Postcard Production

My larger projects are all in the gathering the fabrics and supplies stages or just plain taking too long, so I've been in the postcard production mode. Ideas for them are coming to mind faster than I can create them.  But I love that cause I hate it when I run out of postcard ideas.

First off, where did the cards go from my last post? 

This Scrappy Swirl was mailed to my dear friend Carol, (mamacjt) as another thank you for sharing this fat eighth collection with me.  She said she wasn't tired of receiving my postcards. :-)

...and she loves button embellies!

The Bluebirds have also flown the coop.

Bluebird Postale  will be winging his way to Pamela Nees of Stitches In My Lap

Bluebird in the Garden will be winging his way to Caroll, West Michigan Quilter

Now, of course, Jacque (aka Snoodles) of Lily Pad Quilting has been playing along with my postcard giveaway, but I knew I was going to have to have a particular card design for her.  So I made Froggie.

Are you familiar with her little green mischievous assistant, Padsworth?

I sometimes make a card that I just can't send away.  So it looks like this Red Daisy card is for me.

Another style of art that I absolutely love and am quite fascinated with is Steampunk.  I'm trying to figure out ways to add a bit a steampunk to my postcards.  This is my first step start.  I went out into Man's workshop to scrounge around for the flower center.  The best I could surface with was this washer.  But, it's a start!  I've been to the craft store jewelry departments since and now have a supply of flower centers.

I have a couple of cards waiting to be mailed for private swaps, so can't show those yet.

As it turns out, I did not mail out this Scrappy Swirl after all.

So, if you'd like it to come to you, let me know!

Wishing us all a good mail day!

Annie

Modern Plaid Bright
Pillow #7
I've finally jumped the half way mark on my personal pillow challenge!  happy, happy!

I just can't do a plain ole scrappy squares anymore.  Even though it looks bright enough and I figure the quilting will add texture and dimension...

...adding these 1/4" sashings just brings these fabrics and the design to life, for me!

Comments were made on the last pillow of this design about the number of seams there must be...yeah, lots!

But they're sewn in strips.  It's not like actually having to sew all those 1" seams!...these pillows would not exist if I'd had to sew that many little tiny seams.

I'll be revisiting this pillow soon because I don't like the finished style that I "thought" was going to look really fun.  But I don't think it works.  So, first chance I get that I'm bored and don't know what to sew next, I'll be taking this one apart and redesigning it to the standard simple pillow I like.

This pillow is also an added project to this fat eighth fabric collection challenge that can be seen here as a flickr set.

While working on this pillow, I stumbled onto the blog of bohemiannie art  She was making the most unique baby shower invitations I've ever seen.  And their scrappyness was so inspiring to me, I had to immediately make a couple of postcards after I finished the pillow piecing.

I got so side tracked with postcards and inspiration, that when I got back to finishing the pillow, I totally forgot to add some batting and quilt it!  But it was going to look ok anyway.  I'll be able to add the quilting when I take it apart.

The two postcards above are going out in the mail soon.  Do I hear disappointment that you don't have a chance at them?!  Not to fret, I have a couple of bluebirds you might like.

Bluebird Postale

Bluebird in the Garden

If you aren't familiar with how my postcard giveaway works, you can read about it in this post .

While I wait to hear from you, I have more postcards I want to make.  More happy, happy!

Annie

Happy New Year!

Cheers!

I wish you all a happy, healthy, prosperous 2012.

Have fun ringing in the new year, but be safe!

Cheers!

 Annie

Christmas Fabric Postcards

Christmas Greetings

I finally seem to have had time to sew several Christmas greetings as fabric postcards.  Every year I have big plans and every year I make all of one.  Once I got two made.

This year I have one for everyone on my "special card" list.  You know the ones...those who actually appreciate not only receiving your Christmas card, but appreciate your hand crafted greetings.

I have nine done this year!  Hurray!

Only three designs, but I thought that was pretty good for me. Sometimes I struggle with the small size blank slate and other times I get more ideas than I can apply. You wouldn't think a Christmas theme would be a struggle, but for some reason it was. I'll get plenty of ideas once it's too late to send any more. Ain't that always the way!

JOY Snowman

My favorite Nancy Halverson snowman on my favorite fabric background.

With bells on his toes...

(thank you so much Carol for sending me that binding fabric!)

Well, I wish I could blame old age for not sewing one of his legs, but shit like that happens every now and again. After having a personal but not so quiet hissy fit about it, I thought of my other dear friend Samm who would look for the bright side of this failure.  It can only mean one thing.....that when I become famous this card will be quite valuable with it's stitching flaw...right? 

Wishing you a good mail day!

Annie

Fabric Postcard Swap on Flickr

Last day to get in on the fun!

Sign-ups are now open for

the Fabric Postcard Swap group on Flickr!

http://www.flickr.com/groups/fabricpostcard/

Two themes are available to choose from or you can create a card for both themes:

Winter

and/or

Sewing Room Road Sign...

...meaning a road sign that could be found in your sewing space, related to sewing, of course.

Get your creative minds working and come join in the fun!

There are a variety of tutorials on this world wide web to help you...even I have one you can check out here.

We're going back to the swap being secret partners so it's always fun watching sneak peeks and whole cards being posted and making comments and wondering if they are the one that will come in your mailbox.

Sign-ups are open through October 30th
http://www.flickr.com/groups/fabricpostcard/

Wishing everyone a fun mail day!
Annie

Fabric Postcard Swap - Sign Up Now!

