Tried a New Craft - -

I have knitted scarves before just knitting and purling but this was kind of unique and I
thought I would give it a try.
The yarn is Rozetti Marina and all you do is knit the whole ball of yarn and this is how it turns out, in a Ruffle.  My friend in Florida referred this to me and I also found the blog www.nobleknits.com
to buy it from.
It is rather autumy looking too and will look good with my brown coat this winter. It is something
I may try to do once or maybe twice but although it is easy it is a concentration study to say the

least. Looks like something to eat at Thanksgiving doesn't it?

Not Stained Glass

Found an old window a year or so ago and decided to paint birds on it.

I tried with some glass paint but it seemed too light. I thought I would use

acrylic paint instead and it worked. I do have to touch up the birds every

year but I just love it as it hangs (thanks to dear husband) under the upper

deck through rain, shine, snow and anything handed to it by nature.

In fact the recent hail storm we had did more damage to my window

screens than this window.

In fact it is about time to add a little more color to it.

Sketch Book

I put on my blog a stamp that says Sketch Book Challenge, it is on the left side under my title blog. It is a way to use up some of my "talent" as an artist to do some simple drawing, sketching, painting, in a journal form.

Each month this blog will give a theme to stir you on to doing something relevant to it. I just joined so I missed January thru April but managed to sneak in on May. The theme being "Resistance" (to shorten it). Many may use things to resist paint such as wax, crayons, liquid form of resist found in many art stores for their own journal. I preferred to make mine as a resistance to eating a sundae. Love those hot fudge sundaes which are not flattering to the figure. Can't resist if offered.

I did this in a simple form of showing my favorite Sundae - hot fudge, with nuts and cherry on top and of course, whipped creme.

Done with paint pencils on a journal book of watercolor paper which I hope to fill each month. In order to be a member they ask that you put your endeavor on their flickr site and to add it to your own blog. So here it is for this month of May.

If interested in joining it just click on the badge. I am a self taught "artist", anyone has this kind of talent.

Birches of New Hamphire

A few years ago as we were full time rvers we went to New Hampshire. I loved the beautiful white birch trees abundant there. When I came home I decided to do a water color painting of them and then a year later when I got interested in quilting and sewing I thought I would depict the same view but with fabric.

The fabric piece was a first for me to do. I used snippets to make the tree look 3 dimensional with leaves., Then I sewed the trees out of off white fabric then marking the lines in birch with a black pen. The background fabric was two shades of green and then I used a gray fabric to similate rocks around the background of the trees. I then bound it after putting a thin batting and backing on it. Everytime I look at both the painting and art quiltie it brings me back to that lovely time rving to New Hampshire.

My most favorite thing to do sewing is some sort of art quiltie. They are quick to do and of your own design. I do not like to follow patterns., Enjoy!

Lap Quilt for Grandson

I have made lapquilts for each grandchild. This one is for Clayton who is 20, in college and I believe his bedroom at home is done in black and white decor. This is a gray, black, white top with gray and brownish backing. It is a Rag quilt, my favorite to do as it is quite simple but takes time to do also. To make it look raggy I cut around each section in snips and after washing it I am hoping it to look fringy. The backing is made of flannel and the top is cotton with a light weight batting in between.

I am a novice of sorts when it comes to my quilting so be gentle if you comment.

A Swap on Swap-bot.com

For this swap I had to make a small quiltie using things I haven't before. I have tried

just about everything on a quilt but stayed away from doing applique. So this time,

I decided I would try again and also do a little painting with acrylic paint for the sun and then I stitched around it. I used a button for the flower as an embellishment and a piece of felt cut to

look like grass.

The backing fabric is the same as the front, green with gold running through it. I cut the cat out of a fabric and finished it envelope style, three layers then stitched around it. It is about a 6 x6 inch size.

I have done applique before on two quilts but they were for me. When doing for someone else, which was the idea of swapping, I get a little nervous that it won't look good enough. However, the swapper who received it just loved it as did her little boy. Alls well that ends well, I guess.

Quiltfest - Pigeon Forge, Tn.

