Silver belle journal pages and assorted stuff......

This month in our round robin journal project I had Miss Linda and her theme is "Silver Belle"...this was a struggle....I have always tried to use what is on hand and now it is a necessity...Unfortunately I had nothing that screamed out Silver Belle,...that and the song "silver bells would not get out of my freakin head for about two days....I finally just took out paper and blue and silver paint and went to town. I had seen an article in Somerset about fashion pages where you take a figure and then dress it using paper...so I tried it...I can tell it is a person, but my oldest daughter thought it was an octopus, so being me I put lips on the face figuring then you could tell it is a face. It cracks me up because almost every layout that I have done somehow involves blue, or it feels like it anyway and I am not a blue person. You can also tell the song "silver Bells" was running thru my brain cause the girl is in the city, You know, "it's christmas time in the city.." I have also been working on two matching Christmas aprons and they are done....I will show them when my swap partner gets them, until then they are a secret. Olivia helped with the sewing and she likes them a lot. She is pretty excited about getting her apron from our partners. I also got an award from Jean at http://thequiltingranny.blogspot.com/ We have one big thing in common....we both are raising grand kids. She has me beat though, she has three of them. She has been a great source of information and a support for me which I very much appreciate so Thank you Jean. You have to send this award to five people, one of them overseas...So I am sending this on to Sanna, http://sannasartmind.blogspot.com/ she is an amazing painter and a great friend, to Katie at http://ragamuffingal@blogspot.com/ she is a great paper artist and was the one who I exchanged wands with...mine is beautiful by the way, Also to Jessica, http://kidsnappingimscrapping.blogspot.com/ we have several things in common, she has a great sense of humor, loves buttons and makes sublime paper bag books and for my overseas pal I am going to pass this on to Dawn who put me on the Inspirational blog....This lady makes beautiful cards! go see...http://dawnscrafttime.blogspot.com Thanks again Jean!......The other picture is of my table all decorated for fall....My friend Cinda, bought me a box of cool little gourds and berries that I put in a cute bowl...the bowl is on a fall quilt table topper I made several years ago...Thanks again Cinda....

Apronology and a beautiful bracelet!!!

The kids and I went to Portland for five days and I just got back yesterday....It was good for all of us and we had a good time. I have just been playing catch up around the house and doing things that need to be done. Lat night I checked my email and was excited to see that I got one from Apronology! That is the new magazine by Somerset that debuts in February. I took a big risk for me and whipped up an apron and set it off and yep, I am going to be in it...well, my apron anyway but I bet when you look at it you will see me cause it is just my kind of thing. It was a big woohoo moment for me. I also have two bags ready to submit so now I am all excited about that. I hadnt heard about the apron, so I was hesitant. While I was catching up on my blog reading I went over to the "think pink" charms page and I saw the bracelet that Amber Dawn made and I just had to post it. It is soooo pretty....The think pink auction made over 3200.00 for Susan B Kommen...This was one of the prizes . Amber Dawn is also hosting the black and white charm swap and is looking for more people to take part. I am telling you, the charms you get back are beautiful, so come play....just click on the black and white charm swap logo on the sidebar for more info.....

recycled art..........

On Fabric atcs 1 to 1, the yahoo group, we are having a recycled postcard challenge.....I like doing this kind of thing and I do a lot of it anyway. I have been in the "use what I have" mode for a long time . I just threw a lot of stuff down on a leftover piece of fabric paper and put a piece of netting over the top and sewed it down. I really love the color in this piece...The atc is from another sample card of home dec braid and trim...I like the little metal circles...This may be my big accomplishment for the day...I am still in my pajamas and I don't foresee getting dressed and no one will know anyway!

Feeling better!

I actually went downstairs tonight and made a couple of cheerful pillowcases out of a couple different fabrics I had and I started another project to submit for publication...I can just show a little peek, but this is a bay yellow lab on fabric paper that is done with thread detail....It's my little baby, Cooper Roy......

happy October!

