Treasures-n-Textures

Blue Heaven Dinnerware

2012-02-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

My plan is to display some of the vintage dinnerware I've been collection in my newly decorated kitchen/breakfast noon. Today I'm showing three pieces of Blue Heaven. Blue Heaven was sold in the 60's by Royal China of Sebring, Ohio. If you check on-line you will find quite a few pieces of this pattern. I purchased 4 pieces some time ago at the thrift store. I only purchased serving pieces - pitcher, sugar, creamer and the handled cakeplate below. I love the bright color of this retro design. Looks great on my quilted table topper.

Hanging Up the Quilt with Hang-Ups

2012-02-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

I decided to display my completed Chestnut and Vine quilt in the newly decorated breakfast nook. I hung the quilt using a quilting product called Hang-Ups.

I found these wonderful little Hang-ups at the Washoe Quilt Shoppe in Montana a few years ago. I purchased a package of 6. I had intended to put them to use immediately but alas they sat in my studio until this week. At the quilt shop they used them on a rail that went around the top of the wall. I wanted to make a quilt rail for a wall in my home. Our "historic West Clark Addition" home has plaster walls and it is difficult to mount things to the wall without destroying the lovely plaster. I thought this would be the perfect solution for displaying quilts.

First we went to Home Depot and selected a piece of decorative trim for the quilt rail. We installed screws evenly spaced across the rail. I painted it white to match the Pottery Barn Shelving in the room. My DH them mounted it to the wall. You can see the entire rail below and a closeup of the screws.

Here is the top of my Chestnut and Vine quilt hanging from my new quilt rail.

Kitchen Message Center/Memo Boards

2012-02-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

For the messsage center in the kitchen, I painted these three metal trays. The yellow one may get a blackboard center. I bought the paint but haven't made a decision yet. I added the magnetic alphabet letters from the Granddaughter's Playroom. Below the memo boards will be the child's desk I purchased at the thrift store almost 2 years ago.

I plan to paint the desk white and the two drawers aqua blue and apple green.

I had hoped to find a lovely wood like this when I stripped the desk but I wasn't so lucky. The desk top was in really bad shape after years of use and abuse by children. And the wood wasn't oak but appeared to be a variety of woods.

Read more about my great plans for the desk here. Now I'm ready to make it new again with a paint job. I'll post a photo of the entire message center after the desk is completed. I am currently looking for drawer pulls. I found one source on line that has 2" center drawer pulls. I checked at Home Depot and they have nothing. Even Restoration Hardward doesn't carry that size.

Today we are installing the quilt rail in the breakfast nook. It will make hanging the quilts so much easier (no nail holes in the plaster wall). I'll save this project for another post.

Kitchen Art

2012-02-05T17:37:00.000-08:00

Since we are redecorating our kitchen and breakfast nook, I wanted some unique art for the wall above the range. I found a Vintage cookbook dated 1957 (The ABC of Barbecue with decorations by Ruth McCrea). There were "decorations" for the entire alphabet. I choose to copy the A, B, and C. I bought the frames at the Dollar Store and painted them Green Apple. See photo below.

Don't the little "decorations" by Ms. McCrea look great with my new paint color and the vintage subway tile! The paint is a little darker than it appears in the photo. It is Cornerstone by Behr. We bought many sample paints before selecting this color. We are very pleased with the finished walls and cabinets.

I have chosen to decorate with some of my vintage finds from my thrifting. On the range is vintage orange and white Westinghouse. I'll post about the kettle in a later post. Now it's time to get back to the Superbowl. More kitchen redo tomorrow.

Ruffled Tote

2012-02-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

Side 1

Side 2

Rosette

Cowgirl fabric

I've finally found the time to get in the studio for a few hours. I have been busy with DH's medical issues (knee replacement and therapy). He will undergo another thyroid surgery next week. We're hoping this is the end of surgeries for a LONG time.

This litle ruffled tote it a birthday gift for my DIL. I've seen them all over Pinterest and blogland. I purchased the tote at Michael's and the fabric is from my stash. I love the cowgirl fabric but unfortunately there isn't much left in my stash.

I found the tutorial for the rosettes here. I purchased Aleen's fabric glue at Michaels for these. I'm very pleased with the rosettes but I did have glue all over my fingers. Luckly it washed right off with soap and water. I added a bead to the center of each rosette and then sewed them onto the tote.

It was good to get back in the studio. I'm also redecorating my kitchen and breakfast nook. We painted the walls and cabinets prior to my DH's knee replacement. I ordered a small table and chairs from Overstock.com and we were very pleased with the quality. This was my first purchase from the site. I was so pleased with their low shipping charges. I'll have photos later as I decorate the 60 year old kitchen with original cabinets and tile. The tile in the kitchen is one of my favorite things in the house.

Valentine Heart Swag Swap

2012-01-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

I am participating in a Heart Swag Swap with the Fabric in Altered Arts 2 Group. I embroidered the hearts on my Janome 11000 embroidery machine. Three of the heart designs are from Anita Goodesign. I'm now sure of source for the 4th heart. I used fabric from my stash. The red rickrack is also from my stash. I used a vintage red plastic flower belt buckle and button for the hanger at the top. I'm quite pleased with the swag. The rickrack is a little difficult as a hanger. I might consider using ribbon if I did another one.

My DH is recovering nicely from his knee replacement surgery and I finally have time to work in my studio and post a few items on my blog. Thanks to all of you for continuing to visit even though I'm not that consistent with my posts due to life's issues.

A Colorful Patchwork Quilt for Granddaughter # 1

2012-01-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

I made this Patchwork quilt for Granddaughter # 1 this week. It's made from 5" squares. Some were left over from charm pack projects but most were cut from my box of scrap pieces. The scraps have been accumulating for a number of years. It turned out to be a very colorful quilt.

I made a throw for Granddaughter # 2 during the Christmas vacation. When I asked # 1 what type of quilt she wanted, she told me she wanted one like her Daddy's. My mother made her Daddy's quilt for him when he was a little boy. It was made from squares from her scrap box. We tied that quilt but I decided to stitch in the ditch. A friend suggested a nice thick batting that resembled little puffy squares. I found this batting at JoAnns and it worked perfectly.

We went to the fabric store a few weeks ago to select her backing prior to beginning the quilt. I'm so glad I took her along because I would have never thought that she would choose this lovely white fabric with small colorful crosses but that's what she wanted. It turned out very nice. I added the rainbow stripped binding and it could easily be reversible. The quilt is smaller than a twin size because that's the size she wanted. She wants to be able to cuddle up in it while watching tv or reading.

I showed her the quilt last evening while I was still sewing on the binding. She said "It's so beautiful!". That made my "heart sing". It's always good to have someone appreciate your work. It's now in the washer. Since I used scraps, I felt it was important to give the entire quilt a nice bath before she snuggles up in it.

Look What Wanda Did To My Chestnut and Vine Quilt

2012-01-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

Wanda sent me this photo of my Chestnut and Vine Quilt. Isn't it lovely. She did such a great job. I can hardly wait to see it. She will mail it next week. I will add the binding when it gets here.

I'm so pleased with the quilting designs in the quilt. Wanda's photos below show the quilting details. Isn't it the most beautiful quilt!

Thanks Wanda you are the best.

SIMPLIFY / SIMPLICITY

2012-01-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Today I selected my word for the year. Early this morning I decided the word should be simplify -verb- to make less complex or complicated. I then attended church and the pastor's sermon was titled "Simplicity". Simplicity - noun- the state or quality of being simple. Now I know I'm on the right track for 2012. Wish me luck as I search for "simplicity" and attempt to "simplify" my life.

Christmas Past

2011-12-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

As we approach Christmas Day, I am reminded of Christmas past. This is an old photo of my Mama's tree. Each year she took her ax and saw and went out in search of "the perfect tree". She often took along one or more of the 20 grandchildren. The tree was a cedar tree from the family farm. The tree was placed in the entry hall of her huge brick home. The home dated to the early 1880's and had high ceilings but Mama always managed to find that "perfect tree".

Mama bought presents all year so that she had something for everyone in our huge family. As great grandchildren arrived they too received special gifts. I remember my son, John, received a toy gun and holster for Christmas 1977 from Mama. I remember this because he also received a rocking horse and cowboy hat that same Christmas from Santa. My grandmother had no way of knowing John was going to be a cowboy that Christmas, since she lived in Kentucky and our family was now living in Arizona. I guess Grandma's must have a special relationship with Santa.

