Merry Christmas!

And a wonderful and Happy New Year...I figure a lot of us are due!

Well wishes....

Thank you so much everyone who has continued to encourage me...I am doing better the last few days. I think having faith is the hardest thing to have when you are having rough times and I am sure that God is right here with me. He is probably trying to ease my heart and I need to just remember to let him shoulder it. Sometimes I just need a reminder...
I spent all night working on one last thing. A bag for my sister Julie. I am going over there tomorrow night. I got clear down to the handles attaching to the straps and my machine is not cooperating...I just hate that!! I am going to go to bed and figure it out before I leave tomorrow.
I want to thank Barb and Deb too. I got two packages in the mail that are under my little pink tree...I even had to give them a squeeze. Just like a kid I guess but I will have them on Christmas!
Here a couple more things I sent CJ.















It is made out of old laces, trims and ribbons and there is vintage fabric inside...

I also made her a stuffed heart ornament and some straight pins with little toppers.












She got my box and I got hers and we both were so overwhelmed we havent been able to talk about how wonderful everything is! Wait till' you see the stuff she made me...It was just unbelievable going thru my box. In fact, I cried....a lot. I will share soon....Love you all.....melinda




Well it is Christmas Eve and I sat down and my sewing machine and it finished up the bag for my sister just fine..What the heck, but I am glad...If it looks kind of lumpy, it is because I put some things in there...I love this fabric...

More Holiday stuff.....

It has been pretty lonely around here...Aside from work I have been filling my extra time with pets, reading and making things...Can I just go on the record as saying that the holidays are a lonely time for me...It is hard not to sink into a mattress filled with sadness and tears. All my lost loved ones seem to surround me and I feel so darn sad. I think it is the hardest time to get through. I have my sister and her kids, but I don't get to see them very often. They live about 45 miles away and a lot of times I cant even afford the gas to get over there. I know so many people struggle with being alone this time of year and my wish would be, if you know someone who is, offer them company, or a phone call or some Christmas cookies and a card. One thing that has kept me feeling like I am participating in something Christmas related is I joined Shawnee's secret santa swap....I figured I could do it the handmade way with what I have...the only thing that cost me money was a peppermint bark candy bar and postage. My partner was a lady named Debbie. I just heard she got her package so it is ok to share now...

















I made this bag from a curtain panel that I had...I think it is pretty festive and it was lined with ivory satin and then instead of a card I attached a fabric, paper heart that can be used as an ornament.


She loves bright colors so I also made her a "Joy" banner...her house is in mexican style colors so I thought she would enjoy it.












The glitter bird and the turquoise, brown necklace in the last post were also for her. I passed on the quilt mystery book that I won from Michelle's blog too...


I made some more bird ornaments..This is one of my favorites. I love the turquoise with the glitter.











Then CJ H. and I are doing a private swap that is a twelve days of Christmas thing...Number twelve is a handmade stocking and then the other things just have to be made with what you have, re purposed into something else or used...no things that cost anything...We are both late and smiling about it, but we plan on mailing by tomorrow. We have had fun emailing each other back and forth. Thru emailing, we have found out that we have some things in common which makes it even more fun. I have put a lot of time into this, I just turn the tv on and sit on the floor and paint and glue and cut fabric and sew. I cant wait to hear what she thinks when she gets her package...
I am finally down to two little bins of fabric and paper...I may have to turn into one of those trash artists, but you never know, that could be fun too! I love those bags made out of candy wrappers....Yeah, that's an idea... xoxoxoxox Melinda

A creative Christmas.....

First of all, a little catch up! I was in the table runner swap and my camera once again went on the blink so I didn't get to post the table runner I got from Dayna at Scottie Acres....I am in love with it....I love the colors and I love batiks so it was the perfect one for me....She also mentioned that she used her go cutter and I thought that was so cool. I don't have one, but I would like one someday...(that and a lot of other crafty, sewing goodies, but that is another whole subject.)
She also sent me a bag of things that is right up my alley...Buttons, ribbon, little books and frames...All the stuff that I love and use a lot! Thanks Dayna so much. I actually have my runner on my big square slate coffee table and it looks so pretty...















Have I mentioned lately that I am absolutely poor as a church mouse? Well I am. There are so many things I want to do, and just can't so this year it is truly a homemade year. In fact, it is a make handmade "with what you have" year...The grand babies I am hoping to be able to send something to, but for every one else I am making them something. Last year I just wasn't up to anything but this year, I am enjoying the process, broke or not. I keep thinking I am going to win the damn Publishers Clearing House thingie, but so far it hasn't happened even though they flood my email and I enter like a fool every time. Does anyone really know anyone that has won anything from them? I figure being a fool and having a little hope isn't costing me anything.


Ok, so right now as I sit pounding away on my laptop, surrounded by the huge mess I have created while creating, I guess I better show what I have been doing...

I have been making jewelry out of clay. I saw a free pattern at Michaels and took some clay and fishing line over to my sister Julie's house and showed her how to make these. Of course, I didn't know either, but I played the craft expert and luckily they turned out really pretty. But now I cant give her one for Christmas...I should've thought of that!

















I am so proud of her...She has started sewing! She made some I pad bags and they turned out great. I have tried to get her to sew before and I went with her while she bought fabric! Woo hoo....Of course I was the expert on that too....I think I am going to make her a really cute pincushion and some pins with toppers...She is like me, she loves pink so it will be fun for me to make. I have lots of pink fabric pieces.




I also started painting a poetry journal and all the pages are drawn and painted. It has been an ambitious project to say the least.


















Then I have made a few ornaments...here is a bird..












I like to make ornaments...I guess that is why I do the ornament swap every month that Val hosts...

And finally, I made three more hexagons...I still am sewing them on my machine and it seems to work out fine. Maybe someday I will catch up with Maria and make a quilt out of mine...I have no clue how to put them together, but I guess I will figure that out later!














The rest of what I have been making I cant show yet, but I will soon.
I hope you all are enjoying this season....Now I need to pick up that mess....Melinda