show and tell

First things first! Check out Tanya’s new “do.” The Sampler Girl has a brand new website and she did it ALL by herself. Go check it out.

I have been slacking, majorly! I don’t know what has gotten into me. I have been up to a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but as my “how I’m feeling” face displays, I am beside myself – don’t know what’s wrong. I hope after this post I’ll get back on track. Maybe I have spring fever or something. It is warm right now.

Several little goodies have come in the mail lately and that has cheered me up. I bought one of Tanya’s motif magnets from her Etsy shop a couple of weeks ago and it came last week, along with this cute little tote bag. I love it on my fridge.

Me and my mom stumbled onto these sweet little necklace charms. She got one and I got two. They are so very sweet. We found them here. One has a youthful woman sewing. Her verse reads “I feed my soul with the stitches I sew” and we both have that one. It also has a catching verse from Nathanial Hawthorne on the back. I just loved the little girl sewing next to her needfuls and had to have it. Behind the charm it reads "Take your needle child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that - one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern come out all right like the embroidery." Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Last Saturday me and my mom went to the fabric store and had a very confusing, yet fun and exhausting time trying to sort through the thousands of bolts of fabric just trying effortlessly to search for complimentary colors and prints. I am merely a blooming quilter and mom isn’t one. We wished my Aunt Pam was there because we would have had everything we needed in no time. My aunt has such a keen high for this stuff.

Anyway, I receive the Fons & Porter Love of Quilting Magazine (thanks to Aunt Pam!) and I saw a pattern for a table runner in the January/February issue I want to tackle. We thought this process was going to be easy, but boy were we wrong. I can admit failure, but I cannot accept defeat. I picked a print fabric for my focus but me and mom could not for the life of us find matching or bouncing fabrics. After over an hour of searching for what seemed like an eternity, not to mention I think we were searching for a needle, we gave up on that color palette and quoting words from an anonymous woman, “I started from scratch.” Back to the ole’ drawing board we went.

The left side is the pattern done in Valentine theme from my magazine. On the right, I chose colors to match my decor and interest. I think we did pretty well considering what we picked out in the beginning. Gorgeous but trivial.

Finally, we picked our jump-off fabric and all of a sudden as if the heavens opened and angels sang we had our matching fabrics. Everything just came together and we were more than thrilled, excited, happy we were about to get the h*** out of there. We love the fabric store, but we were in there too long. My dad took Jose to the movie and they made it back to our house before me and my mom, and they dropped her off with me prior to their movie. Now that is just way too long people…admit it! LOL

Not only did I purchase fabric for my new project, I also picked out an extra Civil War Reproduction piece (1/2 yard) and two full yards of each of the 1930’s reproduction fabric. I plan on making a reversible sewing machine cover that ties on the sides with these 2 pieces. I can’t wait! The cover that comes with the Viking is a hard plastic and it takes over the room (too BIG) so I need something more me and more attractive. :D

A not too far distant past I said I had ripped my craft area apart in order to get it organized and get my things within hands’ reach. I’m almost there and I will post photos, but not now ~ sorry! However, my fabric stash is organized and here’s what that looks like.

I think for having this stash of fabrics for about 5 years and not being a queen quilter, I think this is a nice little beginner stash, don’t you think? I do more crafting and stitching and I love using fabrics to “finish” pieces up. It fascinates me and it’s personal. I also have some of my grandma’s fabrics from years ago. I’ve labeled those Grandma’s Textiles. I know…I’m a complete dork. ;o) I also have her laces, crochet accessories, and lots of little of this and that going on. I’m honored to have it and will find some use.

I started early on a Christmas ornament this year bc I started way too late last year. I haven’t done a lot of stitching lately bc of all my other things, but this is the progress on SamSarah's Winter Love from the JCS 2007 issue. I enjoy stitching with Belle Soie and I love the over-dyed fabric. I should have my floss tag done, but I don’t. As soon as I get one of these little stitchings complete I’ll start on my table runner or sewing machine cover. There is just so much to do and not enough seconds, minutes, hours, in a day or rather my lifetime to get all that I want done.

My Just Cross Stitch magazine came today and I am not too thrilled with it. Nothing appeals to me this issue. The blackwork bookmarks design is the model my mother stitched so I’m proud to say that, but other than this nothing yells at me. Maybe better luck next time.

Me and the boys went to mom’s today and Cameron got a haircut. He looks like such a big boy, but still so sweet. His hair was getting really long and needed a good trim. While at mom’s a book and DVD came for me. My mom is so wonderful! She does a lot for me and I hope she realizes how appreciative I am towards her affection, love, attention and generosity (I hope you do mom.). I know it’s because she loves me so so much. I recently told her that I had an idea of stitching a selection of Ohio reproduction samplers and giving them a home on their own wall of sampler fame. She is the best mom ever! She bought me a book called Ohio Is My Dwelling Place. I can't begin to explain the price, but she got a fantastic deal with her wise shopping ways. Now, I haven’t gone through the whole thing because I plan on reading it thoroughly, but it has the entire history of Ohio samplers and the regions and counties. I am in awe over this gift. The photos that I have seen are stunning! I’ll post more about it later.

The other item that came from mom was a DVD called Judith Baker Montano Teaches You Crazy Quilting, which I’ve been interested in exploring for a year or so. I watched a little bit of it this afternoon while I put Cameron down for a nap. Let’s just say, I got far enough into the lessons to realize what we did wrong with color in the fabric store on Saturday. LOL

You live and learn…and laughing along the way always helps. :o) Talk soon because I still have more show and tell to offer.