Desperately Creative

Autumn Bunting - Part I

2011-09-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, the colors of fall! It's such a wonderful invitation to a new season. I love the new modern fabrics and prints available today. Traditional is good but something new is so fun too!

Here I've made several triangles about the size of the flags you see at car sales lots and open houses. These are much more enticing and last a long time. You might remember the patriotic bunting I did last summer and it's on my agenda to have one for every season so I can enjoy the colors and patterns for every part of the year.

Ok, I recycled a piece of cardboard and made my measurements.

It's good to mark the correct measurements on your template so you always have your directions right there. And...in theory...it might not get thrown away because there ARE measurements written on it. Another story, another time.

Lay several already pressed pieces of fabric on top of each other with a self-healing cutting board underneath. With a rotary cutter, and a steady hand, cut around your template pressing through all layers. Please pay the money to have a sharp blade on your cutter. It is so irritating to pull your fabric only to find it stuck by little fibers that weren't cut. My measurements were around 7 1/2 inches wide and 9 inches tall. It really doesn't matter as long as they are all cut the same.

Once you have all of your triangles cut, you put two pieces together and randomly alternate where you put each piece. I think I usually have about 18 pieces and that makes about 6 yards.

It doesn't matter if you have duplicate fabrics right next to each other or if you selectively put "random" together. Yes, I meant to say that...random is actually methodical.

Once you have these pieces ready, flip the fabric around to right sides are facing each other, line up your points and begin sewing at one end. No need to pin this together because it's not very big and is not going to be worn (that's when the measurements really matter). Don't sew across the top quite yet, we will sew that in another step.

Sew with a 1/4 inch seam from top right, down to the point, pivot your needle (with the needle in the fabric to keep it in place) and then sew back up to the top left.

Do this with each piece....more to follow on completing this bunting!

Tea Party Delight

2011-09-15T06:31:00.001-07:00

What's better than tea for two? ...tea for two little girls!

I love watching little girls play "ladies" in a real tea room being served delicacies on little plates with hot tea!

We've been to the tea room numerous times but this was a first for my niece and we celebrated her birthday, just girls, together and undistracted.

Ok, so we weren't completely dressed for a tea room visit but it was still good...because they didn't even notice! But, when asked what hat they would like to wear, they swarmed the hat basket to pick out the perfect match. So cute!

Here we had an array of choices. I can't even begin to describe these beauties of food the way our wonderful server described them. She threw in lots of adjectives and careful instructions on what was the best way to eat each of them. Then she left and we just tried it all. Who knew food could be so delightfully rich and tasty? ...well I guess the tea room knew!

Ok girls, go slow, I promise the server will not take all your goodies away until you are finished with them!

I have to say the cucumber sandwiches were a real hit, along with the melon balls with mint, and the biscuits with chocolate spread. My mouth is watering~

And here is what satisfaction looks like! After the tea room visit, we strolled outside the gardens and enjoyed the contentedness of a full belly, good conversation, and relaxed environment. So wonderful! Cherish these moments while your girls still want to be around you!

My Journey Through Quilting - Phase I

2011-05-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Let me start with "I've never made a quilt before." Now let me tell you that I've been scared. Yes, I'm very apprehensive about making a quilt. I have lots of friends that just whip these babies out while I think to myself "how did they do that?" I've been in love with Amy Butler fabric for a long, long time and I found the perfect starter quilt pattern drenched in Amy Butler!

The quilt is called Amy's Lotus Brick Path Quilt...

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/free_patterns.php

This pattern is free (that's amazing in itself, thank you Amy) and it is truly a beginner quilt. Why? There isn't a binding around the edges, just finished edges, which is so awesome! Another reason this is a beginner quilt is that none of the points, or corners, match up, another awesome. So far? Easy + easy = easy. Please don't mistake easy for fast. I didn't say that, but the work is doable! I've been working for a long time on this quilt and I can say it's "easy" to put away when needed then pull it back out and continue where you left off.

The pattern says to cut out lots and lots of "bricks." There's my 1960's tank of a machine in the background. It seriously weighs about 50 lbs! I can't talk and carry it at the same time.

I've started putting the cut pieces together ....whoa, whoa, whoa. I need to back up. This is a "random" quilt and there is a method to the madness. My mom and I worked really hard at arranging the randomness before I ever sewed two pieces together. She told me that I have lot of blends of colors (that's good) and a few pop colors (also good.) So, all we had to do was make sure I didn't have too many of the same styles of blend fabrics together, i.e. no dots with dots or stripes with stripes. Then we took the pop colors and started placing them at wide intervals around the quilt. Step back and look, defocus your eyes a little and you'd be surprised how easy it is find the void that needs some "pop" color. I labeled at the top of each row what number row it was and then stacked the pieces starting on the upper left, straight down, then row 2, straight down, etc.

Here's the top of row 3 with a half piece as the start of the row (it's not cut just folded over.) I sewed each piece, just like I picked them up, starting with row one, piece one. With a 1/4 seam allowance I sewed all the way down one row (set aside with the sticky still on top of the row.) I kept sewing until I got all 18 rows done. Time gauge = 5 rows in 2 hours approximately.

PRESSING MATTERS! You must get your iron out and press your work. Some people hate this part but I love it because it gives that finished look with one swipe. The seams need to be told which way to go and that's what the iron does!

1st row - press seams down

2nd row - press seams up , etc.

- or - press odds down, evens up

whichever works better for your brain

This is a different angle but you can see the sticky notes along the left side of the picture (which is actually the top of the quilt.)

When you put the rows together make sure the seam of the first row pieces are in the center of the second row pieces. To double-check yourself, fold a "brick" in half and mark with a sewing marker then match that up with the seam on the other row. This will stagger the rows but keep the measurements aligned so the whole thing matches up. You want to press the seams away from the center. I promise, it's worth the work. Since I don't know all of the little quilting techniques, my mom told me to do and so I did it like that. Mom was right, here's how the diligent work turns out.

This is the top of the quilt. Notice the edges are staggered and will be trimmed and all sticky notes are removed (except for row 1 as a guide.) Also notice the blend colors and the pop colors. I want to use the quilt just like it is but I'm going to see this through and finish the task.

Watch for Phase II...

Dress Saga Completed

2011-05-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

After all the amateur photos... here's a much better depiction of the dress from a professional's eye. Thanks, Dejah, nice job!

http://dejahquinnphotography.blogspot.com/

The Dress Saga

2011-05-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, the dress saga. This has been a challenge for me because, as usual, my brain and heart believe that I can do things before my body can actually execute them. I'm a dreamer, an idea giver, and an idealist. Ok, so now you know....and the story begins.

A friend of mine wanted to do a 1950's photo and needed some fun dresses. I went to Salvation Army and it was one of those light-shining moments on the rack of discount city that I found 2 dresses for $12.99 each. I grabbed them and said this can work!

Well, they need to be shorter to be 1950's so the hemming begins.

....and continues, and goes on and on.

Let me put this plug in - when I do things for other people, I'm even more dedicated to perfection than for myself. That usually makes me more frustrated and the other person doesn't even seem to notice anyway.

My good friend, Faye, said that trimming a dress is just like cutting hair.

You have to start from the underneath and get a guide then work your way out. T-r-i-c-k-y! We tied up the layers with string and used binder clips to keep them up and out of the way. The tough part? When you let the layers down you can't see the underside. So Lily and I got out the ruler and diligently marked the cut-off hem at 10 1/2 inches. Let me rephrase that - Lily got shoved under the layers (in the most loving and encourageable way) with a ruler and a marker so she could start marking the measurements about every 4 inches - all the way around. This went on and on. I didn't think about how many layers there were on this dress (actually, each dress). We got tired after about 4 layers of measuring.

Little trooper.

Side bar note, Lily and I love to watch Project Runway together. So please don't report me to the services for child labor. She actually likes helping me!

Wow, lots of work, but it's worth it. And I have to say that I love the challenge of things. I would never have asked myself to do this so I appreciate the fact that other people help make me better at sewing, through trial and error, and accomplishment.

Can't wait to see these beauties in the photo shoot!

Repurpose / Recycle

2011-05-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

New project this month! As part of the sewing club (our cute little local 4-H sewing group) we did a lesson on making something out of nothing. These cleaned out ice cream containers were the basis of our project. I got a bunch of them (for free) and brought them to the club. We did some quick measurements, got out the fun fabric and turned these babies into decorative trash cans or, for more the more advanced girls, a sewing caddy with a drawstring. Neat idea origination? HA! My dad! He made my mother a knitting caddy when they were in high school. My dad is an engineer and loves math so it makes perfect sense to me. Thanks, dad!

Blue Bell containers and and excited Lily ready to sew!
....determined look on her face.

I don't have many pictures of the middle part of the class because it's so hectic with all of these precious questions and enthusiasm that I can't even stop to get my camera. The students were to measure the circumference and cut a rectangle to match the container. Then they sewed the two ends together (right sides together) and then pressed the seam open. Next was a 1/2 inch hem and the top and the bottom. Last, slide the "tube" of fabric over the container and embelish to taste. Here are some of the finished products. You can see the creativity come out in each one.

She's 7 and finished her first trach can. She picked the fabric and ribbon herself.

This one is a teen-agers. LOVE IT!

Lily really wanted her namesake on it. So no one could steal it!

"Yep, that's mine."

Here's the sewing caddy with a drawstring. We just lengthened the "tube" and did a 1/2 inch hem then a 2 inch fold over. We also added a circular bottom so the container would be supported with the weight of sewing what-nots thrown inside. With extra fabric she made the matching drawstring. Really amazing job!

I love doing this! Sometimes I forget how awesome it is to watch someone get so proud of their creation. There's more to come!

Retro Highchair

2011-04-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

This adorable highchair was found at the local antique shop. We have some amazing ones around here and this was a real steal! It needed a little work but I was up for the challenge. Actually, let me back up...my sister-in-law (sweet and over-ambitious Katy) spotted this bute, bought it, took it home, had to explain to hubby why she bought a rusty highchair for the baby, then put it in the storage shed. I arrived and asked about the chair in which she directed me to the backyard. Ugh, I couldn't stand the idea of it not being used because it was adorable! So, I brought it back to Oklahoma, did a little magic and took it back to Albuquerque. yweh!

