see it finished. I also spent a lot of time sewing and crafting....I am working on charms, I made a little bird quilt, started on pillowcases to send to Samoa and made two fall pillows....I won Jenny's drawing and it was the dishtowels by Moda that I used. (posted a pic a few days ago)..We were emailing back and forth and she said she envisioned them as pillows...WOW! what a great idea..so I had to take the challenge and whip them up...I always save throw pillows, even when they are outdated..I run them thru the washer and then slipcover them....




Aren't they adorable!!!!! Here are the backside of the pillows....There were three towels so I just pieced them together, and made envelope backs...The only thing I added to the towels was some orange rick rack...I love these! Thank you for the great idea Jenny, and the towels!!!!!




Thank you for all your congratulations! Don and I don't have anything set in stone yet as far as a wedding date..We are thinking February and something in Las Vegas...I am going thru some really rough times, but I am still happy..It is wonderful to be extraordinarily in love with an ordinary guy and have him feel the same way about me....

I got something beautiful and special today........

My heart is too full to say much about it, so I will just show the picture.......

fancy cuffs and I won a prize!!!!

First of all, I love surprises! What girl doesnt? I dont care how old you are...I found the greatest blog...The bloggers name is Jenny and I think she found me first, but I visited and had a good laugh. She is a really good writer and I enjoy her perspective on ordinary things...I became a follower, just cause everyone needs a good laugh. I also commented on a little contest she was having..You didnt have to post on your blog, or become a follower. Just make a guess. I did and I won! Can you believe it? The gift was a surprise, and today it came in the mail...It has the most adorable fall card and these gorgeous Fall towels from Moda...

I love the detail of the towels on the bottom....

The middle one is my fave! Thank you so much Jenny! You made my day...Go visit her at http://jennymattok.blogspot.com
At Fiber Art Traders, a Yahoo group that is pretty fun, there is a trade for embellished cuffs..You wear them like bracelets and they are really fun. We are making them without closures, cause the person who gets yours will fit it to their wrist...I made mine with silks...they are nice and shiny and sparkly. I am all about that.....
Other than that, I am still really battling depression and anxiety and it has been a rough road...I am doing everything I can to get better but it almost makes it worse before it gets better...Art really does help and having someone that loves and supports me even when I am a sobby, snotty mess and a half. We are working on a project together and that is good therapy too...In the house there is an upstairs where the eaves go to the floor...one huge part of it was finished and that is my little studio. The other part is at the top of the stairs and it just was a mess...so we made storage behind the sheet rock and put down flooring...then we have been ripping and tearing and cleaning up the other room. It is going to be a play room/ bedroom for the grandkids...I am doing it in orange and turquoise and a sea green floor....It is already adorable..I will post before and afters when it is done...Now I just need my babies to put in it and I would be thrilled!!!!

From start to finish..

I finished the quilt with the Tumbleweed in it and for the first time, I documented the process of making an art quilt...I have been asked how I do it, and it is hard to explain...I thought about it and took lots of pictures....What I wanted to do, was make a background for the quilted little trailer to sit on. First I cut a piece of cotton duck to put the background on. I knew I wanted this quilt to be big..Way bigger for an art quilt than I normally do, so I cut it 25"wide by 36" long..Why, I don't know, it just looked right...Then I dug through my scraps of fabric looking for pieces that look like scenery fabric. I knew I wanted a woodsy type scene and also wanted some of it to look like fields. I love how they look like patchwork quilts in the distance...I also wanted some kind of road meandering up to the top...I started cutting and laying pieces of fabric down until I was happy..Then I use a temporary spray adhesive to adhere it all down so I can move it around until I sew it...Here is what it looks like...( you can click on all these pictures to make it bigger...)
The next step was to start sewing..The hardest part of the sewing was the big tree...I kind of penciled it in on the fabric, dropped the feed dogs and sewed..Then I decided to add some Neocolor twos to add some color. It didn't work and muddied it up. I then threw some alcohol inks on it, just letting the drops hit it and then I went in with red and fuchsia threads and did loops to look like fall foliage..The rest of the fabrics I just really tried to follow the lines and put some curves in. When I do this much thread work, I don't put a fabric back on...I do it at the end. So what I am quilting on is the fabric laid down on the cotton duck and batting on the back...This is what it looked like when I was done with all the stitching..
and here is what it looks like from the back.../>
I then sewed down the 3d trailer piece that I showed in the previous post and decided it needed something else...I decided to put Coopers head somewhere on the bottom of the quilt...I traced it on a piece of yellow wool felt and free motioned the details..then I cut it out and added the red scarf which I thought looked cute hanging over the edge..Then I cut another piece of cotton duck for the back, used spray adhesive to stick it and then did a 2 and a quarter inch binding....All in all, this is way more sewing than I usually do! I think I put six or seven real hours in doing this quilt...Here is the finished project..What do you think? I am calling it "lets camp"....

