bead and cross stitch freebies

http://www.gancedo.eu/ is the link for Tante's Zolder designs.

Right angled weave using two holed seed beads directions at this link.

Just bead it, Bead it

Happily singing my rendition of the Michael Jackson tune today while progressing on the wool table mat.   Beads are all on, next trim the cream color to attached to the harvest red wool bottom.




Am linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday's on Kathy's blog.









Enjoy your week, I'm hoping mine will be somewhat productive.
Jane

Much going on....

 Back from camping and a wonderful time was had. 

 

What a perfect sentiment!

 

 

This little pillow was my gift to Mom years ago when she was living her dream of having a Class A camper. When she and her boyfriend sold it, she gave the pillow back to me so I quickly put it on the Master bed in our camper.  

THE NILE, 1999

I pulled out this older quilt I made about 15 years ago to use since I didn't have the new camper quilt finished.  I really like how cozy it made you feel when you walked into the camper. The pattern is One Thousand Pyramids designed by Deb Tucker of NH using a 60 degree ruler and includes the leftover triangles trimmed into 1-1/2" squares to make that second border finishing in a row of 1" squares. 

I kept looking at it and saw that even at that time in my quilty life, I used the same fabric as either a dark or a light depending on the fabric neighboring it.  You can see where I placed them next to each other in the center bottom seam, pictured above, giving the illusion of a parallelogram in a medium rose fabric.  The only rule I kept was  for dark triangles to point up and the lighter triangles to point down.  It also was the time that I realized that I tended to stash fabric in the mediums and needed to extend my eye to lighter and much darker fabric choices. 

For the label, I did try a new to me technique and designed a perspective border surrounding a triangle.  Though it may be hard to see I drew lines from a center point radiating out past the triangle I wanted to use as the center and paper pieced it  successfully.   I just snapped this photo and it was 14 years ago when it was finished. 

 

 

 

 Thank goodness for the camper's Air Conditioning too, since with all the rain and heat, the humidity was kicking my Asthma's butt. But Ahhhh AC- what's not to love!

 

Camping was wonderful despite the weather.  It was great to walk and ride the bikes. 

 This scene depicts our little corner of Cumberland Bay Campsite for a whole week.  Our daughter's family had an adjoining campsite so the grandchildren loved playing at the beach, in the water and we were privileged to watch fire works  on three different nights besides gathering together for meals.  The second week we moved the screen tent more on our site since we had several different neighbors come and go after Thera and her family left.  Even PGS#2 (age 16) was coerced into staying with us for one of the nights since he promised his 4 yr old cousin that he would.  He also enjoyed the lake and we made even  more fond memories while he with his electronics stayed with us. 

I wasn't quick enough with the camera to capture his fall.  In the picture above you'll notice him laying on the ground after his fall.   So during another siesta shows this shot with him actually still in the hammock(of course with his iPhone.  lol 

BEFORE

AFTER

All of us giggled like fools.

I enjoyed and willr emember fondly some key points during this camping trip.  One that comes readily to mind that I'll share is when I brought him to Blockbuster.  Since the weather was continuous rain that first week I brought him to blockbuster to pick out a couple of movies that he'd like to see besides something else for later in the week for his younger cousins.  While driving there his iPhone kept tweeting softly.  With me not being used to hearing this "tweet"  I was looking around to see who wanted my attention at each stop light with that whistle.  By the second set of street lights I finally realized it was his phone!  I fessed up about it and  Oh how we laughed at that too.    Another time he'd be eating a meal with us and call his grandfather sitting across the table from him who was completely oblivious.  DH kept answering his phone but never realized the culprit who kept calling was Joshua who was sitting across the table from him.  We laughed more and  more until he finally fessed up what was going.   We really had too since we were both in hysterics by this point.  Way Too Funny but I guess you had to be there . 

Concrete boardwalk just in front of our campsite and Plattsburgh, NY in the distance. 

When we returned home we only had a few domestic concerns.

