I can never get tired to playing/making these pincushions. They're a such happy stuffies. The fairies love to stuff them.These pincushions have been in great demand among friends and family. I made a batch of ten and four are already gone.
So hurry up!! I know you can make them too but I'll save you the time since your "to do" list is already full. I'll deliver them in a clear box with a pretty bow, and ready to go.
Checked them out at my store!!
As I said yesterday, I've having this itch for something new. Last night and today, I managed to find some little time to start "experimenting." I borrowed some of the KF's drawings they have been making for Christmas cards. Let me tell you that any of the following works are finished projects. I just have been playing around to see if I can find a new way to create stuff...
I love the little angel (made by Ms. Clara.) But I don't think that making it into an ornament worked out well. I don't like the raw edge and the fact that the ribbon is not centered.
For my second experiment, I insisted I wanted an ornament. Love the bunny in the middle again,
I love the back, I love the shape. Still I think it lacks originality, texture, something...
My third try:
A cup of hot coca by the little tiny fairy in the house. I really like this, but what could it be?? So far is just: a quilting block??
And last but not least:
A teeny tiny quilt. The reindeer was drawn by Ofelia, the same fairy that created "Ed."I find so much happiness in her drawings that it's hard not to make something out of them. This tiny work is the one that I like the best. It has texture, it's Christmas-ish without been red; therefore it has some originality. Still, it's nothing but a small piece of work. How can I display it?? I don't want it to be a coaster. Maybe hanging from a clothesline, or????
I'm tired now but I'm happy I got to play a little bit with these ideas. I have some new ideas and I crossed out some others. I did enjoy working "freely" creating my own recipe and also including my girls' work into the mix.
I've been having this itch to create something new; something new to me... I want to create something rich in stitches, with different materials: fabric, papaer, threat, stuffing, paper, ink, wire?... Maybe some new found tiny objects can be added to the equation. A piece of work that leaves me wanting to make more. I don't even know if it is 2D or 3D, a card, a purse, or a stuffy. Don't take me wrong, I love making quilts and swapping frabrics and stuff, but I want more!! Like a new media to explore...
I'm so wanting to try, that this year I'm going to pass on the hand made Christmas presents. OK, maybe not that much, but I want to find the time to explore some textile art/media. Wish me luck!!
It was like a year ago that Katy from I'm a Ginger Monkey posted about "Pay it Forward." She offered to pay it forward to the first six people to comment on her post, and I was one of the lucky winners. As time went by, I totally forgot about it. This parcel was such a nice surprise on a week that I wasn't expecting anything but bills in the mail. As you can see everything in this package is beautiful. The tote has different fabrics inside and out. It's going to be nice to go get some groceries in such a nice baggy...The fabrics are to dye for. The Russian dolls fabric is the one she used for my block in "Quilt Around the World," right Katy?? The Clothkits are a new concept for me, I can't wait for the weekend to play with it. Thank you Katy!! I love it, and the girls did too!!
Now it's my turn to pay it forward. I'll be sending a craft made by me (obviously)to the first three people to leave a comment on this post. It will arrive to you within 365 days or before, don't worry I won't forget...This giveaway is open for people that have a current craft blog of Flickr photostream, sorry that's me.
Originally uploaded by Quilt Dad.
Look at this!! Isn't cute?? This is one of the embroidery works that John (Quilt Dad) sent me. For this swap we were supposed to make one embroidery project for a secret partner, but John made two beautiful projects. SWEET!!
He also sent me this bird on a cup cake, as well as candy (already eaten,) and a bunch of those lovely post-it sticky note which I secretly hoard to stick them in every page of my "how to" books. Oh yeah!! I'm a total "how to" books person. I've decided to make a pillow with the fairies embroidery. The "bird and cupcake" will definitely be a wall piece. John not only did a great work with the embroidery itself but also at combining matching fabrics around it. I just can't get rid of all the fabric outside the hoop.Thank you so much John!!
I feel really happy with the outcome of this swap. Looking at the Hand Stitched Embroidery Swap group pictures you can tell it was such a wonderful swap. Everybody put great effort in coming up with amazing embroidery pieces, definitely worth a second round!!
I used to blame my messy house on the square footage of it. Now, we live in a tiny house and still is not perfectly clean ad tidy.This the line of "stuff" that goes from one side of the sewing/studio/guest room/storage/my closet room. It moves from one side of the room to the other depending on what I need to make at the moment. I could look even worse but I folded the ironing table and hanged the wet towels before I knew I was posting today.
In my bathroom: the eternal naked Barbie, oops! yep, I gave in and the busty dolls (bustier than me for sure) have taken over the girls room. Princesses toothbrushes never ever go back into their place, but still I have to pick my battles choosing to set a good mood for the morning rather than long faces and tears. I'm not posting this to tell you I'm proud of my imperfection but to show you that I'm a naturally imperfect person, I'm just a mother/wife, and I also have issues with so called Martha.