The start of an art quilt....

OK, remember when I said I was Vintage trailer obsessed in my seven things list? Well, I am and this proves it..I started an art quilt centered around the Tumbleweed and how I want to paint him...Red on the top, yellow emblem, a paint horse section,and shiny white...The quilted trailer is lying on a piece of wool felt that I use as a background...then I pencil it in on a piece of white fabric and free motion sew the outlines, then I cut it out and start on the details...He isn't totally done yet, but once he is finished, I will make a background quilt to put him on...I am thinking of a road winding along the ocean. Why I do these kind of things, I have no idea but I smile the whole time and I guess that is what it is all about...Maybe I will get it finished tomorrow!

My new baby is home and ornament quilt blocks....

First of all the blocks...These are so easy to make, but I am not getting them five inches square..I am wondering if I am not reading the cutting dimensions right...Robin, who is hosting the swap, has the cutest Halloween background on her blog that is purple..Unfortunately I cant read the writing..I am going to have to check with her..They are awful cute though...You write your signature in the middle..I am going to make a table runner with my finished blocks....
Now for my news....drumroll.....the baby is here..No, he doesn't have four legs or fur, it is not a vegetable, animal or mineral or a person for that matter..But boy am I excited! Let me introduce you to Tumbleweed!!!!!

He is my new to me , 1961 vintage Deville trailer and he is in wonderful shape...
All the original appliances, and furnishing and he is 15 feet of lovely potential! I am so excited to turn him into in traveling art gallery...cowboy themed...

My fascination with vintage trailers started about five years ago when I met a quilter who with a bunch of friends traveled in themed, restored vintage trailers..She showed me pictures and I was just blown away. I just have never been settled enough to be able to do it! The group of quilters were inspired by "sisters on the fly". They now have over a thousand members and as soon as Tumbleweed is ready, I am going to be one of them...You can see their website at www.sistersonthefly.com Another great site with wonderful pictures to ogle is http://thevintagehousewife.blogspot.com

As you can see, cooper is pretty excited too..He loves camping and he says he will wear a red bandanna so he fits in with the theme...The great news, is it is in great shape...One spot of dry rot that already is repaired as of today. I wont bore you anymore going on and on but I will do picture updates as work progresses....

Art quilts and over the hump...

I had a very rough few days but now I am back with a smile on my face and ready to rejoin the world...I hit rock bottom over the kids being back with mom..It is funny how sometimes feelings are delayed...I knew the grief was in there, I just wasnt letting it out cause it felt so big it was scary. I felt like if I let a little out, it might all come pouring out and somehow I might get lost in it...Here is the deal...Me raising the kids for two years was a lose, lose situation for me...It didnt start out that way...To back up I got them when Andrew was 18 months and liv was 6...I look at my nephew Jace, who is just over a year and I am shocked that Andrew was that little...It was tough, I walked the floor with him, liv cried for her mom everytime she was upset and I just went day to day...But in those first few days, weeks and months I had hope...I figured I am watching them while she uses the time to get better. Except she wasnt and it started to show...Christmas comes (a deadline in my mind...what mom wouldnt be there for Christmas? ) birthdays, school things, then Ron died..still nothing..Then my thinking changed..I am now their mother and father and this is where the lose/lose comes in for me...if she doesnt get better, I am going to raise them by myself and it is going to be soooo hard and if she does get better, they are going to be ripped away from me and my heart is going to go with them. Am I saying that this isnt where the kids belong, back with mom? No, becuase I am happy for them...It just hurts so darn bad you guys...so bad, it is like physical pain...She doesnt have them call me and it is just like I went from full time mom to nothing...I did talk to Andrew the other day( the first time since the end of July) and I just had tears streaming down my face the whole time. I spent a day and a half in bed just crying and praying and trying to come to terms with this whole thing...I am doing better right now...I know why God brought me to Utah...I have the best man in the world in my life and I am so grateful. He shares my sadness and helps me here and prays for me and reminds me to do the same...Ok, enough of this...just feel like a lot of you have been on this journey of raising grandbabies with me and wanted to share....
I keep posting pictures of quilties that I am making for a round robin swap so I thought I would post some of the ones made for me so far...My theme is Red, black and white...open to whatever the artist wants to do....
These are the first three quilties that I got....A red shiny flower on a background of pristine white with the finest little stitches by Judy Ross...I just love how dainty it is , cause it is the exact oposite of something I would do.....Then in the back is this beautiful, textured piece by Holly...I love the muslin edges and I think the whole thing just comes together...The quilite on the right is by one of my very good friends, Marva...she knows I like "stuff" and she did me proud...she is a beautiful sketcher and crazy quilter and she captured what I like just perfect! I also had to show the front and backs of the quilties that my good friend Sanna and I made for each other...We put our hearts in this stuff and go to town. I think the way we put things together kind of in the same way. Earlier you saw the front of her bird piece but I am going to show it again and this time show the back too...her tag is a birds egg...