First  was our hayfield, oops... I meant our lawn. lol  Our daughter and her spouse attempted to  mow it for us  2 days before our return but with their schedules between work and ball games with their children, they ended up starting to  mow it the night before we returned calling us at 9:15pm to know which gas can to use and they left, I kid you not, cornrows that you get when you rake a hayfield.  I'm sure the neighbors couldn't have been too thrilled about the noise that late either.  The grass was so high with all the rain we had that first week while away and then the subsequent heat and high temperatures during the 2nd week, that one cut wouldn't fix it and it looked absolutely horrendous!  I thought DH's heart would stop when he saw it, but to his credit I only heard a small gasp escape his lips. 
The second need happened just after our friend John disconnected our camper from his truck.  While we were having a beverage in the driveway and we heard a loud Ka-POW!!  All of us looked at each other and discerned that it came from the backyard, perhaps the pool area not a truck that just happened to be going by at the same time.  Going back to investigate we found that the pool heater was leaking from the front corner.  That can't be good I thought to myself.  Then came the smell of propane gas was apparant making it an even three concerns. 
That's when I started thinking, what came first the chicken or the egg?
Did the propane leak cause the heater to blow! Or did the heater blowing cause the propane leak?

After many phone calls to the respective companies we deal and dealt with it, reasoning the how and whys it actually was a knob turned off on one of the propane tanks that caused one tank to be at 120% capacity while the other tank was at 30% making the tanks blow off.  DH found the tank caps out in the lawn while mowing the next day  so we're not even sure when they started leaking.
The HAYWARD POOL HEATER was only 13 months old and though our pool season had  only 4 months of use, no warranties would cover that expense or replacement via where it was bought, IN THE SWIM or with Hayward Manufacturing directly.  I told the Representative at Hayward that I was not a happy camper though just in the previous two weeks I truly was.  It's thought that with all the rain we had, {can you say "ACID RAIN"}  it turned the water too acidic and that's what wore out the heating elements out inside causing a bad baffle or /and the heat exchange unit to blow then leak.  Major bummer and can you say ouch and ka-ching!  Thank goodness Lake Champlain Pools where we do our business, was so helpful.  Many water tests were done, chemicals added and they came out within 2 days to replace the heater but couldn't fully hook it up since when Amerigas came the day before for the leaks, locked the tanks and couldn't come until today so the heater can finally start doing it's job. 

Of course there are other items on our to do lists (Not to mention the mail, gardens, etc..... ) but we're content with all so far and we'll plug along.  I still have to  finish unpacking the camper and cleaning it  thoroughly and will continue to get it ready since my Mom will be back North next week and is staying at her little home away from home here then. 

It was so nice to get away and even nicer since while I was camping, I managed to finish off 2 more items from my UFO and project lists. 

First, that Ironing Caddy is totally done. 

Detail of button closure using 2 funky hair bands cut in half  for the elastic over the shank button.
Also the cording used for the handles instead of making cloth ones to eliminate any bulk while actually using it to iron hopefully.

 

I didn't care the way the fold piece went on the pattern so I did a different button and loop attachments.  Like how it looks and is unobtrusive with this fold.

Then my Kumihimo bracelet I started last month in a beading class I took with my good friend Trudy was also finished.    I attended another WRAP IT UP class this past Friday at Ali's Beads and was able to get 2 pair of earrings repaired  besides the 2 additional Kumihimo bracelets finished that I did the  beading/weaving on while camping. 

 

First Kumihimo using size 8 beads.

 

Second Kumihimo braided also size 8 but an assortment of finishes and colors.

Third Kumihimo with another assortment of beads also size 8.

Luckily Alison, the owner of the bead shop actually does the manipulating of finishing them for me.  With my neck and back issues my left hand dexterity is nil and when I try to finish it they look like a three year old got hold of some wire and had a great time though the finish is terrible.  With Alison so graciously finishing them, I love them all. 

 

 

 

Was also able to finish reading 2 books too!  The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs and September's Book Club choice of The Wild Girl by Jim Fergus.   I do so enjoy reading at night just before bed, it seems to reset my spirit.   Something about me is that  I love reading at night in bed but not as much in a chair.  Strange isn't it?  But I know what I like and more important what I don't.  And a couple of thimble hooks I bought awhile ago on clearance were a Gothic gold color so I wanted them to be shabbied up abit and not so glaring.  Now they are finished and put to good use in the sewing room.

That's all I have time to share for now, dinner must be attended. 

Salad, Skampi and perhaps a pistachio meringue with fresh fruit for dessert if I can manage.  DH has duties at the Fire Station tonight and has to be out of here by 6:30. 


Maybe I can make the time to sew on some of my quilt projects while he's gone!

