Wednesday, April 28, 2010

New Cobbler Apron




I made a new pattern yesterday out of newspaper and cut all the bias binding for it too. I cut the apron and sewed it this morning. It turned out just as I had imagined. I love it when a pattern comes together. I spent most of yesterday just getting the pattern right. This is a medium-large. Am listing it today in my studio. Just wish that I had a model to pose for my pictures.




Finished Scrap Afghan




The afghan that I started has gotten finished while I was sick last week. (So some good did come out of being sick) I now have it washed, softened and dried. How colorful. It is L A R G E. 96" x 70". Not really heavy but very warm. Ready to list it in my shop. The pattern was not as complicated as I first thought. The pattern is in the April 2010 Issue of Crochet World Magazine. It is called "Wavy Circles & Stripes Scrapghan"

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Finished Another Quilted Bag











I pieced and quilted the fabric for this purse. It is finally finished. I knew what I wanted to make with it and had to take it apart and recut, then re-sew several times to get the look that I wanted. These images are the front, the back, the inside and the sides. There is a magnetic snap closure. No pockets inside but the strap is shoulder length with a 20" drop to top of bag. It took several hours of pieceing and quilting before I was ready to even cut this out. I do like the quilted patched look.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Productive Monday




Today is Monday. I went to the Mountain to the Cabin yesterday thinking I would spend the night. Took along food to cook and jammies to sleep in. Got there and Ron was not feeling very well and wanted to come home. So we closed up the cabin and came home. I made the scallopped potatoes and baked the chicken instead of cooking them on the grill. They were almost as good. I crocheted some more on my crazy afghanlast night. It is really turning out very nicely. It is just to the point of slow going. This morning I cut out and made two different handbags, They are both very pretty. I am listing them in my Artfire Studio today. I have cut out quite a few potholders and/or hotpads getting ready to sew them. I will be listing them as soon as I get them done.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

April 1st

April 1st already. A fourth of our year is gone. It is such a nice day today. My tulips are up and the spring flowers are blooming everywhere. Just the clean smell of outside is wonderful. Warm air and sunshine! Outside is calling me but I have so many things to get done inside. Today is laundry, and clean up the mess I've made sewing. I finished one order and have an apron cut out to sew for another. I did finish the wash clothes that I was crocheting. All 18 of them, finally. I made a few more flowers for my beautiful afghan.

I finished a special order for one of my favorite people. I made cushions for her. One is a window seat and the other is a large throw pillow, both to match. They turned out great. Exactly the right size that she wanted. I love the colors that she chose. Its a rose garden.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Afghan in scarps


I started a new afghan about three days ago that is made up of scraps of yarn. I have a lot of leftover yarn and need to use it up. This is such a pretty design and just what I needed. Lets see how it turns out. Got over half of the flowers crocheted so far, and they are soooo pretty. Can't wait to see if its as pretty as the picture. Got the pattern in my new "Crochet World" magazine.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Memories

Today is a very sad day for me. My daughter passed away a year ago. I just spoke to my wonderful grand-daughter, Victoria, that will be 18 in a few days. She is also graduating from high school in, as she told me, 23 days. She has earned a Certificate for Sous Chef, Fry Cook and getting one for Pastry Chef from the vo-tech there too as well as that coveted high school diploma. She got a scholarship to go to Culinary School but she really does not want to attend college at this time. It has been very hard on her this past year without her Mom. They were more like "best friends" than Mother Daughter. Whatever she wants to do is what she should be allowed to do. The option is always open to come stay with Grandma. I know its cold in Pennsylvania after the heat of Florida. I owned several restaurants and love to cook. So I guess she is more like Grandma than I thought. She really likes the Pastry Chef part. Creativity is in her blood.

