Dorset Button from CQMagOnline

In the current CQMagOnline Diane Mugford wrote an article about Dorset buttons. I have made a few of these in the past...simple woven ones. When I saw what she had done with it though I was anxious to make one of these. I love it. I used variegated floss for the flowers, added green stems and since I wasn't liking any bow I made, I found some silk ribbon and made loops at base of the bouquet. I will be making more of these! It's a great portable project.
Take a minute to check out this free online magazine. It is a treasure trove of information on crazy quilting. There is bound to be something to inspire you~

Did a little work on my CQ for ME challenge. I am really loving this Kaffe Fassett fabric and how LIVELY it is. I was paging through Carol Samples CQ Stitches book and saw this seam treatment. Since I love french knots I had to try it out! It is really tiny. I am working on a weeping willow tree too. I need to hoop it to finish though since the long/short stitch is crinkling the fabric. I am thinking (which when translated means it could change again any minute) on making it into a project case cover.

I return to work tomorrow. Vacation over. Longjohn's ready. I LOVE being home. Alot. I am never bored.

I have learned:

1. On to the next idea for my guild challenge. Tried 2 things...no good. In trash. BUT I am never at a loss for idea's!
2. PF5 key will refresh computer screen.
3. How to download a game to my phone. SCRABBLE! So cool....

I am Thankful for...

My sister and I. Me on the left, Noni (Noreen, a nice Irish name!) on the right. We wore matching red velvet jumpers.I have always liked this picture. The photographer would come to your house then. I remember snippets of this sitting. She is 15 months younger than me. Next Saturday she will be 47. Happy early Birthday!

Last night on HGTV, once again, we had the Friday night PJ Party as it is affectionately called! I made these cell phone cases with the help of Jessica. The one on the left is for my sister. Darcy, my niece "helped" me make it. (wink wink) I already have the pink & brown one in service. It was a fun little project and can see many uses for it, including iPods, small camera's, etc.





Fun was had by all on Thanksgiving! Well the 4 of us...my sister, my niece & nephew. We played Cranium, ate a delicious dinner (which is saying alot for a meal I cook!) and laughed much! My sister stayed over and (what might become a tradition)....we got up and all of us were shopping by 6:00 AM Friday! I'm not a Black Friday fan...not a shopper really. BUT we made it an event and no one was harmed in this endeavor!

I have grand plans to make tomorrow a day I get some sewing done. Starting the guild challenge and make an exchange gift for our holiday meeting in December are at the top of the list.

I have learned:

1. The Blind Side is a nice feel-good movie. Tim McGraw not a bad actor either.
2. Hernia=son.
3. Melissa heard the sound of car crashing again today. In Georgia. Rear ended by South Carolinian on their way home from Disney World. No one hurt.
4. Citibank credit card raising rates as of January 1st to exorbitant rate. I don't like CC's. I did have to use my one and only to get my car out of hock (well...not hock really...)after the deer hit so now I have a dreaded balance. How can this be good for economic rebound?
5. I recieved the supply list for Nancy Crow workshop in July!!

Origami Bag

This is my origami bag! Fun little thing to make. On the HGTV message board, a veritable treasure trove of talented and generous people, a new feature has been thought up by a couple members. They are calling it a "PJ Party" since you would be home at night all comfy working along with others online! Jean taught us, with pictures and explanations, how to construct this adorable bag. I began with an 18" square. After folding, stitching and turning...here it is.

The concert was a true experience. Anyone that has been to one knows what I am talking about. My son, Michael, slipped out during the show to buy this zipper hoodie for me. I love it...this is the back. Here is the Backstreets.com review with pictures.

Saturday was quilt guild. Melanie and her mom did a Meet a Member trunk show for us. Keep in mind they are affectionately referred to as "Lucy & Ethel" so laughs were expected and no one was disappointed! It was an insightful presentation and everyone came away knowing a bit about all the things they have dabbled in that made them come to quilting with us today. Having them in our guild has been a breath of fresh air. Great job girls!

After the meeting a small group of women stayed to lend Tracy & I a hand paper piecing the courthouse steps blocks. We had a couple volunteers work on and complete our prairie point border. Much progress.

My friend Ann gifted me with (what any CQer would covet!) 6 retired upholstery/home dec fabric sample books. It felt like Christmas! Thanks Ann!

Cynda, who is interested in more arty stuff, had some excellent info for me on discharging. Cynda's entries for our annual challenge are always one of my favorites. She has a different view and I get it!



I have learned:

1. How to make fabric ties. I made them for the origami bag since I didn't have cording on hand that matched.
2. I have Beadlust....
3. Enterprise commercial. What does renting a car have to do with lingerie? Weird.
4. Target's blond hyper-shopper woman commercials.....funny.
5. My sister uses me. I could call it a threat but it's really more of a challenge......for my niece & nephew to improve grades by next marking period. Whoever has the highest average apparently wins a day with me ALONE! Such power I hold.

Nothing but a Bruce Day....

Tonight. History making. Buffalo NY. Bruce Springsteen. The Boss. E Street Band. Last concert of the tour. Maybe last ever. Epic. I will be there.

Thursday Bits

Here is a cool video on DISCHARGING. Towards the end he shows close ups of his quilting. He adds color to his discharged pieces with thread. Very interesting.

