Trying to get back in the Groove!

  I have taken an extended break from blog land and crazy quilting. I decided that since I woukd be home this winter and not working to get back at it! My sewing room is once again up and in working order, so I have no more excuses!

I will be doing the CQJP 2015 challenge this year. Today I started to dig through fabrics and pictures for inspiration, the fabric I had hoped to use has Christmas words on it, which makes it not as usable as I had hoped. I am leaning toward a winter palette, snowflakes, snowmen....white, silver, blue. Not an original idea I know but these are colors outside my box and I do really like snow men!

Each month I have picked a different theme related to season, holiday, etc. should be fun to see how it all works out.

I am off in search of  an inspiration piece, picture to start from!

Blessings,
Karen

Prayer Flags!!!

 I decided to give something new a try last week!! LOL  I always want to try something new! I think this one is a success. I have seen these many different places on the internet and liked the idea so I checked some out and found out the size is about 5 X 7. This one is exactly that size, I used muslin layered over a cotton batting, just turning the top over to give me somewhere to put it on the flag holder out front. The fabric in the middle is some that I sun dyed last summer, then I added embroidery to it.

My second attempt is on a piece of canvas, another of my sun dyed fabric. On this one I wrote on it using a black Sharpie. I do not think it is done yet. The top of this one will get fabric glued together so it won't spoil the area where it says Blessings! Not sure what else it wants, maybe some buttons.

I am planning on working on another one with this week's TAST.

Blessings~~~

Tast Week 8

This week the stitch is the chain stitch, another fun one to do that can be used in so many ways!!

It is nice to be caught up just in time for another stitch tomorrow!! I have had such a great time and am happy to be back "in the stitch" again! As always you can check out all the fun at Sharon B's Blog !
Blessings~~~

The Green is Here!!

 Happy Sunday!!
Thought I would share with you some of the decorations that I have put out for St Patrick's Day! I love this white tree, after Christmas sale!! Gotta love a sale!!
The kittens think it is alot of fun to play in so I have to keep an eye on them all the time!!
No I am not Irish but I enjoy decorating for the holidays! I don't care which one!

Blessings~~~

TAST Week 7

  Can you believe that we are almost ready to start Week 9 of TAST on Tues?? I am behind on posting the fun I have had. This week's stitch was Detached Chain, I love this stitch  (don't I love them all???)
The idea of the heart was one I had someone put on a block of mine many years ago, I have used it ever since, and love the look of it. I also made a couple flowers on another piece of the crazy quilt.

Enjoy your weekend!!
Blessings~~~~

TAST Week 6

 Week 6 is the Chevron stitch. I enjoy this stitch. Mine are never perfect but I try. Thank goodness DGD does not know the difference that my stitches are not straight!!

I am continuing on the CQ for her. It is coming along and will be done and need to be finished before too long!!
Blessings~~~~

TAST Week 5

I have been keeping up with TAST but neglected to take pictures and post!! This is week 5 Herringbone stitch. I did two layers of Herringbone and then added a row of fly stitch. These again are being done on the CQ that I have in progress.


Blessings~~~~~

The Bunny is Done!

 Another project is done!! I have wanted to make another one of these bunnies as a gift for my youngest DD. I finally have it done. She loves green so I made it up in a variety of green solids and prints. I really hope she will like it. I am planning to take it to her when I go to South Carolina in April.

I am also working on another turtle which is cut out and some embroidery added. I intend to add some beads to it next and then it can be sewed together. I cut out and began putting together an IPad holder. I was digging through the fabric bin for fabric for the first turtle and came across an adorable print of ladies on black with some pink on it. When I decided to try the IPad case I remembered it and pulled it out along with a black that has hot pink polka dots for the lining. I am doing some hand stitching to quilt it.

Tomorrow I am off to babysit all day for the grandkids so I won't be getting any sewing done on the machine!! I plan to work on the afghan while I keep DGS busy in the afternoon!!! Of course we have to go to McDonalds for alittle "spoiling" after I pick him up from preschool!!!

Blessings~~~

Update on the Kittens!!!!

 I forgot to update you on the kittens!! They will officially be mine in another week! The court case that they were part of was settled a week or so ago. I got to take them back to have them spayed, needless to say they were not happy to go back to the Humane Society!! There return home the next day was full of merriment and eating!!

On the left is Jade, she is smaller and eats the most!! On the right is Jewel, she is full of it and explores everything. She found out what my water bottle sprayer was for yesterday when I found her up on the counter!! As you can see they like to help me use the computer, they also LOVE to explore the sewing room. I have learned to shut the door, to get something done without being interrupted!!

They have been told it is a good thing they have cute faces!!
Blessings~~

Turtle Time

Today I finished a turtle that I started yesterday!! I plan to give this to my DGD tonight at her basketball game. I hope she likes it.

This is another challenge on StitchMap! It was a Friday Toot that Shari got from Kathy Shaw It was lots of fun and I will be making more. I used some fabrics that came in a charm pack, so you can tell it did not take alot of fabric to make this !! The next one will be done and instead of embroidery on the seams I will be outlining the flowers in the print with embroidery floss or beads. That is part of the challenge which I did not do on this one. I added the heart on the top in the middle where it was hard to get all the points to come together. I will be trying to improve upon this on the next one. These colors are not favorites of mine, outside my comfort zone. LOL
Blessings~~~

StitchMap Challenge

 This month the StitchMap yahoo group had a challenge. It was to make a traveler's sewing bag with items made for inside.