Now here is the quiltie she made for me...all the little jesters are handpainted on canvas, then sewn on...


Last of all I am showing a picture of an art quilt I just made...An experiment that worked..YAY! I actually quilted, sewed and painted a picture of BF and I ...the pic was taken on my birthday...We were out dancing and he held out his arm and took this picture of the both of us...the white is his cowboy hat..I thought it wouldnt hurt to try to do it...I sketched it in pencil on a piece of wool felt then started painting and stitching...then when it was done I cut it out..Then I made a Utah canyon background out of fabric, paint and stitches and sewed the portrait on...It's called Love in the canyon....cool huh? I am going to mat and frame it....He loves it by the way....
Also, just have to add that today is a very exciting day here at my house!!! I am bringing home a new baby to love and care for...Any ideas? you will have to wait and see!!!!!

Quilt for Baby Adeline is done...

It is all wrapped up in baby pink tulle and ready to send to her mama tomorrow..She is ready to be born anytime..is there anything better than a new baby? I am blown away by the whole miracle of life...I hope you both love it Jessica!
I also was tagged and given an award by Valerie at http://yarnigras.blogspot.com
She is one of the nicest people, has a truly talented budding artist for a daughter and she is a lot of fun. I met her thru apron swaps, and she has become a good friend! Thank you Val!!! The rules are: 1. Thank the person who gave this to you. 2. copy the logo and place it on your blog. 3.link to the person who nominated you. 4. name seven things about yourself no one would really know. 5.nominate 7 kreative bloggers. 6. post links to the seven blogs...7.Leave a comment on each blog letting them know you have nominated them...Ok, on to my seven things....
1. I didnt learn to drive until I was 26
2.I dont like pizza...I hated it when I was a kid, it was right up there with liver.
3. I am obsessed with vintage trailers right now..OBSESSED
4. I play the saxophone
5. I come from a family of hypochondriacs to the point where it is funny
6. I only get two or three grey hairs...moms side of the family were never grey
7. I cant whistle, at all...I think my tongue is deformed..hee hee, or maybe something is wrong with it..like some disease...(see number five above..)
Who do I pass this lovely award too? mmmm....first of all Jessica at http://kidsnappinimscrappin.blogspot.com She makes some darn cool paper bag albums...one of these days I know I will make one, cause she has an amazing tutorial...Then on to Robin at http://rsislandcrafts.blogspot.com Robin is having giveaways so you need to go there anyway...I am looking forward to getting to know her better. I have to nominate Sherry because our answers are always so similar it is kind of eerie, and I want to see what she has to say and cause I love her..http://ificouldsetmysoulfree.blogspot.com I also am going to tag her daughter Lexie..She is raising a little guy and going to school and I am as proud of her as Sherry,...close anyway!...http://alexiskirker.blogspot.com I will think some more and post the res tomorrow cause my fingers are tired!!!!! Ok, I am adding to the list now.... First of all Miss Colleen the Utah Grammie...(yeah, the one who won the the quilt)..her sense of humor and writing style has kept me coming back for more of her blog...she is funny you all, seriously funny! http://mainstreammemories.blogspot.com Then there is my new friend Karen...I love her name, Mrs. Sew and Sew....She also has a new grandbaby that is a doll and you can find her at http://mrssewandsewquilts.blogspot.com and last of all a new friend in Ireland who makes beautiful things...Micki of Irish muses....go see her at http://thedote.blogspot.com

Witches cupboard swap and a block swap!

