My Christmas Crackers

A very Merry Christmas happened this year! I received Lots of great things. Of course I am back in action with a NEW camera! Now there will be many, many excellent photos on the way!

From my CQI sisters Connie and Cindy some wonderful CQ items in the crackers that they sent to me! I now need to assimilate the items to my stash!

First up is the items that I got from Cindy, I got a really cool cloisonne flower that just might have to go on "Catch My Star". I got beads of all sorts. Some ginger bread charms, threads, trim, and ribbons. Let me not forget the really cool block that she made for the wrapper! Awesome!

From Connie, I received all sorts of buttons and beads and star charms as a prescription to keep me from opening my cracker early.

In side the cracker Oh, boy! I got velvet squares and trims that just make you want to drool! I cannot wait to use them!

This has really been a fun exchange! I hope that every one had as much fun as I had this season! Here is wishing every one a happy New Year!

TTFN

This One Stitch

Have you ever started with one stitch and decided to see what you could do with it?? That is what I did for my Grandmothers Christmas gift. I made her a tiny purse to carry to church with her.
I started with the chain stitch thinking that I would make vines.

Then with the detached chain variation stitch I made the leaves.

From there I made the flowers.

this started with me thinking: What can I do with just this one stitch. Well here is my answer......I can do a whole purse! This stitch made everything from the vines to the flowers! I am so happy with how this project turned out, I am going to try another project using "just one stitch!"

Here is how the whole purse looks:



TTFN

Newest Block For "Seanes"

I just finished my latest block for "Seanes" and I thought that I would share it with you. I had been in a CQ "funk" here up lately and I am feeling back in the swing of things (so to speak) so I thought that I would work on something of mine so if I messed up it was ........well, mine! SSSOO here it is:

I am thinking of this block as my mermaid garden. I think that my funk is over! Now on to other projects. I have a RR block to stitch on, I will be posting that as soon as I finish it. Here is a hint on it though. I am thinking Arabian Nights! Now I bet you cant wait to see that one!


TTFN

Teaser Runner Up Is.............

The teaser runner up is ............................Ann Flowers! She submitted her corrected answers and now will be receiving a replica silkie of Elsa Reinhardt! YEAH! Congrats Ann!

Okay, here it is. What you have been waiting for! The answers to the contest!

1. One operetta
2. The Girl Behind the Counter
Lottie Mun the shopper
3. Three chorus'
4. Herald Square Theatre, starring Lew Fields and Connie Ediss

I hope that everyone had fun with this teaser! Stay tuned as I will have another beautiful actress coming up next month!


TTFN

And The Winners Are For The Elsa Reinhardt Teaser.................................

I had only one right guess and that was .....................Drum roll please.......................Leslie E! Yeah!! Leslie, I will get your squishie together and mail it to you. Now, for my second winner. I don't have another that guessed all the questions (most have one answer wrong) right. I will refrain from printing the answers and give another chance to win the reproduction silkie. So now if anybody wants to try for all the right answers please take a look at the questions on the teaser and email the answers to me. I will announce the winner tomorrow in the AM. I will also print the answers then also.



TTFN

"Catch My Star" Blog Teaser # 3

Here is the next teaser for my "Catch My Star" quilt. I am hoping to start this quilt around February. Just doing these teasers is making me excited about starting! Here is my next actress. From what I found this actress worked on Broadway for 11 years. I wasn't able to find much on her. I wish that I could have learned more about her. Maybe learning more about her will be a journey for the future!

Her name is Elsa Reinhardt.

Here are my questions:

1)How many operetta's did she preform in?

2)What was the longest running production that Elsa Reinhardt preformed in? What was her part?

3)How many productions was Elsa in the Chorus only?

Number four is going to take a little research but it will be well worth it!

4) "The Girl Behind The Counter" had a very successful Broadway run. What theater was it preformed in, in 1907-08? Who were the male and female stars of this play?

The first person to come up with all the correct answers gets a wonderful squishie. The second gets a reproduction silkie printed by ME!

TTFN

They Are Here!! The Ornaments Are Here!!

Hello to all! It is good to be back! Work is just too time consuming! 'Tis, the time of the year when your co-workers start acting funny. We had a few quit so here we go again with the OT! You know this works stuff gets in the way of my fun all of the time!

This week I received my Christmas ornaments from the swap. I have got to say that I got the better end of the deal with these beauties! I want to thank Lisa DuCoing for hosting this swap. For all of those who don't know her if you ever have the opportunity to enter into one of her swaps I am letting you know that you will not be disappointed! She is the hostess with the most est! All of her swaps are great fun!

