Saturday, March 28, 2009

'Airing of the Quilts' in Huntsville, Texas

'Airing of the Quilts' in Huntsville, Texas is billed as the largest outdoor quilt show in Texas. If you live close enough, plan to attend on Mat 2, 2009 from 9-4.

Check out their link: http://www.tallpinesquiltguild.com/

Livingston Piecemakers Quilt Show

Sorry for the late notice! Livingston Piecemakers Quilt Guild is having a ;Garden Glories' Quilt Show today and tomorrow at the Livingston Jr High School. (Sat 10-4 & Sun 12-4). If you live in the area, check it out!

Their link is: http://lpqgtexas.org

Sounds like fun!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Win A Quilt and MORE!!!

A friend of mine is having a HUGE giveaway!! You could win a quilt and there are prizes each week. Tell her 'Lisa - ALLBRIGHT212' sent you. Check out her blog at http://www.peppersattic.blogspot.com . Enjoy!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Sad Day...

A sweet lady that I worked with passed away and her funeral was today. It came as a shock since it was unexpected. One comfort is that she will not suffer any more sickness. She is in a far better place than us here on earth and she will be missed greatly! My prayers go out to all her family and the young son she leaves behind.

Make sure and tell those you love how much they mean to you and that you love them. We will never know when our time comes. Life can be all to short sometimes. I will treasure my time here with the ones I love and leaving a little piece of me by sharing all the things I craft.

Monday, March 23, 2009

How to Clean Your Sewing Machine

I found this wonderful link with instructions on cleaning your sewing machine. Thought I would pass it on: http://craftnectar.com/2009/03/09/spring-cleaning-for-your-sewing-machine/

Ginny's Bags & Rags is Hosting Another Giveaway!!

Can you believe it, Ginny at Bags and Rags is hosting a second giveaway! You get your choice of one of her handmade purses! They are so nice! Orange Crush is my fav! (well, I really like that coffee one too or maybe the dessert one.) Go check out her blog at http://www.bagsnrags.blogspot.com/.

Visit her Esty Shop at http://www.gin1906.etsy.com/ and check out those fab purses!!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Giveaway at Sew Fantastic!! Check it out!

Terri at Sew Fantastic is having a great giveaway at her blog. There are three wonderful prizes from Jane's Fabric Store on Ebay. I just love that Spring Fling and 'Seasons' is too die for! Hop on over and check it out at http://sew-fantastic.blogspot.com/.

Cade's Photo Book Cover and Remodeled Picture Frame


My cousin is expecting again, a little boy this time! Cade should arrive around June 3rd. Her theme for his room is western with blue jean, dark red bandana and leather look-alike material. I made a cover for a photo book and cover a frame with the leather like material yesterday. They were so easy and look great!




If anyone knows of a pattern for the small patchwork bear, let me know! I'd love to make her one.


Friday, March 20, 2009

Ginnys Quilts: A Quilters Delight Birthday Give Away! Link


Ginny has an awesome package that will make you jump up and down and she is giving it away on her birthday!!! How sweet is that! Better hop on over and check it out before March 27, 2009.

Ginnys Quilts: A Quilters Delight Birthday Give Away!#links

Willow Lake Stitches: St. Patrick's Day Contest !

I love the 'go green' ideas Willow Lake Stitches is getting with her giveaway of a great 'green' shopping tote! Go on over and check it out at:

Willow Lake Stitches: St. Patrick's Day Contest !

National Quilting Day - March 21, 2009

What do you have planned to do tomorrow? Will you be quilting? Maybe working in your yard? Just hanging with your family? How about shopping with your favorite quilt store?

Hum, I have been wanting to travel out of town to the closest quilting store or I may just try and catch up on some quilting projects that I am behind on. I get so excited and sidetracked that I have way too many Unfinished Projects. Here are some of mine:



Jojo's Gift Shoppe: March Giveaway Links

Check out the 'sweet' giveaways Joelle is having!! Just leave her a comment!

Jojo's Gift Shoppe: March Giveaway#links

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sewing Machine Giveaway!!!



Yes, you read correctly!! 'You Can Quilt This' is celebrating, you could WIN a Marie Osmond Quilter’s Companion sewing machine from Janome! Isn’t that exciting?


They are going to reveal a NEW website set to launch this April! This April they will launch http://www.youcanquiltthis.com/! They can’t wait to share with you the projects, tutorials, and patterns brought together by a team of experts and lead designers in the industry.

They also have websites for other crafting also! Check it out!



Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Little Annie Quilt Giveaway




Brenda with My Little Annies is having a wonderful quilt giveaway! Hop on over to her blog and leave a comment to win until March 28, 2009!! Thanks, Brenda!!!

Diaper Cake Instructions

This was a really fun project! My cousin is expecting a little boy and so this was made by rolling diapers and securing each with a rubber band and then making layers by using rubberbands. My tip at this stage is to put the rubberband around, then insert each diaper. That is much easier than trying to hold them all and putting on the rubberband! Oh, before I forget, my bottom two layers have one tall baby bottle in the center and my top layer has a small bottle of baby powder in the center. As my cousin takes it apart to use the diapers, she will find small items.

