Quilt for Aurora Colorado and another sewing lesson

The quilt that I mentioned in the last post is almost done. It will be finished tonight and then I can get it mailed. It feels good! Jean at quiltingranny.blogspot.com organized a quilt drive for the families who lost people in the theater shooting and the survivors. (she still needs a few quilts done. hint, hint.) The family I am making this for lost their husband and father. He was in the navy and saved someone by throwing them down and lying on top of someone. His quilt is done in Nautical fabrics.

This is before I added borders. Here it is with the Nautical stripe borders.

Here is a close up of the focus fabric.

I still have been giving Taylor (neighbor girl) sewing lessons. Here she is with a zippered make up bag. This girl is a natural. She also LOVES to sew. She wants to make her mom some placemats for Christmas. It is fun to help someone so enthusiastic.

I saved the best for last....My kids bought me train tickets for Thanksgiving and Christmas...WooHoo.....I so was not looking forward to holidays alone. I am working frantically on Christmas gifts! xoxoxoxmelinda

A hat and wand ...

Halloween was very quiet. I missed my grandkids, but I adopted the little girl upstairs, Taylor.

They moved upstairs about a month ago and I have started giving her sewing lessons. She took right to it, I have been impressed with her. While we were sewing, I asked her what she was going to be for Halloween. Her mom is a single mom of two and I know she has a pretty rough time. Taylor told me that she didnt have a costume cause' "her mom just didnt have the money.". I didnt say too much, but I felt bad. Lately my thing has been thrift stores and seeing what they have to "redo". I went a thrift store and found a Candy corn dress for fifty cents. It was ripped and torn but I knew I could make something cute based around it. First of all I made a hat from paper and a peltex brim. I covered it in fabric and then hot glued it together. I made a quilted candy corn and stole from a fall wreath that I had and glued fun stuff on it. I bought 3.oo worth of orange tulle and finished the hat. I used the same materials for a wand. I just started with a wooden stick.

Once she saw the hat she got all excited. I repaired the dress, took it in at the sides, added a tulle underskirt and sewed ribbon on the skirt layers. I had black leggings and boots and a big black pair of sunglasses that we took the lenses out of. Here she is, The Candy Corn Witch.

I think she looks just adorable. Apparently her school did too because she won second place for her costume....K thru 6th. The best part was seeing her so excited about going to school and being able to wear it. I also did a journal page. I am way behind in the monthly prompts but I still enjoyed doing it. The theme is " Be Mindful" , I turned it around because in the last year I have had people in my life who tell me that I say the wrong things so this was my version. Kinda like the bible verse that says how can you judge someone for a splinter in their eye when there is a log in yours. I love that verse by the way though I am not quoting it verbatim. I used black and white and lime greem. I like the colors together. They jump out at you in a nice way.

I talked in the last post about re-doing things...Here are a couple of cool things I have found. A bright yellow wicker and wood chair that became a plant holder in my kitchen and an old green house shutter that I clothespin things too and some colored bottles that the light shines thru. All were about 7.00. How do you beat that.

I also found a metal flower sculpture for a quarter...I painted it black and added old newsprint and red buttons to the middle of the flowers. It is not the best picture because it is way up on my kitchen wall...the ceilings are super high. I really like it, It is fun and different.

Last of all I redid the little table that the hat and wand are on. I got it for 4.00. It was white and some of the wicker had come apart. I rewound it and glued and then painted it a medium brown. It looks really cute and it makes a perfect coffee table. I have been working on a quilt for the family of a man who was shot in the Aurora Colorado theater shootings. It is nautical themed and really pretty. Jean from quiltingranny.blogspot.com has organized a quilt drive for the families and victims who lived. At last count she needed more quilts so if you would, please check it out and if you can volunteer, please do! It is a good cause and I know it is appreciated. As soon as mine is done I will post pictures. Speaking of this project, I need to work on it now so till' next time, Happy Fall xoxoxoxoxmelinda

Doing Great!

I have been continuing to make my new life. I have discovered thrift stores...I have found some of the coolest things to redo for just a few dollars. It lets me "shop" too, so I dont feel so deprived. I will show some redo's on my next post. I have been doing house things and work. Also reading a lot. The library in Ogden is huge and I am really enjoying it. I did finish the zombie swap...Now that it is over I can show you what I sent.

Along with Miss Dead', I sent her some gravestone Halloween cards, some ginger thins {cookies} and hot chocolate and a scary pin. She made me the most beautiful doll...I have all my zombies in the middle of my table. That is the sum of my Halloween decorating..The little Dead Heather made me (we both made little red riding hood) is right in the front with her leashed wolf.

