Beautiful Treasure's from Pat

Beautiful treasure's from a very special friend! This is what has kept me smiling this week! Every chance I got ~ I was in my sewing room playing with these beautiful prints and ribbons Pat has printed and dyed herself.Gorgous fabrics ,vintage beads and ribbon flowers! I am almost finished making a new block with these beauty's for my next TAST stitches. I am a week behind but will catch up hopefully this week! I am only sorry these pictures aren't better ~ they just don't do them justice!

Tonight ~ Day 6 ~ kitchen redo

It's starting to take shape! They added a wonderful pantry at one end of the room! We ordered a glass door for it and the inside of the pantry will be lined in bead board. The area in the first photo where the fridge will go will have to remain unfinished until the new cabinet pieces arrive from the factory in 4 to 6 weeks. The part shown is not deep enough to fit the fridge. I couldn't resist adding a pot of geraniums on the counter as my inspiration piece. I think I will use the chartreuse and pink colors in the plant as my color's. Work starts again on Monday.

End Of Day 2 ~ kitchen redo

This was the end of day 2 and day 3 of me stripping the 2 layers of wallpaper. Word to the wise ~ if you must wallpaper ~ use sizing first. Everything came off is 2" by 2" pieces. The morning after I took this photo ~ day 4 of wallpaper stripping ~ I got up at 5am to finish the job before my contractor arrived at 8:30. By 5:20 am ~ I had spilled the bucket of vinegar water I was using TWICE ~ I was soaking wet ~ fever and all. I never swore once ~ but did swear off ever wallpapering again!

The UPSIDE of a kitchen redo ~ keeping the fridge in the living room!

. ....and the dog food and water! The living room has really become the room we live in ~ and the only place to sit besides the bathroom! It contains all the odds and end's we didn't pack away and a whole bunch of dust! I am trying to stay on the bright side 'cause folk's this was the week from hell! My contractor came Monday morning ~ Monday afternoon I got a fever and chill's that stayed with me until today! (Sat.) We encountered a little bit of everything that could go wrong including almost getting shut down because we didn't get a permit. Me getting a driving ticket on my way to getting the permit. Some of the cabinets we ordered had problems ~ setting us back several weeks. Not to mention a dwindling budget and lots more to purchase ~ like floor's and important stuff like that! I am going to be honest with you about the ups and downs of this project because I know in the end ~ it will all be worth it!

BEFORE picture's ~ kitchen redo

I thought I'd share my kitchen redo with you.I've been SO excited about it! When I started packing everything however ~ I started remembering all of my kid's childhood memories in this kitchen. It has turned into a bitter sweet process. As I look at these picture's ~ you can't really see the flaw's (broken drawer's and peeling Formica etc.) ~ I feel a little heart sick! If you are planning a new kitchen ~ I would recommend Omega Brand cabinets. They are solid wood and the same price point as Lowe's and Home Depot's mid-grade . When they started building our cabinets ~ they sent me a door from the exact paint they were using on our cabinets. I was able to bring the door with me to choose counter top's. Tomorrow the real work begins! I'll keep you posted on the progress!

Looking for Sign's of Spring in my backyard

Lilac bud's look like they are ready to burst! My rabbit friend is waiting patiently for the lettuce patch to appear.Teddi and Jake are getting quite frisky ~ ~ ~ my garden angel is standing watch over the snow covered raised bed's.The cedar chair's my husband and I bought year's before as our Sat. morning getaway from the kid's ~ are sitting empty ~ for now. The crocus bud's poking out through the snow are my promise your coming soon ~ hurry!!!!!

Week 12 TAST Couching Stitch

I choose to do a very simple couching stitch with a metallic thread on this beautiful moss leaf trim from Ribbonsmyth.com . The rick rack is also couched down but will get some beading added soon! Happy Spring Everyone!