Rainey day so I took my dear husband to a quilt show. There were so many quilts to be seen and a lot of vendors selling unimaginable items to quilt with. The quilts were of different sizes, colors and even shapes. A few quilts you may have seen before by other quilters and then smaller art type pieces that I just love. As you can see my dear husband had to get into the picture to prove he actually went to a quilt show. He is just precious!

As you can see I put a couple of designs on here for a look see as I couldn't grasp how big some were and just got a pattern on photo. I am totally a person who loves color and design. I just thought I might share some of these with you my blogger friends. Whether you quilt or not it is amazing to see what these people put together.

Fabric Journal Calendar - December

Pretty obvious what I would choose for my 12 month calendar for December.

CHRISTMAS - being this is a journal for my grandkids.

This was for that swap I said in my other entries.

I cut out a tree in green fabric, adhered it to another Christmas type fabric,

decorated it with beads and a ribbon of symbols on the bottom. I then put

batting inside and a nice fabric on the back, sewing it all together to be a

9 x 12 piece. On this last of the year I placed a "Family Heirloom" label on

the back of December.

It is done, the year is 2010 and I assume they will

enjoy it 20 years from now. God Bless Us, Each and Everyone.

Fabric Journal for November

This is my fabric calendar for November when we all give thanks.

I used what I thought represented on fabric of the bountiful gifts we receive.

I used three fabric embellishment cutouts for the turkeys and acorns.

I put batting in between the fabric and on the back is an all leaf design.

It is done 9 x 12 to be added with the other months.

Again, this will be the 11th month for my calendar.

Fabric Journal Swp - October

I must have a lot of time on my hands as I get these done super fast.
I am doing a simple calendar journal for a child so each month is in picture form and hopefully they will know by the picture what month it is.

This is for our journal swap and the 10th month. It is 9 x 12 inches as are the other months.
I used fabric with candy corn to symbolize Halloween.
The leaves are made of fabric. Not sewed completely down in order to give it dimension.
Pumpkins fabric also sewed in ribbon form. I try to use what elements I have on hand in order to reduce my stash of "stuff".

Pumpkins and leaves falling for Autumn or Fall.
It has batting inside and a plain muslin backing then
stitch around the edges to hold all in place. I will then
put a round washer on the corner in order for me to hang it on a
round hook with all the others. Enjoy

Fabric Journal for September

Being that September is my birth month and I will be 3 quarters of a century old. Yikes! Did I really say that? Well, I should have commemorated that in this months journal somehow but decided since I was doing a calendar theme I would keep it that way.
School year always started for me, up North, the day after Labor Day. Always an exciting day with new clothes, new pencil boxes and pencils with maybe a protractor in it. Those of you my age remember that well. No school buses as we lived about 1 1/2 miles from school and we walked. Mostly all the kids in the neighborhood or on the same street walked together. Yes, we did walk in the SNOW too. No snow days then. Those who now take Mom's car to school or buses pick you up in front of your house are missing out. It was a wonderful time being with friends on a walk to school and back again. We were never picked up at school.

So here is my fabric journal page: I got a cute fabric with all needed supplies for school pictured on it, then I got a picture from the internet clipart site and printed it on fabric securing with fuse material to that fabric. Using cute "School Days" ribbon I glued them on the top portion, just because I liked the ribbon. Then I did a minor amount of quilting to hold the batting and the backing on. I used an envelope type finishing as I really hate to do bindings. I then sewed all around the entire block. On the back I printed the month and year and my grandma name "Nema". This is for a swap which will be sent via mail with a photo of this piece to my two swappers.

Months of Fabric Journal

My calendar journal that I have already shown to you but now I needed some way
of keeping them together. If I had thought about it sooner, I would have just made the tops and put the 12 months of the year in a wall hanging. But, this is a good idea too as it can be passed around to each grandchild. I put silver washers on each one and then found a metal ring to put them on. The picture shows only the ones from January 2010 to August 2010 but there is room for September, October, November and December. I may start another next year with a different theme and then I will make either a lap quilt or wallhanging with it.