Thinking of Christmas past is a mixed bag. I remember those great times we spent at Mama's and Papa's house on Christmas day. All the cousins running in and out the front door with Papa yellling: "Close the door. You're letting the cold air in." Those were the good times. On the other hand, the photo above was taken by my best friend and cousin, Doug. He was a wonderful photographer and took photos of many family events. But a few days before Christmas 1983, he was killed in a traffic accident on black ice. I remember that Christmas well as I accompanied my father to Kentucky for the funeral on December 24th.

I wish each of you a Very Merry Christmas. I'm sure each of you have memories of "Christmas Past".

A New Favorite for Christmas Time

2011-12-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

Just last week I discovered this wonderful Mexican Style Hot chocolate Mix by Nestle. I had never heard of it until my college friend came for visit last week. She purchases the mix at the Food City in her Southern Arizona hometown and enjoys a cup each morning. Then I found the instructions for the Snowman Sauna (see previous post), and Jessica stated that her favorite cocoa mix was Nestle's Abuelita.

So I went in search of Abuelita. I didn't go to Food City immediately as I thought other groceries in town would carry this mix. After visiting two groceries, I decided to follow my friend's advice and try Food City. I found a big display in the store and purchased a few boxes. The hot chocolate is delicious. It is now "My Favorite" (just like Michelle and my friend, Veronica). You should give it a try. It's wonderful. I'm enjoying a cup as I type this post.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas.

Snowman and the Cabinet Door

2011-12-20T07:22:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting Snowmen this "Week Before Christmas". Our home is filled with various snowmen. The one above I purchased at a boutique a number of years ago. He is painted on a cabinet door. He is one of my favorites. This year he is displayed on a wall in the dining room.

Snowman Sauna Mug

2011-12-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

Another Snowman Post.

Have you seen these little guys? I saw them on here on Jessica's blog. She even wrote a tutorial for them. I changed mine up a little. I didn't include candy. These will be gifts for neighbors and I will also give a plate of cookies so I decided the candy wasn't necessary. I went to Food City to find the Nestle Abuelita Hot Chocolate Mix that Jessica recommends. I tried a cup and it is delicious. I see why it is her favorite.

I think these will be favors at next years Christmas Light Tour in the motorhome. I will check thrift stores throughout the year for great mugs to use. I have saved the tags that I created on the computer and the written instructions. I even have some of the bags left.

There is "Snow" Place like Home!

2011-12-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

I have decided to show you some of the many snowmen that inhabit our home during the holidays. As you arrived at our home you are greeted by snowmen on the front porch. The snowmen on the bench have been in our family for years. The largest snowman is missing one eye but we still love him. The snowman by the porch post was purchased at an after-Christmas sale last year. He only worked one night and now no longer lights up (guess you could call him a "lemon" of a snowman). I guess we'll keep him as the "greeter-man"!

There is even a "Solar Snowman in the Flower Pot. He was a great find at Walgreen's for $2.99 and he works. He looks cute in the evening with his glowing head.

A Cowboy snowman gives everyone a "Wild West Welcome".

Tomorrow I'll share some of the snowmen inside our home.

It's beginning to feel alot like Christmas

2011-12-15T13:37:00.000-08:00

The bottom of the tree is now filled with presents. The Christmas music is playing in the background. A cake is in the oven. Granddaughters will arrive shortly to organize the "Baby Jesus" display. That's what R2 (youngest one) calls the little manger scenes that I have collected over the years. There are a couple of empty shelves waiting to be decorated with "Baby Jesuses"!

Last evening we attended the Dave Koz Christmas concert at the Mesa Arts Center. I think this is our 4th or 5th year to attend these wonderful concerts. Jonathan Butler's "O Holy Night" always brings tears to my eyes. Last evenings concert had wonderful lighting displays to accompany the great performance.

My college roommate arrived in town last evening. Another of our college friends will arrive tomorrow morning. The guest room is ready for her. We "girls" will be attending the luminarias at the Desert Botanical Gardens tomorrow evening.

Saturday will be busy with breakfast with girlfriends before they leave for their respective homes. Lunch with retired co-workers from our old office. Holiday light tour in the motorhome Saturday evening with sister's family. An annual tradition to honor the memory of our son Paul.

Then a two day break before DH's daughter and granddaughter's arrive for a visit.

WOW now that I look at my schedule, I'm already tired. But it will be great to see friends and family and celebrate our Savior's birth.

Tonight is Worldwide Candle Lighting

2011-12-11T18:47:00.000-08:00

Paul Thomas Show

12-30-1985 - 5-12-2007

This evening I light my candle in memory of not only my son Paul but in remembrance of all children who graced the lives of their loved ones for far too short a period of time . . .

. . . that their light may always shine.

For more info visit Compassonate Friends.

Another Shopping List Folio

2011-12-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

I just completed this shopping list folio for my cousin. She recently accepted a position at the University of Kentucky. I had this fabric in my stash and thought it would make a perfect little gift for her. It will be winging its way to Kentucky on Monday.

This is my third folio. So glad I found the pattern. They are simple and quick to make. You can personalize them with fabric or embroidery machine.

We have two Christmas parties today and a birthday party tomorrow. Seems the holidays get here fast. I completed the tree decorating yesterday. Now it time to wrap presents to put under it.

Shopping List Folio

2011-12-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

I made this little shopping list folio for my DIL. I found the instructions here. You will see that the original doesn't look exactly like mine. I decided to make the outer cover from one piece of fabric and embellish with machine quilting. I did follow the directions for the inside of the folio. I found the notepads at OfficeMax. They fit perfectly in the pocket. I decided to tuck her gift card inside the other pocket.

Here is the folio. I'm not sure I like the button off center but that's where the instructions said to put it. I may change that on the next one. I see so many possibilities --machine embroidery, quilt blocks, with or without that triangle pocket, maybe another little pocket, personalized with names, .....

Fun project and finished in less than an hour. Best of all I was able to use fabrics in my stash.

I Finished the Rag Quilt!!!!!!!!!!

2011-12-08T08:48:00.000-08:00

You may recall that when I posted this rag quilt earlier, I wasn't going to clip the seams but let my niece do it. I guess I'm allowed to change my mind. I just couldn't let an unfinished quilt sit in my studio. So I started clipping a little each day and before I knew it, I had finished the quilt. My first experience with a rag quilt wasn't pleasant because I waited until the last minute to begin the clipping. Funny how things don't seem so overwhelming when you do a little at a time.

The quilt isn't large but perfect as a throw on our cool winter evenings here in the desert. It is still shedding some little threads but most have been removed by washing and drying the quilt. I also took it outside and gave it a good shaking. I'm very pleased with the results and hope the Tiller family enjoys their Rag Quilt.

A Visit to North Pole on the Polar Express

2011-12-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

Our family visited the North Pole on Sunday night. We rode on the Grand Canyon Railway's Polar Express. The train left Williams, Arizona and approx. 30 minutes later arrived at the North Pole. The photo above is of one of the granddaughters dressed in her pj's ready to board the train.

On our way to the North Pole some of Santa's elves served hot cocoa and Mrs. Claus' delicious cookies. Then they read us the book Polar Express. This is one of Santa's elves.

When we arrived at the North Pole we were greeted by Santa. It was too cold to visit the North Pole so we stayed on the train. Santa boarded the train and visited each train car. He presented all the children with one of his "Bells".

Below you see my beautiful DIL and two beautiful granddaughters with their bells. Bottom pictures shows the girls in their pjs.

It was a wonderful Christmas experience complete with a winter blizzard on the drive to the mountains.
My new header shows the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona as they looked on our drive to the train. Last year our Christmas trip was to Cabo, Mexico. We went from playing in the ocean last year to playing in the snow this year. Our son thinks he prefers swimming in the ocean in December!!! Granddaughters loved the snow since they have lived in the desert all their lives.

T-Block Puzzler - The Handyman Quilt

2011-12-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

I finished this quilt yesterday. It is for my brother-in-law. I purchased the kit at a local quilt store. I loved the "handyman" themed fabric in the kit. You don't often see a quilt kit with a manly theme. This one was perfect. The pattern is "T-Block Puzzler" by Barbara Futoma of Giggling Gecko Designs. It uses focus blocks and 2 1/2" strips.

I used my Bernina 165 to do the machine quilting. I hadn't sewn on my Bernina for quiet awhile because I've been working with my Janome 11000. I've very pleased with the stitching on the quilt. You can see details of the quilting stitches below. You will also notice that I used the leftover 2 1/2" strips for the binding. So you see various colors and fabrics in the binding.

It isn't a large quilt but I'm sure he will be very pleased that I made a quilt " Just For Him".

Personalized Stocking

2011-11-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

I finished this little Christmas stocking yesterday. It is another "In The Hoop" machine embroidery from Anita Goodesigns. This stocking is small ( about 8"). I think it would be perfect as a gift card holder or for a small gift. I made this one for my friend Gayle. The original design has borders of holly on the top of the stocking. I decided to personalize it instead. Not sure yet what will go in the stocking. We usually make donations to charity instead of giving gifts.