My Sewing Room

I had NO budget for this room so it had to be done with great imagination! I started by getting a table that filled the long wall। K-mart had the white shoe holder's on sale that work perfect for fat quarter's and this and that. I ran curtain's attached to hook's on that wire curtain stuff Ikea has under the table so the curtain's can be opened or shut. Behind the curtain are plastic drawer's that hold my bead's, scrap booking ,ribbon and sewing supplies. I can pull the drawer's out and place them on the counter for easy access.The sewing table with my machine was on clearance at Walmart for I believe about $40.00.(if you double-click on this pic you will see Teddi sleeping under my machine!) Under it I store my serger. I do my crazy quilting on the left side of the machine so I can look out the window ~ a must for me during the day! The room faces west so the sunshine pour's in during the day! The magazine rack is the best buy I have gotten is a long while!!!! It was in the basement of a furniture store ~ not even for sale ~ but I got it for $20.00!!!!! It is SO sturdy and now I use my magazine's all the time for reference! The 2 ott light's are a must for me ~ I can't sew or bead without them!There is a big comfy pillow and toy's on the floor for my precious Teddi! Jake our Brittney can be found sleeping on my bed when I am working up here! The closet looks messy but I reorganize it ALL the time! It holds fabric's, fiberfill and big stuff! The dresser with the tv was my daughter's. Each drawer is devoted to something different ~ crazy quilting ,pattern's,stabilizer etc.If I am not outside ~ this is where I can be found! It is one of my happiest place's to be ! (and I must add ~ a dream come true!!!) ~

Wonderful Birthday Treasure from Pat

This special birthday surprise SO warmed my heart. It included a handmade card of filled with Wisdom for woman over "40" ,beautiful fabric print's,a card that say's "Dance as though no one (who is qualified to commit you) is watching!!! (How perfect !!!!! ) and some of the lovely hand dyed ribbon. (You can see some of the ribbon hanging on the wall ~ in fact most of that is hand dyed by Pat from her Etsy store ~ http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=80476 )Thank you so much Pat for making my day SO special!!!!! :)

Teddy say's "Happy Spring!!!"

Rise up , MY LOVE, my fair one , and come away. For ,lo,the WINTER IS PAST, the rain is over and gone; The flower's appear on the earth; the time of the SINGING OF THE BIRDS is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. THE BIBLE , Song of Solomon 2:10-12

Fun afternoon in New York City

This Tuesday I threw caution to the wind ~ and all I needed to get done ~ and hopped on the train to NY for a wonderful afternoon by myself! I had a salad at Bryant Park when I got off the train. The bulb's were already 3 or 4 inches high ~ it was a warm lovely day! Then to 38th street and heavenly Tinsel Trading. This store just get's under my skin. It hug's you when you walk in and you can feel the history everywhere. Go to the web site and read the story behind this wonderful place http://www.tinseltrading.com/. I walked the long way back to the train ~ to Times Square then up 5th ave to Rockefeller Center to see the ice skater's skating on puddles of water! Then down Madison Ave to Grand Central ~ eating a yummy hot dog from one of the vendor's as I walked.I'm sure I had ketchup all over my face ~ the only danger of eating a hot dog alone ~ you never know unless you get a good reflection of yourself in one of the window's!I slid into my seat on the train headed home at 4pm and was home by 5:45. I don't even think the dog's missed me! A funny side note ~ the cop's in NYC are SO good looking and full of character!!!! I was trying to find a working bathroom in Grand Central as many are closed for renovation. I asked a cop standing there if he knew where one was. He responded in his loud New York accent ~ what do I know ~ I'm from Brooklyn!!!

I would love your idea's on this!!!!

I have been beading and stitching this piece off and on for several year's! It started when I went to outside dining area at Tavern On The Green in NYC and was SO inspired by the chitz lantern's & evergreen animal sculpture's outside with the contrast of the city skyline! It took my breath away! I headed to the fabric store the next day and purchased fabric's that looked like the lantern's.I still have quite a bit of beading and stitching but don't know how to finish it! I was thinking a black border as it need's to "pop" but would LOVE your honest idea's !!!! Thanks SO much! Sorry these pic's aren't better! (double lick for larger ,better view)

Tussie Mussie Book mark

This is my "tussie mussie book mark" I crazy quilted a 11 1/2" by 4" piece of fabric then folded wrong side's together and machine sewed ~ leaving a few inch opening. Lightly fill "tube" with lavender and slip stitch shut. It is wonderful left in your current book next to your bed. As you read ~ rest the bookmark under your chin to breath in the wonderful scent! Look for one on my etsy store :)

Week 11 TAST ~ Up & Down Buttonhole

This was a fun stitch. I loved the movement it give's to the quilt! Notice the metal sequin's under the yellow sequin and bead ~ it is from the 1930 era. (purchased at Tinsel Trading in N.Y.C.) Aren't they lovely!!!!

Bead Shopping!

I had a wonderful day on Fri. bead shopping at BEADWORKS in Norwalk,Ct. www.beadworksnorwalk.comIt is located in a awesome little nook called South Norwalk . Cobblestone street's, great place's to eat, little shop's and the Aquarium http://www.maritimeaquarium.org/ all located in a few block's and on the Long Island Sound.