Happy Valentines DaY!!

I finished my tablerunner and my wreath just in time for the big day of hearts.....


Here is the wreath...













It is a big one and it cost under four dollars to make.

1.00 a yard fabric
1/2 yard pink print
1/2 yard red print
1/2 yard each pink and red tulle
1 dollar store styrofoam wreath
dollar store package of pink hearts with ribbon hangers.

I had fabric to wrap around the wreath
elmers glue
short ball headed pins

cut strips with a pinking blade on your rotary cutter
gather at the bottom to make a little flower shape.
dip pin in elmers glue
pin the fabric to the wreath

pin hearts to the finished wreath the same way...tada you are done.

I also got this cute Valentines postcard from Effie.






















this vintage valentine from Deb with a little vintage hankie tucked in....It is the sweetest thing ever.

























Last of all, the finished table runner...I love the fabrics and how they came together and I love the velvet trim on the ends....

























Hope your day was sweet....xoxoxox melinda

Working on.......

I usually will almost never show a work in progress...I like to show it all done and pretty. Not sure why but I decided to this time, because I have so many things going....I decided in December that my big project for the year was going to be making a wreath and seasonal table runner one time per month. I love having both things and I have made them for other people, just not myself. I did the winter wreath for January, (scroll back a bit and you will see it.) and I have been working on the wreath and table runner for February. The wreath is done and I will post it on Valentines day and the table runner is on my machine all ready to quilt.















I wanted to share a couple of things with you too, in regards to table runners. When I googled "Free table runner patterns" I found this really cool site with 25 different links to patterns...There is even a no sew and one made from bandannas.
Here is the link......

http://tipnut.com/table-runners/



I am going to save it and use it to go back and make a table runner for January..Somehow the time flew by and I forgot about it. I guess my head thinks we are still in January and I am feeling good about having February's done so early..haha!

Another thing I wanted to share.... this is one of those weird "use what you have tips". For table runners or placemats, Old bath towels work instead of batting. It gives them a nice firm body and they absorb spills and they are FREEEEEEEE. You know we all have bath towels that have seen better days so dont throw them away, turn them into something else. If you look at the picture of the table runner you will see an ugly ole purple towel sandwiched in there!

The other in the works project is being made from these...














A shrunken and accidentally felted light grey wool sweater and some spiffy whiffy red fabric....It is turning itself into a bag as we speak. Another make something into something else project. I have a feeling that this is how I am going to be creating this year...Cheap as in sales at rock bottom and FREE...which is even better....Does anyone have any good repurposing tips or tricks...I would love to hear them!!!!!! xoxooxo melinda

Pigs, a journal page and a birthday..

Last Saturday was a pretty busy day...First of all was little Miss Ava's birthday party. It is crazy to believe she is a year old.










This feels like just yesterday to me...I loved making her this outfit and have been playing dress up with her all year. So of course I had to dress her up for her special birthday. We also had to get the house all "pinked" up for the little princess party....


















The royal thronage....(I like that word thronage..even if I did make it up)











Special cakes made by mom and dad....












Presents all ready to go....Wouldnt it be sad if she decides she doesnt like pink? Julie and I both have such a thing for it!!!!













Is this whole thing for me?











And there are presents too? (note the outfit and the knitted leg warmers...I am still going thru the yarn thing as you can see.)













Chubby legs need to stay warm too...Happy birthday little Ava Bee....


After her party, I went to Susans house a fellow blogger and we exchanged pig packages. We both are in the storybook ornament swap held by Val every month.













I made her this "pig in boots card" and some clay buttons...
















A bracelet with a clay pig charm and a pink flying pig..

















Here is the little pig hanging on my tree....I gave her the purple neck warmer I made too...

She gave me some of the cutest little pigs....Look at all this!














I love the kitchen towel and the potholders...and not one, but three ornaments!!!! The best part was the time we had to visit and get to know each other...

I also want to show another picture of a doll that CJ made me from our Christmas swap...She sent me so much stuff, I think it is fun to spread it out a little...















The detail on her is amazing...She has bracelets, painted fingernails and her hair is all beaded. She has a big bustline, lips and a big booty..She wears them proudly and sits on my little flat screen in my bedroom...Isnt she a kick?


Last of all I joined Roc's fliker group and she does a monthly journal page and then at the end of the year you have a full journal. January's page prompt was "what do you want to accomplish in 2012?












It is personal, but this is where I am at right now...The last year has been a long, long journey....Other than that I have been working, I painted the kitchen..(I will show picture later) Finished painting and covering seats of two dining chairs, walking a lot on the treadmill and beating on the rock band drums....I literally do it until my arms are shaking tired. Also I am still knitting and loving yarn like crazy...I do it mostly at work. I also ordered THE sock loom from Joanns with the last of my gift card...Cant wait till it gets here.....xoxox melinda