I got the scariest package ever from Tammy at http://sweetsews.blogspot.com It was all part of the fun thanks to Valerie's "Witches Cupboard Swap"! Some scary skulls and hairy spiders, cookie cutters, skull plates and napkins and the best handmade Halloween journal that I just adore! I can use it to jot down spells and recipes..Thanks so much Tammy..I love it all and it was so fun to open...especially since I had my sister and my niece as an audience and they wanted to know why I was getting all this cool stuff! Also, thank you Val for hostessing....I also wanted to mention that I made a new friend named Robin...Her blog is http://rsislandcrafts.blogspot.com She is having thirteen days of giveaways and also hostessing a quilt block swap that I have joined. It is a signature Christmas tree ornament swap...the block is five inches and very simple..She is looking for swappers to join up until October fifteenth. It makes the cutest quilt..look at the picture...You can go to her blog to join or to find out more...Other than that, today has been the laziest day in the world and I am loving it...Yesterday boyfriend and I ran around all day and I am tired. We went to a car show, and then a pumpkins and harvest craft fair and then we went to a japanese place to eat...I decided to be adventurous and try some sushi that I hadnt had before...It was all good until BF made a comment about how it smelled just like the fishing docks at LaPush....EEEEWWWWW...The sushi eating was all downhill after that but it was worth a good laugh. In fact my cheeks are still sore from smiling...Today the only ambitious thing I have done is I did a load of laundry..and I baked a cake..

nature journal pages....

This is for my Amusing Muses group...We are having a nature journal round robin so I played with the idea of Spring...I love the colors and I so miss them every winter...In fact, let's just skip the whole winter thing and go straight to the colors and rebirth that spring means...Monday it was in the 80's here and then the last three days it has really cooled down. There is snow on the mountains surrounding us...How did it happen so fast? I am sooo not a winter person.

What I made today....

A whole outfit! I know, I cant believe it either and I actually enjoyed the process...The top is a simple v neck knit and I used a pattern that someone gave me. The skirt, I just made up, and the bag, I tried to follow a pattern and then said forget it, wadded it up and made it the way I wanted too..The great news...The whole thing cost me a buck...yep, a dollar. The cheap in me just loves it...I got both the black and red print at a garage sale this summer for 1.00. The rest of the stuff I had. The bag I embellished the heck out of and just played with trims and stitches. It is lined in red with white polka dot flannel that was the trim off a pair of pj bottoms that I made. I have a really cool black jacket and a pair of boots that I think this would look pretty cute with. I also got a package today in the mail with Halloween goodies...I will post a picture in the morning!My home ec teacher, God love her, would have a stroke for sure...

songbird journal quilt....

This is for a round robin journal swap and they are fabric pieces that are 6x 8....This one is for Sanna whose theme is birds and nests and she likes blues and creams...I didnt really get the cream in, but I am hoping she likes it anyway. I started with a plain piece of canvas duck, made up some fabric paper and painted and stitched. I love the dimension that fabric paper adds to things....click on the picture and you will see a close up...I think you will see what I mean!

Two Halloween fabric pieces....

Fiber art Traders, a Yahoo group I belong too had two challenges..A 5x7 monster fabric piece and a 8.5x11 haunted house fabric piece...I felt inspired today and went crazy upstairs...The haunted house piece was especially fun. I just started laying down upholstery and silk scraps then free motioning the details. I sure enjoy just letting it flow....

Baby quilt and a new kitten....

