Round Robins

Finally! I got my booklets finished today. I swear, I think it took longer to put the booklets together than it did the blocks. LOL.

I also got my second block finished and ready to go. Hopefully, I can get both of my blocks for these Round Robins out in the mail tomorrow.

So.....here they are.

First - The Booklets.
I almost alway use PrintMaster to make my book covers, cards, etc. I just love the program. Anyway, I printed the center pieces on card stock, cut them down, and backed them with a different color card stock. Then after gluing the cover pieces in place I attached craft ribbon around the border and covered it with Klear-Cover document protector. I then assembled the booklets and tied them together with more craft ribbon. I'm happy with the way both of the books turned out.


Here are a couple of photos of my finished blocks. For as shiny as the fabrics are it was a bit of work to get the photos to reflect that.

Spiders and Webs II block: I trimmed out the border of the block with a purple cording as well as running up into the corners. I just love the border fabric. It's really shiny and sort of stretchy but very dense and fairly sturdy.


Hearts II block: I decided not to add anything else to this block but I did want to repost a better photo.


Okay, off to the next project. Be back later!

One World - One Heart Give Away

Good morning to all. I am pleased to announce that I am participating in the One World-One Heart Give Away for 2009.


If you're not familiar with this event, you can read up on it HERE.

EDIT: Where are my manners - geeezzzzz! A special thanks and recognition to Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian for putting this together and for keeping it straight!

In short, the event is intended to bring people around the world together, through the blogging community, and to hopefully create new and lasting friendships. Offering a gift is not only an wonderful incentive but also serves as a fun way of saying THANK YOU for taking the time, and for being part of this wonderful event.

Be sure to visit the Gypsy Caravan participant list (I'm #98), then visit their blogs, and enter for their drawings also. (The Gypsy Caravan topped out at 911 participants! That is AMAZING!!!!)

So, shall we get to it????

WHO CAN ENTER?
Anyone with an active blog, living on this planet. You do not need to be hosting a OWOH give away yourself.

WHAT DO I DO?
Just leave a comment (on this post) for a chance to win one of the three prizes that I am offering. Be sure to leave me a way to either link back you your blog or otherwise contact you.

WHAT CAN I WIN?
You will be eligible for one of the three gifts listed below.

PRIZE #1 - Cell Phone Pouch. This is a pattern that I designed. I have hand embroidered and embellished the crazy quilted front of this pouch.


The back is made out of this beautiful rich brown embroidered silk.

The pouch will also have a black cotton lining and coordinating strap. The finished dimensions are approximately 6 by 4 1/2 by x 3 1/2.

This is my own personal cell phone pouch. I made it 3 years ago and I use it every day. Needless to say, its durable and yours will be too. I have emptied the contents out to give you an idea of just how much "stuff" you can carry in it.


PRIZE #2 - Fat Quarter packet. Included are a set of five, nice, quality cotton fabrics in coordinating colors, with Betty Boop being the focus fabric in theme suited for Valentine's.


PRIZE #3 - Journal and Embellishments assortment. Included is 2 resin deco faces (profile 2"); 3 sheets of card stock: fawn, tundra, blue/gray; 10 sheets of regular colored paper (2 each of): green, blue, pink, yellow, purple; 2 charm chains with o-rings and clips, and all of the other embellishments shown here.


THEN WHAT HAPPENS?
I will draw the winning names/comments on February 11th, via a Random Number Generator;
I will post your name here and the prize won on February 12th; and
I will contact you and I will mail your prize to you.

EASY, HUH????

EDIT: I would like to apologize for not being able to respond to each of you personally but the response to my give aways has been so over-whelming that I must do it here.

Please accept my sincerest THANKS for taking the time to stop by and to enter, I am truly flattered!


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Spiders and Webs II RR

These are photos of the block I pieced for the Spiders and Webs II Round Robin that I'm participating in for CQI. This block is 14" square and will also have an outside border when it's finished.

I'm still trying to decide what laces and/or motifs to add to it before it goes out. I've pulled out some black lace to attach around the spider but that's as far as I've gotten with it.



I'm so glad that I've finally gotten an opportunity to use this fabric. When I first got it I just loved it but couldn't for the life of me figure out when I would have a use for it.



I'm not sure if I'll attach it before the block goes out or not. What do you think? Well, I'm off to tinker with it and to work on my RR booklets.

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

RR's and Swaps and Stuff

This is my nakkid block for the Hearts II Round Robin that begins on February 1st over at CQI (Crazy Quilting International). There will be five of us in this round robin. We are: Cathy, Karen, Debbie (in Maine), and Carol (in Florida).