I will begin my Christmas decorating tomorrow. We've been busy with DH's health issues for the past week but he is now recovering nicely and I can concentrate on Christmas. I'm planning to repeat my Blue Christmas theme again this year.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2011

2011-11-24T07:11:00.000-08:00

WISHING EVEYONE A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR DAY WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Jelly Roll Bag

2011-11-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

I've been working to complete some Christmas presents. This is one of the items I am making. It is made on my Janome 11000 embroidery machine. The design is Anita Goodesign's "Jelly Roll Bags". This is an "in the hoop" project made with Jelly roll strips (2 1/2" wide strips of fabric). The entire project is made in the embroidery hoop. I love this little bag. After making the first one, I decided it would be nice to personalize each of the bags since they were already in the embroidery hoop. I just edited to include the names of people on my gift list. The little bag measures approx. 4" x 6".

I finished three this afternoon and plan to make more. It is the perfect project for those left over fabric strips from other projects.

Chestnut and Vine Block of the Month completed

2011-11-17T15:37:00.000-08:00

My Chestnut and Vine Block of the Month quilt top is completed. It is huge (82" x 82"). It is shown here on our king size bed. It will be going in the mail on Monday to Ohio. Wanda will be quilting it for me. She quilted my Southwest quilt and it is one of my favorites.

The Chestnut and Vine quilt used cheater fabric for some of the blocks and triangles. It looks much more detailed that it actually is. BUT there is quite a bit of applique in the quilt and this took many hours to complete. I'm very pleased with the results. Can hardly wait to see what it looks like after Wanda's beautiful quilting.

Charm Pack Quilt

2011-11-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

I recently finished this small quilt. It is made from a Charm Pack. The quilt kit is from Fat Quarters.com. I just love their kits. They are so easy to pack and take when we travel to our vacation home in Kentucky. The quilt will become part of my spring decorating in 2012.

I recently finished my Chestnuts and Vine Block of the Month quilt and will have photos later this week. Great to be back in the desert and working in my studio.

November Fabric Postcard

2011-11-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

I decided to join a Fabric Postcard Swap for November. This is my postcard for Corinne. I cut the calendar and the turkey images from an old linen calendar. The theme of the calendar was "Calories". I thought the turkey was the perfect addition to the November postcard.

Norma at Fabric in Altered Arts 2 Yahoo group is the hostess of this swap. I haven't participated in a trade in some time. I took a break but plan to gradually get back into the swapping mode.

A Finished Rag Quilt but "NOT CLIPPED"

2011-11-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

I finished stitching this rag quilt while here in the country. There is a story to this "Unclipped Rag Quilt." A few years ago (I think four) I stitched a rag quilt in a class. It was to be a Christmas present for my nephew. Since I finished stitching the quilt early, I thought clipping the quilt would be a great last minute project before Christmas. (If you've made a rag quilt, you probably can guess the rest of the story.) --- I was still clipping those seams the day before our family Christmas party. I even bought those special scissors for clipping but I had no idea it would TAKE SO LONG! I did manage to finish the clipping, wash, and wrap the quilt just before our party. When he opened the quilt, I told the family that "this is my first and last rag quilt!"

But his sister loved the quilt and commented that she wanted one and would clip the seams if I would stitch the blocks together. Even with her offer, I wasn't interested in making another rag quilt. Fast forward to this summer and the organizing of my studio. I discovered another kit for a rag quilt. Seems I purchased another kit at the class in 2007. So I called my sister and asked if she thought Michelle was serious about clipping those seams. Seems Michelle has mentioned to her on a number of occasions over the past few years that she would love a quilt like her brother's. For Christmas Michelle will receive a unclipped rag quilt and my "special scissors". Happy Clipping Michelle.

Below is a photo of the entire quilt and one of the back of the quilt. I really do like the bright colors of the fabrics. Will I ever do another?????? Probably not. There are only two children in that family and grandkids aren't old enough to use "pointed scissors".

Mums and Fall Tablerunner

2011-11-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

I completed this Fall tablerunner while here in KY. It is one of the Fat Quarters.com Tablerunners of the Month. This is the November one. It will be a housewarming gift for one of my cousins. We are going to their new home tonight for dinner and I finished this tablerunner yesterday. Perfect timing. I am very pleased with the way it turned out. The patchwork is made using a layer cake. Love the fall colors. The back is shown below. I just used strips of the fabric included in the kit. I did free motion quilting over the entire runner.

And now a photo of my lovely mums.

Last fall when my sister and I were here in Ky, I bought a small potted mum. We enjoyed it on the deck while we were here and when we left I planted it on the side of the house. I explained to my Uncle who cares for our home that if it lived great and if it died, it cost less than $5.00. IT LIVED and is a lovely large mum this fall. I'm going to try the same thing with the small yellow mum in the photos above. Maybe I'll have lovely mums along the side of the house (one mum at a time).

We are enjoying Fall here in the country. Lovely day yesterday. My DH cleaned the gutters and I put mulch around our plants. Today we are having rain.

A "Real" Country Meal

2011-10-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

Last evening we celebrated my DH's upcoming birthday at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Sulphur Wells, KY. This is a photo from their website. If you are in the area, and want a country style meal. This is the place. We arrived just as a group of people on a tourbus were finishing their meal. After a short wait, our family enjoyed a great meal complete with homemade pie. A great way to celebrate a birthday.

We continue to enjoy our time here in the country. Weather has been frosty in the mornings and many of the leaves are now off the trees and on the ground. I've worked on a few quilting projects and hope to have photos next week.

It's Fall in the Country

2011-10-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

We're spending the fall in the country and I haven't posted for some time. My laptop has not been cooperating when it comes to Blogger. I'm giving it a try today. The scene above is from my front window. The trees are beautiful today. It has been a slow year for color and some of the leaves have already fallen. Colors are better since we had a few nights of cooler weather. The barn and colorful trees are on the farm across the road from our vacation home.

This is a photo of the decorations on our front porch. I haven't done much since we are only here for a month or so. The three ceramic pumpkins are from Old Time Pottery. I love that store and it just happens to be located next door to Bass Pro. My DH can go shopping at Bass Pro and I can shop next door. I will plant the mum on the side of the house before we leave. I will post a photo of last years mum later if Blogger cooperates. I planted it last fall before we left and it is beautiful this fall.

Wishing all a Happy Halloween.

Halloween Lamp

2011-09-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

I found this vintage black panther lamp at the thrift store recently. The price was $2.99. It worked and I love vintage planter lamps. I had no idea what I would do with it but I brought it home.

My New Halloween Lamp

Isn't this just the cutest Halloween lamp. Perfect for the little table under the Halloween quilt. I purchased a small lampshade at the thrift store for 99 cents. It was covered with pink gingham fabric. I removed the fabric and wrapped the shade in black and orange tulle. I added a few plastic black cats under the tulle. Both cats and tulle were in my Halloween box of goodies. When the lamp is turned on the cats really pop.

I love my Halloween Lamp and the cost was $3.97.

Below are two closeups of the shade before turning on the lamp.

I'm linking to Tuesday's Treasures.

I've Been Away at the Fair

2011-09-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

I just returned to Arizona from a wonderful three days at the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio. What a wonderful time my sister and I had visiting our cousin and attending the fair. We saw so many vendors with great items. We bought a few things and came home with lots of ideas. The weather was beautiful each day. We especially appreciated the mild weather. I always love fall in parts of the country were they have trees and grass. It was my first visit to Columbus and it is a lovely city. College students were moving into dorms this weekend and it was fun to see all the students walking around downtown. Brought back memories of falls long ago in Flagstaff at Northern Arizona U. I have such great memories of my college life at NAU.

The trip was the perfect way to get in the "Fall Spirit". I hope to do a little Fall decorating this week even if we are expecting 100 degree weather!

Another Baby Quilt

2011-09-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

I have this little cowboy quilt ready for binding. I started on it this morning. I went through my stash of cowboy print and found this piece with little cowboys. It is for our friends daughter and son-in-law. They are expecting their second little boy later this year. It seems many of our friends are expecting grandchildren and one a great grandchild. I've decided that quilts make the perfect gift. Hope they like it.

All the fabric is from my stash. I'm very pleased that I have been able to complete a number of projects using my stash. I still have many more yards to use but it is a beginning. A friend gave me the batting. It was left over from one of her projects. I didn't have to make any trips to the fabric store to complete this quilt. I'm giving myself a "pat on the back" for this one.

September - Is it Fall Yet?