Ok, metal 101, this highchair had rust. I took a wad of aluminum foil (yes, from the kitchen) and used it like a sponge and scrubbed over the metal legs and arms. It took a little elbow grease but the results were immediate, hence, I kept working. You would not believe how shiny metal can really be!

There's the wad on the floor.

There's the yucky rust.

And now, shiny and new. I painted the tray again to seal it up and make it look nice. I do have to remind you that the "baby" is actually 18 months old and has a plate. just sayin'

Recovered Chair

2011-03-31T09:35:00.001-07:00

My mother-in-law was so sweet to pass down this chair full of potential. It doesn't show the comfortability that I know so well but it's there! I'm thrilled to have it and it's definitely a family momento...it's been passed around several of us. The fun part is how to make it even more wonderful! So, here we go! I got some "hot" fabric at our local Hancock's and LOVE IT!

I took some basic measurement and charted it out on a sheet of paper. I think the hardest part of turning measurements into patterns is how to buy the yardage. I struggle with this and often have to ask those information gurus at the fabric store what to do. They are so helpful and make me feel good about what I'm buying. So, laying out the pattern pieces (in my head) we came up with what I needed. I really just followed what was on the original cushion with a small adaptation on the zipper.

Buy good fabric!!! You WILL need to wash it! No matter how careful you are, no one else will be as careful as you! (Case in point?....daughter with dirty feet)

Here's how the back turned out.

The front shot...

It's too cold right now, but picture this on the porch, you reclined effortlessly, with a wonderfully chilled drink on a hot summer afternoon, and sunglasses on so you can take in all the brightness around you!!! It will be here soon.

And, here's the little pillow in case sleepiness happens to follow!

Heritage Project

2011-03-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

So, we've been working on so much lately! One thing we've been working on is Kenny's Heritage Project. It's a class project meant to go through your ancestry and talk about the country your family originated from. This stuff is so fun and I loved watching Kenny's eyes light up when grandpa, or great-grandpa, would tell him something about the family that he never know.

We decided to follow my husbands side because they came to America within the last 100 years. I'm Irish and Ken is Irish/Italian/Polish. Grandpa was a New York Italian so he's wonderfully animated when he gets mad. Irish=mad but Italian=expression! Here's the fam!....or I mean...FAMILIA!

...from the boot to America!

And the pride of every parent! Great job, Kenny!!!!

Pom-Poms, Baby!

2011-02-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

Pom-pom city, baby! My daughter is working on her project that she got for Christmas. It's a pom-pom scarf, one for her and one for her doll.

It's an American Girl product that I got at our local Hancock Fabrics Store. It's the cutest thing on earth. Super easy, bright colors, wonderful directions.

We got out the instructions and tape measure. Lots of measuring going on to ensure that each pom-pom is the same size (to begin with anyway).

She got a little excited about the scissors and the shaping, so some pom-poms came out a little smaller than usual. I feel her pain, when I trim...there's one piece and then one more piece, etc.

These are the awesome forms that came with the box. The larger one is for girls size pom-poms and the teeny one is for the doll's pom-poms.

I think the challenge here is not how hard it is to make pom-poms (because they are really easy and sort of fun) but it's the amount of pom-poms needed to make these scarves. So along with the lesson of sewing and crafting is the lesson of patience and diligence. We have to be patient to give all 26 pom-poms the same amount of care and we have to be diligent to do ALL 26 pom-poms. I guess there are hidden lessons inside of everything you do and I want to teach her the joy of finishing the project along with the journey to get there.

Super Hero Day!

2011-02-16T12:29:00.001-08:00

This week is Spirit Week at the kids school. Today was monumentous with Super Hero Dayyyyy!

The kids were so excited to wear costumes to school. I loved that Kenny's hero is his dad so out came the Special Forces Hero costume. My daughter, on the other hand, is like me and always goes for drama! We got out the Little Red Riding Hood costume from Halloween and conformed it to be a makeshift Wonder Woman costume. The only thing missing? The amazing dixie cups wrapped in aluminum foil as bullet armor! Thanks for those great memories, mom.

Lily sewed a "W" on the top and skirt of the costume from recycled Christmas ribbon. (My family totally makes fun of us girls that collect it after every present is opened.) She sewed a wide running stitch through the ribbon to secure it, and can easily be removed after the day's festivities.

When I dropped the kids off at school, they both had that funny look on their faces. I remember that look. They said, "Mom, what if no one else dressed up today?" I giggled a little because I would be thinking the same thing but I assured them that no one could resist Super Hero Day at school. "Go learn and be super!"

Little Miss Matryoshka

2011-01-31T13:05:00.000-08:00

Working on tea towels for family members that were so gracious as to accept my late Christmas gift via IOU. That's right, my family is so generously supportive that they actually got excited about an almost finished Christmas present.

I bought the tea towels at the most wonderful and entertaining website, thank you Jenny Hart, at Sublime Stitching. http://www.sublimestitching.com/ She has so many genres of designs that you are surely going to find something up your alley.

Just buy the amazing package of designs that are completely economical and super cute! You can iron the designs up to 10 times for the price of one. How can you go wrong?

This is so much like coloring for adults. I love to color with my daughter but this is just as fun! Well, after I discovered how much I like to embroider, I threw in the crayons anyway. The center of the Matryoshka's dress is colored in with crayon. I colored it in after I put the iron-on transfer on the fabric but before the embroidery so my thread would give it the "finished" look. Pick a complimenting color (Crayola is the best because it has most color to wax ratio) and color in the lines. Then take a hot iron (heat appropriate for type of fabric) with scrap fabric below and above your colored piece so it protects your iron and your ironing board. The heat fuses the color to the fiber and the extra fabric absorbs any excess. It will wash just fine because the water won't get hot enough to bleed out the color. I should mention that I don't usually wash these in hot water but very warm water. It gives such a nice addition to the work and looks very tailored.

Have fun embroidering!!!

I'm Back with Mystery Trip Fun!

2011-01-26T06:16:00.001-08:00

Wow, I took a very long break....so sorry about that! I guess I needed a small break that turned into a big break. Refreshing? ...yes, but I sure miss the sharing!

During this break, our family went on an adventure! I called it the "Mystery Trip." The kids had no idea where we were going until we went to the airport. One week before Christmas we went to the most magical Christmas place in the world, New York City! They were thrilled!

We did the whole thing! Skating in Central Park, American Museum of Natural History, Statue of Liberty, FAO Schwartz, Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, American Girl datenight, Sony, Broadway Show, Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, hot dogs on the street corner, the subway and all it's funk, italian food, and amazing chocolate....yweh! So much fun every minute we were there.
Skating before falling. Salute to NY!

The tree!!!
Little girl taking a picture of Lady Liberty.

Lesson here? We saved, saved, and saved. All the little jobs the kids did, the extra work my husband and I found, craft shows and orders; all that money went into the Mystery Trip Fund. Boy, those little dollars add up quick. Through this process another amazing thing happened, the kids matured a little. Didn't see that coming. They started to see the progress and when we went to the bank to make our weekly deposit, they watched the numbers grow. The lovely ladies at the bank were in on the surprise so they really helped ham it up and give lots of praise (and kept the secret) through this 5 month commitment. Now the kids are a little less fussy about being asked to do chores (and sometimes even do them without being asked) and they realize that work equals money. I love it!

Here's how we did it! We made a plan (without the kids knowing details) and knew where we were with every deposit. We played it off pretty well for a long time. The kids thought we were going to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the whole trip. Once we reached a certain amount, we told them we had enough for hot dogs....and so the fun continued.

First the airfare, then the lodging....everything else unfolded and as the list grew so did the jobs and deposits. This was such a fun experience for our whole family and I highly recommend doing this with yours!

Birthday and Parade

2010-12-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

The little guy is growing up! He's getting big and strong. He informed me that he was now a tween and that I need to get used to it. It's hard though because I remember when he really thought he was Peter Parker and Spiderman. Boy, those were the days.

To keep him young and spry and continue with the toy theme before it gets weird, we gave him what I thought was a very cool thing.

That's good, bud...read the card first.
Now you can dig in!

The emotions set in.

A LEGO CLOCK/RADIO! I love this! I really think he loved it too, because through the course of the weekend, he kept unplugging it and taking it around the house wherever he was so he could see the time. I wasn't sure if I should tell him that they have invented the watch. Nope, I just smiled at the excitement. I guess I should add a quick side note - my family is completely behind the times on technology...and I love it. I mean, this kid is excited about a clock. It's the first form of technology in his room except for his fan.

After the fun times of the family birthday party (friend party to come this weekend) we had a wonderfully relaxing time watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We watch it every year.

One of the kids seems to remember us "being" there so the annual show must have sunk in.

Craft Show!

2010-11-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

Here's the display! It was adorable! I have managed to surround myself with such creative friends.
Kara made the cutest yo-yo clips for your hair and the most amazing tie headbands. Jessica made the sweetest coffee mug cuffs out of ties!
I threw in a few hair bows and knitted flowers.

And some homemade Christmas cards and there you have it! The show stopper....

...or so we thought.

Even though this was heavenly to us, it didn't seem to catch anyone else this weekend.

OH, did we try! We modeled our own things, roped in some family members to walk around with our stuff just to create a buzz...but no luck. I guess even though we think it's simply amazing stuff at almost exploitable prices...not everyone else thinks so. It was a hard pill to swallow but I guess people sometimes have shows like this, where you walk away hoping you made enough to pay for your table. Any thoughts? Do tell!

As for now we are admiring our cutsie things and giving cheers to each other for all the work and prep that went into our array of inventory.

Don't worry! We are too crafty to keep down! The creative flow is stalled by disappointment but I feel like that will only last about 2 days...ok, maybe 3 days, and then back to the thoughts of Christmas around the corner! Ooooo I hope my family is not looking at this post - there may be a few gifts represented here.

Craft Show Prep

2010-11-17T13:35:00.000-08:00

Here's the life the next few days. I carry my yarn and needles in my purse so I can knit a flower in a snap. You would be surprised how fast those little segments of time can add up.

Here's the last few days of "found" hours. I still need to sew the button on and add the headband. I learned how to do short rows and scale the flower bigger or smaller based on yarn size and needle size. It's so fun to see how they turn out and I've found myself snooping around for a new skein of yarn just so I can see a new one. So here I go....knit, knit, tic, tic, click, click...the sound the neeldes make!

Craft Show, Craft Show, 1 more to go...