Now to get on and thank the ladies who's talent I am enjoying on my Christmas tree right now!

This top ornament just a simple square but beautiful none the less. This ornament has wonderful stitching and a beautiful silkie in the middle. I don't know who made it as there was no name attached but the lady knows who she is and I want to thank her for making my tree wonderful!

This second ornament is a beautiful bell! It was made by Lisa Martin. Lisa also sent me a beautiful Christmas card to go along with the ornament. (I wish that I had thought of that! I have lots of vintage cards to give away! There is always next year!) Although the card pales with the beauty of the ornament! Thank you, Lisa. It looks beautiful on my tree! Thank you also for sharing you talent with me!

I also got this wonderful stocking ornament. This ornament was made by: Darlene Jastrzebski. It also is gracing my tree with its presence! This ornament is just wonderful with beautiful stitching! Thank you so much for the ornament Darlene!

I have two views of my next ornament, which is another bell. This bell is a little smaller but none the less beautiful! A big thank you goes out to Elizabeth Rudder. This ornament also made it to my humble tree. It is just beautiful with stitching to match! Thank you so much for the ornament!

Ladies thank you so much for the new family heirlooms! They are wonderful! I know that I will enjoy them for many a Christmas to come! This has really been a fun swap!

Now, everyone needs to stay posted for the new blog teaser tomorrow. The latest actress for the catch my star quilt!

TTFN

Reason #4

Here is reason number four to have my CQ prescription refilled Early:

"I lost it on the airplane."

Some times they really do get lost on the airplane!

TTFN

Reason #3

Here is reason #3 that my CQ prescription should be filled eairly:

"I accidently threw it away."

This one is for real. There was someone so forgetful he really did accidently throw his away. He did it one day on the way out of the office when he threw away his samples with his newspaper.


TTFN

Needle Cases

I know that I have not been posting like I should but with work and finishing these two needle cases it did not leave much time.

Now, on to the needle cases. I drew these out and put them together in the last week. As you can see I did mainly SRE on them. I enjoyed working with only the silk ribbon. The pictures, actually scans, do not show them off properly. I usually don't pat myself on the back but I am rather happy with the way they turned out. Now, that they are finished they are on their way to the new owners.

Back of needle book number one:Front of needle book number one:

Back of needle book number two:

Front of needle book number two:

Well on to my next project.

TTFN

Reason #2

Here is reason number two on why my CQ prescription should be refilled eairly: "I accidently flushed it down the toilet."

Yes, grown men AND women have used this one.


TTFN

Christmas Crackers

I entered into a Christmas Cracker swap with CQI. I received mine from Connie today. Upon opening up the box I picked up from the post office today, this is what I found. A great Christmas card from Connie, my Cracker and...................

A prescription from Connie to help with the "I want to open earlies". On the bottle it reads "Take one if temptation to open Christmas Cracker becomes extraordinarily difficult to resist. (Not to exceed one a week.)"
Of course I had to take one right away. The need to open that cracker was really, really difficult! I use to work in a doctors office where the doctor took care of chronic care patients. I have a lot of excuses that I can use from that employment on why I need a refill on my prescription. I plan to post one a day. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen they will be real excuses.

Okay, Connie, here is the first one:

My dog ate my prescription.

(No, they never brought in the vet report on that poor canine so that the RX could get refilled early.)

I will post another tomorrow!

TTFN

And The Winners Are........................

The winners of the "Catch My Star" teaser are...........................................The first one with three right answers is Sharon. Sharon email me privately and I will send out your squishie and silkie. The second one with three right answers is Leslie. Leslie I will dig up your address and send out to you you silkie!

Thank you to all who participated! I hope that y'all are enjoying these teasers as much as I am!

TTFN

"Catch My Star" Blog Teaser # 2

Okay, everyone it is now time for the second teaser for my "Catch My Star" quilt. This months beautiful star is: Frances Starr! This lady will probably be will known to the fans of Broadway. She only played in a few "talkies".

Here are my three questions to be answered:

1. Name 2 Broadway shows that she was in.

2. She was under contract for 16 years to a legendary Broadway Impresario. Who was this man??

3. Name the Broadway play that she was in with Walter Matthau.

***********************************************************************

Of course the first person who answers the three questions right gets a replica silkie (made by me) of this beautiful actress, and a nice squishie package. The second person to answer the questions, I will send the replica silkie.

Okay, everyone have FUN!!!