2011-09-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

I've been away from blogland for most of the summer. DH is recovering nicely from knee replacement revision surgery. I am officially off the "Taxi service" assignment as he was released to drive last week. We are experiencing the hottest summer on record here in Phoenix. So I'M HOPING FALL WILL ARRIVE SOON!!!

I finished this Fall wall hanging last week. It is from a Fat Quarter.Com quilt kit. It is made from a pack of charm squares. It is the perfect size to display below the shelf in the dining area. I've also completed 1 quilt top and have another nearing completion. I have been able to find a few moments each day to sew in the studio. I hope to post more photos later this week.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend and that you too are looking forward to Fall.

Fall Tea Towels

2011-08-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

Veteran's Day Towel

Halloween Towel

Turkey Towel

I recently purchased a Holiday Tea Towel Collection of embroidery designs by Anita Goodesign. I did the embroidery on my Janome 11000. The designs are made to resemble hand embroidery and I'm pleased with the results. I searched for plain white tea towels but couldn't find any locally. So I decided to make my own. I purchased white cotton fabric at JoAnn's, cut them out, hemmed the edges, and added decorative fabric at the bottom of each towel. These will be included in fall baskets for three of my friends.

I haven't blogged much lately. My days are spent driving my DH to physical therapy and doctor appointments as he recovers from knee replacement revision surgery. He's hoping to be released to drive in two weeks. He is recovering nicely from surgery this time.

We did see THE HELP last week. I loved the book and was equally impressed with the movie.

"Z" end of the Alphabet Quiltie Swap

2011-08-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

This is the end of the Alphabet Quiltie Swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2 Yahoo Group. Penny has been an excellent hostess. She kept us organized and supplied a few themed letters along the way. Thank you Penny.

This quiltie is made from a panel I purchased a few years ago. I embellished it with sparkling leaves, black beads, and a button cover. I did a little hand quilting around the zebra and the tree trunk. It will go in the mail this week to Penny.

Boite et Petit Livret Vintage

2011-07-31T07:26:00.000-07:00

Book and Small Vintage Box

Last spring I signed up for the Artfulgatherings event to be held in July. They were to be offering a variety of classes featuring various techniques. We I received the class listing, I knew that I wanted to take Nancy Maxwell James' Boite et Petit Livret Vintage. We are making a book and box following Nancy's wonderful collage techniques. The book features vintage photos, laces, buttons, jewelry, and vintage gloves on the front and back cover.

I have finished my two interior pages but the front and back cover and box will be completed next week.

Sewing Tray Swap

2011-07-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here's my sewing tray for a swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2. The mail date for the swap is September but I decided to get it finished. My DH had knee replacement surgery a few days ago and I am his caregiver and driver for the next 6 weeks. May not have lots of time for swaps with nurses and physical therapists visiting our home and doctor's visits. He is recovering nicely here at home and we are thankful for that.

The tray is made from a picture frame. I removed the photo from the frame and replaced it with part of a vintage quilt top. I purchased the top at a antique store a number of years ago. I also added vintage seam binding packaging. My DH drilled holes for the handles prior to his surgery. Vintage wooden thread spools are used for the handles. I attached a pair of small sewing scissors.

The back of the sewing tray is covered with foam core board and scrapbook paper. I love this paper and have used it for a number of projects. It is by Graphic 45. I made a matching pincushion to include in the swap.

"Y" Quiltie - Yellow

2011-07-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

I finally have a few minutes at the computer so I'm posting my "Y" quiltie for the Yahoo Group - Fabric in Altered Arts 2. This month's alphabet quilt had the theme "Yellow". I found some yellow fabric strips in my studio that are left over from the baby quilt in the previous post. I then added batting and backing and a yellow binding. I stamped the word yellow along the binding and embellished with yellow items from my stash. We have ONE more quiltie and our alphabet collection is complete.

Baby Quilt is Finished

2011-07-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

The baby quilt is now finished. I'm quite pleased with the Pooh fabric border and the blocks from my stash. I used the "stitch-in-the-ditch" quilting technique for the center portion and did a free motion quilting on the border. Detail photo below.

Another Baby Quilt on the design wall

2011-07-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

The young couple living across the street are expecting a little girl the end of the month. I decided it's about time I made the new little one a quilt. I searched through patterns but eventually decided on this simple block. I had a number of 2 1/2" strips left over from the last baby quilt and decided to start there.

Since I'm working to reduce my stash, I selected other similar fabrics and used my Accuquilt GO cutter to cut 2 1/2" strips. I sewed three strips together and cut into squares. I then placed then on the design wall to determine a pleasing placement. Here you see the squares on the design wall.

I searched through my fabric stash and found the two fabrics above. I will use the Pooh fabric as a border and the swirls for the backing. I'm thinking it will make a cute baby girl quilt.

All Star Week in Phoenix

2011-07-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Granddaughters attended the All Star Game Fan Fest in Phoenix on Monday with our son. Here they are in the corn field with Randy Johnson, Ozzie Smith, Ricky Henderson, and Catfish Hunter. You may have seen the Pepsi ad that features these former baseball All Stars. DH and I also had our photo taken here on Sunday afternoon prior to Futures Game and Celebrity All Star Game.

Our entire famiy enjoyed the All Star festivities. I have ordered a photo of DH and myself at Home Run Derby. Last night's All Star game was the perfect ending to a wonderful three days at Chase Field. I'll post more photos later. I heard that attending an All Star game is a once in a "Generation" experience. So now we have experienced it!!

July Civil War Chronicles Block of the Month

2011-07-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is the July block for the Civil War Chronicles Block of the Month Quilt. Another block with lots of half-square triangles. This month we made four blocks with a total of 112 half-square triangles. This was one of the simpler blocks even with all those half-square triangles. This one is called Kissing Lanes. These blocks will be placed in the corner sections of the quilt. We now have 5 months to go before completing the quilt.

This week's task is to complete the July section of the Chestnut and Vine Block of the Month. I hope to visit Three Dudes Quilt Shop this week to see the finished quilt but my time will be limited. We have tickets to all the events at the Baseball All Star Game here in Phoenix this week.

Sewing with Granddaughters

2011-07-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

This morning the granddaughters learned to use the sewing machine. They made totes from ballerina fabric. One has more blue with a blue lining and the other pinks with pink lining. We had to put a box under the sewing machine for the youngest. Her legs weren't long enough. They both completed their totes and were so proud of them. I had the fabric cut when they arrived. They did the rest. We used the new seam guide on my Janome. They learned to use the various functions on the machine. They called it the computer part (which I guess it is!)

They took their bags to the library this afternoon and we checked out some books for them to read. The library also had a presentation by Ballet Folklorico. They really enjoyed the performances which included dancing, singing, and musicians.

The girls also prepared their own lunches today. These are photos of their creations. We got a little carried away with the green food coloring for the seaweed noodles.

Red, White, and Blue

2011-06-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

I've been busy finishing a couple of Red, White, and Blue projects for the Living/Dining Room. I began these projects while in Ky the end of May and just finished this week.

This quilt was made from Jelly Rolls. It was a kit I ordered from FatQuarters.Com. I thought it was perfect for my summer theme. I sewed the top in Ky and finished quilting this week. This is my first quilt made completely from a Jelly Roll. Very easy to do and I love the results.

I found this little lamp at an estate sale a few weeks ago and thought it would look great on the table below the quilt. The lady was moving back to live with family in the mid-west and was selling most of her belongings. All she was taking with her was clothing, personal items, and a few special pieces.

I completed this little wall hanging while at our home in KY. It is made from a tablerunner kit from FatQuarters.com. I didn't make the entire tablerunner, just the center section. I wanted a small quilt to use as a summer wallhanging in the dining area. When I ordered the two kits, I didn't realize that were made from the same fabric. Lucky Me! It works perfectly with the larger quilt in the living area. I have more summer decorating to do. Front porch with Red, White, and Blue quilt is next on my list.

Happy Summer!!!!!!

Waffle Art

2011-06-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

My beautiful granddaughter's are attending a children's program this week at the local community college. They arrive at my home dressed each morning and ready for breakfast before I take them to MCC. We had a craft book and they found instructions for waffle art. They asked if they could make these one day this week. Last evening my DH stopped by the grocery and picked up the fruit. We had frozen waffles in the freezer.

These are pictures of their waffle art. As soon as the pictures were taken they began eating their ART. The process went smoothly. I gave each girl a cutting board and their waffles and fruit. They them constructed their art on their plates. It was a fun project for all.

I usually don't post pictures of the family but these were too cute and I just had to share.