2010-11-12T14:59:00.001-08:00

Yeah! This was the last craft show I entered. It was sooooo fun! I loved seeing other artisans there with a nice intimate setting. Such a lovely night with crafts, sales, charity auction, coffee, and great food. How could you ever go wrong?

Gearing up for the next one in 7 days.....ahhhhh!

Pumpkins of Late

2010-11-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

We went to a spectacular Pumpkin Carving/Costume party. It was so fun! I love seeing creative costumes and everyone that comes! So here are a few pics of the wonderful pumpkins that we managed to carve and scrape....

Messy, messy.

Just couldn't give up the pumpkin.The rest of us just carved it up!!!!

The men really dove into this project. We weren't even keeping score.

....such talent!

Vote People, Vote!

2010-11-02T12:17:00.001-07:00

Well, folks, it's that time again....time for RESPONSIBILITY. It's voting day! I hope you all have made, at the very least, a slight effort to know your area and state questions that are popping up all over the place. I'm sure you are as ready as I am to get this done and positive change to get started. I'm off to the polls to give my 2 cents for free....my freedom....freedom of choice.

I did find it a little interesting that the local newspaper printed the state questions for review but printed it blurry where is was extremely hard to read. Hhhhmmmm......

Glorious Sunrise

2010-10-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

One of those mornings, you know, the kind where you are almost late and looking around to make sure you have everything. 1, 2 kids....purse...phone...anything else can wait.

Racing out of the driveway, I saw this beautiful moment captured in time and I told myself to "stop, wait, chill" and took the pic. I sat just for a second and looked ALL around the sky at the colors. I took a deep breath of satisfaction and contentness and .....carried on.

Don't forget to stop and look around!

Busy Little Bee

2010-10-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

I've had a hectic few weeks and that makes my creative thread that much more tense. This post is to remind you that creating is an outlet and a form of therapy, not a luxury misunderstood.

The holidays are just around the corner so I must start on my ideas. I usually get the urge right before Halloween anyway because of the change in weather that says "please stay inside in the warmth" and I do...

I started on cards and gifts. I actually write out a list of people and ideas because my mind is always going and I'll forget if I don't have a reminder. Every year I go to www.realsimple.com and type in "holiday gift list" for a list printout. Write it in pencil so you can make changes as you approach the holidays.

I love this forethought! It's attentive, sincere, frugal (without being cheap), and maybe a little on the luxurious side. When you have time to really think and consider what someone else would be happy with, you have a new perspective. It's the little thoughts that come up everyday that remind you of that person not just because they're on my list and I need to give them something. So get the list out, find some ways to be creative and put your thinking cap on.

We are doing a homemade/heritage Christmas this year and it's so fun to have a challenge like that. We will stay on budget and be resourceful while keeping in mind the likes, wants, and needs of the other person. Our range is from 1 year to 85 years old. Do we really NEED anything? ...or can we just make this fun?

Ok, well, I have to say that we don't have any teenagers or grouches. Everyone this year will probably love whatever is made...you may need to really think about the recipient. It's just going to work out perfect this year so we'll just ride the holiday wave.

Balloons, Balloons!

2010-10-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh. The peak in my year has to be the amazing Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. It's the most photographed event in the world. Who could pass this up? About 700 hot air balloons flying overhead, being laid out in the grass, inflated right before your eyes. The fire that heats the balloon's air is so loud and hot on these chilly mornings. There are so many, it would be impossible to post them all, so here are some special pics....

Fog as we left sweet Oklahoma.

Bees flying!....flying closer

Balloons flying overhead. You feel so small when these huge balloons are all around you....like Alice in Wonderland.

Alas, the cow could not get up this time. She looks so sad. I say "she" because when it's fully inflated, there are visible utters!

It's REALLY this beautiful and cool!

We left with a fog and returned with a welcome home sunset. Amazement across 3 states!

A Fair with Ribbons

2010-09-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

OH MY GOODNESS! I was so excited to go to the State Fair this week. It was a family hunt for the things that were entered. The Creative Arts building is really big when you are only looking for a few things. So with completely intent looks and a smile on our faces, we scoured the building. Look at what we found!

The knitted dress I made for Lily. It got 1st place in this category. I was shocked and so pleased!

Next up? The 1960's dress that I was trying so hard to finish in time for the judging. Wow, it got 2nd place. (the scarf on the dress is not mine but they did a great job!)

And we also found the pickled peaches that my daughter and husband helped me make at 2nd place. Oh, they were beautiful sitting on that shelf. I can't wait to eat them at the peak of winter when I need a summer pick-me-up.

The crocheted scarf got 5th place which I was still happy about!

I couldn't find my jam or pickled garlic but out of 7 entries, I got 5 ribbons and that is something to write home about....so, MOM, looky see and thanks for showing me so much!

County Fair Ribbons

2010-09-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

I'm probably confusing you all by going back and forth here, but our county fair and state fair are only a few days apart....and as usual, I'm just trying to keep up. Sooooo, here are some pics of the county fair.

Lily got 3rd place for her first-time cross-stitch. Each member of her sewing club made a cross-stitch of one of their initials. My daughter is a Cloverbud in the 4-H sewing club so we didn't think it would be competitive but seeing the ribbon was a nice surprise. (I bet she get's better at the next fair!)

This table is the Junior table. I just loved seeing all the different things that people get inspired to make. You can walk down the aisle and sense how much time it must have taken for all these "juniors" to make their projects. I just love it! It's so satisfying to watch families come in and look around for their entries and hear their pride, their ooooo-s and aaaaaaahhhh-s and giggles! And if a smile had a sound, you could hear it that evening.

The Celtic Knot was done by a friend who is an amazing cross-stitcher, Rilda. She picked the perfect matting and frame to showcase her very first entry into a fair! Can you believe it? She got first place....I have to say, I wasn't surprised. I got that feeling of pride when I saw the ribbon and thought, "should I call her? ....should I wait and let her see it? ....I want to call her!" But rest assured, my patience prevailed and I didn't say anything. The next morning, she had that glow on her face and I knew, she knew!!!!

A Few Fair Entries

2010-09-17T06:41:00.001-07:00

It's Fair time! ....State Fair time.

We took a few entries to the state fair to drop off. My daughter and her friend came along with me to get a sneak peek of the excitement to come. And they helped me carry my items inside, thank you girls...I had a lot.

We dropped off the Pickled Peaches, Pickled Garlic, and Strawberry/Blueberry jam. These sweet little old ladies were taking all of the entries and they were so excited to see what people made. I loved watching them smile when they would take jars of wonderful stuff from the entry table to the competition table.

I snapped a picture as quick as I could, while answering questions, getting my claim check, signing a waiver, and telling the girls not to go too far. So, I missed the great shot of all my pieces that I entered but managed to get a shot of the knitted dress really fast before they took it off to the knitting section.

Got a quick pic of the dress too. It's a close up but hopefully I'll get a full picture this weekend.

It's so exciting to watch all the people that come to the arts and crafts building and look around! People get so impressed and amazed at what other regular, busy people can create. I hope it's as inspiring to you as it is to me!!!

County Fair

2010-09-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ah, I'm back! I've been doing a little soul searching the last couple of weeks trying to decide if I should consider making crafts to sell. That clouded my spirit a little and made me less creative than ever. So, I let it ride and just focused on what made me happy. I don't know where this will go but as usual, it will be fine!

On to more fun things in life....THE COUNTY FAIR!

My daughter helped her sewing club do a scarecrow display and it was so fun. We were instructed to not spend a dime on this and only use what we could find around the house. It was a challenge but in a great way and forced us to be resourceful! The theme was "There's Magic at the Fair."

Pillowcase head, button eyes and sock mustache.Borrowed shirt from dad, trash bag vest, #10 can with paper plate rim as top hat spray painted black.
Papa's pants and another family's poster in the back. Add the glitter and magic carpet and "there's magic at the fair!"

They won 3rd place...not bad...super fun!

"Where do we start?"

Ahhhhhh, pumpkin weather around the corner. Beautiful watermelon and cantalopes!

A lot of people in this area have Black Walnut trees. FYI, they are murder to get open without crushing the nut inside. I've hit them with a hammer and run over them with the car...nope, not doing it, they just wouldn't open. That's why they are expensive! Just pay the money.

Gorgeous harvest!

Coooooool! They were loud too.

I loved that our little county brought in this huge portable fishtank. It was so neat!

Same sheep from the sheep farm we visited in the spring. Man, they have grown! I can't wait to see the wool. I'll find out where Faye sends it....oooo I feel another project coming on that I have absolutely no time for, so fun!

Next week the State Fair and lots of pics of my entries. We'll see if they do well.

The Harvest's Bounty

2010-08-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here's the bounty of our harvest as of the middle of August. Well, I know it's not that much of a bounty, but over the weeks we continually get about this much every few days. I'm very proud of this, mostly because the grasshoppers have taken residence in our garden and those little buggers are eating up our hard work. They are tricky and quick which makes it all the more frustrating when I'm yelling at them.

These beautiful tomatoes were calling for me to keep them preserved somehow, someway and I love to keep summer flavor...so off to research I go.

While researching I gently covered my precious tomatoes. I wasn't sure how we were going to dry and by the power of the internet, I found three different ways - over, dehydrator, and car. We have a borrowed dehydrator with no manual so I was leary to do that and I wasn't too sure about the consistency of the dashboard of the car so I decided to try the oven method....and I left them in too long.

Then my heart broke when I saw the crispy, dark red "chips" sitting on the cookie sheet instead of summer flavors preserved in the Italian red color I was expecting. Ouch, ouch, ouch. They tasted terrible! So now what?

Ken and I babysat the dehydrator one afternoon and checked those tomatoes like they were turning into gold. I'm going to leave you hanging and will post the pretty, red tomatoes on the next post.

p.s. they turned out great!!!

The Delights of Life

2010-08-23T12:38:00.001-07:00

As the summer nears it's end, I would like to reflect on the delights of life. The little things that crack me up, abundantly! ...or just make me smile and think!
Sticking your head out the window so your mouth flaps open.

Building a dam in the gutter.

Seeing a swan.

Tea party with Girl Scout Cookies.

Tiny kittens on your bed.

Old school Fisher Price Little People.

Critters coming out of the neighbors chimney.

Star Wars!

Grandad with a Blue Bell hat on.

