Creative Tuesday: Gift (#62)

I'm just squeaking in under the wire for this week's Creative Tuesday!

This week's theme was Gift.  I've been craving an excuse to start my multimedia book... and I can't think of a better way to kick it off.   So, no having a clue what I'm doing, I jumped in and started layering watercolor paints and sharpie markers to create this uplifting doodle. 

I'm pretty pleased and looking forward to more experimentation with multimedia stuffs!  In my mind, I still need to try mixing paints and fabrics for the ultimate in color and texture. 

You can find out more about this weekly challenge (don't be shy) and see what the other artists put together here.

Wishing you puppy licks and sunshine!

Wednesday WIP: A Few Almost Done's

The summer-like weather pulled me outside for the most part and you can see how we spent that time tearing down a wall.  I still somehow managed to put time into The Lake and it's just about ready for binding!!

 

--THANK YOU!!--

I'm feeling like such a lucky duck after winning a $30 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop from Bethany over at Sweet Bee Buzzings!!  Thank you Bethany for letting me indulge on a bunch of fabric!!  It was such a treat to pick out ones I liked without a specific project in mind!  And the fabrics came lightening fast... it's always a pleasure to shop at Fat Quarter!  And as I promised... here is what I picked out:

{from the top down}
1/2 yard of Wood Lawn Batiks in Antique Beige Shibori ... I'm thinking it's the perfect binding for The Lake
1/2 yard of Desert Springs Batiks in Cool Blue Watercolor Texture
.875 of Cocoa Bery Brown Bonehead (skulls!!!)
1 yard of Prince Charming Aqua Dandelion
1 yard of Scandinavian Christmas Cream Tiny Toadstools

--GETTING BINDING--

{At Sunrise}: Confetti Quilt - I still haven't sewn down the back of this binding...

 

 

{The Lake}: Landscape Quilt - I made a ton of progress on this piece and in fact... I think it's nearly ready for binding!! 

--PAUSED--

• Laughing Leaves with Frieda Anderson
• Spinning Starlets {English Paper Piecing}
• {Your're My Sunshine}: Bottled Rainbows {ticker tape quilt-along}

This Week's Work in Progress (WiP) Stats:

Last WiP Wednesday Total: 5
New Projects: 0

Finished Projects: 0

Total WiP's: 5 (same as last week)

Happy Moment #50: What I Made

A Friday ritual with Soulemama.  A single (or a few) photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary, happy moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments too.

 

Made for the Name Game Swap for Josie McRazie at Insanity Defense

Mail Call!! {Name Swap Quilt}

I got a package all the way from Australia!!

Cute peppery polka dots... what could it be... hurry open it already!

I restrained... and opened the card first.  And then it hit me... duh!  This must be from the Name Game Quilt Swap that I joined over at Samelia's Mum!

Isn't the picture on the card just amazing?  There was a beautiful message inside from my secret partner... who I now know to be Cassie from Cassthecoolest!

Squee... so I couldn't wait a moment later.  I took the hanging from the plastic baggy... and began to unfold it and wow!!  Just wow!! 

The pleating, prairie points, sun shape, and orange are just so me me me!!  I can't wait to hang it on my wall!

Cassie, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to make something handmade for me.  It warms my sewing room and will make me smile often!! 

Baby Sammy Stuffie

I want to share a quick little stuffie I made for my niece. 

I took a piece of that really plush fabric I had left laying around.  Put the right sides together and loosely sketched out a simple Sammy dog shape.

Cut out the shape and sew it together.

Flip it inside out, fill with stuffing or left over batting bits, close the hole and tie on a cute ribbon. 

Cute, right?

Quilted Gifts, I can finally show you or not.

I made a few things as gifts this year -- and now that I can show you without the chance of ruining the surprise... I am realizing I never really took final pictures of things. 

*smacking my hand on my head*

I guess I didn't even trusted myself with pictures in fear I would ruin the surprises. 

Oh well.  Remember the purple table runner I was working on here and here?  Well, here is the almost done shot of it.  It's quilted with big loopy-doopies (very technical quilt term) and I just hadn't added the binding yet.  I went with scrappy purple binding and it sure was a hit come present opening time!!

And, yes, I failed a second time... remember that red and pink girly table runner I was working on and teased you with here? 

Well, it turned out to be so darn beautiful -- one of my favorites!!  I think I got away with only using 5 fat quarters in total for this project!  I went with a more simple quilting diagonally through the diamonds.  The binding ended up being made from that darker red color (I think).

I can see making up a few more of these in different color schemes for other holidays! 

I also finished the mug rugs I began to show you here.  And nope, I'm a dork and didn't take a finished picture of these either.  Total failure on my part x 3.
Maybe I should have called this post Invisible Finshed Quilted Gifts.  Oh well.  Just means I will have to grab a snap of these being used down the road.