June Block - Civil War Chronicles Quilt

2011-06-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

Just finished the June blocks of the month for the Civil War Chronicles quilt. Last month we completed the large center of the quilt. We are now making squares that will be used in the corners of the quilt. This month we made four of these blocks. The fabrics introduce a new color to the quilt. Again we had lots and lots of triangles. Most this month were quarter squares.

Dressed to the Nines Quilt

2011-06-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

I purchased this Dressed to the Nines pattern a few years ago at a quilt show here in Mesa. This spring I decided to make a quilt for a college friends granddaughter. I remembered this cute little quilt of dresses and located the pattern in the pattern box. I used fabric from my stash and also purchased a few pieces at the Cabbage Rose Quilt Shop. The cute little shop recently opened here in Mesa and she has the most beautiful fabric. Lots of pretty florals.

I appliqued the dresses to the white squares and then attached the sashing. The dresses are machine appliqued and when machine quilting I stitched around each dress. The quilt is boxed and ready to go to the post office tomorrow. I emailed my friend last week and the parents aren't telling the name until she gets here. So for now the quilt is for "Baby Girl".

The neighbor across the street is expecting a girl late this summer so I'll be working on another little girl quilt soon. Haven't selected a pattern for that one yet. I'd like to continue using my stash if possible.

I haven't blogged much lately. It's summer and the granddaughters are visiting each week. I love having them here but I don't have much computer time. This week they will be attending a gifted camp at the local community college. I provide breakfast and taxi services as well as before and after time. It is so much fun to have them here in the summer. Now that they are both in school, I miss having time with them each week during the school year.

Civil War Chronicles Block of the Month

2011-06-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

This is the Civil War Chronicles Block of the Month quilt after the May blocks. This is the center of the quilt and will eventually be placed on point in the quilt. The finished quilt will measure 108" x 108". I didn't measure this piece but it is displayed on a king size bed so you get the idea of its size.

I don't think we will be adding to this center piece until the end of the quilt. I have my June kit and it is for four squares that will be placed in the corner pieces. This has been a challenging quilt so far with lots of half square triangles. But the finished quilt is just beautiful and I'm so pleased with mine so far.

Southwest Quilt Finished

2011-06-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have posted about this quilt previously. It is a quilt top that I made in a class a number of years ago. I wasn't pleased with the borders and put it in the cedar chest. I discovered it this year while spring cleaning and decided that maybe it wasn't so bad after all. I sent it to Wanda in Ohio to be quilted. I just finished the binding this week and I have to admit it is lovely. I am so pleased with the quilting pattern Wanda designed for it. It really added to the southwest flavor of the quilt. I purchased the backing fabric at Mulqueen's here in Mesa and it was perfect for the southwest theme.

More Alphabet Quilties G, H, & I

2011-06-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

Since the Alphabet Quiltie on Fabric in Altered Arts 2 is quickly coming to an end. I am sharing some of my previous quilties from this swap.

These are the quilties for G, H, and I. Each of these quilties had a theme: Glitzy Garment, Heart, and Inked Image.

The top quiltie is G for "Glitzy Garment". It is embellished with Barbie clothing and accessories.

The middle quiltie is H for "Heart". This quilties is embellished with a machine embroidery heart, vintage flower pin, and a heart quote.

The theme for I was "Inked Image". I used PaintSticks to make the images on a piece of black fabric. I them added glitter and rhinestones.

Alphabet Quiltie - "X" marks the spot

2011-06-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

This is my "X" quiltie for the alphabet quiltie swap on the Yahoo Group Fabric in Altered Art 2. We only have two more to go. We began two years ago next month. It has been fun. I plan to make a little book with all my quilties.

I decided to use the theme - X marks the spot for my X quiltie. I downloaded the treasure map. I used Photo shop to add the words and then printed it on fabric. I added stitching with red embroidery floss and embellished with two coins and a lock from a little vintage cedar chest.

I have been out of town for a few weeks but will continue to share previous alphabet quilties later this week.

More Quilties - D E F

2011-05-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

Here is are my next three Alphabet Quilties. Hope you enjoy seeing all the quilties from the Alphabet Quiltie Swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2. This is my second post showing past alphabet quilties.

"D" is for Dove.

"E" is for Eagle.

"F" is for Face.

Alphabet Quilties - A B C

2011-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

"A" is for Angel

"B" is for Bird.

"C" is for Cowgirl

One of my blog followers asked if I had posted all the alphabet quilties from the Alphabet Quiltie Swap. The swap is from the group Fabric in Altered Arts 2 and Penny has been the hostess for the past 23 months. I've decided to repost my quilties leading up to the end of the swap in August. Here is my first installment.

"W" is for Weave

2011-05-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

We are nearing the end of our Alphabet Quiltie Swap on Fabric in Altered Arts. The letter for May is "W". My friend, Susan, recently brought me these selvages from a project she was working on. I decided that they would make a wonderful woven quiltie. Our quilties are to be 6" x6". I decided to leave one edge with untrimmed "tails" of selvage. The base is 6" x 6" and the tails could be trimmed if needed. This has been a fun swap but we only have X, Y, and Z to go. We will finish in August.

Happy Pink Saturday -Pink Sunset

2011-05-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

I've chosen to share a few photos of our trip to Northern Arizona this week. We spent a few days in our motorhome at a campground near Happy Jack, Arizona.

This was the sky last evening as we drove through the forest of Northern Arizona near Happy Jack. It was such a lovely pink sky. We drove on the forest service road hoping to see wildlife. We did happen upon a few elk drinking at one of the water tanks near the road. Beautiful animals.

Wednesday we drove to Flagstaff. Along the way we visited this beautiful mountain lake. I don't remember the name but it was beautiful with the white clouds and blue sky in the background.

This is a picture of the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. The photo was taken from Mormon Lake. Northern Arizona is one of my favorite places. I spent my college years looking out the dorm windows at these peaks. Many times they were covered with snow as they are in this photo.

Hope you enjoyed this little tour of Northern Arizona and hope you have a wonderful Pink Saturday. For more Pink Saturday posts, check out Beverly's blog.

May Chestnut and Vine

2011-05-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

This is my Chestnut and Vine quilt top after attaching the May Blocks of the Month. This quilt top is so much faster and simpler than the Civil Wars Chronicles block of the month that I am also doing. The Chestnut and Vine will last 6 months but Civil War Chronicles is an entire year. This month we added the "half-square" triangle border and the large triangles around the outer edge. Here you will see the center block made in April.

If you are a regular reader you will remember my discussing (or was I cussin') all the half-square triangles that we are making for the Civil War Chronicles quilt. Well the beauty of the Chestnut and Vine quilt is -----THOSE ARE NOT HALF-SQUARE TRIANGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are made from "Cheater Fabric". They are cut from a Strip-It piece of fabric. The fabric features stripes of various prints from the Chestnut and Vine line of fabrics. You just place your 2 1/2" square ruler (it's a tiny one) diagonally on the stripes and cut. Now you have a perfect "cheater half-square triangle". Look closely, can you tell the difference?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL! HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.

My finished Table Runner

2011-05-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

I just finished my Lil" Twister Table Runner. I decided to add buttons in the center of each pinwheel. I had these small purple buttons in my button bucket. I like the way they look. No I didn't sew each on by hand. I got out my sewing machine instruction book and did them by machine. So each and simple. Wonder why I haven't used this feature before. I'm quite pleased with this little table runner. Best thing is that everything is from my studio. I didn't have to purchase anything to complete the project. I need to do more project like this to help reduce my stash!

Lil' Twister Quilting Tool

2011-05-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

My friend, Dolores, recently showed me the Lil' Twister Tool for making pinwheels. I decided to use fabric from my stash to make a table runner following instructions in the package. Above you see where it all began, with 24 charms sewn together with a 3" border.

Now it is time to use the tool shown above. You place the tool on the intersections of the charms and cut out a square using the rotary cutter.

These are the resulting squares.

Here are the squares ready for stitching together. I choose various purple fabrics for the pinwheels. All are from my stash. The inner border is a gray print. I will use a black print for the border.

I'll post the finished table runner later today. This was a fun project. A little time consuming when cutting out the blocks and you do have quite a bit of waste. Instructions say there is a 1/4 to 1/3 loss. I would agree. I would recommend a small rotary cutter because of the size of the block.

Vintage Mother's Day Brooch for Sarah

2011-04-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

This is the vintage brooch I send Sarah, my partner in the Vintage Mother's Day Brooch Swap over at A Swap for All Seasons. One of Sarah's favorites is anything with ballerinas. I had this brooch in my vintage jewelry collection and decided to send it to her. We were to design a unique way of presenting the brooch to our partner.

In my stash, I found a piece of vintage fabric featuring ballerinas. I attached the vintage brooch to the fabric.

I then inserted the fabric with the brooch into a gold frame. I found the gold frame at the thrift store and it worked perfectly for this swap.

