Unfinished Crazy Quilting To Share

Fly me to the Moon ~

that's what I am calling this piece.
This is still a work in progress ~ inspired by Pat's ciggy print
and some lovely ribbon, fabrics and leaves from her arsenal!
http://www.gatherings100.blogspot.com/
I think it will be a pillow ???


The white flower is glass ~ I wish I could remember where I got it.
I think it is vintage from Tinsel Trading but can't be sure.

I made another puzzle piece ~ it just needs backing and edges finished.I wanted to have a sample for myself because I have an idea!

I have a friend with a shop at the Cape (Cape Cod, Mass.) and I was thinking it would be cool to make a puzzle piece for each surrounding town.

Tourist could buy the ones of the towns at the Cape they have visited.

Maybe I could include some kind of Velcro strap to attach the pieces together.

What do you think?

Cathy K from the "Pieces of Friends Swap" ~ this is the piece I was talking about :)

Oh ONE more thing ~ I am SO excited that Maureen Greeson is back on the scene! She was a huge inspiration to me when I first started crazy quilting. She had the most wonderful on line shop, tutorials that ~ thank goodness ~ I copied and still use and read so often! She will have her new blog up and running soon! I remember years ago ~ I had this awful bladder infection but desperately wanted to attend a quilt show where Maureen had a booth set up and Betty Pillsbury was going to speak.I simply could not miss it so made the 1 hour ride up there ~ ran to the bathroom ~ listened to Betty ~ ran to the bathroom. Got to Maureen's booth and flopped right down in her chair! I told her I was sick and she sweetly let me sit until I could ~ you guessed it ~ run once again to the bathroom!!!

Juice Box Purses

Aren't they cute?
I had promised these to 3 cute little girls this past summer (after a glass or 2 of wine ;) ~
and this week-end I had to deliver!

After staring into space for an hour ~ here's what I did.

For each purse you need ~

- 5 Capri Sun containers - cut across the top and slice bottom of each one.

Wash and dry completely.

- about 16" of trim for the top

- about 20" of roping for handle

- matching thread

- you will be using a blanket stitch for the entire project EXCEPT when you are attaching trim.

1. Sew front to bottom

2. sides to front (for sides ~ have silver side showing ~ see picture)

3. back to one side ~ leaving other side unattached to side for now.

4. Insert handle ends to each side ~ centered ~ then sew top trim with a straight stitch all the way across the top.

5. sew unattached side to back

6. You will notice your bottom is too long. Cut to fit and sew to remaining 3 sides to bottom.

7. Fold sides in and ~ GUESS WHAT? YOUR DONE!

I think these would make cute little Easter baskets too!

This Week's Work ~ Crazy Quilted Pillow

This week-end is my sister-in-law's birthday so I decided to make her a pillow in some of her fave colors.
I hope she like's it :)

Here is how it started ~ with beautiful fabric's and cigg print from my sweetie pie Pat. http://gatherings100.blogspot.com/

After embellishing ~ I used old trim I found in Mom's attic this fall.

First I starched and pressed it and then added a ring of it around the pillow ~ gathering a bunch in each corner.

Och! Tell me this isn't the MOST painful part!

Turning it right side out and praying all the beading and buttons behave!

Ahhhh ~ relief! All is well!

Most of the silk ribbon I used is hand dyed by Pat.

You may be lucky enough to find some in her Etsy shop!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=80476

I am not good at stitching words and numbers so I use primitive straight stitches ~ that don't always come out straight~

and then cover my mistakes with my fave stitch ~ the sweet french knot.

I like them a bit off and willy nilly!

And by the way ~

HAPPY SPRING!!!!!!!

Hope Your St Patty's Day Was Fun!

Having not lived near family in over 30 years ~ I surround myself with pieces of them for every holiday!

This is Grama's depression glass candy dish ~ filled with what else but spearmint's for St Patty's Day.

The Corned Beef was cooking all afternoon ~

Mint Cupcakes with homemade cream cheese frosting ~ mmmmm ~ sitting on a St Patty's Day cake dish Grama made in her ceramics class 35 years ago!

This Bobble Head Troll was the prize for the person who had a special mark under their plate ~ Franky won!

Notice the vintage 1970's tablecloth from Mom.

