Monday, September 29, 2008

MAIL CALL!!!!!

Today in the mail I received another set of pin keepers! Gorgeous ones , too!
These came from Cindy Berghuis.



First up is this beautiful blue under the sea pin keeper! Wonderful isn't it! I do need to tell you as like always the camera does not do this wonderful art justice!!










Here is the other side! A grand flower garden! Love the beaded butterfly!









Cindy made two. This pastel beauty is just wonderful in person! Here is the first side.










When you turn it over you get this wonderful purple look. The silk ribbon roses are exquisite!

With Cindy's pin keepers the lucky recipient will get a two for one. Kinda like mood sides!




But wait that is not all! I received my Secret Sister birthday gift today. Wonderful, wonderful geisha fabric!! I will have to think up something special for this fabric! A beautiful hanging angel, and I don't want to forget my very favorite, CAMEO BUTTONS!!!!!!! I love cameos!!






Geisha fabric, for that special project!!


















AAAAHHHHHH, my cameos!!!










I would have taken pictures of my September Secret Sister gifty but, I assimilated it into my Christmas goodies before I got my camera working. I will tell you this: It is wonderful Christmas, items for a special future project!!

I wonder what tomorrow will bring from the postman!!





TTFN

Sunday, September 28, 2008

I Have A Camera Again!!!

I found my software for my camera and installed it today!!! WHOO-HOO!!!!!!! I feel like I have been liberated!! Okay now to share some pictures with y'all. These are the breast cancer blocks that I have been working on and am going to work on:




This is the first Breast cancer block that I did for Leslie. The theme is hearts. I know that you can barely see it but I have a little rhinestone heart on this block. Very flashy!! Of course all those little pink roses!







And here is the second breast cancer block! I have it on my blog but I had to scan it the first time, but with the use of the camera you get to see it whole and not in half!

















The next three blocks for breast cancer up are for Debbie Higgins. Here they are pieced. I will start embellishing them. Debbie wants me to use pastel colors. I will do one lavender, one yellow and one blue.


Now that I have my new found "freedom", more pictures are to come!!





TTFN

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Three More Pin Keepers














Three more pin keepers have arrived. I received the first of two(maybe) from Debbie Higgins at our Lost Pines Crazy Quilt Group today. Our challenge for this months meeting was under the sea, so she combined the two deadlines and made an under the sea pin keep. As I am still with out a camera the scanner as usual does not do this wonderful pin keeper justice. Debbie's fish are just too, cute! As you can see from the back of this pin keep Debbie did some of her gorgeous stitching!
















Arriving from Japan are Hideko's two wonderful pin keepers!! Ladies let me tell you pictures do not do these two pin keepers justice. The person who receives one of these is one lucky person!

The stitching on these is to just die for!




















With all the eye candy that I have received, I am now waiting on pins and needles to see what else the PO box will cough up!
I just might go on eye candy over load! Well.......at least need a bib from all the drool!






TTFN

Thursday, September 25, 2008

My Antique Store Find


Yesterday, I went looking in my closet for a dress that I had bought at the local thrift store for my CQ SEANES. (I bought it as it had a great green I am going to use for blocks.)

As I was looking for that dress I came across an unopened paper bag that held some purchases that were made. Why, I threw the bag in my closet I will never know. Probably instinct so that DH doesn't know what kind of money I am spending on the stuff that is going to "drown" him. (That is what he says anyway.)

Upon opening my paper bag I found doilies that I was wanting to use in SEANES. A ballerina hanky.


Then wrapped separately this wonderful creation!! A great vintage pin cushion! I knew that I had to share it with everybody! I love the way that it was made. Some lady was very ingenious!
When I saw this I "had" to have it!

One day in my next life I probably should learn how to crochet! I would like to make these wonderful things also!





TTFN

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

My Under The Water Wall Hanging Block Two


Well, here it is my second block for my wall hanging SEANES. I am really happy with how these blocks are coming together! I have the third almost ready to blog.

I am hoping to have this wall hanging done about December. I have almost decided on how to finish it.

So off I go to work on the fourth block!!!




