Market Bags ready for Etsy

My thoughts are quickly turning to spring so I am ready to list a new collection of Market Bags on my Etsy site tomorrow. (see link on the left side of this blog) I shopped for a variety of high quality, sturdy fabrics ~ suitable for holding grocerys, flowers, books, knitting or things you want to hide from hubby when walking in the front door ~ hehe! I hope you will enjoy :)

Needle Case

This fun, funky needle case was inspired by Kumiko Sudo's book "Kokoro no Te." It is a colorful book full of small projects using felt and fun fabrics.

I cut 7 pieces of felt and 2 pieces of fabric in the same shape. I added a layer of felt under my cover fabric and embellished with beads and metallic threads. Then I hand stitched a second piece of felt behind the first to cover my stitches. Do the same to the back cover and sandwhich your remaining 3 pieces of felt between the front and back cover. Handstitch together at the top ~ about 1 1/2 inches down on each side. It makes the cutest needle case. I added beaded felt balls that can be used as mini pin cushions. (excuse the paint all over my nails ~ i've been painting for 2 days)

Some Wonderful Books To Check Out!

LOOK who just wrote a book!!! "Pat Winter Gatherings ~ My Crazy Quilting Journey" is Pat's first but more are in the works. This one is self published and can be obtained by going to Blurb http://www.blurb.com/home/1/ and type in PAT WINTER GATHERINGS. Congratulations Pat!!!!
Below are some other books I have recently purchases ~ all through Amazone.com ~ which has the best service! "Waverly Honor" is an amazing 223 pages of nothing but embroidery designs and another 10 or so pages of instruction. It was published in 1989. If you enjoy embroidery ~ you will LOVE this book!

Pat Makes My Day ......Again :)

I had just come home from work and made a cup of hot tea when I heard that familar "THUMP" at my door. Yippee ~ the mailman had come ~ and just look what he brought! An amazing herloom handstitched by Pat Winter. She was ever so sneeky and looked at my kitchen pic's to include all my colors. It touches every heartstring ~ though I've had it for 2 weeks I keep finding new surprises. Most times it makes me smile ~ sometimes it makes me cry that someone would care so much as to take the time to do this for me. Life can do a fairly good job at knocking us around but this sweet little tea cozy has served as a "battery charger" for my heart these last few week's. Thanks Dear Friend! (see better pic's of this treasure on Pat's blog ~ just scroll down a little) http://gatherings100.blogspot.com/

Hurry to Your Nearest William Sonoma!

Look at all the treasure's you can get at William Sonoma for up to 75% off! Thick kitchen towels, choclate shaver, chicken parts cutter (i'm quite sure that's not the official name!) and thick handmade marshmallows.....mmmmm good. They happen to melt ever so slowly in your hot choclate ~ lasting till the very last drop. The coffee maker I purchased for my husband in the fall but it is the best one we have ever had and it is now just $44.00 on sale ~ an amazing price. http://www.williams-sonoma.com

I'm feeling a bit of "naughty" coming on .............

April ~ MUST you torture me so??? I need to be a very good girl now. It's after Christmas, tax time, home repairs must be done ~ pleazzzzzzze ~ no more CUTE to DIE FOR handbags for a while ~ http://www.aprilcornell.com/ ~ K ????

Back in The Day ~ All It Took Was One Blow in Her Face!?!

I came across the coolest blog ~ Found In Mom's Basement. It is FULL of Vintage ad's. http://pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising/2007/03/vintage_cigar_a.html

Oh my goodness gracious ~ some of these ad's you just won't believe! What a FUN place to visit! Check it out!

Keeping New Year's Resolution's

In keeping with one of my resolution's ~ I am MAKING time to do what I LOVE so much! The sweet little girl is a playmate for the 2 altered dolls Pat sent me. I can't seem to finish the beading around her little body. I couldn't get my needle threaded through the tiny needle and grabbed a threaded needle with black thread and it's just WRONG so she is just left hanging half beaded! I'm not sure what the crazy quilted project will be as it is an odd shape. The furry stitch is one I have shown before and just love doing! Speaking of those sweet altered dolls you see so much on Pat's blog lately ~ she is offering kit's for them for JUST $6.00 on her etsy site! You must check it out! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=80476

The "furry stitch" is done quite simply. Run rows of 5 beads or so ~ side by side ~ for as long as you like. Then do a criss cross stitch (like my technical terms?) over the beading 5 or 6 times. Try using different colors as I did in this photo. Then cut right down the middle of your criss cross stitching ~ be VERY careful not to cut into your beading!!! Fluff your cut threads and there you have it ~ a Furry Stitch! This was taught to me by Leslie Levinson ~ an amazing crazy quilter and I'd like to add she used the correct names of the stitches!

http://www.caron-net.com/classes/classmayfiles/clasmay1.html

Friends For 30 Plus Year's

Tried and True Friends ~ Unconditional Love ~ Trust ~ Forgiveness ~ Second Chances ~ Acceptance ~ Comfort ~ PLUS you have to stay friends with them cause they just KNOW TOO MUCH!!!!! We have all been friends for over 30 years. We can see each other every 10 years and pick up where we left off! This week-end Frank and I spent the Fri. and Sat. night with the whole Jennings Clan and it was glorious! Fri. 18 of us shared a AWESOME Italian meal at Carmine's in New York City (the one on 91st Street) then we went to see the Lion King! Sat. We got together again for a whole array of seafood and fillet Mignon on the grill ~ good wine and most important Lot's of laughs! Cheryl was visiting with her amazing kids from Maui,Hi. She happens to own a landmark cake shop there. http://www.mauiweddingcakes.com/ So many are missing from the photos including Kevin and his beautiful wife Jill and Betty who started it all! Maybe we can do this again ~ ~ ~ in Maui????? (pictured is Rich,Craig and Frank ,Beth,Cheryl and some of their awesome kids)
P.S. Beth please note that I spelled freinds ~ I mean friends right! Heh!Heh!)

A Tale of Two Beagles & A Cranky Yorkie

My grand dogs Taylor and Daisy came by for a visit today! They LOVE their Nanni's & Pappi's house (that's what they call us). They run in and out of the house ~ up and down our hilly backyard ~ jump from couch to love seat and basically just GO WILD!

After dinner , Taylor and Daisy started wrestling.Teddi ~ a little cranky from staying up to watch the ball drop last night ~ had finally just had ENOUGH! He let out a BIG Screeeeaaaammm ....... and cleared the house out! ( i think he was just jealous to see Taylor wearing his poncho)