Jaci, Frank and Franky digging in.

One last look at my finished Puzzle Pieces ~ they are on their way to my pal Pat Winter

I am off to work in my garden for the day. Frank picked up a load of horse manure from a friends farm and I have to bring it ~ a bucket at a time ~ down in my backyard.

I am not even going to take a shower cause I will surely need one when I am done this afternoon!

OH and GUESS WHAT???!!! TODAY ~ I will planting my Sweet Peas !!!

Enjoy your day!

Pieces Of Friendship Puzzle Swap

I have had a BLAST participating in the " Pieces of Friendship Puzzle Swap" hosted by Pat Winter.
http://wwwpiecesoffriendship.blogspot.com/

I decided to do a sample of my favorite kinds of fabrics.

First is this fabric by Jane A. Sassaman. I simply beaded it and backed it with felt.

For my 2ND one I used the silks I have used in every project I have worked on the last month!

Such cheerful spring colors ~ it was hard to put down.

This was crazy quilted and embellished with beads, silk ribbon and trims.

The 3rd one was made with my reproduction fabrics.

They remind me off 1940's Mom's with crisp aprons and Pledge in one hand and a fresh bakes pie in the other!

This was also crazy quilted and embellished with beads, thread and trim.

My 4Th isn't quite done but I wanted to get this posted!

I cut tiny pieces of my favorite cottage /shabby fabrics and made a little patchwork quilt.

I did some fancy stitches on my embroidery machine and finished it off with some old buttons.

My layer sandwhich consisted off the top piece, muslin, shirt taylor interfacing, wonderunder and felt as a baking. The shirt taylors was ironed to the muslin and the wonderunder ironed to the felt .

I also used fray check on all edges before I started sewing as some of the other participants did.

I hope to have these off to Pat by the end of the week!

Oh LOOK what I found in my garden this week-end!

There is no turning back ~ spring is on it's way!!!!

Lasagna Is What Was For Dinner Tonight!

Lasagna is EASY to make!

Start with a pound of ground chuck and a diced onion that you cook together until the meat is brown.
Add a 16 oz jar of an authentic Italian brand sauce and a small can of crushed tomatoes.

Season to taste ~ perhaps a bit of  hot chili powder to add a little "bite"
Next ~ cook your noodles ~ don't they look lovely!

Mix up a large container of Ricotta cheese with fresh parsley, 2 eggs and a pinch of nutmeg.

Thinly slice an 8 oz piece of mozzarella cheese and start layering ~

sauce on the bottom of the pan ~

line with noodles ~

top with ricotta ~

top with meat sauce ~

top with mozzarella cheese.

Do this until you run out of ingredients.

Top the last layer with sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes ~ let rest on oven for 10 minutes.

Now wasn't that easy!!!

Oh and by the way ~ if you drop the tin foil and it unravels on the floor ~

it never rolls back up quite as neatly as it started.

The 7th Annual Fabrics and Fabrications Quilt Show

Frank and I attended this awesome quilt show in Southport, Ct on Sat.
and I was so excited to see this quilt!!!
The fabric and pattern are a Jane A. Sassaman design.
I bought the fabric and pattern to make this 4 years ago and still haven't had the time to do it.
Isn't it beautiful?

These are 1930's ~ 50's designs ~

they radiate comfort, warmth and love!

This crazy quilt was well over 100 years old ~

just LOOK what it was adorned with!!!

The very same vintage brass sequins I purchase from Tinsel Trading a few years ago!!!
They are right in the center of the photo.

This made me want to do cartwheels!

They asked me to submit some of my beaded and crazy quilted items next year! I am SO excited!

Birthday Week

These are some of the flowers I received from my daughter Cheri ~

ohhhh I LOVE these pink berries ~

Jaci decorated while I was out for the day ~

just like I used to do for them when they were kids :)

Yummy Banana Creme Cake ~

Beads for my Pandora Bracelet from Ashley and Jaci ~

My friend Lisa made this gorgeous bag that she knitted with NORO yarn from Japan

and then felted. The colors are breathtaking in person!

And what better to do when there are 12 inches of fresh March snow outside your window ~

but to cuddle up in bed with a cup of tea and plan this years garden!