Since the theme is "Hearts", I chose to go with.....a heart. The block is 14" square, with the heart measuring 9" wide by 7" long.

I pieced the heart first, and separately. I wasn't sure when I started exactly where I was going with it.

Next, I cut and fitted the gold lame frame around it. Attached the gold dupioni on the outer corners. I through in the gold and brown silk on the sides just for fun.


Finally, I attached a cranberry colored, silk border around the entire block. The border is 1 1/2" wide with picture frame corners. Depending on how much it shrinks and/or skews while being worked, I might add an additional border piece to finish it off.


I used gold cording at the outer gold border and gold cording around the heart. It really gives the block a more dimensional look.


It seems like for the longest time that I really wasn't participating in anything at all. Well, except for working on my CQI Purse Contest purse, which I can't share until after May when the voting is over.

Anyway, this is what else I have coming up:

1. Bi-monthly heart swap with CQN, hosted by Sue, which mails out by January 31st (and by the end of every other month there after until????).

2. The CQI Spiders & Webs RR. I haven't even thought about that block yet, which begins February 1st.

3. A Valentine Gift Swap organized by Mindy, due in the mail by February 1st.

4. The CQI purse contest due in May.

5. A fabric swap organized by Katy, due by February 14th.

6. A "Your Choice" give away at One World-One Heart (OWOH), organized by Lisa that will be posted to each participant's blog and formally announced on January 19th with the winner announced on February 12th.

And that's it. Other than the remodel, which begins with demo on the 27th.

I'll keep you updated, so check back. Good night!

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

In Our Neck of the Woods

Hi there, me again. LOL.

I know that some of you are probably just beside yourselves trying to comprehend all of the posting that I'm doing. Well, I'm coming to realize that I need to make better use of my time AND today I have some time!

So, with that said.....Saturday was my darling companion Fritz's 9th birthday. Good grief, how time flies. And even though I didn't dress him up in a party suit or buy balloons, we did celebrate. I made Eggs Benedict for breakfast and Fritz graciously allowed DH and I to share with him.

While I was making breakfast Fritz was enjoying the sights outside. The geese seem to fascinate him. I think he especially enjoys watching them slip and slide around on the pond, well ice actually.Of course, when the foxes trotted into view he lost all interest in the geese. DH and I were very surprised to see the pair today. She is so much smaller, and also a bit more shy.In the afternoon we took Fritz for a walk at a nearby lake. This was our first time there and the view was just spectacular. Truly gorgeous!I love the parks and common areas here. There is so many artistic features to enjoy.Surprise, surprise, I actually remembered my camera and while DH was trying to keep up with Fritz I got, guess what???? more photos of the geese on the ice. I don't know this fascinates me so much - it just does. Maybe because there are so many geese..Maybe it's because the water actually freezes solid. Look at this, it's a lake. And a big one at that!After leaving the lake we stopped at DQ for a Blizzard treat. Fritz and I shared one. Then it was home for a little nap before dinner.Ahhhhhh, the life of a dog. Must be tough! I think he enjoyed his birthday, don't you? In fact, he was still napping at my feet the next morning! LOL.

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Side Tracked

I wanted to make note that another of my very most favorite blogs to follow is Cat's. She's recently taken a real interest in drawing. And she's very good at it. She's even getting ready to take an art class. How cool is that?

These are some of my favorite of her latest works:


As I was looking through her blog getting ready to make this post, I started thinking about how things in our lives have changed. How life has changed us. And it occured to me that I do hold a special place in my heart for Cat. I suppose it's in part because we became friends through our blogging adventures, actually met up later in Park City, Utah while on vacation in November, 2007 and have managed to maintain our friendship - albeit long distance.

Before we even met (in person) we were amazed at how much we actually did have in common. Be it blessings, interests, or sorrows. One of those being our love for animals; dogs in particular.

DH and I had just lost our sweet, darling, Bella to a rare and aggressive cancer in October, and were struggling to come to terms with it during our trip to Utah.

Sadly, the following month and during that trip, Cat and her family suffered a devastating loss when their beloved companion, Blue went (as Cat says) "to play ball with the angels", after loosing his battle with a rare and aggressive cancer.

As tear-jerking as this all might sound, bonds are often strengthened between people during a time of loss. Even if that's not the ideal situation. Anyway, and luckily, Annie came into their lives to help fill the void, and ease the pain. Not as a replacement, just a new addition. Someone furry to love!

I admire them for being able to welcome Annie into their lives. DH and I still haven't quite reached that point. Besides, we're pretty sure that Fritz likes being an only child. We'll see what the future holds in that regard.