And yes, my machine is humming again.  Can't wait to show you what's cookin' now!

Warm Snuggly Birds ("B" don't look)

If your name starts with a "B"... and ends with an "A"... and you might be my sister-in-law... then do me a favor and come back after Christmas?  Yes, these birds are flying your way... but seriously... don't ruin the surprise -- love ya!!

Naked birds?  Can't have that.

For those of us who know people with bird decked Christmas tree's then these are a must make!

I bought a package of doves from the local craft store.  I'm sure really any birds would do -- well, maybe not vultures or crows.

Hello in there!  How's it goin'?

I took a pile 'o scraps from recent projects and began the task of making little neck warmers for these fine feathered lovelies!

"You're making those for me?"

"May I have a red one?"

For the size of these birds I used a 2 inch fabric strip.  Folded in half - right sides together.  Sewed down the open end.

A trick to turn small things inside out is to pin a safety pin at one end and use the pin to feed the fabric through.

And there you have it!  One red scarf for a tiny little bird.  Before I secured this one on I made a bunch more scarves.

Here are a bunch of scarves together.  I did cut the ends to make it look fringed.  Fun small details make my day!

I ended up using a hot glue gun to keep the scarves in place.  One dob on the back of the neck and then another under the criss-cross felt very secure to keep these in place.

Fashionable no?

Here is the family of birds together all with their new neck wear to show off!  I then just slipped these guys back in their original box and wrapped up this giftie!

Looking back on these pictures today, I am hoping they have something on their feel to be used to secure them to the tree branches -- like a twistie-tie or something.  If not, I am sure we can come up with something!!

Fun to take something a bit plain and give it some personalized flare!!

Hope you are staying with that festive holiday mojo and smiling while you are doing whatever it is your doing!!

Homemade Advent Calendar

We are entering that time of year where I have to keep a few things as surprises from you -- since certain lovelies read here often enough to catch things.  Like gifts I'm working.

Over the weekend I put together an advent calendar for Mr. Happy.  I can give you a bit about how I put it together, but as far as what goodies are behind the doors... we will all find out together, since even I don't know what hides behind each door.

I started with these supplies:

• mini cupcake pan
• a dozen of these pretty double sided gift tags (found on sale!)
• wrapping paper
• sharpie marker
• tape
• white glue
• ribbon
• candy and small toys
• imagination

These are the double sided tags.  The square shape and size are the perfect size to cover the opening to a mini cupcake hole.  I used 12 of these cut in half to give me the 24 doors for the calendar. 

As a more personal touch I wrote little somethings on the inside of each door.  You could use seasonal jokes, words from seasonal songs, seasonal words, tiny tic-tac-toe boards, anything really. 

(use that imagination here)



This is the part where I have to skip showing a few steps as to not spoil the surprises...

I took the mini cupcake pan and stuffed all the little cubbies with mini chocolates and toys.  Honestly you can use anything here... as long as it fits in the mini spot.

Then I used jolly wrapping paper to cover the whole pan (the treats are already in the pan -- and yes that is my assistants paw in the picture!).

I then made an X cut with a small pair of scissors across the opening of each of the little cups to make it easier to get the treat out once you open the door. (not pictured; since the treats peak out a little then)

Next step is to feel around for the cup opening and do your best to center the tags over the opening.  I attached the doors with a clear piece of tape on the left for the door hinge and a small drop or two of glue to hold the door shut.  This also prevents someone from opening a door before the date.

I went with a fun random pattern of tags.  Once the doors were on I used the sharpie marker to put the numbers 1-24 randomly on a door.  Now you can really see how I have no idea what treat ended up behind each door. 

I used ribbon to make a bow which doubled as a hanger -- since this went on the wall right outside the kitchen.

 

Here it is all ready to for December to roll around!

I'm not sure who's more excited about starting to open doors -- me or Mr. Happy. 

Keeping warm in the neighborhood

Today is rainy.  It's also the weekend!  Whoop whoop!  

Put all those things together and you get the kind of day that you want to hurry and get all your chores done so that you can curl up under a warm blanket and take in a classic movie (I'm thinking 300, Troy, or Center Stage) with the dog curled up next to you while you putter away at a fun craft like origami or knitting and drink a cup of tea.  (oh ya!)

The blanket I have my eye on is a heavy crochet pattern that was a warm and thoughtful gift from my new neighbor.  I can see treasuring this blanket for a long long time!!  The colors are so me, it's so snuggle-icous, and it's an inspiration to learn how to crochet!

Here is a nice close up at the intricate pattern.

Doesn't it look like it has always been on my couch!

And it just begs you come take a load off and get comfy!

We haven't had our official house warming party just yet, but the house certainly does feel warmer knowing how awesome our neighbors are!

Hope you are staying warm and find a nice way to relax today!  Happy weekend!