I have not been doing much of anything this last week as I got the flu bug from Hell......I am finally starting to feel semi normal, thank gosh.......I have tried, in my better moments to go and make a few things and I cant even seem to stick with one thing, so I think I just need to continue to lie on the couch and think about making things.....I did get this lovely award from Fannie at "Imagine, Create".... She has been doing some beautiful art quilts . Everything I see becomes my "new favorite" of hers. Right before I got sick, I free motioned this little witch atc on orange velvet so I thought I would share her...

Apron received and I was tagged...

First of all, I was so excited to get my apron From The Flirty Apron Swap....the theme was vacations and I picked Paris. My swap partner, Tammie, made me the cutest, flirtiest little apron of all and she incorporated pink and black so I am really happy. She also included a couple of recipes, a candle and holder, an egg basket and a tin of thyme...What fun! I have been helping my friend Laura make aprons for Christmas gifts the last few days. We have the basement all set up for mass production by the two of us. It really is fun having someone to sew with. I also made a handbag that I am going to submit to Somerset magazine...We will see how that does.

Jessica from "kids napping, I'm scrapping" tagged me with some 7 things lists...so here goes, this is quite the list, darn near a book....

7 things I want to do before I die...... work on a habitat for humanity house, live in a house for more than three years, Do volunteer work in a third world country, Go to the tomatilla festival in Spain and play in the biggest tomato fight in the world, take piano lessons, Catch a marlin and write a book.....

7things I do now........... I take care of my family which is the most important, especially these little kids, I pray, a lot! I know that right now I am living on faith and grace.... I sew every day cause I need some kind of outlet and this is a good one. I take naps because I always have loved them. I cook a lot and bake quite a bit. I walk on my treadmill and sing and I read a lot and always have.....

7things I cant do touch bugs, eat liver, play the violin, recite shakespeare, bungee jump skydive, whistle or dance the tango

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex......Do I really have to come up with seven things...holy crap...I dont think I am in the right frame of mind for this one so I pass on this one.....

7things I say most often... holy crap....... good lord........ "Andrew, what are you doing?' (to the two year old when I cant see him) I love you......time to pick up your mess.......because I said so and I tell my daughter she has kitchen duty...( she hates it)

7 celebrities I admire.....

reese

witherspoon cause she always seems so composed....... Maya Angelou, her writings are sooo beautiful, Any of the "Project Runway "contestants cause I am a fan and I love what creative and beautiful and sometimes ugly things they come up with.....sponge bob squarepants, because of his blissful ignorance, Katie Holmes for putting up with Tom Cruise, Harper Lee and Paul Newman....he is on my mind today because he just died but the charity things he did for kids are just fabulous......

7 favorite foods...... Chocolate, a hamburger, oatmeal raisin cookies, chicken piccata, fresh fruit, artichokes and ice cream

7 people who need to do this......... Marva at purple paints, Sanna at Sanna' art mind, Sarah at Sarah' corner, Jenna Louise from quilt crazy gal, Elizabeth from last door down the hall, Dawn from crafty ramblings and Jean the quilting granny...If you read this, consider yourself tagged.....

Black and White charms......

Ok, I have started getting them done and here are the first few. I don't know how to solder, I don't bead or use clay so I have to get creative and that is what it is all about anyway , right? I found little tiny wooden spools and used paint, ribbon and beads to dress them up. I have some really fancy satin ribbon that I made little pouches to tuck them into...If you havent seen the site, click on the icon and go look. There are some beautiful charms.

Pink charm swap is here and Liv's new apron....

I got to take some pictures of Olivia stylin' in her new apron that she mostly made. It even inspired her to cook and pick tomatoes from the garden. She made and apple cake (yep , that's her stirring up a storm) and she helped with dinner. I will make a little domestic diva out of her yet and she looks so darn cute while doing it! In the pictures with her holding the tomatoes, she looks like her mom, which I don't see very often. It took me right back to when my little girl was that age. We are going to make p.j's next.... I also got my FABULOUS charms from the pink charm swap that Amber Dawn hosted....When I opened each one, I drooled..They are beautiful and I cant wait to put them on a bracelet and wear them so they can be oohed and aahhhed over cus they deserve it! I got charms from Monica Magness, Lana Richey, Amber Dawn, Pat Winter, Erica Faith, Brenda Wampler, Jan Bartlett, Ellen Grey, and Cindy Ericcson...All are just stunning and I am ready for more charm swaps after seeing these! WOOHOO!