Anyway, we got to visit with Cat and her family again in October, 2008 while we were on vacation in Utah. We all drank some wonderful home brewed beer, threw darts, had a really nice visit, and we got to meet Annie in person.

I think we're all looking forward to getting together in the spring or summer to do another thing that we have in common - motorcycle riding. Cat and her DH are Harley riders, too. It's going to be such a treat to be able to meet up with them either here in Colorado, or in Utah, or somewhere in between.

As I look at the fresh snow on the ground right now, and watch the wind blowing, that day seems really far off. LOL.

Well, I suppose I should get back on track and try to get my errands run. Who knows what the weather will bring later.


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Fun Stuff

I have a tendency to flip through my blogroll (on Bloglines) very quickly. Marking the posts that I intend to come back to. Well, again I have managed to mark over 300 posts. I guess it's time to get back to some of them - don't you?????

I would love to share them all with you but I'm going to have to do that in a number of posts. Here are the ones for today just in case you missed out on them, or need a little creative inspiration.

Way back in May, 2008 Yona posted this for me. What a sweetheart, she is. I've yet to actually make one of these fabric bowl but I do thank her for taking the time!


Sandi posted this wonderful little pincushion tutorial in October, 2008.

Lisa posted this wonderful little Greetings array just before Christmas.

In September, 2008 May shared this tutorial, complete with PDF file to download for making a Stitcher's Angel sewing bag. Thanks, May.

Allie created this darling little fan ornament and shared the tutorial with us in early December, 2008. I can see so many applications for this project.

Pat just recently posted this very unique snail that she found over at Ullabenulla.


Here is another pincushion tutorial offered by Annie along with some photos of a work box and accessories that she made. These posts go back to January of last year!

Way, way back in October, 2007 Ati made and posted about a couple of Hussifs that she made.


She gives credit to Julia for the patter and tutorial. This is a Hussif that Julia made.


In November, 2008 Catherine shared a tutorial for making this amazing needle case. Also be sure to check out these fun and creative Christmas presents that she made back in October, 2007.

And who doesn't just love the look of a tea cozy? Candi makes the prettiest ones that I have seen.

You can also find them along with many other wonderful creations at her Etsy shop. She and Susan have formed a 'partnership' where you can easily find just about anything that you're looking for, for that special project.

In November, 2008 Sheila offered this fun and elegant tutorial for making a chandelier ornament. Also, in case you didn't know, she has moved her blog. You can find her HERE.

During the summer of 2008, our own Princess Mindy purchased a home. How very cool! And she is thrilled. She has even managed to take the 'tasks' of home-ownership in stride. She also got a new furbaby. Isn't she just too cute? Congrats to you, Mindy!


Another of my new favorite blogs to keep track of is Cheryl's. In December, 2008 she shared with us a Show and Tell Party. I just love this pink poodle. Oh, and look at these yummy cookies!


Going again, back to October, 2007 we find a doll face tutorial offered by Linda. These were faces she made for her Comfort Dolls, which is a project still going strong. A special THANK YOU shout out to Pat for her on-going efforts and involvement - 36 dozen dolls later!


I think I'll wrap up my recap today with another, just adorable pincushion offered to us by Cathie.


I didn't find this pattern on-line as a Free pattern but I did find it very reasonably priced at The Calico Cat. In fact there are lots, and lots of really unique pincushion patterns there.

But for those of you just looking for some fun FREEBIES....here are a couple of great links and places to look.

Garden Web pincushion forum and links: (Please note that I have made them linkable but I have not checked them out. I leave that up to you but if you find one not working, please let me know so that I can remove it.)

1. Chicken.
2. Rooster.
3. Patchwork.
4. Wool.
5. Heart.
6. Star.
7. Pincushion Gallery and Tutorials.
8. Flower.
9. A Site with a ton of pincushion pattern links.
10. Small pincushion tutorial.
11. Wrist.
12. Square.
13. Round.
14. Pincushion with thread holder.
15. Simple.
16. Felt Rosebud.
17. Strawberry.
18. Acorn.
19. Mouse.
20. Several pincushion patterns.

Also try these sites:

Isn't this Tea Cup pincushion pretty? I actually have these little embellishments. They are buttons and come in a complete set.

Tipnut offers links to 45 more pincushions! (Some of these will be duplicates already listed). You can also find a fun embroidery Teacup setting pattern link there.

And here is another cute mouse pincushion compliments of All About You.

Lastly, here are a couple of really helpful "Tips and Tricks" blogs for anyone wanting to tweak out their blog, find widgets, etc.: Blogging Basics 101 and BlogU.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you find some inspiration and also some time to create something!

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!