Peachy Keen and Ice Cream

2010-08-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summer like homemade ice cream at Grandma's house. I have fond memories of my dad and uncle turning the hand crank while each of us kids took a turn sitting on the cold towel on top of the metal cylinder. What was even better? The small bits of peaches Grandma cut up and threw in the mix.

Boys making ice cream, I love it.

Up close with the recipe...and vanilla.

And here's instructions from Grandma. I have to tell you that Grandma has the most amazing stories that you could hardly believe. I love to listen to her and hear about her life. I wish I could bottle her up so I don't forget a word she says! I guess that's why we love making ice cream, so we have our own stories to tell. Who couldn't love a grandma that does this with you?

Looks like she's made it a million times! "You blend, I'll hold."

...steady now...

and the last ingredients go in.

We used an electric ice cream maker and it was wonderful! No one got tired and everything inside was evenly mixed.

"Here....let me show you how!"

"Now you do it." (I could close my eyes and hear her voice like I was right there. So sweet.)

Look at those chunks of frozen peaches!

I think I had 3 bowls in a row....yikes!

Disclaimer: Grandma did not know I was posting these pictures. Don't worry, Grandma, no one judges you on your kitchen counter-top. I know that's what you're thinking.

It's just Peachy!

2010-08-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

The family and I stopped at a wonderful little (and famous) peach orchard in Mexia, TX. It's actually pronounced "ma-hay-ya" not like Mexico misspelled. It was hot, and hot, and hot down there but the peaches were so happy!

We bought one box of grade 1 peaches which, I learned, meant that they were the prettiest peaches with no scars or bruises.

We brought these little guys home and wanted to preserve the summer succulence for those colder months ahead. But don't worry, I cut little "spots" off and popped them into my mouth so I was sure to get plenty summer flavors!

Ok, to prep peaches, the best trick we've stumbled upon is to dunk them in boiling water for about 30 seconds and then in cold water in the sink (thanks mom). The skins peel off so easily they almost fall off, which is awesome when you are doing an entire box of peaches.

I followed the recipe in the Ball Bluebook (you remember the one) and cooked the peaches in a sugary syrup.

The blue thing you see in the pot is called a Food Loop and you can go to http://www.thefoodloop.com/ to watch the video of how wonderful this contraption really is. The best way to describe it is a silicone, stretchy zip-strip for cooking. They are re-usable wash great. The recipe called for allspice and whole spice wrapped in cheesecloth so that's how I secured the bag closed so the spices would stay nestled inside and wouldn't cloud the pretty, red syrup.

We put the peaches in whatever jars I had leftover. Most were wide-mouth jars but I had to use a couple of regular mouth jars...and that was tricky. You see, a good peach canner will put the peaches in the jar with the rounded side up and then gently lay the others on top. With a smaller mouth jar, the peach flips over and you can't get your hand in there to flip it back (statement of experience). Another thing to remember is that whenever you are canning, you have to get the air bubbles out and those little stinker peaches were hiding air bubbles all over the place. I would hold up the very hot jar and have my daughter look underneath to make sure we squeezed out those pesky bubbles.

After layering, pouring syrup, pushing out air bubbles, and screwing on lids and rings, it's into the water bath for 20 minutes. And here we are.......PEACHES!

Can I Can? ...That is the question.

2010-07-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

I think that's the question on the shoulders of today's home-growers. Are we really qualified to can like our grandmas and mothers used to do? I don't feel like I have this tugging at our wallet quite like the Depression, like my grandma did back when everyone canned and wasted nothing, but I still want to do my part. She made it look so easy and that makes me feel a little inadequate on whether or not I'll be successful at it canning. But I'm willing to try, and this week I wanted to try pickling. I mean, we grew the cucumbers, so let's do it!

I was very careful to follow the directions in the Ball Blue Book! That meant clean, hot jars and lids to work with and a large canning pot of hot water waiting in the background.

I think my cucumbers are a little big but I picked every one I could find so I would have the right amount. The recipe called for 8 lbs of cucumbers so we got out the scale and started adding...

...they were so pretty and green...
Chop, chop went the knife into workable sizes of spears.
Here I packed the jars as full as I could stuff them. Sometimes I got a little frustrated and chopped the cucumbers into smaller pieces and shoved them in just so I could win the battle of space inside that jar (I'm not sure you are supposed to do that). Then I laddled the hot brine (vinegar, sugar, canning salt, and pickling spices) inside the jars until the liquid was about 1/2 inch from the top of the jar. The handy blue tool I'm using inside the jar is to squeeze out air bubbles, an absolute must! If there are air bubbles insied your jar, bacteria has the perfect place to grow, so smoosh those cucumbers down all the way around until no more bubbles rise.

The jars go into the water bath for cooking. A water bath just means a big pot of boiling water.

15 minutes later, out they come.

You can see here the bright green jars have not been cooked yet in the water bath. The "dill" looking pickles are completely cooked and ready for storage.

There are a couple of wonderful things about canning:

I love keeping something we grew.

I love that there are no preservatives in this wonderful food.

I love that people appreciate these items as gifts (genuinely appreciate, no faking).

I love that our children are seeing where food comes from and they do have a choice in what they consume.

I love having a full cupboard.

I love actually tasting summer in the dead of winter...it just can't be reproduced!

I can't wait to try these but here's where patience begins...the recipe says to wait 7 weeks for them to cure so I'm not sure our hard work has paid off yet. I'm hoping for the best and I'm glad I'm not getting graded.

I Heart Maine

2010-07-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Maine! Wow, what a beautiful city and friendly people. My husband was so sweet to take me around for the afternoon. We strolled (not walked quickly) around the shops without a care in the world. No watch, no time constraint....just us.

The streets were cobblestone and sidewalks were brick. I loved the colonial, American charm.

We ate on a floating restaurant that overlooked the boats bobbing in the water.

Then we walked off the seafood and went to Portland's Architectural Salvage and browsed around. Everything was so cool in there and there was no way we could afford the pretty stuff we really wanted.

Price tag on this baby? About $400 each. Yeah, we just looked around and didn't touch anything.

Off to the yarn shops! I bought this cute kit at Tess's Yarns. It was a darling little shop with everything hand dyed in Maine. This will be my first project knitting with ribbon. So far, it's going well.

It will be a heart scarf or belt and I can repeat the pattern to make it the length I want.

I also bought my first skein of Bamboo (the green skein in the background.) It is super soft like silk/cotton blend. I can't wait to try it out. I love getting things that I can make that will remind me of my vacation. I get fabric and yarn and make something cute out of it. People might comment on the item I made and then I have a little story about the history of the item. Who doesn't love a quick story?

You might remember the pattern I bought a while back. I finally found the perfect fabric for it. I went to a small fabric shop in Portland called Z Fabrics. The owner was there and she was absolutely precious. I showed her a picture of the pattern and we walked around and found this Miramekko design. The pattern print is in proportion for the dress...not too small, not too big.

I love the colors and think it will be a gorgeous dress! Pics of the process to come...

Patriotic Party

2010-07-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

And the Patriotic Party Begins!!!!

We had a slight adjustment to the party as the hurricane came all the way up from the coast and visited OK just as our day began. Soooooo, we moved it into the garage instead...no amount of rain was going to damper this party!

Banners up and table clothes down, we set the place up for buffet food, BBQ style.

Ken made a Bacon Explosion for all to enjoy.

Yes, he wove the bacon together and wrapped bits of bacon inside the sausage then rolled all of that together. I think about 1 bite of this is the equivalent of 2 Bic Macs but it's so good! All you really need is one bite, with lots of BBQ sauce Head Country style!
I made these corn cakes out of Southern Living Farmers Market Cookbook (link under Book List).
We were so excited to get the most absolutely fresh corn from a friend and, oh, you could tell! It was sweet and plump with juices.

I made Strawberry/Blueberry Jam for all of our guests to take home as a little token of red, white, and blue joy.

The little girls painted their nails for this perfectly patriotic occassion.

It had rained until about 5 so we don't have pictures of all the guys huddled around the smokers and sopping the homemade rubs on everything but it was awesome. After indulging in the wide array of food, we lit fireworks and enjoyed the cooled off evening. Since it had rained all day, the grounds were damp and completely safe, the air was cool and light, so we were able to sit and relax and share company with all who came.

I'd like to thank all those in the military and their families for their ongoing service. And I highly recommend learning what the founding fathers went through by the series John Adams. It will enlighten you!

Little Bo Peep Skirt

2010-07-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

I made these Little Bo Peep skirts for both of my nieces. I got them out of one of my pattern books, Seams to Me. They looked so cute on each of them. I was amazed that my daughter picked out each of the fabric pieces and told me what part of the skirt to put them. I loved watching her at the fabric store and critically going over the bolts of fabric until she found exactly what she was looking for. Oh, no....she's detail oriented like me, and she's only 8 yr. old. Yikes.

She did such a good job figuring out what each of them would love.

These are the side panels and ruffles. There's an elastic waist and fabric sewn on top of the ruffles.

I think she'll wear this one out.

This is the other one I made (along with my daughter's direction) and I don't know how my niece snuck out without me getting a picture but she did, so I don't have this one modeled. I'm sure you can use your imagination!

I love the birds on this one...so vibrant and crisp. Great color scheme and beautiful collections of prints. Way to go, little dear!

Vintage Patterns

2010-07-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

I bought all of these patterns at a thrift shop for 25 cents each. It was a steal and I even found them in my size (yyyyyyyyeeeEEAH!). I'm going to paint you a picture of a different era....a sewing era full of talent and the absolute need for many outfits in one day.

Let's take a step back in time for a moment. Back to a time when patterns were 65 cents (full retail) and "Simplicity" was the name of the game.

Everyone woman wanted to be a Vogue woman and walk down her imaginery New York Ave with style (even if she had to make it happen herself).

Of course, after a long day of shopping, she came home and changed into her lounge wear. Once she was finished lounging, she changed into her bed coat. I love bed coats and I think I want to single-handedly bring them back to popularity. They cover up the private parts when you don't have a bra on, and they are not as heavy as a robe.

Those times were so wonderful with style. I'm not sure if you have seen the film starring Katharine Hepburn, where she changes outfits every 5 seconds, but one great afternoon - rent The Philidelphia Story. Oh my goodness, what wonderful clothes and extravagance on every frame of that movie. We are all spoiled on the inside (just a little) so watch this movie like you were a little girl dressing up in anything and everything and demanding all that you want. It's a fantasy movie and it's just delightful.