A crazy pillow and an atc....

I had a nice relaxing day at home today after working six days this week. I wish I was working more, but my oldest daughter goes back to college this week, so no more built in babysitter. Now, it's time to find a weekend job somewhere...I do have a couple more Saturdays to work at the fabric store before it closes so maybe I can procrastinate a little.....Why was my day relaxing? Cause I sewed and painted and slept, then sewed some more...in between I sat on the deck in a pink Adirondack chair and daydreamed and I played with the kittens. I kept my headphones on and the ipod rocking so I didn't even hear the kids. I was on vacation while being here. Sometimes I have to do that, since I don't see a real vacation destination in my future. (much as I wish there was one...) I made an atc that really came out good...I thread painted all the details of the face and then used real paint to fill in and it is on a really nice piece of grey brocade. I cant even believe it is sewn...(one of those things that come out better than you think it will)....Olivia and I made her an apron and she did a lot of the sewing. I will show her in it tomorrow though cause she had to go to sleep early,(in the apron of course) and I made a postcard that is drying and I made a pillow...The crazy quilted square I showed a long time ago on the blog. My friend Sanna wanted a crazy quilt and I told her I DO NOT hand sew but I would try to make one. I made two twenty inch squares and they have sat and sat. In all reality, I know I never am going to finish a whole quilt so I made a pillow and I just love the thing. When I say pillows, what I actually make is pillow covers with an envelope back so I can change the covers when the whim hits and I recycle my old pillows....So what I am going to do is send her the pillow cover and she can do the same. I will find out if she reads my blog I guess, cause I am not going to say anything. I am going to make ME a pillow out of the other square cause I like it so much. Maybe tomorrow.....

Atc's and a tag....

Here are a couple of atc's I made for a trade....One is needle felted fibers and then the kitty face is free motioned on fabric paper... the tag is from leftover trim at the fabric store. I thought it looked kind of cool and snagged it. I have some more pieces that I am going to try to maneuver into something. Sherry for her blog had another topic of conversation..."How do you know you are getting older?" In my case, it probably will be more appropriate to ask " how can I not knowI am getting older."? The grandkids running around here darn near as big as I am are indicator number one. I also notice it takes more make up to get that fresh, "no make up look."...If I sleep on the ground, I cant walk the next day and I say all the things that my mom and dad used to say and I swore I never would. These are just a few things in a long list but in my heart, I am still a young girl, so I guess that is what really matters...Sound familiar?

Blackbirds singing........

These two 8x8 pages are for the round robin group "Color me silly" . This month I had Rachelle and her colors were Robins egg blue and cream and she wanted birds...This is what I came up with. Instead of making fabric paper I put the fabric on the paper with diluted glue and I really like the look...It is very layered and has a lot of texture. The birds are printed on paper then sewn and painted...I finished it last night...Tonight I am hoping to make a couple of atc's for a private trade.

Greeting cards and another true story....

I have been filling in at the fabric store again and working quite a bit so I haven't made too much in the last few days, but I had a little bit of time this afternoon so I whipped up a couple of cards. I have made cards in the past, but I usually don't do them. These are nicer than the ones I made before so I guess making all the other stuff helps. There is a new paper store on the north end of the island and they had lots of artsy type papers so that was my inspiration. I also did some scrapbooking the other night and that was kind of fun. I hardly do it anymore. At Sherry's party she told another "true" story and I think the object is to share one of your "more stupider" moments...(yes I know, stupider is not a real word)..Ahhh, I have so many of them, being a giant klutz, but leaving the klutziness out of the equation, I will just go for stupid, really stupid....Last winter I went to Utah to visit my sister and I flew there. She and her husband are there cause he is in the Air Force and he is stationed at Hill Air Force Base. While I was there, he was scheduled to come home after being in Iraq for the second time...Everyone was pretty excited and at the last minute I decided we needed cake and balloons...I think she was out buying sexy underwear or something unmentionable, anyway....I borrowed her car, a dark green BMW and went to the Albertsons. I was worried about getting lost the whole time I was in the store. I got what I needed, went out of the store into the dark night and walked to the car...I found the car and put the key in the lock and it wouldn't work....I tried again ...wouldn't work....tried again and some guy in my sisters car beats on the window and says, "hey lady what do you think your doing...?" I wondered what he was doing in my sisters car and I yelled" I am trying to open the door. what are you doing in Julies car?" he said, "this is my car....." I was like, "OH CRAP, HOW EMBARRASSING!, so I told him, "Sorry, your BMW looks just like my sisters car.." He sadly shook his head I am pretty sure implying that I was a complete nutcase and told me., "lady, this car is a Cadillac"......Cadillac, BMW....they look the same don't they? Well, duh........