 

Looking back and thinking

While thinking about this past  year, I realize that a year is nothing but the amount of time it takes for the earth to go completely around the sun.  Next year it will begin it's the trip all over again. So with that mindset, then the completion of a year is not a sign of things are ending, but  more of a realization that life repeats itself.   We'll have a chance to do everything again; perhaps this time better, more comfortably and with a bit more joy.

So I will be sharing some of my wishes and wants for 2013.  Some of the items on my lists wil be the some of the same you might have seen in the past years, but hopefully this year a completion for it will shine through.  I truly am an optimist despite always listing more than I can usually ever get done.

My  completions for 2012 consist of:

Beading: 
Ice Bracelet
The Tila WAVE Bracelet

Quilting:
The Big Easy
Patchabilities Ball Canning Jar
Patchabilities Spring
Four Baby Quilts
Inunkshuk Tabletop Quilt
Cheryl's Chris' Quilt - Deer Panel center

Knitting/Crocheting:
DIsh Rag
Edged 3 Fleece Blankets with Double Crochet

Sewing:
Pincushion/Ort Bag
Sewing Machine Cover
Slap Bracelet pin cushion
3 Halloween Cross Stitch Pillows
Laminated Project Bag
2 Beach Bags for youngest grandchildren
2 Laminated Storage Bags for Fans
Slap Bracelets for grandchildren
Help w/ McKenna's Doll Quilt

Cross Stitch:
Framed BBD Easter
JOY Country Cottage Needleworks design framed
Passion Sonia Scissor Fob - Shepards Bush Design
Life's Great - Bianca Scissor FOb - Shepherd's Bush Design


In this next year myintention is to complete 4 quilts besides do much of the above listed items too.  I am always amazed at the many bloggers who complete a bed size quilt a month and know that would truly  be a stretch besides a major accomplishment for me.  So if I can do four, it would make me very satisfied.

My Getting it Done list of four for January that I hope to get daone are:

1. Another Block for Lil' Miss Shabby BOM from 2011 finished 1/2/13
2. Finish The Big Easy Labeled and done 1/4/13
3. In Your Own Words tutorial for the 14th  completed the top 1/14, will be quilting and finishing it in February's list.
4. Viking Knit Bracelet completed completed 1/22/13

The fourth one listed will be a stretch for me, especially since I'll be leaving at the end of the month to vivit my Mom at out state.  It's been quiet aroudn here since before Christmas since the grandchildren have only visited when their parents were here so I've had more time for myself.  Seems nice despite it being quiet.


Happy New Day and Year,
Jane

PS:  Here's a peek at what I'll be sharing towards the middle of the month.










 

Happily finished with

two more of my UFOs.  Yippee Ki Yi Yey! 

The first to share is the BBD Easter Blessings all framed.  This piece has been stitched for awhile and laid  placed carefully  in the   armoir that holds my stitchy stuff.  Glad I'm focusing on getting things completed around here, it feels really nice seeing it hanging up in the bedroom now. 

 

The colors of it are perfect in the boudoir which hosts a very outdated mauve color that I 'm not changing.  I just may make a new quilt to go with those colors to update the bedrooms look, Sonya's Windows may be perfect.   I know you can't see it but each piece I stitch I  insert my  name and year into the piece so it's hardly there. 

 

Here's a closer view of the frame selected, I just love it!

On Saturday it was Small Business Appreciation Day.  Luckily I supported 3 small businesses with my typical support. 
Tip Top Frame for the piece above.
A Mano, a local bead shop 's class  that I attended so I could get another UFO finished.  I wasn't able to complete it there,  but made major headway on it so later that night I continued on and was able to finish it Sunday morning. 
oing another little happy Dance!




Ice bracelet completed! Yaaah!

It was very simple to make and I have another ICE Bracelet kitted in light green and coppery red that is so tempting to get into just now.

Perhaps in a week or two it can be started while the making of this one is still fresh in my mind. 


Thanks for stopping by and letting me know what colors work best for The BigEZ.  I appreciate visiting with you and the input.  What ever you are doing today, do it with ZEST!



Jane
Off to pick up PGS#3 from preschool.....