Finished Knitted Dress

2010-06-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, folks, I finished the dress! I know, it's been way too long for me not to post this but bare with me...here are the pics!

This image is from the inside of the dress. It has a lattice look where I wove the elastic in and out on the backside. I took the proper measurements but I have to say, it was very tight on her. So for the next set of pictures, I snipped off almost all of the elastic and just let about 3 strands hold up the dress.

And here we have it...it worked great! This white ribbon can be changed out for any occasion.This was for First Communion and she wore a little cover-up over the shoulders. The pattern called for straps but I thought they would fall off the shoulder (and I ran out of time) so we decided to skip them.

And here we changed the ribbon to red for our 4th of July party.

It is so soft and light weight, perfect for our summer party.

I do have to be realistic and know that she will only wear this for about 10 minutes (enough for me to get a picture) and then it will be shorts and t-shirt time. Ahhhhhh, the 4th....

Soccer Success

2010-06-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

In lieu of recent soccer events, I'm posting a fabric soccer ball I made. This was for my 18 month old niece who loves to play "ball" with her older brother but isn't quite ready for the big kid balls.

I love the bright colors and high contrast, perfect for those little growing eyes. The fabric is pliable so she can grab it and carry it anywhere. She can even fall on it and sit on it if she wants too. Now, when you are working with batting, I found it almost impossible to make the perfect sphere. Well, it was a perfect sphere until children got a hold of it and started kicking and throwing (and laughing and playing) until it was completely bent out of shape. All is ok, though, because 18 month olds have really low standards as long as it's made well!

Vintage Cookbook

2010-06-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

This was a real find. It's so cute and authentic! I opened it up and actually found a table of contents....I don't think people do that anymore.

It was darling! The penmanship was amazing and even though the pages were worn (because they were cooked around) the book was in great condition.

I couldn't find any handwritten dates but then I found the pictures and they said it all.

This pic was so sweet because she noted where she got the recipe - from OG&E, our local electric company. I bet she got this recipe in her monthly bill in Small Town America. (They still do that here and I love it!)

Faye's Sewing Room

2010-06-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Faye is a wonderful woman that I admire so much! She is the ultimate knowledge of the past wanting to push through to the future. I love her enthusiasm in teaching young adults how to find their creative skills and get some long lost attitude of being resourceful back out into mainstream thinking. Ideas, direction, and encouragement are her forte! She is in charge of our 4-H sewing club where Lily is excited to learn and grow in her sewing skills. Faye is also head of the Home Grown section of 4-H and I can't imagine all the things that woman must know!

Faye and I were talking a while back and it was so funny how we women think sometimes. She was talking about having this sewing room (building) finished so everyone could come and enjoy it. She was remembering little jobs that needed to be done and just wanted to get into the building so bad that the little jobs could wait. I was trying to get a point across and said, "Faye, be like a professional for a minute. If a professional wanted to move into a workshop, all the equipment would be where they wanted it and everything would flow for work purposes. Wait a few more weeks and have it right, and exactly they way you want it to be...purposeful and finished. Then you won't have to wait and worry about things getting done." I think we should all make our space important and we will feel productive not scattered.

And here it is...that wonderful sewing room that is ready to be a place for teaching and learning. It's such a great thing!

I don't even know what this machine does but it's cool! And a little tip from Faye - when you are sewing and get all that lint inside the machine, don't use canned air to blow it out, use an air mattress pump. The tip is small and can reach those little places and the pressure is perfect, besides don't we all have one those?

Faye is one of those few people in the world that has always made her money through sewing. Kudos to you, Faye for your wonderful contribution to young, sewing minds!

Handmade Marketplace

2010-06-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is a phenomenal book! The author, Kari Chapin, is amazing and I'm pumped to start her eCourse this week.

Why is this book so Phenom? It talks to crafters about creating a business. Is that what we all want? Not necessarily, but I love that she is making me answer my own questions about having a business goal. I may discover that I don't have a goal and that I just like to make things for people, but I feel like I'm at that next level where I need a little challenge and I'd like to see where I can go.

This will force me to be realistic and goal-oriented. I need that nudge because the creative side of me lives in a world where everything always works out.If you are considering turning your craft into your business, this is a great start! This will expose you to aspects about a business such as time committment, tax information, expenses, and marketing. I know, I know! All you want to do is make things. Well, me too, but I might be able to recover some money to at least buy more supplies to feed my sewing habits. Plus, making things just makes me feel better...so read on!

Patriotic Process

2010-06-17T06:58:00.000-07:00

Next step in the Patriotic Process...getting the flags assembled.

After sewing the flags together, I turned the them right side out and poked the point with a dull pencil so it would have that nice finish. I pressed the flags with an iron for sharp edges. I highly recommend that when you get your sewing machine out, you turn on the iron. It really makes a difference when you press your pieces after (or sometimes before) you sew.

I took bias tape and folded it over both pieces of the flag. What did I do wrong? I think I should have paid the money and gotten the widest tape they make because this was very tricky to work with something so small.

It turned out fine and once I got a rhythm going, it went pretty fast.

You can see here how narrow this bias tape really is. I couldn't even pin it to the fabric.

I also had all the flags ready to go so I could slip one in right after the other so it went smoothly.

....and it worked!

This is one strand of bias tape that measured 3 yards. I left about 12 inches on each side so we would have room to tie the flags up. I'm not sure yet where we are putting these so I need to be flexible.

Cake Mama

2010-06-16T12:39:00.001-07:00

This beauty of a cake was made by my friend, Jess.

It's a chocolate cake with chocolate icing, ice cream in the middle, and white chocolate curls on top.

The glass cake stand is pretty and frosted while she did the curls...

...and great tip from Jess, use a marble tile like a cutting board to thin out the white chocolate. It's cooler than room temp (I didn't know that) and you can get the right temper of the chocolate. Why does this matter? If the temper is wrong, the chocolate tastes ok but can't be manipulated the way you want, a.k.a. it will be blochy and sticky. Read the directions on the packaging and do exactly what it says! Chocolate has a mind of it's own when you are trying to make it look pretty.

Beautiful job, Jess!

Make-shift Martha

2010-06-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm not claiming to be Martha or anything but remember that cupcake book I bought a few months ago? Well, I made the Blackberry Cornmeal Muffins straight out of the book.

Oh my goodness, this recipe was very easy, very pretty and very good.

I took pics by the book so you could see how an average girl like me can even make muffins look gourmet. The sugar is sprinkled on the top which gives it that delightful sweet surprise when you bite in.

These had the consistency of a dense muffin not necessarily a light and fluffy muffin. That means you get full much faster...but I ate two anyway.
Take advantage of the bounty of blackberries right now. They are in season and not too expensive. They freeze great and are better than the frozen ones you by prepackaged. I don't know why I can tell the difference but it seems like I can.

Just a glisten of sugar says...."Eat me!"

Anthro Anyone?

2010-06-10T09:31:00.001-07:00

Ok, if anyone has ever been to Anthropologie, then you know how delighted you are when you see the big sign "SALE" in front of the store! I was in Anthro Heaven when I walked in to this beauty of a building.

A while back, I bought these napkins from Anthro and they had the cutest little trim. Sooooo, I got a tension rod and some cute clipies and hung them as small curtains in my kitchen and breakfast nook. They were so sweet and charming with all the colors I love.
These have become the inspiration for my new kitchen. We are in the land of kitchen remodel right now (pics to come, I promise) and this keeps my vision going when all I have to look at are studs...(and Ken).
When I went into the sale extravaganza, here's what I found.....MATCHING BOWLS! Can you hardly believe it? And they were on sale for a whopping $1.99 each. I ask you, how can you go wrong? So the vision is secure and moving forward! We are building a little shelf that will have these three bowls displayed right above the kitchen sink. And don't worry, I bought more than three...I'm way too practical for decorations with no use. With that price, I won't even flinch when my kids (or I) drop one on the floor...life happens!

Sewing Kit

2010-06-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

I made this sewing kit for a friend. The pattern is super cute and it wasn't that difficult. It's one of the many great ideas in One Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, the fabric is Heather Bailey. I did learn something that I would like to share with you. I was so excited to start this project that I couldn't even wait to make sure I had the right supplies. The pattern just gave dimensions, not actual pattern pieces, so I cut out my own. Instead of using the right tracing paper or even freezer paper for the templates, I got what I had and went for the wax paper. In my mind it seemed like a good idea.

Why was this a bad idea? Because I couldn't see the pattern pieces laid out once I was ready to cut. It was very frustrating to watch for those little transparent pieces, so just go to the store and get the good paper.

Once I got it all together, the process was very easy to follow. Don't do what I typically do...read ahead and then get overwhelmed and think I won't be able to finish this. Not true, don't torture yourself. Trust the pattern and go step by step!

The kit includes spools, needles, tape measure, seam ripper, marker and slips of paper and an antique ruler. Everything one would need for a "sewing emergency."

I have the little label sewn in that has "created by Christina Perry" on the lower left corner. I highly advise this purchase. People spend a lot of time thinking of the recipient and this is such a wonderful reminder of that generous investment. These were bought off of www.namemaker.com under clothing labels, woven design, and worth the money. Give yourself some credit on that work!

Patriotic Flags

2010-06-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Here is the process of the flag making. I laid out several pieces of fabric on a self-healing cutting board. Then I laid the template for the pattern (the size of the flag with the dimensions of the seam allowance included - 1/4 inch) on top and drew the triangle with a fine-tip sharpie. Why use a sharpie? It's easy to see and when I sew all of this together, you won't be able to see the ink. Using a fine-tip sharpie is better as it bleeds a lot less than a traditional size sharpie. Don't do this on anything you're going to wear! That would be a big chance you're taking.

I pinned the pieces together just so they wouldn't slide everywhere while I was cutting.

Then I started pairing up "random" pieces making sure I don't have two stars or two stripes side by side. It's looking cute!!!!

Embroidered Bookmarks

2010-06-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

This picture of Lily working on her embroidery is a repost, but I wanted to remind you of the work in progress. The bookmark is finally finished and turned out so cute.

