Tuesday, March 29, 2016

New Projects this week! Glamping we will go!

Well here we go...it is going to be a rather long post...but lots of eye candy for you all!  Well after Christmas i get bored and start dreaming and looking for new things...and shopping happens too.  I had found this adorable mushroom play house. My current trailer theme as you know is all about the Gnome Love...so how could i resist this play house! I plan on bringing it with me to set up for the glamping trip when i go in May!  AND...when i went to get my pickets to build my picket fence (below)...look who had to come hom with me! My 42" gnomie...he is still nameless...just Gnomie for now.. I had him bukled in the front seat on my way home....i did catch a couple of men catch sight of him and laugh! I wonder what kind of looks i will get on the highway when i go camping?...haha!
so here you see...said pickets and lumber i bought for my fence....the project begins!


I wanted something unique and all my own. After extensive pinterest research and coming up short...i took matters in my own hands and came up with this idea. I traced a picket on the pointed end..then drew a heart shape at the top of that. Then i measured from the new "picket" top (not the heart...just the shape that was the same as the other end) Split that in half and  cut the pickets at the halfway mark.  I then used my scroll saw and cut out the hearts and the new "top" shape...  

here they are laid out..ready to be screwed onto the treated lumber 2x3 cross brace.  I had cut that 4" longer than my tongue measurement of my trailer!


here the first panel is screwed together. I had to buy one more picket the next day because i spaced them closer together than i originally planned!


so before i started painting the pickets...i paused and cut out two more projects...so i could paint one of them while waiting for the picket paint to dry.  The other one i will work on next!!

a little hint of the next project....I am re--using some wood and also some buckets from out in the garage...i love repurposing things when i can!


here the two halves of the fence are put together..the end is not exactly attractive..so i spotted this can to hang there and make a floral arrangement in to hide the end a bit!


here it is!! Painted and with the floral arrangement...farther down on this post you will see the trailer with the flower boxes installed as well!

I also was able to get some of the little details done today too..Pigs can fly of course...  I mounted some hooks i have had for a year..finally..lol


Here i used clear mirror clips to hook the wire for my flowerboxes on to. Originally i was going to use picture hanging hooks. I had cut the triangle off but realized the hole was way too small for the screws from the window frame. When i came back up and looked in the organizier again..i spotted these clear clips and the screws fit perfectly! Woohooo!  love those serendipitous moments!


 here you can see the flower box I mounted under the bathroom window...so cute!

The end of my trailer...two boxes and my darling fence..did the happy dance today when i got it all put together!

just inside the door...my cute and fun hooks!!  I found these at Michaels hobby store!


Another one off the to-do list! Ever since i got my traler these clear doors drove me nuts.  You can not store anything inside there with out seeing it.  Even when i folded the blankets and linens neatly it still looked messy.  So i took one of the clear panels out, used it to measure out two pieces of cardboard. I covered each with red gingham fabric that i used that darling Shasta trailer duct tape with..i knew i would use it eventually! haha...and then i used tiny nails at each corner to hold them in place.  I took each door off by unscrewing the hinges from the frame...and then remounted them..took maybe 15 minutes!


I also finally mounted my knife magnet....it was too long.so i came up with the idea of turning it at an angle..looks Like i meant to do it that way...hehe


Well that is it for the moment..lots more in progress!! I hope you enjoyed my pictures and descriptions! I having a blast here!  hehe  big hugs to you all!

Monday, March 21, 2016

Apple Purse...

 A fun project i did last year!! a Quilted Apple purse from my own design.  After looking at Disney inspired outfits and falling in love with an apple purse that was over $400 i decided to take things into my own hands and make one of my very own...so I drew up a pattern and picked out fun fabrics and came up with this!
the basic shapes after crazy quilt piecing the sides, I then appliqued the apple center and added the dimensional leaves!

then i created a zippered side..I used heavy duty interfacing used for belts and other heavy items!

