J is for.........

It's always difficult for me to create an ATC when there really is no theme or the theme is very broad. This month the theme for the Mystic Paper swap is: J is for....... After thinking about this for a few minutes and all the possibilities to create with the letter J, I thought It would be a perfect time to use my new Stampin D'mour stamps. So out came this little vintage cutie(she has the sweetest face, doesn't she?), stamped in green, then layered with a piece of vintage sheet music, a matching patterned paper and a vintage button, from mom's big button jar, and voila!

Charming

When a call for a charm swap sounded, I could not resist the invitation to participate in a Heart Swap to celebrate Valentine's Day. After some thought on what I should and could create, I embellished little wooden hearts with paint, glitter, ribbons and a flower to look like a miniature box of chocolates. These are the finished heart charms that had been mailed to the swap host:
When the swaps arrived back to me in the brown bubble envelope, I was excited when I pulled out this cute little pouch with it's adorable hearts.

It was so much fun to unwrap the sweet little charms and admire what all the participnts made!

So very charming!

Visual Journal

Strathmore has a Visual Journal online workshop series that had begun January 1. Each week the lesson offered adds to a journal page that you create throughout the workshop from materials gathered from a previously created journal...This is the page I am working on after week one.
It will be exciting to see the transformation to this page from week to week.

Preventing The Winter Blues

While the air has a chill and the family and friends were in town, crafting has taken a shift!......... Knitting!
Knitting is so sociable-it can be done anywhere and everywhere. The essential equipment needed are a pair of needles, a bodkin and the yarn. One to a dozen rows can be completed in a short span of time, so before long a project can be completed. There are such wonderful yarns available, too. Scarves, sweaters, purses and pillow covers are some of the fun items that can be created.
During the winter is a great time to whip up a scarf or two. Rose is wearing an extra long scarf created in black eyelash yarn created for our "Venti" sister. This is one of my favorites to create, as it knits up fast, takes two balls of yarn and is a straight garter stitch. Cast on twenty two stitches on a size 6.5mm set of needles (bamboo are my favorites) and knit to the desired length.
While knitting this scarf a request was made to create scarf made with purple yarn. Here it is so far:

This scarf is not very wide, it's being created with a pair of 4.5 mm needle in a k1b p1b rib stitch which will provide a little more warmth for the wearer. The fringe should give it a fun and sporty and youthful look. The intention is to finish the scarf by attaching tassels with a crocheted short chain ...we shall see!

Holiday Cheer

The Desert Ridge Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona was decked out this month in Holiday Cheer. Beautiful Flowers and trees were displayed throughout the lobby..... but that wasn't all.... Every year the resort constructs the most extraordinary gingerbread village which is placed in the center of the lobby for all to enjoy.
The theme this year, as you can see in the picture is: Wonkaland.

I could not resist to share a few pictures of the delicious structures that make up the village.

Who is in the pipe?

The shapes and colors used look so delicious.

No village is complete without a railway system.

This house was made out of the shiniest hard candy.

Yummy!

A Christmas Story

For the past few years I have had great intentions to get out my art supplies and make cards for all the relatives and friends to send our love and best wishes, however, it seems like time has escaped me and I had to pick up a box or two at the store again this year and, I fell in love with this card. It is, of course, from the film "A Christmas Story" I just think that film is so sweet. It reminds me of my childhood in Chicago. It makes me laugh at the many quirky things that kids and parents do, just like the recess scene pictured on the front of the card! I know that I am not the only one who enjoys this movie, as I received an ATC card inspired from this movie awhile back. Whenever I look at it, it always puts a smile on my face!

I wish you all A Merry Christmas!

So Cute

Snow is fun to be in as a child and adults, however it may hinder plans made to travel. I have been watching the news and marvel that it has delayed travelers in the East and throughout Europe. In my early twenties when I went to visit my friends in England during winter break, I too, had to reorganize my trip due to being trapped under snow.

Now that I live in Arizona, I look at the snow with fond memories, and when I want to see it, I jump in the car and head for the hills! It really is enjoyable to go to up in the Mountains and spend some time in the snow playing and building snowmen.

This adorable snowman was sent to me by my friend Lisa, it's so cute and festive. I love his little top hat and his rosy cheeks. Sooo Cute!

Christmas Carols

Mystic paper has some great papers to create the sweetest vintage projects. It's so much fun to browse the shelves to find new items to add to the "creative stash". I could not resist this charming paper when I saw it among the vintage Christmas display. It reminded me when I was young and my family celebrated Christmas with the whole family, aunts and uncles and all of my cousins. There are the three boys Richard, Raymond and Robert in little choir robes singing their hearts out! I had to buy this paper and make a quick last minute card to send to those three men to share this sweet memory.

Paper : dasyd's, melissafrances, smartpaper
Punch : martha stewart
Ribbon : offray
Purchased : red rhinestones
Ink : distress - vintage photo, old paper

O Christmas Tree

Participating in swaps is exciting and fun!
Just in time to add to the holiday decor is the holiday INchies.
This arrived at the house yesterday!
It was such a joy to open.
When you send the INchies to the hostess of swaps in this group,
the INchies are returned in a most spectacular display.



The hostess Marylin displayed the INchies on a cute little Christmas trees.
They are most spectacular when lined up like a little forest!

Shabby Comfort

Last week I had begun a quick quilt project..... pictured is the pieces of the quilt after sewing the pieces together. I really enjoyed selecting the fabric for this quilt, it's from the Life's a Hoot line of fabric.

There are seven different patterns used to make this quilt, six for the front and a soft coordinating flannel for the back. Purchased were three yards for the front, half yard cuts in six different patterns and three yards for the back.

Each of the prints were cut into three forty inch long and five and one half wide strips and for the back eighteen strips of the same measurements as the front.

Then one of each of the front strips and six of the back strips need to be cut in half and sewn to the matching full strip making twelve of the front and twelve of the back.

The strips are ready to be sewn together, placing a front strip to a back strip wrong sides together and sewn to the next strip in the order that you would like them to lay. When the strips are all sewn and the quilt is one piece, it needs to be sewn all the way around the outside two times.

Once the pieces are sewn together and the outside sewn, the seams are ready for clipping. Clip all the seams at quarter of an inch intervals. Be sure that the no seams are clipped. The quilt needs to be washed about tree times to fray the clipped edges.

When completed, the quilt will look like this:

Max absolutely loves it. It is so soft, comfortable and warm! It was so much fun to make!

Charming

Back in the fall, I participated in a charm swap. It was the first time I participated in a swap of this kind. I have been reading blogs and looking at all kinds of clever charms crafters are creating and I have become challenged to create some kind of charm to swap.
With the basic collage supplies, text background, images, chipboard 1" circles, diamond glaze, tiny rhinestones, beads, jewelry pins and jump rings..... a small paper charm is created.

This is the result of my efforts.

The little charms were sent off to the swap hostess and the return was so much fun to receive. It was so much fun getting so many different little treasures back!

Shabby Seams

It's always exciting to have additions to the family. This fall it seems that there have been quite a few baby boys born into the family! Not only do I have a grandson, my little cousin gave birth to a set of twin boys! I am so excited about the boys, I have to take up a little sewing and knitting for these little ones! This will be my first project! A quick quilt. The fabrics are just wonderful. The prints are from The Hoot Collection, they are the cutest little Owl prints with the colors, green, orange and brown and a little aqua thrown in. Keep an eye out for the finished product, I know I will be posting it for all to see!