No pics of anything I have created since working all week limits what gets done for the duration.. I did manage some CQ stitching last night....a willow-y tree on my Kaffe Fassett fabrics piece. I am filling in the trunk using long & short stitch with variegated machine quilting thread, by hand!

Quilt guild Saturday morning and a little gathering of sewers after to help make paper pieced courthouse steps blocks for the raffle quilt. Tracy & I are hopeful that we will get much accomplished!

Sunday is the Bruce Springsteen concert....can't wait. Last concert on this tour so promises to be awesome.

I have learned:

1. I have 3 unscheduled vacation days! I get 6 weeks vacation and have a hard time keeping track of them. I am off next week, Christmas week and now 3 additional days, making my total days to work the remainder of year~~17. Nice....
2. Fiber One cereal....hope it works.
3. New Moon comes out today. I read 3 of the books...couldn't get through another one though. I found them poorly written....long winded. I did see Twilight and liked it enough. I was charmed by it's low budget ambiance.
4. Maria McKee. I remember hearing her with a band called Lone Justice years ago. She ventured out on her own eventually. Her distinctive vocals juxtapose her angelic looks. I have rediscovered her stuff in my CD collection and learned I really like it....again.

ATC's & PSI's

My group of friends! Self Portrait ATC's. SO many great idea's, I just love them.

Plus Size Inchies are 1.5"x 1.5" squares of art! Anything goes...these are the PSI's I received in our simultaneous PSI/Self Portrait ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap hosted by Toryam on the HGTV message board. I posted a bag she had accessorized with inchies from a previous swap in April. Click and take a look.

Jody used paper, stamps, charm & fabric to make her ATC Self Portrait. It love it. We both work fulltime and correspond about the limited time we actually have to make things! So the saying has much meaning.

My friend Nicki peeking out from her ATC. She is the one that lured many of us into the CQ craze! Bewitching!

Here is Charlyn's really intricate self portrait ATC. There is a lot of work in a 2.5"x3.5" area. I love how she represented her hair and glasses and now I know one more thing about her...she likes horses!

Between work, travelling to my son's football game 480 mile round trip yesterday and working on the raffle quilt obligations, I have had very little time to do anything else this week. I am (again) hopeful for next week since I am off and alone most of that time.

I own a 109 year old house. I have many pressing issues that need attention but of course limited funds. BUT I realized today my ongoing toilet (that is not an attractive word is it? but it is what it is!) troubles are worsening. I knew when I glanced at the ceiling in the basement and saw water leaking from above I must find the cash (another loan...ugh) and someone that can do what needs to be done right and fast since I have only one bathroom! Wonder what something like this even runs? I will find out soon enough.

I have learned:

1. Down 12 lbs! It is actually 15 lbs (naked) on my own scale, but I am going with the official WW gold book record.
2. Car GPS is awesome. But I still get lost. I had to reference my NYS map book to make sure she was taking me in the right direction.
3. I anticipate learning many new things tomorrow at company Safety Coordinator meeting of the minds. I have a few things to say about the "Circle of Safety" which involves each driver to place a large magnet on the rear of the truck and remove when work is completed, and walk 360 around the truck on busy highways. Is it wise to be in front of that vehicle at all? Personally, the first time I did this I slipped, catching myself on the side mirror, hitting my hardhat-ed head on door, avoiding a fall into water/mud filled ditch! Funny now....wasn't then though.
4. I am in! Nancy Crow at QBL next July!
5. My friend Cheryl adopted a 6 yr old Sheltie named Honey. Honey was part of an agreement with a woman arrested for animal cruelty, to remove 40 animals from her home. She has never walked on grass. Her home was a kennel on concrete. Cheryl will give her the security & love she deserves.
6. I appreciate thoughtful, considerate people.
   
   
   

Little Ruched Flower...I used the green fabric!

....feels like I have been working for days! I have been keeping busy stitching on the 2 crazy quilt blocks I have. Aida's is almost finished and will be mailed to Jody by Thanksgiving.
I have been looking for the project that will be my gift for guild's Christmas exchange. I have a couple idea's!
I have been going through some old issues of THREADS magazine Colleen sent to me and finding some very interesting articles and images for my idea journal.


As I mentioned in another post we were given 2 fabrics and a lace motif (I need to locate my motif! It is lost in my stash!)and challenged to use them in some way in a CQ block for ourselves. This green silk is the 2nd fabric. I cut a strip, folded both edges under and ruched the length...pull it up and voile! a quick, cute little flower. The button center is vintage and thanks to my friend Terry for the jar of great vintage buttons! She likes to thrift and will pick up little precious bits of things for me. She knows what I like!
Also notice the green bead seam treatment to the left. I will need to balance the block with more beading.
I stitched some beads on the blue silk flower (the 1st fabric I needed to use in this challenge). Adding beads along both edges pulls that color out giving some cohesion to this section.

That's all!

I have learned:

1. Sesame Street is 40 years old today. I was 8 when it began. I never watched an episode til Melissa was born. PBS was not cool back in the day!
2. This is a great site with really good tutorials for projects.
3. So You Think You Can Dance is on at 8 tonight....I've said it before but I really love this show.
4. 12 nights from now I will be waiting for Bruce Springsteen to take the stage. The last concert of this tour here in Buffalo! Excited!

Have a good week...make something cool...learn something new!