 

Still here on the Big EZ

I'm progressing along nicely on the Big EZ.   I think I've gone through about 12 bobbins full of thread so far and seems like it's taking longer than it should for a twin size quilt.   The next time I'm quilting on the DSM, my plan is to actually count how many bobbins I use.  During break times I've been spending quality time on the computer and have run across even more quilts that I want to make.  Lord knows where they'll end up but I am really trying too stay focused on this quilt before I'll allow myself to jump to something else.  Boy, that AADD that I self diagnosed  is really adding trials  and of course a spark to my life while I doing my crafts.    LOL

I did pick up my JOY from the framers. While on the track of getting UFO's finished around here, I was able to bring two CXS (counted Cross Stitch) pieces to two different framers. This one, Michaels did on a frame I had in for it.    Initially I was going to frame it myself, then reality and being afraid of messing it up shook me into bringing quickly to Felicia at Michaels.



Joyful Summer, designed by Country Cottage Needleworks
stitched on 28 count white linen
with the called for threads 2/2

She did a nice job with centering the design.  I just wish I had changed to a non glare  glass.  No matter how many times this photo was taken, there was a glare and flash. 
Be it daylight, night time with indoor lamps on, or the camera flash, it continued to get the "flash on the glass" effect.  Talented, Aren't I?








This one was the best out of 5 shots!  You can click on it to get a larger view if you wish. I know my photography skills are lacking, but they will be getting better.  DH and I just went to an adult education class on photography and learned quite a few tips.  We only went for the first lass and the instructor, a local photographer and DJ said we could contact him at any time to ask additional questions.  It was a two night event initially with a week in between classes.  But because of Hurricane Sandy the first class had to be cancelled.  When it was scheduled, there was only 3 night break between classes and not enough time for us to play and practice what we learned in the first night.  Yippee!  Now I know how to turn off the camera  flash. 
The camera  we are using is a Canon Powershot A590IS and it's an 8 megapixal/4X Zoom  which we've had for years.  I can see a new camera coming into this household soon, very very soon.  First things first though, Christmas shopping and the kitchen remodel need to be completed and paid for first.   We also were able to check out that all of the Nikkon lenses we have from our old 35mm manual Nikkon  will fit the new Nikkon digital cameras.  Good to know!  That will save quite a bit of mula so I can use it elsewhere. 

I also was able to reorganize my beading stash recently.    It took about 12 hours (3 days)  to go through the copious amount of packages, little containers and organizers that were tucked away in several areas through out the home.    I consolidated, cleaned and laid out a plan how to get some of those UFOs completed while sorting. 
Part of the plan is to attend a beading class after Thanksgiving to continue doing the Ice Bracelet I started with a friend well over a year ago.   I am intimitated to continue making this on my own and need the encouragement of more saavy beaders so with this already paid for and scheduled I can see this finishing up too. 

While cleaning up this mess, I found a couple of kitted earrings that I wanted to make.  Staying true with the wish to finish more  projects I attempted the silver manipulations to make drops for pierced earring wires.  Eeeks!  E-gads...The result was too catywampus, so I tucked those in with the ICE Bracelet class parts and am hoping for  a refresher on that technique during that class too.  It's been ages since I've done any of that and it shows how rusty I am.

Besides that bit of kits I also ran across the 2 extra magnification lenses for the MagEyes I use for beading, CXS and even embroidery.   Another project is hatching in this evil brain of mine.... 

 BUT STOP, I say!   Finish the quilting on the BIG EZ first!

Breathe........ 

Stay Calm and Carry On,

Jane

Stash Report for 3/25/12

No changes to my stash in either direction.  Plus or minuses, hopefully this week I'll be able to change that.  I've had enough slacking in my quilting department and that needsto change.  There are so many projects to process that are so close to completion that I should impose some kind of deadline or perhaps a reward...... humm I like the sound  of that!   

I have been busy though.  The dishcloth where I learned the cable stitch recently  is now totally done, oopps make that  I still need to bury the yarn ends. Well I promise I'll get to that right after I get off this computer.  So I did  print off another free pattern to try a different dish rag pattern called "Knitted Blackberry Cloth" from little house in the suburbs website.   The link doesn't show the blackberry one, it's to a basket weave patterned one instead, I couldn't readily find the blackberry one (sorry).  This pattern has a suble pattern to it so I'm thinking that a solid colored cotton yarn may be more flattering for it to show  than that speckled blend I tried to show the cables on several weeks ago.   With trying to share the cables learned via photo, it was difficult to see and  didn't show up properly, so I plan on using a variety of solid colors from now on.  I'm hoping that will make a difference.

