I have recently been surfing on ebay. I have decided that ebay is evil. It takes over my control, it hypnotizes me, it makes me buy. The world is quietly being taken over by ebay, one pile of junk at a time. When my goodies come, I'll post pictures. Bad me. Don't tell Spartan...
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Giveaway Time...
Check out the great giveaway over at Green Fairy Quilts! She is giving away a Moda jelly roll and a cute quilt pattern!
Writing Exercise
I have decided to add a new weekly challenge for myself here on my blog. My s-i-l stopped by my blog and loved it! I feel so blessed to have a wonderful friend in her and she requested (since she enjoyed it) that I do more writing here. When I was growing up I was sure I was going to write. I wrote poems and short stories...all the time. As often happens, life got in the way and my writing went by the wayside. So, long story short, I am going to do a weekly writing exercise here to try and brush up my skills (or lack there of, you be the judge!) Mostly it will be about my memories or my children or my daily life (which I truely believe to be interesting to no one but me). So sit back, put your feet up and get ready to be thrilled (bored).
My earliest Easter memory is of when I was about four years old. I remember laying in my Mother's bed, all warm and comfy. I loved sleeping with my Mother, she was my everything! It was just the two of us against the world! I can remember how warm she was as I was all cuddled up to her back... and then the thought that it was Easter morning popped into my head! Open came the eyes, off came the sheets and I was ready to bound out of bed. I scooted to the edge of the bed and just before I was about to jump out I looked down and saw the most gorgeous pair of black patten leather shoes...with an egg in them!!! I was more excited about the shoes than the egg, we didn't have a lot of money and these were beautiful shoes. I plopped down on the floor next to the shoes, pulled the egg out and stuffed my bare feet into them. "Oh," I thought, "just like a princess would wear!" I proceeded to hunt for my eggs in my new shoes and nightgown!
After finding the eggs and eating a quick breakfast we dressed in our pretties for church. Bundled into the car and off to Grandma and Grampa's house. I bounced up and down, back and forth in the back seat. Scrambling from one side to the other (we didn't wear seatbelts back then) looking out the windows singing over and over the words: "Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go..." Just those words, over and over and over! I must have driven my Mother crazy!
I watched the city buildings give way to mostly housing. Then we turned onto THE road. Sugarbush Road. Down the winding road we went. The elementary school my mother went to came into view as I looked out the passenger window, Green School, it was even painted green! Bop, bounce I went, over to the driver's side window so I could see the HUGE barn that was part of the Sugarbush ranch. Bop, bounce back to the passenger side to see the river and Grandma's house! Into the driveway we pulled, Mom barely putting it in park before I was jumping out. I can still hear the sound of the cinderstones under my new shoes as I walked across their driveway. Up the steps and in the front door. There's Grandma sitting at the dinette table, drinking coffee.
"Hi, sweetheart! Happy Easter! I have something for you."
It wasn't just something, it was SOMETHING! It was the most gorgeous ever (faux) fur white coat. Oh, it felt so good! The best part, it had a matching muff with it. Now I really was just like a princess! I know it sounds strange to get a fur coat for Easter, but it was quite big on me so that I would be able to wear it the next winter (and as I recall the winter after that too!)
My next memory of that day is after church services were over. Standing in the line to say good morning to the Minister. I had a wonderful secret. I had snitched a bunch of the pretty foil wrapped chocolate eggs from my basket at Grandma's and stuffed my pockets full. I had been eating them all morning! It's amazing that I didn't get any chocolate on my beautiful coat!
This is the most vivid memory I have of Easter as a child. I don't remember the dinner or what I did most of the day. But these things stuck out to me the most. It's funny what gets stuck in your head. Most of my memories are just snippets out of time, but this one is a lovely story that plays out in my memories every year at this time.
Here's hoping that you have a wonderful childhood memory of Easter as well!
My earliest Easter memory is of when I was about four years old. I remember laying in my Mother's bed, all warm and comfy. I loved sleeping with my Mother, she was my everything! It was just the two of us against the world! I can remember how warm she was as I was all cuddled up to her back... and then the thought that it was Easter morning popped into my head! Open came the eyes, off came the sheets and I was ready to bound out of bed. I scooted to the edge of the bed and just before I was about to jump out I looked down and saw the most gorgeous pair of black patten leather shoes...with an egg in them!!! I was more excited about the shoes than the egg, we didn't have a lot of money and these were beautiful shoes. I plopped down on the floor next to the shoes, pulled the egg out and stuffed my bare feet into them. "Oh," I thought, "just like a princess would wear!" I proceeded to hunt for my eggs in my new shoes and nightgown!