TTFN

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!! Here is to hopeing that you all have a good day! Today is the day that all mothers of teenagers and older think to themselves where has all the time gone?? Was it just yesterday that I was making that green Power Ranger costume for the boy?? How about fixing those fairy wings for your daughter because her brother smashed them??

My youngest child was always quite diffrent on Halloween as she was the one chaseing all the other little kids with a rubber snake. She has always liked Halloween. Starting with last Halloween she started doing things without her mother as all children do. They grow up.

Now here I am sitting here pulling memories out of the past, and wondering: Where did all the time go??

My Son is in his last year of high school. My middle child in her junior year has a football game she will be at. The youngest daughter has plans with out me. *SIGH*

Maybe the old man will take me on a hayride tonight............................

Looking towards the future........The grandkids! (It had better be the distant future!)

Here is to hoping that every one has a happy and safe Halloween tonight and many more!!!

TTFN

Ati's Magic Moments

Okay, Here it is, TA-DA! The end of the Magic Moments RR. For me anyway. I have finished my work on Ati's block. Even though this RR had hit a few snags, I had a wonderful time! I loved working on so many different themes. It is RR's like this that really develop your skills and imagination!

Here is the block that I did for Ati:


This the nerve racking part of an RR. The hope that the person that you stitched the block for likes it. As before with all the other blocks that I stitched on I scanned over all the blocks. A look at the eye candy for all of my non-CQI friends. Here they are:

These blocks are stitched on by Cobi, Simona, Laurie, and Leslie. Following up these talented ladies again is a challenge. I am hoping that they had as much fun as I did in this RR.

Now on to other things.

TTFN

Magic Moments Cobi's Block

I have finished Cobi's block for the Magic Moments DYB RR. This is the second RR that I have had Cobi in with this theme. Her theme is India. I know that with the scanner you don't get a real good picture of the block that I did but I will blame it on the inspiration button. You do get a good picture of that! In searching for a starting place for this block I was digging through all of my beads. In one of my bead bottles I found vintage buttons that I had purchased. I thought "maybe there is something here." I opened the bottle and "WOW" I found this button. Paisleys, Cobi likes paisleys. Then the thought for the design was born.

Here it is the finished block:

Now before anyone asks, I will answer the question of what I uses to stitch this block. I had pulled out beads and buttons and all of my metallic threads. I could not find my gold. I thought that I needed to stick with the gold theme running through the blocks so Friday I went to my favorite quilt and needle works shop. They were having a sale. A going broke sale for Lyn! I bought this really great Rainbow Gallery ribbon. Of which I used on Cobi's block.

Now the reason I say a going broke sale is because I bought all the colors and types of this ribbon that they had for a dollar a card! Yes! One dollar a card! I told you it was a sale! Now I have new ribbons to play with!

Here is a picture of the gold so that y'all know what I am talking about:

Now a surprise as with Simona's blocks for all of my non-CQI friends so that y'all can see the wonderful work done in this RR I scanned over the other blocks for y'all to see. These blocks were done by Leslie, Simona, and Lauri. The only one that I don't have is the one that Gerry worked on and y'all can see that one on her blog http://olderrose.blogspot.com .

As y'all can see following these talented ladies up is a challenge indeed! So these will be off after I finish Ati's Magic Moments block. I am almost sad to see this RR end as it has been an inspiration for my own work! Well back to stitching!

TTFN

Trading Cards

As most know I work nights. On the weekends I try to be a normal person and stay up days so that I can spend the time with my children. Well, the girls now as my son works to save money for his college. Of which he will be attending next fall. Where does the time go??
This past Friday was homecoming. So...........that meant no sleep before the game. Yesterday when I got home from my meeting of The Lost Pines Crazy Quilters I sat down in bed and worked on Cobi's RR block and fell fast to sleep. I don't know what time I went to sleep but I do know that I woke up at 2 am this morning!
When you wake up like that you always ask yourself : What do I do now?? Well, that is what I do as I occasionally do, do this. SSSSoooooo........
I answered email and sent some, then started cleaning my desk and behold what I found. HIDDEN TREASURES!!!!!

Trading cards!!

Now how many of us do that?? You know come home and put things down in a "safe place" and forget about them?? Or how about cant find them?? Then two or three or maybe five years down the road find them again?? It is like you know----hidden treasure!!

I bought these on one of my binges in an antique store. I think that it was an antique mall that I spend lots of time and money in.

I must have thought at the time that these would make great silkies. You know why?? I am thinking that now! Y'all know how a great mind thinks, don't y'all.

