Crafting in the Polar Vortex!

They’re calling it a Polar Vortex!

It’s very cold here in Wisconsin.  The big temp today was -23 degrees F with a wind chill factor of -52 degrees F

Excellent day for indoor crafting.

I found at clearance price the Eileen Hull’s Traveler’s Notebook Inserts cutting dies.  I didn’t read all the packaging, so I thought it was the whole notebook.  After some research regarding the cover die, I decided to make my own cover to fit the inserts how I wanted them to fit.  

This little booklet is about 4” X 6”

I had some special scrapbook papers that I was saving for something special.  I decided this booklet was it.  The papers are called Happy Accident.  I used that part of the sheet to reinforce the front and back edges.

I’m not really a journaler except for my little calendar journaling squares.  But I really wanted to make one of these.  I finally thought about how my odd ephemera and rejected die cuts needed organizing.  So this is my ephemera keeper booklet.

It really was a lot of fun to make the pages and all the pockets to keep the little pieces in.  No more digging carefully through a box.  I couldn’t believe how this little project cleaned up my mess of bits and pieces.  Amazing.

I think the little see-through corner type pockets were the most fun to make.

This booklet has three folder style page sections.  To attach the pages to the cover I sewed down the middle of each of the three folders.  And stitched right through the selvedge booklet tie to keep it attached.

A little papercrafting and a little sewing.  My two favorite things to do.

It’s so cute.  AND it’s useful.

I’m trying to think of some other small something that needs organizing.  I’d love to make another.

Greetings Mail

Greetings..... 

Birthday, Thank You and Get Well Wishes.

These are what have been keeping me busy.

A birthday greeting pocket tag.  I tucked a quick little letter into the pocket.

A thank you for some yummy Christmas goodies.

Another thank you for something special.

The envelope is made from scrapbook paper using the 1-2-3 Punch.

And some Washi tape to dress it up a little more.

A birthday card for my creep-loving grandson.

Lastly, I still buy cards when I see ones I like.  This one is full of happy glitter.

Then I try to gussy-up the inside so that it isn’t like every other store bought card.  I added a little stamping and a die cut flower.  The hearts are also die cut but they are loose inside the card.

Of course the envelope can’t be any ole normal envelope when it comes from me.  Just can’t send it without adding some fun to it.



I might be finished with January greetings now.  We never really know until the month is over do we.  

Now I really need to uncover my sewing machine...

Sewing Space Decor

I was inspired by Pinterest (as usual) to gussy up my vintage wooden bobbin to hold a special pair of scissors.

The sewing machine charm is also special.  As well as the vintage shirt buttons that my grandmother had saved, and the pearl head pin.  (I’m sure it isn’t a real pearl, just looks like one).  A small collection of memorabilia that I’ve saved and pushed around for years.

Well now, making one wasn’t enough!  But I had no more bobbins and I wanted to make another for a special friend.  I found some on eBay for a pretty price.  I couldn’t find any others, so I finally talked myself into buying them.  When they arrived, I was sure they were reproduction bobbins, not vintage.  But they would have to do.

Now my friend has one too for her sewing space.

Her cute little scissors came from Hobby Lobby and the sewing machine charm I’ve had for years.  I knew I’d think of use for it eventually.  I tried finding one that was more defined like mine, but I had no luck with that at all.  The buttons are from my small vintage stash from my grandmother.

Details

Antoinette, we’re bobbin buddies! 

 I’m trying hard not to collect “things” unless they have great meaning to me, or it is something I LOVE and enjoy or serves a purpose.  Clutter is a thing of my past.  Not my present.  Not my future.

Fresh Calendar Journaling

I’ve found a fresh new calendar journaling system.

I’ve always thought it was the system I grew tired of.  But now I think it’s the monotony of the same old, same old.

I sometimes want to stop calendar journaling.  It must have gotten into my blood stream...as I cannot let it go.  And that’s okay for me right now.  This is the 6th year I am documenting my daily life.

For 2019, I have found Dyan Revealey’s Dylusions Dyalog System.  You can google it to see how this system works.  There are a lot of options for all types of journaling.

I’ve chosen this canvas Dyalog journal cover.

And I’ve chosen the Backgrounds Dyalog Insert Book.  The pages are colorful and blank.  You can add whatever type of artwork you choose.  I have chosen to use the pages as a calendar.

There are several insert book styles to choose from.  There are enough blank pages for me to journal 2 years in this one little book.  There are twelve page designs repeated twice.

For January 2019 I’ve used washi tapes for my grid and as collage art for the bits of blank areas.  Opened, the page measures 8” X 8.5”. A bit smaller than I am used to.  I think it will work out great.

The only troublesome part of my new system is that the book paper did not like it when I wanted to reposition “some” washi tapes.  The paper stuck to the washi.

But I think it works out okay as part of the charm of collage art.

Now to see how it goes as I’m back to designing the calendar pages.  I hope I don’t hate it.

My ultimate wish is that one of these awesome background artists will design a calendar journal completely each year so that I just need to buy it and enjoy their artwork and simply add my daily words.

I’m looking forward to this new journaling venture.

Happy TwentyNineteen!

Christmas Table Mat

My table needed a bit of Christmas cheer.

So I decided to make my Christmas Tree pattern into a table mat as a smaller version and complete circle.