If you have followed my blog for a while you will know that I love vintage. Melissa (LittleMessyMissy) loves pin up anything and she bought my trailer. She took me to a store in Ogden that sells reproduction pin up clothing. She has saved and been able to buy two dresses. I have been collecting old patterns and I finally made a pin up dress. There was a fashion show and luncheon that benefitted the Shriners hospital so we decided to become pin ups and go....It was so fun to dress up! Here is the dress I made for a total of 5.00 and that includes the zipper. (by the way I have conquered my zipper fear!)

I even went on utube and did a pin up hairstyle and make up...so fun.

The litle blue evening bag was my grandma's and it matched perfect. The sweater was a 2x that I got for two dollars at a thrift store and I took all the ribbing off, put it back on as edging and I made a little sweater out of it. Here is the dress without the sweater....

I have some really cute pictures of Melissa too in one of the shop dresses, but I dont want to show it without asking her...I really felt good in this dress. Other than that it is quilting season here. Daniel and Olivia asked me for new quilts for Christmas. I am going to make Andrew and Trace one too...It just warmed my heart when they asked. I guess my babies have outgrown their little kid quilts.... Olivia wants soft blue, purple and black and Daniel wants blue, red and orange...I already have ideas. I am making my oldest daughter a star quilt that was a round robin. I am going to do the kids portraits on it so she can hang it in her dining room. She has the perfect dining room wall! So that is whats new...Happy Fall everyone. xoxoxomelinda

Living a life.

I am so happy to tell you all my friends that I have a home, a car, a job and a few good friends. I know life is going to throw some bumps my way but I am hoping for a peaceful road for a while. As far as the move, I was all packed and put away in five days. A lot of you may remember my last move. It took me almost 8 months to put away things. What a difference hope and happiness can make. I have a new job working from home and I am looking forward to school. I wont be starting until the next term but I am excited about it. The car? I finally put my foot down and got back the car I gave my dad. I wont say it was easy, but it worked out. I rode the Greyhound to Oregon (16 hours) and what an experience that was. When I was a kid my grandma and my mom would ride Greyhound. I would never, ever, ever put and elderly person on the bus. I heard things I have never heard before. The bus was comfortable it is the people on the bus. Wow! Has this world gone to hell in a handbasket or what? I got to see all my kids and the grandkids while I was there. I love having my car back, but seeing the kids topped it all. I even got to see a couple of my good friends. I came back tired but happy. My little Andrew has lost all his teeth! I got such a kick out of him and his big smiles.

I walked him to and from first grade the few days I was there. I look at him and still see the little baby that I walked the floor with. I think I will always see him that way. My heart child. He and Olivia are so much a part of me and always will be. It seems strange to see them all grow up. Even my youngest grandchild is three now. I took him and Andrew to Chuck E Cheese It was fun to see Andrew be the big brother to Trace. He is very loving and patient.

I have really had fun putting my house together. It is an old brick house in an old neighborhood. It has all the original woodwork and super high ceilings. It has two floors and it has been made into two apartments. I have the main floor which I love. Here is the kitchen.

I have filled it with art from friends, family things, quilts and antiques. I loved it the minute I saw it in an ad. I rode the train three and a half hours here to look at it and told the landlord even though I had no money, I would on the first and he rented it to me with a handshake. That is God working, In this world especially. This is the first house I have ever had that is just mine...no kids, no grandkids...just me and my pets. Which werent a problem either...How many people want to rent their nice house to someone who has a 170 pound dog. I feel blessed.

I have even made friends in the area. One of my friends has almost lived a parallel life to mine. We met at the bus stop and see each other every day. She is an older single mom with a ten year old boy. He loves art and is very creative. He found out I was making a zombie doll for the swap at Val's and he wanted to join in. He made a sock monkey zombie that turned out so good. Here he is with it...

It is fun to work with a boy who loves creating so much. We had a good time. I cant show my zombie because it is a surprise swap. I am going to mail it tomorrow. I have been sewing a bit. Not as much as I plan to. I have been mostly settling in to this new part of my life. I did finish the doll.... I hope she doesnt look so scary now. I redid everything that could be done. Here she is before...

Here she is now....

I made her this little sweater outfit with skirt and matching socks and I have it for sale in my Etsy shop. (FancyPaws Quilts) I think she is so fun.

I would love to do another doll. I am hoping maybe someone will ask me to do a doll in exchange for a doll for trade. I like making the clothes too. Today I cut out a retro dress for me. I am going to a vintage fashion show the first part of October and wanted something vintage like to wear. It should be fun. I was going to start sewing it today but I need to get some interfacing first. So I am alive and well and doing so much better...Thanks again my friends for your support! Happy Fall! xoxoxmelinda

I have moved!!!!!!!!!