After finding the eggs and eating a quick breakfast we dressed in our pretties for church. Bundled into the car and off to Grandma and Grampa's house. I bounced up and down, back and forth in the back seat. Scrambling from one side to the other (we didn't wear seatbelts back then) looking out the windows singing over and over the words: "Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go..." Just those words, over and over and over! I must have driven my Mother crazy!
I watched the city buildings give way to mostly housing. Then we turned onto THE road. Sugarbush Road. Down the winding road we went. The elementary school my mother went to came into view as I looked out the passenger window, Green School, it was even painted green! Bop, bounce I went, over to the driver's side window so I could see the HUGE barn that was part of the Sugarbush ranch. Bop, bounce back to the passenger side to see the river and Grandma's house! Into the driveway we pulled, Mom barely putting it in park before I was jumping out. I can still hear the sound of the cinderstones under my new shoes as I walked across their driveway. Up the steps and in the front door. There's Grandma sitting at the dinette table, drinking coffee.
"Hi, sweetheart! Happy Easter! I have something for you."
It wasn't just something, it was SOMETHING! It was the most gorgeous ever (faux) fur white coat. Oh, it felt so good! The best part, it had a matching muff with it. Now I really was just like a princess! I know it sounds strange to get a fur coat for Easter, but it was quite big on me so that I would be able to wear it the next winter (and as I recall the winter after that too!)
My next memory of that day is after church services were over. Standing in the line to say good morning to the Minister. I had a wonderful secret. I had snitched a bunch of the pretty foil wrapped chocolate eggs from my basket at Grandma's and stuffed my pockets full. I had been eating them all morning! It's amazing that I didn't get any chocolate on my beautiful coat!
This is the most vivid memory I have of Easter as a child. I don't remember the dinner or what I did most of the day. But these things stuck out to me the most. It's funny what gets stuck in your head. Most of my memories are just snippets out of time, but this one is a lovely story that plays out in my memories every year at this time.
Here's hoping that you have a wonderful childhood memory of Easter as well!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Quilt Test Run...
For Christmas my Mom got me 4 charm packs of Moda Portabello Market. I had mentioned to her that I loved the line and would like to make a quilt for my bed out of it. As Mother's do, she remembered!
The colors are much more vibrant in person.
I finally decided on a pattern that I really like. It is called "Friendship Braid" and it is in the book "Jelly Roll Quilts." Well, with everything I do, it wasn't quite going to work. The template is 5 1/2" long and the charm packs are 5" square! So I made a template based on their's and decided to do a test run on scrap fabric. I know from experience that when I get a "great idea," it'll probably fail horribly, so I have learned to test things out first. Miracle of miracles, it worked! Here is the result of my practice run:
Now my only dilemma is what do I do with this piece? It came out to be 12" x 20" in size. I could just make a pillow out of it, but that seems so uninspired! I'm looking for some help here, so please, send your ideas my way!
The colors are much more vibrant in person.
I finally decided on a pattern that I really like. It is called "Friendship Braid" and it is in the book "Jelly Roll Quilts." Well, with everything I do, it wasn't quite going to work. The template is 5 1/2" long and the charm packs are 5" square! So I made a template based on their's and decided to do a test run on scrap fabric. I know from experience that when I get a "great idea," it'll probably fail horribly, so I have learned to test things out first. Miracle of miracles, it worked! Here is the result of my practice run:
Now my only dilemma is what do I do with this piece? It came out to be 12" x 20" in size. I could just make a pillow out of it, but that seems so uninspired! I'm looking for some help here, so please, send your ideas my way!
Friday, March 27, 2009
I've Fallen In Love...
With a whole collection of fabrics. Look at these gorgous fabrics from LakeHouse Dry Goods :
I would love to make a quilt out of these lovely patterns! The collection is called Doll Dresses and apparently came out last September.
Unfortunately my budget won't wrap around enough of a sampling to make a quilt...sigh...stupid how the electric company wants their money first! So if any of you are willing to send me the fabric... just kidding... but seriously... no, I don't really mean it... unless you want to...