Next I wrapped the little frame in another piece of the vintage fabric.

To attach the fabric, I added a hand crocheted pink flower and pin with a heart tip. I hope Sarah likes her ballerina themed package.

I am linking to Pink Saturday. Check Beverly's How Sweet the Sound for other Pink Saturday posts.

Quilt Camp Tote

2011-04-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

I completed this Quilt Camp Tote this week. It went in the mail yesterday to my friend Pat. She is celebrating her 60th birthday next Saturday. I won't be able to attend her party but am sending this tote.

The pattern is by Penny Sturges for Quilts Illustrated. I purchased it at Three Dudes Quilts. It is large enough to hold a quilter's ruler and cutting mat. Perfect for those quilting classes. I did have one complaint with the pattern. The photo on the front of the pattern shows this great looking quilt block for the front pocket of the tote. However, the pattern doesn't give the instructions for that quilt block. It has instructions for a different block but states that you can use any 12" block. I designed my own block to match the lining fabric. I used my Janome 11000 to embroider a quilt design in the center. The back of the tote has another pocket but I made it from the tote fabric. Inside is lined and has another pocket of the same size. Lots of storage in this tote.

"V" - Violin Quiltie

2011-04-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

We are nearing the end of our Alphabet Quiltie Swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2. This is my V quiltie. The crochet flower was an after-thought. It looked a little bare with just the fabric and dictionary pages so I added this crochet flower. I made it a few months ago. It was the perfect color even thought it has nothing to do with the letter "V". The quiltie will go in the mail tomorrow to our hostess, Penny. Hope it makes it to her by the end of April. I'm running a little late this month.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter with family and friends.

April Block Finished

2011-04-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

I finished my April Block of the Month last evening while watching American Idol. I'm very pleased with this block. I'm not a fan of applique but I think it turned out o.k. This is the center block for the Chestnut and Vine Block of the Month Quilt. When placed in the center of the quilt the square will be set on the diagonal. You can see the completed quilt top here. So glad to have that first square completed and ready for Block 2 in May. The kits are from Three Dudes Quilts in Phoenix.

Mild Spring = Beautiful Roses

2011-04-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

We've had a lovely spring here in Arizona. Weather in the 80s and 90s here in April. As a result of the wonderful Spring, there are beautiful roses throughout our neighborhood. As Cody and I go for our daily walk, I am amazed at the lovely roses growing along our route.

These pics are from our own back yard. The rose bush is a climbing rose and the bush is over 50 years old. This year it is filled with lovely blooms. The color is so bright this year too. We are still enjoying many of the flowers on the patio and in the flower beds. It won't be long until temps begin to exceed 100 and the flowers will be gone.

Hope each of you are experiencing lovely Spring weather. Wishing you a Happy Easter weekend. I'm planning to see RIO with the granddaughters Friday since they are out of school that day.

A Birthday Watercolor

2011-04-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

My CA sister visited in March and brought me my birthday present. This lovely water color featuring great colors and a fisherman. She found it in Palm Springs. It will hang in our vacation home in KY later this summer. For now I have it hanging on the dining room wall. The colors match the spring quilt I have on the wall in the living area of the room.

It was unframed and just today I found the perfect frame at Michael's. It was an odd size and I had to trim it down a little. It was not signed but I love the scene. Please excuse the glare on the glass.

Another Block of the Month

2011-04-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy but I have decided to join a second block of the month club at Three Dudes Quilting. This one is called Chestnut and Vine. It is from Bloom Creek. I am currently working on the center block. It includes applique. I'm not a fan of applique but they assured me that there wasn't enough applique to keep me from enjoying this quilt. So far I have attached one set of stems. After much thought, I decided to use a machine applique stitch and invisible top thread. It looks good so far.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. Wish me luck working on two block of the months at the same time. Since we aren't traveling this spring due to DH's health issues, I decided to keep myself busy with quilting projects. It's been a few years since I concentrated on my quilting.

My Quilt Top - Quilted by Wanda

2011-04-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Can you see me doing a happy dance? These photos are of a quilt top I finished a number of years ago in a quilting class. I became discouraged with the finished top and put it away in the cedar wardrobe. I found it during my spring cleaning this year and decided it wasn't so bad after all. I sent it to my blogging friend, Wanda and look at it now. Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wanda sent me these photos today. I am so excited. I love the quilting pattern she designed for the quilt. She is such a talented lady. I'm so pleased with the way the quilt looks. Now all I have do is add the binding when I receive it in the mail from Wanda. You can see Wanda's blog here. Thank you Wanda.

A Quilt for Baby Boy

2011-04-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

I recently finished this quilt for Baby Boy Bruce. The will be my Aunt Arlene's first great grandbaby. I had this quilt kit for some time and had been waiting for just the right baby boy to make it for. When I found out that Kacy and Kristen were expecting a baby boy, I got out the quilt kit and went to work. It is now quilted and ready to mail. The kit was based on this wonderful novelty print. It features big trucks with big tires and the colors are perfect for a baby boy. The kit was purchased at the Cutting Edge Quilt Chop in Tempe a number of years ago.

Vintage Umbrella Brooch and Civil War Chronicles Quilt Square

2011-04-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

Linda at A Swap for All Seasons is featuring vintage umbrella brooches on her blog today. I remembered an umbrella brooch that was in my jewelry box. It has been there since my high school years so I know it is vintage (not quite antique!!!). In the background is my April block from the Civil War Chronicles Quilt block of the month. Below is the entire square.

This month's block is a little more colorful that the past three with the purple fabric. This block also featured more half-square triangles. Yesterday I visited Three Dudes Quilting with my friend from California to show her the completed quilt. It is a lovely quilt but has been a challenge thus far. If you are ever in the Phoenix area you might consider a visit to Three Dudes Quilting. It's a great quilt shop with friendly staff.

While there I signed up for their current Block of the Month "Chestnut and Vine". I'm not an applique person but he assured me it is very simple applique.

Mother's Day Vintage Brooch Swap

2011-04-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

I have joined the Mother's Day Vintage Brooch Swap at A Swap for All Seasons. For more info click the link on the left. Linda recently posted a picture of her vintage jewelry box filled with vintage brooches and pins. I liked the idea and collected some of my vintage brooches and pins and have displayed this in one of my vintage jewelry boxes. This is a photo of the filled jewelry box. She asked us to share one of our favorite brooches. Here is one of mine.

This lovely gold-tone brooch belonged to my Mama (grandma on my dad's side). She loved jewelry and never left the house without at least one piece of jewelry. When she passed away, I was able to get a few things from her jewelry box for my sister's and I. This is the brooch that I selected. Throughout this swap, I will share some of the brooches from my collection. Some belonged to me, some to my mom, and others I purchased at thrift stores and garage sales. My partner for this swap is Sarah in Oregon.

Marcia's quilt

2011-04-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

This is another memory quilt that I completed in the past few weeks. It has been a work in progress for some time. I had finished the center square last fall. I had sketched two different designs and ended up combining the two to make this wall hanging for my cousin Marcia. Marcia's mother was my first cousin and she was killed in a traffic accident when Marcia was a toddler. The fabrics in the quilt are some of the clothing that had been saved all these years. The plaids were skirts, the green print was a blouse, and the yellow fabric and lace where from a yellow dress. Buttons are from one of the skirts.

Since I was working with small pieces of fabric cut from the garments, I had to spend lots of time in the design process. I mailed the quilt to Marcia in Kentucky and she is very pleased with the quilt. When I visit Ky later this year we will embellish the quilt with some of her mother's jewelry and possible some photographs printed on fabric.

Memory Quilt

2011-04-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

I just finished the binding yesterday on this very special quilt. It is a memory quilt made for young man named James. James is almost 8 and the quilt is made from shirts that belonged to his father.

James' grandmother contacted me some time ago to see if I would make the quilt for James. His dad died from cancer when James was just a baby. It seems that James decided he needed something that belonged to his daddy and his grandmother thought of a quilt. I met with James and his mom. James selected the shirts and I constructed the quilt top. James and his mom went shopping and bought a black fabric for the back of the quilt.

I will be delivering the quilt this week and hope James finds comfort when he cuddles in this "Special Quilt".

Embroidery Flower Quilt Finished

2011-04-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

I have been away for quite some time. My computer crashed and I'm learning how to use the new one. DH continues to have medical issues and family visited from CA. Lots happening but I was able to finish this little quilted table runner/wall hanging in time for my sister's birthday. The instructions were for a table runner but she thinks she may hang it in her newly decorated craft room.