In the living room, my so hated nemesis "the laundry," my sick child and my playful/always happy tiny kitchen fairy.
To finish this post, let me confess that life is so crazy hectic around here that even the Tooth Fairy forgot to come last night. I blamed it on the cat...We'll try again tonight, and I'll keep the cat away from the girls' bedroom so she can make the transaction without feeling threatened by our pet.
These are our moments today, not only mine. Still, I can tell we love it just the way it is.
Join Amy and share some of your moments...if you want.
I'm happy and done with this project. It's my embroidery for the Hand Stitched Embroidery Swap. I enjoyed do much making this pattern, choosing the right embroidery hoop (I'm that kind of picky,) and stitching from a couple of hours at my heart's content.
The making of the pattern brought some other observations along such as my need to get in touch with my drawing skills. And needless to say (but I say it anyway,) I fell in love with it again!!! I hope my secret partner likes it as much as I do. This piece is going to be especially hard to let go. The good thing is that this is a pattern available now.
Yes! So if you want to give it a try my Embroidery Pattern 1: "Joy" is available at my Etsy store. It's in the form of a PDF file for easy delivery thanks to Jose (Mr. TKF). I hope you love it as much as I do.
When you wake up to a dark rainy day, and still you have to go out with three little girls in rain boots, it feels like is not going to be an easy day. I dropped off my girls at their three different destinations and started with my list of errands. First stop the post office. There I was, the wind blew my umbrella's inside out and I'm getting wet. But to my surprise I got a little something in the mail that has totally made my day.
My teeny tiny quilt made by Hanies arrived from Berlin!! Isn't beautiful?? I thought it will take much longer for it to arrive. It took only one week. Thank you so much Tacha!! I love it. It's about 6X6 inches, really teeny tiny. Look at the back:
Incredible cute, and beautifully design. It's like two quilties in one. I love these little robots doing the head shoulders, knees, and toes routine. Tacha also included some cute hippo fabric in the envelope. I saw this fabric before but I never found it at my local fabric stores, I love it.
Now, I have to go back to my day. In my "to do" list:
Some embroidery for the "Hand Stitched" Embroidery Swap, and then "Reading Workshop" at my daughter's first grade classroom.
Enjoy your weekend!!
Well, here it is. I'm not completely happy about how this quilt is looking. I was confident that the fabric I had for the border was enough and it turned out it wasn't. The sections from my beloved "quilt maker's gift" fabric run vertically instead of running from selvage to selvage, and there wasn't enough, and I already have the blocks sewn together. Then I had this wonderful idea of mixing it with some other fabrics in order to make a border. Do I love it?? Not totally. I had this idea in my ming for a perfect quilt (perfect for me,) and now I feel upset about it. Of course the fabric left over is less than enough...Any sugestions??
The bears paws blocks are coming nicely along. I'm working on them during any tiny spare time that I can find. Although I know that I'm entitle to some sort of recreation or just a break during the day, I feel terribly guilty to sew the afternoon away while the girls are doing something else around the house. Then they go to bed, and I feel exhausted...I guess I'll have to work a bit more on my this issue and enjoy myself a bit more. I made these blocks like one or two per day. A total of nine blocks will be perfect for a throw size quilt, with a nice sashing added, and then the border. So far it's looking very fall-ish and very traditional for my taste. This is the first time that a quilt turns out so serious but I guess that's OK as long as it doesn't become the rule.
In the "findings" category today: not one or two but seven, seven yards of this quilters cotton fabric. I got it at the thrift store for $7. There is plenty for quilt backing, lounge pants for me, and even some for swaping if you're interested...
In the swap category: Yes! I made it in time for this swap organized by Ariel. I got my secret partner and I got to make my mosaic with my favorite pictures from flickr. I'm really excited about this one!! I'm planning on making my own embroidery pattern, and I also want to use a couple of pretty fabrics for this one. I also signed up for the Teeny Tiny Mini Swap organized by the famous quiltinkimmie. I got to swap with Hanies in Germany!! She has a lovely photostream, doesn't she?? I guess I just busied myself in terms of sewing.
I'll soon be back with a sneak peek for my swap partners, and more craftiness. Now, I'm going to get the girls from the bus stop and get started with dinner. Happy sewing everyone!!
It's starting go get cold around here in Michigan. This week I've been sorting the girls' clothes, putting away the summer clothes, and taking out their winter gear. We're back to sweaters, woolly skirts and tights. At the same time, I've been enjoying the making of these "bear paws." I'm making a throw size quilt for us with the fabric from the "Quilt makers' gift."There is something special about this quilt. It took me so many years to get used to this country, to this weather... yesterday I realized that it's been 13 years since I moved from my little beach town to here, and with the years I have learned to love this place. I feel inspired by my Michiganian surroundings, its legends, its traditions. All of the sudden the chilly mornings make me happy.