TTFN

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

My Peacock

I have to tell you about my peacock. I got him in the mail today and now just dont know what to do with him.

First let me go to the begining.................One day I was on ebay just crusing around see what I can stop myself from buying. I started looking at peacock things to get ideas for the Asian Nights RR that I am participating in. I came across beautiful sequin peacock appliques. Starting bid 0.99 cents. They had a few colors pink, blue, green, purple. I bid a couple of dollars on all. I thought what the heck, I could get something nice to add to blocks right????
Bingo I won the green one.
When I bid on the auction I assumed little applique, you know normal size.(No mention of size in the auction description! I went back and checked.)

Come to find out I assumed WRONG!! The size of this applique is huge!! It is so big I could not fit it all on my scanner, SEE---->


Now to come up with a plan for one BIG peacock.

He is kinda cute isn't he??

AAAHHHHH, another challenge in the future!

TTFN

Monday, September 22, 2008

Arlene's Pin Keeper

Today's run to the post office met with the arrival of Arlene's pin keeper from Scotland. I opened up the mail box and saw this unwanted plastic bag.......
Of course I thought: OH!!! NO!!! Not Arlene's Beautiful pin keeper!
I was afraid to look inside! Was her beautiful pin keep folded?? Bent?? Mangled??
I went out to the car before opening the package.
I HAD to sit down for this........................................
Once I had it opened I saw a corner of the envelope she had sent it in was a little crinkled, Okay not bad as the pin keep was round.
Then I saw the side. It looked like someone had slit the side! I wonder if they just wanted a peek, you know the curiosity thingy?? OOKKAAAYYYY, I looked in side..........
WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There sat the pin keeper in all its un-mangled glory!!! I must say that the pictures of the pin keeper does not do it justice! It is beautiful!
What a prize for the lucky person who gets this one!
Arlene, your stitching on this is so delicate, and fine!
Now here I sit on pins and needles, and biting my nails waiting on the rest of the pin keepers!
TTFN

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Breast Cancer Quilt Block Finished

I have finally finished my second breast cancer block for Leslie's quilt. This block I used a lot more roses on it. I had also used a few more sequins. My only excuse is they just seemed to fit this block. In the photos the flower sequins look white, well they are not , they are pink!

I still don't have a camera that will work with my new computer sssoooo I am scanning all my eye candy over on the scanner. To that end the block has to be shown off in two pictures. Better than nothing at all.
I found in one of my button bags a MOP heart charm. When I saw that charm I thought I have just the spot for it! It fits perfectly.
My last two hearts that I put on the block I made out of silk roses. One pink and one white. I am going to have to use this idea on other blocks, as they turned out so well! Last I tried to do a rose spray ah-la Wendy. I don't think that it turned out like hers do, but it looks good on the block. Of course my rose garden that I had to show off yesterday!
Well, Leslie, here is the second block!
TTFN

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Breast Cancer Quilt block


I am working on two blocks for Leslie's quilt. I have already made the first now I am working on the second when I finished this part of the block. I have to let you know that I like the way the roses turned out so much I had to show everyone!
Well it kills two birds with one stone. I am showing off the roses, and It also teases Leslie on how the rest of the block will turn out!
I should be able to finish up tomorrow and show off the rest of the block and show everyone what the both look like!
TTFN

My Latest WHOO-HOO Finds




I have recently had the privilege to obtain some of the greatest finds a crazy quilter can own. TOBACCO SILKS!!!!!! I have some really great images. As you can see from the first photo.





The first two silks appealed to my sense of fun. Are they not wonderful?? I have spent some time this morning copying them into my computer. Restoring the color a little bit. As you can see from the pictures that they are wrinkled probably from storage and all. My grandmother has told me of a trick on how to iron them, I will try that out and see if it works.



AAAHHHH, the fruit! I love these images! I am hoping to find some more of them.......Maybe some trading cards that I can copy to silk???

Whoops, I can see another crazy quilt...............Fruit and blossoms.


I don't want to forget my butterfly and birds........Of course more of these wonderful silks are in order!