Beading has been my focus recently and I attended a couple of bracelet classes at my local bead shop, A Mano Studio. What fun and such a nice change of pace. 
The "Tila Wave Bracelet" is totally finished and I love how it looks.   This bracelet was a very quick finish.  It took only about 3 hours total to complete.  DHmentioned that he thought I liked the quick turnaround from start to finish that I should do more projects like that than my quilting.  rUmph! I truly believe he is jealous of my quilting time and will speak negatively whenever he can.  I think he believes I say okay one of these times and get rid of my stash,  little does he know!  LOL. 


Tila Wave Bracelet
March 2012

Another class was for the Viking Knit Bracelet class.  That is still a work in progress and it's visible on that oak dowel.  The wire "knitting" represents about 5 hours worth of effort.  No immidiate gratification for this technique.  The braid effect on the knitting reminds me of a braid on an Indian Chief's breastplate.   It looks like 5 rows of chain stitch running up the sides of the dowel.
I am wondering how small I'll be able to make this when pulling it through the different size holes to diminish and tighten it up in the final phase.    I also am not sure I'll be able to do that part of it with my neck, shoulder and back conundrums, but also know that DH or the children will help me  out if it's too much.  I'll continue  knitting while the starter piece is already done  but try a  looser braid stitch. (If you can't tell it is softer and easier to weave that wire through without using an awl each time I go to insert it  like I did on the first 5+ inches of the braid. )   Many of my classmates' knitting was very loose and hard to see a design so the finished results were a bit small and had some ovals wires poking out of their final bracelets.
Devin, the instructor and my friend said mine looked good to continue doing it in the same manner so I did for the 6" base.  But I am questioning how it will look in the completed project.  That's why I figure I'll do another 6" piece of it but much looser so I can stretch it out through  most of the blocks' holes.  We'll see.



Viking Knit Bracelet
March 2012

 Lastly, I wanted to share another package that came in the mail a couple of weeks ago.  These are the Wonky House quilt blocks that were sent to me for the WH Swap Group that Jane started for 2012.  The  bottom row and one block in the next to the last are blocks Imade and threw on the floor to photograph with the rest of them. 
Don't you just love them.  The ladies did such a great job on them and the creativity in this group is amazing. 
Thank you everybody!  I do {heart} them.

While this was a stretch for me to do Uh hum, can you say stressful.... I did sign up to do  Round 2, wonky trees.    I know I am a glutton for punishment but do figure this next round will be so much easier!  [I can only hope.] 

Jane

I won!!! and some retail therapy..

Lookie at this beautiful oak notion rack I won from Carole's giveaway. Isn't it great! Her husband makes it out of oak, cherry or walnut and he is a seriously wicked woodworker. He has a great eye for details. Thanks so much Carole and Steve, I love it! Of course I had to dig out one of my favorite thimbles to proudly let it be displayed on the pedestal made for just that item. Ingenious and so convenient, it's perfect!



Now I just need to clean off the table next to my sewing chair so it can be seen without all that clutter! I took a sanpshot of it on the keyboard drawer so you wouldn't see my mess and then of course I had to tell you about it anyway. lol Oh well, I'm an open book.
The scissors that came packaged with it are great too since with all the scissors I have in my scissor collection, I didn't own a pair of this style. Can't say that any more, Lucky Me!



Next up are some recent stash acquisitions.







Between local quilt shops, ebay and then Hancocks having a discounted sale that I couldn't resist, I really out did myself! Thank goodness I am not on the No buy program for stashbusters this year. I do heart the "Pom Pom de Paris" by French General so I scarfed up quite a bit of that in different packaging, layer cake, Fat quarter bundles,etc..... Some of the other fabrics in the stacks are also French General's other lines but I feel they will go well with the pom pom's coloring. Not exactly sure how I will work this into a quilt, but of course I have some ideas. lol! I think I did some serious retail therapy with all that has happened recently. the plan is that now I will get real and continue to use up what I have on hand, Promise!