The fabric is an old sheet I cut up and I used scraps from other projects for the backs. Then I used a little ribbon or ric-rac for the top of the bookmark. The embroidery thread is about 25 cents at Hancock Fabrics...super cheap idea. If you use Crayola Washable markers, they can pick the color they want and it washes right out. I am very new to embroidery and these stitches are basic. I pretty much just kept my needle and thread on top of the color and didn't worry about anything.

Kenny also made a bookmark for his grandma (at Christmas, yikes) and it's finished as well. The red one is for me from Lily. I think it's funny that she didn't put "mom" on the bookmark but put "Chrissy" instead.

The cutest thing about these bookmarks is that they are the real thing....the real creative energy from their thoughts. All I did was bring it out with thread. I love this idea. It's so easy, inexpensive and unique. The recipient is always happy!

This one was for Mema. Lily asked me what she should draw and I said, "just draw what you think of when you are with Mema." And this is what she came up with...."me and you!" I love it! Such a sweet thing to see when you open your book.

Patriotic Preview

2010-06-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

This fabric represents a party. Yes, a 4th of July party. I decided to chronicle this project as I'm going through it, instead of lots of pictures at the finale. This way, if you decide to do anything for your party, you have some inspiration and, more importantly, some time for completion. When I look at other blogs and see the finished product, I always think, "what a great idea, I should have thought of something like that." So here's your chance sister!I will be making a long string of flags out of this fabric. I want to string it up around the tables where we'll be hosting the "smoke-off" of great food and fireworks at dusk.
Let's start with the table clothes. First, I want to show you how to square your fabric. I bought this ticking in red and white for table clothes for the party. It's 60 inches wide and 9 feet long. I wanted it to hang over an 8 foot table, at least 6 inches on either side. When they cut the fabric at the store, they don't always cut it straight. Now they try, don't get me wrong, but you really should make it straight when you bring it home.

I wasn't sure how long the tables were so here's a trick that you can pull off...put multiple tables together and overlap the pieces to get the right length for the entire table. Line up the stripes so it's a continuous line and that will make it work.

Use a cutting board to line your fabric up. I use a very inexpensive board made of cardboard for about $5. It's huge when you fold it out and I've used it for years! Just be careful to only use scissors; a rotary cutter will cut right through it.

Line up the selvage (the long white strip where there's no pattern) along one side of the cutting board and follow a guide line straight down the perpendicular side. I used pinking shears (scissors with the triangular teeth) because I didn't want to sew a finished edge but I also don't want it to fray. Plus I just think shearing is charming for a casual party. At this point, I'm not even going to finish the selvage edges either. Our party will be country charm with an ounce of patriotic posh. I'll save the technique for the catchy eye-level items.

Planted Garden

2010-06-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

We worked really hard on the garden the last few days. I keep telling myself, "it's worth the work!" We plotted out the plan and, Ken and Papa, put up a fence to keep the critters out. The ground was tilled about 3 times so it's nice and soft and very easy to work with.

I dug the rows, 9 rows with a walkway between sets of three (so we can reach the goodies when they're ripe). I then laid the soaker hoses and black fabric to keep the roots protected. Don't worry the roots will not rot under the fabric; this is such a windy area, they will be perfect. Secure the plastic with pins so the wind doesn't blow your hard work away.

More plastic and end of day one (and end of back muscles).

Day two is the fun part, planting the transplants. I was not on my game this year so I did not grow these plants from seed. Rather, I supported our local green house and bought transplants instead. It's a little late to put in the garden but I don't think it's too late.

Once the plastic is down, cut an "X" on the top of the mound where you want the plant to be and then take your fingers and make a little spot for the plant to drop into. The ground should be so soft that you don't even need a shovel.

I always wear gloves so my hands don't get too dirty!

Once the plant is in the hole, just cover with dirt and lay the "X" flap around it. This will keep the weeds down!

We may have to finesse our new plants but I think they will do ok.

I lay the plants out on the fabric so I know that I have plenty of room before I start cuttin holes in the fabric. Read the garden tab to see proper spacing for each plant.

And don't forget to have fun in the garden. I'm trying push Ken over in the mud after I fell...he's frustratingly strong, ugh.

Mad Men Anyone?

2010-05-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

I felt like I was walking onto the set of Mad Men when I went to my sweet sister-in-law's house. Katy Lee has decorated her house delightfully! I almost felt like smoking but I stopped myself.

Retro light fixture that screams 1950.

Love the chairs!

Cute endtables...is the one on the left a nesting table? Tres chic!

What a beauty is this? I actually had heels on that day and I'm so glad I did. I would have probably been turned away at the door if I hadn't been cutely dressed.

I can just picture Katy gingerly strolling in her Betty Crocker dress to the door. She would have a plate of appetizers already prepared and ask if she could make me a cocktail. She's just so sweet and clearly born in the wrong era. Hang in there Katy...Mad Men will tide you over!

Coffee Shop Breakfast

2010-05-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

While in Santa Fe, my friends and I had breakfast at the Flying Star Cafe. It is such an awesome atmosphere that has good food and great coffee!

Industrial looking storefront at the train station!

Appetizing counter...

Mags to read while waiting for FRESH food...
There's precious Jess, reading about "mommyhood."

Ah....the fresh food is ready! This is one of the few places I've been where they serve Hot Mochas in regular glasses. Bonus for the dollar!

These are Rise and Shine Sandwiches with bagels, green chili scrambled eggs and cheese with a side of green chili turkey sausage. Our vacation dollars always go to food!

Exceptional ambiance -

I have to say that each Flying Star/Satellite Coffee is unique and worth a look see. They all have their own character and feel. So whether you are in Santa Fe or Albuquerque, any one of them would be a great stop.

Amazing scultpure!

Anytime you are in Santa Fe, please visit this wonderful cafe at the train station. It's so close to everything with cute shops and local artisans on every corner...definite must see!

take a peek... http://www.flyingstarcafe.com/

Mountain Cabin and Adobe Houses

2010-05-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Mountain Cabin view...New Mexico mountains. The mountains of New Mexico bring me back to a time of no cares. They make you realize the present moment and breathe it in! The pine trees whisper like a waterfall and the blue mountain backdrop makes you feel like you're in a movie.

This is the beauty of the morning!

I was lucky enough to get a ride with my dear friends to Santa Fe, where I picked up a train to Albuquerque. It was a wonderful ride and the price for the Rail Runner? $7 one way...total deal!

Here's what I saw on the ride...

This adobe structure is in town and looks like it's on the road to restoration.

View leaving Santa Fe. Big, blue sky and sandy, stone colored houses.

Authentic adobe home and horno. The adobe is clay and mud baked or dried and built into a home. Adobe homes are very good at maintaining cool temps in the summer and staying warm in the winter. What is a horno? It's a clay oven used by Pueblo Indians to bake. These are still used and admired. I can't imagine cooking without a temperature control, so I completely admire and respect the ones who can look at the steaming, hot coals and say, "it's ready."

One last view of a dwelling and horno...

There's just no place like Santa Fe. Somehow there is an energy there that surrounds you and makes you realize what enchantment really is.

Tornado Alley

2010-05-20T08:18:00.001-07:00

Driving back into OK, I was welcomed by tornadic activity. That's what the weather forecasters really like to say "tornadic activity." I think this cloud is called an anvil cloud and, yes, it did develop into a tornado. It was very far away so I was completely safe.

This one however was a little closer to me....yikes!

I think this one is called a thunderhead that developed into tornado about 10 minutes after I took the picture.

This is my completely worried son looking on the Oklahoma map for some of the towns the news was calling out. He wanted to see how close they were to us (even though it's on the TV screen, it made him feel better).

Not a very clear picture, but he's clearly worried.

Sewing Club and Friends

2010-05-14T07:12:00.001-07:00

Here's how sewing club starts. We all greet each other and see who was able to make it, then we unload our finds and possessions on the table for sharing. To some, it looks like fiber mayhem, but to others it's fiber bliss!

...antique buttons from Kara...
and the sewing stash...

...burp cloth making by Stephanie...

...hairbows by little Lily

(thanks for the help Kara)...

...and button bobbypins from Jessica. We love getting together and sharing with each other. Yes, there is a little bit of familial venting while sewing, but I think it's very healthy. Didn't grandma say "love in every stitch?" I think some of that love was coping!

Heather Bailey Tomato

2010-05-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

I made this tomato pin cushion this weekend and I love it! I bought a pattern from www.heatherbailey.com and it was very easy to follow. I used Heather Bailey fabric, felt, and ric rac. She has amazing collections and, I promise, you will fall in love!

This is the extra-long needle I used to tuft the tomato. There is a button on the top and the bottom which is great because it hides the mess of bunching the fabric together.

Tomato display....

Peonies

2010-05-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Peonies. I wish you could smell them through the computer screen! They are absolutely Heavenly!!! They only bloom once a year (like tulips and lillies) so when they are out, you have to, you must, stop and smell the peonies.
I picked these a couple of days ago and used a recycled drink jar for my vase. I don't think it does the peonies unjustness, but rather brings a spin of old world charm. I had to bring them to my office so I could enjoy them all week long.

Antique Porch Glider - Part II

2010-05-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

Recap from Part I ....the zipper getting pinned to the gusset.

I know this looks like a repair job with the tape on my sewing machine but I actually put the tape down so my daughter could use it as a guide for her quilt. There are measurements on the machine right by the presser foot but I was trying to teach her how to line up the fabric at the very front of the machine and guide the fabric all the way through. It's an easy technique if you're not sure about your placement.

This is an encounter that happens when you don't have a pattern and think you can just "wing it." I was a little short on the length of this piece so I added about and 1 1/2 to the end....which you can clearly see because it's a striped pattern. Oh well, we'll put that in the back!

Now, on to the pillows.
I wanted to recycle some old pillows because I liked the firmness (and I found them in the closet). So I measured each piece and laid them on the fabric as if I was going to wrap it like a present. I also wanted to be sure I had enough fabric and best placement for 3 pillows.

These strips are for the trim on one pillow. I'm going to make them all coordinate but want them to be just a little different.

I'm pinning the strips to one piece and then I'll put the other on top
to sandwich the strip inside with rights sides facing each other (the bright, pretty side). Don't forget to leave an opening so you can turn the pillow to the pretty side out.

And here we go! Turn the pretty side out and push the corners to that crisp, sharp corner with a dull pencil. Insert your pillow form or stuff to desired firmness.