I attached baby products and toys all around with white curly ribbon. I made a receiving blanket to wrap around the bottom layer and attached with a diaper pin. I put scrapbooking stickers all around the blanket and on the ribbon on all layers. They easily come off so my cousin can reuse them to make a scrapbook page. The top has ribbon and a pacifier with curly ribbon.

There are so many great links out there with instructions, but this is the one I used: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Diaper-Cake

Monday, March 16, 2009

Embellished Flower Pot Instructions


I went back and painted in steams and leaves and added beads and buttons.



Ok, Joelle! I think I have mastered your Jojo's Giffe Shoppe givaway challenge for using fabric in a scrapbooking way, in a creative, innovative and beautiful way! I was out in my yard and yearing for Spring so I made this embellished flower pot. I wish I would have had a better plant to put in it for the picture.


It really wasn't hard at all. It just took alittle time. The cool thing is that you can use whatever on this project.

1 clay flower pot, cleaned
1 can spray paint (I used white)
white all purpose glue
sponge brush
embellishments

Spray pot with basecoat of paint and let dry completely. Then comes the fun part! I cut flowers and grass out of fabric, cut flower out of paper, used stick on letters, stickers, ribbon, sequins, cut butterflies out of felt and made them 3-D by cutting two small slits and running a small piece of raffia through it to attach after I was done with all glueing.

Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself. Just glue or stick on whatever you would like to flowerpot. You can use fabric, paper, napkins, magazine cutouts, stickers, ribbon, sequins, etc. Add a name or phrase. Make sure to get out any air bubbles.

Now, lightly coat entire surface with 3-4 coats of all purpose glue with a sponge brush. Allow to dry in between coats.

Finish by appling a sealer to your project.

Now you can glue or hot glue on beads, buttons and any 3-D effect items.

Stick a flower in and it is so pretty sitting around or great for gift giving! I'd love to see a picture of your embellished flower pot.


What's Blooming in Your Yard??














Joelle with Jojo's Gift Shoppe has me stepping outside the box to attempt a craft other than quilting. I have never 'scrapbooked', but she has some beautiful fabric for a givaway that she is hosting on her blog that is too die for and so I thought I can try to do something. Give it a shot!


Now I wanted to use scrapbooking and fabric together and so I have come up with what I want to make.... A flowerpot embellished with paper, fabric and whatever else I can find. Let's see what I can do with a flowerpot, paper, fabric, glue, ribbon, and maybe a few beads...humm, ideas are whirling!

Anyway, while I was outside painting my flowerpot, I couldn't help but walk around and take a few pictures of what was blooming in my yard. I enjoy working in my yard and collecting seeds. I am so ready for Spring!! What's blooming in your yard??









Sunday, March 15, 2009

Amy Butler Free Quilt Patterns Link

These are free quilt patterns by Amy Butler. Check them out!

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/free_patterns.php

Wonderful Link for Free Quilt Patterns - Must See!!

Wonderful Link for free quilt patterns from the Fat Quarter Shop. Some of them are made for use with fat quarters and charms. There are links to fabric manufacturers sites that also offer free quilt patterns. Check it out!

http://www.fatquartershop.com/Free-Quilt-Patterns.asp?Store_id=499&Page_Id=15&T=1

Fabric Stick Horse Instructions


A really nice How-to video can be found at this link: http://www.ehow.com/video_4433628_make-hobby-horse.html

'Donkey' (from Shrek) Stick Horse Instruction


‘Donkey’ Stick Horse Pattern
These turns out to look like ‘Donkey’ from Shrek.


Materials
A pair of old blue jeans
Some string
A little rope
hot glue gun
permanent marker
Craft eyes
fabric glue
yarn
polyester filling
3-foot-long wooden dowel with a 3/4-inch diameter


Instructions

1. Cut off one jean leg about 2 feet up from the hem. Turn the leg inside out and use string to tightly tie the bottom closed.
2. Now, turn the leg right side out and glue on eyes (about 4-inches up from mouth) and draw in nostrils (about 1 2/2-inches up from mouth).
3. For the horse's mane and forelock, arrange 8-inch lengths of yarn into four bunches of 35 strands. Tie each bunch in the center with another strand.
4. Starting 2 inches above the horse's eyes in the center of the pant leg, cut 8 3/4-inch vertical slits (spaced a half inch apart). Weave one bunch of yarn through the first two slits, so that the ends stick out and resemble a forelock. Weave the other bunches through the remaining slits to create the mane.
5. For ears, cut the back pockets from the jeans and use string to tie the tops closed. Cut ear slits in the head and insert the tied ends of the pockets into them.
6. Stuff the horse's head (up to its ears) with polyester filling. Insert one end of the wooden dowel. Then, pack the neck with more filling and tightly tie the lower edge of the neck to the dowel. Finally, tie a rope bridle around the horse's nose and hot glue in place. Add a lenght of rope to your bridle for the'reins' and hot glue in place.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Creative Studio: Winners are Grinners....!

Creative Studio: Winners are Grinners....!

Thanks, Judith for the great pattern I won in your givaway! I hope to send people your way! I can't wait to try it!

March projects

March has been busy for us. We went camping, just to get out and away. It was fun, but I was ready to get back. I was having withdraws from my sewing machine!

I have been working on making stick horses for family members and friends. One turned out just perfect for Caroline and looks so cute and another one I named 'Donkey' because it reminds me of 'Donkey' from Shrek.