Finished Mermaid swap!

I have had very little time in the sewing room...There has been a lot going on around here...
I turned fifty on Monday..What do I think about it? Well, it is so new, I haven't figured it out yet but when I do, I will let you know. I may have a lot to say about it. Not sure if it will be good or bad but right now, I just think that fifty is better than dead.
My grandson Daniel has been staying with me for the last three weeks and we have been busy. After work, I take him swimming, we went and saw Cowboys and Aliens at the movies, and we have went camping twice. I take him to Boise to meet my oldest daughter Stacie halfway on Sunday. We are getting a hotel and both going our separate ways again on Monday. I haven't seen her in two and a half years and I am sure it will be a sob fest for a while. I am packing the commercial size of tissues for our reunion. I miss her a lot, but we are so close that I always feel her with me and that makes it easier.I am really excited about seeing her and also my little Olivia, who is coming with her! What is nice for Olivia is I can bring her all the little things that she forgot at her maga's house!
I have made a few things for the enchanted mermaid swap. I was so late I feel bad. I did let my partner know....but this is the first time I have been really late for anything so I hope she will forgive me!












I made her some mermaid cards from my painting and Daniel made her a journal while I sewed a fish and a sea star ornament.











Also a sewn mermaid ornament....I sewed then painted the face and she got a little murky, but I figure she could be swimming in murky water so hey, it works for me.













Then I whipped out a little mug rug....My first one and these are fun and fast! I fee motioned the mermaid and it was so small I had to wear my super duper high power reading glasses! you know, cause I am fifty... remember? I was worried I wouldnt be able to make it look like a mermaid, but it worked!














Anyway all, Happy Summer from this newly fifty year old person, where in my world it is summer every day, every season, every hour thanks to hot flashes.....Cause you know I am fifty now........sigh.

Art quilts and panda stuff......

Sometimes I make pet quilts...I have done quite a few of them and I just finished one for a blogger friends daughter...This is Bosun, Abby and Derby..All done up and ready to mail...










I took the technique a little bit further and made an art quilt for a friends birthday. I put his rottweiler on it along with some things that he loves. He grew up between Seattle and Utah so it has a little of both.
It started like this...







These are the colors of Sand Hollow by St George where he likes to camp. The rust colors are the sand and the turquoise is the water and the sky.
Then I added a little of this...











Apparently this is her begging face...

It all evolved into this...









The birthday boy was thrilled....Can you tell what he does for a living?


Olivia and I also finished her panda swap...She made her partner the cutest pair of pj bottoms with ruffles on the bottom and a matching headband with a little panda....











She also made a tiny little panda pendant and we put it together with some charms...The kid is a whiz at getting jump rings on things!









And together we made an art book out of a watercolor paper pad....This is what inspired Olivia to make a journal for herself using one of the mermaid paintings I did for her....











We tucked in some Twizzlers and a paint box and called it good. Olivia got the best package back from her little partner and her mom. I may have to borrow some photos though...Olivia's mom came and got her and it has been chaos here. I didnt really have time to get pictures. I also got to see Andrew and Trace my grandsons. I will write more about that later.... It was wonderful seeing them....just amazing....I just am sad yet about them leaving so quick.......

Happy summer everyone!