As you can see from the above scans the bird silks are not in the best of shape. I have had long talks with a lady who restores dolls and she has given me some tips on how to use the originals (you know silks in not so good shape) in a project if I would like. OH, Oh, oh, I hear another tutorial coming on! I need a camera that works with my new computer first...........OH, the complications!



This brings me to my new blog teasers.............



These are not the only silks that I have laid my hands on. I also have silks of eleven actresses. Do you know what that means??? A NEW CQ!!! To that end a whole new batch of blog teasers! I am going to run my new blog teasers up until the time that I start my new quilt. I have to finish SEANES first. (Of course I am getting ready to blog the next block for that quilt.) These blog teasers will have a whole new twist...........So stay tuned and brush up on your trivia!





TTFN

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Two More Pin Keepers

I have finally finished Kerry's pin keeper and the second pin keeper for the swap. Both are under the sea.


Here is both sides of the first one that I made. As you can see I did something a little different in using part of a vintage doily for the reef. Because I had to hide the cut parts they had to be wrapped around the CD. So to that end I did not put in a lot of detail. Well, as you can see the pin keeper turned out really well. So it was on the the next one.......................


Here is the second pin keeper with the under the sea theme. As you can see I gained more confidence and added more detail. I really liked the way that both had turned out. I cannot wait to try more different things with these.....................

TTFN

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

World Alzheimer's Day

As some of y'all know I work in nursing homes. I run a route at night and draw blood for the residents.
I have many, that have Alzheimer's. I have also known many who have passed from or with this disease.
It is awful to see any one go through what happens during its course. I am proud to know and help these brave and courageous people through this illness.

World Alzheimer’s Day
September 21, 2008
So that future generations may never know this disease
Here is the link so that you may make your patch:

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

I Got My Tags!!

A great surprise was at the post office waiting for me today! My tags from the tag swap. I received Gail's beautiful tag and Hideko's beautiful tag!!





Gail's tag is a wonderful pink, gold and cream tag.


This tag has so much detail!The pink spiderweb is just so wonderfully original! The spider made out of two white pearl beads. Too, cute!



I don't want to forget the beautiful pink fly stitch lace. It is so beautiful against the pink satin!


Hideko's tag is my very favorite color purple! It is just so awesome!

The innovative idea of using eyelash yarn and beads to make the petals of the flower! The scan just does not do the flower justice! I am hoping to use this idea in my projects!


Hideko's silk ribbon roses are just to die for!

Both Gail and Hideko do such delicate stitching! I just hope to one day to do such fine work!

Ladies, Thank you for doing such beautiful work I feel privileged to be the custodian of such beautiful art work!

Sharon, Thank you so much for hosting this swap! I enjoyed it so much. And welcome back, you have been sorely missed!

TTFN

Monday, September 15, 2008

And We Have A Winner.................

We have a winner! Kerry, has guessed right. I am making a under the sea theme wall hanging. I am making it to put into some of the local quilt shows. I am very excited about it as it is the first that I have ever made and it is also close to my ultimate goal of making a full crazy quilt.


Kerry if you will email me I will send you you prize as soon as I am finished making it. It is a under the sea themed pin keeper.

I have several blocks done right now but I will post one at a time. Here is the first block that I made for the wall hanging. I am calling it Seanes.

Blog Teaser No. 2

Okay, so nobody has guessed right yet. Some have been half right. Remember the first person to guess the theme AND what I am making will win a blog prize!!!!!

The above picture is of some items that we all have in our stash. Ordinary CQ items that I am using in my project. Can you guess what I am making??????

On Wednesday I will post another teaser if nobody has guessed the answer before then. I might have to post a picture of the prize just to tease you some more. I might have it made by then!

TTFN

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Finished Pin Keeper

This morning I got up and and got to work real early. I finished one of the Pin Keepers for the swap. It turned out to be a great floral with a butterfly and dragonflies. The fabric I got on clearance at that old red neck heaven, WalMart. I thought the the colors were just wonderful.

So, here are the photos:

As you can see I had also added a tassel. I also played with some of the stitches. I am thinking that I need to use some of the combinations on one of my CQ blocks as I think that they turned out real well.

Well anyway here is the first of two that I am doing for the swap. I cannot wait to see what everyone else has been working on.

TTFN