Here you can see the finished results!!! I really think i need to make more fruits..a green pear, a watermelon slice...you get the picture! 
the other side!

worm detail I ended up swapping this one out for a hand needle felted one with a pipe cleaner core...He was more realistic and dimensional!
like these guys...I made these after i made the one for the purse....so fun for photos! haha

Some of my dress creations! This one was for Valentine's day last year. I used left over fabric from the curtains for my trailer! I had a couple of choices and used the other one with this fabric as trim, so i had a bunch left over. At the moment this dress no longer fits...i got a bit chubbier this last year *sigh*


I fell in love with these cowboy boots...so i had to make a dress to wear when i picked them up.....I am loving this pattern. It is the same pattern i recently used for my Hamburger dress


well time for me to go do my belly dance work out!  Next post....my quilt along Bloom (from Bee in my Bonnet aka Lor Holt) quilt i am working on....









Sunday, March 20, 2016

Winter Catchup...UFO attack...

It seems in winter each year, i get this itch to finish some unfinished fabric objects....aka UFO's!  Here is yet another one I am working on.  A quilt i had started over a year ago for my grand daughter Flora...who just turned 3 on the 18th of this month....my little darling!  So here you  see what I found when i pulled the project out of it's tub....  Finished daisy blocks and the strips....

So i finished cutting those into the appropriate units and got to sewing...  

such beautiful and soft colors!!! I love the combination...i did good when i picked these out last year! So weird going back to a project you started in the past....not being able to remember what you were thinking at the time. Some times it takes a while to get reaquainted with the project....some times you even have to develop a whole new relationship with the project...


she is coming together! Got the squares sewn and the order of the blocks created!


here it is all assembled and bordered! It is still at this stage at the moment. I bought the batting and backing fabric this week..but won't be able to get the quilting done until i get my Bernina back.  My cheapo Singer is getting me from point A to point B...but it is limited....dropping feeddogs for free motion quilting is not one of it's abilities...lol 


so the other bug that hits me in winter...is the cleaning and organizing bug....this was what i was facing as i was working on Flora's quilt.  I huge pile of fabric collected in the center of my work table from a years worth of projects..pile one on top of another.  

here you see my fabric storage...well some of my fabric storage...there is tons more in various other spots!  Here i store my yardage and the tubs hold the fat quarters and scraps..sorted by color!  

So i spent one morning sorting the piles by color....and then got them into their appropriate tubs!! This is a lot of fabric!
now i can breathe a little....I unburied more unfinished projects in the process....but i am getting there!

and here...is yet another UFO....from years ago...i am thinking 8-10 years. A beautiful finished quilt top...just waiting for backing and batting and quilting! I plan on getting this one quilted after i finish Flora's! Isn't this cute though?....i LOVE ladybugs! 

well speaking of quilts and UFO's..time to get to work...errr play actually! Have some new curtains for my trailer in progress..after i get tax stuff for hubby done...i am hitting the sewing maching...more pictures later!  Have a beautiful first day of spring my friends!

Gluten Free Hamburgers!...

 For the last couple of years i have been eating gluten free. Recently i have noticed an even worse reaction to eating gluten.  I break out in these little hives on my chin if i eat much with gluten in it!  I have even reacted to my make up...yup! Makeup can have gluten in it..if you are sensitive to gluten you might want to check it!  Any how....in my life the occasional treat for me is a wonderfully grilled hamburger with all the fixins...now though it would have to be bunless.  So in celebration of that all American treat....i present to you...my hamburger dress! LOL!

since i am chubby and hate pantyhose...my newest fashion addition is leggings under my dresses....so comfie and makes wearing dresses in the winter cozy..and my thighs don't rub together either..LOL!

and here I am.....notice the teensy hamburger earrings...found those on Etsy here: Fraidy Cat Crafts

Have gotten so many compliments when i wear this outfit!  I did notice that going to eat sushi in it..seems so wrong..so what did i do?..order Sushi fabric of course...hhmmm now off to find some sushi earrings to go with.  I need to learn to make polymer clay things to make an endless supply of fun earrings!! hahah....