My quilt giveaway was so fun...kind of sad to see it over but I have been pretty busy. First of all, I am finally organized as fair as my sewing and art supplies go...it has been a long, long time...I mean everything has a place instead of just randomly thrown in bins...It has made a huge difference and I found all kinds of cool stuff! It was almost as fun as going thru someones attic and finding all kinds of treasures..I am still amazed at how many big pieces of fabric I have and now they are all folded and neatly put away in their very own bin. It took me two days to get it done but it was worth it. I have moved so much that it has just gotten worse with every move...I also got a new kitten and boy is he cute...Thomas is spitting mad at me and Cooper is just so jealous he cant stand it...I just decided on a whim that I needed a kitten and I found this adorable little guy...he is super tiny..The first night it was like having a newborn baby in the house...He cried and woke up every two hours. Now he has settled right in. I named him Joe Bobbin. He almost is too little to be away from his mama but I am doing better with him every day...I have scratches all over my arms from his little needle claws. I love kittens! I took a picture of Cooper, the kitten and I and Cooper had to try to jump on my lap....notice the stick in his mouth? that is him being neurotic about the kitten...'see my stick? "see my stick!!!" Thomas was off sulking somewhere...I also have been working on a baby girl quilt. This the top almost finished. I actually got it done tonight and I am going to quilt it up tomorrow. I made it for my blogger friend Jessica who is expecting her third little girl. I remember for my first baby, all the baby gifts, then a little less for the second, and the third even less. I just wanted her to have something special. It is in really soft colors by moda..pinks, yellow, cream and a little bit of brown..I found the pattern at the Utah quilt guild show...It is called "somebunny loves me"...Just thought it was adorable. I appliqued the bunny in soft pink chenille..I really like it and I hope she does too!

And the winner of the quilt is............

drum roll........Utah Grammie!!!!! Maybe I can meet you and hand deliver it to you! Thanks everyone for celebrating my 250th post with me..It has been a lot of fun and I will do it again..maybe for my 500th! Melinda

Quilt is done and the giveaway is Tuesday!

Wow! what a great response and so much fun for me...I still am trying to email everyone back and visit some new blogs...I just love talking to the quilters and looking at all the great quilts...I am really pleased with how my giveaway quilt turned out and I hope whoever wins it likes it as much as I do! Speaking of Quilters, Jean the quilting granny is having a giveaway on her blog...go see her..She is one of my very good friends and I love ya Jean..http://quiltingranny.blogspot.com Just scroll down and you will see it...she is giving away various quilting things and the giveaway is October first..... I also finished my Halloween Swap..It was a ten dollar limit so I really got creative...even sprayed some branches from the yard black. I really, really, had fun making this..just played with fabric like a little kid until it took shape. i never have a plan, it just kind of turns into what it wants to be. I just run the sewing machine like a madwoman...Also another quiltie for my sewing circle group...Judy's theme was chickens so being inspired by a handsome rooster at the State fair I had to stitch him up...these little quilts are 6x8 which actually is really small to fit a bunch of stuff on...I wont say they are any quicker though... I also am showing a picture of two of my first run of quilts hanging on the line...Is there anything better? They make me smile looking so pretty out there. The blue one is Coopers..Dogs need snuggle quilts too...I didn't get to go to Portland..I am pretty disappointed, but I have been using the time to work on projects...It makes me feel better. Julie decided to stay another week in Oregon, and I just couldn't go for that long! Lisa is thinking of moving to Utah though, and I am hoping for that...I miss my kids!!!!!

The Giveaway Quilt is Quilted!!!! Keep those entries coming!