As I suspected it would, it worked perfectly.  I followed my own tutorial:  https://freezeframe03.blogspot.com/2011/12/tutorial-christmas-tree-skirt.html

With only minimal changes as I show in this post.

I did not purchase any fabric, I pulled out my Christmas fabric stash for this table mat.

Instead of using 5” Charm packs, I cut 4” squares from my stash.

Instead of stacking 5 charm squares, I stacked only 4 squares.

Instead of aligning the wedge ruler at its 24” measurement, I aligned it at 16-3/4”. Instead of aligning right at the lower right hand corner of the strip, I moved it over by 1/4”.  Had I not moved it over, the two strips would have been too much the same width.  As with my tree skirt, I wanted alternating wide and narrow strips.

As with the tree skirt, I discarded the strip on the right and used the center and left cuts.

The rest of the circle construction follows the tree skirt tutorial.

Of course I didn’t want a hole in the center of my table mat so I had to fill that in.  I have these handy dandy circle cutting rulers.  They work like magic for cutting a perfect circle.



I sewed a long stitch around the circle then pulled the threads for a slight gather to make it easy to turn under the edge.

I pressed the edge under.

Lay out the mat so the center opening is as round as you can make it.

I then pinned the heck out of it so that the mat opening would not shift while I just top stitched the circle in place.

That worked well enough.

Since I won’t see this slightly imperfect opening once it’s quilted, I have completely forgotten it isn’t perfect.  It is not at all noticeable.  You know I’m loving that!

I have a layer of Warm & Natural batting and a backing.  I just quilted in the ditch.  (My tree skirt does not have batting as I wanted it to be very drape-able).

I sure wondered why I had so much of this fabric, but some has been put to good use here and the Christmas fabric drawer does not bulge any more.  (Room for some new pieces, right?!)

The binding is, as always for me, cut on the straight grain.  I avoid bias bindings at all cost.  LOL

I LOVE this table mat.  It measures 33.5” diameter.

There were squares leftover (because I just cut a strip then cut the strip into squares).  Too lazy to figure out exactly how many squares I needed.  So this second table mat or runner was made with the scraps.

The back looks kind of pretty too.  Bonus!

It sits so nicely on my little bench by the door.  I think it just needs a few little wrapped gifts added to it.



I love that I bought NOTHING to make these.

Merry Christmas to all my bloggy friends!

Instagram

Instagram Rant:

How strange that I do not own a single device that will load Instagram photos.  I see everyone’s names and their words, but not a single photo.  I have searched for the problem, tried all the suggestions, but still nothing.  When I first signed up all went well for several days.  Now nothing!  This is why those of you on Instagram no longer see comments from me.  I can’t see what I would be commenting on.  **I’m saying bad words now**

Rant over.

Update:  And suddenly 8 days later I am seeing photos again.  So I suppose it is going to be an intermittent thing and I will enjoy while it lasts and pout when it stops again.  

Fall Table Mat

From the leftovers of the orange and black Recliner Quilt I made a Fall table mat.  The borders, binding and backing also came from my stash.  Nothing new was purchased to complete this mat.

As I am trying to use what I have and reduce the scraps stash, I pieced together enough scraps of batting for the table mat.

When I need an invention made, my son-in-law is talented enough to make them a reality.  I struggle with these thread spools standing on end while sewing as my machine struggles to pull the thread from the bottom of the spool.  Well, we don’t have that problem anymore!

Wha-la!



And now it is time for some Christmas sewing.

Here in the United States we are celebrating Thanksgiving this week.  We will cook and stuff ourselves on Thursday.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Recliner Quilt

A recliner quilt.  That’s what I call it anyway.  I had a request for a quilt for using while in his recliner chair.  So narrow and long was the request and orange was the color desired.  “Just orange”?  “It could have some black but not be halloween”.  Okay, there’s a challenge if ever I heard one.

I did not use a pattern.  Just half square triangles set on point.  

I was anxious to try these triangle rulers I found at the quilt show.  Wow, did these half square triangles (hst) make up fast!

I love that the ruler has guides for trimming off those dog ears as you cut the triangles.

Cut and neatly trimmed and ready to sew!


I designed as I went along.

I used all three triangle ruler sizes.







I was thinking I would probably only use these little triangle rulers this one time, but really it went so easy and much faster than I thought it would.  Finding enough orange fabrics took more time than making the hst.  I have another quilt planned using these rulers already.

Before I knew it I was basting the layers together!

And quilting!

And binding!  By the time I get to sewing the binding on a quilt, I’ve had quite enough of fighting the quilt in a small space up against a wall.

So when I get it to my lap to hand stitch the binding, I’m a pretty happy quilter.

And done!

It measures 44” X 87”. I was going for an 80” length but this quilt had a mind of it’s own for length.  Extra long is much better than too short.



Then someone came along and said “you should add glow-in-the-dark skulls on it.”  And the other someone said “YEAH!”  And I said “seriously???”

That might look like Halloween to some, but not to them.  They just like that stuff.  Actually we are a bunch that enjoys a little creepiness in our everyday life.  Especially if it glows in the dark!  I have a very happy new quilt owner...that’s all that matters to me.

I’m trying not to keep adding to my scrap drawers so I’ll share in my next post what I did with the leftovers from this quilt.