Okay back to the real world! Check out Holly's blog. She offers some beautiful quilt patters for free!
...thinking to myself... maybe the kids won't mind eating peanut butter and jelly for a few days and I can sneak off to the quilt shop to pinch at least a couple of 1/2 yard lengths... hmm...
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
I would love to make a quilt out of these lovely patterns! The collection is called Doll Dresses and apparently came out last September.
Unfortunately my budget won't wrap around enough of a sampling to make a quilt...sigh...stupid how the electric company wants their money first! So if any of you are willing to send me the fabric... just kidding... but seriously... no, I don't really mean it... unless you want to...
Okay back to the real world! Check out Holly's blog. She offers some beautiful quilt patters for free!
...thinking to myself... maybe the kids won't mind eating peanut butter and jelly for a few days and I can sneak off to the quilt shop to pinch at least a couple of 1/2 yard lengths... hmm...
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Silk and Satin and Linen...oh my...
Here a couple of my recent finishes.
This one is from a kit I won at Giggle Buttons the beginning of February. I stitched it using Kreinik silk thread and colored it with colored pencils. I chose the colors based on this material that I had. Just a minor departure from the suggested DMC colors.
Sonya chose the winners from the comments that she liked the best and I was one of the fortunate ones! Here is the comment I left:
I love all of them! My favorite has to be the roses though. When I saw it, it instantly reminded me of my Grandmother who passed 14 years ago. She loved roses, rose water and rose scented drawer liners! Her favorite was from Crabtree & Evelyn. I hadn't thought of that for awhile, thanks for the memory poke!
I plan on framing this piece and displaying it on the wall with a picture of my Grandmother, I just know she would have loved the embroidery and the material I have chosen, definately her colors!
This piece I stitched on a vintage linen napkin that I have had for a while. It is part of a set with placemats (which are on my Daughter's dresser's now that she has a "big girl's" dresser set) that belonged to my Dad's~Uncles~Second Wife. Lovely lady and I think she would approve of me embroidering them. I used DMC's satin floss for the girl and flowers, regular floss for the house and gate. They recommend using 3 strands instead of one, but I used ONE strand! I found that the satin floss "spreads" more than the regular floss and therefore one strand was equal to using two strands of regular floss. It's very splitty so shorter lenths were better. I love the end result! It has such a beautiful shine to it and it was awesome for my french knots (yes, her hair is all french knots...I do love them!)
In my hoop right now is something different. I am trying stumpwork. I should have a picture soon. I also have made two new purses, one for me and one for my Mom that I will show in a few days!
This one is from a kit I won at Giggle Buttons the beginning of February. I stitched it using Kreinik silk thread and colored it with colored pencils. I chose the colors based on this material that I had. Just a minor departure from the suggested DMC colors.
Sonya chose the winners from the comments that she liked the best and I was one of the fortunate ones! Here is the comment I left:
I love all of them! My favorite has to be the roses though. When I saw it, it instantly reminded me of my Grandmother who passed 14 years ago. She loved roses, rose water and rose scented drawer liners! Her favorite was from Crabtree & Evelyn. I hadn't thought of that for awhile, thanks for the memory poke!
I plan on framing this piece and displaying it on the wall with a picture of my Grandmother, I just know she would have loved the embroidery and the material I have chosen, definately her colors!
This piece I stitched on a vintage linen napkin that I have had for a while. It is part of a set with placemats (which are on my Daughter's dresser's now that she has a "big girl's" dresser set) that belonged to my Dad's~Uncles~Second Wife. Lovely lady and I think she would approve of me embroidering them. I used DMC's satin floss for the girl and flowers, regular floss for the house and gate. They recommend using 3 strands instead of one, but I used ONE strand! I found that the satin floss "spreads" more than the regular floss and therefore one strand was equal to using two strands of regular floss. It's very splitty so shorter lenths were better. I love the end result! It has such a beautiful shine to it and it was awesome for my french knots (yes, her hair is all french knots...I do love them!)
In my hoop right now is something different. I am trying stumpwork. I should have a picture soon. I also have made two new purses, one for me and one for my Mom that I will show in a few days!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Funny ATC's...
I found these over at Blithe and Blonde. I just thought they were so cute I had to share!
Even though it is cold here, there is some sunshine, so hopefully I will be able to get a couple good pictures of my recent finishes today. Stay tuned...
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