Crafting in the New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I know I just confuse the heck out of my readers with my holiday challenged posts, but oh my gosh is this ever going to be such a fun all day celebration of crafting with Paula Clare who is our Hostess.

Traditional ham and bean soup simmering on the stove, Diet Pepsi chilling in the fridge, the Big White Puppy on a spend the night with a friend of Twirly Swirly Girl, and my Dear Sweet Husband fending for himself. The day is mine! All mine!

This post will be a running commentary of my day of crafting until I literally fall asleep at my beloved table or Nahla returns home in the morning and Puppy Patrol begins again.

I love winter, and I think of Valentine's Day as a "Snowy" holiday. Have you seen Betty's, She Sew Pretty, snornaments? They are as cute as can be! We both have decided we can't get enough of these cute as can be characters.

Paula is sharing such fun crafts with us tonight! One is a shadow box ornament. I love that everything used to make this first ornament was sent to me by friends in tag swaps. The little Whitman sampler box was tucked in Viv's, Viv's Whimsy, Cup of Christmas Swap gift.

Oh my gosh are these ever fun to make! The vintage BINGO card is from Diane, Saturday Finds. Without Diane I don't think there would be crafting with vintage images at all! The little gnome is from Beth's Bagz. Paula adores Gnomes. We had the most fun this past spring co-hosting a Gnome party.

Tonight Paula has shared her Gnome pattern for us. How cute is this little fella who is deep in the woods looking for his "Lucky Charms". The little heart embellishment is from my favorite pom pom maker Julie, Pieceful Bits, who is now making me Valentine birds. 

 

Please check in with Paula for a time line of crafts and tutorials and supply lists for projects. She will be sharing her how to for making these wonderful cowboy tags. Guess who owns the originals? Yup! Me! I absolutely treasure them. They are so Paula!

 A most favorite cowboy and girl image to share. The original is on it's way to Paula as a thank you for hosting our evening!

A Valentine made especially for her!

 A final craft begun in the first new hours of the New Year will wait it's completion another day.

 I have had such fun crafting with Paula Clare and so many of our friends this evening. I love our creative community where encouraging words can be found for all levels of skill and inspiration to try new things is only a mouse click away.

Happy New Year! Elizabeth

Valentine Exchanges

Hello! It's me Elizabeth! No, you aren't about to celebrate the wrong holiday, I just want to thank the TWENTY-SEVEN individuals I will be making Valentine's for during the month of January who will also be making a Valentine for me!

I don't want to be the only lucky gal to receive more than one Valentine; so be sure and look on my sidebar under Valentine Exchange for others you can swap with as well. Sue Loves Cherries has just joined the exchange with 10 Valentines to swap, Sandy, 521 Lake Street's are going fast with just 5 left!

 I promise once you have made one Valentine, you will want to make more. Please let me know if you would like to be added to the Exchange list to have Valentines to swap as well.

 Don't let this fun project pass you by. A Valentine made especially for you is such a wonderful thing!

 I know, I know, I am a holiday pain in the ..... but gosh what a cute one!

Inspiration Giveaway!

Nothing gives me more pleasure than opening my e-mail and finding a message left, "Please visit my blog, I have made one of your projects".

This was the case with Patti,  http://paintinpatti.typepad.com Paintin-Patti, who not only has the cutest craft room I have ever seen, but also makes the most wonderful vintage inspired paper art.

Patti won my Peppermint Shadow Box giveaway and has created her own inspired by childhood memories and trinkets kept waiting for just the right project. Inspiration Station found here for sure! I just love the pepperminty colors she has combined to go with her "to die for" minty green walls.

I love to "visit" Patti's home because she has such a way of displaying every day items that I would never have thought of on my own. So many ideas are taken away with each visit.

Imagine my delight in seeing a bit of "E" tucked among her Christmas treasures! Do you spot my Big White Puppy and Snow Bird?

 

Did I catch you trying to get a better glimpse of her Christmas banner hanging from her green Hoosier? I 

 know! Simply perfectly perfect! A year long project inspiration for me, a Giveaway for you!

521 Lake Street

Oh my goodness! Is this penny rug ever cute in person! Sometimes I tickle myself at the cuteness of a finished project, and this is definitely the case with this one. A very simple project taken step by step, I hope you will be inspired to make one of your own.