A recent finish is a bracelet I made without any pattern. I really am so proud of myself for this one. I saw a similiar bracelet in Florida several years ago and when I inquired about purchasing the pattern, I was told there wasn't one and that it was a class they were offering in a couople of weeks time. Of course that didn't do me any good since I was flying back home in a week. SO, I looked at it and then shopped at the store and purchased the 3 row spacers, the clasp, and 6 beads of the 4mm different colored Swarovski crystals. I recently ran into them while finishing up the St. Petersburg bracelet and thought this needed to be done. AM I glad!



It's great to have a quick project! I started this on Sunday and finished it last night. A bit of a record for me in getting any beading done in that amount of time. Of course it was relatively easy since it was only stringing.
Notes to self, I used a 6lb fireline, some small silver crimp beads (without any crimping done) to finish the silver look on the ends and then stacked the crystals in a pleasing manner. At the ends, I strung back in towards the center of the bracelet tieing suare knots and half hitches intermittently along the way. At the end, I used a small dab of super glue on the fireline and snipped off the surplus, hopefully it will last fine. If you do another, double check and make sure you use an even number of colors and also play with the silver crimp balls beads to finish. perhaps the next could be done differently.

Two weeks ago for the hub's birthday celebration the youngest grandchildren were driving their jeep in the driveway.



This past week, this is what we woke up to:



It didn't stay long but there was enough that the snow plows were going by again. Pleeeeze hurry spring! Hopefully the Easter Bunny won't freeze!

Stay well and enjoy your blessings.
Happy Easter!
Jane

A bit more done.

It feels wonderful to be finishing up some UFO's I've had going for a bit. Between the Counted cross stitch, quilting, and beading hobbies, many times I feel like my creative endeavors are just running amok!
But Whoo!whoo! several more projects have been finished this past week.
My UFO#6 through Judy Laquidera's UFO challenge, Bird house wallhanging or Waiting for Spring, finished.



There is art glitter glued onto the fleece that I used for the ice and snow. I also changed a bit of the design by also creating some ice spots on the branches. To me it was unrealistic that the bird house was snow and ice laden while the rest was not touched. I know here in the Adirondacks, when something is encased by the elements, many things are encased too so I made it more reflective of that.
Besides the white fabric changed out for a lustrous fleece batting, I also changed some of the fabrics in this kit I got from Nancy's Notions years ago. The birdhouse and branch colors were all brown and too close in color to be visible. So I did some stash diving to come up with a higher contrast values. The pattern is actually "Waiting for Spring" designed by Lake View Quilts adn I am glad that Vince pulled No6 UFO. Just in time for Winter in these parts.

Next are the beaded earrings I finished last Sunday while playing with friends. The "Read and Bead" group I belong to gathers monthly to bead, eat and share lives. Each month a different person will share their technique for a project when we can. At December's meeting, Michelle taught us how to do a dodecahedra (aka: Chinese Pearl Balls). Usually I am not so thick headed but I had an awful time trying to grasp this concept. Poor Michelle actually did one of my beads since it was too difficult for me. Each step that I would do and she'd check it and it was wrong, so she'd correct it. Ye gads! When you work on this bead you need to use 2 needles of thread at the same time. One of the ladies mentioned it may be better to try 2 different size needles to help keep you straight with which needle should be at whichever orientation per row since with each row the needles would change positions and making notes while beading it. So when I got home later that night, I pulled out all of the necessities and I actually was able to finish another bead. Of curse not correctly, but I could tell where the next spin off design was needed and then would work my threads to that area. Close enough I say!
Anyhoo, I made them into festive drop earrings and they are DONE! And I'll never tell that one bead is correct and the other one is a very near miss. LOL



This next photo is of a counted cross stitch design I finally picked up from the framers. Shhhh! it's a gift for a stitching buddy when we gather for our late Christmas party. I know she doesn't read my blog, so it's safe to show here.



It's a Calico Crossroads pattern designed by Linda Connors called "In Stitches". It's just purrrrfect for my bernina and cat loving friend. I even stitched our initials into the outermost border of it with a tiny heart in between as a token of our friendship. I hope she love sit as much as I loved doing it for her.

The last photo is of the pet bed I finished in a gridded pattern for a community project that our guild does for the local animal shelters. This pillowcase bag has been hanging out under my cutting table for the past year. Any snippets of trims not large enough for my scrap bins, found it's way into the bag. Ingenious way of utilizing the scrappiest of scraps. It was finally full enough that I realized I needed to finish what I had in mind. Grid off the main area to stop the shifting of the stuffing.