In addition to the little quilt, I made her the tote shown above. It is the Amy Butler Swing Bag and the fabric is Michael Miller. I decided to use the fancy monogram letter for the bag. She will use it to carry papers to meetings. We had a fun lunch on Saturday and I gave her her presents.

Bedjackets and Smart Slippers

2011-03-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

Thought you might enjoy these images from Bedjackets and Smart Slippers dated 1945, Bernhard Ulmann Co.

Wikipedia - The bed jacket, a woman's garment, is a waist-length robe worn to cover the chest, shoulders and arms while sitting up in bed. Its short length and cape-like cut allowed it to be put on (or removed) while in bed. Often made of sheer or lacy fabrics and displaying very feminine trimmings and details, it was often used more for seduction, rather than warmth or modesty. It was popularized in 1930s Hollywood films featuring glamorous settings and glamorous stars lounging languorously in their silken bedrooms. Ostrich feather tips, swan’s down, pleated tulle and shirred lace were just a few examples of the extravagant materials that could be used in creating these confections. These garments are currently very popular with people who have been hospitalized or recommended bed rest.

I think it is fun to see these old instruction booklets with their great pictures. For other Vintage Thingies check out Vintage Thingie Thursday.

Another Wildflower

2011-03-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

Here is the third of the wildflower embroideries. I have decided to do only three. Even though their webstie states that you can do the trim applique for their older patterns. I found that is not true for all the flower designs. So rather than become frustrated, I will stop with three. This one needs a good pressing. I think I may make a small wall hanging instead of a table runner.

Love this lily. It reminds me of the lilies in my yard in Kentucky. Those lilies came from my Grandma's house and they are such pleasant reminders of my "Mama" and all her beautiful flowers. I talked with a cousin over the weekend and she said there are signs of spring in KY. March lilies are beginning to peak through.

Wildflowers

2011-03-07T19:32:00.000-08:00

Today I experimented with an embroidery design package called Wildflowers from Smith Street Designs. A number of years ago, I saw the quilt, loved it, and purchased the design packet. Then I got home and looked at the instructions and decided I wasn't ready to tackle this project. It used fusible applique during the embroidery process. I was not keen on the idea and the pattern has been sitting in a box. I got it out last evening and went to the Smith Street website. They mentioned that they no longer use the fused applique and suggested that you can use the stitch and trim method with their old designs. So the disk came out of the box and the designs were loaded into my sewing machine. I made these two quilt squares today. I've decided to make a table runner instead of a quilt. These two were experiments. The top using tear away stabilizer and the other using an iron-on stabilizer. I didn't add the name to the bottom one. The fabrics are hand dyed fabrics that I purchased when I friend closed her quilt shop a few years ago. There are a total of 6 flowers in the design set.

More Bookmarks

2011-03-06T12:59:00.000-08:00

I decided to play around with the Vintage Bookmark designs that I mentioned yesterday. I made the two floral ones following the designs in the design pack. I then decided to use the basic shape and outline stitches but add the grand daughter's names instead of the flowers. I selected some prints with stars. I'll make them a card that says "Your a Reading Star" and enclose the bookmark. What fun I am having with this design pack. I'm planning to make more of the Vintage ones this afternoon. They will be given to friends as a Welcome Spring gift. I'm glad I decided to take a break from quilting and play with my Janome 11000.

Vintage Bookmarks

2011-03-05T15:55:00.000-08:00

I picked up my Anita Goodesigns Diamond Club embroidery packs today at Mulqueens. I joined the club at the Valentine Anita Goodesigns event in Phoenix in February. The Vintage Bookmarks was my mini collection this month. We have the option of exchanging for any other design at the shop but I love this one. I'm making two of these little beauties today. They are for my friend and her mother. They both love to read. I'm making theirs following the instructions provided. Later I will attempt to add a monogram to some of the designs. The back is plain and I might add some writing there. Lots of possibilities. My Janome 11000 does such a wonderful job. My next one will be with lavender and yellow flowers.

Civil War Chronicles March Block

2011-03-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

As many of you know I am making the Civil War Chronicles Block of the Month Quilt. It is a Block of the the Month at Three Dude Quilting in Phoenix. This month's chronicle featured Arabella Griffith Barlow, a nurse in the Civil War.

The March block is shown above. Again we cut many half-square triangles. These squares were especially difficult for me. I'm not sure why I had such a hard time with this. There are four of these 16 1/2" square blocks. When I finish these squares, they will be added to January and February blocks to make the center of the quilt. The completed quilt will be a large 108" x 108".

Color Coordinated

2011-03-03T20:49:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased new bedding for our bedroom. Didn't realize until I got it home that it coordinated perfectly with our little Cody. You may remember that we adopted Cody a year ago from the Lucky Dog Rescue. He has been such a joy. The granddaughters love him. He does not sleep in the bed but is allowed to snooze there during the day. His hair is a little longer than usual. He will be going to the groomers next week.

Vintage Bauer Strawberry Canisters

2011-03-02T17:47:00.000-08:00

I couldn't believe my eyes when I spied these canisters on the shelf at my local Goodwill earlier this week. They are in perfect condition and have the Bauer name on the bottom. There was a Coffee one but it had a large crack and I decided to leave it there. The best part was the price. Flour and Sugar were $2.99 each and Tea $1.99. Better than that it was Senior Day with it's 25% discount. Total price $5.97 for all three. I put them in my cart and rushed to the front to pay for them.

The wood was dried but I used a little vegetable oil and they look good as new. Don't they look perfect sitting on the counter above my sink. My vintage kitchen counter tile still shines after almost 60 years.

I'm linking to Vintage Thingie Thursday. Please check out all the wonderful Vintage Treasures.

"U" is for Umbrella Quiltie

2011-03-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

The Alphabet Quiltie Swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2 is nearing the end. The letter for March is "U". Penny our hostess selected the theme -Umbrella. I found this fabric in my stash and added the geisha embroidery and a butterfly charm. The embroidery design is from Hatched in Africa Designs. They have some lovely oriental designs. I was lunch enough to meet Santi at a workshop at Mulqueens here in Mesa a few years ago. Such a lovely lady. They are based in South Africa. If you have an embroidery machine, you might like to check out their designs.

Fabric Collage from Jill

2011-03-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

As promised yesterday, here is the mini fabric collage I received from Jill in the A Swap for All Season's Winter Swap. Isn't it lovely! I told her that my studio is pink and pale green and that I love vintage. This is what she did for me. The base is a vintage quilt piece that has been signed by the maker. She added vintage pink check yoyos, lovely laces, and vintage buttons. I love it and it hangs in my studio. Thanks to Jill a wonderful partner in this swap. You can find a link to Jill's blog on yesterday's post.

Winter Fabric Collage

2011-02-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

I've been away from blogland for a few weeks. Sinus infection and allergies have kept me from my studio. Today I am sharing a fabric collage I made for the Winter Swap at A Swap for All Seasons. My partner was Jill from Oregon. She requested something in creams and soft browns. The brown background is actually a handquilted piece from a vintage vest. I found the vest at the thrift store some time ago and knew that eventually I would find a way to use it. The vintage photo is from my collection. I added the Pendleton label since Jill lives in Oregon. I crocheted the cream flower and added buttons and Scrabble letters. Tomorrow I will share the lovely fabric collage I received from Jill.

Fabric Valentine Cards and A Button Fairy

2011-02-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day. These are from two recent swaps. The fabric cards are from a swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2 and the button fairy from a swap on Fiber Art Traders. FAT for short. Button fairy is from the lovely Wanda. Cards are from Cherie, Santa, and Carol. Aren't they all lovely. I have a few other Valentine items that I will post later today. As for now, I'm off to have my eye's examined.

Vintage Valentine Doll Swap

2011-02-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

Last week I posted a photo of the doll I made for Vintage Valentine Doll Swap. When she arrived in Russia, Lena, her new mom, named her Valya. You can read more about how I created Valya here. Her dress is a vintage feed sack and she is holding hearts made from a vintage quilt top made by my great-grandmother.

Today for Vintage Thingie Thursday, I am showing you two picture of Valya as she learns about her new home in Russia. There are even more pictures here on Lena's blog.

Looks like Valya loves her new home. I'm envious of all the places she is visiting in her new Russian home. Thanks to Lena for providing these photos. And to think I almost didn't sign up to do an international trade. What fun and I'm awaiting my doll from Lena. Wonder what Arizona sights she would like to see????

Click here to see more Vintage Thingie Thursday posts.

February Block of the Month - Only 15 more to go!!!!!

2011-02-08T15:45:00.000-08:00

This is the February block for the Civil War Chronicles quilt. I only have 15 more blocks to go! I spent yesterday and today (not all of it) cutting, sewing, and pressing 128 half-square triangles. I'm so glad that I had an Accuquilt Go template in the correct size. I was able to use the same template for all the cutting of this square. I'm sure I would still be cutting half-square triangles if I hadn't used the Go.