String Strip Quilt Top -2010

Started this last month by sewing strips diagonally on plain fabric 13 x 13, then trimming a 12" square into four 6" squares, sewing them together to form another 12" square. This is a first for me and used up a lot of patience doing it. It is not finished as it need a border on it and then a backing (no batting) then I will stitch in the ditch around the blocks. I wanted something light thus the no batting inbetween. I love all the colors and it is a no brainer and goes fast. You use up a lot of scraps also. I enjoy instant gratification which this does. Being a novice at quilting of any kind I think this is called a string strip top. If anyone knows a different name for it please let me know.

Fabric Journal - August

August is known as "Doggie Days of Summer".
For this swap and this month I decided to have the
journal depict the hot days of summer. This is photo on fabric
of my dog Katie and when you lift that up you get another photo
transfer of my DH asleep with Katie on the swing.
The same fabric is on the front and back, with batting in between.
I then tried my hand at a little free motion sewing to keep it
together. I embellished it with a dog house.
Although I am not as good as some in doing this project of a monthly
journal, it is so much fun and it is for my grandchildren to enjoy
and remember me when I am no longer here.

Fabric Journal - July

If you have been keeping up with me on my Fabric Journal Swap this is for the month of July.

Now, how original is that! Red, White and Blue. I am very patriotic and love my country. Hope it heals itself soon.

Pictures are the front with the yo yo design and the back with the flags.

Fabric Journal Swap - June

Immediately I think of the beach in June and have tried to capture it in this months' journal swap.

I used several different blues to symbolize both the sky and water and fancy stitched

a few waves. I also used fabric paint to make it look like foam at the waters' edge but I really didn't care for the way it came out. I embellished by putting some shells on it and fused an umbrella on a little wooden skewer and cute a piece of towel to represent a blanket.

I also cut and fused a pair of flip flops as if a swimmer just dove into the waves. It has three layers, top, batting and backing which I used the envelope effect to secure.

Master of None

I have looked back on some of the "crafty" things I have done in the past 20 years after my retirement and realized that I am a "little of this and a little of that" girl. A master of none.
I do like to write but I am not an author or considered one but feel like I am more of a "story teller". I have started to enjoy poetry, but am not A Poetress. I like to see words and make something of them. I love to make small quilt pieces, but am not considered a "Quilter" by far.
I love to dabble in watercolor and acrylics, pen and ink but do not really call myself an "Artist". I have tried silk painting, cutting gourds and painting on them, mosaic stepping stones, artist trading cards and art journals to my satisfaction of course. I am interested in all forms of Art, like pottery, silk screening, jewelry making but will not master any of them. Enjoyment I guess is my best forte in Art. I am curious and envious of people who are truly artist in their field of endeavor so I feel I am a little of this and a little of that. Hoping that makes me interesting and keeps me interested.

Here are my gourds that I painted. One I cut the gourd to resemble a basket and then painted fruit on it. The other three are peas in a pod, a large pear, and an eggplant. Recognize them?

Fabric Journal Swap - May

In this swap exchange I decided to do my fabric quilting pages for the months of the year.

Here is my month of May - Since my April journal is "April Showers" this one will be "Bring May Flowers" - Now how original is THAT!

My next one will be for June - humm! wonder what that will bring.

Fabric Journal - April

April showers bring May Flowers was my thought in making this for April Journal Swap.

I cut out umbrellas and sewed them onto a background that looked like rainey weather, it was the reverse side of the fabric I had and it looked just like a stormy day.

I after fusing them onto fabric I then added little rhinestones to resemble drops of rain at the end of a mettalic thread I used to fasten the pieces together, the top, the batting and the back which is the reverse side of that fabric. I then did an envelope to turn the fabric inside out and that is my finished project at which I put a 1/4 inch seam all around the edges.

This will eventually be added to my other months of Jan. Feb. March and I hope to continue for the 12 months and it will be made into book form for my grandchildren. Enjoy!

Dragon Lap Quilt

This is a lapquilt I did for a grandson. I usually add to his collection

he has of pewter dragons. So, I thought I would make him a small quilt

with that theme. I made the appliques of a dragon fighting another dragon

and sewed them on it. The fabric was perfect for this as it had dragons all

over it and then I added the black fabric squares. It is sewn in the ditch instead

of quilting it all over. I love the binding I made out of two fabrics. One is the

backing fabric and the other is a polka dot fabric. This is my first for binding

the quilt.