My Steph was a spitting image of me. I always told her to take a good look at me and she could see herself at my age. She was bi-polar. It was a heartache to see what she went thru from day to day. The mood swings, the nighmares, the depression, the highs, the lows. The drama was way too much sometimes. She was afraid of so many things and loved so many things. She imagined things that were not there and people were threatening her when no one was there. She heard people talking about her and she would cry. Then there was the happy Steph that loved the beach, spending the day with her daughter doing girly things. She loved to get her nails done and her hair. She collected glass and swans of all kinds. She loved beautiful clothes and the sunshine. She loved coming to the restaurant to get some of "Moms great food". She loved to eat out and have people wait on her. She always said she was a princess. She was named after the Princess Stephanie. The meds were another thing. One to keep her lithium level, one for this and one for that and then one to help her sleep. Seraquil was that one and that is what killed her. One of the side effects is death so why in Gods name would any doctor prescribe something that can potentially kill a person. Her death certificate says "accidental overdose" and what they think happened was she had taken her meds and forgot that she had taken them and took them again. She had twice as much in her system as she should have. I can see that happening. Her mind was like swiss cheese to remember anything.

She came to Pennsylvania to see me and loved the camp where we were and she loved having Mom cook for her everyday. I loved having her here. I made her a new doll with her purple dress for her bed while she was here.

She is gone now but she will live forever in my heart and in my memories. She is with her Dad and her Grandma that she loved so much.

Friday, March 26, 2010

New Listings







I have created three new bags for my Artfire site. The first is a navy blue background with tiny flowers.This material I acquired in 8" wide strips and tried my hand at quilting my own fabric in an abstract design. I used only my sewing machine and I think it turned out really well. The band is a hot pink corduroy that I wanted to use up. It was left from a speccial order item. At the last minute I decide that it needed something more so I appliqued a flower on the outside with a button sewn on for the center. I am not very good at artistry but I drew a petal the way I wanted it and then traced around it for seven total petals. I used Heat N Bond Ultra Hold to keep it on.
The second bag is a piece of outdoor fabric I had left from cushions that I made for patio furniture as a special order. Perfect for a beach bag! I used a yummy green pansy print for the outside. Lots of room and long straps. Great to keep those wet towels off the floorboards or the seat of your car. Will hold two huge beach towels and two swimsuits. Plus lotion and whatever else.
The third bag is a tote made from strips of fabric that I wanted to use up. The inside is a beautiful green print with the pockets matching the handles. The top of the bag is scalloped just because its cute. Will hold lots of things including books.
I had a lot of fun creating these. Now I am making some more cosmetic bags for my Craft Show.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Spring Bloom Craft Show

I sat up last evening for the Craft show today. It was such a beautiful day today that I really did not expect a lot of visitors. Spring Shows are so unpredictable. We had a descent crown and because I have done the shows so many years, I have a lot of return customers that know that I am going to be there and come to get what they need from me. Sold lots of dishrags, soy candles, toaster covers, clothspin bags, and towels. You never know what the people are looking for. I did get two orders for coffee maker covers. Of course I do not have any made because there are so many different sizes. Overall it was a fairly good show. Still down from last year but not bad. I look for the shows to get better as the year goes on. Now more crocheting to get done of dishrags and scrubbies too.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Artfire Studio

I spent part of yesterday loading my studio with doll clotes and accessories. I will be spending most of today doing the same thing. I have put all the doll things on sale and its really a good deal. I did not make these items but they are handmade. Cute for doll clothes. If your child changes her babies clothes often then this is the place for inexpensive clothes for her or him. Most fit the 18" "American Girl" doll or the 15" Twins or Bitty Baby. There are a few "Cabbage Patch" items. I am listing lots of shoes that are not handmade but available at reasonable prices. Also sleeping bags that can be used to fit most any size doll up to an 18" doll. The picture taking is not so bad but lots of them because there are so many items and only one of each item. The discription is the worse for me. I can look at it and feel it but to discribe it in writing is another thing. If I do not get it right then just email me and I will try to answer any questions that anyone has.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Blue Plaid Apron Finished


I have finished this blue plaid apron finally!!! These are the front and back views. The apron slips over your head and ties at the waist. This apron has great coverage. It is a medium in size. This is a pattern that I got from a friend of mine that wears aprons all the time. I takes nearly 2 yards of material to make and several hours. I suspect the next one will not take nearly as long. I trimmed the pocket and the skirt with white piping to just break the color up. There are not any instructions of how to put it together so it was lots of fun. No the pocket is not crooked it is just the way the apron is hanging on the hanger. I love the finished product.

Another project finished for my Spring Craft Shows that start soon.