No internet yet, I am at Mcdonalds drinking iced tea and using wi-fi. This my friends, was a true, bonafide miracle and God gets all the credit....I love my house! Love, love, love.....I think by tonight I will be all unpacked or close. It was so smooth and fast and easy. I want to give a bloggers shout out to Melissa from Little Messy Missy's blog for helping me unload my truck...More to come soon and thank you all for your well wishes and prayers! WE DID IT! YES THIS IS ME SHOUTING OUT HALLELUIYA!

What's new?

I am tired of the heat. It has not only been hot, but smoky and hazy and the air is just heavy. I was enjoying going to the pool, but the air quality is so bad that I have been staying inside. We have a big problem with wild fires. It makes the air really awful. I have still been looking for a place to live. I am miserable between where I live and what I am realizing about my family. I still am keeping busy though. I may have a lead on a place to move to...Say a prayer, lift up a good thought, whatever it is you do. I would so appreciate some peace in my life. Again though, I am more myself and doing better.

I made a necklace for Daniel out of watch parts of a broken watch that Ron had...It took me a couple of days of sanding and soldering. I put a wish for him in the bezel. So I call it a wish watch. It is really pretty in a steam punk kind of way and has meaning. I think he will like it. I used silver solder and it is super heavy.
I also made a few cards just playing with stuff. Sometimes paper and glue calm my mind.











I also took on a huge undertaking. I am customizing my Blythe doll...you have to boggle, carve, sand, paint, rerroot add lashes correct gaze, blah, blah blah. She is going to be adorable. I had no idea that you could carve plastic. I always knew I wanted to do it, but the list of materials discouraged me. I used a little green screw driver and a nail buffer. What do ya know it worked. I cant wait until it is done! I have put hours into it so far.





People charge hundreds for these custom dolls if they are good at it. You know, I think I kind of have a knack for it.


Lisa my youngest daughter called me yesterday and said she might come up again and bring my little Andrew. I talked to him on the phone and afterwards cried for an hour. I am hoping they do. My birthday is coming and I just dont want to be alone.
I also signed up for Val's zombie swap so I will be working on that too. I did it last year and it was a lot of fun...
Happy Summer xoxoxoxo melinda

Bags, bags and a hat.

I still am working on the kids present box....I finished Olivia's and Stacie's bags. We saw tote bags at Sea World that they loved and they were cute, but very expensive. I told them I would make them bags with their favorite animals. Stacie loves penguins so here is hers.







I used upholstery fabric so they would be super strong. They both are lined and have big pockets. Stacie is a nurse and she works a lot. She could throw her kindle, lunch and anything else in here. I also made clay danglies of their animal and hung them on the bag.






Liv's animal was a sea turtle. I did a plain green turtle raw edge appliqued and then I free sewed some details and then beaded the turtle. I think she will like it. We both love sparkly, pretty things.










Her clay turtle came out so cool...I love the little treasures on his back.







I just have pj bottoms to sew and I may dye shirts too match and then I will be done...I am excited for them to get their birthday box.

I also made a little Blythe derby hat. It is pretty cute just on a little stand.







Well, it is time to go get on the treadmill. I am all kinked up from hunching over sewing....Happy summer! xoxooxomelinda

Finished the Suki' bag and doll clothes.

I still have been sewing every day but I have little half projects everywhere. I actually have about five things done but since my last post was so long, I am just going to share a couple.....Miss Suki cat got turned into a big roomy tote bag with pockets and super long, strong handles...or you can knot them and use it as a shopping bag. The miiddle panel has batik fish. I thought it was fun to give a Siamese some fish as a background.











and here is the finished product






I am going to post this as a sample in my Etsy shop which is veeeerrrrrryyyyy sloooow. Sewing cats is a lot different than dogs. They have less of a muzzle so you have to define it or it is flat. I am doing five cats so I have samples at the cat show for people to see and touch.

Then I finished a Blythe outfit for Liv's Ruth Ann. I don't use patterns because other than her big head she is little so it is going to be fast right? HaH! I have these big Ideas including a petticoat and hat and getting them from my head to the doll took me about two days off and on. I gotta say, it is pretty adorable. This would make a sweet little girls outfit and I know I could probably make it faster. my fingers are uncoordinated so it makes it hard when I do little things. Fiddly little things.








The proper way to do these little clothes is to put snaps on the back cause nothing is going to pull over that big head. I didnt have any, so I sewed on jewelry silver jump rings and then strung black cord all thru, crisscrossed the front and did a kind of corset thing. It actually turned out really pretty in the back.