When assembling the pet bed, it also was a trip down Memory Lane of past projects and felt great to reminisce about all the "love" sewn into projects this past year. Since we don't have any pets currently, but remembering trying to wash the different animal beds from the past, I found it difficult to keep the stuffing from shifting whilst trying to be neat, clean and sanitized around here. So I tried a "grid" of stitching for this bed to help facilitate against the stuffing from shifting where ever it lands up. The most difficult part was trying to keep the stuffing equal in the parts, Of course I used my zipper foot and chalked pencil lines which I needed to continuously re-draw after rubbing off the previous lines by stuffing it. But now it's done and I'll need to cut and sew another bag from upholstery fabric to hang off my cutting table for another bed next year.

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate and look forward to all the comments from your visits. I'm off to the sewing room now, enjoy your Sunday.

TTFN,
Jane

Sorry,

It feels like I've been remiss in my blogging lately. The only reason is the canning and pickling we've accomplished. Yesterday those chores were finished. So glad it's done yet, I did enjoy the process.

Our grape vines had the most productive year this year. We were able to harvest about 30 pounds of grapes! Since we still had jars of the foxgrape jam we put up last year, we decided to use our crop for Concord grape juice - am I so glad we did. We already opened a pint and tried it out to make sure the jars done with this "new to us technique" had truly sealed. They did. The recipe came from my favorite Amish Cookbook and after juicing, cooking, straining, sugaring and then recooking the juice, you only had to seal the hot liquid into jars without processing in a water bath. It is very robust and flavorful, and I believe it's boasting with nice, natural, healthy antioxident-rich elements.

Sorry this photo is so washed out. I may try to get a better picture later.

As for my conundrums of projects, I recently completed the hand work on 2 projects. Doing my Happy Dance! The green Beaded Bangle is finished (above) as is this:


JOY by Country Cottage Needleworks
28 count EW * Worked 2 /2 with threads called for. They were DMC 744, 3031, 3328 and 3354. Crescent Colours used were Eve's leaves, Aunt Marie's Violet, Betty Bluebell, Really Teally, Ripe Melon, and Bean Sprout. Since I'll be getting rid of the pattern either by regifting or selling it, I wanted to know all the thread colours I used and have a place where I'd know where to find them. This seemed the best possible place. VBG!


Next up is selecting a frame to finish the piece. For the next beading project I'll be working on a St. Petersburg Bracelet. It's coming along quickly and I love the Victorian look so far.



Still need to come up with how I'll be closing it. Most of my gold metal buttons seem too large for such a delicate weave of beads, perhaps a button made up of bead findings? Sounds like I'll be playing a bit. For my hand stitching, perhaps I'll finish my embroidery on the "spring Patchabilities to get that off my list even though I feel like jumping onto the Patchabilities Ball Jar of Flowers.

Enjoy Your Day,
Jane

Getting things done

While traveling on a rainy day, I stumbled across this field of sunflowers. Normally I see these flowers as a perky blessing but on that drizzly overcast day, these are the sorrrowful flowers I ran across. Good to know even God's natural elements are affected by the weather.


AS for getting things done I am, well, sort of anyway. For the canning, we did get 11 pints of mincemeat canned, 35 pints of chow chow and 25 pints of chili sauce. This is our first year doing the chow chow and the chili sauce.
We did open up a jar of both. The chili sauce is wonderful even though it is sweet. We used our DIL's grandmother's recipe. Thanks Chel! I don't think I should use too much of this sauce though with my sugar diagnosis so DH will be one happy husband having to chow down most of it. The chow chow is good, but the baby lima beans I used in it should have been cooked more. That makes it not great but it is still good with al dente lima beans.
The last items yet to be done are the grapes. Since it's raining now, I should be able to get a surplus of juicy grapes for juice. We looked up several ways to can or freeze it and I think we'll be doing it so it needs to be diluted with an equal part of water when wanted for consumption.

As for beading the lime green bangle bracelet I started last month is coming along nicely. It's well over half way done. I hope to complete that by next Monday. Here's a pic of my progress so far.



The CXS that I was working on for most of the summer, ah hum... I mean should have been working on was recently picked up again. The only color I have left is DMC-3031which is a dark brown. The parts left to do are the birds eyes and legs. Then all the stitching will be finished, so it's a good thing I have another 60% off coupon for framing at Michaels.