And the final product................. TAAAADAAAAA!

Antique Porch Glider - Part I

2010-05-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

Gliders are actually a thing of the past and have come back around in recent years. The family bought this antique glider for mom (a couple of years ago) and it's gotten a lot of attention. From picking it up, sand blasting, storing, painting, picking out fabric, making cushions and pillows, and finally pictures! Word of the day? DEADLINE...Mother's Day!

Wow....here's the visual story of the cushions...

Here's the layout on the floor. I know it's not very glamorous, but when there's big cushions, this is the only space I have.

Measure, measure, measure. I layout the pieces to be sure the stripes go in the right direction.

After I cut out the pieces, I cut the last piece so I could insert a zipper. Who knows when this might get washed and I need to leave the option open. Zippers are wonderful things and are nothing to be afraid of. I treated it like one more strip of fabric and put a gusset on each side so I could sew the whole line up the entire length of the cushion. What is a gusset? It's a strip I sewed on each end of the zipper, exactly the same width as the zipper.

Then I stuffed the huge cushion inside the tiny 22 inch hole while my husband watched me from a distance wrestling the fabric.

And whaaalaaaa. Stuffed and zipped!

Oranges and Berries

2010-05-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, round, plump oranges that just say...."eat me!!!"
How could a kitchen be more inviting then to set out a bowl of wonderful fruit? I can't think of a way except to add berries to it.

Perfect, big, strawberries! Love summer, love it!!! These strawberries are just as delicious as they look and the blackberries are soft and tart. I'm going to try the blackberry cupcake recipe that I snapped a picture of from the Martha Stewart Cupcake book in one of my recent posts. I'll give reviews but somehow I think that ripe, tart berries are the perfect thing for breakfast!

Playing School

2010-05-03T14:15:00.001-07:00

Ah, the joys of playing school. Do you remember acting like your teacher? ...using a pointer to touch the chalkboard? My daughter and I played school last night and she was very good. When she left the room, she made me class monitor (for no one else but me) and I loved it. We did phonics and math and a little bit of manners, including proper tea setting. It must have been a finishing school.

The math was quite difficult.

We didn't start with plus and minus just moved straight to mulitplication. She's working on 0-6 so that was the topic of class.

Little Miss Teacher...

Crocheted Hearts

2010-04-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to figure out these little hearts for days now. On one of my favorite blogs, Yvonne posted the pattern for these delicate little things. I tried to follow it but it's just not clicking yet. I'm not very experienced at crocheting so I have to do it several times before I really get it.

Some are too round and some are too bumpy. I'll play around with it some more so I get the perfect little set.

Yvonne strung together different colored hearts and hung them from the ceiling. They were so cute! ...and such an easy thing to carry along for those extra 15 minutes you can steal from.

Porch Swing and Flowers

2010-04-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

AH....the porch swing. So many ideas wrapped up in one little picture - lazy days, salads, smiles, easy times, talking, waving to people as they walk by.

Our family loves the porch swing! We have three porches and they all offer their own quaintness. This one is perfect because it's on the cool side of the house in the summer and gets the perfect breeze all day long. We wave to passers-by and sip lemonade and talk when we are out on the porch. Things magically slow down and I love it!

In the evenings, we turn on the porch light and fan. It glows like it is it's own room and radiates well-being.

These are my favorite little flowers with the most amazing smell. These are Lily of the Valley. They only bloom once a year, so time stops for me when I can appreciate these delicate beauties.

I picked one the other day and rolled the little bell between my fingers to get the most scent. Absolutely wonderful!

So much fragrance in just a centimeter of beauty.

The purple Phlox is also an early bloomer, blooming once a year as well. It's so pretty to see the gorgeous flowers peeking out and then showcased right by the porch.

Referencing Cupcakes

2010-04-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

Calling everyone for cupcakes!

Ok, well, I haven't made them yet, but I often fall in love with the IDEA of making them. I know, I know, who has time to make Martha Stewart Cupcakes? Not sure any of us do, but I like that I could. Don't forget, I'm a real person just like you and sometimes I don't even have time to take my coffee cup off the top of my car and drive wondering what that thump was on the trunk. So let yourself dream and put someone in front of you and try a new recipe, take it to a friend for good tidings, and love that you MADE time!

Now, Martha's gotten a lot of flack over the years and that's ok but we still have to believe in all the creators she "selects" to identfy as Martha Stewart.

I bought this book a couple of days ago and shared with the office to get other women's opinions. The consensus was that it's a keeper; good ideas, not expensive, can play each cupcake up or down (cute or beautiful). My cupcakes look great in my head but the final product doesn't always match to which I say "that's ok!"

A quick look at other ideas...

It's a good reference book and worth the money. I bought it at http://www.amazon.com/ for about $15. That comes to .09 cents a recipe and about a haypenny per cupcake!

Secret Messages

2010-04-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love the idea of secret messages? I got this wonderful idea from my dear friend, Hannah. She does this with her lovey bug and I thought it was such a great idea, I decided to do it with my kids.

Each of the kids got a blank book in their Easter baskets and since then we have been writing notes to each other. Sometimes we sneak it into school bags or purses and sometimes it gets tossed in the front seat of the car just as they are going to school.

I love that these little ideas are chronicling our everyday lives and positive thoughts to each other. Each of their personalities shine through these pages!

Sheep Farm

2010-04-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

The kids and I went to a sheep farm this weekend. It was pretty rainy outside but we got a small glimpse of some of the hard work out there!

The sheep are getting separated in this large corral.

There are all ages of sheep here. The lambs are born dark and get lighter as the mature. Some of these sheep have already been sheared and some are still fluffy.

Here's a tiny lamb. She is sooo cute.

She needs to be tagged so they can match up mom to baby and keep good records on their health and growth. We saw two bottle-fed lambs where one mother died during birth but they were able to save the baby. This little one is wriggling around but don't worry, it only feels like getting your ears pierced. It's so fast, and then it's over; and just like anyone, mom came running up when she heard little lamb say "what's going on?"

Surprise! ...it's a puppy.

2010-04-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't love this cutie puppy? It was discovered yesterday at the ranch. We have had dogs dropped off in the country for years by people who don't know what to do with them. I've always thought that was a cruel thing to do. At least at the pound they have a chance to survive, but out in the country they are left to fend for themselves and often die of starvation or become prey.

So, here's the fam to the rescue. The kids decided to name her Bethany. My daughter read a school story and just loved the name.
Here's our cat, Kimmie, sizing up the new addition.
So, we have a keeper. She's cute and good natured so far. The kids can't wait to take her back to the remodel house and make her their own. I think she will work out great!

The Antique Couch

2010-04-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

I bought this couch a while back and decided that it had great bones but needed to be recovered. LOTS of work but well worth it. I took off the fabric and pulled out all the staples. Then sanded down the wood and painted. I wanted to use milk paint and I did a layer of black under a layer of green.

I'm letting my secret out by saying that I wanted to recover it with a quilt. I got this quilt on an excellent sale from Pottery Barn. I bought the King Size so I would have ample fabric to work with. I actually wound up getting a lot of yardage for the price! I used the old pieces as my pattern for the new pieces, cut them out, and started stapling.

I made sure the lines were straight as I pulled the fabric (mostly because it was so hard to get those staples out and I didn't want to do that again).

I put the braiding all the way around to give it that finished look. I love the way it turned out and I really love the variations in patterns!

I have the matching duvet of the butterfly/oriental piece that I'm going to make curtains out of for the remodeled house...can't wait to see that!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2010-04-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend we decided to make some jam, freezer jam. We had a recipe from, none other than, America Girl. Kit Kittridge has a cookbook with a great little recipe for jam.

The difference in freezer jam and regular canned jam is that the freezer jam cannot be stored on a shelf. It has to be put in the freezer or consumed within about 3 weeks.

There is a key to canning properly and that is measurement. All of your measurements have to be exact or else your jam will not set properly. We used a scale and measured the 20 oz. of strawberries the recipe required.

Mashed the strawberries up with a potato masher....

....let the sugar and strawberries set for 10 minues, then added the fresh lemon juice and liquid pectin (you can buy at the grocery store). Stir for 3 minutes and pour into containers.

And there you have it! Beautifull jars of jam. What is the difference between jam and jelly, you ask? Jelly has the fruit strained out where jam has fruit chunks left in it. We, as a family, love the fruit chunks so we always make jam. And everyone I know that cans food always asks for the jar back when the recipient is done, that way you can swap out an empty jar for a full one and save money.

Creative Play

2010-04-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the value of Creative Play. My daughter and I played "Bookstore" together where I was the customer and she was the clerk. I loved hearing what she had to say about selling me certain books and how wonderful they were.

Who couldn't play with this little antique register? My son painted it the original red to make it brand new looking! It has a bell that rings when you open it and we decided to use real money. ....just sliding in a good math lesson on correct change.

Hair Bows

2010-04-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

Hair bows! Yes, my daughter and I made hair bows. We were trying to be resourceful and using material we already had. We bought clips and bands and went to sewing. She was so great at coordinating the flower with a yo-yo and button.

Some of the fabric is left over from a quilt. I loved the antique look of these and paired with antique buttons, they turned out perfect.

I had some scrap Amy Butler fabric that worked beautifully. I knew I saved those little pieces for something!

Splendidly Spring

2010-04-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

Every blog I've looked at in the last few days has had beautiful pictures of spring blooms. It's impossible to go by and not notice the amazing flowers out for everyone's pleasure.
Just playing around with the photos...

This is the dogwood in full bloom in front of our little house. The porch is inviting me to sit on the swing and love the spring!

These are crabapple blooms on the side of the house. It feels like you are under a warm spray of bright snow...

Same photo as the top in sepia, but the real thing.

Another view of the dogwood, but with the seasonally retired chimney in the background.

Smoke City and Strawberry Shortcake

2010-04-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

Over the holiday weekend, my husband, Ken, went to a place called Smoke City. It's that dreamland that men go into when they open the lid of a hot smoker just waiting to be filled with meat. His eyes glaze over and he gets a smile on his face. Nothing could come between him and the grill. Four slabs of ribs and three rubs from scratch. The word delicious only does a fraction of justice! Thanks, babe!

Then we move on to celebrate his sister, Sammy, my sister-in-law. She is a wonderful aspect in my life and was the next best step to an amazing dinner. She gave me these flowers several years ago and I just keep picking them every spring, precious!