art quilt and a wonderful gift....

Friends are wonderful. I have been fortunate enough to be part of a yahoo group called "fabric atc's one to one" for a couple of years now and we make and trade some fabulous atcs, but more than that, we have become friends. It is amazing how we all seem to click and have truly got to know each other. If we need thoughts or prayers, this group is happy to know about it and offer support and love. When the kids and I went thru our recent loss, the group decided to cheer me up and send me some pretty things to lift my spirit. Helen (her blog is on my sidebar) made me this wonderful atc and postcard display quilt and then a bunch of group members sent me beautiful atc's to put in it...Their theme was friendship and pink was the color. I have stuck some other things in there including my ne wand and doesn't it all just look beautiful? If you click on the picture you will get a big view....I just love this and it is on my bedroom wall where I can look at it all the time. I also am showing a picture of a new art quilt that I finished last night. I made a fabric paper background, and covered it with netting. I used a stamp called free flowing from Cherry pie and then took a picture and made it big...put it on quilting paper and that was my pattern. The lady's profile is in black satin, everything else is free motioned with colored threads...It looks all crooked, but that is just my picture taking. I am sending this to Sherry for her birthday and blogiversary...Sherry, this is what it looks like when your soul is finally free.

Magicwands, I got mail and a true story...

Wow! what a great mail day and it really cheered me up...I have been waiting for an apron from two swaps and one came today from the Sassy Apron Swap....Miss Mickey from Oklahoma made me a little beauty in all my favorite colors and it still looks like fall. How talented is that? She also sent me an apple candle that Andrew has been smelling all day, a cranberry apple pie recipe and a cute potholder that matches the apron. This was her first apron and she really did a good job. It fits perfect too! If you click on the picture it will show it close and you can see the recipe and the potholder in the pocket...Thank you Mickey! My second package in the mail was from Katie and the Bella Enchanted magic wand swap...I love it....She sent the wand she made, a sign she made with my name that is now hanging on my mannequin along with my NEW apron and an atc.....I am absolutely charmed by the whole thing...She also got my wand today so now I can post a picture....I did a stuffed and quilted star with lavender in it for her. Olivia was standing right beside me drooling over everything. She has her eyes on my wand, I will have to guard it. I named the wand I made, "star wishes and lavender dreams"...I call Katie's just beautiful! Thanks Katie again for your lovely gift and your friendship....