I just thought that I would share this. I am off to finish cleaning my desk so I can get back to stitching.

TTFN

Simona's Magic Moments DYB RR Block

The Magic Moments RR started out as an Any Thing Goes DYB(do your own block). A few months back it hit a snag as one of our Crazy Quilting sisters had a tragedy in her family.

Sharon, if you are reading this I hope that you are doing fine. We miss you!

I received Simona's, Cobi's and Ati's from Leslie our RR Angel. I started with Simona's block as she was next in the stitching line.

Simona pieced her six blocks in beautiful pastel colors with bunny fabric in the middle of the block. She used cotton fabric, as she wants these blocks made into a quilt for her cute little girl, Sirie. The stipulations for these blocks were no buttons, beads or other things that could choke a baby. With these conditions in mind I chose a block to stitch. Since, I use only hand dyed, over dyed, and other speciality threads, I pulled out my cotton perle. The cotton perle will be color fast, where the others would run all over the fabric.

Looking at the other blocks and trying to make mine fit in with them. I started stitching. I just went around the seams within the fabric piece. I experimented with stitch variations and building onto the stitch.

Here is the block that I stitched on:





I tried to keep everything as "child Like" as possible. I made a scene in which it looked like a little girl drew the house and trees with the field. The little flower motif I wanted it to look like something that a little girl would color in a color book. Of course I had to monogram it with a little S for, Sirie. My favorite seam treatment is the one on the green fabric piece next to the rabbits. A lazy daisy stitch with a fly stitch. Yes, I made those carrots! I told my daughter that I need to remember to do this stitch again!

For my non-CQI friends and other curious, inquisitive minds. I have a surprise for you! I scanned over to my computer the blocks already done so y'all also could see what works of art that they are!

The top two are stitched by Leslie, and the bottom one with the CUTE angel was stitched by Laurie. I don't mind telling y'all that these two are a hard act to follow!

I am starting to stitch on Cobi's blocks. I should have them up in the next few days or so........

TTFN

Kerry's Pin Keeper

Here it is. The pin keeper we have all been waiting for! Kerry's beautiful in blue pin keeper. The USPS pulls it through again! The pin keeper is just beautiful! As y'all can see my camera is on the fritz again, so the scanner to the rescue! I am going to swap these out and they all will be in the mail tomorrow going to their new owners. If all the ladies were not sitting on pins and needles before they will now! Just waiting for their treasures coming in the mail!


Here are the pictures of this wonderful pin keeper:

TTFN

Block Number Three From Scenes

Well here it is, block number three for my under the sea crazy quilt Seanes. I am working on number four. It is almost done but right now I am working on the Magic Moments RR blocks. I am trying to finish one to get out into the mail tomorrow. I cannot wait to show this block as it is mostly seam embellishment. I will post the block as soon as it is finished.



TTFN

Finished Christmas Orniments

Okay, here they are!! All four Christmas orniments finished and ready to be sent to Nevada! I really like how these orniments turned out! I think that I will make more for my tree. Maybe in diffrent colors!

I hope that who ever winds up with these will like and enjoy them for years to come!

Well off to finish other things!!

TTFN

Sneak Peak

I am giving everyone a sneak preview of the Christmas orniments that I am making for the Christmas orniment swap that Lisa DuCoing is holding. This is one of four that I have been working on for the past couple of days. I am hopeing to have them done by Thursday. Because I have another project to finish!

TTFN

Asian Nights RR--Sossity's Block

Whew, what a week! This week I worked on Sossity's Asian Nights block. This block is a warm brown and cream block. Cobi had it first you can see her beautiful purple peacock, and wonderful crocheted motif that she added to the block.

When I got the block I wanted to ponder what the block wanted on it. Once I decided that a Geisha silkie was needed on it it got real easy. The block Started speaking to me.

I tried to make everything look as "Asian" as possible. Sossity made most of her block with brocade and in this brocade are very wonderful colors. Pinks, blues and lavenders. I tried to play off these colors. I also tried to follow suit with Cobi's jewel colors. The pink flowers that I have on the Geisha patch I wanted to make look like butterflies, as that pretty patch has nothing but butterflies on it!

The plain brown patch that I worked on, I put a branch of silk flowers. I had seen this motif on an Asian fan and thought that it would work well on this block.

The floss that I used on this block came from Weeks dye Works. I used the colors of Envy, Azaleas, Mermaid, Sweetheart Rose and Rose Quartz. The silk ribbon came from Thread Works.

Off to work on my Christmas Ornaments!!

TTFN