An Award

Sometime ago I had stopped participating in Tags because I have such a busy schedule and I suspect that others are just like me. I did however receive a lovely surprize from Cath at Cathron County Designs. She wrote to tell me that she has added me to her list of blogs who she feels deserve this award. 

The first parts are to thank the person who gave me the award, link to their blog, then post the award to my blog.

I’m also supposed to list 7 interesting things about myself, but I am kind of solitary crafts person, and a kind of private person in general, except to those close to me. I  work along pretty quietly and let what I do speak for itself. So if you like what I do, let me know because that means a lot to me….

The next part of the award is to list 7 other blogs that deserve an award. What I will do is list some blogs that I enjoy visiting and hopefully you will also, then just allow those bloggers to take the award to their blogs if they would like to have it.

The Magic Bean

Art by Michelle

Sewing With Moonbeams

Pin Tangle

Cyndi Mahlstadt

Soft in the Head

Christmas Designs by Kat

Thanks Cath, I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Romona

A UFO is done!

So the new computer is up and running. Am liking Windows 7, just takes a bit a time getting used to a new operating system but so far not to much trouble getting around. I’m also learning how to use Outlook for my mail program. I never knew much about Outlook but now I can use the calendar feature and try to stay better organized…..hmm, well we’ll see.

So this is my first UFO finished for 2010. This is Orlando the Ringmaster and is the design by Michelle Munzone. I did the face differently in that I used glass eyes and didn’t do so much in the way of shading and blush on the cheeks and I quite like him this way.

I always like Michelle’s costuming and beading. She has a simple but effective way of creating her looks. Without further chatter, here is Orlando with a few views for details. Just click on the pictures for close ups.

The Gathering- Right out of a Hitchcock Movie !

A new year, a new quilt

Last year we contacted the Tempurpedic people re: the mattress on our king size bed to let them know it was sagging and giving us major back aches. We did the usual and required photographs to show them that yes in fact, the mattress has failed. They agreed to send a new one, no problem and no charge.

To show how bad the other mattress was, I was able to fold it in half to get it out of the bedroom to have them bring the new one in. Pretty bad right... When the new one came I said to hubby that I felt the new one was thicker. The last one was about 4 1/2" (not including the box spring), this one is about 1 1/2" thicker. Sounds like a thin mattress, but these are supposed to last for years because of the type of foam....NOT!!!!!!! This mattress has been here barely a year and it's failing to. A complete waste of money to say nothing of back ache every morning.

Long story short, we're getting a Sleep Number bed in the next 2 weeks. High loft mattress and a further 4" or so of memory foam and another type of material for extra comfort, and it's a queen size. Forget king size, the novelty of that is over. So of course, what is required with a new bed....a new quilt. This is what I've been working on for this week. Tomorrow it goes to the Andrea at Fabric Traders, who has a quilting frame and is going to make this quilt top into a quilt for us. All I have to do to finish it, is do the binding on the edge.

The material is actually a christmas print, but when you see it in real life, it doesn't look like a christmas print. The colours do, but not the actual print. I was able to buy most of it for 60% off, so that made it even better. The solid (or what looks like solid gold colour) is actually a quilting flannel and has a leafy vine print throughout. The backing fabric is also a quilting flannel, it's the dark green and has the same leafy vine print in it. It isn't cheap, but it is so soft and feels so nice, I just had to use for the backing as well. I think Andrea will be proud of me. I managed to make most of the seams match up properly. I am not a quilter at all and matching seams is huge in quilting, so I think I did pretty good.

This is actually a bedspread size, so that will be even better. I will also be making toss cushions to go with it. Probably a neck roll and 4 toss pillows. Maybe a couple of pillow shams. Poor hubby, men always hate all the fru fru on the bed. lol....... I'll be back to show you how things are progressing soon.... and NO, still no computer. I never knew I had this much patience, I feel like I'm in computer rehab....

And lastly

I made up this gift for someone that I help out every couple of weeks. She has her beautiful Mocha (her Siamese cat) that has, of course, her own chair to sleep on. What cat doesn't... I found the fabric locally and thought it was perfect for the little quilted blanket for "the" chair. She has others, but at least with this one, she can keep up with the Feline News. The backing is just a simple black and white check, but works well with the top.

I also made a set of coasters for her mum and a coffee cup to go with it, sorry, no cup picture... But if you can't think of what to give someone who has a pet, this is a good option. Same fabric but different purposes...

Another pincushion mannequin

This is another one of the pincushion mannequins like what I did before, ages ago. Follow this link and this one to see the other pincushions. I just had to get back to them. They are my own design as far as the costuming, arms heads etc. The base pincushion is purchased and is such a great palette to work on.

I gave this as a gift for Christmas as well and was well received. I don't know what her name ended up being, but Flora came to mind. I will have to find out what her true identity is. I plan to do more of them as they are so quick and easy and make the best gifts and are truly personalized.

Last of the projects

These are the last of the projects I did for the holidays. I'll post the others later.

I made up two of Sherry Goshon's bag holders. They went to a couple of friends. First a picture of the twins before they were dressed and ready to be put to work. Then pictures of how they're final look turned out. They ladies didn't seem to mind purple or orange hair, so it's all good.

If you are looking for a quick and easy project for a gift, you can find this pattern over at Dollstreet in their pattern section. Very inexpensive but virtually no instruction on the faces. No diagram just a quick mention of how to colour the faces. If you're confidant you can make it work. Practice on paper first to get the face the way you want it and then transfer it to the doll. If you have other Sherry patterns, refer to them for the faces, or if you have a look that you like to have for your dolls, use that. There is no rule here about what you should do, just enjoy. Good luck.