Ok...now on to the story...Sherry is still having her month long party and for yesterdays party goers she asked if anyone had a good truth or dare story to share. mainly the dare part...You will have to read hers at http://ificouldsetmysoulfree.blogspot.com/ I about had a cow when I read it..When I read share a dare story, I immediately thought of an event from my childhood that I now find hysterical and I was planning on writing it down...it was 1974....I was twelve years old and "the streak" had been playing on the radio all summer....(can you believe this Sherry????(big scream)....It was September and between my sister and I we had about seven girls over that weekend including us. My little heart craved an adventure and yep, I dared everyone to go streaking, but we had to have a plan...We were going to wait until it was dark and go across from our house in the school field. It is not that we wanted to be seen you understand, it was the thrill of maybe being seen and being able to say' "yep, we ran naked in public"...We even practiced in the abandoned school gym...yep, you heard me, practiced...being naked and running. We were good at it let me tell you...So night approached and being a good girl I knocked on the bathroom door where my dad was taking a bath...I asked, "dad can we go streaking in the field?" He laughed and said, "if you are that stupid..." He forgot that kids are literal, I was really asking and we had just got the green light. One girl took her clothes off in our front yard and put them in my dads car...a couple people dropped them right by the road , I took mine off in the field. Off we ran our naked butts shining in the moonlight. My dad in the meantime, burst horrified into the bedroom and screamed at my mom that he just saw a naked little girl run across the road. He hid in the bedroom, my mom took action and she was mortified....she didn't just walk across the road, she got in my dads car and chased us down IN THE FIELD with her headlights blazing...One minute we were frolicking butt naked the next, we were oh so busted and we didn't know by who! I thought it was the cops and yelled to run for it...I ran and put my clothes on as I was running...nude adolescents were scattering everywhere putting on clothes...by this time my mom had stopped the car and was screaming full volume...every light in the neighborhood came on. Remember I said one girl had left her clothes in my dads car? yep, the one my mom was driving...she herded us home, all except Dawn who was hiding naked in a hydrangea bush...She got to know that bush really well cause my mom locked the car doors and we forgot about her for at least an hour. I don't remember much of the aftermath except a lot of blubbering....on our part....My dad just shook his head....Yeah dad, we were that stupid...what more can I say? (and we had our adventure too.) All of us girls made a pact to NEVER Tell anyone...I just broke it you guys. Just be grateful I didn't name names, I know at least one of you would be HORRIFIED.....hahahahahaha

A blog Party, An award and another apron....

Sherry is having a blogiversary party with fun and giveaways...We met thru the summer swap and now our friends. I check her blog all the time to see what she is making and what she and her family are up to. she is at

http://ificouldsetmysoulfree.blogspot.com/ Go see her and say hi! Her party is happening all month long. She had some icebreaker questions so here goes....

What do I do for work? I am masquerading as a stay at home mom to my two little grand kids and currently looking for work too..not that what I do isn't work all ready. Paid work, I think they call it.

Where do I live: On Whidbey Island in Washington state, I grew up in Rockaway Oregon on the coast.

I do my sewing and crafty stuff down in the basement. Sometimes I refer to it as the dungeon, though last I looked, there were no torture devices or vermin.

My favorite daytime beverage? diet coke..in a can only...I just think it tastes better. I confess I am addicted to it.

Favorite dessert...anything except butterscotch pudding...if it has sugar in it, I love it so it seemed easier to answer this way.

Do I watch soap operas: nope, but I am a bravo TV addict as far as all the reality shows go...Project runway rocks.

The last movie I saw in a theater was "Juno " great movie, great lines....

In other news, I won an award from Elizabeth. Her blog is at http://thelastdoordownthehall.blogspot.com/

she is super talented and makes all kinds of things and I love her recipes too. It has the usual rules, but I am going to deviate and nominate everyone whose blogs I read. Mainly cause my fingers are getting tired of typing...I know, laziness is not a virtue...Oh well...

I also finished all my swaps and this is my last apron for the sassy apron swap. Not going to say to much about it other than it has been mailed off and I hope my partner likes it...Yahoo! All caught up...better go sign up for more stuff...just kidding.

It's the little girl kittys turn.....

Here she is.. I put her on fabric paper too...I used navy blue silk, with dotted tissue paper and some inked cheesecloth. Then I made binding out of pink crepe paper and made a matching ruffle at the bottom. Isnt she sweet?

Kitty portrait quilt....

When my daughter moved back in, she brought with her two little kittens...One is a long haired Siamese and the other is a long haired calico. They are brother and sister. The little Siamese one she named Ivan. Andrew took one look at him and yelled "Skippy Jon Jones"! Skippy is his favorite book about a little Siamese cat who thinks he is a Chihuahua. When I looked at Ivan, I realized he is a dead ringer for Skippy, Andrew was right! So now his name is Ivan Jon Jones and he knows it too...I just love kittens. They are always sitting on my lap and it is so comforting. I love their little purr. My mom always called it their motorboats. Anyway, I have the latest issue of "Quilting Arts" and it had pet portraits so I thought I would give it a try. It is so easy and fun! (and it came out good too!) For the background I used fabric paper and then embellished it with the circles, added some ribbon and free motioned his name. I showed the kids without saying anything and they all yelled, "it's Ivan Jon Jones"...oh, the sweet smell of success.....