Preview Image, choose percentage size right for you. My penny rug is 15", perfect for the top of a kitchen table. A plant placed in the center will leave a bluebird ring cute as can be! An 8" size would be great for a large pillar candle.

521 LAKE STREET PENNY RUG

SUPPLIES: 1/2yd white felt, 15" lt. blue felt, miscellaneous small pieces of felt in colors of your choosing. Same color floss to match felt, 1 skein white, lt. blue, small amounts remaining colors. Scissors, pinking scissors, needle, pencil, iron.

ABBREVIATIONS:  BS=Blanket Stitch, OS=Outline Stitch, TS=Tacking Stitch, TKS=Tacking Knot Stitch, FK=French Knot

FELT:  I have used woolfelt which I order online from Joggles. Regular craft felt works just as well and can be found by the yard at JoAnne's.

CUT: Pattern pieces as many as directed. I hand cut triangle beaks for bluebirds and circles for flowers. Center circle was traced with pencil using a standard 10" dinner plate OR trace pattern 4x. Cut two white center circles, cut one blue. Using pinking scissors cut 1/2" from edge to form blue border.

FELT PIECES:
Eye:  Position bluebird on one white circle, slipping beak under edge as reference for eye position. FK eye with darker shade of blue through both layers of felt. Repeat 15x.
Bluebird: Stitching from L to R beginning at point above eye, BS edge of bluebird catching beak. Repeat 15x.
Beak:  From beneath, TS beak without penetrating top layer of yellow felt. This technique is used when you do not want stitches to show. Repeat 15x.
Circle: BS beginning where white meets blue felt from L to R. When you come to blue felt, keep needle behind blue felt. Stitches will only show on back of white felt. Repeat 15x.

Roof: TS white trim to red roof, set aside. Trees: TS pink roses, set aside. Window: TS  bottom edge of  white window shade, set aside. Door: BS heart to door, hidden TS doorknob. BS door to house. TS window to house as well as window box.

Blue Sky: Position tall green trees and yellow house. Use pencil to draw puffy blue sky. Use 3 strands darker blue floss and OS. Your pencil line will not show.
Cottage: Position tall green trees and yellow house tucking sidewalk under door edge. Use 1 strand floss and long running stitches to hold pieces in place. BS Trees lifting edge of house as you go. BS House hiding stitches at bottom door edge.
Walk: BS walk STOPPING 1/2 inch from bottom. You will finish walk after sewing lt. blue border in place.
Roof: BS top edge of  roof, TS bottom edge under white scallop.
Miscellaneous: BS heart and bushes. TS flowers in place.

Blue Border. Using 2 strands floss, TS between every other valley of pinked inside edge. BS around outside edge. Center of rug is now complete, time for the MAGIC!!!

IRONING: This is my most favorite step in making a penny rug! Truly what you think is already cute will become wonderful after ironing. Using a steam iron at about a 4-5 setting,  iron THE BACK of rug with iron directly on felt using medium pressure. Iron until no visible wrinkles are present. FROM THE FRONT KEEPING IRON SKIMMING SURFACE OF FELT LIGHTLY until piece appears flat and free of any wrinkles. The pieces will "felt" themselves together creating the most beautiful effect! LOVE this part!!!

 

ASSEMBLING:
Using 3 strands floss, BS white center circle back to center circle front.
Using 2 strands floss, slip needle between center rug circle, catch BS thread from bluebird circle and center circle and take a TKS. Repeat this 3x. Do not cut thread.
Slip needle between layers of bluebird circle coming out at tip of lt. blue felt. Hold a second bluebird circle with lt. blue points matching and take 2 TKS.
Needles again slips between bluebird circle layers to top center where you will take 3 TKS to center circle.
Repeat with each bluebird circle added.

FINISHING:
From the back again steam with medium pressure until piece is flat. From the front, skim the surface with the iron until piece appears without wrinkles.

 
I can not think of a more lovely friend than Sandy to send this cute as can be penny rug. I hope she will always know that she is surrounded by the well wishes of all her friends in this most special place to be.

CRAFT NOTE:
For future reference, this pattern and tutorial will be found on sidebar under Things You Are Looking For, Valentine's Crafts.

Chinese New Year

I have been enamoured with all things Chinese since I was I girl in the Fifth Grade, and my teacher read out loud to the class, The Five Chinese Brothers.

