kitty quilt done!

And shown complete with a little troll on it! The troll is Andrew, enjoying his sisters new quilt. She is in bed and he is not, the stinker. He has gotten in the habit of staying up with me until I go to bed. I do have to say that it is earlier than it used to be! He wears me out! I went in and wrapped this around Olivia...She will get to wake up to her new kitty quilt. She has been so anxious for it to be done, I know she will be thrilled. I am also posting a picture of my "ocean jewels" spread in the altered book I did the other night and a quilted handbag that I made tonight using Christmas fabrics....It is going to be a store sample for a while. It was funny, because the directions said to bind the seams and I had no clue that you could even bind seams....the edge of a quilt, yes but a seam? I had to refer to my singer sewing basics book and by gosh, you can bind a seam. I am learning new things all the time. I have the cold? flu crud courtesy of Andrew and was in bed all day....I am surprised I got anything done at all! I finished the binding on the quilt while I was talking on the phone to Sanna.....I am turning into a multitasker I guess. It is that, or get nothing done at all!

altered pages for other peoples books...

I worked all night on a layout for one of my "Color me silly" members...It is for Else and her theme is the ocean. There are twelve us all together and we have decided to do a round two after we are finished. I only have two more books to work in, and then my part is done. I know that I have grown incredibly doing this. i had never done an altered book before, so the intimidation factor was huge! I also started doing different things and using different mediums. I am most comfortable with fabric and thread but I actually ventured more into drawing and paint. I have really had fun with this project and of course, i cant wait to get my book back and see all the pretty pages! I also have to figure out a way to assemble it, but more on that later....These books are fantabulous....It seems like they just get better and better which is hard to imagine even being possible! I finished the Ocean' spread but was too lazy to take a picture! Can you believe it? The only reason I am on here now, is because I cant sleep...Anyway, my book is currently lost in Canadian customs somewhere so hopefully, it will turn up soon...I am posting the very first altered book layout I did in Penny's horse themed book....I like it a lot, and it brings back good memories for me....My dad, mom, sister and I went to Portland one weekend when I was a kid and we went to an old theater and saw "National Velvet"...at first we complained about seeing and "old movie" and of course, once we saw it, we both wanted a horse and to be jockeys......I Loved this movie!!!!I used to dream about having my own horse....and no the plastic horses for my barbies did not count darn it!

Angela tagged me for a spell out your name thing...I have never been tagged before so I am willing to try....

M is for mindless....how I feel in the mornings lately with all these kids running around....

E is for exhausted...again with all the kids running around! haha...

L is for love...I am such a romantic at heart though if you knew me you probably wouldn't guess this..I keep it hidden

I is for intelligence which I try to show by mostly keeping my mouth closed..

N is for naps which I dearly love and treasure

D is for daring...you know to this day, I have trouble turning down a dare...I know I shouldn't say this cause someone will dare me something stupid and I will feel compelled to do it...I am going to change it to drama queen which I sadly admit I am......

A is for achievement....i love getting things done and achieving my goals...especially since it happens so seldom despite my best intentions......

Ta..da.......I now tag Miss Marva and Miss Judy Spencer. we want to know all about you two!

but can she make clothes?

I guess she can! In a truly generous act of kindness I used some fabric picked out by my ex boyfriend of two years, two years ago and decided to finally make the shirt that he asked me to make..Why? I don't know...it was just bugging me all this time yet I couldn't throw it away. It turned out pretty good, but I would still rather make a quilt. I am going to mail it to him I think. Since he plays the guitar I know he will like it...I got it out when I made the postcard and realized I need to either sew it up and be done or throw it out.....maybe this is some kind of closure issue thing! Who knows.....(any therapists out there)

the postcard is for my Arts in the Mail group..."something starting with I'...I had fun just playing and doodling with my sewing machine. Some may not like that not every word is spelled out but I like it...so there....random words appeal to me I guess...Last of all I drew this little baby on watercolor paper and I didnt like it so I gave it to Olivia to play with and she did the watercolor wash of pink and blue...I looked over and am like, "give it back, I really like that!!!!" and I really do...maybe I will give her all my duds to alter!

Slowly but surely!

I am still playing catch up, but things are getting better as the family and I get into a routine. I am not saying it is easy, but we are doing it! I have been getting my sewing and art time, and it may not be what I am used to, but it adds up! I have made a few postcards and atcs...the postcard showing is one of a free motioned guitar for a friend and the atc's are for my fabric atc group....I had to laugh because I was putting them in a "Moon" lottery...I found out I was a month late....Oh well! Time just races by...even faster now that every hour is filled with the kids. The little basket my daughter made with scraps of fabric wound on clothesline and then I sewed it on the machine with a zigzag. We are working on some baskets in Christmas fabric now....The next ones will be embellished. Also showing a picture of my doll for the "funky doll trade" on my fabric atc group.....I have to make two more by the end of the month. This one was a pain you know where because I put timtex under the front piece and I had trouble turning it right side out after it was sewn...I wont do that again! That is usually how I learn! My life has done such a 360 since I started this blog...I cant believe I used to be on here all the day...Life is funny sometimes!

Catching up!

Surprisingly, since I moved my sewing room down to the laundry room, I actually am getting things done again and it feels GREAT! I was ready to unsubscribe from my groups and call it good. I seemed so behind in everything. I guess the kids coming in and out and wanting to "help" or make their own things was more distracting than I thought. Plus, it is quiet downstairs and on the cool side..perfect for this crazed, hot flashing woman!

I have so many things due by October that I have been working on several things at once. I got one altered book mailed out and just finished another! I was embarrassed to actually have three of them in my possession! This latest one is titled "Fairyville" and it is by Barb B....It is the coolest idea and book! I used the tree picture of Liv that I posted last time and one of her and I together and then I made our wings out of angelina fibers....I found the butterfly fabric at the store and thought it would make the perfect background. I see the pictures of these books on our "Color me Silly" site and they are so great and then you get the book and see it in person and it blows the picture away! Barb is going to love her book and I know I am going to be crazy about mine too! I also made some "H is for " postcards...I did hummingbirds and hearts...The colors on three of them are pretty somber for me but I still like them... I have been trying not to use my typical brights so much but gosh, I sure love em!!!!! Last of all I have been working on the fashion show stuff....It actually is a luncheon, fashion show and silent auction to benefit hospice....When I lost my mom to breast cancer, hospice was so great that I am happy to help even though I am not much of a garment sewer....I am trying though...really! I am modeling the funky vest, jeans and purse with a black top underneath and the next outfit is more sedate....I am posting a picture of the skirt and tote bag that I just finished. The skirt is a "my favorite things" pattern and I love it....It hangs so nice and looks good on, even though I am the sewer! haha...The bag is dupioni silk and the center panel are the fabrics that are in the jacket I am making...I love this bag and I love the silk....We have all these great silks at work, and I was just itching to try my hand at using them. Who knows, maybe I will make more clothing type things....Just what I need more projects! The kids went to school today...there first time on Whidbey Island and all was a success and right now, life is good here...