Apron for the flirty apron swap.....

One down, one to go.....this swap is cool cause it has a theme that is a little bit different. 'what I did on my summer vacation", the fantasy version....my partner was vague and she doesn't know who has her name so I feel fairly safe posting her apron on here. I used seahorse fabric as the body and gave her a vacation in the Bahama's...Hope she likes snorkeling, I sure do. I also made her a lavender filled snippet doll with a ribbon to hang it. If it isn't her kind of thing, she can hang it in her closet or put it in a lingerie drawer. A potholder, a couple shells for her apron pocket and a recipe card and she is set. I like this apron pattern cause you can take the bib off too...it has three buttons on the inside that hold it on. The pattern is called " queen Anne's Apron" by Vanilla House. The flower is my add on just cause I like making them and in this case it is a sea star...use your imagination I guess...It is going in the mail tomorrow.

when the going gets tough, I make aprons.....

My first apron was the one I posted right before Ron passed away...I have to say, I am hooked...they are fast and easy and fun to make and I am all about that kind of thing. I have never wore an apron in my life but I may have to start. My friend Teddi saw the one I made and asked me if I would make her a couple for her friends birthday(two friends) so off we went to the fabric store. I made them even though at first I thought she was nuts cause she wanted them right away...I can do up one from cutting to finishing in about an hour and a half. The hardest part is trying to iron pleats in the ruffle while you are talking and looking at a scrapbook...just have aloe vera on hand for the burns...I actually made these a couple of weeks ago but I wanted to put them on a mannequin to take a picture. ( I needed to borrow one from the store) Don' t they look happy? The flowers I just made up after seeing something similar on someones blog...I don't remember who and then I discovered pot holders. Again no pattern, I figured how hard could they be and they are not hard at all....I used old bath towels for the center and scraps from the apron...So they are GREEN potholders, recycled treasures. I am in two apron swaps so I am working with a new pattern and getting one done tonight....fun, fun...

Round robin 8x8 pages for Martha B.

Her theme is vintage school days...I had a bit of a hard time with this one, cause I needed to use what I have on hand and I think the colors are a bit stronger than what she requested. I hope it is ok! At first, I had the cabinet card girls eyes painted, but they looked very strange, so I reprinted it, cut out the eye part and sewed it over the top. It is strange but pleasing to me....I do all kinds of weird things when I make mistakes and usually they become happy accidents.

Art therapy.....

I have missed blogging and despite everything, life goes on so I am back...Everything is changing here but we are dealing and moving on...I am going to go back to work, Andrew is going to experience daycare for the first time and I have decided to stay on the island for now. My stress level is off the scale and when things get overwhelming, I go downstairs and make things. Thank gosh I have an outlet! I am trying to take good care of myself but some days are harder than others. The kids are doing pretty good and we have been trying to make the most of the summer that is left. Coupeville had an arts and crafts fair and I went with my friend Teddi...There was a lot of neat stuff but not much in the mixed media kind of thing...I did buy a bar of black licorice soap...it is messy stuff, but I love the smell. Probably cause I love licorice ice cream! It smells just like that.....I also saw this wreath of found beachy items and I want to make one so I took a picture....I especially like the little fishing bobber and I know I have a couple downstairs...see the crab claw peeking out too? The little dolls sitting in my vintage sieve with a rolling pin and beater I made about a week ago. I got the idea from Elizabeth at the last door down the hall...she calls them snippets....she had some cabinet card faces to download and I did them on fabric and then just used pieces and bits of fabric and fiber to make a body. One says, "cold hands, warm heart" and the other one says, "don't be reckless with other peoples hearts.." They are fun to make. Thank you everyone for your comments, emails and cards. I appreciate all of you and your kindness....Melinda