Another busy, busy couple of days but I got it quilted and Thomas the cat says it's going to be a big hit...He is always my partner in crime (Quilting) in the sewing room...Now just in case you win, and you don't appreciate cat hair I will say that I always wash a quilt and wrap it up pretty before sending it on it's way. I love the quilted look it gets as everything comes together...Boyfriend and I went to another baseball game last night and had a great time and then today, we went with Julie and Steve and baby Jace to the Utah State fair...There are some rockin' quilters here for sure! I shouldve brought a camera, but of course I didn't. My favorite is always the animal barns though. I love the goats and the chickens and bunnies. So did Jace until a rooster crowed and he got scared and screamed bloody murder... I am leaving Monday morning for Portland. I will be gone for a week and I am so excited to see my babies!!!!!!! I will probably cry my eyes out when I see them. Julie is driving with me so it should be fun. Road trip...mmmmmmm..I hate riding in the car, but it will be worth it to see the kids! I am going to announce the quilt winner a week from Tuesday..I am having more fun doing this. I have been so blessed to make such good friends through blogging, and I am hoping to make some more! One of my good friends is Tonya at http://tonyassewingroom.blogspot.com and she had a post about how "where and How did we start quilting?' and "What started us on this wonderful endless journey" So, I thought I would write my piece too...it first came from Daisy at http://daisyquilts.blogspot.com. I have said it before and you may have read it, but I flunked Home ec sewing....Looking back I think it moved to slow and the ole ADD thing kicked in and I was bored...I honestly didnt think I would ever enjoy sewing but I liked the idea of it. When I was forty I started scrapbooking and became obsessed and then I started looking at fabrics...It isn't a huge jump from paper to fabric. At least it wasn't in my mind. I told my boyfriend James that I wanted to make a quilt and needed a sewing machine so he took me on a shopping trip and loaded me up...(what a sweetheart huh?) I was worried when it took me a day to thread the thing. I taught myself to sew and quilt using a Joanns block of the month quilt...I made two from start to finish, including free motion quilting them under my machine and I fell in love. The first quilt I finished is downstairs on my couch now and yes, it is a hot mess, but I love it. I had given it to my grandma and she adored it and showed everybody and even entered it in the Tillamook County Fair ( much to my horror)....It got a mercy red ribbon...When she passed away my dad gave it back to me and I treasure it. I went from quilting to art quilting and fabric art...My favorite part is picking the fabric and the piecing...the binding being my least favorite though by then I am excited to have it finished. I machine stitch it all including the back of the binding. I also am not a meticulous quilter but what I am is a joyful quilter...I think to me it means expressing myself in fabric and having fun. I love bright colors and a lot of pattern. I would have a hard time working with some of the more traditional lines of fabrics. I have always said that someday I will be making quilts to giveaway and I think I am about there. I love giving them as gifts and my quilts are made to be used, loved and get worn out. They will never be in a quilt show but they are made with love while I am singing and dancing my little heart out...And why do you quilt?

post #249 my big quilt giveaway!!!!

You all know it is coming...Post # 250 and I am feeling really proud of myself about it! A lot of you have been with me through the good days and the not so great days and now it is time to celebrate....I am giving away a QUILT!!!! It is so pretty in turquoise and greys and a some orange for punch and it is between a full sized and a twin so there is a lot to snuggle up with...It's on the quilter now, and I am making it for my special reader that wins it...It could be you! All you need to do is post a comment on either this, or the next two posts, put the button on the sidebar on your blog and become a follower of my blog...Each thing will get you an entry..So up to three! If you already follow my blog, one entry is automatic just cause I love you all so much!!!! I am so excited about this and cant wait to get the winner by random number generator! Good luck everyone and Happy 25oth!!!!

A necklace and pajama pants....

As usual, I have had a busy few days, but I still have gotten in some time to
work on a few things. I made the cutest pair of pajama pants out of the softest
flannel in the world. I made them for my sister Julie and then I put them on and
they spoke to me, they really did and now they are mine. I am not totally mean, I have fabric to make her another pair and I wont try them on either. What she doesn't know wont hurt her is how I am justifying it. I also worked on my black and white charm necklace and I finished it! I love it...It has handmade charms from all kinds of people on it and I think it is a stunner..In fact, I wore it today and got all kinds of comments...good ones by the way. (I am wearing the necklace in the pictures)I also am posting a picture of a stray sunflower in my tomatoes...He is so pretty and just a little guy..They grow every where wild here. I have always loved sunflowers, so bright and happy. I joined Valerie's Halloween swap, so I am starting a few projects for that and I also have my 25oth post coming up and I am planning for that. When I started blogging, I wasn't sure I could keep up with it and it has come to mean a lot to me. I have made some of the greatest friends and they understand me because we have creating in common...I don't have to explain anything and it gives me a forum and a voice and I think that is why we all blog. Sometimes the privacy thing is kind of scary, because I think at times we all really open up, but maybe that is what makes it so great too...You all don't want to miss my giveaway for my 250th post...I am making a quilt now and it is going to be a nice one..just a little hint...I may make an apron too, but I am not sure if I will have the time. The weather is really beautiful right now and BF and I are taking advantage of it. We went out on Willard Reservoir yesterday in the boat with Julie and Steve and baby Jace..We had a blast...I named the boat "The Big Banana" cause it is a big yellow (of all colors) Bayliner...It is amazing to me how much water is actually in Utah!!! Willard is huge...I thought it was part of the Salt Lake cause it is right next to it but the water is fresh..Julie and I would jump off the boat and swim until she made a comment about what was swimming around under us and the "Jaws music started playing in my head. I hit the swim step...FAST...We also went to another baseball game this week and had friends over for a bbq. Tomorrow we are going to ride the motorcycle up the canyon to Pine ridge reservoir and go poke around. It is so green and pretty up there. Another Utah surprise. I am really starting to like it here...

