Aqua/Silver Christmas Tree Skirt

The color request for this Christmas Tree Skirt was Teal and Silver.  I could not find Teal Charm Packs and I did not want to cut them myself from yardage.  So Aqua and Silver were approved.

All the silvers on whites were glittery but that doesn’t show in the photos and does not show well in the tree skirt either.

So I added rows of couched decorative silver thread.

Still difficult to see the glitz in the photos.

I think I forgot that this pattern should not be used with one-way prints.  All those one-way prints were a struggle.  I tried to plan all the upside down ones to be close to the inside center where they will be hidden by the tree.

I am always amazed how this mathematically incorrect pattern design works out perfectly every time.

For my October calendar journal I tried out a change of layout.  Or maybe it would be called a lack of layout.

I do not write that straight.  I drew lines and erased them after writing and stamping.  I wasn’t very good at doing this daily.  I found it easier to keep daily notes then fill in a few days at a time with the stamping.

While the page looks fun and it was nice to make a change, I was glad to be finished with the month.  I might do this again sometime in the future, but for now I’m returning to the traditional daily blocks style. 

Halloween Greetings

Fabric postcard Halloween greetings.

After the quilt show, I have several new patterns to shrink down for postcard making.  What a fun time I’ve had!

The correspondence side...

We’ve already had our Trick or Treating afternoon.  I got a big kick out of this couple.  I’m surprised that so many grown-ups were dressed up.  Maybe many of them were going to a party afterwards.  I think these two were already partying with their to-go cups in hand. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

A Second Tote

I’ve made a second tote bag using a Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabric print.  It is like impossible for me to resist this line of fabrics.  They say “come on, come on, let’s go home together”.  

I also love this grungy lining print I used.  The two prints have nothing to do with each other except that I love them both.

With this second tote I fused a medium to heavy weight interfacing to the fabrics and I like the sturdier body I get with it.


Here next I had gone to what was called and Junk & Art Market.  It is a junk and antiques store mixed with some crafty art items.  On this day they added some outdoor craft vendors.  

But this vintage sewing machine find obviously sits outside all year round.

Wouldn’t that be a great outdoor decoration at a quilt shop or even if you have a separate studio she-shed in your backyard.  I did not ask the price and it also was weathered...faded away from sunshine.

This rusting process would have to already be started for me.  I could NEVER set out in the yard a rather decent condition machine to become weather worn over time.  Many would say what an awful thing to do, but since it’s done and there’s no changing it, I think it has it’s coolness as an outdoor decoration.

A Bit of Mail Art

I’ve had a swell time making a bit of mail art.

I immediately fell in love with this set of grunge style sewing themed stamps.   This is a #10 business envelope.  The scissors stamp is quite large.  (The stitches under the scissors are from a different set of stamps).

These carrier pigeon stamps are a hoot.  I gave them a line to stand on.  Unfortunately with modern transportation and email, it is the unemployment line.

I’m quite and sufficiently mad at myself with this envelope.  I was working on a couple of envelopes at the same time and I addressed this one incorrectly.  I found a way to correct it, but I did not mail it.  It seemed waaaayyy too tacky to actually mail it.  There’s no hiding the mistake.  Held up to the light reveals the error of my ways.  

I’m sending this postcard to my bicycle riding partner who put up with all my riding plans all spring and summer long.  

I am very lucky that this woman has a great sense of adventure.  All of our rides inadvertently turned into an adventure of some sort.  Loads of fun was had!

And this is how September was for me.

Happy Fall.  It’s the spooktacular month of October.  Creepy good decorations inside and outside are so fun to see.

Numbers Strip

I’ve sewn another thing...this one really is a thing.

I mentioned while sewing my tote straps that I was inspired by them.  I loved looking at them hanging around waiting to be sewn to the tote.

So I cut and sewed a strip of the numbers to have hanging around for my viewing enjoyment.

Different set of numbers on the back...

No rhyme or reason here.  Just something I like looking at.  It can move around and hang out anywhere.  I love it.  As my cousin-in-law said, “it’s danged cool!”  She likes words and numbers too.

Most days it doesn’t take much to amuse me.