Sign-ups are now open for

the Fabric Postcard Swap group on Flickr!

http://www.flickr.com/groups/fabricpostcard/

Two themes are available to choose from or you can create a card for both themes:

Winter

and/or

Sewing Room Road Sign...

...meaning a road sign that could be found in your sewing space, related to sewing, of course.

Get your creative minds working and come join in the fun!

There are a variety of tutorials on this world wide web to help you...even I have one you can check out here.

We're going back to the swap being secret partners so it's always fun watching sneak peeks and whole cards being posted and making comments and wondering if they are the one that will come in your mailbox.

Sign-ups are open through October 30th
http://www.flickr.com/groups/fabricpostcard/

Wishing everyone a fun mail day!
Annie

It's time to sew for Halloween!

How frightfully fun is that?!

It's the time of year where we can just let our imagination and creativity run wild with some fun creations.  Some come out seriously beautiful and others come out quirky and whimsical and sometimes just plain silly.

Back in the day...I didn't much use my imagination.  I looked for books and patterns to use.  And I pretty much had to like the whole thing at the prices of patterns and books.  Now I use at least some imagination...for instance, this spooky pumpkin patch comes from several sources.  The woven background is from a book, the pumpkin is from an applique pattern, the twisted pumpkin vine and quilt label came from my imagination, the crows came from a rubber stamp.

So I'm looking at books and patterns completely different now than I did "back in the day".  I see bits and pieces of ideas rather than the whole of what is presented.  And, as you can see, those bits and pieces come from everywhere!

It's Halloween Mug Rug Swap time on Flickr!

My favorite swap time.

We are assigned secret partners who give us an indication of what types of things they like and dislike and we then create from there.  I've been pretty lucky with partners for one of the rules is that the mug rug has to be fashioned to their likes.  This is the one rule that I don't get along very well with because if I want to receive in a swap something that I'd make for myself, well then, why don't I just make it myself?  In a swap I want to receive something that my partner wants to make and I want it to tell me something about that person and their creative soul.  (Well don't I just feel better about airing that in public)  In any case, we then get to post sneak peeks as we create...

Carol says "no sneak peeks!" that that's just for the doll quilt swap.  Ok, so maybe we could call them progress peeks.  Either way, if you go check out the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap you'll see that Carol has been out-voted in favor of sneak peeks.  Sorry Carol.  They're just too fun not to do them.  My partner's mug rug is finished now and waiting to be mailed.

We can include bits of goodies if we so desire...like candy, fabric pieces, stickers, whatever we find that we might like to send.  Only the mug rug is mandatory but extra little goodies are just fun to include.  It seems to have become my signature thing to include a fabric postcard.  And...

It's Halloween fabric postcard swap time on Flickr too!

Check out this Fabric Postcard Swap.  Although it's too late to join in for Halloween and Fall, you could be getting ready for Christmas...I would think there will be another round for the holidays.   

So I have two postcards ready to send.  I can't say who gets which yet.  And, I just might make one or two more before it's time to send them...just to keep my partner wondering what she'll get...since the postcard swap is not a secret partner swap at this point.

For myself, I'm enjoying my Halloween quilt that I made last year.

Those gorgeous pumpkins were made for me by a wonderful friend.

Have a frightfully good fun time preparing for the onslaught of ghouls that are sure to come soon!

Annie

I can't believe I'm a Blogger now!

In the end, do we all attend a 12-step program for this?  Well, until then, I am Annie.  You may know me as freezeframe03.  I've had a flickr photostream for three years.  I kinda treated it like it was my "blog" and diary for my photography, at first, then my sewing/quilting, that I'm better at than photography.  So far I've managed to stay under the 200 photo limit (always deleting the lesser photographs and sewing projects) to keep it a free account.  I see no need to pay until there is a need...which is beginning to sneak up on me.  There's a button or some sort of block thingy over there on the right that you can click on to visit my flickr photostream, if you'd like.

And now I've decided to join the life of blog owners.  I've followed, I've visited, I've bookmarked and now I want to speak...oh goodness, help you all!  I have opinions and I'm not afraid to speak them!  So, what will you find here on my blog?  All kinds of stuff.  Like...

my sewing,

fabric postcards are my absolute favorite small project to make.

And wall quilts are a favorite.  I only have 3 throw quilts under my belt because I only just figured out that straight line quilting is ok.  How dense was I being - eh?!

You'll find fun photos of our 2-wheeled outings,

most will start with "At 60 mph..." because there is no stopping for pictures.  I also love riding my pedal power bicycle but it isn't happening in my current situation.

You'll find what I've read lately.

I'll chat about this book soon.  Very interesting.

And probably most frequently you'll find my musings and opinions on just about anything in this life that catches my attention and makes me think about it.  Good or bad.  There will be no wearing of rose colored glasses at this blog!  And be prepared to participate, because when I want to know something, I'll ask anybody anything.  I've embarrassed many a friend with my blunt curiosity.  But if I don't ask, I'll never know.  I figure if it's none of my business, I'll be told so.

I love it when I learn something new...even if it's something I should have known all along...like straight line quilting is ok...geezelouise I can't get over that one!  Once in a while I've even changed my opinion or musing when someone puts forth a logical/reasonable rebuttal...nothing is ever one-sided.  So, follow me if you like and feel free to comment and participate on my musings with your thoughts of whatever the subject might be.  You may even trigger a new musing in me.

I'd love to know how you found me, and if you decide to follow me, welcome!  If you have a blog, leave me the info so that I can come check out your blog and follow you if I don't already.  Thanks for visiting.

Make every day memorable!

Annie