 We were to start with a UFO that we had. I used a beautiful pink block that I received last summer when my DH passed away. It was a gift from Pam C in Australia!! I loved it so much so I used it for the front of the bag, I had to add some SRE to it, another part of the challenge!! The lining and back are a recycled pink linen dress!

Next you will see the pin roll and needle case that were made to go inside. I picked a pink print from my stash and used it plus more pink linen to do the matching items to tuck inside.

N

 Here is a cute little name tag/bag! I know the cross stitch is nothing wonderful, not a craft I feel comfortable with! I did the best I could, then added a ladybug button to remind me of my mom.

The last piece was a scissor holder! I have never owned one, made and gave away one!! LOL I was excited to get this one done for me!! I did some embroidery on the front and then added some lace to the back. This has been so good for me!!

The last picture is the bag with all of my goodies sticking out. I plan to use some more of my UFO blocks to make some more bags, love this idea. I also plan to start a quilt with the CQ hearts I have been collecting for years. I never had a good idea, then I saw someone applique her's onto a whole cloth or blocks, can't remember, so I am going to dig them out and give it a whirl! Who knows how it will turn out. Off to cut out a turtle pincushion that is another challenge from Kathy Shaw's blog!! Something fun to do while the Super Bowl is on!!

Blessings~~~~

Winter Decorations!

 Today I remembered I bought a white tree after the holidays! It is a 3 foot white tree and so I literally threw it up on my white wicker stand today and as I passed through the sewing room I grabbed these boas!! It needs some work ! I promise it will look better soon!!


Below are two vases I got on clearance. One is silver the other green "mercury" glass. They were hard to take pictures of because of the reflections. I will use the green one for St Patrick's Day! They look so beautiful with flameless candles in them.

Blessings~~~

TAST Week 4

 This is not one of my favorite stitches but I gave it a try. The first attempt is the bottom one which might look ok if they had been even. I did these again on DGD's quilt. She asked yesterday when it would be done. I tried to explain there was alot of work to do first. Creaton stitch is the stitch of the week!!

Blessings~~~

TAST 2012 week 3

This week the stitch was the feather stitch, another favorite of mine. I guess I have several. Again I worked on DGD's Crazy quilt. Not exactly exciting stitches but my imagination was limited by space and previous stitching. How is that for a really good excuse??? The quilt is soon coming to an end and then I will work on UFOs to practice my stitches.

 Be sure to pop over to Sharon B's blog to see what others are doing with this or to join in!! It has been a great boost to me and has gotten me motivated to stitch more!!
Blessings~~~

Completed Afghan!!

 Today I finished DD's brown and aqua afghan. I still need to tuck in a couple ends but it is basically Done!! I am so pleased with the outcome and my ability to do it!! For some reason I decided to try adding a ruffle type edge to it, which I am sure is not new to this world but for some one who only knows how to single crochet I thought it was pretty darn slick!! She says she loves it, from my pictures! It covers the top of my queen sized bed so it is pretty large and heavy enough! Time to start another one, a nice way to stay warm while the snow falls tonight.

Blessings~~~

Can you Believe Another Make Over!!!

 This gorgeous rocking chair was my mother's and blue is just not my color!! It also had no padding in it so it was no comfortable at all to sit in. At right is how it looked before I started it.

Below is the rocker after new cushions. I know the stripes are going opposite directions. At the time I thought it was smart. I am still not convinced that I like it! I love the fabric, the new look and the thicker padding. I just may have to redo the seat cushion!!

Blessings~~~

A Before and After!!

 This past fall while I was pondering my new life I
did a couple make overs. This is a room divider I bought my DD when she was decorating everything Oriental, pm the right. That phase has now passed so I asked for it back instead of her throwing it out!!

Below is the magic that some vintage fabric did for it! I love it and it now fits in with my decor. Even DD was impressed when she saw pictures of it when it was done!!

Machine Made Lace

  The other day I made some more lace on my embroidery machine. I really love to make these things!! On the right are hearts for Valentine's Day, two pink for me and a dark purple one for a friend for her birthday!!

Below are the beginnings of Easter eggs that I made. The pastels turned out so cute that I decided to make the dark purple one to give a friend. I will be making more of them in the future. Amazing to me that I can do these and something else at the same time!!

Blessings~~

Pansies on my Wall

Yesterday I got a beautiful pansy, yes PINK pansy picture for my bedroom. In Oct I went to Amish country here in Ohio and picked up the quilt that I had commissioned last spring. I saw this beautiful pink pansy fabric and had to have it!! The quilt is so beautiful, I also picked up two tab runners that they made to match to put on my dressers. My room is almost finished and will be to die for!!
 Of course my pictures do not do them all justice. Once I get it hung I will share a new picture. I have spring on my mind, can you tell?? We got our first significant snow fall yesterday/today! Strange winter for Ohio!!
Blessings!!!

Machine Embroidery!

OK! Another fun thing that I started to do before Christmas! I learned how to use the embroidery unit on my machine!! Who knew?? I loved making these lace free standing ornaments. I made the primary colored ones on the right for the grands to give to their teachers as gifts. I also made some for DDs. My favorites are the pink/white ones I made for my tree. They were so fun and easy!! I loved them on my tree! I am working on some hearts and Easter eggs. I will share when I am done with them.OK

The birds turned out so cute and I think I will be making some more for Spring.

Blessings!!