This is a very muted block. The 16 squares will be sewn into 4 larger blocks that measure 16 1/2". Eventually they will be joined to last month's center square. Our chronicle this month featured Lizinka Campbell Ewell. Her story was quite interesting. She settled in Tennessee after the Civil War. I'll post one of the finished larger blocks later this week.

Another Upcycled Denim Jacket

2011-02-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

I recently listed this little upcycled denim jacket in my Etsy shop. It features a back panel of wonderful vintage fabric. The fabric did not have a manufacturer on the selvage but it is vintage. I have seem similar fabrics for sale on Etsy and Ebay. The rick rack is also vintage. I found the jacket at the thrift store and after washing began upcycling.

The back panel is made from a piece of the vintage fabric featuring a ballerina. I think this is my favorite denim jacket redo so far. I just love the design on the fabric. I found two pieces of this fabric in the thrift store some time ago. The other piece is has pink instead of blue tutus. Hope the jacket finds a good home with a "little ballerina". This jacket is a 4 T.

I've had requests for larger sizes but I have difficulty finding any jackets larger than a 4 that are worthy of upcycling. I think the older children wear their clothing longer and most are quite threadbare by the time they reach the thrift store. The little ones grow so fast that their donated clothing is usually in good condition.

I Changed My Cabinet Card Canvas

2011-02-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

I took the cabinet card canvas from the previous post and changed the cabinet card to one I created. I used a picture of my two lovely grand daughters and made a cabinet card. Very simple, I just used Photo Shop Elements to print the picture in Sepia tone and copied the original cabinet card. Put the two together and I have a vintage cabinet card with my modern day beauties.

My daughter-in-law's birthday is today and this is the gift I made for her. We had a wonderful family dinner on Saturday evening at Famous Dave's to celebrate the event. Happy Birthday Marcy!!!!!

Another Smitten Class Project

2011-02-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

Cabinet Card Canvas

Each week we have a new project in the Smitten Class from Sugar Lump Studios. This week the project was " Sweet Bebe Cabinet Card Canvas". Nancy used a cabinet card featuring an adorable baby. I decided to use a cabinet card from my collection. I love this card featuring these two little girls. I think it is a First Communion since one of the girls has what appears to be a Bible in her hand.

Following Nancy's tutorial, the collage was assembled on a 8" x 10" canvas. Embellishments are from my stash. It was a great project. Looking forward to seeing what we do next week.

Pretty in Pink

2011-02-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Pink Saturday

This is the doll I made for the Vintage Valentine Swap. You can find out more by clicking the link on the left. My partner is Lena and she lives in Russia. Today is our mailing day but I mailed this doll over three weeks ago and she still has not arrived at Lena's home. Our dolls were to have a Valentine theme but also have a vintage theme.

I designed the pattern using a heart shape for her face. I then stitched on the features with embroidery thread and added a wisp of red hair. In keeping with the vintage theme, her dress is from a vintage feedsack and the hearts in her hands are made from a vintage quilt top. My great grandmother did the hand stitching on this old quilt top. She is about 24" tall. I didn't give her a name. I'm sure Lena will come up with one.

Hope she arrives in Russia soon. Lena promises to let me know when she arrives. I'm not sure is Lena has sent my doll yet or not. It is difficult since I don't know Russian and Lena's English is limited. We have exchanged emails. Lena has a beautiful blog but it is of course in Russian.

For more Pink Saturday posts, check Beverly's How Sweet the Sound.

AN UPDATE: Lena did received her doll and named her Valya. You can read what Lena said about the doll if you check the comment # 3 under comments. So glad she arrived safely in Russia. I'm anxious to get the doll Lena sent me. This was a great swap. I'm pleased that I said OK to International swapping this time. I usually say no since it involves paperwork at PO.

First Block Completed

2011-02-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

I completed the center block for my Civil War Block of the Month. The square is 16 1/2". I was amazed at how well the corners matched on each piece. I used my AccuQuilt Go to cut most of the pieces. I was lucky to have the right templates. Probably won't be a lucky on some of the remaining pieces.

I also took time to read the Chronicle that comes with each month's block. This month's chronicle featured Mary Custis Lee. Wife of Robert E. Lee and great grand-daughter of Martha Washington.

I've Started My First Block

2011-02-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the new Civil War Chronicles Block of the Month Quilt? It is beautiful (and huge). I just picked up the first three months at 3 Dudes Quilting. I spent the morning cutting the pieces and hope to sew this first block this afternoon. They have the center panel on display at the shop and it is beautiful. The fabric is my Marcus Fabrics. I have seen the Club listed on a number of Quilt sites. My friend was participating at 3 Dudes and I decided to join her. Maybe I'll have a block to post later this evening.

Happy Quilting.

"T" is for tulip

2011-02-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

We are nearing the end of our little alphabet quiltie swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2. How time flies, it seems like only yesterday if was making my A, B, and C quilties. The tulip on this quiltie is fused applique. Letters are stamped with Stazs On ink. I added a vintage lace from my stash and quilted with my machine. Edges are finished with satin stitch. I love the colors in this background fabric. Green and Purple are my favorite colors and Springtime is my favorite time of year.

I'm anxious for those lovely Spring Days. We had freezing temperatures here in the desert last night. At 10:00 am I let our little doggie outside. He went over to his outside water bowl, stuck his head in, and then gave me this strange look. I went over to see what his problem was -----water in his little bowl was frozen solid. Poor little doggie had never seen ice in his bowl. I covered my plants in the flower bed and just hope they didn't freeze. Many have lost their landscaping this winter. Strange here in the desert. I know I shouldn't complain since many of you have sub-zero but I live in the desert. It isn't supposed to freeze.

It's in the Mail

2011-02-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

From this

To this

To this

The 30's reproduction quilt was finished over the weekend and went in the mail yesterday. It is on it's way to Portland where it will find a home with David. David and my son grew up together in our old neighborhood. They attended elementary, junior high, and high school together. David now lives in Portland and is restoring a 30's era home there. I hoping he will enjoy this little quilt. It is from 30's reproduction fabric but with a modern twist. Pattern is Simply Crazy by Karla Anderson. I quilted it on my Bernina using a meandering stitch. I used my new Accuquilt Go to cut the 2 1/2" binding strips. What a great machine. Can't wait to use it on actual quilt pieces. This coming soon.

Upcycled Girls Denim Jacket

2011-01-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

For my Pink Saturday post this week, I am featuring a little upcycled pink fabric and denim children's jacket. I will be listing this little denim jacket in my Etsy shop next week. I purchased this little child's jacket at the thrift store. Once it had been washed, I added vintage rick rack to the collar and front panels. Lace was attached to the bottom of the sleeves and jacket. I added a panel of 1930's reproduction fabric to the back of the jacket. I will make a great little jacket for a sweet little girl somewhere don't you think.

Thanks to Beverly of How Sweet the Sound for hosting the Pink Saturday event. Check out all the participants.

Thrifting Finds - Vintage Necklaces

2011-01-26T17:27:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago there was an article in the local newspaper about some of the thrift stores in the Phoenix area. Saturday morning, my sister and I headed out to visit the ones located in the Tempe/Chandler area. With GPS to guide us, we visited three of the stores. One of the stores had just put out a great selection of vintage jewelry. Both my sister and I love vintage jewelry. Today I am sharing two of the pieces I purchased. More photos will be shared next week.

The first necklace is a vintage hollow silver bead necklace. I think it is probably 70s. I love it. I brought it home and did a little cleaning. (Not too much, I didn't want to lose that vintage look). It even has two of the squash beads. Not sure of the value but know it's more than the $4.00 I paid.

The bottom necklace is marked Hong Kong and some of the beads are plastic. I love the color. Reminds me of turquoise. The cost of this beauty was $2.00.

We found a number of other pieces of vintage jewelry, vintage sewing supplies, and a few other items. To see more vintage items check out Vintage Thingie Thursday click here.

Valentine Fabric Postcard

2011-01-26T08:23:00.000-08:00

This month on Fabric in Altered Arts 2 we had a fabric postcard swap with a Valentine theme. This is the postcard I made for Amy. The photo doesn't show the shimmer and glitter on the organdy that is used as a topper for the postcard. The hearts and letters were made on my Janome 11000 embroidery machine. I received a lovely fabric postcard from Amy this week. I'l post the photo later. This little group is one of my favorite Yahoo groups.

Today I will be machine quilting the 1930s reproduction fabric quilt. Spent last night and this am basting the top to the batting and backing. I'm all set up at the machine and it's time to quilt.