I also discovered Meet ups on the net. They are activities, some are free and most of it isnt a dating forum... a couple of nights ago I went to the park and took a free bellydance/healing yoga class. It was so fun. I am going again on Saturday. There a ton of them out there. I wish I wouldve known when I had a car. The car thing is hitting me hard. To be my age and carless to me is really embarassing and shameful. Between that and being used as a mental punching bag by my roommate/landlord it is almost unbearable. So I sew. and play cityville and maybe bellydance. I try to keep quiet and take the abuse cause i have no choice. I dont know how to use the bus here so that is my next goal. One step at a time or I will lose it again and I am doing better. I just wish my situation was better....
happy summer all....xoxoxmelinda

Summer is wonderful!

At the condo where I live, they have a great pool and workout room so I have been doing a lot of swimming. They have the Jillian' treadmill by Nordic track....What a kick. It will even post to your face book the workout you did. Here is the weird thing....I am the only one who uses it. Mine is in the garage which works in the winter, but it is just to hot to use it out there. Even late at night, cause it doesn't seem to cool down.

I also have been doing a lot of yard stuff. The yard is super small and with two big dogs it can get pretty ripped up. I water the spots where they pee and it seems to help. I also planted some woolly Thyme in the bare spots. I am excited to see it start blending in with the grass. It smells good and it makes a totally steppable yard. Even for high traffic. I have been taking cuttings and starting perennial containers. I just love going out late at night and watering. It is peaceful and I can see the mountains. It is hot, but there is this awesome breeze

I went on an informal lunch date to Park City Utah. It was fun. They have an all day farmers market on the weekends. It has a whole lot of craft booths. I am surprised at all the things that sell that I can make. I got some good ideas for things. I want to open another Etsy store with ready made fabric things that aren't super expensive. One of the things that I got a super big kick out of was they had a Bloody Mary Bar....Like a salad bar. I had just never seen that.

This is not my arm by the way.....just saying.

I am not much of a drinker, ever, but boy, on a hot day this was good. I love this hat. As we walked down thru the main street I went in a few shops. One of them was filled with the most amazing sparkly things. I was drawn in like a magnet. Absolutely beautiful cowboy boots, belts, scarves and buckles. Oh yeah, and bags. Well, this hat was in it for 64.00. We went down to the market and it was at a booth. My date bought it for me for 18.00 and a yummy bar of handmade soap. Everyone there wears cowboy. Why, I don't know cause it was a mining town. But I guess you cant run around in a miners hat with a light on top. But who knows I might.

I have been making things too...Etsy is pretty slow. I just think there are so many portrait painters and I am kind of lost in the middle. Any ideas? I am working on cat things right now for the cat show that I am going to have a booth in. I also am working on a birthday box for Stacie (oldest daughter) Olivia and Daniel. I am making bags and pj's and finishing the little Disney scrapbook. I am kind of scattered right now. I need to make a priority list.

I did make some cute homemade cards. I love making these torn paper flowers.

I sent the cards and this little lavender sachet and card to a blogger friend who just out of the blue will send me a walmart card to help with medication. She has a huge generous heart and I am just so blessed to have her and you all too. I have gotten fabric and clay and little goodies from people to keep me going. The biggest thing it does is lift my spirits to be cared about. It has really helped. I have had an epiphany as far as my family goes. Including my sister. They are toxic and I love them, but the only time they love me is when things are good. I love them, I forgive them but I am putting a lot of distance between us. This doesn't include my kids and grandchildren. Just my dad and siblings. It hurts to be called names and accused of not having anything wrong with me. Apparently I am just lazy if they feel like they should be helping me and don't want to. The truth is I don't want their money I want love and support. They just don't have it to give without making me pay by listening to them call me names and put me down. I will tell you it is hurtful, but realizing that it is that way is also freeing. I have spent my whole life trying to get love and approval from my dad. Knowing and accepting that I am not going to frees that hurt little kid in me. I still love him like crazy but I don't need his approval. I am just going to love myself instead. So I am doing better. I am hopeful.....YES, HOPEFUL! Thank you all again for your caring and support.

Today I just finished a cat portrait. They are 3d, which means I make the sewn piece and then it goes on a bag or on a quilt. This is Val's cat Suki playing with a feather toy. It is going on a batik bag. I just thought I would show just the cat.

I always think the backs are cool looking too. I tend to use thread in the bobbin in any color just based on what I have...These use a lot of thread!

Yesterday I read the coolest book on my Kindle. It was free too! If you are a Christian that gets frustrated with churches or you just need a lift, you should read it. "Every Bush is Burning." It is fiction and it spoke to me in a million ways...

Happy Summer! xoxoxox melinda
Well I am going to go swim. Happy Summer! xoxoxox melinda