Status of the Alien quilt is status quo. When the canning process is totally done, I'll be able to use the tables in the garage for sandwiching, so that's at a stand still again. Regarding any machine stitching, I haven't done a stitch since last week so the Miranda Purse is at a stand still. I was able to purchase a perfect pair of handles and a magnetic closure for her which you'll get to see when she's done done.



DH and I went to Glens Falls on Monday. Adirondack Quilts was having a tent sale reducing their inventory so I wanted to check it out. There wasn't a lot that tweaked my interest except... patchabilies, some black batting and 2 pink fabrics that were $3.00 a yard, so nabbed onto those. I just know I'll be able to use them someplace. Of courswe I saw the motorcycle scrap in the scrap bin too and it jumped into my purchases. With all my Harley friends in the lick a chick group, I jsut know I'll be needing this some day.
Of course while there, I did get to Joanns. I purchased a couple of books with the 40% discount, purse handles and a pair of ginghers. I just love those scissors both in using and their looks.
Hope you are enjoying your evening. Hopefully later tonight or tomorrow I can find some time to sew.

Goodnight,

Jane

Back Now...

Sorry it's been so long since my last entry but I was away camping and then to top it off, we had computer problems again.
Erroneously, I turned off the power strip while the computer was trying to shut down. Since a grandson was spending the night and I believe the body needs darkness for whole health and the room he stays in is where the computer glows if not totally turned off. SO, I messed it up badly trying to shut it all down in the middle of the night ( it seemed to be taking forever, I won't be doing that anytime soon again!). A friend was able to get the computer reinstated, but it took awhile with their schedule.

The really hot and humid temperatures we had in the end of June and July made my Asthma kick my butt! The littlest of effort caused me to be short of breath and listless. I languished in my air conditioning, Thank goodness for these small blessings. As for accomplishing any of my UFOs, I have nothing to report.


Now for the beading, a sweet little bangle bracelet was just completed today. To make it I used, 4mm Bicone Crystals from Love it get it- 212 Hyacinth(#21), 15 seed bead charletts in gunmetal as the accent and 15 #9363 a burgandy with a yellow/peach cast from A mano studios for the netting beads.

This was started a couple of months ago then I ran out of the bicones. Just received a small quantity this am from the USPS so I was able to quickly finish it. At least I'll have one UFO done for July. Hopefully, I'll find the mojo and time to attempt a 2nd finish for this month too.

Mom is up for a couple of months, so I am enjoying time with her.

Enjoy your summer, it goes all too quickly,
Jane

Stash Report #20 and time flies....

My stash report for this week is:

Used this week: 6.0 yards
Used Year To date: 27.75 yds

Added This week: 2.0 yards
Added Year To Date: 59.5 yards

YTD is a gain of 31.75 yards

With cleaning out all my fabric in the cupboards, you'd think I 'd realize that no more fabric needs to come in, BUT I went to the "A Quilter's Garden Quilt Show" in Malone this weekend and one of the vendors there had a beautiful batik that would be perfect for a bird of paradies wall hanging I want to do. SO of course I bought 2 yards while I saw it. Did use up a little over 2 yards on pillowcases for the Pillowcase Project and gave them to community service for Camp Takumteh (a summer camp for children with terminal onditions and cancers).
Was able to rid myself of 4 yards of fabric that I threw out. The fabric was really inferior, so I counted that as well since it's now out of my stash!

Check out Judy Laquidera's blog to see how all the other participants are doing. Many are into using yardage in the three digits already.

As for my progress on reorganization, here are a couple of photos to show where I'm at:

And what I'll be focusing on next:




I got off the phone with Mom this afternoon and she'll be staying with me next week for 4-5 days, so I best get this done so the piles around the house are contained and lassoed back in control! YIKES! I'll have to work much faster. Then to get the house cleaned.

Today I spent the day with friends of the read and bead group I belong to. What a great group of friends and talented ladies. We decided last month to all bead a similiar project. I chose the padparashka Crystals as the main color bead in the bangle bracelet with a gun metal #15 bead for the accent and a close color but not matching the red orange for the netting bead. Would you believe this represents 3 hours worth of work!

Of course that includes the ripping out and redoing too. LOL

Jane