Busy Bee

Saturday night my grandson nicknamed Peewee spent the night.  It has become a tradition that we go to SA to get a Icee and a doughnut when he spends the night.  Nothing like loading up an already busy boy with sugar! He is happy as a clam when he can find stuff in my office to mess around with, this time it was a hat, a spray bottle of water and a unplugged iron. He was insistant that I wear a hat too!

In the works

Another rain day today.  My plans were to spend time working in the yard but because of the rain there is a change in plans.  So I put this combo together for a handbag, bring a little summer feeling on a cloudy day!  The main fabric is Amy Butlers Clematis Forest.  My grandson will be spending the night tonight so I hope to have it finished before he arrives and maybe the sun will be out then!

Blooming Stawberries

It is so beautiful today it is hard to stay inside and do the cleaning I have been putting off.  The weather lately had been cloudy and rainy that I haven't done any yard work so there is a lot to do.  I love seeing everything come back after winter all fresh and new.   I did notice not only do I have some weeding to do but my strawberries are flowering!  Oh I can't wait for those berries!                                                                  
                                                                                       
                                                                                   
                                                                                           

Estate Sale Fever

This morning I went to a estate sale that was just a few blocks away from me.  I got so excited to see some vintage sewing notions there. Watch out girl on a mission. So many times it is hit or miss and today was a small hit for me. I was so happy to see the rick rack still in its package and of course I bought a few bagged items that are always a surprise to see what is in them.

I also seem to have to buy something a little quirky like a postage scale from 1985, for some reason I can't figure out why it just caught my eye.

Now I have Estate Sale Fever and I need to hit more of them!  Unfortunately there aren't very many this weekend. 

Summer Handbag

 

Progress... one bag down. The fabrics I used are Moda Rouenneries. I think it takes longer for me to figure out what fabrics to use than to sew the bag itself.  There are so many of them I want to use but can't decide what ones I should use first. Total Libra!  

Sewing Day

40 degrees today and I decide to start sewing some summer handbags. Maybe it will bring back the warmer weather! I laid out  a few fabrics from my stash that I want to work with.  Whenever I see a fabric I love I buy it knowing I will use it eventually!

This is what I narrowed it down to.  I am really excited to see it come together so I am off to sew for the rest of day.

Affairs of the Heart - WIP

I thought I would share one of my many wip's that I have.  I am using the book Applique Masterpiece Affairs of the Heart by Aie Rossman.

Once again I am at a crossroads because it is suppose to be a quilt when finished but I am rethinking what I want to do with the blocks.  I have only completed half of the blocks, it turned out to be a bigger project than I predicted.  It's really fun to see the colors come together as I finish each block. The fabrics I am using to appliqué on the black fabric are hand dyed charm packs from Starr Design Fabrics. They are nice because I can get a good variety of colors in each one. As with all my appliqué projects I like to use silk thread, it seems to just melt into the fabric as I am appliquéing each piece on.

Happy Easter

My daughter sent me this picture of my grandson coloring eggs.  I just love the proud look on his face! Now I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon reading The Hunger Games.  I have to see what is all the hype about this book.

Tutorial: Crackle Paint Box

Last weekend I was at a benefit for a old friend from school and participated in the silent auction.  The item I won had bottles of wine, candy and napkins.  I knew what I would do with the wine and candy!  The napkins were so pretty I wanted to make something with them.  And this what I came up with

Supply List: Wood box, Napkin, Paint - Base Color and Topcoat contrasting, 

Martha Stewart Fine Crackle Effect, Mod Podge and Iron

1. Paint the box with your base color. I used Bayberry Folk Art Paint and let dry for 24 hrs.
2. Then apply with a brush or sponge brush the Martha Stewart Fine Crackle, let dry.
3. Paint your topcoat contrasting color. I used dark brown Folk Art Paint. Then wiped off topcoat leaving color only in the cracks.
4. I ironed the napkin flat so it was nicer to work with. The napkin I used was 3 ply so I removed the bottom 2 leaving just the top ply of the napkin. By just using the top ply of the napkin it is thinner so the crackle from the box will show through once applied.
5. Cut out what you want to use from the napkin.  I decided to use the border of the napkin to wrap around the bottom part of the box and I cut out a circle of the main picture for the top of the box.
6. Taking the piece I was using for the bottom I started on one end using my Clover mini iron and carefully ironed the piece to the box. The heat from the iron will bond the cut piece of napkin to the paint on the box so the piece will be nice and flat against the box.  I did the same with the circle piece I cut out for the top. I started ironing from the center out.
7. Apply Mod Podge. I watered the Mod Podge down a just little on the first coat so it would brush on easier without tearing the napkin.  When that was dry I applied one more coat of Mod Podge.

A funny memory came to me when I applying the Mod Podge. When I was very young I would take a cutesy picture, burn the edges then glue it to a flat rock and "Mod Podge" it. I wonder what happened to all those masterpieces! If Mod Podge holds up like Twinkies someone will find one 100 years from now and call it primitive art!