I was not aware at the time of stereotypes in illustration, I only knew that I was mesmerized by five brothers using their unique attributes to save each others lives. China was the land of ancient mysteries, perhaps there really were such brothers I liked to imagine.

In celebration of the Chinese New Year, a character Cute as can Be, his special talent wishing all good fortune for the coming days ahead.

Print Preview, choose percentage size right for you, Print.

A favorite book, a favorite character, a Happy New Year wished for you!

The Best Moment

 

I love the Christmas moment when all the preparations are finally done and the peace of the holiday settles in. Christmas Eve Mass is a tradition for my family. I wish you could see our St. Mary's, a 100+ year old Victorian church built in the "skeleton" tradition with soaring ceilings coming to points. Pale cream with my favorite shade of "Mary" blue, hundreds of red poinsettias, a life sized Nativity waiting it's Heavenly arrival

The church in enveloping darkness,  squeeze in close seating, the smell of winter clinging to coats kept on until the body warms. Handshake greetings, human contact in it's purest form, the blessings of God passed from one to the other, all barriers of the heart gone, Peace is with me.

Glad tidings in the starry night, hurry home driving to light the tree. Hot chocolate and marshmallows, one present opened to celebrate a birth. Kisses goodnight, sweet dreams until the morning light. Merry Christmas to All, and to all a Good Night.


Wishing you and your loved ones the joy of Christmas! Elizabeth

Project Smile

At the beginning of this year I began Project Smile after visiting my local post office to mail the first of many packages to come.  I love the "idea" of the post office. A place where well wishes are sent on their way. Why bluebirds aren't singing outside the building's door is a mystery. Postal workers who don't smile, a Mission not Impossible for me!

Stand in line ready as can be, step together, step to the right, "Next".  "Anything perishable,  fragile, potentially hazardous or liquid"?  No wishy washy "Well there's a bow on this tag...." Answers short and sweet, "No, No, and No".

"Do you need any mailing supplies or stamps today?" "Not today, thank you." Money already in hand, no Old Lady penny searching. "Thank you, have a good day."  Recycle my receipt as I leave without delay.

If you have ever gotten a package from me, I hope you thought to yourself, "What a tidy package this is!" Project Smile involved you, too! Brown paper wrapped, edges nicely creased, block printed address easy to read. Extra tape never given to me to close a wayward flap. Still no smile.

Spring months turned into summer months, I now knew my "regulars". "Hello! How are YOU today?" not much, but just enough. "Priority mail, please hand stamp, can you read my writing okay?"

Summer months became fall months. "How lucky you can see the leaves through the big picture windows without leaving your work station!" A glance over my shoulder as if for the first time. Still no smile.

Until today! Today was the day I have been waiting  for nearly an entire year.

Silver platter filled with cookies cute as can be,  holiday bow on top of my brown paper parcel. Step together, step to the right, "Next". "These cookies are for all of you for being so helpful to me this past year and making this a favorite place to come!"

Receipt in hand ready to recycle, a hand closed over mine. "Thank you so much for thinking about us. This is such a special thing. Merry Christmas to you and your family. See you next year!" Project Smile happiness the best gift ever!

A final thank you to someone unknown to me or to you. "I must tell you how much I enjoy reading your blog. Please accept this gift as a thank you from me."

Project Smile at Creative Breathing, thank you Linda more than I can express. Thank you Dear Readers, more than you can know! Elizabeth


PREVIOUS GIVEAWAY WINNERS:  I WILL MAIL AFTER CHRISTMAS

Linda, Grace Filled Moments
Sally, Sallie Annie McGundy
Renee, Sewn with Grace

When Will She Know?

There has been such a transformation in my Twirly Swirly Girl since she has come back to the nest to live. Gone is the Chef, gone is the Hippie, gone is the Police Officer. She has asked her father and I might we get her hair extensions as her one and only Christmas gift. It seems, she says, that boys only like girls with long hair.

Waiting for her college courses to begin, she is enjoying working full time at a shop in the mall. It turns out she has quite the knack for selling and will major in business at school. She is making friends with co-workers, after work burgers and blind date arrangements made.

There is a flurry of text messaging seen for days, a few dates, selective sharing of information, parents whispering from pillows in the dark, every detail discussed for a glimpse of happiness found. "It wasn't meant to be." not this time.

Puppy Patrol couch sleeping, covers under chin, Mom and Dad kisses without causing her to wake. "When will she know?"

This is my Christmas Prayer.