blogiversary coming up....

I am almost to my 250th post...I have been thinking about doing some kind of giveaway..Any ideas? I have a few floating around so stay tuned...I finished my first round robin nature journal page for Malin in Sweden. It is 4"x4"...We are doing the front and back. I have a feeling that by the end, we are all going to have some beautiful books to show...exciting stuff!

quiltie and a journal page...

Wow! long day today..I have been on the run all day, but I got home from work and thought I needed to spend some time up here in my little sewing nest. It is hot tonight but I have a little air conditioner going in the window so it is nice. I have the cat at my feet and we are feeling cozy and enjoying this time. Today was my Friday at work and I don't have a lot of weekend plans, so I hope to get up here more... I wanted to update everyone on the kids. AS you all know, I have been busy raising them for the last two years..well, they are officially back with their mom and dad and so far, things are going well. The kids are happy to be there and they spent a lot of time with mom before they went to Oregon so I have a measure of peace about it. At the same time I am walking around with a broken heart. Especially about Andrew. I really feel like I have lost my own child but I know time will help and he will always be my special boy. I just wish they weren't so far away, but at the same time maybe the distance is good so mom and dad can be the parents again. I know that their place is with their own parents, not their grandma, as long as things are going good and they are. I am proud of Lisa for turning things around in her life and I am happy to know the "old Lisa ' again. We are working on mending our relationship and she is trying hard to build my trust again. So send up a prayer or two for their little family and that God will bless them and keep them safe and happy. While I was up here tonight, I made a quiltie for one of my yahoo groups. The recipient had an open theme and I just played with fabric and put it together.It was modeled after Genevieve Pfieffers paintings that I saw in a Somerset Studio. I just love the whimsical faceless girls..She is pretty amazing and a favorite of mine. I also finished a page for my nature journal. The leaves are an actual photograph that I cut out from a picture I took. It is simple but pretty. ..I have to tell you all a funny story. Boyfriend and I went to a baseball game. There is a minor league team here called the Ogden Raptors and a lot of people go. I really love it, all the organ music, peanuts, hot dog, the announcer. I guess it is kind of a nostalgia thing..I hadn't been to a ball game for a long, long time and I was having a hoot and a holler of a time. Well at the 7th inning everyone stands up and they put the words to "take me out to the ballgame" on the scoreboard and everyone sings..it was so fun and we sang our little hearts out...( I have a really loud voice by the way). so we sit back down and pretty soon they started playing sponge bob square pants and the words were up on the scoreboard again so I started singing full volume and by the end of the chorus I realized only two people were singing...me and a little boy about six. yep, I was his new hero...We got a good round of applause by the way and no, I was not drinking beer..just happy I guess...

Nature Journal

I recently joined another round robin journal swap and the theme is Nature. Here is my book that every ones pages will be going into. It felt so darn good to actually make something and I am thinking it got me back into the swing of things! I am working for AT&T and it is crazy...I just finished a 6 week training class and I am constantly on a computer and I think it is more tiring than anything I have done before! Mainly because I have to sit still. I am not a sitting still kind of person but it is getting easier. I also finally have my sewing room put together. I wont say it is organized but it is together...Today I am going to cut out some pj pants, a skirt and a handbag and then tomorrow I will sew them together...Well, some of them anyway. My work schedule is nice for me but hard for sewing. I work from 2;30 until 11;00. which means I have to get up early and get things done, because when I come home I am brain dead. Oh Yeah, PROJECT RUNWAY started on lifetime! woohooo.. just love that show and I loved the first episode...Guess I better go start cutting...