Sammy made this awesome Strawberry Shortcake Cake from the pro...The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. I love Sammy's idea of the strawberries on top! It's so you, Sammy!

The link is under my Recipe tab and she said it was easy to make and a definite show stopper. (we all love that)

Even getting cut apart, it's a beauty. Love it!!!

Knitted Dress

2010-04-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

I'm back! After being out for a recovery period, I'm glad to say that things are getting back to normal. While I was recovering, I was able to work on my daughters knitted dress. She was wonderful in picking out the style she wanted. I love seeing those eyes light up when she finds the dress she loves. We chose the yarn together at L & B Yarn where they walked us through the store and gave us some pointers. Then it was off to knitting...

The pattern called for 5 hanks of yarn but I think I need one more to finish up.
The sweet design she picked was a lattice on top and stockinette stitch for the skirt. The pattern is called Crumpets from http://www.ravelry.com/.

It's coming along nicely. We have about 3 more inches to knit and then it's elasctic and straps.

The elastic will bunch the lattice together to make a smocked look.

This is the view from the knitters eyes. My husband and I counted how many hours for the skirt (you may not want to know that) and counted how many stitches. Right now the skirt is at about 26,264 stitches. This is something you've got to love...and I do!!!

Daffodils or Jonquils

2010-03-11T09:32:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what the difference is but I love them all the same. These daffodils are springing up everywhere, I just happened to catch the early ones (yeeeeee). I have some that are still budding and will pop next week! Who couldn't love these little spring surprises that say lovliness?

And to my late Uncle Kenneth, the skinny, little, hard-working hands-on man...thanks for sharing the delicate placement of all those little bulbs that bloom every year with your strong, worn hands that make me think of you! I know you couldn't wait for your wife to see the peeking of spring.

Hay Bales and Gardens

2010-03-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

We are not quite there yet, I realize that, but this is what I crave this time of year! I feel stretched to be inticed by the warm weather and still confined by the cool weather.

I can't wait to see the green leaves and beautiful blossoms in the garden. These are pictures from last year that I look at to help me get excited about the "planning" for this year. Every garden needs a plan even if the plan is one container on the porch with a tomato plant in it. It's funny how pennies on the dollar can make you feel so good.

The hay bales were beautiful but the garden is a source of our food, a test of deligency, and a reward of self-accomplishment. So the question is... Is utility the antonym for creativity? Or... Does utility beget creativity? I think creativity comes from utility and some of the most creative things have come from a spin-off of the most practical items.
How is a garden creative? You might creatively share the harvest, or creatively try a new recipe. You might put a plant on the front porch that brings joy to people walking down the street. I've seen veggies growing out of old coffee cans, beautiful planters, and even old tires. Be creative and use what you have.
These pictures are nature's true colors. I did not enhance any of them. They are generously green...naturally.

My challenge is for you to think about planting something this Spring....don't plant yet...just think about it.
Post in the comment section you think you might plant, and I will give you personal support!!!

Spring Fern Fronds

2010-03-03T09:52:00.000-08:00

Lesson on ferns - Ferns are made up of dissected little leaves that are airy and light. This is a Rabbit's Foot Fern, which is a great conversation piece. It usually intrigues and/or disgusts most people who dare to touch it. I love the hairy roots that come crawling out to reach the sunshine. The leaves are so pretty and I can get up close and feel like I'm in a small rain forest. I even remember Sesame Street and the little bugs that lived in Ernie's window planter. Yes, I think they reside in my Rabbit's Foot Fern.

On a little more of a horticultural note, ferns spore this time of year and realease a fine, powdery and sticky spore that just looks like dust. It's on the underside of the frond and I've been told to put this in soil and it will grow another plant, but have yet to try it. I do love the little wonders in life!!!

Snowy Winter

2010-03-02T09:12:00.000-08:00

Why post this right now, you ask? Because I've discovered that this is how I like winter...in pictures. It looks so beautiful and serene that you want to jump right in but at the same time, the sun is shining today and all I think about is spring. So, hopefully this was the last our little house will see of this snowy winter!

Blueberry Muffin Land

2010-03-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

These scrumptous blueberry muffins were made especially for my friend Dorraine. I think you all have that one special person in your life. You know, the one you talk about to other friends like they know who she is and when they look at you like they are thinking too hard, you say, "You know, D-O-R-R-A-I-N-E." Then they give that look of "your crazy but go ahead and continue." She is my pragmatic-nonjudgemental-caring-question/answering-Martha Stewart. We all need one.

So hear's to you, Dorraine, blueberry muffin land...made from scratch with fresh blueberries and buttermilk. Oh, Dorraine and I never count calories!

Anyone need a perfect recipe? Let me know and I'll send it out!

Sewing Lessons 101

2010-02-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

Here she is. The sweet little sewer! We got out our pattern and looked over the directions. I instructed her to always use a scrap piece of fabric to run through the machine before starting on the project. Why? So the tension is adjusted and there's not loops on one side (loose) and a pucker on the other side (tight) of the fabric. Make sure there's two pieces of fabric or one piece folded over so the stitch has the right amount of thickness to go through. It's a good gauge of how the finished stitch will be. Lift up the presser foot and lay the fabric under it and gently release the presser foot back down. Hold the end threads so they don't get sucked back under the needle and get tangled up (very common to the newbie).

Go ahead, get in there. Be cautious but don't be afraid of the machine. Feel the fabric as it gets pulled under the presser foot.

After the fabric has been pulled through, rotate the circle on the right of the machine (it moves the needle up and down). Rotate toward you so the needle is on it's way down, then lift up the presser foot and pull the fabric out; clip the "tail" or ends of the thread so your fabric is free of the machine. Look at the stitch and see that's the same on both sides. Open the fabric and see if the stitch is even on the inside too. It's done! Good job!

First Embroidery

2010-02-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Love this picture! She didn't even know I took it. I was setting up the sewing maching and saw that she stole my embroidery hoop. I thought it would turn into a big mess with string aroung the outside but she did great. She followed the markers of her own design.

My Purse

2010-02-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is a little ridiculous. I'm actually carrying my embroidery in my purse. I had a minute the other day during the kids' music lessons and decided to get this out. We got this great idea out of Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule. You give the kids a piece of small fabric and let them draw a picture. Then you embroider the picture and make it into a bookmark. The ones I gave away at Christmas to both grandmas were a big hit! And where do I steal my time to finish these little things? ...at places like music lessons.

Kara's Cupcakes

2010-02-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

Another lovely lady in the creative world made these cupcakes as a gift. Same party as the apron party with a different ounce of talent. These cupcakes were handmade in the wee hours of the night (confirmed by texting the Apron Girl at almost 1:00am). I guess you just can't schedule creativity! Nice job, Kara!
The pattern was bought on http://www.etsy.com/ by Bugga Bug. Wonderful ideas to be found!

Apron Girl

2010-02-23T06:17:00.000-08:00

This apron was made by a dear friend Jessica. I was so proud of her for doing this first time pattern. I think she was a little uncomfortable making it, not sure she could do it, but pushed through to success with a beautiful piece. It was a birthday present for another friend and, after conquering the mommy's apron, she came up with a mini apron to match. So cute, Jess and good job for sticking to it!

Winding Yarn

2010-02-16T07:17:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my daughter winding some yarn for a scarf that she wanted me to make. She picked out the colors and told me exactly what she wanted! The picture is a few months old but I'm posting it as a precursor to projects on the horizon. I might be knitting her a dress (if I think she will wear it more than once) and I will be teaching a couple of girls to knit. Who would have thought our amazing craft night would become multi-generational.

She's had the start of a project by going to the yarn shop, winding her yarn, and watching mommy make the garment. Soon, she will be making a small piece with lots of pictures attached!

Valentine Cupcakes

2010-02-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day, my daughter and I made cupcakes. I know that is not completely creative but it was super fun! ...and I would like to say that I value the work that Duncan Hines has gone through to make such a wonder cake mix for me. Not creative? I know but busy moms have to make concessions and this was one for me.

I need to put the picture into perspective. These cuttie cupcakes are only the size of your thumb. They are dangerously small so it's impossible to keep track of calories. On the flip side, they are the perfect size for tiny little hands.

Cardboard House

2010-02-12T14:54:00.000-08:00

One of my dear friends got creative and painted this precious box into a cottage getaway for her toddler. It's so darling and colorful that you just wish you could shrink down to size and play in it yourself!

The amazing thing? That we die-hard recyclers feed off of each other, which in turn, breeds creativity! Good job, girl!

Yo-Yo Heart

2010-02-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

My daughter helped pick out the fabric for this heart. We decided to make yo-yos and attach them to a felt heart. Sooooo sweet.

I tried using a yo-yo form that I bought at the fabric store. Totally worth the money! It was very easy to use, my edges were finished and they all came out the exact same size. Something to think about for a yo-yo quilt!

Gift of Sewing

2010-02-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I forget that sewing is a skill and a gift, taught with love in my case, not necessarily financial well-being. All of that to say, I am slowly teaching the gift of sewing to my daughter. She loves her Hello Kitty Janome machine and has really taken to the straight stitch. She is amazing with color coordination and ideas. I love watching her mind sprout with possibilities!

....added bonus? She loves the fabric store!

Yarn Basket

2010-02-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

This is the yarn basket I inherited from my grandmother. I'm so excited that I get to fill it up with my creations and bits and pieces of projects, just like she did. She was a sweater designer and knitting fanatic. I can only hope to be the same.

The stripe piece is a poncho I knitted, with love in every stitch, for my (then) two year old. Little did I know that a poncho is not the most practical thing for that age, always getting in the way when she would bend down to pick something up...great for pictures not for play!

Sewing Bag

2010-02-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

This is what I leave every morning. I say goodbye to my sewing bag full of projects I'm working on, intend to get to, and finished but never really put it all away (for nostalgia, of course). When our power went out this weekend, I told my husband, "Don't forget my sewing bag!" I knitted my fingers to the bone this weekend and finished two pairs of gloves for my dear friends. Better pictures of finished gloves soon to come.

Starting Out

2010-02-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it's my first blog post. I'm a little nervous and excited all at the same time. What a wonderful thing to share life experiences and artfull expressions that encourage people to use their talents. Since I don't have an amazing piece to post quite yet, I'll start with the winter wonderland outside the window...