Friday, March 18, 2016

fun dresses!

So one of my favorite things to do is to make fun dresses and clothing for myself! One of my latest outfits was inspired and based around my coveted Mab Graves necklace that i was ever so lucky to grab and purchase at the last Blythecon held in Chicago..back in fall!  So first was looking for days to find the perfect fabric with the perfect colors! I found one with the turquoise and pink with rockets similiar to the on in the tiny circle above her head!  I then cut out blank rockets from wood and went to work!

close up of the necklace...i am always astounded that she can paint so tiny! Mab is awesome!


silly me with my creations! I think i need to do more! hehe!


close up of the earrings i made. I tried to tie in the rocket from the necklace combined with a rocket from the dress fabric!

My son Tyrus photo bombing...what a goofy boy!  Here is the ensemble...i had so much fun wearing this and got confused looks and some compliments..haha!  Love the reactions. Not too many creative people around here...but..i guess that is why God put me here...to shake things up!! haha

Monday, March 14, 2016

Gnome away from Home

So of course Christmas has a way of inspiring things! When Hobby Lobby starts bringing out Christmas in August, or was it July? Being the lover of all things Christmas, I always have to sneak a peak!  I had plans for my trailer, to do a decorating scheme with each of the trailer colors. I am only allowed to have ONE trailer, hubby has made sure to tell me that ever since I flippantly made a comment about wishing I could have one in each color...Red, Butternut, Seafoam and the coveted custom pink! hahahahaha! I never really intended one of each, simply a pipe dream. However, having decorations in each of the colors is definitely doable!

So first new scheme: Turquoise and Red, inspired by the darling Christmas decorations I found way back when at Hobby Lobby! It started with this amazing Riley Blake fabric, the paisleys were so darn cute.


and the said Christmas decorations.  With the finished curtains here.
Outside got a bit of cheer as well!


I just love this wreath. This was what caught my eye first!  and it was downhill from there!


tiny tree....in pretty colors!


Then after the holidays I noticed that this guy that was sitting by my piano, matched the color scheme and I was planning on making a comforter cover for my feather comforter I had found at Goodwill!  So the Gnome theme was born!  Aren't those salt and pepper shakers so cute? A Trailer friend of mine, Tammy sent me those when she saw my theme. I just adore them!

So I began my projects! I first made the comforter cover, the colors just make my wee heart sing!!


I got the cover, some pillow cases and two of the pillows covered. I want to keep an element of the Hearts and love in each of the new designs. 

 a nice overview of the bed and curtains...


Finally was able to get around to the last 3 pillow covers. After much research I determined that "gnome pillows" was not something I could buy..so I drafted my own. Found a bunch of male and female images and drew from my favorites!! You can find my pattern for them here!


Here I have cut out the fabric elements and have them ready for applique!


a close up of the mushroom ready to go...


Finished. I used a simple fusible webbing with raw edges applique technique, using a buttonhole stitch to secure the edges, Fun and fast!


All of it together...It is so cheerful and bright in there now~


I miss my girl...towed her away....hoping I get her back this week some time!


So of course I haven't stopped with this theme....I have two more in the works already! hehe

I am hosting a camping Luau this summer! 


So of course I am going to need to decorate accordingly! I plan on reusing a bunch of the decorations from the Christmas Luau from a year and a half ago...what?...yeah I skipped over a bunch of fun life events...maybe I can recap at some time....Any how...evidence is already creeping into my studio..

I have curtain fabric laying around.  This is what I plan on doing:
and I have a tropical straw umbrella in my studio. I found it really cheap for $19.99 on Amazon....I love it. I am going to use the bar from the patio and decorate that as a Tiki Bar with this umbrella at my campsite....so the fun continues..


I also have my Red Riding Hood in Pink and Red started.  More on that, next time.....I joined a quilt along and have my quilt started for that...hoping to get the curtains cut out this week as well...but that will probably be the Fall theme...and I will keep the gnomes and tropical in for now..

Well until next time....love to all!